Category: blaze media

As the mainstream media and leftist politicians rush to sympathize with the alleged murderer of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock is pointing out how real Americans are feeling — and it’s far from the same way.

“As someone that understands the power of social media and that the social media deal drove the entire Black Lives Matter movement, and it’s very influential, that even with this legacy media blackout, this incident I’m calling the death knell for black culture, the image of black Americans,” Whitlock says.

“It feels like irrevocable harm to the reputation of black people. Everybody is posting videos. Everybody’s posting stats about black-on-white crime. And none of this should be surprising,” he continues.

While Black Lives Matter relied on their “fact” that black men needed to live in fear of being gunned down by white police officers every day, Americans are now waking up and realizing that wasn’t exactly the truth.

“At some point, we’re going to show you what black criminals are doing to white people. And there’s far more examples of this than white police officers behaving inappropriately. And there will be far more video showing white police officers defending themselves from aggressive black criminal suspects,” Whitlock says.

“And the question I’m asking today, among other things, it’s like the people that supported Black Lives Matter, when are they going to apologize? When are they going to publicly acknowledge that their Black Lives Matter movement has created this backlash that has put black people’s reputation at the lowest point?” he continues.

“Our reputation is at the lowest point in American history. And the Black Lives Matter movement created this, created the racial idolatry, and helped drive this new form of racial tribalism,” he says, adding, “a form of tribalism that America was moving away from.”

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

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

​Camera phone, Free, Sharing, Upload, Video phone, Video, Youtube.com, Fearless with jason whitlock, Fearless, Jason whitlock, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Black lives matter, White lives matter, Blm, Black culture, Black criminals, Iryna zarutska, Say her name, Jason whitlock harmony 

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is facing ridicule after a Gaza-bound flotilla she joined claimed to be attacked by a drone before the embarrassing truth came out.

Thunberg is a part of the Global Sumud Flotilla on the way to Gaza in an attempt to sail supplies to the war-torn area against the wishes of the Israeli government. There are about 20 boats in the flotilla.

‘There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies.’

The flotilla group claimed Tuesday that one of the boats had caught on fire after being attacked by a drone near the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said.

“Last night, I was on the deck on the back part of the ship, and I heard a drone,” said flotilla activist Miguel Duarte, who claimed other members witnessed the event.

“Two of us stood there with the drone above our head, then we saw the drone move to the forward part of the deck. It stood a few seconds on top of a bunch of life jackets and then dropped a bomb,” Duarte continued.

Tunisian officials said there was “no basis in truth” for the attack claim and said the fire was likely started by someone aboard the flotilla, possibly from a cigarette. They also said that “no drones have been detected” in the area.

Video from the incident led many to believe that one of the flotilla members might have accidentally fired a flare gun and caused the fire himself.

The video was posted to social media, where it quickly went viral and garnered over 8 million views.

RELATED: Campaign office for Ocasio-Cortez vandalized with far-left message

Israel has previously mocked efforts by the activists to break the Gaza blockade.

“There are ways to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip — they do not involve Instagram selfies,” said a spokesperson from the Foreign Ministry for Israel.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Gaza flotilla with greta thunberg, Gaza flotilla drone attack, Flare on flotilla flare, Greta thunberg, Politics 

The murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has horrified many on social media, but much of the mainstream media has been lambasted for ignoring the terrifying incident that undermines liberal crime narratives.

At least one outlet, Axios, ventured to cover the incident, but they are facing outrage for trying to frame the killing in a manner to criticize conservatives.

‘It’s not journalism. It’s partisan propaganda.’

“The gruesome video of the fatal knife attack on Iryna Zarutska on a light-rail car in Charlotte is drawing attention from MAGA influencers seeking to elevate the issue of violent urban crime — and accuse mainstream media of under-covering shocking cases,” reads the social media post from Axios with a link to their article.

They faced immediate backlash.

“Making the story about the reaction instead of the story is vile and transparent,” Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson (R) responded.

“It’s not journalism. It’s partisan propaganda,” Hudson continued.

“Axios, in an absolute race to the bottom, becomes one of the first left leaning outlets to write a story about the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska — and they blame CCTV cameras and conservatives,” Club for Growth president David McIntosh replied.

“You waited almost 3 days to report on it, and when you finally decided to report on it, you use the murder to vilify conservatives. Screw you. This is why everyone hates you,” another popular response reads.

“Thanks for reminding us all that @axios is nothing more than shameless @DNC propaganda,” another reply reads.

RELATED: Trump DOJ takes action against violent thug accused of savagely murdering Ukrainian refugee

On Tuesday, the White House commented on the lack of coverage for the attack and displayed large photos of the victim and the suspect.

“This is pure evil on full display,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing. “The most enraging and unacceptable part of this story is that her death was entirely preventable. Decarlos Brown never should have been on that train that night.”

Brown had been arrested for over a dozen other crimes, including armed robbery and larceny convictions before the allegedly random attack on Zarutska on a public bus.

“Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of the media, many outlets in this room, decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally because it does not fit a preferred narrative,” she added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Iryna zarutska, Media malfeasance, Stabbing murder ukrainian migrant, Charlotte bus murder, Politics 

If you’re among those pushing back against the idea of government-run grocery stores being peddled by NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders has some words for you.

“What a radical idea to say that working-class families should be able to go into a grocery store, in an area where there are food deserts, and be able to afford decent quality food for their children,” Sanders says, before mocking, “Oh man! What a radical guy he is!”

BlazeTV host Pat Gray is not amused.

“Absolute buffoon!” Gray yells. “This is what they go to, is ‘food deserts.’ They were doing this under Obama, and they’re doing it all over again. All of a sudden, food deserts are back. That was disclaimed and debunked a long time ago.”

“In virtually every hamlet of Manhattan, there are grocery stores. There are restaurants. There are plenty of places,” he continues.

“Pat Gray Unleashed” co-host Jeffy interjects, “At one time, I don’t know if they’ve been arrested and deported, but at one time, you could get a bicyclist just to bring your food right to you. Fresh food. Right there in Manhattan.”

“Manhattan, New York City, that’s not a desert for anything,” executive producer Keith Malinak chimes in. “Anything you want.”

“You can get it in moments,” Gray adds.

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Video phone, Video, Sharing, Upload, Camera phone, Free, Youtube.com, Pat gray unleashed, Pat gray, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze online, Zohran mamdani, Socialism, Government grocery stores, New york city, Manhattan, Communism, Bernie sanders, Radical, Radical left 

A 19-year-old Bronx male is accused of hitting his girlfriend’s baby in the head, after which the 1-year-old victim had to go on a ventilator and then died about a week later, the New York Post reported.

Imani Mitchell was taken to Harlem Hospital in critical condition after Jerome Thomas — who was watching her on Aug. 28 — allegedly “struck the child twice on the side of the head with a ‘heavy hand,'” the Post noted, citing police and prosecutors.

The neighbor added to the Post that the couple argued and fought ‘every night since they moved here. … ”F**k you …” and ”Get the f**k out.” Several times she put his clothes out, but they’d be back together the same day.’

The victim suffered “extensive subdural hemorrhaging on the right side of her head resulting in swelling and intracranial pressure causing brain herniation,” which necessitated surgery to remove part of her skull, the paper added, citing a criminal complaint.

Imani also was placed on a ventilator while other life-support measures were initiated, but the toddler was pronounced dead at the hospital Friday, the Post reported, adding that the New York City Police Department has ruled her death a homicide.

RELATED: Florida man brutally beat to death his 4-year-old daughter, according to police: ‘No remorse. No emotion, nothing’

Thomas was arrested Aug. 29 — the day after the alleged attack — and charged with felony assault, reckless endangerment, and endangering the welfare of a child, the paper said, citing court documents.

What’s more, the suspect has been ordered to be held without bail on Rikers Island as charges against him may be upgraded pending a grand jury indictment, law enforcement sources added to the Post.

Thomas is not the victim’s father, law enforcement sources told the New York Daily News.

The alleged attack occurred around 9:30 p.m. inside an apartment on Union Avenue near East 152nd Street after Imani’s mother left her in Thomas’ care, the Post said, citing the complaint.

LeNesha Mitchell told police that she returned from a 45-minute shopping trip and found her little girl semi-conscious and struggling to breathe with her face and head badly bruised, especially around her left eye, the Daily News added in a separate story.

Thomas’ next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 18, the Post reported, citing the district attorney’s office.

RELATED: Florida couple charged with manslaughter after 3-year-old died while ‘rotting in the bed,’ sheriff: ‘I have never, ever seen anything as sad, as bone-chilling, and as sickening’

Neighbor Nicole LaCroix previously told the Post that the couple and the baby were new to the building.

“I spent a little time with the mother, and I guess the boyfriend one night, just because they were new to the area, and we were just showing them where some of the stores are and different things like that,” LaCroix told the paper. “Being helpful, as a neighbor, because I’m a little older than the young lady.”

The neighbor added to the Post, “I held the baby, you know, because we spent a little time with each other. She was playing with my phone — she was an active 1-year-old.”

However, LaCroix also told the paper that her daughter heard “arguments” coming from the apartment where the couple and the toddler lived — and now she wishes she would’ve “stepped in and helped.”

The neighbor added to the Post that the couple argued and fought “every night since they moved here. … ‘F**k you …’ and ‘Get the f**k out.’ Several times she put his clothes out, but they’d be back together the same day.”

Commenters underneath WPIX-TV’s Facebook post about the toddler’s death were saddened and outraged by the tragedy:

“This world is getting so wicked,” one commenter said. “Just heartbreaking.””Terrible. Too bad someone couldn’t beat him to death,” another user noted. “So sorry poor little child.””A f**king monster did this,” another commenter stated. “Cuff him.”Another user answered the latter commenter with the following: “Don’t cuff him. Burn him.”

Blaze News on Tuesday spoke to Kristina Coleman — vice president of child advocacy and mental health programs at Safe Horizon (800-621-HOPE), which helps those affected by violence — and Coleman offered advice for those who may find themselves in similar situations as the little girl’s mother or the neighbor who noticed signs of trouble.

Coleman told Blaze News that “recognizing signs” is important, as an extreme situation like the attack on the little girl “usually is not something out of the blue.”

“We encourage people to listen to their ‘inner voice’ for signs of trouble, as we have the tendency to brush things off,” Coleman shared with Blaze News. She also emphasized the importance of “community support,” noting that such bonds can make a difference, and that perhaps someone in the community can step in and help with something even as basic as providing last-minute childcare during a time of struggle.

Coleman also told Blaze News that it’s important to know one’s sources of support, whether that means family members or those from places of employment. She also emphasized how crucial communication is, adding to Blaze News that “if you see someone struggling,” it’s important to continue building that relationship, to listen, and to “notice” what that person might be going through.

Coleman also told Blaze News that sometimes people just “need to talk,” and often in our “go go go society” we don’t realize when that moment is right in front of us.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Man accused of hitting toddler girl, 1-year-old girl, Boyfriend of mother, New york city, The bronx, Arrest, Hospitalization, Emergency surgery, Rikers island, Safe horizon, Ventilator, Crime 

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who aspired to become a veterinarian assistant, was savagely murdered on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22. Her suspected killer was charged with first-degree murder but now faces a federal charge that could land him the death penalty.

Footage of the slaying shows Zarutska enter a train on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, sit down in front of a black male in a red-hooded sweatshirt, and then look at her phone.

‘We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence.’

The man behind her, who has been identified as repeat offender Decarlos Brown, can be seen in the footage taking what appears to be a small knife out of his pocket, standing up, then bringing the apparent blade down in a striking motion. The killer can subsequently be heard saying, “I got that white girl,” surveillance footage appeared to reveal.

A federal criminal complaint was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte, charging Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in statement, “Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.”

“I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder,” the attorney general continued. “We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”

RELATED: Van Jones claims there’s ‘NO EVIDENCE’ of racial animus in Charlotte stabbing. Audio in murder footage suggests otherwise.

AzmanL/Getty Images

If convicted, the Department of Justice said that Brown could face life in prison or the death penalty.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who indicated in an X post on Monday that the “FBI has been investigating the Charlotte train murder from day one,” noted that “the brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Light Rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America.”

‘Federal charges are necessary to protect the public and ensure confidence in our transportation systems.’

When pressed earlier Tuesday for comment on whether the FBI was treating Zarutska’s murder as a hate crime, the FBI referred Blaze News to Patel’s Monday statement and declined to add anything further.

The federal criminal complaint reiterated that Zarutska died at the scene as the result of multiple stab wounds and noted that a pocketknife was collected from the scene.

The complaint also indicated that Zarutska was stabbed just four minutes after she sat down.

“This brutal attack on an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination is an attack on the American way of life,” said Russ Ferguson, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

“Of course, crimes like this affect the victim the most — Iryna deserves justice, and we will bring justice to her and her family. But crimes like this also affect everyone who relies on mass transportation to get to and from work and go about their daily lives, and federal charges are necessary to protect the public and ensure confidence in our transportation systems,” Ferguson added.

President Donald Trump noted in a Truth Social post on Monday that Zarutska’s alleged killer “was a well known career criminal, who had been previously arrested and released on CASHLESS BAIL in January, a total of 14 TIMES. What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets? Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Crime, Department of justice, Justice department, Fbi, Pam bondi, Decarlos brown, Iryna zarutska, Zarutska, Murder, Leftism, Politics 

BlazeTV’s Liz Wheeler clashed with former Ohio state Senator Nina Turner (D) in a fiery debate during Chris Cuomo’s NewsNation show on Monday.

Wheeler stated that Turner “freaked out” at her on live television.

‘I wanted to say that Iryna Zarutska’s murder was not arbitrary. It was not inevitable. It was the result of Democrat policies.’

The Monday news segment discussed the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman who was brutally stabbed while riding a train in North Carolina. The alleged attacker was 34-year-old Decarlos Brown.

When Wheeler mentioned the “brokenness of the black family,” Turner shouted, “Oh no! You’re not going to sit up there and talk about the brokenness of the black family. How dare you?”

“Do not single out the black family,” Turner declared. “The nerve of you.”

Wheeler explained during a Tuesday episode of BlazeTV’s “The Liz Wheeler Show” that she had two points she hoped to make on Cuomo’s show.

RELATED: Do white lives matter? Leaders show compassion for black suspect in brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

“I wanted to say that Iryna Zarutska’s murder was not arbitrary. It was not inevitable. It was the result of Democrat policies — specifically, Democrat policies that encourage, incentivize, or otherwise create so-called racial equity in our criminal justice system,” Wheeler stated.

“The second point that I wanted to make is that this epidemic of crime that we see, especially crime committed by young black men — although it also applies to crime committed by young white men — is a result of broken families, the broken nuclear family,” she continued. “In this particular case, the broken black nuclear family.”

RELATED: Horrific video sparks outrage after young Ukrainian woman is fatally stabbed, allegedly by repeat offender

Ohio state Senator Nina Turner. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

Wheeler noted that children who grow up without a father are six times more likely to live in poverty and commit crimes.

“In 1960, 75% of black children lived with two parents. By 2020, 37-42% of black children live with two parents,” Wheeler wrote in a social media post. “In 1965, 25% of black babies were born out of wedlock. By 2015: 77.3% of black babies are born out of wedlock. 50% of black children currently live in fatherless homes.”

“I wonder if @ninaturner was triggered when @BarackObama said the same thing about the breakdown of the black family & the impact of fatherlessness on the likelihood of children to commit crimes,” she added.

— (@)

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Liz wheeler, Nina turner, Fatherlessness, Iryna zarutska, Nuclear family, Politics 

The newest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics included a revision showing a steep drop that confirmed criticism from President Donald Trump that the department needed to be revamped.

The BLS report released Tuesday showed that jobs estimates were too high by 911,000. The revisions were the largest on record for the bureau after the president publicly excoriated the revisions in previous reports.

‘They don’t believe that money supply matters, it’s like the Pope not believing in Jesus.’

“Today, the BLS released the largest downward revision on record proving that President Trump was right: Biden’s economy was a disaster and the BLS is broken,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“This is exactly why we need new leadership to restore trust and confidence in the BLS’s data on behalf of the financial markets, businesses, policymakers, and families that rely on this data to make major decisions,” she added.

Trump had accused the BLS of acting politically when some of the jobs revisions appeared to help Democrats ahead of elections. Critics of the president pointed out that he celebrated revisions when they were in his favor.

Economic expert and Blaze News contributor Carol Roth agreed with the assessment from the Trump administration in a comment to Blaze News.

“The substantial revisions to the jobs numbers for the 12 months ended March 2025 are atrocious but unsurprising to anyone who has been paying attention,” Roth wrote in part.

“The Biden economy was all smoke and mirrors, creating an illusion of strength on a foundation of weakness. These massive revisions bring the cumulative downward revisions to jobs numbers for the past four years to more than 2 million, which underscores what a challenging economic and fiscal situation the Trump administration has inherited,” she added.

“I hope that we can right the ship by changing the way that BLS data is acquired, modeled, and reported so we can have a timely and accurate sense of what is happening in the economy and so policy can be aligned with reality versus fantasy,” Roth concluded.

RELATED: Trump orders Labor Statistics chief to be fired over revisions in weak jobs report

The president has also been berating Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, for refusing to drop interest rates out of caution after indicators pointed to the possibility of growing inflation. Prior to the report’s release, the president had lambasted the Federal Reserve in a post on Truth Social that quoted financial officials from a Fox Business Network show.

“‘If the Fed had followed what we published, they would have raised rates in early 2021. The entire organization is broken. It needs to be fixed. They need to use modern sources of information,'” Trump quoted Infrastructure Capital Advisors’ founder and CEO Jay Hatfield as saying.

“It’s too low, it’s too rigid, they followed data that’s years delayed. They don’t believe that money supply matters, it’s like the Pope not believing in Jesus,” he continued.

Trump issued a statement firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, but she has argued that he does not have the authority to fire her, despite accusations of mortgage fraud. If he is successful, he would expand his influence over the Federal Reserve and perhaps on interest rates.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Trump vs bls, Jobs numbers, Trump vs powell, New jobs numbers, Politics 

President Trump has been intervening in crime-ridden cities across the country — and now may be looking to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.

But does he have the authority to do so?

“We have kind of three different ways this is playing out so far. You have, initially, the Los Angeles situation where he was intervening with some National Guard. There’s been a legal ruling on that. They said he’s not allowed to do that anymore. I’m sure that will go to the Supreme Court,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere explains on “Stu Does America.”

“You have the D.C. situation, which, of course, there’s legal fights on that, I’m sure, as well, but it has a much more clear path to control over that. It’s a federal district,” he continues.

“And then, finally, you have a potential of this expanding to many more cities like Chicago, Memphis, who knows where else,” he adds.

The Democratic governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, is not pleased.

“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator,” Pritzker wrote in a post on X, in response to a screenshot of a Truth Social post from President Trump.

The Truth Social post reads, “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” with an image of Trump crouching in front of the city in flames. Text on the image reads “Chipocalypse Now.”

“I’m not a huge fan,” BlazeTV host Pat Gray admits. “I’m not a fan of it at all.”

Gray appreciated the president initially mentioning that he was going to ask the governor of Illinois to send the National Guard, which he says “would be the right way to do it.”

“But he proceeded to say, ‘But I’m going to do it either way. I’m going to do it anyway, whether he agrees to it or not,’” Gray adds. “That’s just not the right way to do it. So I’m not a huge, huge fan of doing things in an unconstitutional way.”

However, Gray sees D.C. slightly differently.

“D.C.’s a little bit different animal because it’s not a state, and so they can federalize there. So I didn’t initially have a huge problem with that,” he says. “I didn’t think it was going to be a national, every city kind of thing.”

Want more from Stu?

To enjoy more of Stu’s lethal wit, wisdom, and mockery, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Video, Video phone, Camera phone, Sharing, Upload, Free, Youtube.com, Stu does america, Stu burguiere, Pat gray, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Truth social, President trump, National guard, National guard chicago 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called out the mainstream media for turning a blind eye to the tragic death of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a repeat offender.

Zarutska’s life was cut short after 34-year-old Decarlos Brown allegedly stabbed the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on a train in North Carolina on August 22. Brown was later identified by local law enforcement and has since been charged with first-degree murder.

‘Many journalists in this room spilled plenty of ink trying to smear Daniel Penny … but none of those same reporters lift a finger to write stories about an actual murderer.’

This vicious stabbing was far from Brown’s first alleged offense, having previously been arrested for over a dozen other crimes, including convictions for armed robbery and felony larceny.

“This is pure evil on full display,” Leavitt said during Tuesday’s press briefing. “The most enraging and unacceptable part of this story is that her death was entirely preventable. Decarlos Brown never should have been on that train that night.”

RELATED: Mainstream media turns a blind eye to vicious stabbing of young Ukrainian woman

In the aftermath of the vicious attack, most outlets “shamefully and intentionally failed to report” on the tragedy, which Leavitt argued was because Zarutska’s death was politically inconvenient for the largely liberal media.

“Perhaps most shamefully of all, the majority of the media, many outlets in this room, decided that her murder was not worth reporting on originally because it does not fit a preferred narrative,” Leavitt said.

RELATED: Horrific video sparks outrage after young Ukrainian woman is fatally stabbed, allegedly by repeat offender

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

“Many journalists in this room spilled plenty of ink trying to smear Daniel Penny for defending a subway car from New York City, but none of those same reporters lift a finger to write stories about an actual murderer,” Leavitt added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Iryna zarutska, Karoline leavitt, Decarlos brown, Donald trump, Trump administration, White house, Crime crackdown, Daniel penny, Legacy media, Mainstream media, Media bias, Politics 

On his second day back in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the weaponization of the federal government — but the FBI is still targeting traditional Catholics, defying both the law and his directive.

Americans were outraged after a declassified FBI memo approved in October 2022 revealed that Richmond FBI had begun investigating some “radical-traditionalist” Catholics for their supposed ties to “the far-right white nationalist movement” as well as their opposition to abortion and “LGBTQ protections” in the law.

Why is the FBI ‘snooping on my private chat of 43 Catholic men in South Louisiana?’

Then-Director Christopher Wray insisted in July 2023 that the memo was “a single product by a single field office,” but the Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government later determined that FBI offices in Portland, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee also contributed to its development.

While the Trump administration has made significant strides in neutralizing the anti-Christian bias pervading federal agencies and the threat of the deep state against law-abiding Christian Americans, it seems that some rad-trad Catholics may still be under surveillance.

Blaze News spoke with Ross McKnight, one of the leaders of La Nouvelle Vendée, a Catholic group comprising mainly men that aims to “resist secularism,” reclaim their “patrimony,” and “restore Christendom in Louisiana by implementing the Doctrine of the Social Reign of Christ the King.”

McKnight said that FBI Special Agent Beau Barker has made contact with him and another member in recent weeks, expressing concerns about some “online” comments.

Living out the Catholic faith, unredacted

McKnight told Blaze News that the group formed two years ago and that he and about 40 other men have a private Telegram chat in which they readily share their views. He made clear that the group holds to traditional Catholic teaching without apology.

“There’s a necessity for Catholic social action towards the social kingdom of Christ,” he said. And to that end, he and his fellow LNV members gather to pray the rosary, especially at events that promote sin, such as Pride parades.

McKnight also noted that the religion of Islam is a “heresy” and therefore is in conflict with the Catholic Church. “Muslims are historically what we would call a public enemy of the Catholic Church,” he said.

On account of these views regarding Islam, the group strongly opposed the sale of a Catholic church in Buffalo, New York, to a Muslim group that intended to convert the sacred building into a mosque. McKnight shared a screenshot of part of their Telegram conversation about the prospective mosque. In it, McKnight states: “I look forward to the day wherein we [redacted], [redacted], and completely [redacted] that place, which may not be so far away.”

RELATED: Police drag away a man for saying he likes bacon near a sprawling mosque construction site

Screenshot shared with Blaze News

McKnight confirmed to Blaze News that he used the word “redacted” in brackets intentionally, though he did not clarify what he meant.

“We don’t hate Muslims. We hate the heresy that is Islam. And so that’s what we’re fighting. We’re not fighting Muslims as people,” he explained.

“I don’t have any intention of doing anything violent,” he continued.

The FBI gets involved

McKnight said he was just going about his business on August 22, 2025, when he received an unexpected phone call. The caller identified himself as Beau Barker, a special agent with the FBI.

“Hey, I’d like to talk to you about something you posted online,” Barker said, McKnight recalled.

When McKnight demurred, Barker more or less indicated McKnight didn’t have much of a choice. “I asked him for details. He wouldn’t provide them. He just said, ‘I want to talk to you,'” McKnight explained. “And I said, ‘Well, is it voluntary?’ He said, ‘Yes, but … basically, we’ll come to you if you don’t come to us.'”

‘We do not conduct investigations based solely on First Amendment protected activity, including religious practices.’

Just a few days later, Barker rang McKnight again. When he didn’t get an answer, he and a sheriff’s deputy just showed up at McKnight’s house, McKnight claimed.

Once again, McKnight pressed Barker for “details,” wanting to know why an FBI officer was so interested in him, but to no avail. Barker never divulged any details and left the property without much more conversation.

McKnight soon hired a lawyer. Last week, he told his attorney to advise Barker that he would not be speaking with him.

Blaze News reached out to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office to confirm that a deputy accompanied Barker on this visit. A representative said only that she found no record associated with McKnight’s name. The representative did not respond after Blaze News attempted to find out whether there were any records associated with McKnight’s address.

‘Right on the line’

Because Barker was so tight-lipped about the purpose of his contacts with McKnight, McKnight is left to speculate about what that purpose might be. Since Barker apparently mentioned concerns about something McKnight “posted online,” he cannot even be sure the issue stems from the private Telegram group.

However, Barker also reportedly made contact with another member of the LNV, who indicated that the FBI “found something borderline threatening” in their messages.

The other member then confirmed that Barker was focused on McKnight’s “[redacted]” statement. Without actually crossing into threatening territory, the FBI suggested to McKnight’s friend that those words in reference to the mosque were “right on the line.”

“Which indicates to me that it’s not over the line,” McKnight noted to Blaze News.

RELATED: The idols and lies behind the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

Kumpol Pijadee/Getty Images

To the best of his knowledge, McKnight and his friend are the only two members of La Nouvelle Vendée who have been contacted by federal agents.

McKnight does not know how the FBI became so familiar with his group and their conversations, whether Barker or another agent infiltrated the group chat or whether a group member with “a chip on their shoulder” aired grievances with the agency.

In response to a request for comment, FBI New Orleans told Blaze News: “The FBI’s mission is to protect our communities from potential threats while simultaneously upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans. We focus on individuals who commit or intend to commit violence and activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security. We do not conduct investigations based solely on First Amendment protected activity, including religious practices.”

The case also points to an apparently ongoing problem of FBI agents using weak pretenses to investigate faithful Catholics despite the change in leadership in the White House and on the Seventh Floor. Blaze News has reached out to Director Kash Patel for comment.

Why is the FBI “snooping on my private chat of 43 Catholic men in South Louisiana?” McKnight wondered.

“I’m just a nobody,” he added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Catholic, Fbi, Heresy, Islam, La nouvelle vendee, Louisiana, New orleans, Politics 

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Taibleson for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has prompted questions about the extent of her alignment with the administration’s conservative values, particularly in light of her and her husband’s political donations to Democrats.

Trump’s first term was undermined by several appointments that did not fully align with the administration’s priorities, leading to setbacks in key legal battles and policy implementation. The president admitted that he received “bad advice … on numerous Judicial Nominations,” expressing that he was “very disappointed” with some of those picks.

‘She brings an exceptional legal mind and a firm dedication to interpreting the law as written, not bending it to fit a political agenda.’

Mike Davis, a Trump ally and the founder of Article III Project, stated that the president’s second administration would not make that same mistake again and instead would focus on selecting judges who are “even more bold and fearless” and have been “battle-tested.”

Trump announced Taibleson’s nomination in August, writing in a social media post, “It is my Great Honor to nominate Rebecca Taibleson to serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals, for the Seventh Circuit, in the Great State of Wisconsin. Rebecca brings a wealth of EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESS, from her time as Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and, formerly, as Assistant to the United States Solicitor General.”

“Rebecca has learned from some of the BEST and most HIGHLY RESPECTED Legal Minds in the Country, having clerked for United States Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Antonin Scalia. Rebecca will make a fantastic Judge who will fearlessly defend the Constitution, and strongly uphold the Rule of Law. Congratulations Rebecca!” Trump added.

While Taibleson, 42, meets all legal qualifications, having earned her J.D. from Yale Law, her background raises questions about her political leanings. In fact, her conservative critics have been quick to highlight that she and her husband have a history of donating to Democrats.

RELATED: Rogue judges voted to replace Trump-chosen US attorney Alina Habba. DOJ fights fire with fire.

Roman Martinez, Sarah Pitlyk, Rebecca Taibleson, and Porter Wilkinson, former law clerks for Brett Kavanaugh. Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

Taibleson donated in 2022 to Joe Manchin, a former Democratic senator from West Virginia, through ActBlue, and in 2024 to Bridget Schoenborn, a judge nominated by Democratic Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. However, she also donated to Mike Gallagher, a former Republican representative, and WINRED in 2016 and 2020, respectively.

Blaze News reached out to Taibleson for comment.

Her husband, Benjamin Taibleson, contributed to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign against Trump, Kamala Harris’ Senate campaign in 2015, and Forrest Dunbar, a Democratic member of the Alaska Senate.

Despite these donations to Democrats and other elements of her record that appear to her conservative critics at odds with the administration’s priorities, Davis and the Article III Project have expressed their support for Taibleson.

“President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to appoint bold and fearless judges who will defend the Constitution and uphold the rule of law,” Davis said. “His latest nomination of Rebecca Taibleson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a testament to his unwavering commitment to restoring a judiciary grounded in constitutional principles and judicial restraint. She brings an exceptional legal mind and a firm dedication to interpreting the law as written, not bending it to fit a political agenda.”

“As President Trump further reshapes the federal judiciary with judges who understand their role is to interpret the law, not make it, the Article III Project stands ready to support Taibleson through every step of the confirmation process. We are committed to ensuring the American people get the impartial, constitutionally faithful judges they deserve,” Davis added.

RELATED: ‘Monumental victory’: Trump applauds Supreme Court for disabling Democrats’ biggest weapon

Justice Antonin Scalia. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Taibleson’s conservative supporters have pointed to her experience working as a clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia and Judge Brett Kavanaugh, even advocating for Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, as proof of her commitment to uphold similar values. However, critics dispute this claim, noting that Scalia was known for hiring counter-clerks, or politically liberal clerks, and that Kavanaugh has been suspected of employing a similar practice.

For example, Department of Justice lawyer Danielle Sassoon opposed Trump’s attempt to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Law professor Rachel Barkow stated that Trump’s “use of the pardon power is part of his effort to put the country on an authoritarian path.” Former Judge Michael Luttig described Trump as “a clear and present danger to American democracy.” Notably, all four individuals were former clerks for Scalia.

Some of Taibleson’s conservative supporters also point to her time with the Solicitor General’s office beginning in the first Trump administration. However, she remained on with the Biden administration through 2022, including defending Biden’s student loan forgiveness policy in a lawsuit brought by the Brown County Taxpayers Association.

As Taibleson’s confirmation process unfolds, various aspects of her record will likely spark ongoing debate about whether she fully embodies the bold constitutionalism Trump has pledged for his judicial nominees, or whether potential misalignments could mirror the challenges faced during his first term.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Rebecca taibleson, Judicial nominees, Donald trump, Trump, Brett kavanaugh, Antonin scalia, Article iii project, Mike davis, Court, Politics 

Fifteen Republicans who tried to overturn the election results in 2020 can breathe free after a Democrat-appointed judge dropped all charges against them on Tuesday.

District Judge Kristen Simmons found that prosecutors did not produce enough evidence to support the eight counts of forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery that were filed against each defendant. A 16th elector involved in the operation had agreed to cooperate with the investigation in exchange for having the charges dropped.

‘Their goal is not a conviction, it is pure legal harassment.’

The judge pointedly denied that the case involved election interference.

“I believe they were executing their constitutional right to seek redress,” Simmons said, adding that the defendants “seriously believed” there were issues with the election.

The Michigan Conservative Union released a statement applauding the decision.

“Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged everyday citizens who are farmers, grandmothers, and retirees with eight (8) felonies in July 2023. Their ‘crime’? These citizens participated in the election process by … serving as volunteer Republican presidential alternate electors in the 2020 election, supposedly to benefit Donald J. Trump,” the statement given to Blaze News read in part.

Co-defendant Meshawn Maddock accused the attorney general of legal harassment.

“Nessel is a legal thug,” Maddock said. “We all knew from day one that we had done nothing illegal or wrong. Yes, we volunteered to be an alternate elector in support of Donald J. Trump. That is not a crime, as much as Nessel wanted it to be one. To corrupt politicians, lawfare is a ‘win’ when the punishment is the process. Their goal is not a conviction, it is pure legal harassment. Nessel’s defeat today was epic.”

Marian Sheridan, another co-defendant, also decried the attorney general.

“Dana’s alternate elector HOAX rightfully died today,” she said. “It is a shame that this corrupt Attorney General got away with her political prosecution of 15 innocent Michigan citizens for over the past two years.”

The electors targeted in the prosecution included a former Republican National Committeewoman and a former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

“Alternate elector slates have been used for numerous previous presidential elections,” continued the statement from the MCU. “These 15 Republicans were actually protecting Michigan from potentially losing its Electoral votes in the 2020 election by submitting a backup slate should the then-legally contested voting outcome be overturned.”

RELATED: Arizona grand jury indicts Republicans over effort to overturn 2020 election, including Giuliani, Meadows, and Jenna Ellis

Attorney General Nessel said the ruling was “disappointing” and said her office is considering filing an appeal.

“They knew they were not electors,” Nessel said of the Republicans. “They knew Donald Trump lost, but then they lied anyway. And that is a crime.”

“They did it. They beat the AG, and justice has been served,” wrote Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, a Republican, on social media.

“These folks endured years of a political witch hunt, targeted by Democrats, drained financially, and pushed to the limit emotionally. Today, justice prevailed and they’ve finally been vindicated against political weaponization!” he added.

Other attempted electors face similar charges in Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Arizona.

Judge Simmons was appointed by Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2019.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Michigan alternate electors, 2020 election electors, Electors michigan, District judge kristen d simmons, Politics 

An NFL legend wrote a letter to Pope Leo XIV, hoping his holiness would grant him one request.

When Robert F. Prevost became pope in May, a hard-fought territorial battle was waged in the sports world over who could claim the Catholic leader as their own. In the end, it was determined that the papacy’s fandom resides in baseball with the Chicago White Sox (not the Chicago Cubs).

This led to a tribute to the pope at the White Sox’s Rate Field, followed by Mass with Leo XIV via video at the stadium in June.

All of this fanfare encouraged one retired athlete to think that maybe the pope is a football fan, too.

‘It’s you. It’s Tiger Woods. It’s Bradley Cooper. It’s President Bush.’

Hall of Fame quarterback and two-time Super Bowl winner Peyton Manning revealed on Monday that he sent a handwritten note to both Pope Leo XIV and his executive assistant.

“Look at these two handwritten letters I wrote,” Manning told his brother Eli on ESPN 2’s “ManningCast.”

“Handwritten. I made the effort,” Manning comically continued, before explaining what his letter was all about.

He then looked into the camera and said, “These are handwritten letters, and if you’re watching, your holiness, this is an open invitation.”

RELATED: Chicago White Sox celebrate Pope Leo XIV as one of ‘South Side’s own’

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Manning was, hilariously, inviting Pope Leo XIV to come onto the ESPN 2 show where the brothers are joined by guests to swap football stories and analyze an NFL game from Monday Night Football.

“Come on the show anytime,” Manning reiterated.

The former University of Tennessee star then disclosed that the pope was on a shortlist of his viewers’ most-desired guests.

“It’s you. It’s Tiger Woods. It’s Bradley Cooper. It’s President Bush. It’s Larry David,” he rattled off. “Y’all are our most-wanted on that list for the ‘ManningCast.’ Come anytime.”

“We’d love to have you, your holiness,” Manning cordially concluded.

RELATED: Could Pope Leo XIV lose his American citizenship?

Photo by Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Always one to self-deprecate, Manning said he failed in getting the pope on the show, “Kinda like I failed to recruit Randy Moss to Tennessee.”

“I couldn’t close the pope, but I made the effort Eli,” he told his brother. “That’s the kind of effort we make here at ESPN 2. I tried my hardest.”

The same episode included iconic comedian and actor Bill Murray, though, along with Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss and current Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley.

Maybe the “ManningCast” is not yet pope-worthy, but it is certainly delivering big stars to the program.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Fearless, Football, Monday night football, Pope, Vatican, Pope leo xiv, Sports 

In a shocking development, a former New Jersey teacher has admitted to sexually assaulting two students, according to authorities.

Julie Rizzitello, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual assault during a hearing held late last month before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley.

‘The actions of this former teacher represent a betrayal of trust, not only to the victims, but to the entire school community.’

“An investigation involving members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau and Wall Township Police Department — assisted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and Brick Township Police Department, and led by MCPO Detective Jose I. Rodriguez and Wall Township Police Detective Devin Corso — revealed that the criminal conduct by Rizzitello encompassed sex acts involving separate victims, taking place in three municipalities at various points over the course of several years,” the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office stated in a press release last week.

Superior Court Judge Marc C. Lemieux previously noted that Wall Township Public Schools Director of Human Resources Michael Scarano contacted the Wall Township Police Department to report an illicit relationship between Rizzitello and a student after a tip from a school district employee.

Rizzitello — a former Wall Township High School teacher — was arrested without incident at her Brick Township home on July 3, 2024, according to the Coast Star.

RELATED: She once was school ‘counselor of the year.’ Now she’s accused of sexually assaulting student 100+ times, court docs say.

A criminal complaint said Rizzitello was involved in a relationship with a student between May 18, 2024, and June 14, 2024.

The relationship involved “oral and vaginal intercourse,” according to a probable cause complaint.

Rizzitello and the 18-year-old student had sexual contact in his car in Brick in May 2024, according to Fox News, which cited an NJ.com report that referenced an affidavit of probable cause. Officials said Rizzitello and the student also met at other locations, and she sent him nude photos, Fox News added.

A second student allegedly came forward to authorities saying that he and Rizzitello had vaginal intercourse “at her residence in Brick Township” between Nov. 23, 2017, and Jan. 21, 2018. Fox News said the second victim was 17 at the time.

During an interview with Det. Jose Rodriguez of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the student reportedly provided pictures and text messages to corroborate the accusations.

Sean O’Halloran — chief of the Wall Township Police Department — told the Coast Star, “The actions of this former teacher represent a betrayal of trust, not only to the victims, but to the entire school community.”

“I commend the courage of those who came forward and the dedication of our officers and partner agencies in bringing this case to justice,” O’Halloran stated. “Protecting our youth is among our highest priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that criminals are brought to justice to safeguard our residents and guests.”

Citing state pension records, the New York Post reported that Rizzitello was hired by the Wall Township Public Schools in 2013.

Rizzitello is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2026.

Prosecutors will pursue a 10-year prison sentence and require registration as a sex offender under Megan’s Law, parole supervision for life, and permanent forfeiture of public office, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Bad teacher, Teacher arrested, Teacher student sex scandal, New jersey, Teacher sex scandal, Teacher sex, Julie rizzitello, Crime 

President Donald Trump, determined to guide the nation into a new golden age, has gone to war with the private-public consensus that has sickened generations of American children and threatens future greatness.

The president’s battle strategy has finally come into full view.

‘I am so grateful that I work for a president that is willing to run through walls to stop this and to heal our kids.’

Trump’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, chaired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released on Tuesday its long-awaited directives and strategies for tackling chronic disease, protecting children from toxic exposure, and helping American families flourish.

This report sets the stage for a shake-up that is sure to cause a great deal of consternation among medical establishmentarians, pharmaceutical reps, chemical magnates, and ultra-processed food manufacturers.

“We are now the sickest country in the world. We have the highest chronic disease burden of any country in the world, and yet we spend more on health care than any country in the world,” Kennedy said during the public MAHA Commission meeting on Tuesday. “This is an existential crisis for our country.”

Kennedy added, “I am so grateful that I work for a president that is willing to run through walls to stop this and to heal our kids.”

RELATED: Trump establishes Make America Healthy Again Commission. Here’s what it will do.

Quick background

In his Feb. 13 executive order creating the MAHA Commission, President Donald Trump noted, “To fully address the growing health crisis in America, we must redirect our national focus, in the public and private sectors, toward understanding and drastically lowering chronic disease rates and ending childhood chronic disease.”

Three months later, Trump’s commission released an assessment report identifying four potential drivers of the rise in childhood chronic disease: poor diet largely tied to ultra-processed foods; aggregation of environmental chemicals including microplastics, fluoride, phthalates, bisphenols, and crop protection tools; lack of physical activity and chronic stress; and overmedicalization.

The report suggested that the situation was rather bleak, noting:

Over 40% of the roughly 73 million kids in the U.S. have at least one chronic health condition; 1 in 5 kids over the age of 6 is obese; 1 in 31 kids is impacted by autism spectrum disorder by the age of 8; Childhood cancer incidence has skyrocketed by over 40% since 1975;Pesticides, microplastics, and dioxins “are commonly found in the blood and urine of American children and pregnant women — some at alarming levels”;Nearly 70% of an American child’s calories come from ultra-processed foods; andStimulant prescriptions for ADHD, antidepressant prescription rates, and antipsychotic prescriptions for teens and/or children have exploded in recent decades.

RELATED: The fruit of the US pesticide industry is poison

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson told Blaze News earlier this year that the May assessment was a “diagnosis,” and the next step was to “develop policy recommendations, grounded in gold-standard science and common sense.”

Next steps

In the newly released “Make Our Children Healthy Again” report, the MAHA Commission broke its strategic plan into four pillars: advancing research, realigning incentives, fostering private sector collaboration, and increasing public awareness.

Deeper dives

The first pillar tasks various federal agencies with pursuing “rigorous, gold-standard scientific research to help ensure informed decisions that promote health outcomes for American children and families, as well as drive innovative solutions.”

For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services will — through the National Institutes of Health and in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — study the root causes of autism.

The HHS, again working with the NIH, will also kick off a new vaccine injury program, investigating vaccine injuries “with improved data collection and analysis.” Although this program will initially be housed at the NIH Clinical Center, the report indicated it could expand to centers around the country.

Other research initiatives include:

Closer looks at water contamination, including an Environmental Protection Agency review of new scientific information on the potential health risks of fluoride; A concerted effort by the HHS, NIH, and EPA to complete an evaluation of the risks and exposures of microplastics and synthetics;An HHS evaluation of the therapeutic harms and benefits of “current diagnostic thresholds, overprescription trends, and evidence-based solutions”; andThe formation of a mental health diagnosis and prescription work group at the HHS tasked with evaluating “prescription patterns for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and other relevant drugs for children.”

Blowing up the status quo

The realignment pillar of the MAHA Commission’s strategy is by far the biggest and potentially the most consequential in the report.

The report indicated that the HHS will continue its current work of eliminating harmful synthetic dyes and other additives from the food supply, addressing possible conflicts of interest at health-related federal agencies — such as those that prompted Kennedy’s purge of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June — and protecting “public health from corporate influence.”

The administration apparently also has a slew of regulatory and deregulatory initiatives in the works.

Among the changes on the deregulatory front that Americans might soon see the fruits of is the elimination of mandatory reduced-fat requirements in federal nutrition programs; the elimination of barriers to small dairy operations selling their own milk products; and the FDA’s abandonment of animal testing requirements.

On the regulatory front and as foreshadowed in a Kennedy op-ed last year, the HHS will be pushing for greater accountability where direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is concerned.

The HHS will work with the FDA, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission to “increase oversight and enforcement under current authorities for violations of DTC prescription drug advertising laws.”

In a similar vein, the HHS and FTC will also explore potential industry guidelines to limit advertisements of unhealthy foods that target children.

RELATED: RFK Jr. did what GOP cowards won’t

Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

While the FDA will, on the one hand, update nutrient requirements for infant formula and ramp up screening for contaminants, it will also encourage companies to roll out new infant formulas. Meanwhile, the USDA and HHS will work to increase breastfeeding rates.

The commission appears especially keen on ensuring that foods are accurately labeled; dietary guidelines are reflective of the current nutritional science; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are used for healthy food; and the legal loophole that apparently enables the food industry to add potentially unsafe substances to the food supply without government oversight is closed for good.

The report indicated further that the CDC will update recommendations regarding fluoride — which has a retarding effect on children — and forever chemicals in the American water supply.

Besides regulatory changes, the commission indicated that the HHS is set to undergo a “comprehensive reorganization” to create the Administration for a Healthy America, an outfit that will lead the federal government’s response to the chronic disease crisis through “integrated prevention-focused programs.”

Blasting facts and shaking hands

The other two pillars in the MAHA strategy report concerning the promotion of public awareness and MAHA collaboration with elements of the private sector are both afforded relatively little real estate. Nevertheless, they contain a handful of proposals that could prove transformative.

The planned efforts to raise awareness about the potential harms posed by exposure to pesticides, fluoride, sedentary lifestyles, drug abuse, and too much screen time may, for instance, end up yielding more immediate effects than some of the corresponding regulatory initiatives, which are sure to face legal challenges.

RELATED: Study warns of possible link between world’s most popular painkiller and autism

Photo by Jennifer Polixenni Brankin/Getty Images

The section on fostering private-sector collaboration, the most diminutive section in the document, contains two plans that stand out. The first involves an education campaign aimed at improving health and fertility in men and women who are seeking to start families.

In the interest of helping American families grow and remedying America’s abysmal fertility rate, which hit an all-time low last year, the HHS is initiating the “Root Causes of Infertility Award Challenge Competition,” which “seeks to identify new and existing solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat root causes of infertility, including chronic reproductive health conditions, and provide answers to families, improve health outcomes, and ensure a brighter future for parents and infants across the U.S.”

The HHS will also develop an Infertility Training Center to help Title X clinics identify and treat for the underlying causes of infertility.

The second plan that stands out in the private-sector collaboration section concerns working with the agricultural industry on new approaches and technologies that could reduce the amount of pesticides needed. This appears to be a consolation prize for those who wanted certain harmful pesticides banned outright.

“A lot of these 128 recommendations are things that I’ve been dreaming about my whole life,” Kennedy said. “We have accomplished more already than any health secretary in history, and the accomplishments we’re going to have by the end of the year are going to be historic and unprecedented.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Maha commission, Maha report, Make america healthy again, Robert f. kennedy jr, Rfk, Kennedy, Cdc, Fda, Usda, Rollins, Epa, Zeldin, Bhattacharya, Maha, Donald trump, Politics 

Therapists have historically seen patients in an intimate, in-person setting. Since COVID shutdowns, however, impersonal meetings have become more frequent and normalized, on top of what was already an increasingly remote, digital world.

The mental health sector has been incredibly affected by these changes, spawning online therapy outlets like Talkspace and BetterHealth. Conceivably, a patient could conduct an online video call with a licensed therapist, who could diagnose the patient or talk through issues without ever being in the same room.

As it turns out, therapists also could be cheating.

‘Here’s a more human, heartfelt version with a gentle, conversational tone.’

A recent report by MIT Technology Review featured some eye-opening testimonies of online-therapy consumers who have caught their practitioners cutting corners in terms of their mental health care.

One patient named Declan was having connection trouble with his therapist online, so the two decided to turn off their video feeds. During this attempt, the therapist accidentally started sharing his screen, revealing he was using ChatGPT to procure his advice.

“He was taking what I was saying and putting it into ChatGPT and then summarizing or cherry-picking answers,” Declan told the outlet. “I became the best patient ever,” he continued, “because ChatGPT would be like, ‘Well, do you consider that your way of thinking might be a little too black and white?’ And I would be like, ‘Huh, you know, I think my way of thinking might be too black and white,’ and [my therapist would] be like, ‘Exactly.’ I’m sure it was his dream session.”

While Declan’s experience was right in his face, others noticed subtle signs that their therapists were not being completely honest with them.

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

MIT Tech Review’s own author Laurie Clark admitted in her article that an email from her therapist set off alarm bells when she noticed it was strangely polished, validating, and lengthy.

A different font, point-by-point responses, and the use of an em dash (despite being in the U.K.) made Clark think her therapist was using ChatGPT. When confronted by her concerns, the therapist admitted to using it to draft her responses.

“My positive feelings quickly drained away, to be replaced by disappointment and mistrust,” Clark wrote.

Similarly, a 25-year-old woman received a “consoling and thoughtful” direct message from a therapist over the death of her dog. This message would have been helpful to the young woman had she not seen the AI prompt at the top of the page, which was accidentally left intact by the therapist.

“Here’s a more human, heartfelt version with a gentle, conversational tone,” the prompt read.

More and more people are skipping the middle man and heading straight to the chatbots themselves, which of course, some doctors have advocated against.

RELATED: ‘I said yes’: Woman gets engaged to her AI boyfriend after 5 months

For example, the president of the Australian Psychological Society warned against using AI for therapy in an interview with ABC (Australia).

“No algorithm, no matter how intelligent or innovative we think they might be, can actually replace that sacred space that gets trudged between two people,” Sara Quinn said. “Current general AI models are good at mimicking how humans communicate and reason, but it’s just that — it’s imitation.”

The American Psychological Association calls using chatbots for therapy “a dangerous trend,” while a Stanford University study says AI can “lack effectiveness compared to human therapists” but also contributes to the use of “harmful stigma.”

Blaze News asked ChatGPT if AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, are better or worse than real-life therapists. It answered:

“AI chatbots can offer support and guidance, but they are not a substitute for real-life therapists who provide personalized, professional mental health care.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Ai, Return, Artificial intelligence, Chatbot, Ai learning, Therapy, Chatgpt, Tech 

The murder of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska has sparked concerns about crime in the U.S. from conservatives around the country — but others, like the mayor of Charlotte, don’t seem as concerned.

“Charlotte’s Democratic mayor, Vi Lyles, thanks the media for not sharing the attack video,” BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey comments, disturbed.

“The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family,” Lyles wrote in a post on X.

“In her statement, Mayor Lyles did not mention the victim by name or discuss any specific measures that the Charlotte area transit system or police are taking to address safety in public transit. She focused on the suspect and urged others not to demonize homeless people,” Stuckey says.

“She said the suspect appeared to have struggled with mental health and suffered a crisis,” she adds.

Lyles also stated, “We will never arrest our way out of issues such as homelessness or mental health.”

“Mental health disease is just that — a disease like any other that needs to be treated with the same compassion, diligence, and commitment as cancer or heart disease,” she added.

“So basically, this person shouldn’t be held responsible for his cold-blooded murder because he apparently was mentally unwell,” Stuckey comments, shocked — though his “mental health” and homelessness status are far from the only reason she believes the suspect is receiving special treatment.

“Stop being afraid to talk about crimes just because of the color of the person that committed them. The facts are the facts, and the fact is this: A white person is statistically far more likely to be killed by a black person than the reverse, despite the fact that white people make up about 60% of the population and black men make up about 7% of the population,” Stuckey explains.

“Now, we should never condemn any one race and glorify another race. People are individuals. That is absolutely true. … But the facts do matter, which is why the opposite collective judgment is also wrong,” she continues.

“This is exactly what the media does — glorifies one race and condemns another, assumes that one race is guilty and that the other is completely abdicated of any responsibility. This is what progressives do,” she adds, connecting it to the death of George Floyd.

When George Floyd died, she explains, “all of your favorite apolitical pastors not only expressed outrage about that publicly, but they connected his death to the complicity of all white people, the racism of all police, and the racial injustice embedded in all of America.”

“But never, ever did or do we see the same people talk about a crime like this — one, because this kind of crime happens too often.”

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Camera phone, Free, Sharing, Upload, Video phone, Video, Youtube.com, Relatable, Allie beth stuckey, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Iryna zarutska, Charlotte stabbing, Mayor lyles, Mayor vi lyles, Racial agenda, Racial discrimination, Anti white racism 

While he was being interviewed on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” border czar Tom Homan laid into Massachusetts Democrats for having policies that release hardened illegal aliens back into the public.

Homan listed off the illegal aliens whom federal agents had recently apprehended in Massachusetts, including foreign nationals with charges for assault and battery, indecent assault on a minor, aggravated assault on a pregnant woman, and drug trafficking.

“So [Boston Mayor Michelle] Wu and Governor [Maura] Healey ought to be calling ICE and thanking them for making their streets safer, protecting their communities, and taking these people off the street,” Homan said. “They have turned a blind eye to this. They’re sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities and sanctuary states are sanctuaries for criminals.”

Homan once again implored Healey and Wu to allow their police departments to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to allow agents to apprehend illegal aliens who are in local custody.

‘This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them.’

“This is what we’re trying to do. We’re trying prioritize public safety threats, but we got governors and mayors who are releasing these public safety threats every day into the community. … We’ve seen some terrible incidents the past few days,” Homan continued.

After hearing what Homan had to say, co-host Mika Brzezinski maintained that ICE vehicles parked near a Spanish-speaking church is a “frightening sight given what has happened in this country.”

RELATED: Resistance mounts in Chicago as city braces for potential National Guard deployment

Wu and Healey did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

The Department of Homeland Security has launched enhanced operations in Massachusetts and Illinois to target the large illegal alien populations in those sanctuary jurisdictions. The Trump administration was given a legal win after the Supreme Court ruled federal agencies can continue their immigration sweeps following an injunction from a lower court.

“DHS is launching Operation Midway Blitz in honor of Katie Abraham who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck caused by criminal illegal alien Julio Cucul-Bol in Illinois,” DHS said about the Chicago operation. “This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Politics 

The Cracker Barrel restaurant chain addressed the online opposition to its rebrand by first returning to its old logo, and now the company’s taking up the remodeling of its classic interiors.

The restaurant was known for packing its interiors with old country store items, but the new aesthetic was far more sleek and updated. Many saw it as a betrayal of the 55-year-old brand’s history.

‘We hope that today’s step reinforces that we hear you.’

“You’ve shared your voices in recent weeks not just on our logo, but also on our restaurants. We’re continuing to listen. Today, we’re suspending our remodels,” reads the company’s statement posted to X on Tuesday.

“If your restaurant hasn’t been remodeled, you don’t need to worry, it won’t be,” it added. “With our recent announcement that our ‘Old Timer’ logo will remain, along with our bigger focus in the kitchen and on your plate, we hope that today’s step reinforces that we hear you.”

The company had also previously deleted sections on its website that endorsed the LGBTQ agenda, including a statement of support for the Nashville Pride Parade.

RELATED: Cracker Barrel faces boycott over ‘woke’ post celebrating Pride month, pushing DEI initiatives with LGBTQ+ alliance

Photo by Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The company’s CEO, Julie Felss Masino, said in an interview on “Good Morning America” in August that the response to the rebranding was “overwhelmingly positive,” but that claim was not shared by online critics. The social media response included calls for a boycott for what many saw as a “woke” campaign.

“Woke ideology has changed our country in countless ways, some of which we may never get back. But Cracker Barrel has always represented the one thing I think so many Americans currently crave: NOSTALGIA,” Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck said. “You go to Cracker Barrel for the rocking chairs outside, the meals that taste like grandma’s home cooking, and the simple game of Chinese checkers on the table.”

He added, “‘Rebrand’ all of that to something more modern, something more inclusive, and something that erases those feelings, and you’re ‘rebranding’ the SOLE reason why anyone goes there to begin with.”

The stock price for the company dropped by about 15% initially after the outrage and then regained some of that valuation. The stock has lost about 20% of its value since the rebrand outrage until this newest announcement.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Cracker barrel caves, Cracker barrel backlash, Woke rebranding, Rebranding controversy, Politics