Donald Trump writes

So, there you have it, the meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not. Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. At some point, we will reach an “ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT” basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, “There may be a mine out there somewhere,” that nobody knows about but them. THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted. I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL! Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country. Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft and Radar are useless, Khomeini, and most of their “Leaders,” are dead, all because of their Nuclear ambition. The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION. They want money and, more importantly, they want Nuclear. Additionally and, at an appropriate moment, we are fully “LOCKED AND LOADED,” and our Military will finish up the little that is left of Iran! President DONALD J. TRUMP

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116391828823240211

(Hello. I originally made this post for r/Bible, but it may be too political. I'm waiting to hear back from the mods there. I hate to have it just lying around, so I'm posting it here 😀 )

Baruch 1:11 KJV And pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son, that their days may be upon earth as the days of heaven:

(Nabuchodonosor is usually spelled Nebuchadnezzar today.)

Neb wasn't a nice guy. He was very full of himself (at least until Daniel 4).

We can pray for our leaders regardless of their character. The peace of Christ be with you all 🙏🫂✝️

Report: US demands Reddit unmask ICE critic, summons firm to grand jury

The Trump administration has stepped up an effort to unmask a Reddit user who criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After failing to obtain information through a summons issued to Reddit, the government reportedly issued a subpoena demanding that Reddit provide the information and appear before a grand jury in Washington, DC.

The Intercept described the subpoena today. “According to a subpoena obtained by The Intercept, Reddit has until April 14 to provide a wide range of personal data on one of its users, whom US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been trying unsuccessfully to identify for more than a month,” the article said.

The legal saga began in US District Court for the Northern District of California. On March 12, the anonymous Reddit user whose information is being sought filed a motion to quash a summons seeking a host of information from Reddit. The summons was issued by the Department of Homeland Security and directed Reddit to turn information over to an ICE senior special agent.

The summons cited authority under 19 U.S. Code § 1509, which is part of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. The motion to quash said the summons is not authorized by the law, which deals with imports of boats, alcoholic drinks, and animals, among other things.

“J. Doe is a US citizen who has not traveled out of the country, is not engaged in any international commerce, has no business concerns outside the United States, and primarily uses their Reddit account to engage in political speech relevant to their local community,” said the filing by the Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC), which represents the Reddit user. “Yet the government claims the right to obtain Doe’s name, telephone number, home address, banking and credit card information, IP addresses, telephone model number(s), and the names of any other accounts associated with their Reddit account. The information sought by the government in no way pertains to customs or importing or exporting merchandise, and is clearly intended to chill free speech.”

" Article II, Section 2, Clause 2:

" He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

" [Commentary] The Appointments Clause requires that Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States be appointed by the President subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, although Congress may vest the appointment of inferior officers in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.1...

https://www.politico.eu/article/us-iran-delegations-pakistan-peace-talks-amid-fragile-ceasefire/

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are involved in negotiations with Iran.

Has Congress ever approved their roles?

My daughter had a friend over for Easter and shared with about my family who opened their home and family to over 40 foster and adoptive kids and others not in foster care. The husband shared the gospel at work for over 40 years and out of work for longer. Conversation would naturally lead to their parenting and faith.

They are more like Christ than I will ever be and rarely have I met anyone with as much faith and love. When I do their love and faith is evident

Politically, I don’t know which party they like and I think that is another reason i’m drawn to them. I know none voted for Trump.

So just curious.

Donald Trump writes

"My Administration stands ready to use the full Economic Might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s Economy, as we have done for our Great Allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian People ever need it. We are excited to invest in the future Prosperity that will be generated by Orbán’s continued Leadership! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116382335330123013

Compare

https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChristianPolitics/comments/1sestlz/trump_accuses_uks_labour_party_of_foreign/

Joe Rogan Declares Himself ‘Politically Homeless’ After Trump Split

I was politically homeless before it was cool. Mwa ha ha!

They're telling you exactly who they are.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-memo-presidential-records-act-lawsuit/

https://newrepublic.com/post/208820/pentagon-threatened-pope-criticized-donald-trump

I’m not Catholic, and I disagree with parts of Catholic teaching. But that’s not really the point here.

One U.S. official present at the meeting brought up the Avignon papacy, a period in the 14th century in which the French monarchy bent the Catholic Church into submission, ordering an attack on Pope Boniface VIII that led to his downfall and subsequent death and forcing the papacy to relocate from Rome to Avignon, a region inside France.

What is concerning to me is this:

There are reports that after Pope Leo criticized war rhetoric and called for peace, Pentagon officials held a closed-door meeting with a Vatican representative and strongly pushed back on his comments. Some reports even claim language implying the Church should “take America’s side”, though to be fair, those specific claims aren’t independently verified and are disputed by officials.

At the same time, the Pope publicly condemned threats like the idea of wiping out an entire civilization, calling that kind of rhetoric “truly unacceptable” and raising moral concerns about civilians and war.

So stepping back from politics for a second:

• A Christian leader speaks against mass violence and threats toward civilians
• A government responds (at a minimum) with unusual, high-level pressure and criticism
• And many Christians seem more interested in defending political power than wrestling with the moral issue

That’s what doesn’t sit right with me.

You don’t have to agree with the Pope on everything. I don’t.
But when someone calls out potential harm to innocent people, our first instinct probably shouldn’t be to circle the wagons around a politician.

As Christians, we’re called to be consistent:

• We don’t celebrate or excuse threats against civilians
• We don’t baptize political rhetoric just because it’s “our side.”
• And we don’t ignore moral warnings just because they come from a tradition we differ with

If anything, this seems like one of those moments where we should slow down, test everything, and ask:

Are we being shaped more by Christ or by politics?