'Damage': WSJ's conservative editors scorch RFK and his 'eccentric' new crew

Matthew Chapman
June 12, 2025
RAW STORY

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Photo credit: Gage Skidmore)


The Wall Street Journal editorial board trashed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for appointing a slew of anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists to one of the nation's most important vaccine advisory boards in a blistering takedown published on Thursday evening.

"We didn’t think anyone could do more to damage trust in public health institutions than Anthony Fauci, but Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is giving it a whirl," wrote the board. "See the eccentric crew the Health and Human Services Secretary has tapped to advise the department on vaccines."

Kennedy announced this month he was dismissing all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), a vaccine panel for the Centers for Disease Control that sets childhood vaccine schedules and determines which vaccines are covered under the federal vaccine injury compensation program.

Now, he has announced the people who will replace them — almost none of whom have actual experience with vaccines.

"Two of his new members have served as 'expert' witnesses paid by plaintiff attorneys in lawsuits against vaccine makers. Conflicts, anyone?" wrote the board. "Biostatistician Martin Kulldorff backed claims against Merck over its HPV vaccine. Mr. Kennedy held a financial stake in one of the cases, which after he became secretary he bestowed to his son, who works at the law firm suing Merck, Wisner Baum." He also appointed biochemist Robert Malone, who opposes COVID mRNA vaccination, and "served as a paid expert in litigation against Merck’s mumps vaccine, which was rejected by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Dr. Malone has downplayed the Texas measles outbreak and said two deaths of unvaccinated children owed to medical errors."

One of Kennedy's appointments, Retsef Levi, isn't even involved in medicine or biology, but is a business school professor at MIT, a sharp break from the practice of appointing doctors to ACIP.

"The secretary appears to have picked some vaccine advisers out of a Make America Healthy Again hat," the board jabbed. "Take Joseph Hibbeln, a nutritional neuroscientist whose research focus is omega-3 fatty acids. Another is emergency medicine physician James Pagano, who has written two novels and denounced a study finding that ivermectin was an ineffective Covid treatment."

The board noted that the only one of the appointees with any actual vaccine experience is Cody Meissner, a pediatrician who has advised other government vaccine panels and has promoted the benefits of immunization. "Consider him the committee’s contrarian," they continued.

"Mr. Kennedy claimed in his op-ed in these pages that reconstituting the advisory committee would restore public trust in vaccines," the board concluded. "He’s on a path to do the opposite."

'Clean sweep!' RFK ousts CDC's vaccine advisors to 'earn back' public trust

Sarah K. Burris
June 9, 2025   

RAW STORY

A pharmacist looks through a microscope. (Shutterstock)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. penned an announcement in the Wall Street Journal opinion section that he forced the “retiring” of all 17 members of a panel of crucial government vaccine advisors in a dubious attempt to "restore public trust in vaccines."

"Vaccines have become a divisive issue in American politics," he wrote, "but there is one thing all parties can agree on: The U.S. faces a crisis of public trust. Whether toward health agencies, pharmaceutical companies or vaccines themselves, public confidence is waning."

In fact, most Americans aren't divided on vaccines. A 2024 health survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania showed "28% of survey respondents mistakenly believed that COVID-19 vaccines have caused thousands of deaths, up from 22% in June 2021."


In the survey, about 66% of Americans viewed the COVID-19 vaccine as safe. Meanwhile, an exceptionally high number of Americans have faith in other vaccines, "MMR (81% safe, 83% effective), flu (81%, 75%), shingles (78%, 73%), and pneumonia (74%, 69%)."

Kennedy claimed, "Under my direction, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is putting the restoration of public trust above any pro- or antivaccine agenda. The public must know that unbiased science guides the recommendations from our health agencies. This will ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible."

To do that, he's removing all of the members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), claiming it's a "reconstitution" of the panel.

Kennedy revealed that usually, a president wouldn't be able to appoint new members until 2028 because they're appointed for a non-partisan four-year term. Under President Donald Trump, however, they're getting around it by eliminating everyone.

"ACIP evaluates the safety, efficacy and clinical need of the nation’s vaccines and passes its findings on to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Kennedy said. He claims that they all have conflicts of interest and have "become little more than a rubber stamp." They're required to disclose all conflicts of interest publicly, and it's displayed online.

Kennedy cited an investigation from 25 years ago to allege corruption.

“The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies,” Kennedy continued.

He concluded: "A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science. In the 1960s, the world sought guidance from America’s health regulators, who had a reputation for integrity, scientific impartiality and zealous defense of patient welfare. Public trust has since collapsed, but we will earn it back."

As CNBC explained, the agencies and advisory panels "have had rigorous policies for conflicts of interest, and there have been no related issues for years."

Yet, over the years, Kennedy has been criticized for his significant changes to immunization practices since taking over HHS. Meanwhile, scientists, public health experts, and physicians have been critical that Kennedy is undermining confidence in vaccines.

As one health policy expert previously told CNBC, firing the advisory committee could "produce politicized recommendations that highlight the harms rather than the benefits of shots."

For the overwhelming majority of Americans who believe in vaccines, the new panel's "recommendations could also create greater distrust in the CDC and Trump administration among scientists and public health experts."

‘Mouthpiece for the Kremlin’: Rubio scorched for ‘Russia Day’ congratulations

David Badash, 

The New Civil Rights Movement
June 12, 2025 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's State Department budget request for the Department of State, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is being sharply criticized for his message to the Russian people, congratulating them on “Russia Day.” While it is common for the Department of State to issue such proclamations to various nations, they are typically issued with a purpose—to inform, and to advance American interests, including democracy. Secretary Rubio appears to have chosen a different approach than his predecessors, ignoring the war crimes Russia stands accused of committing.

“On behalf of the American people, I want to congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day,” Rubio’s short statement begins.

“The United States remains committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm the United States’ desire for constructive engagement with the Russian Federation to bring about a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine. It is our hope that peace will foster more mutually beneficial relations between our countries.”

By contrast, for example, during the Biden era, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made very clear in his 2022 message to the people of the Russian Federation what their President and government were actually doing.

“Russian citizens, like people everywhere, deserve to live their lives free of repression and to be able to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms without fear of retribution,” Secretary Blinken wrote. “This includes being able to voice their opinions and peacefully participate in civil and political activities in their own country.”

Blinken accused the Kremlin of having “intensified its crackdown against civil society and independent media,” while lamenting that “many Russian citizens are behind bars for the ‘crime’ of speaking truth to power,” which he described as “internal repression.”

He also told them that the “Kremlin is waging an unprovoked and unjustified war against a sovereign, neighboring state. Russia’s government is attempting to keep its citizens in the dark about the atrocities it is committing against the people of Ukraine.”

“The Kremlin’s war, he continued, “has left Russia isolated internationally, and it is robbing Russian citizens of the possibility of building a better future in harmony with their neighbors. This isolation is not inevitable, but results from the decisions of Russia’s leaders.”

The Atlantic Council, an American think tank, in February wrote: Russia stands accused of committing a vast array of crimes in Ukraine. Russians have allegedly engaged in the systematic targeting of Ukrainian civilians with the bombardment of civilian homes, infrastructure, churches, and schools. Alleged Russian crimes also include rape, torture, mass trafficking of adults and children, forcible disappearances, and the execution of surrendering Ukrainian soldiers.”

Critics blasted Secretary Rubio.

Calling the Secretary “just another mouthpiece for the Kremlin,” Professor of Economics Roman Sheremeta wrote that the “greeting from Marco Rubio on ‘russia day’ — a country waging a genocidal war against Ukraine — is an insult to the millions of Ukrainians who suffer daily from russian aggression.”

“Let’s be clear,” Professor Sheremeta continued, “this isn’t about ‘supporting the russian people.’ It’s about legitimizing a regime that kills, deports, tortures, and bombs civilians every day. A regime that is still committing genocide.”

Daily Beast columnist Julia Davis, a Russia expert, wrote that “Rubio’s State Department sending congratulations on Russia National Day and pining for better relations” was “an unusual way of condemning Russia’s invasion.”

Former Ukraine government official Olena Tregub is the co-founder of an anti-corruption non-governmental organization.

“A few months ago,” she wrote, “I got an email from Secretary of State Marco Rubio: our work was suspended – not in the U.S. national interest. Today, another email: congratulations to Russia on its National Day. As a Ukrainian, I got the message loud and clear.”

Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, asked: “Can you imagine the U.S. Secretary of State in 1943 congratulating Nazi Germany and wishing them a bright future?”

Department Of Homeland Security Predator B Drones Are Orbiting Over Los Angeles

Department of Homeland Security is using its most powerful and persistent eyes in the sky as part of its response to the unrest in Los Angeles.


Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick
Updated Jun 11, 2025 

The TWZ News

thewarzone.com

CBP

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been flying its Predator B drones, also commonly referred to by their military variant designation of MQ-9 Reapers, over Los Angeles as part of the U.S. government’s response to the unrest there, the agency confirmed to us on Wednesday. The flights are in response to protests that escalated to violence on multiple occasions, following a massive operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last Friday.

Persistent aerial surveillance like this has long been controversial, with civil rights advocates saying it violates the right to privacy and undermines the Constitution. At the same time, the fact that a drone is doing it largely evokes a uniquely upsetting response. While using the Predator Bs over urban locales is rare, it’s not unprecedented, and manned platforms do this kind of work every day across the country.


CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) “MQ-9 Predators are supporting our federal law enforcement partners in the Greater Los Angeles area, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with aerial support of their operations,” spokesman John Mennell told us Wednesday afternoon in response to our query earlier this week. “Additionally, they are providing officer safety surveillance when requested by officers. AMO is not engaged in the surveillance of First Amendment activities.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that its Predator B drones have been flying over Los Angeles in connection to the unrest there.(CBP) CBP

CBP had been mum about the issue for days, even though open-source reporting on social media had already presented compelling evidence of the drones’ orbits. On June 9, user @Aeroscout on X posted air traffic control (ATC) audio stating that two “Q-9s” – call signs TROY 703 and TROY 701, had passed each other in airspace over Yuma, Arizona, as one was replacing the other over Los Angeles. @Aeroscout had previously posted ATC audio of TROY 701 checking in on Los Angeles Center Sector 09. A short time later, Alaska Flight 1020 was given a traffic advisory for “drone traffic.”

While there has not yet been any explicit identification of the “Q-9s” as CBP Predator Bs, TROY is a known Department of Homeland Security (DHS) callsign. TROY 314, a CBP Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) based on the Beechcraft King Air 350ER twin-engine turboprop, and a CBP Black Hawk helicopter using the callsign TROY 212, were also tracked over Los Angeles this weekend.

Furthermore, plane trackers using online software first began noticing aircraft flying hexagonal patterns over Los Angeles on Sunday. Though not always the case, this is indicative of CBP Predator B surveillance patterns observed in the past. This includes the use of one of the CBP Q-9s over Minneapolis back in 2020.

CBP has MQ-9s at three locations: the National Air Security Operations Centers in Sierra Vista, Arizona (located on Fort Huachuca), San Angelo in Texas, and Grand Forks in North Dakota.

What specific version or versions of the CBP Predator B have been flying over Los Angeles is unclear. The TROY 701 callsign was tied to a particular tail number, CBP-113, back in April, but it is not clear if that same drone has been using the callsign in the past few days.

CBP-113 is what CBP has referred to in the past as a Guardian Maritime Mission version of the Q-9, which features a Raytheon SeaVue multi-mode radar under the central fuselage, and includes surface search and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery modes. SAR images are highly detailed maps of the surface below, which can be produced day or night, despite any cloud cover, smoke, or dust. Guardian Maritime Mission drones also have electro-optical and infrared full-motion video cameras in a turret under the nose, as well as data links capable of sending imagery and radar tracks back to control stations on the ground in near real-time.

A briefing slide discussing the features of the Guardian Maritime Mission version of the Predator B that CBP operates. CBP

CBP’s Predator B fleet, which consists of around eight drones, includes at least two other versions. There are baseline types that feature the same sensor turret as the Guardian Maritime Mission versions, but with a smaller Lynx SAR-capable radar rather than the more powerful SeaVue. It is also worth noting here that these drones, as well as CBP Predator B in general, are sometimes confusingly referred to as Predator Bs. This is a holdover from manufacturer General Atomics’ original nomenclature for the drone, which evolved from the iconic MQ-1 Predator A. One of these Predator Bs was identified as the type that flew over Minneapolis in 2020.

Another briefing slide with details about the capabilities of CBP’s baseline ‘Predator Bs.’ CBP

CBP also has a variant that blends features of the other two types. All CBP Predator Bs are unarmed, but can carry additional podded sensors under their wings.

Multi-role versions of the Predator B are also known to be in CBP’s fleet, as discussed here. CBP

The drones are part of a much larger response to the ongoing unrest, as protesters clashed with law enforcement who appeared to use tear gas and fired non-lethal rounds toward some groups of demonstrators. Some rioters pelted the LA police with rocks.

Responding to President Donald Trump’s directives, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) on Monday said it was activating a Marine infantry battalion that was placed in an alert status over the weekend.

“Approximately 700 Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division will seamlessly integrate with the Title 10 forces under Task Force 51 who are protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area,” the command said in a statement.

The activation of the Marines “is intended to provide Task Force 51 with adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency,” the statement continued.

Task Force 51 “is U.S. Army North’s Contingency Command Post, which provides a rapidly deployable capability to partner with civil authorities and DoD entities in response to Homeland Defense and Homeland Security Operations. It is commanded by Maj. Gen. Scott M. Sherman.”

Task Force 51 is comprised of approximately 2,100 National Guard soldiers in a Title 10 status and 700 active-duty Marines. “Task Force 51 forces have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force,” NORTHCOM explained.

The activation of Marines follows a directive Trump issued Saturday, invoking a legal provision allowing him to deploy federal service members when there is “a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

He said he had authorized the deployment of 2,000 members of the National Guard, The Associated Press reported.

CNN reported that as of Wednesday, the 700 Marines mobilized by the Pentagon had not yet been sent to Los Angeles and are still training, according to Sherman.

“Meanwhile, approximately 2,000 National Guard troops are currently on active duty and helping ICE agents during demonstrations, Sherman said,” according to the network. “An additional 2,000 Guard members will be ready for duty Thursday afternoon, Sherman added.”


California Gov. Gavin Newsom has decried Trump’s response, as you can see in the following video posted by CBS News

.


There is precedent for the use of these unarmed surveillance assets to watch over large demonstrations. As we reported at the time, and noted earlier in this piece, a Predator B orbited around Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May 2020 as the city saw increasingly violent protests in response to the killing of resident George Floyd while he was being arrested by members of the Minneapolis Police Department.

The use of persistent aerial surveillance for law enforcement purposes has long been a controversial topic. Civil liberties advocates say these and other mass surveillance activities violate rights to personal privacy and undermine constitutional protections against unlawful searches.

On Wednesday, CBP attempted to address those concerns.

“AMO does not possess or use facial recognition technology on any of its aircraft,” the agency said. “AMO does not own or have access to any facial recognition algorithms or software.”

In addition, “on-board cameras cannot provide enough resolution or detail to identify a person (that is to discern physical characteristics such as height, weight, eye color, hairstyle, or a facial image), or to discern a vehicle license plate number,” CBP further explained. “These cameras can be used to discern rough details such as clothing color, the presence of a backpack, or in some cases whether an individual is carrying an unconcealed weapon that may pose a threat.”

Still, the use of these drones over areas of civil unrest is almost certain to further fuel that debate. With protests against the Trump administration’s immigration actions spreading to other cities, we will likely see the use of these and other aerial surveillance assets employed elsewhere, as well.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com



Howard Altman
Senior Staff Writer
Howard is a Senior Staff Writer for The War Zone, and a former Senior Managing Editor for Military Times. Prior to this, he covered military affairs for the Tampa Bay Times as a Senior Writer. Howard's work has appeared in various publications including Yahoo News, RealClearDefense, and Air Force Times.


Joseph Trevithick
Deputy Editor
Joseph has been a member of The War Zone team since early 2017. Prior to that, he was an Associate Editor at War Is Boring, and his byline has appeared in other publications, including Small Arms Review, Small Arms Defense Journal, Reuters, We Are the Mighty, and Task & Purpose.

National Guard in LA left hanging with no pay and no support from locals: report

Tom Boggioni
June 12, 2025 

RAW STORY


Members of the California National Guard stand guard, as a demonstration against federal immigration sweeps takes place, outside the Edward R. Roybal federal building, after their deployment by President Trump, in Los Angeles, June 8. REUTERS/Mike Blake

In the Donald Trump administration's haste to federalize California National Guard troops to hit the streets of Los Angeles to protect ICE agents grabbing immigrants, the Pentagon has dropped the ball on providing the paperwork that would get them paid and activate their benefits, according to a report.

In interviews with more than a dozen of those deployed, Military.com found frustration that the Department of Defense, under Secretary Pete Hegseth, is not upholding its obligation to provide their "formal activation orders, the critical paperwork that not only authorizes their duty status, but also unlocks pay, Tricare health benefits and eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits."

The report notes that the hasty move to send the Guard to LA, bypassing a request from Gov. Gavin Newsom, is a contributing factor to the snafu.

ALSO READ: Trump ordered troops to LA because he's still angry city voted against him: Rep

Add to that, the unpopularity of the militarized occupation of an American city has put off local merchants who are normally supportive of the military.

According to the report, the failure of the administration is "... indicative of a slapdash mission where the welfare of troops has not been a priority. Several service members described inadequate living conditions at staging areas such as the military facility at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where soldiers are sleeping outside on cots due to a shortage of space. Others cited intermittent issues with food and fuel supplies."

The report adds that traditionally, when the National Guard is deployed to assist in distressed communities, they are welcomed with open arms. But soldiers are getting the cold shoulder this time.


"One midlevel officer said their unit would receive 'extremely generous' help when deployed to combat wildfires, including water, sports drinks and food, which played a significant role in morale and tightened the Guard-community relationship," the report notes, before adding one officer conceded, "This is a situation [where] we're against the community."

You can read more here.


‘Morale is not great’: Troops say they feel 'used' by Trump's LA deployment

Erik De La Garza
June 12, 2025  

RAW STORY

Police officers and members of the California National Guard stand next to demonstrators outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal building during a protest against federal immigration sweeps in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 10, 2025. REUTERS/David Swanson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

California National Guard troops and Marines sent to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests say their deployment feels more like political theater than a meaningful national service assignment, according to a new Guardian report.

“Morale is not great, is the quote I keep hearing,” said Chris Purdy of the Chamberlain Network, who’s spoken with multiple National Guard members since their sudden deployment.

Marine veteran Janessa Goldbeck, who runs the Vet Voice Foundation, reported similar findings among troops she’s been in contact with.

“Among all that I spoke with, the feeling was that the Marines are being used as political pawns, and it strains the perception that Marines are apolitical,” Goldbeck told the Guardian.

Military advocacy groups say they’ve heard dozens of complaints from service members upset about being drawn into domestic policing roles.

“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative told the Guardian.

In an “unusual step,” President Donald Trump activated 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines – bypassing California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s consent, according to the report. A federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment Thursday night.

Trump has described Los Angeles as a “trash heap” at risk of being “obliterated” by protesters.

But the reality, according to the Guardian, was that the anti-Trump protests “have been largely peaceful and restricted to just a few blocks around downtown federal buildings.”


The dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement is also showing up in a pair of public polls – from YouGov and the Washington Post – that show disapproval of both the deployment and immigration crackdown.

“The overall perception was that the situation was nowhere at the level where Marines were necessary,” Goldbeck concluded.

In 'Disservice to the Public', Trump Fires Content Team for Climate.Gov

"Hiding the impacts of climate change won't stop it from happening, it will just make us far less prepared when it does," one fired contractor said.




The front page of the Climate.gov website is seen on June 11, 2025.
(Photo: NOAA/Screengrab)

Olivia Rosane
Jun 11, 2025
COMMON DREAMS

In its latest attack on climate science, the Trump administration has fired everyone who produced content for Climate.gov, the public-facing website for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Program Office.

A former contractor who asked to be anonymous told The Guardian that their entire team had been let go from their government contract on May 31, the outlet reported Wednesday.

"It's targeted, I think it's clear," Tom Di Liberto, a former NOAA spokesperson who was fired earlier in the year, told The Guardian. "They only fired a handful of people, and it just so happened to be the entire content team for Climate.gov. I mean, that's a clear signal."

"I would hate to see it turn into a propaganda website for this administration, because that's not at all what it was."

The site's former program manager Rebecca Lindsey, who lost her job in the Trump administration's mass firing of probationary employees, agreed.

"It was a very deliberate, targeted attack," Lindsey told The Guardian, explaining that her former boss had told her that the orders came "from above" to cut the team's funding from a larger NOAA contract slated for renewal in May.

Climate.gov is currently well-respected for providing accurate, accessible information about the causes and consequences of the climate emergency.

"We were an extremely well-trusted source for climate information, misinformation, and disinformation because we actually, legitimately would answer misinformation questions," the anonymous contractor said. "We'd answer reader emails and try to combat disinformation on social media."

Oliver Milman, an environmental correspondent for The Guardian U.S. who did not break the news, described it as "one of world's leading sources of information on climate change."

Now, its ultimate fate is uncertain. The contractor said that a few pre-written pieces were scheduled to be posted on the site during June, but after that, it is unclear whether the site would continue to update or remain visible to the public.

There is also what Lindsey termed a more "sinister possibility": that the administration would use the site to publish false or misleading information dismissing the reality and risks of the climate emergency.

"I would hate to see it turn into a propaganda website for this administration, because that's not at all what it was," the contractor said.

The administration did keep two web developers on staff, which means it is possible it intends to keep the website running with new content.

In either case, however, the firing of the content team builds on a pattern in which President Donald Trump and his administration are making it harder for the public to access accurate scientific information, thereby impeding people from making informed decisions. It follows moves such as the dismissal of all of the scientists working on the National Climate Assessment and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's purging of a panel of vaccine experts.

"To me, climate is more broad than just climate change. It's also climate patterns like El Niño and La Niña," the contractor said. "Halting factual climate information is a disservice to the public. Hiding the impacts of climate change won't stop it from happening, it will just make us far less prepared when it does."

Outside scientists responded to the news with dismay.

"Sigh," wrote Robert Rohde, the chief scientist at Berkeley Earth.

Eliot Jacobson, a retired professor of mathematics and computer science, called the firings "your 'moment of kakistocracy' for today," referring to government by the least qualified.

The move comes amid other attacks on Americans' ability to prepare for and respond to the climate emergency and the many extreme weather events—from heatwaves to more extreme hurricanes—that it fuels.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) warned on Tuesday that the Trump administration's firings of heat experts at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Integrated Heat Health Information System would make it harder to respond to heatwaves—the deadliest type of extreme weather in the U.S.—as summer intersects with global heating to increase risk.

"Instead of investing in keeping people safe as temperatures spike, the Trump administration's staff and budget cuts to NOAA have left local weather service offices serving millions of people in hundreds of U.S. counties without the experienced leadership of meteorologists in charge. And firing federal heat health experts will further jeopardize protections for people," Juan Declet-Barreto, a bilingual senior social scientist for climate vulnerability at UCS, said in a statement.

"The president's proposed budget calls for more massive cuts to agencies like NOAA doing lifesaving work," Declet-Barreto continued. "And its regulatory rollbacks and cuts to climate and clean energy funding are aimed at increasing the use of fossil fuels, which are largely responsible for these rising temperatures. So, while the country suffers in what could be record-breaking temperatures, especially outdoor workers and vulnerable populations, fossil fuel executives will sit back in their air-conditioned offices watching President Trump do their bidding and grow their profits."

Meanwhile, Trump on Tuesday offered a timeline for winding down the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)—which he has long threatened to eliminate.

"I'd say after the hurricane season we'll start phasing it out," Trump said, as NBC News reported. In the future, Trump said, more responsibility would fall with the states, any federal disaster relief would be dispersed directly from the president's office, and less money would be offered.

However, a FEMA higher-up toldCNN that the president's proposal was unrealistic.

"This is a complete misunderstanding of the role of the federal government in emergency management and disaster response and recovery, and it's an abdication of that role when a state is overwhelmed," they said. "It is clear from the president's remarks that their plan is to limp through hurricane season and then dismantle the agency."

Amnesty Condemns Trump Threat of 'Very Heavy Force' Against Military Parade Protesters


The far-right Republican president, warned the human rights group, "is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: dissent will be punished."


Protesters continue to march and chant in an approximately one-square mile area of downtown Los Angeles in response to a series of immigration raids, on June 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)


Jon Queally
Jun 12, 2025
COMMON DREAMS

The human rights advocacy group Amnesty International USA has issued a strong rebuke and warning in response to President Donald Trump's public threat to aim "very heavy force" at law-abiding protesters voicing their constitutionally-protected free speech during organized 'No Kings' protests scheduled for Saturday nationwide.

In Tuesday remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he didn't know of any planned protests timed to coincide with his $134-million parade, taking place on his birthday, but said if there are, "these are people that hate our country."

"For those people who want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force," Trump said, making no distinction between peaceful demonstrators and those who might be more confrontational or even violent.

"Now is a good moment to remind President Trump that protesting is a human right and that his administration is obligated to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly–not suppress them," said Paul O'Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, in a statement on Wednesday.

Trump's threat arrived after he overrode California Gov. Gavin Newsom to call up 4,000 National Guard troops in that state last weekend—and subsequently U.S. Marine forces—to confront large protests in Los Angeles that erupted in response to raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the violent arrest of union leader David Huerta, president of SEIU California.

"The militarized response to protests, including the deployment of the National Guard and the Marines in Los Angeles, further escalates tensions and is a chilling preview of even more human rights violations that could be coming," warned O'Brien. "The U.S. military is not trained or equipped to police civilians. It increases the risk of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and other violations of free expression and peaceful assembly. The Trump administration has already shown us that it will use any tool of the state, including ICE, police, and military forces to target immigrants, asylum seekers, protesters, and anyone who dares to defend their rights."

Over 1,800 coordinated 'No Kings' protests are being organized for July 14 to counter Trump's growing authoritarianism and to coincide with the military parade Trump is throwing for himself in Washington, D.C., at an estimated cost of $134 million.

A new poll released Thursday shows a majority of Americans believe the parade is a waste of taxpayer money.

Approximately 6 in 10 Americans also say Trump's parade is "not a good use" of taxpayer funds, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That number of disapproving voters includes a number of people surveyed who have no particular criticism of the parade itself.






Beyond the wasted cost, critics of the president warn that the more dangerous aspect of the parade is how the spectacle dovetails with Trump's broader authoritarianism, including his militarized response to dissent and weaponizing state power against his perceived political enemies.

"Make no mistake," said Amnesty's O'Brien. "President Trump’s response to protests has nothing to do with public safety. This is his administration’s way of stoking fear and suppressing opposition. By sending police, ICE, or the military into neighborhoods to silence voices calling for justice and human rights, President Trump is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: dissent will be punished."

Amnesty called for an immediate halt to Trump's "militarized response" to public protest.

"The task of any law enforcement is to facilitate—not to restrict—a peaceful public assembly," said O'Brien. "This must be clearly understood by all law enforcement officials taking part in the management of the assembly. Law enforcement must also not use violent acts of a few as a pretext to restrict or impede the human rights of others to peacefully protest."

Rights Group Warns of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's Complicity in Israeli 'War Crimes'

The Center for Constitutional Rights accused GHF of "directly contributing to or otherwise furthering Israel's commission of forcible transfer and other atrocity crimes."


Forcibly displaced Palestinians receive humanitarian aid packages from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah, Gaza, Palestine on June 10, 2025.
(Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Brett Wilkins

Jun 12, 2025
COMMON DREAMS

As Israeli occupation forces continued to massacre desperate aid-seekers in Gaza this week, human rights defenders accused the U.S.-backed organization Israel is allowing to distribute limited aid in the embattled strip of being a "death trap" and giving cover to Israel's program of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians.

Local and international media reported Thursday that at least 13 Palestinians were killed and upward of 200 others were wounded when Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops opened fire on civilians waiting for humanitarian aid near the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza.

Medical sources also said Israeli shelling killed 12 Palestinians and injured dozens more gathered at an aid distribution center near the southern city of Rafah, while IDF troops shot dead five other people waiting for aid northwest of Gaza City.

Thursday's massacres followed similar IDF attacks on civilians seeking aid that have killed or wounded hundreds of Palestinians since the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began allowing a trickle of humanitarian relief to enter Gaza amid a "complete siege" that has fueled mass starvation among the strip's more than 2 million people, almost all of whom have been forcibly displaced, often multiple times.

Many hundreds of Palestinians, mostly children and elders, have recently died from malnutrition and lack of medical care in Gaza.

This, as Israeli forces continued Operation Gideon's Chariots, which aims to conquer and indefinitely occupy all of Gaza and ethnically cleanse much of its population, possibly to make way for Israeli resettlement as advocated by many right-wing Israelis.

As the death toll among Palestinian aid-seekers mounts, critics have taken aim at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the Delaware-based nonprofit tasked with distributing aid in the coastal enclave. Opponents have called GHF a "death trap" and a "ruse to weaponize aid."

This week, the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) notified GHF "of its potential legal liability for complicity in Israel's war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide against Palestinians."

CCR—which unsuccessfully sued U.S. President Joe Biden and two of his top officials for alleged genocide complicity in Gaza—said in a letter to GHF executive chairman Johnnie Moore that "there is a reasonable basis to believe that your operations, planned and undertaken in close coordination with Israel, are directly contributing to or otherwise furthering Israel's commission of forcible transfer and other atrocity crimes in the occupied Gaza Strip."

"This militarized system of food distribution funneled through three distribution hubs in Rafah and one near Deir el-Balah requires malnourished Palestinians to travel great distances and often relocate within Gaza to access food aid under a regime overseen by Israeli forces and U.S. private military contractors," the letter continues.

"In the 10 days since GHF began its stop-and-go operations, reports range from at least 95 to as many as 130 Palestinians having
been killed and hundreds wounded while seeking food at GHF sites," CCR added. "We urge you to immediately cease and desist such operations and actions in Gaza. Failing to do so could result in the initiation of civil litigation or criminal prosecution in domestic courts in different countries, including under the principle of universal jurisdiction, or could subject you to the jurisdiction of international bodies."

Those bodies include the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands—which is currently weighing a genocide case against Israel—and the International Criminal Court, also based in the Dutch city, which last year issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder and forced starvation.

On Thursday, Zeteo published an interview with an anonymous former private U.S. security contractor who was hired to facilitate GHF aid distribution who said: "I thought I was signing up for an aid mission. But what I've witnessed in Gaza is horrific."

"You have guys with hardly any knowledge of the culture, no deployment experience, and are not necessarily qualified to be using the weapons they had in charge of security at aid sites in a place where we know millions are desperate for aid," he continued. "What could go wrong?"

According to the former contractor:
One episode sticks with me. We were monitoring an empty site all day; sometime after dark, dozens of flatbed trucks finally brought aid. The Israeli military soon radioed in that 200 to 300 civilians a couple of kilometers (less than two miles) north were approaching. We then observed an Israeli drone go out there.

Shortly thereafter, that area started getting lit up with artillery. The generous interpretation? Maybe the Israelis were firing between our position and the people in order to keep them from moving forward. I don't think that's the case. After all, tanks fire all day long near these aid sites. Snipers fire from what used to be a hospital. Bombs and bullets fly all day long in one direction—toward Palestinians. It's very clear that the Israeli military will take any opportunity available to fire.

Last month, Jake Wood, a former U.S. marine and co-founder of the disaster relief group Team Rubicon, resigned as executive director of GHF. Wood cited "the lack of independence from Israel and the likelihood that the plan would result in forced displacement," according to CCR.

Earlier this month, Christoph Schweizer, CEO of Boston Consulting Group—which played a key role in creating GHF—apologized for and ended BCG's participation in the endeavor.

"I deeply regret that in this situation, we fell short—of our own standards and of the trust that you, our clients and our broader communities place in BCG," he wrote. "I am sorry for how deeply disappointing this has been."

Israeli defence minister orders army prevent pro-Palestine aid convoy from entering Gaza

“jihadist demonstrators” 

June 12, 2025 

MEMO

Maghreb Resistance Convoy including hundreds of activists from Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania, set out to break the blockade on Gaza, reaches its first stop in Libya in the city of Zawiya on June 10, 2025. [Hazem Turkia – Anadolu Agency]


Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz has instructed the Israeli army to prevent a convoy of pro-Palestinian activists from reaching the besieged Gaza Strip, and labelled them as “foreign jihadists”.

Katz said he expects the Egyptian authorities to prevent the “jihadist demonstrators” from reaching the Egyptian-Israeli border, and to prevent them from carrying out provocations or attempting to enter Gaza, because that would endanger Israeli occupation soldiers.

He also claimed that the “jihadist demonstrators” also pose a danger to the Egyptian regime and a threat to all moderate Arab regimes in the region.

He added the group shares antisemitic affinities with Hamas and wants to impose radical Islamic ideology across the region, with the support of the Iranian axis of evil.”

The convoy — dubbed the “Maghreb Resilience Convoy” or “Soumoud Convoy” — began its journey on Monday from Tunisia, with more than 7,000 participants and around 300 vehicles.

The protest caravan includes activists from Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya and is expected to enter Egypt on Thursday before arriving at Rafah in the coming days.

The initiative is part of a global movement of thousands of solidarity activists from 32 countries aimed at stopping the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, breaking the siege, and deliver aid to more than two million Palestinians facing the threat of famine, according to the convoy organisers.

'We Refuse to Remain Silent': 1,000 North African Volunteers Make Their Way to Gaza to Break Israeli Siege


"A tsunami of humanity is rising for Gaza."

Pro-Palestinian activists wave Palestinian flags and keffiyehs from open bus windows as they, along with around 1,000 other participants in the Sumud or "Resilience" Convoy, depart from Tunis, Tunisia, on June 9, 2025.
(Photo: Chedly Ben Ibrahim/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Julia Conley
Jun 11, 2025
COMMON DREAMS

As Israeli forces unlawfully boarded the Madleen, a boat carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, and detained the volunteers on the vessel on Monday, approximately 1,000 pro-Palestinian advocates from across Northwest Africa were boarding a convoy of buses and cars in Tunisia—planning to travel for days to the Rafah crossing, where they aim to break Israel's blockade that's starving people across the war-torn enclave.

The Sumud Convoy, whose name means "steadfastness" or "resilience" in Arabic, is carrying aid and being led by the Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia, and has ties to the Global March for Gaza, which includes rights advocates from about 50 countries across the world who were en route to Cairo on Wednesday.

"This is a civil and popular initiative in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza," Wael Naouar, a member of the organizing team, toldThe New Arab. "We refuse to remain silent."

The convoy crossed into Libya on Tuesday and has been resting after a full day of travel as organizers wait for permission to cross the eastern part of the divided country.

In Tripoli in the western region, the volunteers have been welcomed by hundreds of locals, and fuel station owners have reportedly said they will provide free gas to all cars, buses, and trucks that join the convoy.

"This visit brings us joy," architect Alaa Abdel Razzaq toldAgence France-Presse.

Along with the current delay in receiving approval from eastern Libyan authorities to cross the region, the convoy and the Global March for Gaza could face resistance from the Egyptian government as organizers plan to march for three days from El Arish in the Sinai Peninsula to the Rafah crossing.

Egypt classifies the area between El Arish and Rafah as a military zone and has not released a statement on whether it will allow the march.

If the volunteers make it to the Rafah crossing, they will have to contend with the Israel Defense Forces. In addition to abducting international activists including Swedish climate leader Greta Thunberg and Palestinian-French member of European Parliament Rima Hassan this week, Israeli forces killed 10 activists carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on a Turkish flotilla in 2010.

Ghaya Ben Mbarek, an independent journalist from Tunis, toldAl Jazeera that people in the convoy "are feeling courage and anger" as they head toward the Gaza border.

"The message people here want to send to the world is that even if you stop us by sea, or air, then we will come, by the thousands, by land," Ben Mbarek told Al Jazeera. "We will literally cross deserts... to stop people from dying from hunger."

Fadi Quran of the U.S.-based advocacy group Avaaz said the journey of the convoy—which has been growing as more people have joined since leaving Tunisia—is "one of the most beautiful things humanity has to offer in 2025."


"A tsunami of humanity is rising for Gaza," said Quran. "Amplify it."



The Sumud Convoy is supported by the Tunisian General Labor Union, the National Bar Association, the Tunisian League for Human Rights, and the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, while groups including the Palestinian Youth Movement and CodePink are affiliated with the Global March for Gaza.

Advocates from countries including the Netherlands, Canada, and Ireland plan to arrive in Cairo on Thursday, when they hope to begin the three-day march to Rafah.

Canadian Sen. Yuen Pau Woo wrote to the Egyptian government on Tuesday, asking for support for the march.

"I believe that Egypt's support for this humanitarian action would send a powerful message to the international community," said Woo.

Kellie McConnell, a member of Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine, also expressed hope that the international action will force governments around the world, including those that have backed Israel's bombardment and blockade of Gaza, to "pay attention and do everything in their power" to end the attacks that have killed more than 55,000 Palestinians.



"We can turn the tables in this genocide," said McConnell. "We can stop the absolutely appalling brutalization and desperate treatment of people in Palestine."

If the advocates are blocked at the border like the Madleen was intercepted on Monday, one activist in the Sumud Convoy toldThe New Arab, "even that will send a message."

"People over power," they said. "If they stop dozens, thousands will rise."

French president says Palestinian leader shows ‘unprecedented’ commitment to peace

'I received a letter of hope, courage, and clarity,' Macron says after receiving message from Abbas

İlayda Çakırtekin |12.06.2025 - TRT.AA




ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for what he called “unprecedented” commitments, after receiving a letter outlining concrete proposals for peace and reform.

"I received a letter of hope, courage and clarity," Macron wrote on X. "This is a decisive moment."

He described Abbas’s commitments as “concrete and unprecedented,” and said they demonstrate a “genuine willingness to move forward.”

Macron said the letter “charts a course toward a horizon of peace.”

The message was sent ahead of a United Nations conference on Palestine and the two-state solution set to be co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia later this month. Abbas addressed the letter to Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"The Palestinian people are faced with an existential threat against their lives, their most fundamental and basic rights, and their very presence in their land at a time when the prospect of peace in our region is being jeopardized," Abbas wrote, thanking both countries for their leadership.

Stressing that more “occupation” or “violence” will not bring a solution, he called for a political outcome based on “justice, international law and mutual acceptance.”

"The utmost priority is to stop the bloodshed in Gaza,” he said, calling for an “immediate, comprehensive and permanent ceasefire,” alongside the opening of all crossings by Israel, unrestricted humanitarian aid deliveries, the release of hostages and prisoners and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Abbas also expressed the Palestinian Authority’s readiness to assume sole governance and security responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.

He reiterated the need for Hamas to “hand over its weapons and military capabilities.”

"The ceasefire and an end of the Israeli assault against the Palestinian people, our land, homes, infrastructure, institutions and holy sites, should be extended to cover all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and should be accompanied with the immediate cessation of all unilateral measures that violate international law by any side," he added.

He demanded an “immediate” and “complete” halt to settlement activity and settler violence, including confiscation of settlers’ arms and potential sanctions to deter attacks.

“The Palestinian people are entitled to live in freedom and dignity in their homeland. Palestine and Israel are entitled to exist as states, in peace and security, in conformity with international law,” he wrote.

Abbas said this vision can only be achieved through the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel.

He also said he supports the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to implement a peace agreement.


Finally, he expressed the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to holding presidential and general elections within a year across the Palestinian territory – including East Jerusalem – under international supervision.

Mike Huckabee on the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian situation in Gaza

Jun 11, 2025 
NPR/PBS NEWS HOUR
By —Amna Nawaz
By —Zeba Warsi


The bodies of two more Israeli hostages were recovered in Gaza. It serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of the war, now 600-plus days into the carnage. How will it end? 

And what is the future for Palestinians, who've borne the brunt of the death and destruction from Israel's campaign?

 To discuss those questions and more, Amna Nawaz spoke with Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Read the Full Transcript


Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Amna Nawaz:

The bodies of two more Israeli hostages were recovered today in Gaza.

One was Yair Yaakov, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz near the Gaza border on October 7 of 2023. His two children and partner were released earlier. The other hostage remains anonymous, at their family's request. It's believed 53 hostages remain held by Hamas; 33 are thought to be dead.

The recovery serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of the Gaza war now 600-plus days into the carnage. How will it end? And what is the future for Palestinians, who have borne the brunt of the death and destruction from Israel's campaign?

For answers to those questions and more, I spoke earlier with Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Ambassador Huckabee, welcome back to the "News Hour." Thank you for joining us.

Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel: It is my pleasure. Thank you. And great to be here from Jerusalem.


Amna Nawaz:

Well, let me begin by asking you about a recent interview you gave. You were asked about the U.S. policy and if the U.S. is no longer pursuing the goal of an independent Palestinian state.

And you said: "I don't think so."

It's worth pointing out that a two-state solution has been a cornerstone of U.S. policy and diplomatic efforts in the Middle East for at least the last three decades. Is this a new U.S. policy that you're articulating here?


Mike Huckabee:

It's not so much a new policy. It's simply the pragmatic reality that right now there's just no appetite for it. There's no plans for it. Nobody's come up with a workable plan.

One of the things that I admire most about President Trump, he is the ultimate pragmatist, that he has two questions that he poses for every decision, will it work and will it make things better?

So, the question is, if you created and imposed a two-state solution in the midst of a post-October 7 world, would it work and would it make things better? I'm not hearing anybody who can explain how it would work and how it would make things better.

So I'm not saying it'll never happen. I'm not saying it aspirationally is not something that maybe people would love to see. But I'm simply saying that, for the immediate future, for the time being, I don't hear anyone really going out there and saying it, that it ought to happen.


Amna Nawaz:

Well, whether it's in the near future or the distant future, I think the question is whether it's something the U.S. wants to work towards. In saying "I don't think so," you articulated a change to what's been the longstanding U.S. policy.

Is that something you spoke to President Trump about and does he agree with you?


Mike Huckabee:

It's not something we have had a conversation about.

But, if you go back to his first term, he never brought it up. It was simply not something that he was focused upon, because what he was really focused upon was a much bigger realignment of the Middle East. So he initiated the Abraham Accords, which I think were incredibly historic, and he invited the Palestinians to be part of that process. They refused. They walked away. They wanted no part of it.

I think the president is poised to do something incredibly significant in his second term, and that would be a dramatic expansion of the Abraham Accords.


Amna Nawaz:

Well, sir, as you know, the Abraham Accords were meant to be a precursor towards normalization between the two largest economies in the region. That would be Saudi Arabia and Israel.

And we have seen the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, say that there will be no normalization without an independent Palestinian state. So can there be normalization unless the U.S. is actively working towards a two-state solution?


Mike Huckabee:

Well, I think that there certainly can be.

And, once again, it doesn't always mean that the Palestinian state is going to be right in the middle of Judea and Samaria. There are many questions to be raised about, where would it be, how would it be formulated, how would it be governed?


Amna Nawaz:

Where else would you suggest it might be?


Mike Huckabee:

So, it's one thing to say we would — well, I said the French Riviera. France seems to really be just heavy on this whole idea.


Amna Nawaz:

Ambassador, all due respect, is that a real suggestion, that you would forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the French Riviera?

(Crosstalk)


Mike Huckabee:

I would say it's about as real as saying that, as long as the Palestinians are paying people to murder Jewish people, which they do, or to teach them from the time they're 6 years old that it is a wonderful thing to kill a Jewish person, and their families are rewarded with a pension or a park or a street named after them, you're probably not going to see this resolved. There has to be a cultural shift.

But here's what I would also mention. A lot of people don't think about this. Israel is a tiny little country. It's a sliver of land the size of New Jersey. Muslim-run countries have 644 times the amount of real estate than Israel does.

So when I hear people say Israel just needs to give up some of the land, well, they have given up quite a bit. They have given up Gaza. That was a Palestinian state. That was a 100 percent Palestinian state. And it could have been Singapore. But Hamas turned it into Haiti.

There has been such a disastrous economic problem that goes on in the Palestinian Authority.


Amna Nawaz:

Ambassador, setting aside the failures of the Palestinian leadership over the years, I want to get back to this question you raised about where a Palestinian independent state could reside.

You mentioned that Muslim countries have a good amount of land in neighboring states. I want to be clear about this. Are you suggesting that five million Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank be located — relocated from their lands and their homes to neighboring countries? Is that what you're suggesting here?


Mike Huckabee:

No, not at all. No, and I think that it would be very, very, probably disastrous to try to say, you have to leave, you can't stay. Nobody's suggesting that.

And, by the way, President Trump has been very clear in talking about Gaza and its future. Nobody's going to be forced to leave. I think there are going to be a lot of people that want to leave. Under Hamas, they can't leave. But give people the freedom of movement.

But the question is, tell us where this would work.


Amna Nawaz:

I want to ask you about the continued Israeli war effort in Gaza, which, as you know, is now over about a year-and-a-half old.

As you know, the numbers so far are horrifying. And we have seen some 55,000 Palestinians killed in more than a year-and-a-half of that war. And I know the Israeli military and government are obviously saying the aim here is to destroy Hamas after the horrific attacks of October the 7th.

I just wonder, when you look at that death toll, do you and the U.S. government, do you believe that that's justified in the pursuit of Hamas?


Mike Huckabee:

I would dispute that the numbers are accurate, because those are the numbers that are given by the same Hamas that has been very dishonest in virtually all of the so-called news that they have reported, including some of the reports that they put out, which were totally false, about the humanitarian feeding effort.


Amna Nawaz:

Well, to that point, Ambassador, what numbers are you working with?


Mike Huckabee:

I think a lot of people, I don't know if it's 20,000, 25,000, 30,000. Too many. Too many people have died.

But they have died because Hamas, who could have ended this on October the 8th of 2023, have dug in. They have held hostages. They have tortured them. They have murdered them. They already murdered 1,200 Jewish people and other people from many countries around the world, including a good number of Americans, and held Americans hostage, still holding two Americans hostage, who are deceased, but their remains are still held.

All of this time, this could have ended, but Hamas has to determine that it will not have a future in Gaza, it will not try to govern in the future. And that's a reasonable demand that the president of the United States has made very clear has to be met.


Amna Nawaz:

Ambassador, there is five million Palestinians across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank who are looking to the U.S. and other places for leadership, who have told us repeatedly they do not want to leave the lands and the homes that their families trace back for generations and generations and are now faced with the impossible situation in Gaza having to put their lives at risk to get food for their families.

I wonder if you can speak directly to them and tell them what your message would be today about their future.


Mike Huckabee:

Their message should be tell Hamas they got to leave. Tell them they no longer will respect any authority from them. Don't allow them to continue to run your lives. You voted them into power back in 2005 when they took full control of Gaza.

And they turned what could have been Singapore into…


Amna Nawaz:

Ambassador, as you well know, more than half the population of Gaza is under the age of 18. They had nothing to do with that election. Surely you're not saying they should be held responsible for those actions.


Mike Huckabee:

No, they should be set free. That's why we're trying to get Hamas out, because Hamas has made it so that most of the population is young. The older ones didn't have much of a life there.

What did they do with the billions and billions and billions of dollars that were poured into Gaza to make it one of the most wonderful places on Earth? But what did they do? They built tunnels. They built a tunnel system that is larger than the London underground, and they did it for one purpose, to one day wake up and to murder Jews, slaughter them, massacre them, mutilate them on October the 7th, and then pledge they'd like to do it again.

That's why we're in the mess we're in.


Amna Nawaz:

That is the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, joining us from Jerusalem tonight.

Ambassador Huckabee, thank you for your time. We appreciate it.


Mike Huckabee:

It's been a pleasure. Thank you very much.