JUST IN: US Strikes Iran in Response to Attack on Commercial Vessel in Strait of Hormuz
June 26, 2026
The US military on Friday struck Iran in response to an attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Thursday, Iranian drones attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo ship exiting the Strait of Hormuz amid a ‘ceasefire agreement.’
Earlier Friday, President Trump said Iran’s attack was a “foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz. One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship. Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way. We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” Trump said.
Later Friday, the US military conducted strike against Iranian missile and drone storage locations.
Per CENTCOM:
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted strikes against Iran, June 26, as a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone. The Singapore-flagged cargo ship was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast at the time of Iran’s attack.
The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire. Furthermore, Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.
CENTCOM forces continue to provide safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the strait. The U.S. military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect.
JUST IN: Reflecting Pool Cut With Sharp Knife or Razor, According to Court Filing – Draining and Repairs Expected to Begin After July 4 Celebrations
June 26, 2026
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (photo by Jordan Conradson)
The National Park Service plans to drain the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and begin repairs to the damage caused by vandalism after the Fourth of July, according to new court filings.
Trump said last week that the pool would be drained to fix the vandalism caused by leftists ripping out the blue sealant and pouring corrosive chemicals in the water. The President said earlier this week that the water would be drained “either immediately before or after the Fourth of July, to do the permanent repair,” while announcing that “Six people have been arrested, and seven people have been cited, for the damage they did to our Country’s now beautiful Reflecting Pool.”
Trump has also said the vandals will face 10 years in prison for the destruction of government property.
Now, the National Park Service is arguing in court that the vandalism occurred.
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, a preservation group sued the Trump Administration to block his renovation of the pool last month, arguing “The vivid blue coating will fundamentally alter the visual and experiential character of the pool and the broader Lincoln Memorial Grounds landscape.”
Attorneys for the Trump Administration on Wednesday battled new claims from the nonprofit that the recent vandalism and algae bloom in the pool reinforce its initial lawsuit.
The response from the Trump Administration asserts that the sealant at the bottom of the pool has been “cut with a sharp knife or razor” by vandals. They further argue that “70 fence post tops were thrown into the pool.”
“The National Park Service plans to begin draining the reflecting pool following the Independence Day celebration to conduct repairs, including assessing and repairing any damage to the lining,” NPS Deputy Director for Operations Frank Lands said in the filing.
Lands, in the filing, also furthered the Trump administration’s allegations of vandalism, saying in the filing that about “70 fence post tops were thrown into the pool,” and a caulk over the foam sealant “was cut with a sharp knife or razor.”
The deputy director’s declaration was filed as part of an ongoing legal battle over the pool, which has been riddled with issues in recent weeks from claims of vandalism to algae bloom and peeling blue material.
Trump has faced accusations of lying about the vandalism, as the Democrats and left-wing media try to claim that the damage was caused by the contractors and a failed renovation.
Large portions of the bottom have been ripped out, and several people have been arrested for the destruction since last week.
The National Park Service is now asking for help in identifying at least one vandal who was seen in surveillance video allegedly “destroying and removing a piece of the lining and attempting destruction of the lining.” The Interior Department released the tapes on Tuesday.
WATCH:
Trump went off on the Fake News media in the Oval Office when they attempted to deny that vandalism of the pool was occurring this week. “You’ll see it in court, you’ll see it in court, but all you have to do is call the Parks Department, call the Department of Interior, and I don’t know if their lawyers will allow you to speak to them because you know you write fake— you write fake news, but call the Interior Department,” Trump told reporters when asked for proof of the vandalism.
On Tuesday, Trump also announced that lawsuits are being prepared against ABC. “We are preparing lawsuits against ABC for false reporting. I like their money, which will be given to the U.S. Treasury!” Trump said.
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June 26, 2026
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Five Years After the COVID-19 Shot Mandate Destroyed His Career, Former U.S. Space Force Officer Returns to Duty
June 26, 2026
Image: Wikimedia Commons (Space Force News Template by Staff Sgt. James Richardson, 2020)
After almost five years of grappling with the consequences of his objection to the military’s 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate, a former Space Force officer had his career reinstated on Friday.
The Gateway Pundit spoke to Joshua Zermeno, a military officer who dedicated a significant portion of his 13-year career to the field of space superiority within the U.S. Space Force (USSF). On June 26, 2026, Captain Zermeno was the first officer reinstated into the Department of the Air Force and USSF, once again taking the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
This great commitment remained in effect for him even while not in uniform for the past five years.
“Returning to service under President Trump’s Executive Order 14184 is profoundly meaningful to me,” he expresses.
“This opportunity has surprisingly turned into the pinnacle and defining moment of my career. It allows me to fully commit myself once more to serving our nation, complete the work I began over a decade ago, and teach my children the importance of resilience and dedication to principles.”
Zermeno is set to report for duty on July 26 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. As this date nears, he shares, “I am profoundly grateful and honored to once again wear the uniform and uphold my oath.”
For Zermeno, the journey to reach this point was long and challenging. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2010. After serving as a mechanic for B-52 strategic bombers for several years, he was able to leverage his mechanical engineering degree to apply for Officer Training School (OTS).
Upon completing OTS, Zermeno was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force and started Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). He graduated second in his class in 2015 and was subsequently assigned to RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft operations.
In 2018, he was presented with another career shift opportunity and assigned to the 1st Air and Space Test Squadron at Vandenberg SFB. He began working with rockets, collaborating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), SpaceX, and various other organizations focused on space exploration. In 2021, he was among the first officers to be commissioned into the United States Space Force. However, 2021 also marked the year when all his hard-earned achievements were stripped away.
Zermeno raised concerns about the military’s August 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate issued by then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, challenging its “efficacy and legality.” As a result, he received three Letter of Reprimands (LORs), an Article 15, and multiple “Do Not Promote,” recommendations which hindered his advancement to the rank of major.
In October 2021, he sought to leave the military voluntarily, but he was informed that his separation was “not in the best interest of the Air Force and Space Force.” Following this communication, base leadership barred him from entering government buildings and took action against him under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Although the COVID-19 shot mandate was lifted in January 2023, he was overlooked for promotion for the second time solely for shot refusal—a career killer.
He was forced to involuntarily separate from the USSF on August 31, 2023. However, President Donald Trump’s January 2025 Executive Order aimed at reinstating service members discharged due to the shot mandate compelled him to take action and make and attempt to return to service. After an 18-month struggle with the Department of the Air Force’s Reinstatement process and the Board for the Correction of Military Records (BCMR)—an administrative authority many consider largely ineffective and a bureaucracy that sidelines Trump’s intent—he succeeded in making his return.
In spite of Trump’s Executive Order that would “allow those service members reinstated…to return to their previous rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation,” this has not been the case for Zermeno and many others who have been reinstated. The reinstatement process entails detailed stipulations that diminish any back pay by deducting all civilian earnings accrued during the period of separation. In reality, only individuals who had no income after their service ended qualify for the full back pay.
The Board’s determination declares: “He is entitled to all related back pay, benefits, and entitlements, less any necessary offsets resulting from the aforementioned corrections to his record.”
“Although receiving backpay would have alleviated some of the considerable personal and financial hardships my family faced due to two years of military punishment and the difficulties of adjusting to civilian life, being reinstated holds far greater importance for me than any monetary compensation. I was determined to return to duty no matter what, even if the backpay amounted to nothing,” Zermeno remarked.
This determination is echoed in Zermeno’s reflection on the situation, as he admitted, “The COVID-19 mandate stands as one of the most significant mistakes in military history and should not be forgotten.” He further emphasized, “The repercussions of this mandate are still being felt by service members,” noting that, “it adversely affected tens of thousands of service members.” Many, like him, have been left pursuing reinstatement over an order that was deemed “unlawful as implemented.”
Fortunately, he has successfully endured the fight after a very prolonged struggle and is eager to finish his career, hoping that many others will have the opportunity to do the same.
Democrat Sen. Slotkin Calls to Replace Schumer and Jeffries as Democrats Sink Deeper into Socialist Politics
June 26, 2026
Screenshot
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) suggested this week that the Democratic Party may need a new generation of leadership, indicating it could be time for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to step aside as Democrats continue to grapple with internal divisions and setbacks following recent elections.
In a stunning admission on SiriusXM’s “Straight Shooter with Stephen A” on Thursday, Slotkin made it clear the Democrat Party is in total disarray more than a year and a half after President Trump’s crushing 2024 victory.
“That’s why I believe we need significant new leadership. The old models are no longer working, and that includes the Democratic Party,” Slotkin declared.
She didn’t stop there.
Slotkin described her party as a “circular firing squad” where everyone is reacting to crisis but few are offering any real vision. “To me, that’s a fundamental failure of leadership,” she said.
When pressed on whether Schumer and Jeffries should step aside, she didn’t mince words: “If people can’t understand that the game has fundamentally changed, and they can’t adapt, then they need to let others lead.”
Slotkin even admitted the obvious truth that President Trump won because he kept his message simple and focused on what Americans actually care about, making life more affordable and putting more money in their pockets, while Democrats tried to be everything to everyone and stood for nothing.
WATCH:
Y’ALL I THOUGHT THIS WAS FAKE SHE ACTUALLY SAID IT. You know things are fucked up when Elissa Slotkin is saying this shit. She did not want to drop names but when Stephen A. Smith asked if she was talking about Schumer and Jeffries, she did not deny it. https://t.co/w7Pov4g6rppic.twitter.com/jYkomkzpZg
The socialist left is devouring the party from within, and the old guard is getting crushed.
This bombshell comes just one day after radical socialist candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (a proud Democratic Socialists of America member) completely steamrolled establishment Democrats in New York congressional primaries.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, Mamdani’s slate crushed multiple Jeffries-backed candidates — including two incumbents — in a humiliating night for the Democrat establishment. The NRCC even sent flowers and a condolence card to Jeffries with the message: “Three losses in one night is tough.”
The socialist surge is real, and it’s accelerating.
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BREAKING UPDATE: The US military strikes on Iran are ONGOING after Iran launched attack drones at cargo ships in the Strait, per Fox
SHE ACTUALLY SAID IT. You know things are fucked up when Elissa Slotkin is saying this shit. She did not want to drop names but when Stephen A. Smith asked if she was talking about Schumer and Jeffries, she did not deny it.