Top World News

Sep 28, 2026 - World

A former CIA counterterrorism official poked holes Monday in President Donald Trump’s account of an alleged terror plot in the United Kingdom — calling one version of events “a little far-fetched” and Trump’s public comments “a little bit embarrassing.”Phil Mudd, a former CIA counterterrorism official and former FBI senior intelligence adviser, joined CNN’s Jake Tapper after Trump claimed the U.S. had suspects “under investigation” before arrests connected to an alleged plot targeting a U.K. base.Mudd said Trump’s account left him confused.“I have about 200 dog years in investigations like this, and this one’s a little confusing,” Mudd said.He first questioned the idea that authorities sprang into action simply after a civilian reported suspicious activity.“Boy, that sounds a little far-fetched in this situation,” he said.But Trump’s suggestion that the suspects had already been under surveillance also raised questions, Mudd said.That doesn’t make sense either, because if you’re surveilling people, you don’t conduct the operation when you’re in a high-risk area with a bunch of civilians,” he said.Mudd said he wasn’t sure exactly what happened, but took particular issue with Trump publicly suggesting the U.S. played a role in a British-led investigation.“If the Brits are leading the investigation and the Americans say we're actually involved in the investigation, that's a little bit embarrassing,” Mudd said.“You don’t say that,” he added. “The Brits take the lead. We sit in the back seat.”

Sep 28, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump's war in Iran has exposed a "growing vulnerability" that has no easy solution, according to one foreign affairs expert. Max Boot, a columnist at The Washington Post and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, argued in a new op-ed that the war has called into question whether the American military still retains its air superiority over other nations. He pointed to Iran's use of inexpensive drones to "inflict heavy losses on U.S. bases" and in allied countries in the region. "The growing vulnerability of U.S. bases because of the proliferation of cheap drones and missiles — which will only get worse with the spread of artificial intelligence guidance — has no easy solution," Boot argued. "Shutting down bases is one way to prevent them from being targeted, but that would have a deleterious political impact, because it would signal U.S. disengagement." "U.S. bases serve an important trip-wire function, alerting foes that if they attack a U.S. ally, they will have to attack U.S. troops too," he added. "Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping would like nothing better than to see U.S. bases near their countries close."Boot's op-ed also questions Trump's repeated claims that he's rebuilt the military during his two administrations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed to be restoring the "warrior ethos" by remaking the military's image as more male-dominant and removing punishments for soldiers who commit violent acts. However, some troops have reported significant mental health issues stemming from long deployments overseas, as was the case with the USS Lincoln. Boot argued that the Iran war also serves as a dark warning that the military needs to "radically change" its thinking."It can no longer expect to operate from invulnerable bases near the front," Boot wrote. "But it’s hard to imagine that the armed forces can focus on such a major strategic reorientation when they are dealing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s destabilizing political purges and his retrograde demands for increasing testosterone counts." "Many of the topflight officers being cashiered by Hegseth, for no good reasons, are the very ones the armed forces need to adjust to the massive changes in the American way of war being necessitated by the drone revolution," he added.

Sep 28, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump lashed out at Axios Monday over a report that he was willing to offer Iran economic relief in exchange for concessions on its nuclear program.“Axios just released a story that ‘Trump’ offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Axios’ story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome,” he added. “They should withdraw this fake story, IMMEDIATELY!”Trump appeared to be responding to an Axios report earlier Monday headlined, “Trump offers Iran economic relief for concrete nuclear concessions.”Axios reported that Trump was willing to provide sanctions relief and release frozen Iranian funds in return for “concrete Iranian steps regarding the nuclear program.” The report cited U.S. officials. Axios, along with CNN and MS NOW, is part of Trump’s White House media ban.

Sep 28, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump sparked an angry backlash on Monday after calling Canada “one of the worst countries in the entire world” as he complained about stalled negotiations with the longtime U.S. ally.“They have been one of the worst countries in the entire world,” Trump told reporters while taking questions in the Oval Office. “We get along with China, we get along with people, we make good deals, but Canada has been really very difficult to deal with.”The remark quickly drew outrage online.“Despite all of Trump’s b------- like this, Americans still like Canada a helluva lot more than they like him,” attorney and prominent Trump critic George Conway wrote on social media, pointing to a YouGov poll on Americans’ attitudes toward Canada.Others piled on.“This is Trump admitting that Canada has stood up to him,” author Steve Saideman, a political scientist at Ottawa’s Carleton University, wrote on Bluesky.Writer Lawrence Herzog asked on Bluesky, “How much longer do Canadians have to endure bullying and abuse from this person?”The War Monitor X account pointed to Trump’s treatment of two U.S. rivals, writing, “Meanwhile, Russia and China literally got red carpet treatment.”Canadian health researcher Tara M. offered a shorter response for her Bluesky followers: “Seriously?”“Of course he thinks that,” concluded politics writer Nick Field in an X post, “they’re one of the few countries that refuses to bribe him.”Despite all of Trump’s bullshit like this, Americans still like Canada a helluva lot more than they like him.https://t.co/rd3nB6f0yy https://t.co/l9MHpF6ud6 pic.twitter.com/1ZUGakYyPg— George Conway ⚖️???????? (@gtconway3d) September 28, 2026

Sep 28, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump is open to making major concessions to Iran in exchange for commitments regarding its nuclear program, U.S. officials told Axios, a position he’s gone back and forth on over the past several months.According to the unnamed U.S. officials, Trump is willing to unfreeze Iranian funds and offer sanctions relief in exchange for major nuclear concessions. The admission comes as a fresh round of talks is expected to take place this week in New York between U.S. and Iranian negotiators, done by proxy through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.During his first term, Trump famously tore up the Iran nuclear deal brokered by former President Barack Obama — a deal built on sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds. But in June, Trump warmed to those same concessions, agreeing to lift all U.S. sanctions on Iran and release all of its frozen or restricted funds.Trump quickly walked those concessions back, however, after hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed in July. In August, Trump explicitly told reporters that his administration was not seeking to extend the June interim peace agreement, which included sanctions relief and the unfreezing of funds.In what appears to be yet another pivot, Trump has once again warmed to the idea of granting Iran its requested concessions, with the U.S. officials voicing optimism for this week’s talks.“[The indirect talks have been] positive and constructive, [and Iran] has indicated they are flexible on the nuclear issues,” one of the U.S. officials told Axios, speaking on the condition of anonymity.