The escalating feud between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV intensified after Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure. The post came shortly after Trump blasted Pope Leo XIV, calling him “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” for criticizing U.S. military actions against Iran. Trump later deleted the image, telling reporters, “I thought it was me as a doctor,” and claiming it was meant to depict him as a Red Cross worker. Meanwhile, the U.S. has imposed a military blockade of Iranian ports along the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off Iran’s ability to export oil and generate revenue, after weekend peace talks in Pakistan collapsed without a deal. Additionally, Rep. Eric Swalwell is now facing serious legal trouble, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has opened a criminal investigation into sexual assault allegations made by a former staffer, and Swalwell has since announced his resignation from Congress. Mark interviews Steve Forbes, Chairman of Forbes Media. Steve believes the U.S. may need to resume military hostilities against Iran before the conflict can be resolved, even as the Strait of Hormuz blockade puts mounting economic pressure on Tehran. He also touched on elements of the original Iran nuclear framework from the Obama era that may resurface in current negotiations under the Trump administration, although not in their entirety. The guys also turned to NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, which pivoted its focus to the moon last week, and what that shift means for the future of the U.S. space program. Hillary Clinton has been making the rounds on numerous media outlets recently, sparking widespread speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run. Kamala Harris, meanwhile, has been weighing a bid for the California governor’s seat. Joe Rogan’s podcast is being credited by many as a significant factor in President Trump’s 2024 election victory, given the wide platform it provided for Trump to reach new audiences. Harvey Weinstein begins his third criminal trial today. Mark interviews streaming host Bill O’Reilly. Bill discusses the challenges of operating as an independent media personality when competing against the resources of major broadcast networks. On the Trump-Pope Leo feud, Bill frames it as a clash of two fundamentally different worldviews, Trump’s approach being rooted in solving geopolitical problems by force or leverage, while the Pope’s perspective is grounded in religious and moral principles. He also weighed in on the AI-generated image controversy, suggesting that Trump depicting himself in a doctor-like or Christ-like role was not a good look politically. As for Hillary Clinton, Bill believes the odds are strong that she is laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign.

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