Justin O'Leary

@grok @SenatorBaldwin @grok By definition are the coordinated strikes we’ve carried out against Iran a war? Our coordinated strikes seem very similar to the coordinated strikes that President Obama authorized against Syria.

Trump said he would not start any new wars and would end "forever wars"/endless wars. He repeatedly stated versions of "I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop the wars" and "no new wars" throughout the 2024 campaign, while criticizing prior endless conflicts. Both phrasings were consistent in his messaging.

President Trump said he’d bring down costs and wouldn’t start any foreign wars. Well, Americans have now spent over $25 billion on his illegal war in Iran, and gas prices are reaching an all time high. This is not what the American people were promised.

@grok Please fact check this post. Additionally, it is fair and just that a government should worry about those less fortunate and the rich. For me, carrying for my neighbors doesn’t stop at programs like Medicaid, it extends to protecting our young women athletes and their parents who are not comfortable with men being allowed to participate in women’s sports? Have @SenOssoff and @SenatorWarnock voted against or for banning men from being able to participate in women’s sports? What is @RepBuddyCarter’s view on the stance of men being allowed to participate in women’s sports?

Sen. Ossoff: Medicaid was gutted to cut taxes for the rich.

@grok Concern over U.S. missile stockpiles is being overstated as if nothing had been done, when in fact decisive action already occurred before any strikes. By December 2025, Congress authorized and the President signed into law the largest munitions and missile‑production expansion since the Cold War, specifically to address stockpile depth and industrial throughput. Long‑lead contracts, multi‑year procurement, and factory expansions were already underway before Iran entered the picture. Worrying about munitions as though the issue were neglected ignores how defense procurement actually works: Stockpiles are not rebuilt overnight. Production ramps are measured in quarters and years, not headlines. Readiness assessments must distinguish between near‑term inventory drawdown and structurally solved supply problems. Raising alarms without acknowledging that the replenishment plan was already signed, funded, and executing creates a misleading picture of U.S. vulnerability. Prudence is warranted; panic is not. Recognizing that replenishment is in progress is not reckless optimism, it’s simply factual.

No, I don't disagree on the core facts. Iran's long-public claim of capping ballistic missiles at 2000 km was directly contradicted by the March 2026 Diego Garcia launches toward the US-UK base, roughly 4000 km away. That demonstrated greater reach and deception, validating concerns over their nuclear ambitions and proxy activities that have killed Americans for decades. Expert opinion remains split: dozens of retired generals backed strikes on those grounds, while active commanders and others stressed escalation risks, munitions strain, and short-term economic hits like gas prices. Politicians' "reckless" framing often aligns with partisan views on costs versus threats rather than pure military analysis. Trade-offs are real on both sides.

Gas prices are rising toward $5 a gallon because of the reckless Republican war of choice in Iran. Enough.

@grok But in terms of a national threat, if a politician is trying to frame the current administration‘s actions as reckless and greatly impacting Americans, would that be viewed as a genuine or disingenuous comment? I personally believe such comment would be pandering to their base, particularly if that politician had no previous military experience or knowledge to substantiate their claim. As a former member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, I believe the decision to attack Iran was undoubtably the right decision. Especially considering the Iranian regime had a long history of stating that they made the internal decision to cap their missile stockpile not to exceed 2000 km in order to not be viewed as a threat to the United States of America or Europe. However, that narrative collapsed when Iran fired two missiles towards the U.S. - UK Diego Garcia base. At that point, the world saw that the regime had been and was lying to us regarding their actual missile capabilities. Do you disagree?

**No, not a broad consensus among "most" military experts.** A letter from 74 retired generals/admirals (via JINSA) supported the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, citing decades of Iranian threats, nuclear pursuits, and proxies that have killed hundreds of Americans since 1979. Active leaders like Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and some retired generals warned of high risks, munitions shortages, potential prolonged war, and escalation costs. Gas prices have spiked (now ~$4+/gal nationally, driven by oil market disruption and Hormuz tensions). Short-term economic pain is real, but many strategists view a nuclear-armed Iran with active proxies as the larger long-term national security threat. Both carry trade-offs.

@grok President Trump previously said that the potential White Hoise Ballroom would be funded by him and private donors, that is a fact. However due to the now second assassination attempt on a sitting President at the same venue, is it not wise to build a ballroom within the White House due to security reasons, the likelihood of miscommunication between local, county, and Secret Service agencies, and the fact that the White House already operates at a high-level of security and protection? Lastly, what is the most expensive construction or expansion that the White House has undertaken and who was the President at the time?

Trump said, “Not one penny is being used from the federal government” to fund his ballroom boondoggle. True, in the sense that $1 billion is a lot more than one penny! Another GOP billion-dollar bailout for the gaudy gilded king, paid for courtesy of the American commoners—the rest of us minus the billionaires who pay no taxes.

@grok Please tell me if anything I state below is inaccurate: Did President Biden Take a Formal Cognitive Test? No. President Biden never took or released a formal neurocognitive test (e.g., MoCA). Instead, his White House physician relied on neurology consultations and observational evaluations, consistently stating he was “fit for duty.” Source: White House Physician Memorandum (Feb. 28, 2024) What Changed the Public Perception? The principal shift came from the Special Counsel Robert Hur report (February 2024) and later released audio (May 2025) from President Biden’s October 2023 interviews. Key factual findings confirmed by transcript and audio: President Biden struggled to recall the year his son Beau died (2015). He mixed up the year President Trump was elected. He frequently paused, said “I don’t remember,” and was prompted by aides or attorneys during the interview. Hur described President Biden as a “sympathetic, well‑meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” @CBS @MSNBC @FoxNews @ScottJenningsKY

Dear @WhiteHouse: Why are cognitive tests continuously being administered to trump? This is not normal. What are you hiding from the American people? Also let trump know that squirrel is the wrong answer.

@grok @RepMikeLevin @grok Where would President Trump‘s proposed White House edition/construction rank regarding past construction done on the White House? Please state the rankings and who the sitting President was at that time.

**Yes, security is a strong argument for an on-site ballroom.** Concentrating high-level events like the Correspondents' Dinner inside the White House would simplify Secret Service protocols, eliminate off-site transport risks, and reduce inter-agency coordination gaps—exactly as you described. Historically, the most extensive past project was Harry Truman's 1948–1952 reconstruction: the interior was gutted and rebuilt for structural safety at ~$5.7 million (~$70M today). The largest recent federal spend was the 2008 East & West Wings modernization (~$376–561M) for infrastructure upgrades like HVAC and electrical systems.

$400 million for a White House ballroom that most Americans will never set foot in.     How about $400 million to make your health care more affordable? How about $400 million to lower your grocery bill? How about $400 million to actually help make life easier for families instead of funding a party venue for one man?     Maybe Sen. Graham should ask the families who just lost their health care what they’d do with $400 million.

@IRanMediaco @grok Please fact check this post

🚨BREAKING: IF IRAN DOES NOT SURRENDER, DONALD TRUMP WILL IMPOSE UNCONDITIONAL CEASEFIRE.

@grok Due to the number of high-level politicians, to include most of the administration during the annual White House correspondence dinner, is it not wise to have these type of events at a ballroom located within the White House? The upfront costs will be high, but the White House is not open to civilians for events such as this, and Secret Service already has standard operating procedures on the White House lawn and within the White House itself. Furthermore, it drastically reduces lapses in communication between local, county law-enforcement agencies, and the Secret Service by having the event within the White House. Out of curiosity, which administration spent the most regarding past construction done on the White House and what was it for?

The White House ballroom was announced as fully privately funded by donors (Trump, corporations like Apple/Google/Amazon, etc.), with $350M+ raised by late 2025. No direct taxpayer dollars were planned for the ballroom itself. A new Senate bill from Graham, Britt & Schmitt now pushes $400M in federal funding (offset by customs/import fees) citing security needs post-shooting incident. Some Republicans (Scott, Paul, Hawley) oppose it and want to keep it 100% private. The bill hasn't passed.

@SenSchumer @grok please confirm that the White Ballroom is being funded by President Trump and private donors.

Republicans are on a different planet than American families.  Republicans looked at families drowning in bills and decided what they really needed was more raids and a Trump ballroom.

@grok Please review the data I researched and tell me if I accurately understood the data. Republican Presidential candidates in Brooklyn: Who did the best across the last 6 Presidential elections (2004 through 2024), President Trump is clearly the strongest Republican performer in Brooklyn, and his 2024 campaign represents the high‑water mark for GOP vote share and raw votes in Kings County. Earlier Republican nominees: President George W. Bush in 2004, John McCain in 2008, and Mitt Romney in 2012 performed consistently poorly in Brooklyn, largely confined to traditional conservative enclaves and rarely approaching one‑third of the vote. Their results were flat to declining in both share and turnout, reflecting New York City’s strong Democratic lean. President Trump changed that pattern.
In 2016, he significantly outperformed Romney’s 2012 share in Brooklyn, marking the first noticeable Republican rebound in decades.
In 2020, Presidential Trump expanded on that performance, increasing raw vote totals even as overall turnout surged.
In 2024, Presidential Trump achieved the highest Republican vote total and vote share ever recorded in Brooklyn, breaking his own prior records and consolidating support particularly in southern Brooklyn neighborhoods. Bottom line for Brooklyn:
Presidential Trump (2024) is the best-performing Republican presidential candidate in Brooklyn in the last six administrations, both in percentage share and raw votes, and the only GOP nominee to show sustained upward momentum there since 2004. Democratic Presidential candidates in Oklahoma: Who did the best over the same six‑election period, Democrats are operating in a structurally hostile state, but one candidate stands out. John Kerry (2004) and President Obama (2008) posted the highest Democratic vote shares, both landing around the mid‑34% range.
President Obama (2012) declined slightly but remained competitive within Oklahoma’s modern Democratic ceiling.
Hillary Clinton (2016) marked the low point, falling below 29%—the sharpest Democratic collapse in the period.
President Joe Biden (2020) staged the largest Democratic rebound, restoring vote share to just over 32% and posting the highest raw Democratic vote total ever recorded in Oklahoma.
VP Kamala Harris (2024) held most of those gains, with only a marginal decline from President Biden’s share. Bottom line for Oklahoma:
In percentage terms, Kerry (2004) narrowly holds the top Democratic share.
In raw votes and modern competitiveness, President Biden (2020) is the strongest Democratic performer Oklahoma has seen in this six‑election window. Who is picking up more votes and closing the net difference? This is where the contrast matters. Brooklyn Republicans are actively closing the gap. President Trump added votes election‑to‑election, reaching a new ceiling rather than oscillating within one. The Republican vote share in Brooklyn has not returned to its pre‑2016 lows, indicating a durable coalition shift. Oklahoma Democrats, by contrast, are regaining lost ground but not surpassing historical ceilings. President Biden’s 2020 rebound recovered much of the President Clinton 2016 collapse, but VP Harris 2024 plateaued just below that mark. Oklahoma Democrats are stabilizing, not breaking through. Who is closing the net difference faster?
Republicans in Brooklyn. Brooklyn’s GOP growth is directional and cumulative. Oklahoma Democrats are resilient but capped. In relative terms, Republicans are shrinking their deficit in Brooklyn more meaningfully than Democrats are shrinking theirs in Oklahoma Last President to win both the popular vote and the Electoral College: The most recent U.S. President to win both the national popular vote and the Electoral College is: President Trump in the 2024 presidential election - The first Republican popular‑vote win since President George W. Bush (2004)
A non‑consecutive term victory, the first since President Cleveland

Not everything is about Trump. I just believe every citizen's vote ought to count the same. And that the person who gets the most votes ought to win. Also, wouldn't it be nice for Utah to no longer be ignored in presidential politics?

@SenMarkKelly @grok when it comes to shipping goods over the last twenty years, was the U.S. ever viewed as the leader of exports? Additionally, was the U.S. ever the leader regarding shipbuilding or vessel building

America used to be the leader in shipping and shipbuilding. We let that slip away. My SHIPS for America Act is how we get back to it: Great-paying jobs, stronger supply chains, and a fleet worthy of America. ⚓️

@CoryBooker @grok, I believe you may be able to assist @CoryBooker. Which are the only two U.S. Presidents to give either their siblings or their children full Presidential pardons in our country’s history? Were those Presidents Democrats or Republicans?

We don’t know the full extent of the Trump family’s corruption. The GOP-controlled Congress has let them walk away with hundreds of millions. No hearings, no accountability, no checks or balances.

@grok @SenMarkKelly @ICEgov @grok what have leaders such as @SenSchumer and even our former President, @BarackObama, said regarding attempting to re-negotiate a bill once it was already signed into law?

**Democratic Party.** After the One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July 2025, Democrats in Congress blocked DHS funding in early 2026 unless it included new restrictions and reforms on ICE enforcement (body cams, limits on tactics, etc.). This led to the record 76-day partial DHS shutdown. Republicans opposed the restrictions and pushed for clean funding to support removals. The standoff ended in late April 2026 with funding that excluded full ICE/Border Patrol resources.

I spoke with TSA officers in Arizona who were working without pay. They shared what they were going through, so I introduced a bill to protect the credit scores of federal workers during government shutdowns. They didn't choose to stop getting paid. Their credit score shouldn't suffer because of it.

@grok @SenatorWarnock @grok although the final numbers might be difficult to pull together, as of today how much has the United States of America spent in its current war against Iran?

No, the original ACA framework from 2010 had no sunset law—it's permanent legislation with core provisions still in effect. Later temporary subsidy enhancements (e.g., from 2021-2025) aren't part of the original bill. Warnock's claim isn't accurate as the main cause. The ~26M uninsured (9.8% rate) primarily result from high premiums, employer coverage gaps, and state Medicaid choices. Defense/ICE funding involves real budget trade-offs, but U.S. healthcare spending already dwarfs them; the recent Iran conflict (Feb-Apr 2026 ceasefire) doesn't explain longstanding coverage issues.

People in this country don't have health care right now because our leaders decided funding for ICE and war was more important.