Middle East violence, Gaza genocide, no one safe in USA...BUT Trump 'snubs' Albo

Israel has started a war with Iran while continuing its onslaught in Gaza and the U.S. is turning on its own citizens, but our PM didn't get to meet the U.S. despot, so that's just "abject failure", writes managing editor Michelle Pini.

AUSTRALIANS stranded in the Middle East are preparing for evacuation as the latest conflict intensifies, with Israel launching a surprise attack on Iran last week and the latter now retaliating.

This is Israel’s latest show of might on top of its ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza, where it also continues to block humanitarian aid.

In the U.S., the state is turning against its own citizens, detaining and deporting American-born nationals, deploying troops to deal with democratic protests in Los Angeles and featuring spectacles of military muscle on the streets of the nation’s capital.

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Increasing fatalities confirm that the period of healing in the United States under President Joe Biden is over.

And the U.S. President made a sudden departure from the G7 Summit on Tuesday (17 June), cancelling meetings with Australia, India and others — though not before lecturing the assembled leaders on their “mistake” in excluding Russia from the summit. And then, possibly on the ride back to the airport, Trump posted on his own Truth Social platform that the U.S. knows where Iran's Ayatollah is, though they won’t kill him, yet.

But despite the escalating madness around the world, and as Trump’s unhinged behaviour steadily reaches new heights, our establishment media has decided the big takeaway from all the above is that Trump’s departure is clear evidence of a “fresh snub” for Albo and proof that Australia’s PM is somehow failing us all.

News.com declared “snubs” aplenty:

‘Albanese's fresh snub from Trump snub at G7’

The Herald Sun concurred, with:

‘Albanese’s happy snaps can’t hide the dangers of Donald Trump’s G7 snub’

ABC’s Jane Norman gave her usual erudite analysis in a piece titled:

‘Albanese travelled across the world for a date with Trump, only to be stood up’

According to Norman, Trump’s announcement of his early departure from the summit hit the PM 'with a thud'.

And even The Guardian joined the fray, leading with:

‘Donald Trump leaving G7 summit early, snubbing planned meeting with Anthony Albanese’

It then followed that brilliant headline by quoting Liberal MP and former envoy to Israel, Dave Sharma, who evidently called the PM’s failure to meet with the U.S. President an "abject failure".

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As Trump builds his power on a foundation of racism and authoritarianism, the media’s silence speaks louder than ever.

Albanese, like most people, has no doubt had many failures, but Donald Trump's choosing to leave a summit of world leaders, in order to return to the White House to decide whether to help Israel destroy Iran, is surely not one of them.

Israel launched a series of attacks on Iran last week after Netanyahu claimed Iran is "weeks away from developing nuclear weapons".

The Israeli Prime Minister – who has consistently refused to disclose the extent of Israel’s nuclear capability, begun in the 1960s – justified this latest assault on one of its neighbours by claiming:

“If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time.”

Netanyahu has alleged an imminent threat of nuclear armament from Iran since 1992, though even today, this view does not appear to be shared by U.S. intelligence.

Details like U.S. intel aside, Trump has nonetheless demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” before posting the following on his Truth Social platform:

‘We know exactly where the so-called "Supreme Leader" is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.’

The U.S. President then added:

'But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.'

Meanwhile, in Trump’s own backyard, attacks on American citizens in the name of “immigration policy” are increasing in both regularity and intensity, in what can only be described as the work of a fascist state. No one is safe.

California Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed and handcuffed after interrupting a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to ask a question.

"I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary,” he said, before several men, including officers wearing FBI insignia, shoved him onto the floor face-down, handcuffed and then detained him in an adjoining room.

Senator Padilla told the media:

Just as we’ve emphasised the right for people to peacefully protest and to stand up for their First Amendment rights…I was there peacefully.

If this is how this Administration responds to a Senator with a question... you can only imagine what they’re doing to farm workers, cooks, laborers throughout L.A., throughout California and throughout this country.

New York City official and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was also handcuffed and arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while escorting a defendant out of Immigration Court, ostensibly for 'assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer'.

Upon his release a few hours later, Mr Lander denied the accusation, and video footage showing him linking arms with the defendant he was escorting, while demanding to see a judicial warrant, appears to confirm Mr Lander's version of events.

Hi, this is Meg Barnette, Brad's wife.

While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE.

This is still developing, and our team is monitoring the situation closely. pic.twitter.com/jekaDFjsT1
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) June 17, 2025

Mr Lander told MSNBC:

Tonight, I'll go home and sleep in my bed. I have a lawyer, I'll get due process. But Edgardo, whose arm was ripped from mine by ICE agents, has none of those things.

That's why I'll keep coming back to court, week after week, to make sure that people's rights are protected.

There have been widespread protests against ICE deportation raids in many cities across the country, and in California, National Guardsmen and U.S. Marines have been deployed against the will of state authorities.

Then, on his birthday, the U.S. President assembled a military parade reminiscent of every totalitarian dictatorship from Hitler to Kim Jong Un, complete with 7,000 troops (possibly outnumbering the assembled MAGA supporters), 150 tanks and armoured vehicles, helicopters, paratroopers, and a 21-gun salute.

Sure, the genocide is continuing in Gaza. Yes, Netanyahu, with the support of Trump, is attempting to start yet another war. And we are watching the magnitude of the fall of civilisation in the U.S., a country led by a totalitarian madman, in real time.

But you know, our prime minister didn't get to meet with this despot, so that's just "abject failure".

Finally, after he got to play with the army he commands, Donald "Supreme Commander" Trump ended his very special birthday celebrations with the following speech:

We're the hottest country in the world right now.

If you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you.

Your defeat will be certain. Your demise will be final, and your downfall will be total and complete.

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Follow managing editor Michelle Pini on Bluesky @michellepini.bsky.social and Independent Australia on Bluesky @independentaus.bsky.social, X/Twitter @independentaus and Facebook HERE.