"Iran is officially a Failed Nation. IT IS DEAD! They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no currency, they are not paying their soldiers or police."

"Inflation is at 300%, and their leadership is in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country. The only thing they have is FAKE NEWS from the USA, a willingness to kill their protesters (now over 100,000 people dead. They must be tried for war crimes against humanity!), and a good line of 'BULLSHIT.' Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J.TRUMP"

A Trump Truth Social post this morning.

The period in that parenthetical makes it hard to read, so let me just tweak the punctuation:

The only thing they have is: FAKE NEWS from the USA, a willingness to kill their protesters — now over 100,000 people dead (They must be tried for war crimes against humanity!) — and a good line of BULLSHIT.

Why was "BULLSHIT" in scare quotes when "FAKE NEWS" was not? Both should be in or both out. Since the words "bullshit" and "fake news" are both used to express an opinion that what you are hearing is false, don't put quotes around them as if you are undercutting your accusation of falsity. You want to say the news really is fake and what the Iranians are saying is really bullshit. So, no scare quotes.

Now, the question I have is whether Trump means to say that the false message conveyed by U.S. news media and the the message conveyed by what's left of the Iranian government is the same message. I think he is. In his view, both are saying the United States has lost the war.

"That sucker is open. The Iranian response is very mild. They don't want us to go back at them. That's the whole ball game. The rest doesn't matter."

Said President Trump to Axios, quoted in "'That sucker is open': U.S. gains the upper hand in the battle for Hormuz."

After the MOU fell apart, the military worked to reopen the strait unilaterally. The effort included several elements: Together with the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. military task force started guiding ships through the southern channel of the strait while giving them air cover and intercepting Iranian drone and cruise missile attacks. A two-week U.S. bombing campaign significantly undercut the IRGC's capacity to attack ships crossing the strait. A mine-sweeping operation involved Navy divers, Navy SEALs, underwater and surface drones, and private contractors to detect and neutralize the mines. A blockade of Iranian ports was restored.... 

The Strait of Trump. 

"I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz."

"Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed. Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites. There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Writes Trump, at Truth Social.

So that means we won the war?

Trump said we could just "bop along" in Iran: "We could just keep it alone, and they’re going to fail. We could just keep, you know, doing sort of just like nice and easy, relaxed."

Quoted in "Trump floats ‘easy, relaxed’ Iran war phase focused on hurting regime’s economy: 'I’m their banker.'" 

“I’m sort of negotiating. You see, they’re very devious negotiators because they’ll agree to something, then they’ll go out and tell the press that they never agreed to it. They’re very dishonest people.” 

“We have three strategies,” he declared.

I hadn't used my "deeply" tag since last May.

It's a deeply bloggy tag, so it makes me want to do a post collecting recent iterations of "deeply." The first time I used it — in "Deeply... it's such a poser word" — I had a 12-point list. That was back in 2014. Let's see what "deeply" has been doing lately.

1. "The Once-Shameless President Is Deeply Embarrassed/As Donald Trump faces one humiliation after another, he is attacking those he blames" by Jonathan Lemire in The Atlantic, published today. Gift link. "But how Trump will respond next to this ongoing embarrassment remains unknown. He’s made the war deeply personal. Will he now bail on the stalled war entirely, leaving Iran more empowered in the region? Will he follow through on his threats to dramatically escalate the conflict, perhaps even to strike civilian infrastructure and energy sites? Or will he channel his rage against Americans who point out his mistakes?"

2. "UN rips ‘deeply troubling’ Iran for executing at least 56 people since start of war: ‘Has no place in our world'" — published today in The New York Post. "Several people were executed in the last two weeks alone, including a 19-year-old charged with 'enmity against god' for allegedly partaking in January’s protests. Two others arrested during the protests were also executed. And in July, two people were executed out of a group of 12 convicted of 'corruption on Earth' and 'enmity against God' over connections to four police killed in January."

3. "Ken Jennings Says He Cares 'More Deeply' About Trans Rights Than Any Other Issue" (Them, August 3, 2026). "Ken Jennings... recently got into a relatively minor back-and-forth on Bluesky with people who claimed his subscriptions to the New York Times were supporting an anti-transgender media organization.... Would I subscribe to the New York Times? No. Would I unfriend someone who did? Not necessarily.... Do I do the crossword puzzle? Yes, because nothing else quiets the anxiety I feel about living in our current reality quite like trying to find a five-letter word for boredom. Ah, 'ennui,' my old friend."

4. "The Woody Guthrie story you’ve probably never heard is deeply Jewish/A documentary recasts the folk singer’s legacy through the influence of his mother-in-law, Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt" (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, August 3, 2026). "The film ['Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie'] makes the case that Guthrie’s extended Jewish family was not incidental but integral in his artistic and personal evolution. It is a story that stretches from Oklahoma to Coney Island to the Yiddish literary world, and from the folk revival’s Jewish impresarios to one remarkable immigrant woman whose influence has largely gone unrecognized."

5. "Neil Shubin on Trusted Science in a ‘Deeply Partisan Age’/An eminent fossil hunter takes the reins at the National Academy of Sciences in a turbulent moment for American researchers" (NYT, June 2026). "As an institution, we are — by charter and design and history — nonpartisan. But we are in a deeply partisan age. Just by doing our work, we will be viewed in a partisan light no matter what. So our job is to double down on the science. We need to be a trusted source of data."

6. "'I Deeply Believe Dogs Have Superpowers and Secrets’/Prompted by a fierce attachment to his own pet, Paul Yoon wrote a harrowing yet hopeful novel, set during wartime, told from a canine perspective" (NYT, August 2, 2026). "Like his finest literary forebears who have written from a dog’s perspective — Virginia Woolf ('Flush'), John Berger ('King: A Street Story'), Jack London ('Call of the Wild') — Yoon pulls it off without being treacly or condescending.... It helps that Etna can understand everything that’s said by people around him. This was partly a practical choice, as Yoon explains: 'I wanted to create a bridge for the reader to experience this world and this journey.' But, he added, 'I deeply believe dogs have superpowers and secrets.'"

7. "The Deeply Human, Complexly Queer Animated Animals of 'Bouchra'" (autostraddle, August 3, 2026). "In Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki’s bold film Bouchra, an NYC‑based lesbian filmmaker... tries to process her relationship with her Moroccan mother through a semi‑autobiographical meta‑fictional drama stemming from a coming‑out letter she sent nine years prior.... It’s told via anthropomorphic animals in a hyperrealized backdrop.... [E]ntirely animated in Blender, Bouchra’s experimental animal‑filled approach takes some getting used to."

"His detractors have adopted the 'Never Vance' slogan and flooded social media, especially over the past week, with attacks..."

"... including claims that Vance is 'unfit' to be vice president due to his efforts to negotiate a peace deal with Iran. They have asserted, without evidence, that Vance is making policy decisions not supported by President Donald Trump. They have likened him to former president Barack Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont)...."

I'm reading "Knives are out for Vance in the GOP. His allies say it’s a coordinated ‘op.’ The vice president has faced a barrage of attacks recently that are unusual for their intensity and how early in the political calendar they are taking place" (WaPo)(gift link).

"House Republicans on Wednesday muscled through a $95 billion budget framework that includes President Donald Trump’s request to fund the Iran war..."

"... farm aid and grants for states to encourage voter ID requirements. The resolution’s slim 216-214 passage comes after the White House and House GOP leaders for weeks worked to corral rank-and-file Republicans in support of the measure. Lawmakers voiced concerns about various components of the third package. Republican leaders are using the budget reconciliation process to get around a Democratic filibuster in the Senate...."

From "House Republicans Ram Through Reconciliation 3.0 Despite Little Senate Buy-in/The framework includes money for defense, farm assistance and changes to voting laws" (NOTUS).

"What Trump did NOT do was even purport to show a single ineligible voter voted in the 2020 election, or..."

"... that any voting machines were actually compromised, voting machines or voter registration databases breached, or election results inaccurately reported. Overall, this was an underwhelming announcement delivered with low energy that changes nothing about how state and local election administrators should run elections. If his government had actual evidence of noncitizen voting, there would be indictments; Trump has been hounding US attorneys to bring such cases, and the fact that he hasn’t shows that these claims likely have no legs.... He also did not offer anything new by way of policy proposals...."

Writes Rick Hasen, in "Trump’s Underwhelming Announcement on Voting Does Not Even Purport to Show That Any Illegal Votes Were Cast in the 2020 Election or That Voting Machines Have Been Hacked or Vote Totals Inaccurate; He Also Made a Pitch to Pass the SAVE America Act But Offered No New Federal Mandates" (Election Law Blog).

See for yourself: 

He started off as if he really wanted to give a State of the Union speech:

"I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with. The only thing is, I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before."

Said President Trump, quoted in "Trump tells The Post he’s ‘left instructions’ should Iran assassinate him: 'Bomb them at levels' never seen before" (NY Post).

That's dramatic and colorful, but when he is dead, he will not be the President, and his "instructions" will be nothing more than an expression of a preference.

He seems to want it to work like the "doomsday machine."

"President Trump abruptly announced Wednesday that he would not fly out of Turkey aboard his luxurious new Air Force One..."

"...  stoking speculation that the Qatar-donated jet may be vulnerable to Iranian fire as the war resumes. Trump instead departed the annual NATO summit using the older model of Air Force One, which he had stopped using last week in favor of the $400 million 'palace on wings' that he has proudly boasted about acquiring.... 'I’m number one on the kill list for Iran. They’re lovely people,' Trump told a Post reporter who asked if security concerns motivated the switch. Earlier in the day, Trump had said, 'They want to take out the US leader, me … And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky. But that maybe doesn’t last very long.'"

From "Trump ditches new Air Force One in Turkey, stoking Iran threat intrigue: 'I’m number one on the kill list'" (NY Post).

"I don't want to deal with them anymore, they are scum."

BREAKING: President Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is "over."

"I don't want to deal with them anymore, they are scum," Trump says. pic.twitter.com/laHQdRKZUV

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) July 8, 2026

Is that real? Grok: "Trump made the statements live at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026, during interactions with reporters. Multiple major outlets (Hindustan Times, GB News, ITV News, Reuters via partners) reported the exact quotes with video footage from the event. The clip in the KobeissiLetter post matches the authentic press conference recording, showing Trump seated with US flags and summit backdrops. No credible sources flag it as fabricated."

"This way, if it works, I take the credit. If not, I blame JD! You better be careful, JD!"

🚨 LMFAO!! Funniest president ever 🤣🤣

DOOCY: Why not stick around in Europe for the Iran deal signing this weekend?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: I might, but this is a Memorandum of Understanding...if it works, I take the credit. If not, I blame JD! You better be careful, JD! He's gonna… pic.twitter.com/O1h8TVsLbX

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 17, 2026

"The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!"

"I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Writes Trump, at Truth Social.

"Barack Hussein Obama’s Deal with Iran... was an easy, beautiful, smooth road to a Nuclear Weapon, which Iran would have had six years ago..."

"... and would have used long before now. My Agreement with Iran is the exact opposite, A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON! In fact, they no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor will they have one, either through purchase, development, or any other form of procurement. The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL."

Writes Trump, at Truth Social.

We've heard so many times that the deal is about to be signed, so generally I resist blogging about it. I'll believe it when I see it. But "The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow" sounds more definite, doesn't it? Weasel word: "scheduled."

Trump continues: "Our relationship with Iran is a much different and better one than previous Administrations have had.

"At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets..."

"... much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Trump at Truth Social.

UPDATE: At Truth Social:

Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening. Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others. The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.

DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

So "discussions" have been approved. That doesn't sound like an agreement. But there is "this Transaction." That too doesn't sound like an agreement, and yet it is something that can be "finalized" and signed, which does sound like an agreement. 

"If we need to negotiate with bombs, we’ll negotiate with bombs. And we’re very good at it. Nobody better in the world."

Said Pete Hegseth, quoted in "Iran War Live Updates: U.S. Will Strike Iran Again Tonight, Hegseth Says/The secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, said a new American attack would be launched on Wednesday night. Earlier, President Trump said more attacks were coming, a day after he predicted peace" (NYT).

Trump posts a "West Wing" clip decrying the notion of a "proportional response."

"I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz."

"There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

That's Trump, at Truth Social, 3 hours ago.

"It will be a Document respected like no other that has ever been signed, anywhere in the World. Its level of Importance and Prestige will be unparalleled!"

Writes Trump, just now on Truth Social.

He's "mandatorily requesting":

"The United States and Iran have agreed in principle to a deal that would wind down the war in the Middle East by reopening the Strait of Hormuz and by committing Iran..."

"... to dispose of its highly enriched uranium, a senior U.S. official told reporters on Sunday.... News of a possible deal came after a roller-coaster few weeks, with Mr. Trump at times threatening to restart attacks on Iran, and at others saying there was progress in last-ditch negotiations to stave off a return to full-scale war — all while offering few details. Then, on Saturday, the president announced on social media that the two countries had 'largely negotiated' a memorandum of understanding 'pertaining to PEACE.' On Sunday, however, he said he had ordered his negotiators 'not to rush into a deal.'..."

The NYT reports.