Tesla Shooting

Author

Global Recap
March 15, 2025 • Read in: 11 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

There’s been another shooting at a Tesla dealership, sparking some interesting discussions around double standards and domestic terrorism. In addition to these attacks, there are many unhinged people casually posting TikTok videos, calling for others to assassinate Trump.

(They can never do it themselves, can they? It always has to be someone else because they are busy, right?)

Since it’s the weekend, I’ve got some videos I’d like to share with you. If you have the time, take a moment to watch them—some are hilarious, while others are pretty ironic.

👆️ Additionally, I’ve also got a few quick thoughts on Ukraine and the argument about the West "exploiting Ukraine" for profit. I kept it short, so if you've been online lately and seen outrage about the “capitalistic exploitation” of helping Ukraine rebuild, give it a quick read.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Tesla Dealership Shooting—Again

It happened again. A Tesla dealership in Tigard, Oregon, was shot up—twice this month.

What’s going on?

What Went Down

This time, it was early Thursday morning, March 14, around 4:15 am, when more than a dozen shots were fired.

  • Cars got trashed, and the showroom’s already boarded-up windows took more hits.

  • A security guard was on duty but, thankfully, wasn’t hurt.

  • The FBI and ATF are on the case alongside the Tigard police.

Round One: Last Week’s Attack

Let’s rewind. The first shooting hit the same dealership just last Thursday, March 6.

  • Seven shots were fired, damaging three cars, a wall, and even a computer monitor.

  • No one was hurt that time, either.

The Big Why

Here’s where it gets murky. Authorities think these attacks “might be politically charged,” and this isn’t just an Oregon thing—other Tesla spots across the US have been hit, too.

(Well, that’s an understatement)…

DOGE

Some people really aren’t fans of Musk’s new role in cutting down the federal workforce through DOGE.

But there’s a video going viral where Obama sounds eerily similar to Elon Musk.

(No, it’s not AI. It was uploaded 13 years ago by the official Obama White House YouTube channel)

Another One

Speaking of similarities, here’s another one.

The Daily Show, no fan of the Trump administration, posted a spoof “advertisement” after Trump’s recent White House remarks about Tesla. The video playfully mocks the moment in a commercial-style format:

However, President Biden did exactly the same thing for Jeep EVs during his presidency:

🤔 Thoughts: I’m all for criticizing the president when it’s warranted—for me, that includes Trump’s memecoin—but it’s just plain dishonest to praise Biden and Obama for something and then slam Trump for doing the same thing.

🇮🇶 IRAQ
ISIS Leader Killed in Iraq

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani (left) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein (right) addressing the media at a press conference.

A major blow to ISIS: Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, also known as “Abu Khadija,” was killed in a joint operation by Iraqi intelligence and US-led coalition forces.

Operation Details

The Iraqi national intelligence service, with help from the US-led coalition, eliminated Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, also known as “Abu Khadija.”

  • He was the “deputy caliph” of ISIS and considered one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.

  • He was responsible for ISIS’s logistics, planning, and global finances.

  • The operation involved an airstrike in Iraq’s Anbar province.

  • The operation also took out another ISIS operative as well.

  • His death was confirmed on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Aftermath of the Strike

What’s more shocking is the how these terrorists were found.

  • Both targets were found wearing unexploded suicide vests.

  • Multiple weapons were recovered at the scene.

Regional Context

This news coincided with a visit from Syria’s top diplomat to Iraq, where both nations pledged to work together against ISIS.

  • Discussions included the movements of ISIS across the Syrian-Iraqi border.

  • A new operations room involving Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon is set to tackle the ISIS threat.

Reactions

Former President Donald Trump didn’t hold back on his social media platform, Truth Social.

  • He declared, “Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed.”

  • Trump praised the operation, saying al-Rifai’s “miserable life was terminated.”

  • He ended with his signature phrase: “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”

  • Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani praised the operation, calling it another victory against “the forces of darkness and terrorism.”

Reminders

A lot of people online are comparing this moment to when President Trump announced the klling of former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi years ago, saying that he “died like a dog.”

Here’s that video:

And of course, here’s the viral video of comedian Shane Gillis imitating Trump announcing it:

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Hamas Rejects Ceasefire Plan

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, March 6, 2025.

Well, here we go again. Hamas has rejected a US-backed plan to extend the ceasefire, throwing hostages, aid, and peace prospects away.

The Deal on the Table

US envoy Steve Witkoff pitched a “bridge proposal” to extend the ceasefire until after Ramadan and Passover. It was straightforward enough:

  • Hamas would release five living hostages and the remains of ten others.

  • In return, Israel would free Palestinian prisoners and get humanitarian aid flowing back into Gaza.

  • The whole plan was meant to cool things down and pave the way for real peace talks.

Hamas

Instead of saying yes, Hamas offered a watered-down counterproposal that fell flat.

  • They said they’d release one living US hostage—Edan Alexander—and the remains of four others.

  • Hamas demanded more Palestinian prisoners and a commitment to discuss phase two of the ceasefire, but both Israel and the US saw this as classic stalling.

US and Israel Aren’t Having It

Understandably, both countries are beyond frustrated with Hamas.

  • Witkoff bluntly warned Hamas, “Time is not on its side.”

  • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn’t hold back, calling Hamas “savages” and slamming their tactics as “sick” and “disgusting.”

  • Israel won’t even consider phase two talks, saying it’s a non-starter with all the chaos still unfolding. They say Hamas is using hostages as bargaining chips to dodge real negotiations.

Where We Are

24 hostages are confirmed alive, 35 are confirmed dead, and no one’s any closer to ending this.

  • In the first ceasefire phase, 33 hostages were freed in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.

  • Humanitarian aid to Gaza has been frozen since that phase ended.

  • Meanwhile, talks for a new ceasefire phase are stuck, partly because Israel won’t negotiate over pulling out of Gaza.

So, the question is, will Trump show Hamas what he meant by “Hell to pay”?

🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Hope for Peace?
Fingers Crossed.

Finally, a flicker of hope in this exhausting war.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy just announced a potential 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

✒️ Context: You might be wondering, “Why the sudden shift in stance?” After all, not long ago, he predicted the war could drag on for years. I covered this in yesterday’s newsletter, but here’s a quick rundown:

• Zelenskyy wants to hold onto as many bargaining chips as possible for the inevitable ceasefire deal—one that’s coming because of US pressure. • Meanwhile, Putin knows this, so he’s stalling to strip Ukraine of as many of those chips as he can.

A Ceasefire (Maybe)

Zelenskyy dropped the news that Ukraine is giving the US-backed ceasefire plan a shot, but warned that Putin could still drag his feet (classic move, right?).

  • The 30-day ceasefire would stretch over a 600-mile warzone.

  • The US might step in with satellite intel to keep both sides in check.

  • “The first step in ending any war is silence,” Zelenskyy said.

Here’s the full thread pushing for peace:

Safety Net for Ukraine

Zelenskyy knows a long-term peace deal needs more than just promises. So, he's asking for all the support he can get.

  • He wants 100% air defense coverage (fair, considering).

  • Economic help is also on the list, and talks are underway.

🤔 Thoughts: 

I think this last point is the most effective path to peace in the region. Air defense coverage might be a red line for Russia since Ukraine is placing military assets so close to its borders.

But economic support is a different story, and it’s crucial because:

• Ukraine needs massive manpower and resources to rebuild. It would likely bring in a lot of foreign workers and diplomats, which could serve as a deterrent—Russia would have to think twice before attacking (or at least, that’s the hope).

• This was essentially what the US-Ukraine minerals deal was setting up, just without saying it outright.

💰️ Arguments:

That said, plenty of people argue that this is just the West blatantly profiting off a war-torn country.

Sure, you could see it that way, but in a capitalist system, transactions always involve both sides benefiting—one party provides a service and gets paid proportionate to the risk and quality of what they offer. It’s never purely one-sided.

• Of course, no system is perfect. But there’s an increasingly common knee-jerk reaction against anything remotely capitalistic, and honestly, it’s a bit overdone. If there’s nobody to take the risk in anticipation of greater returns, there will be no services in the first place.

• Critics often argue, “The government can just step in and provide that service for free or at a lower cost.” Okay, but who’s actually doing the work? Who’s paying for it? Nothing just materializes out of thin air.

• And then there’s the whole debate about whether the West helped escalate the war just to profit off Ukraine’s devastation—but that’s a separate discussion entirely.