Roberts defends Supreme Court against Trump attacks

“It’s got to stop,” the chief justice said of personal invective aimed at judges.1/2. 3/17/27

Chief Justice John Roberts defended the Supreme Court on Tuesday against a sustained flurry of attacks President Donald Trump recently unleashed against the justices for striking down the core of his politically pivotal tariff policy.

“Personally directed hostility is dangerous and it’s got to stop,” Roberts said during an appearance at Rice University in Houston. (Oh like Roberts is talking to hateful judges of Trump in the same room?)

Roberts did not mention Trump directly and made aneffort to frame intemperate criticism of the judiciary as emerging “from all over” and “not just any one political perspective.”(dems do it all the time, the media doesn’t report it.)

But with Trump lashing out at the justices — or at least some of them —every few days(that’s a lie) since his high court defeat last month, it seemed clear the chief justice sought to counter the president’s public expressions of displeasure.

In Trump’s latest salvo Sunday, he appeared to broaden his crusade against the court, faulting them not only for the tariffs ruling but for failing to back him in 2020 when he contended without evidence that he’d been reelected.

“Our Country was unnecessarily RANSACKED by the United States Supreme Court, which has become little more than a weaponized and unjust Political Organization,” Trump wrote in a lengthy rant on Truth Social. “The sad thing is, they will only get worse!”

Roberts said that while criticism of the Supreme Court and judges is often useful and stressed that the justices are not infallible, he suggested that false and inflammatory claims can lead to threats and violence. (Yeah John like the assassination attempts 2+ times on PDJT, and your whining publicly will now rev up crazies to put him in more danger. The SC should keep their mouths shut, especially since you are a fraud and traitor.)

“A lot of what we do is, of necessity, controversial. And … some of the criticism is very healthy. Some of it’s not,”the chief justice said.“It’s important to keep the facts before you.”

Asked for a response, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson saidthe public has “always valued President Trump’s ability to freely speak his mind” and share his views.(KEK)

(https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/john-roberts-trump-supreme-court-attacks-00832912

>>24395810

2/2

“The President will continue speaking with the same candor that the American people love to hear from him,” Jackson said.

Roberts also rejected repeated suggestions by Trump, including in his recent posts, that Trump’s appointees were showing disloyalty by voting against him in cases.

Two of Trump’s nominees to the court, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, earned Trump’s ire by siding against the administration in the tariffs case.

“The notion that we carry forward the views of the people that appointed us is absurd,”the chief justice said. “President George W. Bush appointed me 20 years ago. The idea that I’m carrying out his agenda somehow is absurd. … History is full of examples of presidents appointing people and being really surprised how they turned out, going both ways.”

Roberts also sought to dispel perceptions that the court, which has six justices appointed by Republican presidents and three by Democratic ones, is divided into warring ideological camps.

“We’re not as much at each others’ throats as you might think,” he said.

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal, who conducted the public interview with Roberts Tuesday,praised the chief justice for defending his colleagues on lower courts who have faced an outpouring of threatsin recent months, particularly when handling politically sensitive cases. (Oh so he’s backing Boasberg and other haters, with their insanely way they twist the law.)

“It’s very much part of our lives these days. And on behalf of trial judges everywhere, I want to personally thank you, because while we know that you may not always agree with us, we always know that you have our backs,” said Rosenthal, a George H.W. Bush appointee. “I hope it continues. I know it will.”

During the discussion, Roberts did concur with Trump on one point he has often emphasized: the need for judges to display “courage.”

“Courage, I think, is an overlooked virtue in a judge,” the chief justice said.

Attendees at Roberts’ appearance in Houstonwere also treated, very briefly, to hearing the chief justice recite a couple lines from a rap song. The interlude came as he described his son Jack recently demonstrating to him how AI could be used, in a matter of seconds, to create a rap about the family’s dog visiting the high court.

“I’m just completely befuddled by how that can happen,” Roberts said.

(BTW Roberts did the exact same thing 2-3 years ago, cry about what Trump said, and got Trump haters all drummed up!)

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/john-roberts-trump-supreme-court-attacks-00832912

Iran Intelligence Minister Khatib killed in Tehran strike, Israeli minister says

2 hours ago

Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in overnight strikes in Tehran, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday.

Khatib, a cleric, had served as Iran’s intelligence minister since 2021and was seen as a close ally of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

He previously held senior roles in Iran’s intelligence apparatus and judiciary,including positions within the Intelligence Ministry and the powerful Astan Quds Razavi foundation.

Katz said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the military to kill other senior Iranian officials on the target list without requiring further approval.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603187316

NATO to deploy additional Patriot system in southern Turkey - ministry

3 hours ago

NATO will deploy another US Patriot air defense system to southern Turkey, the defense ministry said on Wednesday,=as the alliance moves to strengthen defenses amid missile threats linked to the Iran war.

The system will bestationed in Adana province, home to Incirlik Air Base, where US and other allied personnel are based, the ministry said. (Why are they stating where they are stationed?)

“In addition to national-level measures… another Patriot system…is being deployed in Adana, in addition to the existing Spanish Patriot system,” the ministry said.

Turkey said last week NATO had also deployed a Patriot system in thesoutheastern province of Malatya, near a NATO radar base, as part of efforts to boost air defenses.

Ankara, which has NATO’s second-largest army and borders Iran, has relied on allied systems to intercept missiles it says were fired from Iran since the war began.

Incirlik Air Base hosts personnel from the United States and several NATO allies,including Spain and Poland.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603182140

Military report says ‘one in a million’ live fire malfunction rained shrapnel on California highway

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A “one in a million” malfunction during a live fire demonstrationover Camp Pendleton last October led to a misfire that rained shrapnel on Interstate 5, striking two California Highway Patrol vehicles, a U.S. Marine Corps investigation found.

An artillery shell exploded over the highway that serves as the main corridor between Los Angeles and San Diego during a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps, attended by Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Nobody was hurt, and investigators ruled out any negligence or wrongdoing by Corps members.

The day before the event, Democratic Gov.Gavin Newsom called the planned demonstration with live artillery dangerous and unnecessary, and he ordered I-5 to be closed during it.That closure drew condemnation from the White House and other Republicans, and the Marine Corps said the exercises wouldn’t endanger motorists.

In a 666-page report dated Dec. 19 and first reported on Monday, the Marines concluded that there “is no definitive answer” to why an M795 high explosive round detonated early at an altitude of about 1,480 feet (450 meters) during the Oct. 18 demonstration. Such a premature detonation is “beyond reasonable expectations and should not have happened, but it did,” the report says.

“It is manufactured to a tolerance of one defect in a million,” according to the report.

Organizers planned to fire 60 rounds of live artillery in 5 minutes over the highway, using six howitzer weapons, according to the report.But a round in the first volley of shots failed and detonated early, and the rest of the demonstration was canceled, the report said.

Days after the malfunction, 26 California U.S. House members and the state’s twosenators sent a letter to Hegseth asking who decided to shoot live artillery over the freeway and how authorities prepared for the safety risks.

“We’re thankful to the Marines for their thorough and precise investigation — in stark contrast tothe dangerous and performative demands by JD Vance and Pete Hegsethto shoot live ammunition over a civilian area for their entertainment,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office, said in an email Tuesday.

Newsom announced the highway closure in a statement after practice rounds were fired a day ahead of the celebration. The governor described the live fire exercise as a show of force meant to intimidate Trump’s opponents, thousands of whom were demonstrating at “No Kings” protests in and around San Diego that day.

“Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong — it’s dangerous,” Newsom wrote at the time.

The Marine report concluded several factors could have contributed to the malfunction, including the howitzer guns being too close together when fired and the “potential presence of anomalous electromagnetic energy in the vicinity.”

“What was different from the thousands of times before this event employing the same shell-fuze combination, weapons system, and highly trained Marines? There is no definitive answer,” the report said.

https://apnews.com/article/marines-250th-camp-pendleton-shrapnel-california-367baee09300fdfce0811454078cb71f

>>24395892

2/2

The event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton featured aircraft, ships, and amphibious assault vehicles to celebrate the anniversary.

“It will be a good show regardless of who shows up,” Gen. Eric Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps,said in an Oct. 14 email to Brig. Gen. Garrett “Rainman” Hoffman, of the White House Military Office, according to the investigation.

The first roundlaunched at 1:46 p.m. from M777 howitzers on a beach west of Interstate 5. That artillery round detonated midflight near I-5 southbound, sending shrapnel flying toward a CHP motorcycleand another unoccupied patrol vehicle, according to the CHP report. The vehicles had been part of Vance’s protective service detail and were waiting near a highway ramp after securely getting Vance where he needed to be, the report said.

An officer described hearing what sounded like “pebbles” falling on his motorcycle, and finding shards nearby. Other shrapnel struck and left a dent on the hood of another patrol vehicle.

CHP sergeants conducted a safety sweep and didn’t find any other pieces of metal in the highway lanes, the report said. Both sides of the highway were reopened about 30 minutes later.

Multiple people interviewed for the Marines investigation said they wouldn’t have changed anything about the event. Some noted a drill the day before did not have any problems and routine safety checks were done more than usual.

(https://apnews.com/article/marines-250th-camp-pendleton-shrapnel-california-367baee09300fdfce0811454078cb71f

(My question is what electronic etc device did Newsom use to do this?)

Iran International English

@IranIntl_En

Iran’s police chief Ahmad‑Reza Radan in a speech to Islamic Republic supporters mocked US President Donald Trump for his past statements about the regime’s alleged use of AI to alter videos of state-organized rallies in Iranian streets.

8:36 PM · Mar 17, 2026

·73K

Views

https://x.com/IranIntl_En/status/2034066291338682683?s=20

Iran International English

@IranIntl_En

An air defence system shot down drones during an attack on the US embassy in Baghdad early on Tuesday, A witness saw at least three drones heading toward the embassy, two of which were intercepted, while a third struck inside the compound, where fire and smoke were seen rising.

7:09 AM · Mar 17, 2026

·19.4K Views

https://x.com/IranIntl_En/status/2033863345225306567?s=20

Iran International English

@IranIntl_En

IDF soldiers in Tel Aviv cheered as an Iranian missile was intercepted overhead on Monday night, footage shows.

8:38 AM · Mar 17, 2026

·12K Views

https://x.com/IranIntl_En/status/2033885737318305980?s=20

Wave of explosions reported across Iran in early morning hours

6 hours ago

Explosions werereported across several parts of southern, western and central Iran early on Wednesday, according to eyewitness accounts sent to Iran International.

Bandar Abbas, the southern Iranian port city on the Persian Gulf,saw a series of blasts near naval and port facilities. Around 8:00 a.m., explosions were heard from the direction of the navy area and Shahid Bahonar port. More blasts followed at about 8:15 a.m. in the Jahanbar area, and at 8:40 a.m. near the oil terminal and control tower at Shahid Rajaee port.

Ahvaz, the main city of Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province,was shaken by a strong explosion around 9:30 a.min the Zeytoun Karmandi neighborhood, rattling windows in nearby homes.

An explosion was heard around 5:00 a.m. in Songhor, a town in Iran’s western Kermanshah province near the Iraq border.

Near Kazerun, a city in Iran’s southern Fars province, an explosion was heard at about 6:55 a.m.

In Malard, west of Tehran, multiple explosions were reported between 6:50 a.m. and 7:10 a.m. In nearby Fardis, in Alborz province west of the capital, several blasts were heard around 7:11 a.m., including in the Naz district.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603181159

Dubai authorities say all air interceptions successful, no injuries

7 hours ago

Authorities in Dubai said on Wednesday that all air interception operations were successful and no injuries were reported.

They urged the public to rely on official sources for updates.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603180632

I bet those Gulf countries are happy that Trump visited early in his term, and then they bought weapons from US.

DNI Gabbard, FBI Director Patel and CIA Director Ratcliffe Testify on Global Threats – 10:00am Livestream

March 18, 2026 | Sundance |

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel are scheduled to deliver testimony on Global Threat Assessments today at the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00am ET. Livestream Links Below.

The SSCI sits at the center of the U.S. Intelligence Community operations, providing support and alignment with all ongoing IC activity,with control mechanisms that work around the leadership of all IC institutions. The SSCI, acting as an oversight body, facilitates all activity.

Keep in mind, as DNI TulsiGabbard appears for testimony today the worst elements of the Intelligence Community, and the orcs within the SSCI that underpins the IC, despise Tulsi Gabbard.

Remember, Gabbard intercepted an impeachment construct (TdA, Venezuela deportation – Boasberg et al)and Gabbard refused to promote the fabricated IC construct that Jared Kushner was in control of Trump and manipulating the White House on behalf of Israel. Today, the SSCI will take strides to regain control. WATCH:

National Security Officials Testify on Global Threats to the U.S.

https://www.youtu.be/_EkBAjugEFk

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/

>>24395994

Note: this quote from current article, the link is below for full article with Kushner involved

:

Gabbard refused to promote the fabricatedIC construct that Jared Kushner was in control of Trump and manipulating the White House on behalf of Israel. Today, the SSCI will take strides to regain control. WATCH:

Link to full article:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/02/07/senator-mark-warner-and-or-his-collaborator-nsa-whistleblower-lawyer-andrew-bakaj-enlist-british-intel-and-uk-media-to-promote-impeachment-effort-against-dni-gabbard/

Japan Signs Major $56 Billion Energy Deal with U.S, Strategically Boosting Energy Relationship 1/3

March 17, 2026 | Sundance |

CTH has said towatch the U.S.-Japan trade relationshipclosely because the outlines of multiple geopolitical shifts can be referenced from anew strategic relationship surrounding multiple sectors, including energy.

The U.S, relationship with Japan is both leverage and a hedge against old alliances that may seek to disrupt the global reset currently underway through President Trump policy. The issues with the European Union, U.K, USMCA and other tenuous allies, look entirely different when President Trump has alternative partnerships for massive energy exports.

ENERGY NEWS –In a major moveto secure stable energy supplies amid escalating geopolitical tensions,Japan has inked deals worth up to $56 billion with the United Statesfor oil, natural gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchases and investments.

This agreement,finalizedat the Asia-Pacific Energy Security Forum in Tokyo on March 14, 2026,underscores Japan’s push to diversify its energy importsanddeepen economic ties with the USunder Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration.

The deals come as part of a broader framework stemming from the 2025US-Japan trade agreement, where Japan pledged $550 billion in US investments overseveral years, with energy as a key pillar.

The $56 billion package represents asignificant escalation in Japan’s commitment to American energy, building on an initial $36 billion tranche announced earlier in 2026.

This latest round emphasizes immediate purchases and long-term infrastructure projects, responding to globalmarket volatility driven by conflictsin the Middle East and disruptions in key shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz.

[…] The agreements encompass amix of direct energy purchases, joint ventures, and infrastructure investments. (read more)

As a nation that needs energy partnerships, Japan seeks stability and predictability.Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has gone all-in on a strategic energy partnership with the United States.

As the tectonic plates are shaken:

♦If Canada wants to try and leveragethe energy trade infrastructure against a USMCA reset,President Trump has Venezuela production as an offset.

Japanese automakershave already told Canadian trade ministersthatif Canada loses the USMCA, there’s no valuein maintaining auto manufacturing north of the border – because thetarget customers are all in the USA. Japan would move all production out of Canada. I doubt China could replace at scale.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/03/17/japan-signs-major-56-billion-energy-deal-with-u-s-strategically-boosting-energy-relationship/

>>24396158

2/2. (No 3rd post)

♦If Europe, who is now dependent on LNG from Norway and the USA, wants to create geopolitical friction, President Trump now hasJapan as a replacement customer. More behavioral leverage.

U.S. firms are making a lot of money selling LNG to Europe, but Trump has justcreated a customer base that is more reliable and politically consistent.

♦ Then, as theshort-term lifting of LNG and oil sanctions on Russiais proving (petrodollars used), think about the potential for India and Southeast Asia to be supported by Russian exports.Who holds that distribution key, again Trump.

It is not accidental that India is sending support vesselsto the Strait of Hormuz as requested by President Trump.Here’s the kicker… With oil and gas from Russia,India doesn’t need the Iranian oil and gas; yet, they are sending support.bWhy?Because Prime MinisterModi wants Trump to keep their Russian purchase exemptions in place.

We can see how a strong collaborative relationship with Japan can negate any negative economic impact the mask wearing Europeans and Canadians might want to try and leverage. In actuality, Canada, the U.K and Europe don’t have any leverage at all in the new world of trade.

One way to look at this is to say the primary “Build Back Better” nations, those most entrenched in the selling of climate change as a tool for manipulation and control, are being positioned to havethe least amount of inputinto a new, tiered set of established nationsfor global energy development.

Take a look at that Russian Sanctions map again. The nations in yellow created the sanctions:

Now, overlay the new energy trade relationships that are forming.

• The USA fuels the Western Hemisphere.

• Russia fuels the Eastern Hemisphere.

• Europe is reliant on the Middle East.

• China loses geopolitical power, Russia gains power.

• Europe loses geopolitical power, India gains power.

• Deal with Iran and most conflict is resolved in the Middle East.

The USA controls the Western Hemisphere. And with India and Japan as allies, the Indo-Pacific outline is realized.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/03/17/japan-signs-major-56-billion-energy-deal-with-u-s-strategically-boosting-energy-relationship/

I have to say, Trump and Admin has thought out every action and reaction to the anti America countries,and he and they have been planning all possible scenarios for seemingly years. Especially when he reported he’ll make major changes on upcoming renewal of USMCA! I wonder if all our enemy countries know how fucked they are now?

The video last night of how many years before he took action on changes that had to made were, I think Trump and Team have done this for many years, but Trump thought about it 40+ years ago.