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I remember going to Blockbuster with my mom and dad. It was down the street in a strip mall that was shaped like a capital L. It was on the very end and the corner.

It felt far away from our house, though I’m sure it wasn’t. Everything feels far away when you’re a kid. I had no idea how we got there either — which streets we took, how many turns were made, how many miles away it was, or even how long it took us to get there. Ten minutes? An hour? They kind of blend together when you’re a kid, and I had no real idea about any of it.

Blockbuster nostalgia isn’t really about the VHS or the strip mall, the warm smell of the tape or the quiet in the room. It’s about a longing for limitation, our secret wish for less.

But I remember riding in the back seat, looking out the window as my parents weaved the car through what seemed like a dizzying labyrinth of concrete, ranch houses, and tall trees on the way to Blockbuster.

Strip mall arcadia

Blockbuster had a distinct smell. Soft, warm, plasticky. The Louisville sun beat down through the big, long windows, coming in over the black parking lot and then falling down onto the rows of VHS tapes and low-pile carpeting.

It’s funny to think, but the chain video store almost had the same feeling as the library. Rows of neat shelves adorned with a variety of titles. A hushed hum over the large carpeted room. Late afternoon in a sun-dappled Blockbuster, searching for the evening’s entertainment.

Now we don’t go to Blockbuster. They’ve been shut down a long time, and that flimsy blue and yellow Blockbuster card was thrown in the trash years ago. Now we don’t go anywhere.

We sit at home, fumbling around with the remote, clicking through seemingly endless options on Netflix. Everything “looks good” and is packaged up real tight, and there is more of it to watch than we have time. But nothing really is that good, or nothing really seems very good. Life’s not like it was at Blockbuster in 1998.

RELATED: ‘All about the experience’: Former Blockbuster and 7-Eleven CEO explains why we can’t let go of the ’90s‘

James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

Please rewind

What is my nostalgia — no, our nostalgia! — for Blockbuster? Why go back to the clunky, “be kind, rewind” technology of VHS? Why would it be nicer to be forced to drive down the road and find something to watch rather than streaming whatever we want whenever we want from the comfort of our beds? Why do we want fewer options?

That last one. That’s it. That’s what the itch is. Blockbuster nostalgia isn’t really about the VHS or the strip mall, the warm smell of the tape or the quiet in the room. It’s about a longing for limitation, our secret wish for less.

We have so many choices today, we don’t know what to pick. Decision paralysis. Some of us suffer from it terribly, some of us less so. But we’re all aware of the problem. We understand the term. We all know that it’s easier to pick from three than it is from three hundred.

The problem of decision paralysis isn’t limited to what we are going to watch some Thursday evening. We see the problem with young people and dating apps. There is a sense there is always another one waiting. There are infinite partners out there. Don’t settle down; there might be a better match. Always another match. No one can make the decision to just be happy and just get married.

I’ve seen it when someone has a bunch of money saved. Too much time and nothing to do. They talk about going here or there, doing this or trying that. They hem and haw about it for months, and then years. I ask them, “What are you waiting for?” They tell me, “I’m not sure it’s what I want to do.”

Aisle be seeing you

The world is our oyster. We can do anything we want, we are spoiled rotten, and we can’t make a choice. We should be happier than ever, but we aren’t. Not really. We secretly, deep down, wish something would just take away our choices and make it all simpler for us. We would complain about it, but we would secretly be thankful for it. We can’t really do it on our own. Limiting ourselves voluntarily never feels the same as having reality do it for us.

Our problems today are, in a way, pitiful. I know our ancestors would probably mock us for our so-called decision paralysis. But they didn’t know this world. They only know the limited world. Their struggles were often physical. Ours are psychological.

That’s why we miss Blockbuster, or at least what Blockbuster represents or reminds us of. Less. Limitation. The life where we can only do so much, or see so much, where our world is a little smaller and we, in turn, feel a little greater.

Back at Blockbuster we would meander through the aisles, looking at cover after cover, occasionally flipping one over to see what else the back might reveal. After a while, we would make our choice, pay the $1.99 at the glossy counter, take the movie home, make some popcorn on the stove, turn on the TV, pop in the tape, press play, and see if what we chose was any good.

We had fewer choices, and it was fine. Actually it was more than fine, it’s really what we want deep down, even if we don’t want to admit it. That’s why we kind of miss Blockbuster in a strange little way.

​Blockbuster, Nostalgia, Choice, 1990s, Entertainment, Culture, Men’s style, Netflix, The root of the matter 

A mystery surrounding the abandonment of a baby and the discovery of four dead bodies shocked law enforcement officials in the small town of Tiptonville.

Tennesee police said that a woman reported finding the baby in front of her home on Tuesday at about 3:11 p.m. The baby was unharmed and in a baby seat.

‘This is a deeply saddening day for our community. We are committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice is served.’

Someone driving a “dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV” was said to have dropped the child off, according to investigators.

Police were looking for the baby’s parents when the remains of four people were found Tuesday evening about 40 miles away from where the baby was found.

The deceased were later identified as the child’s mother, 20-year-old Adrianna Williams; her father, 21-year-old Matthew Wilson; her grandmother, 38-year-old Cortney Rose; and her uncle, 15-year-old Braydon Williams.

The girl was determined to be 7 months old.

Officials from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said they are investigating the incident as a homicide and are working to determine the suspects responsible for the deaths of the four family members.

RELATED: Texas man arrested after his 1-year-old daughter is found abandoned in a car seat on the side of the road

“The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office remains dedicated to resolving both the abandoned infant case and the ongoing investigation at the crime scene. We will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. Please remember everyone in your prayers,” reads a statement from the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office.

“This is a deeply saddening day for our community,” Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box said. “We are committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice is served.”

The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office asked the public to call 731-285-2802 with any information about the case.

Tiptonville is a small town of approximately 3,800 residents.

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​Baby abandoned, Four family members killed, Tiptonville tennessee, Mysterious crime, Crime 

Along with many of his fellow Americans, Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison (R) believes the government is hiding something when it comes to UFOs — but he’s not sure that it’s the UFOs themselves.

“I don’t trust this town,” Burlison tells BlazeTV host Alex Stein on “Prime Time with Alex Stein.”

“I’m very skeptical on this topic, but I think that when you’ve got all these pilots that are encountering vehicles, we have near-miss events happening above our military airspace, something’s wrong,” he explains.

While Burlison is on the House Oversight Committee and is charged with investigating the topic, he tells Stein that the committee members “keep getting blocked by the deep state.”

“I think that at the end of the day, the topic is not something for the United States government to keep a secret. Like, if you happen to be able to film an alien or an aircraft on your iPhone tonight, that is not for the government,” he explains.

“What I’m told is that they’re not going to come in, confiscate your phone, make that a secret. They’re not trying to keep the knowledge of extraterrestrial or nonhuman intelligence secret,” he continues.

However, what the government does seem to be trying to keep secret is the technology they might have that has been able to document UFOs.

“That’s what we’re having a hard time getting access to,” Burlison tells Stein.

And in a recently published Wall Street Journal article, it’s claimed that the Area 51 conspiracy theory was planted in order to hide a classified weapons program.

“It kind of fit my original narrative that this is all hogwash,” Burlison says, “that it’s more likely that it’s our technology, that we’re just creating a psyop or a cover story.”

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​Upload, Video, Sharing, Camera phone, Free, Video phone, Youtube.com, Prime time with alex stein, Prime time, Alex stein, The blaze, Blaze v, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Area 51, Aliens, Government conspiracy, Ufos, Conspiracy theory, The deep state 

A group of Palantir insiders close to co-founder Peter Thiel are raising funds for a new film studio — one that aims to reawaken the bolder, more unapologetically American spirit of Hollywood classics like “The Searchers” and “First Blood.”

The privately circulated pitch deck for Founders Films — led by Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar, Palantir employee Ryan Podolsky, and investor Christian Garrett — states the problem bluntly. After years of cultural drift, “movies have become ideological, more cautious, and less entertaining.”

First, rebuild what he calls the American Cinematic Universe, a category that includes ‘Red Dawn,’ ‘Rocky IV,’ ‘Top Gun,’ and ‘The Hunt for Red October.’

Couldn’t agree more.

The American Cinematic Universe

So far, those involved are all playing it close to the chest. But we can surmise a few things from Sankar’s public remarks to date.

Founders Films has a twofold strategy: First, rebuild what Sankar calls the American Cinematic Universe, a category that includes “Red Dawn,” “Rocky IV,” “Top Gun,” and “The Hunt for Red October.” Solid list.

Step Two: Take Hollywood back altogether — from foreign influence; from heavy-handed, overtly divisive progressive ideology; and perhaps, if he pulls it off and if we’re lucky, from the sort of suffocating, entirely numbers-driven decision-making that for too long has hamstrung real filmmakers and pushed millions away from cinema altogether.

Very interesting indeed, then, that from the otherwise confidential slides of the circulating pitch deck, we get this bit, which sounds like a promise: “Back artists unconditionally, take risk on novel IP.”

Now you’re talking. America needs to back artists. Period.

The return of fun

Of course, not every last American is going to care deeply about every one of Founders Films’ potential projects, but that’s the case with every movie house and every movie! American filmgoers and cinephiles have for almost two decades lived in an ever-shrinking box populated only with childish drivel, rehashed/remixed IP, and (face it) corporate progressive propaganda.

RELATED: Don Jr., other fans react to Hulk Hogan’s death: ‘A true American patriot!’

Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

With luck, Founders Films garners investment, takes its shot, and succeeds. And you should want this, even if you don’t find yourself on the so-called tech right or have any interest in Palantirian sorts of worldviews, for the following reason: The pendulum must swing for any real cinema to flourish again. Set aside high-minded cinema for a moment: When was the last time you saw a fun (or funny, for that matter) movie in a theater?

Founders Films, operating like a depth charge, may be just the thing to shake everyone out of their tedium and agitate the medium. Progressive narratives have dominated long enough that the entire exercise, even for progressives, has been emptied of vital spark.

Vision first

Hollywood needs the proverbial shot in the arm, even if it hurts: a genuine quasi-ideological counterweight, placing the director’s or writer’s vision behind the wheel. Lefties have fought for this exact treatment since the 1970s.

That kind of shake-up may be the absolute best thing that can happen to Hollywood, regardless of politics. A plurality of voices apolitical, political, etc., should have a shot at prying open the death grip of progressive control over the arts. That alone may change the entirety of the game.

Milius-pilled

We don’t know much at this point. There are rumors that Elon Musk is the shadows of the project. A variety of military-based or -adjacent projects have been floated, and Sankar, writing at Substack, has hailed the work of legendary director/writer John Milius. If that’s the direction Founders intends, cinema could heat up fast.

Can we assume the incredible technological power running under the Palantir umbrella is reapplied into film? Likely so. If (wisely) they bring in organic, human-oriented leavening agents in the form of true artists (less so the compliant, meek striver) to offset the use of AI, the impact on the industry and creatives nationwide could be powerful.

While there’s a baked-in audience for defiant right-coded material and Founders should serve them, with luck, Founders Films will consider the whole of the American film ecosystem and take a broad, long-term approach — launching propaganda-geared works designed to counter ideological opposites, sure, but also backing art “unconditionally” to open up the whole creative spectrum.

Let everyone take a shot. Allow non-ideological cinema a chance to flourish again: indies, new IP from dangerous artists, edgy comedy, the works. This was the ’80s, the zeitgeist behind all those right-coded classics. Bring it back.

​Return, Palantir, Peter thiel, Hollywood, Culture, John milius, Movies, The movie industry, Red dawn, Top gun, The new hollywood 

How much longer will Congress and the executive branch keep bowing to rogue judges?

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston ordered the federal government to continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood under Medicaid. She warned that cutting funding could cause women to “suffer adverse health consequences,” face more unintended pregnancies, and go without treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

The federal judiciary was never intended to wield this kind of unchecked power.

Congress had already voted to end the funding. The law is on the books. It went through the full legislative process and was signed by the president. But Judge Talwani believes her opinion overrides all of that. She not only reinterpreted the law, she ordered the appropriation of funds to a private abortion business.

That crosses a major constitutional line.

Judges don’t have the power of the purse. They can’t spend money. They can’t fund private organizations. Only Congress can do that. Yet that core principle of the separation of powers now seems optional. We are left with a system where unelected judges act as legislators, executives, and arbiters — and no one challenges them.

Too many conservatives hesitate to confront this reality. They’ll cheer when Trump ignores Congress on TikTok but wring their hands when he considers defying an unlawful court ruling. But judicial opinions don’t carry binding force simply because a judge wrote them. Presidents and lawmakers swear the same oath to the Constitution as judges do. They don’t swear loyalty to the judiciary.

If a court orders the government to fund Planned Parenthood in direct defiance of a law passed by Congress, and the executive branch complies, then we no longer have a functioning constitutional system. We have a judiciary with a veto power over the other branches.

This didn’t start with Talwani’s ruling, and it won’t end here. Judges now routinely issue sweeping decisions that affect the entire country, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that supposedly reined in nationwide injunctions. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito warned that lower courts would continue to defy precedent unless checked. They were right.

The time for deference is over. If Trump continues to honor every lawless edict from every federal judge, he only encourages more of the same. He entrenches the notion that judges make law and everyone else must obey.

RELATED: Democrats created this court monster — now it’s eating them

Prasong Maulae via iStock/Getty Images

Imagine Congress passes and Trump signs a reconciliation bill that strips federal courts of jurisdiction over immigration enforcement or Planned Parenthood funding. Under Judge Talwani’s logic, the courts could simply declare the law unconstitutional and order the executive branch to act against it — up to and including spending money Congress never appropriated. That’s not judicial review. That’s a judge acting like a one-woman super-legislature with a gavel and a god complex. Where does it end?

It never ends. Earlier this month, a judge in California ruled that ICE cannot carry out “roving” immigration enforcement in parts of the state’s Central Valley. The ruling lacked any constitutional basis. The judge simply decided too many illegal immigrants were being arrested and declared the enforcement itself a violation of rights — despite no evidence that a single American citizen had been wrongfully detained.

Rather than overturn the decision, the Ninth Circuit grilled government attorneys about whether ICE had an arrest quota. The implication was clear: Immigration enforcement itself is now suspect.

The federal judiciary was never intended to wield this kind of unchecked power. Congress holds the purse strings. The executive enforces the law. Judges interpret the law in individual cases. That’s the constitutional design.

Abraham Lincoln, in his fifth debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858, warned against treating court opinions as absolute. If citizens and lawmakers accept every ruling without question, Lincoln said, they prepare themselves to accept the next decision “without any inquiry.”

That mindset leads to tyranny. Not suddenly, but step by step.

The judiciary was supposed to be the weakest branch. It was designed that way. It has no army. It has no budget. Its legitimacy depends on its restraint. When judges cast that aside, the other branches must respond.

Otherwise, we will find ourselves governed not by the Constitution but by the whims of unelected lawyers with lifetime tenure.

If Trump does not confront the courts, we will be obliged to implement any rule from any judge who shares the same beliefs as Ilhan Omar or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I’d hate to see what the next decision looks like.

​Opinion & analysis, Judicial supremacy, Judicial overreach, Rogue judges, Donald trump, Indira talwani, National injunction, Supreme court, Federal judge, Federal courts, Abraham lincoln, The constitution, Separation of powers, Congress, Planned parenthood, Lawsuit, Spending, Power of the purse, Appropriations, Reconciliation, Jurisdiction, Illegitimate, Medicaid, Ninth circuit, Alexandria ocasio-cortez, Ilhan omar 

The Trump administration has put the entire intelligence community on notice in recent weeks as intelligence leaders like Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe have pushed for disclosure and declassification. Gabbard in particular has made headlines by exposing the truth about the Russian collusion hoax, and she says there is much more yet to come.

Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, sat down for an interview with Glenn Beck on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing disclosure war inside the intelligence community and the mainstream media’s role in the cover-up.

‘It’s a very different story, however, if you use a burn bag to try to get rid of evidence.’

Beck noted that the media has mainly been silent on the historic revelations that are coming out of the intelligence community, or, if they do cover them, they are very selective in their coverage. He also observed that people like attorney Marc Elias, former Secretary of State John Kerry, and former FBI agent Peter Strzok, among others, have been shielding themselves online in light of these revelations.

Gabbard said that the media’s behavior is a sign of their guilt. “The media’s silence is a reflection of their complicity. They pushed this hoax from day one through Trump’s first term,” she said. “[Former CIA Director John] Brennan and [former DNI James] Clapper are still treated as reliable sources and are entrenched with the media.”

RELATED: ‘Prosecuting Obama’: Trump makes shocking statement as he commends Gabbard for bombshell evidence release

— (@)

Beck asked Gabbard about FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s cryptic X post about how the things he saw in his role “shocked [him] down to [his] core.”

— (@)

“I’ve seen up close the self-serving tactics of people who put ambition and influence over their oath to the Constitution,” Gabbard said. “Like many others, I’ve sworn to defend that Constitution in uniform and in office. That’s why this work matters so much. I carry a heavy responsibility — but it’s one I embrace with purpose.”

Beck also asked about FBI Director Kash Patel’s revelation that “thousands of sensitive documents” had been discovered in “burn bags” in “secret” rooms in intelligence offices. Gabbard explained that burn bags are normally used to protect classified documents from falling into the wrong hands.

“You’ll find [burn bags] in many offices throughout the intelligence community,” she said. “… It’s a very different story, however, if you use a burn bag to try to get rid of evidence. … That is a tactic, obviously, that has been used by those deep-staters, these bad actors within the intelligence community.”

She described this tactic as well as over-classification as “criminal behavior.”

— (@)

The director of national intelligence ended the conversation with Beck with a message of hope and faith that justice can still prevail in our country: “We must stand strong for truth, justice, and the Constitution. Yes, the media will spin everything, but fewer and fewer people trust them.”

“And we must hold onto hope. God is love, and in Him we find strength. If we strive to fulfill His will, things will work out as He intends.”

Beck’s full interview with Tulsi Gabbard will air on Thursday’s episode of “The Glenn Beck Program.”

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​Politics, Tulsi gabbard, Glenn beck, Dni, Fbi, Cia, John ratcliffe, Dan bongino, Kash patel, Deep state, Russiagate 

Blaze Media national correspondent Julio Rosas is embedded with the Department of Homeland Security on Kristi Noem’s visit to South America. Noem had a packed day of official business in Argentina on Monday, followed by a cultural engagement event featuring horseback riding.

Secretary Noem started a busy day in Argentina with a meeting with the U.S. charge d’affaires, Heidi Gomez Rapalo, at the Bosch Palace.

‘Every country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program has to meet certain qualifications in order to participate. In the past, Argentina has had the advantage of the program, and they’re looking to get back on track and re-enrolled.’

Noem then visited Casa Rosada, the official place of business of the president, to sign official agreements with Minister of National Security Patricia Bullrich concerning Argentina’s re-entry into the Visa Waiver Program as well as measures to ensure proper repatriation in the country.

— (@)

“Noem and Minister Bullrich also signed agreements to streamline repatriations” and to ensure that “fugitives are not released from custody once they are repatriated,” Rosas said.

RELATED: Blaze Media’s Julio Rosas embeds with Noem’s DHS as it slams shut South America’s illegal migration pipeline

Photo by Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images

Noem’s motorcade then traveled to the Campo de Mayo military base for a cultural engagement event featuring horseback riding and a traditional Argentinian asado, a local style of barbeque. Before dinner was served, a traditional gaucho dance was performed for Noem and her entourage.

When Rosas asked at the military base what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that there is no abuse with the waiver program, Noem, on horseback, responded: “Every country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program has to meet certain qualifications in order to participate. In the past, Argentina has had the advantage of the program, and they’re looking to get back on track and re-enrolled. So we’re excited about that.”

Argentina was removed from the Visa Waiver Program in 2002. “It will take an estimated two to three years for Argentina to be in full compliance with the VWP,” Rosas explained.

Noting that she discussed this issue extensively with President Javier Milei and other high-ranking Argentinian officials, Noem continued, “It’s important for our economies but also for the security of both countries that we know who’s traveling [to the United States]. We can streamline the process to make it easier for folks going back and forth, whether they’re tourists or doing business.”

After concluding her business in Argentina, Noem traveled to Chile to sign more agreements with leaders in Latin America.

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​Politics, Kristi noem, Julio rosas exclusive video, Julio rosas, Argentina, Javier milei, Dhs south america, Visa waiver program, Patricia bullrich 

Police responded to a home invasion call in the 1400 block of East Maddox Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas, just before 3:15 a.m. Friday, KDFW-TV reported.

According to police, the caller told dispatchers that several men wearing ski masks and carrying guns broke into his house, the station said.

‘The guy ran and jumped in a white truck. … Then I heard him after saying, “Help, help, help!”‘

The homeowner used a gun in self-defense, KDFW reported, adding that the suspects returned fire.

The homeowner escaped the house through a window and called 911, the station noted, and the suspects fled the home and ran from the scene.

The homeowner cut his leg on glass while fleeing the residence, KDFW said, adding that the homeowner’s injuries were minor and not life-threatening.

However, another male just a block away — in the 1400 block of East Myrtle Street — called 911 when police arrived, the station said.

Turns out this guy told authorities he’d been shot and needed assistance, KDFW said.

He was identified as 23-year-old Anthony Baeza; he faces a charge of burglary of a habitation, the station said.

First responders transported Baeza to a nearby hospital, where he had been in critical condition, KDFW said.

RELATED: Armed homeowner hits intruder with 4 shots, cops say: ‘The safety and protection of one’s home is a fundamental right’

“I heard all this shooting. … Boom, boom, boom, boom,” a neighbor told the station’s reporters at the scene. “The guy ran and jumped in a white truck. … Then I heard him after saying, ‘Help, help, help!'”

More from KDFW:

Police said they believe the homeowner shot Baeza during the robbery as the homeowner was escaping the house. They believe two other suspects assisted in the robbery but then fled the scene without the third suspect. Those two men are not in police custody at this time.

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​Crime thwarted, Texas, Fort worth, Self-defense, Home invasion, Guns, Gun rights, 2nd amend., Break in, Homeowner shoots, Homeowner shoots intruder, Crime 

An illegal alien accused of murdering a 15-year-old who got in the way of his raping the boy’s mother is going to be sent back to Mexico, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Gildardo Amandor-Martinez, 36, is accused of shooting and killing Luis Jocsan Nanez Lopez in an incident on July 20 where he tried to rape his girlfriend, the boy’s mother.

‘The Biden administration’s open-border policies allowed this monster to walk American streets and commit these evil crimes, including murder, assault, and attempted rape, against a mother and her children.’

Court documents said that Amandor-Martinez had returned to the home from a bar at about 2:30 a.m. and tried to have sex with his girlfriend, who refused. When she screamed as he tried to force himself on her, Lopez intervened.

The teenager asked his mother if he should call the police, and Amandor-Martinez told him to leave the room. Amandor-Martinez then prepared to leave the residence when he fired three gunshots through a door, striking Lopez in the face.

The teenager died at the scene.

The mother fled from the apartment with her other three children, including a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old. She said she heard more shots as she escaped.

Amandor-Martinez is charged with murder, rape, and first-degree assault.

“15-year-old Luis Lopez died trying to save his mother from this criminal illegal alien who was attempting to rape her,” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Gildardo Amandor-Martinez is a rapist and cold-blooded killer who should have never been in this country.”

RELATED: ICE detains entire family of illegal alien teen who killed woman in horrific car crash and got no jail time from DA

McLaughlin went on to blame former President Joe Biden for the murder, as Amandor-Martinez had entered under Biden’s watch.

“The Biden administration’s open-border policies allowed this monster to walk American streets and commit these evil crimes, including murder, assault, and attempted rape, against a mother and her children,” she said.

“ICE has placed an arrest detainer to ensure Amandor-Martinez will not be released onto America’s streets and allowed to terrorize American families again,” McLaughlin added.

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​Illegal alien rape, Illegal alien murders teen, Gildardo amandor martinez, Illegal alien murder and rape, Politics 

In the wake of National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s declassification of a trove of Russiagate documents, leading her to refer former President Barack Obama and other Obama administration officials to the Department of Justice for potential criminal investigation, certain legal “experts” are claiming Barack Obama has immunity.

They point to Trump v. United States (July 2024), in which the Supreme Court held that former presidents have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within their “core constitutional powers” and presumptive immunity for other official acts within the “outer perimeter” of their responsibilities. However, they have no immunity for unofficial or private acts.

Mark Levin recalls the time when President Obama ordered the killing of Al-Qaeda terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, who was an American citizen.

“He can’t be charged for killing that person, nor should he have been,” says Levin, “but ladies and gentlemen, if the president of the United States … is embezzling funds or he’s running some kind of a drug racket while he’s president of the United States, those are not his official duties, and so after he leaves the presidency, he can be charged with that.”

Orchestrating Russigate – a “treasonous conspiracy” as Director Gabbard called it – would most certainly fall into the latter category if Obama was found guilty.

If “Barack Obama, is involved in a scheme, the purpose of which is to interfere with a presidential election because he wants Hillary Clinton and the Democrats to win, and subsequent to that, if [he] is involved in a scheme to usurp the new president’s role or to sabotage the new president’s role, that’s not an official duty,” says Levin, “and certainly [he] can be charged with that.”

“There are criminal statutes for making false claims … and hoaxes. And it actually uses the word hoaxes,” he explains. “Donald Trump has called [Russiagate] a hoax from day one, and he’s exactly correct.”

In a recent press conference, President Trump, when asked about the Russiagate developments, was crystal clear: “This is, like, proof – irrefutable proof – that Obama was seditious, that Obama was trying to lead a coup, and it was with Hillary Clinton, with all these other people, but Obama headed it up … and it says so right in the papers.”

If the DOJ conducts its criminal investigation and concurs that the papers indeed incriminate Obama, the Constitution, specifically the separation of powers doctrine and Article II, as well as SCOTUS’ ruling on Trump v. United States, should not protect him from prosecution.

Further, considering all the lawfare waged on President Trump, “Why shouldn’t Barack Obama be criminally investigated, put under oath … in order to determine the extent to which he was involved in a silent coup?” Levin asks.

“So Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (who I like very much), are you prepared to subpoena Barack Obama?”

To hear more of his analysis, watch the video above.

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​Levintv, Mark levin, Blazetv, Blaze media, Russiagate, Tulsi gabbard, Barack obama, Russia, Hilary clinton, Obama administration 

Grammy-nominated singer Regina Spektor effortlessly silenced pro‑Palestine protesters with a sharp yet nuanced response at her concert in Portland, Oregon.

Multiple loud hecklers attempted to hijack Spektor’s concert on Saturday by spouting pro-Palestinian talking points. However, the Russian-American singer-songwriter calmly and effectively shut down the feeble attempts to derail her music show.

‘This is not an internet comment section. I know that you are mistaking my show for a YouTube video.’

The Jerusalem Post reported that the political outbursts erupted 10 songs into Spektor’s concert at the Revolution Hall in Portland.

Someone in the crowd screamed, “Free f**king Palestine!”

Video of the incident shows another concertgoer yelling, “Free, free Palestine! Say it! Say it!”

The disturbance caused Spektor to halt her performance.

Spektor responded by saying, “You’re just yelling at a Jew.”

“I don’t know what he thinks he’s doing,” Spektor told the audience, according to Fox News.

The audience began to clap in favor of Spektor.

Spektor added, “I really appreciate the security.”

Spektor noted, “We had a really hard time last night when I said, ‘Shalom aleichem,'” which is a Hebrew phrase that means “peace be unto you.”

Some concertgoers shouted, “Am Yisrael Chai,” which translates to “the people of Israel live.”

RELATED: Macklemore leads ‘F*** America!’ chant at pro-Palestinian concert

Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

The lights at the venue turned on to locate the hecklers, and Spektor asked, “Where are you?”

“I thought this was different than the internet,” Spektor said. “This is real life.”

After another outburst, Spektor retorted, “You can leave the show if you want. This is not an internet comment section. I know that you are mistaking my show for a YouTube video.”

However, another pro-Palestinian heckler reignited the debate by saying, “I’m watching dying children. That hurts.”

“I think you should go because this is not the place for that conversation. I’m a real person who came here to play music. If anybody wants to walk out, this is your chance. Does anybody else want to take a walk? You can,” the singer said, according to the music blog Stereogum.

A handful of audience members are seen leaving the music venue.

Spektor — a Jewish woman who immigrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union when she was a child — informed the audience, “The only reason I even speak English is because I came here to escape this s**t. I only speak English because I came from a country where people treated Jews as othered, and I’m being othered here, and it sucks.”

She continued, “It would be nice if one of my family’s generation didn’t have to go to a new country and learn a new language.”

A majority of the crowd was overwhelmingly supportive of Spektor.

RELATED: Watch: Anti-Israel protesters walk out on Jerry Seinfeld’s Duke commencement speech, boo Jewish comedian, wave Palestinian flags

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc for Superfly Presents

Shortly after the October 7 massacre of Jews by Hamas terrorists, Spektor voiced her support for the people of Israel.

“I will not be indifferent to the suffering of Jews and Palestinians… I will keep hope and peace within myself and send love towards you… Am Yisrael Chai,” Spektor wrote on Instagram in October 2023.

According to Fox News, Spektor also stated, “My tears are endless but my heart has enough room… Room for murdered, raped, and kidnapped innocent Jews. Room for bombed innocent Palestinians suffering and dying in Gaza. Fury at Hamas whose mission is exterminating Jews while hiding behind Palestinian human shields.”

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Spektor said of the massacre, “If you’ve devalued Jewish life so much that mourning murdered Jewish children at a festival, raped women, and the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust has offended you — leave.”

The singer criticized the Israeli government while defending the nation and its citizens.

“Israeli government is NOT its people, like any other government on earth,” she stated. “Netanyahu does NOT speak for all Israelis, or all Jews living across the world.”

“In the Middle East, Israel is the ONLY democracy with a chance to vote/protest/change its government,” Spektor continued. “The ONLY land where LGBTQ people are able to live safely. The ONLY land which doesn’t mandate women’s dress or behavior.”

On the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, Spektor performed at a pro-Israel gathering in New York City.

RELATED: Genocide Joe has to go: Pro-Palestine supporters chant ‘Death to America!’ in Michigan, demand ‘entire’ US system be eliminated

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​Entertainment, Palestine, Antisemitism, Anti-semitism, Palestinians, Free palestine, News, Politics, Regina spektor 

Shane Tamura, 27, was seen getting out of a black BMW with an M4 rifle moments before he allegedly stormed the NFL headquarters in New York City and killed one NYPD cop and three civilians.

Tamura then allegedly turned the gun on himself, leaving behind a suicide note revealing that he targeted the NFL headquarters because he blamed the league for a football-related brain injury — despite not having played football since high school.

“Please study brain for CTE. I’m sorry. The league knowingly concealed the dangers to our brains to maximize profits. They failed us,” the note read.

“What’s the left-wing response to this?” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere asks. “Because I know they’re going to supposedly get mad about football; they’re going to get mad about guns, right? But I mean, a police officer died.”

Burguiere points out that the left favors Zohran Mamdani for NYC’s next mayor, who, like many leftists, is in favor of defunding the police. Not only that, but Mamdani’s top aide, Julian Gerson, lauded the alleged murderer of the United Healthcare CEO, Luigi Mangione.

“Mangione is adored not only because he dared to target a leader of one of the most vile, self-enriching industries darkening our society today, but because he dared to defy the stasis of nihilistic rejection,” Gerson wrote in a social media post last December.

“The question is not whether he was right or wrong,” he continued. “It’s how many others he has shaken loose.”

But the left’s love for chaos isn’t all that Burguiere finds alarming as violence continues to ravage the streets of New York.

In a segment on CNN, reporter Erin Burnett called Tamura “possibly white.”

“Possibly white? In theory, any person could be ‘possibly white’ before you’ve seen them,” Burguiere says. “We did have images, though, of the guy. Definitely not white.”

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​Upload, Video, Sharing, Camera phone, Free, Video phone, Youtube.com, Stu does america, Stu burguiere, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Nfl headquarters, Shane tamura, Nfl shooting, Zohran mamdani, Gun rights, Gun violence, Erin burnett, Cnn 

A Virginia city councilman was lit on fire during a confrontation with a man who now faces attempted murder charges, according to police.

Republican J. Lee Vogler of the Danville City Council was injured in the attack at his workplace at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Danville police said.

‘Political differences or personal grievances should never escalate to violence. We condemn this heinous act in the strongest possible terms and call for swift justice.’

Witnesses said that a man entered the place of business and confronted Vogler before tossing the flammable liquid on him. Vogler and the suspect left the building whereupon the suspect lit him on fire and fled from the scene.

Vogler was given medical aid by the Danville Fire Department and Danville Life Saving Crew before he was airlifted to a regional medical facility. The extent of his injuries has not been released to the public.

Police said they stopped the suspect’s vehicle just a few blocks away from the scene and arrested him. He was identified as Shotsie Michael Buck Hayes, a 29-year-old man.

Investigators said that Hayes and Vogler knew each other, and their dispute was of a personal nature.

The Virginia Young Republicans released a statement condemning the attack and called for prayers for Vogler and his family.

“The Young Republican Federation of Virginia is shocked and deeply saddened by the brutal attack on our friend, fellow young Republican, and dedicated public servant, Councilman Lee Vogler,” the statement read.

“Our prayers are with Lee, his family, and the entire Danville community as he receives treatment. Lee has been a tireless advocate for his city and for the Commonwealth, and we know the strength of his spirit will carry him through this difficult time,” they continued.

“Political differences or personal grievances should never escalate to violence. We condemn this heinous act in the strongest possible terms and call for swift justice,” they added. “We urge all Virginians to join us in keeping Lee and his loved ones in their thoughts and prayers.”

The owner of the business, Andrew Brooks, said in a video statement on Facebook that the suspect had a five-gallon bucket full of flammable liquid. He said that Vogler was “awake and talking” but was on the way to a burn treatment center.

RELATED: 40-year-old man allegedly shot and set on fire after woman finds him in bed with her daughter in Philadelphia

Hayes was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.

Others condemned the attack, including the chairman of the Virginia Democratic Party, Lamont Bagby, and former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).

“Our prayers go out to Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler who was violently attacked at his workplace earlier today. We pray for a swift recovery for Lee and peace to be on the entire Danville community,” said Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

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​City councilman set on fire, Man set on fire, Republican attacked, J lee vogler, Politics 

A redistricting feud has broken out amongst Democratic state lawmakers against Republicans and President Donald Trump after a proposal by Texas officials that may lead to five seats flipping to the Republican column.

The Republican Party of Texas released a redistricting proposal on Tuesday that many critics called gerrymandering in order to strengthen Republican power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

‘The 2026 election is being rigged. California won’t sit back and watch this happen.’

The Democratic Party opposed the plan vehemently.

“From the beginning of this broken process, Texas Republicans’ only objective has been to follow orders from D.C. party bosses desperate to try and save House Republicans’ teetering majority,” said Julie Merz, the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom fired back at Texas and implied that California might do the same in order to counteract the actions of Texas lawmakers.

“Donald Trump asks for 5 seats and [Texas Gov.] Greg Abbott automatically bends the knee. The 2026 election is being rigged. California won’t sit back and watch this happen,” he wrote on social media.

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California hopped on the bandwagon to say redistricting California could lead to the deletion of the district for state Rep. Kevin Kiley, a popular Republican.

“Hope it’s worth it! Say goodbye to Kevin Kiley and 5 other CA Republicans,” he wrote on social media.

Republican Vice President JD Vance fired off a missive in the debate by pointing out that California is already stacked against Republican representation.

“The gerrymander in California is outrageous. Of their 52 congressional districts, 9 of them are Republican. That means 17 percent of their delegation is Republican when Republicans regularly win 40 percent of the vote in that state. How can this possibly be allowed?” he wrote in a message on social media.

RELATED: Resurfaced video of Democrat admitting the real reason leftists want immigration is going viral

Other states are also considering redistricting their maps ahead of the midterm elections.

Historically, the opposition party gains seats in Congress in a midterm election after the Oval Office changes hands, but Republicans hope to maintain their control over the House and Senate in 2026.

If Democrats are able to seize control of either chamber of Congress, they will be far more able to get in the way of Trump’s political agenda.

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​Newsom vs texas, California redistricting, Texas redistricting, Gerrymandering, Politics 

Amid ongoing speculation, former Vice President Kamala Harris decided to clear the air and unveil the next step in her political career.

Following her disastrous presidential campaign, in which President Donald Trump defeated her in every swing state and in the popular vote, Harris was frequently floated as a gubernatorial candidate in her home state of California. But after some “deep reflection,” Harris announced Tuesday that she would not seek to serve as governor of the Golden State.

‘For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office.’

“Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation’s history, and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear,” Harris said in a statement posted on X.

Harris dubbed herself a “devout public servant,” pointing to her career not only as vice president, but also as a California attorney general and United States senator.

RELATED: Kamala Harris already scheming for her next office: ‘I am staying in the fight’

— (@)

“In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor,” Harris said. “I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.”

RELATED: Kamala Harris has reached out to universities for her next scheme — and social media responds with hilarious ridicule

Photo by Chris duMond/Getty Images

Harris went on to say that although she has “extraordinary admiration and respect” for people who commit themselves to public service, she feels that the government and institutions have “failed the American people, culminating in this moment of crisis.”

“As we look ahead, we must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking — committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook,” Harris said. “For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office.”

“I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans,” Harris added. “In the United States of America, power must lie with the people. And We, the People must use our power to fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and the dignity of all. I will remain in that fight.”

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​Kamala harris, Joe biden, Donald trump, California, Gavin newsom, Governor of california, 2024 election, Presidential election, Politics 

The Federal Reserve of the U.S. disappointed many hopes when Chairman Jerome Powell announced Wednesday that the Fed would keep interest rates the same despite pressure to lower them.

President Donald Trump has been hammering away at the Fed to lower rates, but Powell, whom Trump has nicknamed “Too Late,” has said that the president’s tariff policies have made the federal banks cautious about dropping rates too early.

‘We have seen steady employment numbers, a solid retail sales report, and the first print of Q2 GDP came in above expectations.’

Earlier on Wednesday the economy was reported to have grown at 3% in the period between April and June, a strong indicator that a recession is not in the near future. That was higher than expected and boosted hopes that the Fed might lower rates.

“‘Too Late’ MUST NOW LOWER THE RATE. No Inflation! Let people buy, and refinance, their homes!” wrote the president on Truth Social.

Powell has set a 2% threshold for inflation at which he would be comfortable dropping interest rates, but in April the consumer price index hit 2.3%, and it climbed to 2.7% in June. The next CPI report will be released in August.

Some noted that two of the Fed governors, Christopher Waller and Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, voted in favor of lowering rates, which was a surprising dissent from the majority opinion.

Economic expert and Blaze Media contributor Carol Roth wrote in a statement to Blaze News that the split decision by the Fed likely meant that the organization is considering dropping rates the next time the governors meet.

“The Fed has been consistent about telegraphing its intentions ahead of time, so it is no surprise that the Fed held their target interest rates steady. However, with two dissents from Fed governors Waller and Bowman, the odds of a September rate cut are likely to increase in the days ahead,” she wrote via email.

“The biggest challenge to a Fed rate cut today was actually good economic news. That is, we have seen steady employment numbers, a solid retail sales report, and the first print of Q2 GDP came in above expectations,” she added. “It is difficult to make the argument that the Fed’s monetary policy is holding back the economy when solid economic data continues to come out.”

RELATED: Trump rips into Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates and suggests he’ll be fired soon

Trump has also criticized Powell for a renovation at the Federal Reserve headquarters that has ballooned to cost more than $2.5 billion. Some in his administration have called for Powell to be investigated for possible fraud in the renovation, and others have called for his resignation. On Thursday Powell and the president met with news cameras rolling at the worksite and seemed to calm some of the controversy.

Powell was first nominated to the chairmanship by Trump in his first term. The president has since indicated many times that he would like to fire Powell, and the chairman has responded by saying that he would not step down if asked by Trump.

“We’re never going to be influenced by any political pressure,” said Powell in April. “People can say whatever they want. … That’s not a problem, but we will do what we do strictly without consideration of political or any other extraneous factors.”

The Federal Reserve does not determine mortgage rates directly but indirectly, by setting the federal funds rate by which commercial banks borrow money.

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​Powell defies trump, Jerome powell vs trump, Fed unchanges interest rates, Federal reserve, Politics 

CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appear to have rattled some cages with their recent revelations about the genesis of the Russia collusion hoax.

Former DNI James Clapper indicated that he would “lawyer up.” Ex-CIA Director John Brennan went on MSNBC to once again play the victim, claiming this was just the president’s effort to “try to get back at those individuals who have criticized him openly and publicly in the past.” Former Secretary of State John Kerry, among those present at the 2016 meeting where Obama reportedly got the ball rolling on the hoax, remains in virtual hiding, having locked his tweets on X ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.

Among the deep-staters now barking and on the defensive is Susan Miller, an ex-spy who was with the CIA for 39 years. As can be expected with spies, she does not appear to be exactly as advertised.

On the latest leg of her recent media tour, Miller — a good friend of former Obama official and Democratic megadonor Caroline Kennedy — focused on painting Gabbard as a liar and on denying the damning new evidence about the Obama administration’s manufacture of the Russia collusion narrative.

Last week, Gabbard published the newly declassified House Intelligence Committee majority staff report concerning the development of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment — the document that set the stage for years of Russia-collusion smears, two congressional impeachments, and multiple arrests.

The report found that the Obama administration’s ICA, produced by the CIA, NSA, and FBI under the auspices of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence:

misrepresented reports that vociferous Trump critic and then-CIA Director John Brennan had ordered the publication of “as reliable, without mentioning their significant underlying flaws”;”ignored or selectively quoted reliable intelligence reports that challenged — and in some cases undermined — judgments that Putin sought to elect Trump”;violated analytic standards when citing British ex-spy Christopher Steele’s dossier — a political opposition research report paid for in part by the Clinton campaign that Brennan included in the ICA despite high-level credibility concerns and internal opposition;propped up the narrative that Russian President Vladimir Putin “aspired” to help Trump win on “one scant, unclear, and unverifiable fragment of a sentence” from a “substandard report” that CIA officers initially omitted but were ordered by Brennan to include despite protest;failed to consider alternative explanations of Putin’s intentions indicated by intelligence that was actually reliable; was written by five CIA analysts handpicked by Brennan; andwas rushed out by Brennan “in order to publish two weeks before President-elect Trump was sworn in.”

The DNI noted in a thread on X that the newly released documents “detail a treasonous conspiracy by officials at the highest levels of the Obama White House to subvert the will of the American people and try to usurp the President from fulfilling his mandate.”

RELATED: Trump’s CIA director has bad news for Hillary Clinton regarding alleged ‘treasonous conspiracy’

Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Gabbard suggested that the evidence directly points to former President Barack Obama “leading the manufacturing of this intelligence assessment.”

“The director of national intelligence and the White House are lying, again,” Miller said in a recent NBC News interview.

“It is clear that Trump and his followers have a script they want to follow, despite the facts.”

‘We ignored all of it.’

Miller, who retired in 2024 and still has her security clearance, denied a number of the House report’s findings, claiming, for instance, that Brennan neither pressured nor micromanaged her team; that the evidence-based suggestion that Brennan fabricated intelligence about the 2016 election to undermine Trump was “baseless”; and that the task force examined every angle.

The counterintelligence expert who has openly likened President Donald Trump to a “dictator” suggested further that the drafters of the assessment maintained political neutrality, telling NBC News: “There were people that hated Trump that wanted us to find that Trump was complicit. And there were those that loved Trump. They wanted us to find nothing. And we ignored all of it.”

Miller, doing her apparent best to seed a narrative charitable to Obama cabalists on cable news, suggested to CNN that the intelligence her team relied on was “extremely sound, and it was verified,” and that the assessment’s findings were “not at all” based on the Steele dossier. She claimed, however, that former FBI Director James Comey got his way to incorporate the Clinton opposition research into the ICA, but only after the bureau threatened not to endorse the assessment.

‘I indeed did not write the ICA.’

There has been a lack of clarity in recent media reports about Miller’s actual role with regard to the ICA.

Investigative reporter Matt Taibbi told Blaze News that he was “a bit skeptical about this media tour and … curious about her exact role with the ICA.”

CNN identified her as “an author of the agency’s 2017 intelligence report on Russian election meddling.” NBC News said she “helped oversee the 2017 intelligence assessment on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.” According to Mustang News’ recent puff piece, “she authored the initial report proving the Russians interfered in the 2016 election in an attempt to sway the presidential election in Donald Trump’s favor.”

By contrast, a source familiar with the assessment told Blaze News that “Susan Miller was not an author of the 2017 ICA.”

The suggestion by this reputable source serves to justify Taibbi’s skepticism.

When pressed for comment, Miller told Blaze News, “My team and I at CIA wrote a CIA analysis about Russian influence on the election.”

RELATED: Obama and Brennan set to reap the whirlwind: Gabbard refers evidence of ‘years-long coup’ to DOJ for criminal probe

Photo (left): Kevin Dietsch/Getty Image; Photo (right): Ethan Miller/Getty Images

“This was a CIA report, briefed to Trump by our then-director, and by me to the Senate and congressional intelligence committees. The DNI used that report as the basis for the ICA,” continued Miller. “I indeed did not write the ICA, but the ODNI used my report as the basis for theirs.”

The Justice Department’s new task force aimed at investigating “potential next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures” might eventually achieve a better understanding of Miller’s role in what Gabbard has referred to as a “treasonous conspiracy.”

Miller told the Guardian, another stop on her denial tour, that she has secured D.C.-based attorney Mark Zaid to represent her.

Neither the CIA nor the DOJ responded by deadline to Blaze News’ requests for comment.

When asked about Miller and whether the president would like to see her investigated in connection with the ICA, White House spokesman David Ingle said in a statement to Blaze News, “Thanks to President Trump and Director Gabbard’s leadership, the American people can finally see the Russia, Russia, Russia collusion narrative for what it really was — a total hoax and political witch hunt to snub President Trump’s historic first term in office.”

Ingle added, “The White House is appreciative of Director Gabbard’s commitment to transparency and effort to end the weaponization of government against American citizens.”

Miller has clearly secured the admiration of fellow deep-staters. She received the CIA Director’s Award for Extraordinary Fidelity and Essential Service four times after she apparently helped with the Russia collusion hoax and is set to receive the International Spy Museum’s Hidden Hero Award in November.

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​Susan miller, Cia, Russian collusion hoax, Hoax, Miller, John brennan, Clapper, Barack obama, Obama, Intelligence community assessment, Russia, Collusion, Odni, Gabbard, Politics 

President Donald Trump issued a forceful statement announcing high tariffs on the country of India and offered his rationale for the punishing trade tax.

The president celebrated a recent report declaring that the tariffs had brought in $150 billion in government revenue in just a few months of increased tariffs on many U.S. trade partners. On Wednesday, he hit India with one of the larger tariff burdens.

‘Their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country.’

“Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

“Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD!” he added.

“INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST,” he concluded.

The U.S. purchases $87.4 billion of goods from India, while it sells $41.8 billion in goods to India. This makes India the 10th largest trade partner for the U.S., while the U.S. is the top trading partner for India, which gives Trump a lot of leverage in tariff negotiations.

Economic expert and Blaze Media contributor Carol Roth said in a comment to Blaze News that the administration seems to have many different motives driving tariff negotiations.

“It appears that the administration wants to make more rapid progress on trade, and where discussions or negotiations have stalled out, putting out a larger number has worked in many cases to pressure the counterparty to come back to the table,” Roth wrote.

RELATED: Trump continues to bash Fed chair after inflation report; Powell calls for independent probe into renovation accusations

“There also seems to be a focus on putting pressure on India’s economic relationship with Russia that the administration is trying to both telegraph and ultimately to work on lessening the interdependence between those nations, particularly when it comes to energy and defense products,” she added.

Amit Basole, an economics professor at Azim Premji University in India, said a trade deal with the U.S. was “crucial” for India.

“India is a large country, but its purchasing power is not very high,” Basole said. “We need jobs very badly, particularly in manufacturing and more productive sectors. Indian companies need export markets to grow and create these jobs.”

“WE HAVE A MASSIVE TRADE DEFICIT WITH INDIA!!!” Trump added in another post.

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​Trump india tariffs, Trump on russia war, Trump tariffs, Trump vs india, Politics 

Ask a MAGA supporter what the biggest threat to the Make America Great Again movement is, and there’s a good chance he’ll say Democrats or progressivism.

But according to Andy Roth, president of the State Freedom Caucus Network, that’s incorrect. It’s the fake Republicans running red states whom we should be concerned about.

On a recent episode of “Blaze News: The Mandate,” Roth joined Jill Savage and Blaze News editor in chief Matthew Peterson to expose how RINOs are sabotaging MAGA internally.

“Red states, almost all of them literally, are governed by Democrats that have an R after their name because they live in districts that are very red. They want to get into office, and they know they can’t have a D after their name, so they put an R after their name, get elected, and then vote like Democrats,” Roth says.

He points to states like South Carolina, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota as examples of red states with RINO leadership.

“It’s one of the most under-reported stories, I think, in the country,” he says.

Thankfully, the State Freedom Caucus Network is working overtime to address this issue. The conservative organization supports the creation of freedom caucuses in state legislatures across the U.S. These caucuses, modeled after the House Freedom Caucus in Congress, are groups of Republican state lawmakers who push for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and conservative policies such as opposing federal overreach, promoting election integrity, and resisting certain social policies.

“When we have … a state freedom caucus, we come in there, and we contrast ourselves with these fake Republicans so much to the point where the voters are like, ‘Wait, I guess I have a squishy Republican for a state rep or a state senator because this freedom caucus is speaking the truth,’” Roth tells Jill and Matthew.

And it’s working. Roth points to Wyoming as an example. “In Wyoming, we had only eight members in our freedom caucus, but they quickly doubled to 16, and now they’re in charge of the Wyoming House,” he says. “The speaker is a Freedom Caucus member; the pro tem [pro tempore] is a Freedom Caucus member.”

As a result, “For the first time ever, [Wyoming] passed the property tax cuts, universal school choice,” and “banned noncitizens from voting.”

“We have the model. We know how it works. We just need to do it in all 50 states,” Roth says.

“Is Wyoming indicative of a trend you see across the country?” asks Peterson, who’s hopeful a freedom caucus might find its way to Texas, the state he and Jill call home.

“We need another election cycle in Texas before we can do anything here, but Texas needs a freedom caucus, and the country needs a Texas Freedom Caucus,” Roth says.

“It feels like you can mess with Texas right now, and I don’t want that to happen,” Jill says.

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

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​Blaze news | the mandate, Jill savage, Matthew peterson, Blazetv, Blaze media, Freedom caucus, Rinos, Republican in name only, Wyoming, Fake republicans, Andy roth, State freedom caucus network 

Through sweeping crackdowns, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has reportedly set an all-time record in prosecutions of illegal immigrants — a stunning reversal from the open-border era of former President Joe Biden.

According to a new report, Trump’s Justice Department had a record-breaking month for criminal prosecution of illegal aliens in June — notching more than 3,000 cases last month.

‘If you’re coming here illegally to live and work, being in a federal penitentiary for two years isn’t going to allow you to do that.’

The Washington Times reported that Trump’s DOJ set a record by filing more than 3,000 illegal re-entry cases in June alone — targeting illegal aliens who were deported but were caught when they attempted to sneak back across the border anyway.

Also in June, DOJ prosecutors filed 3,200 cases for simple illegal entry — while not a record high, the number was significant. The figure made up over 50% of all Border Patrol arrests last month, setting a record for prosecution rates. The Trump DOJ numbers are staggering compared to the Biden administration’s open-border era, when prosecution rates never hit 1%.

Citing Justice Department data, the Austin American-Statesman reported that federal prosecutors filed 7,660 illegal re-entry cases during the first three months of this year, compared to 4,312 cases filed during the first three months of 2024 and 3,670 during the first three months of 2023.

The U.S. Department of Justice said that it is “using all available investigative and prosecutorial tools” to fight the “invasion of illegal immigration.”

RELATED: ‘Despicable’: DHS unloads on left-leaning outlet for suggesting illegal alien pedophiles had a ‘cultural misunderstanding’

Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images

Jonathan Fahey — former assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia and the acting director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in President Trump’s first term — told the Washington Times that these cases have a very high rate of conviction.

“They’re a great way to get a conviction, a great way to get a criminal off the street, and a great way to remove them from the country in an expeditious way,” Fahey explained.

Andrew “Art” Arthur — a former immigration judge — told the Washington Times, “If I get deported, I get deported. I go back and try again. But when it comes to prosecutions, now you’ve got a federal conviction. … If you’re coming here illegally to live and work, being in a federal penitentiary for two years isn’t going to allow you to do that.”

‘President Trump has created the most secure border in the history of the nation, and the data proves it.’

RELATED: ICE deports illegal immigrant wanted for human smuggling that led to the deaths of 3 minors

The crackdown on illegal immigration has had a profound effect on encounters with illegal aliens.

Earlier this month, the White House noted that U.S. Border Patrol encountered 6,070 illegal immigrants at the southern border in June — a record-setting low that is 15% lower than the previous record set in March.

Tom Homan — Trump’s border czar — said earlier this month, “As a matter of fact, the total number of encounters is less than half of a single day under Biden on many days. Also, none of the 6,070 were released into the U.S. ZERO.”

“President Trump has created the most secure border in the history of the nation, and the data proves it,” Homan declared. “We have never seen numbers this low. Never.”

The White House proclaimed, “The number of ‘gotaways’ — illegal immigrants who escaped into the country undetected — was 90% lower compared to the same month last year.”

The White House estimates that this fiscal year is “on track to see the fewest illegal immigrant encounters in five decades.”

RELATED: Feds dismantle huge human smuggling ring that funneled 20,000 Guatemalan aliens into US, leaders face death penalty

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​Illegal immigration, Illegal immigrants, Illegal aliens, Donald trump, Border crisis, Trump immigration plan, Border security crackdown, President joe biden, News