Richard Hall

Trump’s telling of Iran strikes is like a scene from Top Gun 3. The truth is murkier. Much like Wile E. Coyote, Trump appears to believe the bombs dropped on the Fordow facility in Iran were so large that they couldn’t possibly have failed. But questions about the success of the missio...

Much like Wile E. Coyote, Trump appears to believe that if the bombs are big enough, then they can't possibly fail to achieve their goal. But questions about the success of the mission to strike Iran's nuclear program persist, and Hegseth didn't answer them.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump’s WMD moment: President overrules intelligence agencies on Iran to justify war ANALYSIS: Donald Trump rose to power criticizing Bush-era politicians for lying about weapons of mass destruction. Now he is accused of doing the same, Richard Hall writes.

Is this Trump’s WMD moment?

He rejected U.S. intel that found Iran was not close to building a bomb and was not seeking to build one.

This is a man who rose to power railing against people who lied about WMDs, now he's accused of doing the same.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump channels a conspiracy theory-loving uncle with bizarre Oval Office ambush ANALYSIS: Armed with printouts of tabloid news articles and a montage of video clips, Trump launched into a meandering explanation of the current political situation in South Africa to its president C...

Trump channels a conspiracy theory-loving uncle with bizarre Oval Office ambush

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump’s deportations are turning immigrant communities into ghost towns The Independent visited three immigrant neighborhoods across the U.S. — Michelle Del Rey in Virginia, Josh Marcus in California and Richard Hall in New York — to investigate the impact of Trump’s dep...

Trump's deportations are turning immigrant communities into ghost towns.

We visited three neighbourhoods across the country and found people scared to leave their homes over fears of being detained and deported by ICE.

Read the dispatches here:

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Donald Quixote and the stock market meltdown: Inside Trump’s failed tariff gamble ANALYSIS: Even the most complex algorithms created by artificial intelligence to predict macro trends are not equipped to account for a president who tries to levy taxes on flightless sea birds, write...

Donald Quixote and the stock market meltdown: Inside Trump’s failed tariff gamble
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Trump’s tariff pause won’t help these small businesses that are already hurting ‘The end result is real small businesses, mom and pop shops, we're the ones that get put under’

I spoke to several small business owners today who are already getting hammered by Trump’s tariffs. And the pause will do nothing to help them.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Ms. Rachel opens up about her support for Gaza’s children: ‘I couldn’t look away’ Exclusive: The YouTube megastar, beloved by kids and parents across the US, speaks to The Independent about fundraising for children in Gaza.

Ms Rachel on her support for Gaza’s children: “I couldn’t look away.”

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump’s Yemen bombing campaign soon cost $1bn, with little to show for it Trump’s war in Yemen has come under greater scrutiny after his national security officials leaked details of the initial strikes in a group chat with a journalist

Trump’s Yemen bombing campaign could cost $1bn by next week, with little to show for it beyond a higher civilian death toll.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Musk pours money into elections across the country as he rants about Soros’ influence Musk has taken a role in American political life that arguably eclipses that of any billionaire in the modern era

Elon Musk pours money into key elections across the country as he rants about Soros’ influence

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

AOC and Bernie hit the road: Is the Democratic Party having its Tea Party moment? Analysis: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joins Bernie Sanders on a tour at a time when her party is increasingly looking for someone to aggressively oppose Donald Trump’s policies, Richard Hall writes.

It is not unusual for Bernie and AOC to hold events together, but coming at a time of crisis for the Democrats, when its leadership is facing anger over its inability to oppose Trump, and amid calls for a new direction, their message feels pointed.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

😅

Trump says he loves Canada, but it should not exist Trump’s insistence that Canada is not a real country bears a striking resemblance to Putin’s in the run-up to his invasion of Ukraine, Richard Hall writes.

It is perhaps the first time in modern history that a leader has threatened to annex a country for aesthetic reasons.

“This would be the most incredible country visually,” Trump said of the new land he would create from the ashes.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Vance lit the fuse, and Trump exploded. Inside a historic Oval Office meltdown ANALYSIS: Vice president started a fight with Zelensky with a pre-rehearsed speech, then Trump joined the fray, Richard Hall writes

My recap:

Trump's meltdown should remove any doubt that the US has switched sides in this war, and in the wider struggle between autocracy and democracy.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump gushes at invite from the King of Canada as Starmer charms president SKETCH: The British prime minister is not known for his charm, but he brought a secret weapon with him to disarm Trump, writes Richard Hall

My sketch of yesterday's Starmer-Trump meeting.

Trump seemed very pleased to receive an invitation from the King of Canada, but both leaders dodged The Independent's questions about the president's plans to annex part of his kingdom.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Elon Musk under fire for apparently ignoring pleas from Grimes to help his sick child Two women who have had children with Musk have been forced to make public pleas for him to respond to their messages

‘Deadbeat dad’: Elon Musk under fire for apparently ignoring pleas from Grimes to help his sick child, instead taking to the stage at CPAC to wave around a chainsaw.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Trump on Gaza: "It's a great location. I don't know why Israel ever gave that up ... it's one of the bad real estate deals."

We will not be silent in the face of Trump’s assault on truth and democracy Editorial: The US president is peddling dangerous misinformation about Zelensky and Ukraine – now is the time to tell the truth and stand up to the bully in the White House

Why The Independent will not be silent in the face of Trump’s assault on truth and democracy.

Today's editorial calls out Trump's enablers in politics and the press for staying silent while "the petulant baby is in the White House" sides with tyranny.

www.independent.co.uk/voices/edito...

Elon Musk responds to a commander of the International Space Station: You are fully retarded. SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago. I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused. Return WAS pushed back for political reasons. Idiot.

It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the @Space_Station . It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars.

After calling the commander of the International Space Station "fully r*tarded" for daring to challenge his false claim about the astronauts currently stuck on the ISS, Elon Musk immediately demands that the Space Station be defunded and decommissioned.

Elon Musk peddled some ridiculous BS (because he doesn't understand SSA's code) that 200-year-olds were getting benefits.

Now Trump thinks if we "take all of those numbers off" that are "obviously fraudulent," then we're "all of a sudden have a very powerful Social Security."

We're doomed.

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Fired federal workers say 'cold and cruel' cuts upended their lives Fired workers worried about making rent and paying student loans. Many talked about going into government work because they value public service.

Ex-federal workers say 'cold and cruel' firings upended their lives

Fired workers worried about making rent and paying student loans. Many talked about going into government work because they value public service.

www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

Is it time for America’s judges to go on strike? There is a case to be made that the United States is a "vexatious litigant"

Is it time for America’s judges to go on strike?
www.salon.com/2025/02/15/i...

Fearful of Trump’s crackdown, one woman is deporting herself Quebec Vasquez came to America when she was a kid. She built a life here and had a family. Now, in response to the climate of fear caused by Donald Trump’s mass deportations, she has decided to return...

Quebec Vasquez is a DACA dreamer who came to the US from Mexico when she was just 7 years old.

She barely remembers anything about the country where she was born, but she's grown so fearful of Trump's crackdown that she has decided to 'self-deport.'

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Deleted Elon musk tweet from February 2023 that reads “go eagles”

My top Super Bowl memory is when Musk tweeted “Go Eagles” in 2023 from the game and then deleted it after a similar tweet from Biden got more engagement. Then he flew to Twitter HQ and demanded his workers find out why his posts were doing poorly, starting a multi-day fact finding mission.

Scientists have some out-of-the-box ideas to save the ice caps Scientists say glacier engineering could be a potential stopgap as the Earth passes a critical climate milestone. Others aren’t as convinced

ICYMI: I spoke with scientists about glacial geoengineering and sea level rise as the Earth continues to warm @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/science...

A father of five was detained by ICE. Now his family is losing their home Donald Trump’s deportations have created a climate of fear among immigrant communities across the country, Richard Hall writes.

The White House is going to great lengths to publicize ICE arrests and deportation flights. But who exactly is being rounded up?

I spoke to one family whose life has been turned upside down after a father of five was arrested on the way to work.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Now Trump is boosting a bogus MAGA conspiracy theory about USAID funding Politico Trump jumped on board the false claim that the USAID had been propping up Politico and other media outlets, calling it the ‘biggest scandal of all time.’

Something I wanted to highlight about the "USAID funds Politico" conspiracy theory that Trump is now boosting.

It came to life due to Kyle Becker and Benny Johnson, who worked side-by-side at IJR and were suspended for publishing an Obama conspiracy story.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

Donald Trump has imperial ambitions. Why doesn’t anyone believe him? Trump’s thirst for land is either a negotiating tactic or the dawn of a new imperial age, writes Richard Hall.

A common refrain from the first Trump era was "take him seriously, not literally." Maybe, @richardhalljourno.bsky.social writes, we should do both when it comes to his ideas for American Imperialism.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...