11

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is calling President Donald Trump’s authorization of military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities “a grave violation of the Constitution,” warning the country that the President’s unilateral actions could ignite a generational war in the Middle East and may be grounds for impeachment.

“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted late Saturday.

Her comments come hours after Trump, in a briskly delivered Oval Office address, confirmed that U.S. forces had struck three major Iranian nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, using a combination of Tomahawk missiles and B-2 bomber payloads. The president described the strikes as “a spectacular military success,” boasting that Tehran’s nuclear program had been “obliterated.”

While Trump celebrated the moment as a decisive military win, critics across the aisle warned that the action bypassed constitutional checks, skirted Congressional approval, and could destabilize an already volatile region. The President’s announcement, along with the absence of prior Congressional debate, has reignited longstanding tensions around the executive branch’s war-making powers.

A Dangerous Precedent: Lawmakers Warn Trump’s Actions Violate the Constitution

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and prohibits operations lasting more than 60 days without Congressional approval. According to multiple lawmakers, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD), Trump failed to consult Congress prior to launching the strikes.

Ocasio-Cortez, a vocal member of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, didn’t hold back. She declared the action “clearly” crosses the constitutional threshold for impeachment. Others on Capitol Hill echoed her alarm.

“It is not enough to say ‘consulted.’ This is not consultation. This is not a war powers resolution. This is a king behaving like a king,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), warning of the precedent Trump’s move may set for future presidents.

Inside the Attack: The Details of the U.S. Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Trump revealed that the U.S. struck three of Iran’s most fortified nuclear facilities: Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, using a combination of six bunker-buster bombs and 30 Tomahawk missiles. B-2 bombers were deployed for the mission, targeting the heavily protected Fordow site, which is buried beneath a mountain near Tehran.

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. Fordow is gone,” Trump wrote on social media. In his televised remarks, he declared the mission “a spectacular military success,” adding ominously, “If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed, and skill.”

CBS News reported that U.S. officials attempted to communicate to Tehran that the strikes were limited in scope and not a push for regime change. But the scale of destruction and Trump’s aggressive language left many doubting those assurances.

Tehran Reacts Cautiously as International Community Fears Escalation

Iranian state-affiliated media, including the Tasnim news agency, confirmed that the Fordow site was targeted in what they described as “enemy airstrikes.” While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, satellite imagery suggests the site sustained significant destruction.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump for what he called “a bold decision that will change history.” Netanyahu has long pushed for military action against Iran’s nuclear program, and many observers believe this operation was closely coordinated with Israel.

European leaders, however, responded with alarm. French President Emmanuel Macron warned the strike was “a catastrophic turning point,” while Germany and the United Kingdom called for immediate diplomatic de-escalation. The United Nations Security Council is expected to convene an emergency session within 48 hours.

A Brewing Political Firestorm: Democrats Signal New Battle Over Executive Power

With the 2026 midterm elections on the horizon, Democrats are already sharpening their rhetoric, preparing to use Trump’s latest foreign policy gamble as a central campaign issue. Many see AOC’s call for impeachment as more than symbolic. It’s a rallying cry to reassert Congressional authority over matters of war and peace.

“The American people did not vote for another endless war in the Middle East,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Congress has the sole authority to declare war, not the whims of a single man, no matter how loud or self-assured he may be.”

The incident also puts added pressure on moderate Republicans, some of whom have previously supported measures reining in executive military power. Whether they’ll support a formal rebuke or impeachment remains to be seen.

An Uncharted Future: Is America on the Brink of Another Endless War?

The immediate impact of the strikes may be military success, but the long-term implications remain uncertain. U.S. defense officials are reportedly bracing for retaliatory cyberattacks or proxy assaults from Iranian-backed militias in the region.

Foreign policy experts warn that the strike could shatter any remaining diplomatic pathways and trigger a regional war, particularly if Iran decides to respond with force.

“This was not a deterrence strike. This was a decapitation of Iran’s nuclear program,” said William Hartley, a former State Department analyst. “There will be a response. And when it comes, we’ll be deeper into a conflict than we ever intended.”

For now, one question hangs heavy over Washington: Will this be remembered as the day America won a battle, or the day it sleepwalked into another forever war?

Related

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel ’s effort to decapitate the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.

There was no immediate acknowledgment from Iran of any strikes being carried out.

The decision to directly involve the U.S. in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound (13,500-kilogram) bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily-fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said in a post on social media. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”

Trump added in a later post that he would address the national at 10:00 p.m. eastern time, writing “This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!”

Trump said B-2 stealth bombers were used but did not specify which types of bombs were dropped. The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation.

The strikes are a perilous decision for the U.S. as Iran has pledged to retaliate if it joined the Israeli assault, and for Trump personally, having won the White House on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism.

Trump told reporters on Friday that he was not interested in sending ground forces into Iran, saying it’s “the last thing you want to do.” He had previously indicated that he would make a final choice over the course of two weeks, a timeline that seemed drawn out as the situation was evolving quickly.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Wednesday the United States that strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them.” And Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei declared “any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.”

Trump has vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and he had initially hoped that the threat of force would bring the country’s leaders to give up its nuclear program peacefully.

Israel ’s military said Saturday it was preparing for the possibility of a lengthy war, while Iran’s foreign minister warned before the U.S. attack that American military involvement “would be very, very dangerous for everyone.”

The prospect of a wider war threatened, too. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they would resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joins Israel’s military campaign. The Houthis paused such attacks in May under a deal with the U.S.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel announced the U.S. had begun “assisted departure flights,” the first from Israel since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at Thursday’s press briefing that Trump had said: “I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.” Instead, the U.S. president struck just two days later.

Trump appears to have made the calculation — at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republican lawmakers — that Israel’s operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran’s nuclear program, perhaps permanently.

The Israelis say their offensive has already crippled Iran’s air defenses, allowing them to already significantly degrade multiple Iranian nuclear sites.

But to destroy the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, Israel appealed to Trump for U.S. bunker-busting bomb, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets and then explode. The penetrator is currently only delivered by the B-2 stealth bomber, which is only found in the American arsenal.

The bomb carries a conventional warhead, and is believed to be able to penetrate about 200 feet (61 meters) below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran is producing highly enriched uranium at Fordo, raising the possibility that nuclear material could be released into the area if the GBU-57 A/B were used to hit the facility.

Previous Israeli strikes at another Iranian nuclear site, Natanz, on a centrifuge site have caused contamination only at the site itself, not the surrounding area, the IAEA has said.

Trump’s decision for direct U.S. military intervention comes after his administration made an unsuccessful two-month push — including with high-level, direct negotiations with the Iranians — aimed at persuading Tehran to curb its nuclear program.

For months, Trump said he was dedicated to a diplomatic push to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. And he twice — in April and again in late May — persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on military action against Iran and give diplomacy more time.

The U.S. in recent days has been shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel and U.S. bases from Iranian attacks.

All the while, Trump has gone from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a “second chance” for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran’s unconditional surrender.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump said in a social media posting. “He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.”

The military showdown with Iran comes seven years after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Obama-administration brokered agreement in 2018, calling it the “worst deal ever.”

The 2015 deal, signed by Iran, U.S. and other world powers, created a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Trump decried the Obama-era deal for giving Iran too much in return for too little, because the agreement did not cover Iran’s non-nuclear malign behavior.

Trump has bristled at criticism from some of his MAGA faithful, including conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, who have suggested that further U.S. involvement would be a betrayal to supporters who were drawn to his promise to end U.S. involvement in expensive and endless wars.

It’s Cancer season, y’all. And that means from June 21 to July 22, anyone you know who has a birthday is preparing to celebrate in a major way. This water sign, represented by the crab is known for being emotional, highly guarded and probably one of the most loyal, ride-or-die members of your crew.

If you know and love a Cancer, you already know that it can be tough breaking through that tough exterior to get to all that lovin’ waiting on the inside. But in case you don’t know, you’d better do yourself a favor and read on before getting involved with one. Here’s everything you need to know about someone born under the sign of Cancer.

They’re Highly Intuitive

Cancer will warn you about someone, and months later, you’ll understand exactly why. Our intuition isn’t a theory, it’s a prophecy. ♋︎

— Cancer Zone (@6CancerZone9) March 10, 2025

When we tell you that people born under the sign of Cancer are on a different level, please believe it. From the moment they walk into the room, Cancers can pick up on the energy. This highly intuitive sign is so aware of what’s going on at the moment that you might not realize it until six months later.

They’re Emotional AF

this meme was made with taurus, scorpio, libra, and cancer in mind: pic.twitter.com/naIrkD6U4W

— milk (@milkstrology) July 26, 2019

Don’t expect a Cancer to get through a painful breakup or watch a sappy romantic comedy without feeling some type of way and maybe even a shedding a tear or two. This water sign is known for being highly sensitive, so be prepared for them to wear their heart on their sleeve.

You Might Think They’re Being Cold

If you find yourself hitting a wall while trying to get to know a Cancer, don’t take it personally. This sign, represented by the crab, is known for keeping a tough exterior shell. But don’t take it personally, it’s just their way of guarding their feelings. Because if you hurt them, you don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.

Don’t Take Their Kindness for Weakness

POV: you are a water sign and someone trying to gaslight, manipulate and make you look a fool #cancer #Scorpio #pisces #astrology #watersigns #zodiac #zodiacsigns #memes pic.twitter.com/UkMjgFHGWG

— The Fiery General (@dafierygeneral) October 24, 2024

You may think that because they cried during the final scene of the “Wicked” movie (don’t judge) that Cancers are pushovers. But don’t get it twisted, all of that emotion can come out in a not-so-nice way, if they’re triggered. So be ready to get cursed out if you rub them the wrong way.

They Don’t Mind a Night In

One thing about Cancers is they don’t mind spending a night at home. In fact, they cherish their time in their own space and often decorate their homes to provide maximum comfort. You’d better believe a Cancer’s crib will be super cozy because they plan on spending lots of time there.

They Love Their Families

Cancers love their families, which is why they are some of the best caretakers. They will nurture the hell out of those they love. They just have to be careful not to smother them.

They Keep Their Circles Tight

@tatianathemystic

#cancers are the popular loner of the zodiac signs. They are selective who they let have access to their sacred energy. #teamcancer♋️ #cancerian #cancergang #cancer♋️ #astrology #cancersun #cancermoon #watersigns

♬ original sound – Tatiana the Mystic ⭐️

Cancers don’t mind spending time alone, in fact, most would prefer it to being forced to hang out with someone they don’t really rock with. If you can call a Cancer one of your people, know that that’s almost as good as being on the list at one of the most exclusive clubs in town.

“When it comes to friendships, Cancers keep their circles tight,” TikTok user@tatianathemystic said. “You would think it’s a secret society the way that Cancers is very selective about the people they let into their inner, inner, inner circle.

They’re Great Hosts

If you get invited to a party at a Cancer’s house, you’d better make it a point to be in the place. Cancers are known for being amazing hosts, so prepare to eat well, drink a lot and laugh until you can’t laugh anymore.

They’re The Ones You Call in Your Time of Need

Their empathetic nature makes Cancers among the best people to call when you need someone to lean on. They will listen to what you have to say. And if you’re lucky, they may even hit you off with some good advice.

They’re Artistic

This water sign is known for being extremely expressive, which is why so many Cancers excel in the arts. They often find music, writing and other forms of art to be a positive outlet for all of the stuff they might otherwise keep bottled up inside. Solange, Missy Elliot, Forrest Whitaker, Jaden Smith and George Clinton are among the famous artists born under the sign of Cancer.

They Don’t Do Well With These Signs

For/To: #Cancer

You’ve been too moody and it’s making your person a bit moody too. Just deep a deep breathe. You two are gonna be okay babe. Give them space and just be patient love. They love you! Their stuck on you

Signs: Pisces, Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius pic.twitter.com/dBP4g6PT2D

— 🔥HOTGIRLTAROTSHA🔥 (@hotgirltarotsha) January 25, 2023

Cancers love being in love, but when looking for a mate, there are some signs in the Zodiac they should probably avoid. They aren’t great with fire signs, like Aires, Leo and Sagittarius, who tend to be less doting and more direct. They might also want to steer clear of air signs, like Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, who may not give them the sensitivity and gentleness they often seek.

They Take Pride in Their Work

Cancers work their asses off.
Don’t let them fly under the Cardinal radar !!!

Aries and Cancer are the workaholics you think Capricorns are.

— amity☊ (@Zodi_Am) July 16, 2024

People born under the sign of Cancer are often model employees – they generally take pride in their work and want to excel at any task thrown their way. Just make sure they know they’re appreciated.

They’re Gonna Need a Minute

pic.twitter.com/o3hKTjUEoI

— Cancer Zodiac Sign (@Cancerzodiiac) December 28, 2020

Because Cancers take so much pride in everything they do, they may not receive people telling them they’re not doing a good job in the best way. If they think they’re doing the right thing and you tell them otherwise, be prepared to give them plenty of time and space to get over it.

7

Ariana Grande is not here to play nice and honestly, thank god for that.

The pop icon, whose voice has long served as a comfort to millions, turned up the heat on Instagram with a sharp and heartfelt message that’s as real as it gets. “Could someone explain which crimes get you deported and which ones get you elected President? It’s so confusing,” she wrote in an IG Story that’s now going viral. And if that doesn’t give you chills, then check your pulse.

This wasn’t just a clapback. It was a cry of frustration, of confusion, and of unwavering solidarity with immigrant communities across the U.S. Grande, who has never been shy about speaking her truth, posted her critique amid a surge of nationwide protests condemning Donald Trump’s brutal anti-immigration tactics. ICE raids, unlawful arrests, and a militarized crackdown on peaceful demonstrators have become terrifyingly routine under his watch. And celebrities? They’re fed up.

Los Angeles has become the heart of the resistance. And the celebrity outpouring? Nothing short of inspiring.

Olivia Rodrigo: “L.A. Simply Wouldn’t Exist Without Immigrants”

Our favorite sad girl pop princess Olivia Rodrigo showed up with pure power in her own IG Story. “I’ve lived in L.A. my whole life and I’m deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors,” she wrote. “Treating hardworking community members with such little respect, empathy, and due process is awful.” Rodrigo made it crystal clear: immigrants are L.A., and the city owes everything to them.

Tyler, the Creator? Not Holding Back

Tyler dropped the mic in classic Tyler fashion. He posted a clip from Paid in Full with the caption “F*** ICE” and let’s be honest, we wouldn’t expect anything less from him. This is the same guy who flipped a lyric mid-concert to take a jab at Elon Musk. He’s bold, brash, and always calling it like he sees it.

Kim Kardashian Is Watching, Too

Kim Kardashian may be known for contour and couture, but when it comes to ICE, she’s not staying quiet. “When we witness innocent, hard-working people being ripped from their families, we have to speak up,” she posted. Kim grew up in L.A. and says she knows firsthand just how vital immigrants are to the city’s heartbeat. “No matter where you fall politically, it’s clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants.” Preach.

Jenna Ortega Is Feeling Everything and Saying So

Jenna Ortega, queen of Gen Z realness, took to Instagram with a heavy, emotional post. “Listen to one another and love but be angry too,” she urged. She connected the dots between what’s happening in L.A. and other global crises, including Iran and Palestine. “The world is crying all over,” she wrote. She’s 100% right.

Doechii Calls Out Trump on National TV

At the BET Awards, Doechii took her moment and made it matter. “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest… What type of government is that?” she asked the crowd. Her energy was electric, and her words? Completely necessary. “We all deserve to live in hope and not in fear.” Amen.

Addison Rae Enters the Chat

Though she’s not usually political, Addison Rae showed up big for this one. “This country could not exist without immigrants,” she wrote on IG. She even shared resources for the National Immigration Law Center, proving it’s never too late to use your platform for good.

Katy Perry Pays Homage to L.A.’s Mexican Roots

Katy Perry didn’t mince words either. She reshared posts calling out the hypocrisy of deporting Mexican families from a city built on Mexican history and labor. “How can a city built on Mexican labor, Mexican history, and Mexican culture turn around and criminalize the very people who shaped it?” she echoed. Exactly.

Karol G Gets Emotional for Her People

Karol G’s post was raw and real. “I can’t keep quiet when something hurts me,” she wrote. “I am Latina, and what is happening to my community is deeply painful.” Her words came just as she preps to drop Tropicoqueta, her upcoming album celebrating Latin roots. She’s using her art and her voice to uplift her people.

Shakira Reminds Us Where It All Began

Shakira, in a rare political interview with the BBC, opened up about her immigrant journey from Colombia to the U.S. “The immigrant experience now means living in constant fear,” she said. “Now, more than ever, we have to remain united.” Her message was filled with heartbreak but also hope.

Ariana’s one-liner wasn’t just a savage drag. It was a wake-up call. These artists, all icons in their own right, are banding together to remind us that silence is no longer an option. As ICE ramps up its operations and Trump doubles down, the people and the stars who love them aren’t backing down.

So yeah, Ariana asked the right question. Because honestly? We’re all confused and angry. But most importantly, we’re loud.

And we’re not going anywhere.

Related

Adam Greenfield was home nursing a cold when his girlfriend raced in to tell him Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles were pulling up in their trendy San Diego neighborhood.

The author and podcast producer grabbed his iPhone and bolted out the door barefoot, joining a handful of neighbors recording masked agents raiding a popular Italian restaurant nearby, as they yelled at the officers to leave. An hour later, the crowd had grown to nearly 75 people, with many in front of the agents’ vehicles.

“I couldn’t stay silent,” Greenfield said. “It was literally outside of my front door.”

More Americans are witnessing people being hauled off as they shop, exercise at the gym, dine out and otherwise go about their daily lives as President Donald Trump’s administration aggressively works to increase immigration arrests. As the raids touch the lives of people who aren’t immigrants themselves, many Americans who rarely, if ever, participated in civil disobedience are rushing out to record the actions on their phones and launch impromptu protests.

Arrests are being made outside gyms, busy restaurants

“To do this, at 5 o’clock, right at the dinner rush, right on a busy intersection with multiple restaurants, they were trying to make a statement,” Greenfield said. “But I don’t know if their intended point is getting across the way they want it to. I think it is sparking more backlash.”

Greenfield said on the evening of the May 30 raid, the crowd included grandparents, retired military members, hippies, and restaurant patrons arriving for date night. Authorities threw flash bangs to force the crowd back and then drove off with four detained workers, he said.

Previously, many arrests happened late at night or in the pre-dawn hours by agents waiting outside people’s homes as they left for work or outside their work sites when they finished their day. When ICE raided another popular restaurant in San Diego in 2008, agents did it in the early morning without incident.

White House border czar Tom Homan has said agents are being forced to make more arrests in communities because of sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with ICE in certain cities and states. ICE enforces immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help in alerting federal authorities of immigrants wanted for deportation and holding that person until federal officers take custody.

Vice President JD Vance, during a visit to Los Angeles on Friday, said those policies have given agents “a bit of a morale problem because they’ve had the local government in this community tell them that they’re not allowed to do their job.”

“When that Border Patrol agent goes out to do their job, they said within 15 minutes they have protesters, sometimes violent protesters who are in their face obstructing them,” he said.

‘It was like a scene out of a movie’

Melyssa Rivas had just arrived at her office in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, California one morning last week when she heard the frightened screams of young women. She went outside to find the women confronting nearly a dozen masked federal agents who had surrounded a man kneeling on the pavement.

“It was like a scene out of a movie,” Rivas said. “They all had their faces covered and were standing over this man who was clearly traumatized. And there are these young girls screaming at the top of their lungs.”

As Rivas began recording the interaction, a growing group of neighbors shouted at the agents to leave the man alone. They eventually drove off in vehicles, without detaining him, video shows.

Rivas spoke to the man afterward, who told her the agents had arrived at the car wash where he worked that morning, then pursued him as he fled on his bicycle. It was one of several recent workplace raids in the majority-Latino city.

The same day, federal agents were seen at a Home Depot, a construction site and an LA Fitness gym. It wasn’t immediately clear how many people had been detained.

“Everyone is just rattled,” said Alex Frayde, an employee at LA Fitness who said he saw the agents outside the gym and stood at the entrance, ready to turn them away as another employee warned customers about the sighting. In the end, the agents never came in.

Communities protest around ICE buildings

Arrests at immigration courts and other ICE buildings have also prompted emotional scenes as masked agents have turned up to detain people going to routine appointments and hearings.

In the city of Spokane in eastern Washington state, hundreds of people rushed to protest outside an ICE building June 11 after former city councilor Ben Stuckart posted on Facebook. Stuckart wrote that he was a legal guardian of a Venezuelan asylum seeker who went to check in at the ICE building, only to be detained. His Venezuelan roommate was also detained.

Both men had permission to live and work in the U.S. temporarily under humanitarian parole, Stuckart told The Associated Press.

“I am going to sit in front of the bus,” Stuckart wrote, referring to the van that was set to transport the two men to an ICE detention center in Tacoma. “The Latino community needs the rest of our community now. Not tonight, not Saturday, but right now!!!!”

The city of roughly 230,000 is the seat of Spokane County, where just over half of voters cast ballots for Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Stuckart was touched to see his mother’s caregiver among the demonstrators.

“She was just like, ‘I’m here because I love your mom, and I love you, and if you or your friends need help, then I want to help,’” he said through tears.

By evening, the Spokane Police Department sent over 180 officers, with some using pepper balls, to disperse protesters. Over 30 people were arrested, including Stuckart who blocked the transport van with others. He was later released.

Aysha Mercer, a stay-at-home mother of three, said she is “not political in any way, shape or form.” But many children in her Spokane neighborhood — who play in her yard and jump on her trampoline — come from immigrant families, and the thought of them being affected by deportations was “unacceptable,” she said.

She said she wasn’t able to go to Stuckart’s protest. But she marched for the first time in her life on June 14, joining millions in “No Kings” protests across the country.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt as strongly as I do right this here second,” she said.

If you’re following the escapades of Cardi B and Offset, the still-married, yet separated couple, you likely know that Cardi B has been stepping out with NFL player Stefon Diggs. After years of rumors of Offset cheating, it’s quite apparent that Cardi B has had enough, but Offset may or may not be connecting with Diggs’ former girlfriend, Sky Marlene, who was just seen at one of his latest shows.

If it’s true, of all the people in this world Offset can actually hook up with, why would he stoop so low as to, if the rumors do hold true, be making a play for Diggs’ ex? And the bigger question: Why is it that — throughout the world of entertainment and sports — celebrities stay wading in the same barrel of fish when they can have anyone they want?

Jane Doe is DEFINITELY 50 Cent's babymother Daphne Joy. In court she spoke about watching Diddy's favourite program with him, dateline.

Yep, the internet NEVER forgets. pic.twitter.com/UKrfQkk7mB

— theelioness (@TheeLioness7777) June 11, 2025

Other examples: Rumors swirl that the “Jane” who testified in the Diddy trial earlier this month is Daphne Joy, the former girlfriend of 50 Cent as well as his son’s mother. After dating 50, why would Joy feel the need to fall into the arms of Sean Combs? On the other hand, what went through Diddy’s mind to link with her knowing full well that she was connected to the Queens rapper? 

What went through former NBA player Derek Fisher’s mind when he decided to hook up with his former teammate, Matt Barnes’ wife, Gloria Govan, leading to Barnes having to rush to his wife’s home, where his kids were at the time Fisher was with Govan. That led to some fisticuffs that could have been avoided. I mean…your own former teammate, who you played with for two years?

I'll never forget when Matt Barnes drove 95 miles to beat up Derek Fisher for dating Gloria Govan. How do you stay that angry for 95 miles?

— NUFF (@nuffsaidny) September 29, 2022

I’m sure many celebs only want to couple with others who can understand the lifestyle and have a higher tolerance for the intricacies therein that a “civilian” wouldn’t grasp. Maybe that’s why Jennifer Lopez’s first marriage didn’t last that long, as perhaps her former husband did not grasp what she experienced in the public eye. The comfort level of dealing with one who knows the pressure of being under public scrutiny daily makes for a link that does not have to be explained to one who won’t get it.

Or, it could be that once that person is used to living a particular lifestyle only a wealthy celebrity can provide is so great that returning to anything less would feel like a step down. And who would want their lavish lifestyle to be reduced if they have options?

With celebrities, there’s that aspect of feeling like they have to “step their game” up with the next conquest…er, relationship. If someone is used to living the life with someone who was a millionaire, as with life, work, and anything else, they want to “level up” so the next step may be a multimillionaire or a billionaire. What better way to show your last “love” that you’re better off without them?

Offset was reportedly spotted at the club with Stefon Diggs ex, Sky Marlene, allegedly to get back at Diggs for dating Cardi B 😳 pic.twitter.com/82mA7zdmAL

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 19, 2025

Oh…and let’s not forget pettiness/revenge factor. We’ve seen plenty of times over the years when a popular movie star goes through a bad breakup with someone who may not have been as popular. What better way to get revenge on the person than to “step up” and date someone even bigger than your last boyfriend/husband/lover/wife/girlfriend? To be able to gloat that you’ve “leveled up” with no regrets can set the tone for the pettiness of factors that will surely make headlines!

When it comes to celebs recycling partners, one or all of the aforementioned factors play in. And as long as they give us a front row seat, we’ll be there armed with popcorn.

There is a famous Norman Rockwell painting that stands out from the rest of his work not solely because of who we see in it but also because of who we don’t see.

A little Black girl in a perfectly pressed dress with braided hair adorned by a bow walks face forward with a book and ruler in hand, looking past a big spray-painted slur on the wall: N*GGER.

She is escorted by men in yellow armbands, who represent the federal government, their heads out of frame. Also out of frame are federal troops standing guard to ensure this innocent girl, Ruby Bridges, makes it safely to her first day of school, as the state of Louisiana had defied the Supreme Court’s orders to desegregate.

The image depicted is from 1960, the last time a president called in federal troops over a state’s objections to enforce the law. It was just three years after President Dwight D. Eisenhower had sent troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to protect Black students integrating Central High School.

Now, in the year 2025, a president has called for federal troops to descend onto a state against a governor’s orders for a different reason, sparking a legal battle over whether he is within his executive rights to do so. President Donald Trump’s June 7 order to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to California during ICE protests has sparked a legal battle over executive authority—one that reached a federal appeals court and delivered Trump a win on June 20, as a panel ruled against a lower court and stated the president can keep control of guard troops for the time being (two of the three judges were Trump appointees).

Trump’s use of federal troops against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass has been justified by political supporters who say there is plenty of moral cause and legal precedent for the use of troops by the executive branch.

“What do you do when you have a governor who’s not leading [and] is not doing anything about unrest and violence in his own state?” said State Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher in an interview with CalMatters.

“I think he needs to restore order,” said U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the wake of Trump’s decision. “I’m mainly concerned about public safety, and the president has clearly got authority in his federal capacity to deal with the National Guard. So, plenty of precedent.”

These justifications for the use of federal power rely not just on a misinterpretation of American history but highlight a justification for a larger campaign of suppressing all history tied to race, racism, and the fight for civil rights in our nation. The less people know, the harder, or the less inclined they will be, to challenge the powers that be, including the current administration.

During the civil rights movement in the 1960s, multiple presidents called federal troops into states, but only as a last resort after governors openly defied and refused to follow desegregation and civil rights laws.

“It was very rare. Presidents had this power since the early 19th century, but rarely used it,” says Julian Zelizer, Princeton professor of history and public affairs, in an interview with theGrio.

Zelizer says it was only after bloody violence in Selma, where images of protestors being beaten by state and local police were disseminated globally and utilized as marketing for communism over American “democracy,” that President Lyndon Johnson decided to send in troops in 1965. 

In the case of Ruby Bridges, President Eisenhower sent in federal troops to escort her to desegregate her school in 1960, because angry mobs had gathered outside to block the 6-year-old. In both of these cases, states openly defied national law. In California, both Newsom and Bass were enforcing national immigration laws and said they could handle protests–it was the Trump administration that determined their efforts weren’t good enough.

If anything, the federal government’s intervention in LA more closely resembles darker chapters in U.S. history—namely, the covert efforts of COINTELPRO, according to Zelizer. COINTELPRO was used to disrupt Black Power and civil rights movement organizations; the kind of double agent backstabber we saw play out on the big screen in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” where Fred Hampton is killed thanks to the insider tips from a Black man working on behalf of the federal government.

“That was a program where the government was intentionally trying to intimidate, scare, collect information, and just disrupt social protest. And I think that’s really a big part of what the administration is doing by putting troops in Los Angeles,” Zelizer tells theGrio.

The intimidation aspect of this agenda is best embodied in Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Los Angeles this week. During his visit, Vance celebrated the court’s decision to let Trump control the National Guard as “a completely legitimate and proper use of federal law enforcement” and proved the point that the power of their occupation is psychological as much as it is practical.

“The soldiers and Marines are still very much a necessary part of what’s going on here, because they’re worried that it’s going to flare back up,” Vance said during the trip.

“When you have violent agitators who make it impossible for law enforcement to do their jobs, it is necessary to protect them and defend them,” he insisted.

Capitol officers on Jan. 6 might agree with the sentiment. Yet, the violent and deadly insurrection on Jan. 6 provides yet another example of an incident, which has been rewritten in history by many Republican leaders (save bolder voices like former U.S. Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger) as a peaceful and legitimate protest.

While the federal appeals court has decided President Trump can oversee National Guard troops in LA for now while mostly peaceful protests continue to play out, they also handed Governor Newsom a minor victory, noting that Trump is still accountable to courts and cannot unilaterally decide how to deploy guard troops around the country.

“The court rightly rejected Trump’s claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard and not have to explain himself to a court,” Gavin Newsom said via statement after the ruling.

“The President is not a king and is not above the law. We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump’s authoritarian use of the U.S. military soldiers against citizens.”

Thanks to Norman Rockwell’s controversial painting of Ruby Bridges, we will always have a visual of what it meant to see federal troops come in to protect the most vulnerable of our citizens.

Its title, “The Problem We All Live With,” was a nod to facing the uncomfortable and ugly no matter where you were or who you were in America during the civil unrest.

Today’s problem we all live with asks us to do the same, and American democracy depends on it.

---

Natasha S. Alford is the Senior Vice President of TheGrio. A recognized journalist, filmmaker, and TV analyst, Alford is also the author of the award-winning book, “American Negra.” (HarperCollins, 2024) Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @natashasalford.

Atlanta father, Rodney McWeay, is facing multiple life sentences for the death of his own four-year-old daughter, Treasure McWeay, after a jury found him guilty on all charges. And the details behind her death are nothing short of heartbreaking.

During the Christmas period of 2023, police found Treasure unconscious after she and her two brothers were intentionally starved by 32-year-old McWeay in what prosecutors called a “house of horrors,” according to Atlanta News First. Treasure was announced dead after being taken to the hospital, and McWeay was arrested on December 21st, the outlet reported.

Back in June of 2023, the kids had been removed from McWeay’s custody after a complaint had been sent to the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services about the living conditions of McWeay’s home. However, McWeay kidnapped the kids from their mother’s home in Maryland and took them back to Georgia, where he kept them locked in separate rooms monitored by cameras, according to Law & Crime.

Months before Treasure’s death, the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services made multiple attempts to check on the children, but found that police responses were often delayed, per FOX 5. Prosecutors also stated that from the outside, McWeay’s home looked “quiet, playful, and inviting,” according to NBC affiliate, 11 Alive.

Treasure weighed just 24 pounds when she passed, and a pediatrician testified in court that one of her brothers had a decline in growth and bruises from being struck, per FOX 5. Treasure’s death was due to a heart attack caused by malnutrition, according to PEOPLE.

McWeay’s attorney said that though McWeay made “wrong decisions” when it comes to the mother of his kids, he never intentionally tried to harm his children, per Atlanta News First.

McWeay, who was found guilty for murder, cruelty to children, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and contribution to the dependency of a minor, will be sentenced in the next thirty days with the option to appeal, according to FOX5.

The sixth week of the Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial was shortened by a holiday and a juror’s illness as prosecutors nearly concluded their case, setting the stage for a one- or two-day defense presentation next week.

In the trial’s first five weeks, jurors repeatedly heard testimony about drug-fueled marathon sex events described as “freak-offs” by one of Combs’ ex-girlfriends and as “hotel nights” by another. In the sixth week, they were shown about 20 minutes of video recordings from the dayslong events.

Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges in the trial, which continues Monday.

Here are key moments from the past week:

Jurors watch videos of ‘freak-off’ sex marathons they had heard so much about

Jurors largely kept their reactions muted when they were shown about 20 minutes of recordings made by Combs of his then-girlfriends having sex with male sex workers at the elaborately staged “freak-offs” or “hotel nights.”

Prosecutors say the events were proof of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges because Combs coerced his employees, associates and even his girlfriends to recruit and arrange flights for sex workers while his workers obtained drugs, stocked hotel rooms with baby oil, lubricant, condoms, candles and liquor and delivered cash.

In her opening statement, defense lawyer Teny Geragos had called the videos “powerful evidence that the sexual conduct in this case was consensual and not based on coercion.”

Prosecutors played about 2 minutes of the recordings before the defense team aired about 18 minutes of the videos.

The public and the press were unable to observe whether the prosecutors or defense lawyers had the better arguments after the judge ruled that neither the recordings nor the sound could be seen or heard by anyone except lawyers, the judge and the jury.

Several jurors seemed to cast their eyes and sometimes turn their bodies away from the screens directly in front of them while the recordings played. The jurors listened through earphones supplied by the court, as did Combs and lawyers.

A juror is ejected from the panel by a judge who questions whether he has an agenda

Judge Arun Subramanian started the week by dismissing a juror whose conflicting answers about whether he lived in New Jersey or New York convinced the judge he was a threat to the integrity of the trial.

Subramanian said the juror’s answers during jury selection and in the week before he was excused “raised serious concerns as to the juror’s candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the jury.”

“The inconsistencies — where the juror has lived and with whom — go to straightforward issues as to which there should not have been any doubts, and the answers also go to something vital: the basic qualifications of a juror to serve,” the judge said.

Residents of New Jersey would not be permitted to sit on a New York federal jury.

A day before Subramanian ruled, defense lawyers argued fiercely against dismissal, saying that replacing the Black juror with a white alternate juror so late in the trial would change the diverse demographics of the jury and require a mistrial.

The jurors are anonymous for the Combs trial.

It wasn’t the only issue regarding jurors for the week. The judge, angered by a media report about the questioning of another juror the week before that occurred in a sealed proceeding, warned lawyers that they could face civil and criminal sanctions if such a leak happened again. That juror was not dismissed.

And Wednesday’s court session had to be canceled after a juror reported “vertigo symptoms” on the way to the courthouse.

A defense lawyer predicts a presentation measured in hours rather than days

Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo seemed to close the door on any chance Combs would testify when he said Friday that the defense presentation would be finished Tuesday or Wednesday the following week, even if prosecutors don’t rest until late Monday.

It is not uncommon for defendants to choose not to testify at criminal trials. Besides being exposed to cross-examination by prosecutors, the testimony can be used by the government against the defendant should there be a need for a retrial. Also, if there is a conviction, the judge can conclude that the jury believed the defendant lied on the stand.

Another former Combs’ employee requires immunity to testify about working for him

Brendan Paul, fresh off the college basketball courts where he once played in a cameo role for Syracuse University, joined Combs’ companies as a personal assistant in late 2022 and was warned by a friend who had worked for Combs about what was ahead.

“He told me to get in and get out,” Paul recalled for the jury, citing the endless days and always-on-edge existence. “If you have a girlfriend, break up with her. And you’re never going to see your family.”

The friend also instructed him to “build a rolodex of clientele and get out,” he said.

Paul said he worked 80 to 100 hours a week for a music power broker who received “thousands and thousands” of text messages and emails a day. He was paid $75,000 salary initially, but it was raised in January 2024 to $100,000.

He said Combs told him he “doesn’t take no for an answer” and wanted his staff to “move like Seal Team Six.”

Several times, Paul said, he picked up drugs for Combs and knew to keep his boss out of the drug trade because “it was very important to keep his profile low. He’s a celebrity.”

The job came to an abrupt end in March 2024 when Paul was arrested at a Miami airport on drug charges after a small amount of cocaine that he said he picked up in Combs’ room that morning was mistakenly put in his travel bag as he prepared to join Combs on a trip to the Bahamas. The charges were later dropped in a pretrial diversion program.

Paul said he hadn’t seen Combs since.

As the federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs continues, shocking evidence that was played for the jury has now been made public, including an intense audio clip of his ex, Cassie Ventura. But it’s what she was heard saying in that recording that’s sounding alarms.

The harrowing audio was played during the cross-examination of Ventura last month, the Daily Mail reports. Ventura is reportedly heard speaking to an unidentified man in the audio, saying, “It’s my f***ing life and I’ll kill you.”

The audio continues with her reportedly threatening, “If you don’t show me right now I will kill you, and I will hide you and I will cut you up and put you in the f***ing dirt,’” to the unidentified man. The man allegedly claimed to have video of one of the alleged “freak offs” from 2014.

Diddy’s defense presented this in an attempt to prove the “Me & U” singer was “an enthusiastic participant” in his infamous “freak offs.” She is allegedly then heard saying, “I’m gonna kill you and then [Diddy’s] gonna kill you again.”

“I’ve never killed anybody in my life, but I will kill you,” Ventura is reportedly heard later saying in the audio she recorded herself. “It’s not going to be blood on my hands. Someone else is going to do it.”

During the cross-examination, Ventura reportedly explained that she was following Diddy’s orders in the audio, and that he told her not to let the man “out of her sight.” She explained that she felt “sick” at the thought of the sex tape getting out, and felt like she had to “handle” the situation.

Multiple testimonies from witnesses have been presented throughout this trial, in what has become one of the biggest cases in pop culture history. Ventura took the stand last month and revealed shocking details surrounding her relationship with the disgraced rapper. Her testimony included claims of him dragging her in 2016 inside a hotel happened right after one of his alleged “freak-offs.” 

As we’ve reported, the federal trial against the Bad Boy Records’ founder has lasted six weeks. Diddy is facing multiple counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and engaging in interstate transportation for prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty and was denied bail.