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Authored by Owen Evans via The Epoch Times,

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to halt federal approvals for wind and solar projects.

Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston issued a preliminary injunction on April 21, sought by a coalition of renewable energy groups.

The injunction blocks five specified agency action measures, including Interior review rules, a wildlife permitting ban, land-use limits, an Army Corps memo, and a legal opinion that had tightened permitting and slowed wind and solar approvals.

The judge said the plaintiffs were “likely to succeed on the merits of their claims” that the Interior Department and other agencies adopted policies that violate the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs how U.S. agencies make and justify policy decisions.

Her ruling applies to members of the plaintiff organizations, which include RENEW Northeast and Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

“This is an undeniable victory for members of our coalition and the broader clean energy industry, as well as American households and businesses,” ?the groups said in a joint statement.

The Interior Department said in a statement that while it does not comment on litigation, “America sets the global standard for energy production.”

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump pledged to maximize U.S. oil and natural gas production and suspended offshore wind leases.

On April 20, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to issue a series of memorandums focused on strengthening coal supply chains, ?natural gas transmission, and ?liquefied natural gas capacity.

The president also signed memos aimed at boosting domestic petroleum production, enhancing grid infrastructure, and expanding the deployment of “large-scale energy” and related infrastructure.

In a post on X, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the memos would allow the Energy Department to use funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to strengthen the country’s “grid infrastructure and unleash reliable, affordable, secure energy.”

The Defense Production ?Act is ?a ?Cold War-era legislation that grants the president authority to expand and expedite the supply of materials from the domestic industrial base for national security purposes.

In April 2025, the Trump administration ordered a halt to the development of Norway-based company Equinor’s Empire Wind project, which the Biden administration approved in 2023. However, the stop-work order was lifted a month later, and construction was allowed to resume.

The Trump administration’s actions are a significant shift from the Biden administration’s effort to expand wind-power leasing, which aimed to build 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 and another 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind power by 2035.

According to legal firm Latham & Watkins, Foreign Entity of Concern rules, strengthened by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, aim to block the Chinese regime’s influence in the solar and renewable energy supply chain by denying clean energy tax credits to projects that involve entities linked to the regime.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the BBC in September 2025 that the Trump administration had “serious concerns” about Europe’s reliance on Chinese renewable technologies.

“It looks like the Chinese could control what’s going on with your energy system,” he said.

Wright also claimed in a Sept. 2, 2025, post on X, “Even if you wrapped the entire planet in a solar panel, you would only be producing 20 percent of global energy.”

“One of the biggest mistakes politicians can make is equating electricity with energy,” he added.

Trump, a vocal critic of wind energy, particularly in the UK, has described it as “the most expensive energy ever conceived.”

Summary:

• Trump Confirms possible U.S. Gov't takeover of Spirit 

• WSJ says the Trump administration's possible $500 million rescue deal could leave the U.S. government with 90% control.

• WSJ says Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is leading the effort in U.S.-Spirit talks.

• BBG reported earlier on a potential $500 million rescue loan for Spirit.

• News of a possible rescue loan for Spirit emerged last week.

Polymarket:

 

Trump Confirms Possible Taxpayer Takeover Of Spirit

In the Oval Office early Thursday evening, President Trump was asked by a reporter about a potential taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines.

A reporter asked Trump: "Is the government going to buy a stake in Spirit Airlines?"

Trump responded:

So, Spirit is an airline that's had some trouble. They were going to merge with People Express or one of them a number of years ago and Barack Hussein Obama decided it was a bad idea. How did that work out? It was bad for both of them. That would have been a natural merger—not United, American, but Spirit.

We're looking at helping them. We have 18,000 people that live in this country—some great people and great employees. We're thinking about doing it, helping them out—meaning bailing them out or buying them out.

We may just buy it! We'd be getting it virtually debt-free. They have some good aircraft and some good assets... and when the price of oil goes down, we could sell it for a profit. I'd love to be able to save those jobs. I want to be able to save an airline. You know, I like having a lot of airlines so it's competitive.

So we are looking at Spirit. It's in bankruptcy court. And we're looking, if we could get it for the right price, I'd do it to save the jobs. And we have somebody that wants to run it, do a good job. Smart person. And if they run it properly and if prices come down, all of a sudden it's a valuable asset. And some very good slots too which are pretty valuable.

?? JUST NOW: President Trump CONFIRMS the United States government is considering BAILING OUT Spirit Airlines, which is on the verge of collapse

Trump even said he already has a new CEO selected ??

"We're looking at helping them. We have 18,000 people that live in this… pic.twitter.com/F0pukHTLY5

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 23, 2026

More Color on Potential Deal

Shortly after, The Wall Street Journal reported on the Trump administration's potential rescue package for bankrupt Spirit Airlines. Bloomberg followed with a report stating that the emergency deal to save Spirit could give the U.S. government the option to own up to 90% of the carrier after bankruptcy.

Both reports state that the draft deal could provide up to $500 million in financing in exchange for warrants tied to a large equity stake, although talks remain ongoing and no final agreement has been reached. Bloomberg reports that

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is leading the effort to save Spirit through an emergency agreement.

WSJ Breaks Story on Trump Admin Nearing Possible Rescue Loan for Spirit 

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Trump administration is nearing a rescue deal for bankrupt Spirit Airlines that could include up to a $500 million loan in exchange for warrants that would give the federal government a potentially large equity stake.

The WSJ noted that the Transportation and Commerce Departments are involved in talks to help save struggling Spirit, which faces the risk of imminent liquidation.

*TRUMP ADMIN. NEARS ~$500M RESCUE DEAL FOR SPIRIT AIRLINES: WSJ

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 22, 2026

Last week, multiple news outlets reported that Spirit was flying on fumes as soaring jet fuel prices pushed the bankrupt airline deeper into turmoil. The carrier, in its second bankruptcy since 2024, had been set to exit bankruptcy this summer, but the jet fuel price shock clearly derailed those plans.

There was also a report late last week from aviation news website The Air Current stating that the airline had asked the Trump administration for "hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funding" to prevent liquidation by creditors.

Then on Tuesday, President Trump told CNBC's Squawk Box that the federal government could help Spirit.

"I don't mind mergers. I think I'd love somebody to buy Spirit, as an example. You know, Spirit's in trouble. ... Maybe the federal government should help that one out," Trump said.

?? PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST NOW: "I'd love somebody to buy Spirit, as an example. You know, Spirit's in trouble."

"And I'd love somebody to buy Spirit. It's 14,000 jobs. And maybe the federal government should help that one out!"

"You know, I tell my people. But with American, it's… pic.twitter.com/P488KMfox6

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 21, 2026

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy met with budget carriers later on Tuesday to discuss the impact of higher jet fuel prices on their businesses.

 

If the federal government provides Spirit with a rescue deal in exchange for a major stake in the airline, it would add the airline to the growing list of firms in which the Trump administration has taken stakes, including Intel, MP Materials, USA Rare Earth, Trilogy Metals, and others.

Summary

• Trump unveils three week extended ceasefire in Lebanon, wants country to "protect itself from Hezbollah".

• Israeli media says Iran Parliament Speaker resigns from negotiating team under IRGC pressure, oil spikes. Iran rejects report as completely false.

• Trump orders US Navy 'shoot & kill' small Iranian boats amid concern over mines in Hormuz. Says US now "doesn't need a deal". Says he has "all the time in the world, Iran does not" - to end the war.

• Overnight, US military intercepted two more Iranian oil supertankers that tried to evade the blockade And in Indian Ocean US conducted a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran.

• Media sources confirm based on prior Trump post that US has extended the ceasefire indefinitely until 'unified proposal' can be brought forward by Tehran.

• Iran announces first Hormuz tolls paid to the country's central bank. Also asserts US blockade breached & could build atomic bomb "if we wanted to".

*  *  *

Lebanon Breakthrough Announced By Trump

A huge breakthrough in Lebanon, where President Trump has declared an extended ceasefire for three weeks - though there have still been reports of sporadic fighting involving Israel and Hezbollah - the latter which hasn't signed on to a ceasefire:

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following a meeting in the White House with top U.S. officials, President Donald Trump said Thursday.

“The Meeting went very well!” Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the extension of the temporary truce.

“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” Trump wrote, referring to the Iran-backed militia group.

“The Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, that Iran timeline keeps getting more and more open-ended...

From a “little excursion” to “Don’t rush me. We were in Vietnam for 18 years.” https://t.co/xsWkT3ILN8

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) April 23, 2026

Trump: All the Time in the World

President Trump pushes back on claims he is anxious to end the war; says he has all the time in the world, Iran does not. However, consumer prices and at the pump could steadily rise and next fall's Congressional midterms might beg to differ. Here's some of what Trump said:

• Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side!

• A Deal will only be made when it’s appropriate and good for the United States of America, our Allies and, in fact, the rest of the World.

Iran Says Just a Drill, & Denies Reports That Ghalibaf Quit

The earlier reports of 'air defenses active over Tehran' was the result of a drill, Iran says. And more importantly, Tehran is rejecting Israeli media reports of a big shake-up centered on Iran's Parliament Speaker. 

Iranian Journalist says "news that Ghalibaf has resigned is completely false." https://t.co/dsVB01TJqF

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 23, 2026

'Air Defenses Active' Over Tehran Reports: Oil Spikes to 2-Week High

Nour News says cause still unclear, and this could be another drill, or false alarm, or a mere lone drone. Israel is denying it has launched an attack. But oil immediately reacted:

Parliament Speaker Resigns after IRGC Intervention

Israel's N12 News has issued a breaking headline claiming that Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ghalibaf, who has appeared to run the day to day over the civilian government, has resigned from the country's negotiating team following the intervention of the IRGC. There have been rumors and unverified murmurings that he was even arrested.

Of course, given this comes via Israel - which is a party to the conflict - it should be taken with a grain of salt until verified; however Newsquawk notes it was enough to hit stocks and cause a spike in crude...

Meanwhile, Iranian social media accounts of Iran's two highest civilian officials have sought to push back against the current White House/MSM consensus that Washington is dealing with a fractured, divided Iranian nation when it comes to negotiations:

Same person controlling Iran's top X accounts: Pezeshkian and Ghalibab publish identical posts 1 minute apart pic.twitter.com/fTVMm6jB9i

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 23, 2026

Iran Asserts US Blockade Breached; Could Build Nuke "If We Wanted To"

US CENTCOM on Thursday announced its forces have redirected 33 Iran-linked vessels in the Hormuz Strait since the start of the blockade; however, Iranian state media is citing the below public source tanker data (in a Telegram post) to proclaim that four Iranian oil tankers successfully crossed the US blockade and enter Iranian waters.

According to the latest statements out of top Iran officials, Tehran is demonstrating "strength" in the strait, and also the foreign ministry has insisted that while the country is still not seeking nuclear weapons, it possesses the capability to create a bomb if needed. Via Al Jazeera: "We are not seeking to manufacture a nuclear bomb from our stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and if we wanted to, we could."

Meanwhile Iran's foreign ministry has commented on the freeze on Pakistan talks, saying it has not decided to participate as of yet, but emphasized too that it is "not an option" to transfer out of the country its highly enriched uranium.

Based on today's (2026-04-23) imagery, we have identified 9 Iranian tankers at Chabahar, Iran. There were 5 on 2026-04-21. HERO2 (9362073) and M.T HEDY (9212888) are back in Chabahar after exfiltrating the blockade line. DIONA (9569695), unmentioned below; has also returned. https://t.co/sx5KjSkAXN pic.twitter.com/6e1SQGzlxs

— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) April 23, 2026

Iran Confirms First Hormuz Toll Payments to Central Bank

On Thursday Iran publicly announced for the first time that initial toll payments have been successfully transferred to the state-operated Central Bank of Iran (CBI):

The Iranian authorities have received revenue from tolls for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz for the first time, Parliament Deputy Speaker Hamid Reza Hajibabai said.

"The first revenue received from tolls in the Strait of Hormuz has been transferred to the Central Bank's account," the Fars news agency quoted him as saying.

A specific monetary amount was not given - but it can go up to $2 million per tanker, officials have indicated. This week has seen reports that several Iranian tankers, with transponders off, have made it past the US Navy's blockade - which the Pentagon has denied.

Latest From Trump: 'Doesn't Need a Deal'

Talks have stalled, and don't appear to be any closer - despite some optimistic Thursday early headlines - as the two sides are as far away as ever on the nuclear issue. This is perhaps why Trump has agreed the US 'doesn't need a deal' to get what it wants from Iran. The president shared a Washington Post article wherein the author argues that Iran is running out of [oil] storage, money, and time. 

The below fresh Truth Social commentary also generally reflects recent reporting and the outlook of WaPo's Marc Thiessen, of Iraq War infamy as a former longtime speechwriter for Donald Rumsfeld and President George W. Bush:

It should be noted that this is some of Marc Thiessen's prior content and 'reporting'. He's the most hawkish of all the hawkish pundits, lately also appearing on Mark Levin. And...

Mark Thiessen, in Mark Levin interview Trump urged all his followers to watch, makes the case for troops on the ground in Iran: "We have to get what Donald Trump correctly calls 'the nuclear dust.'"

Thiessen also tries to connect Iran to Al-Qaeda and 9/11. https://t.co/7u7fii1C80 pic.twitter.com/R4nJ6JHCZH

— Chris Menahan ???? (@infolibnews) March 29, 2026

Trump Orders Navy to Shoot & Kill

Despite a ceasefire still technically being on, President Trump has just ordered the US Navy to "shoot and kill" any small Iranian boat which poses a threat to the Strait of Hormuz, especially ones "putting mines in the waters" of the strait. This risks rapid escalation already amid tit-for-tat tanker seizures, and it means a shooting war could soon open up in the contested vital waterway.

Oil, and markets reacted immediately on the escalatory order from Washington:

Status of Stalled Pakistan Negotiations: 'Breakthrough' Soon?

US hours began with a somewhat optimistic headline, picked up by Reuters, which was strangely enough first issued by Chinese media. Iranian sources said preparations for Iran-US negotiations could produce a breakthrough "tonight or tomorrow," according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. However, this supposed 'breakthrough' speaks to merely getting to the table, which last weekend the sides failed to do in what was the planned, but canceled, second round.

Meanwhile a reported Pakistani proposal calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a partial lifting of sanctions on Iran.

Pakistani officials blamed the US blockade, not internal divisions in Iran, for the stalled talks, while President Trump apparently having extended the ceasefire indefinitely, citing what he described as "fractured" leadership in Tehran.

Trump has extended the ceasefire indefinitely. From a Tuesday Truth Social Post: "Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal."

Another US Boarding... in Indian Ocean

US forces conducted "a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran in the Indian Ocean" overnight, the US Department of Defense said on X.

The statement said the vessel was operating within the area of responsibility of United States Indo-Pacific Command. "We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate," it said. "International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors. The Department of War will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain."

The interdiction video put out by US Central Command:

Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.

We will continue global maritime enforcement to… pic.twitter.com/SWF6Jt9Ci4

— Department of War ???? (@DeptofWar) April 23, 2026

Latest Hormuz Intercepts

The Hormuz chokepoint standoff between Tehran and the US military has become the center of the nearly two-month conflict. This standoff marks the next phase following an extended ceasefire with Iran after a second round of peace talks was canceled in Pakistan earlier this week.

On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is allowing Iran more time to respond to US demands, but expects Tehran to present a "unified proposal."

"So, again, the president's offering them a little bit of flexibility because we want to see a unified proposal to the president's very strong proposal. And he's made his red lines very clear," Leavitt said.

Iran has stated that it will not resume negotiations with US officials while a US naval blockade on its ports remains in place, and the US military said it intercepted two Iranian oil supertankers that tried to evade the blockade.

pic.twitter.com/N0H79ZG5rq

— Department of War ???? (@DeptofWar) April 23, 2026

This comes after Iranian forces seized two ships on Wednesday.

MOMENT masked Iran special forces STORM bridge of Epaminondas

1 of ships that 'endangered maritime safety by operating without necessary permits and tampering with navigation systems' https://t.co/nlLhdY4i9M pic.twitter.com/JssF4aYK5Q

— RT (@RT_com) April 22, 2026

In response to Trump's ceasefire extension, Iran's state TV cited the foreign ministry as saying it is monitoring developments and that the armed forces are ready for any threat.

With Hormuz effectively shut this week, roughly a fifth of global oil and LNG flows remain highly disrupted as the energy shock ripples from the Middle East to Asia, Africa, Europe, and finally the West Coast of the US.

A new Department of War assessment cited by The Washington Post said it would take US forces six months to clear the maritime chokepoint of mines deployed by Iranian naval forces.

Other overnight news includes Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announcing that Secretary John C. Phelan will be stepping down. "On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy," Parnell said in a statement. "We wish him well in his future endeavors."

Latest overnight headlines (courtesy of Bloomberg):

Ceasefire Extension

• US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely on Tuesday evening with no deadline for its expiry

• Iran has said it will not resume negotiations while a US naval blockade on its port remains in place

• Vice President JD Vance had been prepared to fly to Islamabad for peace talks, but Tehran says it has no plans to take part in negotiations imminently

Hormuz

• Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ground to a halt on Thursday after Iran fired on commercial ships and seized at least two vessels

• Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the MSC Francesca and another ship identified as 'Epaminondes' on Wednesday

• Iran has collected its first revenue from tolls imposed on the Strait of Hormuz, according to an Iranian lawmaker

Blockade

• The US military intercepted two Iranian oil supertankers Hedy and Hero II that tried to evade its blockade earlier this week

• At least two fully laden Iranian tankers sailed past a US blockade this week, ferrying roughly 9 million barrels of oil to market

• Iranian gunboats fired on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday while two of its own oil supertankers tested the US blockade

Market Impacts

• Energy prices are rising again due to the impasse and worsening tension over the Strait of Hormuz

• Emirates is operating at 65% of capacity with about 13% of airports in its network still cut off

• Honeywell's outlook assumes the conflict will last through the second quarter and decrease revenue by about $100 million to $150 million

• Sweden may need to restrict energy use if supplies from the Middle East remain disrupted, with the government examining potential limits on fuel use

Chart of the Day (via UBS)

Commentary on energy markets from UBS analyst Catherine Gordon:

The UBS oil & gas team continues to argue the scale of disruption is underpriced in both oil and equities: the UBS base case had de-escalation in early April and gradual resumption of flows over 2Q26, keeping Brent at $100/bbl in 2Q26 and in the low to mid-$80s in 2H26, but this path requires actual improvements in flows very soon, rather than only a ceasefire.

Absent progress toward normalizing energy flows via the Strait of Hormuz within the next week or two, UBS warns the market risks a significant spike in oil and LNG prices, with longer disruption into May breaching recent highs of ~$120/bbl for front month and ~$150/bbl for Dated Brent.

Energy-dedicated investors continue to focus on barrels versus rhetoric: each day of stalemate implies a forfeiture of roughly 12–15mb/d of production. The market is now moving into an energy “air pocket,” which should drive a convergence between dated and forward oil prices, or between divergent price expectations in the physical and paper energy markets.

From a trading perspective, broader equities have remained resilient on “de-escalation” headlines, but the setup still feels very fragile, with technicals having done much of the work (CTAs slowing), positioning has caught up, and index-level valuations are pricing in relatively little disruption.

Brent crude futures are trading at $103 a barrel. 

*This is the running blog of the US-Iran conflict for Thursday.  

Via Middle East Eye

A video of interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (previously, Abu Mohammad al-Julani) watching a dance performance to Missy Elliott's Work It has gone viral, sparking a mix of amusement and confusion on social media.

The performance took place on Monday at the recently reopened al-Feyhaa Sports Hall in Damascus, which Sharaa had inaugurated earlier that day before a Syria-Lebanon basketball match later that evening.

The game marks the first time Syria and Lebanon have played against each other since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. 

Ahead of the game, a group of dancers took to the stage, performing a dance routine to Work It, a song containing sexually explicit lyrics, by US rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. Other performances reportedly included Rihanna's Rudeboy and Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl. 

The Syrian leader is seen sitting in the audience with a deadpan expression on his face. 

In light of Sharaa's background as a former militant and member of al-Qaeda, his attendance at a performance of a western song, featuring sexually explicit lyrics, stunned many social media users. 

"The ISIS president of Syria Al-Sharaa vibing to @MissyElliott is not something I was ready to see this year", one person commented on X.

After Sharaa’s Islamist group, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, seized Damascus on December 8, 2024, ousting longtime ruler Assad, Sharaa became Syria's interim president and rapidly transformed from a militant into a statesman.

The concept of a former terrorist Leader publicly jamming to "Work It" by Missy Elliott pic.twitter.com/i7Y7nXvVl3

— Moh (@Daimohnds) April 21, 2026

"Never thought I'd mention al-Sharaa and Missy Elliot in the same sentence, but then here we are. Not touching the lyrics (I doubt Sharaa knows what Missy E is singing about)... but damn, what a “flip it and reverse it” moment!", another person posted on X, in response to the video.

Shortly after celebrating his victory in December 2024, Sharaa warmly began embracing world leaders he once eschewed and appeared in western media outlets, where he spoke of Syria's "diversity as a strength" and of "unifying the country".

He also promised to pursue former government personnel and loyalists implicated in war crimes, trimmed his beard and lost his turban and thobe for a suit and tie. 

The ISIS president of Syria Al-Sharaa vibing to @MissyElliott is not something I was ready to see this year. https://t.co/y19UVH3Bup

— Joel Jenkins (@boganintel) April 22, 2026

His attendance at the performance was seen by many online as a further sign of his departure from his past, albeit with raised eyebrows, given the swiftness of his transformation.

"Al Qaeda is dead and Missy Elliott is alive!" one user posted on X.

While Syria's transitional administration has initiated economic reforms, including public-sector employee reductions, tax system reforms, and the reopening of border crossings, several people have questioned the sustainability of Sharaa's transformation and pointed out that the Syrian leader has, to date, not publicly apologized for past actions. 

His transition from head chopper to Missy Elliott fan has to be one of the most remarkable transformation stories ever. Yet we have heard virtually zero explanation as to his change, nor any apologies for his past actions

— Sheriff Detmer (@SheriffDetmer) April 21, 2026

"His transition from head chopper to Missy Elliott fan has to be one of the most remarkable transformation stories ever. Yet we have heard virtually zero explanation as to his change, nor any apologies for his past actions," a social media user commented on X. 

* * *