Trump has reportedly discussed potential military strikes on Iran, with the possibility of action as early as this weekend, according to sources familiar with the discussions. However, no final decision has been made, and the timeline for any action is likely to extend beyond the weekend, CBS News reported.
Top national security officials have informed President Trump that the military is prepared for potential strikes, but the White House is weighing the risks of escalation and the political and military consequences of restraint, CBS News sources said. Over the next three days, the Pentagon is temporarily moving some personnel out of the Middle East region, primarily to Europe or back to the United States, ahead of potential action or counterattacks, according to the same source.
In other news, former senior defense officials have stated that the United States can no longer rely primarily on deterrence and retaliation to shield the country from missile attacks, as reported by Fox News. The debate over U.S. missile defense is increasingly focused on space, with experts arguing that stopping threats in the earliest moments after launch could determine whether the homeland remains protected against Russia and China's expanding arsenals, according to Fox News.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, former President Donald Trump has criticized the UK's plan to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, including the strategically important Diego Garcia, according to BBC World. Trump stated, "Do not give away Diego Garcia," adding that ceding the land would be "a blight on our Great Ally." This statement comes despite Washington previously giving its official backing to London's plan to cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, BBC World reported.
In a different matter, federal prosecutors contacted lawyers representing six Democratic lawmakers regarding a video they issued reminding military and intelligence personnel that they did not have to obey illegal orders, according to the New York Times. Despite Trump's claim that the lawmakers' behavior was punishable by death, the prosecutors' initial tone was genial, and they gave no sense of urgency, according to six people familiar with the matter, the New York Times reported.
Finally, actress Sharon Stone has criticized Hollywood's hypocrisy regarding nudity, according to Fox News. Stone called out the entertainment industry's double standard after a film crew asked her to remove a painting in her home that features a naked woman during an at-home tour, Fox News reported.
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