The Trump administration has been moving full steam ahead, delivering on its promises in almost every sector. It’s hard to believe that it’s been only 200 days since Trump was sworn in to office in January. As Trump and his team move forward into the next three and a half years in office, it’s worth pausing to consider what he has accomplished in just the first 14% of his historic second presidency.

‘The Trump effect’

1. NVIDIA moves to invest $500 billion to build AI factories in Houston and Dallas.

2. Apple announces $500 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing.

3. TSMC commits $100 billion for U.S. chip manufacturing.

4. Project Stargate (SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, MGX) $500 billion venture targets expansion in the U.S. by 2029.

5. IBM commits $150 billion over five years to expand U.S. manufacturing.

6. Micron Technology invests $200 billion in U.S. memory chip manufacturing.

7. Intel commits to investing more than $100 billion to increase domestic chip manufacturing infrastructure.

8. Johnson & Johnson announces manufacturing, research and development, and technology investments totaling more than $55 billion over the next four years.

9. Roche commits to invest $50 billion in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics over the next five years.

10. Bristol Myers Squibb promises to invest $40 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

11. Eli Lilly and Company commits to raising its domestic investment by an additional $27 billion, adding greater manufacturing capacity.

12. The UAE’s ADQ and the U.S.’s Energy Capital Partners are set to invest $25 billion in power generation to keep up with data center needs.

13. Novartis, a Swiss drug manufacturer, expands its U.S. footprint with an investment of $23 billion over the next five years, creating an estimated 4,000 U.S. jobs.

14. Hyundai announces a total investment of $21 billion, including funding for a new Louisiana steel manufacturing mill.

15. John Deere pledges to invest $20 billion in the United States over the next decade to build and improve manufacturing facilities.

16. DAMAC Properties pledges a $20 billion investment focusing on developing data center infrastructure.

17. French company CMA CGM announces $20 billion in shipping and logistics investment in the U.S., creating an estimated 10,000 jobs.

18. Sanofi announces an intention to invest at least $20 billion in manufacturing and R&D.

19. Amazon invests $10 billion in building a new data center in North Carolina.

20. Amazon also invests $20 billion in expanding its cloud computing infrastructure in Pennsylvania, creating an estimated 1,250 jobs.

21. Venture Global LNG expands its investment with additional $18 billion in Louisiana.

22. Global Foundries announces an intention to spend $16 billion to expand U.S. chip production.

DOGE and bureaucracy reform

23. The Trump administration halts operations of Elizabeth Warren’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

24. According to a July 14, 2025, CNN analysis, at least 51,224 federal workers have been fired or targeted for firing. This includes:

25. Close to 10,000 (100%) employees were fired from USAID.

26. Close to 84.8% of the Agency for Global Media’s employees were fired, dismantling the agency.

27. Close to 3,500 employees (16.7%) of the FDA were fired.

28. Trump raises awareness with the DOGE’s mandate to root out the federal government’s waste, fraud, and abuse.

29. The Trump administration fires the head of Bureau of Labor Statistics.

30. Termination of the Federal Executive Institute.

31. Trump eliminates remote work option for federal employees.

32. Trump bans ESG policies to be considered in federal contracts in an executive order.

33. The Trump administration kills Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding.

34. National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service have been put on ice as a result.

DEI initiatives

35. Goldman Sachs ends its DEI policy.

36. IBM to eliminate DEI department.

37. Verizon shuts down DEI policies.

38. BlackRock drops its DEI goals.

39. State Department cuts DEI-based performance evaluations, returns to merit.

40. The Trump DOJ rescinds a Carter-era federal mandate focused on DEI hiring practices on August 1.

41. Trump roots out DEI initiatives from Foreign Service requirements.

42. Trump administration pushes for a national civics education program in his education executive order.

RELATED: New York Times makes big admission about Trump’s tariffs

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Immigration

43. Trump signs the Laken Riley Act.

44. Militarization of the southern border.

45. Alligator Alcatraz in Florida.

46. Speedway Slammer plans in Indiana.

47. ICE Nationwide crackdown, January 26.

48. ICE Colony Ridge operation.

49. ICE Operation Apex Predator.

50. ICE arrests 72 illegal aliens, including a suspected terrorist, in a major bust in Charleston, South Carolina.

51. ICE carries out a huge raid resulting in 361 illegal alien arrests and 14 children rescued in a Ventura County, California, cannabis farm bust.

52. ICE arrests a Tren de Aragua ringleader in one of the first New York City raids.

53. Requiring truckers to have English-language literacy.

54. ICE has deported over 300,000 illegal aliens, per Tom Homan.

55. Illegal aliens self-deport as part of Trump admin’s “Project Homecoming.”

Environment/climate

56. Proposal to end the Endangerment Finding regulation.

57. Withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.

58. EPA issues proposal to scrap Biden-era $1 trillion EV mandate.

59. Trump administration lays waste to environmental justice offices within government agencies.

60. EPA eliminates 455 DEI and environmental justice positions, ending Biden-era initiatives.

61. Trump issues executive order ending the forced federal purchase and use of paper straws.

62. EPA eases off on methane regulations as it considers scrapping them entirely.

63. Trump fast-tracks Hurricane Helene relief.

Energy

64. Trump ends liquefied natural gas export ban, approves two LNG projects in the U.S.

65. Trump establishes the National Energy Dominance Council to secure U.S. energy supremacy.

66. Trump issues executive order to help America to “drill, baby, drill.”

67. Trump signs an executive order called “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential” to develop the state’s natural resources for the benefit of the nation.

68. Trump revamps the coal industry with a new designation of coal as a mineral, thus unleashing the benefits of increased coal production in the United States.

69. Trump streamlines the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in order to pursue greater nuclear energy production.

70. Trump administration expands opportunities for offshore drilling, potentially including in the Arctic.

71. Trump calls for the revival of the Keystone XL pipeline, bringing it back into the public discourse.

RELATED: Sanctuary cities on DOJ’s list set to reap the whirlwind

Photo by SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images

Technology

72. The Trump administration announces America’s AI Action Plan.

73. The United States commits to supporting the export of U.S. AI models in order to promote American dominance in the industry.

74. Trump issues an executive order strengthening U.S. commitment to cybersecurity.

Education

75. Trump slashes the Department of Education.

76. The Supreme Court affirms Trump’s executive order cutting the Department of Education down to size.

77. Columbia and Brown are set to disclose admissions and race data in a groundbreaking deal with the president.

78. End of COVID-19 mandates in schools.

79. The Trump administration expands school choice for American families.

80. Trump issues executive order attacking the teaching of critical race theory in schools.

81. In the same order, Trump mandates that the funding be pulled from any public schools teaching radical gender ideologies.

Gender issues

82. NCAA changes its policy to allow only women to compete in women’s sports following Trump’s February 5 executive order.

83. Trump makes it the U.S. government’s official policy that there are only two sexes.

84. U.S. government restricts sports visas for transgenders, reaffirming strict policy.

85. The U.S. Olympic Committee bans men from women’s sports.

Justice

86. Trump grants unconditional pardons to virtually all January 6 protesters.

87. Trump issues executive order restricting birthright citizenship.

88. Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on transgender surgeries for minors.

89. Supreme Court upholds Texas law requiring age verification for pornographic websites.

90. Supreme Court blocks nationwide injunctions against birthright citizenship executive order.

91. Supreme Court affirms right of South Carolina to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid program.

92. Executive order restricting transgender procedures for minors.

Economy

The Department of Commerce released the first GDP report at the end of April, which signaled strong economic momentum building under Trump’s leadership.

93. The core GDP grew 3%.

94. Consumer spending outpaced government spending by 3.2 percentage points, the strongest figure since the second quarter of 2022.

95. Gross domestic investment soared 22% in the first quarter.

96. The Trump administration creates the U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund.

One Big Beautiful Bill Act

97. Green energy tax credit phase-outs.

98. Repeal of certain Inflation Reduction Act provisions.

99. Rescinding de minimis import tariff exemptions from low-value goods.

100. Medicaid reform.

101. SNAP reform.

102. $50 billion Rural Hospital Fund to buffer Medicaid changes.

103. $150 billion in military infrastructure spending.

104. $170 billion in border enforcement and ICE funding by 2029.

105. Pell Grant revisions starting July 2026.

106. Trump Accounts.

107. “No Tax on Tips” tax reductions.

108. Agriculture provisions add $66 billion to farm programs.

RELATED: Ratcliffe releases damning Durham annex. Here’s what it reveals about Obama-Clinton Russia collusion hoax.

Subpoenas

109. The House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for several former high-profile federal officials. They will be deposed over the coming months:

110. Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr: August 18.

111. Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: August 26.

112. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: August 28.

113. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller: September 2.

114. Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch: September 9.

115. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: September 30.

116. Former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland: October 2.

117. Former FBI Director James Comey: October 7.

118. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: October 9.

119. Former President Bill Clinton: October 14.

Intelligence releases

120. Trump orders the release of MLK Jr. Files in an “unprecedented” move.

121. The Russiagate hoax is exposed with bombshell evidence.

122. Trump orders the release of a trove of documents in the JFK files.

123. The Trump administration drops 10,000 intelligence files related to the assassination of RFK.

Foreign investment

124. The United Arab Emirates commits to $1.4 trillion investment over the next decade.

125. The U.S. and Qatar sign $1.2 trillion economic exchange agreement.

126. Japan signals its intention to increase investment in the United States to over $1 trillion in the future.

127. Saudi Arabia commits $600 billion in investment in the United States.

128. Taiwan pledges to boost its investments in the United States.

Tariffs and trade deals

129. Trade deal framework with the U.K.

130. 90-day tariff “truce” with China.

131. EU trade deal.

132. Japan trade deal.

133. South Korea trade deal.

134. Taiwan trade deal.

135. Vietnam trade deal.

136. Philippines trade deal.

Pro-life

137. Trump grants unconditional pardons to 23 pro-life protesters convicted under the FACE Act during the Biden administration.

138. Trump enforces the Hyde Amendment, cutting off federal funds for abortions through EO 14182.

139. Vice President JD Vance attends the March for Life in Washington, D.C., and delivers a pro-natalist message to attendees.

International affairs

140. The U.S. plays a crucial role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

141. The U.S. plays a key role in securing peace between Cambodia and Thailand, following the violent conflict that erupted between the two countries.

142. The Gulf of Mexico is renamed to the Gulf of America.

143. Imposition of sanctions on the International Criminal Court, reasserting national sovereignty.

144. Trump announces that the U.S. will be ceasing all funding of and participation with UNESCO.

145. Trump pulls support and membership from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

146. Trump envoy successfully negotiates release of wrongfully detained Washington man in Venezuela.

147. At least 37 hostages have been rescued from countries including Afghanistan, Israel, Russia, and Kuwait since Trump’s inauguration.

148. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commemorates the massacre at Tiananmen Square on its 36th anniversary.

149. U.S. expands partnership with Panama in securing the Panama Canal.

150. U.S. Army sees a huge increase in military recruitment numbers.

151. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issues Army Overhaul directive, a forced restructuring of the military.

152. Trump administration issues ban on transgenders in the military.

153. Trump withdraws the United States from the World Health Organization.

154. Russia releases American Marc Fogel in a one-for-one prisoner exchange.

RELATED: Trump threatens Putin with ‘very severe’ tariffs as peace talks take a turn

Cultural issues

155. Restoring the name of Mount McKinley.

156. Reinstatement of Moses Ezekiel statue at Arlington National Cemetery.

157. Renaming of USS Harvey Milk to Oscar V. Peterson.

158. Renaming of Fort Bragg.

159. Renaming of Fort Hood.

160. The Robert E. Lee monument in Charleston, South Carolina, torn down in 2021, will be reinstalled according to the American Heritage Association’s plans.

161. The statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, torn down during the BLM protests, will be restored and reinstalled in Washington, D.C., per Trump’s executive orders.

162. Trump donates his salary to the White House Historical Association, furthering the beautification efforts of the White House.

163. Mel Gibson, John Voight, Sylvester Stallone named ambassadors to Hollywood.

164. Trump establishes the White House Task Force in preparation for the Unites States hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics.

165. Melania Trump’s Be Best initiative.

166. Melania Trump helps push the Take It Down Act.

167. New White House ballroom.

168. New White House patio.

169. New White House flagpoles beautify the grounds.

Religion

170. Brian Burch appointed U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

171. FBI exposed for spying on Catholics.

172. Establishment of the Religious Liberty Commission.

173. DOJ helps kill anti-Catholic Washington Senate bill.

174. Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias order.

175. Office of Personnel Management issues order affirming right of federal workers to share Christian faith.

176. Trump delivers his Holy Week message, in sharp contrast to Biden’s Day of Transgender Visibility.

177. Trump establishes the White House Faith Office.

Second Amendment rights

178. Trump issues executive order entitled “Protecting Second Amendment Rights,” reaffirming Americans’ right to keep and bear arms.

179. The ATF replaces Biden-era’s 2021 Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy, also known as the “Zero Tolerance Policy,” with an updated policy.

180. Trump shutters the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

181. Trump says, “The gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do,” following an FSU shooting in April.

182. HHS removes the surgeon general advisory that described gun violence as a public health crisis.

Make America Healthy Again

183. The Make America Healthy Again Commission is created in February 2025.

184. RFK Jr. bans Red Dye No. 3, to take effect in 2027.

185. FDA commits to phasing out six food dyes (FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2) from the food supply by 2026-2027.

186. The Department of Health and Human Services cancels 22 mRNA vaccine research contracts totaling nearly $500 million.

187. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fires all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a politicized panel of Biden appointees affiliated with the CDC.

188. Starbucks plans to replace canola oil with avocado oil in its egg bites.

189. Blue Bell ice cream commits to remove food dyes by the end of 2027.

190. Steak ‘n Shake moves to 100% all-natural beef tallow and begins using 100% Grade A Wisconsin butter, replacing its seed-oil-ridden “buttery blend.”

191. PepsiCo commits to remove artificial ingredients from several products by the end of the year.

192. Mars Wrigley removes titanium dioxide, a food additive, from the Skittles ingredients list.

193. McCormick announced that it will no longer use certain food dyes in its products.

194. In-N-Out announced it will no longer use synthetic food dyes and artificial flavors in its food.

195. Tyson Foods moves away from synthetic dyes in its products.

196. Sam’s Club commits to removing 40 harmful ingredients from its private-label brand, Member’s Mark.

197. Kraft Heinz announced it will remove artificial dyes from its domestic products.

198. Nestle is set to remove all FD&C food dyes from its products by the middle of next year.

199. J.M. Smucker will remove synthetic colors from its food products by the end of 2027.

200. Hershey will no longer use synthetic dyes in its products, planning to phase them out by 2027.

While many people are quick to criticize Trump, it’s impossible to take these accomplishments away from him. The next three years hold so many possibilities for the work left to do, and the world watches as Trump continues to add to his already impressive legacy. Here’s to the next 86% of President Donald Trump’s term.

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The House Oversight Committee issued deposition subpoenas on Tuesday to the Department of Justice as well as to a number of high-profile former government officials “for testimony related to horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein.”

Among those whom Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) subpoenaed was Robert Mueller.

‘I’m not going to mock this man.’

There are mounting doubts over whether Mueller — who was FBI director when child sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein received immunity from federal prosecution through a non-prosecution agreement — will be able to testify before the committee.

If accurate, the basis of these doubts serves to vindicate the second of two diagnoses Blaze Media co-founder Mark Levin accurately made in the same segment six years ago.

Then

Mueller was appointed in May 2017 to oversee the DOJ’s investigation into allegations of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. His final report, which was released in April 2019, stated that the “investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”

Following the publication of his report, Mueller testified before the House Judiciary Committee. It was a total disaster.

During the hearing, the former special counsel stuttered, blanked on critical pieces of information about his investigation, and struggled to hear questions.

RELATED: House Republicans subpoena Clintons, ex-DOJ officials in Epstein probe

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

After watching the hearing, Levin suggested that the former special counsel might have “onset dementia.”

“Look, I’ve seen people with onset dementia. I’m not going to mock this man,” Levin told “Fox & Friends.” “He obviously shouldn’t have been there. He should’ve never headed this investigation. I’m not making allegations. I’m not trying to be provocative, but the idea that Rod Rosenstein appointed this man to head the office is an outrage.”

In addition to suggesting that Mueller’s disastrous performance was the result of cognitive decline, Levin noted that “this is the greatest political scandal in American history, and it’s still going on, and it was led by Obama, and it was led by Hillary Clinton.”

‘Mueller was used by some very vicious people.’

After noting how the FBI spied on the Trump campaign and made good use out of the bogus Steele dossier, Levin said, “They were trying to kill off the Trump campaign. … This is Obama, Hillary, and their surrogates in law enforcement and in the intelligence agencies.”

In an apparent effort to maximize confidence in Mueller’s statements to Congress — including the former special counsel’s suggestion that his report did not exonerate the president — Newsweek hit Levin on his first claim.

The liberal publication suggested that there was no evidence that Mueller had dementia, that “there are no credible reports of Mueller being unwell in any way,” and that the allegation was part of an effort to “discredit the Mueller probe.”

Now

Both of Levin’s assertions appear to have been right on the money. Newsweek’s doubts, on the other hand, appear to have been misplaced.

Paul Sperry, a senior reporter at RealClearInvestigations, revealed on Tuesday that sources told him that Mueller “has been living in a memory-care facility for the past few years.”

Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) noted, “It was clear this is where things were heading when we questioned him before congress. Mueller was used by some very vicious people. I’m not sure he really ever knew what was happening in the investigation.”

When asked by the Daily Caller about whether Mueller was indeed in a memory-care facility, a spokesman for the Oversight Committee declined to comment.

‘More than vindication, I am disgusted and appalled by this.’

Levin’s other diagnosis concerning Obama and Clinton’s links to the Russia collusion hoax was also recently bolstered by documents declassified and shared by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

The Durham annex, declassified by Ratcliffe then published by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), revealed that the FBI was aware in 2016 of credible intelligence indicating that the Clinton campaign planned to smear Trump, falsely link him to Russia, then have the intelligence community carry the ball down the field.

RELATED: Ratcliffe releases damning Durham annex. Here’s what it reveals about Obama-Clinton Russia collusion hoax.

Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

The House Intelligence Committee majority staff report released last month by Gabbard revealed that the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment regarding imagined Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was a work of fiction, including comprising misquotes, unreliable reports, lies of omissions, and straight-out falsehoods.

As Levin deduced, Obama was directly involved — ordering the ICA in December — and the Steele dossier played a role, as it was incorporated in the assessment contrary to ex-CIA Director John Brennan’s 2023 statement to Congress.

Levin told Blaze News, “Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are responsible for the greatest attack on our Republic from within our government. And they colluded and conspired with the American media, who worked with them every step of the way.”

“More than vindication, I am disgusted and appalled by this and am thankful the administration is releasing internal government records and evidence and that a grand jury has been empaneled to criminally expose the reprobates who were involved,” continued Levin. “It is also about time that Obama and Clinton will be questioned under oath — or sure as hell better be!”

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President Trump and Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) are sounding the alarm over a Fortune 500 company and its CEO.

The president made a post on his Truth Social platform, just a day after Senator Cotton sent a letter to the company’s chairman citing worries about possible impacts on U.S. national security.

‘There is no other solution to this problem.’

Cotton sent a letter to Intel Chairman Frank D. Yeary, telling him that he is concerned with the “security and integrity of Intel’s operations” and the “potential impact on U.S. national security” in relation to the company’s new CEO.

“The new CEO of [Intel] reportedly has deep ties to the Chinese Communists,” Cotton wrote on X.

CEO Lip-Bu Tan was the recent CEO of Cadence Design Systems (2009-2021), a company that makes electronic design automation technology, Cotton pointed out. He added, “Cadence pleaded guilty to illegally selling its products to a Chinese military university and transferring its technology to an associated Chinese semiconductor company without obtaining licenses.”

The Republican senator followed that up with a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, asking him to rescind the ability of non-U.S. citizens to have access to Department of Defense systems.

On Thursday morning, the president was much more direct about what he wanted from the Intel CEO.

RELATED: Taiwan’s chip monopoly puts US security and economy at risk

“The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,” Trump said on Truth Social. “There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!”

According to the New York Post, Cotton’s letter revealed that Tan had invested at least $200 million across hundreds of Chinese firms between 2012 and 2024. The senator additionally asked if Tan had disclosed any remaining investments he had of a similar nature, due to the fact that Intel receives significant federal funding.

Cotton was referring to Intel being awarded $8.5 billion through President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act in 2024, along with about $11 billion in government loans. Intel brought Tan aboard only a few months ago, in March, replacing former CEO Pat Gelsinger, whom Intel’s board reportedly lost faith in.

RELATED: When China conquers Taiwan, it’ll have a near monopoly on the chips powering every gadget we own

— (@)

An Intel spokesperson told the Post that “Intel and Mr. Tan are deeply committed to the national security of the United States and the integrity of our role in the U.S. defense ecosystem.”

The company said it planned to address matters with Cotton, while the senator stated in his letter that he wants a response by August 15.

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If an MSNBC camera is rolling in Texas, it’ll likely be checking its surroundings for BlazeTV host Alex Stein from here on out, after Stein stumbled upon correspondent Ryan Chandler and interrupted his broadcast.

Stein came up from behind Chandler once he spotted the camera, and repeated “MSNBC sucks” until he was led away. Once they thought they were rid of Stein, he reappeared to say the same thing.

And while the left wasn’t happy, most people found it hilarious — including BlazeTV host Steve Deace.

“You guys know I’m a big advocate of the old Irish Catholic saying, ‘What the devil hates the most is to be mocked.’ So I love what Alex did there. I’m all in. And especially because he did it without any crudity, profanity, didn’t have to stoop to their level, and just said what, if you look at MSNBC’s ratings, most of the country already thinks,” Deace says.

“What Alex did there can often be a way more effective tactic than even the best multi-level argumentations we could possibly come up with on a show like this. Why? Because if it’s funny, people will let you be vicious in ways that they won’t let you be and they’ll be turned off by if it is logical,” he continues.

“It’s not the environment that I would prefer, but I don’t shape environments. I have to live in the environment in which we are in. If you make people laugh, if it’s funny, they will let you be vicious,” he adds.

One of the biggest reasons Deace believes that what Alex did is a winning strategy is because “that little interruption of MSNBC’s attempt at state-run programming will be seen by way more people” than if it were a group of the best 25 conservative podcasters discussing why MSNBC sucks.

“So that’s an example of ‘Yes, I do think mockery and ridicule of wickedness, evil, and dishonesty, I do think those tactics are biblical,’” Deace says.

“Taking that veneer of invincibility away, taking that fear away, mocking it, making it seem like, ‘You’re not that tough’ … in many respects, that is what Alex said there,” he adds.

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While Democratic lawmakers dig their heels in over a redistricting vote, the Trump administration is working to rein them in.

The FBI has agreed to work alongside Texas law enforcement to locate the dozens of Democrat state legislators who fled the Lone Star State, according to Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (Texas).

‘In Texas, there are consequences for your actions.’

In recent days, Texas Democrats have scattered across the United States in order to avoid a vote on redistricting congressional districts. Cornyn said these “rogue legislators” are ultimately avoiding their “constitutional duties,” prompting a federal response.

“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn said in a statement Thursday.

RELATED: Texas AG lays out 3 options for cowardly Democrats who fled redistricting vote

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

“I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas,” Cornyn added. “We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities.”

Blaze News reached out to the FBI, but the bureau ultimately declined to comment.

RELATED: Paxton launches investigation into O’Rourke group over alleged illegal funding of fleeing Dems

Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas also weighed in, confirming that the FBI will be working alongside law enforcement to track down the “derelict Democrats.”

“Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats,” Abbott said Thursday in a post on X. “They will be taken directly to the Texas Capitol. Those who received benefits for skipping a vote face removal from office and potential bribery charges. In Texas, there are consequences for your actions.”

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In the new edition of my 2025 book, “The Simulation Hypothesis,” I’ve updated my estimate of how likely we are to be in a simulation to approximately 70%, thanks to recent AI developments. This means we are almost certainly inside a virtual reality world like that depicted in “The Matrix,” the most talked-about film of the last year of the 20th century.

Even young people who weren’t born in 1999 tend to know the basic plot of this blockbuster: Neo (Keanu Reeves) thinks he’s living in the real world, working in a cubicle in a mega software corporation, only to discover, with the help of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), that he’s living inside a computer-generated world.

When we reach the simulation point, we would be capable of building something like ‘The Matrix’ ourselves, complete with realistic landscapes, avatars, and AI characters.

What makes me so sure that we are living in a simulation?

There are multiple reasons explored in the book, including a new way to explain quantum weirdness, the strange nature of time and space, information theory and digital physics, spiritual/religious arguments, and even an information-based way to explain glitches in the matrix.

AI am I?

However, even while discounting these other possible reasons we may be in a simulation, the main reason for my new estimate is the rapid advance of AI and virtual reality technology, combined with a statistical argument put forward by Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom in 2003. In the past few years, the rise of generative AI like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and X’s Grok has proceeded rapidly. We now not only have AI that has passed the Turing test, but we already have rudimentary AI characters living in the virtual world with whom we can interact.

One recent example is prompt-generated video from Google Veo. Recently, Google has introduced the ability to create realistic-looking videos on demand, complete with landscapes that are completely AI-generated and virtual actors speaking real lines of dialogue, all based on prompts. This has led to prompt theory, a viral phenomenon of AI-generated video of realistic characters exclaiming that they were definitely not generated by AI prompts.

Virtual situationship

Another recent example is the release of AI companions from Grok, which combine LLMs with a virtual avatar, leading to a new level of adoption of the rising wave of AI characters that are already serving as virtual friends, therapists, teachers, or even virtual lovers. The sexy anime girl in particular has led to thousands of memes of obsession with virtual characters. The graphics fidelity and responsiveness of these characters will improve — imagine the fidelity of the Google Veo videos combined with a virtual friend/boyfriend/girlfriend/assistant, who can pass what I call the Metaverse or virtual Turing test (described in my new book in detail).

RELATED: How Joe Rogan dismantled the Big Bang with one sentence — and made atheists squirm

Michael S. Schwartz / Contributor | Getty Images

All of this means we are getting closer than ever to the simulation point, a term I coined a few years ago as a kind of technological singularity. I define this as a theoretical point at which we can create virtual worlds that are indistinguishable from physical reality and AI beings that are indistinguishable from biological beings. In short, when we reach the simulation point, we would be capable of building something like “The Matrix” ourselves, complete with realistic landscapes, avatars, and AI characters.

Ancestor simulation

To understand why our progress in reaching this point might increase the likelihood that we are already in a simulation, we can build on the simulation argument that Bostrom proposed in his 2003 paper “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?”

Bostrom surmised that for a technological civilization like ours, there are only three possibilities when it comes to building highly realistic simulations of the past, which he called ancestor simulations. Each of these simulations would have realistic simulated minds, holding all of the information and computing power a biological brain might hold. We can think of having the capability of building these simulations as approximately similar to my definition of the simulation point.

The first two possibilities, which can be combined for practical purposes, are that no civilization ever reaches the simulation point (i.e., by destroying themselves or because it isn’t possible to create simulations), or that all such civilizations that reached this point decided not to build such sophisticated simulations.

The term “simulation hypothesis” was originally meant by Bostrom to refer to the third possibility, which was that “we are almost certainly living in a computer simulation.” The logic underlying this third scenario was that any such advanced civilization would be able to create entirely new simulated worlds with the click of a button, each of which could have billions (or trillions) of simulated beings indistinguishable from biological beings. Thus, the number of simulated beings would vastly outnumber the tally of biological beings. Statistically, then, if you couldn’t tell the difference, then you were (much) more likely to be a simulated being than a real, biological one.

Today’s AI developments have convinced me we are at least 67% likely to be able to reach the simulation point and possibly more than 70%.

Bostrom himself initially declined to put a percentage on this third option compared to the other two, saying only that it was one of three possibilities, implying a likelihood of 33.33% (and later changed his odds for the third possibility to be around 20%). Elon Musk used a variation of Bostrom’s logic in 2016 when he said the chances of us being in base reality (i.e. not in a simulation) were one in billions. He was implying that there might be billions of simulated worlds, but only one physical world. Thus, statistically, we are by far highly likely (99.99%+) in a simulated world.

What are the odds?

Others have weighed in on the issue, using variations of the argument, including Neil deGrasse Tyson, who put the percentage likelihood at 50%. Columbia scientist David Kipping, in a paper using Bayesian logic and Bostrom’s argument, came up with a similar figure of slightly less than 50/50.

Musk was relying on the improvement in video game technology and projecting it forward. This is what I do in detail in my book, where I lay out the 10 stages of getting to the simulation point, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), BCIs (brain-computer interfaces), AI, and more. It is the progress in these areas over the past few years that gives me the conviction that we are getting closer to the simulation point than ever before.

In my book, I argue that the percentage likelihood that we are in a simulation is based almost entirely on whether we can reach the simulation point. If we can never reach this point, then the chances are basically zero that we are in a simulation that was already developed by anyone else. If we can reach this point, then the chances of being in a simulation simply boil down to how far from this theoretical point we are, minus some uncertainty factor.

If we have already reached that point, then we can be 99% confident about being in a simulation. Even if we haven’t reached the simulation point (we haven’t, at least not yet), then the likelihood of the simulation hypothesis, Psim , basically simplifies down to Psimpoint, the confidence level we have that we can reach this point, minus some small, extra uncertainty factor (pu).

Psim » Psimpoint – pu

If we are 100% confident we can reach the simulation point, and the small factor pu is 1, then the likelihood of being in a simulation jumps up to 99%. Why? Per the earlier argument, if we can reach this point, then it is very likely that another civilization has already reached this point and that we are inside one of that civilization’s (many) simulations. pu is likely to be small because we have already built uncertainty into our Psimpoint for any value less than 100%.

A matter of capabilities

So in the end, it doesn’t matter when we reach this point; it’s a matter of capabilities. And the more we develop our AI, video game, and virtual reality technology, the more likely it is that at some point soon, we will be able to reach the simulation point.

So how close are we? In the new book, I estimate that we are more than two-thirds of the way there, and I am fairly certain that we will be able to get there eventually. This means that today’s AI developments have convinced me that we are at least 67% likely to be able to reach the simulation point and possibly more than 70%.

If I add in factors from digital and quantum physics detailed in the book, and if we take the “trip reports” of mystics of old and today’s NDErs and psychonauts (who expand their awareness using DMT, for example) at face value, we can be even more confident that our physical reality is not the ultimate reality. Those who report such trips are like Plato’s philosopher, who not only broke his chains but also left Plato’s allegorical cave. If you read Plato’s full allegory, it ends with the philosopher returning to the cave to describe what he saw in the world outside to the other residents, who didn’t believe him and were content to continue watching shadows on the wall. Because most scientists are loath to accept these reports and are likely to dismiss this evidence, I won’t include them in my own percentage estimation, though as I explain in the book, this brings my confidence level that we are in a virtual, rather than a physical, reality even higher.

This brings us back to the inescapable realization that if we will eventually be able to create something like “The Matrix,” someone has likely already done it. While we can debate what is outside our cave, it’s our own rapid progress with AI that makes it more likely than ever that we are already inside something virtual like “The Matrix.”

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem spoke on Thursday with Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck about the current phase of the administration’s deportations as well as about the Department of Homeland Security’s successful new recruitment campaign.

Noem emphasized that while there are opportunities for patriots to directly help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement round up criminal noncitizens, it is essential that “hardworking, everyday Americans” assist by publicly signaling their support for ICE — especially in the face of mounting attacks on federal agents.

President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act allocates $76.5 billion to ICE. Roughly $30 billion of the funds are intended for the recruitment of 10,000 more staff so that the agency can achieve 1 million annual deportations.

‘That almost gives them permission to go out there and take action against these individuals.’

To fill some of these roles, the DHS launched an ICE recruitment campaign last week offering eligible applicants a maximum $50,000 signing bonus, student loan repayment, and other perks. On Wednesday, the agency announced it was also waiving age limits “so even more patriots will qualify to join ICE.”

Noem told Beck, “We already have over 80,000 applicants for those 10,000 positions, so we’re going through that and getting them through the process to see who qualifies.”

RELATED: Sanctuary cities on DOJ’s list set to reap the whirlwind

Photo by DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

The secretary noted that the overwhelming interest demonstrates that the “American people stand with the rule of law, that they want to help, and they want to be a part of this” despite the demonization of ICE officers by “the media and the socialists.”

Nevertheless, she acknowledged that anti-ICE propaganda — including false claims of agents kidnapping people and Nazi affiliations — are impactful.

Responding to Beck’s suggestion that such propaganda sets the stage for attacks and obstruction, Noem noted that “we just got this morning the notification that attacks on ICE officers is up by over 1,000% than what it was six months ago.”

“Words have consequences,” continued Noem, referring to the rhetoric pushed by some politicians. “What you say matters. And the consequences of using dangerous language like that is that people take action on them. Anybody who has a tendency to be unstable or to be violent, that almost gives them permission to go out there and take action against these individuals.”

The DHS revealed last month that assaults on ICE agents between January 21 and July 14 were up 830% over the same period the year before.

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Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem responded to a cartoon parody of her on “South Park” when she spoke to Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck on Thursday.

The popular show is taking political themes head-on in its 27th season, which has already shown very unflattering portrayals of President Donald Trump in the first two shows.

‘If they wanted to criticize my job, go ahead and do that, but clearly they can’t. They just pick something petty like that.’

In the newest episode of the show, the face of Noem’s character melts off at various moments, and her aides have to chase the face down, reapply it, and a team of makeup artists have to reset it.

Beck relayed how he reacted to his own portrayal on the show to Noem.

“I remember … when ‘South Park’ did an episode, and Cartman played me the whole time,” Beck said, while laughing. “I didn’t even know it happened … and I ended up, years later, watching it with my son, and we both laughed over it. But welcome to the club!”

Noem said she had not had a chance to watch the show because she was so busy, but she appeared to have heard that they mocked her appearance.

“Yeah, it never ends. But it’s so lazy to just constantly make fun of women for how they look,” she responded.

“It’s always the liberals and the extremists [who] do that,” she added. “If they wanted to criticize my job, go ahead and do that, but clearly they can’t. They just pick something petty like that.

The White House previously responded to South Park by calling it irrelevant.

RELATED: ‘South Park’ puts Trump in bed with Satan — here’s why

The show was also critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is shown as so desperate for recruits that it drops its standards to accept anyone.

In a training video for ICE, a song proclaims: “If you’re crazy or fat and lazy, we don’t care at all!”

The show also has Noem shooting many dogs in different scenes, which refers to her admission in 2024 that she shot a hunting dog that had killed her chickens, claiming the dog had become “untrainable” and “dangerous” to people.

“South Park” also has a scene showing Noem barging into heaven with ICE agents to detain and deport Latino angels after hearing that many illegal aliens are sure to go to heaven.

“No more brownies in heaven!” the cartoon Noem says before her face melts.

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Fans of actor and producer Mel Gibson can finally start getting excited to feast their eyes on an epic sequel to one of his most iconic films.

In fact, fans will actually get two sequels within a matter of months, according to a new announcement by Lionsgate Films, which teased the release of a new film in May. At that point, fans neither had a release date nor an indication that Gibson had an ace up his sleeve regarding the planned release.

‘The ancient stone towns and landscapes evoke the biblical world while also echoing the early church’s rise from suffering to glory.’

Now we know that Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” is officially getting the trilogy treatment, Newsmax reported. The sequels will hit theaters approximately six weeks apart in the first half of 2027.

Lionsgate released a teaser revealing the films “The Resurrection of the Christ” parts one and two, with a planned release date on Good Friday, March 26, 2027, for part one and May 6, 2027, for part two. The latter marks Ascension Day, which celebrates Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven.

The two films will likely explore Christ’s descent into the underworld to redeem souls, also known as the Harrowing of Hell, according to Newsmax. Inside sources also told the outlet about the estimated budgets for the films, which could be more than three times that of the original film.

RELATED: Mel Gibson has been fighting this fight longer than you think

“The Passion of The Christ” took in more than $80 million on its opening weekend against a $30 million budget in 2004, with Box Office Mojo stats showing the film took in a whopping $600 million worldwide.

Insiders told Newsmax the budget for the two new films could exceed $100 million. Filming is set to begin in Rome; other planned filming locations reportedly include the southern Italian towns of Altamura, Ginosa, Gravina, Laterza, and Matera.

The rich history of the region is integral to the story Gibson is trying to tell, Blaze Media faith editor Chris Enloe explained.

“These specific filming locations give Gibson’s movies a physical and spiritual authenticity that few places on earth can offer,” he said. “The ancient stone towns and landscapes evoke the biblical world while also echoing the early church’s rise from suffering to glory. Gibson isn’t just telling a story. He’s inviting viewers into a space where history, faith, and cinematic vision converge.”

RELATED: Mel Gibson to sex traffickers: Come after my kids and ‘I’d have to kill someone’

Cinerama Dome Entertainment Center on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, February 25, 2004. Photo by David LEFRANC/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Gibson was named by President-elect Donald Trump as a special ambassador to Hollywood in January shortly after Gibson’s 69th birthday.

Trump said he hoped Gibson, along with fellow appointees Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight, would help make the “very troubled” Hollywood great again.

“These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest,” Trump said at the time, per Variety.

Trump promised the ambassadors would help return Hollywood to its “golden age.”

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The Department of Homeland Security has given its side of the story after several House Democrats said they were denied access to a detention facility in New York, even claiming they were “trapped” by a masked officer.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) posted video of their attempted visit showing media members outside of the fenced area to the facility. The site is run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Democrats said they were there to provide “oversight” to the holding facility.

DHS also pointed to … the massive increase in assaults on federal agents — ‘including by [a] Member of Congress themselves’ — as reasons why tours must be scheduled in advance.

“This blatant lack of respect towards the Legislative Branch is a deterioration of checks and balances, all while they hide their atrocities from the public. The people demand answers, and immigrants deserve humanity,” Espaillat said.

New York Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman and Nydia Velazquez were present for the incident as well.

— (@)

DHS called the visit “deeply unserious,” claiming the representatives “were not trapped and were free to leave whenever they would like, in fact the BOP, which manages this facility, had to close the gates to prevent the media from trespassing.”

RELATED: Democrat state senator remains committed to alerting illegal aliens of ICE raids in her state

ICE Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“Here are the facts: These members did not follow proper protocol and schedule their visit. Instead, they brought a gaggle of media to drive clicks and fundraising emails,” DHS continued.

DHS also pointed to the president’s authority over executive agencies as well as the massive increase in assaults on federal agents — “including by [a] Member of Congress themselves” — as reasons why tours must be scheduled in advance, alluding to the alleged assault on agents by Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver (N.J.) at Delaney Hall in Newark.

DHS now says the number of assaults on its agents has reached over 1,000% when compared to the same time last year. Only a month ago, the number sat at 830%.

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