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Published 16:32 22 Jun 2026 GMT
As diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran continue in Switzerland, a photograph shared by the Qatari Prime Minister has gone viral after the US Vice President was allegedly spotted doing something fishy.
The image, posted on X by Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Sunday, shows JD Vance working on a laptop.
Standing nearby is Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a special envoy.
While the meeting itself appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary, social media users quickly focused on an unusual detail exposed in the picture.
Eagle-eyed X users noted what appeared to be a Common Access Card (CAC) inserted into the laptop.
CAC cards are identification credentials commonly used by U.S. military personnel, Department of Defense employees, and authorized contractors to access secure systems and facilities.
While the use of the card is not unusual, it is the identity on the card that has confused people online.
The card visible in the image appeared to feature a photograph of a woman rather than Vance, baffling social media users.
The image quickly generated reactions from journalists, commentators, and political analysts.
Caroline Orr Bueno, a journalist and social science researcher, questioned the meaning behind the photo and suggested that its publication might have been intentional.
In a post on X, she wrote: “I would love to know the intended symbolism of Qatar’s prime minister posting a picture of JD Vance logging into a laptop using someone else’s CAC card.”
“There is 100% a read-between-the-lines message being sent.”
The photograph also prompted criticism and questions about the participants involved in the diplomatic discussions.
Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast and an MSNBC analyst, raised concerns about Kushner’s presence.
Referring to Kushner’s unusually close relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the first Trump administration, Miller posed the question: “Why is a Saudi agent with no security clearance representing America in this meeting?”
He also suggested that Qatari officials perhaps should not have been in the decision-making room, as the country is not a signatory to agreements governing U.S.-Iran relations.
Other media outlets were quick to point out the absence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asking why he was not visible in the discussions that are contributing to the war in Iran.
MeidasTouch simply asked, “Where is Marco?”.
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Published 13:41 13 Nov 2025 GMT
Published 11:23 01 Mar 2026 GMT
Tensions in the Middle East reached a boiling point as dramatic images revealed the high-stakes moments President Trump and Vice President Vance oversaw a sweeping US military operation targeting Iran.
Photographs shared by the White House captured Trump, sporting a “USA” cap, leading critical discussions from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, per the New York Post.
Hundreds of miles away in Washington, DC, Vance directed a parallel team from the Situation Room as the strikes unfolded.
The operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, marked one of the most significant displays of American military force in the region in a generation, with US Central Command later releasing explosive footage of missiles tearing into Iranian targets.
While spending the weekend at his club in Palm Beach, Trump remained deeply engaged in the unfolding crisis. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said earlier Saturday that Trump would be monitoring the situation in the Middle East from Mar-a-Lago.
“The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,” she wrote in a post on X.
Inside the room with Trump were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. The images showed a tense atmosphere as officials tracked developments in real time.
At the same time, Vance oversaw a second cohort of top officials from the Situation Room in DC, which was dialed in to the Mar-a-Lago operations.
Seated at the head of the table, Vance was joined by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Shortly after Operation Epic Fury was carried out, Trump spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Senior administration officials later briefed reporters on the tense hours leading up to the attack on Tehran.
One official described Iran’s missile inventory and said it posed “an intolerable risk to the United States.”
According to officials, the US had “indicators” that Tehran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against American assets in the region. They pointed to Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as evidence of the growing threat.
“The president decided he was not going to sit back and allow American forces in the region to absorb attacks from conventional missiles. We had analysis that basically told us, if we sat back and waited to get hit first, the amount of casualties and damage would be substantially higher than if we acted in a preemptive, defensive way to prevent those launches from occurring,” the official said.
Another senior administration official detailed the final negotiations in Geneva with Iranian representatives, revealing what they described as a remarkable US proposal.
“One of the things we offered – we said, we will give you free nuclear fuel forever,” the official said. “And they basically said that didn’t work for them. They needed to enrich uranium.”
The Trump administration had previously said Iran’s nuclear capabilities were destroyed in Operation Midnight Hammer last year, but officials expressed concern that Tehran was preparing to ramp them up again.
As the political and military leadership coordinated behind closed doors, US Central Command released gripping video of the strikes in action.
The footage showed Tomahawk cruise missiles being launched from a US Navy vessel and various types of fighter jets taking off from a ship. Aerial clips captured missiles striking five separate targets, including an aircraft and a radar station.
“As the President stated, our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” CENTCOM wrote on X.
“The President ordered bold action,” the post continued. “CENTCOM forces are delivering an overwhelming and unrelenting blow.”
According to CENTCOM, Operation Epic Fury involves “the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.” The mission aims to “dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus” and is focused on “imminent threat” locations.
US and Israeli forces began striking targets at 1:15AM ET, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
In addition to “precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea,” CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike deployed “one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.”
“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said in a statement.
Following the initial barrage, CENTCOM forces repelled “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.” There have been no reports of US casualties or combat-related injuries, and US installations in the Middle East sustained “minimal” damage that has not impacted operations.
Published 10:14 10 Dec 2025 GMT
JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, has sharply responded to accusations that he was yelling at his wife, Usha, in a viral photograph taken at a restaurant earlier this week.
The image quickly sparked criticism and speculation about the state of their marriage, but Vance is setting the record straight with his own comment on social media.
The drama began when an unverified photograph began circulating online, showing Vance, dressed in a white T-shirt, seemingly mid-yell at his wife while sitting across from her in a restaurant booth.
In the photo, Usha, his wife of over a decade, can be seen with her head in her hands, which led some to believe the couple was engaged in a heated argument.
Critics quickly pounced on the image, with some questioning the nature of the couple's relationship.
One commenter posted on Facebook: “Looks like things are not so good in Republicanistan.”
The same person also pointed out the apparent political divide between the couple, noting: “Usha is a liberal. Always has been.”
JD and Usha Vance have been married for over 10 years. Credit: Drew Angerer / Getty
As the rumors swirled, Vance took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to shut down the claims with his signature sarcastic humor.
He wrote: “I always wear an undershirt when I go out in public to have a fight loudly with my wife.”
His response, dripping with sarcasm, was meant to defuse the tension surrounding the image. It also hinted at how he handles online speculation with a dose of humor.
This came after some suggested the photo might be an AI-generated fake, further complicating the narrative.
The controversy over the restaurant photo isn't the first time the Vances' relationship has caught the public's attention.
Rumors have been swirling for months about the couple's dynamic, especially after a lingering embrace between JD Vance and Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was tragically assassinated in September.
During that period, Erika, who is now the CEO of Turning Point USA, drew attention to the similarities between her late husband and Vance.
She also endorsed Vance for a potential 2028 presidential bid, fueling even more public curiosity about the Vice President’s personal life.
Adding fuel to the fire, Usha Vance was recently spotted without her wedding ring at various public events, including appearances alongside First Lady Melania Trump.
This raised further questions about the state of her marriage, especially when she was photographed without her ring at a moment when her public profile was under intense scrutiny.
Usha Vance was spotted without her wedding ring. Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty
Usha, however, addressed the speculation with a lighthearted comment through a spokesperson.
She explained that her busy schedule as a mother and homemaker, which includes doing "a lot of dishes" and giving "lots of baths," often causes her to forget to wear her rings, per PEOPLE.
The spokesperson clarified: “She’s busy being a mom and running a household."
Published 12:05 01 Sep 2025 GMT
President Donald Trump attempted to stop speculation about his health by sharing a photo online, but instead, the move raised questions.
Concerns about the 79-year-old’s well-being have mounted in recent days, as he has gone several days without speaking in front of a camera.
As rumors swirled, the US leader's social media activity became the center of attention, with supporters and critics alike searching for “proof” that he was OK, but one of his posts on August 31 only added fuel to the fire.
Sharing an image of himself on the golf course with former football coach Jon Gruden, Trump wrote: “Great playing Golf with Jon Gruden - A really nice guy, and true character!”
At first glance, nothing seemed unusual until people realized the round of golf actually took place more than a week earlier, on August 23.
Retired US Navy officer Travis Akers was quick to point out the discrepancy on X. “I’m not a conspiracy theory guy, but if you’re fighting off increasing rumors that you may have suffered a major medical episode and to disprove that rumor and provide proof of life, you post a picture of allegedly playing golf with Jon Gruden today, it would be beneficial to post one that wasn’t from August 23rd,” he wrote.
"Gruden’s Instagram and the AP archives confirm the picture President Trump posted is over a week old. Look at the matched clothing, and time and date stamps, " he continued. "Attention to detail."
Another person asked: “Is it not very bizarre to any reporter that Trump/The WH and their allies are trying to pass off a photo of Trump and Gruden as having been taken today, and not last week? is anyone talking about this??? I feel like I’m going crazy!”
Still, the post appeared to reassure some supporters as one wrote: “BREAKING: President Trump’s health is doing just fine. Liberals were wrong.”
A second added: “While Democrats swore Trump was having a medical emergency, he was out golfing with Jon Gruden! He’s at the TOP OF HIS GAME!”
The golf snap came after a flurry of online conspiracy theories, with hashtags like “Trump Is Dead” and “Where is Donald Trump” trending when the White House schedule appeared blank on August 29.
Some pointed to Vice President JD Vance’s recent interview, in which he said he was prepared to assume the presidency in the event of a “terrible tragedy," as further cause for speculation.
Others dragged in The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, recycling years-old conspiracy theories about cartoon “predictions".
Rumors cooled when Trump was photographed golfing in Virginia with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, on August 30.
The following day, he broke his silence on Truth Social, writing: “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE. Also, DC IS A CRIME FREE ZONE!”
That last claim came as the New York Post reported that violent crime in Washington, D.C. has fallen 45% compared to the same period last year, with overall crime dropping 15% - figures that even Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged.
“We greatly appreciate the surge of officers that enhance what MPD has been able to do in this city,” she said last week.
Published 13:30 15 Aug 2025 GMT
Vice President JD Vance’s family vacation in the picturesque Cotswolds took an unexpected turn, as an activist group took it upon themselves to troll the politician with a viral meme.
While Vance, 41, and his wife, Usha, 39, enjoyed a relaxing getaway with their children—Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 3—at an 18th-century manor house, a protest group called Everyone Hates Elon made their presence known. This group, known for targeting high-profile figures like Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk, set its sights on Vance during his time in the UK.
The group plastered a meme of Vance’s face—digitally altered with an exaggerated bald head—across billboards and signs in the area. More notably, they rented an advertising van with the meme displayed on both sides and the back, driving around the Cotswolds where Vance and his family were staying.
The campaign was an attempt to disrupt Vance’s holiday, and the group didn’t hold back with their messaging. “If he thinks he can come here for peaceful tea and crumpets, he’s got another thing coming,” the group wrote in a statement. On their Instagram page, Everyone Hates Elon posted that they were collecting donations to help "ruin JD Vance's trip," making clear their objective to show the vice president he was "NOT welcome in the U.K."
In one post, the group wrote: “Such an absolute SHAME that coverage of JD's holiday features this meme of his face as a big bald baby, rather than peacefully enjoying scones and cream in the Cotswolds.”
The image of Vance’s altered face has a particular backstory. Earlier this year, a Norwegian tourist named Mads Mikkelsen claimed he was denied entry into the U.S. after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found the same meme on his phone.
According to Mikkelsen, he was threatened with a $5,000 fine or a five-year prison sentence if he didn’t provide the password to his phone, and once they discovered the meme, he was sent back to Norway.
After the story went viral, U.S. Customs and Border Protection responded, claiming that Mikkelsen’s denial was due to “admitted drug use,” not the meme.
Vance’s presence in the UK has sparked another debate surrounding free speech. Earlier in the year, the vice president criticized the U.K. for what he described as a growing free speech issue. During a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Vance argued that U.K. tech regulations posed a threat to American businesses, and he expressed concerns over the suppression of free speech.
Starmer responded by defending the long-standing tradition of free speech in the U.K., saying, “We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom and it will last for a very, very long time.”
The protest group isn’t the only issue Vance has faced during his vacation. According to The Telegraph, the property owner where the Vances were staying had to send an apology to her neighbors, expressing regret for the disruptions caused by the visit. The Secret Service’s preparations for Vance’s stay included setting up checkpoints, installing a large antenna behind the manor, and even creating a makeshift helipad in a nearby field.
The controversy surrounding Vance’s vacation, including the protests and security arrangements, has left many wondering if the vice president’s stay in the quiet Cotswolds will be remembered for more than just its beauty.
Vice President JD Vance is facing scrutiny over a resurfaced 2021 social media post that critics say is awkwardly timed, following explosive revelations linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein.
As previously reported, new emails emerged alleging that the 79-year-old president spent “hours” at the disgraced financier's home with one of his alleged victims.
Hours later, an old X (formerly Twitter) post from Trump's Vice President began making the rounds online.
The tweet, which was dated September 4, 2021 - years before Vance joined Trump’s 2024 ticket - read: “I think about this @matthewwalther column about once a month.”
JD Vance's old post about Epstein has resurfaced. Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
The column he referenced, titled "The Jeffrey Epstein case is why people believe in Pizzagate,” was written by Matthew Walther for The Week in 2019.
In a follow-up to the same tweet, Vance added: “Remember when we learned that our wealthiest and most powerful people were connected to a guy who ran a literal child sex trafficking ring? And then that guy died mysteriously in a jail? And now we just don’t talk about it.”
The post has now re-entered public conversation in light of new evidence connecting Trump more directly to Epstein’s world.
Many users on the social media platform have shared their reactions. Journalist Mehdi Hasan commented: "Yes, yes, we remember!" while another person chimed in: "This aged well, unlike some of the victims of Epstein and his pals."
"So why aren't you talking about it now, and why isn't your boss releasing all the information that would supposedly prove his lack of guilt?" they added.
A third questioned: "Weird that now JD doesn’t want to talk about it either… wonder what changed?"
Jeffrey Epstein made bombshell claim about Donald Trump in email sent before his death in prison. Credit: Davidoff Studios Photography / Getty
The House Oversight Committee recently obtained more than 20,000 pages of Epstein’s private emails and internal communications, including exchanges with Ghislaine Maxwell and author Michael Wolff.
Three specific revelations are drawing attention to Trump’s past association with Epstein.
In a 2019 email to Wolff, Epstein reportedly wrote: “Of course he knew about the girls,” adding: “As he asked Ghislaine to stop.”
An earlier 2011 email to Maxwell referred to Trump cryptically as “the dog that hasn’t barked.” Epstein wrote: “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is Trump.”
One April 2011 exchange revealed that the president had spent “hours at my house” with an unnamed victim. Maxwell’s response was: “I have been thinking about that.”
The unnamed person was later identified by the White House as Virginia Giuffre, who has repeatedly stated that Trump “was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever".
In another exchange, when Wolff asked Epstein what he should ask Trump in an upcoming interview, Epstein jokingly suggested provocative topics such as the “Trump Shuttle” and “Hawaiian Tropic contests” - a nod to Trump’s past involvement in beauty pageants.
Though Trump has not been charged with any criminal conduct in relation to Epstein’s crimes, the email dump has sparked new speculation about their relationship.
He has dismissed the emails as “another Democrat hoax” on Truth Social, accusing his political opponents of attempting to distract from their own “massive failures.”
JD Vance once called Trump "America's Hitler". Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The tweet resurfacing is particularly ironic given Vance’s political evolution.
Back in 2016, the 41-year-old was openly hostile to Trump, once calling him “America’s Hitler.” But ahead of Trump’s 2024 run, the two reconciled, with Vance rising to become a key ally and eventually his vice-presidential pick.
Now, the internet is questioning whether Vance’s past skepticism of those tied to Epstein can coexist with his loyalty to Trump, who is once again facing backlash over his long-documented but often downplayed links to the late financier.
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