Just a Thought

                                                                                        Copyright @ 2026 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All Rights Reserved. 

US ally pledges support for Trump's push to break Iran's grip on Hormuz: 'We are ready to contribute'

Prague has 'unique passive surveillance capabilities' it can contribute to securing the critical oil choke point

Efrat Lachter / Fox News 

The Czech Republic is prepared to help protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and is aligning closely with the Trump administration on security, NATO and Israel, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka told Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview at the United Nations in New York.

Prague already had begun discussions about contributing specialized capabilities to help secure the strategically vital waterway amid growing tensions with Iran, Macinka said while speaking at Security Council-related meetings at the U.N. 

"We are ready to contribute to freedom of passage and the Hormuz trade," Macinka said. 

"We were among the first countries that were ready to contribute … We have no navy, as we are in the middle of Europe," he explained, "But we have some unique passive surveillance capabilities."

Macinka warned that Iran posed a global threat through what he described as four main "war tools": nuclear proliferation, drones and ballistic missiles, international terrorism and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. Read more, see video and photos here.

Confirmed: President Trump Continues to Take Out Those Marked for Political Death

Matt Vespa / Townhall Tipsheet 

 

The New York Knicks are on a historic streak right now: 11 straight playoff wins with a point differential during that stretch that’s the greatest in NBA history. They await the winner of the Western Conference Finals between OKC and San Antonio, but New York will be able to go head-to-head with whoever emerges from that series, which is likely to go six or seven games. Another figure on a hot streak right now is President Donald Trump, who is bulldozing his opposition much like the Knicks. 

The Texas Senate runoff should dismiss any notion that the MAGA base is on the fringe, something I still find amusing in mainstream media coverage. We are the base: the MAGA movement elected this man twice in the past 12 years and broke through the so-called blue wall. 

Years ago, David Shor, a left-wing data scientist, identified the Trump coalition, noting that it is the most geographically efficient political base—these people live in areas where national elections are decided. It’s why Trump’s approval numbers don’t mean much, as Shor added, because of this the man could have a rating in the low 40s and still make things competitive for Democrats. We’ll revisit that: that may be good if Trump were running for president, but midterms are a toss-up. Read more here.

RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...Podcast 

Here's the podcast of last nights LIVE radio broadcast where RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig and Diane discussed Iran updates; what Tulsi Gabbard will release before stepping down as Nat'l Intelligence Director; Democrats use fallen heroes as props to bash Trump on Memorial Day; and the Pope weighs in on AI. Listen to it on https://rspradio1.podbean.com or on our RSP website at https://rspradio1.com/?page_id=39 

Pun Pouts As Rubio Locks in Armenia Minerals Deal and Advances 'Trump Route'

BoB Hoge / RedState 

 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is known for taking on many jobs at once, and on Tuesday, he donned the hat of chief U.S. trade negotiator with Armenia as he signed a strategic partnership agreement with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The agreement covers critical minerals and also bolsters cooperation on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a 27-mile rail and road corridor that would go through southern Armenia. It would enhance trade by linking Central Asia to Turkey and Europe while — crucially — bypassing Russia and Iran. 

As pro-Russia sentiment continues in Armenia, Pashinyan is set on distancing his country from the former Soviet Union, which until 1991 counted Armenia as part of its federation.

UNLV Political Science Professor Dr. Nerses Kopalyan said the agreement was a game-changer for the region.

Extraordinarily important development today in US-Armenia relations, as the government-to-government framework on TRIPP proceeds with the implementation stage, while US and Armenia elevate relations to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership. But just as importantly, US is now a direct stakeholder...Read more, see Xs and videos here. 

DeSantis Scores Major Legal Victory in Redistricting Battle

Cameron Arcand / Townhall Tipsheet

 

Florida’s new Republican-backed map is allowed to plow forward for now, after a state-level judge did not stop the map from going into effect as it faces an ongoing legal fight, according to The Hill.

 

The map, which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) this spring, will potentially give Republicans four more seats in Congress in the Sunshine State.

“The election machinery of the state is already underway,” Circuit Judge Joshua Hawkes wrote in his Tuesday order. Hawkes was appointed by DeSantis in 2020. 

“The primary is less than three months away, and the general less than six months. The public interest weighs more in favor of certainty than a haphazard judicial mandate of discarded maps,” he added.

However, liberal groups like the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Southern Poverty Law Center are vowing to appeal, and they are determined to let the Florida Supreme Court have the final say.

US plans to cut bombers, fighter jets and warships available to NATO allies in time of war: report

Kathleen Joyce / NEW YORK POST

 

The US is set to reduce the number of bombers, fighter jets and warships available to NATO allies during times of crisis, according to a new report.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed senior NATO officials in Brussels last week that the US would shrink its available resources for the bloc, including cutting the number of strategic bombers by half, German news outlet Spiegel reported.

The number of US fighter jets deployed would be cut by a third, American envoy Alexander Velez-Green told NATO members, according to the outlet.

The US Navy reportedly said it would no longer provide nuclear submarines to the alliance, and deploy fewer destroyers than before.

The US would also keep all its reconnaissance drones to itself while scaling back the availability of its attack UAVs, sources told Spiegel.

The push to reduce US forces in Europe — which began as a Cold War bulwark against the Soviet Union — has accelerated under President Trump, who has long criticized NATO members for failing to fund their own defense and letting their military capabilities languish.