Jeffries tells Trump to keep his ‘reckless mouth shut’ after president calls Democratic Party ‘greatest enemy’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, rebuked President Donald Trump on Sunday and said he should keep his “reckless mouth shut” after the president called Democrats the “greatest enemy” in America.
“Now with the death of Iran, the greatest enemy America has is the Radical Left, Highly Incompetent, Democratic Party! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
CNN’s Dana Bash asked Jeffries to react to the statement during Sunday’s “State of the Union.”
“Donald Trump should keep his reckless mouth shut before he gets somebody killed,” Jeffries said.
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Jeffries also spoke to Bash about the war in Iran, which he described as a “reckless war of choice.”
“They clearly didn’t anticipate some of the things that have happened, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. What you’re seeing right now are gas prices are through the roof, and that’s adding to an environment in America right now where life has already become too expensive for the American people because of failed policies by Donald Trump,” he said.
Jeffries did not say whether he would support any more funding for the Pentagon or whether he would urge Democrats to vote “no.”
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“Well, we’ll have that leadership conversation when we actually have a piece of legislation that is in front of us. But I can tell you, uh, there is strong opposition right now to the notion that this war of choice — that is reckless, that’s costing the American people now more than $30 billion — should continue. We need to move, which we plan on doing in short order, a War Powers Resolution so we can bring this situation to a close,” he said.
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Jeffries previously predicted the war would result in “failure” for the U.S.
“The American people want us to focus on making their life better and making their life more affordable; not getting involved in another endless war in the Middle East that is going to end in failure. This administration somehow found the resources, has found billions of dollars for bombs but can’t find any money to actually bring down the high cost of living here in the United States of America,” Jeffries said.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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UK nuclear submarine deployed to Arabian Sea before Iran targets key US-UK base: reports
A British nuclear-powered submarine has been deployed to the Arabian Sea amid rising tensions in the region and came ahead of Iran’s failed ballistic missile attempt targeting Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean, according to reports.
HMS Anson — a Royal Navy Astute-class submarine armed with Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes — traveled about 5,500 miles from HMAS Stirling, near Perth, Australia, to the region earlier in March.
The submarine is reportedly operating in the northern Arabian Sea, positioning Britain to respond quickly if the conflict escalates.
HMS Anson periodically surfaces to maintain communications with the U.K.’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in London, GB News reported.
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The outlet reported that Anson is typically based at Faslane in Scotland, where an Iranian man has been charged with attempting to gain entry.
The deployment was said to have come shortly after the U.K. government authorized the United States to use British military bases for defensive operations targeting Iranian missile capabilities that have threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, Downing Street said the aim of those operations was to “degrade the missile sites and capabilities” used in attacks on ships, while emphasizing that Britain does not want to be drawn into a wider regional conflict.
Tensions intensified Sunday after Iran launched two ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, according to multiple reports. Neither missile reached its target; one reportedly failed in flight, while the other was intercepted.
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The attempted strike has raised concerns about Iran’s missile range, as Diego Garcia is roughly 2,485 miles from Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had warned Britain against supporting U.S. or Israeli military action, saying such involvement could further escalate the conflict.
Araghchi told U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that Iran views Britain’s decision to allow U.S. forces to use its bases as “participation in aggression,” according to his account of the call, the BBC reported.
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He also criticized what he described as the U.K.’s “negative and biased” approach and demanded that it cease cooperation with the United States.
The U.K. did not allow the U.S. to use its bases for initial offensive strikes against Iran but later granted permission for defensive operations in response to Iranian missile threats.
Downing Street said: “We didn’t participate in the initial strikes, and we’re not getting drawn into the wider war.”
Tehran has said it would exercise what it calls its right to self-defense if threatened.
Meanwhile, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Sunday that Royal Air Force assets, including Typhoon jets, remain engaged in defensive operations in the region.
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The ministry added that British forces have helped counter Iranian drone threats while coordinating closely with allies.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.K. Ministry of Defence for comment.
Iran chokes Strait of Hormuz with reported $2M tanker toll, regime threatens global oil supply
The Iranian regime is charging some tankers $2 million to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to further its control over the global shipping choke point, according to reports.
Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi told state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Sunday that the massive toll marks the start of a new approach to controlling the waterway, Iran International reported.
“Collecting $2 million as transit fees from some vessels crossing the strait reflects Iran’s strength,” Boroujerdi said during a television program cited by Iranian media.
The member of parliament’s national security committee also said the measure has already been implemented and reflects what he called a new “sovereign regime” in the strait after decades, the outlet said.
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“Now, because war has costs, naturally we must do this and take transit fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Boroujerdi’s comments came after President Donald Trump warned Saturday that the United States could target Iran’s power infrastructure if the strait is not reopened within 48 hours.
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“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” Trump said in a post shared on Truth Social.
The strait is “open to everyone” except Iran’s adversaries, Tehran’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization, Ali Mousavi, also told the Mehr News Agency on Sunday, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also set out Iran’s policy on X.
“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all except those who violate our soil,” he said.
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According to Lloyds List, Iran has set up a de facto ‘safe’ shipping passage in the Strait of Hormuz and is offering vetted tankers passage in exchange for approval — and in “at least one case, a reported $2m payment,” it said.
Several governments, including China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Iraq are in talks with Tehran over ship transit, as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard sets up a new system to register “approved” vessels for safe passage, the outlet reported.
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Maritime intelligence firm Windward AI reported Sunday that Strait of Hormuz traffic was “near collapse”, with only “16 AIS-visible crossings recorded over the past seven days.”
Transit is controlled increasingly stringently, with vessels rerouting via Iran’s territorial waters, the firm said, noting that Gulf energy exports continue to decline, with crude and LPG flows at recent lows.
“Iranian exports remain active, supported by alternative routing and sustained on-water volumes,” Windward said.
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The strait normally handles about 20 million barrels of oil per day and roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade. The closure has driven up shipping and insurance costs, pushed oil prices higher, and raised global economic concerns.
Russian crude volumes remain elevated, reinforcing continued reliance on maritime energy transport, Windward said.
Former FBI agent Robert Levinson’s disappearance still unsolved as bureau presses for new tips
Nearly two decades after former FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran, the FBI is renewing its appeal for information as colleagues and family members continue pushing for answers about one of the longest-running hostage cases involving an American.
FBI Director Kash Patel last week marked the anniversary of Levinson’s disappearance while recognizing Hostage and Wrongful Detainees Day, saying the bureau remains committed to finding out what happened to him.
“Even almost 20 years later, Bob is on our minds as much as ever before,” Patel said in a statement posted on social media. The FBI continues to offer up to $5 million for information leading to Levinson’s recovery, location or return, in addition to a State Department reward.
Levinson, a former FBI agent and Drug Enforcement Administration investigator, disappeared on March 9, 2007, while visiting Iran’s Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. Levinson was the longest-held hostage in U.S. history, and his family had fought for over a decade for his safe return, blaming the Iranian regime for his capture and imprisonment.
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In 2020, U.S. officials said they believed Levinson likely died in Iranian custody, though his remains have never been recovered.
For former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker, who worked alongside Levinson years earlier, the case remains personal.
“I met Bobby Levinson when I was transferred to Miami in 1987,” Swecker told Fox News Digital. “He was kind of the iconic agent on the squad because he was prolific in developing cooperating cartel members and informants.”
Swecker said Levinson had built a reputation within the bureau for his ability to cultivate sources inside criminal organizations.
“He was a craftsman, a journeyman-level agent who knew what he was doing and was good at what he was doing,” Swecker said.
Levinson worked for the DEA before joining the FBI. Colleagues remembered him as a seasoned field investigator who preferred working cases rather than moving into management roles.
Swecker described the 6-foot-3 agent as both serious about his work and deeply devoted to his family.
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Levinson was 58 when he traveled to Kish Island, Iran, in 2007 working as a private investigator. He reportedly was taking part in an unauthorized CIA mission.
Upon his arrival, Levinson was said to have met with an American fugitive – Dawud Salahuddin – targeted by the CIA for recruitment, a source close to the Levinson case told Fox News in 2016.
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Salahuddin was wanted by the CIA for allegedly murdering an Iranian diplomat in Maryland in 1980, and Levinson hoped the mission to deliver him to the agency would secure him full-time employment with the CIA, the source told Fox News at the time.
Shortly afterward, Levinson disappeared, but Iran repeatedly denied capturing him or knowing of his whereabouts.
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“I eventually read that he had been hired on contract with the agency,” he said. “Just such a risk to go to the island of Kish with his background.”
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Iran has long denied responsibility for Levinson’s disappearance, though U.S. officials say evidence shows Iranian authorities detained him.
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The U.S. Treasury Department in 2020 sanctioned two Iranian intelligence officials accused of involvement in Levinson’s disappearance and cover-up.
Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants
President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran on Saturday, warning the U.S. would strike its power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The president’s threat represents a notable escalation in rhetoric as tensions surge over the strategically vital waterway.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a global choke point for oil and gas transport that supplies roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil, has been largely limited since early March, shortly after the war with Iran began.
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Trump’s post comes after he told reporters Friday that reopening the strait was a “simple military maneuver.”
“It’s relatively safe, but you need a lot of help in the sense of you need ships, you need volume,” he said.
The president added that NATO hasn’t had the “courage” to assist the U.S. with reopening the waterway.
TRUMP SAYS US ‘OBLITERATED’ TARGETS IN STRIKE ON KEY IRANIAN OIL HUB
“NATO could help us, but they so far haven’t had the courage to do so, and others could help us,” Trump said. “But, you know, we don’t use it. You know, at a certain point, it’ll reopen itself.”
Earlier Friday, Trump ripped NATO on Truth Social as “cowards,” saying they “complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz.”
A growing group of countries has signed onto a joint statement signaling their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage” through the strait.
The joint statement said, “We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” and, “We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.”
The statement was attributed to leaders from more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” the statement reads.
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“We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817,” the statement continued.
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Earlier this week, U.S. forces struck Iran’s anti-ship missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz with 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).