International
Trump defends National Guard deployment, warns “L.A. would have been annihilated” without it
President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to deploy the National Guard to California in response to protests against immigration raids, warning that without federal intervention, “Los Angeles would have been totally annihilated.”
“We made the tremendous decision to send the National Guard to confront the violent riots instigated in California. Had we not done so, Los Angeles would have been totally wiped out,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
In his statement, Trump sharply criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom, calling him “incompetent” and referring to him disparagingly as “Gavin Newscum.” He also lashed out at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. In response, Newsom announced plans to sue the federal government, arguing that Trump had no legal authority to order such deployment.
“They should be saying ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP. YOU’RE TREMENDOUS. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR,’ but instead, they choose to lie to the people of California and the United States, claiming these were ‘peaceful protests,’” Trump added.
Trump cited “images and videos of violence and destruction” as justification for the deployment and reiterated his campaign slogan: “We always do whatever is necessary to keep our citizens safe, so that together, we can Make America Great Again.”
Later, during a White House appearance, Trump blamed the unrest on “professional agitators,” whom he labeled “insurrectionists” and “bad people who should be in jail.”
The former president also expressed support for former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director and “border czar” Tom Homan, who recently threatened to arrest Governor Newsom.
“I’d do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great… He’s doing a tremendous job,” said Trump.
Governor Newsom, in an interview with NBC, responded with irony: “He’s a tough guy. Why doesn’t he do it? He knows where to find me. Come at me. Arrest me. Go ahead, tough guy. I don’t care. What I care about is my community. And sorry to be so blunt, but that kind of bravado is exhausting. So, Tom—go ahead. Arrest me,” he concluded.
International
Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.
According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.
The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.
French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.
Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.
When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.
Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.
International
Netanyahu vows to target Iran’s leadership after missile strikes in southern Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to target Iran’s leadership directly, escalating rhetoric amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran.
Speaking during a visit to the southern city of Arad, which was struck by an Iranian missile a day earlier, Netanyahu said Israel would intensify its response against Tehran.
“We are going after the regime. We are going after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that gang of criminals,” he told reporters while standing among the debris left by the தாக்க.
He added that Israel intends to strike “personally” at Iran’s leadership, as well as its facilities and economic assets.
In addition to Arad, Iranian missiles also hit the city of Dimona on Saturday. The area is widely believed to host Israel’s undeclared nuclear facilities. The strike caused significant damage following a direct impact.
Netanyahu also visited Dimona, where he urged residents to strictly follow military instructions and seek shelter whenever warning sirens are activated.
“The entire nation is a front line, and the home front is also a front line. And when we are on the front line, we follow these instructions,” he said.
International
US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy
The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.
According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.
The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.
“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.
However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.
“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.
When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
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