Category: blaze media

Disney actress Rachel Zegler said she was “heartbroken” over Donald Trump winning the election and urged her fans not to use Elon Musk’s platform X due to his support of the president.

In a series of social media stories on Instagram, the “Snow White” actress said the election results left her “speechless.”

“Another four years of hatred, leaning us towards a world I do not want to live in,” the 23-year-old opined. “Leaning us towards a world that will be hard to raise my daughter in. leaning us towards a world that will force her to have a baby she doesn’t want. leaning us towards a world that is fearful.”

On top of admitting she shouldn’t be shocked, the actress said she was “heartbroken” for her friends who woke up fearful the morning after the election. She expressed to her fans that she is “here” for them should they need to “cry,” “yell,” or “hug.”

“The left continues to fail us in forging a new path forward. this loss should not have been. and it certainly should not have been by so many votes,” she waxed on.

‘There is no help, no counsel, in any of them.’

Zegler’s tone turned darker as she said she agreed with the sentiment that “more than anything,” Trump supporters, voters, and Trump himself should “never know peace.”

Adding to the long-held Democratic Party claim that Trump is a threat to democracy, Zegler said there is a “deep, deep sickness” in the United States, proven by the tens of millions of people who voted for Trump.

She also called the number of people who support Trump “terrifying,” saying they are subscribing to a “false sense of security, of masculinity, of intelligence, of patriotism, and of humanity.”

“There is no help, no counsel, in any of them,” Zegler said of Trump supporters. “I could go on. i won’t. i feel sad. you probably do, too. f*** this.”

The young actress also urged her followers not to use Musk’s platform because he “helped get that man elected,” accusing those who are on X of “giving [Musk] business.”

The New Jersey-born star has frequently rejected backlash for her commentary, attributing it to prejudice related to her ethnicity.

She said in October 2023 that those speaking against her were doing so because she is one of the many “fearless and loud” Latino performers who are “loud about having seats at the tables they deserve to be at.”

The same account that posted Zegler’s recent anti-Trump rant also noted her recent hyperbolic post describing why she was voting for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I’m voting for kamala harris because either she or donald trump will be president come january, and if hillary clinton (another deeply flawed candidate) had won in 2016, roe v. wade would be law today and women who are now dead from treatable pregnancy complications would be alive,” she claimed.

In addition, she also implied that the Republican ticket believes “trans people and immigrants are the root” of the nation’s problems. Zegler also suggested that the National Guard would be unjustly deployed on protesters if Trump wins.

“If [Kamala] loses, i worry i may never vote again.”

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A Connecticut teacher — who reportedly is assigned to special education at a public elementary school — has been placed on leave after a video circulated showing her threatening people who voted for President-elect Donald Trump.

In the video, she claims that “people of color and poor people and gay people and all the people that I care about aren’t gonna be safe in America — neither the f*** are you guys. Just because you won doesn’t mean we don’t remember who the f*** you voted for. You’re not in the clear.”

‘I can’t unsee the video … and I can’t walk into that school. … I’m literally shaking, I can’t walk into that school and hand my kid off to that person.’

She adds, “Please don’t test your gangster on me because you will end on a stretcher. Gone. Forever. So serious. Nobody f***in’ talk to me unless you wanna swing. If you wanna fight, text me, call me, whatever. Anybody else stay the f*** outta my face.”

The clip ends with her saying, “And if you voted for Trump, literally please delete me, block me, get rid of everything of me — or step to me, so that I know what’s up, and I can handle you how I see fit. Please, just come forward, we f***in’ know. Just tell me. Or leave.”

Cheshire Public School’s Superintendent Jeff Solan said he was made aware of the Snapchat video over the weekend and that the teacher — whom the district has not identified — was placed on leave until the outcome of an investigation, WFSB-TV reported.

Solan told the station that the district received a large number of calls — mostly from people outside the Cheshire community — and that business couldn’t be conducted as usual with the teacher on campus.

A police presence was put in place out of an abundance of caution, WFSB said, adding Cheshire police stated that they’ve launched their own investigation.

WTIC-TV reported that it learned the teacher is assigned to special education at Chapman Elementary School in Cheshire.

Solan told WFSB the teacher intended the video as a private message to her Snapchat group and that she expressed her personal opinion, not the opinion of Cheshire Public Schools.

WFSB added that Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, released a statement about the teacher’s video in regard to respecting free speech:

CEA values the right to free speech and respects the diverse opinions of our members. We know that emotions can run high after an election, and we encourage everyone to engage in respectful conversations as part of our democratic process. Keeping our discussions civil and focused is important in maintaining a positive environment in our schools. We must continue to share our views constructively while prioritizing respect, unity, and our shared commitment to educating and caring for our students.

WTIC said the Cheshire Town Council held a meeting Tuesday night, and some parents said they weren’t happy with what was expressed in the video.

WTIC reported that Amy Bourdon — a Cheshire mom whose son with special needs attends school in the district — said, “I saw a woman in crisis, and then when I replayed it a couple of times, I got up from my table and went and locked my front door.”

Bourdon — who is a Republican, WTIC said — added that “we are the targets. Our lives have been targeted by an individual that cashes a paycheck from the town of Cheshire every week.”

Lorie Barnes told WTIC that “I’m tired of being a Trump supporter and whispering.”

Barnes, who’s lived in Cheshire all her life, added to WTIC that her grandson will be moving from England and entering the Cheshire school district — and now that terrifies her.

“I can’t unsee the video … and I can’t walk into that school. … I’m literally shaking, I can’t walk into that school and hand my kid off to that person,” Barnes told WTIC.

You can view a news station video report here about the controversy.

The hits just keep on coming

As Blaze News has previously reported this week, a Southern California high school teacher on the day after the election lashed out in a classroom at a student who was wearing a Trump hat.

Blaze News this week also noted that a teacher at a different Southern California public high school went on a profane rant in his Advanced Placement world history class against Trump the day after the election and was placed on administrative leave.

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The Guardian, a British, left-leaning news outlet, and former CNN anchor Don Lemon separately announced that they will no longer be posting on X.

On Wednesday morning, the newspaper published an article explaining its reasoning behind leaving the social media site. According to the Guardian, the “benefits” of posting on the platform no longer outweigh the so-called “negatives,” noting that its resources would be better spent elsewhere.

‘They are irrelevant.’

The Guardian blamed “disturbing content” on X, citing “far-right conspiracy theories and racism.”

“The U.S. presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse,” the news outlet wrote.

While the Guardian stated that it will no longer post on the site, it noted that its reporters will continue using X for “news-gathering purposes.”

“X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work,” the newspaper declared, adding that its “business model does not rely on viral content tailored to the whims of the social media giants’ algorithms.”

At the bottom of its article, the Guardian requested donations from readers to help it “stand up to four more years of Donald Trump.”

Former CNN host Don Lemon posted a similar farewell message on his X account.

After Lemon was fired by the network last year, he tried to negotiate an exclusive content partnership with Musk on X to start his new independent show. The deal collapsed after Lemon made excessive contract demands and conducted an awkward interview with Musk, pushing for censorship on the platform.

Lemon told his X followers on Wednesday morning, “It’s time for me to leave the platform.”

He claimed that he previously viewed X as “a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech.”

“But I now feel it does not serve that purpose,” Lemon remarked.

“In addition, starting this Friday, November 15, X is implementing new terms of service, which among other things states that ‘All disputes … be brought exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas or state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas,” he continued.

He cited a Washington Post article that claimed the platform’s new terms of service “ensure[] that such lawsuits will be heard in courthouses that are a hub for conservatives, which experts say could make it easier for X to shield itself from litigation and punish critics.”

“I think that speaks for itself,” Lemon declared.

X users annihilated both the Guardian and Lemon in the comments of their departure announcement posts.

In response to the Guardian’s decision to leave, Musk responded, “They are irrelevant.”

Multiple X users mocked the news outlet for announcing its departure from the platform.

Influencer DC Draino, whose real name is Rogan O’Handley, told Lemon that “nobody cares” that he will no longer be on X.

Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck replied to Lemon, stating, “I give it one month before you can’t help yourself and come back on here.”

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The Republican Senate conference elected Sen. John Thune of South Dakota on Wednesday to succeed retiring Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Thune, who was running against Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida, won with 29 of the 53 Republican Senate votes in the second round of votes cast via secret ballot.

Scott also became the focal point of an online pressure campaign over the weekend, with prominent personalities like Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk, and Glenn Beck expressing support for the MAGA ally.

“I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,” Thune said in a statement Wednesday. “This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today.”

Scott was eliminated in the first round, bringing in just 13 votes, while Cornyn held 15 and Thune won 23. Scott’s votes mostly went to Cornyn in the second round, who won 24 votes, while Thune secured 29.

Leading up to the race, Scott was the most publicly endorsed candidate.

In the past 24 hours, Scott secured three last-minute endorsements from Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Mike Lee of Utah. Scott had also been endorsed by GOP Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

Scott also became the focal point of an online pressure campaign over the weekend, with prominent personalities like Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk, and Glenn Beck expressing support for the MAGA ally.

Thune was backed by Republican Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. Cornyn had just one public endorsement, from Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.

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​Rick scott, John thune, John cornyn, Mitch mcconnell, 2024 election, Election, Senate leadership, Republican leadership, Minority leader, Majority leader, Politics 

Jason Whitlock hasn’t been quiet about his dislike for Deion Sanders and the program he’s built at the University of Colorado Boulder.

For starters, he doesn’t appreciate “Deion’s approach to coaching because he packages it and wraps it and sells it in a Christian package, and there’s nothing Christian about Deion’s approach.”

From the “rappers in the locker room” and Deion’s “worship of his son” to his “treatment of the players” and “the radical materialism he promotes,” Whitlock sees only secularism in Coach Prime’s personal conduct and his football program.

Before the season began, he predicted that Colorado would perform poorly. However, the Buffaloes are having an excellent season thus far. They’re currently 7-2.

Even so, Jason is confident that “people are gloating too soon.”

“I’m going to predict — and I mean this in all seriousness — they’re going to lose two of their next three games and might lose all three … Utah, Kansas, and Oklahoma State,” he says.

In fact, Whitlock is so confident in his hypothesis that he’s willing to make a bet.

“If the Colorado Buffaloes finish better than 8-4 in the regular season, I’m going to fly myself to whatever bowl game they’re playing, dress myself in Colorado gear, and sit in the stands, no matter where it is, and cheer on the Colorado Buffaloes. That’s how confident I am,” he says.

That’s not to say Whitlock is incapable of giving credit where credit is due, however.

He acknowledges that Colorado, despite his predictions, has improved significantly since last season.

“This team has improved, and I was wrong about the level of improvement they would see in year two — dead wrong about that,” he admits, adding that Deion’s son, Shedeur, is also a “top-flight quarterback” who has “handled himself significantly better than he did a year ago.”

Even so, the Colorado Buffaloes “have not improved nearly as much as you think, and that will show up in these last three games,” Whitlock reiterates.

To hear the why behind Jason’s prediction, watch the clip above.

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The lack of border security under the Biden administration is one of many reasons the nation re-elected Donald Trump. The people are ready to see the mass deportations Trump has promised come to fruition.

Per usual, however, the mainstream media/propaganda arm of the Democrat Party is spinning lies about what mass deportations mean.

Dave Rubin plays the clip of “The View” co-host Ana Navarro lying about Trump’s intentions to deport American citizens and the response from Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar.

“If you have U.S. citizen children or a U.S. citizen spouse and you don’t want to separate them, then let’s deport the U.S. citizens,” Navarro said, referring to Trump’s mass deportation plan.

“When you talk about mass deportations, people think, ‘Oh, it’s just going to be the criminals.’ … What it means is grandmothers; what it means is brothers and aunts; what it means is abuelos y abuelas; it means dreamers; it means your family members; it means your colleagues,” Navarro claimed.

Following these erroneous statements, Trump’s appointed border czar Tom Homan joined “The Sean Hannity Show” to clear up any confusion.

“Are you planning on deporting American citizens?” Hannity asked.

“No, exactly not. Look, ‘The View,’ it’s like the island of misfit toys,”’ he chuckled. “They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.”

Homan then explained Trump’s actual plan: To “prioritize public safety threats and national security threats first,” meaning they’re going to seek out “convicted criminal aliens in this country” and issue “orders of removal.”

However, that doesn’t mean that if you’re an illegal alien who’s not a convicted criminal that you’re safe.

“If you’re in the country illegally, you shouldn’t feel comfortable — absolutely not,” Homan added. “When you enter this country illegally, you have committed a crime. You are a criminal, and you’re not off the table.”

“We’re finally getting the guy we’ve been waiting for!” says Dave.

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​The rubin report, Dave rubin, Tom homan, Border czar, Open borders, Mass deportation, Donald trump, Blazetv, Blaze media, The view, Msnbc, Ana navarro 

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new federal agency, the Department of Government Efficiency — thereby making an internet meme a government-shrinking reality.

Some liberals are enraged over the proposed agency and appointments, apparently worried that these relative outsiders will lack the sensitivity and restraint necessary to preserve the status quo.

Trump
said in a statement that Musk and Ramaswamy will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies — Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement.”

The novel agency, which Trump suggested could become “potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time,” will provide extra-governmental counsel and partner with both the White House and Office of Management and Budget “to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.”

This initiative has a strict deadline of July 4, 2026.

Trump figures that the maximization of efficiency and minimization of bureaucracy “will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence.”

“This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people,” Musk said in the statement shared by Trump.

‘Americans voted for drastic government reform.’

Musk
indicated that the DOGE will post all of its actions online for “maximum transparency” and suggested that the novel agency will regularly update a leaderboard for the “most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars.”

The tech magnate also
shared a clip from his interview with Tucker Carlson, where he said, “Just take a look at all the federal agencies and say, ‘Do we really need whatever it is, 428 federal agencies?’ There’s so many that people never even heard of and that have overlapping areas of responsibility. … I think we should be able to get away with 99 agencies.”

Ramaswamy
tweeted, “Afuera!” — a term that more or less means “out” and that Argentine President Javier Milei repeated in a viral video when tearing the names of government ministries off a whiteboard.

Ramaswamy, who
indicated Tuesday that he is withdrawing himself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio, noted further that the “DOGE will soon begin crowdsourcing examples of government waste, fraud, & … abuse. Americans voted for drastic government reform & they deserve to be part of fixing it.”

While there has long been a desire among fiscal conservatives to rein in and shrink government, this particular initiative appears to have taken shape during a
70-minute conversation in August between Trump and Musk on X Spaces.

“Inflation is caused by government overspending,”
said Musk. “Would you agree that we need to take a look at government spending and have, perhaps, a government efficiency commission that just … tries to make the spending sensible and so that the country lives within its means?”

“The waste is incredible, and nobody negotiates prices,” said Trump.

Musk stressed that there should be a government efficiency commission “that takes a look at these things and just ensures that the taxpayer money — that taxpayers’ hard-earned money — is spent in a good way. And I’d be happy to help out on such a commission.”

Trump appeared receptive to the idea, having elsewhere marveled at what Musk had done at X — canning
over 80% of the workforce and righting the ship — as well as at the wonders worked in Argentina by Milei, who took a “chainsaw” both to his leftist predecessors’ failed policies and to bureaucratic overgrowth.

Shortly after their conversation, Musk
posted an AI-generated image of himself standing at a podium emblazoned with the proposed title “Department of Government Efficiency,” along with its acronym, which users recognized alluded to another meme: “Doge,” the shiba inu dog immortalized in the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.

Trump was evidently unwilling to let the dream remain a meme.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was among the first in line to complain.

Hours after
belittling a two-time Bronze Star-awarded combat veteran, Warren — a senator with a platoon of staffers — wrote sarcastically, “The Office of Government Efficiency is off to a great start with split leadership: two people to do the work of one person. Yeah, this seems REALLY efficient.”

Lincoln Project co-founder George Conway III, whose
effort to spoil Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally failed last month, joined MSNBC talking head Alex Wagner Tuesday night to complain about the proposed new agency.

Wagner, who apparently missed the Biden-Harris administration’s short-lived
Disinformation Governance Board, said, “Nothing has been more Orwellian in title.”

‘What are we going to be left with at the end of this?’

Conway cast doubt on whether the DOGE was possible, telling Wagner, “First of all, it’s not going to be a governmental department as I understand it. And then there are actually rules and statutes that apply, I think. The Federal Advisory Committee Act talks about regulat[ing] from an ethics standpoint, people who are coming in and, you know, being consulted on how to run the government.”

Jeffrey Toobin, the cable news analyst who
exposed himself to colleagues on an October 2020 Zoom call, tried to reassure fellow travelers on CNN that the Administrative Procedures Act “requires a lot of hoops to be jumped through,” meaning that Musk and Ramaswamy might have trouble slashing through the Washington kakistocracy with ease.

“If you want to get rid of a government department — if you want to change the structure of the Department of Education, the Department of the Interior — you have to go through all these steps, and like it or not, these two entrepreneurs are going to have to start learning that and following it, and it’s going to drive them crazy,” said Toobin. “We’ll see how much they actually do.”

New York Times writer Lulu Garcia-Navarro expressed concern on the CNN about what might be left after Musk and Ramaswamy are finished.

“Let’s look at his track record. What did he do at Twitter, now X? He completely gutted that organization. It remains to be seen what he does in the federal bureaucracy,” Garcia-Navarro told Cooper. “Radical change — it’s a good thing, but you know, a lot of these people do not have the experience to know what they should be cutting, what they shouldn’t be cutting. These are not people [with] government experience. So it really does beg the question, what are we going to be left with at the end of this?”

While it is presently unclear which federal agencies will be plastered with pink slips by the incoming Trump administration, bureaucrats at the
FBI and Pentagon are among those now reportedly updating their resumes.

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​Doge, Department of government efficiency, Efficiency, Bureaucracy, Elon musk, Vivek ramaswamy, Ramaswamy, Winning, Maga, President donald trump, Trump, Politics 

President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to fire Jack Smith upon reassuming office has reportedly prompted the special counsel to consider an early exit to avoid the impending termination.

According to the New York Times, sources have claimed that Smith plans to wrap up his work on the federal cases against Trump and retire before an administration change.

‘The Office of Special Counsel is not immune from transparency or above accountability for its actions.’

Last month, Trump pledged to terminate Smith “within two seconds” of taking office.

“We got immunity at the Supreme Court. It’s so easy,” Trump said. “He’ll be one of the first things addressed.”

Trump also revealed that he intends to file a lawsuit against Smith. The president-elect’s legal team has repeatedly argued that United States Attorney General Merrick Garland unlawfully appointed Smith to the special counsel position by sidestepping Congress.

Smith led two federal indictments against Trump. After Trump’s re-election last week, Smith moved to vacate all deadlines in one of the federal cases, which accused Trump of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The move does not entirely drop the case against Trump.

The other federal case, which claimed Trump mishandled classified documents, was previously dismissed by Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was appointed unconstitutionally. Smith moved to appeal Cannon’s decision.

While neither of the federal cases made it to trial, Smith is still required to submit a report of his findings. It is unclear whether Garland will release Smith’s report to the public.

The Department of Justice has a long-standing policy that it cannot prosecute a sitting president because it “would impermissibly undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions,” according to its website.

The House Judiciary Committee has raised concerns that Smith will attempt to purge the investigation records to hinder oversight.

Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) stated, “I assume there’s going to be some report. But all we’re saying is, ‘preserve everything,’ so we, the Congress, who have a constitutional duty to do oversight, can see everything.”

In a letter to Smith, Jordan and Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) instructed him to retain all records.

“With President Trump’s decisive victory this week, we are concerned that the Office of Special Counsel may attempt to purge relevant records, communications, and documents responsive to our numerous requests for information. The Office of Special Counsel is not immune from transparency or above accountability for its actions,” the congressmen wrote.

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Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida secured an endorsement from political heavyweights just moments before the GOP Senate conference is set to vote for a new leader.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas joined GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee in making a last-minute endorsement for Scott. Scott has also been endorsed by Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

“This morning, I’ll be voting for Rick Scott for GOP Leader, as I did two years ago,” Cruz said in an X post ahead of the vote. “In 2022, I helped lead the charge for Rick against McConnell & I’m proud to stand with him again. For 12 yrs, I’ve been unequivocal that we need to change GOP Leadership—and now we finally will.”

‘Rick Scott’s approach is also the most closely aligned with and focused on helping President Trump enact his legislative agenda, which is supported by more than 75 million American voters.’

Scott is running alongside Republican Sens. John Thune of South Dakota and John Cornyn of Texas in the race to replace retiring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Of the three candidates, Scott has the most public endorsements.

Lee hosted a forum Tuesday night ahead of the Wednesday morning leadership vote in order to give all three candidates the opportunity to make their final pitch to the Republican conference.

“While I personally like all three leadership candidates and consider them friends—and while each offers a unique set of skills, experience, and plans that could prove useful to the Senate and the American people—Rick Scott stands out as the most aggressively reform-minded candidate,” Lee said in an X post after the forum.

“Rick Scott’s approach is also the most closely aligned with and focused on helping President Trump enact his legislative agenda, which is supported by more than 75 million American voters,” Lee continued.

Lee also praised Scott for standing up to McConnell in the past, contrasting with Thune and Cornyn, who better fit the leadership mold.

“Rick Scott has consistently called out abuses of the Senate GOP leader position in the past—even when it was difficult and at times politically costly to him,” Lee said after the forum. “This is yet another reason to support him.”

The votes are set to begin Wednesday morning and will be conducted via secret ballot.

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​Rick scott, John thune, John cornyn, Mike lee, Marsha blackburn, Ted cruz, Mitch mcconnell, Donald trump, Maga, Senate republicans, Election, 2024 election, Senate leadership, Republican leadership, Ron johnson, Rand paul, Marco rubio, Bill hagerty, Tommy tuberville, Politics 

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will be appointing decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth to the position of secretary of defense, a post currently occupied by Ret. Gen. Lloyd Austin.

The liberal media and various establishmentarians rushed to criticize Trump and his selection, suggesting that the father of seven lacks the credentials and experience of past Pentagon chiefs, including President Joe Biden’s pick, whose legacy is apparently a better-armed Taliban.

Hegseth, a two-time recipient of the Bronze Star, likely doesn’t need help fending off those armchair critics desperate to maintain the status quo. Nevertheless, friends, allies, and others with long memories jumped in to highlight that Hegseth is, in fact, well suited to the role, not least because of the reasons that have rankled establishmentarians.

The announcement

“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” Trump
said in a statement Tuesday. “Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — Our Military will be great Again, and America will Never Back Down.”

‘The woke stuff will be gone.’

Trump noted that Hegseth is a graduate of Princeton University as well as Harvard University, where he received a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Trump also alluded to Hegseth’s firsthand experience with war, writing, “He is an Army Combat Veteran who did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. For his actions on the battlefield, he was decorated with two Bronze Stars, as well as a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.”

It appears that Hegseth’s proposals in his recent book, “The War on Warriors,” concerning how to “return our Military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence” caught Trump’s eye, warranting a mention in the announcement.

Months ahead of his landslide victory, Trump told a crowd in Las Vegas to buy Hegseth’s book, stressing, “The woke stuff will be gone within a period of 24 hours. I can tell you,”
reported the Associated Press.

“Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy,” added Trump.

Bubbles in the swamp

Politico, incautious as always despite its recent
false and misleading reports, rushed to attack Hegseth with an article titled “‘Who the f–k is this guy?’: Defense world reacts to Trump’s surprise Pentagon pick.” The subtitle read, “‘Hegseth is undoubtedly the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history,’ one veterans’ advocate said.”

The liberal publication suggested:

the pick will do little to quell fears inside the Pentagon and beyond that Trump, who jousted with his own defense secretaries, plans this time to install a loyalist who will unquestioningly carry out his policies. Trump’s campaign trail rhetoric has primed fears that his second term could see a swift and divisive overhaul at the Pentagon.

While framing the 44-year-old father of seven as unfit for the position and a Pentagon overhaul as undesirable, the article revealed the kinds of people presently uncomfortable with the decision: Eric Edelman, a top policy official in the Bush Pentagon and former Dick Cheney adviser; a military-industrial complex lobbyist unfamiliar with the pick; a veterans group funded by the Koch brothers; Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, D.C.; and a former Obama official.

“I think it’s a surprising pick, someone who’s a TV personality when the entire rhetoric from Trump and everyone else is that the world is falling apart and you pick someone who is not necessarily the most experienced,” said former Obama official Max Bermann, now at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies — a think tank funded in part by the Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Raytheon Company.

Former Jan. 6 committee member and Ukraine hawk Adam Kinzinger
tweeted, “Wow. Trump picking Pete Hegseth is the most hilariously predictably stupid thing.”

‘Everyone is simply shocked.’

“I confess I didn’t know who he was until 20 minutes ago,” said Rep. Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. “And he certainly doesn’t seem to have any background whatsoever in DOD policy.”

Smith was apparently concerned that Hegseth might not be able to fill the shoes of the man who oversaw the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal,
lied to the president about being hospitalized, watched impotently as a Chinese spy balloon flew over the United States, and failed to correct the recruitment crisis.

“What’s your plan? What are you going to do?”
said Smith. “How can you assure us that that lack of experience, you know, isn’t going to make it impossible for you to do the job?”

Identitarian Joy Reid
suggested on her MSNBC show that Hegseth was just a morning show host for Trump’s “clown car.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
tweeted, “A Fox & Friends weekend co-host is not qualified to be the Secretary of Defense. I lead the Senate military personnel panel. All three of my brothers served in uniform. I respect every one of our servicemembers. Donald Trump’s pick will make us less safe and must be rejected.”

‘He’s had a front row seat to ALL of our forever wars.’

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) reportedly
said, “Wow,” in response to Trump’s pick.

One defense official reportedly
told CNN, “Everyone is simply shocked.”

Media Matters, a leftist organization founded by Democratic operative David Brock that recently pushed for the censorship of BlazeTV hosts, attacked Hegseth, suggesting he is “an anti-Muslim bigot” for daring to write, “Just like the Christian crusaders who pushed back the Muslim hordes in the twelfth century, American Crusaders will need to muster the same courage against Islamists today.”

Bursting bubbles

Combat veteran Sean Parnell was among those who did not take kindly to the dismissive tone taken by liberal media types regarding Hegseth.

When MSNBC news analyst Jake Sherman
tweeted, “TRUMP had named PETE HEGSETH to be secretary of defense. Hegseth has been a host on Fox News,” Parnell responded, “I’m sorry but is this a joke? He’s a combat veteran of Iraq & Afghanistan. He served in GITMO. He’s had a front row seat to ALL of our forever wars. He’s seen the total failure of those who sent us. He’s more qualified than **any** so called DC expert & it’s not even close.”

‘The party of DEI hires are pissed about Pete Hegseth?’

BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler shared an excerpt from the Politico piece,
writing, “If the military industrial complex hates you, you may be an awesome choice for Sec of Defense.”

Wheeler also shared a picture of two of the cross-dressing officials in the Biden-Harris administration,
tweeting, “Leftists were cool with this creep at Dept of Energy and this groomer at HHS. But now they’re outraged by … Pete Hegseth? Lol. Ok, weirdos.”

The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway
wrote, “Obviously it’s better to have a SecDef who’d give the enemy a heads-up before we or our allies attack,” alluding to Mark Milley’s phone calls with his communist Chinese counterpart.

YouTuber David Freiheit, known under his online pseudonym “Viva Frei,” blasted Sen. Warren for her attack on Hegseth,
writing, “It’s unbelievable. Truly astonishing. They are not just rapacious liars. They are incorrigible idiots. Hey Pocahontas, do you not know that Pete Hegseth is a two-decade veteran who served in combat?”

Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck jumped in,
noting, “Pete Hegseth is literally a combat veteran with 2 bronze stars who led a squadron in Baghdad. He’s worked on veterans issues ever since and he’s also a Princeton + Harvard graduate. You do NOT respect our troops or you wouldn’t disrespect Pete by calling him just a Fox host.”

“The party of DEI hires are pissed about Pete Hegseth?”
wrote Chad Prather. “Sorry that the Harvard grad that led a battalion in Iraq and has two bronze stars doesn’t paint his nails.”

Extra to wanting to maximize lethality and to rid the military of paralyzing wokeness, Hegseth has signaled a desire to maintain high standards for combat roles, even if that means fewer or no female service members on the battlefield.

“It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. … We’ve all served with women, and they’re great,” Hegseth
told the titular host of “The Shawn Ryan Show” last week. “But our institutions don’t have to incentivize that in places where, traditionally — not traditionally, over human history — men in those positions are more capable.”

Hegseth, who has a tattoo of the Jerusalem cross as well as a tattoo of the Latin phrase for “God wills it,” indicated in his book that he was sidelined for his religious views.

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​Pete hegseth, Hegseth, Pentagon, Department of defense, Dod, Trump, President-elect trump, Winning, War, Military, Politics 

The U.S. State Department held a therapy session for employees after Donald Trump won the presidential election last week, according to a report from the Washington Free Beacon, which cited four sources with knowledge of the meeting.

The internal State Department email concerned “managing stress during change,” the outlet said, adding that employees were encouraged to attend a one-hour session early Friday during which they could share feelings about the election results.

One source described the meeting as a ‘cry session’ over Trump’s victory.

The Free Beacon said sources described a copy of the email and that the department’s Employee Consultation Services in the Bureau of Medical Services hosted the session.

“Change is a constant in our lives, but it can often bring about stress and uncertainty,” the email said, according to the outlet. “Join us for an insightful webinar where we delve into effective stress management techniques to help you navigate these challenging times. This session will provide tips and practical strategies for managing stress and maintaining your well being.”

The outlet said a licensed clinical provider led the session — and that a second session was scheduled for Nov. 13.

More from the Free Beacon:

The State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, which oversees American diplomacy in the war-torn Middle East, also held a group discussion Friday with assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs Barbara Leaf and acting undersecretary for political affairs John Bass, according to three sources briefed on the matter.

One source described the meeting as a “cry session” over Trump’s victory, which is likely to usher in wholesale change at Foggy Bottom. Officials in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs have been working for months to sanction the Jewish government and withhold critical arms shipments, alleging Israel is not doing enough to provide humanitarian aid in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. They are said to have discussed the difficulty of Trump’s victory and urged employees to share their feelings in private settings.

“For four years, within the rank and file, there has been an overemphasis on people’s feelings, often with a college campus-like fervor, rather than the work of advancing America’s interests,” according to one U.S. official with knowledge of the meetings who spoke to the outlet.

“This meeting was hopefully the last gasp of that,” the source told the outlet, adding that there’s “lots to unf***” at the State Department.

The Free Beacon said the State Department didn’t respond to a request for comment on the matter.

This wouldn’t be the first time the State Department offered therapy to employees. In May 2023, the agency offered free counseling to employees upset by a new IT feature that accidentally “misgendered” some of them.

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​State department, Therapy session, Trump victory, 2024 election, Donald trump, Politics 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against Daniel Penny in the death of Jordan Neely continues, revealing how the soft-on-crime DA’s decision to go after Penny for protecting subway riders caused witnesses to go into self-preservation mode.

Eric Gonzalez, who helped Penny restrain Neely after Neely made death threats on a New York City subway last year, testified for the prosecution on Tuesday that he lied when he was initially interviewed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a suspect in Neely’s death, the New York Post reported.

‘I’ve seen a lot of unstable people. This felt different to me.’

Gonzalez said he lied out of fear of being “pinned for” Neely’s death, telling the DA’s office he arrived on the scene earlier than he actually did and claiming that Neely had hit him, prompting Penny to act. Neely did not physically touch anyone prior to Penny restraining him, according to witnesses. The lies were an attempt at “justifying my actions,” Gonzalez said.

On account of his initial false statements, Gonzalez entered a non-prosecution agreement with Bragg’s office.

Gonzalez further testified he told Penny he would grab hold of Neely’s hands and that Penny should let him go, but Penny did not let go even as Neely motioned to be released.

Gonzalez also expressed concerns regarding his role in the trial. “There’s all these protests going on. I’m scared for myself and for my family,” he explained on the stand.

On Tuesday, jurors were also shown a frame-by-frame video of Penny’s hold on Neely.

“You will see Mr. Neely’s life being snuffed out before your very eyes,” Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran said during opening statements.

More police body-camera footage from the day of the incident shows witnesses praising Penny for his actions to keep people on the subway car safe.

“The guy in the tan [Penny] did take him down really respectfully. … He didn’t choke him,” a woman told officers.

Witnesses for the prosecution, many of whom have been subway riders for many years, testified that they have never been more scared for their lives than when Neely began threatening them.

“No, I did not feel safe when he was moving around erratically. I’ve taken the subway for 30 years, and I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen a lot of unstable people. This felt different to me,” Lori Sitro said last week.

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​Politics 

A Michigan woman who was fired after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine because of her “sincerely held” Catholic beliefs has just won a massive lawsuit.

On Friday, a Detroit jury awarded Lisa Domski nearly $13 million after she was terminated from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan on account of her refusal to take the shots. Of the $12.69 million she was awarded, $10 million was for punitive damages, $1.7 million for lost wages, and $1 million for noneconomic damages, Lawyer Monthly reported.

‘This win isn’t just about compensation; it’s about standing up for employee rights.’

Domski, an IT specialist from the Detroit suburb of Wyandotte who worked for BCBS of Michigan for a total of 38 years, was fired in January 2022 after requesting a religious exemption to the vaccine mandate imposed at the company a few months earlier.

Around November 1, 2021, BCBS of Michigan announced that all employees, even those like Domski who were mostly working remotely, had to be vaccinated by December 8 or apply for a religious exemption.

Domski opted to apply for a religious exemption on account of what her lawsuit described as her “sincerely held religious beliefs.” Without being permitted to have a lawyer present, she was then grilled by company officials, who asked her questions such as, “What do you do when you are in physical pain?” “Do you take Aspirin, Sudafed, Tums, or Tylenol?” and “Have you always followed this religious belief?” the lawsuit claimed.

Domski even furnished officials with the name of her parish and her priest, to no avail.

After officials probed the sincerity of her religious beliefs and the religious beliefs of other employees applying for an exemption, BCBS of Michigan placed many of them on unpaid leave before firing approximately 250 of them, including Domski, on January 5, 2022. However, according to Domski’s lawsuit, the company “allowed other unvaccinated employees without Plaintiff’s same religious beliefs to be exempted” from the vaccine mandate.

Now, three years later, Domski and her attorney, Jon Marko, are celebrating the jury’s decision as a “major victory” in the fight to protect religious liberties.

“Our forefathers fought and died for the freedom for each American to practice his or her own religion. Neither the government nor a corporation has a right to force an individual to choose between his or her career and conscience,” Marko said in a statement to Blaze News.

“Lisa refused to renounce her faith and beliefs and was wrongfully terminated from the only job she had ever known. The jury’s verdict today tells BCBSM that religious discrimination has no place in America and affirms each person’s right to religious freedom.”

As might be expected, BCBS of Michigan was less effusive about the decision, expressing appreciation for jurors and the process but disappointment with the result.

“Throughout the pandemic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, together with its employees, worked to promote the health and safety of our colleagues, stakeholders, and communities,” the company said in a statement, according to TNND.

“In implementing the vaccine policy, Blue Cross designed an accommodation process that complied with state and federal law and respected the sincerely held religious beliefs of its employees.”

The company also indicated that it was still exploring its “legal options” to determine a “path forward.”

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​Covid, Vaccine, Vaccine mandate, Religious exemption, Lisa domski, Blue cross blue shield, Politics 

Tuesday night, I hosted and moderated a forum for Republican senators, giving my colleagues a chance to hear from each of the three candidates running to replace Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). After hearing from each candidate, I’ve decided to support Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Here are my takeaways.

As I’ve been saying for months, the Senate is supposed to be “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” but it has ceased to function as such in recent years, as majority leaders from both political parties have consolidated power at the expense of nearly every other senator.

Rick Scott has consistently called out abuses of the Senate GOP leader position in the past — even when it was difficult and at times politically costly to him.

Senators are supposed to have ample opportunity to debate, discuss, and amend important legislation, and the Senate rules offer important procedural protections to ensure such outcomes. Those rules have been short-circuited by leaders of both parties, empowering what I sometimes describe (in the current configuration of Congress) as “the law firm of Schumer, McConnell, Johnson, and Jeffries,” or simply “the Firm.”

The Firm’s vast power is good for the Firm and its members — and for a handful of lobbyists and staffers who serve as its acolytes — but it’s bad for the Senate as a whole — and especially bad for the American people.

For that reason, I’ve been calling on those running to become the next Senate GOP leader to agree to a series of reforms designed to restore rules, customs, and practices that in the past helped earn the Senate the (currently inaccurate) title of “the world’s greatest deliberative body.”

While I personally like all three leadership candidates and consider them friends — and while each offers a unique set of skills, experience, and plans that could prove useful to the Senate and the American people — Rick Scott stands out as the most aggressively reform-minded candidate.

Rick Scott offers the most specific, aggressive plan for restoring the Senate’s most time-honored traditions, rooted in its rules. And he’s embraced many of these reforms — which have been reflected in his votes and advocacy within the conference — since long before this race began.

Scott has offered concrete plans for 1) protecting each senator’s ability to call up amendments and make them pending, 2) reforming the (currently barbaric) way in which the Senate passes spending bills, in which most senators have literally no meaningful opportunity to amend — or even read and debate — spending bills negotiated in secret by the Firm, and 3) otherwise ensuring that the Senate GOP leader will work for those who elect him, not the other way around.

Scott’s approach is also the most closely aligned with and focused on helping President Trump enact his legislative agenda, which is supported by more than 75 million American voters.

With this in mind, I wholeheartedly endorse Rick Scott and respectfully urge my colleagues — particularly those who agree that bold reforms are badly needed — to do the same.

All three candidates offered helpful perspectives on how our conference should operate, and I found the entire discussion refreshing and productive. But Scott’s approach stands out, and that’s why I’ll be casting my vote for him.

Rick Scott has consistently called out abuses of the Senate GOP leader position in the past — even when it was difficult and at times politically costly to him. This is yet another reason to support him.

Editor’s note: This article appeared originally as a thread on X (formerly Twitter).

​Senate republicans, Senate, The firm, Rick scott, Mike lee, Senate majority leader, Opinion & analysis 

No opinions, no agenda — just the basic facts you need to answer that eternal question: Is anything good playing?

Welcome to the inaugural installment of our monthly Align Movie Guide. We can’t guarantee that Hollywood will make entertainment worthy of your time and money — but we can help you get a sense of your choices.

From big-budget spectacles to Christmas warm-ups, here are some of the more promising films hitting cinemas in November

‘Here’ — Nov. 1

Director Robert Zemeckis’ attempt to recapture some of that “Forrest Gump” magic by reuniting Tom Hanks and Robin Wright for “Here” has utterly flopped with critics — and most viewers. It’s too bad, as the film takes on a relatively bold challenge: depicting centuries of drama playing out on one piece of land.

Perhaps more interesting than its story is the film’s groundbreaking effects work: it uses Metaphysic Live, a new AI technology, to face-swap and de-age Hanks and Wright in real-time while filming instead of doing the work in post.

‘Red One’ — Nov. 15

If you’re one of those people who considers “Die Hard” a Christmas movie, you might want to consider “Red One.”

When Santa Claus is kidnapped by sinister forces days before Christmas Eve, North Pole Head of Security Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson) recruits the help of Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), the world’s greatest tracker, to battle fantastical creatures and find jolly Ol’ Saint Nick in an action-packed Christmas adventure.

When it comes to blockbusters, you can’t go wrong with Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson … or can you? Evans, a staunch Democrat, has been letting his partisan side show in recent years, broadcasting his support for Kamala Harris and lambasting fans who protested a lesbian kissing scene in Pixar’s “Toy Story” spin-off, “Lightyear.”

Neither is “The Rock” impervious to controversy. He was accused of urinating in bottles on the “Red One” set to save time after showing up hours late to set. Surprisingly entitled behavior for a man whose latest films — “Black Adam” and “Jungle Cruise,” among them — have failed to capture audiences.

Then again, nobody’s perfect, and the concept looks to be a funny, action-packed take on a Christmas movie. If that’s your cup of tea, “Red One” might be worth unwrapping.

‘Gladiator II’ — Nov. 22

Singer-songwriter Nick Cave once wrote a wild script for a sequel to the beloved “Gladiator,” which sent Maximus (Russell Crowe) on an epic time-travel quest. That idea never came to fruition, but original director Ridley Scott is about to deliver a more straightforward follow-up with “Gladiator II.” The film follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Maximus. Like his father, he must fight for his life and the whole of Rome as a gladiator. The film has been highly anticipated for its sprawling physical sets and stacked cast, which includes Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Derek Jacobi.

‘Wicked’ — Nov. 22

Nobody said it was easy being green. The long-awaited big screen adaptation of beloved musical “Wicked” has a built-in audience of loyal fans — probably best not to alienate them by crying “racist.” Yet that’s what star Cynthia Erivo did when one X user innocently edited the movie poster to make it resemble its Broadway counterpart.

Time will tell if this glimpse behind the DEI curtain will dissuade viewers from taking the Yellow Brick Road — but maybe Erivo’s co-stars — including Ariana Grande as Glinda (the Good Witch), Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard — will be enough of a draw.

‘Moana 2’ — Nov. 27

Perhaps the one film coming out this month with the most to prove is Disney’s “Moana 2,” sailing into theaters a scant nine months after being announced.

“Moana 2” originally took the form of an 8-episode Disney+ series; Disney CEO Bob Iger claimed he loved it so much that he decided to turn it into a feature-length film.

Nice story, but insiders claim his real motives were to replace another animated film rife with wokeness — hardly a selling point after the one-two punch failure of “Strange World” and the well-meaning “Wish.” The film was scrapped.

Even stars Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson had to renegotiate contracts and re-record lines for the film (Johnson’s cameo-sized role was expanded to a co-lead). The trailers do seem to indicate a straightforward adventure with the iconic “wayfinder,” a welcome signal that Disney is getting back to what it does best: family entertainment. Audiences — and Disney — should hope the Mouse House has another billion-dollar crowd-pleaser on its hands.

Here are a few lesser-hyped upcoming films to consider:

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ — Nov. 8

For those who like to celebrate the most wonderful time of year early, consider bringing the family to “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” a new adaptation of Barbara Robinson’s book from “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins. When the Herdman siblings — who have a reputation for being the worst kids in the world — take over the local Christmas church pageant, they might just teach a shocked community the true meaning of Christmas. Starring Judy Greer, Lauren Graham, Pete Holmes, and Elizabeth Tabish.

‘Heretic’ — Nov. 8

In this horror-thriller from A24, two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed. Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive. Starring Hugh Grant (in an excellent heel turn), Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, and Topher Grace. Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.

‘A Sudden Case of Christmas’ — Nov. 8

An American couple bring their 10-year-old daughter, Claire, to her grandfather’s hotel in Italy to tell her that they are separating. Hoping to bring them back together, Claire asks the entire family to celebrate one last Christmas together … in August. Starring Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito, Andie MacDowell, Wilmer Valderrama, Adrian Dunbar, and Antonella Rose. Directed by Peter Chelsom.

‘Bonhoeffer’ — Nov. 22

From “Sound of Freedom” producer Angel Studios comes “Bonhoeffer,” a drama about the life of the German theologian and pastor who stood up to the Nazis during the Third Reich. Starring Jonas Dassler as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, August Diehl, Moritz Bleibtreu, Nadine Heidenreich, David Jonsson, and Flula Borg.

Complete list by date:

“Here” — Nov. 1″The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” — Nov. 8″Heretic” — Nov. 8″A Sudden Case of Christmas” — Nov. 8″Red One” — Nov. 15″Gladiator II” — Nov. 22″Wicked” (Part One) — Nov. 22″Bonhoeffer” — Nov. 22″Moana 2″ — Nov. 27

​Movies, Entertainment, Reviews, Moana 2, Gladiator ii, Vince salerno, Align movie guide 

As wars rage on all around the world, the fog of war and accusations of sabotage continue to plague international relations.

According to a Newsweek report, Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of Putin, recently accused U.S. and U.K. intelligence operatives of past sabotage actions and plans for future attacks. Specifically, he accused the U.S. and U.K. of “intending to sabotage underwater internet cables and planning to destabilize the maritime energy trade.”

Both NATO allies and Russia have accused the other side of maritime sabotage. A September CNN article, citing U.S. officials, alleged that Russia was planning a similar plot to sabotage “underwater infrastructure by order of the defense ministry’s Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research (GUGI).”

Future attacks on fiber-optic cables and other infrastructure would have the aim of causing ‘chaos’ in global energy markets, ‘including by destabilizing maritime transportation.’

However, Crimean Wind, a Telegram channel reporting Patrushev’s comments, posted, “It would be funny, but such statements often sound like a cover for their own intentions.”

Nikolai Patrushev, a Putin aide and chairman of Russia’s maritime board, is also one of the main forces behind Russia’s war on Ukraine. On Monday, he told the newspaper Kommersant that U.S. and U.K. intelligence were “behind the September 2022 attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines.”

Despite several investigations by Sweden and Denmark and an ongoing investigation by Germany, it is still unclear who was behind the Nord Stream pipelines attack.

Regarding speculations that Ukraine was behind these attacks, Patrushev said that the Ukrainian Navy had “neither the equipment nor the trained specialists to carry out a deep-sea terrorist attack” and that “only special forces units of NATO countries could carry out sabotage of this scale.”

He went on to tell Kommersant that the U.S. and U.K. would be executing these sabotage operations to “promote their economic interests.” Further, he speculated that future attacks on fiber-optic cables and other infrastructure would aim to cause “chaos” in global energy markets, “including by destabilizing maritime transportation.”

Newsweek went on: “Patrushev said this was the intention behind U.S. strikes against the Houthis in the Persian Gulf, which Washington has conducted in response to attacks by the Iranian-backed Yemeni group against shipping in the region.”

While it is difficult and will likely be impossible to discern who was responsible for these attacks, Patrushev is certainly correct about one thing: Attacks on global infrastructure will continue to sow chaos on the world stage during these already uncertain times.

​Technology, Russia pipeline, Ukraine, Putin, Nord stream, Tech 

What’s in store for the auto industry once Trump’s in the driver’s seat?

A lot of automakers are hoping the country can switch lanes. Under Biden, it’s been a bit of a road to nowhere, with current regulations mandating strict fuel efficiency and emissions standards by 2030.

This year’s election promises to be more consequential to the automotive industry than any previous election.

These standards, of course, are meant to steer the industry toward electric vehicles. One problem: The consumer demand just isn’t there, at least in the near term. Factor in the substantially higher production cost of EVs compared to traditional gasoline and hybrid models, and the government is asking these companies to take a huge financial risk.

Volkswagen Group and Stellantis are two automotive giants already feeling the pain of too much investment in EVs, as their recent cost-cutting measures demonstrate.

Shifting gears

Expect the Trump-Vance administration to shift away from the electric vehicle mandates, though the degree of pullback is unknown. Given the level of resources both domestic and foreign automakers have already invested in EV production and the multi-year timeline required to change product plans, a substantial reduction in EV incentives and sales will still prove costly for the industry.

The uncertainty surrounding political shifts has long been one of the most challenging aspects of running a successful car company. This year’s election promises to be more consequential to the automotive industry than any previous election.

An impossible path

The disconnect between current electric vehicle regulations and real-world consumer demand has put traditional automakers on an impossible path. They’ve invested billions in rapid EV development even as sales have lagged and cars have piled up on dealer lots.

We expect the Trump administration to carefully assess and ultimately replace the existing MPG mandates (a de facto EV mandate) with a policy that better recognizes market reality.

While this will be a net positive for traditional automakers, it could mean even slower growth in EV sales and a tougher road ahead for electric vehicle brands like Lucid, Rivian, and Tesla.

We wonder if Trump’s new BFF, Elon Musk, will have anything to say about that. Perhaps Tesla’s market dominance — as well as its exemption from tariffs as an American-made car — will let it continue to thrive. Musk is nothing if not resourceful.

CARB cutting

Once Trump takes office in January, he could quickly roll back these onerous emissions standards by executive order.

Some questions remain: How soon until the automaker CEOs make formal requests to Trump to abolish the EV mandate? Can we finally abolish the California Air Resources Board?

California has long had outsized power to drive the national EV agenda. The state not only leads the country in EV adoption, it is also responsible for creating the Zero-Emission Vehicle program, which requires new vehicles to reach 100% zero-emission and clean plug-in hybrid-electric status in California by the 2035 model year.

So far, 16 other states have adopted the ZEV program; the average number of EVs per 10,000 residents in those states is more than double what it is in non-ZEV states.

But with Trump’s advisers already planning to revisit the Clean Air Act waivers that allow California to enforce its own, stricter pollution standards, the Golden State’s grip on the kind of cars Americans get to drive could be weakening.

We will be watching all the new rules and regulations and will keep you posted.

​Donald trump, Election 2024, Ev mandates, Joe biden, Stellantis, Lauren fix, Business, Lifestyle, Align cars 

On a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Joe Rogan and Theo Von recalled their reactions to Trump’s victory on election night. As it turns out, the two comedians watched the election together at a watch party/comedy festival at Rogan’s Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas.

Dave Rubin plays the clip of the duo reflecting on their “crazy” night watching Trump win in a landslide.

“Yo, how fun was election night at the Mothership?” Rogan asked.

“It was baffling, man. I mean, it was crazy,” Von said, before the two erupted into laughter.

“It was so much fun,” Rogan reiterated, calling the atmosphere “so positive.”

Von then recalled the revelries that took place — “People were dancing, people were smoking weed. … Adam and Eve were in there,” he laughed.

“It felt like America is brighter,” Rogan added. “We were moving towards this insane world where we were being controlled by liars, we were just being gaslit left and right. We saw it all over the media, we saw it all over the news — things that were right in front of your face … There’s just so much craziness and then all of a sudden — poof!”

“Yes, they’re feeling what you’re feeling. America’s best days are ahead of her,” says Dave.

To watch the footage of Rogan and Von reflecting on their wild election night, watch the clip above.

Want more from Dave Rubin?

To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​The rubin report, Dave rubin, Blazetv, Blaze media, Trump victory, Joe rogan, Theo von 

Disgraced Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo explained why he believed the Democrats lost the election and gave a warning to Democrats going ahead to stop the skid.

Cuomo made the comments while being interviewed by journalist Mark Halperin on the “2WAY Tonight” show.

‘What we did talk about was bizarre to these people! It was not about gender change operations for criminals! That’s not where they were at!’

“The first thing the Democratic Party has to realize is when you’re in a hole, stop digging,” Cuomo said. “I think we really have to come to grips with what happened here, and I don’t think that happens overnight.”

He said that some were arguing that the party didn’t go left enough, but he disagreed with that estimation and argued against it.

“That believe it or not, is going to have to be litigated. And it’s shocking to me that anyone could maintain that position after the election. But that is going to have to be sorted through. Because you’re gonna have the extreme left saying the problem was that we were not left enough. As bizarre as that appears to be,” said Cuomo.

“What happened is, in this election people had two bad choices,” he continued. “And President Trump was the better of two bad choices.”

He went to say that Democrats were “disconnected” from “reality” because of their hatred for Trump.

“We were so blinded by our hate for Trump and assume that everybody was gonna see that we were right and that he was bad and we were so consumed with making the negative on Trump, we never made the positive case for the Democratic party. And what the Democrats would do for you,” Cuomo continued.

“Government is about doing for you. I also don’t think it was clear what the Biden administration had done for you. You weren’t convinced that that administration worked for you so there was a double burden on Harris to make the case we were working for you, we did actually accomplish something, and we have a plan for your future. We didn’t do that!” he added.

“And what we did talk about was bizarre to these people! It was not about gender change operations for criminals! That’s not where they were at!” Cuomo concluded. “And we had this elitist arrogant extremist left that dictated an agenda that predominated the campaign, and i think that was the root cause of what happened.”

Cuomo stepped down from his governorship in 2021 after numerous accusations of sexual harassment. His interlocutor, Halperin, was similarly fired from SNBC in 2017 after several accusations of sexual harassment.

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Oprah Winfrey denied reports that she was paid off by the Harris-Walz campaign for her endorsement but admitted that her production company received $1 million to pay for other costs.

‘I was not paid a dime. My time and energy was my way of supporting the campaign.’

Vice President Kamala Harris has been hammered by critics on the left after spending a billion dollars on her campaign and losing badly to President-elect Donald Trump. The campaign reportedly ended up with nearly $20 million in debt.

Among the expenditures made was a $1 million given to Oprah Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions.

“Usually I am reluctant to respond to rumors in general, but these days I realize that if you don’t stop a lie, it just gets bigger,” she wrote. “I was not paid a dime. My time and energy was my way of supporting the campaign.”

She went on to say that she did not take a “personal fee” for the appearance, but her company was asked to supply the set, which included lights, cameras, microphones, and chairs for the set.

“However, the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were,” she said. “End of story.”

Her accounting was confirmed by a spokesperson for Harpo Productions who spoke to Variety.

“The campaign paid for the production costs of ‘Unite for America,’ a live-streaming event that took place Sept. 19 outside Detroit, Mich.,” said the spokesperson. “Oprah Winfrey was at no point during the campaign paid a personal fee, nor did she receive a fee from Harpo.”

The campaign also paid $500k to the nonprofit founded by activist Al Sharpton just before Harris appeared on a video with Sharpton in which he praised her and attacked Trump. Sharpton reportedly got paid $650k by the organization in 2021.

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