Category: blaze media

A Southern California mother shared disturbing cellphone video of an alleged bully beating up her crying 10-year-old daughter and pulling her by her hair to a school restroom floor as other girls cheered the physical attack.

What’s more, the mother told KTTV-TV that the alleged bullying began against all three of her daughters after her husband died of a heart attack three years ago.

‘How did it get this bad where the school didn’t know anything about it, when I went to them multiple times about my daughters being bullied?’

“Ever since my husband passed, they’ve been getting bullied, telling them, ‘Oh, your dad died, hahaha.’ It’s so funny for them,” Beatriz Hernandez told the station.

The station said Hernandez also showed KTTV a December 2023 report filed with Inglewood Unified School Police noting bullying against her daughters. The report said in one incident that one of her daughters was forced to eat hot chili peppers, and during another incident, milk and water were thrown at her daughters while they were walking with their grandmother, the station noted.

In regard to the cellphone video of the physical attack, KTTV said it occurred April 30 in a restroom at Woodworth-Monroe Academy in Inglewood at the end of the school day.

The attack happened after Hernandez’ 10-year-old daughter ran into the restroom while her two siblings and their grandmother waited outside the school to head home, the station said, adding that other girls were waiting for her.

“My daughter was being dragged. She was literally being dragged,” Hernandez told KTTV. “Even though it’s another little girl, it’s still bad. How did it get this bad where the school didn’t know anything about it, when I went to them multiple times about my daughters being bullied?”

Believe it or not, her 10-year-old daughter was suspended after the April 30 incident for being “involved in a fight,” the station reported.

KTTV said school officials didn’t disclose if the other girls received punishments, but the district released a statement saying it’s investigating the April 30 incident.

More from the station:

Emily Ruby, with Greenberg & Ruby, a firm that handles legal cases dealing with school bullying, says she is seeing younger and younger children involved in bullying incidents, where there seems to be a sense that nothing will happen to them.

She is also seeing that in more cases, it’s putting the videos on social media that’s behind the incidents.

But California law is stronger than the rest of the country, thanks partially to Seth’s law which in 2012 required public schools to update their anti-bullying policies and programs, with a focus on protecting students who are bullied.

Hernandez told KTTV she’s tired of going to school police and has filed a report with Inglewood Police.

You can view a video report here about the incident, which includes clips of the restroom attack and an interview with Hernandez.

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​Physical attack, Girls, California, Inglewood, Los angeles area, Mother, Woodworth-monroe academy, Bullying allegation, Crime 

Depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide are rampant these days, especially among youth. Studies have shown time and time again that these issues are largely due to social isolation, thanks to society’s addiction to social media that keeps us glued to our screens instead of engaging with others in person.

Thank goodness Meta CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has a solution to the “loneliness epidemic” he’s played a key role in creating: AI friends!

What could go wrong?

In a recent podcast interview with Dwarkesh Patel, Zuckerberg said, “The average American has, I think, it’s fewer than three friends … and the average person has demand for meaningfully more. … There are all these things that are better about kind of physical connections when you can have them, but the reality is that people just don’t have the connection, and they feel more alone.”

AI friends, he argued, could fill that gap.

Glenn Beck’s response? “Get behind me, Satan!”

“From the people who brought you ‘Kill yourself because you’ve been on Facebook too much’ brings you new AI friends,” he mocks.

Co-host Stu Burguiere cites a study that assessed how much social interaction dropped between 2003 and 2023 in each age group. “Every single group has massive drops. … Ages 15-to-24-year-olds, 35% down,” he says.

Zuckerberg’s suggestion to cure this epidemic, however, is to essentially imbibe more of the same poison that landed us in this predicament in the first place.

Is he really that stupid?

Glenn says no. He’s not stupid; he’s disguising his ill intentions by wrapping them in a “beautiful, shiny package” of false concern for others’ loneliness.

“Let me be crystal clear — AI cannot, must not, and will never be your friend,” he warns, “and if you buy into that fantasy, you’re opening a door to a world of manipulation, isolation, and control that make some of the darkest days of history look pretty tame.”

To hear Glenn’s predictions about the damage AI friends will do to the human psyche and spirit, watch the clip above.

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​The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, Blazetv, Blaze media, Ai, Ai friends, Social media, Mark zuckerberg 

The papal conclave, which began Wednesday, has attracted unusual interest from a mainstream media normally not given to dwelling on matters of faith.

In both their reflections on the late Pope Francis and their speculations on the next supreme pontiff, the stream of articles coming out of the reputed mouthpieces of American progressivism has been a mix of regret at the passing of a noble ally and trepidation at the prospect of a less friendly pope going forward.

Benedict XVI was painted as an inflexible and cruel man, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. (He literally wrote an encyclical titled “God is Love.”)

To give just a few examples, New York magazine published a piece asking, “Will Christianity Make a Turn to the Right Post-Francis?” while the Atlantic examined “Progressive Christianity’s Bleak Future.”

What is the reason for this media meltdown? Is the American media genuinely saddened by the passing of the late Holy Father and fearful for the spiritual welfare of his flock in America?

A useful tool

Certainly not. The reason for the minor hysteria among the legacy outlets is quite simple. The Francis pontificate gave the media a useful tool with which to attack and isolate American conservatives. Pope Francis was less focused on doctrinal matters than he was on pastoral concerns; it was relatively easier for the media to twist the pope’s words when he spoke about the environment and social inequality.

For example, Pope Francis published four encyclicals. Two of them, “Fratelli Tutti” and “Laudato Si,” received a plethora of coverage, while the other two, “Lumen Fidei” and “Dilexit Nos,” received no attention to speak of. Guess which two addressed more secular issues and which were concerned with theological topics.

Due to a number of factors, it is quite likely that the next pope will be far more conservative than Francis — more in line with his two immediate predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II.

A change of attack

The writers of America’s legacy outlets are aware of this, and they are preparing to change their angle of attack. It is very likely that they will treat Francis’ successor the same way they treated his predecessor.

During the pontificate of Benedict XVI (2005-2013), there was no barrage of media articles trying to convince Americans that the pope was actually a signatory (in spirit) of the DNC platform and that conservatives were bad Christians for not following suit.

Rather, Benedict was labeled as a regressive, out-of-touch traditionalist who didn’t care about the spiritual welfare of his flock. He was painted as an inflexible and cruel man, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. (He literally wrote an encyclical titled “God is Love.”) If the next pope is anything like Benedict, we can be assured the media will go right back to these calumnious attacks.

Behind the lies

The question must be asked, why do the media do this? Why do they lie about the popes again and again? It is an important question to answer in order to purge any thought from our minds that these people may be acting with a single shred of genuine religious conviction. To understand why they lie, you have to understand the sort of people they are.

A very useful example for understanding the media lies is the writer James Carroll, who has written about both Benedict and Francis for outlets such as the Atlantic, the New Yorker, and Politico. Carroll was a constant critic of Benedict and wrote articles attacking his “moral weakness” and “disastrous influence.”

When Francis assumed the office, on the other hand, Carroll took to the pages of the New Yorker to praise him as a long-awaited liberal reformer. He contrasted Francis’ seeming openness to progressive ideas with Benedict’s cold-hearted traditionalism.

However, as time went on and Francis did not live up to his progressive ideas, Carroll began decrying the pope’s failure to address patriarchy and gender inequality. By 2018, he stated that he had lost faith in Francis, but was happy to keep contrasting him with Benedict in order to divide Catholics.

Carroll is a prime example of why members of the secular media (even those “raised Catholic”) should never be trusted when they comment on the Church. In Carroll’s case, we are dealing with a former priest who abandoned his ministry after only five years and has spent the majority of his career since then calling the Church evil and oppressive for not conforming to his progressive ideals.

No greater love

Carroll is most famous for his 2019 Atlantic article titled “Abolish the Priesthood.” In other words, there will never be a pope liberal enough for him, and the Church will never be progressive enough to make him happy. In this, too, he is typical of the mainstream media. Do not think for a second that there is even the slightest shred of genuine religious concern in these people.

The purpose of the legacy media in this country is to attack American conservatives. The people who write for these outlets are secular progressives who have liberal globalism as their highest moral ideal. They are not religious in any real sense because to them religion is merely a social construction subordinate to their political goals.

They cannot conceive of true religion as a habit of justice whereby we render to God His due for the same reason they cannot conceive of God as anything other than a vague set of social principles: nothing is more sacred to them than political liberalism.

This lack of any purpose beyond politics explains their hatred of conservatives. They cannot understand genuine religious conviction. They do not believe, and so they assume that nobody else does. They cannot act in good faith, and so they assume that nobody does. When politics is everything, the pope is just one more thing to politicize.

​Catholicism, Catholic church, Papal conclave, Pope francis, Pope benedict xvi, Pope john paul ii, Abide, Faith, Religion, Christianity, Religion and media 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Wednesday six indictments and arrests in Frio County involving judges and other elected officials.

The individuals are accused of “election crimes related to a vote harvesting scheme.”

‘Targeting these vulnerable voters to sway an election or secure a political position is a direct attack on the principles of our democracy.’

The arrests included Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho, former Frio County Elections Administrator Carlos Segura, Pearsall City Council member Ramiro Trevino, Pearsall City Council member Racheal Garza, Pearsall ISD Trustee Adriann Ramirez, and alleged vote harvester Rosa Rodriguez.

A grand jury returned true bills for vote harvesting charges against all of the suspects. Camacho faces three counts, Segura one count, Trevino one count, Garza one count, Ramirez three counts, and Rodriguez two counts.

Five of those indicted have ties to Democratic candidates, the New York Times reported.

The alleged vote harvesters were arrested on May 2, except Camacho. Paxton’s office noted that she would be “processed at a later date.”

“In August 2024, Attorney General Paxton’s Criminal Investigation Division executed multiple search warrants in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar Counties as part of a multi-year election integrity investigation into credible allegations of vote harvesting,” a press release from Paxton’s office read. “On May 1, 2025, Frio County District Attorney Audrey Louis and the Election Integrity Unit of the Office of the Attorney General presented a criminal vote harvesting case to a grand jury in Frio County.”

Paxton’s office previously explained that the search warrants were in connection to vote harvesting during the 2022 elections.

The League of United Latin American Citizens had accused the attorney general’s office of conducting raids against Latino citizens, confiscating cell phones, computers, and documents.

The indictments alleged that most of the officials provided monetary compensation “in exchange for vote harvesting services,” the Times reported.

Paxton stated, “The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system. Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”

He vowed to continue working with Louis to protect election integrity.

Louis noted that all of the charges are third-degree felonies. The suspects could face two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

“Violating the privacy or voting rights of our elderly or disabled community members will be met with zero tolerance,” Louis said. “Targeting these vulnerable voters to sway an election or secure a political position is a direct attack on the principles of our democracy. We are committed to protecting every citizen’s right to vote freely, fairly, and without intimidation.”

The office’s investigation remains ongoing.

Segura told the Times that the charges against him are “ridiculous.” He noted that his lawyer advised him not to discuss the indictment further.

Camacho, Trevino, Garza, Ramirez, and Rodriguez did not respond to a request for comment from the San Antonio Express-News.

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​News, Texas, Frio county, Ken paxton, Paxton, Vote harvesting, Election integrity, Politics 

House Democrats unanimously voted against a resolution renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Thursday.

The resolution passed the House mostly along party lines in a 211-206 vote, with 211 Republicans voting in favor of the renaming while one Republican and 205 Democrats voted against it. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska was the only GOP member to side with the Democrats.

‘We’re done honoring a country that’s sponsored the invasion of our southern border.’

The GOP-led bill would simply require all federal agencies to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s executive order to appropriately update all maps and documents with the name Gulf of America.

“Democrats are FURIOUS that we want to permanently rename the Gulf of America, but they had no problem renaming military bases and tearing down statues of Lincoln and Washington,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), the lead sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “They don’t hate the name… They just hate America.”

“We’re done honoring a country that’s sponsored the invasion of our southern border,” Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia said in a statement. “America First.”

Although the bill would technically codify one of Trump’s executive orders, Bacon said that the resolution “just seems juvenile.”

“We’re the United States of America. We’re not Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany or Napoleon France,” Bacon said. “We’re better than this. It just sounds like a sophomore thing to do.”

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​Gulf of america, Gulf of mexico, Donald trump, Trump administration, House democrats, House republicans, Don bacon, Marjorie taylor greene, Mike collins, Maga mandate, Politics 

White smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Thursday, indicating that the conclave of cardinals had chosen a new pope.

Pope Francis passed away on April 21, leading to the gathering of cardinals at the Vatican in Rome. After debating the candidates, multiple votes of the 133 cardinals are made until one candidate garners 89 votes.

The new pope will appear from the basilica to the large crowd.

“Habemus papam!” will be pronounced from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, a phrase that is Latin for “We have a pope!”

The new pope will appear from the basilica before the large crowd assembled at the Vatican to lead them in prayer. He will also choose a name to be called as the leader of the Catholic Church.

Scenes from the Vatican show the crowds jubilantly celebrating. Some are waving flags, while others yell, “Viva il papa!” and “Hallelujah!”

Francis died at the age of 88 and was the first pope from Latin America, but many criticized him for what they saw as a left-leaning focus in his pronouncements. The cardinals convened after nine days of mourning following the funeral for Francis.

Ten of the cardinals eligible to be pope are from the United States.

Some expected a longer period of voting, but the cardinals appeared to quickly choose a successor to Francis.

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​New pope, White smoke at vatican, Next pope elected, Cardinals choose pope, Politics 

After Pope Francis’ passing, the conclave to elect the Catholic Church’s next pope is now underway. This begs the question, will the next pope be “conservative” and orthodox — or will he follow in Francis’ footsteps and embrace leftist and globalist ideas?

LifeSiteNews co-founder and CEO John-Henry Westen has an idea, and he notes that we will be finding out very soon.

Westen explains that the “word on the street” is that a new pope should be expected by day three of the conclave.

“I don’t know anything about this,” Glenn Beck of “The Glenn Beck Program” admits, “but it doesn’t look like there’s any real conservative that has a chance of getting in.”

“That’s an interesting question, because in the Church, of course, we don’t talk much about conservative, it’s more about orthodoxy, those who actually follow the Catholic faith and then those who don’t. And on those who do, there are a number,” Westen tells Glenn.

However, many of the cardinals who will be voting in the conclave were appointed by Pope Francis — who also reportedly increased the numbers of cardinals from 120 to 133.

“The rule book, called ‘Universi Dominici Gregis’ was put out by John Paul II and amended by Benedict,” Westen explains, “It said it should be a limit of 120. The thing is, if you check with a canonist though, the pope has the right to change that.”

“The other thing is this, there’s now 133 cardinals who are voting, 108 were named by Francis. That’s 81% more,” Westen continues. “So if you want to talk about a stacked deck, sure.”

“The only difficulty with that kind of very political calculus is this: Can you find enough guys who sign up to that kind of extreme left-wing, non-Catholic type of deal, and the answer is no. So you’ve got a bunch of cardinals that he named that aren’t going to be following in his footsteps,” he says.

“So what you have is a bunch of guys that really nobody knows, and they’re going to take what’s coming as it comes and have to deal with the aftereffects of the last 12 years, which has been a disaster for the Church from almost anyone’s perspective,” he adds.

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​Camera phone, Video phone, Sharing, Free, Upload, Video, Youtube.com, The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, Pope francis, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, The conclave, Orthodox, Catholic church, New pope, John-henry westen, Lifesitenews 

The University of Washington stated it has suspended and banned 21 students who were allegedly part of this week’s takeover and vandalism of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building in an effort to force the college to end its partnership with Boeing.

“Thirty-four individuals were arrested and are subject to criminal prosecution and university disciplinary processes. The 21 students who were arrested have been suspended and banned from all UW campuses. Non-student participants will be banned from the UW’s Seattle campus,” UW said.

‘Whether something meets the definition of domestic terrorism — I don’t know exactly what that definition is — but this is obviously a serious situation.’

The punishments come after the Trump administration’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism had initiated a review of federal grants and contracts at UW. While anti-Israel and anti-U.S. protesters on college campuses had greater freedom to carry out their attacks with little consequences under the Biden-Harris administration, that appears to be at an end under President Donald Trump. UW pledged that the school’s personnel will “cooperate with the Task Force’s review and are confident that an evaluation will find we are in compliance with federal civil rights laws.”

“The University of Washington condemns anti-Semitism, harassment, and discrimination. Throughout the May 5th incident, the UW was in contact with campus and Seattle Jewish community leaders. We value these partnerships and understand their deep concern. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle issued a public statement noting the University’s swift response and clear denunciation of anti-Semitism,” UW added.

Fires were started, and much of the engineering equipment inside the building was damaged or destroyed, costing over $1 million in damages. Militants alleged to be Antifa further prevented first responders from putting out the fires and stopped law enforcement officers who responded from entering the building. Once additional officers arrived, they were able to force their way in and remove the occupiers.

As for local leadership, there has been a lack of forceful condemnation from either Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (D) or Washington Governor Bob Ferguson (D).

When asked by KOMO-TV about the chaotic event, Ferguson was at first “reluctant to enter the debate” but said he believed the protesters will be held accountable.

“Whether something meets the definition of domestic terrorism — I don’t know exactly what that definition is — but this is obviously a serious situation,” Ferguson continued, adding that the federal task force probe is not unusual since the federal government is “investigating just about everybody these days.”

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​Politics 

Months after the Trump administration
announced that “only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad,” Republican lawmakers in Idaho and Utah passed restrictions on which flags could be flown at state government buildings and at schools.

While the laws prohibit virtually all nonofficial flags, irrespective of political persuasion and significance, leftists raged over their potential inability to continue hoisting sex- and race-themed flags over American soil, flaunting the success of their cultural imperialism.

Democratic mayors in Boise and Salt Lake City have apparently found a way to continue flying non-straight activists’ colors without having to continue
directly violating the law: adopt the LGBT flags as official city emblems or incorporate their elements into official flags.

‘Clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.’

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall
proposed adopting three new city flags “in addition to the traditional Sego Lily Flag, on Tuesday to most accurately reflect the values of the City and its residents.”

Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office

According to Mendenhall’s office, the first flag would represent the city’s transvestite population “and a commitment to seeing and celebrating their lives”; the second would represent the city’s non-straight residents “and broader acceptance of this community”; and the third would represent the “history of Juneteenth and the City’s Black and African American residents.”

“Our City flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake City’s values,” said Mendenhall. “I want all Salt Lakers to look up at these flags and be reminded that we value diversity, equity and inclusion — leaving no doubt that we are united as a city and people, moving forward together.”

Salt Lake City council unanimously approved the designs on Tuesday evening,
reported the Associated Press.

Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz (R) characterized the devious workaround as a “clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.”

‘You’re a bunch of fricking commies breaking the law.’

“This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all,” said Schultz. “Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics.”

Blaze News
previously reported that the Boise City Council put making the Progress Pride flag an official city flag to a vote Tuesday evening, one week after Boise Mayor Lauren McLean suggested to state Attorney General Raul Labrador that the flag ban was “legally defective and unenforceable as written.”

The council ultimately voted 5 to 1.

According to Boise State Public Radio, one opponent of the measure yelled, “You’re a bunch of fricking commies breaking the law,” adding, “You think gay people are the only people who are entitled to anything?”

The lone vote against the resolution came from Council Member Luci Willits, who emphasized that her role as an elected official was to follow the law and suggested that the “legislature will come in, and it will slap a huge fine on the city of Boise, and Boise will have to pay it.”

“That will limit what we can spend on things that we have control over, like police and fire and libraries and parks and all the things that make Boise what it is today,” added Willits.

“Removing the flag now after years of flying it proudly would not be a neutral act,” said Council Member Meredith Stead. “It would signal a retreat from values we’ve long upheld and send a disheartening message to those who have found affirmation and belonging through its presence at city hall.”

Mendenhall and McLean apparently spoke Tuesday morning to discuss their respective plots to undermine their states’ legislatures and fly the activist colors.

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​Lgbt, Leftism, Non-straight, Gay, Transgender, Trans, Flag, Mclean, Boise, Salt lake city, Flag ban, Politics 

The University of Washington was overrun by militant Antifa members protesting in favor of Hamas and Gaza — and the scene was eerily reminiscent of 2020’s unforgettable Summer of Love riots.

“They were lighting fires. They were attacking police,” Sara Gonzales of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered” comments, noting that the fires were “rather large.” Video also shows the Antifa members running off the campus security guards, who were in vehicles, with shields made out of garbage cans.

“Chasing away the security service with garbage cans. How embarrassing is that? What is the point of you guys? You’re scared off by a little garbage can shield?” Gonzales asks, shocked.

“When you got time to do all that stuff, you don’t got s**t else to do, and I think this is why we need to start addressing this welfare statism. And I talked about this in 2020 during the Summer of Love. These are bored people. First-world problems,” Eric July, founder of Rippaverse Comics, chimes in.

“These are people that have nothing else to do, and therefore, they just cause issues and cause all sorts of trouble. That’s all there is to it,” he continues. “All it does is remind me that I think these issues that plague America could just so easily be addressed; they just don’t, and I think we know why. I think there’s no real incentive, especially politically.”

“The Bottom Line” host Jaco Booyens believes these Antifa members are responding to a “lack of consequence” and an identity crisis.

“It is a gigantic class in American society at the moment that has no identity, and definitely not a Christ identity,” Booyens says. “So you can co-opt them to do anything.”

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​Video phone, Upload, Camera phone, Sharing, Free, Video, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, Eric july, Jaco booyens, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Antifa riots, Antifa, University of washington, Summer of love 

President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom on Thursday, on the 80-year anniversary of Victory Day, marking the first trade deal of his second term.

This trade deal comes just a month after the administration first implemented tariffs on dozens of foreign countries aimed at renegotiating trade deals that are more advantageous to America.

Both Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while the groundwork for the trade deal has been laid out, some of the details are still being finalized.

“With this deal, the U.K. joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade,” Trump said. “The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all products produced by our great farmers.”

“In addition, the U.K. will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products,” Trump added. “This is now turning out, I think, really, to be a great deal for both countries.”

Trump also noted that the U.K. was previously “a little closed” toward the United States, saying the trade deal will now reopen and even expedite trade between the two countries.

“They’ll also be fast-tracking American goods through their customs process so our exports go to a very, very quick form of approval, and there won’t be any red tape,” Trump said. “Things are going to move very quickly both ways.”

“Furthermore, in a historic step, the deal includes plans that will bring the United Kingdom into the economic security alignment with the United States,” Trump said. “That’s the first of its kind. So we have a big economic security blanket.”

Both Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while the groundwork for the trade deal has been laid out, some of the details are still being finalized.

“We can finish ironing out some of the details,” Starmer said over the phone during Trump’s press conference.

“The final details are being written up in the coming weeks,” Trump added.

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​Donald trump, Tariffs, Trade deal, United kingdom, Uk, Keir starmer, Victory day, American trade, Economic security, America first, Politics 

Two male students — ages 15 and 17 — turned themselves in to police overnight after a fatal stabbing Wednesday afternoon just outside Santa Ana High School in Southern California, authorities told KTLA-TV.

Santa Ana police noted to the station that the two teens — both of whom attend the high school — were with their parents when they turned themselves in, and they remained in custody Thursday morning.

KTLA said authorities couldn’t yet confirm if arrests were made.

Authorities told the station in an earlier story that the triple stabbing took place just outside Santa Ana High School’s entrance and that Santa Ana police responded to the incident around 3:25 p.m. Two male suspects reportedly fled from the scene, after which police began searching for them.

One of the stabbing victims — a 14-year-old male student who hasn’t yet been identified — was taken to a hospital where he later died, KTLA said. He was a freshman at Santa Ana High, and friends and classmates told the station he was “kind and funny.”

Dianna Vasquez told KTLA her daughter was friends with the student who was killed: “When she got home with her friends, and they found out, she was in tears. She was crying. She couldn’t believe it. She said he was a really nice kid.”

Two other victims — ages 15 and 17 — were stabbed in their upper torsos but were in stable condition and expected to make full recoveries, KTLA said. They both are students at Santa Ana High as well, the station said.

Police said the suspects are affiliated with gangs, as was the deceased victim and the two surviving victims, KTLA reported.

The Santa Ana Unified School District said it would increase police presence Thursday at and around Santa Ana High, according to a statement posted to social media Wednesday night, the station said.

“We are committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for all students and staff,” the statement reads in part, according to KTLA. “We will continue to share updates as they become available. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.”

Anyone with information about the attack is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8049.

You can view a video report here about the latest developments in connection with the fatal stabbing.

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​Santa ana, California, Santa ana high school, Stabbing, Fatal stabbing, Teen killed, Gang related, Police, Crime 

The New York Police Department detained dozens of protesters who allegedly took over Columbia University’s Butler Library at the school’s Morningside Heights campus on Wednesday.

According to the New York Post, the roughly five-hour-long protest left two school safety officers injured. Footage appeared to show the anti-Israel mob shoving a security guard to force their way into the library’s front entrance, interrupting students inside studying.

‘Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.’

The masked protesters shouted, “Free, free Palestine,” and placed signs over bookshelves, with one declaring the space a “liberated zone.” The rioters also spray-painted the walls of the library and hung Palestinian flags.

A defaced glass case read, “Columbia will burn 4 the martyrs,” according to a photo shared on social media.

Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman stated that officials believed that some of the protesters were not affiliated with the school.

In a Wednesday statement, Shipman said, “The individuals who disrupted activities in Butler Reading Room 301 still refuse to identify themselves and leave the building. Due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside of the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard, and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the University, Columbia has taken the necessary step of requesting the presence of NYPD to assist in securing the building and the safety of our community.”

She declared that such disruptions “will not be tolerated.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) responded to Wednesday’s demonstration.

“At the written request of Columbia University, the NYPD is entering the campus to remove individuals who are trespassing. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city,” Adams said. “To Jewish New Yorkers, especially the students at Columbia who feel threatened or unsafe attending class because of these events: know that your mayor stands with you and will always work to keep you safe.”

The NYPD told the Daily Signal that it made 80 arrests. However, as of Thursday morning, no charges had been brought against the campus disruptors, the department said.

Columbia University released another statement on Thursday, notifying students that the library had reopened.

Jewish Community Relations Council Mark Treyger called the disruptive protest “not normal under any circumstance.”

“It is unsafe, unbelievable, and unacceptable to have fully masked strangers barging into learning institutions,” Treyger said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to look into the protesters’ visa status.

“Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,” Rubio wrote in a post on social media.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) responded to Rubio’s post, stating, “Attention pro-Hamas rioters on college campuses across the country: you are on notice. America will no longer tolerate your antisemitic violence, destruction, harassment, and intimidation.”

Johnson thanked President Donald Trump and Rubio for cracking down on anti-Semitic violence.

Over the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, the administration revoked approximately 4,000 student visas. A senior State Department official previously told the Post that 90% had a “serious” criminal record.

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​News, Columbia university, Marco rubio, Rubio, Trump administration, Trump admin, Donald trump, Trump, Mike johnson, Anti-semitism, Anti-israel, Pro-palestine, Palestine, Pro-hamas, Hamas, Israel, New york police department, Nypd, Eric adams, Campus protests, Politics 

USA Fencing’s board director Damien Lehfeldt had a contentious hearing with members of the Republican Party over whether men should be allowed to compete in women’s fencing.

Lehfeldt, who has a detailed history of making derogatory remarks online about President Trump and those who believe sports should be separated by sex, faced a grilling alongside Fatima Goss Graves, CEO of the National Women’s Law Center.

Congressman Brandon Gill (R-Texas) pointed to troubling online posts from the executive, who largely admitted to making crass remarks.

Gill presented a social media post where Lehfeldt responded to a parent who didn’t want their daughter “being beaten up by men in sports.”

Lehfeldt allegedly wrote, “I’m not gonna pull her from the sport and write a whiny email announcing my departure.”

The board director did not deny he wrote the response and agreed it was “an inappropriate message” that he regretted posting.

Gill then asked about a post from parents who “don’t want their daughters competing against men in sports” and how Lehfeldt allegedly compared those parents to the “Ku Klux Klan.”

In response to the post, Lehfeldt reportedly wrote, “The only wizard that’s going to dig you out of the myopic hole you put yourself, and your family in, is one of the grand-wizard variety,” which is a reference to a rank in the KKK.

Lehfeldt said he apologized for that remark and called it “inappropriate” and pledged to “never making a message like that again.”

Lehfeldt then admitted that another response to the post was “not real.”

On his Facebook page, Lehfeldt was also exposed by Gill for writing, “Imagine being one of 71 million people dumb enough to vote re-election for a treasonous clown who is permanently banned from Twitter for inciting an insurrection, you mad MAGA bros.”

The executive stated that this was not in his professional capacity and acknowledged that Trump had won re-election, to which Gill replied that it was written on a page called “The Fencing Coach.”

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) took her turn hammering Lehfeldt with yes or no questions, including, “Do you think forcing a woman to change in front of a man, in a locker room, is abusive — yes or no?”

Before Lehfeldt answered, Greene continued, “Do you want your daughter to change in front of biological men in locker rooms?”

The director then replied, “My daughter isn’t really something that should be part of this hearing, respectfully.”

Lehfeldt’s social media activity was proved to be very questionable during the hearing. However, Representative Greene did show a photo of Lehfeldt that had been cropped to make it seem as if he was holding up the middle finger; he was actually giving a piece sign.

Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

In another instance on Instagram, Lehfeldt responded to a question from a user that asked, “Are you okay with cis females being at a disadvantage?”

Lehfeldt responded to the question simply by saying, “Yeah.”

Lehfeldt told the committee he exercised poor judgment in that instance and should not have said it.

Representative James Comer (R-Ky.) was another House member who offered up simple questions to the panel of guests, which also consisted of Stephanie Turner, a female fencer who refused to compete against a man, and Payton McNabb, a former female volleyball player who suffered brain damage at the hands of a male athlete in her league.

“Do you believe biological men should compete in women’s sports?” Comer asked the panel.

McNabb and Turner both quickly replied “no,” but Mr. Lehfeldt was not as reasonable.

“If they comply with the requirements, sir,” Lehfeldt replied. He then clarified that he did not mean by federal policy regarding men in women’s sports, but by the “policy of USA Fencing.”

Graves said she agreed with Lehfeldt and believed that “trans women” should be able to compete in fencing in accordance with their “gender identity.”

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Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said performers boycotting President Donald Trump “won’t be welcomed” to the venue.

Grenell’s comments came after cast members of “Les Misérables” announced they will be boycotting Trump’s appearance next month. Grenell pushed back at these performers, calling them “vapid and intolerant artists” who lack professionalism.

‘The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together.’

“Any performer who isn’t professional enough to perform to patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won’t be welcomed,” Grenell said in a statement.

“In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn’t hire — and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience,” Grenell added.

The cast of “Les Misérables” has not been the only prominent Trump critic in the theater. Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the hit musical “Hamilton,” also said he was going to cancel his performances at the Kennedy Center.

“The Kennedy Center was not created in this spirit, and we’re not going to be a part of it while it is the Trump Kennedy Center” Miranda said. “We’re just not going to be a part of it.”

Grenell maintained that the Kennedy Center is an apolitical venue and that anyone who fails to treat it as such is unwelcome.

“The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together,” Grenell said.

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A contractor working at one of the highest-security infectious disease research labs in North America recently risked an outbreak of deadly disease in order to exact retribution over a “personal dispute,” National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya claims.

According to a Health and Human Services official who spoke with Fox News, the contracting researcher poked holes in a colleague’s personal protective equipment following a lovers’ quarrel. The incident occurred at the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick Army base in Frederick, Maryland, in early March, though Bhattacharya said he did not learn of it until weeks later.

At 5 p.m. on April 29, all experimental work at the facility was suspended indefinitely.

“NIH has implemented a research pause—referred to as a safety stand-down—at the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick,” Bradley Moss, communication director for the office of research services at NIH, wrote to WIRED in an email. “This decision follows identification and documentation of personnel issues involving contract staff that compromised the facility’s safety culture, prompting this research pause. During the stand-down, no research will be conducted, and access will be limited to essential personnel only, to safeguard the facility and its resources.”

The investigation into the PPE incident ‘revealed a pattern — going back to the Biden administration — of safety not taken as seriously as it ought.’

The suspension of experiments, authorized by Bhattacharya in coordination with HHS Sec. Robert Kennedy, was a wise decision. The Integrated Research Facility conducts some of the highest-risk research on some of the deadliest pathogens in the world, including Lassa fever, SARS-Cov-2, and Eastern equine encephalitis. It is one of only a handful of facilities conducting such research involving “high consequence” infectious diseases in North America.

The Integrated Research Facility employs 168 workers, including contractors. The contractor who, according to Bhattacharya, “deliberately” sabotaged the coworker’s PPE has since been fired.

Connie Schmaljohn, the director of the facility, has also been placed on administrative leave. The HHS official told Fox News Schmaljohn failed to report the incident up the chain of command immediately, thereby delaying the remediation process.

Schmaljohn did not respond to a request for comment from WIRED.

In a tweet thread on Wednesday, Bhattacharya characterized the incident as “serious,” adding that “this is how lab leaks can happen!”

No timeline has been given for when research at the facility will resume. “I won’t reopen the lab until I am satisfied that it can be done with zero risk to public safety,” Bhattacharya pledged. “No more lab generated pandemics!”

“The sacrifice to research is immense,” said Gigi Kwik Gronvall, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “If things are unused for a period of time, it will cost more money to get them ready to be used again.”

The HHS official indicated to Fox News that breaches in safety protocol occurred repeatedly at the facility during the Biden administration, including as recently as November. Bhattacharya likewise claimed that the investigation into the PPE incident “revealed a pattern — going back to the Biden administration — of safety not taken as seriously as it ought.”

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On May 2, Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson (D) signed Senate Bill 5375 into law, mandating that clergy, including Catholic priests, report suspected child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or state authorities, even if the information is disclosed during the sacrament of confession.

This means priests must break the seal of confession, a sacred Catholic practice, or face legal consequences. However, to abide by the law means priests will face automatic excommunication under Canon Law, which deems violating the confessional seal a grave offense.

The Catholic Church has come out in strong opposition of the law, claiming it violates First Amendment protections for religious freedom and unfairly targets clergy, as other privileged communications (e.g., attorney-client, doctor-patient) remain exempt.

“Blaze News Tonight’s” Jill Savage, Matthew Peterson, and Christopher Bedford — all practicing Catholics — say it’s an egregious law.

Confession is how “people bring their sins before God and ask for forgiveness and penance. It’s as important as marriage; it’s as important as last rites; it’s as important to salvation as baptism. It’s something that is essential in the spiritual life of Catholics,” says Bedford. “People have to unburden themselves with some darkness, and they only can do that and have that access to the sacrament if they know that the priests, that the seal of confession is legit.”

Further, the law is just “a red herring” that distracts from the real problem: abusive priests who have been historically protected by the Church.

Reflecting on his childhood, Bedford says, “We had family friends who killed themselves after the awfulness that they were subjected to by some satanic priests.”

The issue of child abuse as it relates to the Catholic Church has never been that admissions “were whispered in confession” but rather that the criminal actions of abusive priests “were know to the higher-ups of the church and covered over,” he explains.

“This is an actual attack on the Church, on the sacraments, and it’s a great thing that the bishops are coming up against it,” Bedford says, adding that “I’m really excited to see that the federal Department of Justice is now investigating this law for the obvious — obvious — civil rights violations that it entails.”

Peterson agrees, suspecting that the push for these laws isn’t really fueled by a desire to protect children, as supporters claim, but rather by an “anti-religious fervor.”

There is “a massive and increasing anti-Catholic animus across the West,” says Bedford, citing the 2021 “spate of church burnings across Canada done by activists.”

“A priest who deals a lot with the demonic once told me …’the devil is no longer hiding in the shadows. The devil is very much out in the open.”’

To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above.

Want more from ‘Blaze News Tonight’?

To enjoy more provocative opinions, expert analysis, and breaking stories you won’t see anywhere else, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Blaze news tonight, Blaze media, Blazetv, Chris bedford, Jill savage, Matthew peterson, Catholic, Catholic church, Washington state, Catholic confession, Bob ferguson, Confession seal 

Vice President JD Vance and Democratic strategist James Carville both blasted Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) this week over her apparent racial animus. Whereas Vance characterized the Minnesota congresswoman as a “disgrace,” Carville suggested she was a political liability whose supporters “are more trouble than they’re worth.”

Omar was asked in a
February 2018 interview about President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13780 — the so-called “Muslim travel ban” that placed restrictions on entry to the U.S. by nationals from terrorist hotbeds such as Syria and Omar’s native country of Somalia.

“Do you think President Trump doesn’t want people like you in the country? Because he says it’s not personal; it’s national security,” Mehdi Hasan, a liberal talking head known for his “anti-Israel agitprop,” asked Omar in the interview.

‘Our country should be more fearful of white men.’

“If we were really being honest about what could be masqueraded as a national security issue, we know that no one from any of these countries has ever posed a threat within this country,” said Omar.

Hasan noted later in a portion of the interview that has
repeatedly gone viral that “a lot of conservatives in particular would say that the rise of Islamophobia is the result not of hate but of fear — a legitimate fear, they say, of ‘jihadist terrorism,’ whether it’s Fort Hood or San Bernardino or the recent truck attack in New York. What do you say to them?”

Omar — who previously summarized the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as
“some people did something” and whose community saw dozens of young men, including the first known American Islamist suicide bomber, return to Somalia to fight for Islamic terrorist groups — appeared keen to downplay the relative threat of Islamic terrorism.

“I would say our country should be more fearful of white men across our country because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country,” said the Democratic congresswoman. “And so if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring, and creating policies to fight the radicalization of white men.”

‘This is blatant racism.’

An excerpt from the seven-year-old interview recently resurfaced and, with the amplification of influencer accounts like Libs of TikTok, quickly went viral.

Vice President JD Vance commented on the excerpt, which had over 17.5 million views at the time of publication, writing, “This isn’t just sick; it’s actually genocidal language.”

“What a disgrace this person is,” added Vance, who previously
suggested that Ilhan Omar would be “living in a craphole” if the U.S. hadn’t welcomed her.

Omar punched back, claiming she was “referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the
Anti-Defamation League that said white supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of ‘extremist-related murders.'”

“PS you should look up what ‘genocidal’ actually means when you’re actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza,” added Omar.

Other critics piled on, with some X users issuing reminders about Omar’s
past difficulty filing accurate tax returns and others calling for her deportation.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R)
said of Omar’s comments, “This is blatant racism. Who condemns it?”

‘There are people that actually agree with her.’

Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.)
said Omar “never ceases to be an embarrassment for Minnesota.”

Carville similarly took aim at Omar over her comments days later at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit when
discussing how Democrats might “regain their mojo,” emphasizing that they aren’t doing her party any favors.

“Ilhan Omar says that white men are responsible for most of the deaths in the United States,” Carville said Wednesday. “So let me get this straight: 69% of the people — I’m stuck on that number; I don’t know — but 69% of people who’re going to vote are white. Of that, [48.5%] are males. So I don’t know, my rough math is 33%. Let’s go out and piss off 33% of the people that vote.”

“That’s a smart strategy,” added Carville sarcastically. “There are people that actually agree with her, and I think these — honestly — I think these people are more trouble than they’re worth.”

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​Jd vance, Vance, James carville, Ilhan omar, Racism, Democrat, Democratic, Leftism, Identity politics, Terrorism, Islamist, Minnesota, Politics 

Rather than idle in one of his three houses, millionaire Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been traveling around the country for his Fighting Oligarchy Tour, hitting Americans up for money and giving speeches with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other fellow travelers on “how we move forward to take on the oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.”

When pressed Wednesday about the optics of taking a private jet around the country to complain about poverty and inequality, Sanders stated emphatically that he would not apologize for avoiding the alternative modes of travel used by everyday Americans.

Citing campaign expenditures released last month, the Washington Free Beacon indicated that Sanders’ main campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, which manages the Fighting Oligarchy Tour, spent $221,723 on chartering private jets during the first quarter of 2025.

Some of the flights taken by Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez on the “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” were reportedly worth $15,000 an hour.

Where Sanders is concerned, this is par for the course.

In the final three months of 2019, Sanders’ campaign spent nearly $1.2 million on a luxury private jet charter service — not a good look for someone critical of the wealthy and supposedly concerned about the supposed threat of climate change.

‘You think I’m gonna be sitting on a waiting line at United waiting?’

During an interview Wednesday, Fox News’ Bret Baier asked the self-described democratic socialist to respond to the Beacon’s report concerning his jet travel.

Sanders initially tried to neutralize the question with some whataboutery, suggesting that President Donald Trump — who has made no claim to being a socialist — has not and would not fly commercial while in “campaign mode.”

“But he’s also not fighting the oligarchy,” said Baier.

“You run a campaign, and you do three or four or five rallies in a week. [It is] the only way you can get around to talk to 30,000 people,” said Sanders. “You think I’m gonna be sitting on a waiting line at United waiting? You know, while 30, 000 people are waiting?”

‘Socialism for you, luxury for him.’

Sanders stressed that private jet travel was “the only way to get around.”

“No apologies for that,” continued the senator. “That’s what campaign travel is about. We’ve done it in the past. We’re gonna do it in the future.”

— (@)

“I think at a time when the people on top are doing phenomenally well, when seniors, working-class people are struggling, people want to hear action to stand up to the people who have the wealth and the power and create an economy that works for all of us, not just the people on top,” Sanders told Baier.

Critics seized upon Sanders’ comments as another example of his apparent hypocrisy.

“Ironic that a self proclaimed socialist doesn’t like to stand in line since that’s what people do in socialist countries. It’s just for food, gas, and medical attention — not flights on United,” tweeted former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R).

All-American swim star Riley Gaines noted, “The socialist who rails against the wealthy flies private and scoffs at flying commercial — socialism for you, luxury for him.”

Sanders admitted during his October appearance on the “Lex Fridman Podcast” that it is easy for politicians to lose touch with everyday Americans and their priorities, noting that “it’s a very easy trap to fall into — you can get separated from ordinary people and their struggle.”

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promised parents and Big Pharma skeptics that he would work through the federal government to end the epidemic of chronic disease and illness plaguing the United States.

As with any newly appointed member of the government, cutting through red tape, bureaucracy, and the shadow group known as the deep state are likely to be Kennedy’s biggest challenges.

In fact, if anyone were likely to stand up to these threats, it would be Kennedy, a lifelong enemy to Big Pharma.

In Kennedy’s first 100 days as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the HHS appears to have moved rather quickly on bans related to food products and additives.

First and foremost were phaseouts on all “petroleum-based synthetic dyes” that had long been criticized by the secretary.

The department started by eliminating six synthetic dyes: FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2

These are set to be removed from the food supply by the end of 2026, with a revocation of dyes Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B also down the pipeline in the coming months.

Kennedy referred to the petroleum dyes as “poisonous compounds” that “offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers” to the health and development of children.

Kennedy added, “We’re restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public’s trust. And we’re doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.”

Fluoride, which is predominantly added to water in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Chile, and Ireland, has faced criticism for years. Studies from Harvard in 2012 and the HHS in 2024 have claimed the use of fluoride lowers the IQ of children.

“It makes no sense to have it in our water supply,” Kennedy told an audience in Utah.

Utah recently became the first state to officially ban fluoride, with RFK Jr. saying he was reassembling a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention task force to further study the effects of fluoride and make an official government recommendation. Obviously, he hopes more states will follow suit.

‘They changed our food system in this country so that it is poison to us.’

Kennedy further praised Utah for being one of the first states to apply for a ban on soda from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Arkansas and Indiana joined Utah in requesting a waiver from the USDA to remove soda and candy from being purchasable through food stamps.

According to the Associated Press, Arkansas’ plan would exclude soda and fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice. Artificially sweet candy and confections made with flour would also be banned. The plan would allow rotisserie chicken to be purchased, which is currently excluded.

Indiana’s plan would simply exclude candy and soda from SNAP.

“They changed our food system in this country so that it is poison to us,” Kennedy remarked.

Infant formula has also seen enhanced focus from the HHS under Kennedy. A 2022 scare shocked parents across the country with a severe shortage blamed on supply chain issues related to COVID-19.

While noting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and HHS want to ensure a “strong” and resilient supply, much of what the federal government announced was related to testing the baby formula for a nutritional review.

This included increased testing for heavy metals and other contaminants, increased transparency in labeling, and prioritizing research related to long-term health outcomes associated with formula feeding in infancy.

“The FDA remains committed to infant formula safety and nutritional quality and is taking all actions to ensure the U.S. infant formula supply ranks best in the world,” a press release stated.

Furthermore, a proposed policy change that may have flown under the radar in March was Kennedy’s direction to the FDA to eliminate the ability for companies to “self-affirm ingredients are safe.”

Describing it as a “loophole,” Secretary Kennedy said that companies are able to introduce new ingredients and chemicals into the U.S. food supply without notifying the FDA.

While manufacturers are currently “strongly” encouraged by the FDA to inform the agency of any new substances Generally Recognized as Safe that they are using, those manufacturers can self-affirm a substance is generally safe without notifying the FDA.

“Eliminating this loophole will provide transparency to consumers,” Kennedy said.

Cost cutting

Upon taking office, RFK Jr. immediately pointed to $1.7 trillion spent annually in the United States on health care, an increase of 17% in just five years.

Therefore, Kennedy immediately began “slashing unhealthy fat” at HHS, which amounted to almost 10,000 employees leaving the department.

While the media framed this as layoffs and “job cuts,” Kennedy said the removals were voluntary resignations.

“We offered our employees, especially those who were not aligned with our mission, the chance to resign gracefully. Nearly 10,000 HHS employees voluntarily chose to depart through our Deferred Resignation Program, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, and Voluntary Separation Incentive programs.”

RFK Jr. also announced the closing of five of the agency’s “highest-cost regional offices” in Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

‘It’s clear that HHS had become a cesspool of deep state bureaucrats …’

While these decisions are certainly quick money savers, the HHS claimed it saved another $67 billion through work with the Department of Government Efficiency. This was accomplished through actions like canceling $14.1 billion in COVID-related grants.

Government contracts were terminated or changed to save another $17 billion, while requiring individuals to produce their proof of income to qualify for federal subsidies saved another $10.5 billion.

“Evidenced by the number of HHS workers who voluntarily resigned once Kennedy took over with the MAHA agenda, it’s clear that HHS had become a cesspool of deep state bureaucrats uninterested in the true objective of the department: keeping Americans healthy,” said BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales.

She added, “I am grateful for Secretary Kennedy’s swift action to address harmful food dyes and fluoride in the water, both of which predominantly harm our children at greater rates than anyone else.”

Gonzales pointed to other work by the HHS, such as attempts to find the root causes of autism.

Kennedy said he was assembling teams of scientists to focus research on the origins of an autism epidemic that now affects 1 in 31 children.

“We expect to begin to have answers by September,” RFK Jr. explained.

In its report, the HHS attempted to quell the claim that the increased number is attributed to the expansion of diagnoses and detection. The department said the expansion of diagnoses could not be attributed solely to the expansion of testing and that nearly two-thirds of children with autism also had severe or borderline intellectual disabilities.

Along with a new report on gender dysphoria, there is a lot for health-conscious Americans and conservatives to sink their teeth into.

Kennedy recently announced that vaccines would require further testing before approval, including undergoing safety testing in placebo-controlled trials prior to licensure. An HHS spokesperson called this a “radical departure” from past practices.

“From finding the root causes of autism and eliminating the poisons in our food, to finally testing childhood vaccines with true placebos, there is much more work to be done,” Gonzales said.

With near mind-bending levels of government efficiency, Kennedy seems to have a lot on the horizon that citizens on both sides of the political aisle could describe as making America healthy again. If true, government working on behalf of the health of the citizenry is indeed a radical departure from the past.

​T3, Health, Robert f kennedy jr, Rfk jr, Maha, Make america healthy again, Nih, Hhs, Trump administration, Politics