A senior adviser to President Donald Trump is urging Washington to seek a swift exit from the escalating conflict with Iran, warning that continued fighting could further destabilize the Middle East and continue to rattle the global market even worse than they already have.

David Sacks, the White House adviser overseeing artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency policy, said the United States has already achieved significant military objectives and should now consider stepping back before the conflict widens further.

Speaking on the widely followed “All-In Podcast,” Sacks argued that the moment may have arrived for Washington to pursue an off-ramp rather than escalate further. “We’ve degraded Iranian capabilities massively,” Sacks said. “This is a good time to declare victory and get out.”

David Sacks says a faction in Washington is pushing Trump to escalate the Iran war even further.

His advice: “This is a good time to declare victory and get out.”

Because if the bombing shifts to Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure, Iran could respond by striking Gulf… https://t.co/W9HrN83MUx pic.twitter.com/MctdUD0Frg

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 14, 2026

The remarks represent one of the clearest calls from a prominent Trump-aligned figure urging a negotiated exit from the conflict. Sacks framed the issue not in ideological terms but as a matter of strategic realism and American national interest. “If escalation doesn’t lead anywhere good, then you have to think about how you de-escalate,” he said, adding that de-escalation would likely involve a ceasefire or negotiated settlement.

The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian military targets. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region, while its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon launched additional strikes against Israel.

The growing confrontation has already rattled financial markets and pushed energy prices higher. Oil prices have surged as investors brace for potential disruptions to Middle Eastern supply routes and infrastructure.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations says more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict began. Israeli authorities report 12 deaths from Iranian-linked attacks inside Israel, while the Anmerican military has confirmed that seven American service members have been killed during the fighting.

Despite those casualties, Sacks argued that Washington must carefully consider whether prolonging the conflict actually serves American strategic interests. Within the America First wing of the Republican movement, skepticism toward open-ended foreign wars remains strong.

Many national-conservatives argue that American foreign policy must prioritize sovereignty, stability, and the well-being of American citizens rather than drifting into prolonged regional conflicts. Sacks’ comments appear to reflect that cautious strain of thinking within the broader Trump coalition.

He warned that deeper escalation could unleash a cascade of consequences across the region. One scenario he described involves Iranian retaliation against Gulf oil infrastructure, which plays a critical role in global energy supply.

Even more alarming, Sacks suggested, would be attacks on desalination plants that provide drinking water across much of the Arabian Peninsula. “I think it’s something like 100 million people on the Arabian Peninsula that get their water from desal,” he said, warning that such strikes could trigger severe humanitarian and economic disruption.

Sacks also cautioned that prolonged missile exchanges could strain Israel’s air defense systems if the conflict drags on. The broader danger, he suggested, is that the war could spiral into a wider regional confrontation that becomes increasingly difficult to control.

He described Iran as possessing what he called a “dead man’s switch over the economic fate of the Gulf States,” referring to the country’s ability to threaten energy infrastructure and shipping lanes that are essential to the global economy.

Financial markets appear to be reacting to that risk. Oil prices have already jumped sharply since the conflict began, reflecting fears that prolonged fighting could disrupt critical energy supplies.

Sacks suggested that a rapid de-escalation could calm markets and reduce economic uncertainty. “This is clearly what the markets would like to see,” he said.

The geopolitical stakes became even more apparent after President Trump announced a major American bombing raid targeting Iran’s Kharg Island, one of the country’s most important oil export terminals. The facility handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports.

Trump said American forces had “obliterated” military targets on the island. The strike underscored how closely military escalation and global energy markets are now intertwined.

BREAKING: Trump releases footage of US bombing on Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90% of the nation’s oil exports pic.twitter.com/i6liQnoNAG

— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) March 14, 2026

A wider conflict could threaten oil flows and intensify economic instability across much of the world. Inside Washington, however, the debate over how to proceed remains unsettled.

Some policymakers favor maintaining pressure on Tehran and continuing military operations. Others fear that a prolonged war could drain American resources while creating new strategic vulnerabilities. The divide reflects a broader shift within the American right. While national conservatives strongly support defending American interests and allies, many remain wary of repeating the mistakes of earlier interventionist eras.

Sacks’ intervention highlights that emerging debate. His argument is not that Iran should be trusted or appeased, but that strategic victories sometimes require strategic restraint.
In his view, the United States has already demonstrated its military power and deterrence. Continuing the war indefinitely could risk triggering instability that ultimately harms American interests.

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Israel is reportedly preparing a “massive” ground invasion of southern Lebanon aimed at pushing the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group away from the Israeli border and dismantling its weapons infrastructure.

According to a report from Axios, the operation would target territory south of the Litani River, an area Israeli security officials see as critical to preventing Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel.

The move follows a large-scale rocket barrage earlier this week, when Hezbollah launched more than 200 rockets toward northern Israel.

Israel is planning massive ground invasion of Lebanon, aiming to seize the entire area south of the Litani River and dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, Israeli and U.S. officials say. My story on @axioshttps://t.co/U8RCQJMC5P

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) March 14, 2026

Officials said the attack was coordinated with Iran, which launched missiles at Israel at the same time.

“Before this attack we were ready for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but after it there is no way back from a massive operation,” a senior Israeli official told Axios.

Another Israeli official said the strategy would mirror Israel’s campaign against Hamas infrastructure in Gaza.

“We are going to do what we did in Gaza,” the official said.

BREAKING: Israel is planning a major expansion of its ground operation in Lebanon, aiming to seize the area south of the Litani River and dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. — Axios pic.twitter.com/0Y1Oeao6iS

— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) March 14, 2026

The objective is to seize territory, push Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River and dismantle military positions embedded in villages across southern Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Forces have already begun preparations, while additional regular army units are also being deployed.

The IDF has also urged thousands of civilians in southern Lebanon to evacuate areas where Hezbollah operates.

The Trump administration reportedly supports Israel’s plans but has asked them to avoid striking major national infrastructure.

Israel agreed not to target Beirut’s international airport, though insisted other infrastructure remained on the table.

On Friday, Israeli forces destroyed a bridge over the Litani River, which the military said Hezbollah was using to move fighters and weapons into southern Lebanon.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon could face further strikes if Hezbollah activity continues.

“This is only the beginning and the Lebanese government and the Lebanese state will pay an increasing price through damage to Lebanese national infrastructure that is used by Hezbollah terrorists,” said Katz.

“The Lebanese government, which misled and did not fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah, will pay increasing prices through damage to infrastructure and the loss of territory, until the central commitment of disarming Hezbollah is fulfilled,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Friday the group was prepared for a prolonged military confrontation.

The post Israel Preparing ‘Massive’ Ground Invasion of Lebanon to Wipe Out Hezbollah: ‘We Are Going to Do What We Did in Gaza’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

An Arizona State Senator berated a female volleyball player for wanting female-only sports on Wednesday during a Senate Education Committee Hearing, where they considered HCR 2003, the Protect Girls in Sports in Arizona Act. 

The Senator mocked and attacked the athlete’s “sports mentality,” suggesting she’s just not competitive enough to play against men.

Former NCAA athlete Kaylie Ray gave a public comment on the bill, which would simply designate each sport based on the sex of participating athletes and prohibit a school or athletic association from authorizing an individual to use a provided restroom, locker room, or other private space integral to athletic engagement that is not designated for the individual’s sex.

The bill would further require schools and Arizona athletic associations to designate competitive sports in three categories: men’s, women’s, and coed.

Ray, a former Utah State Volleyball captain, who “led a team forfeit against San Jose State in 2024, in protest of a trans athlete on San Jose State University (SJSU),” according to Fox, spoke in the Senate on her experience being forced to compete against a male athlete as a Division 1 college volleyball player. “Our basic right to a fair and safe competition was violated because the people who were meant to protect us decided that validating this individual’s identity was more important,” she said, urging lawmakers to ensure that women have equal opportunities, safety, and fairness in sports and private spaces.

WATCH:

Ray: I have been playing volleyball in Arizona since I was 8 years old, both at the club and high school levels, and through years of discipline and sacrifice, I earned the honor of becoming an NCAA Division 1 team captain at Utah State University. During my time there, our women’s team was forced to compete against a team that had a male starter. This player had explosive athleticism and attacked with power that was clearly unmatched by any female athlete in the gym. The jumping ability and physicality of the male athlete was also far superior to anyone else’s on the court. My teammates and I feared for our safety, and we were disheartened by the lack of fairness.

Our basic right to a fair and safe competition was violated because the people who were meant to protect us decided that validating this individual’s identity was more important. And let me be clear, bodies play sports, not identities. The emotional toll this situation had on myself, my teammates, and the women across the conference is honestly too great to put into words. We were repeatedly dismissed and abandoned because our leaders were afraid to speak the truth. Men do not belong in women’s spaces– never have, never will.

Only some 50 years ago, women fought for the passage of Title IX to have designated spaces and sports based on sex. They fought relentlessly to have equal opportunities and enjoy the privileges that come with and through education and participating in sport. As those women did before me, I stand before you today to plead for all of the girls and women in sport now and those to come. It is not fair, it is not safe, it is not right to rob us of the opportunities that sport provides by allowing biological males access to our spaces in sports. Reality matters, biology matters, and women matter.

But Arizona State Senator Catherine Miranda found her testimony to be a sign of weakness, arguing that she, as a “tomboy,” was better and more “competitive” than Ray.

“I’ve played against girls that look like you. You look very much in shape and strong. But it’s a sports mentality when you’re growing up and how much competition that you’ll take on,” Miranda said. “So, it’s not just a silver bullet for one community of sports players; it’s the individual person on how competitive you want to be.”

“So, you grew up one way. I grew up a different way. I would have taken on a man in a heartbeat,” she continued, noting that she was the “only girl sometimes in men’s sports” and would have welcomed men in women’s sports.

Miranda previously opened up about being a girl, playing in “men’s sports,” according to a 2017 Hispanic Engineer & Technology report, which details her history of playing in boys’ little league baseball– with prepubescent children. But the way she described it, you’d think she was playing college ball with a wad of Copenhagen in her cheek. She went on to play basketball at Arizona State University, presumably against only females. 

“It just depends on the sports mentality of that individual, and that’s why this bill is bad because you’re just putting a whole community of women’s sports in one category when women like me, we have a different opinion,” she added before questioning Ray’s competitive ability.

Ray fired back, “As elite-level athletes, I would say we’re very competitive, which is why this bill designates three categories: male, female, and coed.” She further told the Senator, “If you want to compete against your man, absolutely, let’s do that in the coed section,” and “If that’s the level of competition you want to have for yourself, amazing, go try it in the coed section.”

Notably, Miranda’s criticisms had nothing to do with transgender athletes. She blatantly admitted that the Democrats just want men in women’s sports and that the female athletes who are opposed simply lack competitive spirit.

WATCH:

Miranda: I have my sports hat on now. It’s all about a sports mentality, growing up in sports, being a tomboy. I mean, you look pretty healthy. I’ve played against girls that look like you. You look very much in shape and strong. But it’s a sports mentality when you’re growing up and how much competition that you’ll take on. So, it’s not just a silver bullet for one community of sports players; it’s the individual person on how competitive you want to be.

So, you grew up one way. I grew up a different way. I would have taken on a man in a heartbeat. I played in– I was the only girl sometimes in men’s sports. But to have a man on my team, I would have welcomed it. But this is just my opinion. So, it just depends on the sports mentality of that individual, and that’s why this bill is bad because you’re just putting a whole community of women’s sports in one category when women like me, we have a different opinion. So, how competitive do you think you really are?

Ray: As elite-level athletes, I would say we’re very competitive, which is why this bill designates three categories: male, female, and coed. The idea is that everyone can participate in sport. If you want to compete against your man, absolutely, let’s do that in the coed section. The clarity and distinction is really important because when men are allowed access into women’s sports and spaces, it’s not women’s sports and spaces anymore. And as the passage of Title IX was so important, there is a need, a necessity, to protect women’s spaces.

It’s not to say that people are banned from sports. That’s not the situation at all. If that’s the level of competition you want to have for yourself, amazing, go try it in the coed section. But, again, this is about protecting the women’s category and women’s sports.

The post WATCH: Deranged Leftist AZ State Senator Attacks and Lectures Female Volleyball Player, Accuses Her of Being Weak for Refusing to Play Against Men – “How Competitive do You Think You Really Are?” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.