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The dream of driving off in an affordable used car is slipping away fast.

If you’ve been browsing used car lots or checking online listings, you’ve likely noticed prices are climbing rapidly. According to Cox Automotive’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, wholesale used car prices in April 2025 hit their highest level since October 2023, with the index surging 4.9% year over year to 208.2.

Even older cars are commanding higher prices, as buyers focus on value over low mileage.

That’s a 2.7% jump from March alone, far exceeding the typical 0.2% monthly increase.

Surge ahead

What’s driving this price surge? A combination of new auto tariffs, shrinking supply, and changing consumer behavior is shaking up the used car market.

The main trigger is a 25% tariff on new imported vehicles and parts, introduced in April 2025, which is impacting the entire auto industry.

While these tariffs don’t directly affect used cars, they’re pushing new car prices — averaging $48,000 — out of reach for many buyers. As a result, more Americans are turning to the used market, where prices average around $25,000.

Cox projects retail used car sales will reach 20.1 million in 2025, a 1.2% increase from 2024, partly due to consumers shifting to used vehicles. April’s retail sales were up 13% year over year, despite a 1.7% dip from March, showing strong demand for used cars.

This increased demand has dealers competing fiercely at wholesale auctions to stock their lots. As Cox Automotive’s Jeremy Robb, senior director of economic and industry insights, explains, “The ‘spring bounce’ usually ends by mid-April, but this year, wholesale appreciation trends continued for the entire month and were much stronger than we typically observe.”

The result is clear: Wholesale prices are soaring, and retail prices are following, with used car listings up 2% in just four weeks.

Price hikes

Let’s look at what this means for your budget. According to iSeeCars.com, the average used car now costs $31,400, a $317 increase from last month.

Their analysts calculated the potential impact of further price hikes on popular models: A 10% increase could add $1,700 to a Kia Forte or $5,000 to a Chevy Tahoe.

That’s a significant burden for families already dealing with inflation and high interest rates. ISeeCars.com compares this to the pandemic, when used car prices rose 8.95% in eight months due to supply chain issues.

Supply shortages are worsening the situation. A key issue is the decline in off-lease vehicles returning to the market. Many lessees are buying out their leases instead of returning their cars, leaving dealers with fewer vehicles to sell.

Higher mileage

Cox reports that wholesale inventory in April was at 41 days’ supply, down from 46 days a year ago. To fill the gap, dealers are selling higher-mileage vehicles — cars with over 90,000 miles are now common, as modern engineering allows vehicles to last up to 250,000 miles.

This means even older cars are commanding higher prices, as buyers focus on value over low mileage. Tariffs are cutting into new car margins, so dealers are raising prices across the board — used cars included. The data confirm this, creating a tough environment for bargain hunters.

Electric slide

One segment is avoiding this price surge: electric vehicles, or EVs.

While gas-powered used cars see steady price increases, used EV prices dropped by $3,865 year over year.

One reason for this exception is that used car buyers tend to prioritize cost-efficiency over environmental goals, reducing demand for EVs despite their increased presence on dealer lots. EVs made up 3.4% of Manheim’s auction sales in April. For EV enthusiasts, this could be an opportunity to find a deal, but for most buyers, the used car market is increasingly expensive.

Looking ahead, the future is uncertain. Cox economists predict a volatile summer, with high prices and interest rates possibly slowing sales. However, slower sales could lead to dealer incentives, which might boost demand again.

ISeeCars.com analysts are cautious, noting that even auto industry leaders like Elon Musk are avoiding firm predictions in this unpredictable market. One thing is certain: With limited supply and strong demand, used car prices are unlikely to drop soon. Cox expects less depreciation than usual in the second quarter, so buyers should prepare for higher costs.

Plan ahead

For those shopping for a used car, strategic planning is essential.

Consider less popular models or EVs to avoid the steepest price increases. Timing can also help — waiting for potential dealer incentives later this year might save money.

However, the low prices of a few years ago are unlikely to return. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell 8.4% in April, reaching its lowest level since 2009, as concerns about inflation and rising costs grow.

With gas prices down 13% year over year but still fluctuating, and inflation expectations rising to 6.7%, buyers are rushing to secure deals before prices climb further. This urgency is driving the price surge, with tariffs adding to the pressure.

The used car market in 2025 is a challenging landscape, shaped by tariffs, supply shortages, and shifting consumer priorities. Whether you’re looking for a reliable sedan or a rugged SUV, expect to pay more — and plan carefully. By staying informed and choosing wisely, you can still find value amid all the rising prices.

​Lifestyle, Used cars, Tariffs, Consumer advice, Lauren fix, Align cars 

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that can infect any nucleated cell in any warm-blooded animal and can cause a wide range of health complications — some fatal, such as miscarriage or inflammation of the brain. Over 40 million Americans are infected with the parasite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it infects an estimated 30%-50% of the total world population.

This parasite is stereotypically associated with crazy “cat ladies” on account of the parasite’s presence in cat feces — cats are its only known definitive hosts — and its association with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and suicidal behavior.

Researchers from Chile, Germany, and Uruguay confirmed in a new peer-reviewed study published in the FEBS Journal that the rapidly dividing asexual form of Toxoplasma gondii, generally known as tachyzoites, “colonize and proliferate” within testes and in the coiled sperm-storing tube behind each testicle.

RELATED: Lancet study: Fertility is plummeting globally, with over half of countries below replacement level

Toxoplasmosis from AIDS-infected patient. Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images

Besides its capacity to behead and deform sperm, the researchers indicated that the parasite’s alterations to “mitochondrial activity can cause oxidative stress leading to male infertility.”

Bill Sullivan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Indiana University, recently noted that “testicular function and sperm production are sharply diminished in Toxoplasma-infected mice, rats, and rams. Infected mice have significantly lower sperm counts and a higher proportion of abnormally shaped sperm.”

While the researchers indicated in the new study that the parasite’s impact on sperm could be a factor contributing to the global declines in male fertility in recent decades, Sullivan suggested that “studies to date that show defects in the sperm of infected men are too small to draw firm conclusions at this time.”

The CDC indicated that infections can occur as the result of eating contaminated under-cooked meat or shellfish or unwashed contaminated produce; contact with cat excrement; mother-to-child transmission; and receipt of an infected organ transplant or blood transfusion.

The agency recommended a number of precautions that might reduce the risk of infection, including wearing gloves when gardening or touching sand possibly contaminated with the parasite; ensuring food is cooked to a safe internal temperature; keeping meat frozen at sub-zero temperatures for several days before cooking; ensuring vegetables are properly rinsed before cooking and/or consumption; and, in the case of cat owners, changing litter boxes daily.

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​Science, Sperm, Fertility, Testes, Testicles, Parasite, Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, Health, Study, Politics 

The Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark rivalry began years ago on the court of the national title game between Louisiana State University and University of Iowa. When Reese and LSU secured the win, Reese didn’t walk away without famously taunting Clark first.

As the pair have taken their careers into the big leagues, Anthony Walker believes the media is using the controversy, with a racism angle, to promote the WNBA.

“I see the media as a driver,” Walker tells BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock on “Fearless.” “As with the WNBA, it’s never been a profitable business. It’s always needed that infusion of finance.”

“But when we look at what’s happened the last couple of years with women’s college basketball,” he continues, “from my vantage point, women’s college basketball has always been pretty popular.”

However, the WNBA is not as popular as college basketball.

“So they need some kind of angle to push to make things kind of happen. So they’re using all this drama, using all this controversy, using all these angles. It’s why a foul call goes to somebody calling out another person’s wife, and this big racial debacle of microaggression,” Walker explains.

“No press is bad press, so as long as we can get some eyes looking into this, maybe we can turn those views into revenue,” he adds.

But Whitlock doesn’t believe the WNBA is turning sports stories into racial ones on their own.

“There was a documentary about Tiger Woods,” Whitlock begins. “Nike is who wanted to push Tiger Woods as a racial story, as a black-white story, and Tiger Woods and his daddy were like, ‘No, I don’t want to do that.’”

“For the most part, Nike, the real controllers, they dictate how these leagues are covered and what they lean into, and they’ve decided the racial angle and racial animus is a way of uplifting the WNBA,” he adds.

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Video, Sharing, Free, Upload, Video phone, Camera phone, Youtube.com, Fearless with jason whitlock, Fearless, Jason whitlock, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Caitlin clark, Angel reese, Lsu, Iowa, Wnba, College basketball, Womens basketball, Womens sports, Racism in sports, Racism, Antiracist, Race baiting 

Under the former Biden administration, woke policies and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives infiltrated all aspects of the federal government, including the U.S. military.

Upon retaking office, President Donald Trump vowed to root out the dangerous DEI programs and refocus the military on its mission to fortify national security.

‘Through our power and might, we will lead the world to peace.’

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Trump’s Department of Defense dropped a new recruitment video that directly addressed this shift away from the woke insanity.

RELATED: Pete Hegseth orders investigation into ‘catastrophic’ withdrawal from Afghanistan under Biden

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The advertisement included an adrenaline-charged barrage of imagery — explosions, guns, fighter jets, tanks, helicopters, and troops forging themselves through grueling training. The video spliced comments from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Trump over the onslaught of visuals.

“No more distractions. No more electric tanks. No more gender confusion. No more climate change worship. We are laser-focused on our mission of warfighting,” Hegseth remarked.

RELATED: ‘No more dudes in dresses’: Hegseth gives multitudes of trans-identifying service members the boot

“We will measure our success, not only by the battles we win but also by the wars we end and, perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into. It’s called ‘peace through strength,'” Trump stated.

“Through our power and might, we will lead the world to peace. Our friends will respect us. Our enemies will fear us. And the whole world will admire the unrivaled greatness of the United States military,” Trump continued. “We will replenish the pride of our armed forces [and] end the recruitment crisis.”

“We don’t fight because we hate what’s in front of us. We fight because we love what’s behind us,” Hegseth added.

Trump’s comments concluded the video.

“God bless you. God bless our armed forces. God bless our men and women serving overseas. And God bless the United States of America,” the president declared.

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​News, Pete hegseth, Donald trump, Trump, Trump administration, Trump admin, Department of defense, Dod, Military, Diversity equity inclusion, Dei, Politics 

Two Southern towns in different states share the same name: Hartsville. They were both chosen as future sites for nuclear plants in the late 1960s and early 1970s. One of those nuclear plants was completed and went online, helping to foster a thriving and prosperous community. The other plant was canceled, leaving a derelict cooling tower as a reminder of what might have been for the downtrodden town that has been economically left behind.

Hartsville, South Carolina, with its nuclear generating station, is thriving. Hartsville, Tennessee, with its for-profit penitentiary and abandoned nuclear project, is dying.

The ‘tale of two Hartsvilles’ shows the power of a town producing an actual product — requiring technicians, skilled tradesmen, and engagement with local businesses.

The Pamphleteer, a Nashville-based publication, published a piece by Hamilton Wesley Ellis titled “Atomic Hartsville: A small Tennessee town’s forgotten history as a nuclear leader.” The article draws a stark contrast between the two Hartsvilles — and explores what might have been if Hartsville, Tennessee, had completed its nuclear power plant.

But this story goes beyond one town’s missed opportunity and another’s industrial success. It serves as an allegory for a larger truth: Industrial vitality sustains American communities. Where industry thrives, prosperity and opportunity follow. Where industry dies, decline sets in — dragging despair in its wake.

A ‘tale of two Hartsvilles’

Ellis writes of Tennessee’s Hartsville:

Today the nuclear plant is quiet as the grave. Surely the town of Hartsville would look different had the plant’s four reactors reached criticality and provided power to the region. Since opening its doors in 2016, the private prison next door has had three fatal stabbings, three COVID deaths, and multiple cases of assaults on guards, mental health workers, and inmates alike. The prison’s short brutal history has firmly established it as a more dangerous place than any operational nuclear facility in US history, but at least they’re hiring.

The juxtaposition of a prison-based service economy and a nuclear-fueled industrial economy is certainly compelling, especially for those old Nader-ites still fighting against nuclear energy. Beyond the nuclear argument, the “tale of two Hartsvilles” shows the power of a town producing an actual product — requiring technicians, skilled tradesmen, and engagement with local businesses. This industrial ecosystem creates wealth, which is recirculated through a variety of other employers and supports an environment that enables a middle-class lifestyle.

If completed, the four-unit Hartsville facility would have been the largest nuclear power plant in the world.Photo by Karen Kasmauski/Corbis via Getty Images

To that point, Ellis observes:

The South Carolina Hartsville is home to a university, technical college, and the state Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics. Hartsville, Tennessee, has a Dollar General. Both towns have roughly the same population, give or take a couple thousand people, but extremely disparate vibes. One is a thriving community built on science and industry, the other a struggling village blanched gray by a very long run of bad luck.

Hartsville, Tennessee, is the story of too many such towns across the U.S. that have had a “long run of bad luck” — and that bad luck was no accident. It lies at the intersection of an America-last political mindset among our ruling class and a wicked business school philosophy that sees any labor expense as unacceptable.

RELATED: Comparative advantage was built on patriotism. That’s gone.

adventtr via iStock/Getty Images

American jobs were outsourced to countries where working conditions often resemble slavery. That decision triggered an industrial collapse across large swaths of the United States. With the collapse came a cascade of local devastation. Community institutions fell apart. Economic activity dried up. Social pathologies filled the vacuum.

The so-called “principled free traders” who once cheered the offshoring of American jobs now ridicule those calling for the reshoring of industry. They claim automation made industrial labor obsolete. Andrew Yang, a former Democratic presidential candidate, often promotes this idea, as he did in a 2019 New York Times op-ed headlined, “Yes, Robots Are Stealing Your Jobs.”

Let’s bring workers home

Maybe so. But if that’s the case, then let’s reshore those plants that are using robotics. Transportation costs should decrease significantly. If labor expense is so “reprehensible,” aren’t transportation expenses also bad? Moreover, automation still requires human workers to build, service, and install the robots, as well as skilled tradesmen to do the plumbing and electrical work. Moreover, people will need to deliver products from the bays, handle deliveries, service vehicles, and so on.

Hartsville, Tennessee — with its decaying cooling tower looming over a long-abandoned project — stands as a monument to the dismantling of reliable energy and the destruction of industrial jobs. This is the green, globalist vision for America. By contrast, Hartsville, South Carolina, with its thriving industrial base and a product globalists love to sneer at, represents the America-first alternative championed by the MAGA movement.

Whether it is nuclear power, appliances, microchips, or any other product, industrial manufacturing drives local prosperity. It circulates money through the economy, creates stable jobs, and builds strong communities. The United States doesn’t just benefit from this activity — it depends on it.

​Opinion & analysis, Nuclear power, Hartsville, South carolina, Tennessee, Private prisons, Economy, Energy, Clean energy, Industry, America first, America last policy, Jobs, Offshore, Outsourcing, Employment 

Republican support for gay marriage hit its lowest point in nearly a decade while Democrat support has never been higher.

In a new Gallup poll, Americans were asked if they thought “marriages between same-sex couples” should be recognized by law, with the same rights as traditional marriages. Only 41% of Republicans thought they should be, while a whopping 88% of Democrats said the marriages should be legal.

‘Conservativism should begin with upholding God’s view of marriage between a man and a woman.’

The GOP numbers represented the lowest amount of support for same-sex marriage in the poll since 2016 when it was 40%, while in 2015 it was just 30%.

Democrats set a new record for themselves, though, and after losing a few percentage points the last couple of years, they increased the record responses from 2022, when the number was 87%.

The entirety of support among U.S. adults has slowly trended down from its 2022 peak of 71% support to 68% in 2025.

RELATED: Labeling you ‘phobic’ is how the left dodges real arguments

Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC via Getty Images

Americans were also asked for their views on the “moral acceptability of same-sex relations,” regardless of legality. Just 38% of Republicans deemed them morally acceptable, while 86% of Democrats polled agreed. Overall, 64% of U.S. adults deemed same-sex relations morally acceptable.

“If conservatives want to win, it’s time for them to start conserving,” reporter Natasha Biase told Blaze News. “Conservativism should begin with upholding God’s view of marriage between a man and a woman.”

Far more Republicans agreed with Biase 30 years ago than they do today, according to Gallup’s historical polling. Data dating back to 1996 shows Republican support for the idea did not exceed one-in-five until 2010. Since then, it has steadily increased, including its peak support of 55% — the only majority — from 2021 to 2022. It has trended down since then.

RELATED: The sexual revolution enslaved us — here’s how we break free

A Filipino same-sex couple walks down the aisle in the Philippines in 2023. Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Democrat support has had a less rocky incline. A majority of the party’s voters have supported gay marriage since 2006. It dipped below 50% in 2005, after a majority in 2004, as well.

“I think this is happening because the slippery slope exists,” Biase continued. “First, it was gay marriage, and now, it’s literal toddlers taking hormones because they think they are another gender.”

Since 2022, Democrats and independents have slowly continued to increase their support, but the downturn for Republicans has been enough to decrease the national average.

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​News, Gay marriage, Same-sex marriage, Republicans, Democrats, Homosexuality, Politics 

What happened to libraries?

No, I’m not talking about school libraries being turned into propaganda factories, shelving what amounts to textual pornography for middle school students, all justified under the guise of “inclusivity.” That’s a discussion for another time.

One December, as my wife left the library, a homeless man spit across the stairs onto the back of her dress. She turned around to find him quite satisfied with himself.

I am talking about the fact that across the United States, a tragic number of public libraries have turned into daytime homeless shelters and temporary asylums for the mentally ill, the insane, and generally disturbed.

Furious George

Go to any public library in any big city, and you will see a security guard slowly patrolling the quiet floor. Every once in a while he wakes up a bum up who’s sleeping on a bench behind the periodicals.

“No sleeping,” he mumbles as he nudges the drowsy man. Unkempt and disturbed homeless men in their 50s hunch over the computers while mothers pull their 3-year-olds close, hurrying past on their way to the children’s section.

Hanging around, right inside the lobby in the winter, the insane argue as a fight is about to break out. You walk by, head lowered, hoping to get inside without attracting any attention.

Great expectorations

Years ago my wife and I lived in Milwaukee. The library there was like any city’s library. A big, beautiful building right downtown full of books — and vagrants. So many of these old city libraries are so structurally stunning, and there is something darkly poetic in this. These grand buildings, built at a different time, a higher time, now lower than ever.

The bricks are the same, but their purpose has been degraded. One December, as my wife was leaving, a homeless man spit across the stairs onto the back of her dress. She turned around to find him quite satisfied with himself. This is the current state of these once-great testaments to literacy.

There may be no greater metaphor for our collapsing society than the demise of the library. Before everyone had money to buy the books they want, the library was a lifeline. Before the internet and before everyone had a telephone in their homes, the library was an oasis of knowledge. In the desert of the new world, the library was a miraculous thing. It was a symbol of civilization itself.

Goodnight, literacy

Today, however, people don’t read. They can, I think. But they don’t, that’s for sure.

They watch TikTok and rot their brains consuming gutter slop content. The majority of the population no longer desire the library like they once did. They, of course, still need the library, but they don’t want the library. This is another part of the story that is the demise of the library. The people are degenerating.

Of course, some people still read. I read, you read, we all read here. What are you doing right now, after all? But many of us buy our books. Personally, I end up buying books so I can support the author and own the book myself.

Often the books that I end up buying are a little off the beaten path, so they won’t be found in the library. Though I do use the library for a host of more general research purposes. Nevertheless, I know I am not the norm and neither are you. People don’t read.

Do people refrain from reading because of the homeless in the library? Probably not. People don’t read because people are getting dumber and their attention spans are fried.

Crime and… crime

But there is a certain percentage of people who visit the library less because of the general anarcho-tyranny of the situation inside. My wife stopped visiting the library after she got spit on. I stopped after being worn down by the generally depressing scene of disheveled men sleeping next to the nonfiction.

The homeless invasion of the library is a tragic example of a society that no longer has the will to keep order as it ought to be kept. The reason vagrants populate the library is the same reason cities tolerate shoplifting and general disorder. The institutions responsible for keeping order and maintaining a decent public space are too cowardly to do so. They sacrifice the rights of the upstanding citizen for the sake of the dysfunctional and disturbed.

You might think that this all sounds too harsh. One might protest, “Homeless people have a right to be at the library too!” Well, to a degree, they do. But vagrancy is a thing, and we all know what it is.

A farewell to harms

There was a time when our public spaces were kept more orderly. When those disturbing the peace were told to move along and if they didn’t go on their own, they were made to go. The homeless have rights, but so does everyone else. Public spaces deserve to be orderly, and if our government and institutions can’t ensure that, then they are failing.

There is a bigger question running like a thread through all this. Is it humane to turn the insane loose on the streets? For a while people were institutionalized; that was our solution. But then we stopped, and for the past few decades or so we’ve thought the best option was letting people go free, even if they end up harming themselves or others.

Which way is the right way? That’s a big question. I don’t know what the exact answer is. I’m not sure there’s a solution that makes us all feel good. But what I do know is that the scene of mentally ill homeless people disturbing everyone else and turning the public library into a homeless shelter is an acute example of societal dysfunction and degeneration.

There is something dark, depressing, and poignant about the scene of the city library today. This place where people used to learn before they fried their brains is now a homeless shelter.

​O.w. root, Public libraries, Men’s style, Homeless, Public order, Lifestyle, Literacy, The root of the matter 

Right now in the state of California, a boy by the name of AB Hernandez is competing in high school girls’ track and field and has qualified in first place in at least three events.

As the state track and field meet gets ready to kick off, girls who would have qualified otherwise are forced to sit out so Hernandez can claim his medals.

Despite recently sitting down with Charlie Kirk and discussing the issue of men in women’s sports, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, is doing nothing about it.

“You, right now, should come out and be like, ‘You know what, the young man who’s about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn’t happen.’ You as the governor should step out and say, ‘No,’” Kirk told Newsom.

“Would you do something like that? Would you say, ‘No men in female sports?’” Kirk continued.

“Well, I think it’s an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that. So that’s easy to call out, the unfairness of that. There’s also a humility and grace, you know, that these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with, as well,” Newsom responded.

“So both things I hold in my hand. How we can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent … but not always expressed,” he added.

BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler points out that not only was Newsom being dishonest in his appearance on Kirk’s podcast, but he was defying the president’s executive order.

“Remember that President Trump signed an executive order several months ago banning states from allowing biological boys, but I repeat myself, from competing in girls’ sports, even if those boys identify as girls,” Wheeler explains.

“So the state of California is violating President Trump’s executive order by allowing boys to compete in girls sports,” she adds.

Want more from Liz Wheeler?

To enjoy more of Liz’s based commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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An investigation into a teacher accused of saying “hail Satan” while wearing a devil costume in class led to more allegations that he had written inappropriate notes in yearbooks of his high school students.

Jesse Ruiz taught math at Mesa High School in Arizona before he resigned from his post in November over his behavior in class. He has since agreed to a negotiated settlement that would suspense his teaching license for two years.

‘What really tipped it over for me is he kept telling him no, and the teacher kept persisting.’

As the Blaze reported previously, a student in the class expressed his discomfort about the incident from October to KPNX-TV.

“Some people thought it was funny, some people didn’t like it, some people were like ‘whatever,’ they just blew it off,” said Nathaniel Hamlet, a sophomore at the time.

He said that Ruiz waved the pitchfork over students’ heads and said “hail Satan” to some. It bothered Hamlet because he is a professing Christian.

“I said, ‘Don’t do that to me,’ and I pushed [the pitchfork] away, maybe three or four times, and he still said it and still did it,” Hamlet recalled.

Hamlet told his father, who had been a Mesa Public School board candidate, and he complained to the principal of the school.

“I was livid because I am a Christian as well, obviously,” said the father to the station. “What really tipped it over for me is he kept telling him no, and the teacher kept persisting.”

Ruiz had claimed that he had dressed up as a part of Halloween spirit week along with another teacher, who had dressed up as an angel. He was placed on administrative leave soon afterward.

RELATED: Grade school teacher fired after admitting having bipolar disorder and psychosis, supporting satanism on social media

Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

After Ruiz resigned and had his license suspended, Chris Hamlet told KPNX-TV that he thought the teacher could redeem himself after two years. But then he heard about other accusations against the teacher and changed his mind.

Ruiz reportedly made inappropriate comments to students in their yearbooks. Some examples included:

“[T]hanks for all the free Canes HEHE. Gay Sex … LOL.” “I am gonna miss the f**k out of you …”“You should have run away from home or we should have kidnapped you,” to a female student.”I think about every day and especially when I found a new … or some new eye candy 😉 on Instagram,” to the same student.

“That was the big red flag right there,” Chris Hamlet said about the allegations. “This is the pattern, and it’s very dangerous. They should have stopped him at Skyline. He should have never got to Mesa. … I think they need to pull his license. He has no business teaching children.”

Ruiz will need to complete a course about professional boundaries after the suspension before he’s allowed to teach again.

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​Satanic teacher, Teacher with pitchfork devil costume, Satanic teacher suspended, Jesse ruiz suspension, Crime 

Chicago police said a road rage suspect opened fire on another motorist earlier this week, but it turns out the victim is a concealed carrier — and came out on top in the shootout.

The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 7700 block of West Belmont Avenue in the city’s Dunning neighborhood, WLS-TV reported.

The station said the abandoned, crashed car was full of bullet holes.

Police said a 23-year-old man was driving east on Belmont when he was involved in an apparent road rage incident with the male driver of a white Honda also heading east on Belmont, the station reported.

Police said the driver of the white sedan took out a gun and fired shots, and the 23-year-old victim — the concealed-carry license holder — returned fire at the suspect, WLS noted.

RELATED: ‘Chunk of hair’ allegedly found on smashed windshield; cops say it resembles fatal hit-and-run victim’s hair — and case turns

Photo by Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images

With that, the suspect crashed his vehicle into a building, causing damage, and fled the scene, police told the station.

Police said no one was injured, and no one is in custody, WLS reported, adding that Area Five detectives are investigating.

The station said the abandoned, crashed car was full of bullet holes.

A family living in the building shared surveillance video from inside their home that captured audio of the gunfire and car crash. It’s not clear, however, why the surveillance video’s timestamp reads 9:06 p.m.

WFLD-TV said what may have led to the road rage isn’t yet known, and police haven’t released a description of the suspect. But WLS reported that one person captured video of a male exiting the crashed white Honda and running from the scene — and that clip is part of the WLS video report below.

RELATED: 54-year-old repeat offender accused of fatally stabbing woman, 25, after first spitting on her in Chicago

‘A gun fight in Chicago? Who would’ve ever thought that could happen?’

Mike Opelka is host of “Daybreak” on 92.5 Fox News Radio in Fort Myers/Naples, Florida — as well as “a Chicago native who wisely got the hell out” and “a concealed-carry permit holder in 35 states; Illinois is not one of them.”

Opelka had a few things to share with Blaze News about this incident — and ye olde sarcasm dial was turned all the way up to 10:

A gun fight in Chicago? Who would’ve ever thought that could happen? This escapee of the Windy City is not exactly surprised. Except for the fact that one of the shooters was a legal gun owner. How does the 23-year-old get a concealed-carry permit in Chicago? I would not be surprised if city authorities had already confiscated the man’s firearm and canceled his permit. After all, we can’t have citizens just randomly protecting themselves against armed road ragers.

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The Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement have detained an illegal alien 16-year-old who had been given probation despite committing a horrific murder.

ICE also detained the teen’s family after discovering they were also in the U.S. illegally, according to a press release.

24-year-old Kaitlyn Weaver was waiting at a red traffic light in Aurora, Colorado, when the teenage illegal alien slammed his jeep into her car at over 90 miles per hour. She died soon afterward, and the teenager was arrested.

‘Immigration and the criminal justice system and all these things landed together one day in Aurora, and now I sit here today without a daughter.’

He was found to be unlicensed and originally from Colombia, but although the district attorney’s office promised to not accept a plea in the case, that’s exactly what they did. The teen was given probation and escaped serving any time in jail.

“Why the change? If he had taken a firearm and recklessly just shot it and killed someone, this would be a different case. They would be pushing it completely differently,” said John Weaver, the victim’s father. “There’s no deterrence.”

He said there was no financial restitution, despite the health care bill for his daughter adding up to $1 million. Also, because the teen was unlicensed and his mother said he had taken the car out without permission, there would be no insurance coverage for the crash.

RELATED: Illegal alien teen in blue state avoids jail time despite killing woman in car crash

Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a 16-year-old criminal alien from Colombia May 20 in Aurora, Colorado,” read a statement from ICE to Newsweek. “The minor, who was convicted of reckless driving resulting in death, was arrested along with his family who are also illegal aliens.”

The teen is awaiting an immigration hearing while in detention.

“As part of its routine operations, ICE arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws,” said ICE. “All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality.”

Weaver had previously said that the system was broken.

“Immigration and the criminal justice system and all these things landed together one day in Aurora,” he said, “and now I sit here today without a daughter.”

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President Donald Trump celebrated on Friday the partnership between U.S. Steel and Japan-based Nippon Steel, telling Pennsylvania steelworkers, “We don’t want America’s future to be built with shoddy steel from Shanghai — we want it built with the strength and the pride of Pittsburgh!”

Trump marked the occasion with a rally at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works-Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, just outside of Pittsburgh — a venue carefully secured in advance by the U.S. Secret Service, keen not to drop the ball again in the Keystone State.

‘I proclaimed a simple but crucially important principle: If you don’t have steel, you don’t have a country!’

“This is an incredible deal for American steelworkers, and it includes vital protections to ensure that all steelworkers will keep their jobs and all facilities in the U.S. will remain open,” Trump told rally-goers, evidently proud of shepherding the companies into an agreement that wouldn’t jeopardize American control or jobs.

The president also announced that the tariff on steel would double from 25% to 50% in order to help the steel industry even more. The audience applauded loudly at the proclamation.

“When I came into office eight years ago, I proclaimed a simple but crucially important principle: If you don’t have steel, you don’t have a country!” he added.

Trump lauded steelworkers as “the best people,” saying, “You people and others like you built this country.”

“We are once again going to put Pennsylvania steel into the backbone of America,” he said at the end of his speech.

Supporters of the deal were jubilant in their comments to CBS News.

“How I feel is I can take a breath today,” said third-generation steel worker Andrew Macey. “It’s just wonderful.”

“When you see that everything you’ve done for the last two years come together, it’s overwhelming with emotion,” said West Mifflin Mayor Chris Kelly. “So yes, I was crying. I’m not ashamed to admit it. Big men cry, and I was crying with happiness.”

Background

Former President Joe Biden torpedoed a $15 billion deal for the Japanese corporation to fully purchase U.S. Steel, stressing that “a strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains.”

Biden’s Jan. 3 decision — announced weeks before Trump retook office and just days after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States indicated it was unable to reach a consensus on the transaction — was condemned by both companies. They noted in a joint statement that Biden’s action reflected “a clear violation of due process and the law” and relied upon a process “manipulated to advance President Biden’s political agenda.”

The companies subsequently took legal action, challenging Biden’s order, and said of their litigation:

From the outset of the process, both Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel have engaged in good faith with all parties to underscore how the Transaction will enhance, not threaten, United States national security, including by revitalizing communities that rely on American steel, bolstering the American steel supply chain, and strengthening America’s domestic steel industry against the threat from China.

U.S. Steel leaders suggested that without an infusion of capital from Nippon Steel, the American company would have to limit its legacy blast furnace investments and embrace cheaper nonunion electric arc furnaces, reported CBS News.

The company’s mixed package of threats and warnings also included the suggestion that U.S. Steel might move its headquarters out of Pittsburgh.

Change of heart

Trump, like his predecessor, was not initially convinced the sale was a good idea.

The president, who emphasized in his first term that “if you don’t have steel, you don’t have a country,” noted a month before Biden blocked the deal, “I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan.”

Trump reiterated his opposition in late January, stating, “We saved the steel industry. Now, U.S. Steel is being bought by Japan. So terrible.”

‘US Steel will REMAIN in America.’

Despite his months-long opposition, Trump expressed an openness on Valentine’s Day to the possibility of Nippon Steel acquiring a minority stake in U.S. Steel, saying he “wouldn’t mind greatly.” However, he suggested that “psychologically, we can’t even think about letting that happen,” in reference to a full takeover.

It appears there has since been a favorable shift in psychology and terms.

A month after speaking with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Sen. Dave McCormick (R) about U.S. Steel and about keeping jobs and investment in the state, Trump announced on May 23 that the deal — or some form of it — had the green light to proceed.

RELATED: Revving up America — Trump’s Nippon Steel deal puts the pedal to the metal

Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

The deal

Trump framed the deal not as an acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon but rather as the beginning of a “partnership” that would create at least 70,000 jobs — U.S. Steel presently employs just over 14,300 people in North America — and add $14 billion to the American economy.

“I am proud to announce that, after much consideration and negotiation, US Steel will REMAIN in America, and keep its Headquarters in the Great City of Pittsburgh,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “For many years, the name, ‘United States Steel’ was synonymous with Greatness, and now, it will be again.”

The president framed the $14 billion figure as an investment — the largest in “the History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” — and noted that the bulk of the investment would occur over the next 14 months.

‘That’s a big deal.’

While the White House told Blaze News that the “details of the deal will be announced at the appropriate time,” Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick, a champion of the deal, provided some insights into key elements of the arrangements with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday.

McCormick confirmed that Nippon has agreed to invest $14 billion “into new investment into U.S. Steel, and that’s going to be $2.4 billion, at least, minimum, in the Mon Valley right outside of Pittsburgh.”

Gov. Shapiro confirmed at an event Thursday that, based on commitments Nippon Steel has made to him and the White House, there will be an investment of at least $2.4 billion in steelmaking in the state.

“That’s a big deal, and it’s something that I think we do need to celebrate,” said Shapiro.

Besides the investment, there are apparently a number of assurances that Americans are still calling the shots.

RELATED: Trump signs steel, aluminum tariffs despite significant opposition

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

‘This is being extremely well received in Pennsylvania.’

Sen. McCormick noted further that “it’s a national security agreement that will be signed with the U.S. government. It’ll be a U.S. CEO, a U.S. majority board, and then there will be a golden share that will essentially require U.S. government approval of a number of the board members, and that will allow the United States to ensure production levels aren’t cut and things like that.”

Nippon Steel Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori told Reuters that trade and manufacturing capacity issues will be overseen by directors appointed by the CFIUS, effectively putting the Department of Commerce on the board.

Blaze News reached out to U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel, and the Department of Commerce for comment but did not receive responses by deadline.

The deal, according to McCormick, would save about 10,000 jobs in Pennsylvania and add another 10,000 jobs in the building trades. He noted elsewhere that the deal supports the creation of at least 14,000 jobs.

“This is being extremely well received in Pennsylvania,” said McCormick. “The steel workers there are wildly excited about it, and I think it’s going to be a great thing for my state.”

While individual workers might be elated, the United Steelworkers, a general trade union headquartered in Pittsburgh, is skeptical — but was initially outright condemnatory.

‘The latest “partnership” announcement continues to raise more questions than answers.’

“Allowing the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon, a serial trade cheater, will be a disaster for American steelworkers, our national security, and the future of American manufacturing,” USW international president David McCall said in a statement on May 22. “It is simply absurd to think that we could ever entrust the future of one of our most vital industries — essential to both national defense and critical infrastructure — to a company whose unfair trade practices continue to this day.”

Blaze News reached out to the union after more details emerged about the nature of the “partnership.” In response, a spokesman provided the message the USW sent to members Wednesday, which contained softened language but sustained skepticism:

The latest “partnership” announcement continues to raise more questions than answers. Nippon still maintains it would only invest in USS facilities if it owned the company outright. We’ve seen nothing in the reporting to indicate that position has changed. We also have no confirmation if or how much of the stated $14 billion would go to our union-represented sites, or how much would be for new capital improvements versus routine repair & maintenance.

While the USW remains uncertain about the arrangement, there appears to be significant support in Pennsylvania, including at the top.

Gov. Josh Shapiro noted in a statement that he and Pennsylvania Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis have long “worked with the leadership of Nippon and U.S. Steel, local labor, and federal, state, and local partners to press for the best deal to keep U.S. Steel headquartered in Pittsburgh, protect union jobs, and secure the future of steelmaking in Western Pennsylvania.”

“Now that President Trump — who has sole decision making authority in the CFIUS process, has expressed his support for the deal — we have the opportunity to deliver historic investments, ensure the future of American steelmaking continues to run through the Mon Valley while the headquarters of U.S. Steel remains in Pittsburgh and have our workers, right here in Pennsylvania, continue leading the world with their skill and innovation,” added Shapiro.

Davis said the announcement looked “promising” but noted that he wants to “make sure everyone involved in the deal holds up their end of the bargain.”

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President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” was packaged as a brilliant plan to save money by slashing federal spending and reducing the size of government. The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, pushed hard to include big spending cuts it claimed could save a whopping $175 billion.

In the end, however, Congress rejected the DOGE’s proposed permanent cuts. The bill that passed on May 22 temporarily pauses some funding but mostly just reallocates funds to priorities like tax cuts, military, and border security, prompting Musk and the Americans who hoped for a smaller federal government to express frustration. Once again, the plan to shrink the government failed.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) made his disappointment well known. On May 27 at a press conference, he ripped into congressional Republicans for failing to codify the DOGE cuts, suggesting they betrayed voters.

Pat Gray plays the clip of DeSantis’ scathing comments.

“Elon Musk went into this DOGE effort. He was getting lampooned, I mean like they’re firebombing his Tesla dealerships; media is smearing him relentlessly; his businesses suffered — all this stuff because he basically said, ‘Look, we can’t keep doing this, and we need to moderate and reduce the amount of money that the federal government is spending,”’ he said.

He argued that Congress’ failure to make a single DOGE cut is evidence that “we need a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution” and “term limits for members of Congress.”

“DOGE and Elon were on a collision course with the swamp. … I don’t think there’s any question that DOGE fought the swamp, and so far, the swamp has won,” he added.

Pat agrees — “Elon Musk took a blood bath over DOGE,” and yet for all of his efforts, “none of it was codified into law.”

“Not only that, but the man donated $250 million” to support Donald Trump and Republican candidates in the 2024 election cycle, adds co-host Keith Malinak.

Pat says he doesn’t blame Elon for being upset with Republicans, as he himself has long been angered with their spending habits. “This is why we talk about Republicans the way we do because they do this every time … and we knew they were going to do it again, and they did!” he condemns. “I don’t claim the Republicans because they’re just the party of being let down over and over and over again.”

“As far as fiscal conservatism, there’s almost no such thing anymore.”

To hear Gov. DeSantis’ comments and more of the “Unleashed” panel’s analysis, watch the episode above.

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Police in Portland, Oregon, said a male punched, kicked, and stomped on a woman on a street after midnight last month as part of an unprovoked, reportedly racially charged attack.

Police said the incident took place shortly around 12:10 a.m. April 24 near West Burnside and Northwest Broadway, and the bureau said it needs the public’s help in identifying the suspect.

‘That’s really scary, especially for the ladies out here.’

Central Precinct officers responded to reports of a disturbance and found an adult female suffering from injuries to her head and leg, police said.

Before she was taken to a hospital for treatment, the woman told officers she was walking down the street when an unknown male approached her and assaulted her, police said.

RELATED: Blaze News original: Think leftists are one big happy family? Check out when they get violent and destructive with their own.

Image source: Portland (Ore.) Police Bureau

After the male punched her, he kicked her and also stomped on her face while she was on the ground, police said.

What’s more, police said the suspect reportedly uttered a racially charged comment during the unprovoked attack. KPTV-TV reported that the attack is being investigated as a bias crime.

Police said the suspect is described as a black male ranging in age between 30 and 40 years old and weighing about 200 pounds.

Conservative radio host Lars Larson — whose show on KXL-FM broadcasts from Portland — offered Blaze News a succinct perspective regarding the attack: “Downtown Portland is toxic and dangerous to all.”

RELATED: Blaze News original: Remember when gaslighting elitists called Antifa a myth? Here’s a reminder that Antifa is all too real.

Maye, a resident of Old Town, noted the following to KPTV in reference to the violent act: “That’s really scary, especially for the ladies out here. I don’t think we should be telling people to walk around with pepper spray and all of that stuff because no one should have to feel unsafe.”

KPTV said it asked the Portland Police Bureau why it’s looking for help from the public when the incident took place more than a month ago, and the station said a police spokesperson replied that after exhausting all efforts to locate the suspect, detectives opted to turn to the public in the hopes that someone can identify the suspect.

Portland Police Bureau’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating this case, police said, adding that those with information are asked to contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 25-105522.

A surveillance camera at St. André Bessette Catholic Church recorded the incident, KPTV noted.

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A nonprofit group is calling on the Department of Education to investigate Oregon for violating Title IX protections for female students.

The America First Policy Institute submitted a formal complaint to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights accusing the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon School Activities Association of violating the rights of female student athletes.

‘Girls have already been edged out of the competition. It needs to end NOW.’

“Every girl deserves a fair shot — on the field, on the podium, and in life,” said AFPI’s Executive General Counsel Jessica Hart Steinmann. “When state institutions knowingly force young women to compete against biological males, they’re violating federal law and sending a devastating message to female athletes across the country.”

The complaint included firsthand accounts from Oregon high school athletes describing the competitive and emotional harm from the policies. The accounts claimed that athletes were robbed of medals and had their rankings skewed. They also claimed the policies had a “chilling effect” on those speaking out about the competition policies, according to AFPI.

In April, a biological male won first place in the high jump at the Portland Interscholastic League Varsity Relays against female competitors. That same athlete had come in last place in the junior varsity category in 2023 against other males.

Later, a group of four high school female athletes took a knee and forfeited rather than compete against the biological male at the Therapeutic Associates Chehalem Classic.

RELATED: Male athlete wins girls’ high jump competition despite finishing dead last when competing against boys

Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

“We’re demanding a federal investigation, and the pressure can’t come soon enough — State Track & Field championships begin tomorrow,” said Leigh Ann O’Neill, the nonprofit’s chief of staff, on social media.

“Girls have already been edged out of the competition. It needs to end NOW,” she added.

The institute added that the Oregon school policies are also in violation of President Donald Trump’s executive order protecting female athletes from male competition.

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​America first policy institute, Afpi vs oregon, Oregon trans student athlete, Males in female sports, Politics 

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has boldly removed the COVID vaccine from the CDC’s schedule for children and pregnant women — but it doesn’t negate the damage that’s already been done.

“This goes way beyond just those categories of human beings, because the scam all along is that the only way you can mandate this or any vaccine is if all major categories of human being are covered by said vaccine,” Todd Erzen, editor of the “Steve Deace Show,” tells Jill Savage and Matthew Peterson on “Blaze News | The Mandate.”

“So, the fact that they are taking this off the schedule for pregnant women and children means this can’t be mandated by law for anybody,” he continues. “You should get angry because we knew all along that kids were threatened less from COVID than they were from the seasonal flu.”

“We had to make the kids take something that we knew was dangerous to them so Big Pharma could make money,” he says. “So, you guys need to view this way beyond health, what happened here.”

Erzen, whose wife and children are not vaccinated at all, has known for a long time that the shots were unnecessary.

“We’ve been kind of a horse of a different color for a long time about this stuff,” Erzen tells Savage and Peterson, noting that his children are high-achieving and healthy, despite what others might want the public to believe. “People in my world never thought this day might come where there would be enough critical mass to push back like this.”

“So, we’re absolutely going to take this win. Hopefully everybody hits the pause button within the MAHA movement and kind of realizes that this was not all for naught. We just needed to give these guys a little time to get appointed and to do the cooking in the kitchen,” he continues.

“But now, it’s going to be on to other big things. This is not a group that’s going to be satisfied — they plan on accomplishing very big things,” he adds.

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After previously supporting sanctuary city policies for illegal aliens, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has completely reversed course and supported police participation in deportation proceedings.

Bowser has been cooperating with the Trump administration since the inauguration and has even appeared with the president at a press conference at the White House. She has agreed to get rid of the “Black Lives Matter” mural and plaza in her district in March.

The budget will ultimately be decided upon by the DC City Council.

A local ban prevented law enforcement officers from cooperating with immigration officials during deportation proceedings. It also barred them from asking about a suspect’s immigration status or from releasing them to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Bowser tried to sneak a provision to end the ban into her budget bill, but it was discovered by journalist Martin Austermuhle. The budget will ultimately be decided upon by the D.C. City Council.

Axios said Bowser did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the report.

The mayor has proudly pronounced D.C. a sanctuary city since 2016. She has also called the city the “gayest” in the world.

RELATED: DC mayor sued over massive ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural on street to White House

Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Bowser had unveiled the massive “Black Lives Matter” mural spanning two blocks on 16th Street NW in June 2020. It was made permanent in Oct. 2021, until she ordered its removal nearly four years later.

“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” read her statement at the time.

CNN had reported that the mural was so large that it could be seen from space.

“The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern,” she added. “Our focus is on economic growth, public safety, and supporting our residents affected by these cuts.”

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President Donald Trump’s administration, supercharged by Florida’s strong partnership, achieved a significant victory on Thursday in the nation’s ongoing effort to address former President Joe Biden’s illegal immigration crisis.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement nabbed over 100 illegal aliens from construction worksites in Tallahassee, according to an agency press release.

‘State law enforcement making a huge impact on immigration enforcement efforts.’

The operation involved several federal and state agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service. It also included ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations.

One suspect was accused of resisting arrest, and another allegedly pulled a weapon on officers during the intense raids, ICE stated.

RELATED: The DeSantis admin’s plans to help President Trump expand capacity for deportations

Photographer: Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A social media bulletin from HSI Tampa noted that some of the individuals who were detained had previously been deported or had criminal histories. Among those arrested were foreign nationals from Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, and Honduras.

While the federal agency did not specify where the worksite raids occurred, HSI Tampa stated that one of the locations was a “major construction site.”

Nicholas Ingegno, the assistant special agent in charge at HSI Tallahassee, stated, “These types of enforcement actions aim to eliminate illegal employment, holding employers accountable and protecting employment opportunities for America’s lawful workforce.”

“HSI Tallahassee, working alongside our state, local, and federal partners, will continue protecting public safety by enforcing the immigration laws of our nation,” Ingegno said.

Florida’s partnership set a model for Republican-led states to boost federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Governor Ron DeSantis (R), who has pledged to support the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, called the operation a “major bust.”

“State law enforcement making a huge impact on immigration enforcement efforts,” he wrote in a post on social media.

In a separate post, he added that the federal government is “pursuing the subcontractor responsible for hiring the illegal alien workers.”

RELATED: ICE, Florida officers nab nearly 800 illegal aliens in ‘tidal wave’ dragnet

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles announced its support for the recent ICE operation.

“Florida leads the way,” it stated. “We will not tolerate illegal immigration.”

The recent operation delivered on border czar Tom Homan’s December promise that the Trump administration would significantly increase ICE’s worksite raids to clamp down on illegal immigration.

“We haven’t really worked out the plan for worksite enforcement,” he said at the time, adding, “We know that employers are going to be upset.”

On Thursday, border czar Homan told “Face the Nation” that ICE will arrest illegal aliens in the community and at worksites, particularly when federal immigration authorities are blocked from accessing local jails.

When reached for comment, DeSantis’ office referred Blaze News to the governor’s posts on social media.

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A government employee’s frustration with President Donald Trump’s administration allegedly led him to attempt to betray his country. This revelation follows FBI Director Kash Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s vow to expose deep-state bad actors.

The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that the FBI arrested a Defense Intelligence Agency IT specialist for “attempting to transmit national defense information to an officer or agent of a foreign government.”

‘This case underscores the persistent risk of insider threats.’

Nathan Vilas Laatsch, a 28-year-old from Alexandria, Virginia, began working for the Defense Department’s DIA in 2019. His position within the agency’s Insider Threat Division allowed him “Top Secret security clearance,” the DOJ stated.

The FBI launched an investigation into Laatsch in March after the bureau received a tip that he had “offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government,” according to the DOJ’s press release, which did not specify the country.

Laatsch appeared to reveal his motivation in an alleged email, writing that he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration” and would be willing to share “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”

According to the Daily Mail, Laatsch called the Trump administration’s actions “extremely disturbing.”

“I do not see the trajectory of things changing, and do not think it is appropriate or right to do nothing when I am in this position,” he allegedly wrote.

RELATED: ‘Deep-state criminals’ who leaked classified secrets to the press face DOJ referral: Gabbard

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

In subsequent communications, Laatsch bragged that it would be difficult for authorities to catch him, the Daily Mail reported.

“It will not be easy for them, for example, to open a case on me without my knowledge since my permissions to see that would need to be changed and I’d notice,” he allegedly stated.

The DOJ claimed that Laatsch believed he was interacting with an official with the foreign government when he was actually interacting with an FBI agent.

Laatsch allegedly began transcribing classified information on a notepad, hid it in his clothing to sneak it out of his work, and told the agent that he was prepared to turn over the intel.

“Thereafter, the FBI implemented an operation at a public park in northern Virginia, where Laatsch believed he would deposit the classified information for the foreign government to retrieve. On or about May 1, 2025, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch proceed to the specified location and deposit an item,” the DOJ stated.

The FBI obtained Laatsch’s alleged thumb drive, which was found to contain “multiple typed documents” marked with “Secret or Top Secret” information.

A message, allegedly from Laatsch, stated that the intel was intended to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access and could provide to the foreign power.

Laatsch allegedly told the FBI agent, who he still believed to be the foreign official, that he was seeking “citizenship for your country” in exchange for the sensitive information because he did not “expect[] things here to improve in the long term,” presumably referring to the U.S.

According to the DOJ, he also claimed that he was “not opposed to other compensation.” However, he noted that he was not in need of “material compensation.”

RELATED: 3 cases the FBI is FINALLY investigating under Trump

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Again, on May 29, Laatsch attempted to turn over additional information at a second scheduled drop, the DOJ stated. The FBI arrested Laatsch after obtaining the documents.

Patel reacted to Laatsch’s arrest, writing in a post on X, “Today, an IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency was arrested for attempting to transmit classified national defense information to a foreign government.”

“This case underscores the persistent risk of insider threats. The FBI remains steadfast in protecting our national security and thanks our law enforcement partners for their critical support,” Patel added.

Laatsch’s first court appearance was slated for Friday.

ABC News reported that Laatsch does not yet have an attorney listed in online court records to speak on his behalf.

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In an Oval Office press conference on Friday, President Donald Trump championed Elon Musk as he exits from DOGE.

During his 130-day tenure as a special government employee, Musk was charged with identifying and eliminating federal waste, fraud, and abuse. Trump commended Musk’s work at DOGE, saying he has “changed the mindset of a lot of people.”

“He’s one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced,” Trump said. “He stepped forward to put his very great talents into the service of our nation, and we appreciate it.”

“Elon has worked tirelessly helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform in generations,” Trump added.

‘The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time. The DOGE influence will only grow stronger.’

RELATED: Elon Musk takes jab at Trump’s ‘big, beautiful, bill’: ‘I was disappointed’

Trump pointed to some of the savings DOGE has identified, including $59 million for “illegal alien hotel rooms” in New York City, $45 million for “DEI scholarships in Burma,” $42 million in grants to Uganda, $20 million for “Arab Sesame Street,” and $8 million for transgender experiments on mice.

Although Musk’s time serving in an official capacity in the administration is coming to a close, both he and Trump said that DOGE will continue full steam ahead.

“This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,” Musk said.

“The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time,” Musk added. “The DOGE influence will only grow stronger. … I’m confident that over time, we will see a trillion dollars of savings.”

RELATED: White House works to send DOGE cuts package to Congress

Musk also said he will continue to work with the administration in an unofficial capacity as an adviser and as a friend to the president.

“He’s all about the USA, and Americans owe him a great debt of gratitude,” Trump said. “I just want to thank Elon for his time as special government employee. … He really has changed the mindset of a lot of people.”

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