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A viral video out of Baltimore shows a bouncer putting a male in a chokehold outside a bar — and then smashing the male’s head through the window of a car parked on the street’s curb.

The 51-second clip has garnered views climbing toward 10 million as of Thursday afternoon.

‘Learn to de-escalate, communicate, and walk away.’

In the video, the rather large bouncer is standing on a sidewalk telling a smaller male to “leave.”

Soon the smaller male’s hand appears to make contact with the bouncer’s chest, and the bouncer advances toward the guy — who soon appears to bump the bouncer in an attempt to walk by him.

Immediately the bouncer grabs the male around the neck from behind and puts him in the chokehold. About seven seconds later, the male taps repeatedly on the bouncer’s arm — a commonly known “I give up” signal in MMA fighting.

But the tap doesn’t work on this Baltimore street.

The chokehold continues, the bouncer wrenches the male’s neck a few times while spinning him around, and there are more taps on the bouncer’s arm.

“He tapped! He tapped! Let him go! Let him go!” one person is heard pleading in the clip.

Then the bouncer ups the ante and smashes the male’s head through a car window.

“Yo! Chill out!” a person is heard yelling at the bouncer, who by this point has taken the male behind the vehicle — now missing one window — as a second bouncer approaches.

Finally, the 33-second chokehold ends, the pair of bouncers restrain the male against the back of the vehicle in question, and they appear to let him go into the street as the clip ends.

RELATED: Armed 17-year-old carjacker rolls the dice, promptly meets his match when victim pulls his own gun and opens fire

WJZ-TV reported that the incident occurred on East Cross Street in the city’s Federal Hill neighborhood near the Cross Street Public House restaurant.

A restaurant spokesperson told the station the establishment doesn’t employ the bouncer in question and that Ace Event Services Group provided security. WJZ added that the restaurant and the security company “have since parted ways.”

Baltimore Democrat Councilman Isaac Yitzy Schleifer said that “both Bouncers/Security guards need to be held accountable.”

Baltimore police initially told WJZ they were aware of the video and attempting to figure out what went down; by Monday, police told the station they were trying to identify the bouncer in the video.

On Wednesday, Baltimore police announced that 41-year-old Kevin Weaver turned himself in — and is facing a first-degree aggravated assault charge.

Baltimore Police on Thursday told Blaze News, “We are unable to share a mugshot [of Weaver] at this time.”

In the aftermath of the viral video, WBFF-TV reported that some in the neighborhood are unsettled about the incident.

“I mean, the kid’s not 21, but that doesn’t mean you get to rough ’em,” one person told the station.

Another added to WBFF that “in security, you have to take some abuse from the public, but you don’t hit his head into a window … that’s disgusting.”

The station said police have yet to confirm the identity of the person who was placed in the chokehold.

RELATED: Watch what happens after Democrat witness tells Rep. Brandon Gill Baltimore is a safe city

Kim Klacik — host of “Kim Klacik Live” on WCBM-AM and a former candidate for the U.S. House who ran as a Republican — noted to WBFF in a follow-up story that “when it comes to police saying there is no report yet, I don’t believe this is something uncommon in these scenarios, considering that that young man that had his head rammed through the car window could have possibly been a minor.”

Pete Brazil — who worked security at another bar — told the station in a separate story that the bouncer’s actions were over the top: “For 30 seconds — I do not condone that. He tapped, so he shoulda let him go.”

WBFF said Brazil recognized the bouncer and described him as usually “a pretty cool, calm, collected dude” who “just had a bad day.”

RELATED: Bus rider gets upset at fellow passenger for being impolite, soon shoots him to death, authorities say. Jury returns verdict.

Brazil added to the station that “fights happen every day. I’m just happy that no one really got hurt.”

Another area bouncer told WBFF that those working security at bars need to “learn to de-escalate, communicate, and walk away.”

Mark Crosby — a pro-life Baltimore resident who was brutally beaten up in front of a Planned Parenthood in the city, only for admitted culprit Patrick Brice to walk away without any jail time — told Blaze News the chokehold and car-window smash were “horrific.”

Crosby added to Blaze News that all the much-larger bouncer had to do was “smack him once, and that would’ve been enough.”

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Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom continued his feud against President Donald Trump by threatening the universities who complied with a request from the federal government.

The president issued a 10-point memo titled the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine universities and said any that agreed would receive preferential treatment for grants and other federal money.

‘California will not bankroll schools that sign away academic freedom.’

Newsom, who has presidential ambitions and has positioned California as a leading state to oppose Trump’s policies, issued a threat to universities that agreed to the compact.

“California universities that bend to the will of Donald Trump and sign this insane ‘compact’ will lose billions in state funding — IMMEDIATELY,” he wrote on social media Thursday.

“California will not bankroll schools that sign away academic freedom,” he added.

The compact was sent to the University of Southern California, and the administration said more universities would be receiving it.

The document called for universities to change their hiring practices so they don’t consider sex, ethnicity, race, national origin, disability, or religion. It also demanded that undergraduate applicants take standardized tests that include the SAT and ACT.

The compact was also sent to Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, Brown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania.

RELATED: DHS has a fiery message for Newsom after he bans masks for ICE: ‘We will NOT comply!’

American Council on Education president Ted Mitchell issued a statement opposing the compact.

“It’s not worth the compromises that they would have to make,” he said. “This is a Faustian bargain.”

Trump has been targeting colleges and universities by ending research funding and other taxpayer-provided funds from the federal government. Some of his efforts have been stymied by opposition in the courts.

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A Christian youth baseball coach in Texas was shot while praying with his team, and while police say it was an “accident,” shocking new details may tell a different story.

The incident occurred after three men allegedly fired upon the youth baseball tournament in Katy, Texas, and shot a coach when trying to hit targets in the area. Corbin Geisendorff, the assistant coach for the Texas Colts, explained that bullets were “flying everywhere.”

“It wasn’t just one shot,” he added.

And after doing a little digging, BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales believes the attack wasn’t an accident at all, and instead, it may have been a terrorist attack.

“One of these men … the Lebanese man, Ahmad Mawed, has ties to a mosque called MAS Katy,” Gonzales explains.

“And he follows the mosque on social media, okay? And what we know from this reporting is that he has at least one photo linking him to being at one of the mosque’s celebrations earlier this year. So in 2025, he’s taking a picture outside the mosque at one of their Muslim holidays,” she continues.

“Now, you would say, ‘Oh, it’s just a mosque. Who cares? Of course, if he’s Muslim, he’s going to go to a mosque.’ Well, this isn’t just any mosque,” she adds.

The mosque itself has ties to the Muslim American Society, which has been described by federal prosecutors as “an overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

“Now, for those of you who don’t know about the Muslim Brotherhood, the Muslim Brotherhood has already been designated a terrorist organization in several regions, including UAE, Russia, Egypt, and I could go down the line. And its founder believed in political violence,” Gonzales explains.

“Oh, by the way, Hamas — you know Hamas, the group that is responsible for the murder, the rape, the just heinous, disgusting, inhumane acts of women and children in Israel — Hamas is a branch. It’s like an offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood,” she continues.

And it gets worse.

One of MAS Katy’s most prominent current leaders, Main Alqudah, is “a self-admitted former member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan” who has openly advocated for Islamic law over secular law.

“So, one of the guys who leads the mosque has advocated for sharia law, Islamic law, instead of secular law. That’s not good,” Gonzales says.

Alqudah has “issued sharia rulings declaring that women may not engage in public speaking” and that young girls “should be forced to wear the hijab beginning at the age of 7.”

“One of the men who, oopsies, accidentally shot up a baseball field where a coach was praying, where a Christian was praying — total accident. Total coincidence,” Gonzales says after hearing a sermon from the church. “It’s just that one of those men that did that have ties to this church where they sermons and recitations that include verses branding Christians and Jews as disbelievers and warns that their children are, quote, ‘fuel for the fire.’”

“They threaten, quote, ‘humiliating punishment’ and curse Christians and Jews to, quote, ‘hell forever,’ unquote. … None of this makes sense. I mean, it does make sense if we’re not hearing the full story. What makes sense is that we’re not hearing the full story,” she continues. “What makes sense is that this was not some sort of an accidental discharge.”

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

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Lydia Kaiser has been able to return to school while recovering from injuries the 12-year-old sustained in the horrific shooting attack at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in August.

Kaiser has been praised as a hero for protecting her friend during the shooting when she was injured. Two victims died, and another 23 were injured before the gunman killed himself by gunshot.

‘The actions of this young lady were nothing short of heroic … Lydia faced the danger in a display of heroism that will not be forgotten.’

In a GoFundMe account set up for the Kaiser family, updates reported that Kaiser had to undergo three brain surgeries after the shooting.

Her family said that she will “need ongoing care for the foreseeable future, but she remains a brave little fighter, and she is feeling stronger every day.”

Kaiser’s father worked as the gym teacher at the school and had stayed with the children while they awaited being returned to their families.

Daniel Chapin, the founder of the Uvalde Foundation for Kids nonprofit, praised the girl in a statement to KMSP-TV for her actions during the shooting.

“The actions of this young lady were nothing short of heroic,” Chapin said. “There is no question that her selflessness and dedication to her friends and peers, manifested that day into her brave action to risk her own life to protect another student from gunfire … Lydia faced the danger in a display of heroism that will not be forgotten.”

The 23-year-old shooter identified as a transgender person, said that he had a “twisted mind,” and claimed the shooting was “a final act that has been in the back of my head for years.” He left other messages indicating he had suicidal thoughts and hatred for Catholicism.

RELATED: Democrat Minneapolis mayor issues unbelievable rebuke after shooting suspect is identified as trans

Another update said Kaiser was happy to return to school Monday to be with her friends.

“She has to take a break from her favorite sports, volleyball and basketball, and that is hard for her, but she will be cheering her teammates on all the way.”

Supporters have donated more than $407K to help her and her family.

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Cindy Clemishire accused the founding pastor of a popular Texas megachurch of sexually abusing her for five years beginning in 1982 when she was a 12-year-old child, and the 64-year-old former pastor pleaded guilty on Thursday.

Robert Morris previously admitted to “inappropriate sexual behavior” with a “young lady” while denying any intercourse was involved, but he has since admitted to the rape in a plea deal.

‘This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done.’

That deal had Morris admit to five felony counts of indecent conduct with a child but will allow him to serve only 6 months in jail of a suspended 10-year sentence.

He also has to pay restitution of $250,000 and will register as a sex offender.

Morris was reportedly a married 24-year-old traveling evangelist in 1982 when he began living with the Clemishire family after they met at a youth revival in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She recalled the abuse in disturbing detail and said that church officials allowed Morris to step down in 1987 for two years without going to law enforcement or making the matter public.

After Clemishire went public with her accusations in June 2024, Morris resigned from the church and was later indicted by a grand jury in Oklahoma on the five felony counts in March.

Morris was facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each charge.

“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement. “This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done.”

RELATED: Bishop in largest California county frees Catholics from obligation to attend Mass over fear of deportations

Clemishire has filed a lawsuit against the church and certain church officials for allegedly covering up the crime when she first made her allegations known.

“For almost 40 years, Robert Morris and the leadership at Gateway have tried to blame me and put this in a flippant light of a relationship instead of what it was — a brutal crime against a 12-year-old child,” she said in a statement in June.

“My childhood and the woman I would have become died that day in 1982,” she added. “The person who abused me and the people who blatantly covered it up deserve to be held accountable. My hope is that bringing awareness to my case will help other victims and survivors feel hope, because the person who did this to me — and the people who enabled him and covered it up for decades — are being held accountable.”

Clemishire said she suspects there are other victims.

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Curious new facts have come to light in the January 6 pipe-bomb case, and Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) isn’t buying the previous narrative that the Biden administration pushed.

“It’s amazing what having an administration that actually wants to get to the truth can do to change a narrative,” Loudermilk tells Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on “The Glenn Beck Program,” noting that the original premise was that the pipe bombs were placed on the evening of January 5.

“I reached out to the FBI several times during that time period. Of course, the Biden administration, they were not forthcoming with information. Basically, they always use this excuse: ‘This is an ongoing investigation, so we can’t share that information,’” he explains.

“So what we’ve learned through the Trump administration is that story doesn’t fit with the facts that we’re finding. It appears to us … that the pipe bombs had a 60-[minute] egg timer on them,” he continues.

Then Loudermilk recalls receiving a lab report from the FBI on the pipe bombs that said there was no electronic timer.

“The only timer was that 60-minute egg timer. So it’s impossible that these pipe bombs were placed and armed on the night of January 5. They had to be placed at some point not long before they were found on January 6,” he tells Glenn.

A woman who discovered the pipe bomb that was placed near the Republican National Committee headquarters claims that there were still 20 minutes left on the egg timer when she found it.

“So that’s one huge inconsistency,” Loudermilk says.

But that’s not the only inconsistency.

“The other is mysterious data, or data that has mysteriously disappeared. And it was when the FBI was doing geofence searches. They went to all the major cell carriers and asked for all the precise data of people who were in that area on January 5 and 6,” Loudermilk explains.

The only cell carrier that didn’t provide information was AT&T.

“AT&T apparently corrupted the data. Now, we kept hearing that the data was corrupted, and this is in my previous investigation. AT&T claimed they didn’t corrupt the data; the FBI did. The FBI, we found out later, said, ‘No, the data was corrupted when we got it.’ Now that we get the real information, it becomes even more mysterious,” he continues.

This is where an entity known as FirstNet comes in, which was created by Congress after 9/11 to pre-empt cell service for law enforcement.

“So FirstNet actually sits on the AT&T backbone. For some reason — and this is where my suspicion started growing — is when the FBI contacted AT&T, gave them a preservation letter, said, ‘Save all of this data specifically around the areas where the pipe bombs were’ because they have to go through the legal mumbo jumbo to actually get the subpoena,” he explains.

“So they don’t want stuff to disappear. They send a letter telling AT&T to preserve the data. AT&T responds and says, ‘You have to go to FirstNet to get this data.’ Which raises my suspicion. Why are they telling them to go to the carrier just for law enforcement?” he continues.

“Well, according to FirstNet, that data was going to be deleted within just a few hours. So they were in this massive hurry to download all the data before it was deleted, and somehow it just got corrupted,” he says. “I’m not buying the story.”

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A sophomore from Missouri State University allegedly confessed his crimes to a chatbot just minutes after committing them.

The student, Ryan Schaefer, is accused by the Springfield Police Department of mass vandalizing 17 different vehicles in a university parking lot in the early hours of August 28.

‘Yeah go f**k urslef. thats why i f**ked up all those useless f**kers cars.’

According to a police report obtained by the Smoking Gun, the damage included shattered windshields, ripped-off windshield wipers, dented hoods, and torn-away side mirrors.

The bounty of alleged evidence includes Schaefer’s shoe prints, cellphone data, security footage, and even witness statements, but the more compelling part of the story is Schaefer’s alleged conversations with ChatGPT after the alleged crimes occurred.

Schaefer reportedly consented to his phone being searched, which resulted in police saying that just 10 minutes after the incident, Schaefer asked the ChatGPT app on his phone, “how f**ked am i bro.”

The conversation with the AI is riddled with spelling mistakes and will be published as is.

ChatGPT gave the user tips about the potential outcome of getting caught for “vreaking the windzhaileds or random cars,” to which Schaefer allegedly responded, “what if i smashed the s**t oitta multipls cars.”

Schaefer then allegedly asked ChatGPT if the MSU freshman parking lot has cameras, while also allegedly saying, “i mean i was being chull ab it but i was smahisng the winshikefs of random fs cars.”

The chat continued, “Well they dont know it was me, there was a pfff campus oarty at artifacts. and yhen they f**ked uppp da cars at artifacts and it was me bc they has two cops here but they eventually left.”

Police then said at that point, “It appears that Schaefer begins to spiral.”

RELATED: Chatbots calling the shots? Prime minister’s recent AI confession forebodes a brave new world of governance

Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Police wrote that ChatGPT began to worry and allegedly asked Schaefer to stop talking about harming people and property.

Now seemingly antagonistic toward the AI, the user wrote, “smd p***y,” before citing troubling details about freshman year. In summary, the user said he was hazed by his brothers and that his girlfriend was “raped” the previous school year.

But the user continued, seemingly confident that police would not find the suspect:

“smd ikl text y tmr cu i wont get in no trouble bc if i get in groubke for doung s**t i will kill all u fi kers.”

The user continued with threats toward the chatbot along with more statements about not getting caught.

“Yeah go f**k urslef. thats why i f**ked up all those useless f**kers cars, cuz they all dexerve to get raped and murdered, exactly like u.”

The messages continued, “i dont give a f**k shut the f**k up until dumb n****r try and get me in trouble for the shi i didn’t tn u wont ill do it f**king again.”

RELATED: ‘AI psychosis’ is sending men to the hospital

Photographer: Laura Proctor/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Schaefer’s alleged conversation showed that he was very confident that authorities would not recognize him, even if he was shown on camera.

Police described an interview with Schaefer in his residence during which he said, “I can see it, I guess, the resemblance,” while looking at screenshots from security footage.

Police seized his shoe and his iPhone as evidence, which Schaefer later agreed to have searched.

A witness told police that the suspect in police photos “was possibly Ryan Schaefer” and matched the description of the suspect who was on camera. Another witness told police that Schaefer had told them in recent weeks that he had smashed a windshield while he walked home. Schaefer denied any involvement in the incident and also denied making any admission.

The Smoking Gun reported that Schaefer was jailed on $7,500 bond. Upon his release, he will allegedly be barred from any premises “where the primary item for sale is alcoholic beverages” and will be required to submit to random testing for drugs and alcohol. Additionally, he will reportedly be fitted with a GSP monitoring device.

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Students at the University of California, Berkeley, immediately denounced a possible hate crime against students near their campus, but at least one professor has already politicized the incident.

The victimized Berkeley students were walking near the campus on Friday when assailants shot at them with what appeared to be a BB gun and yelled “racial slurs” at the same time, according to the University of California Police Department.

Cheah lists feminism, postcolonial theory, and anglophone postcolonial literatures in his list of research interests and expertise.

Police asked for information from the public but did not reveal the slurs uttered, a description of the assailants, or the racial identity of the alleged victims.

Students were alerted about the incident via the university’s warning system on Tuesday when it was reported to police, four days later. Police are investigating it as a hate crime and aggravated assault.

Despite the lack of details about the alleged attack, Berkeley professor Pheng Cheah told KNTV-TV that he blames the Trump administration.

“It’s a disturbing world these days. There’s so much hate with the Trump regime,” said Cheah. “We get notifications of disturbances, but I think it’s rarer to get a notification about a hate crime.”

“In today’s, like, climate, you can’t really take anything for granted. Like, even on a liberal campus, like, these things can still happen,” said Sophie Kwan, a Berkeley student.

Cheah lists feminism, postcolonial theory, and anglophone postcolonial literatures as his research interests and expertise.

Berkeley City Councilwoman Cecilia Lunaparra, whose district encompasses the campus, released a statement decrying the incident.

“I’m outraged by the recent hate crime and assault in District 7,” said Lunaparra. “This kind of violence has no place in our community. I have faith that together we’ll keep fighting for a Southside neighborhood and community that welcomes and stands in solidarity with all of our residents, especially the most marginalized.”

Lunaparra is a Mexican-American woman who identifies as queer.

RELATED: Pam Bondi issues zero-tolerance order on violence against federal officers

The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement denouncing the incident but offered no additional information.

“We are deeply disturbed by this violent, reportedly racist attack and stand in solidarity with the victims. No one should have to fear for their safety while simply walking in public. Racist hate has no place in Berkeley or anywhere in our state. As we continue to see a rise in hate crimes across the country, it is more important than ever that communities speak out clearly and forcefully against bigotry and violence.”

Blaze News reached out to the university police, the university, and Cheah for comment.

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The United Kingdom was struck again by horrific violence Thursday in an apparently anti-Semitic attack on a synagogue.

Sky News reported that two people were killed and four others were injured in a “car and stabbing attack” at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, England. A man reportedly slammed his car into passersby before exiting the vehicle and attacking people with a knife.

‘You capitulated British values & surrendered to the mob.’

According to Sky News, the suspect was shot dead within seven minutes of the first 999 call to Manchester police. Police were initially unable to confirm the suspect’s death due to “safety issues” over “suspicious items on his person.”

RELATED: Trump more popular in UK than leftist British prime minister — but censorship is king

Photo by Giannis Alexopoulos/Anadolu via Getty Images

The attacker was reportedly wearing what police thought was an “explosive device.” Police later deployed a bomb disposal robot to dispose of the suspected explosives, and a “bang” was reportedly heard at the scene, per Sky News. Police later confirmed that the device was “not viable.”

“This morning’s attack is absolutely shocking. I’m on my way back to London to chair an emergency meeting, and additional police assets are being deployed to synagogues across the country,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X. “We will do everything we can to keep our Jewish community safe.”

In another post, Starmer said he was “appalled” by the attack. In a comment under the post, Tommy Robinson said, “You’ve encouraged it by rewarding jihad & recognising that terrorist s**thole as a state. You capitulated British values & surrendered to the mob.”

The attack took place at approximately 9:31 a.m. on the morning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

The suspect was shot dead at approximately 9:38 a.m.

“I want to share my gratitude to all of those members of the public who called the police as soon as they saw what was happening. This allowed the quick response from our officers, who were able to act swiftly and bravely to bring this horrendous attack to an end,” Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said, according to the Independent.

Greater Manchester Police reportedly initiated “Operation PLATO,” a series of police directives designed to respond to “marauding terrorist attacks.” However, Sky News reported that the operation has since been given the stand-down order.

Metro reports that the people injured in the attack are in “serious condition.”

The identity of the suspect has not yet been publicly released as of publishing time. In a statement posted on X, Constable Sir Stephen Watson said, “As has been confirmed by CT policing, we believe that the identity of the offender has been established but until we are certain of this fact, it is premature to set out this detail. In addition,” he added, “I can confirm that two other individuals have been arrested in connection with this incident and enquiries are ongoing.”

Watson also confirmed that the suspect had been wearing “a vest, which had the appearance of an explosive device.”

This is a developing story.

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Members of the Trump administration are enjoying their trolling streak while sour-faced Democrats continue to dig their heels in.

With President Donald Trump at the helm, the White House has consistently put out memes mocking Democrats for facilitating the government shutdown.

‘You can negotiate in good faith while also poking a little bit of fun.’

Most recently, a constant loop of video memes was played in the White House briefing room, accusing Democrats of prioritizing health care for illegal aliens over paying government employees.

The memes feature various slogans, including “Don’t be dumb. Fund the government.” These videos were displayed on Thursday, marking the second day of the government shutdown.

RELATED: Vance makes Jeffries a hilarious promise if Democrats end the shutdown

Jeffries claimed to take offense at the meme, calling it a “disgusting video” during a news interview.

“It’s a disgusting video, and we’re going to continue to make clear: Bigotry will get you nowhere,” Jeffries said in response to the meme.

Trump doubled down on the trolling, promptly clipping Jeffries’ response and photoshopping the same sombrero and mustache onto the Democratic leader. This time around, Trump added extra flair, additionally editing himself as the mariachi band behind Jeffries.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Vice President JD Vance was asked about the memes during a press conference on Wednesday, and in response, he made Jeffries a humorous offer.

“I’ll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now — I make this solemn promise to you, that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop,” Vance said during the briefing.

“I think it’s funny. The president’s joking, and we’re having a good time,” Vance added. “You can negotiate in good faith while also poking a little bit of fun.”

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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the first county recognition of the life and legacy of conservative activist Charlie Kirk would be installed in his state.

Kirk was struck and killed by an assassin’s bullet while he debated students at Utah Valley University and sparked a debate about the rise of political violence in the U.S., especially from the left-wing side of the aisle.

‘Every city and county in America should follow the lead of Lake County, FL.’

DeSantis said Thursday in a statement on social media that a highway in Florida would bear Kirk’s name.

“Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway has been approved by the Lake County Commission,” wrote the governor.

“The road is a section of Wellness Way from US 27 to the Orange County line,” he added. “Lake County’s dedication of the highway represents the first county to memorialize Kirk in the aftermath of his assassination.”

On Sept. 23, the Lake County Commission voted unanimously to support the name change that was proposed by Commissioner Anthony Sabatini.

The section of highway is located west of Orlando.

“This is amazing! I love how fast this happened,” responded Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for Turning Point USA. “… Every city and county in America should follow the lead of Lake County, FL and name a road or highway in honor of Charlie Kirk,”

RELATED: Viral video shows 2 women laughing while destroying Charlie Kirk memorial — now they’re behind bars

The commission meeting on the vote was occasionally contentious, as some members of the public voiced opposition to the name change, leading Sabatini to call one dissenter “petty” and “disgusting.”

Sabatini indicated that there would be a naming ceremony for the memorial.

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has been named the head of TPUSA, the organization her husband founded to spread conservative ideas and debate on campuses across the nation.

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​Charlie kirk memorial, Lake county florida, Ron desantis, Charlie kirk assassination, Politics 

The Trump administration said it plans to enforce federal immigration laws at Super Bowl LX after Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny was named as a performer for the halftime show.

The NFL made an announcement on Sunday, naming Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny, as the Super Bowl LX halftime performer. The news caused significant backlash due to the singer’s recent comments about Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

‘We will find you. We will apprehend you.’

In September, Ocasio was asked if one of the reasons he was not touring in the U.S. was because of “the [mass deportations of] Latinos.”

He replied, “Man, honestly, yes.”

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times. All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent,” he continued, according to the Guardian. “But there was the issue of — like, f**king ICE could be outside.”

On Wednesday’s episode of “The Benny Show,” Corey Lewandowski, an adviser to President Trump, was asked about Ocasio’s concern for illegal immigrants and their deportation. He confirmed that there will be ICE agents at Super Bowl LX.

“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else,” Lewandowski explained.

The 52-year-old, who works as a special government employee with the Department of Homeland Security, then issued a stern warning to illegal aliens.

“We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you. So, know that that is a very real situation under this administration, which is completely contrary to how it used to be,” he said.

RELATED: Anti-Trump artist Bad Bunny named Super Bowl halftime performer — immediately makes it political

Bad Bunny has not remained impartial regarding federal politics; he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election after he was offended by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico. Hinchcliffe joked about Puerto Rico’s garbage and landfill issues at a Trump rally and received criticism, despite this being a known problem on the island for years.

“I can understand that it’s a joke, but there’s people that doesn’t [sic] understand that it’s a joke. People who are going to agree with that joke,” Ocasio said at the time, according to NBCUniversal.

Bad Bunny also released a music video on July 4 that mocked President Trump and draped a Puerto Rico flag over the Statue of Liberty.

“It’s so shameful that they’ve decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime,” Lewandowski told host Benny Johnson. “We should be trying to be inclusive, not exclusive. There are plenty of great bands and entertainment people who could be playing at that show that would be bringing people together and not separating them.”

RELATED: Cross-dressing rapper Bad Bunny to headline Super Bowl — will it be DEMONIC?

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

The adviser concluded, “I don’t care if it’s a concert for Johnny Smith or Bad Bunny or anybody else. We’re going to do enforcement everywhere because we are going to make Americans safe. That is a directive from the president. And if you’re in this country legally, do yourself a favor. Go home.”

A DHS spokesperson also told Blaze News, “There is no safe haven for violent criminal illegal aliens in the United States.”

Super Bowl LX takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8, 2026.

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​Fearless, Super bowl, Ice, Immigration, Illegal immigration, Half-time show, Bad bunny, Sports 

As more candidates announce their campaigns ahead of the 2026 midterms, the race for the coveted Florida congressional seat currently occupied by Byron Donalds just got more crowded.

Madison Cawthorn, who represented North Carolina’s 11th congressional district from 2021 to 2023, announced that he will be running for Donalds’ congressional seat in a political comeback run in 2026.

‘I’ll fight to lower out-of-control insurance costs and stop crime in our streets and deport illegals.’

Citing Charlie Kirk’s death in a Wednesday Instagram post as an impetus for his decision to run, Cawthorn said, “I have been juggling this decision for some time now. Once Charlie was assassinated this became no decision at all. There is only one course of action for those of us who want to live in a free, prosperous, and safe land to do: Be extremely shrewd, fearless in the face of backlash and resistance, and to stand up and fight for our country.”

“I’m running for Congress to stand with President Trump, defend our conservative values, and fight to stop the radical left every single time,” Cawthorn said in a YouTube video posted on Wednesday. “I’ll fight to lower out-of-control insurance costs and stop crime in our streets and deport illegals.”

RELATED: Madison Cawthorn wins, becoming youngest member of Congress

Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Latino Wall Street

In an interview clip, Cawthorn expressed his intent to take up a bill championed by Donalds that would assist citizens impacted by flood insurance costs.

Cawthorn is joining a crowded field of candidates vying for Donalds’ congressional seat in Florida. Donalds has announced that he will not seek re-election to Congress and will be running for governor in 2026.

According to News-Press, the Republican field of candidates includes Chris Collins, a former U.S. representative from New York; Illinois businessman Jim Oberweis; retired Marine Mike Pedersen; and president of Sun Broadcasting Jim Schwartzel. On the Democrat side, Howard Sapp is the lone candidate at this time.

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​Politics, Madison cawthorn, Byron donalds, 19th district florida, Florida, Chris collins, Congress, 2026 midterms, Charlie kirk 

Democrat lawmakers were quick to pin the government shutdown on their Republican counterparts, conveniently sidestepping their role in the gridlock.

U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) shared a post on X blaming Republicans for the shutdown.

“Civics 101: Republicans control all three branches of government. It’s their responsibility to pass a budget,” Houlahan wrote.

Other Democrat allies have shared similar half-truths on social media.

‘This is the puzzling part, Senator Schumer actually voted for this exact same legislation multiple times.’

In response to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s comments that the Democrats were responsible, Matt Corridoni, a Democratic strategist, replied, “Republicans control all three branches of the government.”

Even former Vice President Kamala Harris chimed in on the debate, writing, “President Trump and Congressional Republicans just shut down the government because they refused to stop your health care costs from rising.”

“Let me be clear: Republicans are in charge of the White House, House, and Senate. This is their shutdown,” Harris added.

While the Republicans control the White House and hold a majority in both chambers of Congress, Democrats’ remarks overlook a fundamental truth about how the U.S. government is designed to function, deliberately empowering the minority to block legislation.

RELATED: Trump trolls leftists as shutdown presents key opportunity to cut ‘Democrat Agencies’

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Vice President JD Vance. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Republican lawmakers proposed a clean continuing resolution that, if passed, would have allowed the government to remain open by extending funding past the start of fiscal year 2026, which began on October 1. This CR would have acted as a temporary stopgap through November 21, allowing lawmakers time to negotiate a new full-year budget.

However, Democrats, who have refused to support the bill, blocked the bill by triggering a filibuster. Democrat lawmakers refused to budge unless Republicans allowed an extension for Affordable Care Act tax credits. It is important to note that these tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, after the Republicans’ CR would already have dropped off.

Republicans refused to accept Democrats’ request, arguing that the health care programs use federal tax dollars to provide services to illegal aliens. Additionally, they contended that specific programs could be negotiated in the full-year budget.

To override the Democrats’ filibuster, Republicans filed for cloture, which, if passed, would have forced a vote on the CR.

With a slim Senate majority, Republicans theoretically have enough members to pass a CR in a straightforward vote. However, they do not have the supermajority, 60 votes, needed to invoke cloture and end debate.

RELATED: Democrats deny shutdown is about health care for illegal aliens — then one admits the truth

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Republicans’ attempt to invoke cloture fell short by five votes, causing the CR to die by the October 1 deadline, thus triggering a shutdown.

Republicans have referred to the gridlock as New York Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s shutdown.

“Chuck Schumer has led them all to vote against it,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated.

“I sent them in good faith exactly what they had voted for before. We did not put any Republican provisions in that.”

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) had a similar message about Schumer.

“This is the puzzling part: Senator Schumer actually voted for this exact same legislation multiple times,” she said.

“He voted for it once. He voted for it twice. He voted for it three times. And he voted for it a fourth time in March. But he won’t vote for it today to prevent a government shutdown.

“That’s why this is called a Schumer shutdown. Republicans do have control of the House. We do have control of the White House,” Malliotakis continued. “But what people have to understand is that for a funding bill to get passed in the Senate, it does need seven Democrat votes.”

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​News, Government shutdown, Senate, House, Congress, Chuck schumer, Cr, Continuing resolution, Mike johnson, Nicole malliotakis, John thune, White house, Trump administration, Trump admin, Politics 

On Monday, Sept. 23, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Royal Canadian Mounted Police invaded and occupied Universal Ostrich Farms near Vernon, British Columbia.

They haven’t left. Hundreds of federal police and CFIA inspectors remain on-site, many now in hazmat suits they only donned after questions were raised about why, if the birds were truly a health threat, they had originally worn only uniforms without masks.

Pasitney and her mother were arrested that same day on charges of ‘animal cruelty.’ Their alleged crime was trying to feed their birds.

Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski own the farm, which is managed by Espersen’s daughter, Katie Pasitney. Since an alleged H1N1 avian flu outbreak on Dec. 19, 2024, Pasitney has become the farm’s public voice. Although the ostriches have remained healthy for more than 250 days, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government still insists that all 399 birds must be destroyed.

Even interventions from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz have not persuaded Ottawa to reconsider.

‘Animal cruelty’?

What frustrates Pasitney most is that the CFIA refuses to test the birds — or even allow the farmers to do so. Under quarantine orders, testing a single ostrich could result in a $200,000 fine and six months in jail per bird.

After losing in the Federal Court of Appeal, the farm won a temporary reprieve last Wednesday when the Supreme Court of Canada granted an interim stay of execution while it decides whether to hear the case.

But the ordeal has only worsened. Pasitney and her mother were arrested that same day on charges of “animal cruelty.” Their alleged crime was trying to feed their birds. The Supreme Court ruling requires the CFIA to remain on the farm, now responsible for providing the ostriches with food and water. “It’s like putting the foxes in charge of the henhouse,” Pasitney told Align.

RELATED: Dead bird walking: RFK Jr. is the only hope for 399 healthy ostriches on Canada’s chopping block

David Krayden/Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images

‘A classic display of punishment’

Exhausted after two nights without sleep — due to RCMP patrols circling the property with headlights flooding her home — Pasitney spoke to this reporter.

What you’re seeing here is a classic display of punishment. This is not justice. This is punishment for standing up for what’s right. It started as a request for collaboration — we explained that we know our animals and that they’re healthy. All we asked was to test them without facing six months in jail and $200,000 fines. Instead, the government is spending millions in taxpayer dollars to persecute humble farmers who love their animals.

Pasitney said political support has been slow. While some Conservative MPs have spoken out, party leader Pierre Poilievre — who narrowly lost the last federal election — has remained silent.

“Where are our leaders?” she asked. “When 40 police cars came down the highway at dawn, we knew it might be the last time we stood on our own property with our animals.”

Escalating intimidation

Pasitney recounted how she and her mother endured arrest, while hay bales were mysteriously set on fire and RCMP helicopters and drones harassed their livestock.

That should never happen to anybody, especially when you have healthy animals. The world is screaming for them to be saved. … Instead, our taxpayer dollars are being used to take down law-abiding farmers while real criminals — rapists, murderers, pedophiles — roam free.

​Ostriches, Ostrich farm, Bird flu, Mark carney, Canada, Lifestyle, Family business, Letter from canada 

As the government shutdown begins, President Trump has not only made it clear that he won’t be caving to Democrats’ demands to fund illegal immigrants’ health care — but that the Democrats are in deep trouble.

“Well, the Democrats want to shut it down. So when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs. So we’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected. And the Democrats, they’re going to be Democrats,” President Trump announced.

“As you know, this country, no country can afford to pay for illegal immigration, health care for everybody that comes into the country. And that’s what they’re insisting. And obviously, I have an obligation not to accept that. That would affect everybody,” he continued.

“A lot of good can come down from shutdowns. We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want, they’d be Democrat things,” he added.

And one man, BlazeTV host Jill Savage says, “behind the scenes is going to be having the best week right now of anybody in Washington, D.C.”

That man is director of the United States Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought.

“People need to know the Office of Management and Budget is exceptionally powerful, because they actually have to put together the budget, and that’s where a lot of the money flows out of. So the initial DOGE excitement was looking at, you know, money flow. Well, the actual organization that does this is the Office of Management and Budget, with which he is in charge of,” Blaze Media editor in chief Matthew Peterson says.

“And he’s, I think, very prepared for this moment, because … the big picture is you can talk about cutting the government all you want, but you have to know exactly what you’re doing and what levers to press,” he continues.

“And right now, we can see that Russ Vought is taking advantage of this opportunity. We see today that he’s frozen $18 billion of New York City’s infrastructure plan … and he’s just canceled $8 billion in the green new scam, climate funding throughout a boatload of blue states,” Savage chimes in.

“So when you look at how he’s operating right now, he’s trying to be pretty effective in the first few hours of this government shutdown,” she adds.

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​Trump, Shutdown, Democrats, Blaze news tonight 

The post-Enlightenment West prides itself on having left religious myths behind. Sophisticated people scoff at demons, devils, and other silly superstitions. But ideas that once wore robes and halos simply change costumes. The idea of absolute evil re-emerges in secular form, and fascism plays the part of the devil in our political imagination.

Once a movement or person becomes the secular Satan, debate ends and violence begins to look like the only remedy. That is why leftists now call ordinary conservative positions “fascist” — they build the moral case for political violence.

Publicly branding an opponent ‘fascist’ with the expectation that it justifies violence should be as unacceptable as calling for a race-based lynching.

Consider the common thought experiment: “Would you travel back in time to kill baby Hitler?” Many answer yes. The image of a helpless infant collides with the scale of evil Adolf Hitler later embodied. For some, the calculus seems to justify murder when it prevents mass atrocity. Hitler stops being a human in that mental model; he becomes pure malignancy, and ordinary moral rules fall away.

That same process unfolded on American streets and campus quads over the past eight years. In 2017 Richard Spencer, a white nationalist, received a shove and a punch while speaking publicly. Spencer committed no violence that day. He threatened no one. He merely exercised his right to speak.

Still, many on the left cheered the assault. The assault collapsed an important boundary: If someone looks or sounds like a “Nazi,” is it now permissible to punch him? The Supreme Court long ago protected ugly speech, even the American Nazi Party’s right to march through a town with a large population of Holocaust survivors.

Anti-fascism as civic religion

But popular sentiment has shifted: Physical force against those denounced as fascists won moral approval from many progressives.

From insults to legal penalties to physical attacks, the escalation followed a familiar arc. Speech codes function as secular blasphemy laws. Labels like “bigot,” “racist,” or “transphobe” once carried distinct meanings; applied relentlessly, they blurred into a single category: heretic.

When those tags lost bite, the left raised the stakes. “White supremacist” replaced “racist” for positions like ending illegal immigration or opposing radical medical interventions for children. When that failed to stanch conservative influence, progressives reached for the final word: fascist.

That choice carries theological force. In secular modernity, defeating Hitler and the Nazis became a foundational myth. Anti-fascism assumed the status of a civic religion: a liturgical memory, a ritual cast of villains, and a duty of perpetual vigilance.

Paul Gottfried and other thinkers note how anti-fascism functions as a moral system after World War II. Comparing any enemy leader to Hitler became morally decisive. Nationalism, family veneration, and cultural continuity assumed guilt by association. The strong gods, once banished, left a moral vacuum that anti-fascism now fills.

RELATED: Calling MAGA ‘fascist’ is the smear of the century

Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

We’re all ‘fascists’ now?

Yet, fascism as a coherent political doctrine remains a historical phenomenon tied to early 20th-century Italy and, in some respects, to German national socialism. Stretching the term until it fits every conservative position strips it of analytical meaning. Calling something “fascist” should require attention to ideology, not impulse. Treating the word as a universal moral obliterator turns politics into theology. You cannot bargain with demons; you must exterminate them.

The very online left sells a modern variant: “ontological evil.” Call someone ontologically evil and you deny that person’s capacity for change. Evil becomes an essential property, not a series of choices. A man deemed ontologically evil stops being a political adversary and becomes a predator to be neutralized. That rhetoric creates a moral climate in which killing a political opponent appears not merely excusable but necessary.

We hear that rhetoric applied to mainstream conservatives practically every day. News figures, pundits, and Democratic politicians label President Trump and his supporters “fascists” or, at the very least, “semi-fascist.” After Charlie Kirk’s murder, some commentators continued to call him a fascist. Those who declared him so while he lay dead turned vile accusation into a license for dehumanization. The slogans scrawled by the shooter evoked the same anti-fascist catechism.

When likely presidential candidates like California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) brand ordinary conservative beliefs — national sovereignty, for example — as “fascist,” they signal to zealots that violence is not just allowed but morally mandated.

RELATED: Gavin Newsom’s ‘fascist’ slur echoes in the streets

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

That dynamic plays out in organization and funding as well. Networks of activists and groups that tolerate or endorse violent tactics receive resources and cover. Antifa and similar formations act as paramilitary foot soldiers who can intimidate, disrupt, and, when they choose, kill. They do so with the encouragement of influencers who frame opponents as existential threats. Label someone a fascist, and the path to extra-legal action opens.

Argument, not extermination

Americans must treat such rhetoric with the same moral opprobrium once reserved for lynch mobs. Publicly branding an opponent “fascist” with the expectation that it justifies violence should be as unacceptable as calling for a race-based lynching. When progressives use “fascist” to mark a target for death, they weaponize language to strip victims of human rights.

We must also restore analytic discipline. Accurate political language matters. Fascism, nazism, and other totalizing ideologies warrant denunciation and opposition, but we dilute our ability to resist genuine threats when we scream “fascist” at any conservative who supports border security or traditional marriage. If every disagreement becomes a call to arms, the political space collapses into a permanent state of evisceration disguised as moral clarity.

Finally, recognize what this rhetoric teaches would-be killers. If violence succeeds in silencing a critic, networks that cheer the act learn an obvious lesson: violence pays. The civic cost is enormous. The social fabric frays. The state loses its monopoly on legitimate force when vigilantes and ideologues decide they hold moral authority to execute enemies.

Treat accusations of “fascism” with the contempt they deserve. And make clear that no label grants anyone the right to take a life. If we let secular Satan labels justify bloodshed, we will learn in short order how quickly a republic can abandon its own laws and become hostage to its worst angels.

​Opinion & analysis, Fascism, Fascist, Antifa, Donald trump, Joe biden, Gavin newsom, Free speech, Freedom of speech, Richard spencer, Punch a nazi, Baby hitler, Satan, Skokie, Hate speech, Violence, Incitement, Blasphemy, Bigot, Paul gottfried, Adolf hitler, Ontological evil, Stephen miller, Charlie kirk, Assassination 

In late August, I had the pleasure of visiting El Salvador for the first time. I didn’t know what to expect. The bar had been set high by both conservative and liberal media, who either praised or decried President Nayib Bukele’s vigorous war on crime. Within a few hours of arrival, I saw the media reports were true. El Salvador, once a violent, gang-ridden nightmare, was now a place of peace.

Much has been written about Bukele’s crackdown — understandably so, given the success of his efforts. El Salvador’s president deserves unending praise for transforming his country. Yet, this success has overshadowed his other policies. President Bukele’s Bitcoin adoption program, for instance, is of remarkable significance.

In September 2021, El Salvador shocked the world by becoming the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender. Businesses were immediately required to accept the cryptocurrency. Western Bitcoin enthusiasts were overjoyed. Many Salvadorans, most of whom had previously existed in a cash economy, were skeptical.

‘Paying tax liabilities denominated in Bitcoin was just, I guess, a hard no.’

After a few years, there were signs that the initiative had failed to meet expectations. In an August 2024 interview with Time, President Bukele conceded as much:

Bitcoin hasn’t had the widespread adoption we hoped for. Many Salvadorans use it; the majority of large businesses in the country have it. You can go to a McDonald’s, a supermarket, or a hotel and pay with Bitcoin. It hasn’t had the adoption we expected. The positive aspect is that it is voluntary; we have never forced anyone to adopt it. We offered it as an option, and those who chose to use it have benefited from the rise in Bitcoin.

But it wasn’t until the International Monetary Fund got involved that President Bukele made the difficult decision to scale back El Salvador’s Bitcoin program. As a condition for $1.4 billion in financial assistance, the IMF required El Salvador to revoke Bitcoin’s status as legal tender. Bukele accepted the IMF’s terms. In February 2025, the Salvadoran government passed an amendment to the Bitcoin law, which rendered use of the cryptocurrency voluntary and limited to the private sector.

Just like that, El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment was done. Or was it?

Seeing for myself

When I traveled to El Salvador, I had bought into the media narrative regarding its Bitcoin adoption program — that, however interesting a program it might have been, it failed. But curiously enough, no one I spoke to down there shared that perspective.

“I mean, it’s, like, pretty f**king amazing,” Jake Hamilton, an American computer programmer who splits his time between Austin and San Salvador, told me. “I can pay with lightning for oysters at a beach shack in Surf City.”

Jake’s enthusiasm for El Salvador is significant. He isn’t some casual Bitcoin fan who merely enjoys the novelty of paying for oysters in cryptocurrency. In many ways, Jake’s life — professionally, socially, and economically — revolves around Bitcoin. So when he praises El Salvador’s Bitcoin program, it means something.

His Bitcoin journey began in 2015. After completing his undergraduate studies, Jake busied himself researching philosophy graduate programs. During that period, he took a seminar titled Bitcoin and Philosophy. The instructor: Nick Land, the arcane techno-philosopher known for his accelerationist theories.

Jake didn’t know what to expect, but the seminar proved epiphanous. “He’s five minutes, 10 minutes of the first session, and I realize, like, holy s**t, the place to be doing philosophy — to be in actual philosophy of the world right now — is in Bitcoin: writing code and working in blockchain,” he explained to me.

RELATED: Right-wing investor to challenge traditional banking with national crypto bank

Photo by Bloomberg / Contributor via Getty Images

After the seminar, Jake decided to move to New York, where he attended a coding bootcamp and dedicated his time to becoming a programmer. Around 2019, he discovered Urbit, Curtis Yarvin’s niche operating system, which connected him to numerous right-of-center programmers and crypto enthusiasts. Along with a few friends from that crowd, Jake ventured to Central America and eventually landed in El Salvador, arriving at the beginning of President Bukele’s special operation.

It was a good time to be in El Salvador. Jake witnessed the restoration of order play out in real time. Yet, it was Bitcoin, not public safety, that drew him there. Jake knew a few Western lawyers in the country who practiced cryptocurrency law. They told him that something unique was taking shape in El Salvador — and that he wouldn’t want to miss it.

Although President Bukele didn’t sign the Bitcoin law until June 8, 2021, El Salvador had already developed a nascent crypto scene. Jake told me that an anonymous donor contributed $100,000 (in Bitcoin, naturally) to the beach town of El Zonte in 2019 to establish a circular crypto economy. This began attracting Bitcoin-inclined expats and tourists. Bukele’s national transformation only amplified that appeal.

Needless to say, Jake fell in love with El Salvador. When he isn’t in Austin, Texas, working on blockchain technology, he’s in El Salvador, working on blockchain technology — but also surfing, driving through the mountains, and brushing shoulders with El Salvador’s political elite. He’s become a central figure in the Salvadoran expat scene. He holds the lease on the Palestra mansion, a massive house overlooking the hills of San Salvador that often hosts parties and provides lodging for aligned travelers.

The view from the top

I visited the mansion a few times during my trip. The first time was at night following the Palestra Society’s annual conference. As I stood on the back patio, surrounded by a coterie of interesting people, I looked down at the lights of San Salvador and was struck by the peculiarity of it all. How did a small Latin American country with a GDP of $35 billion become a hub for heterodox right-wing Westerners? There are certainly several factors. But Bitcoin is a big one.

Despite Jake’s appreciation for El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption program, he conceded that it faced challenges. “They did have to negotiate with the IMF, obviously, and the paying tax liabilities denominated in Bitcoin was just, I guess, a hard no,” he lamented. Moreover, given the low level of education and tech literacy in El Salvador — a country where the average monthly salary is roughly $400 — teaching people the finer points of self-custody proved difficult.

While El Salvador reversed its decision to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, no other country boasts as much Bitcoin integration. Others have tried, but they don’t come close. “There’s a bit of Costa Rica that’s informally called Bitcoin Jungle, where there’s like a 20-mile radius where most of the businesses take Bitcoin,” Jake said. “But there’s nothing comparable to El Salvador in the world.”

So was El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption program a failure, as mainstream sources claim? Yes and no. On the one hand, its decision to no longer accept Bitcoin as legal tender is proof that the program didn’t entirely succeed. On the other, El Salvador is now the most Bitcoin-integrated country in the world — no small accomplishment.

Furthermore, since agreeing to the IMF’s terms, El Salvador has continued to purchase Bitcoin; hosted PLANB 2025, the largest cryptocurrency conference in Central America; passed a law allowing investment banks to hold Bitcoin; and promoted Bitcoin mining using geothermal energy from volcanoes.

It appears that Bitcoin is, in fact, alive and well in El Salvador. Abolishing its status as legal tender didn’t kill it — it merely altered the parameters. So while you cannot pay your Salvadoran taxes in Bitcoin, you can still do more with crypto there than anywhere else in the world.

​Tech, Bitcoin, El salvador 

Months after the high-profile deportation case of an alleged MS-13 associate began with a removal and then mandated return to the United States, a judge has denied the request to stay Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s final deportation from the country.

In a copy of the decision obtained by ABC News, Regional Deputy Chief Immigration Judge Philip Taylor denied an emergency request from Garcia’s attorneys to reopen his case. The petition, filed in August, argued that Garcia’s removal from the U.S. followed by his return subsequently made him eligible to apply for asylum in the U.S.

‘This MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, domestic abuser, and child predator will never be loose on American streets.’

However, Judge Taylor argued in his denial to stay the removal on Wednesday that Garcia’s application for asylum would be “untimely,” considering that Garcia’s original immigration proceedings began nearly six years ago.

A large part of the long-running deportation case hangs on the Trump administration’s charge that Garcia is affiliated with the violent gang MS-13. His attorneys have delayed his deportation for fear of persecution tied to these accusations, which Garcia and his attorneys deny.

RELATED: Judge ‘absolutely’ forbids Trump administration to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia — for now

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The prosecution has also indicated that the Department of Homeland Security “may” deport Garcia to another country such as Uganda or Eswatini.

However, Judge Taylor argued that the defense’s argument about possible persecution in these countries was ultimately insubstantial.

“The word ‘may’ is permissive and indicates to the Court that in sending this notification to Respondent’s counsel, the Department sought to convey that it reserved the right to remove him to Uganda, not necessarily that it intended to do so, that it had decided to do so, or that it would do so imminently,” Judge Taylor said, according to ABC News.

“This MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, domestic abuser, and child predator will never be loose on American streets,” the DHS said in an X post on Wednesday evening. “His lawyers tried to fight his removal from the U.S. but one thing is certain, this Salvadoran man is not going to be able to remain in our country. He will never be allowed to prey on innocent Americans again.”

The Kilmar Abrego Garcia saga has stretched to this day since he was deported in March. He was then brought back to the United States to face human-trafficking charges in June.

The government shutdown, which began on the same day as this order, will delay deadlines for the case “by the total number of days of the lapse in appropriations,” as noted by the DOJ in the court document.

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​Politics, Kilmar abrego garcia, Kilmar garcia deportation, Deportation, Ice, Ms-13, Government shutdown, Judge philip taylor 

Former NCAA volleyball player Brayden “Blaire” Fleming has finally provided comment about allegations made by one of his coaches.

Blaze News originally reported on Fleming in September 2024 after his school, San Jose State University, got off to its best start in team history by employing the 6’1” male athlete on the women’s volleyball team.

This resulted in wall-to-wall coverage of opponents forfeiting games against SJSU, with some like Nevada’s Sia Liilii speaking out against having to play across from a man.

‘Blaire gets what Blaire wants.’

When SJSU associate head volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose spoke out, however, she was promptly suspended indefinitely by her school. After filing a Title IX complaint against SJSU and alleging that the male athlete conspired against his own team, Batie-Smoose is now part of a lawsuit against the Board of Trustees of the California State University system, which SJSU falls under along with 22 other California schools.

The lawsuit alleges that SJSU was “retaliatory” in its suspension of Batie-Smoose, according to Fox News.

At the same time, the former coach told Fox News Digital that Fleming received special treatment from the team, which included, “Not showing up to practice with no excuses [and] sitting in the stands eating while practice was going on.”

These allegations were what sparked Fleming to finally speak out and address the recent claims.

“The only times I showed up to practice with ‘no excuse’ and sat in the stands was when I was injured and couldn’t play,” Fleming told the outlet. “Brooke Slusser and Melissa need to get a life,” he added.

Slusser, a former teammate of Fleming, is not only part of a class action lawsuit against the NCAA alleging Title IX violations, but she also had the unique experience of allegedly being forced to room with Fleming.

RELATED: NCAA coach suspended indefinitely after speaking out about male athlete on women’s volleyball team

Brooke Slusser #10 and Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans call a play during the first set against the Air Force Falcons on October 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

“Blaire wanted to room with Brooke Slusser, and that’s who Blaire felt comfortable, so Blaire gets what Blaire wants,” Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital.

Slusser told Blaze News in an exclusive interview in 2024 that she originally roomed with Fleming when she first arrived to the team and was told there were “three girls on the team that are looking for a roommate.”

One of those “girls” was Fleming. After rooming with the transgender athlete on multiple road trips, Slusser was suspicious as to why she was routinely being roomed with Fleming despite other teammates being rotated around.

Slusser told Blaze News, “I found it very odd that everyone else was getting switched around on away trips, and I somehow kept getting roomed with the same person. Usually, you get switched around … and I just kept getting roomed with [Fleming].”

The former volleyball star also alleged that Fleming received preferential treatment, including team meetings focused on the transgender athlete’s well-being but no one else’s.

“We’ve had meetings, and it’s a lot of just checking in on Blaire. … We were like, ‘What about us?'” Slusser said. “It’s mostly just saying you can’t be the person to … identify Blaire’s gender identity. ‘Blaire needs to do that for himself.'”

RELATED: Exclusive: ‘We all know the reason the games are canceled’: SJSU volleyball player speaks out against transgender teammate

Brooke Slusser #10 of the San Jose State Spartans serves the ball. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

Batie-Smoose has since revealed that she was not told Fleming is male until after she accepted the job at SJSU, despite having moved her family from Connecticut to take on the coaching role. She also alleged that she was told she could not tell other players or their parents that a male was on the team.

“[Head Coach] Todd Kress told me in passing … because I was asking … ‘Oh, by the way, Blaire is a male,'” Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital.

As for Coach Kress, he vehemently defended the inclusion of Fleming on his team and even accused other squads that forfeited against SJSU of taking opportunities away from the girls on his team.

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​Fearless, Volleyball, Women’s sports, Transgenderism, Title ix, Ncaa, Sports