memeorandum: Trump targets two likely witnesses ahead of his criminal trial, despite gag order (Rebecca Picciotto/CNBC)

2:50 AM ET, April 14, 2024

Top Items:

Barak Ravid / Axios:

Iran launches unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel … - The specific targets were initially unclear. — The Biden administration has vowed to help Israel counter the Iranian attack. — Iranian officials had threatened to retaliate against Israel for an airstrike in Syria …

New York Times:

U.S. Intercepts Drones and Missiles Aimed at Israel, as Allies Pledge Support — Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel overnight. The U.S. military shot some of them down, but most were intercepted by Israel's military. — Here are the latest developments.

Discussion: The Hill, Breitbart, The Guardian, Israpundit, Forbes, Associated Press, RedState, Semafor, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Atlantic Council, The Daily Caller, NewsNation, Voice of America, Fox News, Mother Jones, Reuters and The Mahablog

Associated Press:

Iran's state-run news agency says Iran has fired ballistic missiles at targets inside Israel … Iran says it has launched ballistic missiles as part of its attack targeting Israel. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted an anonymous official saying ballistic missiles were part of the attack.

Barak Ravid / Axios:

Biden returns to the White House as imminent Iranian attack on Israel is possible … - Israel Defense Forces' home front command announced a state of alert starting 4pm ET Saturday and added that all schools and education institutions will be closed Sunday — another sign of an imminent attack.

Barak Ravid / Axios:

Scoop: Biden told Bibi U.S. won't support an Israeli counterattack on Iran … - Iran launched attack drones and missiles against Israel on Saturday night local time in retaliation for an airstrike in Syria that killed a top Iranian general. — “More than 200 drones …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The White House, The American Conservative, Associated Press, Fox News, The Guardian, RedState, The Times of Israel, Washington Post and Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion

New York Post:

Iran launches hundreds of suicide drones in ‘significant escalation’ against Israel — Iran has launched an attack against Israel using hundreds of suicide drones, the Jewish state has confirmed. — Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing a senior Israeli official, reported that hundreds of drones were headed for Israel.

Discussion: Townhall, RedState, The Times of Israel, Metro.co.uk, Associated Press, UPI, Deadline, The Hill, Exposing the role …, The Guardian, Mediaite and CBS News

Jerusalem Post:

Iran attacks Israel: IDF warns that threat is ongoing, interceptions continue — Seven-year-old girl from Bedouin village seriously wounded in Iranian attack. • US, Israel, UK, Jordan intercept Iranian projectiles — Sirens blared across Israel on Saturday night as hundreds of drones …

Discussion: Fox News, RedState, Associated Press, The Daily Caller, The Hill, The Times of Israel, Talking Points Memo, Reuters, The Guardian, Breitbart, CBS News, Bloomberg, acecomments.mu.nu and Washington Examiner

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten / Fox News:

Lawmakers send message to White House on impending Iran drone attack to Israel: ‘Stand firm’ — Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said that the White House must ‘stop coddling Iran’ and ‘stand firm’ — Lawmakers reacted after Iran launched drones from its own territory toward Israel late Saturday …

Discussion: RedState

Reuters:

UN Security Council to meet Sunday on Iran attack after Israel request — The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Sunday after Israel requested the council condemn Iran's attack on Israel and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization.

Discussion: Washington Examiner and The Hill

Brooke Singman / Fox News:
White House says US support for Israel is ‘ironclad,’ will ‘support their defense’ amid Iran attack

Discussion: Al-Monitor and RedState

Jonathan Lemire / Politico:
Biden: U.S. and Israel were able to ‘take down nearly all’ Iranian drones and missiles

Discussion: Townhall, The Hill, Breitbart, Associated Press, FDD, The Times of Israel, Fox News, New York Post, Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera, Mediaite, Voice of America, Reuters, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, WAVY-TV, Politico, Israpundit, Bloomberg, New York Times, NPR, Reason and The Guardian

The Times of Israel:
As IRGC seizes Israeli-linked ship, IDF warns Iran ‘will bear consequences’ of escalation

Discussion: Breitbart, Associated Press, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Politico, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, Power Line, The Hill and Fox News

Maha El Dahan / Reuters:
Vessel seized in Strait of Hormuz amid Iran tensions, shipping firms say

Myah Ward / Politico:

Majority of voters think Trump committed ‘serious federal crimes,’ according to NYT poll — The new poll comes as jury selection will begin in Trump's New York trial on Monday. — A majority of voters believe former President Donald Trump has committed “serious federal crimes,” …

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Examiner and The Hill

Nate Cohn / New York Times:
A Closer Look at a Slight Shift in the Polls

Discussion: NewsNation and Axios

Shane Goldmacher / New York Times:
Biden Shrinks Trump's Edge in Latest Times/Siena Poll

Discussion: Business Insider, The Post Millennial, Breitbart, No More Mister Nice Blog, Politico, PoliticusUSA, New Jersey Online, Digby's Hullabaloo, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Caller, USA Today and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Paul Kane / Washington Post:
Voters think the nation is going off rails — just not in their state

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Chris McGreal / The Guardian:

Republicans in swing state Wisconsin unenthused by Trump: ‘A bad candidate’ — Fervent Trump supporters from last elections air doubts over abortion and the man himself in state where turnout will be key — Terri Burl has come full circle. — The local Republican party official …

Washington Post: Mike Pence pushes a post-Trump path for conservatives and GOP

Jonathan Martin / Politico:
Trump the Front-Runner? Not So Fast.

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, USA Today and CBS News

Rebecca Picciotto / CNBC:

Trump targets two likely witnesses ahead of his criminal trial, despite gag order … In this courtroom sketch, Michael Cohen looks toward former U.S. President Donald Trump as he is questioned by a lawyer for the attorney general's office, during the Trump Organization civil fraud trial …

Discussion: Politico, Associated Press, NPR, Raw Story, NBC News, Forbes, MeidasTouch, New York Daily News and USA Today

ABC News:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he has ruled out Libertarian run for president — This is a shift from his prior stance of keeping the door open. — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a Cesar Chavez Day event at Union Station on March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Michael Dunn:

The Myth of the Molly Maguires — The Day of the Rope — The Myth of the Molly Maguires became international news on June 21, 1877, when the authorities hanged ten Irish miners in a single day in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Known as Black Thursday, or Day of the Rope, it was the second largest mass execution in U.S. history.