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Steve Hilton, the leading candidate for governor of California despite his status as an unapologetic Republican, called it a perfect metaphor for the state’s spate of recent failures.

After the University of Southern California abruptly canceled its televised gubernatorial debate less than 24 hours before it was set to take place, Democrats scrambled to come up with an alternative forum. Despite the frantic reaction, the crowded field of Democratic candidates couldn’t agree to the proposed ground rules.

As candidates scrambled to regroup after USC canceled the debate, the large field of Democrats still couldn’t agree on a commitment to continue including all the candidates in future debates.

The debate implosion and the subsequent failure to quickly reorganize played right into the leading GOP contender’s hands.

“This is just so symptomatic of everything that’s wrong with California,” Hilton told RealClearPolitics on Tuesday in the aftermath of the debate’s cancellation. “Everything is broken, from the high-speed rail, where they haven’t laid any tracks. Then last week we saw that $100 million butterfly bridge to nowhere. Nothing works. Everything’s broken. It’s all a shambles. They can’t even organize a debate.”

Decades ago, USC was considered a conservative alternative to public academic institutions across the state. More recently, the private university has become indistinguishable from the rest — at least when it comes to cancel culture.

All of the candidates the university had decided to invite to participate in the planned debate, hosted by Univision and KABC, are white. All of the candidates left out are minorities who also happened to be polling in the single digits: California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (D), former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), and former California State Controller Betty Yee (D) were not invited after the university said they had not met their debate criteria.

Those invited included former Fox News host Steve Hilton (R), Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D), former Rep. Katie Porter (D), businessman Tom Steyer (D), and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (D).

“We recognize that concerns about the selection criteria for tomorrow’s gubernatorial debate have created a significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters,” the university said in a statement. “Unfortunately, USC and [debate co-sponsor] KABC have not been able to reach an agreement on expanding the number of candidates. … As a result, USC has made the difficult decision to cancel tomorrow’s debate and will look for other opportunities to educate voters on the candidates and issues.”

The university would not commit to a new date for the debate.

Hilton and Bianco have been leading the crowded pack of candidates for months, stirring up panic amid veteran Democratic Party operatives that they could both emerge from the June 2 primary to run against one another and shut out Democrats entirely. Swalwell and Porter have been polling around 10%, with Steyer, despite spending tens of millions of dollars, a few points behind.

Under California’s “top-two” primary system, only the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, will advance to the general election. Democrats are concerned that Hilton and Bianco are poised to do so if the field of Democratic candidates doesn’t narrow down quickly.

It was Mahan’s invitation, however, that really stung among those sidelined from the stage. A white Democratic centrist candidate, Mahan had only recently entered the race and was polling in the single digits along with those excluded from the debate.

Still USC explained his inclusion by citing a new debate-inclusion criteria that valued intensive fundraising. The Democrats complaining about being left out didn’t buy the rationale and instead cited Mahan’s USC ties as evidence of special treatment.

RELATED: ‘Things will return to normal’ is not a serious policy

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images

Mike Murphy, co-director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, which was hosting the debate, had been, on a voluntary basis, advising an independent expenditure committee supporting Mahan. Yet Murphy claimed to have nothing to do with organizing the debate and pledged to temporarily step down from his university role if he decided to accept a paid position from any entity backing Mahan.

Over the weekend when Xavier Becerra (D), Thurmond, and others started complaining about Mahan’s inclusion, top Democratic legislators decided to weigh in.

The speaker of California’s Assembly, Robert Rivas, and the leader of the state Senate, Monique Limon, joined the leaders of the legislative Latino, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, Native American, LGBTQ, Jewish, and women’s caucuses in writing a letter to USC President Beong-Soo Kim demanding that they change their “biased criteria.”

“The outcry over this debate is deafening and includes legal demands from the excluded candidates’ attorneys, public calls by elected leaders across the state, concerns from the included candidates’ own campaigns, and growing alarm from California voters,” the legislators wrote. “Instead of responding to these valid concerns by expanding the debate, USC has doubled down.”

The debate was supposed to take place at a critical time — with two Republican candidates consistently running ahead of their Democratic counterparts, none of whom has broken out of a crowded field. It also was set to occur less than two months before the state planned to send ballots to every registered voter.

In early March, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks published an open letter urging Democratic contenders to consider dropping out if they didn’t see a realistic path to a primary victory.

“If you do not have a viable path to make it to the general election, do not file to place your name on the ballot for the primary election,” Hicks wrote just days before the March 6 filing deadline. But no candidate decided to heed Hicks’ call, and the letter drew a scathing response from Thurmond, who asserted that it was aimed at pressuring “candidates of color” to end their gubernatorial bids.

“Our political system is rigged,” Thurmond said. “The California Democratic Party is essentially telling every candidate of color in the race for governor to drop out.”

Hicks rejected that criticism, noting the letter did not name any specific candidate.

As candidates scrambled to regroup after USC canceled the debate, the large field of Democrats still couldn’t agree on a commitment to continue including all the candidates in future debates.

Part of the group wanted all parties to abide by a pledge to participate in future debates only if all Democratic candidates are invited. But that idea fell apart when they couldn’t get a commitment from fellow Democratic candidates.

Still Becerra, one of the candidates who was not invited to the USC debate, celebrated the decision to quash it entirely in a post on X:

We fought. We won! We stood up against an unfair candidate debate set-up that prematurely chose winners and losers. Tonight USC made the right decision to cancel their March 24 gubernatorial forum … so hopefully next time it’s done right. Thank you to everyone who stood up, raised hell and demanded justice. Never give up when you’re fighting for fairness!

The Democratic disarray on rescheduling handed an opportunity to Hilton and Bianco. Instead of taking the night off, Hilton held an X.com space with more than 300 people participating. Meanwhile Bianco spoke to supporters at an event in Los Angeles.

A Bianco campaign social media post crossed out the words “debate watch party” and blamed Democrats for the abrupt change.

“The Ds got the debate canceled, but we’re showing up anyway!” the post said. “See you tonight @sheriffbianco will be there.”

Hilton, who has been campaigning for roughly a year and has led in the polls for months, shared an X space forum with Elaine Culotti, an independent candidate for governor who is running under “NPP” — no party preference.

Culotti, a California real estate developer and interior designer who starred in the Discovery+ reality series “Undercover Billionaire,” appears poised to throw her support to Hilton if he wins the primary, even though she argues that her current participation in the race takes votes away from Swalwell.

The two more ideologically aligned candidates continued to criticize Democrats for blowing up the debate while laying out their own visions for reforming California, by not only stopping the U-Haul exodus of those moving out to find more affordable places to live but attracting more businesses to the state. Culotti said she would do so by reducing taxes to attract more than 100,000 businesses, leading to more jobs and more tax revenue.

Hilton said he would address affordability and businesses’ exodus from the state by opening up more oil and gas exploration, something he said could be done by executive order and by “kicking out all the climate fanatics” that California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) placed in key positions in the government.

“Right now, they are denying the industry permits for every aspect of [oil and gas] operating in California, whether that’s maintaining existing wells or expanding them, or drilling new ones — all of that,” Hilton said.

RELATED: California’s next dumb tech idea: Show your papers to scroll

Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Hilton and Culotti also discussed the positive aspects of having a governor in Sacramento who could work with the Trump administration to implement a forest management plan that would help prevent devastating wildfires while providing billions more in federal funds to help the Palisades and Eaton wildfire victims rebuild.

“Whatever happens in the 2028 presidential election, we know we’re going to have two years where the next governor will overlap with the Trump administration,” Hilton said. “And that’s one of the things I’m most excited about. I’ve got good, good relationships with, you know, half the Cabinet.”

No one asked Hilton how he will contend with deep animosity toward Trump in a state where the number of registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans nearly two to one.

Instead Hilton said he would prefer that Bianco drop out so he could consolidate the Republican support while working to turn out independents and Republicans in November in an election that includes ballot initiatives to institute voter ID and to maintain Proposition 13, a state constitutional amendment that imposes strict limits on property tax increases.

“You’ve got people in charge now who just don’t think like this, and as we saw with the debate nonsense and raising the race card … they’re just on a different planet,” Hilton said. “But the underlying answer to how you deliver all of these things is just to take a sledgehammer to the massive, bloated nanny-state bureaucracy that is making everything so expensive and so difficult.”

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.

​California, Gop, Democrats, Governor race, Primary, Steve hilton, University of southern california, Candidates, California democrats, Trump, Midterms, Opinion & analysis, Chad bianco, Xavier becerra, Eric swalwell, Elaine culotti, Rusty hicks, Debate, Tony thurmond, Racism accusation 

One of the most scandal-ridden former mayors in America is attempting to resurrect her political career, moving to a new state and a new party.

On March 11, Tiffany Henyard — the former Democratic mayor of Dolton, Illinois, and former supervisor of nearby Thornton Township — announced in a Facebook video that she had moved to Fulton County, Georgia.

‘You can’t expect change without making a change.’

“Y’all ain’t ready,” she says confidently in the video, claiming her political opponents and members of the media are “obsessed” with her and that “corruption” was rampant in Dolton and Thornton Township.

In the video, she also teases a “big announcement” that she would be making a couple of days later.

RELATED: Chicago-area village credit cards frozen, deputy chief laid off as Lightfoot concludes investigation into controversial mayor

To the surprise of very few, news soon broke that Henyard is running for political office yet again. This time, she is running to be a Fulton County commissioner — as a Republican, according to the Georgia secretary of state website.

The records indicate Henyard qualified to run on March 5. They also list her occupation as “business owner.”

Four other candidates qualified to run for the District 5 commissioner’s seat that same week, all as Democrats. The seat is currently held by Democrat Marvin Arrington Jr., who is running to be chair of the Board of Commissioners.

The 2026 Georgia primary election is scheduled for May 19.

Henyard claims in the video that change is needed in Fulton County. “The residents are tired,” she says. “They’re looking for a new leader. They’re looking for new leadership.”

Henyard also said she has a responsibility “to reach across the aisle, let alone walk across the aisle.”

“You can’t expect change without making a change,” she notes in the video.

The Fulton County Republican Party did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

Henyard, whose official X handle is @tif4president, leaves a trail of scandals in her wake. Her tenure as Dolton mayor was plagued with slashed budgets, accusations of lavish spending and other misconduct, an FBI investigation, and even an all-out brawl at a public meeting.

She subsequently lost the Democratic mayoral primary in February 2025, receiving just 536 votes out of the 4,446 ballots cast.

Many of her constituents celebrated her loss:

“The Wicked Witch of the West is dead! It’s over,” said one.”I praise God. That’s all I have to say. Ding, dong, the witch is gone!” said another.”If I can do a backwards hand flip right now — and I’m 67 years old next month — I would definitely do it,” added yet another resident.

Earlier this month, a judge ordered Henyard to pay a former landlord $10,000 in connection with a rental dispute in Illinois after she failed to appear in court. Her attorney indicated to WGN that she missed the hearing because she was out of state and that she denies wrongdoing.

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The son of a teacher at a private Catholic grade school in Ohio was arrested for allegedly possessing a massive trove of disgusting child sex abuse material.

Parents of the St. Susanna Parish School in Mason grew suspicious after receiving messages from the administration in February about a teacher stepping away from instruction.

‘Because I’m a pedophile x3. … I wanna rape them.’

The March arrest of 24-year-old Rain Phoenix-Brown at his mother’s house in Evendale led to parents contacting WKRC-TV about the possible connection to the teacher. WKRC confirmed through county records that Phoenix-Brown was her son.

The school then sent a message to parents admitting the suspect had images of their students in his possession.

“Evendale police have brought to our attention that an individual recently arrested on child pornography charges was in possession of images of St. Susanna students,” the email read. “While this is troubling, police have informed us that none of the St. Susanna children in these images are believed to be victims of any crimes, including child pornography.”

Police said the investigation found 15,000 videos and several hundred thousand electronic images, some of which were generated by artificial intelligence. One of the videos involved bestiality and an underage child.

Investigators also documented alarming online messages Phoenix-Brown allegedly sent to another individual.

“You got to find a 5th or 6th grader,” one alleged message read.

“Because I’m a pedophile x3;” another read. “I wanna rape them.”

Phoenix-Brown was charged with three counts related to the child porn possession:

Pandering obscenity involving a minor;Pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor; andIllegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material.

RELATED: Elementary school teacher allegedly possessed thousands of files of child sex abuse material

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati released a statement to WKRC stating that the school was not actively involved in the investigation into the child porn possession case and that all questions should be forwarded to the Evendale Police Dept.

Brown is being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center on a $300,000 bond, according to online records.

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​Rain phoenix-brown child porn, Child sex abuse material, St susanna elementary school in mason, Son of catholic school teacher, Crime 

Two weeks ago, I was caught in Dubai for a layover when the war suddenly became very real. While driving back from a pleasant sunset walk along Dubai Creek, my Uber driver suddenly yelled, “Brother, look at the sky!” Peering through the windshield, we watched as the UAE air defense system lit up the sky orange as it intercepted multiple drones, one of which we would later learn struck near the U.S. consulate in Dubai, causing a fire; fortunately, it was quickly extinguished, and there were no fatalities.

To say that war in the Middle East has become a state of normality would be a profound and unfortunate understatement. As drones and missiles fly overhead, the majority of which are intercepted, people go about their day as if nothing has changed. In Dubai, I had the privilege of witnessing an exceptional demonstration of resilience, an unwillingness to give in to fear as the very clear and present danger grows with each passing day.

The resilience I saw in Dubai, where life continued amid ongoing attacks, now faces an even greater test as the global energy supply chain is under strain.

Operation Epic Fury is ongoing and will have long-lasting impacts that will reverberate not only across the region but also worldwide. Iran is one of the world’s largest producers of crude oil and has some of the largest known reserves. Decades of sanctions have left the country with a very limited customer base for its oil, with the majority of it going to China at heavily discounted prices.

For this reason, with the possibility of regime change in Iran, China stands to lose a significant portion of its discounted oil supply, especially when combined with the shift in political direction in Venezuela, another vital source of heavily discounted seaborne imports for the Chinese Communist Party.

Additionally, as the Strait of Hormuz is not effectively closed, a halt of up to a fifth of the global oil and liquified natural gas supply, which comes from the other major regional suppliers like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, is now beginning to take its toll on energy prices across the world.

Dire Strait

Serving as the bridge between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important strategic chokepoints in the world. With an astounding 20% of global petroleum liquid products flowing through the Strait, it plays a vital role in both the global economy and the economies of the Gulf states.

For example, of the total oil that moves through the Strait, 38% is sourced from Saudi Arabia, a nation where 53.4% of the government’s revenue came from oil in 2025. Furthermore Qatar exports all of its 9.3 billion cubic feet per day of liquid natural gas through the Strait, accounting for most of the LNG transiting through it.

These nations are heavily dependent on revenues earned from oil and gas exports, which is why Iran is targeting both the Strait and the Gulf nations’ energy supply chains. Unable to strike the U.S. mainland, Iran is attacking the Gulf states that support the ongoing U.S. military presence in the region.

The impact from closing the Strait will not be limited to the region. With a substantial amount of exports destined for Asia, upwards of 83% in 2024, including China, South Korea, Japan, India, and Taiwan, the cost of energy in these countries is at risk of rising, which, given the sizable amount of manufacturing that takes place there, could lead to price rises for multiple sectors.

For this reason, China is pressuring Iran to allow for tankers to pass through and to continue shipments, given that China has not yet fully diversified its seaborne oil supply chain away from Iran. Closure of the Strait of Hormuz, even if not by blockade but simply by shippers unwilling to take the risk of asset loss and rising insurance costs, will remain a global market issue rather than a regional challenge.

The lack of transit through the Strait of Hormuz and the possibility that the Houthis in Yemen begin impeding transit through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea in solidarity with Iran will lead to higher costs for everything shipped from the region and manufactured in East Asia.

Attacking energy infrastructure

Part of Iran’s strategy involves a willingness to openly attack any Gulf state with a connection to the U.S., with new attacks expanding to include Azerbaijan and reaching as far as Cyprus. Iran is doing so with a particular focus on energy infrastructure, recognizing the importance of the energy sector to the regional economy.

Multiple attacks have taken place targeting infrastructure in Qatar — impacting up to 17% of its LNG export capacity, the UAE, whose Shah gas field was struck, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia — which is putting pressure on a vital part of these countries’ economies.

If Iran is allowed to continue to inflict severe damage on the energy infrastructure of the Gulf states, while depleting their defensive stockpiles with a steady flow of drones and ballistic missile attacks, they will be placed into an even more vulnerable position both economically and militarily.

China’s reliance on Iranian oil

RELATED: The only Iran plan that doesn’t end with a 20-year hangover

Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

China imports almost all of the oil Iran exports, over 80% of it. The strategy is simple: Purchase oil from a heavily sanctioned country with few or no other customers, and enjoy a significant discount. The same strategy was implemented with Venezuela, though not to the same extent as with Iran, in terms of the volume of oil purchased.

The combination of Iranian and Venezuelan seaborne oil imports regularly accounts for 17% of China’s seaborne imports; 13.4% from Iran and 4% to 4.5%. If the war continues to escalate, or perhaps if Kharg Island’s energy infrastructure, which processes 90% of Iran’s oil for export, is attacked or occupied, China could potentially lose close to 20% of its seaborne imports. If the war leads to a regime change in Iran more favorable toward the West, or Iran’s ability to export discounted oil to China is impacted by either military action or the lifting of sanctions, it will be forced to aggressively diversify its seaborne oil imports.

What it means

I am fortunate to be concluding this piece from the comfort of my home in Arizona after an evacuation flight to San Francisco, a commuter flight to Los Angeles, and a final long drive home. Operation Epic Fury has effectively disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, unleashed waves of attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, and driven sharp increases in worldwide energy prices.

China stands to lose up to 20% of its discounted seaborne oil imports from Iran and Venezuela, while Asian economies face higher manufacturing costs that will be passed on to global consumers. The resilience I saw in Dubai, where life continued amid ongoing attacks, now faces an even greater test as the global energy supply chain is under strain. With escalation showing no signs of abating, volatility in oil, LNG, and gasoline prices has become the new normal, underscoring how deeply interconnected our world’s energy security truly is.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.

​Dubai, Iran war, Missile attacks, Drone strikes, Uae, Middle east, Operation epic fury, Strait of hormuz, Gulf of oman, Houthis, Gulf states, Supply chains, China, Opinion & analysis 

Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying program, which is projected to surpass 100,000 total assisted deaths before its 10th anniversary in June 2026, is growing more dystopian every year.

“Children, babies with special needs, the poor, veterans, the elderly, the sick, those struggling with mental health conditions — these are just some of the groups being targeted by Canada’s taxpayer-funded assisted suicide program,” says BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey.

On this episode of “Relatable,” Allie interviews Canadian combat veteran and anti-MAID activist Kelsi Sheren about Canada’s sinister plot to target the most vulnerable populations.

Sheren’s opposition to Canada’s MAID program stems from a very personal place. When she was just 19 years old, she was deployed to Afghanistan, where she experienced front-line combat exposure. Two years into her tour, she was badly injured and medically discharged.

“I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and hearing loss,” Sheren tells Allie.

“They put me on a lot of drugs, and I wanted to kill myself for a really, really long time,” she adds, noting that her “staff in the military” told her it would’ve been “easier if [she] died.”

Fortunately, Sheren was introduced to art therapy, which not only saved her life but also culminated in a booming business called Brass & Unity.

Today, in addition to authoring books and hosting a podcast, Sheren advocates for vulnerable people who are being targeted not only by Canada’s MAID program but by the “ideology” that positions suicide as the best solution to suffering.

“They target the vulnerable first. They target the people who think they don’t have a voice, who can’t speak up, or who will take the options because they’re so low,” says Sheren.

She tells the heartbreaking story of one of her friends and fellow Canadian combat veterans, Christine Gauthier, who despite serving her country through military service and excelling as a Paralympic paracanoeist and Invictus Games athlete representing Canada, was encouraged to consider MAID when bureaucratic delays prevented the installation of a wheelchair stairlift in her home.

“When Canada needed her to step up, she stepped up every time … and she just wanted a wheelchair ramp, and they asked her if she wanted to die instead,” says Sheren.

What happened to Gauthier, as well as several other Canadian veterans, is “illegal,” she argues, but when they testify, the Canadian government “[keeps] calling [them] liars.”

But alleged coercion is just the tip of the MAID iceberg.

Under current Canadian law, there are two “tracks” to accessing the program: Track 1 is for people whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable (like terminal illness), while Track 2 is for those whose death isn’t reasonably foreseeable but who have a serious, incurable physical condition (like paraplegia or rheumatoid arthritis).

Track 2, says Sheren, has become a giant loophole. People wanting to die due to mental health issues are using physical maladies — even something as manageable as type 1 diabetes — to qualify for MAID.

Some funeral homes are even capitalizing on these patients by offering their facilities as spaces where approved killings can take place. “They also handle the whole funeral and the crematory right there,” says Sheren.

Allie’s radar immediately goes off. “I always have to wonder about the financial incentives going on here. Like, who’s making all of this money off of people being murdered by the medical system?” she asks.

Sheren lays out the shocking math.

Citing the Sixth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, which covers 2024 data, she says, “An average of 2,200 doctors in Canada … perform MAID assessments and MAID kills.” To determine MAID eligibility, “two assessors” must evaluate a patient. Sometimes numerous assessments are performed on a single patient.

“Each assessment can be billed for up to 105 hours. They charge $50 every 15 minutes. … You do the math on that. It’s pretty substantial,” says Sheren.

But it’s not just the doctors and funeral homes who are raking in substantial wealth from the MAID program, she says; the entire system from top to bottom is a taxpayer-funded death industry built on perverse incentives.

The charity Dying with Dignity, which Sheren calls “the largest pro-death cult in the country,” is “worth right now around $9 million.”

And finally, Health Canada – Canada’s federal health care ministry – saves massive amounts by having less people to financially support.

The vulnerable, Sheren explains, “are a burden on the system.”

“I got injured when I was 19 years old. Well, they’re responsible to me until I’m 60, right? That’s an expensive ticket there,” she says.

Even though the MAID program is already deeply dystopian, Canada is considering expanding it. In 2027, the parliamentary committee will determine if mental illness alone should qualify an individual for the MAID program.

Additionally, “the College of Physicians is suggesting that we should be able to euthanize babies 0 to 1 who are born with what they consider a disorder that will make their quality of life low,” says Sheren.

There is also discussion and advocacy around adding terminally ill “mature minors” (12- to 17-year-olds) to the MAID program.

“They’re discussing how if you have a child down to the age of 12 and they have a terminal illness and they decide they want to die with MAID, the parents will be consulted, but ultimately the child’s decision will be the one that is taken,” says Sheren.

“Canada has removed the parental rights of medical care of children up to the age of 12. So once your child turns 12, you no longer have access to their medical records or their decision-making … and at the same time, we’re talking about expanding [MAID] to children down to the age of 12. Are we all seeing the correlation here?” she asks.

To hear more about the shocking realities of Canada’s MAID program and how the same ideology is poisoning the U.S., watch the full interview above.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Relatable, Relatable with allie beth stuckey, Allie beth stuckey, Kelsi sheren, Canada, Maid, Canada maid, Assissted suicide, Blazetv, Blaze media 

A mugger reportedly slashed a male teenager in the face and stole his cell phone aboard a New York City subway train Thursday evening — but the victim grabbed the knife from the mugger and fought back in a brutal way.

The 18-year-old victim and his friend were on the Bronx No. 2 train as it approached the Pelham Parkway station near White Plains Road in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx around 7 p.m. when the suspect and seven others walked through the train car, stopped the victim, and asked to see his cell phone, the New York Daily News reported.

‘Case of beer for that young person!’

The victim pulled out his phone, and the mugger grabbed the phone and started to walk off with it, which sparked a brawl, police told the Daily News.

Amid the dustup, a knife fell upon the subway car’s floor, police told the paper.

The mugger grabbed the knife and slashed his victim in the face, which left a deep gash on the teen’s face, the Daily News said.

But as the fight continued, the victim grabbed the knife from the mugger and stabbed him five times, police told the paper.

Emergency medical services arrived and rushed the mugger to Jacobi Hospital, where he was expected to survive, the Daily News said, adding that he remained in the hospital Friday and was awaiting charges related to the incident.

The teen was taken to Montefiore Medical Center, where his slash wound was treated, the paper said, adding that the victim’s friend was punched in the face during the brawl.

A police source with knowledge of the case told the Daily News that detectives said the mugger’s pals — who ran off — are responsible for several similar robberies in the Bronx and on borough subway trains.

Charges against the mugger and his victim were not immediately filed, the paper said.

As you might expect, observers commenting under the Daily News’ Facebook post about the incident gave many kudos to the teen who fought back:

“Case of beer for that young person!” one commenter wrote.”He took care of bizness!” another user exclaimed.”Great job from the victim,” another commenter noted.”That’s how it’s supposed to be,” another user declared.”Given it’s NYC, has the teen been charged yet?” another commenter quipped.”People need to fight back, glad this happened!” another user said.

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​Crime thwarted, Fighting back, Bronx, New york city, Mugging, Teen victim, Mugging victim stabs mugger, Train, Face slashed, Self-defense, Crime 

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he might run for president again in 2028 and provide an alternative for the populist wing of the Republican Party.

Paul said he would make a decision after the midterm elections in an interview with CBS News journalist Robert Costa.

‘On many days, it’s me in the Senate, the only one left for free trade. But I think there still is a desire among business for it.’

“There’s used to be a free market/Libertarian wing of the party, and now there’s not much left. In fact, on many days, it’s me in the Senate, the only one left for free trade. But I think there still is a desire among business for it,” the senator said in a snippet posted to Instagram.

“And it may make the so-called Libertarian vote, which might not be big enough to ever win anything,” he added, “if you combine that with the Chamber of Commerce and the traditional business community that doesn’t like protectionism, there may be a force out there for a different direction from the party other than being continued to be led by populism.”

Costa directly asked him about a news headline opining that it appeared already that he was running for president.

“I don’t know yet. So maybe they know something that I don’t know,” he joked.

“We’re thinking about it,” he added. “I would say 50-50.”

Paul had a dramatic break with the Republican Party when he berated Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, the president’s nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

RELATED: Watch Rand Paul bulldoze through each global warming talking point

Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The senator objected to Mullin’s quip that Paul’s neighbor was justified when he assaulted him over a lawn dispute and broke several of his ribs in 2017. Paul was the lone Republican vote against Mullin, but Mullin was confirmed after Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (Penn.) crossed the aisle.

He has also been very critical of the administration’s justification for the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The entire interview airs on “CBS News Sunday Morning” on Sunday.

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Florida police said Tiger Woods was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence after yet another rollover incident.

Police initially reported the rollover with scant details but later said in a press conference that the golf legend exhibited signs of impairment.

The 50-year-old faces misdemeanor charges of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

The rollover happened in the Jupiter Island area at about 2 p.m. and involved Wood’s Range Rover vehicle. The incident occurred at 281 Beach Road, which is near Woods’ home.

Officials said that Woods was transported to the Martin County Jail, where he allegedly refused to give them a urine sample, although he did submit to a breathalyzer test.

The 50-year-old faces misdemeanor charges of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He will be held for eight hours and then released on bail.

Photos from the incident showed the Range Rover on its side.

There were no significant injuries from the incident, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said.

RELATED: Trump shocks supporters by fitting in a round of golf with Tiger Woods before the Super Bowl: ‘He never rests’

Woods had golfed in a match Tuesday at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens.

The golf legend was charged with a DUI in 2017 and later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and paid a $250 fine. He also had a rollover accident in 2021 where he was seriously injured.

This is a developing story.

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An Oklahoma City attorney, who identifies as “transgender,” was arrested for contempt of court during an early February hearing after repeatedly interrupting the judge and resisting arrest, according to a video circulating on social media.

A clip of the video shared on X showed Hopkins Law and Associates attorney Rob Hopkins, a female who claims to identify as a man, shouting at the judge overseeing the hearing and another attorney involved in the case before being arrested by multiple officers.

‘Wanted to be a “tough guy” and then started screaming for a female officer when officers treated him like a guy.’

Despite the judge instructing Hopkins to stop, the attorney continued to interrupt her.

“You interrupt me one more time, you are being held in direct contempt of court,” the judge remarked. “And you can wipe that smirk off your face.”

After the judge again accused Hopkins of interrupting her, the lawyer appeared to toss a phone on the ground in frustration.

When the judge scolded Hopkins for throwing the phone, the attorney responded, “I did not throw. It fell off the bench. Please stop stating things that are not true, ma’am.”

RELATED: NHL team to have ‘Cowgays’ sing national anthem on LGBTQ+ night — and the backlash is brutal

Spencer Weiner-Pool/Getty Images

The judge instructed Hopkins to “settle down,” claiming the lawyer was “red in the face.”

Hopkins blamed the judge’s alleged targeting on the idea that it was “maybe because I’m a transgender attorney practicing all over the state.”

Hopkins began shouting at another attorney, claiming he was lying about the client Hopkins was representing in the case.

“Get out of my face, sir,” Hopkins yelled several times at the other attorney.

The chaos reached a fever pitch when two officers approached Hopkins and attempted to initiate the lawyer’s arrest for contempt of court. However, Hopkins resisted.

“Stop resisting,” one officer instructed.

“I’m not resisting,” Hopkins claimed, while refusing to be handcuffed by the officers.

After several failed attempts to put handcuffs on Hopkins, the officers began to wrestle the attorney to the ground before the incident devolved into a chaotic struggle.

“I can’t breathe,” Hopkins yelled multiple times. “Help! Somebody call 911.”

Two more officers entered the courtroom to assist in Hopkins’ arrest.

“Get a female officer, now!” Hopkins demanded.

RELATED: Olympic Committee adopts new policy on ‘trans’ athletes

Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Online commentators criticized Hopkins for demanding to be identified as male and then requesting a female police officer during the arrest.

“Totally unprofessional,” Collin Rugg wrote. “Wanted to be a ‘tough guy’ and then started screaming for a female officer when officers treated him like a guy.”

“How shallow the delusion is even for them. Their identity is constantly evolving depending on the victimhood quotient in any given moment,” one individual stated.

Hopkins shared a video on Facebook after the incident, announcing that Hopkins Law and Associates would be closed.

“We are closing our doors, but we would like to thank you all for your kindness, support, and most of all loyalty for the last 13 years! If your matter remains open no worries we will be wrapping it up with a nice bow before then! And if for any reason it remains outstanding we will get it to the end zone!” the firm wrote in a separate post.

Hopkins Law and Associates did not respond to a request for comment.

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When Trevor Sheatz shared part of his wife’s testimony on X, it immediately began to trend. The post, which discusses his formerly “promiscuous” wife, Ashley Sheatz, regaining sexual purity through Christ, racked up millions of views — and unfortunately also opened the floor to intense criticism.

Even criticism from respected conservative Christian commentators.

“I saw my friends at Daily Wire also disagree with how this person worded his testimony,” BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey says on “Relatable,” before playing a clip of Daily Wire host Michael Knowles.

“I agree with so many of the points he’s making, and yet, there’s something wrong with this post, right? You shouldn’t call your wife a ‘whore’ on social media, I think? … You don’t need to talk about your past sins all the time,” Knowles said.

“He did not call his wife that. You called his wife that. You called another man’s wife that. You called a new creation that. Like, you called a person who has been redeemed by Christ, who has been sanctified and made new and as pure as the driven snow because of Christ, a ‘whore,’” Stuckey responds.

“That is on you. That is not on her husband, OK?” she says, pointing out that it’s largely the “hyper-patriarchy bros who call themselves Christians” who are taking “any opportunity not only to denigrate women but to denigrate the work of the gospel.”

“And then of course, you do have people, which OK, who say, ‘Yeah, all that’s well and good, but still like, we shouldn’t be promoting this kind of thing, virginity matters, and all of that.’ Again I would say Trevor said that. Trevor didn’t say anything against virginity,” she adds.

Stuckey points out that Trevor’s main point was that his wife has been made anew, not that virginity does not matter.

“That’s going to seem scandalous to the world because most people can’t understand that level of honesty and transparency and the lack of shame that you have once you are in Christ,” she says.

“I think Ashley’s testimony points to the grace and redemption and the opportunity that each and every one of us has in Christ. And I’m so thankful for her courage,” she adds, before reading Ashley’s response to the backlash.

“Becoming a Christian in general opens you up to ridicule, slander, and shame, but it is worth it for the sake of the gospel. Jesus is worthy. ‘Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.’ (Matthew 5:11),” Sheatz wrote.

And Sheatz even tells Stuckey that she “wasn’t embarrassed at all” by the response.

“Praise God that my testimony is being seen by millions of people, millions of unsaved people, and the gospel is being magnified in that. Zero shame. And my husband knows I do not mind him at all sharing any aspects of my testimony,” she explains.

“I always praise God when I’m reviled and persecuted for righteousness’ sake as Jesus talks about in the Beatitudes. It is a blessing. It’s hard. But it’s still a blessing,” she adds.

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A Los Angeles-area father fed up with his city’s inaction apparently painted “stop” on a street and installed 30-inch reflective stop signs at his own cost. He has been arrested.

Joseph Brandlin said he had seen numerous near-crashes at the intersection outside his home in El Segundo, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The neighbors immediately organized and wrote 74 letters of support for Brandlin, who handed the letters over to city officials shortly after his arrest.

The 44-year-old has lived at the location for nearly four decades and said the city was ignoring complaints about the intersection of Loma Vista Street and Acacia Avenue.

“I care deeply about the safety of our neighborhood and the families that live here,” Brandlin told the Times.

He got together with other residents and presented a petition with about 50 signatures asking the city to install additional stop signs. The city said its traffic analysis found insufficient reason to merit the signs, but residents said they saw no evidence of the survey.

“There’s a park right there, and it’s a magnet for children,” said Gary Sanders, a 62-year-old resident of the neighborhood.

“A tragedy could occur,” he added. “I wonder if a tragedy does have to occur for the city to do something about it.”

Brandlin said the last straw was when his son was nearly hit by a car at the intersection because of low visibility.

He began installing the stop signs on the early morning of March 14, according to the El Segundo Police Department.

While the city may not have made the requested safety changes at the intersection, the city rushed to prosecute Brandlin when he took matters into his own hands.

He was arrested at about 1:30 a.m.

Brandlin said the arrest was excessive, as he was charged with multiple felonies. Among the charges were interfering with a traffic control device, grand theft, and vandalism exceeding $400. He was released later that day and is scheduled for a court hearing in June.

The neighbors immediately organized and wrote 74 letters of support for Brandlin, who handed the letters over to city officials shortly after his arrest.

“I’m asking the council for a straightforward action to install stop signs on intersection of Loma Vista Street and Acacia Avenue or complete and transparent evaluation with the community,” said Brandlin at a city council meeting days after his arrest.

The Times report noted that there have been other incidents in which residents have been arrested for their vigilante improvements to street safety.

RELATED: ‘I am mortified’: Video shows ‘serial defecator’ nabbed by police drone in city park

Brandlin says the city council has not responded to his requests.

The Times said the city council did not respond to request for comment.

“The city just wasn’t listening,” Brandlin said.

The single dad told KCBS-TV that he would do it again to keep kids and families safe.

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A former Los Angeles Unified School District employee and the owner of a technology vendor were charged Thursday for their alleged involvement in a $22 million kickback scheme that funneled taxpayer funds away from classrooms and into their own pockets.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced charges against Hong “Grace” Peng, 53, of Pasadena, and Gautham Sampath, 53, of Flower Mound, Texas.

‘This case involves a blatant abuse of public trust — funneling taxpayer dollars intended for students into personal coffers.’

Peng previously worked as a technical project manager for LAUSD between 2018 and 2022. She was accused of illegally participating in the awarding of contracts. Peng allegedly unlawfully issued contracts totaling over $22 million to a company owned by Sampath.

Sampath was accused of laundering over $3 million to Peng.

Peng resigned from her position with LAUSD following a late-2022 search warrant related to an investigation into alleged illegal activity. Peng was charged with money laundering and one felony count of having a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity.

Sampath was charged with money laundering, having a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity, and aiding and abetting a government official to have a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity.

RELATED: FBI raids home and office of Los Angeles school superintendent, outspoken critic of ICE raids

Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

If convicted on all charges, they each face up to seven years in jail.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Peng and an extradition warrant for Sampath.

“Between 2018 and 2022, Peng was involved in signing, approving, or recommending over $22 million in funding from LAUSD to Innive through Change Orders, Work Orders, Invoices, and Contract recommendations,” the felony complaint read. “Between 2017 and 2023, Innive received over $39 million in payments from LAUSD. Between 2018 and 2022, Peng received over $3 million in payments from Sampath, Sampath controlled companies, or Sampath connected third parties.”

The complaint claimed that Sampath sent texts to Peng in February 2018 instructing her to “delete all” of their messages.

“If anyone sees the text about these internal things it will be a prb,” Sampath allegedly wrote.

In June 2018, he allegedly wrote to Peng, “What r the other opportunities in Lausd. That we can exploit. Any other area.”

According to the complaint, Peng responded by telling Sampath that there were “a lot” of proposal requests from the district.

“This case involves a blatant abuse of public trust — funneling taxpayer dollars intended for students into personal coffers,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated. “This vendor, working with an LAUSD project manager, allegedly carried out a multi-year, multi-contract pay-to-play arrangement that siphoned millions of dollars from our schools. We will not tolerate public officials who sell out their responsibilities or contractors who line their pockets by gaming the system. Both will be held fully accountable.”

RELATED: Thousands of students drop out of Los Angeles schools over ‘climate of fear’ from deportations, superintendent says

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP/Getty Images

LAUSD released a statement in response to the charges.

“Los Angeles Unified is aware of the charges filed by the District Attorney’s office against an individual who worked for LAUSD as an information technology employee from 2018 to 2022. As recounted in the District Attorney’s Felony Complaint, this former employee was referred to the Office of the Inspector General for investigation in April 2022, as soon as an LAUSD supervisor learned of a potential conflict of interest. LAUSD Office of the Inspector General then notified the District Attorney’s office,” the district wrote.

“LAUSD is committed to full compliance with all applicable laws, and we expect our employees and business partners to comply with the highest standards of ethics and integrity. The District will continue to cooperate fully with relevant authorities,” the district continued. “We will not comment further on the specifics of the case while legal proceedings are ongoing.”

Sampath, Innive, and Peng did not respond to a request for comment.

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Democrats unconditionally surrendered early Friday morning, passing funding for the Department of Homeland Security after their five-week shutdown ground airport security lines to a halt, stopped paychecks for TSA agents and other employees, and crippled the department’s ability to prepare security for the World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) promptly tried to claim victory anyway, posting on X: “After weeks of negotiations, Republicans caved to our demands to fund DHS without a blank check for ICE and CBP.”

House Republicans should not panic because Democrats staged a little theater for their own base. They should take the win.

That is false.

Republicans did not accept any Democrat demands, though they came close as recently as last weekend, had Democrats been willing to negotiate in good faith. And both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection already have billions in funding, with much more easily available by June through reconciliation, which requires only 51 votes in the Senate.

So what exactly were Democrats demanding?

The minority party wanted judicial warrants, against court precedent, that would have crippled enforcement. Democrats also wanted to ban the face coverings agents use to protect their families from violent activists. They wanted to end patrols, stop enforcement at courthouses and other key locations, bar agents from relying on observations such as accent, occupation, or appearance, and place use-of-force investigations under the jurisdiction of often politicized local police departments.

They got none of it.

The remarkable part is that they could have walked away with something. As recently as last weekend, Republicans were still trying to bring Democrats to the table.

“We got on our front foot by negotiating in good faith last week and through the weekend and offering low-hanging concessions,” a senior White House official told the Beltway Brief. But Democrats wanted more and kept moving the goalposts.

As for ICE and CBP funding, the panic on the right is misplaced. Both agencies already have billions. Neither gave up a single enforcement tool. And now that the shutdown is over, both can be funded again through reconciliation.

That is the same process that already delivered more than $100 billion in funding to begin with and insulated both agencies from the Democrats’ theatrical shutdown. Reconciliation requires only a simple majority, though it can address only spending matters that directly affect the budget.

That is also why reconciliation cannot be used to pass new policy such as the SAVE America Act. The Senate parliamentarian enforces those rules. But she has already allowed ICE and CBP funding through reconciliation, and nothing suggests she would rule differently this time.

Democrats had an opening here. President Trump had no interest in handing the minority party concessions, but Senate Republicans were more open to it. Democrats refused because they wanted to tell their base they shut the government down and would not budge. Now that face-saving fiction is all they have left while funding resumes and ICE and CBP money likely arrives within the next two months, according to White House projections.

Then came the frustrating part.

Friday afternoon, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) found a way to snatch defeat from victory, issuing a forceful statement that the House would not accept this outcome. His hand is being forced by conservatives furious that the Senate stripped the funding from this measure and worried about the precedent. But that reaction misses the strategic reality.

They’re making a mistake.

House Republicans should not panic because Democrats staged a little theater for their own base. They should take the win. Democrats shut down the DHS, inflicted weeks of pain, gained nothing, and then surrendered.

Call it what it is: a Republican victory.

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The man convicted of a heinous lethal attack on an 84-year-old man got his prison sentence suspended by a San Francisco judge on Thursday.

The horrendous attack on Vicha Ratanapakdee in 2021 was captured on video and helped inspire the “Stop Asian Hate” movement. Antoine Watson was 19 years old when he ran violently into the victim and shoved him to the ground. Ratanapakdee died from his injuries.

‘Today’s sentence is deeply disappointing. An 84-year-old man was killed in a cruel, unprovoked attack, and our family will live with this loss every day.’

Watson was convicted of involuntary manslaughter but acquitted of the murder charge earlier this year. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, but the trial judge suspended the sentence and gave Watson credit for five years of time served while awaiting the conclusion of the trial.

The man’s family is outraged at the decision.

“Today’s sentence is deeply disappointing. An 84-year-old man was killed in a cruel, unprovoked attack, and our family will live with this loss every day,” reads a statement from the victim’s daughter. “This is not about revenge — it is about accountability. When consequences do not match the harm, it sends the wrong message about protecting our seniors and public safety. We are concerned about what this means for other families.”

The family has accused Watson, a black man, of having a racial motive for the attack, but he was not charged with a hate crime.

A defense attorney for Watson said he intentionally pushed the victim but did not intend to kill him, arguing that Watson had a mental health breakdown over a police encounter earlier that morning.

Watson was also ordered to undergo weekly therapy sessions and submit to searches of him and his property.

Critics see the “Grandpa Vicha” case as yet another terrible example of lax criminal prosecution that does nothing to discourage further crime and violence. Others decry the alleged racial component of the lethal attack.

RELATED: VIDEO: Thug sprints across street, slams into 84-year-old man, flattens him on driveway. Victim later dies.

However, if Watson does not follow the rules of probation, he could be forced to serve the rest of his sentence, which is three years.

Watson’s public defender, Anita Nabha, said he was remorseful about the incident.

“As a grandson, it is really hard for him to accept the conduct that he did and that he took two children’s grandfather away from them,” Nabha said.

The victim’s family says justice was not served by the suspended sentence.

“The bottom line is that he’s out in, like, five years on probation for killing our father-in-law, and it’s unacceptable,” said the man’s son-in-law, Eric Lawson.

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The U.S. Secret Service says an agent guarding former first lady Jill Biden had a “negligent discharge” and shot himself at an airport.

Police said the bizarre incident unfolded at the Philadelphia International Airport on Friday morning just before 8:45 a.m.

Biden was not in the vicinity of the negligent discharge.

A witness told KYW-TV it appeared that the agent was trying to get into the back of an SUV at the airport when the gun accidentally went off.

Police said the agent shot himself in the leg near an unmarked Chevrolet SUV at the Pennsylvania Tower outside Terminal C. The agent was transported to the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in stable condition, according to police. No one else was injured, and the airport operations were not interrupted.

Biden was not in the vicinity of the negligent discharge.

Police remained at the scene to investigate the incident for hours, according to KYW.

“The Secret Service’s Office of Professional Responsibility will be reviewing the facts and circumstances of this incident,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

RELATED: Jill Biden mocked for comparing Hispanics to tacos at ‘Latinx Incluxion’ conference: ‘Previously unimaginable level of cringe’

The former first lady also recently made headlines when her ex-husband was charged in the murder of his second wife in February.

William Stevenson, 77, was indicted for the murder of 64-year-old Linda Stevenson, who was found dead on Dec. 28 at their home. Stevenson had been friendly with Joe Biden but later became a supporter of President Donald Trump.

Stevenson was married to his second wife for nearly four decades.

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BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales is taking aim at Gavin Newsom after the California governor proudly compared himself to Patrick Bateman — the infamous fictional serial killer portrayed by Christian Bale.

“Gavin Newsom is not the king of trolling. In fact, Gavin Newsom is bad at it. He’s so bad at it that he accidentally trolls himself,” Gonzales says.

“For so many years people have been saying that Patrick Bateman and I look alike. Now this pic has been going all over the place. What do you think?” Newsom posted on X, alongside a photo of him next to Bale.

“Patrick Bateman is like the worst person in the world. Like, he is obsessed with his appearance … he’s a total narcissist. Also happens to be a psychotic serial killer, rapist, cannibal, torturer,” Gonzales comments.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Yeah, we agree. There’s a lot of similarities between you and Patrick Bateman, Gavin.’ Like, you’re just setting yourself up to be trolled, which he was,” she continues.

A post on X from Fox News reported on the humble comparison, writing, “Governor Gavin Newsom is sparking widespread mockery after ‘bizarrely’ comparing his own look to the fictional serial killer Patrick Bateman.”

Newsom quote-tweeted the article, writing, “They still don’t get it.”

“Gav, I think you’re the one who still doesn’t get it,” Gonzales comments. “Unless you’re trying to tell us that you are, in fact, a psychotic serial killer.”

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Turn on Fox News, scroll social media, or listen to talk radio, and one message comes through loud and clear: Many Republicans think the SAVE America Act is the key to saving the GOP in the November midterms.

It is not.

The SAVE America Act is not a magic wand. It will not erase 14 months of drift, dysfunction, and broken promises.

Yes, requiring proof of citizenship to register and identification to vote is necessary. Yes, most Americans, regardless of party, support the idea. But Republicans are kidding themselves if they think that alone will persuade voters to reward them in November.

The rot runs much deeper, and no “one simple trick” will fix it.

Trump surged to victory in 2024 on promises to change the country’s direction in dramatic ways. Fourteen months later, too many of those promises remain unfulfilled. Some died at the hands of weak and ineffective congressional leadership. Others were thwarted by feckless Cabinet officials, such as the new czarina of the Shield of the Americas, Kristi Noem. Others fell victim to Trump’s own choices.

The core promises were clear: mass deportations, a stronger economy, lower inflation, and no new long-term foreign entanglements. Those themes helped Trump assemble a broad coalition, including a majority of young men, and deliver the biggest Republican Electoral College victory since George H.W. Bush in 1988.

Now, with just over seven months until the midterms, nearly all of those promises remain unmet or badly compromised. Facts aren’t partisan — they are just facts.

Start with immigration. For all the left’s hysteria over ICE raids, Trump has deported fewer people than Barack Obama did in the first year of his second term. That came after four years of unprecedented illegal immigration under Biden. The promise of mass deportation remains unfulfilled.

Congress hasn’t helped. Ineffective Republican leadership has let the Department of Homeland Security go without funding for over a month, slowing deportation efforts while creating chaos at airports as TSA employees go unpaid. The public sees dysfunction, not competence.

RELATED: Mullin inherits a mess at DHS. Here’s how he can still save Trump’s legacy.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Then comes the economy.

The cost of living has not gone down. Signs point the other way. Inflation could surge past 4% as energy prices rise because of the war with Iran. Food prices remain high and may climb higher as petroleum-based fertilizer gets more expensive just before planting season. Homes remain unaffordable to most Americans. The job market sits on the edge of an AI-fueled bust. The promised relief in the form of larger tax refund checks has not materialized.

The labor market struggles as rampant H-1B visa abuse keeps importing cheaper foreign labor into high-paying STEM jobs that Americans want and are trained to do. Trump and Republican leaders still talk about H-1B as though it were a strategic advantage rather than a direct threat to their own voters.

Guess what? Voters have noticed.

Recent polling shows Democrat James Talarico leading both Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn in Texas. Former Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper holds a commanding lead in the race to replace Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina. Even in Maine, the Democrat challenger accused of sporting a Nazi tattoo leads Sen. Susan Collins.

RELATED: Texas Democrats just gave Republicans a gift-wrapped hypocrisy story

Bob Daemmrich/Texas Tribune/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The bad numbers do not stop there. A glance at RealClearPolitics tells the terrifying tale.

Special elections are just as ugly. In those races, including the district that encompasses Mar-a-Lago, Democrats have run strongly among independent voters, the very bloc that helped solidify Trump’s 2024 coalition.

That is the problem Republicans refuse to face. The SAVE America Act is a common-sense bill, and Congress should pass it. Elections should be protected from ineligible voters. But the bill is not a magic wand. It will not erase 14 months of drift, dysfunction, and broken promises. It will not lower prices, deport illegal aliens, fix the job market, or persuade disillusioned independents to come back home.

Republicans do not face a midterm problem because they have failed to pass one bill. They face a midterm problem because they have failed to deliver on the reasons voters put them back in power.

​Opinion & analysis, Save america act, Congress, Republicans, 2026 midterms, Special elections, Democrats, Polls, James talarico, Ken paxton, John cornyn, Susan collins, Kristi noem, Promises, Ice raids, Mass deportations, Department of homeland security, H1-b, Fraud, Cheap labors 

Ukrainian government communications discussed a scheme to direct American taxpayer dollars to then-President Joe Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee to boost Biden’s 2024 re-election bid against President Donald Trump, according to an intelligence report obtained by Just the News.

The newly unclassified documents summarize raw intercepts from U.S. spy agencies in late 2022. Officials who reviewed the files stated that there was a lack of curiosity to investigate the allegations under the Biden administration, the news outlet reported.

‘In this manner, most of the US funding would be diverted to Joe Biden’s election campaign without the ability to track where exactly the funds came from.’

The American tax dollars were intended to fund a clean energy project in Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.

“The Ukrainian Government and unspecified U.S. Government personnel, through USAID in Kyiv, reportedly developed a plan that would provide hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund an infrastructure project for Ukraine that would be used as a cover to send approximately 90% of funds allocated to the DNC to fund Joe Biden’s re-election campaign,” the report read, according to Just the News.

“They were confident the project would be funded initially, even though at some time in the future the project would be disapproved as unnecessary. At this time, the money would already be allocated and impossible to return or use for a different purpose,” it added.

The report named two American subcontractors that could potentially receive the funds, officials told Just the News. However, those names were redacted in the report obtained by the news outlet.

RELATED: ‘USADF is garbage’: Senior US foreign aid official will plead guilty to taking kickbacks, lying to feds

Donald Trump, Joe Biden. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

“The plan included details of how subcontractors would be funded through U.S. companies so that how the funds were spent and allocated would be difficult to track,” the report continued. “Additionally, contracts would be executed that would be difficult to verify. In this manner, most of the U.S. funding would be diverted to Joe Biden’s election campaign without the ability to track where exactly the funds came from.”

Just the News reported that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently learned about the intelligence intercepts. She reportedly asked USAID officials to review their records to ascertain whether the alleged scheme was executed and whether a criminal referral should be made to the FBI.

RELATED: Tulsi Gabbard warns: Powerful foreign allies eager to pull US into war with Russia

Tulsi Gabbard. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

An official told the news outlet that Gabbard’s team has not found substantive evidence indicating that the allegations were thoroughly investigated under Biden’s leadership. The official noted that the communications are not believed to be linked to Russian disinformation efforts.

Trump shared the Just the News article in a post on social media.

In a statement to Blaze News, a spokesperson for Gabbard confirmed the existence of related intelligence, adding that the director’s team is “working to review USAID holdings.”

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Bruce Springsteen has a severe case of Kimmel-itis.

Former “Man Show” host Jimmy Kimmel once told a journo he wasn’t worried about losing Republican viewers due to his hard-left shift. “Not good riddance but riddance,” the lachrymose late-nighter quipped.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is furious about the Trump-Kennedy Center’s choice for the Mark Twain Prize for Humor.

Now, the 76-year-old Boss is singing a similar tune. He’s hitting the road for a new, anti-Trump tour, complete with official No Kings messaging and, hopefully, lots of fiber in his tour bus fridge. And he doesn’t care if he sheds fans along the way.

“I don’t worry about if you’re going to lose this part of your audience. I’ve always had a feeling about the position we play culturally, and I’m still deeply committed to that idea of the band. The blowback is just part of it. I’m ready for all that.”

His shrinking fan base might not be ready for those sky-high ticket prices …

Best Actor

Josh Duhamel isn’t an A-list star, but he’s got a mindset his peers might consider.

The “Shotgun Wedding” alum is taking them to task about their political posturing. Shut up and act, he suggested, although he phrased it in a more genteel manner. Why? They might stay employed if they do, which is a bigger issue in today’s shrinking Hollywood.

“I have real strong opinions about things, but I don’t really talk about them. … Why would I alienate half my audience? Because I respect their views on things, but I’m not going to preach to them. They can believe what they want.”

Somewhere, Johnny Carson is smiling …

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Feature China/Michael Ochs Archives/CBS Photo Archives/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Next-Files

The truth is out there, but will anybody recognize it?

That “X-Files” reboot from Oscar winner Ryan Coogler is moving forward, and we know who the two main actors will be — Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler. Are they the new Mulder and Scully?

No.

So if there’s no Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, and the new leads are playing fresh characters, what makes it an “X-Files” joint, to borrow Spike Lee’s phrase? The show’s original creator, Chris Carter, is an executive producer on the project, which often is a glorified credit given out of respect, not hands-on involvement.

To Hollywood, it really doesn’t matter. It’s all about brand recognition and familiar IPs. All we know is there better be a man smoking somewhere, or you’ll see riots in Nerdville …

I don’t CAIR; do you?

Oooh, CAIR is mad.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is furious about the Trump-Kennedy Center’s choice for the Mark Twain Prize for Humor. It’s Bill Maher, the HBO host and veteran stand-up comic who refuses to ignore Islam’s problematic headlines.

Maher is an equal-opportunity offender when it comes to religion. He even made a movie about it. Since most celebrities steer clear of Islam in general, his comments stand out. CAIR even shared a fiercely worded statement on the selection.

“Mr. Maher would have never received this recognition if he were an antisemitic comedian who supported terrorism against Jewish-Americans or Israelis, but his open bigotry against Muslims and support for the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza are somehow perfectly acceptable.”

CAIR didn’t point to any incendiary Maher riffs, according to the Hollywood Reporter, but the organization said he supports Israel and has attacked Hamas as “evil.” Evil? Now, where would Maher get that idea …

Sweeney’s salute

If you thought leftists hated Sydney Sweeney already, this will send them over the edge.

The “Euphoria” star enraged progressives last year by joking about the words “genes” and “jeans” in an American Eagle ad. White supremacist, they cried, revealing more about themselves than anything Sweeney actually did.

The starlet took the blowback in stride, as did American Eagle, which watched its stock prices soar thanks to the commercial.

Now, Sweeney is toasting her little brother, who is serving in the U.S. military overseas. And she’s extending her good wishes to the men and women doing the same.

“Thinking of all our boys and girls overseas and sending my love! Thank you for your service :).”

Meanwhile, late-night comedians are skewering the U.S. over its decision to topple Iranian despots, and stars like Javier Bardem want the war that stopped the mass slaughter of Iranian citizens stopped at all costs.

Clearly, Sweeney has gone too far.

​Entertainment, Culture, Bruce springsteen, Jimmy kimmel, Music, Sydney sweeney, Toto recall 

I just finished “BLT week.” This was a week in which I ate one bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich every day. By doing so, I managed to consume one 16-ounce packet of bacon, most of two slicing tomatoes, and a ball of iceberg lettuce in eight days.

This is the price you pay when you’re single and live by yourself. When the extra fancy bacon goes on sale at your local supermarket, you can’t resist buying it. And then you hurriedly pick up a tomato and lettuce.

People have urged me to invest in a quality freezer. But I don’t want to live a freezer life. I watched my Boomer father give his best years to the freezer ethos.

And then it’s a race to eat all that bacon before it goes bad, or gets relegated to the back of the refrigerator, where it will eventually go really bad.

I know you can use bacon in a lot of different ways, but I’m not that creative. I stick with the BLTs. And maybe a couple of strips with breakfast.

But of course, familiarity breeds contempt. And so after a week of constant bacon, I’ve had enough.

Pork for dorks

Last month, I did a “pork chop week.” It was the same scenario as the bacon: I bought a packet of five pork chops on sale. But then I had to make sure to eat one a day, lest I forget about them and they end up in the back of my fridge, where I would rediscover them months later.

This is a standard practice for me. Since I’m rarely cooking for someone else, and I can’t resist a deal, I end up buying family-sized portions of different food products — which I then feel obligated to eat continuously until they’re gone.

I suppose I could buy a “grab-and-go,” single-person meal from the deli section of my supermarket. These meals are designed for chronically stressed-out single people, who have given up on life.

Typically, they consist of one sad pork chop, a pathetic glop of mashed potatoes, and three scrawny green beans, all encased in microwaveable plastic, for the outrageous price of $20.

No thank you on that. Instead I buy the pork chop family pack. Five pork chops for $5.

Those five pork chops are intended to be one meal for a family of five.

But for me, it’s a week’s worth of pork chops. At the end of which, I’d rather not see another pork chop for a while.

A friend in need

I have a friend who is also single. She lives alone in another state. She gets caught in the same trap, buying too much food, much of which is perishable.

But unlike me, she doesn’t force herself to eat it all. She throws the extra in the fridge and forgets about it.

This is where I come in. I go visit her and spend a week eating all the leftovers in her fridge. The fish sticks she didn’t eat. The remainder of a takeout pad thai order. Half of a tuna casserole she forgot about. Or part of a stale Sarah Lee cheesecake.

Recently, I found slices of cold pizza that had spent weeks in the back of her fridge. Fortunately, using my advanced single-guy microwave skills, I was able to bring these deceased pizza slices back to life and make a nice meal out of them.

Singles going steady

Some people refer to these food portion problems as a “singles tax.” It’s that extra bit you have to pay because you have not coupled up or don’t have a family.

You especially get gouged by the singles tax when you travel. I travel a lot, and the amount I spend on hotels … yikes! Or paying for gas on long driving trips when I’m the only person in the car. Such trips feel very wasteful.

But this is becoming the norm: Solo travelers, solo diners, solo apartment dwellers — more than ever, people are living by themselves.

According to Pew Research, “About 38% of adults aged 25 to 54 in the U.S. are unpartnered, which includes those living alone, a significant increase from 29% in 1990.”

Alone again, naturally

So where did this trend away from couples and toward singletons begin? For myself, it began in my 20s. I knew that I wanted to be a writer, which is, of course, a precarious profession.

In my case, that seemed to preclude a wife and kids. How would I support them over the inevitable lean years? I wouldn’t want to force my “starving artist” lifestyle on a family.

But nowadays, you don’t have to justify being single by your choice of jobs. People just prefer it.

Men and women no longer have a “yin and yang” relationship. They are no longer considered two different types of humans who complement each other and need each other’s different abilities.

No, men and women are increasingly the same. They both have jobs. They both own homes. They both have cars and gym memberships and credit cards and food preferences.

As they have become more isolated and less dependent on one another, men and women increasingly live alone, shop alone, dine alone.

Everyone can take care of themselves. Nobody needs anybody. It sounds good in terms of personal freedom. But you can’t help wonder about the long-term societal effects.

And really, how happy can you be when you’re forced to eat yet another BLT, after you just ate six of them?

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Pierre Lahalle/Getty Images

Cold, cold heart

And yes, people have urged me to invest in a quality freezer. But I don’t want to live a freezer life. I watched my Boomer father give his best years to the freezer ethos: putting stuff in there and then digging it out, five years later, covered in ice and snow, and not remembering what it is or why he bought it.

No, I want to live now. I want to eat now. I want to go to the supermarket and feel the thrill of finding a jumbo pack of gourmet chicken apple sausage at half price!

If that means I’ll be eating chicken apple sausage every day for the rest of the calendar year, that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Hope, always hope

In the meantime, I remain hopeful that change is possible. That men and women will come together, embrace their differences, and learn to live with each other again. (And increase the birthrate?)

Only then will we create the kind of families who can easily consume five pork chops in one sitting.

In the meantime, if you need any chicken apple sausage, I’ve got extra.

​Lifestyle, Single life, Cooking, Men’s health, Pork chops, Blts, Blake’s progress