Donald Trump's wild day as he spirals into on-air meltdown over Iran war plan

Donald Trump's wild day as he spirals into on-air meltdown over Iran war plan Questions about the ever increasing quagmire that is Trump's escapade in the Middle East prompted an even testier than usual response from the President. Here's everything you need to know from Trumpworld today Donald Trump spiralled into an on-air meltdown tonight, after being asked a pretty basic question about the Iran war. Questions about the ever increasing quagmire that is Trump's escapade in the Middle East prompted an even testier than usual response from the President, who will shortly visit Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for a dignified transfer of the bodies of three American troops killed in the conflict. With the Midterms looming, one reporter even asked if he thought the Iranians were deliberately mining the Strait of Hormuz to make him look bad ahead of the midterms. Which feels like a stretch, but one he might want to remember if he's looking for people to blame for his party's losses in November. Meanwhile, we've heard more detail about new PM Andy Burnham's 'warm' call with the President, the Smithsonian is hitting back over Trump's plan to rewrite history and Pete Hegseth just admitted the war has already cost a truly eye watering amount of money. And he'd like some more, please. Here's everything you need to know from Trumpworld today. Andy Burnham has 'extremely warm' call with Trump More details have emerged about the tone, if not the content, of Andy Burnham's call with Donald Trump, within an hour of taking office yesterday. His official spokesman said the conversation was "extremely warm" and lasted about 20 minutes. After the call, Mr Trump said the new prime minister "has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it" and pledged that the US "will be there to help". It seems, though, that Trump was mostly excited about Burnham making noises - which have possibly being over-interpreted - about North Sea drilling. Trump, of course, is obsessed with North Sea drilling - partly because American firms will benefit from licenses... but mostly because he's still sore about the wind farm the Scottish government put up next to his golf course in Aberdeen. Trump said at the weekend that people in Aberdeen would be "dancing in the streets" if Burnham agreed to more drilling. This is, of course, not true. He also said more drilling would "make the United Kingdom, from a Poverty Stricken Disaster, to one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World". Trump has TV meltdown over basic Iran question Trump welcomed Joseph Aoun, The President of Lebanon to the Oval Office for a visit. Which was as good an excuse as any to wheel the media in for a Q&A. Soon enough, the topic turned to Iran - and Trump seemed testier than usual. It started when a reporter noted that, despite Trump's claims the Islamic Republic is desperate to make a deal, there are "no signs that Iran is ready to stop fighting" and asked "what's the plan?" "How do you know there are no signs?" Trump shot back. "Do you know something I don't?" The reporter answered his question: "They continue to attack our allies and kill Americans." Trump, infuriated, barked: "They want to meet desperately to try to end it. You don't get that when you listen to your fake station. You don't know anything." Trump blames 'others' for US troop deaths Later in the Q&A, Trump confirmed he would be visiting Dover Air Force Base to honour the bodies American soldiers killed by an Iran in Jordan and Iraq. "They did slip something through in Jordan," he said. "If we had other operators, you know, it would have not happened, unfortunately." He went on: "We've stopped almost everything, but when you let other people do your job with the United States - we let other people do the job - and sometimes it doesn't work out so well." Trump did not elaborate on his comments, and it was not immediately clear who Trump was saying was responsible for protecting US forces in Jordan. Hegseth admits the Iran war has cost $37.5 billion - and he'd like some more please Pete Hegseth, Trump's "Secretary of War", has been up before Congress with his begging bowl today - and admitted the Iran war had cost something in the order of $37.5 billion. The Senate hearing comes ahead of a $95 billion GOP budget package to fund the military, along with aid to farmers and voting law changes that are top White House priorities. But Hegseth, like a permatanned Oliver Twist, said troop training and pay would be in doubt if the military doesn't get more cash. Some $46 billion is required for munitions and expanding production lines, while $21 billion would be for military pay, fuel and replacing equipment. "Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service members," Hegseth said. Democrats on the committee pointed out there were still tens of billions of dollars in Pentagon coffers that he asked for last year that have yet to be spent. All of which begs the question: How much is he spending on testosterone therapies? Smithsonian hits back at Trump trying to rewrite history The director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History slammed a White House report that branded the hallowed institution's leadership as radical activists who cannot be trusted. Trump has engaged in a broad national effort to reshape the stories of America told by cultural institutions controlled or influenced by the federal government and, in particular, to purge diversity, equity and inclusion elements from those narratives. Many historians are alarmed by the revisionism. “As we continue to fact check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterise the full body of work at the museum,” director Anthea Hartig told a House Oversight subcommittee. “There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.” Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence, the White House Domestic Policy Council released a report on July Fourth arguing that the museum, a centrepiece of the sprawling Smithsonian complex on the National Mall, doesn't tell history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.” The Justice Department is going after reporters' mums and spouses over leaks about Trump's plane Trump's Justice Department has issued subpoenas for phone records relating to New York Times reporters - include the mother of one journalist and the spouses of two others. The administration is trying to root out the source for stories relating to Trump's Qatari-gifted jet, indicating its security systems were not up to the standard required to carry the President of the United States. The Times' lawyers have moved to quash the subpoenas, noting that the mother in question is a mental health professional with confidential client relationships and that one of the two spouses is the general counsel of a law firm.