Columbus lost his compass only to discover the vitality of Gaza’s port. The Genoese pirate embodied the idea that looting, plundering, and killing were permissible—an intrinsic part of Western history, indispensable and even legitimized.

He came dressed in modern attire, disguising the empire’s ambitions behind the spread of Christianity and peace, while the true goal was the plundering of wealth, the theft of resources, the destruction of civilizations, and further expansion.

The same slogans are repeated today: We come to promote values, to uplift nations from savagery to civilization. We know best how humans should live and what they need. You need only submit to us, and we will bring you happiness. If you refuse, we will have no choice but to kill you so that you do not stand in the way of civilization. We are the new ships of peace, sailing across the world’s seas and oceans, defining its longitudes and latitudes—ships of peace that sail to kill in the name of peace and to impose new ideals that cannot be opposed. You must simply accept them, for those who defy the will of these ships will face death, displacement, and exile.

Now, the forced displacement project targeting the people of Gaza hides behind Zionist expansionist ambitions. They kill and destroy with impunity, while the blame falls on the people of Gaza because their land is allegedly unlivable—not due to their own actions, but because of Columbus’s ideology carried by these ships of peace. Yes, this is not a historical event from the Middle Ages; this is happening in an era of scientific advancement and supreme legal systems, in an age of globalization, values, and lofty ideals that have granted animals rights and established international bodies for their protection.

This event may have deviated from the script carefully written to keep the audience entertained, allowing for some international overreach. But stepping outside the script does not justify violating an internationally recognized legal principle—where killing a dog on a European street could land you in prison, yet crushing an entire people and threatening them with displacement is treated as routine, perhaps not even making the headlines. Some global news agencies even work to obscure it.

Such is the play: some scenes exist outside the script, but only the lead actor gets to perform them—not the extras, who merely receive a wage in exchange for following orders.

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Ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he was sending a technical delegation to Doha to begin the second phase of negotiations regarding a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire to end the aggression against the Gaza Strip.

Middle East Negotiations Moving Forward

The announcement came just hours after Netanyahu met with Trump’s special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, who stated following the meeting that Middle East negotiations were moving forward; this referred to negotiations with regional countries, foremost among them Saudi Arabia, which reaffirmed its commitment to a two-state solution during the meeting of the Cairo Six Foreign Ministers.

Regional Reactions

Moreover, Riyadh, along with the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, directed a message to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirming their rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from their land in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The conflict concerning Trump and influencing his priorities peaked the moment the wanted international criminal terrorist Netanyahu landed in Washington.

Series of High-Level Meetings

The U.S. President’s meeting with Netanyahu on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, will not be the last; it will be followed by a meeting with King Abdullah II in the capital Washington on the following Tuesday (February 11), and then another meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Tuesday, February 18. These are intensive meetings that affirm the American president and his advisers and envoys’ efforts to de-escalate tensions and reach a long-term agreement, according to Adam Bowler, Trump’s envoy on prisoner affairs, during an interview he gave on Al Jazeera.

Phase Two of Negotiations

Preparations for the second phase of negotiations and discussions about the day after the war on Gaza began with an "Israeli" request from the American president to ensure that Hamas should not be part of the political scene, and that reconstruction should not be on the negotiating table but rather the displacement of Palestinians—a point emphasized by Bowler and later by Trump during his meeting with Netanyahu in the White House.

Meetings with a Flavor of Escalation and War

The reassurances offered to Netanyahu were not limited to National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who oversees the Iranian file, and Steve Witkoff, who handles normalizing relations with regional countries; Trump has repeatedly hinted at the need for "Israeli" expansion in his recent discourse about the small size of the entity compared to Middle Eastern countries. He likened the "Israeli" entity to a pen and the Middle East to the table at which he sits in the White House, attempting to highlight the small size of the entity and its need for expansion. He even preceded the meeting with Netanyahu by signing an executive order to intensify sanctions against Iran, knowing that the declared American "Israeli" escalation and greed are precisely what has led to wars and instability in the region.

Tensions and Complications

Trump's meeting with Netanyahu was not free from such statements during and after the meeting; they are Trump’s carrots intended to tighten control over Netanyahu and his coalition government, yet they simultaneously serve as a volatile card, as they raise the level of tension and complicate the political and negotiation scene in Doha and other capitals in the region, particularly Cairo and Amman.

Comfort and Incitement

Trump’s statements bring comfort to Netanyahu and the "Israeli" right, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the resigned minister from the coalition government Itamar Ben Gvir, along with settlement council directors, most prominently Israel Gantz and Yossi Dagan, who were among Trump’s key supporters during his electoral campaign. However, on the other hand, they incite the sentiments of the peoples of the region, their living forces, and states and stir the concern of their leaders.

Also Read: Trump... and the Rise of "Adrenaline"!

Trump's statements and his almost incessant chatter render the "Israeli" entity an existential threat to the Palestinian people, Arab peoples, and the countries and political systems in the Arab region. The candor with which he speaks has reached its peak in folly, greed, arrogance, and misbehavior; it is a reassurance tinged with the flavor of war, raising tensions and threatening to disrupt and sabotage his policies and complicate relations with regional countries, especially those that are partners and friends of the United States.

The March of Fools: From Trump to Netanyahu

Trump's statements chart a foolish course as they satisfy the thirst of the Israeli right and ignite its appetite for war in the Gaza Strip, as well as its greed for annexing the occupied territories of 1967, which it is keen to implement in the West Bank, while tanks of the occupation army reach Lebanon and Quneitra in Syria.

Escalating Tensions

Trump's repeated foolish comments about displacing Palestinians from Gaza and moving them to Jordan and Egypt, along with his hints regarding the "Israeli" entity's need to expand by annexing more land, including areas in the West Bank or potentially in Lebanon and Syria in the future, as well as his announcement of plans to impose maximum sanctions on Iran, escalate tensions in the region and do not contribute to the stability promised by envoy Buller. The only way to implement these policies will be through advancing the march of death and war that Trump seeks to avoid, rather than through negotiation and the deals he discusses.

Warning from History

This very march was warned against by the renowned American historian and writer Barbara Tuchman in her book "The March of Fools: From Troy to Vietnam," where she indicated that leaders with excessive ambition, great greed, and poor judgment, coupled with a fascination with power, often end up failing and leading their nations toward collapse and isolation. This is the foreseeable future of American influence in the Arab region, which is already suffering from immense pressure due to the foolish positions, statements, and actions reiterated by Trump, threatening America's partners and friends in the region before anyone else. This is the same policy that prompted Fidel Castro to open up and ally with the former Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation) after the victory of the Cuban Revolution in 1958.

Continued March of Fools

The march of fools is not limited to the statements of Trump and Netanyahu; it will certainly continue through practical measures and actions on the ground driven by the greed and excessive ambition of Trump and Netanyahu to expand the occupied entity and annex more land to it, which will undoubtedly undermine American influence in the region.

Ambitious Goals and Significant Consequences

What Netanyahu wants is not much different from what Trump desires regarding Iran, the West Bank, and Gaza, which is the eradication of Palestinian resistance, toppling the Iranian nuclear project, and imposing dominance over the Arab region through normalization.

Testing Abilities and Resources

But do they have the ability to do that? Does it only require a statement from Trump for it to happen, or are the resources necessary to achieve this limited and the consequences significant? Is it possible to attack Iran, return to war in Gaza and the Red Sea with the Houthi "Ansar Allah" movement in Yemen, reignite confrontations in the West Bank through displacement and annexation policies, and contain Turkey and Syria while normalizing relations with regional countries? This is what Trump will test during his meetings in Washington over the next three weeks.

Need for Regional Independence

There is no escaping the reality that is starting to emerge; the Arab states need to work on disengaging and reducing their excessive dependence on America, as without this, the region will face further American-Israeli encroachment that will not stop at any borders in the Arab region. The only thing that may halt it in the future is an escalation of resistance over a wider area than what the region has experienced, extending from the Red Sea to the eastern Euphrates and the Mediterranean.

As the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump approaches on January 20, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg dropped a bombshell with shocking statements about masculine energy and its impact on the success of institutions.

In an interview with renowned host Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg spoke about the importance of masculine energy, considering it a positive element in society. He said, "Masculine energy is good, and society has plenty of it."

Zuckerberg explained that while balance between masculine and feminine energy is important, he believes companies need more masculine energy. He attributed this to his view that aggression is one of the key factors for achieving success and excellence.

From Tension to Rapprochement: Zuckerberg and Trump

During Trump’s first term, his relationship with Meta was highly strained, peaking when the company banned Trump’s account following the January 6 Capitol riots.

However, as Trump’s return to power nears, reports indicate that Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, is seeking to rebuild ties with the President-elect. These moves come as White House support for Meta’s artificial intelligence projects gains increasing importance.

According to two sources for CNN, Zuckerberg met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last Friday after Meta made changes to its fact-checking policies. Reports suggest that Zuckerberg has recently taken steps reflecting his desire to get closer to the incoming administration.

Among these steps, Meta donated $1 million to the President-elect’s inauguration fund on January 20. This donation, confirmed by the company, marks a significant shift from Zuckerberg’s previous policies, especially after a campaign in which Trump threatened to penalize tech companies if they attempted to influence against him, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Radical Changes at Meta

In this context, Zuckerberg announced radical changes in Meta’s policies, which have sparked widespread controversy. The most notable of these changes include allowing users to criticize migrants and transgender people, which was previously prohibited. Meta also abandoned diversity and inclusion policies that favored hiring women, Black people, and LGBTQ individuals, replacing them with merit-based standards regardless of background or identity.

Zuckerberg also announced further steps regarding content management, such as eliminating the role of fact-checkers and significantly reducing censorship on posts. He added that more political posts would be recommended to promote free speech and encourage open debate.

Zuckerberg Following in Musk’s Footsteps

In another controversial move, Zuckerberg announced replacing fact-checkers with a "Community Notes" system that allows users to add warnings or context to contentious posts. This system closely resembles the approach used by Elon Musk’s X platform, which relies on users instead of professional fact-checkers.

Criticism of Biden

The biggest surprise came in his attack on current U.S. President Joe Biden's administration. Zuckerberg revealed that Meta faced pressure from the Biden administration to remove posts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, raising questions about the influence of governments on social media platforms. He said, "The Biden administration threatened us and forced us to delete pandemic-related posts."

While Meta defends these changes as a step toward enhancing freedom of expression, some experts warn that these policies may contribute to the spread of misinformation, especially with weaker content moderation.

Social Media Reactions: Zuckerberg Sides with the Right

Writer Iyad Al-Hamoud tweeted via his X account: "What happened shows the dominance of power and money over the laws adopted by American companies, only to abandon them in hours for their interests. This exposes widespread hypocrisy for the sake of success, with no regard for principles."

A user named Hashim noted that Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, is adopting Elon Musk’s approach by loosening content restrictions, similar to what the X platform has done.

He added, "Big tech companies are beginning to shift away from leftist ideology and move closer to Trump and the far-right. This development reflects the early results of Trump’s war against the deep state within the United States."

Hashim also explained that the leftist agenda and the deep state would not easily surrender to Trump, predicting that his first battles would be directed at the American interior and the deep state before turning to confront China.

He concluded, "Zuckerberg’s tone towards Europeans and their laws is very clear. We are witnessing a new global and digital order taking shape before our eyes."

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War on Gaza: Massacre in Khan Younis and Trump Confirms the Deal is Near

On the 466th day of the war on Gaza, medical sources reported to Al Jazeera that 28 Palestinians have been martyred in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn today, 12 of whom were in Khan Younis. Meanwhile, the elected U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in an interview with Newsmax that the deal is approaching.

Hamas Confirms the Ceasefire Agreement in Gaza is in Its Final Stages

- We have conducted a series of consultations and communications with leaders of Palestinian factions to update them on the progress of the Doha negotiations.

- Leaders of the factions confirmed their satisfaction with the course of negotiations and emphasized the necessity of preparing for the next stage.

- The movement's leadership and various factions confirmed the continuation of communication and consultation until the agreement, which has reached its final stages, is completed.

Qatari Foreign Ministry: We Have Reached the Final Stages of the Agreement

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid bin Mohammed Al-Ansari:

- We have reached the final stages of the agreement.

- The ongoing talks in Doha regarding Gaza are fruitful and positive, focusing on the final details.

- We hope to receive good news regarding the Gaza agreement.

- We have overcome the main obstacles in the disagreements between the two parties concerning the agreement.

- Meetings are ongoing in Doha among the parties to the agreement, and we are awaiting updates from them.

- When we announce the agreement, the start of the ceasefire implementation will also be announced.

- We urge both sides to reach an agreement and end the tragedy in Gaza.

- We anticipate that the announcement of the agreement will be soon.

- We have submitted drafts for the ceasefire agreement, and discussions are now ongoing concerning the final details.

- There are pending details between the two negotiating parties regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, the majority of which relate to implementation.

- The implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza will occur very shortly after it is reached.

- We appreciate the efforts of the Biden and Trump administrations, which have worked hard to reach an agreement.

- We reiterate our firm position on ending the occupation in Gaza and all Palestinian territories, and that the decision must be Palestinian.

- The mediators, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, are committed to all that leads to the success of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Jordanian Foreign Minister: The Aggression on Gaza Must Stop Immediately

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated that the aggression on Gaza must stop immediately, confirming that the success of the Doha talks is a key step in that direction.

Katz: A System to Monitor the Recruitment of Haredim Will Be Established

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz:

- A system to monitor the recruitment of Haredim will be established to achieve the goals set for their integration into the army.

- We will impose penalties on Haredim avoiding military service and on the institutions where they study.

- Our goal is to recruit 4,800 Haredim in the first year of recruitment and 5,700 in the following year.

Saraya al-Quds - Jenin Brigade: We Confronted an Israeli Force.

Saraya Al-Quds - Jenin Brigade stated that its fighters confronted an Israeli force attempting to besiege a house on the Um Al-Qasab mountain axis and fired heavy volleys of bullets at them.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister: 33 hostages will be released

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister:

- The exchange deal is currently being discussed, and we hope to receive positive news later.

- 33 hostages will be released as part of the exchange deal.

- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump requested that a deal be reached before January 20.

- I cannot disclose the details of the deal, and we do not want statements that could affect the morale of the families of the detainees.

Channel 12 Israel: Smotrich is conducting intensive consultations with senior rabbis

Channel 12 Israel reported that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is conducting intensive consultations with senior rabbis regarding the prisoner exchange deal. For its part, the newspaper "Israel Hayom" quoted a member of Smotrich's office as saying, "We will decide within hours whether we are going to issue a resignation warning if the deal is approved."

Just a short while ago, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Smotrich to resign from the government if a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is signed, describing the agreement being negotiated as a surrender deal.

The number of journalist martyrs in Gaza rises to 204

The government media office in Gaza reported that the number of journalist martyrs has risen to 204 after the martyrdom of journalist Muhammad Bashir Al-Talmas. Two days ago, the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate accused Israel in a statement of "deliberately continuing to target journalists in the Gaza Strip to cover up the truth and conceal its crimes against the Palestinian people."

Injuries from Israeli shelling on Palestinians in Jabalia

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported injuries from Israeli shelling on Palestinians in the Jabalia town in northern Gaza Strip.

28 martyrs in airstrikes on the Strip since this morning

Medical sources informed Al Jazeera that 24 Palestinians were martyred in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since the dawn of today, 19 of whom were in the central and southern parts of the Strip. This comes while Al Jazeera's correspondent confirmed the death of 4 martyrs and several injuries in Israeli shelling on a house in the Al-Daraj neighborhood in eastern Gaza City.

Ben Gvir urges Smotrich to resign if the deal is made

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir told Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, "Let us notify Netanyahu that we will resign from the government together if a deal is reached." He added: "The deal being formulated is a surrender deal, and we do not have the ability to prevent it on our own."

Yesterday, Monday, the Israeli Finance Minister described the exchange deal currently being discussed as a disaster for Israel's national security, saying he would not be part of what he called a surrender deal that includes the release of senior terrorists, a ceasefire, and wasting the achievements that have been made, as he put it.

Jerusalem Post: The deal might be announced today.

The Jerusalem Post reported from sources confirming that if no last-minute changes occur, it is possible to announce the deal today. Earlier yesterday, Monday, Axios, an American news site, cited a source stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to concessions regarding the withdrawal from the Philadelphia and Netzarim Corridors in the Gaza Strip, and also agreed to new concessions regarding the Palestinian prisoners to be released.

Injuries in Israeli airstrike on a house in the Al-Daraj neighborhood

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported injuries from an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Al-Daraj neighborhood east of Gaza City. The neighborhood was one of the oldest cities in the world established by the Canaanites in the third millennium BC, and it forms a major part of the ancient hill that was part of Gaza, characterized by stairs and ladders that took its name from there. The neighborhood is distinguished by its historical monuments, but they are subject to a systematic series of Israeli targeting that erases its heritage features.

Israeli Prisoners' Authority calls for a comprehensive agreement

The Israeli Prisoners' Authority stated:

- "We affirm the necessity of reaching a comprehensive agreement that ensures the return of all detainees."

- "Any agreement being negotiated should set a date for the return of the last detainees."

Journalist Mohammed Al-Talmas martyred in Gaza

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported the martyrdom of journalist Mohammed Al-Talmas, who succumbed to his injuries from an Israeli bombardment on Gaza City yesterday, Monday. Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli war machine has inflicted unprecedented losses on the Palestinian press community in Gaza and the West Bank, with the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate reporting the destruction of 88 media institutions and the arrest and injury of dozens of journalists, in addition to the killing of more than 170 others, some of whom died alongside their families.

Widespread destruction of a house targeted in Khan Younis

Scenes posted by activists on Instagram showed widespread destruction following an Israeli bombing early Tuesday on a house belonging to the "Masmuh" family near the Khalidiya clinic in the Al-Manara neighborhood in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Mahmoud Bissal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip, announced the recovery of body parts of martyrs from the Abed family, who were among the displaced living in the targeted house.

20 martyrs in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn

Medical sources reported to Al Jazeera that 20 Palestinians were martyred in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn today, 12 of whom were in Khan Younis. This comes following a bloody day in which at least 50 Palestinians were martyred in new massacres committed by the Israeli occupation army in the Gaza Strip.

Trump: We are very close to finalizing the deal

President-elect Donald Trump, in an interview with Newsmax, stated:

- "We are very close to finalizing the deal, perhaps by the end of the week."

- "They have to do it, and if it doesn't happen, there will be many problems they may not have seen before."

"I understood that there was a verbal agreement and they were about to finalize the deal.

Israeli media: Severe damage to a home due to intercepting a Yemeni missile

Israeli media reported severe damage to a home due to shrapnel falling from an intercepted missile launched from Yemen early today.

A woman and her son martyred in bombing east of Khan Younis

Al Jazeera’s reporter stated that a woman and her son were martyred in an Israeli bombing of a house in the town of Absan al-Kabira east of Khan Younis city.

Israeli forces raid the town of Qabatiya south of Jenin

Sources told Al Jazeera that Israeli special forces raided the town of Qabatiya south of Jenin in the northern West Bank. This comes as the occupying army continues its escalation against Palestinians in the West Bank alongside its devastating war on Gaza, which has continued for the 16th consecutive month. Palestinian authorities documented the martyrdom of more than 840 people in the West Bank and the injury of more than 6,700 since October 2023.

11 Israelis injured during the rush for shelters

11 Israelis were injured early Tuesday due to the stampede of hundreds of thousands towards shelters when a missile was launched from Yemen, which the Israeli army claimed to have intercepted. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority stated that sirens sounded in central Israel and the southern coastal area in the past hours following the missile launch from Yemen. It also reported from Magen David Adom that 11 people were injured while trying to reach the shelters, in addition to 4 cases of panic.

Houthis: We targeted the Jaffa area with a ballistic missile

The military spokesperson for Ansar Allah (Houthis) stated that the group carried out its third military operation in 12 hours, targeting the Jaffa area with a ballistic missile. Since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have been launching missiles and drones towards Israel. The Houthis affirm that their attacks are in support of the people of the Gaza Strip, and they are also targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that they claim are linked to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom. In response, Israel has bombed Houthi targets within Yemen, some of which are in Sana'a, while Washington and London have begun airstrikes and missile attacks on Houthi sites in Yemen since early 2024.

Significant difficulties faced by the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City

The Baptist Hospital, the only functioning hospital in Gaza City, is facing significant difficulties in providing treatment to the injured due to the large number of casualties resulting from the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza City and its northern areas. The hospital suffers from a shortage of specialized medical staff and a severe shortage of medical supplies and medicines, as well as a significant lack of fuel, making it vulnerable to being out of service at any moment."

The elected U.S. President Donald Trump is known as one of a criminal record, being the first president in American history to be criminally convicted on 34 felony charges, including four state and federal cases. If ultimately sentenced to prison, he might govern the country from behind bars!

Despite this extensive record, alongside accusations of sexual assault from 26 women, Trump is set to be inaugurated on January 20, 2025, as the President of the United States. This turns him from a criminally convicted individual, legally pursued in various cases, and whose home was once raided by the FBI, into the leader of the world's most powerful country—chosen by votes that reflect Americans’ preference for a convicted criminal and religious far-right figure.

Trump has now become the first former American president to be criminally convicted, the first convicted president-elect, and the first to be re-elected after criminal convictions. According to American media reports, a major dilemma looms, and Trump could add another oddity to his unique record by becoming the first criminally convicted president while in office, with the power to pass any law he desires, including one that pardons himself.

Trump, aged 78, was initially scheduled for trial last March, but the case was frozen after his lawyers argued that the former president is immune from criminal prosecution.

The elected president is accused of conspiracy to defraud the state and obstructing an official procedure—namely, the congressional session violently disrupted by his supporters on January 6, 2021.

He is also accused of attempting to deprive American voters of their right to vote through false claims that he won the 2020 elections. Trump was already convicted in New York last May on 34 charges of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to an adult film actress. Additionally, he faces charges in Georgia related to attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, won by Democrat Joe Biden.

Postponed Cases Without Resolution

Trump has managed to postpone four lawsuits against him, including criminal charges such as inciting his supporters to storm the Capitol in 2020, some of whom are already imprisoned. He hopes to pardon himself once he becomes president following November elections. However, in May, he was convicted in the first case involving the adult film actress and falsification of business records—34 convictions. Though he faced potential sentencing on June 11, including possible imprisonment, house arrest, or fines, the ruling was delayed until after the elections.

Then, on November 10 (after his election victory), the judge in the trial concerning illegal attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results postponed all deadlines following a request from the special prosecutor, signaling the possibility of suspending the trial proceedings.

Special prosecutor Jack Smith justified his request to cancel the timeline deadlines by the need to allow the prosecution to study this unprecedented situation and determine the appropriate course of action based on the Justice Department's policies. He promised to submit his conclusions by December 2.

The special investigator and the Justice Department have begun discussions to halt federal prosecutions against Trump, as several American media outlets reported. Given that the Justice Department has maintained a 50-year policy of not prosecuting a sitting president, most American legal commentators expect this policy to extend to Trump, allowing him to escape federal prosecution until the end of his new term.

Upon returning to the White House, Trump could either appoint a new Attorney General to dismiss the special prosecutor investigating his cases (Smith) or simply instruct the Justice Department to drop the charges against him.

In October 2023, a federal case file against Trump revealed that Smith accused Trump of engaging in a "criminal scheme" to undermine the 2020 election and argued that presidential immunity should not shield him.

Would He Pardon Himself?

Trump hoped that the Supreme Court would exempt him from three new criminal trials. Concerns have been raised that he might manipulate the court's composition by appointing loyal judges, given his party’s control over the Senate, which grants the power to approve judicial appointments, thereby influencing the Supreme Court’s makeup.

According to the American website Intercept on May 30, Trump sought to delay his cases until he becomes president to issue a self-pardon. However, the 34 convictions in the first case ruled by the New York court, involving the adult film actress and falsified business records, disrupted Trump's self-pardon plan.

The site also mentioned challenges Trump faces in the four separate cases, which involve state-level charges. These include the most serious accusations of inciting insurrection and riot at the Capitol. The evidence in all cases is strong, as both Trump and his lawyers acknowledge.

His legal strategy has focused on delaying cases to win the presidential elections, then quickly exploiting his presidential powers to end the two federal cases against him. However, state-level cases pose a greater threat, as he lacks the power to pardon himself in these instances, according to Intercept.

Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General Bruce Fein told Alhurra channel that the Justice Department does not recognize that the U.S. president has immunity. He emphasized that even the president cannot pardon himself, as a fundamental legal principle dating back 500 years asserts that no one can be a judge in their own case. However, after Trump's inauguration, he might request the Justice Department to make certain accusations against him in Washington and Florida disappear.

Fein explained that the Justice Department can determine federal charges, but state-level cases in Georgia and New York remain active, with no presidential authority to issue pardons in such instances. He noted that states like Georgia, where Trump received support, might move to drop cases, as could happen in New York. In such scenarios, judges might find it difficult to imprison Trump and decide to dismiss the cases, making these issues "political" rather than "judicial."

Fein added that Trump could pardon others implicated in similar charges in Florida. This raises a critical question: how can a president, tasked with upholding the Constitution, pardon individuals who violated the law?

He concluded that if Democrats had controlled Congress instead of Republicans, Trump might have faced impeachment to prevent him from pardoning individuals and avoiding accountability.

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