France seeks to deploy nuclear shield across Europe

France is reportedly prepared to extend its nuclear deterrent to protect Europe, as concerns grow over U.S. commitment to NATO under the Trump administration. Fighter jets carrying nuclear weapons could be stationed in Germany, marking a major shift in European defense policy.

Key Details:

French nuclear-capable fighter jets could be deployed to Germany as the U.S. considers reducing its military presence in Europe.
German Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz has urged Britain and France to extend nuclear protection to Europe as he seeks to reduce dependence on the U.S.
Emmanuel Macron discussed his European security strategy with Donald Trump at the White House, emphasizing that peace in Ukraine must not mean surrender.

Diving Deeper:

France is poised to extend its nuclear deterrent to help protect Europe, with potential plans to station nuclear-capable fighter jets in Germany. The move comes amid growing uncertainty over U.S. military commitments on the continent.

Friedrich Merz, who won Germany’s recent elections and is expected to become chancellor, has been vocal about securing European “independence” from American security guarantees. Merz has called on France and Britain to expand their nuclear umbrella to Germany, arguing that Europe can no longer rely on Washington’s protection.

A French official told The Telegraph that deploying nuclear jets in Germany would send a strong message to Russia, while Berlin-based diplomats suggested that such a move could pressure British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to take similar action. “Posting a few French nuclear jet fighters in Germany should not be difficult and would send a strong message,” the official said.

Macron, a longtime advocate for European strategic autonomy, discussed the nuclear defense initiative with Merz on Sunday night before traveling to Washington. At the White House, he presented his vision for Europe’s security and the defense of Ukraine to President Trump. During a joint press conference, Trump indicated that the U.S. would not offer security guarantees to Ukraine once a peace agreement was signed.

Macron, standing beside Trump, emphasized that any peace settlement “must not be a surrender of Ukraine” and called on European nations to take greater responsibility for the continent’s security.

For decades, the U.S. has maintained Europe’s security with a nuclear arsenal of roughly 100 missiles, many of which are based in Germany. However, France’s nuclear program operates independently from NATO, while Britain’s serves as a core component of the alliance’s defense strategy. Merz has urged both nations to consider expanding their nuclear security umbrella to include Germany.

On Monday, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson added to the debate, arguing that Ukraine itself should have nuclear weapons as a deterrent against future Russian aggression. Speaking to The Telegraph during a visit to Kyiv, Johnson said there was a “moral case” for Ukraine to develop its own nuclear arsenal.

Although talks on a formal European nuclear deterrent have yet to begin, Germany’s diplomatic circles acknowledge the growing pressure on Berlin to consider France’s offer. Macron has long pushed for a European dialogue on the role of France’s nuclear weapons in defending the continent. A Berlin diplomat suggested that Macron’s push would also challenge Starmer to clarify Britain’s role in European defense.

Related Topics:#EmmanuelMacron FranceEuropeNuclearSheild MXMNews USEURelations

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Trump not seeking ceasefire with Israel, Iran as he rushes back to White House

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International

Trump not seeking ceasefire with Israel, Iran as he rushes back to White House

Published on June 17, 2025

Todayville

From The Center Square

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch

After leaving the G7 summit ahead of schedule, President Donald Trump quashed any talk of trying to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One early Tuesday morning he wasn’t looking for a ceasefire but is seeking “a real end” with the Islamic Republic “giving up entirely” on their nuclear weapons.

The president underscored previous comments regarding Iran not having nuclear weapons.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple – you don’t have to go too deep into it. They just can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters.

The president called out French President Emmanuel Macron for falsely claiming Trump was headed back to the White House in a bid to negotiate a ceasefire.

“Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran. Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!” the president posted to Truth Social.

“I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate [with Iran],” Trump told reporters. “An end, a real end, not a ceasefire, real end.”

The president tried to quell concerns that Iran may target U.S. assets in the region, reiterating earlier warnings to the Islamic Republic.

“We’ll come down so hard, it’d be gloves off…I think they know not to touch our troops,” Trump told reporters.

The president left the door open to sending Vice President JD Vance or Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, to meet with Iranian officials.

“Depends on what happens when I get back,” Trump told reporters.

Upon returning to the White House early Tuesday morning, the president said he would head to the situation room. He argued that returning to the White House allowed him to learn more.

“Just to be a little bit, I think more well versed, not having to use telephones so much because I don’t believe in telephones, because people like you listen to them…Being on the scene is much better, and we did everything I had to do at the G7,” the president said.

The White House announced the president’s departure from the summit Monday afternoon after multiple reports claimed the U.S. was taking part in the campaign against the Islamic State.

Alex Pfeiffer, deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy communication at the White House, quickly disputed the reports.

“This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed. We will defend American interests,” Pfeiffer posted to X.

Earlier on Monday, Trump posted an ominous message to Iran and its people, warning them to evacuate.

“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” the president posted to Truth Social.

He followed the warning with another post, reiterating that Iran should not have nuclear weapons.

“AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” he posted later.

As the conflict enters the fifth day of fighting, Israel Defense Forces announced that it had “eliminated” another top Iranian military commander.

“For the second time in 5 days – the IDF has eliminated Iran’s War-Time Chief of Staff, the regime’s top military commander. Ali Shadman, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence,” the IDF posted to X.

This is a developing story.

Sarah Roderick-Fitch

Regional Editor

Crime

UK finally admits clear evidence linking Pakistanis and child grooming gangs

Published on June 17, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

After years of denial and political cover-ups, the UK government has formally acknowledged a disturbing link between Pakistani-heritage men and child grooming gangs. A scathing new review has prompted Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reverse course and launch a full national inquiry into the widespread abuse.

Key Details:

The Casey Review found “clear evidence” of Pakistani men’s overrepresentation in grooming gangs and accused authorities of ignoring the abuse to avoid accusations of racism.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed over 800 historic child sex abuse cases will be reopened and prosecuted where possible.
The Labour Party and Prime Minister Starmer were previously opposed to a national inquiry, with critics calling this reversal a politically motivated “smokescreen.”

Diving Deeper:

The British government has finally acknowledged a link between Pakistani-heritage men and the grooming gang epidemic that has plagued communities across England for decades. The admission comes following the release of a damning public review led by Baroness Louise Casey, which uncovered years of institutional failure, racial sensitivity, and political cowardice.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper presented the findings in Parliament, confirming that the Casey Review had “identified clear evidence of over-representation among suspects of Asian and Pakistani-heritage men.” She condemned the systematic rape of vulnerable girls—some as young as 10—and the authorities’ “unforgivable” failure to act.

“The sexual exploitation of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes,” Cooper said, noting that too many warnings had been ignored over the last 15 years. She announced that the government would adopt all of Baroness Casey’s recommendations and reopen more than 800 historic cases.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who previously dismissed calls for a national inquiry as “far-right misinformation,” abruptly changed course over the weekend and agreed to a full inquiry with legal authority to compel testimony. This reversal followed mounting pressure from campaigners like Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, Elon Musk, and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage.

Labour MP Sarah Champion, once ousted for raising alarms about Pakistani grooming gangs in her Rotherham constituency, welcomed the inquiry. “There’s a real sense justice has not been handed out fairly,” she said, accusing officials of failing victims for fear of “causing offense.”

The Casey review also pointed to illegal immigration as a contributing factor and called for mandatory ethnicity data collection in child exploitation cases. Critics argue that authorities in Labour-run areas turned a blind eye to the abuse—some allegedly in exchange for votes—treating white working-class girls as expendable while shielding perpetrators.

Former detective and grooming whistleblower Maggie Oliver expressed skepticism, warning that unless the inquiry is led by Baroness Casey, it risks becoming another whitewash. “This is about gross criminal neglect at the top of policing, at the top of government, at the top of social services,” Oliver said.

While the inquiry marks a long-overdue step toward accountability, some warn it may be politically perilous for Starmer. As former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, he held a central role when many of these abuses first surfaced. And with many of the cover-ups tied to Labour councils, the fallout could deepen public distrust in the party.