President-elect Donald Trump confirmed on Monday his plan to declare a national emergency and use military assets to implement his sweeping mass deportation plan.

Earlier this month, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton told his X followers, “Reports are the incoming @RealDonaldTrump administration prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the [President Joe] Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.”

‘Game on.’

On Monday, Trump responded to Fitton’s post on Truth Social, writing, “TRUE!!!”

Trump has repeatedly stated that sealing the border and putting an end to the current administration’s migrant invasion is one of his highest priorities. He has pledged to “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.”

As part of that mass deportation strategy, Trump plans to complete the border wall and move “massive portions of Federal Law Enforcement to Immigration Enforcement,” which includes shifting thousands of troops from their current overseas stations to the southern border.

The Republican Party platform on Trump’s website reads, “We will deploy the U.S. Navy to impose a full Fentanyl Blockade on the waters of our Region—boarding and inspecting ships to look for fentanyl and fentanyl precursors.”

Trump also plans to bring back his “Remain in Mexico” policy, end sanctuary jurisdictions, and increase penalties for illegal crossings and overstaying visas.

Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) stated Friday that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is gearing up to challenge Trump’s mass deportation plans, claiming that it would “have a negative impact on the U.S. economy.”

Tom Homan, tapped as Trump’s incoming “border czar,” responded to Barragán’s declaration during a “Fox News Live” Saturday interview.

“Game on,” he replied. “Shame on her. She ought to resign her seat at the House because [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is enforcing laws that Congress enacted.”

Homan has vowed to send more ICE officers to sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

“If they’re not gonna help us, then we’ll just double the manpower in those cities. They don’t want ICE agents in their neighborhoods, but they don’t let ICE agents in the jail. They don’t understand, if you let us in the jail, that’d be less agents in your neighborhood,” Homan told the news outlet.

“I wish they’d sit down and talk and help with us. But if they don’t help, get the hell out of the way, because we’re going to do this job with or without you,” Homan added.

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​News, Immigration, Illegal immigration, Open borders, Border, Tom homan, Tom fitton, Donald trump, Trump, Mass deportations, Sanctuary cities, Sanctuary policies, Sanctuary jurisdictions, Politics 

Actor William Shatner said that he simply could not understand why Americans didn’t elect Vice President Kamala Harris even though she checked off the right demographic boxes.

Shatner made the comments while speaking with Bill Maher on an episode of Maher’s “Club Random Podcast,” which was published Sunday.

‘That’s not a candidate. … That’s identity politics. That’s one of the Democrats’ problems.’

“I don’t know why the Democrats lost. I don’t understand why the Democrats lost!” a befuddled Shatner said.

Maher tried to explain that there were many reasons for the election results but focused on President Joe Biden’s insistence on staying as the candidate until it was too late.

“That I understand,” said Shatner. “But inflation? Prices have come down; the economy is good. I don’t know why they voted against her, against the party.”

“Basically,” Maher responded, “She was not a great candidate, let’s be honest.”

“Why isn’t she a great candidate?” Shatner interrupted. “She combined several trends of thought here: black, woman.”

“That’s not — that’s not a candidate,” Maher replied. “That’s identity politics. That’s one of the Democrats’ problems.”

Video of the exchange was posted to social media where it garnered millions of views.

Maher went on to opine that Democrats could have won the election if they had changed their strategy.

“The Democrats could have won this election in a walk, I think,” he said. “Not a walk, but I think they could have won it — if Biden got out earlier, [if] they had a true primary season to find the best candidate, not just one whose turn was it — who, by the way, before they anointed her, nobody was sort of on the page that she was very good at being a candidate.”

Shatner is a Canadian citizen and thereby could not vote in the U.S. election.

The podcast in full can be viewed on YouTube.

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​Shatner on kamala harris, William shatner election, Why kamala lost, Bill shatner vs bill maher, Politics 

The 745-mile underwater internet cable linking NATO allies Finland and Germany was apparently severed in the Baltic Sea Monday morning, sparking concerns about possible sabotage.

The cybersecurity and telecoms network company Cinia said in a statement that a “fault” was initially detected in its C-Lion1 submarine cable — the only undersea cable connecting Finland to Central Europe — just after 4 a.m. on Monday, killing the services provided over the line.

According to Cinia, it could take anywhere from five to 15 days for cable repairs and to get a clearer sense of what precisely is responsible.

Telia Lietuva AB, one of the Baltic states’ biggest telecommunication companies, told Bloomberg that the incident took place just hours after an undersea cable linking Lithuania to Sweden’s Gotland island, nearly 33 feet away from the Finnish line, was cut.

Their allusion to Russian aggression prompted some to speculate that Moscow may have severed the line — possibly in a similar manner to how senior Ukrainian military officers and businessmen allegedly sapped the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in September 2022.

Elina Valtonen, the Finnish minister of foreign affairs, and her German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, said in a joint statement, “We are deeply concerned about the severed undersea cable connecting Finland and Germany in the Baltic Sea. The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage speaks volumes about the volatility of our times.”

After noting that an investigation into the incident is underway, the duo stressed that “European security is not only under threat from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors. Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies.”

Their allusion to Russian aggression prompted some to speculate that Moscow may have severed the line — possibly in a similar manner to how senior Ukrainian military officers and businessmen allegedly sapped the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in September 2022.

A line-cutting in the area would have been risky business for the Russians given that just days before the malfunction, NATO allies took part in an anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Baltic Sea and likely had some assets in the area.

“The Baltic Sea is a challenging operational environment. The local expertise of our regional Allies facilitates success here and rehearsing command and control ensures the effective use of assets,” Royal Danish Navy Commodore Thomas Stig Rasmussen said of the maritime exercises that ran from Nov. 11-14. “Training together in Swedish waters offers Allies an important opportunity to enhance interoperability, which is the key to success in real life operations. Our new Allies in Sweden and Finland have redefined how NATO approaches maritime security in the region.”

When pressed on whether the Finnish cable showed signs of sabotage, Cinia CEO Ari-Jussi Knaapila indicated there was “no way to assess the reason right now.”

“We can say that such damage doesn’t happen without some kind of external impact,” Knaapila told Bloomberg, citing ship anchors and bottom trawling as possible causes.

Knaapila ruled out seismic activity and suggested sabotage has not been eliminated as a possibility.

Ship anchors have done serious damage to undersea cables in recent years. On Oct. 8, 2023, two telecom cables and a rupture to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline were caused by the Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel Newnew Polar Bear. After months of investigation and finger-pointing, Beijing finally admitted the error in August.

Samuli Bergström, communications chief of the Finnish transport and communications agency, told Deutsche Welle, “The reasons are under investigation. Disturbances occur from time to time and there can be various reasons. For example, they are susceptible to weather and damage caused by shipping. The essential thing is that the problems are identified and corrective measures are taken.”

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A concealed-carrying motorist opened fire at a male who approached him allegedly with his hand under his shirt during a road rage incident in Illinois over the weekend.

Urbana Police said they responded at 4:30 p.m. Saturday to the intersection of Busey Avenue and Park Street.

The female driver was armed with a baseball bat, police said, adding that her male passenger approached the lone male driver.

Police said a male and female in one car got into a verbal dispute with a male driving alone in another car.

The lone male drove past the male and female, police said, adding that the male and female followed the lone male.

The lone male pulled into a hospital emergency room parking lot and then exited on Park Street in order to create distance between himself and the male and female following him, police said.

The car occupied by the male and female continued west on University Avenue, turned north on Busey Avenue, and stopped at Park Street, police said, adding that they exited their vehicle as the lone male reached the intersection.

The female driver was armed with a baseball bat, police said, adding that her male passenger approached the lone male driver.

Police said the lone male driver indicated that the other male had his hand underneath his shirt as if he were carrying a weapon.

Police said the lone male driver — a concealed-carry permit holder — from his vehicle drew a legally concealed gun and fired several rounds striking the other male.

Police said the lone male called 911 to report the incident.

The wounded male was transported to a local hospital where he underwent surgery and was in intensive care, police said.

Police said the incident is under investigation, and no arrests had been made.

Police added that those with information about the case can call 217-384-2320 and make arrangements if they wish to discuss the information privately. Those wishing to remain anonymous can submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at 217-373-TIPS, online at 373tips.com, or through the “P3 Tips” mobile app.

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Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania came out squarely against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calilf.) over the devastating losses for Democrats in the 2024 election.

Fetterman made the comments in an interview with Politico after he was asked whether President Joe Biden should have dropped out of the race after his disastrous debate with President-elect Donald Trump.

‘Scolding harder or clutching the pearls harder, that’s never going to work for Democrats.’

“People like [Nancy] Pelosi, she really tried to — what’s the word I’m looking for? — she embraced this ‘she’s the godmother, she’s the enforcer.’ And now she’s blaming Biden,” said Fetterman.

“Well, you can’t have it both ways. You got what you wanted,” he added, referring to Biden’s ouster and the installment of Kamala Harris, “and now you’re still blaming Biden.”

Democrats have broken into various warring factions, blaming each other for their failure to retake the House of Representatives, for losing the Senate, and for getting stomped by Trump in the presidential race. Pelosi has claimed that Biden should not immediately have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and suggested that decision led to her ignominious defeat.

“I think it’s really ironic that you have a woman at age 84, and she is still hanging on. Why not give a younger generation an opportunity to occupy that seat?” he added.

He went on to defend Trump supporters from accusations from Harris and other Democrats that they are “fascists” because of their political beliefs.

“I love people that are absolutely going to vote for Trump. They’re not fascists. They’re not those things. I think if you go to the tickle switch, use those kinds of terms, then it’s kind of hard to walk back on those things,” he continued.

“That’s kind of a word that really isn’t part of the vernacular for voters. Scolding harder or clutching the pearls harder, that’s never going to work for Democrats,” Fetterman concluded.

Other Democratic luminaries who have scolded Pelosi for blaming Biden include Whoopi Goldberg and Ana Navarro of “The View.”

“Why, Nancy, why? I find this so unproductive, so nasty, so unnecessary. She wants to make sure people know it wasn’t her,” said Navarro. “I think it’s really unseemly.”

Here’s more from Fetterman:

— (@)

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​Fetterman vs pelosi, Blame pelosi election, Dem infighting election, Pelosi blames biden, Politics 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Public Utility Commission of Texas have identified 61 possible sites across the state for new nuclear reactors.

A recently-released state report on Advanced Nuclear Energy is hoping to bring in over $50 billion in new economic output to Texas, along with $27 billion in income for Texas workers.

Governor Abbott announced the state’s new plan, saying the plants would enhance the “reliability” of the state grid and provide “affordable, dispatchable power” to residents.

“Texas is the energy capital of the world, and we are ready to be No. 1 in advanced nuclear power,” the governor added.

The Nuclear Energy Institute defines advanced nuclear reactors as smaller, more efficient reactors that are safer to build and protect than the previous generation of reactors. Underground and underwater housing can be used for advanced reactors to greater endure natural disasters.

Advanced nuclear designs have been used for the newly popular small modular reactors being built privately across the country by the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, and Oracle. States like Virginia and Maryland have become popular sites for SMRs and self-sustaining commercial campuses.

Texas is already home to two nuclear plants that generate over five gigawatts of electricity, which makes up about 10% of the state’s grid.

The state report alleged that the two plants have already displayed “resilience during extreme weather.”

— (@)

Of the 61 possible nuclear sites identified, 21 of them are closed or closing coal sites. The report stated that replacing the coal sites, which are typically seen as bad for the environment, would be just one puzzle piece in overcoming strong environmental regulatory hurdles.

In order to garner approval for the plant builds, energy officials suggested appointing a Nuclear Permitting Officer to facilitate “tailored assistance to companies seeking to build advanced nuclear reactor operations in the state.”

The report pinpointed a possible $700 million in costs leading up to the building of advanced nuclear reactors, using estimations based on public funding that has been awarded in other states.

This included $60 million to retain and attract supply chain companies and another $350 million for design and development of small nuclear reactors.

About $100 million was awarded across Kentucky, North Carolina, and Wyoming for permitting and studies, along with $40 million in South Carolina for support of nuclear workforce development.

While these costs are similar to what other companies have been spending on small modular reactors across the country, those are typically used to power a company’s campus and/or data centers. This means that reactors meant to power the public at large would likely come at twice the cost, especially considering how much government oversight and appointed positions the state report has recommended.

For example, computer technology company Oracle announced in early September its intention to build a 1-gigawatt data center campus powered by three small modular reactors.

Therefore, about 15 small modular reactors would be required to match the five gigawatts of power (10% of the grid) put out by Texas’ two existing plants.

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Republican challenger Eric Hovde conceded the race to Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin on Monday.

Hovde lost to the two-term incumbent by less than a percent, the AP called on November 6. Given the slim margins of the race, Hovde did not concede the race until over a week later.

‘What is disheartening are the tactics used against me in this race.’

“Nine months ago, I entered the race for the U.S. Senate because I love our country and I am deeply concerned about its direction,” Hovde said in a video posted to X.

“The results from election night were disappointing, particularly in light of the last-minute absentee ballots that were dropped in Milwaukee at 4 a.m., flipping the outcome,” Hovde said.

“I have heard from numerous supporters urging me to challenge the election results,” Hovde said. “However, without a detailed review of all the ballots and their legitimacy, which will be difficult to obtain in the courts, the request for a recount would serve no purpose because you will just be recounting the same ballots regardless of their integrity. As a result, and my desire to not add to the political strife through a contentious recount, I decided to concede the election.”

Although Hovde ultimately conceded, he pointed to several tactics Democrats used that he said worked to “deceive” and “mislead” voters. Notably, Democratic operatives emboldened libertarian candidate Phillip Anderson and America First candidate Thomas Leager, who collectively drew in over 70,000 votes.

“I am proud that we received more than 1.64 million votes, more than any Republican in Wisconsin history aside from President Trump’s total on Tuesday night,” Hovde said. “Furthermore, if not for Democratic operatives placing a phony America First candidate on the ballot to deceive voters and siphon off over 28,000 votes, I would have won this race.”

“Democratic operatives also supported a libertarian candidate through mail and other sources without his knowledge to strip votes away from me,” Hovde continued. “Are these actions to deceive and mislead voters strengthening and protecting our democracy? Any fair-minded person would say no.”

Hovde also described several “disheartening” tactics used against him in the race. Hovde detailed the protests that took place outside his home before he even entered the race, mentioned “phony” lawsuits launched against his companies, and the millions of dollars’ worth of ads that made “false claims” about him.

“Senator Baldwin’s campaign focused on getting voters to hate me,” Hovde said.

“Sadly, our current political system is broken,” Hovde continued. “Instead of candidates debating issues and addressing voters concerns, campaigns are now about raising money, often from special interest groups, and launching attack ads with no basis in truth.”

Hovde closed his message by thanking his supporters and outlining his plan to move forward.

“After running from morning to night for nine months and leaving it all on the field, I will take a much-needed break, then return to my businesses and foundation and find other ways to make a positive impact,” Hovde said. “One thing is certain. I will always fight for the country and state that I love and work to restore the American dream. Thank you.”

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​Donald trump, Tammy baldwin, Eric hovde, Wisconsin, Swing state, Senate, Senate republicans, Republicans, Election, 2024 election, Concede, Politics 

Last week, Blaze News covered a story about a FEMA supervisor named Marn’i Washington who was fired due to a released report accusing her of ordering relief agents under her authority to avoid homes with Trump signs in Lake Placid, Florida.

According to Washington, however, she was merely the scapegoat for FEMA’s broader discriminatory policies.

“FEMA preaches avoidance first, and then de-escalation. This is not isolated. This is a colossal event of avoidance. Not just in the state of Florida. You will find avoidance in the Carolinas,” Washington said on a podcast, during which she explained that FEMA at large tends to avoid homes with Trump signs for fear of aggression.

Jill Savage and Blaze News editor in chief Matthew Peterson invite Rachel Bovard, vice president of Conservative Partnership Institute, on the show to discuss the situation.

“Is this problem bigger than just one employee at FEMA?” Jill asks.

“This is the way the government has been operating for the last four years,” says Bovard. FEMA has “taken direction from the president of the United States, who stood in front of Independence Hall two years ago and said, ‘Anyone who supports Donald Trump is an extremist.”’

“All of the ideologues in the bureaucracy were activated to essentially make that statement by the president their government policy,” she explains. “When you think about the mission that FEMA is supposed to represent, they are supposed to be there to help Americans at the worst point in their lives, and here we have that agency … putting partisan politics ahead of it all.”

Matthew Peterson calls the event one of many examples of “how bad things have become.”

However, now that Trump will return to the White House bolstered by his bold Cabinet picks, the future looks hopeful.

“I’d love to know your thoughts on the picks so far,” he tells Bovard.

“I think institutional Washington is losing their minds, but I actually think [Matt Gaetz] is the perfect answer to Merrick Garland,” who “turned the Department of Justice into an arm of the president’s political terror,” says Bovard.

“[Garland] put Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro — two people who served in Trump’s administration — in jail; he aggressively pursued peaceful pro-life protesters; he ignored the disorder in the streets and used taxpayer-funded resources to harass and prosecute and terrorize peaceful J6 protesters to the ends of the Earth. … Those actions need to be answered with a sledgehammer, and I really do kind of feel like Matt Gaetz is maybe the perfect person to do that.”

Before Gaetz can get to work as Trump’s attorney general, however, he first has to be confirmed by the Senate that just elected John Thune as its new majority leader.

“What does the pick of John Thune tell you about where the Senate does want to go?” asks Jill.

Bovard is a bit concerned when it comes to Thune.

“John Thune, I should point out, voted to confirm Merrick Garland,” as did other Republican senators, including Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Thom Tillis, and Susan Collins — “all of the people you now see pearl-clutching about Matt Gaetz,” Bovard explains.

She hopes they will confirm Gaetz in order to “atone for their sins of confirming Merrick Garland.”

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

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​Blaze news tonight, Jill savage, Fema, Trump supporters, Fema bias, Blazetv, Blaze media, Blaze media tonight 

Big-name brands have ended their advertising boycott against Elon Musk’s X after approximately a year of refusing to support the platform.

Comcast, Discovery, Disney, IBM, Lionsgate Entertainment, and Warner Bros. have resumed their ad spending on X, with Musk thanking CEO Linda Yaccarino for her work on bringing the companies back onto his platform.

“Just want to say that we super appreciate major brands resuming advertising on our platform!” Musk wrote. “Thanks [Linda Yaccarino] and the whole X team for your hard work in restoring confidence in our platform and ensuring that advertising content only appears where advertisers want it shown.”

In November 2023, the brands mentioned above (along with Apple) dialed back their ad campaigns after claims their branding appeared next to “anti-Semetic content” and “hate speech,” AdWeek reported.

‘The censorship apparatus is coming to an end.’

Without the major companies, brands like Karma Shopping and Canles Shoes became the top ad-buyers on X. Overall, ad revenue dropped by a reported 98% year over year, but Musk remained principled in his cause.

“I’ll say what I want to say, and if the consequence of that is losing money, so be it,” Musk told CNBC at the time.

Political commentator Ian Miles Cheong called the boycott a failed effort “the moment Donald Trump won the election.”

“The censorship apparatus is coming to an end, and the advertisers know it. Beyond that, advertisers can undoubtedly see the strength of X, and depriving themselves of profits for the sake of sticking it to Elon clearly doesn’t work,” Cheong added.

— (@)

The new report comes after claims in September that there would be a mass exodus of advertisers from the platform over concerns of “extreme content” that could damage brand images.

However, that was after X announced a lawsuit against major advertisers in August, following a House Judiciary Committee report that pointed to an illegal boycott against the company.

The World Federation of Advertisers, which represents some of the world’s largest companies and advertisers, was accused of directly organizing boycotts and targeting disfavored platforms, content creators, and news organizations in an effort to demonetize them.

BlazeTV host James Poulos said the smoke surrounding the advertising conflict was cleared once the nature of the report was revealed.

“Rather than mild-mannered normies afraid of controversial content on X, advertisers operate as a cartel of far-left propagandists, reaping profits from taxpayers on government contracts while conspiring to silence free speech at odds with their radical ideologies.”

Concurrently, many left-wing celebrities are announcing plans to leave X. This includes MSNBC’s Joy Reid, who said she doesn’t want to support the platform, and ex-CNN host Don Lemon, who claimed he disagrees with the new terms of service.

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The highly anticipated “Gladiator II,” starring Denzel Washington in the role of Macrinus hits theaters this Friday.

One person who isn’t excited about the sequel, however, is Jason Whitlock.

His disappointment stems not from the movie itself but rather from what Washington decided to reveal about his role in the film.

“I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken. I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. I killed him about five minutes later. It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death,” he said.

Shemeka Michelle, who joins Jason on the program, expresses her confusion.

“Over the course of his career, he never did a sex scene or any type of strong kissing out of respect for his wife, … yet you go and kiss a man,” she says, adding that Washington could have easily given his “kiss of death” on the cheek.

“They have to pledge allegiance to the alphabet mafia. … In some form or fashion, they always have to let you know, ‘I don’t hate the gays’ or ‘I don’t hate the trans. I’m really a friend,’” she tells Jason.

“I think there is a right of passage in Hollywood and in the music and entertainment industry that you have to promote that lifestyle,” Jason agrees. “You can’t reach that level of stardom in Hollywood without going through that right of passage.”

As for Washington’s profession of Christianity, Whitlock says he’s skeptical now.

“He’s gone his whole career and had a pretty rock-solid reputation, had presented himself as some sort of Christian. I had always questioned it, and now I have the proof,” he says.

Washington could have said, “Hey, you know what? I know that’s a big movie, but I’m good. I’m worth 200 million, 300 million, 400 million — whatever. I’m good. I’ve had enough. I’m not going to kiss a man,” Jason sighs.

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

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s
proposed Health and Human Services secretary, has pledged to “Make America Healthy Again” primarily by tackling the “chronic disease epidemic” and the corporate capture of federal regulatory agencies.

The environmental lawyer’s adjacency to the Republican president and his recent criticism of
experimental gene therapies have made him a frequent target for criticism by lawmaking recipients of Big Pharma lobbying money and the liberal media. In their efforts to dunk on Kennedy, establishmentarians have in many cases exposed their true loyalties as well as their aversion to inconvenient facts.

The New York Times is now among the outfits that has risked such exposure in its desperation to characterize Kennedy as “wrong.”

‘The science shows that these dyes cause hyperactivity in children, can disrupt the immune system, and are contaminated with carcinogens.’

By attempting to miss a point that Kennedy was making in a recent interview, the Times’
Christina Jewett and Julie Creswell unwittingly defended his thesis. Critics have since descended upon the liberal publication, mocking it over its botched fact-check.

At the outset of their
article, titled “Kennedy’s Vow to Take On Big Food Could Alienate His New G.O.P. Allies,” Jewett and Creswell wrote, “Boxes of brightly colored breakfast cereals, vivid orange Doritos and dazzling blue M&Ms may find themselves under attack in the new Trump administration.”

After highlighting why food titans that produce unhealthy products are “nervous” about the incoming administration, Jewett and Creswell tried nitpicking through some of Kennedy’s concerns, zeroing in on his recent remarks about the ingredients of Kellogg’s Froot Loops cereal.

In September, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) moderated a four-hour round table discussion on Capitol Hill about
American health and nutrition.

During her presentation, Vani Hari, a critic of the food industry who founded FoodBabe, shared the ingredient lists for multiple
food products in the U.S. versus in Europe and stressed the need for limits on additives and dyes in breakfast cereals.

Together with Jason Karp, founder and CEO of the healthy living organization HumanCo., Hari
highlighted the color difference between the Froot Loops cereal produced for American consumption and the version produced for consumption in Canada.

The brighter artificial colors are more attractive to children — and
helpful with sales — but apparently harmful to their health.

Hari recently told Blaze News:

The science shows that these dyes cause hyperactivity in children, can disrupt the immune system, and are contaminated with carcinogens. There are safer colors available made from fruits and vegetables, such as beets and carrots. Food companies already don’t use artificial dyes en masse in Europe because they don’t want to slap warning labels on their products that say they ‘may cause adverse effects on attention in children.’ If food companies like Kellogg’s can reformulate their products without artificial dyes to sell in other countries, there is no reason why they can’t do that also here in America.

The food activist added, “As there are over 10,000 food additives approved for use in the United States, while Europe only allows 400, the [incoming] administration should prioritize taking control of the alarming amount of food additives in our food supply.”

‘This is of particular concern for fetuses and babies under the age of 6 months, whose blood-brain barrier is not fully developed.’

Kennedy appeared on Fox News the following day and referenced Hari’s presentation,
saying, “A box of Froot Loops from Canada or from Europe … has a completely different group of ingredients. It’s actually colored with vegetable oils, which are safe. Ours are colored with chemical oils, which are very, very dangerous.”

Following the election, Kennedy revisited the example in a MSNBC interview,
saying offhand, “Why do we have Froot Loops in this country that have 18 or 19 ingredients, and you go to Canada and it’s got two or three?”

The Times seized on Kennedy’s critique of Froot Loop, writing:

Mr. Kennedy has singled out Froot Loops as an example of a product with too many artificial ingredients, questioning why the Canadian version has fewer than the U.S. version. But he was wrong. The ingredient list is roughly the same, although Canada’s has natural colorings made from blueberries and carrots while the U.S. product contains red dye 40, yellow 5 and blue 1 as well as Butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, a lab-made chemical that is used “for freshness,” according to the ingredient label.

In the same paragraph that the Times claimed Kennedy was wrong about Froot Loops having more artificial ingredients in Canada than in the U.S., the liberal publication effectively pointed out he was right on the money.

According to the National Library of Medicine, butylated hydroxytoluene — used as a preservative in fats and oils as well as in packaging material for fat-containing foods — has been shown in animal studies to increase serum cholesterol, reduce growth in baby rats, and increase absolute liver weight. The NLM and the Canadian government also recognize BHT as harmful to the environment.

Red dye 40 is made from petroleum and has been approved by the FDA for use in food and drinks. It has been linked in
some studies to hyperactivity disorders in children. The Cleveland Clinic indicated that red dye 40 also has various potential side effects, including depression, irritability, and migraines.

Yellow dye 5 or tartazine is another synthetic food colorant linked to numerous adverse health effects. It is
reportedly restricted in Austria and Norway owing to the allergies, asthma, skin rashes, hyperactivity, and migraines it can apparently cause.

A
2021 paper in the peer-reviewed journal Advances in Nutrition noted that blue dye 1 has been found to cause chromosomal aberrations and “was found to inhibit neurite growth and act synergistically with L-glutamic acid in vitro, suggesting the potential for neurotoxicity. This is of particular concern for fetuses and babies under the age of 6 months, whose blood-brain barrier is not fully developed.”

‘This is beyond absurd.’

The paper noted further that having found blue dye 1 to have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, some researchers “advise that caution must be exercised when using it for coloring food.”

Children are the
biggest consumers of such artificial food dyes.

Critics blasted the Times over its bizarre “fact-check,” which said he was wrong then unwittingly explained why he was right.

“This is what passes for a ‘fact check’ at The New York Times,”
wrote Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. “The media lie a lot, but fortunately for us, they are also VERY stupid.”

“Americans are being poisoned under the status quo food and health institutions, and regime media wants you to believe that Bobby Kennedy pushing for reform is somehow the problem. Make it make sense!”
added Kirk.

Molecular biologist
Dr. Richard H. Ebright of Rutgers University tweeted, “I read the paragraph multiple times yesterday, trying to make sense of what the idiot writer had written. I could only conclude that the idiot writer had written the equivalent of ‘2 + 2 = 5.'”

One critic
quipped, “‘As you see, the ingredient list is just completely identical, except the US product contains formaldehyde, cyanide, and nearly undetectable levels of saxitoxin.”

“Crazy,” tweeted Elon Musk.

Pershing Square Capital Management founder Bill Ackman
wrote, “This is beyond absurd. The @nytimes says @RobertKennedyJr ‘was wrong’ about Froot Loops having too many artificial ingredients compared to its Canadian version, and then goes on to explain the artificial colorings and preservatives in the U.S. vs the Canadian version. @RobertKennedyJr is right and The NY Times is an embarrassment.”

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R)
noted, “In their defense, their comedy writers are really strong.”

The Times has since blamed an “editing error” and rewritten its Orwellian paragraph to read:

Mr. Kennedy has singled out Froot Loops as an example of a product with too many ingredients. In an interview with MSNBC on Nov. 6, he questioned the overall ingredient count: ‘Why do we have Froot Loops in this country that have 18 or 19 ingredients and you go to Canada and it has two or three?’ Mr. Kennedy asked. He was wrong on the ingredient count, they are roughly the same. But the Canadian version does have natural colorings made from blueberries and carrots while the U.S. product contains red dye 40, yellow 5 and blue 1 as well as Butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, a lab-made chemical that is used ‘for freshness, according to the ingredient label.

The New York Times’ credibility has taken a massive hit in recent months and years. After all, it was an
exponent of the Russian collusion hoax; falsely claimed Trump supporters killed U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick with a fire extinguisher; falsely reported on the basis of terrorist propaganda that Israel blew up a Gazan hospital; and suggested that the Babylon Bee, a satire website, was a “far-right misinformation site.”

Despite its trouble getting the facts right, it recently
teamed up with Media Matters to get BlazeTV hosts censored, citing concerns over “misinformation.”

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Whoopi Goldberg, an outspoken — and well compensated — co-host of left-wing talk show “The View,” was called woefully out of touch with the struggles of everyday Americans after saying on air last week that “I appreciate that people are having a hard time. Me too. I work for a living.”

Goldberg — whose 2016 contract extension with “The View” reportedly was in the $5 to $6 million range — added that “if I had all the money in the world, I would not be here, OK? So I’m a working person, you know? … I know it’s hard out there.”

‘Not everybody wakes up every day thinking about politics. A good businessperson doesn’t care about anyone’s politics.’

As it turns out, that controversy seems minor compared to what Goldberg also whipped up on the show last week.

Goldberg celebrated her 69th birthday Wednesday on “The View” by sharing a tray of Charlotte Russe sponge cakes — and added that “the place that made these refused to make them for me,” the Associated Press reported. “They said that their ovens had gone down … but folks went and got them anyway, which is why I’m not telling you who made them.”

She also said, “It’s not because I’m a woman, but perhaps they did not like my politics,” the AP noted.

Goldberg is a well-known, unabashed leftist. During the first episode of “The View” after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Democrat Kamala Harris earlier this month, Goldberg — sitting at the show’s table with her co-hosts, some of whom were dressed in black as if for a funeral — acknowledged that Trump is “now the president” but then declared: “I’m still not gonna say his name.”

Jill Holtermann — owner of Holtermann’s Bakery, a 145-year-old dessert institution on Staten Island, New York — confirmed that Goldberg was talking about her establishment on “The View,” the AP reported. But Holtermann said Goldberg’s order wasn’t filled due to equipment issues, not because of politics, the outlet noted.

Goldberg in a follow-up Instagram video doubled down, saying that “it does seem a little odd that when we called a few weeks before my birthday, and we were told they couldn’t process the order for my birthday because of an equipment failure, but somehow they were able to accept an order of a different 48 of the same dessert when somebody else called without using my name.”

The New York Times, citing an individual familiar with both pastry orders, reported that the bakery accepted the same order “a few days later” when it was placed without saying it was for Goldberg.

However, Republican Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella — without mentioning Goldberg’s name — said during a Friday news conference that she “besmirched and defamed” the bakery by “making stuff up to suit their needs,” the AP reported.

“Not everybody wakes up every day thinking about politics,” he added, according to the outlet. “A good businessperson doesn’t care about anyone’s politics.”

Fossella said the bakery’s decades-old boiler had malfunctioned and had to be replaced, so the store didn’t want to commit to making a large order it couldn’t fill, the AP reported, adding that he suggested, “Just say you’re sorry so we can put this behind us.”

‘Goldberg and ABC would be wise to apologize on the air to the bakery on Monday.’

Holtermann during the same news conference said her bakery has been flooded with orders since the dust-up went public — and that she’s thankful for the support, the outlet noted.

“I know how hard my family has worked to keep this business alive,” she said, according to the AP. “I wish my father was here today to see this.”

You can check out a short video report here about the controversy.

Representatives for Goldberg didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday, the outlet noted.

Jonathan Turley — the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University — wrote a Sunday op-ed for Fox News saying a defamation suit against Goldberg could be a “piece of cake.”

“Some have said that the fact that Goldberg did not name Holtermann’s Bakery means she cannot be sued. That is wrong,” Turley noted before later adding that “the failure to name a party in an otherwise defamatory context is not a defense to defamation.”

Turley also said Goldberg using the word “perhaps” before noting “they did not like my politics” doesn’t reduce her statement to “a mere opinion. This is a common misunderstanding. Often, people will say ‘in my opinion’ and then follow with a defamatory statement. It is not treated as an opinion if it is stated as a fact.”

“Goldberg and ABC would be wise to apologize on the air to the bakery on Monday,” Turley also wrote.

There was no reported indication that an apology occurred on Monday’s episode.

Here’s video of the Staten Island news conference defending the bakery:

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A law requiring voters to present identification in one California city has overcome a major obstacle after a judge tossed a state lawsuit against it.

On Friday, Orange County Superior Court Judge Nico Dourbetas granted a motion to dismiss the lawsuit against Huntington Beach filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta earlier this year. The lawsuit challenged the validity of Measure A, an amendment to the city charter that requires voter ID for municipal elections beginning in 2026 and that passed with 53% of the vote, the LA Times reported.

Bonta previously argued that Measure A “disproportionately burdens low-income voters, voters of color, young or elderly voters, and people with disabilities.”

The lawsuit also claimed it violates SB1174, which bars all local governments in California from “requiring a person to present identification for the purpose of voting or submitting a ballot.” Far-left Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law in late September.

But Dourbetas ruled that the Huntington Beach ordinance and state law are not in “conflict.”

“The City’s Charter is permissive … and thus currently presents no conflict with state elections law,” he said, according to the Orange County Register.

‘We anticipate this fight isn’t over.’

Huntington Beach officials have since praised the ruling.

City Attorney Michael Gates called it “a massive black eye to the state of California.”

“What the state of California needs to know, if they haven’t found out already, is Huntington Beach is not going to be intimidated or deterred,” he said in a statement.

Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark claimed that her city and the judge’s ruling stood up to “attacks by Governor Newsom and the State.”

“This is a great day for our City,” she and other officials said in a collective statement, according to the Times.

However, they likewise acknowledged that an appeal is likely.

“We anticipate this fight isn’t over,” Gates said.

“We will not back down and will continue to fight for the City,” added Van Der Mark.

Indeed, AG Bonta’s office indicated as much in a statement about the ruling on Friday. “The court’s decision does not address the merits of the case. We continue to believe that Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy clearly conflicts with state law, and will respond appropriately in court,” the statement said.

This is hardly the first time Huntington Beach, a Republican stronghold in otherwise purple Orange County, has defied woke policies in California. Folks there fought back against lockdown measures in 2020 and voted in March to outlaw the Pride flag on municipal buildings.

Earlier this month, they elected Lisa Lane Barnes to serve as city clerk. Lane Barnes, who was endorsed by the Republican Party of Orange County, made voter ID a central campaign issue.

H/T: Mario Nawfal

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The Biden-Harris administration’s Department of Justice has quietly and mysteriously dropped the charges against two Jordanian nationals who allegedly attempted to breach a Virginia military base in May.

Hasan Yousef Hamdan and Mohammad Khair Dabous, both in the country illegally, were accused of attempting to enter Quantico Marine Corps Base near Triangle, Virginia, while posing as Amazon delivery drivers, Blaze News previously reported.

‘This whole case is more than curious.’

After they failed to produce access credentials, guards instructed the men to wait in a holding area for a secondary inspection. Instead of following the directive, the men reportedly attempted to proceed into the military base. Guards swiftly deployed vehicle denial barriers and prevented the men from entering.

One of the Jordanian nationals illegally crossed the southern border approximately a month before the incident, and the other man allegedly overstayed a student visa. Due to their illegal immigration status, the men were previously turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but they were released from federal custody.

The two men were facing misdemeanor trespassing charges after the May incident. However, in July, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia ordered their release on the condition that they attend their immigration proceedings and avoid military installations, Blaze News previously reported. They were released from detention after posting bail for their alleged crimes.

On Friday, the Washington Times reported that the Justice Department “quietly dismissed the charges” against Hamdan and Dabous.

The U.S. attorney in eastern Virginia dropped the charges in the interest of “the ends of justice,” which the Times referred to as “boilerplate language” that failed to reveal any details about the decision.

Lawyers for the two men blamed the incident on a language barrier, claiming that Dabous was attempting to complete a delivery when he failed to understand the guard’s instructions.

The Times reported that by September, it appeared prosecutors believed the event was a misunderstanding, yet they did not move to have the charges dropped until October 3.

Todd Bensman, a senior national security fellow for the Center for Immigration Studies, told the Times, “This whole case is more than curious.”

“The government had many, many opportunities to dispel the notion that there was something more nefarious about this than met the eye. And they took a pass every time,” he noted.

Congress requested more information about the incident, but according to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.), the Biden-Harris administration has been “delinquent” in answering lawmakers’ questions.

Green told the Times, “We are aware that one of these men entered through the southwest border, claimed asylum, and was released into the interior just a month prior to the incident at Quantico.”

“The circumstances surrounding this event remain concerning, and I urge the Biden-Harris administration to respond without further delay to Congress and the American people,” he said.

The U.S. attorney’s office and Hamdan’s lawyer declined a request for comment from the Times. Dabous’ legal representation did not respond to the news outlet’s request.

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Jose Ibarra, the suspected murderer of University of Georgia student Laken Riley, is currently on trial for the gruesome crime that shocked the nation as it highlighted the impacts of the border crisis created by the Biden-Harris administration.

Sources at the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Ibarra is a member of Tren de Aragua, NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley reported. The New York Post made a similar report back in March.

TDA is a gang that formed in Venezuela and has largely controlled the black market in the country as it declined under socialist policies. Gang members have also reportedly acted as enforcers for the Venezuelan government against its perceived enemies.

The gang has been connected to murders, violent thefts, extortions, and human trafficking rings as members have expanded their area of operations.

Ibarra, like many other Venezuelans, took advantage of United States’ open border and illegally crossed into El Paso, Texas, in 2022. He was released into the country, where he eventually ended up in New York City. While there, he was arrested for lesser crimes but was released before U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could put a detainer on him.

A roommate of Ibarra and his brother, who is also a member of TDA, testified they were able to get from New York City to Athens, Georgia, in September 2023 by going to the Roosevelt Hotel, where they received a “humanitarian flight.”

“On January 20th, the protection of criminal illegal aliens in America ENDS once and for all,” President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign said on Monday in response to the revelation.

Prosecutors are calling Riley’s murder a crime of opportunity. Ibarra allegedly encountered her while she was out for a jog near the college. Data from Riley’s smartwatch revealed she fought off her attacker for almost 20 minutes before he apparently used a rock to crush her skull.

TDA has been in the news since the gang came to prominence in late 2023. The gang has been connected to murders, violent thefts, extortions, and human trafficking rings as members have expanded their areas of operation. Before the border crisis started in 2021, TDA mostly stayed within South America, having followed other Venezuelans who escaped their crippled nation.

TDA is present in states such as Texas, New York, Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, and Illinois.

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The Department of Defense failed its seventh consecutive annual audit on Friday, revealing that it cannot fully account for its over $824 billion budget.

The nation’s largest government agency has been required to run yearly audits since the 1990s but only began doing so in 2018. The Pentagon has failed every single one of these reviews, which are carried out by independent auditors and the department’s Office of Inspector General.

‘I have zero tolerance for fraud, waste, and abuse.’

The DOD’s leadership has fully anticipated its repeated audit failures, stating that the agency aims to pass for the first time by 2028, as required by the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.

This year’s audit resulted in a disclaimer of opinion, meaning the agency failed to provide auditors with sufficient information to form an accurate opinion.

Of the DOD’s 28 reporting entities, nine received an unmodified opinion, one received a qualified opinion, 15 received disclaimers, and three opinions remain pending, according to the agency.

Despite the Pentagon’s repeated failures, Michael McCord, under secretary of defense comptroller and chief financial officer, claimed that the agency “has turned a corner in its understanding of the depth and breadth of its challenges.”

“Momentum is on our side, and throughout the Department there is strong commitment — and belief in our ability — to achieve an unmodified audit opinion,” he claimed.

McCord said that the DOD anticipated receiving a disclaimer of opinion but rejected the notion that the agency “failed” yet another annual audit.

“I do not say we failed, as I said, we have about half clean opinions. We have half that are not clean opinions,” McCord told reporters on Friday. “So if someone had a report card that is half good and half not good, I don’t know that you call the student or the report card a failure. We have a lot of work to do, but I think we’re making progress.”

McCord emphasized that to achieve a clean audit by 2028, the DOD must “make enormous progress,” but he believes the goal is within reach.

“Is 2028 achievable? I believe so,” he stated. “But we do have to keep getting faster and keep getting better.”

In response to the latest audit results, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated, “While we have made real progress in our annual audit, there are several areas where we need to work harder and achieve better results. I am deeply committed to transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds, both central to our mission to defend our country.”

“I have zero tolerance for fraud, waste, and abuse — in the Pentagon or elsewhere in the Department,” Austin continued. “The Department is grateful to Congress for supporting our mission and strengthening America’s defense. Yet, there is still much more to do. We must account for every taxpayer dollar and present a clean financial bill of health to the American people.”

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Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was swiftly fined by the NBA for making a joke during a postgame interview that the league deemed “derogatory.”

After a 115-114 nail-biting victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on November 16, Ball was asked for his comments on the final play of the game.

“What did you see right here when Giannis [Antetokounmpo] took that shot and everyone was underneath the basket for that rebound?” a reporter asked the 23-year-old.

After confirming what the reporter said, Ball responded with his $100,000 answer.

“We loaded up — no homo — that’s what we wanted. Put the hand up and then live with the results,” the point guard replied.

It didn’t take long for NBA officials to push out a press release calling Ball’s joke “offensive” and slapping him with the whopping fine.

“Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for making an offensive and derogatory comment in a postgame interview, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” the league wrote.

— (@)

‘… I don’t discriminate.’

The next day, head coach Charles Lee said the organization “obviously” does not condone Ball’s language.

“Our standards and what is required of our players in our environment that we create is really important to us,” the coach claimed during a press conference. “I spoke to Melo and he’s obviously very apologetic from what I’ve seen since I’ve been around him. He loves everyone and he’s a joy to have around in the facility, and that’s not typically how he operates.”

The coach added that his star player now knows “what’s going to be expected of him” and claimed Ball wants to “be better” going forward.

According to TMZ, Ball told journalists following Sunday’s 128-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that he “really didn’t mean anything” by the remark and that he doesn’t “want to offend anybody.”

“I’ve got love for everybody … and I don’t discriminate,” Ball reportedly added.

The fifth-year player is averaging 29.7 points per game in 2024-2025 and is in the first year of a five-year contract extension that has him averaging over $40 million per season.

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UFC legend and champion Jon Jones made it a point to make his faith and pride in America front and center after retaining his championship.

On Saturday, Jones defended his heavyweight belt against former champion Stipe Miocic in a three-round TKO win at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Following Jones’ win, announcer Joe Rogan quickly asked about how his opponent stacked up against previous title challengers.

“It’s very discouraging to hit somebody that’s not reacting,” Jones said of Miocic, praising his resilience and toughness.

Rogan then got the crowd screaming when he asked about a possible fight between Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall. Jones took advantage of the crowd’s enthusiasm.

“You know what? While I got the moment, while everybody’s cheering and so happy, I want to acknowledge Jesus Christ,” Jones said to a large roar.

“I tell you what, man. I cannot take credit for a gift like this, man. I really owe it all to him, and I know that there’s millions of people around the world watching right now, and I just want to let you guys know that Jesus loves you so much! That’s all I’ll say about that,” Jones added.

UFC/YouTUbe

‘I’m proud to be a great American champion.’

Jones also praised President Donald Trump — who was ringside for the main card — and emulated the politician’s famous dance moves both immediately after his victory and again during his interview with Rogan.

Jones pointed to the president and said, “I also want to say a big, big thank-you to President Donald Trump for being here tonight.”

“I’m proud to be a great American champion; I’m proud to be a Christian American champion,” he continued.

Jones is likely the biggest UFC star ever to put such focus on his Christianity on such a big stage, and he did so multiple times.

Along with starting a massive “U-S-A!” chant in the arena, the timing of Jones’ comments seemed perfect given the energy of the crowd and the presence of the Trump family and entourage.

Former Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and musician Kid Rock all surrounded Trump throughout the night.

Jones later exited the cage to shake hands with Trump and Elon Musk, who was also in the audience.

Another Christian and Trump supporter, lightweight Michael Chandler, fought in the stunning co-main event. However, his post-fight remarks were limited to calling out UFC legend Conor McGregor, asking him when he will return to the Octagon.

“Are you not entertained?!” Chandler yelled. “We’re wondering where you’ve been, Conor, come back and beat me!”

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The Biden administration has reportedly cleared Ukraine to use American long-range missile systems against targets in Russia — a move long
urged by Ukrainian officials, resisted by U.S. officials concerned about escalation, and identified by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a trigger for a direct conflict between NATO and Russia.

Background

In February, President Joe Biden
secretly signed off on the transfer of the Army Tactical Missile Systems to Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Garron Garn told CNN that following Biden’s approval, the ATACMS were included in the $300 million aid package announced on March 12 then delivered the following month.

The American-made supersonic missiles have a range of up to 190 miles. Ukraine also has British-made Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of 155 miles.

The U.S. has blocked the use of such weapons in recent months over fears of escalation. However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken
revealed in September that the Biden administration was considering clearing Ukraine to start lobbing them into Russia, citing the need to adjust and adapt “as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed.”

Putin, whose nation has over
5,000 nuclear warheads and boasts a supersonic missile with a range of 625 miles, responded to Blinken’s suggestion by telling a reporter, “It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia.”

Putin, who invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, claims the use of ATACMS would constitute direct action on the part of the U.S. because American satellite reconnaissance would allegedly be necessary for successful missile strikes. He
noted in June, “Ukrainian servicemen cannot do everything on their own and strike with this missile. They are simply technologically incapable of doing this.”

He equated an ATACMS strike as the work of the Pentagon and a Storm Shadow strike as the work of the British government.

Escalation

According to Reuters, two American officials and a third source familiar with the decision confirmed that the Biden administration has cleared Ukraine to employ the missiles internationally and that the first of the long-range missile strikes are expected to take place in the coming days.

A U.S. official
told CNN that the missiles will likely hit targets in the Kursk region of Russia, where Kyiv launched its summer counteroffensive and where Moscow recently deployed nearly 50,000 troops, including North Korean soldiers.

According to one official, the decision to authorize the use of the ATACMS was driven in part by the recent involvement of the North Korean troops in the fighting.

‘This is an impeachable offense.’

By maintaining a foothold in Kursk with the help of long-range missiles, Ukraine might be in a
better bargaining position in January should Trump bring Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy and Putin to the negotiating table. The New York Times indicated that Ukrainians hope to be able to trade territory in Kursk for Ukrainian territory presently occupied by Russian forces.

Reaction

Zelenskyy
noted Sunday evening, “I am deeply grateful to all our partners who support us with air defense systems and missiles. This is a truly global effort.”

“The plan for strengthening Ukraine is the Victory Plan that I presented to our partners. One of its key elements is providing our army with long-range capabilities,” continued Zelenskyy. “There’s been much said in the media today that we have received approval to take relative actions. But strikes are not carried out with words. These things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves.”

Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov
told Russian state media, “If such a decision was really formulated and brought to the attention of the Kyiv regime, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of tension and a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict.”

The Washington Post
noted that the decision was not altogether unexpected in Moscow.

“The standoff will become even fiercer, and the talks will become more difficult,” said Andrei Kartapolov, a former Russian Army officer and chairman of the parliamentary defense committee. “We expected them to escalate before the end of Biden’s office — that was completely obvious.”

The Biden administration’s decision, which comes with only months remaining in the Democratic president’s term, amounts to a significant escalation that has various adversarial nations, especially China — whose alliance with Russia has
grown considerably since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — paying close attention.

‘Ukraine can’t properly defend itself if one hand is tied behind its back.’

There are presently tens of thousands of North Korean troops engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces. North Korea not only has a
defense treaty with Russia but a firm mutual defense pact with China.

Despite its defense obligations, China has emphasized that North Korea’s presence in Ukraine is its “own business” and has signaled a reluctance to get directly bogged down in the conflict. Nevertheless, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian desperately impressed upon his American counterparts the need for de-escalation.

Responding to reports that the U.S. has cleared the use of the Army Tactical Missile System by Ukraine against Russia-based targets, Lin Jian, the spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry,
stated, “China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear, and an early ceasefire and pursuit of a political solution are in the interests of all parties. Promoting a de-escalation of the situation as soon as possible is the top priority.”

The Chinese regime also insisted that Russia, which executed a large-range missile and drone attack against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure over the weekend, should similarly pursue de-escalation.

Some American lawmakers have expressed support for Ukraine’s use of the missiles, including Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who
stated, “Biden’s decision to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of ATACMS in Russia is long-awaited progress. But it’s critical that authorized targets include Russian oil refineries, which pump out the lifeblood of the Kremlin’s war machine.”

Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker (R) similarly expressed optimism over the development,
stating Sunday, “If initial press reports are true, I am encouraged at the prospect of allowing Ukraine to use long-range ATACM missiles supplied by the U.S.”

Republican Rep. Mike Turner (Ohio)
wrote, “Ukraine can’t properly defend itself if one hand is tied behind its back. Today’s news that the Biden Administration is finally allowing Ukraine to use some U.S.-provided ATACMS to strike limited targets within Russian territory is long overdue.”

Turner stressed the need to “put pressure on Vladimir Putin” ahead of Trump taking office.

Other American lawmakers are less than enthused over the prospect of a shooting war with Russia.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)
tweeted, “By authorizing long range missiles to strike inside Russia, Biden is committing an unconstitutional Act of War that endangers the lives of all U.S. citizens. This is an impeachable offense, but the reality is he’s an emasculated puppet of a deep state.”

Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale (R)
wrote, “American long range missiles being used to attack Russia? As many as 12,000 North Korean troops staged in Russia. When will Congress reclaim its authority and stop this proxy war we are entangled in?!”

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Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” announced Monday they had met with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last week in an effort to reopen the lines of communication for the first time in seven years.

Scarborough and Brzezinski, who are married, told the audience that although they disagree with Trump on most issues, they felt it was important to speak with him following the “five years of political warfare” that has divided our country. Notably, this announcement was made after the network’s viewership has reportedly plummeted by a double-digit percentage drop since Election Day.

‘Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different, and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him.’

“Over the past week, Joe and I have heard from so many people, from political leaders to regular citizens deeply dismayed by several of President-elect Trump’s Cabinet selections, and they are scared,” Brzezinski said. “Last Thursday, we expressed our own concerns on this broadcast and even said we would appreciate the opportunity to speak with the president-elect himself.

“On Friday, we were given the opportunity to do just that,” Brzezinski continued. “Joe and I went to Mar-a-Lago to meet personally with President-elect Trump. It was the first time we have seen him in seven years.”

The co-hosts have been some of Trump’s most vocal critics for nearly a decade, as well as frequently hosting prominent Democratic lawmakers on their platform. Despite their differences, Scarborough and Brzezinski noted it was their job as commentators to set aside their disagreements.

“Now, we talked about a lot of issues, including abortion, mass deportation, threats of political retribution against political opponents and media outlets,” Scarborough said. “We talked about that a good bit. And it’s gonna come as no surprise to anybody who watches this show, has watched it over the past year or over the past decade, that we didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of issues. And we told him so.”

“What we did agree on was to restart communications,” Brzezinski said.

The co-hosts also emphasized Trump’s desire to work across the aisle with Democrats and to mend the division our country has experienced over the years.

“My father often spoke with world leaders with whom he and the United States profoundly disagreed,” Brzezinski continued. “That’s a task shared by reporters and communicators alike.”

“In this meeting, President Trump was tearful. He was upbeat. He seemed interested in finding common ground with Democrats on some of the most divisive issues,” Brzezinski said. “And for those asking why we would go speak to the president-elect during such fraught times, especially between us, I guess I would ask back, why wouldn’t we?”

Brzezinski went on to say that although they personally disagreed with Trump, they wanted to factor in the tens of millions of people who supported him.

“Five years of political warfare has deeply divided Washington and the country,” Brzezinski said. “We have been as clear as we know how in expressing our deep concerns about President Trump’s actions and words in the coarsening of public debate.”

“But for nearly 80 million Americans, election denialism, public trials, and January 6 were not as important as the issues that moved them to send Donald Trump back to the White House with their vote,” Brzezinski continued. “Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different, and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him.”

Trump also spoke to Fox News of the meeting, saying it was “extremely cordial.”

“In order to Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair, and open media or press,” Trump told Fox News.

“Many things were discussed, and I very much appreciated the fact that they wanted to have open communication,” he said. “In many ways, it’s too bad that it wasn’t done long ago.”

“And while many others are calling for meetings, I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding, or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly or even badly beyond comprehension,” Trump continued. “I am always looking to give a second and even third chance, but never willing to give a fourth chance — that is where I hold the line.”

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