{"Articles":[ {"id":"3132228-1724374758", "title":"Delegates express disappointment at Beyonce no-show but say Harris ‘made up for it’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3132228%2Fdnc-delegates-disappointment-beyonce-no-show%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis, Mabinty Quarshie and Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"CHICAGO — Hopes that Beyonce would make a surprise appearance on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention were dashed after the night ended with no sign of the “Freedom” singer. The evening was packed with celebrities, with musicians such as Pink and the Chicks taking the stage on the grand finale of the […]", "description":""

CHICAGO \u2014 Hopes that Beyonce<\/a> would make a surprise appearance on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention<\/a> were dashed after the night ended with no sign of the \u201cFreedom\u201d singer.<\/p>

The evening was packed with celebrities<\/a>, with musicians such as Pink and the Chicks taking the stage on the grand finale of the DNC. The event drew so many attendees that the convention floor was completely closed off hours before Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage to deliver the DNC\u2019s closing speech.The A-lister delegates and attendees were most excited to see, however, was Beyonce. Speculation mounted throughout the week, and hit a fever pitch Thursday, that Beyonce would perform on the final night of the DNC.Maryland delegate Roxanne Brown, 45, said she was let down that Beyonce did not end up appearing. However, Brown said that the letdown was OK, though, because \u201cKamala made up for it.\u201d\u201cI was disappointed because I was looking forward to seeing Beyonce, but I was most looking forward to watching history, which is a nomination of our first black female president,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>

Another Maryland delegate, Lily Qi, 60, said she would have loved to see the pop sensation, but she echoed Brown\u2019s sentiment that supporting Harris was the most important part of the night.\u201cI would have loved to see her and her energy, and she's an icon, a cultural icon, as I understand,\u201d Qi said. \u201cBut you know, this is not why I'm here, of course, right? I am here to make sure that Kamala Harris is elected.\u201d<\/p>

Erica Harrison, a stay-at-home mother from North Carolina, captured the anticipation. \"I was getting excited. I told my husband, I thought that Beyonce would come out and perform and sing 'Freedom,' but I was wrong.\"<\/p>

\"The entire thing was a surreal moment. I'm still on a high,\" she said. \"So even though Beyonce didn't come, she would have just been a little cherry on top. But everything else was amazing.\"Rumors had been swirling that the DNC would feature a special guest for days, with musician Taylor Swift also being floated as a possibility. But Beyonce was the chief figure speculated to make an appearance.Excitement over the possibility of Beyonce's DNC appearance hit a fever pitch Thursday after White House political director Emily Ruiz posted a bee emoji, which is linked to Beyonce as her fanbase is referred to as the \u201cBeyHive.\u201dRuiz later posted an apology, saying, \u201cSorry guys my 6-year-old took my phone.\u201d<\/p>

Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison also dodged confirming or denying<\/a> whether Beyonce would appear during an appearance on CBS Mornings.Conflicting reports about whether or not the iconic singer would appear were published by multiple outlets. TMZ published a report earlier on Thursday saying that multiple sources told the outlet she would be the surprise performer speculated.However, as the final night\u2019s programming was underway, a representative for Beyonce told the Hollywood Reporter that she was \u201cnever scheduled to be there\u201d and that \u201cthe report of a performance is untrue.\u201dA Washington Examiner reporter overheard attendees exiting the United Center expressing disappointment the singer didn\u2019t show, with one exclaiming, \u201cBut we didn\u2019t get Beyonce!\u201dNevertheless, Maine delegate Eric Best said while he wanted to \u201cbe able to brag to my kids that I was there when Beyonce showed up,\u201d he did not feel like his \u201clife was diminished by the fact that she didn't.\u201d<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

New York delegate Alicia Hyndman, 52, said she thought it was for the best that Beyonce didn\u2019t show.<\/p>

\u201cI felt if Beyonce came, it would have been too celebrity,\u201d Hyndman said. \u201cI think would have been playing into the opposition's playbook like big Hollywood.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/beyonce_noshow_dnc.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3085609-1721196000", "title":"Sen. Whitehouse’s attacks on fossil energy producers are incoherent", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3085609%2Fsen-whitehouse-attacks-fossil-energy-producers-incoherent%2F", "byline":"Benjamin Zycher", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"It might seem difficult to take positions on a prominent issue diametrically opposed and equally preposterous. But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a man whose Pavlovian opposition to the U.S. fossil energy producers has led him into incoherence rare even by Beltway standards, has achieved just such a magical trick. Whitehouse, the chairman of the Senate […]", "description":""

It might seem difficult to take positions on a prominent issue diametrically opposed and equally preposterous. But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a man whose Pavlovian opposition to the U.S. fossil energy producers has led him into incoherence rare even by Beltway standards, has achieved just such a magical trick.<\/p>

Whitehouse, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, for years has accused<\/a> the major U.S. fossil energy producers of creating the purported climate \u201ccrisis\u201d and hiding their knowledge<\/a> of and deceiving the public<\/a> about the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. Translation: For decades, the U.S. fossil energy sector has produced too much energy and thus too many greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0<\/p>

Alas, that stance is so yesterday. Whitehouse\u2019s new argument<\/a> is that \u201coil and gas companies could be engaging in collusive, anti-competitive activities with OPEC+ that would raise crude oil prices.\u201d So now the U.S. fossil energy producers in cahoots with OPEC+ might be producing too little.\u00a0<\/p>

With respect to Whitehouse\u2019s collusion argument: Perhaps Whitehouse should call President Joe Biden as a witness for a Budget Committee hearing, as it was Biden who in October 2022 asked<\/a> the Saudis to delay a scheduled production cut until after the midterm elections.\u00a0<\/p>

More generally, it is the Biden administration that has taken hundreds of actions<\/a> making U.S. fossil energy production more difficult and costly. It is the Biden administration that has tried to hide the attendant adverse price effects by using<\/a> the Strategic Petroleum Reserve<\/a> and other government stockpiles<\/a> to manipulate short-run supplies in a wholly ad hoc fashion \u2014 that is, for purely political purposes.\u00a0<\/p>

If U.S. producers are \u201ccolluding\u201d with OPEC+ to restrict output, they are doing a rather bad job of it. Since March 2021, when real U.S. gross domestic product growth was about 5%, U.S. crude oil output<\/a> has increased by 13%. U.S. natural gas production<\/a> has increased by more than 5%. U.S. refinery capacity utilization<\/a> has increased from 81.9% to 89.7%, refinery use<\/a> of crude oil and other inputs has increased by 10.7%, and refinery output<\/a> of products has increased by 8%. OPEC+ output<\/a> is about the same as in early 2021, while non-U.S. output<\/a> in the rest of the world has increased by almost 4%.<\/p>

With respect to Whitehouse\u2019s climate \u201cresponsibility\u201d and \u201cdeception\u201d assertions: U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from all combustion of fossil fuels<\/a> are about 74% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions<\/a>. Elimination of all U.S. fossil fuel combustion emissions would reduce global temperatures in 2100 by 0.077 degrees Celcius, applying the Environmental Protection Agency climate model<\/a> under realistic assumptions. That effect would not be detectable.<\/p>

Accordingly, someone should ask Whitehouse to explain the precise sense in which U.S. fossil energy producers are \u201cresponsible\u201d for the asserted climate crisis (for which, by the way, there is no evidence<\/a>). That is the relevant question in particular given that reduced output by U.S. producers would be offset largely or wholly with increased production by foreign producers.\u00a0<\/p>

Whitehouse continues<\/a>, \u201cFor decades, the fossil fuel industry has known about the economic and climate harms of its products.\u201d The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its 1990 First Assessment Report made it clear that it could not explain why temperatures were higher 5,000-6,000 years ago despite no evidence of an increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. Fast forward to the Sixth Assessment Report<\/a>: IPCC still cannot narrow down the \u201clikely\u201d range of climate effects of increased greenhouse gas concentrations. And the IPCC climate models<\/a> continue to overstate the atmospheric temperature record by a factor of over 2.3<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

In short, according to Whitehouse the fossil energy producers for decades have \u201cknown\u201d things that were not known in 1990 and are not known now. They are producing too little energy and too much. Such are the Schr\u00f6dinger-like fruits of a stance wholly ideological, impervious to facts, and oblivious to the real investment and economic harm caused by the Beltway blame game. <\/p>

Whitehouse\u2019s \u201cinvestigations\u201d have produced no useful information but gobs of Beltway propaganda: \u201cIf it is an election year, the fossil energy producers must be guilty of something.\u201d Is this the best he can do? The evidence says yes.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RESTORING AMERICA<\/a><\/p>

Benjamin Zycher is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP22080625251491.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3081706-1720960622", "title":"DHS pressed for clarity on Secret Service protocols to ‘assess threats’ after Trump rally shooting", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3081706%2Fdhs-pressed-clarity-secret-service-protocols-trump-rally-shooting%2F", "byline":"Cami Mondeaux", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) is pressing the Department of Homeland Security to provide clarity on how Secret Service members are trained to respond to threats after a shooting broke out at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday. In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday, Green pressed […]", "description":""

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) is pressing the Department of Homeland Security to provide clarity on how Secret Service members are trained to respond to threats after a shooting broke out<\/a> at former President Donald Trump's rally on Saturday.<\/p>

In a letter<\/a> sent to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday, Green pressed the top Biden administration official to provide information or any documentation related to security detail at Trump's rally<\/a> in Butler, Pennsylvania. Green praised the \"swift response\" of the Secret Service members but argued the DHS must be investigated for some reports that suggest the department rebuffed \"multiple requests\" from Trump's security team to \"increase protective services\" ahead of the event. <\/p>

\u201cThe seriousness of this security failure and chilling moment in our nation\u2019s history cannot be understated,\" Green wrote. \"As the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) investigates, the Committee on Homeland Security (Committee) is dedicated to conducting rigorous oversight to ensure that the American people receive answers and presidential candidates receive proper and adequate protection.\"<\/p>

Green outlined a number of questions he wants to be answered by the department, including access to all documents and communications within the DHS and Secret Service related to \"any potential increase or addition of protective resources to President Trump\u2019s security detail\" from mid-November to the present day.<\/p>

The letter also requests information on Secret Service<\/a> rules of engagement protocols \u201cto assess and neutralize threats\u201d after concerns were raised about how the shooter \"was able to access a rooftop within range and direct line of sight of where President Trump was speaking.\"<\/p>

Green's requests come as lawmakers from both parties have responded swiftly to the shooting and have begun to reconsider security protocols in Congress. House Republicans are scheduled to have a briefing with the sergeant-at-arms on Sunday afternoon, one lawmaker told the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) also announced they would be introducing a bill that would provide enhanced Secret Service protection to Trump as well as President Joe Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/a> while on the campaign trail.<\/p>

\"As reports continue to emerge, it\u2019s clear that more protection is needed for all major candidates for president,\" the two said in a joint statement. \"That\u2019s why we\u2019re planning on introducing bipartisan legislation providing President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. with enhanced Secret Service protection. Anything less would be a disservice to our democracy.\u201d<\/p>

The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel, Pennsylvania, on Sunday morning. Crooks died shortly after the shooting after being \"neutralized\" by the Secret Service, agency spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. At least one rally attendee was also killed. <\/p>

Trump was taken to a nearby hospital<\/a> to be treated after confirming he was pierced in the upper part of his right ear.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,\u201d he wrote in a Truth Social Post. <\/p>

The former president<\/a> is in stable condition. Trump later flew to New Jersey after being released from the hospital. He is expected to travel to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention that begins on Monday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/secret-service-44.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3077696-1720701634", "title":"Johnson quiets initial concerns about fundraising prowess by raising $23.5 million in second quarter", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3077696%2Fjohnson-quiets-initial-concerns-about-fundraising-prowess-by-raising-23-5-million-in-second-quarter%2F", "byline":"Cami Mondeaux", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) raised $23.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, outperforming expectations and continuing to quiet initial concerns about his fundraising prowess when he took the gavel last October. More than $17 million of that haul went toward Johnson’s committees with the remaining $6.5 million going toward individual members and GOP […]", "description":""

House Speaker Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) raised $23.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, outperforming expectations and continuing to quiet initial concerns about his fundraising<\/a> prowess when he took the gavel last October.<\/p>

More than $17 million of that haul went toward Johnson's committees with the remaining $6.5 million going toward individual members and GOP candidates. Additionally, Johnson has now transferred more than $16 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee<\/a> this cycle as part of efforts to grow the party's slim House majority next year. <\/p>

\u201cWith commonsense solutions, strong candidates, and momentum growing every day, another extraordinary quarter shows Republicans are expanding our base and energized to win up and down the ballot in November,\u201d Johnson said in a statement. \u201cAs we gather in Milwaukee next week to officially nominate President Donald Trump, our Party has never been more unified and equipped with the resources needed to grow the House majority, win the Senate, and win the White House.\u201d<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

Johnson's second-quarter haul builds on other House GOP leaders' fundraising for a total of $45 million raised during the second quarter, when combining the speaker's numbers with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Minority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY). <\/p>

Johnson's fundraising still falls slightly behind his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy<\/a> (R-CA), but the high numbers offer hope to Republicans that the speaker is able to raise large sums for the party despite only holding the gavel for nine months.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24178017398020-scaled.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3074143-1720513167", "title":"State program spends $1 million to get 37 ‘disadvantaged’ people drivers licenses", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3074143%2Fstate-program-spends-1-million-to-get-37-disadvantaged-people-drivers-licenses%2F", "byline":"TJ Martinell | The Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – A program set up in King County through the state Department of Licensing and funded by the state Legislature has spent nearly $1 million teaching “disadvantaged” women to drive, with just 37 women actually obtaining their license in a five-month period. King County contracts with Mujer al Volante, a nonprofit organization in […]", "description":""

(The Center Square)\u00a0\u2013 A program set up in King County through the state Department of Licensing and funded by the state Legislature has spent nearly $1 million teaching \u201cdisadvantaged\u201d women to drive, with just 37 women actually obtaining their license in a five-month period.<\/p>

King County contracts with Mujer al Volante, a nonprofit organization in Seattle that offers support services to refugee and immigrant women. In 2022, the Legislature gave DOL $350,000 to also contract with the nonprofit, with an additional $2 million appropriated earlier this year in the state transportation budget.<\/p>

The Drivers License Assistance Program \u201cTaking the Steering Wheel of My Life\u201d provides qualifying applicants assistance toward obtaining a driver\u2019s license. To qualify, a person must be a woman or \u201cnonbinary,\u201d an immigrant, asylee, or refugee, and be classified as \"low-income.\"<\/p>

Since the program started in December, there have been 522 individuals who have gone through the program. However, just 37 of them have successfully passed the written and driving exams. In January, there were 101 participants and only one of them obtained their license. In April, there were 132 participants, 13 of which got their license.<\/p>

When The Center Square reached out to DOL for comment, Communications Manager Christine Anthony wrote that \u201cwe contracted with Mujer al Volante in December of 2023, and this is the first report to the Legislature. This is a new program we are administering, and we will continue to work with the organization and monitor their progress.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP24014160536170-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3072819-1720443053", "title":"Sorry, progressives, but facts can’t be racist", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3072819%2Fsorry-progressives-but-facts-cant-be-racist%2F", "byline":"Brad Polumbo", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Facts cannot be racist. But that hasn’t stopped many liberal media figures and Democratic politicians from trying to insist otherwise after one conservative writer dared to point out what we all know about Vice President Kamala Harris: She wouldn’t be where she is now without the movement for DEI, also known as diversity, equity, and […]", "description":""

Facts cannot be racist. But that hasn\u2019t stopped many liberal media<\/a> figures and Democratic politicians from trying to insist otherwise after one conservative writer dared to point out what we all know about Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a>: She wouldn\u2019t be where she is now without the movement for DEI<\/a>, also known as diversity, equity, and inclusion.\u00a0<\/p>

In an article<\/a> that went viral, Charles Gasparino wrote that if she is successfully put forward as President Joe Biden\u2019s<\/a> successor, Harris will be \u201cthe country\u2019s first DEI president.\u201d Suffice it to say, this did not go over well.\u00a0<\/p>

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) tweeted<\/a> out the headline and said, \u201cThis is straight-up racist.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Meanwhile, the account \u201cRacism Watch Dog\u201d shared the article and said<\/a>, \u201cBark bark bark,\u201d in a post that 4.7 million people have seen.\u00a0<\/p>

Another viral tweet<\/a> accused the article of \u201cfinding a way to spell the nword with only 3 characters.\u201d<\/p>

You get the idea: How dare conservatives label Kamala Harris a diversity pick. That\u2019s obviously racist and hateful! <\/p>

There\u2019s just one problem, however. It is a fact that Harris was selected to be Biden\u2019s vice president in part due to her race and gender. It is a fact that if she had been a white male but otherwise remained a California senator, Harris never would\u2019ve been selected as his running mate.\u00a0<\/p>

You don\u2019t have to take my word for it. Just ask Biden. During the 2020 presidential campaign, Biden openly said, in explicit terms<\/a>, that he was only considering women to be his vice president, and he strongly implied<\/a> that he would favor a woman of color.\u00a0<\/p>

That\u2019s right: We know for a fact that, but for her gender, Harris never would\u2019ve been selected as vice president. (And if not for that, she certainly wouldn\u2019t be at the forefront of the conversation for a potential Biden replacement.) So, to call her a diversity or \u201cDEI\u201d pick is not an opinion that can be characterized as racist: It is an observation of a fact.\u00a0<\/p>

When I pointed this out on X, many of the same liberals and progressives got upset with me as well. <\/p>

But a fact that upsets people continues to be a fact. And none of their counterarguments change the fact that Harris, no matter how one feels about it, owes her current position in part to the Democrats\u2019 blatant identity politics and openly discriminatory pursuit of diversity.\u00a0<\/p>

Some critics pointed out that Harris isn\u2019t unqualified for vice president, arguing that as a former senator and state attorney general, she has similar qualifications to past vice presidential picks, such as Biden when he served under President Barack Obama. Yet this is something of a non sequitur because to say that Harris was a diversity selection is not to say she\u2019s totally unqualified for the job.\u00a0<\/p>

For example, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is objectively a \u201cdiversity pick\u201d because Biden openly said he was only considering black women for the job. Yet Jackson is also eminently qualified for the position \u2014 she was simply elevated above others due to her immutable characteristics. These two things can and do coexist with regularity.\u00a0<\/p>

DEI picks rarely, if ever, result in a situation where someone totally unqualified is picked for a job. But someone is a diversity hire if, but for her immutable characteristics, she would not have been given the role under a strictly meritocratic selection. And that is almost certainly the case for Harris. After all, according to Biden himself, she was selected through a process in which more than half of the alternatives, males, were ruled out due to their gender and white females were seemingly disfavored. That left only her and a handful of other minority women<\/a> who were high-ranking Democratic officials from which Biden could choose.<\/p>

And beyond her identity, Harris didn\u2019t add much to the ticket. She wasn\u2019t from a swing state. She had never won a competitive election against a Republican. She wasn\u2019t popular with the Democratic base, having failed horrifically in her own presidential bid. She wasn\u2019t even popular in the primary with black voters, a group from whom Biden already had strong support. And she was prone to cringeworthy moments and had the campaign trail charisma of a wet towel.\u00a0<\/p>

Harris\u2019s main \u201cvalue add\u201d for Biden\u2019s ticket was that she was a woman of color. We all knew it then, and we all know it now. <\/p>

Another counterargument is that vice presidents are often selected due to factors not directly related to merit. That may be true, but it shouldn\u2019t be. And it doesn\u2019t make racial favoritism any less morally detestable. It also doesn\u2019t make the charge that Harris is a DEI pick less true. If anything, it just offers context to better understand the significance of this truth.\u00a0<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

So, too, some critics have yelled, \u201cBut Trump!\u201d, as they are wont to do, and they have pointed out that President Donald Trump did something similar when he appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett after promising to appoint a woman. Yet this whataboutism isn\u2019t a refutation of the actual charge. It just means that Barrett was also a DEI pick, as some acknowledged at the time. (If their point was just that Republicans can be hypocrites, they\u2019d have no argument from me!)<\/p>

We simply cannot let Democrats and progressives make noticing facts they find inconvenient off-limits by throwing around false charges of racism. No matter how hard some on the Left insist, facts can never be racist, and the moment we cave to that ridiculous framing, we lose the ability to discuss the truth and cede the political conversation to whoever is willing to cry \u201cvictim\u201d the loudest. <\/p>

Brad Polumbo (@Brad_Polumbo<\/a>) is an independent journalist, YouTuber<\/a>, and a co-founder of BASEDPolitics.<\/a><\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AP24188824437913-scaled.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3071849-1720418400", "title":"Increasing economic growth should be top priority", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3071849%2Fincreasing-economic-growth-should-be-top-priority%2F", "byline":"Bruce Thompson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"For the past three and a half years, the U.S. economy has struggled under the economic policies of the Biden administration and congressional Democrats.  Increased taxes, spending, deficits, and debt have produced higher prices, lower wages, soaring interest rates, and slower economic growth. For typical American families, the Biden administration’s policies have resulted in lower […]", "description":""

For the past three and a half years, the U.S. economy<\/a> has struggled under the economic<\/a> policies of the Biden administration<\/a> and congressional Democrats.\u00a0<\/p>

Increased taxes, spending, deficits, and debt have produced higher prices, lower wages, soaring interest rates, and slower economic growth. For typical American families, the Biden administration's policies have resulted in lower standards of living and dashed hopes of a better future. <\/p>

While the inflation<\/a> rate has eased from its 9.1% peak, the highest level in 40 years, prices are still up 20% since Biden took office, far outpacing the increase in wages.<\/p>

Millions of Americans are financially stressed, unable to buy a home, pay off their debt, or save for the future<\/a>. Household debt <\/a>is at an all-time high, up $3 trillion, or 21%, since the first quarter of 2021.\u00a0<\/p>

Along with these high prices, the U.S. economy is stuck in a slow growth rut. The latest numbers<\/a> show the economy is slowing under high interest rates and persistent inflation, with personal spending and capital goods orders weakening.\u00a0<\/p>

Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at only 1.4%<\/a>\u00a0 last quarter, the slowest growth in nearly two years. In the last nine quarters, economic growth has averaged only half our historic growth rate.\u00a0<\/p>

The U.S. needs to adopt pro-growth policies to encourage faster economic growth. But if Biden and congressional Democrats are given another chance in November, we face even higher taxes, more spending, and slower growth. They are already planning to leverage the 2025<\/a> debate over extending the 2017 tax cuts to force the largest tax increase in our history.\u00a0<\/p>

They are drafting plans to raise taxes on individual taxpayers and American businesses, actions, which could tip the economy into a recession and result in larger deficits and debt<\/a>.<\/p>

The Biden administration\u2019s most harmful proposal would raise the U.S. corporate tax rate to one of the highest in the world. This would be a major economic mistake. Increasing the corporate rate is the most economically damaging tax increase, and raising this tax<\/a> in a weak economy would cause it to lose more revenue than it gained, likely triggering an eventual economic collapse.<\/p>

Numerous studies have shown that raising the corporate rate would have a harmful effect on working families, lowering their wages and incomes, increasing the prices they pay, and reducing their retirement<\/a>\u00a0 savings. A Federal Reserve study <\/a>found that a higher corporate tax rate would be \u201cuniformly harmful\u201d to working people, leading to \u201csignificant reductions \u201c in their jobs and incomes.<\/p>

Increasing the corporate tax rate would also put U.S. companies at a significant competitive disadvantage against our global competitors. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. rate<\/a> would be higher than every other country we compete against, reducing investment in America and shifting profits and jobs overseas.\u00a0<\/p>

Americans faced similar financial challenges of high prices, stagnant growth, and soaring taxes and spending 44 years ago. The Republican Party platform in 1980 stated that nothing was more important than economic growth, and endorsed the Reagan economic recovery program<\/a> of lower tax rates and spending cuts.\u00a0<\/p>

Once passed, the Reagan tax cuts <\/a>and spending reforms kicked off an economic boom, with real GDP growth reaching\u00a0 7% in 1983 and 8% in 1984, and averaging nearly 5% a year through 1988. Inflation dropped from 11% to 4% and nearly 20 million jobs were created in the largest peacetime expansion in U.S. history.\u00a0<\/p>

The Reagan tax cuts were modeled after the Kennedy tax cuts in the 1960s, which also set off an economic growth boom, with real growth averaging more than 5% a year. The Reagan-Kennedy tax cuts led to extended periods of unprecedented economic growth<\/a> and a higher standard of living for all Americans.\u00a0<\/p>

Under our current path of high taxes and spending, the economic outlook is dim. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is forecasting<\/a> 10 years of dismal and weak growth averaging 1.8% a year,\u00a0 much lower than the 3.5% average annual growth the U.S. experienced from 1960 to 2000. If that happens, we will have a decade of lower incomes, fewer jobs, and countless lost opportunities.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

But it does not have to be this way. As we have seen, an economic policy of low tax rates and fiscal restraint can increase investment, productivity, and output, leading to higher incomes and faster growth. Pro-growth tax policies that increase the incentive to work, save, and invest, along with spending restraint, would improve economic growth, getting us out of our slow growth rut and returning the economy to its historic growth rate<\/a>. <\/p>

Higher economic growth would generate trillions of dollars of economic activity, leading to higher wages and incomes, better jobs and opportunities, and more prosperity for all Americans. We cannot settle for another 10 years of subpar growth. Increasing economic growth should be our top priority. <\/p>

Bruce Thompson was a U.S. Senate aide, assistant secretary of Treasury for legislative affairs, and the director of government relations for Merrill Lynch for 22 years.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP23315572079441.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3069418-1720072800", "title":"Is the American dream dead? My family’s story proves otherwise", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3069418%2Fis-the-american-dream-dead-my-familys-story-proves-otherwise%2F", "byline":"Hera Varmah", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The American dream has been woven into countless narratives throughout my life, shaped by the inspiring stories shared by my family members and friends who came to the United States in search of a better life. This Independence Day, it might be tempting to think this dream is now elusive as division and discouragement spread across […]", "description":""

The American dream has been woven into countless narratives throughout my life, shaped by the inspiring stories shared by my family members and friends who came to the United States in search of a better life. This Independence Day<\/a>, it might be tempting to think this dream is now elusive as division<\/a> and discouragement<\/a> spread across our country.<\/p>

But my life proves it can still be a reality \u2014 if we strive to make it one. <\/p>

Those of us from immigrant communities are familiar with the promise of opportunity, enshrined by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and encapsulated in the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Families like mine have worked urgently to realize this promise.<\/p>

Growing up, my family of 12 children born to immigrant parents faced many obstacles. We could have taken the wrong path, but we were fortunate to live in a state that gave us access to a top-tier education at Catholic private schools, magnet schools, and traditional public schools, in which each of us found what we needed to chase our dreams. <\/p>

As a young girl, I didn\u2019t believe I was intelligent or that I could excel in school. Even though my parents had faith in me, I was convinced I would fail. I focused on sports, thinking it was the only area in which I could succeed. I thought my siblings would go on to be successful while I remained stuck in poverty.<\/p>

But thanks to scholarship opportunities in my state, I met teachers who saw my potential and supported me, helping me gain confidence. And I was able to build friendships with others from different backgrounds and belief systems. <\/p>

Today, I am a college graduate working at a national policy organization, fighting for children like me. I went from feeling inadequate as a young girl to testifying before Congress at age 24.\u00a0<\/p>

My siblings and I are a fulfillment of my grandparents\u2019 dreams. We all have different opinions, careers, hopes, and dreams, but we are all achieving our goals. Four of us are college graduates, two are engineers, one is in medical school, six are university students, and two are high school students. <\/p>

This Independence Day, I want my family\u2019s story to be the norm, not an exception.<\/p>

I want my generation to reignite the spirit of striving for greatness in their careers, nurturing their families, or pursuing whatever version of the American dream they might hold. Negativity and doom may drive news cycles, but success stories abound when children are given opportunity. We must share these stories \u2014 and make them possible.<\/p>

Consider my friend and colleague Gissell, a first-generation American born in Delaware but raised in Mexico in the early 2000s. At 14 years old, she returned without her parents to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to pursue her education. Thanks to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, which she was able to attend because of Wisconsin\u2019s school choice program, Gissell overcame numerous obstacles, including the difficult decision to forgo a full scholarship to Georgetown University to bring her two teenage sisters from Mexico instead and care for them. <\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

She went on to earn a double full scholarship to Marquette University and became the first college graduate in her family this May. She is still building her American dream as she pursues a career in policy.<\/p>

Our stories prove the American dream is alive and well if only we give children the chance to chase it. This means granting them access to quality education and opportunities regardless of their background or ZIP code. This Independence Day, let\u2019s rededicate ourselves to that goal.<\/p>

Hera Varmah is a graduate of Florida\u2019s tax credit scholarship programs and an external relations associate at the American Federation for Children.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iStock-1399726385.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3069580-1720021085", "title":"Three times Biden disregarded the ‘limits of presidential power’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3069580%2Fthree-times-biden-disregarded-the-limits-of-presidential-power%2F", "byline":"Andrea Ruth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Fresh off his humiliating performance at the presidential debate, President Joe Biden found the energy to deliver brief remarks to a nationally televised audience over the Supreme Court‘s presidential immunity case.  In a four-minute address that resembled a campaign ad more than a formal statement, Biden, who took no questions, condemned the Supreme Court’s decision. […]", "description":""

Fresh off his humiliating performance at the presidential debate, President Joe Biden<\/a> found the energy to deliver brief remarks to a nationally televised audience over the Supreme Court<\/a>'s presidential immunity case.\u00a0<\/p>

In a four-minute address that resembled a campaign ad more than a formal statement, Biden, who took no questions, condemned the Supreme Court's decision. His comments echoed those of Justice Sonia Sotomayor<\/a>, employing fear-inducing language such as \"fundamentally changed\" and other phrases suggesting a significant shift but also allowing for possible retreats, such as \"for all practical purposes,\" \"almost certainly,\" and \"virtually no limits.\"<\/p>

One thing Biden said stood out<\/a>. \"I know I will respect the limits of the presidential power, as I have for three and a half years,\" he said. <\/p>

This statement is in stark contrast to his actions. In reality, the president has consistently pushed the boundaries of his power, particularly during the first two years of his presidency, when he frequently disregarded the separation of powers. <\/p>

Rent moratorium<\/p>

The first instance in which Biden ignored the limits of presidential power was when he allowed the COVID-era rent moratorium to remain in place. He won an initial 5-4 decision. Still, Justice Brett Kavanaugh<\/a> warned he only allowed it to continue to maintain an orderly transition and that any further relief would require \"clear and specific congressional authorization (via new legislation).\" The Biden administration ignored the warning and tried to extend the moratorium again. The Supreme Court struck it down.\u00a0<\/p>

Vaccine mandate<\/p>

In another instance, the Biden administration attempted to force private companies to mandate employee vaccinations, arguing it had the authority to use Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations to enforce it. The Supreme Court disagreed, striking down the mandate and ruling the agency exceeded its authority. The court wrote, \"Although Congress<\/a> has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly.\"\u00a0<\/p>

Student debt relief<\/p>

Though academics, scholars, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Biden did not have the authority to implement student debt relief unilaterally, the president chose to do it anyway. Once again, the Supreme Court told him \"no,\" reminding him in yet another instance that he was not respecting the limits of presidential power. Chief Justice John Roberts<\/a> rejected the administration's argument it had authority under the 2003 HEROES Act to implement the plan. Roberts wrote, \"The question here is not whether something should be done; it is who has the authority to do it.\"\u00a0<\/p>

The court invoked the \"major question\" doctrine, which states that if Congress wants to give agencies the authority to make decisions of vast economic and political significance, it must say so clearly. Roberts said the HEROES Act didn't authorize debt relief at all. <\/p>

Rather than go to Congress and ask lawmakers to draft legislation for debt relief, Biden attempted a backdoor to implement student debt forgiveness. The administration devised a new scheme it felt would insulate it from judicial review. Biden had the audacity to boast about it. He said, \"The Supreme Court blocked me, but it did not stop me.\" <\/p>

However, two federal judges in separate states, Kansas and Missouri, blocked the new Saving on a Valuable Education plan enacted by the Department of Education<\/a>. States sued, arguing the administration once again overstepped its authority. While the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily lifted the Kansas judge's ban on the new repayment plan, the injunction is still in place in Missouri. The judges in both cases said the administration could not show Congress authorized the new plan.\u00a0<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

The judges in the two cases, U.S. District Judge Daniel D. Crabtree in Kansas and U.S. District Judge John A. Ross in Missouri, were both appointed by President Barack Obama<\/a>. So, any complaints team Biden might have about the judges' political motivations fall flat.<\/p>

Pointing out how wrong former President Donald Trump is when it comes to restraints on executive power is not a valid way for Biden to excuse his lack of restraint, and it is a bald-faced lie for him to say he's respected the limits of presidential power during his term.<\/p>

Andrea Ruth is a contributor to the Washington Examiner magazine.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AP24184012822003-scaled.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3065773-1719900000", "title":"Fairfax County Public Schools leadership displays disdain for parents — again", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3065773%2Ffairfax-county-public-schools-leadership-displays-disdain-for-parents-again%2F", "byline":"Stephanie Lundquist-Arora", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Last Thursday, as the first presidential debate was making national headlines, Fairfax County School Board members held a meeting during which they voted on controversial changes to family life education curriculum. The takeaway for the few of us able to attend or watch it virtually was that the district’s leadership hates parents — or, at […]", "description":""

Last Thursday, as the first presidential debate<\/a> was making national headlines, Fairfax County School Board<\/a> members held a meeting during which they voted on controversial changes to family life education curriculum. The takeaway for the few of us able to attend or watch it virtually was that the district\u2019s leadership hates parents \u2014 or, at the very least, is severely inconvenienced by us.<\/p>

Darcy Healy, one of the speakers during public comment, delivered an impassioned statement that represents how many parents in Fairfax County are feeling. She said<\/a>, \u201cWe are parents, and we want you to listen to us, but we feel that that\u2019s just not happening. \u2026 The survey that was done in May and June [shows] 80% are against this co-ed situation. Let\u2019s continue to debate this. Don\u2019t do it over the summer. And don\u2019t do the vote on the evening of the presidential debate. This is an important topic. Show us that you want it to be important.\u201d<\/p>

Healy is right. In surveys both this year<\/a> and last year<\/a>, parents and community members made it clear that they did not support co-ed sex education or gender ideology instruction in their children\u2019s elementary classrooms. Several community members made this exact point during the last two school board meetings\u2019 public comment periods on June 13 and June 27.<\/p>

Instead of being inclusive and accepting community feedback, the Fairfax County School Board was hostile \u2014 most notably among them, the board\u2019s vice chairwoman, Melanie Meren<\/a>.<\/p>

First, Meren spoke indignantly about the curriculum\u2019s opt-out option. She said<\/a>, \u201cAnd, you know, what I want to convey is that we need to make decisions of curriculum for the benefit of, you know, as many children as possible. And this is why parents and families have the option to opt out if they don\u2019t feel the content is appropriate for their children when it comes to family life education.\u201d<\/p>

But why include unwanted, political nonsense such as gender ideology in a public school district\u2019s sex education curriculum and then place the burden of opting out on the parents? Here\u2019s why: because district leadership knows that many parents are preoccupied with our many other obligations and will forget to complete the extra administrative task of opting out our children from curriculum lessons.<\/p>

District leaders should not be experimenting with our children, but since they seem to insist on doing so, this curriculum should require parents to opt in rather than opt out.<\/p>

Meren then delivered an angry rant about the illegitimacy of the community\u2019s feedback mechanisms. She said<\/a>, \u201cI also do want to underscore that the comments that have been referred to as a survey, um, it actually was not a survey. There was a call for public comments. \u2026 There was also not a methodology to ensure that comments were unique contributors. So, of the 2,500 comments, it\u2019s unknown how many were contributed more than once.\u201d<\/p>

The takeaway is that if the district\u2019s leaders don\u2019t like community feedback, they blame the comment forum. Last year, for example, Karl Frisch<\/a>, the school board chairman, similarly dismissed<\/a> the survey as feedback from \u201cReddit warriors.\u201d<\/p>

In contrast, Ilryong Moon, a school board member who does not appear to be completely disgusted and inconvenienced by the district\u2019s parents, seemed to realize the absurdity of his colleagues\u2019 comments right away. The at-large member responded<\/a> that if there was a problem with the feedback mechanism for community input, it was the board\u2019s responsibility to fix the process. Moon further said he valued community input and thanked the 2,539 survey respondents for their time.<\/p>

Unfortunately, in spite of the negative feedback on the proposal, school board members, including Moon, voted to include gender ideology instruction in the seventh grade family life education curriculum. And they did not vote against gender ideology indoctrination for elementary school children. They instead postponed that decision \u2014 perhaps in the hopes that they can pass it when fewer parents are paying attention.<\/p>

Or even worse, they will include such measures surreptitiously and without a vote. Acting on her \u201cmajority doesn\u2019t always dictate\u201d philosophy, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid has already used a back-door, anti-democratic, administrative method to introduce co-ed instruction for sex education in the district\u2019s new pilot program<\/a> in 14 elementary schools that she likely intends to expand.\u00a0<\/p>

And so, to Healy I say, I feel your pain, and we will continue to debate this. But sadly, it seems that Reid, Frisch, Meren, and their tyrannical leftist activist minority have already decided what is best for our children. They seem to believe that we, the parents, are roadblocks obstructing their path, to be circumvented or run over.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

Stephanie Lundquist-Arora is a contributor for the Washington Examiner, a mother in Fairfax County, Virginia, an author, and the Fairfax chapter leader of the Independent Women\u2019s Network.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/iStock-473628448-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3060911-1719468000", "title":"How Ben Sasse could transform education", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3060911%2Fhow-ben-sasse-could-transform-education%2F", "byline":"Max Eden", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In late 2022, former Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse was appointed president of the University of Florida. The media mostly ran with artificially inflated stories of student protests. But Sasse’s supporters were optimistic that he could prove a transformative leader.  To date, he’s kept a relatively low public profile. But Sasse has just been handed […]", "description":""

In late 2022, former Republican Nebraska<\/a> Sen. Ben Sasse was appointed president of the University of Florida. The media mostly ran with artificially inflated stories of student protests. But Sasse\u2019s supporters were optimistic that he could prove a transformative leader.\u00a0<\/p>

To date, he\u2019s kept a relatively low public profile. But Sasse has just been handed a golden opportunity to remodel not only higher education, but substantially improve public K-12 education along with it. We should know soon whether he\u2019ll take it.<\/p>

For decades, conservatives have complained about teachers\u2019 colleges, where educators and administrators must receive certification. The evidence proves that they\u2019re a waste of time and money that confers no benefit on new teachers. Worse than that, they\u2019ve devolved into little more than critical race theory-indoctrination camps. It\u2019s rather insane that red states still require teachers to be steeped in anti-white, anti-American, anti-achievement dogma before entering a public school classroom.<\/p>

But most do, for three reasons. First, state legislators tend to be intimidated by people who have \u201cPh.D\u2019s,\u201d even if they have Ph.D\u2019s in nonsense. Second, legislators are typically reticent to rock the boat at their alma maters. And third, even if legislators had the will, transformational leaders who could overhaul a teachers\u2019 college are few and far between.<\/p>

None of these limiting conditions, however, apply to the UF.<\/p>

The Florida legislature passed House Bill 1291 last month, which mandates that state-approved teacher-preparation programs may not be \u201cbased on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States.\u201d Instead, these programs must teach \u201cmastery of academic program content\u201d and \u201cinstructional strategies.\u201d Fancy that \u2014 schools of education that teach teachers to teach, rather than be social justice warriors. This law goes into effect on July 1.<\/p>

As the Claremont Institute recently documented<\/a>, the UF\u2019s College of Education is radically out of compliance with state law. UF\u2019s College of Education went as woke as any teachers\u2019 college could get \u2014 right under DeSantis\u2019s nose. In 2020, it jettisoned requirements for things such as \u201cCore Teaching Strategies,\u201d \u201cMusic for the Elementary Child,\u201d and \u201cArt Education\u201d with, respectively, \u201cEquity Pedagogy Foundations,\u201d \u201cEquity Pedagogy Applications\u201d and \u201cStudying Equity Pedagogy.\u201d Math and science? They simply weren\u2019t \u201cinclusive\u201d enough.<\/p>

Which is to say \u2014 everything was infused with CRT. Required course readings include things such as \u201cThe First Day of School: A CRT Story,\u201d \u201cWhite Girl Teaching,\u201d \u201cRaising Race Questions: Whiteness and Inquiry in Education,\u201d and required videos included one called \u201cThe Urgency of Intersectionality.\u201d<\/p>

So, what will Sasse do? A traditional college president would try to run interference for his institution, make cosmetic changes, and do his best to continue to violate the spirit of the law while pretending to adhere to its letter. Sasse doesn\u2019t need to play it this way, though. He can, and should, see that between the Florida law and the Claremont report he has been dealt two aces.<\/p>

By going hard-woke right under DeSantis\u2019s nose, the leadership of UF\u2019s College of Education has clearly indicated that they don\u2019t see themselves as Florida state government employees. So, they shouldn\u2019t be. They should all be fired. The College of Education should be fundamentally reworked, root to branch.<\/p>

The possibilities here are incredible. At minimum, Sasse could require his teachers\u2019 college to actually help teachers teach. Best practices in classroom management and student discipline, rigorous instruction in the science of reading, and additional content area knowledge for science, math, or history teachers should be a top priority.<\/p>

But UF could go far beyond teaching the basics. Florida has a burgeoning private and micro-school sector thanks to its universal education savings account. UF could offer a teacher entrepreneurship track. Florida\u2019s classical education sector, in particular, is thriving. UF could offer teachers rigorous training in classical methods. And believe it or not, teachers are rarely trained to actually deliver a particular curriculum. UF could do that, too.<\/p>

Why must a teacher move to Gainesville to get a UF degree? UF could set up satellite centers in every Florida county, and rework their program to support teacher apprenticeships. What\u2019s more \u2014 why limit that to Florida? With teacher certification reciprocity agreements, UF could colonize (we can use that word; it\u2019s Florida) teacher education nationally.<\/p>

When Mitch Daniels was president of Purdue University, he proved that colleges could be effectively administered \u2014 that endless tuition increases resulted from executive incompetence, not an inexorable law of finance. Sasse\u2019s legacy could be to prove that someone other than Daniels can do this too. Or, it could be to pioneer ways in which state flagship universities can drive dramatic improvement in public education \u2014 ways that could and should be emulated in every red state in America if they work.\u00a0<\/p>

Here\u2019s hoping he gets started next month on his transformational legacy.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RESTORING AMERICA<\/a><\/p>

Max Eden is a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP23008729452093-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3057090-1719295200", "title":"Biden’s Gaza pier is an abject failure", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3057090%2Fbiden-gaza-pier-abject-failure%2F", "byline":"John Hannah", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Choose your label to describe what’s become of President Joe Biden’s Gaza pier: Dumpster fire. Boondoggle. White elephant. Whatever you call it, the project is a bona fide failure. It seems destined to be a textbook example of what happens when the political imperative to “do something” overwhelms serious planning.  The latest news is that […]", "description":""

Choose your label to describe what\u2019s become of President Joe Biden\u2019s<\/a> Gaza pier<\/a>: Dumpster fire. Boondoggle. White elephant. Whatever you call it, the project is a bona fide failure. It seems destined to be a textbook example of what happens when the political imperative to \u201cdo something\u201d overwhelms serious planning.\u00a0<\/p>

The latest news<\/a> is that the pier may be terminated ahead of schedule. Erected in mid-May by the U.S. military to deliver seaborne assistance, the pier\u2019s operations repeatedly have been interrupted by rough waters.\u00a0<\/p>

A storm broke<\/a> the pier apart only days after going into service. After millions of dollars of repairs<\/a>, it was thrown back into action. Days later, forecasts of choppy waters led the military to tow<\/a> the pier to safe harbor. It\u2019s just returned<\/a> to service a third time, though it\u2019s hard not to believe that the project\u2019s days are numbered.\u00a0<\/p>

Mother Nature may end up being the proximate cause of the pier\u2019s demise, but it hasn\u2019t been the only problem foiling the effort. Security has also been a major problem. In the brief time the facility actually functioned, the relatively small amounts of assistance making it to shore were being widely looted by desperate mobs.\u00a0<\/p>

All of these challenges were forecast well in advance. This was hardly a case in which officials struggled to make sense of what former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld famously described<\/a> as the \u201cknown unknowns\u201d and the \u201cunknown unknowns.\u201d On the contrary, the obstacles posed by Gaza\u2019s heavy seas and lack of security were obvious to anyone tracking events.\u00a0<\/p>

In other words, Biden and his team were operating in the easiest part of Rumsfeld\u2019s matrix: the land of \u201cknown knowns\u201d \u2014 problems that we know with certainty will arise and that require solutions in advance.<\/p>

I was part of a group that had discussions last December with the U.S. team in charge of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza. We asked about the feasibility of a maritime channel. In so many words, we were told it was a dumb idea. Waters near Gaza are notoriously treacherous. The effort would be within range of Hamas\u2019s guns. The amount of aid that could be delivered by sea would be a drop in the bucket of what was needed. Far better to focus on dramatically expanding land routes into Gaza, we were told.\u00a0<\/p>

That wasn\u2019t the only expert advice the administration disregarded. Reporting suggests<\/a> the U.S. military first learned of Biden\u2019s decision to build the pier only when he announced it in his March 7 State of the Union address. But at the time, planners still had no answers as to how such a project could be successfully executed.<\/p>

Topping their concerns was security and making sure that once supplies made it to shore, they could be safely delivered into the hands of suffering Gazans. It was already widely understood that the biggest challenge was not getting adequate supplies of food into Gaza but making sure it reached innocent civilians without first being diverted.<\/p>

Remarkably, Biden and his team didn\u2019t demand a solution to the security problem before making the pier the centerpiece of a major presidential initiative. Nor did they bother to develop one in the two months that it took the military to get the pier into place. With the eyes of the world watching and U.S. credibility on the line, the administration\u2019s approach to a well-defined set of challenges that could make or break the effort seemed to amount to little more than hoping things would work out.<\/p>

Alas, they haven\u2019t. Instead, the pier has become a humiliating internet meme<\/a> and joke \u2014 and at a price tag of more than $200 million in U.S. taxpayer funds and months of effort by 1,000 troops.\u00a0<\/p>

On its face, this appears to be a classic case of a breakdown in sound policymaking. At the time of Biden\u2019s announcement, criticism of his support for Israel was reaching fever pitch. Pictures of Gaza\u2019s devastation dominated headlines. Important parts<\/a> of Biden\u2019s Democratic coalition were threatening not to support his reelection.\u00a0<\/p>

It\u2019s not hard to imagine that within the White House pressure cooker, the panic to \u201cdo something\u201d for suffering Palestinians and show presidential leadership by going over the heads of a seemingly recalcitrant Israeli leadership became overwhelming. Something big had to be announced in the State of the Union \u2014 regardless of whether all the hard questions had been answered.<\/p>

Understandable? Perhaps. Acceptable? No. Good intentions are not enough. Hope is never a strategy, especially not for the world\u2019s greatest democracy whose resolve, reliability, and competence have never been in greater doubt. We simply can\u2019t afford self-inflicted mistakes such as Biden\u2019s pier \u2014 mistakes that observers saw coming miles away. <\/p>

Figuring out how things went so badly awry should be a target-rich environment for congressional oversight.  <\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RESTORING AMERICA<\/a><\/p>

John Hannah is a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America and former national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24139591326544.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3052740-1718960078", "title":"Rubio’s rapport with Latino voters could drive Trump to victory", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3052740%2Fmarco-rubio-latino-voters-trump-victory%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Donald Trump‘s interest in selecting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as his vice president is setting off alarm bells for Democrats. The Florida senator and one-time rival of Trump has turned into a reliable ally and offers the former president a direct line to a bloc Republicans have been flirting with taking from Democrats […]", "description":""

Former President Donald Trump<\/a>'s interest in selecting Sen. Marco Rubio<\/a> (R-FL) as his vice president is setting off alarm bells for Democrats.<\/p>

The Florida senator and one-time rival of Trump has turned into a reliable ally and offers the former president a direct line to a bloc Republicans have been flirting with taking from Democrats for years \u2014 Latino and Hispanic voters. While Latino and Hispanic voters aren't a monolith, creating in-roads with them would put several states Democrats have taken for granted in recent cycles in play, Michael LaRosa, who is a former press secretary for first lady Jill Biden and special assistant to President Joe Biden, wrote<\/a> in an op-ed for the New York Times.<\/p>

\"But there is something Latino voters have in common: their Latin American roots and the pride that comes from casting a vote for someone who looks and talks like them,\" LaRosa wrote. \"Mr. Rubio would break a significant cultural barrier as the first Latino on a national ticket.\"<\/p>

Rubio could help Trump convince large Latino constituencies in swing states Arizona and Nevada while shoring up Republican-leaning Florida. It also could make normally Democratic New Mexico, which has the largest proportion of Hispanics in the United States, interesting.<\/p>

There has been some doubt about whether Rubio could serve as Trump's vice president, given the 12th Amendment doesn't allow for a president and vice president to be from the same state, in this case, Florida, without losing its electoral votes.<\/p>

LaRosa said this concern is \"overblown,\" citing former Vice President Dick Cheney's residential switch from Texas to Wyoming, and he thinks Rubio could do something similar.<\/p>

LaRosa said Trump selecting Rubio would be taking a page out of Biden's 2020 campaign playbook. When he selected Vice President Kamala Harris, he made the choice to appeal to voters of color, a move that worked as black women turned out for the Biden-Harris ticket.<\/p>

And winning over Hispanic and Latino voters will matter in states where they make up smaller shares of the electorate but where the races are still considered tight. Trump is beating Biden in Pennsylvania by more than 2 points in the Real Clear Politics average<\/a> \u2014\u00a0a state Biden can't afford to lose if he plans to repeat his 2020 success.<\/p>

LaRosa argued, \"There are voters who make their choice because they want to be a part of history and break ground more than, say, that they agree with the candidate, or the ticket, on specific policies.\" Latinos could be those voters, and that's why he said Rubio scares him and should scare Democrats this November.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

The Florida senator is one man in a throng<\/a> of Trump vice presidential candidates, some of whom recently received vetting materials from the campaign.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner contacted the Trump campaign and Rubio's office but received no response.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP22310815339264-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3047141-1718618746", "title":"Torres mocks Bowman’s fire alarm stunt in hint he’s abandoning fellow Democrat", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3047141%2Ftorres-mocks-bowman-fire-alarm-hint-abandoning-democrat%2F", "byline":"Elaine Mallon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) is in the middle of a brutal primary fight, and a fellow New York Democrat looks like he is on the cusp of endorsing the “Squad” member’s opponent. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a fiercely pro-Israel member of Congress, got into a spat with Bowman over the weekend after the Israel critic […]", "description":""

Rep. Jamaal Bowman<\/a> (D-NY) is in the middle of a brutal primary fight, and a fellow New York<\/a> Democrat looks like he is on the cusp of endorsing the \u201cSquad\u201d member\u2019s opponent.<\/p>

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a fiercely pro-Israel<\/a> member of Congress, got into a spat with Bowman over the weekend after the Israel critic questioned the sincerity of Torres\u2019s support for the Jewish state. Torres was quick to hit back at Bowman, poking fun at the lawmaker\u2019s stunt of pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol while on his way to a vote that would prevent a government shutdown last September.<\/p>

\u201cAs for Jamaal Bowman, I care as much about his opinion on me as I do about his opinion on how to properly pull a fire alarm or his opinion on how to remain in Congress,\u201d Torres told<\/a> the New York Post. \u201cHis opinion is worse than a rubber stamp \u2014 it leaves no impression, much like his legislative record or his recent attendance record.\u201d<\/p>

Bowman said on the Night School podcast<\/a> hosted by Marc Lamont Hill that Torres only stands in support of Israel because of the \u201cpower of the Israel lobby.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cRitchie is very calculating in this way. ... Ritchie \u2014 he just seems to be always plotting, always calculating something,\u201d Bowman said.<\/p>

Bowman\u2019s attack on Torres, a two-term representative of the Bronx, appeared unprovoked as the neighboring representative had steered clear of weighing in on Bowman\u2019s contest.<\/p>

But in the middle of the episode, Hill asked Bowman to comment on why Torres falls in line with Bowman on every matter except for when it comes to Israel.<\/p>

\u201cHow can someone be so progressive on so many issues and not see the injustice going on in Palestine in the same way?\u201d Hill asked.<\/p>

Hill made the comment that Torres \u201ctweets to Netanyahu like he is Netanyahu\u2019s long lost cousin.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSo if I was doing that when I first got in, my bank account first of all would be flushed,\u201d Bowman said.<\/p>

Bowman\u2019s criticisms of Israel as it wages war with Hamas have put him in a vulnerable position with the large contingent of Jewish supporters in his district.<\/p>

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel PAC, has spent millions of dollars attacking Bowman, helping give Westchester County Executive George Latimer a boost in his challenge to unseat the two-term congressman. Bowman is trailing Latimer by 17 points, according<\/a> to a recent poll.<\/p>

Prior to serving as U.S. representative for the Bronx, Torres was a New York City Council member for 10 years. He noted his public support for Israel dates back to 2015, when he took a trip there. <\/p>

He said one of the reasons he didn\u2019t join the \u201cSquad\u201d after being elected in 2020 was he believed that some of the members\u2019 support for the BDS movement was antisemitic.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI have a general rule of not weighing in against a congressional Democrat who has not weighed in against me,\u201d Torres said. \u201cBut Bowman\u2019s gratuitous attack on my character might cause me to rethink that rule.\u201d<\/p>

New York\u2019s primary will be on June 25.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24165005433095.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3004139-1715721649", "title":"Biden greenlights $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel week after withholding bombs", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3004139%2Fbiden-greenlights-weapon-shipment-israel-after-withholding-bombs%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Biden administration announced its approval of a $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel just one week after President Joe Biden announced he would withhold a weapons shipment if Israel launched an offensive into Rafah. The administration notified Congress of the move on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner independently confirmed. Officials told the Wall Street Journal […]", "description":""

The Biden administration<\/a> announced its approval of a $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel<\/a> just one week after President Joe Biden announced he would withhold a weapons shipment if Israel launched an offensive into Rafah.<\/p>

The administration notified Congress of the move on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner independently confirmed. <\/p>

Officials told<\/a> the Wall Street Journal that the package includes offensive weapons, including $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles, and $60 million in mortar rounds. Additional steps must be taken before the weapons are approved and delivered.<\/p>

The move was foreshadowed by national security adviser John Kirby, speaking with reporters last week.<\/p>

\"[Biden] also said yesterday that he will continue to ensure that Israel has all of the military means it needs to defend itself against all of its enemies, including Hamas,\" he said. \"For him, this is very straightforward: He\u2019s going to continue to provide Israel with all of the capabilities it needs, but he does not want certain categories of American weapons used in a particular type of operation in a particular place. And again, he has been clear and consistent with that.\"<\/p>

Kirby further clarified that Israel has not yet launched a Rafah operation that crosses Biden's red line. Biden said last week he would withhold specific 2,000-pound bombs from Israel if the country expanded operations into Rafah, where Palestinian refugees have fled due to the war.<\/p>

Israel began an offensive into Rafah last week, which has continued with airstrikes and ground operations. It's unclear what Biden's red line regarding Rafah is.<\/p>

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) signaled that the lower chamber was satisfied with Biden's action.<\/p>

\u201cI think it\u2019s important for us to express again the will of Congress on the matter and so I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll be changing what we do on the legislation,\u201d he told reporters Tuesday evening.<\/p>

Tuesday's move to approve another major weapons shipment is likely to lose Biden the goodwill he received from progressive Democratic allies after his announcement that offensive weapons would be withheld, which in turn drew him ire from Republicans and pro-Israel Democrats.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

Biden has attempted to balance the passions of pro-Israel Democrats with the vehement opposition of pro-Palestinian Democrats during Israel's campaign in Gaza. The invasion of Rafah has emerged as a new flashpoint, with the Biden administration repeatedly warning Israel of the consequences if it launches an all-out assault on the area.<\/p>

Cami Mondeaux and Naomi Lim contributed to this report.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24128020312504-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"2872560-1709100613", "title":"Great Stakes: Michigan union and blue-collar workers in the driver’s seat for the presidency", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F2872560%2Fmichigan-union-blue-collar-workers-drivers-seat-presidency%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Michigan voters have an outsize impact on who will win the White House and which party will carry the House and Senate in 2024. In this series, Great Stakes: The fight to be hailed as victors in Michigan, the Washington Examiner will look at the thorny politics and unique matters that will swing the critical battleground state. Part four, […]", "description":""

Michigan voters have an outsize impact on who will win the White House and which party will carry the House and Senate in 2024. In this series, Great Stakes: The fight to be hailed as victors in Michigan, the Washington Examiner will look at the thorny politics and unique matters that will swing the critical battleground state. Part four, below, examines how the economy and union vote will determine who wins the expected rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.<\/p>

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Michigan \u2014 President Joe Biden<\/a> and former President Donald Trump<\/a>'s economic<\/a> pitches to Michigan<\/a>'s blue-collar voters, particularly the state's half a million union<\/a> members, could decide the 2024 general election<\/a> as this week's primary underscores the likely nominees' respective weaknesses before November.<\/p>

If Trump can compete with Biden for those voters in places such as Michigan's famed Macomb County<\/a>, as former President Ronald Reagan<\/a> did in 1980 with so-called Reagan Democrats, he could win the state's 15 Electoral College<\/a> votes and reclaim the White House<\/a> this election cycle.<\/p>

Trump not only has to win Macomb County, as he did in 2016 and 2020, but he also has to \"win with a margin\" to counter the parts of Michigan where he could underperform, according to Republican strategist Jamie Roe, the longtime chief of staff to former Republican Rep. Candice Miller.<\/p>

Tuesday's Republican primary emphasized Trump's loose grip on 30 to 40% of his party, with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations<\/a> Nikki Haley<\/a> holding him to 70% of the vote. Meanwhile, Biden netted about 80% of the Democratic primary vote due to an \"uncommitted<\/a>\" protest vote.<\/p>

Macomb County voted for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer<\/a> (D-MI) in 2022, \"but every time Trump's been on the ballot, there are parts of the electorate that come out\" for him \"that really don't come out for a whole lot of other people,\" Roe told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

Those people include union workers despite Michigan-based United Auto Workers <\/a>President Shawn Fain, for example, endorsing Biden last month.<\/p>

Terry Bowman, Trump's 2016 campaign Michigan co-chairman and 2020 Workers for Trump national chairman, has also worked for the Ford Motor Company<\/a> for almost three decades. Bowman now chairs the board of the nonpolitical Institute for the American Worker, but he contended what is good for union officials does not \"necessarily mean that it's good for the rank and file.\"<\/p>

\"They like [Trump] personally as a candidate and just as a person,\" Bowman said. \"Secondly, we do now have a history of Donald Trump's policies, and going into 2024, I think workers have looked at: What did Donald Trump do for blue-collar auto workers<\/a>, and what has Joe Biden done for blue-collar workers?\"<\/p>

One of Biden's more politically problematic policies has been his desire to have 50% of all new vehicle sales being electric models<\/a> by 2030, though policy analysts disagree regarding its workforce consequences. Simultaneously, Bowman was temporarily laid off this week because Ford's Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which builds batteries for the maker's electric F-150 Lightning, is reducing production and shifts.<\/p>

\"We have thousands, or tens of thousands of workers in the auto industry in America that work in transmission plants and in engine plants,\" Bowman said. \"There's more jobs coming into the assembly of batteries, but it's not going to be on a one-for-one basis. ... Even with the government subsidies, the demand for these trucks is just not there.\"<\/p>

Trump receiving more support from industrial union workers than Republicans traditionally do is \"part of a longer transformation along educational lines between the political parties,\" according to Michigan State University Institute of Public Policy and Social Research Director Matthew Grossmann. But that does not help Biden, who this week had almost 52,000 Democrats mark themselves as \"uncommitted\" in protest of the Israel<\/a>-Hamas<\/a> war instead of voting for him.<\/p>

\"It's a smaller proportion of the Michigan economy than it used to be, but it still has a lot of cultural resonance because lots of people have family members who work for the auto industry or support the UAW,\" Grossmann said.<\/p>

Mark Gaffney, a former president of Michigan's AFL-CIO<\/a>, a union federation, conceded other types of labor groups have become less politically powerful as their membership has declined, in addition to those members being \"more independent.\"<\/p>

\"Younger members tend to be even more independent,\" Gaffney said, adding that Trump's opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement appealed to industrial union members after years of their leadership describing such deals as bad.<\/p>

\"So along comes Trump, and whether he follows through on everything that he says or not is debatable, but he convinces people that he's talking their language,\" Gaffney continued. \"So we could have lost, in some unions, as many as 40% of our members last time. And that's a pretty big number.\"<\/p>

But Jackie Kelly-Smith, Macomb County Democratic Committee's black caucus chairwoman and a retired UAW worker, was more optimistic concerning Biden's prospects in the community, citing him taking part in last fall's strike.<\/p>

\"We've had this going on since I got hired by General Motors<\/a> in 1975,\" Kelly-Smith said. \"They feel as though my union should not endorse someone that I don't want to vote for. On the other hand, you have the union saying we're going to endorse those that allow us to continue to represent, negotiate, and bargain, and that's not always a Republican president. ... Trump didn't care if we went bankrupt.\"<\/p>

More broadly, the economy, along with border<\/a> security and abortion<\/a> access, could determine the election, with polls demonstrating disapproval of Biden's economic approach. For instance, Biden's economic approval rating is roughly net negative 16 percentage points, with 40% approving and 56% disapproving.<\/p>

Michigan state Rep. Karen Twinsett, a Democrat who represents parts of Detroit and Dearborn in neighboring Wayne County, another critical region, recognized that Biden's economy, or \"Bidenomics,\"<\/a> has been detrimental to her constituents.<\/p>

\"When you're talking about somebody in the presidency, normally, these things don't bother you until they're hitting you at home, like gas prices<\/a> or whatever,\" Twinsett said. \"Everyday people don't think about that stuff, but when you go to the grocery store, you're feeling it.\"<\/p>

In response, state Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-MI), who represents other parts of Dearborn, implored Biden to emphasize \"corporate greed that has been masquerading as inflation.\"<\/p>

\"Inflation<\/a> is real, but also corporations have upped their prices exponentially since the pandemic hit,\" Byrnes said. \"If they don't call it out and don't act on it, people will feel like they're trying to pull the wool over their eyes.\"<\/p>

But Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), the dean of Michigan's congressional delegation in Washington, and former state Sen. Tom Barrett, who is contesting Michigan's 7th Congressional District again, argued Bidenomics's damage has already been done. For Walberg, from the five town halls he led last week before his interview with the Washington Examiner, it is \"very clear\" that Bidenomics is \"not working,\" especially related to interest rates <\/a>and energy costs<\/a>, and that only a \"very significant turnaround\" could improve Biden's popularity.<\/p>

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/p>

Barrett additionally downplayed the importance of Biden's union endorsements after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters<\/a>'s political action committee donated $45,000 to the Republican National Committee's convention fund. The Teamsters have yet to endorse a candidate.<\/p>

\"The national union leadership is always going to endorse Democrats, and the UAW was always going to endorse Biden,\" Barrett said. \"It was just a question of when now they had become frustrated with him over his electric vehicle mandates and other things that really disadvantaged union workers and auto plants because their jobs aren't going to be around. I would say your average or stereotypical UAW worker is probably somebody who cares about crime in their communities, cares about the border a whole heck of a lot.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP24023837150822-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363597-1767510000", "title":"February Social Security direct payments worth $994 goes out in 26 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4363597%2Ffebruary-social-security-direct-payments-worth-994-out-26-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"February 2026 Supplemental Security Income payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 26 days. SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February’s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the […]", "description":""

February 2026 Supplemental Security Income<\/a> payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 26 days.<\/p>

SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February\u2019s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the case for February\u2019s payment, SSI payments are issued on the last weekday of the previous month.<\/p>

Beneficiaries are people with limited income who are either blind, aged 65 and older, or have a qualifying disability.<\/p>

The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing<\/a>. For example, individual filers can receive up to $994<\/a>, couples filing jointly can receive $1,491, and those providing essential care to SSI recipients can receive up to $498. <\/p>

In addition to the previous prerequisites for receiving SSI payments<\/a>, recipients must also be U.S. citizens or noncitizens in one of the alien classifications granted by the Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>

US PLEDGES $2 BILLION TOWARDS UN HUMANITARIAN AID<\/a><\/p>

Additionally, recipients must live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and must not be absent from the United States for a full calendar month or 30 consecutive days.<\/p>

A full calendar<\/a> for the Social Security Administration payments can be viewed on the agency\u2019s website.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Social-security-money-4-6-e1767025876320.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363628-1767510000", "title":"First round of January Social Security payments goes out in 10 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4363628%2Ffirst-round-january-social-security-payments-out-10-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 10 days. When will payments arrive? Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14.  The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients […]", "description":""

The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 10 days.<\/p>When will payments arrive?

Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14<\/a>. <\/p>

The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients born between the 11th and 20th of a month, followed by a third round on Jan. 28 to those born after the 21st of a month.<\/p>When am I eligible?

Citizens are eligible for Social Security payments beginning at 62 years old.<\/p>How can I maximize my check?

Social Security payment amounts are determined by several factors, including age of retirement, the amount paid into Social Security, and the number of years paid into Social Security.<\/p>

Payments largely depend on a recipient\u2019s retirement age<\/a>. A beneficiary retiring at the youngest age, 62, could receive up to $2,831 per month<\/a>, while a 70-year-old retiree could receive up to $5,108 per month, according to the Social Security Administration.<\/p>

Beneficiaries can see a personalized estimate of how much they can expect each month through the SSA\u2019s calculator<\/a>.<\/p>

A ROUGH YEAR IN COURT FOR MARC ELIAS<\/a><\/p>How is it financed?

Social Security is financed by a payroll tax paid for by employers and employees.<\/p>

Social Security payment amounts are set to shrink unless Congress takes action to prevent it. Analysts estimate the SSA will no longer be able to issue full payments<\/a> as early as 2034, due to a rising number of retirees and a shrinking number of workers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Social-Security-Money-8-4-e1767026910234.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379341-1767510000", "title":"After one year, Trump is on his way to ‘out-progressive-ing’ Biden on the economy", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4379341%2Ftrump-more-progressive-biden-economically-one-year%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump has repeatedly declared that “America will never be a socialist country,” but after just one year back in the White House, he has already backed policies that may prove more progressive than anything former President Joe Biden enacted across his four-year term. The former president claimed that his economic platform would rebuild […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> has repeatedly declared that \u201cAmerica will never be a socialist country,\u201d but after just one year back in the White House<\/a>, he has already backed policies that may prove more progressive than anything former President Joe Biden<\/a> enacted across his four-year term.<\/p>

The former president claimed that his economic platform would rebuild the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, as opposed to the trickle-down strategy employed by Republicans for decades. But, despite pushing for higher taxes for corporations and wealthy individuals and other economic justice policies supported by progressives, the 100 wealthiest U.S. citizens<\/a> saw their net worths jump $1.5 trillion while Biden was in office, according to the Federal Reserve, with the top 0.1% of American earners growing their capital by an astounding $6 trillion, all amid rampant inflation.<\/p>

On the other hand, Trump's creation of investment accounts for newborn children this past year does seem to, at least partially, deliver on the wealth redistribution push the progressive Left has made for years.<\/p>

The newborn investment program, dubbed \u201cTrump accounts,\u201d was launched with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the president\u2019s landmark July 4, 2025, spending bill. For every child born to U.S. citizens between 2025 and 2028, the federal government will deposit $1,000 into an investment account. Parents may then claim the account and manage how that money, plus contributions from family and employers, is then invested until the child turns 18, at which point the accounts will transition into individual retirement account-like plans.<\/p>

But even more importantly, the Trump administration is courting the nation\u2019s richest to supplement the government\u2019s initial contributions personally. As of December 2025, Trump had secured two such donations, including\u00a0a $6 billion gift from Michael and Susan Dell, who had previously lobbied for similar programs on Capitol Hill.<\/p>

Hedge fund manager Ray Dalio has also committed an additional $75 million donation of his own to supplement Trump accounts for children born in his home state of Connecticut. Dalio\u2019s gift will go directly to Connecticut families as a part of the administration\u2019s \u201c50 State Challenge,\u201d which will seek to land philanthropic support for the Trump accounts in every state.<\/p>

Administration officials have signaled they view the initiative as an illustration of the president\u2019s stated pro-natalist agenda, a financial education tool, and a means of helping American families generate savings in the pursuit of significant, life-defining purchases such as homes.<\/p>

And, despite the policy bearing Trump\u2019s name, the accounts have received some praise from the Left, including from both Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).<\/p>

Booker and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent Fortune 100 CEOs a letter in which they referred to the program as \u201ca groundbreaking new investment vehicle\u201d and called on the executives to match parental contributions to the accounts.<\/p>

\u201cMany companies have already pledged support, and we encourage your company to explore how you might contribute at a level aligned with your mission and capacity,\u201d they wrote. \u201cBy matching contributions for employees\u2019 families, investing in the communities where you operate, or integrating these accounts into your philanthropic strategy, you can significantly enhance the impact of this historic initiative.\u201d<\/p>

In November 2025, Pressley said in a statement<\/a> that the plan \u201chas the potential to be a transformative tool for economic justice,\u201d though she has voiced concerns that, without additional reforms and guardrails, the program may serve to increase wealth inequality.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in December about calls from Democrats to increase the federal funding for Trump accounts, especially for families who may not be able to maximize their own annual contributions to the plan. And while Bessent initially answered with a typical Trump administration response, he did not close the door on bumping up those initial federal investments in the future.<\/p>

\u201cI find it rich that Democratic lawmakers, who had the trifecta [during former President Joe Biden\u2019s first two years in office], never did this,\u201d Bessent said at the time. \u201cWhy don\u2019t they let us get them up and running? We\u2019ve got four years, and then we\u2019ll see where it goes.\u201d<\/p>

The president\u2019s overall economic platform bears little resemblance to the Reagan-esque, free market platitudes he pushed on the 2016 campaign trail. Trump has placed heavy tariffs on every U.S. trading partner on the planet, taken \u201cgolden\u201d government shares in technology and critical minerals companies in exchange for federal investments or tariff relief, and intervened in a number of mergers and acquisitions, such as the TikTok and Netflix deals.<\/p>

Those actions have driven the president\u2019s critics, including Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA), to say Trump<\/a> is actually a socialist, in hopes of turning one of Republicans\u2019 most-trusted campaign attacks against them ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.<\/p>

His allies, on the other hand, argue that Trump\u2019s economic platform is more akin to the state capitalism employed by Beijing for decades.<\/p>

A senior Republican operative with past work on Trump\u2019s presidential campaigns told the Washington Examiner that the president is \u201cwilling to look at policy prescriptions from anywhere, as long as they deliver for the American people.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHe has this sense, I think, that to really beat back China, we\u2019ve got to kind of be China,\u201d the senior Republican operative said. \u201cAnd he\u2019ll do whatever it takes to beat China.\u201d<\/p>

\"President Trump is not a socialist. Don\u2019t write that he\u2019s a socialist,\" a former Trump White House aide joked, referencing a popular, decade-old meme<\/a> and noting that the so-called \"New Right\" and progressive Left have both pursued populist policies in recent years. \"The idea that the president has to do the same exact stuff as George Bush, or even Reagan \u2014\u00a0just because they\u2019re all Republicans \u2014\u00a0is ludicrous. The reality is, before President Trump, both parties were selling out American families.\"<\/p>

\"Trump is the guy who\u2019s fighting to fix all that, and he's, kind of, out-progressive-ing Biden in a way to do it,\" the operative said. \"You'd think he'd get a little bit more credit for that, but [Trump derangement syndrome] is a hell of a drug I guess.\"<\/p>

White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to the Washington Examiner that \"Washington, D.C.\u2019s blind commitment to consensus orthodoxy that ignored the realities of the world is exactly why Americans and America were left behind.\"<\/p>

TRUMP 'ABSOLUTELY' WANTS TO REVOKE CITIZENSHIP OF SOMALIS WHO COMMITTED FRAUD IN MINNESOTA: LEAVITT<\/a><\/p>

\"Look no further than lopsided \u2018free\u2019 trade arrangements that let foreign cheating decimate our industrial base.\" Desai said. \"The administration is simultaneously pushing the free market policies \u2014 such as rapid deregulation and The One Big Beautiful Bill\u2019s tax cuts \u2014 that do work while rectifying the America Last policies that haven\u2019t worked to safeguard our national and economic security.\u201d<\/p>

Whether socialist or capitalist, Trump\u2019s economic platform has bled support from voters over the past year. According to a poll published Tuesday by the Economist<\/a>, the president will head into 2026 with just a 39% overall approval rating and over half of respondents saying they believe the country is on the wrong economic path.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25363671424703.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4355960-1767506400", "title":"Some black New Yorkers worried that Mamdani’s socialist policies would harm them the most", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4355960%2Fblack-new-yorkers-worried-zohran-mamdani-socialist-policies-harm%2F", "byline":"Mia Cathell", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A contingent of black leaders in New York has warned that socialist policies pushed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialists of America’s star candidate of 2025, would disproportionately harm black communities. Mounting debate over the DSA’s influence in municipal government comes as Mamdani is about to take over the largest city in the country […]", "description":""

A contingent of black leaders in New York<\/a> has warned that socialist policies pushed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, the Democratic Socialists of America's star candidate of 2025, would disproportionately harm black communities.<\/p>

Mounting debate over the DSA\u2019s influence in municipal government comes as Mamdani is about to take over the largest city in the country as chief executive. His rise has drawn scrutiny from more centrist figures on the political Left who fear that the DSA\u2019s revolutionary-left agenda could inadvertently harm vulnerable black residents, a demographic that the DSA claims to champion<\/a> in the name of racial justice.<\/p>

Chantel Wright, a bishop and local faith leader, said in an interview with the Washington Examiner, \u201cThere is no clear black agenda for the people who voted for him. It\u2019s really not clearly defined what his position is as it pertains to black people.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI am just hoping that there will be greater clarity as to all of those who jumped on the Mamdani bandwagon,\u201d Wright said. \u201cWhat is he really planning to do for our community, making sure that we are looked after and taken care of?\u201d<\/p>

Wright mentioned the Mamdani transition team\u2019s lack of outreach to the black community, despite leaders within the community reaching out several times for a seat at the table.<\/p>

Urging the inclusion of all constituents in the policymaking process, Wright said, \u201cNew York is very, very intricate. It\u2019s a mosaic. And when you think that you can leave one of the tiles out, you\u2019re sophomoric in your thinking.\u201d<\/p>

In a recent New York Daily News opinion piece<\/a>, dated Dec. 4, 2025, National Black Empowerment Action Fund President Darius Jones raised concerns about whether the new mayor would implement the agenda items of the DSA, whose policy vision he said has \u201cconsistently clashed with the needs and dismissed the interests of the very Black and Brown communities that are most affected by the outcomes of City Hall.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cFor years the DSA has promoted ideas that sound righteous in theory but unravel when applied to the communities that bear the brunt of policy failures,\u201d Jones said, asserting that socialists \u201cborrow the language of justice and liberation from our history while pushing proposals that rarely account for our safety, our schools, our daily lives, or our economic reality.\u201d<\/p>

His strongly worded article took aim, in particular, at the DSA\u2019s positions on public safety.<\/p>

Mamdani has publicly distanced himself from the DSA\u2019s calls to abolish the police<\/a>, but, in the past, he said on Twitter that the city\u2019s police department should be \"defunded<\/a>\" and \"dismantled<\/a>\" altogether. While running for mayor, Mamdani reportedly<\/a> walked back anti-police posts he had made during the 2020 racial justice uprisings.<\/p>

\u201cMadness,\u201d Wright said of abolishing the police. \u201cOver our dead bodies.\u201d<\/p>

Wright, a Harlem resident, noted how she and other community advocates have worked to build relationships with the New York Police Department<\/a>. \u201cWho\u2019s going to suffer the most?\u201d she wondered. \u201cSo if you abolish it altogether, communities that already have high crime rates are going to be warfare zones.\u201d<\/p>

Jones said that DSA policies, such as eliminating the NYPD's gang database, decriminalizing prostitution<\/a>, and legalizing <\/a>dangerous drugs, would just increase crime, drug abuse, and sex trafficking in poor neighborhoods.<\/p>

As for the city\u2019s gang database, which opponents consider \u201cdiscriminatory\u201d against certain racial groups, Jones said, \u201cMany parents and neighborhood leaders see it as a tool that can prevent violence before it reaches their block. Reforms may be necessary, but dismantling it outright would be reckless.\u201d<\/p>

Other black religious leaders in New York have also voiced opposition against the DSA\u2019s policy priorities.<\/p>

\u201cThe DSA wants to defund the police and decriminalize hard drugs,\u201d Pastor Zidde Hamatheite of the Wayside Baptist Church in Brooklyn previously told the New York Post. \u201cThat\u2019s not progress<\/a>, that\u2019s surrender. And it\u2019s wrong for black communities in New York.\u201d<\/p>

In the same article, Rev. James Kilgore of the Friendship Baptist Church in Harlem criticized the DSA for opposing<\/a> school choice: \u201cThe DSA wants to defund some of the only high-quality public schools we have access to and evict more than 130,000 black and brown children from those few high-quality public schools. How is that even remotely progressive?\u201d<\/p>

On the campaign trail, Mamdani promised that, if elected, he would oppose the expansion of charter schools, which are publicly funded and largely educate minority, low-income students from working-class households. Charter schools operate independently from traditional school districts, often offering higher-level curriculum<\/a> compared to their public school counterparts. Studies<\/a> show that disadvantaged students in urban areas tend to perform better at these types of educational alternatives.<\/p>

\u201cI oppose efforts by the state to mandate an expansion of charter school operations in New York City,\u201d Mamdani said in a candidate survey<\/a> ahead of the Democratic primaries in June 2025. In the Staten Island Advance questionnaire, Mamdani declared that he even opposes charter schools sharing space on city-owned property and further vowed to audit ones that are co-located in city Department of Education buildings, suggesting that they receive too much public funding.<\/p>

\u201cFor those already co-located,\u201d Mandani pledged, \u201cmy administration would undertake a comprehensive review of charter school funding to address the unevenness of our system.\u201d<\/p>

Many black leaders told the media that they were offended by Mamdani claiming to be \u201cAfrican American\u201d when he had applied to attend Columbia University<\/a>. Mamdani, who is of Indian ancestry but was born in Uganda, checked off both the \u201cBlack or African American\u201d and \u201cAsian\u201d boxes regarding his race on his 2009 college application.<\/p>

Critics said Mamdani co-opted a black identity to further his professional career, suspecting that he tried to pass himself off as African American to gain an advantage in the admissions process, courtesy of Columbia\u2019s race-conscious affirmative action<\/a> policies.<\/p>

\u201cThe African American identity is not a checkbox of convenience<\/a>,\u201d then-New York Mayor Eric Adams<\/a> said in a statement after the information from Mamdani\u2019s application was leaked in July 2025. \u201cIt\u2019s a history, a struggle, and a lived experience. For someone to exploit that for personal gain is deeply offensive.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYou don\u2019t get to be black when it\u2019s convenient for you,\u201d Wright said of Mamdani. You don\u2019t understand the burden we bear. How dare you use that to your advantage for some sort of privilege?\u201d<\/p>

Wright said that Mamdani has never directly apologized to the black community for misrepresenting himself.<\/p>

\u201cWho do you think you are, thinking that you could do that and then turn around and then act like we don\u2019t exist? Shame on you,\u201d said Wright, a staunch supporter of Adams, who had entered the general election as an independent but withdrew and endorsed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a>.<\/p>

In October 2025, Cuomo\u2019s campaign posted a video<\/a> that contained interviews with black New Yorkers about their thoughts on the Mamdani admissions scandal.<\/p>

\u201cYou\u2019re a Ugandan Indian. OK? You\u2019re not black!\u201d one black New Yorker answered, saying that Mamdani was trying to use \u201cthe black card\u201d to get in.<\/p>

\u201cWhy would you make yourself seem like something you\u2019re not?\u201d another asked, suggesting that Mamdani \u201cimpersonated\u201d a black person.<\/p>

Mamdani told<\/a> the New York Times, which had first reported on his college application based on hacked documents shared with the newspaper, that he does not consider himself either black or African American, rather \u201can American who was born in Africa.\u201d He said that the application did not have a category that fully represented the complexity of his ethnic origins, so he marked multiple boxes, working within the limited options available to him.<\/p>

\u201cMost college applications don\u2019t have a box for Indian-Ugandans, so I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background,\u201d Mamdani said. A section of the application<\/a> allowed students to add \u201cmore specific information where relevant,\u201d and Mamdani said that he wrote \u201cUgandan.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cEven though these boxes are constraining, I wanted my college application to reflect who I was,\u201d Mamdani said.<\/p>

Mamdani was eventually not accepted at Columbia and ended up attending Bowdoin College, where he majored in Africana studies.<\/p>

Months before the application bombshell, Mamdani said that it would be \u201cmisleading\u201d for him to self-identify as African American. A resurfaced social media clip<\/a> captured him making the acknowledgment on camera as he was questioned about his heritage. <\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m an Indian, Ugandan, New Yorker,\u201d Mamdani told black performance artist Crackhead Barney when she approached him on the street in April 2025. Asked if he would ever claim African American status, Mamdani insisted, \u201cNo, I would not. I\u2019m proud to be Ugandan, but I think that is misleading.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe don\u2019t trust him,\u201d Wright said following the revelations.<\/p>

Wright also characterized Mamdani\u2019s promises of government-run grocery stores, rent freezes, and free rides on city buses as snake-oil salesman pitches.<\/p>

\u201cNone of it makes any sense,\u201d Wright, 60, told the Washington Examiner. \u201cFirst of all, if you promise a free bus ride, who\u2019s going to pay for it? Because the buses still have to have gasoline or electricity. They still have to be maintained. Where\u2019s that money coming from?\u201d<\/p>

Mamdani\u2019s father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a professor of government<\/a> at Columbia University, and his family reportedly<\/a> lived close to campus in taxpayer-subsidized housing provided by the Ivy League college.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s all great and fanciful for people who don\u2019t have real connections to black people,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>

Jones, who was former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg\u2019s deputy national political director during his 2020 presidential bid, has been a vocal critic among black voices speaking out against Mamdani and informing black New Yorkers about the DSA\u2019s hard-left platform<\/a>.<\/p>

Leading the charge in these awareness efforts is Jones\u2019s nonprofit organization, the National Black Empowerment Action Fund, a national black advocacy group operating<\/a> in major metropolitan areas across America, including<\/a> New York, that are known to be political, civic, and business hubs for black communities. Fighting for \u201ccommon-sense\u201d policies that empower black communities to thrive, the NBEAF is dedicated<\/a> to the economic, educational, and social uplift of black America.<\/p>

In the lead-up to the New York mayoral election, the NBEAF launched a $2 million ad campaign against Mamdani, warning voters that the DSA\u2019s agenda \"threatens<\/a>\" decades of social and economic progress achieved by black Americans throughout U.S. history.<\/p>

The anti-Mamdani ads, which were billed<\/a> as \u201cA Message From the Black Community,\u201d accused<\/a> the DSA of \u201cinsulting our intelligence\u201d and \u201ctaking us for granted.\u201d<\/p>

IN FOCUS: DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS QUIETLY CAPTURE CITY COUNCILS ACROSS AMERICA<\/a><\/p>

\u201cInstead of claiming to speak for us and acting like you know what\u2019s best for us, try listening to us!\u201d one of the ads, directed at DSA, said.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner contacted Mamdani\u2019s campaign and the DSA for comment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/z-mamdani-2.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4397572-1767506400", "title":"Chief Justice Roberts stresses importance of judicial independence ahead of busy 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsupreme-court%2F4397572%2Fchief-justice-john-roberts-stresses-judicial-independence-busy-2026%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"As federal courts are slated to face a busy 2026 with several high-profile cases at all levels, Chief Justice John Roberts reflected on 2025 by stressing the importance of the judiciary remaining independent from the other branches of government. The chief justice released his annual end-of-year report on the judiciary late Wednesday, after a busy […]", "description":""

As federal courts<\/a> are slated to face a busy 2026 with several high-profile cases at all levels, Chief Justice John Roberts<\/a> reflected on 2025 by stressing the importance of the judiciary remaining independent from the other branches of government.<\/p>

The chief justice released his annual end-of-year report<\/a> on the judiciary late Wednesday, after a busy year where federal courts made headlines over clashes with the Trump administration<\/a> during its first year back in office. Over the coming months, the Trump administration is expected to face more legal battles in various federal courts over hotly contested policies in what is expected to be another busy year for the judiciary.<\/p>Roberts lauds importance of an independent judiciary to end 2025

Roberts spent most of his end-of-year report discussing the history of the country's founding and the Declaration of Independence<\/a> ahead of its 250th anniversary in July.<\/p>

When discussing the judiciary and courts themselves, the chief justice touched on the importance of keeping the branch independent from the executive and legislative branches. Roberts also celebrated how the Constitution<\/a> insulates the judiciary from the other branches, not being at the will of the executive.<\/p>

\"The Constitution corrected this flaw, granting life tenure and salary protection to safeguard the independence of federal judges and ensure their ability to serve as a counter-majoritarian check on the political branches. This arrangement, now in place for 236 years, has served the country well,\" Roberts said in his report published Wednesday evening.<\/p>

In 2025, federal courts struck down and halted several Trump administration policies and actions, leading to vocal frustration from President Donald Trump<\/a> and other officials in the administration. While Roberts avoided directly discussing these clashes, he did tell the judicial branch that, going into the next year, it must continue to work independently from the other branches in their duties.<\/p>

\"Those of us in the Third Branch must continue to decide the cases before us according to our oath, doing equal right to the poor and to the rich, and performing all of our duties faithfully and impartially under the Constitution and laws of the United States,\" Roberts wrote.<\/p>Federal courts expected to remain busy in 2026 as Trump administration faces avalanche of lawsuits

While 2025 was dominated by lawsuits against the Trump administration in district courts and at preliminary stages, the coming year is already slated to have several high-profile matters decided at the Supreme Court<\/a>.<\/p>

The Trump administration is awaiting decisions in the coming months from the Supreme Court over the president's sweeping \"Liberation Day\" tariffs and the president's ability to fire independent agency heads, after oral arguments at the end of 2025. Another key Trump policy, his executive order over birthright citizenship, will have oral arguments at the high court in the coming months, with decisions in all three cases expected by the end of June.<\/p>

In lower federal courts, clashes over immigration<\/a> and other Trump policies continue to work their way through the district and appeals courts. The legal battles over the deployment of the National Guard<\/a> in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland are expected to wind down. The president announced he would withdraw troops from those cities shortly after the Supreme Court dealt Trump a major loss on the emergency docket in December 2025.<\/p>

LOWER COURT CLASHES WITH THE SUPREME COURT ARE EXPLODING<\/a><\/p>

As the Trump administration continues to move forward with different policies and actions in the coming year, lawsuits are also expected to follow. The latest legal battle brewing<\/a> in a federal district court in Washington, D.C.<\/a>, deals with the president's planned ballroom for the White House.<\/p>

While headlines out of the judiciary in the coming year are expected to be dominated by lawsuits and rulings over Trump administration actions, two Supreme Court justices are slated to hit major milestones this year. Justice Samuel Alito<\/a> will mark 20 years on the high court at the end of January, while Justice Clarence Thomas<\/a> will become the second-longest serving justice in the high court's history in May.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25252729918084.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399895-1767506400", "title":"Get to know the unheralded aides who help keep Trump’s White House running", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4399895%2Funheralded-aides-keeping-trump-white-house-running%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes hundreds of staffers to run the White House effectively. Last January, few in Washington, D.C. anticipated how quickly President Donald Trump would be able to implement much of his promised agenda. Trump is still calling all the shots, but a large share of the credit […]", "description":""

It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes hundreds of staffers to run the\u00a0White House<\/a> effectively.<\/p>

Last January, few in Washington, D.C.<\/a> anticipated how quickly President Donald Trump<\/a> would be able to implement much of his promised agenda.<\/p>

Trump is still calling all the shots, but a large share of the credit for the speed and breadth with which the administration has enacted the president's will goes to a close-knit group of officials who've learned from the chaos and internal infighting that characterized Trump's first term.<\/p>

\"President Trump has assembled a strong, proven team fully committed to Making America Great Again,\" White House spokeswoman Liz Huston told the Washington Examiner when asked about Trump's deep bench.<\/p>

A select handful of these aides, such as press secretary Karoline Leavitt<\/a>, have become legitimately famous over the past year, but the overwhelming majority rarely see the spotlight. Here's a look at four individuals who were integral to keeping Trump on target and the White House running in 2025.<\/p>James Blair: White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political, and public affairs

Though James Blair may be the best-known member of this list to the public, the longtime Florida-based Republican operative rarely speaks in public. Instead, he spends the bulk of his time as the president's top policy and political go-between with Capitol Hill and the Republican National Committee<\/a>, despite lacking the depth of D.C. experience of others in the White House.<\/p>

Blair, 36, entered Trump's orbit last election cycle after he and his direct boss and mentee, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles<\/a>, were excommunicated from Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R-FL) circle of advisers. The pair helped lead Trump's 2024 campaign to an easy victory in November of that year, destroying DeSantis's primary bid in the process. Blair himself reportedly made the call to outsource much of the Republican grassroots organizing efforts to outside groups and other strategies that helped the president earn an outsize share of black, Latino, and young votes, compared to past Republican presidential nominees.<\/p>

Now, Blair sits just two doors down from the Oval Office \u2014\u00a0the midway point between Trump and Wiles's own corner office \u2014\u00a0where he'll play a huge hand in crafting the president's plan to support GOP candidates in the midterm elections<\/a>, and lobbying for Trump's legislative priorities in the years to follow should Republicans maintain their congressional majorities next November.<\/p>Margo Martin, special assistant to the president for communications

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Margo Martin's worth to the president may be immeasurable.<\/p>

A former all-state high school tennis player in Oklahoma, she began working for Trump as a White House press assistant in 2019 and accompanied him to West Palm Beach after leaving office in 2021. There, she served as an unofficial body woman for the president in exile but, more importantly, began workshopping what would become a critical leg of the White House's current communications strategy \u2014 namely, photograph and film virtually the entirety of the president's exhaustive slate of events and immediately post it to social media.<\/p>

That concept proved to be a smashing success. Trump 2.0 has leaned more into social media than any other modern president, with a clear aim of catering to the youngest voters. Furthermore, the candid, behind-the-scenes, and often heartwarming moments she shares not only help humanize the president but also allow the White House to broadcast Trump directly to millions of Americans while bypassing an often-hostile White House press corps.<\/p>Beau Harrison, White House deputy chief of staff for operations

Of all the president's political appointees, Beau Harrison may do the most to literally and figuratively keep the lights on at the White House.<\/p>

He is among the longest-tenured Trump officials, taking his first White House job as a special assistant to the then-deputy chief of staff for operations back in early 2017. And, like Martin, he went on to work personally for Trump in West Palm Beach in January 2021.<\/p>

As his title suggests, Harrison is in charge of coordinating operations and logistics for the Trump administration, including all domestic and international travel for the president, not to mention the thousands of aides, reporters, and guests attending the associated events at those stops.<\/p>

It's a thankless job, but there are some perks. Harrison met his wife, chief of staff to first lady Melania Trump<\/a>, Hayley Harrison, while the pair worked at the first Trump White House.<\/p>Saurabh Sharma, special assistant to the president for personnel

By far the youngest member of this list, Sharma likely has the most influence over who exactly is carrying out Trump's orders.<\/p>

TRUMP TESTS TIM WALZ AS DEMOCRATIC BOOGEYMAN AFTER SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL<\/a><\/p>

Sharma didn't begin working for Trump until last January and was still a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin by the time the president left office in 2020.<\/p>

But during former President Joe Biden's<\/a> term, Sharma kept very, very busy. After a brief post-collegiate career in conservative media, he moved into the think tank world, eventually launching his own, American Moment, in 2021. There, he and other conservative activists began cataloguing hundreds of young potential hires to staff out a possible second Trump administration. That list was a primary document used by Trump's White House Office of Presidential Personnel during the Biden-Trump transition, and a core reason Trump was able to staff his executive branch at a record-setting pace.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-collage-kvaxnn2pr-1767402026317-e1767402847742.jpg?1767384843&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400939-1767506400", "title":"The military’s staggering competence under Trump", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Fcourage-strength-optimism%2F4400939%2Fthe-militarys-staggering-competence-under-trump%2F", "byline":"Peter Laffin", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Let’s stipulate that there’s a long way to go in Venezuela. As my colleague Tom Rogan wrote earlier today, Delta Force’s daring operation will go down as one of the most remarkable in our nation’s history — and yet that was the easy part. Restoring the rule of law to a nation overrun by violent […]", "description":""

Let's stipulate that there's a long way to go in Venezuela<\/a>. As my colleague Tom Rogan wrote earlier today<\/a>, Delta Force's daring operation will go down as one of the most remarkable in our nation's history \u2014 and yet that was the easy part. Restoring the rule of law to a nation overrun by violent drug cartels and criminal gangs will be the greater challenge.<\/p>

Yet this operation's extraordinary success is worth dwelling on \u2014 not just for its own brilliance, but for what it reveals about the U.S. military<\/a>'s performance throughout President Donald Trump<\/a>'s second term.<\/p>

Imagine for a moment that Trump had promised to take out Iran's<\/a> nuclear capabilities and capture the illegitimate dictator Nicolas Maduro<\/a> within a six-month span \u2014 and all without sacrificing a single American soldier or aircraft.<\/p>

It's the kind of pledge we would have rolled our eyes at, like when he said Mexico would pay for the wall. But that's exactly what has happened. Trump pulled off two history-altering military strikes without costing America a single life or aircraft. It's better than what we could have reasonably hoped for.<\/p>

The sheer complexity of both strikes only heightens their brilliance. The high-intensity raid deep inside enemy territory on Saturday could have gone wrong in a million ways. Unlike raids in remote regions, descending into Caracas carried the risk of prolonged urban warfare and high civilian casualties \u2014 not to mention the potential for an embarrassing defeat. Maduro's compound was fortress-like, with loyal guards and quick-reaction forces nearby. One wrong move could have triggered hostage situations or even a broader regional conflict.<\/p>

But our military executed the mission flawlessly. Our cyber units plunged parts of Caracas into darkness, our aircraft \u2014 more than 150 launched from 20 bases \u2014 suppressed air defenses, and our helicopters, which faced intense ground fire upon approach, broke through, enabling our forces to move so fast through opposition that they tracked down Maduro like a cornered animal.<\/p>

Some Americans were wounded, but none killed. The cowardly dictator and his wife were flown to New York City, where they await the full might of American justice.<\/p>

For far too long, Americans watched their military \u2014 the greatest fighting force in history \u2014 hamstrung by mismanagement that produced stalemates and outright defeats. From the Vietnam War, to the long slog in Iraq<\/a>, and to the shameful Afghanistan withdrawal under Biden, the nation saw its beloved troops held back by indecisive and, at times, cowardly leadership.<\/p>

But those days feel like ancient history now. Alongside the decisive campaign against the Houthis in Yemen and the decimation of Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities, the Maduro capture instills sorely needed confidence and pride in our nation\u2019s fighting force.<\/p>

CAPTURING MADURO WAS THE EXTRAORDINARILY CHALLENGING BUT EASIER PART<\/a><\/p>

And with a looming clash with China<\/a> seeming more inevitable by the day \u2014 during his New Year\u2019s Eve address on Dec. 31, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that \u201cthe reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable\u201d \u2014 few things could matter more.<\/p>

May God bless our heroic warfighters.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Trump-military-rally.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3918027-1767502800", "title":"Four major cases the Supreme Court will hear in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsupreme-court%2F3918027%2Ffour-major-cases-supreme-court-2026%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Supreme Court will begin the new year with arguments in several high-profile cases, ranging from challenges to laws protecting women’s sports to President Donald Trump‘s birthright citizenship executive order. The justices have heard arguments in 27 cases this term and are expected to hear arguments in more than two dozen additional cases over the […]", "description":""

The Supreme Court<\/a> will begin the new year with arguments in several high-profile cases, ranging from challenges to laws protecting women's sports to President Donald Trump<\/a>'s birthright citizenship executive order.<\/p>

The justices have heard arguments in 27 cases this term and are expected to hear arguments in more than two dozen additional cases over the first four months of 2026. Four of those cases are widely expected to make headlines when they are heard, and when the justices issue decisions in each case by the end of June.<\/p>1. Little v. Hecox (transgender sports)

The first major case the justices will hear arguments in revolves around an Idaho law that limits women's sports<\/a> to biological women. The question before the Supreme Court in Little v. Hecox will be whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.<\/p>

The case will mark the first time the legality of a law aiming to restrict participation in women's sports by biological sex makes its way to the high court, less than a year after the justices upheld a Tennessee law banning transgender procedures for minors in a 6-3 decision.<\/p>

The Hecox case will proceed to arguments on Jan. 13, despite the American Civil Liberties Union's attempt to yank the case from the high court's calendar and declare it moot. The ACLU, which is representing Lindsay Hecox, the biological male who sued over the Idaho law, argued Hecox no longer has a \"live claim.\"<\/p>

The filing from the ACLU in September 2025 said Hecox had \u201cfirmly committed not to try out for or participate in any school-sponsored women\u2019s sports covered by\u201d the disputed law and claims the \u201cnegative public scrutiny from certain quarters because of this litigation\u201d has distracted Hecox from schoolwork. Idaho officials urged the high court not to drop the case, and the justices said they would defer ruling on the suggestion of mootness until after oral arguments. A federal judge denied efforts to toss the lawsuit, saying that allowing the case to be dismissed as moot would leave \u201ccritical questions in limbo.\u201d<\/p>

In its brief to the high court, Idaho officials argued the justices should overturn the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit's ruling, which found the Fairness in Women's Sports Act to be unconstitutional, and said having biological men and women compete in different divisions is lawful.<\/p>

\"The Equal Protection Clause allows sex-based classifications if they are substantially related to achieving important government interests. Idaho\u2019s statute easily clears that hurdle. On average, men are faster, stronger, bigger, more muscular, and have more explosive power than women. For female athletes to compete safely and excel, they deserve sex-specific teams,\" the brief<\/a> from Idaho officials said.<\/p>

\"Even Respondent Hecox wants women\u2019s teams to exist; Hecox just wants to redefine 'women' based on gender identity rather than biology. But in sports, biology matters, not gender identity. So Idaho\u2019s sex-based line is correct and constitutional,\" the brief continued.<\/p>

The ACLU argued in its brief<\/a> to the high court that the law is discriminatory \"on the basis of transgender status,\" while also arguing Hecox, a biological man who identifies as a woman, has no athletic advantage over biological women.<\/p>2. West Virginia v. BPJ (transgender sports)

The same day the high court hears arguments in Little v. Hecox, it will also hear arguments in West Virginia v. B.P.J., another case involving state laws restricting women's sports to biological women.<\/p>

In West Virginia v. B.P.J., the justices will consider whether a West Virginia law limiting women's sports to only biological women violates Title IX or the equal protection clause. The case has not been disputed as moot and was granted by the justices for oral arguments at the same time as the Hecox case.<\/p>

West Virginia officials told the Supreme Court in their brief<\/a> that Title IX's promise for equal opportunity for women's sports \"is now in danger,\" and urged the court to allow the Save Women's Sports Act to stand.<\/p>

\"Nothing in Title IX invalidates the Act. Title IX\u2019s text forbids sex discrimination\u2014not sex distinctions. Males identifying as female are not similarly situated to females in athletic competition. The Act thus advances, rather than offends, Title IX\u2019s requirement of equal opportunity for the two sexes,\" the brief said, saying the lower appeals court's ruling striking down the law is turning Title IX \"upside down.\"<\/p>

\"West Virginia\u2019s law also satisfies the Equal Protection Clause. The Constitution does not require States to dispense with objective, biological sex distinctions. Nor does it require States to ignore inherent differences between men and women. The ordinary line-drawing found in the Act is not invidious discrimination subject to higher scrutiny,\" the brief continued.<\/p>

The Justice Department also filed briefs supporting Idaho and West Virginia in their respective lawsuits before the high court, and will argue to uphold both laws before the justices in January. The DOJ's brief in the B.P.J. case argued that \"federal law does not prohibit these eminently reasonable policies.\"<\/p>

\"The laws of West Virginia and Idaho place trans-identifying athletes on sports teams on the same valid, biology-based terms as everyone else. That is the definition of equal treatment. It is not gender-identity discrimination at all, much less sex discrimination,\" the DOJ said in its brief.<\/p>

\"However else Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause may apply to trans-identifying individuals, they certainly do not require granting these men and boys a preferential exemption from biology-based rules, let alone when that would come at the expense of competitive fairness and safety for women and girls\u2014the very people Title IX was enacted to protect,\" the brief continued.<\/p>

The ACLU, which is also helping represent B.P.J. \u2014 a minor biological male who identifies as a woman and wants to compete in women's sports \u2014 told the high court in its brief the biological male suing the state has no athletic advantage over biological females. The brief claims that because B.P.J. did not go through regular male puberty, having taken puberty-blocking drugs, there is no advantage, and the law is discriminatory.<\/p>

The main difference between the Hecox and B.P.J. case, besides the question of mootness, is the ages of the biological males suing over the law. In the Hecox case, the person suing is college-aged, while in the B.P.J. case, the person suing was seeking to participate in middle school sports.<\/p>

Oral arguments in the B.P.J. case will be heard on Jan. 13, immediately following arguments in the Hecox case. Decisions in both cases regarding transgender sports laws are expected to be released by the end of June.<\/p>3. Watson v. Republican National Committee (late-arriving mail ballots)

With the midterm elections approaching in 2026, the high court will hear a case at the beginning of the year that could have a significant impact on some key states' elections.<\/p>

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in Watson v. Republican National Committee, which centers on \"whether the federal election-day statutes preempt a state law that allows ballots that are cast by federal election day to be received by election officials after that day.\" The case will have sweeping ramifications for laws that allow mail-in ballots to be received and counted, as much as 14 days after Election Day, as long as the ballot was postmarked by Election Day.<\/p>

The Republican National Committee sued the state of Mississippi over its law allowing mail ballots to be accepted up to five business days after Election Day, as long as the ballot was postmarked by Election Day, arguing it violates federal law designating Election Day nationwide.<\/p>

\"For more than 150 years after the enactment of the first election-day statute, States complied with Congress\u2019 mandate by ensuring that the ballot box closed on the federally mandated election day. With rare outliers, the States mandated that ballots must be received by election officials by election day. But recently, an increasing number of States\u2014including Mississippi\u2014 have deviated from that practice by permitting at least some ballots to be received after election day,\" the RNC said in a filing<\/a> to the Supreme Court.<\/p>

A federal appeals court sided with the RNC, ruling that federal law enacting Election Day bars ballots from being collected after that day. Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which agreed to take up the case in November 2025.<\/p>

Watson argued to the high court in his petition<\/a> to hear the case that since the ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, the law allowing mail ballots to be received days later does not violate the federal law setting Election Day.<\/p>

\"As a matter of plain meaning, an 'election' is the conclusive choice of an officer. Voters make that choice by casting\u2014marking and submitting\u2014their ballots by election day. The election has then occurred, even if election officials do not receive all ballots by that day,\" Watson's petition to the Supreme Court said.<\/p>

\"Under Mississippi law, voters cast their ballots by election day. So federal law does not preempt Mississippi law,\" the filing added.<\/p>

The high court will hear arguments in the case sometime between February and April, with a decision expected by the end of June \u2014 months ahead of the midterm elections.<\/p>4. Trump v. Barbara (birthright citizenship)

One of the most anticipated cases of the term, Trump v. Barbara, will look at the constitutionality of Trump's Jan. 20, 2025, executive order preventing birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment from covering babies born to two parents who are either illegal immigrants or on temporary visas.<\/p>

The Barbara case originated as a class action lawsuit filed in federal court in New Hampshire after the Supreme Court issued its June 2025 ruling in Trump v. CASA, which significantly limited the ability of district courts to issue universal injunctions. The Barbara case was one of two cases petitioned to the high court by the Trump administration regarding the birthright citizenship order, with the high court yet to rule on the petition in Trump v. Washington \u2014 a second lawsuit against the order brought by Democratic-led states.<\/p>

The Supreme Court will weigh whether Trump's executive order complies with the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment. The citizenship clause states that \"all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.\"<\/p>

The Trump administration argued in its petition to the high court that the clause does not \"grant citizenship to the children of temporary visitors or illegal aliens,\" citing the provision of the clause that mentions the person must be \"subject to the jurisdiction thereof\" in order to qualify for automatic citizenship.<\/p>

\"The plain text of the Clause, its original understanding and history, and this Court\u2019s cases confirm that the Clause extends to children who are 'completely subject' to the 'political jurisdiction' of the United States, meaning that they owe 'direct and immediate allegiance' to the Nation and may claim its protection,\" the DOJ filing to the high court said.<\/p>

\"As this Court has recognized, children of citizens and of those who 'have a permanent domicile and residence in the United States' meet that criterion. This Court\u2019s earliest cases interpreting the Fourteenth Amendment explicitly rejected the notion that anyone born in United States territory, no matter the circumstances, is automatically a citizen so long as he is subject to U.S. law,\" the filing added.<\/p>

SUPREME COURT GRAPPLES WITH HOW MUCH EXECUTIVE POWER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES REALLY EXERT<\/a><\/p>

The ACLU, which is representing the people suing the Trump administration over the order, argued in its filing to the Supreme Court that the executive order is \"squarely contrary to the constitutional text, this Court\u2019s precedents, Congress\u2019s dictates, longstanding Executive Branch practice, scholarly consensus, and well over a century of our nation\u2019s everyday practice.\"<\/p>

The high court will hear arguments in the Barbara case sometime between February and April, with a decision expected by late June. The decision in the case will be one of the most closely watched in recent Supreme Court terms.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25308816652442-2.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375483-1767502800", "title":"Some cultures are simply not compatible with American values", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4375483%2Fsome-cultures-not-compatible-american-values%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"First, there was fraud in the Department of Agriculture’s Federal Child Nutrition Program. Then it was fraud in Medicaid’s “nonstandard benefits” programs. Now, there is fraud in the Department of Health and Human Services’s Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The common element running through all these scandals is Minnesota’s Somali community. This is […]", "description":""

First, there was fraud<\/a> in the Department of Agriculture<\/a>\u2019s Federal Child Nutrition Program. Then it was fraud in Medicaid<\/a>\u2019s \u201cnonstandard benefits\u201d programs. Now, there is fraud in the Department of Health and Human Services<\/a>\u2019s Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The common element running through all these scandals is Minnesota<\/a>\u2019s Somali<\/a> community. This is a story not just about fraud, but about how the United States has failed to think seriously about cultural compatibility in immigration<\/a> policy, and how the costs of that failure are borne by taxpayers and by the rule of law.<\/p>

Minnesota\u2019s Somali population is almost entirely a post-1990 phenomenon. Refugee resettlement following Somalia\u2019s clan wars brought more than 10,000 Somalis to the state in the 1990s, with the population tripling by 2010 and surpassing 75,000 by 2024. Nationally, more than 110,000 Somali refugees were admitted between 2000 and 2024 alone. Nearly all (99.7%) are Muslim.<\/p>

This population did not scatter randomly across the country. Somali migrants disproportionately settled in states offering the most generous public benefits: expansive Medicaid eligibility, large child care subsidies, extensive language services in schools, and dense networks of refugee-focused nonprofit organizations. Minnesota became the epicenter, but similar targeting occurred elsewhere. That was not an accident; it was rational behavior in response to incentives.<\/p>

What followed has been a sustained failure of assimilation, and, increasingly, an explosion of fraud.<\/p>

The data are stark. More than half (52%) of children in Somali immigrant homes in Minnesota live in poverty, compared with just 8% of children in native-headed households. Roughly 39% of working-age Somalis lack a high school diploma, versus 5% of natives. Among working-age adult Somalis who have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade, about half still cannot speak English \u201cvery well.\u201d<\/p>

Welfare dependence mirrors these gaps. About 54% of Somali-headed households in Minnesota receive food stamps, and 73% include at least one person on Medicaid. For native households, the comparable figures are 7% and 18%. Nearly 9 in 10 Somali households with children receive some form of welfare.<\/p>

Against that backdrop, the repeated revelations of nutrition program fraud, Medicaid abuse, and now child care payment scandals are not shocking. They are predictable.<\/p>

Many cultural patterns from Somalia, particularly clan-based social organization, informal economies, and deep distrust of state institutions, travel with the diaspora. In Somalia, these norms evolved as survival mechanisms in a stateless society. Transplanted into a high-trust welfare state with weak enforcement and poorly designed incentives, they become something else entirely. Fraud networks are not aberrations; they are the extension of familiar institutional behavior into a permissive environment.<\/p>

This is not a matter of temporary adjustment. Economist Garrett Jones has documented how cultural traits persist long after migration. Even generations later, immigrant communities retain distinct attitudes toward savings, regulation, and trust, patterns visible among descendants of Italian and Swedish migrants alike. Assimilation happens, but it is partial, uneven, and slow.<\/p>

At the national level, the same pattern holds. If you want to know how prosperous a country is today, Jones argued, you should look at what the ancestors of its population were doing in 1500, before conquest and colonization reshuffled borders. Culture persists, even after migration.<\/p>

Crucially, this is not about race. Black immigrant groups from high-trust, English-speaking societies often thrive in the U.S. Jamaican immigrants, for example, exhibit extremely high English proficiency, only about 1% are limited-English speakers, and a higher share hold bachelor\u2019s degrees than the U.S. average. Culture matters, and it varies enormously across countries regardless of race.<\/p>

That reality helps explain why Robert Macdonald, the former mayor of Lewiston, Maine, was right when he told Somali migrants to \u201caccept our culture and leave your culture at the door.\u201d Macdonald was pilloried for the remark, but his core insight was correct. A society cannot function if newcomers reject its norms while demanding its benefits. The furious pushback from Somali activists only underscored the problem: they did not want assimilation; they wanted accommodation.<\/p>

Immigration policy is selection. For too long, the U.S. pretended otherwise. It admitted large numbers of migrants from failed states defined by clan loyalty, low trust, and hostility to formal institutions, then acted surprised when those traits reappeared here.<\/p>

TRUMP'S TOTAL CONTROL OF THE BORDER IS THE SUCCESS STORY OF 2025<\/a><\/p>

Credit is due, then, to President Donald Trump for recognizing the problem. Terminating temporary protected status for Somali nationals, instituting travel restrictions on Somali citizens, halting most visa and refugee entries, and pausing asylum applications are not acts of cruelty. They are acts of realism.<\/p>

A nation has the right, and the obligation, to choose migrants whose cultures are compatible with its values. America ignored that truth for decades, and Minnesota\u2019s experience shows what happens when it does.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/abeccbaf8fcad98e3d4ca11c60d0af9b-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399593-1767502800", "title":"Key lawmakers to watch as Congress faces another looming shutdown deadline", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4399593%2Fkey-lawmakers-congress-looming-shutdown%2F", "byline":"Ramsey Touchberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Congress returns from holiday recess next week and will immediately face its latest government shutdown deadline, when funding is set to lapse starting Jan. 31. Last year’s shutdown, the longest in U.S. history at 43 days over enhanced Obamacare subsidies that have now expired, offers a window into the key players with significant roles beyond […]", "description":""

Congress <\/a>returns from holiday recess next week and will immediately face its latest government shutdown<\/a> deadline, when funding is set to lapse starting Jan. 31.<\/p>

Last year\u2019s shutdown, the longest in U.S. history at 43 days over enhanced Obamacare subsidies<\/a> that have now expired, offers a window into the key players with significant roles beyond the appropriators clambering to pass a yearlong budget.<\/p>

Those lawmakers include an array of senators, whose chamber was the focus of the 2025 shutdown over bipartisan efforts to craft a deal on the COVID-19-era health insurance subsidies. Democrats see the January deadline as another leverage point to force Republicans to the table on healthcare heading into the midterm elections.<\/p>

\u201cPeople will go to their respective corners and towel off and get ready to duke it out for the fall elections, but I still think there are some things that are clearly, hugely bipartisan,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said in a recent interview<\/a> with the Washington Examiner.<\/p>Key Republicans to watch

Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) were among the Republicans who\u2019ve been consequential figures in trying to find a bipartisan avenue on subsidies, tax credits that Democrats say are vital to millions of Americans with marketplace plans but that the GOP says are rife with fraud and are overly generous. The senators were among those involved in bipartisan discussions before the holiday recess after the upper chamber voted down dueling, partisan healthcare proposals from both parties. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who, like Collins, is a centrist, is also eager to make a deal.<\/p>

Collins and Moreno have proposed a two-year extension with income caps and phasing out the enhanced subsidies. It's a proposal that could help jump-start more negotiations. Cassidy\u2019s proposal, crafted with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), that would shift government aid to fund health savings accounts, was the GOP bill that failed but presented a starting position for Republicans. And Britt, a rising star in the Republican conference, has been increasingly involved in various policy negotiations since President Donald Trump\u2019s return to the White House.<\/p>Key Democrats to watch

The seven Senate Democrats who helped end the shutdown will also play a key role, along with the one Independent who caucuses with Democrats. They are Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Angus King (I-ME). They were also among the senators involved in bipartisan healthcare talks before the recess.<\/p>

Four of the 12 bills that comprise the annual budget have been passed and signed into law, rendering any funding lapse beyond Jan. 30 a partial shutdown. Senate Republicans struggled before recess to pass a five-bill funding measure despite clearing a logjam with fiscal hawks<\/a>.<\/p>

In the Republican-controlled House, members will get a vote this month prior to the funding deadline on a clean three-year extension of the subsidies forced by Democrats and four centrist Republicans: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), and Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA).<\/p>

And with the departure from Congress of Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/a>, the House GOP\u2019s majority will become even narrower with just a two-vote buffer. That makes past government funding rebels, including Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Greg Stuebe (R-FL), and House Freedom Caucus members all the more influential with their votes. Spending figures are likely to cause heartburn for budget hawks.<\/p>

TRUMP STRESS-TESTS THUNE\u2019S SENATE MAJORITY WITH RECORD-BREAKING YEAR<\/a><\/p>

Some of Trump\u2019s latest actions could also thwart the appetite for deal-making, such as the administration dismantling a federal climate center<\/a> and halting construction of offshore wind projects<\/a>, which have drawn ire from Democrats.<\/p>

Sens. Michael Bennet<\/a> (D-CO), who is running for governor in the Centennial State, and John Hickenlooper<\/a> (D-CO) said they will \u201cpull every lever available to do what is right for Colorado\u201d and combat \u201cTrump\u2019s rampage,\u201d including procedural roadblocks to slow-walk appropriations bills.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25155601319149.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364221-1767499200", "title":"After Mamdani win, New York progressives test limits of anti-Israel rhetoric", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4364221%2Fzohran-mamdani-win-new-york-progressives-test-limits-anti-israel-rhetoric%2F", "byline":"Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Progressive candidates in deep-blue New York districts are increasingly testing tougher anti-Israel positions to appeal to left-leaning primary voters and activists. The trend was accelerated by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s victory, which is testing the limits of the Democratic coalition. Mamdani’s win emboldened challengers to take harder lines against Israel and forced several Democratic […]", "description":""

Progressive <\/a>candidates in deep-blue New York<\/a> districts are increasingly testing tougher anti-Israel<\/a> positions to appeal to left-leaning primary voters and activists. The trend was accelerated by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>'s victory, which is testing the limits of the Democratic coalition.<\/p>

Mamdani\u2019s win<\/a> emboldened challengers to take harder lines against Israel and forced several Democratic incumbents to prepare for primary fights in once-safe districts.<\/p>

\u201cIf Zohran Mamdani had not prevailed, I would wager that most of these anti-Israel candidates would not be running at all,\u201d Democratic strategist Jon Reinish told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThat victory changed the incentives.\u201d<\/p>

Reinish said candidates betting heavily on Israel as a single-issue campaign risk misreading Democratic primary voters, pointing to healthcare, affordability, and opposition to President Donald Trump as more durable drivers of turnout.<\/p>

Across several congressional districts, progressive challengers are also increasingly pointing to Mamdani\u2019s rise as evidence of possible vulnerabilities for incumbents who have accepted backing from pro-Israel groups or supported U.S. military aid to Israel. In districts Mamdani carried, challengers argued the results showed that blunt criticism can energize Democratic primary voters. Even in districts he lost, the debate has intensified over whether Israel has effectively become a litmus test in Democratic primaries.<\/p>

In New York\u2019s 6th Congressional District, Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) is facing a primary challenge from Chuck Park, a former City Council aide and Foreign Service officer who launched his campaign in late November 2025. Park has criticized Meng\u2019s fundraising ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and corporate donors, casting them as emblematic of what he argues is entrenched influence within the city\u2019s Democratic delegation.<\/p>

Meanwhile, in New York\u2019s 10th Congressional District, Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY), a Jewish Democrat whose district spans parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, is facing a primary challenge from City Comptroller Brad Lander, a frequent critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>

\u201cThe challenges we face can\u2019t be solved with strongly worded letters or high-dollar fundraisers, and not by doing AIPAC\u2019s bidding,\u201d Lander said in a video announcement<\/a> released in early December. \u201cWhile the oligarchy drives an affordability crisis, they shouldn\u2019t be able to buy a seat in Congress.\u201d<\/p>

Goldman earned support from the liberal pro-Israel group J Street and has criticized Netanyahu while maintaining firm support for Israel\u2019s security. He has also accepted contributions from AIPAC and received the group\u2019s endorsement.<\/p>

Reinish said Israel may not even be the central dividing line in that race, pointing instead to lingering tensions from the mayoral primary, when Goldman declined to endorse Mamdani.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s not Israel and Gaza in that district,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s do you endorse Zohran Mamdani or not?\u201d<\/p>

In New York\u2019s 12th Congressional District, a crowded Democratic primary has formed to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY). The field includes Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy; Micah Lasher, a former senior aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and current state assemblyman; Alex Bores, a technology entrepreneur and state assemblyman; Jami Floyd, a former television journalist and attorney; Laura Dunn, a civil rights lawyer known for her work on sexual violence cases; and George Conway, a conservative lawyer and prominent Trump critic. Also running is Cameron Kasky, a 25-year-old Jewish activist and survivor of the Parkland school shooting, who has centered his campaign on sharp criticism of Israel\u2019s war in Gaza.<\/p>

In a campaign launch video<\/a> released in November, Kasky said, \u201cWe need leaders who aren\u2019t going to coddle their billionaire donors, who won\u2019t support a genocide and who aren\u2019t going to settle for flaccid incrementalism.\u201d<\/p>

Kasky drew attention recently after traveling to Israel. In a statement to the Washington Examiner, he said the visit was integral to his campaign message.<\/p>

\u201cAs someone who has survived mass violence myself, living with what the human beings in the West Bank experience every moment of their lives shook me to my core,\u201d Kasky said. \u201cBut it\u2019s important that American politicians understand the human consequences of our foreign policy decisions.\u201d<\/p>

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) is confronting a primary challenge in New York\u2019s 13th Congressional District from Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Columbia University protest organizer who has criticized him for supporting arms sales to Israel and for accepting campaign contributions linked to AIPAC.<\/p>

A similar dynamic is unfolding in New York\u2019s 15th Congressional District. There, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Congress\u2019s most outspoken defenders of Israel, is facing a primary bid from former state Assemblyman Michael Blake. Announcing his campaign, Blake drew a blunt contrast between the two.<\/p>

\"I will invest in the community,\u201d he said. \u201cRitchie invests in bombs.\u201d<\/p>

Torres is also being challenged by Dalourny Nemorin, an attorney and member of the Democratic Socialists of America.<\/p>

The district-by-district contests show where Mamdani\u2019s message gained traction, and where it did not.<\/p>

Mamdani carried New York\u2019s 10th, 13th, and 15th congressional districts, winning more than 60% of the vote in the districts represented by Goldman and Espaillat and just over 52% of the vote in Torres\u2019s Bronx-based seat. He did not carry New York\u2019s 12th or 6th districts, both of which have large and politically active Jewish populations.<\/p>

The shift has unsettled some Democrats, particularly those who view Israel as a core issue for a party with a large and historically reliable Jewish voting base.<\/p>

\u201cThese Democratic primaries are increasingly turning on one disturbing question: should the country that is home to the world\u2019s largest Jewish population be allowed to exist at all?\u201d a Democratic House staffer familiar with several of the races said. \u201cAsking whether Jews are entitled to safety and self-determination in their ancestral homeland is a sick loyalty test.\u201d<\/p>

The staffer rejected portrayals of AIPAC as a shadowy influence operation.<\/p>

\u201cAIPAC is a grassroots organization made up of individual donors, not a shadowy Jewish cabal,\u201d they said, calling such characterizations a recycling of antisemitic tropes.<\/p>

ADAMS UNSURE HE'LL ATTEND MAMDANI INAUGURATION, SAYS MAYOR-ELECT'S FANS 'PROTEST EVERYTHING'<\/a><\/p>

Beyond the immediate primaries, the New York contests are increasingly being watched as an early test of how Democrats navigate Israeli politics heading into 2028. Strategists say the risk is that positions tailored to energize progressive voters in the party\u2019s safest districts could complicate efforts to hold centrist, Jewish-heavy suburbs and swing states in future national elections.<\/p>

\u201cWhat giveth in the city can take it away in the suburbs,\u201d Reinish said. \u201cThe more Democrats become the anti-Israel party, the more you\u2019re going to shed Jewish voters.\u201d<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25325081535841.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399628-1767499200", "title":"The 2026 campaign ad spending arms race is already underway", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2F4399628%2F2026-campaign-ad-spending-arms-race-underway%2F", "byline":"Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The 2026 elections may still be almost a year away, but the money is already pouring in, with new data from AdImpact showing that nearly 20% of all political advertisements aired in 2025 were actually aimed at the midterm elections. AdImpact, which tracks political spending across broadcast, cable, and streaming television, recorded a historic $1.87 […]", "description":""

The 2026 elections<\/a> may still be almost a year away, but the money is already pouring in, with new data from AdImpact<\/a> showing that nearly 20% of all political advertisements aired in 2025 were actually aimed at the midterm elections.<\/p>

AdImpact, which tracks political spending across broadcast, cable, and streaming television, recorded a historic $1.87 billion<\/a> in aired political advertisements in 2025, the highest off-year total on record. Much of that money has already concentrated in a small group of marquee contests expected to define the 2026 cycle<\/a>, led by the Texas Senate race, which alone drew $57.6 million in advertising last year. Georgia\u2019s Senate race follows with $26.1 million, while California\u2019s open governor\u2019s race has seen $20.5 million. Maine\u2019s Senate race has reached $15.3 million, Illinois\u2019s Senate contest $14.7 million, and Kentucky\u2019s Senate race is close behind at $14 million.<\/p>

In Georgia and Maine, spending largely centered on incumbents, while in Texas, advertisers were already backing Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) before he had launched his Senate bid. Kentucky, Illinois, and California also emerged early as targets as campaigns and self-funded candidates began positioning themselves.<\/p>

The partisan breakdown <\/a>of spending varies sharply by race. Texas and Kentucky have been dominated by Republican advertising tied to competitive GOP primaries, while Illinois and California have so far seen exclusively Democratic spending in their open contests. In California, billionaire activist Tom Steyer quickly poured $16 million into the governor\u2019s race, while Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) has spent $14.4 million in Illinois. <\/p>

The Georgia and Maine Senate races, both rated as toss-ups<\/a> by the Cook Political Report, show a more competitive balance, though Republicans currently hold modest spending advantages of $2.6 million in Georgia and $2.8 million in Maine. <\/p>

The sheer scale of off-year spending is also breaking long-standing norms. Before this year, only presidential primaries had ever topped $100 million in off-year advertising, but 2025 blew past that benchmark, according to AdImpact. New Jersey\u2019s governor\u2019s race alone saw $207 million in advertisements, while California\u2019s Proposition 50 drew $142 million. <\/p>

Wisconsin\u2019s Supreme Court race shattered records earlier this year with $85.6 million in spending, and while Virginia\u2019s governor\u2019s race and New York City\u2019s mayoral contest did not set new highs, both posted totals similar to their 2021 races. Texas\u2019s Senate contest, meanwhile, has already become the most expensive nonpresidential race ever recorded in an off-year.\u00a0<\/p>

Republican strategist Dennis Lennox said the surge reflects a shift away from persuasion and toward base turnout, even as campaign spending continues to escalate.<\/p>

\u201cEvery cycle since 2012 has seemingly broken spending records, even though elections are no longer about persuasion,\u201d Lennox said. \u201cWe\u2019re spending more money than ever to talk almost exclusively to people who\u2019ve already made up their minds.\u201d<\/p>

Lennox said campaigns that once blanketed the airwaves to sway undecided voters are now focused on mobilizing supporters, warning that early television can define a race only if spending is sustained.<\/p>

\u201cIf you can\u2019t afford to stay on the air for the duration of the cycle, you\u2019re just lighting money on fire,\u201d he said.<\/p>

THE 2026 BATTLEGROUND: CONGRESS\u2019S MOST VULNERABLE HOUSE AND SENATE SEATS<\/a><\/p>

He said the pattern is already playing out in several 2026 contests driven by competitive primaries, particularly in Texas and Kentucky.<\/p>

Issue advertising has surged alongside candidate spending, reaching $651 million in 2025, nearly matching 2022 levels and far exceeding the $408 million aired in 2024. The early surge suggests the battles for 2026 are already heating up on the airwaves, long before voters head to the polls.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/wh.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400937-1767482745", "title":"Court orders Venezuela’s vice president to serve as interim president after Maduro capture", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400937%2Fcourt-orders-venezuela-vice-president-as-interim-president%2F", "byline":"Zach LaChance", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to take over as interim president for Nicolas Maduro, the now-former leader who was captured by the United States during a military operation and is now detained in New York City. The nation’s highest court ruled on Saturday night that Rodriguez will, at the very least, temporarily […]", "description":""

Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to take over as interim president for Nicolas Maduro<\/a>, the now-former leader who was captured by the United States during a military operation and is now detained in New York City<\/a>.<\/p>

The nation's highest court ruled on Saturday night that Rodriguez will, at the very least, temporarily succeed Maduro for the sake of \"administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the Nation.\u201d<\/p>

The ruling is in accordance with Venezuela's constitution, which states that the vice president handles presidential duties in the event of an absence. The court said in its order that Maduro is currently in a \u201cmaterial and temporary impossibility to exercise his functions.\"<\/p>

There is some doubt, however, that Rodriguez is still in the country after the U.S. strikes on Caracas. An earlier report<\/a> placed her in Russia, while later Saturday she gave a televised address to Venezuelans.<\/p>

In that address, Rodriguez insisted Maduro is the \"only\" president of Venezuela, while condemning the attack.<\/p>

Those comments appeared to contradict President Donald Trump's statement in a press conference after the strikes on Saturday, when he signaled Rodriguez is amenable to any leadership changes.<\/p>

\u201cShe was sworn in as president just a little while ago,\" Trump said of Rodriguez. \"She had a long conversation with Marco [Rubio], and she said, \u2018We\u2019ll do whatever you need.\u2019 I think she was quite gracious, but she really doesn\u2019t have a choice.\"<\/p>

WHO IS DELCY RODRIGUEZ? VENEZUELA'S NEW PRESIDENT COOPERATING WITH TRUMP AFTER MADURO'S CAPTURE<\/a><\/p>

It is unclear at this time whether Trump would seek Rodriguez's ouster as well, given she is a holdover from the Maduro regime. But Trump did reveal that the U.S. would temporarily \"run\" Venezuela, leaving few options other than cooperation for the former Venezuelan vice president.<\/p>

Maduro, meanwhile, is being detained at a federal detention center in New York City and will stand trial as early as Monday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/delcy-rodriguez-ordered-as-president.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400902-1767476467", "title":"Maduro arrives at notorious detention center in New York City after capture", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400902%2Fmaduro-arrives-new-york-city-after-capture%2F", "byline":"Zach LaChance", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was captured early Saturday during a U.S. military operation, has arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City, where he will soon be booked along with his wife, Cilia. Maduro was driven to the detention center in Brooklyn at around 9 p.m. Eastern time after being processed […]", "description":""

Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro<\/a>, who was captured early Saturday during a U.S. military operation, has arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City<\/a>, where he will soon be booked along with his wife, Cilia.<\/p>

Maduro was driven to the detention center in Brooklyn at around 9 p.m. Eastern time after being processed at the DEA office in Manhattan. He first touched U.S. soil at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Orange County, New York, where a U.S. plane reportedly carrying him from Guantanamo Bay landed four hours earlier.<\/p>

Some of those stops provided the first glimpses of Maduro since his capture. After deboarding at the air base, he was seen in dark clothing surrounded by dozens of federal officers. Later at the DEA office, he briefly passed by the media inside, again seen in dark clothing and appearing in good spirits, telling<\/a> reporters \"Good night\" and \"Happy new year.\"<\/p>

The Metropolitan Detention Center where Maduro will now be booked is far from cheery, however. While known for holding high-profile defendants like Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried, and notorious drug lord Joaquin \"El Chapo\" Guzman, its conditions are grisly.<\/p>

Judges and lawmakers have previously sounded the alarm about the federal jail, calling<\/a> it \"barbaric\" and \"inhumane.\" It recently caught lawmakers' attention after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began using it to detain migrants.<\/p>

Still, Maduro and his wife Cilia, who was also taken into U.S. custody, likely won't be detained there long, as Maduro is set to stand trial as early as Monday.<\/p>

Maduro is facing drug and weapons charges under a new indictment from the Department of Justice that mainly alleges he has been complicit in the drug trafficking trade by enabling \"violent narco-terrorists who operate with impunity on Venezuelan soil and who help produce, protect, and transport tons of cocaine to the United States.\"<\/p>

The extraordinary move by U.S. officials to take Maduro and his wife into custody was part of a military operation authorized by President Donald Trump, a mission that also included several strikes on Caracas. The operation lasted under an hour and did not lead to any deaths of U.S. service members, though an unspecified number were injured.<\/p>

WHAT IS THE DELTA FORCE? THE US MILITARY UNIT BEHIND THE VENEZUELA RAID TOPPLING MADURO<\/a><\/p>

This is a developing story.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/donald-trump-nicolas-maduro-capture-collage-e1767468473344.jpg?1767450476&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400940-1767471366", "title":"Hegseth says Trump ‘sets the terms’ for the future of Venezuela", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4400940%2Fhegseth-trump-sets-terms-venezuela-future%2F", "byline":"Zach LaChance", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"War Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed on Saturday night that President Donald Trump will determine the future for Venezuela after he authorized strikes on the South American country and captured its now-former president, Nicolas Maduro. Hegseth was asked by CBS News’s Tony Dokoupil to elaborate on Trump’s statement after the strikes that the United States would […]", "description":""

War Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a> revealed on Saturday night that President Donald Trump<\/a> will determine the future for Venezuela<\/a> after he authorized strikes on the South American country and captured its now-former president, Nicolas Maduro<\/a>.<\/p>

Hegseth was asked<\/a> by CBS News's Tony Dokoupil to elaborate on Trump's statement after the strikes that the United States would temporarily \"run\" Venezuela as it transitions to new leadership. While not disclosing what such intervention would look like, Hegseth did suggest the U.S. will have a heavy hand in the process.<\/p>

\"It means we set the terms. President Trump sets the terms. And ultimately he'll decide what the iterations are of that,\" Hegseth said. \"Ultimately we're gonna control what happens next because of this brave decision. President Trump has shown American leadership and he'll be able to dictate where we go next.\"<\/p>

The war secretary said next steps will see the Trump administration's crackdown on drug trafficking and illegal immigration in Venezuela continue, as well as guaranteeing the return of \"stolen\" oil to the U.S. The blockade Trump imposed on oil tankers going in and out of the country will also remain in effect, Hegseth added.<\/p>

Hegseth's comments echo Trump's own at a press conference about the strikes on Saturday morning.<\/p>

Then, Trump told<\/a> reporters the U.S. would effectively control Venezuela \"until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.\"<\/p>

He also said he will bring in American energy companies to take over Venezuela\u2019s oil industry, which officials have suggested is running at too low of a capacity for an oil-rich nation.<\/p>

MADURO ABDUCTION COINCIDES WITH ANNIVERSARY OF NORIEGA RAID IN PANAMA<\/a><\/p>

\"We\u2019re going to have our very large U.S. oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>

Trump authorized the strikes late Friday night on at least seven locations in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. The mission, dubbed, \"Operation Absolute Resolve,\" also included the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia, who now face drug and weapons charges in the U.S.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hegseth-trump-sets-terms-venezuela-future.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400877-1767462642", "title":"Schumer presses Republicans critical of Venezuela attack to pull back White House military powers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F4400877%2Fschumer-presses-republicans-critical-of-venezuela-attack-pull-back-military-powers%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Saturday urged Republicans skeptical of President Donald Trump’s move to oust Venezuela’s president to back legislation placing more limits on executive power. The Senate’s most powerful Democrat said during a press call that several GOP committee chairs have privately expressed concern to top Democrats sitting on their panels […]", "description":""

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <\/a>(D-NY) on Saturday urged Republicans skeptical of President Donald Trump\u2019s move to oust Venezuela\u2019s president<\/a> to back legislation placing more limits on executive power.<\/p>

The Senate\u2019s most powerful Democrat said during a press call that several GOP committee chairs have privately expressed concern to top Democrats sitting on their panels over Trump\u2019s decision to authorize an extraordinary military operation<\/a> that captured Nicolas Maduro overnight.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cMaduro is an illegitimate dictator, but launching military action without congressional authorization, without a credible plan, but what comes next is reckless,\u201d Schumer said. <\/p>

Schumer pressed troubled Republicans to back the passage of the bipartisan War Powers Resolution<\/a>, which he introduced alongside Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and other lawmakers last month. The resolution will be brought to the Senate floor for debate next week, Schumer promised, telling reporters \u201cwe're going to be pushing our Republican colleagues to stand up for the American people to get this done.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWe have heard from some Republicans in private conversations, chairs, talking to their ranking members, that they have some \u2014 they are troubled by this,\u201d Schumer said, adding that he\u2019s in talks with ranking Democrats on relevant committees on how to respond to the administration\u2019s action against Maduro.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cYou'll be hearing more from them in the coming days. I've talked to a bunch of them today. They've already had some discussions with their chairs,\u201d he continued. \u201cCongress should not be sidelined as the Trump administration gets sucked into another nation-building quagmire, and we're going to hold them accountable.\u201d<\/p>

Schumer said congressional leadership did not receive advance notification about the administration\u2019s decision to authorize land strikes<\/a> against Venezuela and depose Maduro. <\/p>

He said \u201cthe Gang of Eight,\u201d which is composed of the top Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House and the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, \u201cimmediately\" requested a briefing from White House to the \"entire\" Congress on the Venezuela operation<\/a>, but has not yet received a response from the administration. <\/p>

\u201cIt's been sort of a dark screen,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cWe want to know the administration's objectives, its plans to prevent a humanitarian and geopolitical disaster that plunges us into another endless war, or one that trades one corrupt dictator for another\u2026. [But] they have not given us any details about what happened and haven't gotten back to us on whether they've agreed to our request.\u201d<\/p>

Schumer again appealed to Republicans when pressed on whether he might use Trump\u2019s Maduro ouster as grounds to press for the president\u2019s impeachment should Democrats take the congressional majority back next year. <\/p>

\u201cWe hope that we can have support from our Republican colleagues to put a break on this long before it gets that far,\u201d he deflected. <\/p>

Schumer's comments come as, aside from reliable foreign policy hawks such as Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Republicans have appeared to broadly back Maduro's stunning capture, at least in public statements.<\/p>

Still, leading GOP lawmakers have signaled they have questions for the administration, leaving Schumer an opening to target Trump.<\/p>

\"I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week,\" Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) wrote in a statement.<\/p>

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, added concerns that \"Russia will use this to justify their illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an invasion of Taiwan.\" <\/p>

\"Freedom and rule of law were defended last night, but dictators will try to exploit this to rationalize their selfish objectives,\" he said. <\/p>

The administration has defended the legality of its actions by seeking to use Article II of the Constitution to justify the attack, which states the president is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military.<\/p>

And officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio have framed the mission<\/a> to arrest Maduro and bring him back to the U.S. for a trial as a law enforcement operation, rather than an act of war against Venezuela. Maduro faced an indictment unsealed Saturday from the Justice Department related to charges of narco-terrorism, similar to a 2020 indictment filed in New York. <\/p>

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Saturday defended the administration for not providing Congress with an earlier notification of the operation.<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s probably one reason it didn\u2019t leak over these four days as they were waiting for the right weather,\u201d Cotton told Fox News. \u201cCongress isn\u2019t notified when the FBI is going to arrest a drug trafficker or cyber criminal here in the United States, nor should Congress be notified when the executive branch is executing arrests on indicted persons.\u201d <\/p>

VENEZUELA\u2019S NEW PRESIDENT COOPERATING WITH TRUMP AFTER MADURO\u2019S CAPTURE<\/a><\/p>

Schumer derided Trump for defending his decision not to brief Congress based on the argument that lawmakers would likely have leaked the top-secret operation to the media. He suggested the \u201csecretive\u201d move deliberately undermined limits on executive power set in place by the War Powers Act of 1973, keeping the Gang of Eight and other lawmakers in the dark. <\/p>

\u201cIt's an excuse for secrecy,\u201d the Senate Democrat said. \u201cOne of the reasons we have hearings, we have consultation with Congress, is so that, and one of the reasons the founding fathers gave \u2026 the ability to declare war to the Congress, so there would be debate, discussion, different points of view, before something so momentous happens. And they're just ripping up that part of the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25272787019310.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400878-1767459214", "title":"UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting over Trump Venezuela strikes and Maduro capture", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400878%2Fun-security-council-emergency-meeting-trump-venezuela-strikes%2F", "byline":"Zach LaChance", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting after the U.S. military struck sites in Venezuela early Saturday and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia. The meeting, reportedly set for Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern, will see 15 ambassadors from various countries huddle at the U.N. headquarters in New York City […]", "description":""

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting after the U.S. military struck sites in Venezuela<\/a> early Saturday and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro<\/a> and his wife, Cilia.<\/p>

The meeting, reportedly <\/a>set for Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern, will see 15 ambassadors from various countries huddle at the U.N. headquarters in New York City to discuss the strikes. It was scheduled after a request from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who called the attack an \"aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America\" and suggested it violated international law.<\/p>

On the council<\/a> is at least two allies of Venezuela, namely China and Russia, who are permanent members and had backed Petro's plea. The United States, France, and the United Kingdom are also permanent members, while the other 10 serve two-year terms.<\/p>

Notably, Somalia currently sits on the security council, a country that has been fixated on by President Donald Trump as a fraud scandal envelops Minnesota.<\/p>

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE US STRIKES ON VENEZUELA AND MADURO'S FALL<\/a><\/p>

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump made the extraordinary move to authorize land strikes and take down the Maduro regime. The mission, which lasted under an hour and resulted in zero deaths of U.S. service members, included seven blasts on Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, and the capture of Maduro.<\/p>

Maduro is now set to stand trial in New York on drug trafficking charges. For Venezuela, meanwhile, Trump said on Saturday that the U.S. will \"run\" the country temporarily during the inevitable transition period.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/un-meeting-venezuela-strikes.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400873-1767456487", "title":"Memphis area leads Tennessee in traffic death reduction", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Finfrastructure%2F4400873%2Fmemphis-area-leads-tennessee-traffic-death-reduction%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Traffic fatalities decreased by 14% in Tennessee in 2025, with the Memphis area experiencing the most significant decline, according to a report from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The Memphis post of the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated 169 traffic deaths, down from 259 in 2024. The numbers do not […]", "description":""

(The Center Square)\u00a0\u2013 Traffic<\/a> fatalities decreased by 14% in Tennessee<\/a> in 2025, with the Memphis<\/a> area experiencing the most significant decline, according to a report from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.<\/p>

The Memphis post of the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated 169 traffic deaths, down from 259 in 2024. The numbers do not include the last two days of the year, the department said.<\/p>

Law enforcement officials attributed the decline in fatalities to the Memphis Safe Task Force and the Tennessee Highway Patrol\u2019s Bluff City Task Force. The Task Force is a state and federal partnership announced by Gov. Bill Lee in late 2025.<\/p>

Cookeville traffic deaths declined from 77 in 2024 to 57 in 2025. The post, which is about 80 miles east of Nashville, oversees the roadways in 15 counties.<\/p>

The Knoxville Post investigated 25 fewer fatalities in 2025, which were in Knox County, according to the department.<\/p>

Lawrenceburg had 65 traffic fatalities in 2025 and 77 in 2024. The Middle Tennessee post serves 11 counties.<\/p>

\u201cThis is meaningful progress, and it represents lives saved,\u201d said Col. Matt Perry, commander of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, in a statement. \u201cOur troopers see the consequences of dangerous driving every day. Enforcement, education and visibility matter, and we will continue working to slow drivers down, curb impaired driving and reinforce seat belt use across the state.\u201d<\/p>

Two posts saw an increase in fatalities. The Jackson post saw an increase from 88 in 2024 to 97 in 2025, according to the report. The post is located about 70 miles from Memphis and serves 14 counties. Law enforcement officials said the increase was mostly on rural roads.<\/p>

HOW TRUMP RESHAPED THE AUTO INDUSTRY IN ONE YEAR<\/a><\/p>

The Chattanooga post, which includes 12 counties, experienced a slight increase from 124 to 128.<\/p>

\u201cOur focus remains on proven strategies like seat belt use, impaired driving prevention and pedestrian safety,\" said Buddy Lewis, director of the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. \"These numbers show progress, but they also remind us that every driver has a role in keeping our roads safe.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AP24176580051853-traffic.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400869-1767455948", "title":"California laws to take effect in 2026; here are key highlights", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4400869%2Fcalifornia-laws-2026-key-highlights%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – After a busy year for the California Legislature, hundreds of new state laws are taking effect in the new year, affecting everything from immigration to housing and health care. Here are some to watch for in 2026. Immigration Unaccompanied immigrant children in court – Assembly Bill 1261: This law requires the state […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 After a busy year for the California<\/a> Legislature, hundreds of new state laws are taking effect in the new year, affecting everything from immigration<\/a> to housing<\/a> and health care<\/a>. Here are some to watch for in 2026.<\/p>Immigration

Unaccompanied immigrant children in court \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 1261<\/a>: This law requires the state to provide free legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings in federal court, as well as state-related immigration proceedings.<\/p>

The bill also states that if an immigrant youth has private legal counsel, the state does not need to provide counsel to the child during immigration proceedings. The bill was introduced last year after the federal government canceled contracts with outside organizations to fund legal representation for immigrant children, according to the bill analysis. Similar state-run programs were rolled back in California. These children were not offered government-appointed lawyers to represent them in court, leaving children and toddlers to try to advocate for themselves in immigration court to avoid being deported, the analysis states.<\/p>

Anti-mask law for law enforcement \u2013\u00a0Senate Bill 627<\/a>: This law, authored by Sen. Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks on the job. This applies to any law enforcement agency operating in the state, including federal law enforcement. The law states there are exceptions, including for law enforcement officers conducting undercover operations and tactical operations in which gear covering an officer's face is required for safety.<\/p>

The bill does not include medical or surgical masks worn to protect against the transmission of disease, the bill\u2019s analysis states, or any transparent face covering worn to protect against things like toxins, gas, and smoke. The law will take effect on July 1.<\/p>

Weiner, as well as the Department of Homeland Security and the White House, were unavailable for comment on Friday.<\/p>

Homeland Security<\/a>\u00a0previously said it would not follow the law. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Center Square in September that the law is unconstitutional and would interfere with efforts to protect federal law enforcement officers from being \"doxxed and targeted by known and suspected terrorist sympathizers.\"<\/p>

But also in September, Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), who chairs the California Latino Legislative Caucus, said the anti-mask law and other state immigration laws will deliver stronger protections \"in the face of\u00a0egregious immigration raids and escalating authoritarian attacks on our freedoms.\"<\/p>

Immigrant children at school \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 49<\/a>: Otherwise known as the California Safe Haven Schools Act, this bill would bar law enforcement from entering school property for activity that targets immigrant children unless they had a court order or judicial warrant. School officials would have to request identification from officers who come to a school for that purpose. The law also prohibits the release of students\u2019 records or information about a student\u2019s family without a court order or warrant.<\/p>Kids and animals

Domestic violence and kids \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 779<\/a>: This law allows county child welfare agencies to establish a three-year pilot program to work with organizations that deal with domestic violence. Such a program is designed to help county social workers to meet the needs of families suffering from violence. The new law is also intended to help train county social workers in areas such as domestic violence-related services, children witnessing domestic violence, child removal from abusive homes, family resources, and efforts to work with law enforcement on domestic violence cases. The law remains in effect until Jan. 1, 2032.<\/p>

Cat declawing \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 867<\/a>: This new law bans declawing cats except for veterinarians performing medically necessary procedures for a recurring infection, disease, injury or other abnormal medical condition. While the bill analysis cited data that reflects some support among cat owners for declawing cats to keep them from scratching, advocates for the bill said declawing cats is inhumane and painful for cats when done solely for the convenience of the pet\u2019s owner. Many other cities, states, and countries have outlawed the practice, according to the bill analysis.<\/p>Housing and homelessness

Fridges and stoves in rentals \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 628<\/a>: In the new year, property owners who rent to tenants must ensure that there is a working refrigerator and stove in the rental unit, according to the bill analysis. Any rental unit that doesn\u2019t have both will be considered uninhabitable. Landlords have to replace broken or recalled stoves or refrigerators, although AB 628 also allows tenants to provide their own working refrigerator.<\/p>

New residential building inspections \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 1308<\/a>: This new law, authored by Assemblymember Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) requires city and county building departments to inspect newly-completed residential constructions within 10 days of receiving notice that construction work is done. The law also applies to new construction on an existing residential building.<\/p>

Providing for the unhoused \u2013\u00a0Senate Bill 634<\/a>: Sen. Sasha Ren\u00e9e Perez (D-Pasadena) authored this bill that aims to make it illegal for local governments to ban organizations or individuals from helping unhoused members of the community or to help provide services that meet basic human needs of survival. This new law applies to local governments seeking to institute new ordinances banning helping the homeless, as well as enforcing existing local ordinances that help the unhoused. Perez was not available to speak with The Center Square on Friday.<\/p>Health care

Bipolar individuals in court \u2013\u00a0Senate Bill 27<\/a>: This law allows courts to determine if someone with bipolar disorder is eligible for the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment program without a hearing to decide eligibility. The program, established by the CARE Act of 2022, allows people with schizophrenia to qualify for behavioral health aid and other assistance programs if they're found incompetent to stand trial. The new law expands program eligibility to those with bipolar disorder.<\/p>

Abortion care for those in prison or jail \u2013\u00a0Assembly Bill 260<\/a>: This law bans denying abortion care to an incarcerated person or a minor in juvenile detention. It also authorizes the California Department of Public Health to adopt regulations regarding the common abortion-inducing drug, mifepristone, and similar drugs if those medications are no longer considered legal by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It also prohibits health insurance providers from restricting or limiting patients\u2019 access to those drugs.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25162648440480.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400858-1767455407", "title":"9th Circuit rules against ban on open carry of firearms in most California counties", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4400858%2F9th-circuit-rules-against-open-carry-ban-california%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled on Friday against California’s ban on open carry of firearms in most counties. The San Francisco-based court’s ruling declared the ban unconstitutional in counties with a population exceeding 200,000. Those counties make up 95% of the state. According to the written ruling, […]", "description":""

(The Center Square)\u00a0\u2013 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled on Friday against California\u2019s<\/a> ban on open carry of firearms<\/a> in most counties.<\/p>

The San Francisco-based<\/a> court's ruling declared the ban unconstitutional in counties with a population exceeding 200,000. Those counties make up 95% of the state.<\/p>

According to the written ruling, the\u00a0panel of three 9th Circuit judges<\/a>\u00a0found the ban \u201cis inconsistent with the Second Amendment\u2019s right to bear arms as applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.\u201d The ruling came in the lawsuit that gun owner Mark Baird filed against California Attorney General Rob Bonta. It partially affirmed and partially reversed a 2023 ruling by Judge Kimberly J. Mueller of the U.S. District Court for Eastern California.<\/p>

The Center Square reached out Friday to the state Attorney General\u2019s Office, which said, \"We are committed to defending California's commonsense gun laws. We are reviewing the opinion and considering all options.\"<\/p>

The 9th Circuit panel, which consisted of judges N. Randy Smith, Kenneth K. Lee and Lawrence VanDyke, said they applied the standard set forth in a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. They noted open carry is part of the nation\u2019s history and tradition.<\/p>

\u201cIt was clearly protected at the time of the Founding and at the time of the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment,\u201d the judges wrote in their ruling. \u201cThere is no record of any law restricting open carry at the Founding, let alone a distinctly similar historical regulation.\u201d<\/p>

California failed to present evidence of \"a relevant historical tradition of firearm regulation with respect to California's urban open-carry ban,\" according to the ruling.<\/p>

The judges said they found Bruen applied to counties with populations exceeding 200,000. But they said they concluded Baird, the plaintiff, waived his \"as-applied challenge by not contesting the district court's dismissal\" in regard to counties with fewer than 200,000 people. They said they affirm the district court's rejection of Baird's challenge to the open-carry licensing scheme in the less-populated counties, which may issue open-carry permits.<\/p>

One of the judges, Smith, partially concurred and partially dissented with the majority opinion. He said the restrictions on open carry in more populous counties are constitutional.<\/p>

DOJ SUES DC GOVERNMENT OVER AR-15 BAN<\/a><\/p>

\u201cMy colleagues got this case half right,\u201d Smith wrote. \u201cThe majority opinion correctly holds that California\u2019s open carry licensing scheme is facially constitutional under Bruen. However, my colleagues misread Bruen to prohibit California\u2019s other restrictions on open carry.\"<\/p>

\"We should have affirmed the district court,\" Smith said, referring to the entire lower court ruling.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/open-carry.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400851-1767454997", "title":"Katie Wilson sworn in as Seattle mayor, signaling progressive shift at city hall", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4400851%2Fkatie-wilson-progressive-sworn-in-seattle-mayor%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Self-described Democratic socialist Katie Wilson was sworn in as Seattle’s new mayor during a ceremony at city hall on Friday morning, marking the start of an administration expected to pursue a more progressive policy agenda.  City employees, elected officials, reporters, and residents turned out to attend the swearing-in ceremony for Wilson, […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 Self-described Democratic socialist<\/a> Katie Wilson was sworn in as Seattle\u2019s<\/a> new mayor during a ceremony at city hall on Friday morning, marking the start of an administration expected to pursue a more progressive<\/a> policy agenda.\u00a0<\/p>

City employees, elected officials, reporters, and residents turned out to attend the swearing-in ceremony for Wilson, who has garnered significant national attention following her upset victory in the November election over then-incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell.<\/p>

In her first speech as mayor, Wilson emphasized that Seattle belongs to all of its residents, pledging to uphold that principle every day during her administration.<\/p>

\u201cYou belong here, you have a right to be here and to live a dignified life, whatever your background and whatever your income,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cBut it also means that all of us have a shared responsibility for this place and for each other, because Seattle is what we make of it together.\u201d<\/p>

Wilson, 43, co-founded and acted as executive director of the Transit Riders Union, an advocacy organization focused on expanding and improving public transit in Seattle and King County. <\/p>

She moved to Seattle in 2004 after studying physics and philosophy at Oxford University and was raised in New York state.<\/p>

Her mayoral campaign focused on affordability, homelessness, and higher taxes on wealthy residents \u2013 a campaign that ultimately led to her electoral victory in November, despite her having never held elected office before.<\/p>

At the ceremony, The Center Square spoke with an attendee who identified herself as Rae. She said she has been a member of the Transit Riders Union since its founding and was moved by Wilson\u2019s inaugural remarks. <\/p>

\u201c[Wilson] knows how to learn from experience, she knows how to reflect, and she doesn\u2019t have a big ego,\u201d Rae said.<\/p>

Wilson announced her mayoral run in March, after observing recent voting trends that indicated Seattle residents were concerned about a lack of progress on their top concerns over the last four years, including crime and housing.<\/p>

Wilson has\u00a0not shied away from comparisons<\/a>\u00a0to new New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a fellow Democratic socialist, who was sworn in on Thursday.<\/p>

He campaigned on proposals including more affordable transit for riders, supplemented by taxpayer dollars;\u00a0more progressive taxes<\/a>; stronger protections for renters; and universal childcare.<\/p>

After Wilson\u2019s narrow victory over Harrell, President Donald Trump labeled her a \u201cvery liberal slash communist mayor,\u201d before saying he might push for FIFA World Cup matches scheduled to be played in Seattle later this year to be moved elsewhere over concerns about crime.<\/p>

Wilson mentioned Trump\u2019s comments, which were greeted with laughs and cheers from the public.<\/p>

\u201cNice to feel seen,\u201d the new mayor said.<\/p>

MAMDANI\u2019S COLLECTIVIST VISION FOR AMERICA<\/a><\/p>

FIFA World Cup qualifying matches are expected to bring 400,000 to 750,000 visitors to the Emerald City this summer.<\/p>

During her speech, Wilson said she is experiencing a \u201ccrisis of conscience\u201d in becoming the mayor, having spent years advocating for progressive initiatives during her tenure at the Transit Riders Union. She explained that she's trying not to get overwhelmed by future city projects and plans to exercise sound judgment regarding these projects.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25317832011425.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400827-1767454891", "title":"Who is Delcy Rodriguez? Venezuela’s new president cooperating with Trump after Maduro’s capture", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400827%2Fvenezuela-new-president-cooperating-with-trump-after-maduros-capture%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The former Venezuelan vice president, whom the White House says replaced ousted President Nicolas Maduro, has pledged to cooperate with Washington, according to the Trump administration.  Delcy Rodriguez, a high-profile figure in the Maduro regime, was sworn in as the country’s new president Saturday morning, according to President Donald Trump, shortly after he authorized an […]", "description":""

The former Venezuelan <\/a>vice president, whom the White House says replaced ousted President Nicolas Maduro, has pledged to cooperate with Washington, according to the Trump administration<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Delcy Rodriguez, a high-profile figure in the Maduro regime, was sworn in as the country\u2019s new president Saturday morning, according to President Donald Trump, shortly after he authorized an extraordinary military operation <\/a>overnight that captured Maduro at his Caracas residence. <\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

The U.S. will \u201crun\u201d Venezuela until \u201cwe can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,\u201d Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago detailing the stealthy operation<\/a>. The U.S. ousted Maduro due to a myriad of concerns, including accusations that he oversaw sham elections, stole oil from the U.S., and helped funnel drugs and notorious Tren de Aragua members into the country. <\/p>

Trump declined to take a hostile stance against Rodr\u00edguez during the Florida briefing, in which the president said she told Secretary of State Marco Rubio, \u201cWe'll do whatever you need.\u201d Trump later told<\/a> the New York Post he would not post U.S. troops in Venezuela if Rodr\u00edguez \u201cdoes what we want.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cYou have a vice president who's been appointed by Maduro\u201d in 2018, the president told reporters in the Sunshine State. \u201cShe was sworn in as president just a little while ago. She had a long conversation with Marco, and she said, \u2018We'll do whatever you need.\u2019 I think she was quite gracious, but she really doesn't have a choice. We're going to have this done right. We're not going to just do this with Maduro, then leave like everybody else, leave and say, you know, \u2018let it go to hell.\u2019\u201d<\/p>

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO US ATTACK IN VENEZUELA<\/a><\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re going to be a team that\u2019s working with the people of Venezuela to make sure we have Venezuela right,\u201d he added. \u201cBecause for us to just leave \u2014 who\u2019s going to take over? I mean, there is nobody to take over \u2026 if we just left, it would have zero chance of ever coming back. We'll run it properly. We'll run it professionally. We'll have the greatest oil companies in the world going in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money, use that money in Venezuela. And the biggest beneficiary is going to be the people of Venezuela, and also, I can't stress this strongly enough, the people that got thrown out of Venezuela that are now in the United States.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Rodr\u00edguez, 56, is known as one of Maduro\u2019s closest allies, having held the top position in the country\u2019s information, foreign, and oil ministries. Rodr\u00edguez, described by Maduro as a \u201ctiger\u201d<\/a> for her spirited defense of his socialist government, was next in line to succeed Maduro under Venezuela\u2019s constitution. <\/p>

The Venezuelan government has not announced that Rodriguez was sworn in, and she could be in Russia, which has been a key ally to Maduro, according to <\/a>Reuters, although Russian state media denied the report.<\/p>

VENEZUELANS POUR INTO STREETS TO CELEBRATE MADURO'S FALL<\/a><\/p>

In her first public remarks on Trump\u2019s strikes against Venezuela, Rodr\u00edguez demanded <\/a>\u201cproof of life of President Nicolas Maduro and also the first lady Cilia Flores,\u201d from the U.S. <\/p>

Venezuela demands \u201cthe respect of international law\u201d and condemned \u201cthis complete brutal aggression against our people,\" Rodriguez said, according to TeleSUR English. <\/p>

The former Venezuelan first couple is being escorted to New York, where they have been newly indicted and will stand trial, according to the Trump administration. <\/p>

Mar\u00eda Corina Machado, known as Venezuela\u2019s leading political opposition to the Maduro regime, could be a top contender to replace Maduro. But Trump downplayed such hopes during his press briefing on Saturday. And Machado has called for 2024 presidential candidate Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez to immediately assume power<\/a>. <\/p>

Gonz\u00e1lez is in exile in Spain after being widely considered by the U.S. and democratic allies as the legitimate leader in the election, which Maduro claimed he won. <\/p>

US IS 'GOING TO RUN' VENEZUELA 'UNTIL A PROPER TRANSITION CAN TAKE PLACE': TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Trump inferred following Maduro\u2019s capture that U.S. officials, including Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, would lead Venezuela during the transition period. <\/p>

When pressed on his relationship with Rodriguez and what role she would continue to play in the country, Trump said that Rubio \u201cis working on that directly.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cJust had a conversation with her, and she's essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again, very simple,\u201d he said. <\/p>

WHAT IS THE DELTA FORCE? THE US MILITARY UNIT BEHIND THE VENEZUELA RAID TOPPLING MADURO<\/a><\/p>

When pressed on why \u201crunning a country in South America is America first,\u201d Trump replied he believes it is important for the U.S. \u201cto surround ourselves with good neighbors.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe want to surround ourselves with stability. We want to surround ourselves with energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It's very important that we protect it. We need that for ourselves. We need that for the world,\u201d he told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25069702121310.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400846-1767454269", "title":"As Illinois ends grocery tax locals can replace, food inflation debate continues", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Feconomy%2F4400846%2Fillinois-end-grocery-tax-food-inflation%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – An Illinois congressman’s warning that Americans are paying more for groceries is drawing pushback from economists who say federal inflation data show food prices are easing. In a video posted online, U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) opens his refrigerator and points to everyday grocery items, saying their prices have “all gone up significantly.” “What’s […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013\u00a0An Illinois<\/a> congressman\u2019s warning that Americans are paying more for groceries is drawing pushback from economists who say federal inflation<\/a> data show food<\/a> prices are easing.<\/p>

In a\u00a0video<\/a>\u00a0posted online, U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) opens his refrigerator and points to everyday grocery items, saying their prices have \u201call gone up significantly.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhat\u2019s weird is some people in our government today are trying to get you to think that it\u2019s just a figment of your imagination,\u201d Sorensen said in the video.<\/p>

Sorensen cites immigration policy as a driver of grocery costs, saying he supports farmers and an immigrant agricultural workforce to keep prices down. He did not mention taxes, which can also affect grocery bills, according to Nicole Huyer, a senior economic analyst at the Heritage Foundation.<\/p>

Illinois\u2019 statewide grocery tax ended Jan. 1, 2026, but many local governments are implementing their own levies, which could continue to influence prices for shoppers.<\/p>

Huyer said inflation data tells a more nuanced story than what Sorensen is presenting.<\/p>

\u201cI think he\u2019s making more of a political statement, not an empirically driven one,\u201d Huyer told The Center Square. \u201cInflation was nearly 9% then, but inflation numbers are significantly lower now, and that is reflected in the data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Consumer Price Index report in mid-December, which showed CPI at 2.7% over the last 12 months. That exceeded economists\u2019 expectations, beat the September numbers, and shows cooling inflation.\u201d<\/p>

Looking specifically at food prices, the Consumer Price Index breaks inflation into categories. Overall food inflation measured 2.7%, with food purchased for home consumption at 1.9% and food away from home, such as restaurant meals, at 3.7%. All of those categories showed easing compared to previous months, according to Huyer. <\/p>

\u201cThose numbers are important, but we also need to consider the experience of the average American and what they can actually buy,\u201d Huyer said. \u201cWage growth has recently outpaced inflation, meaning paychecks go further, allowing people to buy more groceries and other essentials. Based on the data, food affordability is certainly coming back.\u201d<\/p>

Still, Huyer acknowledged that many families continue to feel financial pressure despite improving economic indicators.<\/p>

\u201cThe affordability crisis isn\u2019t something that\u2019s going to immediately disappear after just 12 months in office,\u201d Huyer said. \u201cHe\u2019s [President Donald Trump] currently taking the right policy steps to address affordability through deregulation, tax cuts, and reduced public spending. These efforts are contributing to the GDP growth and the recent decline in the CPI.\u201d<\/p>

Gross domestic product growth recently came in at 4.3%, exceeding economists\u2019 expectations.<\/p>

\u201cThat means potentially more jobs, higher wages, increased productivity, and increased profits for business,\u201d she said.<\/p>

As Illinois politicians gear up for the 2026 midterm elections, claims about rising grocery prices are colliding with inflation data that shows food costs slowing.<\/p>

\u201cBut the fat cats in Washington and the billionaires who got their bailouts, they don\u2019t care what your fridge looks like,\u201d Sorensen said in the video. \u201cBut I do.\u201d<\/p>

\u2018ILLINOIS IS WORSE\u2019 AS HHS ENFORCES VERIFICATION FOR CHILD CARE FUNDING: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Huyer is urging Americans to look beyond headlines and campaign rhetoric when evaluating candidates.<\/p>

\u201cYou have a responsibility to vote based on evidence, not just emotions,\u201d she said. \u201cLook at the data, know your own wallet, are groceries cheaper, are wages rising, and what policies are candidates supporting to make life better? Candidates who back longer-term measures like deregulation, tax cuts, or reducing unproductive government spending are supporting policies that can reduce inflation and let Americans keep more of their hard-earned money.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25262471938723.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400830-1767453815", "title":"‘Illinois is worse’ as HHS enforces verification for child care funding: Trump", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Finvestigations%2F4400830%2Fillinois-child-care-worse-hhs-funding-trump%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says states will not receive matching child-care funds until they verify that providers are legitimate, and President Donald Trump says Illinois is worse than Minnesota on the issue. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are probing fraud allegations […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) -\u00a0The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> says states will not receive matching child-care funds until they verify that providers are legitimate, and President Donald Trump <\/a>says Illinois<\/a> is worse than Minnesota<\/a> on the issue.<\/p>

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security<\/a> and the Federal Bureau of Investigation<\/a> are probing fraud allegations involving tens of millions of federal taxpayer dollars sent to day care centers in Minnesota.<\/p>

Trump discussed the issue at a New Year\u2019s Eve party in Palm Beach, Florida.<\/p>

\u201cCan you imagine they stole $18 billion? That\u2019s just what we\u2019re learning about,\u201d Trump said. \u201cCalifornia is worse. Illinois is worse, and, sadly, New York is worse, a lot of other places. We\u2019re going to get to the bottom of all of it. It\u2019s a giant scam.\u201d<\/p>

Trump touted the money his administration is bringing in through tariffs and promised to recover the dollars lost to alleged fraud.<\/p>

\u201cI view that as a reason for a good year because we\u2019re going to get to the bottom of it. We\u2019re going to get that money back. It\u2019s all coming back,\u201d the president said.<\/p>

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that it had frozen the sending of taxpayer dollars to Minnesota day care centers.<\/p>

In addition, the agency said it will restrict any state from receiving federal child care dollars unless it verifies the proper use of taxpayer funds.<\/p>

\u201cThe documentation process exists to rule out fraud and confirm that funds are supporting legitimate child care providers,\u201d U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Press Secretary Emily G. Hilliard said in a statement to The Center Square.<\/p>

Hilliard said the Child Care and Development Fund requirements help protect both families and providers.<\/p>

\u201cThe onus is on the state to provide additional verification, and until they do so, HHS will not allow the state to draw down their matching funds for the CCDF program,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>

The federal government appropriated $412,167,876 to Illinois for child care programs in 2025, according to HHS. Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies said 172,794 children benefited from Child Care Assistance Program funding. <\/p>

The Illinois state budget for this year includes $2 billion for the CCAP, an increase from $1,789,399,000 in fiscal year 2025. The current budget also allocates $777,099,000 for Child Care Services.<\/p>

Illinois Republican U.S. Senate candidate Pamela Denise Long said elected officials need to manage the checkbook as if the money belongs to the people.<\/p>

\u201cI suspect Minnesota is but a tip of the iceberg, as they say. I not only want daycare centers looked into, I want not-for-profit centers looked into,\u201d Long told The Center Square. \u201cI also want so-called \u2018legit\u2019 big business looked into that is dependent upon government funding.\u201d<\/p>

JOE CONCHA: A YOUTUBER SCOOPED LEGACY MEDIA IN EXPOSING WALZ\u2019S SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL<\/a><\/p>

HHS has launched a hotline for individuals to report fraud in the child care system in any state.<\/p>

Complaints can be filed\u00a0online<\/a>\u00a0or by calling 1-800-447-8477.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25121776049084.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400822-1767452490", "title":"‘Flabbergasted’ WA daycare owner frustrated over alleged Somali fraud in industry", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F4400822%2Fflabbergasted-washington-daycare-owner%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – As more is revealed about the potential daycare fraud within the Somali community in Washington state and the Department of Children, Youth & Families scrambles to respond, one large daycare provider is sharing his frustrations with The Center Square. On Monday, The Center Square visited several Somali-run home daycares in Federal Way, but […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 As more is revealed about the potential daycare fraud<\/a> within the Somali community in Washington<\/a> state and the Department of Children, Youth & Families scrambles to respond, one large daycare<\/a> provider is sharing his frustrations with The Center Square.<\/p>

On Monday, The Center Square\u00a0visited several<\/a>\u00a0Somali-run home daycares in Federal Way, but found only one home with a few children inside. Others did not answer knocks on the front door, grew confrontational \u2013 calling the police, or conceded they don\u2019t currently have children enrolled.<\/p>

\u201cAnyone who's in the industry is, like, flabbergasted,\u201d said daycare owner David McMullan, who also chairs the Pierce County Republicans. \u201cHow are they getting that money and we're not?\u201d<\/p>

McMullan said he and his wife got into the daycare business a few years ago.<\/p>

\u201cWe have Little Patriots Academy. We have two currently functioning daycare centers. We also have a preschool called Buttons and Bows that's in Puyallup. We've spent a lot of time with DCYF and all the different regulations that make it very difficult to actually operate a daycare center,\u201d he said.<\/p>

McMullan said that he had no issues with DCYF treatment per se.<\/p>

\u201cThey're quite responsive and good to work with. So, I don't have anything to say about the department itself,\u201d he explained. \u201cBut we have to jump through a lot of hoops just to get the things we need to function and stay profitable, especially when they're not increasing our subsidies, but demanding that we pay our teachers more.\u201d<\/p>

He noted the Jan. 1 increase in the minimum wage to $17.13 an hour is another hit to their bottom line.<\/p>

\u201cWe don't want to turn away families that have to be on subsidies because they need it,\u201d McMullan said. \u201cI could fill up my daycares and say no subsidies, but then there [are] a lot of people [who] are trying to get their kids in daycare so they can work. <\/p>

\u201cIf it's done properly, it helps families out. So, I'm never going to be one of those people [who] says cut all subsidies.\u201d<\/p>

McMullan has no issues with the Somali community, but indicated he was shocked to hear about the massive subsidies some facilities are receiving, according to state fiscal websites.<\/p>

\u201cThe bottom line is per head, per child, it's about $1,500, $1,600 tops, so how are they getting that much?\u201d McMullan asked.<\/p>

For small home daycare centers with only a handful of children, monthly payouts appear to show that many providers receive tens of thousands of dollars, according to fiscal.wa.gov<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cSo, I want to see which program gets them that much money per head because I want to get involved in it,\u201d McMullan said.<\/p>

DCYF, which oversees taxpayer subsidies for licensed daycares, tells The Center Square that it investigates all reports of alleged fraud.<\/p>

\u201cWe take fraud seriously,\u201d DCYF Director of External Communications Nancy Gutierrez emailed The Center Square. \u201cWashington state utilizes a variety of measures to minimize fraud. For example, DCYF conducts unannounced site visits at every licensed childcare provider at least once per year.\u201d<\/p>

She told The Center Square that DCYF also conducts random audits to confirm the accuracy of payments made to providers.<\/p>

\u201cIn 2024, the Child Care Subsidy Program Quality Assurance unit conducted approximately 1,440 audits\u00a0of child care provider payments,\u201d Gutierrez said. \u201cThis information is all public, and you can read the most recent report here:\u00a0Child Care Subsidy Program Overpayment Report<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>

Gutierrez did not respond to a request for an interview with DCYF Secretary Tana Senn or to questions about the extremely large monthly payouts to small home daycare providers.<\/p>

JOE CONCHA: A YOUTUBER SCOOPED LEGACY MEDIA IN EXPOSING WALZ\u2019S SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL<\/a><\/p>

Meanwhile, both DCYF and state Attorney General Nick Brown this week put out warnings to daycare providers to report any \u201charassment\u201d from journalists or citizen reporters who have been door-knocking on many Somali-run child care facilities this week.<\/p>

In response, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights Director Harmeet Dhillon\u00a0threatened Brown<\/a>\u00a0with potential federal action if his office's actions were found to unconstitutionally chill the free speech rights of journalists.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ap21299682552501.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400798-1767450566", "title":"This wasn’t an arrest in Venezuela. This was an unauthorized regime-change war", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4400798%2Fthis-wasnt-an-arrest-in-venezuela-this-was-an-unauthorized-regime-change-war%2F", "byline":"Timothy P. Carney", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both justified the United States’s overnight invasion of Venezuela and capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro, as a law-enforcement action, rather than an act of war. Thus, they argued, Trump didn’t need congressional authorization. But Trump’s own words — his description of the attack, his […]", "description":""

Vice President JD Vance<\/a> and Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> both justified the United States\u2019s overnight invasion of Venezuela and capture of its president<\/a>, Nicolas Maduro, as a law-enforcement action, rather than an act of war. Thus, they argued, Trump didn't need congressional authorization.<\/p>

But Trump\u2019s own words \u2014 his description of the attack, his justification for the attack, and his plans for Venezuela\u2019s future \u2014 make it clear this was in fact an act of war. Presidents are not allowed to wage war without authorization from Congress.<\/p>

A BRIEF HISTORY OF AMERICAN REGIME-CHANGE WARS<\/a><\/p>

Here\u2019s Vance citing \u201cindictments\" to legally justify the military action:<\/p>

Rubio, in the mid-day Saturday press conference, likewise framed the attack as basically a joint action between the Departments of War and Justice. In other words, this was basically an arrest, where the Delta Force took the place of the FBI.<\/p>

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE US STRIKES ON VENEZUELA AND MADURO'S FALL<\/a><\/p>

This is a plausible claim, and it\u2019s an argument Vance and Rubio need to make, because they know that the president isn\u2019t allowed to unilaterally go to war.<\/p>

Congress, and only Congress, has the authority to declare war under the Constitution. The president\u2019s authority<\/a> to send U.S. troops into combat is limited to repelling imminent threats or responding to sudden attacks. Flying into Caracas, guns blazing, and capturing a foreign dictator who was indicted five years ago is obviously not a defensive action.<\/p>

(White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said as much to Vanity Fair<\/a>: \u201cIf he were\u00a0to\u00a0authorize some activity\u00a0on\u00a0land,\u00a0then it's war,\u00a0then\u00a0[we\u2019d need]\u00a0Congress.\u201d)<\/p>

So what about the Vance-Rubio defense, that this was basically an arrest?<\/p>

TOM ROGAN: CAPTURING MADURO WAS THE EXTRAORDINARILY CHALLENGING BUT EASIER PART<\/a><\/p>

Again, this doesn\u2019t square with Trump\u2019s own words.<\/p>

Trump called it a \u201cmilitary operation,\u201d as Eric Boehm at Reason pointed out<\/a>.<\/p>

Trump, in his many minutes of speaking Saturday, primarily spoke about Maduro stealing oil infrastructure from U.S. companies, which was not something in any of the federal charges<\/a> against Maduro.<\/p>

TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE, BOMBED AS MANY COUNTRIES IN 2025 AS HE DID DURING HIS ENTIRE FIRST TERM<\/a><\/p>

Trump also stated that the U.S. would \u201crun\u201d Venezuela<\/a> until we could install a new government. This is the description of a regime change, not an arrest. If we were really arresting Maduro on drug charges, we would let Venezuela deal with succession matters. Trump made it clear we\u2019re not doing that.<\/p>

Like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, this was a regime-change war. Like Libya, the president failed to get congressional authorization for this war.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/donald-trump-nicolas-maduro-capture-collage-e1767468473344.jpg?1767450476&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400782-1767450004", "title":"General ‘Razin’ Caine divulges details on Trump Venezuela operation that captured Maduro", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400782%2Fgeneral-razin-caine-divulges-details-on-trump-venezuela-operation%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The United States’s highest-ranking military officer on Saturday briefed the country on the lightning attack Washington carried out on Venezuela overnight. General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed details about the elite operation that successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a press conference alongside President Donald Trump.   MADURO ‘CAPTURED’ […]", "description":""

The United States\u2019s highest-ranking military<\/a> officer on Saturday briefed the country on the lightning attack Washington carried out on Venezuela <\/a>overnight.<\/p>

General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed details about the elite operation<\/a> that successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a press conference alongside President Donald Trump.  <\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

The mission involved<\/a> more than 150 aircraft \u201claunching across the Western Hemisphere in close coordination,\u201d to extract Maduro and his wife from their residence in downtown Caracas while maintaining \u201cthe element of tactical surprise,\u201d Caine said.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cOperation Absolute Resolve, was discreet, precise, and conducted during the darkest hours of January 2, and was the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal. An operation that, frankly, only the United States military could undertake,\u201d Caine told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. <\/p>

Caine said work planning the operation began months ago in collaboration with multiple agencies, including the CIA, National Security Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as the intelligence community worked \u201cto find Maduro and understand how he moved, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, [and] what were his pets.\u201d<\/p>

TOM ROGAN: CAPTURING MADURO WAS THE EXTRAORDINARILY CHALLENGING BUT EASIER PART<\/a><\/p>

By early December 2025, Operation Absolute Resolve had been cleared and was merely pending a number of aligned events, such as optimal weather, the general said. <\/p>

\u201cLast night, the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through ocean, mountain, low clouds, and ceilings,\u201d Caine said, explaining that the conditions allowed bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, and other aircraft to begin launching from 20 different bases on land and sea. <\/p>

Helicopters carrying \"the extraction force\" targeting Maduro flew into Caracas and arrived at Maduro\u2019s compound just after 1 a.m. Saturday morning, as a full joint air operation including bombers and drones provided cover for the special forces, officials said. Trump suggested U.S. intelligence triggered a widespread blackout in Caracas to plunge the capital in darkness during the operation, which held a total duration of around 2.5 hours. <\/p>

\u201cMaintaining low\u2011level ingress and surprise, the assault force reached Maduro\u2019s compound at 1:01 a.m. ET, rapidly secured the perimeter, took incoming fire, responded with overwhelming self\u2011defense, and, with real\u2011time intel support, compelled Maduro and his wife to surrender,\u201d Caine said. <\/p>

U.S. forces ended the mission and flew back at roughly 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning, according to the general. No U.S. military personnel were killed, although one helicopter was damaged by incoming fire before safely making it back to base. <\/p>

\u201cI'm very proud of him,\u201d Trump said of Caine. \u201cI watched last night one of the most precise attacks on sovereignty. I mean, it was an attack for justice.\"<\/p>

TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE, BOMBED AS MANY COUNTRIES IN 2025 AS HE DID DURING HIS ENTIRE FIRST TERM<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI've worked with a lot of generals. I worked with some I didn't like. I worked with some whom I didn't respect. I worked with some they just weren't good. But this guy is fantastic,\u201d Trump added. <\/p>

The president<\/a> said that the Venezuelan military appeared cognizant that U.S. action was coming, given the Pentagon\u2019s historic buildup in the Caribbean waters, but still seemed unprepared for the overnight attack. <\/p>

\u201cLaw enforcement caught them in a very ready position. They were waiting for us. They knew we had many ships out in the sea, just sort of, they knew we were coming, so they were in a ready, what's called a ready position, but they were completely overwhelmed,\u201d Trump said. <\/p>

The U.S. is going to \u201crun\u201d Venezuela indefinitely, the White House<\/a> announced Saturday, until \u201cwe can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.\u201d Trump promised a \u201csecond wave\u201d of \u201cmuch larger\u201d attacks on Venezuela \u201cif we need to do so.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country as their homeland,\u201d the president told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. \u201cWe can\u2019t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn\u2019t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind\u2026 we don\u2019t want to be involved with having somebody else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.\u201d<\/p>

The Maduros are being transported to New York, as officials have pledged the former president will stand trial in the U.S. He now faces a new indictment<\/a> from the Justice Department on narco-terrorism charges and counts related to the possession of machine guns, promising strong prison sentences.<\/p>

WHAT IS THE DELTA FORCE? THE US MILITARY UNIT BEHIND THE VENEZUELA RAID TOPPLING MADURO<\/a><\/p>

Washington has sought to justify the attack on the grounds that Maduro\u2019s regime is illegitimate and is responsible for funneling drugs and the notorious Tren de Aragua gang into the U.S.<\/p>

The Trump administration is seeking to use Article II of the Constitution to justify the attack, as it states the president is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003619837417.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3916768-1767448800", "title":"What to know about Qatar’s sprawling web of influence in the US", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F3916768%2Fwhat-to-know-qatar-web-of-influence%2F", "byline":"Robert Schmad", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. As an array of high-profile conservatives align themselves with Qatar through […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

As an array of high-profile conservatives align themselves with Qatar through statements and trips to the Gulf nation, the country\u2019s purportedly outsize influence on American politics has come under increased scrutiny.<\/p>

Qatar\u2019s publicly known influence operations primarily consist of an army of foreign agents, state-backed media organizations designed to amplify information favorable to its regime, donations to universities, and strategic investments. Many, however, suspect that the scope of Qatar\u2019s influence over American politics is broader than what present reporting and public records suggest. Such speculation is fueled by reports of Qatar hiring unregistered foreign agents and public officials failing to disclose swanky trips paid for by the country.<\/p>

While it is possible, and some would even argue likely, that much of Qatar\u2019s spending happens under the table, some estimates place Qatari spending in the United States below that of other countries in terms of scale.<\/p>

A Free Press investigation published in May was able to track $100 billion<\/a> in all-time Qatari spending in the U.S., spanning business investments, weapons purchases, energy spending, lobbying, education spending, and its Al Udeid Air Base, which American forces use but the Qatari government pays for. A report from the Middle East Forum released around the same time uncovered roughly $40 billion<\/a> in Qatari spending since 2012 across investments, donations, and lobbyists.<\/p>

In comparative terms, OpenSecrets's aggregation of data collected by the Justice Department shows <\/a>that Qatar spent the seventh-most money among foreign nations on lobbying and public relations activities between 2016 and 2024, coming in at $260.4 million. Israel, which Qatar is frequently compared to, meanwhile, spent $195.1 million over the same period. China, boasting well over half a billion dollars in such spending, tops the chart.<\/p>

Qatar\u2019s web of influence, however,  is somewhat unique in terms of how far it reaches across multiple facets of American political and economic life.<\/p>Lobbyists, guns, and money

Qatari operations are perhaps most visible when they directly target elected officials.<\/p>

Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, foreign principals, such as the Qatari government, are allowed to pay individuals, often but not always American citizens, to influence policy or the media environment on their behalf. These foreign agents, in turn, must register with the DOJ and provide regular reports on their activity to the agency. <\/p>

While an unknown quantity of people operate outside the bounds of the law<\/a>, making a full accounting of Qatari foreign agents impossible, details have emerged in recent years that provide a glimpse into how they operate.<\/p>

It is known, for instance, that Qatari foreign agents have a tendency to shower the lawmakers they are courting with large sums of campaign cash.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reported <\/a>in May that Qatar\u2019s active foreign agents have donated nearly $700,000 to members of Congress and other government officials since 2020. Concurrent with these donations, those agents enjoyed open lines of communication and face time with influential lawmakers \u2014 often the very same people they were cutting checks to.<\/p>

Academic research has consistently found<\/a> that campaign contributions do indeed lead to increased access to lawmakers.<\/p>

In the case of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the Washington Examiner previously reported that a single Qatari foreign agent donated roughly $30,000 to campaign committees linked to him between 2020 and 2025. During the same period, Graham\u2019s office granted his lobbying firm ample access so he could advocate Qatar\u2019s interests, including over 130 total communications between the office and the agent, personal meetings, and phone calls with the senator himself.<\/p>

Graham\u2019s home state of South Carolina is a special case<\/a> in the realm of Qatari influence.<\/p>

In May, the Gulf nation inked a $96 billion aircraft manufacturing agreement with Boeing that would primarily benefit the firm\u2019s assembly plant in Charleston, South Carolina. Additionally, Barzan Holdings, the strategic investment arm of Qatar\u2019s Ministry of Defense, has a facility in the state boasting <\/a>72,400 square feet of manufacturing and office space.<\/p>

Qatar\u2019s economic footprint in the Palmetto State no doubt affords it a degree of influence over the politicians who represent it. Graham and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) have emerged as two of Qatar\u2019s strongest advocates in Congress.<\/p>

Wilson was a co-chair of the Congressional Qatari Caucus and credits himself for meeting with Qatari officials to deepen economic ties between the Gulf nation and his state. Graham, meanwhile, has reportedly taken meetings with representatives from Qatar\u2019s sovereign wealth fund. Both have consistently made pro-Qatari statements during their tenures.<\/p>

In terms of total volume, DOJ records document roughly 7,400 political communications sent by Qatari foreign agents since 2020, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of FARA records. These consist of phone calls, emails, video calls, and in-person meetings. In addition to members of Congress and federal staffers, foreign agents also reach members of the press in the hopes of placing or shaping stories about the country they represent. Israeli foreign agents, for comparison, have sent just over 2,000 such communications since 2020.<\/p>

This comparison, however, suggests that the Israel lobby is weaker than it truly is. Unlike Qatar, Israel has a sizable and wealthy domestic base of support. This manifests itself primarily through the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. AIPAC and its affiliated super PAC, United Democracy Project, spent close to $100 million<\/a> on the 2024 elections, alongside millions more<\/a> in lobbying efforts.<\/p>

In addition to AIPAC, pro-Israel billionaires such as Paul Singer and Miriam Adelson also pour tens of millions of dollars into domestic media operations, think tanks, and political candidates that support the Jewish state.<\/p>

Israel, like Qatar, also has significant economic ties to the U.S., bolstering its influence. Both countries have spent tens of billions of dollars<\/a> purchasing American arms.<\/p>

Influence is difficult to quantify without concrete examples of victories. Qatar has enjoyed ample victories in recent years.<\/p>

During the recent negotiations surrounding the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, for example, Qatari foreign agents secured a series of phone calls<\/a> and email exchanges with top staffers on the House and Senate Armed Services committees, the bodies tasked with drafting the legislation, between March and May.<\/p>

After these exchanges, Congress voted down amendments that would have blocked funding to retrofit the Pentagon\u2019s recently acquired Qatari plane into Air Force One. The House version of the NDAA, meanwhile, included a measure ordering the war secretary to produce a report on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, possibly recommending additional missile and air defense resources, enhancing security in the country.<\/p>

Qatar also does well to shape the words coming out of the mouths of American politicians.<\/p>

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) left some observers confused in March after he offered an impassioned defense of Qatar during a congressional hearing. A Washington Examiner review of FARA records<\/a> found that many of the arguments he levied lined up with talking points provided to his office by Qatari foreign agents. <\/p>

Marshall, notably, was once a sharp critic of Qatar.<\/p>Hearts and minds

Outside the halls of Congress, Qatar is waging an information war to sway the opinions of everyday Americans.<\/p>

The crown jewel of this effort is Qatar\u2019s state-backed media conglomerate, Al Jazeera. Across its various social pages, Al Jazeera reports accrued a total of 14.2 billion views<\/a> in 2023. AJ+, its flagship English-language social media brand, boasts 2.4 million YouTube subscribers<\/a> and 11 million Facebook followers<\/a>. Al Jazeera English, an arm of the conglomerate\u2019s traditional media operation, claims to reach over 270 million households<\/a> across the English-speaking world.<\/p>

Using the considerable reach at its fingertips, Al Jazeera advances points of view that are typically anti-American, anti-Israeli, and broadly anti-Western. <\/p>

A 2023 report<\/a> published by the Zachor Legal Institute found that, during one week in 2023, 32% of the content produced by AJ+ was anti-American, 13% was anti-Israel, and an additional 25% was broadly anti-Western. As of mid-December, practically all the content on AJ+\u2019s YouTube and X accounts<\/a> falls into one of those three categories.<\/p>

\u201cAJ+ frequently highlights injustices in American society pertaining to women\u2019s rights, issues facing the Black community, and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people,\u201d the 2023 report reads. \u201cAJ+\u2019s coverage portrays American society as divided and often contributes itself to widening those divisions, creating a fertile ground for harming the legitimacy of the American government and its institutions.\u201d<\/p>

The slant of Al Jazeera and its affiliates has left some observers wary about Qatar\u2019s influence on universities and other academic institutions.<\/p>

A Network Contagion Research Institute study published <\/a>in April found that, according to Education Department records, Qatar is the largest source of foreign donations to American colleges and universities, pumping in $6.3 billion since the government began tracking such transactions in 1986. Nearly a third of those donations, over $2 billion, were made between 2021 and 2024, suggesting that the Gulf state is ramping up its efforts.<\/p>

Critics contend that universities that have taken the most Qatari money have seen the greatest upticks in anti-Israel and antisemitic activity. While there is some correlative evidence for this claim, such as the case of Northwestern University<\/a>, no definitive link has been found.<\/p>

In at least one case, the Qatari government has used its relationship with prestigious American institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University to bolster the legitimacy of its influence operations. The two universities, alongside Northwestern, are partnered with Doha Debates<\/a>. The program, which claims to be a neutral platform for the discussion of ideas, pushes content to millions of viewers, arguing that the U.S.\u2019s global power is diminished, claiming that Western nations are racist, criticizing Israel, and pressuring the developed world to accept more refugees.<\/p>

Think tanks, which fill a similar role to universities in terms of policy research, have also accepted considerable funding from Qatari sources. Prestigious think tanks such as the Aspen Institute, the Brookings Institution, the Rand Corporation, the Stimson Center, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies have accepted millions of dollars from Qatar since 2019, according <\/a>to the Quincy Institute.<\/p>

Critics point to<\/a> the panels, policy papers, and favorable opinion articles produced by think tanks funded by Qatar as ways the Gulf nation seeks to build legitimacy among Western elites. Indeed, Rand and the Stimson Center were partners <\/a>in the recent state-run Doha Forum, which has been characterized by critics as a way the Qatari regime launders its reputation by attempting to convey proximity to well-respected Western individuals and institutions.<\/p>

Qatar also works diligently to shape the coverage of American media outlets. <\/p>

A Washington Examiner investigation published in May found <\/a>that Qatari foreign agents greatly ramped up their outreach to conservative outlets and commentators following President Donald Trump\u2019s 2024 election victory. Qatari agents successfully secured a high-profile interview with Tucker Carlson for the country\u2019s prime minister and saw outlets publish pro-Qatari pieces shortly after reaching out to them.<\/p>

TOP US POLITICAL FIGURES LEND LEGITIMACY TO QATARI FORUM ALLIED WITH ARRAY OF ANTI-AMERICAN GROUPS<\/a><\/p>

Qatar isn\u2019t letting up in its quest<\/a> to control U.S. media, with the country recently announcing an array of partnerships with media giants such as CNN and Bloomberg, and hiring agents to expand its influence over American news coverage.<\/p>Hiding in 'plane' sight

Close observers of American politics may have reason to believe that Qatar\u2019s web of influence is far broader than official disclosure and mainstream press reports suggest.<\/p>

Some, for example, worry <\/a>that the $400 million jet that Trump accepted on behalf of the U.S. to become the new Air Force One, and eventually the property of his presidential museum, may come with strings attached. Others point to the fact that high-profile Americans, among them a retired general<\/a>, a former ambassador<\/a>, and top Trump operatives<\/a>, have been implicated in illegal Qatari influence schemes.<\/p>

While the true extent of Qatari influence over American life is difficult to measure, it is obvious that the terrorism-linked Gulf nation is intent on burning through billions of dollars to reshape the U.S. to be more amenable to its interests.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Trump-Qatar-Trip-scaled-e1766159437209.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400739-1767448787", "title":"Trump administration pushes law enforcement rationale for Maduro capture", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400739%2Ftrump-administration-law-enforcement-rationale-for-maduro-capture%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Trump administration is defending the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores as a law enforcement operation as the mission comes under congressional scrutiny. At a Saturday press conference at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly said […]", "description":""

The Trump administration is defending the capture of former Venezuelan<\/a> President Nicolas Maduro<\/a> and his wife Cilia Flores as a law enforcement operation as the mission comes under congressional scrutiny.<\/p>

At a Saturday press conference at President Donald Trump\u2019s Mar-a-Lago club, the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a>, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a> repeatedly said the overnight deployment of Delta Force troops to Caracas was aimed at arresting Maduro. Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers have criticized the administration for executing the raid without congressional approval.<\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

\"This was not the kind of mission that you can do congressional notification on,\" Rubio told reporters on Saturday. \"It was a trigger-based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night. We watched and monitored that for a number of days.\"<\/p>

The secretary added: \"It's largely a law enforcement function. Remember, at the end of day, at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice, and the Department of War supported the Department of Justice in that job. Now there are broader policy implications here, but it's just not the kind of mission that you can pre-notify because it endangers the mission.\"<\/p>

To that end, the likes of Rep. Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY) have raised questions regarding Maduro's 2020 indictment for charges laid in New York City related to narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the U.S.<\/p>

US IS 'GOING TO RUN' VENEZUELA 'UNTIL A PROPER TRANSITION CAN TAKE PLACE': TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

\"[Attorney General Pam Bondi<\/a>] and others legally characterize attack in Venezuela as 'arrest with military support,'\" Massie wrote on social media. \"Meanwhile Trump announces he\u2019s taken over the country and will run it until he finds someone suitable to replace him. Added bonus: says American oil companies will get to exploit the oil. Trump also announced he\u2019s ready to attack Venezuela militarily with a second wave if needed. Doesn\u2019t seem the least bit consistent with the earlier characterization.\"<\/p>

Democrats have also complained about the lack of congressional oversight with respect to Trump's Venezuela policy, starting from when he and his administration began bombing boats allegedly carrying drugs off Venezuela's coast.<\/p>

TRUMP HAILS SUCCESS OF 'FANTASTIC' MADURO MISSION: 'I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT'<\/a><\/p>

\"I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City,\" New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media. \"Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn\u2019t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home.\"<\/p>

TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE, BOMBED AS MANY COUNTRIES IN 2025 AS HE DID DURING HIS ENTIRE FIRST TERM<\/a><\/p>

During the press conference, Trump was asked about the difference between former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hern\u00e1ndez, whom he pardoned despite a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking, and Maduro.<\/p>

\"That the man that I pardoned was, if you could equate it to us, he was treated like the Biden administration<\/a> treated a man named Trump. That didn't work out too well for them,\" he said. \"This was a man who was persecuted very unfairly. He was the head of the country. He was persecuted very unfairly.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003648894364.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400741-1767447305", "title":"Capturing Maduro was the extraordinarily challenging but easier part", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4400741%2Fcapturing-maduro-was-the-extraordinarily-challenging-but-easier-part%2F", "byline":"Tom Rogan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Delta Force, the Army’s premier special operations unit, has just earned another testament to its deserved reputation as the world’s finest close-quarters battle special forces team. In a remarkable operation overnight Friday-Saturday, Delta Force and, presumably, a small number of FBI-Hostage Rescue Team operators, helicoptered into the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and forcibly seized dictator […]", "description":""

Delta Force, the Army's premier special operations unit, has just earned another testament to its deserved reputation as the world's finest close-quarters battle special forces team.<\/p>

In a remarkable operation overnight Friday-Saturday, Delta Force and, presumably, a small number of FBI-Hostage Rescue Team operators, helicoptered into the Venezuelan<\/a> capital of Caracas and forcibly seized dictator President Nicolas Maduro<\/a>. No Americans were killed, though some were wounded. Maduro and his wife are now being relocated to New York to stand trial in federal court on drug trafficking charges.<\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

At a Mar-a-Lago press conference on Saturday, President Donald Trump<\/a> pointed out that a lot could have gone wrong with this operation. He is absolutely correct. A helicopter or helicopters could have been shot down in various areas of Caracas by Venezuelan or Cuban operatives armed with shoulder-launched anti-air missile systems. The Delta Force strike team could have been overwhelmed by Maduro's guards and responding forces. That none of this happened testifies to the abilities of Delta Force and the other U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Army personnel involved in this action. <\/p>

You simply cannot pull off an action like this without extraordinary military power and an equal measure of professional skill. As the Washington Examiner reported last October<\/a>, the U.S. military deployments around Venezuela were always too large to be related to drug trafficking alone.<\/p>

China and Russia will thus pay close heed to this potent capability. The leaders of Cuba, Iran, and North Korea will watch this dominant and choreographed display of American power with particular concern. They will think: if Trump can do this against Maduro, why can't he do it against us? Trump surely is banking on that consideration as a means to empower his future diplomacy with these nations.<\/p>

OPINION: A WELCOME END TO THE MADURO REGIME<\/a><\/p>

Still, even as this daring operation will rightly earn its place as one of the finest special operations in history, what happened overnight is the easiest part. The question of what happens next is fraught with far greater risk.<\/p>

Trump says that the U.S. will now govern Venezuela under the supervision of Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a>. He emphasized that Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez's seizure of American oil assets in the country was a major precipitating factor for this action. And Trump warned that he was ready to order far larger military action if the Venezuelan government and military refused to relinquish power. While it appears that Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez is suddenly now cooperating with the U.S., many others in the country will not do so.<\/p>

Powerful drug cartels such as the Cartel of the Suns are intimately associated with a range of personalities in the Venezuelan military. And criminal outfits such as Tren de Aragua represent just the tip of a far greater iceberg of Venezuelan organized crime groups. Any effort to establish the rule of law will have to confront these organizations or major parts of them. With a vast array of both urban and rural environments in which to hide, criminals and anti-U.S.\/anti-Venezuelan transitional government insurgents will be able to conduct attacks. <\/p>

Put simply, nation-building is unlikely to be easy. Nor is nation-building simply about security. Restoring the rule of law, access to food and medical supplies, and the provision of basic services will be expensive and time-consuming.<\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>

It is quite extraordinary that Trump is now so comfortable with that responsibility. A president long regarded as beholden to an anti-interventionist foreign policy is now pursuing the antithesis of that doctrine. Following this action and the successful strikes on Iran's nuclear program last year, it is clear that Trump is now far more comfortable with the use of military force.<\/p>

But military force is ultimately only a conduit to political freedom of action. And Venezuela's path to a stable, prosperous political future is unlikely to be as easy as Trump claims.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.29.28-PM-e1767465278459.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400728-1767445630", "title":"Venezuelans pour into streets to celebrate Maduro’s fall", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400728%2Fvenezuelans-pour-into-streets-to-celebrate-maduro-fall%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Pro-democracy residents in Venezuela and expats from the country who fled to Florida are among those celebrating the United States’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.  Details about the U.S. military’s stunning raid on Maduro’s residence were revealed by President Donald Trump and top officials during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, as Maduro […]", "description":""

Pro-democracy residents in Venezuela<\/a> and expats from the country who fled to Florida<\/a> are among those celebrating the United States\u2019s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. <\/p>

Details about the U.S. military\u2019s stunning raid <\/a>on Maduro\u2019s residence were revealed by President Donald Trump and top officials during a press conference <\/a>at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, as Maduro and his wife are escorted to New York to stand trial. <\/p>

US IS 'GOING TO RUN' VENEZUELA 'UNTIL A PROPER TRANSITION CAN TAKE PLACE': TRUMP<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

While a wide range of reactions to the operation included accusations that the U.S. illegally breached international law, many hailed the toppling of Maduro\u2019s regime.<\/p>

Florida is home to the largest Venezuelan population in the U.S. Many of them poured into the streets of Doral and other areas with chants of \"Libertad\u201d on Saturday, singing the U.S. and Venezuelan national anthems. <\/p>

\u201cAfter about 30 years of an abusive government, we can now be happy with the fall of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro,\u201d Valeria Morillo, who still has family in Caracas, told <\/a>CBS News. <\/p>

\"This means everything, since the moment I was born, we lived under an abusive dictatorship,\" she added.\"I feel so lucky and privileged to be out in the street, whereas people back home in Caracas are scared for their lives.\" <\/p>

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO US ATTACK IN VENEZUELA<\/a><\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s not an act of war. It\u2019s an act of freedom,\u201d another Venezuelan said<\/a>, as people carried the country\u2019s flag and sang together in the early morning hours on Saturday. <\/p>

The U.S., Venezuela opposition leader Mar\u00eda Corina Machado, and other international allies have long considered Maduro to have stolen the 2024 election in his country. <\/p>

After the U.S. strikes on Venezuela late Friday night, many residents in the country celebrated Trump\u2019s action against Maduro. <\/p>

Footage circulating on social media on Saturday showed thousands <\/a>of Venezuelans in the capital of Caracas jubilantly celebrating the fallen president\u2019s capture. <\/p>

\u201cVenezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived,\u201d Machado said in a statement<\/a> posted to X. <\/p>

\u201cToday, we are ready to assert our mandate and take power. Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the democratic transition is complete. A transition that needs ALL of us,\u201d she wrote in a letter addressed to the Venezuelan people. <\/p>

\u201cThis is the hour of the citizens. Those of us who risked everything for democracy on June 28th. Those of us who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate President of Venezuela, who must immediately assume his constitutional mandate and be recognized as Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces by all the officers and soldiers who comprise it,\u201d Machado added. <\/p>

WHAT IS THE DELTA FORCE? THE US MILITARY UNIT BEHIND THE VENEZUELA RAID TOPPLING MADURO<\/a><\/p>

Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago that U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, are going to \u201crun\u201d the country until \u201cwe can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.\u201d He promised a \u201csecond wave\u201d of \u201cmuch larger\u201d attacks on Venezuela \u201cif we need to do so.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country as their homeland,\u201d the president said. \u201cWe can\u2019t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn\u2019t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind \u2026 we don\u2019t want to be involved with having somebody else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003462413795_3f3c5b.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400705-1767444817", "title":"Venezuela opposition leader Maria Machado says US ‘fulfilled its promise’ after Maduro capture", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400705%2Fvenezuela-opposition-leader-maria-machado-us-fulfilled-promise%2F", "byline":"Sydney Topf", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the United States “fulfilled its promise” after President Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “Nicolas Maduro, starting today, faces international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations,” Machado wrote in a statement on X that was […]", "description":""

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado<\/a> said the United States \"fulfilled its promise\u201d after President Donald Trump announced the capture<\/a> of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.<\/p>

\u201cNicolas Maduro, starting today, faces international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against Venezuelans and against citizens of many other nations,\u201d Machado wrote in a statement on X<\/a> that was originally posted in Spanish. \u201cGiven his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the United States government has fulfilled its promise to uphold the law.\u201d <\/p><\/a><\/a><\/a>

US IS 'GOING TO RUN' VENEZUELA 'UNTIL A PROPER TRANSITION CAN TAKE PLACE': TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Trump shared Saturday morning that the United States carried out a military operation in Venezuela<\/a>, aimed at ending Maduro\u2019s regime. <\/p>

Machado said the opposition is ready to assume power. While she did not provide specifics, she told Venezuelans to prepare to \u201cbe ready.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThose of us who risked everything for democracy on July 28th. Those of use who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate President of Venezuela, who must immediately assume his constitutional mandate and be recognized as Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces by all the officers and soldiers who comprise it,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>

\u201cToday we are prepared to assert our mandate and take power. Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the democratic transition is realized. A transition that needs ALL of us,\u201d she added. <\/p>

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO US ATTACK IN VENEZUELA<\/a><\/p>

Machado said the time has come for \u201cpopular sovereignty\u201d and \u201cnational sovereignty\u201d to govern Venezuela. <\/p>

\u201cWe will restore order, free the political prisoners, build an exceptional country, and bring our children back home,\u201d she wrote. \u201cWe have fought for years, we have given everything, and it has been worth it. What had to happen is happening.\u201d<\/p>

Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year for her efforts against Maduro, but dedicated the award to Trump<\/a> for being pivotal in the fight for Venezuelan democracy. <\/p>

\u201cThis recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory, and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy,\u201d Machado said in a statement on X in October<\/a>.<\/p>

Trump was asked on Fox and Friends on Saturday morning if he would recognize Machado as the new president of Venezuela. The president did not provide a clear answer, but said \u201cwe\u2019re going to have to look at it.\u201d <\/p>

WHAT IS THE DELTA FORCE? THE US MILITARY UNIT BEHIND THE VENEZUELA RAID TOPPLING MADURO<\/a> <\/p>

\u201cRight now, they have a vice president, as you know. I don\u2019t know what kind of election that was, but, you know, the election of Maduro was a disgrace,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>

Trump announced at a press conference that the U.S. will temporarily \"run\" Venezuela until a leadership transition takes place. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AP25010016482374.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400674-1767443156", "title":"US is ‘going to run’ Venezuela ‘until a proper transition can take place’: Trump", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400674%2Fus-to-run-venezuela-until-transition-can-take-place%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States will “run” Venezuela following the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro. The president’s comments came during an 11 a.m. press conference in Florida, hours after he announced the American attack on Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, and subsequent apprehension of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. MADURO […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> said Saturday that the United States will \"run\" Venezuela following the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro.<\/p>

The president's comments came during an 11 a.m. press conference in Florida<\/a>, hours after he announced the American attack on Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, and subsequent apprehension of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.<\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

\"We don't want to be involved with having somebody else get in,\" the president, who entered office heavily criticizing U.S. nation-building efforts in the Middle East, told reporters. \"So we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.\"<\/p>

Furthermore, Trump confirmed that he will bring in American energy companies to take over Venezuela's oil industry, which he claimed Saturday \"has been a total bust.\"<\/p>

\"We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,\" he continued, later noting that the U.S. would, at least, partially finance the ongoing and future operations within Venezuela by selling oil produced from the country.<\/p>

A WELCOME END TO THE MADURO REGIME<\/a><\/p>

The president closed his opening remarks by reiterating that U.S. forces will maintain their deployment in the region and that he retains \"all military options until United States demands have been fully met and fully satisfied.\"<\/p>

\"All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them, and it will happen to them if they aren't just fair, even to their people,\" he closed. <\/p>

Trump's allies have cheered the military operation, arguing specifically that the president's actions were not equivalent to the nation-building efforts carried out by former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama in the early 21st century.<\/p>

But during the question and answer session following his remarks, the president seemed to undermine that exact argument.<\/p>

\"That's when we had different presidents, but with me, that's not true. With me, we've had a perfect rack record of winning. We win a lot,\" he told reporters when asked about U.S. failures in the Middle East. \"With me, you've had a lot of victory. You've had only victories. You've had no losses.\"<\/p>

Trump also seemed to signal that the U.S. plans to carry out military operations against cartels in Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba. <\/p>

Trump had previously accused Columbian President Gustavo Petro of running cocaine factories, and on Saturday, he said he'd \"stick by [his] first statement\" and that Petro \"does have to watch his ass.\"<\/p>

\"I think Cuba is going to be something we'll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, a very badly failing nation, and we want to help the people,\" the president stated in response to a question on the island nation.<\/p>

Jennifer Kavanagh, the director of military analysis for Defense Priorities, cautioned Saturday that, based on Trump's press conference, \"it is not clear the U.S. has a plan for how to manage a political transition in the country,\" and that the U.S. could be entrenched in Venezuela for significantly longer than anticipated. <\/p>

\"This affair sounds very similar to the plans for Iraq, with the United States removing a leader they deemed a threat to U.S. interests and then planning to temporarily govern the country,\" she wrote in a statement. \"We all know how that turned out. There are many ways such a plan could go wrong: infighting in what\u2019s left of Maduro\u2019s regime or collapse into chaos.\"<\/p>

\"The bottom line is that U.S. interests were not at risk and Americans are not safer as a result of this morning's military action,\" Kavanagh concluded.<\/p>

TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE, BOMBED AS MANY COUNTRIES IN 2025 AS HE DID DURING HIS ENTIRE FIRST TERM<\/a><\/p>

You can watch Trump's comments in full below.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003606832215.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400669-1767442387", "title":"What is the Delta Force? The US military unit behind the Venezuela raid toppling Maduro", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fnational-security%2F4400669%2Fwhat-is-delta-force-military-unit-behind-the-venezuela-raid%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A secretive U.S. military unit is responsible for a stunning overnight raid that captured Venezuela’s president on Washington’s behalf. The Army’s elite Delta Force, which dragged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife out of their beds early Saturday, is part of the Pentagon’s Joint Special Operations Command.  TRUMP HAILS SUCCESS OF ‘FANTASTIC’ MADURO MISSION: […]", "description":""

A secretive U.S. military <\/a>unit is responsible for a stunning overnight raid that captured Venezuela<\/a>\u2019s president on Washington\u2019s behalf.<\/p>

The Army\u2019s elite Delta Force<\/a>, which dragged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife out of their beds early Saturday<\/a>, is part of the Pentagon\u2019s Joint Special Operations Command. <\/p>

TRUMP HAILS SUCCESS OF 'FANTASTIC' MADURO MISSION: 'I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT'<\/a><\/p>

\u200b\u200bFounded in 1977 and based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the Delta Force has for decades been rumored to be a part of high-stakes operations targeting foreign foes, from Colombian cartel leader Pablo Escobar to Mexican drug lord Joaqu\u00edn \"El Chapo\" Guzm\u00e1n.<\/p>

But while details about the unit\u2019s activity, which is often centered around counter-terrorist efforts in collaboration with the CIA, largely fly under the radar, President Donald Trump\u2019s public remarks on the lightning strikes <\/a>Saturday morning made a rare break with precedent as he appeared to confirm the Delta Force carried out the Venezuela operation that toppled Maduro's regime.<\/p>

\u201cThey're the most highly trained soldiers in the world,\u201d the president said during an interview on Fox and Friends in which he revealed the military practiced for he operation by building an \u201cidentical\u201d replica of the house where Maduro and his wife were captured. The couple is headed to New York, where they have been indicted by the Justice Department on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. <\/p>

A WELCOME END TO THE MADURO REGIME<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThey got taken out in a matter of seconds. I've never seen anything like it,\u201d Trump said during his first remarks on television on the strikes Saturday morning. \u201cI mean, everything was pinpoint, every single day, and everything they practiced, they actually built a house which was identical to the one they went into.\u201d <\/p>

The U.S. invasion of Venezuela this weekend bears certain uncanny resemblances to another Latin American operation that took place over three decades ago. Delta Force was among the U.S. forces involved in an operation that toppled Panamanian General Manuel Noriega from power on Jan. 3, 1990, 36 years to the day U.S. forces abducted Maduro<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

A few years after Panama, the Delta Force was also rumored to have assassinated Pablo Escobar, a Colombian cartel leader believed to be smuggling at least 80% of the cocaine into the U.S. at the time. <\/p>

The Delta Force was also called into action during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, including during the initial hunt for Osama bin Laden and the successful military mission that captured former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. <\/p>

In the wake of the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Delta Force played a crucial role in securing American personnel through Operation Juniper Shield.  Operation Red Dawn: Locating and capturing Saddam Hussein.<\/p>

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO US ATTACK IN VENEZUELA<\/a><\/p>

Delta Force members also reportedly undergirded <\/a>efforts to apprehend Joaqu\u00edn \"El Chapo\" Guzm\u00e1n, the infamous Mexican drug lord. A joint U.S.-Mexican operation resulted in the successful recapture of El Chapo through Operation Black Swan in January 2016, after he staged a stunning escape from a federal prison the previous year. <\/p>

After Trump authorized special forces to attack Venezuela, he said the U.S. is going to \"run\" the country until \"we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,\" during a Saturday press conference at Mar-a-Lago. He promised a \"second wave\" of \"much larger\" attacks on Venezuela \"if we need to do so.\"<\/p>

\"We want peace, liberty, and justice for the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country as their homeland,\" Trump told reporters. \"We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind ... we don't want to be involved with having somebody else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.\"<\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>

The Maduros are set to stand trial in New York, \"where the overwhelming evidence of their crimes will be presented in a court of law,\" the president added, citing the crimes of Tren de Aragua gang members against U.S. citizens. <\/p>

\"The gangs that they [the Maduro regime] sent raped, tortured, and murdered Americans ... they were sent by Maduro to terrorize our people, and now Maduro will never again be able to threaten an American citizen or anybody from Venezuela,\" Trump said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003604026124.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400241-1767441545", "title":"Maduro abduction coincides with anniversary of Noriega raid in Panama", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400241%2Fmaduro-abduction-coincides-anniversary-noriega-raid%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump‘s administration apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the anniversary of another U.S. raid against a South American strongman with striking parallels. Trump announced Saturday morning that a special forces military operation “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela […] done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement” — culminating in the […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a>'s administration apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the anniversary of another U.S. raid against a South American strongman with striking parallels.<\/p>

Trump announced Saturday morning that a special forces military operation \"successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela [\u2026] done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement\" \u2014 culminating in the arrest of the dictator<\/a>.<\/p>

TRUMP HAILS SUCCESS OF 'FANTASTIC' MADURO MISSION: 'I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT'<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

Thirty-six years ago to the day, the U.S. military invaded and abducted the acting leader of Panama<\/a>, military strongman General Manuel Noriega.<\/p>

Noriega<\/a>, a militaristic dictator who grew immensely powerful and wealthy in the region through narco-trafficking and arms dealing, was deposed by the George H.W. Bush administration in 1990.<\/p>

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO US ATTACK IN VENEZUELA<\/a><\/p>

Approximately 24,000 troops descended upon Panama in December 1989, beginning a weekslong siege of the country that scattered the government and military officials.<\/p>

Noriega was eventually forced to take shelter in the Holy See's apostolic nunciature to Panama, where U.S. forces surrounded the perimeter and demanded his surrender. He offered himself without a further fight on Jan. 3.<\/p>

The parallel dates were almost certainly a conscious decision by the White House, which has repeatedly compared Maduro to Noriega in statements leading up to the operation on Saturday.<\/p>

Compared to Noriega, Maduro's<\/a> downfall happened in fast-forward. <\/p>

The Army's most elite unit, Delta Force, carried out the unprecedented operation, officials told CBS. Strikes against critical military and governmental targets were documented as early as 2 a.m. local time.<\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>

At the same time, U.S. helicopters entered the airspace over Caracas, including a CH-47 Chinook believed to have transported the special forces personnel who captured Maduro. <\/p>

The entire operation is believed to have lasted approximately one hour, and Trump stated he believes no U.S. servicemen were lost.<\/p>

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE US STRIKES ON VENEZUELA AND MADURO'S FALL<\/a><\/p>

It remains to be seen how Maduro will fare in the U.S. courts compared to his Panamanian forbearer<\/a>. He and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being indicted in the Southern District of New York.<\/p>

\"Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,\" Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced on Saturday via social media. \"They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.\"<\/p>

Noriega fought fiercely in U.S. courts to have himself categorized as a prisoner of war instead of as a normal criminal. He was eventually deemed a prisoner of war, which granted him certain privileges while in U.S. custody.<\/p>

MADURO 'CAPTURED' AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

He spent 20 years in American prison before being extradited to France<\/a> to serve seven years on a money-laundering charge. From there, he was repatriated to Panama to serve a 60-year prison sentence for the violence, corruption, and organized crime carried out during his dictatorship. <\/p>

Noriega died in 2017 from complications during a surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP17066798984964.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400612-1767439029", "title":"World leaders react to US attack in Venezuela", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400612%2Fworld-leaders-react-to-us-attack-in-venezuela%2F", "byline":"Sydney Topf", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"World leaders reacted Saturday morning to President Donald Trump’s military strikes in Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with some leaders condemning the attacks and others calling for de-escalation. Early Saturday morning, Trump announced that the U.S. military “captured” Maduro following a special forces military operation in Caracas, the latest move from the […]", "description":""

World leaders reacted Saturday morning to President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s military strikes in Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro<\/a>, with some leaders condemning the attacks and others calling for de-escalation.<\/p>

Early Saturday morning, Trump announced that the U.S. military<\/a> \u201ccaptured\u201d Maduro following a special forces military operation in Caracas, the latest move from the administration against narco-terrorism.<\/p>

A WELCOME END TO THE MADURO REGIME<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThe United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social. <\/p>

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the attack has cost the lives of officials, military personnel, and civilians across the country. <\/p>

Rodriguez said they are unaware of Maduaro and first lady Cilia Flores\u2019 whereabouts, demanding \u201cproof of life.\u201d <\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>

\u201cWe demand immediate proof of life from the government of President Donald Trump regarding the lives of President Maduro and the first lady,\u201d Rodr\u00edguez said in an audio call to state-run VTV Venezuela<\/p>

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel denounced the US operation, calling it a \u201ccriminal US attack,\u201d<\/a> and said there needs to be an \u201cURGENT reaction from the international community.\u201d <\/p>

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, calling the attack an \u201caggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cColombia reaffirms its unrestricted commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations \u2026 In this regard, the Colombian Government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk,\u201d Petro wrote on X<\/a>. <\/p>

Petro also said that Colombia is deploying forces to the border \u201cin case of a massive influx of refugees.\u201d<\/p>

VENEZUELA DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER US OPERATION IN CARACAS<\/a><\/p>

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the U.S. attack and capture of Maduro crossed an \"unacceptable line,\u201d adding that it sets an \u201cextremely dangerous precedent\u201d for the entire international community.<\/p>

\u201cThe international community, through the United Nations, needs to respond vigorously to this episode. Brazil condemns these actions and remains available to promote the path of dialogue and cooperation,\u201d Lula said in a social media post on X.<\/a>  <\/p>

The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, calling it an  \u201cact of armed aggression\u201d and \u201cdeeply concerning.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cThe pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build \u200drelationships based on trust and predictability,\u201d the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. <\/p>

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it needs to \u201cprevent further escalation\u201d through dialogue.<\/p>

\u201cLatin America must remain a zone of peace, as it declared itself to be in 2014. And Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, interference from outside,\u201d they said. <\/p>

Russia joined leaders of the Latin American countries calling for an \u201cimmediate\u201d meeting of the United Nations Security Council. <\/p>

TRUMP WARNS IRAN THAT US IS \u2018LOCKED AND LOADED\u2019 TO \u2018RESCUE\u2019 ANY \u2018PEACEFUL PROTESTERS\u2019 HARMED<\/a><\/p>

Iran also condemned the attack, calling it a \u201cflagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity\" of Venezuela, according to the AFP news agency.<\/p>

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said they will \u201cnot yield to the enemy.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cWhat matters is that when a person realizes the \u200cenemy is arrogantly trying to impose something on the country, on the officials, on the government, and on the nation, one must stand firmly against the enemy and bare one\u2019s chest in resistance. We will not yield to the enemy,\u201d he said, according to Reuters. <\/p>

Kaja Kallas, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the EU is \u201cclosely monitoring\u201d the situation.<\/p>

\u201cThe EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,\u201d she said on X. <\/p>

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom was not involved in \u201cany way\u201d with the US operation, adding that he wants to talk to Trump and their allies. <\/p>

\u201cThe UK was not involved in any way in this operation, and as you would expect we are focusing on British nationals in Venezuela and working very closely with our embassy, and so we want to talk to the president, I will want to talk to allies, but at the moment we need to establish the facts,\u201d Starmer said. <\/p>

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE US STRIKES ON VENEZUELA AND MADURO'S FALL<\/a><\/p>

Spain\u2019s Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling for de-escalation. <\/p>

\u201cSpain calls for de-escalation and moderation, and for action to always be taken in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter. In this regard, Spain is willing to offer its good \u200doffices to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis,\u201d the statement said<\/a>.<\/p>

French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated Maduro's capture, writing on X that Venezuelan people were \"liberated\" from a \"dictatorship.\"<\/p>

\"By seizing power and trampling on fundamental freedoms, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has committed a grave affront against the dignity of his own people,\" he wrote on X. <\/p>

Macron called for a \"peaceful\" transition in Venezuela, adding that he hopes President Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia<\/a> becomes the new leader in the country. <\/p>

\"The transition that is now opening must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people. We hope that President Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez Urrutia, elected in 2024, can ensure this transition as soon as possible,\" he said. <\/p>

Macron's comments come after French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot condemned the operation that lead to the capture of Maduro.<\/p>

\"The military operation that led to the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro violates the principle of non-resort to force that underpins international law. France recalls that no lasting political solution can be imposed from the outside and that sovereign peoples alone decide their future,\" Barrot wrote on X<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003554429204.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400228-1767438286", "title":"A welcome end to the Maduro regime", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4400228%2Fwelcome-end-to-maduro-regime%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump took decisive and justified action this morning, launching precision military strikes in Venezuela that enabled special forces to seize and detain dictator Nicolas Maduro. Maduro was an illegitimate leader, despised by his own people, who, like Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega nearly 40 years ago, was running a vast drug-trafficking operation that was […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> took decisive and justified action this morning, launching precision military strikes in Venezuela<\/a> that enabled special forces to seize and detain dictator Nicolas Maduro<\/a>. Maduro was an illegitimate leader, despised by his own people, who, like Panamanian<\/a> dictator Manuel Noriega nearly 40 years ago, was running a vast drug-trafficking operation that was doing immediate and direct harm to the United States. Like Noriega, Maduro will now be tried in a court of law<\/a> for his crimes, and the entire Western Hemisphere is now safer with him in custody.<\/p>

Maduro first came to power in 2013 after Hugo Chavez named him as successor on his deathbed and then narrowly won a special election compromised by widespread irregularities and refusal to allow an independent recount. Maduro then set about dismantling any remnants of democracy in Venezuela, stripping\u00a0the National Assembly of all power in 2015, and packing over governmental bodies with his supporters.<\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

Maduro then oversaw elections in 2018 and 2024 that were internationally condemned as undemocratic due to the imprisonment and exile of opposition candidates, the use of state resources to coerce voters, the use of violence to suppress protests, and the censorship of media.<\/p>

As dictator, Maduro has murdered, imprisoned, tortured, and raped his own people. Internationally, he has worked with Marxist terrorists in Colombia to turn Venezuela into a hub for narcotics trafficking, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and organized crime. In 2020, U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan indicted Maduro on charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and weapons offenses. The indictment alleges he led the Cartel de los Soles in coordination with FARC, to traffic drugs into the United States, launder illicit proceeds, and corrupt government agencies. Sec. of State Marco Rubio has said Maduro will now face trial in New York, just as Noriega did in Miami decades ago.<\/p>

Maduro was widely unpopular among the Venezuelan people, and reports indicate that Venezuelans are already ripping down posters and statues of him. Just this November,\u00a0 opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, made the case for Maduro\u2019s removal, stating that, \u201cThis is not a legitimate president. This is the head of a criminal structure that was already defeated in a presidential election by a landslide.\u201d Finding a way to work with Machado, the opposition movement, and the remnants of the Maduro regime to organize free and fair elections will be an ongoing but manageable challenge for the Trump administration and our partners in the region.<\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>

The decision to bring Maduro to justice is not an isolated event and should instead be processed in the larger context of the Trump administration\u2019s recently released National Security Strategy<\/a> which promised a \u201cTrump Corollary\u201d to the Monroe Doctrine that would \u201cprotect our homeland and our access to key geographies throughout the region\u201d while denying \u201cnon-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets in our Hemisphere.\u201d <\/p>

Trump has always been concerned with Venezuela\u2019s vast oil resources and their possible exploitation by China. United States sanctions on Venezuela have not so much isolated the regime as it has ceded strategic ground to China. By pushing Venezuela out of Western energy markets, Washington created an opening for Chinese state firms to secure oil supplies at steep discounts and lock in long-term influence. Beijing has used sanctions-driven desperation to expand financial leverage, infrastructure control, and political alignment, transforming Venezuela into a Chinese client state. <\/p>

AN ACTIVE, ENGAGING, AND HONEST NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY<\/a><\/p>

The result has been a Chinese beachhead in Latin America, built atop Venezuela\u2019s oil sector and America\u2019s absence. Maduro\u2019s removal eliminates this threat.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s decisive action reflects the clarity and confidence of his National Security Strategy. By enforcing a modern Monroe Doctrine with real consequences, Trump has shown that American leadership still matters in the Western Hemisphere. Removing Maduro dismantles a criminal regime, blocks Chinese expansion, and reasserts U.S. resolve to defend democratic sovereignty close to home. This is what strategic realism looks like: force used sparingly, objectives clearly defined, and American power aligned unapologetically with national interests and regional stability.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003414116248.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400169-1767437141", "title":"What to know about the US strikes on Venezuela and Maduro’s fall", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2F4400169%2Fwhat-to-know-about-the-u-s-strikes-on-venezuela-and-maduros-fall%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The United States carried out an extraordinary military operation aimed at toppling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s regime overnight, President Donald Trump announced early Saturday morning. The U.S. captured Maduro and his wife and flew them out of the country after carrying out strikes on Caracas, Venezuela’s capital city, according to Trump. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy […]", "description":""

The United States carried out an extraordinary military operation aimed at toppling Venezuelan<\/a> President Nicolas Maduro\u2019s regime overnight, President Donald Trump <\/a>announced early Saturday morning.<\/p>

The U.S. captured Maduro and his wife and flew them out of the country after carrying out strikes on Caracas<\/a>, Venezuela\u2019s capital city, according to <\/a>Trump. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez said the government is unaware of the whereabouts of Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores after the attack, which entailed at least seven blasts and lasted less than 30 minutes.<\/p><\/a><\/a><\/a>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>What comes next?

Trump is holding a press conference at 11 a.m. Saturday, when he promised to reveal more details about the strikes. The president said he would \u201cdiscuss\u201d whether he sought congressional authority before the U.S. military engaged in a large-scale strike on Venezuela, in comments<\/a> to the New York Times. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reportedly did not receive notice<\/a> of the strikes.<\/p>

Trump said that the U.S. would be \"making the decision\" about who should lead the country next, during his first television interview <\/a>on the strikes Saturday morning. <\/p>

\"We'll be involved in it very much. And we want to do liberty for the people. We want to, you know, have a great relationship. I think the people of Venezuela are very, very happy because they love the United States. You know, they were run by essentially a dictatorship,\" Trump said during his appearance on Fox News's Fox & Friends.<\/p>

Maduro faces a new indictment<\/a> from the Justice Department on narco-terrorism charges that appear to be similar to a separate 2020 indictment<\/a> of Maduro and others in the Southern District of New York. The charges also include possession of machine guns, promising strong prison sentences. <\/p>

Maduro will stand trial on criminal charges in the U.S., according to <\/a>Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), citing a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio told him he anticipates \"no further action in Venezuela\" now that Maduro is in U.S. custody, Lee added<\/a>. <\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife would \u201csoon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.\u201d He will likely make an initial appearance in federal court in Manhattan as soon as Monday, according to <\/a>Fox News. <\/p>

The timing could change at this stage, but his appearance will happen \"likely Monday,\" the outlet learned.<\/p>

\u201cNicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,\" Bondi wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cOn behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People.\"<\/p>Why did the U.S. carry out the attack?

Rubio said the U.S. conducted the stunning special forces military attack because Maduro\u2019s regime is illegitimate, which has long been the viewpoint of the U.S. and allies. The Trump administration is seeking to use Article II of the Constitution to justify the attack, as it states the president is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military.<\/p>

The Trump administration also defended the attack on the basis of accusations that Maduro is funneling drugs and members for the notorious Tren de Aragua gang into the U.S., with the defense coming after the Pentagon had carried out over two dozen lethal attacks on suspected \u201cnarco-terrorist\u201d boats coming from the Venezuela region. Throughout 2025, the U.S. invoked the Alien Enemies Act <\/a>to target TDA gang members, citing their connection to Maduro's government. <\/p>

\u201cMaduro is NOT the president of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government,\u201d the secretary said in a statement<\/a> to X after the strikes were revealed. <\/p>

\u201cMaduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization which has taken possession of a country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the U.S.,\u201d Rubio continued. <\/p>

TRUMP WARNS IRAN THAT US IS \u2018LOCKED AND LOADED\u2019 TO \u2018RESCUE\u2019 ANY \u2018PEACEFUL PROTESTERS\u2019 HARMED<\/a><\/p>

Thousands of Venezuelans were arrested following protests in the wake of the July 2024 presidential elections, which opposition leader Mar\u00eda Corina Machado, the U.S., and other democracies said were stolen in favor of Maduro. Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025 for her \"courageous struggle for democracy, human rights, and non-violent political reform in Venezuela.\" <\/p>

Venezuela's vast oil deposits are also seen as a major factor in Washington's interest in the country. <\/p>

Trump promised the U.S. will get \"very strongly involved\" in the future of Venezuela's oil industry now that Maduro is no longer in control of it.<\/p>

\"We have the greatest oil companies in the world, the biggest, the greatest, and we're going to be very much involved in it,\" he said on Fox News.<\/p>

Vice President JD Vance echoed the emphasis on oil in a statement <\/a>to X. <\/p>

\"The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States,\" he said. <\/p>

REPUBLICANS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MADURO CAPTURE AS DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL OVER ITS LEGALITY<\/a><\/p>What happened during the operation?

The U.S. Army\u2019s elite Delta Force carried out the operation, which resulted in several injuries but no U.S. fatalities, alongside FBI agents. It bears a strong resemblance to a special operation that took place exactly three decades ago, when U.S. forces toppled Panamanian General Manuel Noriega from power on Jan. 3, 1990.<\/p>

Maduro and his wife were asleep at their home inside the heavily guarded residence when the special forces dragged them out of their beds and captured the couple during the overnight raid, according to CNN. The pair were taken to the U.S.S. Iwo Jima, one of the American warships that had been prowling the Caribbean, after their capture, Trump revealed during his first television interview <\/a>on the strikes Saturday morning.<\/p>

The president said he watched \"every aspect\" of the \"extremely complex\" special operation from Florida. He added that U.S. forces practiced the operation by building an \"identical\" replica of the house where Maduro and his wife were captured, similar to how the U.S. military built life-size replicas of Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad compound to train Navy SEALs for the raid that killed him in 2011. <\/p>

\"No death on our side is really amazing,\" he said during the Fox and Friends appearance. \"The whole maneuver, the landings, the number of aircraft, which were a massive number, the number of helicopters and just fighter jets who had a fighter jet for every possible situation and reasons for they broke into places that were not really able to be broke into, you know, steel doors that was were put there for just this reason, and they got taken out in a matter of seconds. I've never seen anything like it.\"<\/p>What has been the reaction?

Footage circulating on social media on Saturday showed thousands <\/a>of Venezuelans in the capital of Caracas jubilantly celebrating Maduro's capture. Maduro supporters are displaying posters of the fallen president in the wake of the attack, while others are praising Trump's action in the streets. <\/p>

International reaction was mixed. <\/p>

Countries ranging from Russia to Mexico condemned the strikes, as well as key allies to the U.S., such as Great Britain, which framed the strikes as a \u201cflagrant violation of international law.\u201d <\/p>

However, Argentine President Javier Milei, who has emerged as a critical supporter of Trump in South America, praised the action. <\/p>

\"FREEDOM MOVES FORWARD. LONG LIVE FREEDOM DAMMIT,\u201d he said. <\/p>

In the U.S., Miami\u2019s Venezuelan community was pictured celebrating after Trump announced the capture of  Maduro.<\/p>

In Doral, home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States, people held outside a South American eatery, praising the president\u2019s announcement, and chanting \u201cLiberty! Liberty! Liberty!\u201d<\/p>

Congressional lawmakers also offered mixed reactions in the immediate aftermath of the strikes. <\/p>

Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) praised the operation and compared Trump\u2019s actions to the fall of the Berlin Wall, calling it <\/a>\"a big day in Florida, where the majority of Venezuelan, Cuban, & Nicaraguan exiles reside.<\/p>

Others, such as Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) said the administration had lied to them about not seeking to oust Maduro. <\/p>

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Jim Himes (D-CT) called Maduro \"an illegitimate ruler\" but said he had \"seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization, nor have I heard a strategy for the day after and how we will prevent Venezuela from descending into chaos.\" <\/p>

\"The Administration must immediately brief Congress on its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision,\" Himes said. <\/p>

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) described Maduro's capture as \"an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States.\" He said he spoke to Rubio on Saturday morning and was looking forward to further briefings when the Senate returns next week. <\/p>What is the context?

Speculation has grown for months that the U.S. might seek to topple Maduro\u2019s regime. <\/p>

NDAA REQUIRE HEGSETH TO SUBMIT \u2018UNEDITED VIDEO\u2019 OF BOAT STRIKES OR FACE TRAVEL BUDGET CUTS<\/a><\/p>

Throughout 2025, the Pentagon ratcheted up military might in the South American region to historic levels as the White House launched a pressure campaign on Maduro that appeared to be centered around accusations he was allowing, if not pushing, drugs into the U.S. <\/p>

Trump authorized over a dozen controversial strikes on vessels in the region\u2019s water suspected of carrying South American drugs and \u201cnarco-terrorists,\u201d and repeatedly tentatively endorsed<\/a> regime change in Venezuela, fueling rumors he would authorize land strikes against the country. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26003462413795_3f3c5b.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400179-1767435558", "title":"Republicans rally around Trump after Maduro capture as Democrats cry foul over its legality", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400179%2Frepublicans-rally-around-trump-maduro-capture-democrats-cry-foul%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Republican lawmakers are praising President Donald Trump for his capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, while Democrats are raising questions about the legality of the U.S. special forces operation on foreign soil. Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), underscored the importance of the moment for the Venezuelan people, describing Maduro as “an evil, narcoterrorist […]", "description":""

Republican lawmakers are praising President Donald Trump <\/a>for his capture of Venezuelan<\/a> President Nicolas Maduro<\/a>, while Democrats are raising questions about the legality of the U.S. special forces operation on foreign soil.<\/p>

Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham<\/a> (R-SC), underscored the importance of the moment for the Venezuelan people, describing Maduro as \"an evil, narcoterrorist dictator.\"<\/p>

\"It is in America\u2019s interest to bring justice to Maduro, an illegitimate narcoterrorist dictator with American blood on his hands,\" Graham wrote Saturday on social media. \"To President Trump and his team, you should take great pride in setting in motion the liberation of Venezuela.\"<\/p><\/a><\/a><\/a>

TRUMP FIRST YEAR REPORT CARD: A- PROMISE KEEPER OR 'NIGHTMARE' FAILURE<\/a><\/p>

Graham's message was amplified by the likes of Sen. Tom Cotton<\/a> (R-AR), who emphasized how he had spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio <\/a>and reminded the public that Maduro was indicted in the U.S. almost six years ago for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. <\/p>

\"I just spoke to @SecRubio, who confirmed that Maduro is in U.S. custody and will face justice for his crimes against our citizens,\" Cotton wrote.<\/p>

Sen. Mike Lee <\/a>(R-UT) similarly shared his own conversation with Rubio, adding the secretary told him \"the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.\"<\/p>

TRUMP WARNS OF JANUARY GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OVER OBAMACARE<\/a><\/p>

\"This action likely falls within the president\u2019s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,\" Lee wrote.<\/p>

Regardless, Democratic reaction has focused on the legality of the operation, conducted overnight in Caracas by Delta Force, the Army\u2019s most elite unit, and confirmed by Trump on social media. <\/p>

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who was also taken in the raid, were indicted in the Southern District of New York in 2020, with Maduro charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the U.S. <\/p>

TRUMP ADVISES THAT ANYONE BURNING AMERICAN FLAG WILL BE IMPRISONED FOR A YEAR<\/a><\/p>

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) reiterated that Trump had \"no authority to strike Venezuela, no strategy for a democratic transition, and no credibility that he won't just pardon the criminal Maduro like he did the Honduran president.\" <\/p>

\"After voting No in December, Republicans in Congress must now join Democrats to grab hold the steering wheel of Venezuela policy to prevent this capture from spiraling into a blood for oil war,\" Auchincloss wrote.<\/p>

Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) added that Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told senators that Trump was not pursuing regime change in Venezuela. <\/p>

\"I didn\u2019t trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress,\" Kim wrote. \"Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.\"<\/p>

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz <\/a>(D-FL), who represents many Venezuelan ex-patriots in South Florida, conceded Maduro's capture is \"welcome news for my friends and neighbors who fled his violent, lawless, and disastrous rule.\"<\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

But Wasserman Schultz warned that \"cutting off the head of a snake is fruitless if it just regrows\" before encouraging Venezuelans \"to seat their true, democratically elected president, Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez.\" <\/p>

\"I\u2019ll demand answers as to why Congress and the American people were bypassed in this effort,\" she wrote. \"The absence of congressional involvement prior to this action risks the continuation of the illegitimate Venezuelan regime.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/88de0ac17ce9bc56c1c220ef748776ad.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400184-1767434534", "title":"WATCH LIVE: Trump talks toppling ‘dictator’ Maduro at Mar-a-Lago press conference", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400184%2Fwatch-live-trump-maduro-mar-a-lago-press-conference%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump is addressing the United States’s overnight strikes on Venezuela during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The press briefing is set to begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. MADURO ‘CAPTURED’ AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP The U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> is addressing the United States's overnight strikes on Venezuela <\/a>during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.<\/p>

The press briefing is set to begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. <\/p>

MADURO \u2018CAPTURED\u2019 AND TAKEN OUT OF VENEZUELA AFTER US MILITARY OPERATION IN CARACAS: TRUMP<\/a><\/p>

The U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife during the special operation, according to Trump, who said in his first television interview following the strikes that the U.S. would be \"making the decision\" about who should lead the country next.<\/p>

\"We'll be involved in it very much. And we want to do liberty for the people. We want to, you know, have a great relationship. I think the people of Venezuela are very, very happy because they love the United States. You know, they were run by, essentially, a dictatorship,\" Trump said during an appearance on Fox and Friends.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25362804233357.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400178-1767433852", "title":"Trump hails success of ‘fantastic’ Maduro mission: ‘I’ve never seen anything like it’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400178%2Ftrump-hails-success-of-fantastic-maduro-mission%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump called into Fox News Saturday morning to celebrate the successful overnight capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump, during a phone interview on Fox & Friends Weekend, stated that he “watched every aspect” of the mission carried about by American special forces in “real time.” “It was very complex, extremely complex, and […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> called into Fox News Saturday morning to celebrate the successful overnight capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. <\/p>

Trump<\/a>, during a phone interview on Fox & Friends Weekend, stated that he \"watched every aspect\" of the mission carried about by American special forces in \"real time.\"<\/p>

\"It was very complex, extremely complex, and the whole maneuver \u2014 the landings, the number of aircraft, which were a massive number, the number of helicopters and just fighter jets,\" Trump said. \"I've never seen anything like it.\"<\/p>

Trump<\/a> would not confirm reports that Army Delta Force operators were responsible for the raid on Maduro's \"fortress.\"<\/p>

The president did say that it was \"amazing\" that the mission suffered no U.S. fatalities and only a handful of injuries, before slightly amending his stance.<\/p>

\"I think we had nobody killed, I have to say, because a couple of guys were hit, but the came back, and they're supposed to be in pretty good shape,\" he clarified, adding that one of the extraction helicopters was \"hit pretty hard.\"<\/p>

Top Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stressed Saturday that the situation should not be viewed as regime change, arguing that Maduro is actually a cartel leader and not the \"legitimate\" president of Venezuela.<\/p>

Asked about this distinction, and whether or not it should be viewed as a signal to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump added that the \"cartels are running Mexico,\" and that America \"[has] to do something.\"<\/p>

TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE, BOMBED AS MANY COUNTRIES IN 2025 AS HE DID DURING HIS ENTIRE FIRST TERM<\/a><\/p>

Critics have claimed that Trump's campaign against Maduro is actually about securing Venezuela's oil industry. Trump told Fox Saturday that American energy companies will \"very much involved\" in managing Venezuela's oil moving forward.<\/p>

Trump will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. in Florida to discuss additional aspects of the operation.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001098028050.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399869-1767429360", "title":"Trump, the president of peace, bombed as many countries in 2025 as he did during his entire first term", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4399869%2Ftrump-bombed-as-many-countries-2025-as-entire-first-term%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump, in just under one year, has already matched the number of countries he bombed across the entirety of his first term. In 2025, the U.S. struck land targets in seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. On Saturday morning, Trump announced a special forces raid that resulted in the […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a>, in just under one year, has already matched the number of countries he bombed across the entirety of his first term.<\/p>

In 2025, the U.S. struck land targets in seven countries<\/a>: Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. On Saturday morning, Trump announced a special forces raid<\/a> that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.<\/p>

Some of these campaigns, specifically those in Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, maintained operations carried out during both the president\u2019s first term and the tenures of former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The others, Iran, Nigeria, and Venezuela, mark wholly new military endeavors, on top of the dozens of strikes Trump has ordered since September on alleged drug runners in international waters.<\/p>

The president did notably abstain last year from striking targets in Afghanistan, Libya, and Pakistan, all of which were hit during the Obama, Biden, or first Trump administrations.<\/p>

Since reentering the White House<\/a>, Trump has consistently sought to fashion himself as the president of peace, with the stated goal of ending global conflicts not directly involving America.<\/p>

\u201cWe will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end \u2014 and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into,\u201d he emphatically declared during his inaugural address last January.<\/p>

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the Washington Examiner, \u201cAs the architect of the \u2018peace through strength\u2019 agenda, President Trump is unafraid to use America\u2019s military might to eliminate terrorists<\/a> trying to harm our country.\"<\/p>

\u201cAt the same time, he has demonstrated immense diplomatic prowess by ending eight wars, securing a 5% defense spending pledge from NATO<\/a> allies, negotiating fairer trade deals, and more. All of the president\u2019s actions have made the world safer and more stable.\u201d<\/p>

Excluding the buildup of American forces in the Caribbean Sea, Trump\u2019s campaigns have yet to send any service members to countries where American troops aren't already stationed and have proven particularly lethal and destructive for Trump\u2019s handpicked targets.<\/p>

But experts are still split on whether Trump\u2019s 2025 military actions are actually promoting peace through strength for the world at large, let alone safeguarding American citizens from direct economic and security threats.<\/p>

Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis for Defense Priorities, told the Washington Examiner she doesn\u2019t \u201csee these uses of military force, whether they\u2019re successful or otherwise, as having any benefits, really, for Americans.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe question shouldn't be, 'Is the world a safer place?' It should be, 'Are these applications of force advancing U.S. interests? Are the things that he's acting against actually hurting U.S. interests or making Americans less safe?'\u201d she said in an interview. \u201cThe safety of America's economic interests, of homeland, and of Americans living abroad, that's what's most important. It doesn't seem to me that any of Trump's uses of military force, so far, have been against threats that posed real security concerns, economic or otherwise, to the United States or to Americans. And so in that sense, I would say, no, it's not an effective application of peace through strength.\u201d<\/p>

Kavanagh noted that Trump \u201chas never been afraid to use military force when he thought he could do so in ways that wouldn't have big negative consequences for the United States,\u201d adding that the president frequently employed the idea of the \u201cbig red button\u201d throughout his first term.<\/p>

\u201cTo me, what we're seeing here is the desire for foreign policy wins. If something looks like it can be a big, successful strike, overwhelming military power, and then the U.S. doesn't have to do much else, that seems to be something that's appealing to Trump,\u201d she said. \u201cEspecially in this term, and where we've seen him use military force, it's always been against adversaries or targets that can't really strike back.\u201d<\/p>

On the other hand, Edmund Fitton-Brown, the former British ambassador to Yemen and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argues that Trump\u2019s military strategy has been an effective tool for advancing his overall foreign policy.<\/p>

\"When the U.S. was more bound by more conventional ways of thinking \u2014 was unwilling to look bad internationally, if you like \u2014 then, when somebody like Joe Biden made a statement about something, against something, or critical of somebody, people, more or less, might turn around and just sort of say, 'So what? We don't care,'\u201d he told the Washington Examiner. \u201cPeople don't tend to do that with Trump because they worry about the fact that he might actually do something.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMy guess is that the kind of transaction that took place with the Nigerian government over those strikes was probably the Nigerians saying, 'We don't really like this, but on the other hand, we'd rather keep him as a friend,'\u201d Fitton-Brown said. \u201cFrom Trump's point of view, he's obviously going to have enough people around him saying, \u2018You do realize that invading Nigeria is not an option.\u2019 So the only way you're going to do this thing that you want to do is going to be in partnership with the Nigerian government, and so it ends up working for both sides in a way.\u201d<\/p>

Still, Kavanagh, Fitton-Brown, and a number of diplomats representing the U.S. and its allies warned the Washington Examiner that these operations run the risk of entrenching the U.S. in longer conflicts than the president is anticipating. He spoke to the Washington Examiner before the Maduro operation was announced.<\/p>

\u201cYou never know when one of these things will go wrong. Just looking at the history of U.S. military interventions, it is not uncommon for things that look like they're going to be quick, easy, in-and-out operations to become disastrous,\u201d Kavanagh cautioned, citing the Vietnam War, American intervention in the 1965 civil war in the Dominican Republic, and the 1989 American invasion of Panama. \u201cWhile the intention may be to use military force in limited ways in pursuit of U.S. objectives and U.S. interests, although we may differ what those interests are, you're playing a game of luck if you think that you're never going to pay bigger consequences than you expect.\u201d<\/p>

No matter the true success of Trump\u2019s strikes thus far, he\u2019s certainly eliminated dissenting defense and foreign policy opinions from his Cabinet and close circle of advisers compared to his first term.<\/p>

\"I think he underestimates the value of the U.S. departments and agencies that he has at his disposal. You know just how good U.S. diplomacy is, how good U.S. defense is, how good [the U.S. Agency for International Development] was, how good the CIA is,\u201d one senior diplomat told the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

\u201cI feel like he's got a few people he trusts, like [Steve] Witkoff or [Jared] Kushner. Those guys are really only as good as they are. They're not deep experts. They're not necessarily sufficiently impartial in the way that they look at these things.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP TESTS TIM WALZ AS DEMOCRATIC BOGEYMAN AFTER SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL<\/a><\/p>

Kavanagh similarly stated, \u201cIt\u2019s a different Pentagon. It\u2019s a different Cabinet, and he certainly has consolidated executive power in a way that he hadn't in the previous administration.<\/p>

\u201cIt seems to feel pretty unconstrained. I know as someone who'd like to see a smaller U.S. military footprint, these things, these developments are concerning to me.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001568202836.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3926150-1767427200", "title":"Four legislative priorities waiting for House members in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fhouse%2F3926150%2Ffour-legislative-priorities-house-2026%2F", "byline":"Rachel Schilke", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The House has been out of session for two weeks, and it was clearly time for the holidays after the last few months exposed fault lines within both parties. However, it will not be smooth sailing when lawmakers return on Tuesday. The most important legislative item will be yet another government funding deadline, with nine […]", "description":""

The House<\/a> has been out of session for two weeks, and it was clearly time for the holidays after the last few months exposed fault lines within both parties.<\/p>

However, it will not be smooth sailing when lawmakers return on Tuesday. The most important legislative item will be yet another government funding deadline, with nine bills remaining to be passed to fund federal departments and agencies.<\/p>

Members will continue their push for a bipartisan congressional stock trading ban. A discharge petition, which would force a vote on a bill led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna<\/a> (R-FL), sits at 72 out of the 218 signatures required for the petition to \u201cripen.\u201d<\/p>

Though the House passed a healthcare<\/a> bill in mid-December 2025, the healthcare fight is still not over. Conservatives are gunning for serious reforms after Obamacare<\/a> subsidies expired as the calendar turned to 2026. But Democrats scored a win, with a petition reaching the 218-signature threshold, thanks to four Republicans, which will force a vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies as early as this month.<\/p>

Hovering over Republicans is a second or even third reconciliation<\/a> bill, but the monthslong road the party took to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act makes another round more unlikely.<\/p>1. Jan. 30 funding fight

Lawmakers left Capitol Hill with the unfortunate but unsurprising reality that they will be forced to pass a majority of appropriations bills in 2026.<\/p>

The record-breaking government shutdown<\/a>, which lasted 43 days, ended with only three of the 12<\/a> appropriations bills making it across the finish line: Legislative Branch, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture. The continuing resolution to keep the rest of the government open expires on Jan. 30. <\/p>

From Tuesday to Jan. 30, the House is only expected to be in session for 12 days. This gives lawmakers little time for negotiating and leads to a tangible reality that, once again, Congress<\/a> will be relying on a CR to fund the government.<\/p>

House Republicans are eyeing a three-bill package \u2014 Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water; and Interior \u2014 for consideration in early January, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole<\/a> (R-OK) confirmed before the House left for the holidays.<\/p>

After that legislation, appropriators are hoping to pass bills such as Financial Services, State-Fraternal Order of Police, and Homeland Security. A final bill package would comprise Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development; Labor, Health and Human Services; and Defense.<\/p>

Cole had hoped to move a three-bill minibus<\/a> before the end of 2025. But appropriators were unable to bring a single bill to the floor in December, pushing the House into crunch time in the new year.<\/p>

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, previously said that to leave all of the remaining nine bills to January would be \"unbelievable\" and a \"nightmare, trying to get anything done.\u201d<\/p>

\"I don't want another CR, I don't think Mr. Cole wants another CR,\" DeLauro told reporters before leaving for the holidays. \"Let's get the bills done, but we've got to get them and the allocations, and hoping the Senate will cooperate and get us what we need so we can move forward.\"<\/p>

Senate GOP objections to the appropriations process were finally lifted <\/a>during the final week of the session. But the heavy lifting will be done after the new year.<\/p>2. Stock trading

One thing both parties are rallying behind is a bill to ban members\u2019 ability to trade stocks.<\/p>

High on Luna\u2019s priority list heading into 2026 is getting a vote on any congressional stock trading ban bill.<\/p>

Many members of the House, on both sides of the aisle, have introduced bills that ban members, their spouses, and dependent children from individual stock trading, but none have gotten a full-throttle support from leadership.<\/p>

Luna said she received a commitment that a bill supported by leadership would be brought up in the new year. But, she is still not pulling her discharge petition. She said there is also talk about \"potentially changing the House rules to get this effective immediately.\"<\/p>

Luna has said that \u201ceveryone knows\u201d insider trading is taking place on Capitol Hill, and a majority of the public supports a stock trading ban.<\/p>

\u201cAnd then no one wants to talk about it, because then they call themselves out,\u201d the congresswoman said. \u201cBut it\u2019s totally happening up here.\u201d<\/p>

Luna is no stranger to the power of a discharge petition. Last year, she received enough signatures to force a vote on a bill to reinstate proxy voting, a COVID-19-era House rule, but for new parents.<\/p>

The congresswoman and the speaker eventually worked out a deal to install vote pairing as an alternative, albeit a weak one, but it saved the caucus from a seismic split.<\/p>3. Healthcare

The House passed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act before lawmakers left town, but the bill is mostly for messaging purposes as it stands.<\/p>

Inaction on extending the Obamacare subsidies, which expired on Wednesday, meant that premiums for many people are set to rise exponentially in 2026. This poses a significant problem for centrist Republicans, particularly in swing districts that have allowed the GOP to keep its razor-thin majority for the last three years.<\/p>

Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), and Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) gave Democrats an early Christmas present when they signed<\/a> the petition for a three-year extension proposal from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> (D-NY).<\/p>

This will set up a vote on the Obamacare subsidies at some point in January, given that the petition must wait seven legislative days after it receives the 218 signatures.<\/p>

GOP leadership will likely be looking for every opportunity to avoid holding a vote on the bill. But Johnson successfully striking a deal with Jeffries to pull the legislation is highly unlikely, given that the relationship between Jeffries and the speaker has soured since the government shutdown.<\/p>

Centrist lawmakers also expect 15 to 20 Republicans to vote in favor, so when it comes for a vote, it is likely to pass. The problem will be its fate in the Senate, as the upper chamber has already rejected a three-year extension.<\/p>4. Possible reconciliation 2.0 and 3.0

An unlikely mountain that Republicans are hoping to climb is passing another reconciliation bill. The feat is much easier said than done, given that the first reconciliation bill was the culmination of two years of conference work and many ups and downs that exposed heavy infighting within the GOP.<\/p>

The Republican Study Committee unveiled a reconciliation 2.0 plan in an op-ed in November 2025, led by Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX), which focuses on affordability, law and order, and the American family, per the committee\u2019s outline<\/a>.<\/p>

Is that possible? Hard to say. The first reconciliation didn\u2019t start in a great place, taking from the beginning of the year until July 4, 2025, to get legislation to Trump\u2019s desk.<\/p>

After passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Johnson said the GOP had \u201cone planned for this fall\u201d in 2025 and \u201cone hopefully for next spring\u201d of 2026.<\/p>

But the fall came and went. Some House members have said that they\u2019d like to get moving on a second reconciliation bill, particularly if it focused on healthcare, but many have acknowledged that the appetite among lawmakers may not be there.<\/p>

\u201cThere are other items we\u2019d like to do, but we got to get consensus,\u201d Scalise said<\/a>. \u201cAs you saw with that bill, it took months to put together, because even with energy production, keeping tax rates low for families, all the things that were so important in that bill, it was hard to pass.\u201d<\/p>

THE THREE FRONT-RUNNERS FOR TRUMP\u2019S FED CHAIR PICK: WHAT TO KNOW<\/a><\/p>

It does not appear there is an appetite in the White House for a second bill, either. In October 2025, Trump possibly closed the door<\/a> to a second reconciliation bill. He said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act contained \u201ceverything\u201d he wanted, saying, \u201cWe don\u2019t need to pass any more bills.\u201d He reiterated<\/a> that sentiment in December.<\/p>

The success of a second bill would largely depend on Trump\u2019s desire to get involved, as heavy poking and prodding from the president factored heavily into Johnson\u2019s ability to wrangle enough GOP votes and get the legislation across the finish line.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2026-house-priorities-2026-e1766090101163.jpg?1766065501&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363456-1767423600", "title":"First round of January Social Security payments goes out in 11 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Ffinance-and-economy%2F4363456%2Ffirst-round-january-social-security-payments-out-11-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 11 days. When will payments arrive? Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14.  The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients […]", "description":""

The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 11 days.<\/p>When will payments arrive?

Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14<\/a>. <\/p>

The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients born between the 11th and 20th of a month, followed by a third round on Jan. 28 to those born after the 21st of a month.<\/p>When am I eligible?

Citizens are eligible for Social Security payments beginning at 62 years old.<\/p>How can I maximize my check?

Social Security payment amounts are determined by several factors, including age of retirement, the amount paid into Social Security, and the number of years paid into Social Security.<\/p>

Payments largely depend on a recipient\u2019s retirement age<\/a>. A beneficiary retiring at the youngest age, 62, could receive up to $2,831 per month<\/a>, while a 70-year-old retiree could receive up to $5,108 per month, according to the Social Security Administration.<\/p>

Beneficiaries can see a personalized estimate of how much they could expect each month through the SSA\u2019s calculator<\/a>.<\/p>

WESLEY HUNT SAYS TEXAS GOP HAS A JOE BIDEN PROBLEM<\/a><\/p>How is it financed?

Social Security is financed by a payroll tax paid for by employers and employees.<\/p>

Social Security payment amounts are set to shrink unless Congress takes action to prevent it. Analysts estimate the SSA will no longer be able to issue full payments<\/a> as early as 2034, due to a rising number of retirees and a shrinking number of workers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SSI-money-1-4-e1767019021245.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363476-1767423600", "title":"February Social Security direct payment worth $994 goes out in 27 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4363476%2Ffebruary-social-security-direct-payment-worth-994-out-27-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"February 2026 Supplemental Security Income payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 27 days. SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February’s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the […]", "description":""

February 2026 Supplemental Security Income<\/a> payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 27 days.<\/p>

SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February\u2019s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the case for February\u2019s payment, SSI payments are issued on the last weekday of the previous month.<\/p>

Beneficiaries are people with limited income who are either blind, aged 65 and older, or have a qualifying disability.<\/p>

The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing<\/a>. For example, individual filers can receive up to $994<\/a>, couples filing jointly can receive $1,491, and those providing essential care to SSI recipients can receive up to $498. <\/p>

In addition to the previous prerequisites for receiving SSI payments<\/a>, recipients must also be U.S. citizens or noncitizens in one of the alien classifications granted by the Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>

THE 2026 BATTLEGROUND: CONGRESS\u2019S MOST VULNERABLE HOUSE AND SENATE SEATS<\/a><\/p>

Additionally, recipients must live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and must not be absent from the United States for a full calendar month or 30 consecutive days.<\/p>

A full calendar<\/a> for the Social Security Administration payments can be viewed on the agency\u2019s website.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Social-Security-money-2-5-e1767020641241.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393785-1767423600", "title":"Mamdani is the anti-Reagan", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F4393785%2Fzohran-mamdani-anti-ronald-reagan%2F", "byline":"W. James Antle III", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Ronald Reagan often quipped that the nine most terrifying words in the English language were, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani finds these words promising, even exhilarating.  “I was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist,” Mamdani said outside […]", "description":""

Former President Ronald Reagan<\/a> often quipped that the nine most terrifying words in the English language were, \u201cI\u2019m from the government and I\u2019m here to help.\u201d<\/p>

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> finds these words promising, even exhilarating.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cI was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist,\u201d Mamdani said outside City Hall as he celebrated his inauguration as mayor on Thursday.<\/p>

When Mamdani was first elected late last year, he declared, \"We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.\u201d<\/p>

This couldn\u2019t be any more different than Reagan\u2019s contention in his 1981 inaugural address as president: \u201cIn this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.\u201d<\/p>

The socialist did not let up on his rhetoric when he was sworn in as mayor, contrasting himself not just with Reagan but the \u201cNew Democrat\u201d Bill Clinton<\/a>, his party\u2019s answer to a dozen years of Reaganism\u2019s success.<\/p>

\u201cBeginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try,\u201d Mamdani told the assembled crowd. \u201cTo those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers\u2019 lives.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,\u201d he later vowed.<\/p>

This once again stands worlds apart from Reagan in 1981: \u201cFrom time to time we've been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price.\u201d<\/p>

While Mamdani and Reagan are polar opposites ideologically, they came to power under similar circumstances. They each were elected during a period of high inflation<\/a> that the entrenched political elites seemed powerless to resolve.<\/p>

New York City<\/a> had long been an expensive place to live. Then came the highest rate of national inflation since Reagan\u2019s first year in office in June 2022. It became a cost-of-living crisis for people earning six-figure incomes, buckling under the weight of dramatically spiking rents and massive student loan debt.<\/p>

It was similar to the late 1970s and early 80s, when working people were buffeted by inflation, double-digit interest rates, and unlegislated inflation-induced tax increases in the form of bracket creep. Those voters were ready to contemplate a once-unthinkable retrenchment of government, a sharp break with the New Deal consensus that had long been a reality of American politics.<\/p>

Now the socialists hope the affordability issue, though inflamed by reckless government spending and loose monetary policy, will ring down the curtain on Reaganism and Clintonite Democratic centrism, ushering in a new era of big government.<\/p>

Unlike Reagan, the Ugandan-born Mamdani cannot become president under the current constitutional strictures. But Mamdani was sworn in by the first socialist to try seriously in many decades, Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT). There was also a raucous speech by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY), a Mamdani ally who could be a candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.<\/p>

Nearly 45 years ago, Reagan became the oldest man to assume the presidency \u2014 he has since been eclipsed twice. Mamdani is the youngest mayor of New York City in generations and its third youngest in history. <\/p>

W. JAMES ANTLE: 2026 IS A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR TRUMP\u2019S SECOND TERM<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

Reagan revolutionized politics for a generation and remains an iconic figure within his party more than two decades after his death, though the New Right is seeking new ways to compete with socialism through national solidarity and the exercise of political power under President Donald Trump<\/a>. What happens with Mamdani remains to be seen. Local government is often a practical project.<\/p>

But it is already unmistakably clear that Mamdani is the anti-Reagan, representing a radically different solution to a familiar set of problems.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/zohran-mamdani-ronald-reagan-collage-e1767395616124.jpg?1767377612&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400022-1767423600", "title":"A YouTuber scooped legacy media in exposing Walz’s Somali fraud scandal", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4400022%2Fyoutuber-scooped-legacy-media-tim-walz-somali-fraud-scandal%2F", "byline":"Joe Concha", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. This could have been reality: Tim Walz, the goofy Democratic […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

This could have been reality: Tim Walz<\/a>, the goofy Democratic governor of Minnesota<\/a> and lover of all things Communist China, could have actually been one heartbeat away from the presidency.\u00a0<\/p>

With that backdrop, Walz's resume to even get close to this point is truly something to behold. <\/p>Walz visited China more than 30 times, mostly with American students. I have young children and have only been to Disney twice.\u00a0Walz lied about carrying \"weapons of war in war\" when the closest he got was Italy during the\u00a0first Gulf War, before he ditched his National Guard unit once they were called up to fight.\u00a0Walz also lied about being in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 when he was actually in Nebraska.\u00a0Walz really lied about his 1995 DUI arrest when he, as a man in his 30s working as a teacher, was driving 96 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone like a maniac,\u00a0according to court\u00a0records. But in 2006, during his run for Congress after the DUI resurfaced, Walz and his campaign claimed that he had not been drinking that night despite the fact that he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.128, well above the state's legal limit of 0.1 at the time.\u00a0

No matter: The campaign, obviously with Walz's blessing, claimed the failed\u00a0breathalyzer was due to a \"misunderstanding\" due to a \"hearing loss\" from his National Guard \"service.\" And as a French kiss, the campaign also said that Walz was permitted to drive himself to jail after being pulled over, which is totally\u00a0normal, right?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

But that never happened. Walz was actually driven to a local hospital by a state trooper, per court records, where his high BAC was confirmed. <\/p>

\"A strong odor of alcoholic beverage was detected emitting from Mr. Walz[\u2018s] breath and person,\" the report reads. \"The trooper indicated that Walz submitted to and failed both a field sobriety test and a preliminary breath test. He was eventually taken to Chadron Hospital for a blood test before being booked in the Dawes County Jail.\"<\/p>

Yes, just a misunderstanding. <\/p>

Oddly, Walz was never charged with DUI, but just reckless driving. <\/p>

Rules for thee, not for Ds (Democrats). <\/p>Walz also claimed his children were conceived via in vitro\u00a0fertilization<\/a> and said the issue was deeply personal to him. One problem: It was later revealed that intrauterine\u00a0insemination was applied, not IVF. From a policy and even religious perspective, these are two very different procedures, as religious conservatives want to ban IVF because of the discarding of unused fertilized embryos outside the womb, but not IUI, which doesn't involve that.\u00a0Just this year, Walz told supporters that he hoped to wake up to news that President Donald Trump<\/a> had died... the same Trump who was nearly assassinated twice during the 2024 campaign.\u00a0

\"Look, I get it, you get up in the morning, and you doom scroll through things, although I will say this, the last few days you woke up thinking there might be news,\" Walz said at a Labor Day picnic in Duluth, Minnesota. \"Just saying, just saying, there will be news sometime, just so you know, there will be news.\"<\/p>

What a pitiful human being.<\/p>

There are many more examples, but you get the point: Politicians lie. But Walz is next-level pathological with this stuff, and it's why his statements regarding the massive fraud scandal engulfing Minnesota under his watch hold so little weight.<\/p>

It may only be a few days into 2026, but we may already be looking at the political and ethical scandal of the year. <\/p>

You may have heard by now: Members of primarily the Somali<\/a> community in Minnesota have defrauded the state out of billions of dollars for child day cares that mostly don't exist and autism centers that are as real as the Vikings' chance of winning a Super Bowl this year. Overall, we're talking nearly $9 billion in fraud of public assistance programs in deep-blue Minnesota, with more than 90 people charged in what Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem<\/a> calls \"the tip of the iceberg\" in a preview of more charges to come.\u00a0<\/p>

\"The fraud is not small. It isn't isolated. The magnitude cannot be overstated,\" U.S. Assistant Attorney Joseph Thompson said at a press conference recently. \"What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It's a staggering, industrial-scale fraud<\/a>.\"<\/p>

Which brings us back to Walz, who couldn't be handling this any worse from a public relations perspective if he tried.<\/p>

\"We judge people based on who they are, not on ethnicity and things they can't control,\" Vice President JD Vance<\/a> said at Turning Point USA\u2019s AmericaFest recently in Phoenix, later adding, \u201cIn\u00a0the United States of America, you don't have to apologize for being white anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Ain\u2019t that the truth. And Vance\u2019s first words echo those of the Rev. Martin Luther King, who once declared in what was arguably the greatest speech of the 20th Century, \u201cI have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

But Walz saw an opportunity to deflect from his state\u2019s own massive scandal and elected to play the race card from the bottom of the deck. <\/p>

\u201cThis is what happens when they target communities for their own benefit; this is what happens when they scapegoat, and this is what happens when they no longer hide the idea of white supremacy,\u201d he said. <\/p>

The community Vance and Trump are \u201ctargeting\u201d is the Somali community in Minnesota. But it\u2019s not their\u00a0fault that almost all of the perpetrators involved are believed to be of Somali descent.\u00a0<\/p>

Per reporting by the Washington Examiner on Friday:\u00a0\u201cPeople of\u00a0Somali<\/a>\u00a0descent working in autism services, child care, and elder assistance, three areas that have recently been hit with accusations of foul play, donate tens of thousands of dollars to Somali politicians in Minnesota each year, all of them Democrats<\/a>. State Sen. Omar Fateh, a 2025 Minneapolis mayoral candidate, and a handful of Somali state legislators have been among the biggest beneficiaries of such funds.\u201d<\/p>

The report shows that nearly $138,000 has been donated by Somali community care providers to those Minnesota politicians of Somali descent since 2020.\u00a0<\/p>

Fateh, the Twin Cities version of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and another socialist,\u00a0came within a hair of winning his mayoral race.\u00a0<\/p>

Reporting of the scandal was once isolated to center or center-right news organizations, with CNN and MS Now ignoring the story altogether for weeks to hide its viewers from the uncomfortable truth.\u00a0<\/p>

With corporate media largely uninterested, enter conservative YouTube influencer Nick Shirley, a self-described independent journalist who posted a video last week of supposed Somali-run day care centers in Minnesota that had no children actually inside during the daytime hours. Shirley\u2019s video has more than 125 million views on X alone as of this writing. <\/p>

So here\u2019s the question: How was one 23-year-old with a cellphone camera able to scoop essentially every major \u201cnews organization\u201d in the country? It\u2019s called effort and curiosity. And simply put, legacy media didn\u2019t \u201cmiss\u201d the story; they were just afraid of what they actually might find and how it could hurt Democrats like Walz.\u00a0<\/p>

Organizations such as CNN have since been attempting to discredit Shirley as some sort of rogue with an agenda. But the video is the video regardless of motivation. And there\u2019s no denying that massive multi-billion dollar fraud has occurred in Minnesota by a community that has increasing political power over Democrats in the state.\u00a0<\/p>

But the dam has broken, with even the left-leaning Washington Post editorial board zeroing in on Walz.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cWalz\u2019s boondoggle underlines the need for serious reforms across America. Too bad that too many progressive leaders are lackadaisical at best about cracking down on fraud and errors, lest it curtail social services.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMinnesota\u2019s Somali fraud saga finally pierced the national consciousness this week after conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley released a video purporting to show day care centers receiving public funds without taking care of children, including one with a sign identifying it as a 'Quality Learing Center,'\" the board also noted.<\/p>

When we look back on 2026, the Somali fraud scandal may well be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, stories of the year.\u00a0<\/p>

IN FOCUS: THE RIGHT MUST LEARN DISCERNMENT IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

And despite the media\u2019s best efforts until recently, a lid can only be kept on this for so long. <\/p>

All thanks to citizen journalists like Shirley, the man with a camera and some questions.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25309263510361.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3925991-1767420000", "title":"Public trust in the government at one of its lowest points", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3925991%2Fpublic-trust-government-lowest-points%2F", "byline":"Grace Hagerman", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In the face of one of the most polarizing moments in U.S. history, one measurement that offers insight into specific frustrations the public has is their trust in the government. In 2025, President Donald Trump’s first year of his second term, the level of trust Americans have in their government to do what they believe […]", "description":""

In the face of one of the most polarizing moments in U.S. history, one measurement that offers insight into specific frustrations the public has is their trust in the government. In 2025, President Donald Trump's<\/a> first year of his second term, the level of trust Americans have in their government to do what they believe is right \u201calways or most of the time\u201d was at a significantly low point.\u00a0<\/p>

According to survey data aggregated by Pew Research Center <\/a>from a variety of news organizations, National Election Studies, and Gallup, just 17% of Americans say they trust the federal government to do what is right just about always or most of the time.\u00a0<\/p>

Notably, when National Election Studies first began polling this question in 1958 during the Eisenhower administration, 73% had trust in the government to do what was right. At that time, the Space Race was heating up, Cold War<\/a> tensions were escalating, and the Vietnam War<\/a> was three years in.<\/p>

Nearly seven decades later, public trust in the government has not exceeded 30% since 2007.<\/p>

Trust has also fluctuated over time among the branches of government and specific governmental responsibilities, such as handling international and domestic problems.<\/p>

While overall trust in the government was low in 2025, when Gallup<\/a> asked people about their trust in the government to handle international problems, 45% said they had a \"great deal or fair amount.\" Yet, this number becomes vastly different when factoring in political party and party control. In 2025, with Trump in power, 84% of Republicans trusted the government to handle international problems, while in 2024, with President Joe Biden<\/a> in power, only 20% had trust in the government.<\/p>

This pattern rings true with each breakdown. Overall trust in the government to handle domestic problems in 2025 was 38%. But more specifically, in the same year, 13% of Democrats \"have a great deal or fair amount of trust\" in the government, whereas a year before, when Biden was president, 69% had trust in the government regarding its handling of domestic problems.<\/p>

Fluctuations occur in trust in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches as well.<\/p>

Data show less dependence on party control with trust in the judicial branch<\/a>. In 2025 and 2024, 81% and 71% of Republicans, respectively, had trust in the judicial branch. In the same years, 24% and 23% of Democrats had a \"great deal or fair amount of trust\" in the judicial branch.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP0811180137531.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379103-1767420000", "title":"What Trump should do if Ukraine peace talks collapse", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4379103%2Fwhat-trump-should-do-if-ukraine-peace-talks-collapse%2F", "byline":"Ani Chkhikvadze", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Peace talks on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine are likely to collapse once Russia rejects binding security guarantees for Ukraine. Russia entered this war to break Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself. A secure Ukraine defeats the entire purpose of President Vladimir Putin’s strategy. A Ukraine backed by enforceable commitments, sustained Western military support, and credible deterrence would remain […]", "description":""

Peace talks on ending Russia's war on Ukraine<\/a> are likely to collapse once Russia <\/a>rejects binding security guarantees for Ukraine<\/a>. Russia entered this war to break Ukraine\u2019s capacity to defend itself.\u00a0A secure Ukraine defeats the entire purpose of\u00a0President Vladimir\u00a0Putin's<\/a> strategy.<\/p>

A Ukraine backed by enforceable commitments, sustained Western military support, and credible deterrence would remain outside of Russia\u2019s domination. Security guarantees are, therefore, what the talks most hinge on. If and when negotiations fail, it will be a confirmation that Russia is fighting this war not because of NATO expansion or Russia\u2019s security concerns, but because it hopes to limit Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty. That failure will demonstrate Moscow\u2019s real intentions: to subjugate its neighbors and challenge American power.   <\/p>

In response to that failure, President Donald Trump<\/a>'s administration should shift its posture from accommodating Moscow\u2019s demands to pressuring the Kremlin to force a change of attitude in Moscow.<\/p>

First, Trump should accelerate and expand military assistance to Ukraine. For four years, military aid has been calibrated to avoid escalation rather than to end the war. The result has been a grinding conflict that costs Ukraine territory, lives, and time. A more robust flow of air defense systems, long-range missiles, and advanced technology would increase Ukraine\u2019s ability to defend its territory and impose costs on Russian forces. More importantly, it would reset Moscow\u2019s expectations. The Kremlin has prolonged the war in part because it assumes Western support will weaken with time, elections, and fatigue. Russia needs to understand that Ukraine is de facto secure through American backing, and continued aggression carries rising military costs rather than the promise of eventual Western disengagement. Although it would carry risks for U.S. military readiness in terms of a possible war with China, aid delivered to Ukraine at scale would signal that waiting out the United States will not work. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

A second step should be granting Ukraine the right to use Western weapons deeper inside Russia. This has allowed Russia to shelter military infrastructure deep inside its territory. Lastly, the costs of refusing peace must be levied on Russia's economy. Russia continues to move energy exports and acquire critical components through third countries with limited consequences, avoiding sanctions. The Kremlin relies on China, India, Turkey, and Central Asian states for backdoor imports. When Moscow walks away from peace, Trump should direct the Treasury to aggressively police secondary sanctions, raising the price for companies, financial institutions, and countries facilitating Russia's war.<\/p>

TRUMP WARNS IRAN THAT US IS \u2018LOCKED AND LOADED\u2019 TO \u2018RESCUE\u2019 ANY \u2018PEACEFUL PROTESTERS\u2019 HARMED<\/a><\/p>

A secure Ukraine contradicts Russia\u2019s war aims. When talks collapse on that fact, the appropriate response is to make the alternative less attractive. The U.S. response must be shaped by the premise that leverage, not accommodation, is what turns talks into a meaningful process. No negotiations can succeed if one side believes time and pressure work in its favor. <\/p>

Trump should alter that calculation.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25362800910737.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399891-1767420000", "title":"Mamdani is the fresh face of old and discredited ideas", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4399891%2Fmamdani-fresh-face-old-discredited-ideas%2F", "byline":"Peter Laffin", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"On the surface, it’s easy to see why New York City elected Zohran Mamdani mayor. The charming state assemblyman put New York first during his campaign, all while smiling blithely, a proverbial cat in the sun.   Ask a random person on the street why NYC opted for Mamdani, and you’ll likely hear something along the […]", "description":""

On the surface, it\u2019s easy to see why New York City<\/a> elected Zohran Mamdani<\/a> mayor. The charming state assemblyman put New York first during his campaign, all while smiling blithely, a proverbial cat in the sun.  <\/p>

Ask a random person on the street why NYC opted for Mamdani, and you'll likely hear something along the lines of, \u201cWe needed to try something new.\u201d<\/p>

It\u2019s an understandable impulse for the perpetually mismanaged city. The problem is that none of Mamdani\u2019s policy proposals are new. In fact, Mamdani\u2019s ideas are quite old and well-tested. And if the past is prologue, New York City will suffer mightily for being snookered into believing the dusty, discredited ideas of 20th-century collectivism have suddenly become fresh and viable.<\/p>

Take the new mayor's signature policy of rent freezes. In the 1970s, Massachusetts<\/a> allowed Boston and other large cities to cap rent increases. The results were catastrophic. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study found that housing supply shrank by roughly 10%<\/a> during that time. Meanwhile, rental homes fell into disrepair as landlords were unable to keep up with costs. New constructions nearly ceased.<\/p>

Ironically, the policy hurt low-income renters most of all. The rent caps disincentivized landlords from caring for their properties, deteriorating the housing<\/a> quality, while the supply shortage drove up prices, making it harder for new renters, often low-income families moving for work, to find affordable homes.<\/p>

San Francisco's<\/a> dalliance with rent freezes in the 1990s caused a similar catastrophe. According to a recent American Economic Review study on the policy, freezing rents may have protected incumbent renters from immediate displacement, but it likewise diminished housing supply<\/a>, making rents skyrocket in the long term and ultimately defeating the purpose of the policy. <\/p>

Rent freezes haven't worked overseas, either. A 2020 rent freeze in Berlin caused a 57% drop in available apartments, leading to skyrocketing rents in the unregulated market.<\/p>

Mamdani\u2019s plan differs slightly from those of Massachusetts, San Francisco, and Berlin. In one sense, it\u2019s more targeted, as it's limited to the existing 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in New York City. In another, it\u2019s far more radical. He has pledged a zero percent flat rent freeze, whereas the other cities had mechanisms for a small annual adjustment to keep up with inflation. <\/p>

Will Mamdani finally be the first to implement a rent freeze plan that doesn't end in disaster? Historical odds aren't in his favor.<\/p>

Another old idea being put to fresh use is Mamdani\u2019s proposal to set up five municipally owned, non-profit grocery stores in high-poverty areas. Whether it's five or 500 doesn\u2019t matter, because the underlying principle doesn\u2019t work on any scale.<\/p>

In the early 2000s, Venezuela<\/a> established state-run grocery store networks and price controls under the government of Hugo Ch\u00e1vez. This government food distribution system depended on the country\u2019s oil wealth. Predictably, food became scarce the moment oil prices plummeted in late 2014. The government could no longer subsidize prices to make them affordable to the poor. This led to massive shortages, hyperinflation, stores with empty shelves, and reliance on the black market. Venezuelan poverty skyrocketed. A 2017 survey found that 9.6 million people ate two or fewer meals a day and, 93% of the population couldn\u2019t afford food<\/a>.<\/p>

It\u2019s easy to see why: government-run industries are inevitably plagued by corruption, mismanagement, and a resulting lack of profitability. Managing a large and complex business requires expertise and an incentive structure that keeps its component parts operating efficiently and innovating when necessary. For a government bureaucracy, this isn't exactly in the wheelhouse.<\/p>

Small-scale government-owned grocery stores in the United States have similarly failed. As recently as last August, a Kansas City grocery store that received $18 million in city investments closed. The cause?<\/a> Economic mismanagement, poor incentive structures, high rates of theft, bare shelves \u2014 everything you\u2019d expect from a government-run grocery store. It's the same foolish utopianism that has willfully disregarded basic human nature and economic principles for centuries.<\/p>

Mamdani\u2019s plan to \u201creimagine public safety\u201d also has a recent track record of abject failure. In cities that embraced the \u201cdefund the police<\/a>\u201d movement, murder rates quickly spiked. Voters in these cities were similarly quick to pull back from the brink. Minneapolis voted down<\/a> a ballot measure that would abolish the police department in 2021, and Portland, Oregon\u2019s mayor renounced the movement. In New York City, murders climbed 44% during a period of declining arrests between May 2020 and February 2022. But when the New York City Police Department began repolicing under then-Mayor Eric Adams<\/a>, arrests climbed, and murders dropped.<\/p>

Should Mamdani make good on his campaign promises, Gotham will revert to chaos. <\/p>

VIDEO: MAMDANI VOIDS ADAMS\u2019S PRO-ISRAEL EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON DAY ONE AS MAYOR<\/a><\/p>

At his inauguration this week, the new mayor vowed to replace \u201cthe frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.\u201d His immense political talent enables him to introduce socialism<\/a> as if it were a fresh idea. But it's an ideology as old as the hills and twice as rocky. It doesn't work \u2014 it never has, and it never will.<\/p>

All that remains to be seen is whether he will continue to smile while America's greatest city crumbles. Or whether he will, like so many failed collectivists before him, turn dark as the hole keeps getting deeper.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2461768_sd_6957f825d2544_1767372837.jpg?w=640" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399897-1767420000", "title":"Trump and the White House go on defense over health concerns", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4399897%2Ftrump-white-house-defense-health-concerns%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump, his White House, and their allies are pushing back against speculation about Trump’s health as he tries to portray his strength as a leader rather than a lame-duck commander in chief. Trump surprised the Wall Street Journal this week when he personally responded to the news outlet’s request for comment regarding a […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a>, his White House, and their allies are pushing back against speculation about Trump\u2019s health as he tries to portray his strength as a leader rather than a lame-duck commander in chief.<\/p>

Trump surprised the Wall Street Journal this week when he personally responded<\/a> to the news outlet\u2019s request for comment regarding a story questioning the president\u2019s health before his 80th birthday this June, underscoring the sensitivity of the issue for the country\u2019s oldest commander in chief as of his inauguration day.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s response comes after a more strident reaction to a New York Times article last November alleging the president is demonstrating \u201csigns of fatigue<\/a>\u201d as he \u201cfaces realities of aging in office.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe writer of the story, Katie Rogers, who is assigned to write only bad things about me, is a third rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out,\u201d Trump wrote on social media at the time.<\/p>

More than a month later, Trump understands the political problems related to his health and age \u201cbecause he played a role in how it impacted [former President Joe] Biden's<\/a> presidency\u201d and his doomed 2024 reelection campaign, according to Republican strategist Doug Heye.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cBut it\u2019s a story you can never get fully in front of \u2014 like Biden, Trump is at an age where you age faster and in a job that wears on your age and stamina constantly,\u201d the former Republican National Committee<\/a> communications director told the Washington Examiner. \u201cAnd any slip will be seen by voters over and over again.\u201d<\/p>

To that end, Democratic strategist Garry South contended Trump is \u201ca sick old man, every bit of evidence we can see with our own eyes proves it \u2014 falling asleep in meetings, the halting gait, the make-up on his hands, the hugely swollen ankles, not to mention buying aspirin in wholesale lots.\u201d <\/p>

There is no proof, however, that Trump has been asleep during meetings, only photographs or screenshots capturing him with his eyes closed, although the president admitted to the Wall Street Journal that he finds closing his eyes to be \"very relaxing.\"<\/p>

South told the Washington Examiner, \u201cFar from Democrats wringing their hands over the prospect of Trump trying to run for a third term, Republicans should be worried about whether he\u2019ll even live through his second term.\u201d<\/p>

During his impromptu telephone call with the Wall Street Journal, Trump corrected the record after he told reporters last October he received an MRI during a trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center when it was a cardiovascular and abdominal CT scan.<\/p>

\u201cIn retrospect, it\u2019s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition,\u201d Trump told the news outlet. \u201cI would have been a lot better off if they didn\u2019t, because the fact that I took it said, \u2018Oh gee, is something wrong?\u2019 Well, nothing\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>

Trump also told the Wall Street Journal that he takes more than his doctor's recommended daily dose of aspirin.<\/p>

\"I'm a little superstitious,\" he said. \"They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart ... I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?\"<\/p>

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt<\/a> emphasized Trump's transparency with respect to his health after a lack thereof from Biden, despite the president\u2019s obfuscation in the past, including during his 2016 campaign when his then-personal physician, the late Dr. Harold Bornstein, an internist and gastroenterologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, pronounced that he \"would be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.\"\u00a0<\/p>

\"Additional details on the imaging have been disclosed by the president himself, because he continues to be the most transparent and open president in history and has nothing to hide, unlike his predecessor Joe Biden, who hid from the press and lied about his clear physical and mental decline,\" Leavitt told reporters this week.<\/p>

At the same time, Trump\u2019s decision to submit to a second annual physical examination last October stoked concerns about the president\u2019s health, with a dearth of information provided by the White House<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Leavitt in February did tell reporters Trump\u2019s bruised hand is the result of excessive hand-shaking before adding in July that he is experiencing chronic venous insufficiency, causing his swollen ankles.<\/p>

\"President Trump agreed to meet with the staff and soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Hospital in October,\" Trump's doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, said this week. \"In order to make the most of the president's time at the hospital, we recommended he undergo another routine physical evaluation to ensure continued optimal health.\"<\/p>

Barbabella added, \"As part of that examination, we asked the president if he would undergo advanced imaging \u2014 either an MRI or CT Scan \u2014 to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues. The president agreed, and our team of consultants performed a CT Scan. As we revealed in the post-examination report, the advanced imaging was perfectly normal and revealed absolutely no abnormalities.\"\u00a0<\/p>

Simultaneously, Trump\u2019s hands were again a hot topic on the internet this week after both hands were spotted sporting bruises.<\/p>

In the Wall Street Journal interview, Trump attributed his high aspirin dosage as the reason behind the bruises.<\/p>

In Trump\u2019s defense, particularly after the New York Times reported last year that the president\u2019s public schedule is lighter and starting later during his second administration compared to his first, Republican strategist John Feehery argued nobody \u201ccan accuse [him] of not having enough energy or moxie to do the job.\u201d  <\/p>

\u201cThis health thing is a media-created fixation because they would rather focus on that than focus on all of Trump\u2019s policy successes,\u201d Feehery told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

More broadly, Ronald Reagan biographer Craig Shirley remained adamant that the 2026 midterm elections<\/a> \u201c[are] not going to turn on Trump\u2019s health.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe champagne socialists must really be desperate,\u201d Shirley told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThe real story instead is the Democrat Party is dying before our eyes.\u201d<\/p>

Democratic strategist Christopher Hahn, nevertheless, conceded, \u201cIt\u2019s absurd to think he\u2019s as fit as the job requires, but politically it\u2019s not too relevant since he can\u2019t run for another term.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cHis health will only become a real issue if he can\u2019t show up to work,\u201d Hahn told the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

Claremont McKenna College politics professor John Pitney concluded that Trump\u2019s quips about \"Sleepy Joe\" Biden have encouraged \u201cscrutiny of his own physical condition.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cThe questions won't go away because one thing is certain: he won't get any younger,\u201d Pitney told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

WHAT CAN TRUMP DO TO CHANGE THE TIDE BEFORE THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS?<\/a><\/p>

Amid the health-focused news cycle, Trump on Friday proudly shared his cognitive test results<\/a>, repeating that his doctors report that he is \u201cin 'PERFECT HEALTH,' and that [he] 'ACED'\u201d a third examination, \u201csomething which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take.\" <\/p>

\"P.S., I strongly believe that anyone running for President, or Vice President, should be mandatorily forced to take a strong, meaningful, and proven Cognitive Examination,\u201d he wrote on social media. \u201cOur great Country cannot be run by 'STUPID' or INCOMPETENT PEOPLE!\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25336656401079.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3925047-1767416400", "title":"Books by politicians to look out for in 2026 ahead of midterm elections", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2F3925047%2Fpoliticians-books-before-2026-midterm-elections%2F", "byline":"Sydney Topf", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"After former Vice President Kamala Harris dominated news cycles with her book, 107 Days, more politicians will release books in 2026.  The new year is expected to see a range of books from politicians ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential cycle, covering various topics.  Some of these authors have expressed interest […]", "description":""

After former Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a> dominated news cycles with her book, 107 Days<\/a>, more politicians will release books in 2026. <\/p>

The new year is expected to see a range of books from politicians ahead of the 2026 midterm elections<\/a> and the 2028 presidential cycle, covering various topics.\u00a0<\/p>

Some of these authors have expressed interest in launching presidential campaigns, but not all of them. Ahead of a presidential election, it's common for politicians to publish memoirs as a way to introduce themselves to the public and test themselves before launching a campaign for the White House. <\/p>

Books published by politicians often give readers a glimpse into the life of elected officials and a behind-the-scenes look into the headlines the public sees every day. <\/p>Where We Keep the Light: Stories From a Life of Service by Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) 

Release date: Jan. 27 <\/p>

In his first memoir<\/a>, Gov. Josh Shapiro<\/a> (D-PA) recounts challenging and pivotal moments in his personal life and political career. The book follows Shapiro throughout his \"successful campaigns,\u201d including for the Pennsylvania House, Montgomery County commissioner, Pennsylvania attorney general, and governor. <\/p>

Shapiro opens up about a politically motivated fire at the Pennsylvania governor\u2019s residence<\/a> while he and his family were inside. He also touches on Harris considering him to be her running mate in 2024, and childhood experiences that shaped him to \u201cbe the empathetic leader and pragmatic problem-solver that he is today.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIn telling this story, Shapiro reminds us of the faith that guides so many and that there is more that unites us as Americans than divides us,\u201d publisher Harper Collins said in a press release<\/a>. \u201cThrough it all, Shapiro shares the stories of the people who have impacted him along the way and how they\u2019ve taught him where we keep the light.\u201d<\/p>

Shapiro, who is up for reelection in 2026, is viewed as a possible contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. <\/p>

SHAPIRO AND COX PUSH BIPARTISAN WARNING ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE, DISAGREE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTABILITY<\/a><\/p>

Shapiro has gained national attention after hosting a bipartisan town hall about political violence with Gov. Spencer Cox<\/a> (R-UT) at the National Cathedral in Washington and giving a speech after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, calling on politicians to condemn all acts of violence.\u00a0<\/p>

At the end of the town hall, Cox and Shapiro were both asked if either was running for president in 2028. <\/p>

Shapiro did not respond, but Cox said, \"One of us is not<\/a>.\"<\/p>Young Man in a Hurry by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA)

Release date: Feb. 24<\/p>

Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) is the latest politician to announce a memoir<\/a>, surprising the public with a book about his upbringing and career. This is Newsom\u2019s third book, which Penguin Press will publish. Newsom said the memoir is a \u201ctruly vulnerable book\u201d and the story of an \u201coutsider on the inside.\u201d<\/p>

Newsom shares \u201cdefining moments\u201d that shaped him for a life in politics throughout the book. <\/p>

The governor recounts his childhood with undiagnosed dyslexia and being \u201ctugged between two worlds\u201d between his single mother, who worked three jobs, and his father, who was close friends with the Getty family, exposing him to a \"world of wealth and connections,\" according to the book synopsis<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cNewsom traces the forces that have defined his ambitions as a politician and have pushed him to outpace the nation on myriad cutting-edge social issues that have since entered the mainstream,\u201d the book synopsis says. <\/p>

Newsom goes through his time as San Francisco mayor, highlighting when he violated state law by issuing same-sex couples marriage licenses and launching climate change, mental health, and gun advocacy initiatives. He also discusses his governorship, recounting the unprecedented wildfires and entering office to \u201chyper-partisan headwinds\u201d from Washington.<\/p>

STEPHEN A. SMITH SAYS INTERVIEW INVITATIONS FOR DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WENT UNANSWERED<\/a><\/p>

Newsom said the autobiography will put details \u201call out there.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cThis is not a politician\u2019s book, it\u2019s not a book that you would expect me to write,\u201d he said at the Democratic National Committee meeting, according to the Los Angeles Times<\/a>.<\/p>

In recent months, Newsom has been more candid about a possible run for president in 2028. When asked if he would give \u201cserious thought\u201d about running for president, Newsom said, \u201cYeah, I would be lying otherwise.\u201d <\/p>Stand by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

Release date: March 24<\/p>

Following his historic 25-hour speech<\/a> on the Senate floor, Sen. Cory Booker<\/a> (D-NJ) recounts the experience and explores how \u201cour choices today shape the future\u201d in his new memoir, Stand<\/a>.<\/p>

Booker broke the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech, which ran from March 31 to April 1, 2025<\/a>, surpassing segregationist Strom Thurmond, who filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1957 during his record-setting speech. <\/p>

The book is expected to be an amplification and continuation of the messages Booker discussed during his speech, which focused on Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s policies. <\/p>

\u201cThis book is about the virtues vital to our success as a nation and lessons we can draw from generations of Americans who fought for them,\u201d Booker said in the press release<\/a>. \u201cNow is not the time to surrender to cynicism or abandon our most noble ideals. Now is the time to defiantly declare like our ancestors before us: I too stand for America.\u201d<\/p>

The book was originally slated to be published on Nov. 11, 2025, according to a press release. However, the book is now listed for publication in March. <\/p>

The publisher, St. Martin's Publishing, did not respond to a comment about the reasoning behind the push in publication date. <\/p>

CRUZ AND BOOKER URGE FORTUNE 1000 CEOS TO CONTRIBUTE TO TRUMP ACCOUNTS<\/a><\/p>

Booker, who is already a New York Times bestselling author, also revealed that he\u2019s considering a bid for president in 2028. <\/p>

\u201cOf course I\u2019m thinking about it,\u201d Booker told Fox News in November. \"I haven\u2019t ruled it out.\"<\/p>Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) 

Release date: Unknown<\/p>

Cox gained national attention for his activism against political violence following Kirk's assassination<\/a> at Utah Valley University<\/a>. <\/p>

At a press conference in November, Cox confirmed that he is writing a book and that he secured a publishing deal with Penguin Press. Cox revealed that he has been working on the book for a couple of years and that it will explore where he thinks the country is headed and the increasing polarization.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThis is just something that is just so important to me, it's something I believe in,\u201d he said.<\/p>

While politicians frequently release books before launching a presidential campaign, Cox emphasized that the book \u201cis not that.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cLet me make it very clear, I\u2019m not running for president,\u201d Cox said. \u201cHave no interest in running for president. If nominated, I will not serve.\u201d<\/p>Former President Joe Biden 

Release date: Unknown<\/p>

Former President Joe Biden<\/a> revealed in July 2025 that he has been working on a memoir.<\/p>

Although a title and release date have not been shared yet, Biden reportedly sold his presidential memoir for $10 million to Hachette Book Group\u2019s Little, Brown & Company, according to the Wall Street Journal<\/a>. <\/p>

During a Q&A session at the Society for Human Resource Management\u2019s convention in San Diego last summer, Biden said he has been \u201cworking like hell\u201d with a publisher to write a 500-page memoir and has been doing a lot of research, according to <\/a>the New York Post. This will be Biden\u2019s third memoir.<\/p>

\u201cEvery president is expected to write a memoir,\u201d he said, noting that \u201cmost take between three and six years to get it done.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Biden said in July that his publisher wants his presidential memoir done by \"March of this year.\"<\/p>

BIDEN\u2019S $10 MILLION BOOK DEAL ADVANCE RANKS LOWER THAN RECENT DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS<\/a><\/p>

It is common for former presidents to write memoirs about their administrations to help shape their legacies. They also often receive large book advances. In 2017, there was a bidding war for the rights to two books by Biden and former first lady Michelle Obama for reportedly over $60 million combined, according to <\/a>Axios.<\/p>Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken 

Release date: Unknown<\/p>

Less than a month after Trump was sworn in, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken <\/a>announced a book deal with Crown Publishing, an imprint of Penguin Random House.\u00a0<\/p>

The book will offer readers a \u201crare glimpse\u201d into the \"challenging and often controversial\" response from the Biden administration during global conflicts, including Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine<\/a> and the war in Gaza<\/a>. <\/p>

Throughout the book, Blinken will take readers \u201cinto the Situation Room and the Oval Office to hear the discussions about how to keep tensions with China from spiraling to dangerous levels.\u201d<\/p>

WEST NOW FACING THREATS \u2018ONCE CONSIDERED UNIMAGINABLE\u2019 FROM RUSSIA<\/a><\/p>

\u201cIn this candid work, he will offer the first inside story from within the administration on what really transpired in the run up to Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine and the difficult choices that shaped American diplomatic and military support in the months that followed in a war that would bring the world as close to nuclear conflict as it had come in more than half a century,\u201d Crown Publishing said in a statement given to the Associated Press<\/a>.<\/p>

The\u00a0Washington Examiner\u00a0contacted Penguin Press, Little, Brown & Company, Crown Publishing, St. Martin\u2019s Publishing, and Harper's Collins for comment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2026bookscollage-e1766173150904.jpg?1766159142&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399614-1767416400", "title":"Mamdani’s collectivist vision for America", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4399614%2Fmamdani-collectivist-vision-for-america%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The most disturbing part of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration was not that he chose fellow socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to swear him in, nor that he was sworn in on the Quran, nor even his call to “replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” although all of these […]", "description":""

The most disturbing part of New York<\/a> Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>\u2019s inauguration was not that he chose fellow socialist<\/a> Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) to swear him in, nor that he was sworn in on the Quran, nor even his call to \u201creplace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,\u201d although all of these a reason for dislike and repudiation.<\/p>

His most disturbing words were those in which he described his support of collectivism, which come from South Africa<\/a>\u2019s Freedom Charter.<\/p>

\u201cBeginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously,\u201d he declared. He reminded everyone that he \u201cwas elected as a democratic socialist\u201d and promised to \u201cgovern as a democratic socialist.\u201d And \u201cto those who insist that the era of big government is over,\u201d Mamdani said that under his leadership, \u201cno longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power.\u201d<\/p>

Mamdani then asked, \u201cWho does New York belong to?\u201d before asserting that under past administrations, City Hall belonged \u201cto the wealthy and well-connected.\u201d Under Mamdani, New York would belong to \u201call who live in it,\u201d a sentiment he said was inspired by the charter.<\/p>

Considering that Mamdani is himself an immigrant from Africa and that his father was a Marxist professor, it is hardly surprising that he looks to foreign documents written by communists, rather than to our own founding documents, when identifying his model for governance.<\/p>

The South African Freedom Charter is antithetical to the U.S. Constitution. It calls for the nationalization of mines, banks, and industry, land confiscation and redistribution, and direct majoritarian rule with no meaningful checks on government power.<\/p>

We have seen how this model has played out. South Africa is increasingly a failed state. Unemployment hovers near 30%, youth joblessness is far higher, and rolling power outages from the collapsing electricity monopoly routinely shut down the economy. Its violent crime rates are among the world\u2019s worst, its infrastructure is decaying, corruption has hollowed out state institutions, and growth has stagnated for over a decade. Public services barely function, and emigration drains skills and capital.<\/p>

This is Mamdani\u2019s vision for first New York and then the United States.<\/p>

To be clear, the damage Mamdani can inflict as mayor is not unlimited. New York City is not a sovereign polity, and the mayor is not a president. Mamdani cannot simply confiscate property, nor can he create or raise income or sales taxes without approval from Albany.<\/p>

But limited power is not the same thing as no power or harmlessness. Even within his constraints, a mayor committed to collectivist ideology can do serious damage to a city\u2019s quality of life, public safety, and economic vitality.<\/p>

Mamdani will exert direct control over how aggressively city laws are enforced. He can tolerate the expansion of homeless encampments under the banner of compassion, degrading public spaces, and driving families and businesses away.<\/p>

He can also weaken public safety. A mayor who views policing primarily as oppression rather than a public good will cut funding, restrict proactive policing, and signal hostility toward officers doing their jobs.<\/p>

And while Mamdani cannot invent new taxes, he can still raise existing ones. Property taxes are set through the city budget process, and a mayor determined to run an expansive government can push the city council to approve higher levies. Those costs will not fall on an abstract class of \u201cthe rich,\u201d but on renters, landlords, and businesses already struggling with high costs.<\/p>

New York is not South Africa, and it is not yet doomed to South Africa\u2019s fate. But the lesson of the Freedom Charter is that when governments elevate collective claims over individual rights, disorder becomes normalized, corruption flourishes, and the middle class leaves.<\/p>

Mamdani insists that his collectivism will be different, warmer, more humane. Every collectivist says that. The record suggests otherwise. What begins with moral certainty ends with coercion, mismanagement, and decline.<\/p>

FIVE HOPES FOR THE NEW YEAR<\/a><\/p>

At the end of his address, Mamdani acknowledged the stakes himself. \u201cThere are many who will be watching,\u201d he said. \u201cThey want to know if the Left can govern.\u201d<\/p>

Yes, voters will be watching \u2014 and one can only hope they see Mamdani\u2019s vision for what it is and choose something else.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001729140589.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400115-1767414968", "title":"Maduro ‘captured’ and taken out of Venezuela after US military operation in Caracas: Trump", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400115%2Fmaduro-captured-taken-venezuela-us-military-operation-caracas-trump%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The U.S. military “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after a special forces military operation in Caracas, President Donald Trump announced. “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. […]", "description":""

The U.S. military \"captured\" Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after a special forces military operation in Caracas, President Donald Trump announced.<\/p>

\"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow,\" he said in a post<\/a> on Truth Social.<\/p>

The operation is unprecedented in modern history, and marks the first time a head of state has been taken captive by a rival nation in an opening special forces operation.<\/p>

Officials told<\/a> CBS that Delta Force, the Army\u2019s most elite unit, was the one that carried out the operation.<\/p>

The Venezuelan government hasn\u2019t yet acknowledged the alleged abduction of its head of state. It\u2019s unclear who is in charge of the country in Maduro\u2019s absence.<\/p>

According to Venezuela\u2019s constitution, power should pass to Maduro\u2019s vice president, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez. Rodr\u00edguez will face even worse legitimacy issues than Maduro, however, and pressure from the democratic opposition is sure to increase. Venezuela\u2019s opposition holds that the exiled Edmundo Gonzalez is the rightful president of the country.<\/p>

In a national address, Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez, denounced the U.S. operation as an \u201cinvasion\u201d that \u201crepresents the most blatant outrage suffered by the country.\u201d<\/p>

Lopez\u2019s address marked the first public appearance of a Venezuelan official since the operation. He didn\u2019t address the apparent abduction of Maduro.<\/p>

Trump provided further details of the operation in a brief phone interview with the New York Times.<\/p>

\u201cA lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,\u201d Trump said. \u201cIt was a brilliant operation, actually.\u201d<\/p>

He said he would address concerns, such as whether he had sought congressional approval and what\u2019s next for Venezuela, at his 11 a.m. news conference at Mar-a-Lago.<\/p>

Trump began ratcheting up pressure against Maduro shortly after taking office, putting a $50 million bounty on his head. Maduro was charged with widespread corruption, running a narcoterrorist group, and drug trafficking. Trump and his officials had gone so far as to repeatedly publicly threaten his life<\/a>.<\/p>

Maduro\u2019s fate in the U.S. is another matter. He may face charges in a U.S. court of law, given the allegations against him. His arrest is guaranteed to draw widespread outrage not just from Maduro\u2019s allies, including Russia, Iran, and China, but from other countries concerned with diplomatic norms as well.<\/p>

In December, there were reports about a deal that would have Maduro step down, in exchange for him being allowed to live freely in Russia.<\/p>

Videos of explosions hitting major military and government targets were posted across social media beginning at around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday. Simultaneously, videos showed helicopters of various types hovering over the city. Among these were reported sightings of CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters hovering over the city, apparently, the helicopters containing the special forces that took Maduro captive.<\/p>

VENEZUELA DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER US OPERATION IN CARACAS<\/a><\/p>

The operation lasted around one hour, with explosions reported from around 2 a.m. local time to 3 a.m. local time. No further strikes have been reported.<\/p>

The U.S. attempted a similar operation in 1989 to capture Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega as part of Operation Just Cause. U.S. special operations soldiers, including Delta Force, raided several hideouts hoping to capture the drug trafficker, but came up empty-handed. Noriega later had to be coaxed out of the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See with heavy metal music, weeks after the invasion.<\/p>

This is a breaking news story and has been updated. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-collage-h0k50r36b-1765410252616-e1765411797537.jpg?1767333352&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400107-1767413668", "title":"Venezuela declares state of emergency after US operation in Caracas", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400107%2Fmaduro-accuses-us-striking-caracas-venezuela-bombing%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused the U.S. of conducting a military operation in the capital, after military aircraft were seen over Caracas as explosions rocked the capital. Maduro declared a state of emergency in response. “People to the streets!” the statement said. “The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the […]", "description":""

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused the U.S. of conducting a military operation in the capital, after military aircraft were seen over Caracas as explosions rocked the capital.<\/p>

Maduro declared a state of emergency in response.<\/p>

\"People to the streets!\" the statement said. \"The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.\"<\/p>

He accused the U.S. of hitting military and civilian targets across the country, and claimed the U.S. was only after Venezuela's resources.<\/p>

Videos of explosions hitting major military and government targets were posted across social media beginning at around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday. Significant secondary explosions were seen, indicating successful strikes against military targets.<\/p>

Simultaneously, videos showed helicopters of various types hovering over the city. Among these were reported sightings of CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters hovering over the city, an aircraft not operated by the Bolivarian military.<\/p>

Senior Venezuelan officials, including Maduro have not been seen since the strikes began. <\/p>

The Federal Aviation Administration announced a ban on all commercial flights to Venezuela amid \u201congoing military activity.\u201d<\/p>

The explosions ceased around 3 a.m., with reporters on the ground reporting quiet for the past two hours as of 5 a.m. local time.<\/p>

The presence of attack and transport helicopters indicates the operation is unparalleled during President Donald Trump\u2019s two terms, with his many previous strikes consisting of airstrikes and cruise missile attacks.<\/p>

Footage of twin-rotor transport helicopters, likely a Chinook, above Caracas indicates the likely use of Special operations soldiers on the ground.<\/p>

The Department of War deferred the Washington Examiner to the White House for comment.<\/p>

Footage filmed<\/a> by bystanders showed an attack helicopter of some kind firing missiles at a ground target. Anti-aircraft fire appeared almost nonexistent.<\/p>

David Smolansky, a spokesman for Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, told CBS News that among the targets hit were Fuerte Tiuna, the main military base in Caracas; La Carolota, the main airbase in Caracas; El Volc\u00e1n, a signal antenna; and La Guaira Port, a seaport on the Caribbean coast.<\/p>

The presidents of Colombia and Cuba condemned the strikes.<\/p>

This is a breaking news story and may be updated. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25329815730143.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4356470-1767412800", "title":"‘Mod squad’: Luria sees hope from Spanberger, Sherrill, and Slotkin’s successes", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4356470%2Fmod-squad-elaine-luria-hope-spanberger-sherrill-slotkin-successes%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Brandishing their national security backgrounds, moderate viewpoints, and focus on kitchen table matters, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) have secured big electoral wins since their first days in the House together. Former Rep. Elaine Luria, with momentum from the successes of her previous House squad, expressed hope […]", "description":""

Brandishing their national security backgrounds, moderate viewpoints, and focus on kitchen table matters, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger<\/a> (D-VA), Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill<\/a> (D-NJ), and Sen. Elissa Slotkin<\/a> (D-MI) have secured big electoral wins since their first days in the House together.<\/p>

Former Rep. Elaine Luria, with momentum from the successes of her previous House squad, expressed hope for an electoral victory in 2026, as she seeks to take back her House seat in Virginia\u2019s 2nd Congressional District.<\/p>

Luria, Spanberger, Sherrill, Slotkin, and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) were each part of a group of centrist Democratic women with national security backgrounds elected to the House in 2018. Pundits called them the \u201cbadasses<\/a>,\u201d the \u201cmod squad<\/a>,\u201d and the other<\/a> \u201csquad.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe found that the strength in numbers. Working together to show that the face of the Democratic Party includes people like us: people with national security, intelligence backgrounds; people who served in uniform; people who view this as a way to continue their service to the country in a new capacity was very powerful,\u201d Luria told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

Luria, a former Naval officer, served two terms in the House, where she was vice chairwoman of the House Armed Services Committee and championed a bolstered U.S. military. Despite representing a competitive swing district, she also challenged President Donald Trump by serving on the House committee to investigate Jan. 6 and voted to impeach Trump twice in his first term.<\/p>

In the 2022 midterm elections, during former President Joe Biden's administration, Luria lost her seat to Rep. Jen Kiggans<\/a> (R-VA), a former Navy helicopter pilot, by just over 3 percentage points. Her loss followed Virginia\u2019s 2021 redistricting, in which a map drawn by the state Supreme Court ushered in more red counties to Virginia's 2nd District<\/p>

Under the same electoral map, and with a drive to return to representing the Tidewater district, Luria said she was emboldened by conversations with voters about affordability matters and a desire to complete the job she started in Congress.<\/p>

\u201cEverywhere I go, I have the same conversations with people about affordability and the cost of living and how hard they're working. It's like, \u2018my family, we're doing everything right, but we're really struggling to get by,\u2019\u201d Luria said. \u201cI just feel like people need representatives in Washington who are really trying to look out for them.\u201d<\/p>

Luria said she sees the economic effects of the Trump administration\u2019s tariffs and Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as top of mind for voters, two affordability talking points Spanberger also highlighted in her Virginia gubernatorial race. <\/p>

FACT CHECK: THE TRUTH BEHIND CLAIMS ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT WILL CUT MEDICAID<\/a><\/p>

Kiggans, who is running for reelection in 2026, argued that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act does not cut Medicaid for Americans and her constituents, saying it only roots out waste and fraud.<\/p>

\u201cLet me set the record straight: This legislation does not cut Medicaid for those who truly need it,\u201d Kiggans wrote<\/a>. \"Instead, it strengthens the program for low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities while rooting out waste and holding bad actors accountable.\"<\/p>

Kiggans has also focused on an affordability message in her reelection campaign, pointing to the GOP's work to reduce Biden-era inflation<\/a>, the low gas prices<\/a> under the Trump administration, and her efforts in leading the bipartisan Child Care Access and Affordability Act<\/a> in the House.<\/p>

\u201cWe can\u2019t forget that under President Biden, Americans were hit with the highest inflation in 40 years \u2014 climbing to 9.1% at its highest and squeezing families from every angle,\u201d Kiggans wrote on social media <\/a>over Thanksgiving. \"With Republicans back in charge, we\u2019re working hard to bring inflation down and restore the affordability Virginians deserve. I\u2019m committed to delivering commonsense leadership that puts working families first.\"<\/p>

In Spanberger\u2019s double-digit gubernatorial win in November 2025, she secured Virginia\u2019s 2nd Congressional District by over 7 points<\/a>. Kiggans won her bid for reelection in 2024 by 3.8 percentage points<\/a>, defeating Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal after Luria forwent a 2024 bid.\u00a0<\/p>

Luria told the Washington Examiner that she thinks several of Spanberger\u2019s campaign messaging points, including her words on affordability and the Department of Government Efficiency cuts, resonated with voters in the 2nd District.<\/p>

\u201cThere's just a lot of things that probably disproportionately impact people in this district,\u201d she said.<\/p>

With over 30,000 federal workers, the district sits near the top of the list of districts with the most federal employees. Just over 8% of the district\u2019s workforce are federal workers, according to an Associated Press report<\/a> based on a Congressional Research Service analysis. <\/p>

The district also has a significant military and veteran population, home to Naval Air Station Oceana and nearby Naval Station Norfolk. Luria pointed to the fact that the Trump administration deployed the Norfolk-based<\/a> Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group<\/a> as part of the military buildup in the Caribbean that is putting pressure on Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s regime.<\/p>

\u201cThat's about 15,000 sailors from here, from our community, who are out there at sea being asked to carry out this mission,\u201d Luria said. \"While their families and spouses and children are at home watching from afar, and many are aghast at what they find to be something that is being done on dubious, at best, legal grounds.\"<\/p>

With Spanberger\u2019s gubernatorial win in Virginia and within the 2nd District, Sherrill\u2019s win in New Jersey, and Slotkin\u2019s 2024 Senate win, Luria sees hope from the successes of her former House squad colleagues. <\/p>

\u201c\u200b\u200bI\u2019m super proud of my friends,\u201d she said. \"Both Elissa getting elected to the Senate, and then Abigail and Mikie, prospectively, being elected governor. And Chrissy, sticking it out, doing a lot of good work in the Houses, so I hope to go back and join her.\"<\/p>

Spanberger endorsed<\/a> Luria in December 2025, calling her a \u201cdedicated public servant.\u201d<\/p>

If she makes it through the Democratic primary, it could tee up a political rematch between Luria and Kiggans in November. Kiggans, like Luria, also flaunts a high-ranking bipartisan record<\/a>, showing a willingness to work across the aisle while representing a purple district. The district is considered an even toss-up, according to the Cook Political Report's 2026 House race ratings<\/a>.<\/p>

Virginia state Democrats are also eyeing a constitutional amendment that could redistrict the commonwealth by the 2026 elections as part of the nationwide redistricting battle, sparking debate between the state\u2019s Democrats and Republicans. <\/p>

DEMOCRATS NEED TO TEMPER THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF A 2026 BLUE WAVE, DATA SHOW<\/a><\/p>

However, Luria said even if the redistricting push happens, it won\u2019t \u201cimpact how I run my campaign, how I talk to voters, or the things that I prioritize for our community at large.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI came into this race knowing that this district is competitive and I can win this district and can flip it under the lines that are drawn today,\u201d she said. \"If they change over the course of time between now and November, we will adjust to that.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25316110066462.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399794-1767412800", "title":"Somali-run accounting firm with spotty record connects scrutinized Somali nonprofit groups", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4399794%2Fsomali-run-accounting-firm-spotty-record-connects-scrutinized-nonprofits%2F", "byline":"Robert Schmad", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"An accounting firm sanctioned by the state of Ohio for operating without proper certifications was responsible for verifying that two Somali nonprofit organizations were responsibly stewarding taxpayer funds, public records show. When an entity spends $750,000 or more of federal grant money per year, it is required to submit an independent auditor’s report to ensure […]", "description":""

An accounting firm sanctioned by the state of Ohio for operating without proper certifications was responsible for verifying that two Somali nonprofit organizations were responsibly stewarding taxpayer funds, public records show.<\/p>

When an entity spends $750,000 or more of federal grant money per year, it is required to submit an independent auditor\u2019s report to ensure that public funds are being handled with care. These entities, however, are free to contract any public accountant they wish to fulfill that requirement, enabling some organizations to turn to friendly auditors to conduct oversight.<\/p>

Both the Somali Education and Resource Center<\/a> in Ohio and MAK Community Enrichment Services<\/a> in Minnesota contracted H&H Barakad Accounting to review their books to make sure that the funds they received from the Department of Agriculture were being disbursed properly. Both the nonprofit groups and the accounting firm are run by members of the Somali community.<\/p>

The accounting firm provided both nonprofit organizations with a glowing assessment within a few days of each other, finding no evidence of noncompliance or other foul play. Notably, the Somali Education and Resource Center, despite the audit report saying it paid out over $1.5 million in wages during 2023, claims on its tax forms<\/a> to have paid nothing to its leaders and discloses the salaries of none of its employees.<\/p>

Ohio regulators punished<\/a> H&H Barakad Accounting in August 2025 for endorsing audit reports before the firm properly registered with the state in January of that year. The firm\u2019s audits of the Somali Education and Resource Center in Ohio and MAK Community Enrichment Services occurred in September 2024, before the firm was permitted to do business in that way.<\/p>

As a consequence<\/a> of its legal noncompliance, the firm was forced by the state to pay a $2,000 fine and to notify its clients of the mistake.<\/p>

Independent journalist Walter Curt was the first to make the connection<\/a> between H&H Barakad Accounting and the duo of Somali-run nonprofit organizations. Curt pointed out that allowing possibly untrustworthy auditors to review how nonprofit groups are handling federal funds makes fraud much more difficult to detect and stop.<\/p>

Some on social media have gone further, claiming that the Somali Education and Resource Center is actively committing fraud. <\/p>

These individuals cite the dozens of day cares that were registered under its name on a single day during June 2024 as being particularly suspicious. While it doesn't appear as if these day cares all opened on that day, as multiple have digital footprints<\/a> dating back before the June registration date, it is unclear why the nonprofit organization has so many day cares linked to it or why they were all registered on the same day in Columbus, Ohio. <\/p>

Kaah Child Care & Learning Center<\/a> and Sahal Day Care Center<\/a>, two day care centers registered as child organizations of Somali Education and Resource Center, are located next to each other, according to state records. <\/p>

POLITICALLY CONNECTED SOMALI NONPROFIT GROUP PULLED IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS AFTER MISHANDLING MILLIO<\/a>N<\/a>S<\/a><\/p>

Some of the addresses listed on registration forms are in dilapidated locations<\/a>, including one right next to a bar<\/a>, although most direct to relatively normal-looking<\/a> childcare locations<\/a>. Rising Stars Day Care Center, one business listed under the Somali Education and Resource Center, maintains a website riddled with spelling and grammatical errors<\/a> \u2014 even misspelling its own name at one point \u2014 while advertising itself as an educational facility in Ohio. <\/p>

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, which is responsible for certifying day cares in the state, told the Washington Examiner that it terminated its relationship with the Somali Education and Resource Center in June and that it has not received funds from the Department of Agriculture since.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2249321702.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400088-1767396159", "title":"Jan. 6 defendants plan ‘PEACEFUL march’ at Capitol in memory of slain veteran Ashli Babbitt", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4400088%2Fjan-6-defendants-plan-capitol-march-memory-of-ashli-babbitt%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A group of people connected to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, is set to make a “peaceful” return march to the U.S. Capitol next week.  Event organizers say the march, which will fall on the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot, will commemorate the life of Jan. 6 protester Ashli Babbitt, an Air […]", "description":""

A group of people connected to the events of Jan. 6, 2021<\/a>, is set to make a \u201cpeaceful\u201d return march to the U.S. Capitol<\/a> next week. <\/p>

Event organizers say the march, which will fall on the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot, will commemorate the life of Jan. 6 protester Ashli Babbitt<\/a>, an Air Force veteran who was shot and killed by U.S. Capitol police as she attempted to access <\/a>the House floor\u00a0five years ago.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cJoin us as we march for Ashli on January 6th,\u201d Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the Proud Boys who was convicted of charges related to Jan. 6, said in a post<\/a> to X. <\/p>

\u201c5 years ago a beautiful life was taken from us. A veteran and a patriot. So I ask those that are able to attend please do so,\u201d he added. \u201cThis will be a PATRIOTIC and PEACEFUL march. If you have any intention of causing trouble we ask that you stay home. This event will focus on one thing and one thing only \u2026 HER memory.\u201d<\/p>

In May 2025, the Trump administration agreed to pay nearly $5 million to Babbitt's family after they brought a lawsuit against the government due to her death, which argued Capitol police were negligent in their use of force against the \"unarmed\" Ashli. <\/p>

Tarrio; Guy Reffitt, who was convicted of five charges stemming from Jan. 6; Ben Pollock<\/a>, who had two children jailed for Jan. 6 offences; and Tami Jackson, whose husband was jailed for his actions on that day, are among the speakers set to headline the event commemorating Babbitt's life next week.\u00a0<\/p>

TRUMP SUES BBC FOR $10 BILLION OVER JAN. 6 SPEECH EDIT<\/a><\/p>

In January 2025, President Donald Trump pardoned<\/a> most of those charged with offenses related to Jan. 6, saying the executive order \u201cends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation.\u201d<\/p>

The president has often argued that the charges leveled against over 1,500 Jan. 6 offenders were disproportionate to their crimes, suggesting the incident was largely manufactured as a weapon against his supporters.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25006817756877.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400072-1767393852", "title":"Trump blocks HieFo from acquiring Emcore chip assets over national security concerns", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4400072%2Ftrump-blocks-hiefo-acquiring-emcore-chip-assets%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump on Friday sought to reverse a multimillion-dollar deal the White House said allowed a Chinese-run company in Delaware to gain access to valuable semiconductor assets. The president’s executive order cites national security concerns as the basis for blocking HieFo Corporation from acquiring digital chips made by Emcore Corporation, a New Jersey aerospace […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> on Friday sought to reverse a multimillion-dollar deal the White House said allowed a Chinese<\/a>-run company in Delaware to gain access to valuable semiconductor assets.<\/p>

The president\u2019s executive order<\/a> cites national security concerns as the basis for blocking HieFo Corporation from acquiring digital chips made by Emcore Corporation, a New Jersey aerospace and defense company. The move seeks to unwind the $2.92 million merger the two businesses reached in 2024.<\/p>

The White House<\/a> is leveraging the Defense Production Act to block the acquisition, arguing there is \u201ccredible evidence\u201d that HieFo\u2019s current owner is a Chinese citizen and \"might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States.\" HieFo must divest ownership of the semiconductor assets, which are used to build critical items ranging from iPhones to artificial intelligence<\/a> platforms, that it bought from Emcore within 180 days, according to the order.<\/p>

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. will oversee enforcement of Trump\u2019s executive order and holds the power to extend the deadline for divestment.\u00a0<\/p>

Genzao Zhang is HieFo\u2019s CEO and co-founder. Zhang had previously served as Emcore\u2019s vice president of engineering, according to <\/a>his LinkedIn profile. <\/p>

On its website, HieFo describes itself<\/a> as a \u201cCalifornia-based company specializing in the production and development of high-efficiency Indium Phosphide (InP) photonic devices for the optical communication industry\u201d.<\/p>

\u201cOur journey began with a management buyout (MBO) of wafer fabrication and chip-related assets from Emcore Corporation,\u201d its company profile page says.<\/p>

The president\u2019s move to prohibit Emcore from selling off its chip operations to HieFo is the Trump administration\u2019s<\/a> latest effort to weaken China\u2019s grip on the semiconductor supply chain.\u00a0<\/p>

Last month, Washington announced it would maintain its tariffs<\/a> on Chinese-made semiconductors until June 2027, after which the chip tariffs are expected to increase at a rate yet to be determined.<\/p>

Still, Trump has kept the lines of communication open with China, allowing for the continued sale of less advanced digital chips<\/a> to the country, including Nvidia\u2019s H200 products. <\/p>

FCC BANS NEW FOREIGN-MADE DRONES AND COMPONENTS DUE TO SECURITY THREATS<\/a><\/p>

The topic was likely on the agenda for a Friday meeting the president was scheduled to hold at his Mar-a-Lago estate with U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue. <\/p>

\u201cThe arrival of New Year's Day signifies that it has been 47 years since the United States and China established diplomatic relations,\u201d Perdue posted<\/a> on X this week. \u201cFrom doing business in China back then to serving as ambassador in China today, I deeply understand that we are able to continue advancing the relationship between our two countries.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/trump-chip-merger-block.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400040-1767387675", "title":"Helicopter crashes in mountains near Phoenix, rescue effort underway for four passengers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4400040%2Fhelicopter-crash-phoenix-mountains-rescue-effort%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Search and rescue operations are underway in the Arizona mountains where a helicopter crash occurred late Friday morning, according to authorities.  The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said that crews are working to access the remote crash site in the mountains near Telegraph Canyon in the Superior area, which lies around 64 miles east of Phoenix.  […]", "description":""

Search and rescue operations are underway in the Arizona<\/a> mountains where a helicopter crash <\/a>occurred late Friday morning, according to authorities. <\/p>

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office said that crews are working to access <\/a>the remote crash site in the mountains near Telegraph Canyon in the Superior area, which lies around 64 miles east of Phoenix.\u00a0<\/p>

Four people were on board the private helicopter when it crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration<\/a> are investigating the incident.<\/p>

Details have not yet been released about the cause of the crash or whether any of the passengers survived.<\/p>

\"Injuries have not been confirmed at this time as crews work to access the remote crash site,\" the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.<\/p>

CONGRESSIONAL REPORT FINDS ARMY AT FAULT FOR PATOMAC PLANE CRASH<\/a><\/p>

A temporary flight restriction has been issued by the FAA over the area \"to provide a safe environment for search and rescue ops,\" according to authorities. <\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office for further details. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/helicopter-crash-phoenix-mountains.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4400008-1767383545", "title":"Ukraine dupes Russia into paying $500,000 bounty with fake assassination of Putin opponent", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4400008%2Fukraine-dupes-russia-bounty-fake-assassination-putin-opponent%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Ukrainian officials on Thursday said they tricked Russia into handing over half a million dollars to Kyiv after faking the assassination of one of Moscow’s most wanted enemies. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the HUR, released a video appearing to indicate Denis Kapustin, or the “White Rex,” is still alive despite reportedly being killed in late […]", "description":""

Ukrainian <\/a>officials on Thursday said they tricked Russia into handing over half a million dollars to Kyiv after faking the assassination of one of Moscow's<\/a> most wanted enemies.<\/p>

Ukraine\u2019s military intelligence agency, the HUR, released a video<\/a> appearing to indicate Denis Kapustin, or the \"White Rex,\u201d is still alive despite reportedly being killed in late December.<\/p>

Moscow had issued a $500,000 bounty for Kapustin, known as a neo-Nazi Russian fighting on Ukraine\u2019s behalf. On Dec. 27, it appeared Russia had achieved its objective to eliminate the militant after Kapustin was reported dead in an alleged drone strike on eastern Ukraine.<\/p>

But HUR chief Gen. Kyrylo Budanov said in the new video that Ukraine had staged Kapustin\u2019s assassination and collected the funds from Moscow.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cMr. Denis, congratulations on your return to life. That is always a pleasure. I am glad that the money allocated for your assassination was used to support our struggle,\u201d Budanov said.\u00a0<\/p>

Ukrainian officials said that as a \u201cresult of a comprehensive special\u201d intelligence operation, Kapustin\u2019s life \u201cwas preserved and the circle of individuals was identified: the masterminds within the Russian special services and the perpetrators\" seeking to eliminate the anti-Putin militant.<\/p>

The Russia-Ukraine war<\/a> has now stretched on for nearly four years. Casualties have reached sweeping numbers, with some estimates placing deaths <\/a>in Russia alone at 1 million by June of 2025.<\/p>

President Donald Trump<\/a> has made ending the war a major focus of his foreign policy agenda, holding meetings and phone calls <\/a>with both Russian President Vladimir Putin<\/a> and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> on the matter last month.\u00a0<\/p>

A peace deal is \u201cvery close,\u201d Trump said following his meeting with Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 28, 2025.<\/p>

PUTIN WARNS OF MILITARY ESCALATION IN UKRAINE TO GAIN MORE LAND IF NO PEACE DEAL IS REACHED<\/a><\/p>

In a New Year\u2019s address to his country late Wednesday night, Zelensky said a possible deal is \u201c90% ready.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cTen percent remains \u2026 Those 10% contain, in fact, everything,\u201d he added. \u201cThose are the 10% that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe, how people will live.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/zelensky-greece-meeting-november.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399970-1767378828", "title":"Bannon slams Trump Iran threat as straight out of ‘Hillary Clinton playbook’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F4399970%2Fbannon-slams-trump-iran-threat-as-straight-out-of-hillary-clinton-playbook%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Steve Bannon on Friday suggested President Donald Trump is echoing the Obama administration’s foreign policy agenda after the White House voiced support for pro-democracy protesters in Iran.  “Aren’t people teasing that Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton must’ve somehow gotten invited to the Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve celebration, because the president coming out saying ‘Hey, we’re […]", "description":""

Steve Bannon <\/a>on Friday suggested President Donald Trump<\/a> is echoing the Obama administration\u2019s foreign policy agenda after the White House voiced support <\/a>for pro-democracy protesters in Iran.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Aren\u2019t people teasing that Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton<\/a> must\u2019ve somehow gotten invited to the Mar-a-Lago New Year\u2019s Eve celebration, because the president coming out saying \u2018Hey, we\u2019re locked and loaded\u2019, isn\u2019t that straight out of the Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton playbook?\" Bannon said on his WarRoom podcast<\/a>, referencing former President Barack Obama\u2019s<\/a> Secretary of State and senior adviser, who advocated intervention to aid Libyan protesters in 2011.\u00a0<\/p>

Bannon was a senior adviser to Trump during his first term and has often been viewed as belonging to the more isolationist-leaning faction of the Make America Great Again<\/a> camp, urging the president not to become involved in foreign conflicts or flex U.S. influence overseas.\u00a0<\/p>

Bannon\u2019s public admonition to Trump over the weekend responded to the president\u2019s message of support for anti-government demonstrators in Iran<\/a> early Friday morning. And his statement marks rising tensions within MAGA centered on the role the United States should play globally, as non-interventionist players aligned with the GOP bicker with colleagues over whether the exercise of U.S. force and influence abroad marks a betrayal of Trump\u2019s signature \u201cAmerica First\u201d agenda.\u00a0<\/p>

Aside from Bannon, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/a> (R-GA) and Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY) were among other GOP figures who cast Trump\u2019s comments on Iranian protesters in a negative light.\u00a0<\/p>

\"If Iran shots (sic) and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!\" Trump said in a post to Truth Social on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>

Greene said that Trump \u201cthreatening war and sending in troops to Iran is everything we voted against in \u201824.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe focus should be on tax dollars here at home and defending our God given freedoms and rights,\u201d she added in a post<\/a> to X. <\/p>

The anti-government protests in Iran were renewed over the weekend due to worsening economic conditions, with the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights saying that Iranian authorities had detained an estimated 29 demonstrators. At least seven people have been killed during the demonstrations, according to<\/a> the Associated Press.<\/p>

Similar to allies in the Middle East, particularly Israel<\/a>, the U.S. has for years voiced concerns about Iran\u2019s Islamic theocracy, where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds supreme power.<\/p>

Over the summer, Trump authorized targeted military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. During a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday<\/a>, Trump threatened to renew bombing on Iran if evidence confirms the regime is rebuilding its nuclear weapons program. <\/p>

On Friday, Bannon called the president\u2019s move this year to bomb the country\u2019s nuclear facilities \u201cbrilliant.\u201d But he argued additional action by the U.S. against Iran would be capitulation to an \u201cIsrael First\u201d agenda, with his claims coming as the GOP increasingly splits <\/a>on support for the Jewish state.<\/p>

\u201cYou have Netanyahu, all the guys that fought us on this, you know, the Israel First crowd, right? They wanted to bomb and decapitate, do that decapitation around July, which was a huge, massive mistake. Taking care of the nuclear program that President Trump did, that closed the 12-day war, was obviously brilliant. You know, logistically incredible,\u201d Bannon said.<\/p>

\u201cBut Tel Aviv, [commentator Mark] Levin, and Netanyahu now, they\u2019re beating their chest. This is something we said was going to happen; you just have to let it play out. Let the Persian people [in Iran] take care of this. You can\u2019t intrude on this thing. The more you intrude, the more the Mullahs are gonna dig in and say, \u2018This is the great Satan that\u2019s doing this,\u2019 and you\u2019re gonna have a bigger and longer mess than you can have. You\u2019ve got the opportunity right now for the people in Persia to overthrow these demons, right? Let them get on with it. The Persians have been around a long time. They know how to do it, they did it in \u201979,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>

Bannon\u2019s comments come as his profile has garnered scrutiny recently due to newly released federal documents highlighting his connection<\/a> to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>

And they follow years of support for Trump.<\/p>

The podcaster has been rumored to be considering a presidential bid in 2028, although Bannon has rebuffed <\/a>such speculation, even pushing Trump to run for a third term in the next political cycle.<\/p>

But the president\u2019s former senior adviser this year has become one of many political figures within Republican circles who have begun to question the White House on terms of foreign policy.\u00a0<\/p>

Trump has spurned attacks on his involvement in global affairs, framing his emphasis on foreign policy in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other conflicts as a means to promote worldwide peace.\u00a0<\/p>

EPSTEIN'S BROTHER DEMANDS TO SEE BANNON'S UNSEEN FOOTAGE OF SEX OFFENDER<\/a><\/p>

\u201cMy proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That\u2019s what I want to be: a peacemaker and a unifier,\u201d the president said during his inauguration speech in January 2025.\u00a0<\/p>

When pressed at the start of 2026 on his resolutions for the new year, Trump replied, \"Peace. Peace on Earth.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/bannon-party-is-on-trump-iran.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4398109-1767374583", "title":"James Talarico posts strong fundraising haul to close out 2025", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4398109%2Fjames-talarico-strong-fundraising-haul-close-out-2025%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico has raised more than $13 million since he launched his Senate campaign last September, but Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) leads in the polls for the March primary. Talarico brought in $6.8 million in the fourth quarter, with 98% of donations being $100 or less, and teachers being the most […]", "description":""

Democratic<\/a> Texas state Rep. James Talarico has raised more than $13 million since he launched his Senate<\/a> campaign last September, but Rep. Jasmine Crockett<\/a> (D-TX) leads in the polls for the March primary.<\/p>

Talarico brought in $6.8 million in the fourth quarter, with 98% of donations being $100 or less, and teachers being the most common profession among donors. The Texas<\/a> state representative has pledged to take no donations from corporate PACs.<\/p>

\u201cWith the help of more than 215,000 neighbors, we are building a campaign to win the primary, win the general, and deliver for working people across Texas,\u201d Talarico said in a statement Friday.<\/p>

Despite Talarico's haul, Crockett is ahead of him in the polls some two months out from the primary. Crockett's name recognition has her leading Talarico by 8 points in the primary, according to a poll by Texas Southern University last month.<\/p>

The poll, reported by the Texas Tribune<\/a>, showed 51% of likely Democratic voters plan to vote for Crockett, compared to just 43% who plan to vote for Talarico. The last 6% are undecided.<\/p>

Talarico jumped into the race earlier this year, massively out-raising former Rep. Colin Allred<\/a>, who was the Democratic Senate nominee in 2024. Allred suspended his campaign just hours before Crockett announced her bid on the filing deadline for Texas last month.<\/p>

December's poll fielded 1,600 likely Democratic primary voters and was the first public survey released since Crockett jumped into the race. Crockett's name recognition came in with soaring numbers among likely primary voters at 94%, with Talarico at 79%.<\/p>

The poll came in closer than the previous October poll<\/a> by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University that showed Crockett with an 18% lead over Talarico.<\/p>

Talarico is in seminary, studying to become a pastor, while also serving as a member of the state House. The 36-year-old has 1.2 million followers on TikTok and is a former sixth-grade teacher in San Antonio. Just weeks before launching his campaign, Talarico joined Joe Rogan\u2019s<\/a> podcast to discuss his outlook as a Christian Democrat.<\/p>

Crockett has quickly risen to fame, serving her second term in the lower chamber, as the GOP has strived to make her the face of the Democratic Party.<\/p>

The congresswoman has had many viral moments on social media for her quick-witted comments. One of the most viewed instances was an argument between her and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/a> (R-GA) during a committee hearing where the Texas Democrat referred to the Georgia Republican\u2019s \u201cbleach blonde, bad-built, butch body.\u201d Another instance went viral recently when someone asked her what she would say to Tesla CEO Elon Musk<\/a>. She responded quickly, saying she would tell him to \u201cf*** off.\u201d<\/p>

CBS ANCHOR VOWS TO FOCUS ON 'AVERAGE AMERICAN' AMID UPHEAVAL AT NETWORK<\/a><\/p>

As of the end of September, Crockett had $4.6 million cash on hand, according to the\u00a0Federal Election Commission<\/a>, but has not released fundraising numbers since she launched her campaign late last year.<\/p>

The two Democratic candidates are both seeking to flip Sen. John Cornyn's<\/a> (R-TX) seat, which would make for a massive upset in the red state. Cornyn also has a competitive primary field after Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a> launched bids to unseat the longtime incumbent.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-collage-9uyf1q1zj-1767377017988.jpg?1767359095&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399589-1767373398", "title":"Kim Jong Un’s daughter takes center stage at dynastic ceremony", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4399589%2Fkim-jong-uns-daughter-takes-center-stage-at-dynastic-ceremony%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un is aggressively signaling his daughter’s role as his likely successor, despite the unprecedented nature of a female in command of the hermit state. Kim Ju Ae — the daughter of the supreme leader — stood beside her parents during a New Year’s ceremony at the Kumsusan Palace of […]", "description":""

North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un<\/a> is aggressively signaling his daughter's role as his likely successor, despite the unprecedented nature of a female in command of the hermit state.<\/p>

Kim Ju Ae \u2014 the daughter of the supreme leader \u2014 stood beside her parents during a New Year's ceremony at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang<\/a>, where her great-grandfather Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung are entombed.<\/p>

\"All the visitors made a firm pledge to fulfill their responsibility and duty in the vanguard of accomplishing the sacred cause for the eternal prosperity and development of the great DPRK and the promotion of the people's wellbeing, true to the ideas and leadership of Kim Jong Un with single-minded loyalty,\" state-controlled North Korean outlets reported<\/a>.<\/p>

DESPITE STRONG GDP NUMBERS, SEVERAL ECONOMIC ALARM BELLS ARE RINGING FOR GOP<\/a><\/p>

It was Kim Ju Ae's first appearance at the Palace of the Sun, a mausoleum of quasi-religious significance to the Kim regime that symbolizes the Kim family's inherent right to lead the nation.<\/p>

The family, sometimes venerated as the Mount Paektu Bloodline, have ruled autocratically since Kim Il Sung established the nation in 1948.<\/p>

North Korea Leadership Watch, an affiliate of the Henry L. Stimson Center's 38 North project<\/a>, drew particular attention to the teenager's position in the center of official photos.<\/p>

TRUMP ADVISES THAT ANYONE BURNING AMERICAN FLAG WILL BE IMPRISONED FOR A YEAR<\/a><\/p>

\"This is an extraordinary state media photo positioning in that [Kim Jong Un] is not in the center,\" the observers wrote. \"Also notable is that KJU\u2019s necktie is the same color as Kim Ju Ae\u2019s suit and Kim Yo Jong\u2019s ensemble at a banquet held the night before.\"<\/p>

She was also spotted alongside her father at various New Years celebrations in Pyongyang<\/a>, hugging children in the crowd and watching the fireworks from an exclusive area.<\/p>

Kim Ju Ae's age is unknown, but she is believed to be approximately 13 years old. She is the only child of Kim Jong Un to have appeared in public, but is believed to have at least two siblings \u2014 including a brother.<\/p>

Kim Ju Ae's increasingly prominent role has led to years of speculation that Kim Jong Un has selected her to succeed him as supreme leader \u2014 a massive break from the patriarchal history of the dynasty.<\/p>

Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, blazed the trail for female leadership in the country with her pugnacious attitude at the highest levels of North Korean diplomacy. She is believed to be the functional second-in-command under her brother.<\/p>

President Donald Trump is among the few Western leaders<\/a> who have been spared from the Kim family's most aggressive rebukes.<\/p>

\u201cPersonally, I still have fond memories of U.S. President [Donald] Trump,\u201d Kim Jong Un told North Korean lawmakers in September.<\/p>

KIM JONG UN SWIPES AT SOUTH KOREA'S PROGRESS BUILDING A NUCLEAR SUBMARINE WHILE INSPECTING HIS OWN<\/a><\/p>

Kim explained that he is open to dialogue<\/a> about establishing a \u201cpeaceful coexistence\u201d as long as the United States \u201cabandons its delusional obsession with denuclearization.\u201d<\/p>

Trump has responded in kind, affirming that he is \"100%\" open to dialoging with the supreme leader and \"got along very well with him.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001810048437.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399846-1767372771", "title":"FBI foils North Carolina New Year’s Eve attack plot inspired by ISIS", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F4399846%2Ffbi-foils-north-carolina-new-years-eve-attack-plot-inspired-by-isis%2F", "byline":"Emily Hallas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The FBI thwarted an alleged New Year’s Eve terrorist attack in North Carolina, officials revealed on Friday. “The accused allegedly wanted to be a soldier for ISIS and made plans to commit a violent attack on New Year’s Eve in support of that terrorist group, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to […]", "description":""

The FBI<\/a> thwarted an alleged New Year's Eve terrorist attack in North Carolina<\/a>, officials revealed on Friday.<\/p>

\u201cThe accused allegedly wanted to be a soldier for ISIS and made plans to commit a violent attack on New Year\u2019s Eve in support of that terrorist group, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to that,\u201d FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.<\/p>

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson said a teenage male had been arrested and charged on Wednesday with attempting to carry out an attack at a grocery store and restaurant in support of the Islamic State. The radical Islamic organization is widely known as ISIS, and has been linked to a number of sweeping violent terrorist attacks, including a deadly mass shooting targeting Jews at an Australian Hanukkah celebration last month.<\/p>

TRUMP FIRST YEAR REPORT CARD: A- PROMISE KEEPER OR 'NIGHTMARE' FAILURE<\/a><\/p>

Christian Sturdivant, 18, planned to \u201cattack a specific grocery store in North Carolina and discussed plans to purchase a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack,\u201d prosecutors said<\/a>, adding evidence pointed to his support for the terrorist group.<\/p>

\"During his online communications with the OC, Sturdivant said, \u2018I will do jihad soon,\u2019 and proclaimed he was \u2018a soldier of the state,\u2019 meaning ISIS,\" according to the Justice Department.<\/p>

Sturdivant faces up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted, after officials said he shared plans for the attack with an undercover FBI employee posing as a supportive confidant. Investigators found handwritten documents titled \"New Year's Attack 2026\u201d at his residence, prosecutors added.<\/p>

\"It also listed a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible and [the] total number of victims as 20 to 21. The note also included a section listed as \u2018martyrdom Op,\u2019 with a plan to attack police that arrived at the site of the attack so the defendant would die a martyr,\" the Attorney\u2019s Office said.<\/p>

Sturdivant was under constant FBI surveillance for days prior to his arrest, including on Christmas, according to Ferguson. The fact that Sturdivant encountered two undercover officers while allegedly planning the attack should reassure the public, he added. <\/p>

 \u201cAt no point was the public in harm\u2019s way,\u201d Ferguson said. <\/p>

FBI \u2018HUNTING\u2019 MORE THAN 350 PEOPLE IN \u2018764\u2019 CRIME NETWORK TARGETING CHILDREN<\/a><\/p>

The alleged attack comes as the latest of several terrorist incidents<\/a> that the FBI has recently said the agency has foiled.\u00a0<\/p>

In December, the DOJ announced it had arrested and charged multiple people accused of planning attacks in Los Angeles and New Orleans<\/a>. The suspects were connected to the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which is a pro-Palestinian, anti-government, anti-capitalist organization, according to officials. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/kash-patel-fbi-minnesota-fraud.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399802-1767371371", "title":"FAA says air traffic control overhaul needs additional $20 billion", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Finfrastructure%2F4399802%2Ffaa-air-traffic-control-overhaul-needs-20-billion-more%2F", "byline":"Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Federal Aviation Administration officials are warning lawmakers that the $12.5 billion Congress approved last year to begin modernizing the nation’s air traffic control system will not be enough to fix deep structural flaws embedded across U.S. aviation infrastructure. Testifying before the House in mid-December, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency will need an additional […]", "description":""

Federal Aviation Administration<\/a> officials are warning lawmakers that the $12.5 billion Congress <\/a>approved last year to begin modernizing the nation\u2019s air traffic control system<\/a> will not be enough to fix deep structural flaws embedded across U.S. aviation infrastructure.<\/p>

Testifying before the House in mid-December, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford <\/a>said the agency will need an additional $20 billion to fully rebuild systems he described as outdated, inefficient, and increasingly unsustainable.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the worst-kept secrets in government that the facilities the FAA operates in today are grossly archaic, obsolete, and relatively unsustainable,\u201d Bedford told lawmakers. He noted that most of the roughly $4 billion Congress provides annually for modernization is spent maintaining legacy systems rather than replacing them outright. \u201cLiterally, we\u2019re putting lipstick on a pig.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP FIRST YEAR REPORT CARD: A- PROMISE KEEPER OR 'NIGHTMARE' FAILURE<\/a><\/p>

Technology failures inside the FAA have dominated headlines over the past year, including reports that the agency still relies on floppy disks and decades-old software in some facilities. A September 2024 report <\/a>from the Government Accountability Office found that more than 100 of the FAA\u2019s 138 air traffic control systems were inadequate or unsustainable, with upgrades for many not expected to be completed for another decade or longer.<\/p>

Congress approved the initial $12.5 billion<\/a> as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year, funding the first phase of a sweeping modernization effort announced <\/a>by the Trump administration in May. FAA officials have repeatedly described the funding as a down payment rather than a comprehensive solution.<\/p>

When the agency announced in December <\/a>that it had selected Peraton to serve as the prime integrator for the project, the FAA again warned that total costs would exceed current funding levels. The overhaul is expected to take roughly three years<\/a> and spans five major categories: communications, surveillance, automation, facilities, and systemwide upgrades across Alaska.<\/p>

Bedford told lawmakers that even after the initial funding is fully spent, core architectural problems would remain unless Congress follows through with a second tranche.<\/p>

\u201cEven after we\u2019ve fully utilized this initial $12.5 billion down payment, there are still going to be fundamental problems with the architecture of the systems that need to be addressed,\u201d Bedford said. \u201cIf we were to stop there, the future would be a more reliable but still inefficient national airspace system.\u201d<\/p>

Momentum for the funding request is building on Capitol Hill. During a December 20 hearing before the Senate\u2019s aviation subcommittee, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), the panel\u2019s ranking Democrat, voiced support for at least $20 billion in additional funding, while noting years of failed modernization efforts have left lawmakers wary.<\/p>

ZELENSKY SUGGESTS RUSSIA IS PLANNING TO INTERFERE WITH REFERENDUM ON TRUMP PEACE PLAN<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThere\u2019s no debate that our aging air traffic control system is in desperate need of urgent repairs and ultimately a comprehensive upgrade,\u201d Duckworth said. \u201c$12.5 billion is a meaningful down payment, but it is not nearly enough.\u201d<\/p>

Duckworth cited a bipartisan history of unsuccessful modernization efforts, including the abandoned Advanced Automation System and the long-running NextGen initiative, a multibillion-dollar effort launched in the early 2000s to shift air traffic control from radar-based systems to satellite-enabled technology that has spanned four presidential administrations. Still, she argued that withholding funding would only guarantee continued decline in safety and reliability.<\/p>

Duckworth urged the FAA to prioritize investments that deliver immediate and lasting safety benefits, even if Congress ultimately fails to provide additional funding, and to rely more heavily on input from frontline air traffic controllers and technicians when setting priorities. She also pressed the agency to treat staffing as a central part of modernization, noting that the FAA hired only about two-thirds of the controllers called for under its own staffing model between 2013 and 2023 and remains short roughly 3,500 controllers as air travel reaches record highs.<\/p>

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has reinforced the funding push publicly, warning that rising passenger volumes and new aircraft technologies will further strain the system if modernization stalls.<\/p>

\u201cWe got $12.5 billion to start the process,\u201d Duffy said back in November. \u201cWe need another $19 to $20 billion to complete it.\u201d<\/p>

The renewed funding debate comes amid heightened scrutiny of aviation safety following a January midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport<\/a> that killed 67 people, as well as a series of communications outages, near misses, and staffing-driven delays at major airports including Newark.<\/p>

GOVERNMENT ADMITS FAULT IN REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT CRASH: \u2018WHOLLY AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY\u2019<\/a><\/p>

FAA officials say the modernization plan includes replacing hundreds of aging radars, upgrading fiber, wireless, and satellite communications, and coordinating tens of thousands of air traffic controllers, technicians, and safety personnel across the country.<\/p>

Congress has not yet said when it will take up the FAA\u2019s request for additional funding, leaving open questions about cost, oversight, and whether the agency can finally deliver a long-promised overhaul.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25304723830210.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399726-1767370358", "title":"On This Day: The Tory Act", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2F4399726%2Fon-this-day-1776-tory-act-george-washington%2F", "byline":"Salena Zito", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The following is the first installment of “On This Day,” a new series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Jan. 2, 1776 Head Quarters, Cambridge Gen. George […]", "description":""

The following is the first installment of \u201cOn This Day,\u201d a new series celebrating America\u2019s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.<\/p>

Jan. 2, 1776<\/p>

Head Quarters, Cambridge<\/p>

Gen. George Washington, writing in his General Orders <\/a>for the day, took a decidedly stern tone while imposing order on his newly re-formed Continental Army:\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThat every Officer may be perfectly well acquainted with the establishment of the present Army, in Order that they may be governed by it, and make the Returns agreeable thereto\u2014The General informs them, that each Regiment is to consist of a Colonel, a [Lieutenant] Colonel, a Major, eight Companies, an Adjutant, a Quarter Master, Surgeon and a Surgeon\u2019s Mate; whether a Chaplain will be allowed to each regiment, or one to two Regiments is yet to be determined;1 each Company is to consist of a Captain, a first and Second Lieutenant, an Ensign, four Serjeants, four Corporals, a Drummer and Fifer, and seventy-six Privates, and no more, under any pretence, or plea whatsoever.\u201d<\/p>

Washington concludes the order in a strident tone, demanding that no soldier take leave without prior authorization and warning that failure to submit timely weekly accounts will result in severe punishment.<\/p>

\u201cNo Soldier is to be absent without leave in writing, signed by the Commanding Officer of the Regiment he belongs to, and a Register thereof made in the Regimental Book, which Furlough is to be delivered to the said Commanding Officer, so soon as he returns; and if it should appear that any Soldier has overstay\u2019d his time, without just Reason, a Note thereof is to be made in said book, and a Furlough denied him upon a future application, besides suffering such punishment, as may by a Regimental Court Martial be inflicted.\u201d<\/p>

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress issued the Tory Act resolution, laying out guidance for how the colonies should deal with Americans who remained steadfastly loyal to King George III.<\/p>

FREEDOM 250 LAUNCHES NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT<\/a><\/p>

The act called those British loyalists \u201chonest and well-meaning, but uninformed people\u201d and urged colonial committees to educate them as to the \u201corigin, nature and extent of the present controversy.\u201d<\/p>

In the seven resolutions that comprised the Tory Act, the Second Continental Congress treated committed Loyalists as beyond persuasion, recommending that they be disarmed and that the most dangerous among them be placed in custody or required to post bonds ensuring their good behavior. The Tory Act helped inflame deep-seated bitterness, distrust, and hostility toward Loyalists, ultimately driving an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 of them<\/a> to flee to Canada and Great Britain.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-02-at-3.42.29-PM-e1767388263342.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399533-1767368548", "title":"Russia overextends its deception fetish with invented Ukrainian attack on Putin", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4399533%2Frussia-deception-fetish-invented-ukrainian-attack-vladimir-putin%2F", "byline":"Tom Rogan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Inventing a nonexistent Ukrainian assassination attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian officials have damaged their credibility and Putin’s diplomatic strategy about the war in Ukraine. Past experience makes it improbable that Trump will increase sanctions and other pressure on Russia in relation to this deception. Still, this incident illustrates the risks of the Kremlin’s […]", "description":""

Inventing a nonexistent Ukrainian <\/a>assassination attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin<\/a>, Russian officials have damaged their credibility and Putin's diplomatic strategy about the war in Ukraine<\/a>. Past experience makes it improbable that Trump will increase sanctions and other pressure on Russia<\/a> in relation to this deception. Still, this incident illustrates the risks of the Kremlin's reflex to use deception to solve any challenge.<\/p>

Deception is a favorite pastime of Putin's court and, indeed, of the Russian national security apparatus<\/a>. Inculcated with the training he received at the KGB's Red Banner Institute, now the academy for Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Putin revels in personal manipulation. Deception plays an especially important role in these efforts, allowing Putin to redirect negative attention onto his adversaries while advancing his own interests under the cover of self-righteous indignation. But Putin has significantly overplayed his hand with the invented Ukraine assassination plot.<\/p>

The timing was the first indicator of deception. Coming immediately after Sunday's largely positive meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a failed Ukrainian drone attack on Putin's Moscow suburb residence offered a clear way for the Russian leader to dilute Trump and Zelensky's improving rapport. This is a key Russian priority. Putin knows that if Trump and Zelensky build trust toward agreeing on a reasonable framework to end the war in Ukraine, Putin will have reduced space to maneuver against that framework. Certainly not without risking new U.S. sanctions on Moscow and\/or increased support for Kyiv.<\/p>

Trump first expressed anger when Putin informed him of the supposed assassination plot. But that didn't last long. Following a CIA assessment that showed no evidence of a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow \u2014 any such attack would have been easy to detect with U.S. radar and satellite systems, necessarily having to be large to have a chance of penetrating Russian air defenses \u2014 Trump reposted a New York Post editorial condemning Putin for inventing the assassination plot. The Russians then produced photos of the supposed drone wreckage, failing to convince even amateur internet sleuths who noticed the presence of spare parts typically used in Russian drones.<\/p>

In a fleeting attempt to salvage some credibility, Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russia's GRU military intelligence service, summoned U.S. military attaches from the embassy in Moscow. Under the gaze of Russian state media cameras, the attaches then received an electronic storage device containing supposed proof of the assassination plot. U.S. Army Col. Michael Wise's facial expressions at that meeting suggest<\/a> he did not put much stock in this Russian gift \u2014 for good reason. The GRU is about as reliable a trustworthy interlocutor as a pedophile is a trustworthy teacher.<\/p>

This deception plot has failed. Because it came immediately after Trump's successful meeting with Zelensky, because it has no credible supporting evidence, and because Putin personally informed Trump about it, this invented plot risks damaging Putin's relationship with Trump. As an extension, it risks undermining Russia's maximalist strategy to either win a highly favorable peace agreement or avoid consequences for its continued war.<\/p>

This incident is only the tip of the iceberg, however. There are innumerable examples of Russia's deception fetish.<\/p>

Putin notably leveraged his stroking of Trump's ego and correct sense of Trump's affinity for strong leaders to build a manipulative relationship with the president during his first term in office. Putin then convinced Trump<\/a> that his intelligence briefers had been lying to him and that Russia had not, in fact, interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. There is overwhelming evidence showing that Russia did interfere \u2014 the only debate is over the ultimate intent of that interference.<\/p>

Similarly, in the days running up to Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Putin and his top officials insisted that they had no plans to invade Ukraine. In late 2021, Putin's chief spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, suggested that \"Russia has never hatched, is not hatching and will never hatch any plans to attack anyone, Russia is a peaceful country, which is interested in good relations with its neighbors.\u201d On Feb. 4, 2022, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared that Western allegations that Russia planned to invade were \"nonsense.\" And just six days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Putin claimed<\/a> his military deployments along Ukraine's border were \"purely defensive \u2026 not a threat to any other country.\"<\/p>

The United States and its allies did not fall for these lies, benefitting from having thoroughly and persistently penetrated the Russian military command and control network prior to the start of the war. As the Washington Examiner reported<\/a> a month prior to the invasion, the U.S. knew where and how Russia would launch its attack.<\/p>

Yet, while it is sometimes simplistic to the point of absurdity, deception remains a key element of Russian strategy. When they are caught red-handed, Russian intelligence operatives claim they are simple Cathedral sightseers or victims of Russophobia. And sometimes the deception game pays great dividends.<\/p>

CHINA TEACHES TRUMP TWO LESSONS ON TAIWAN<\/a><\/p>

Take the so-called Havana Syndrome issue. Here, Russia has redirected its deception strategy to make the U.S. deceive itself. Deploying boutique directed-energy weapon technologies, Russia has harmed hundreds of American diplomats, intelligence officers, and military personnel. And it continues to get away with doing so<\/a> by using novel technologies to exploit a U.S. intelligence community and political culture that prefers the avoidance of political controversy over harder truths and ensuing confrontation.<\/p>

So, yes, Russia lost this gambit. But there is no question that another deception is waiting in the wings.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25363566976332.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399537-1767367838", "title":"California is the poster child for fraud and financial waste", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4399537%2Fcalifornia-poster-child-for-fraud-financial-waste%2F", "byline":"Zachary Faria", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is trying to push back on the notion that California is rife with fraud and financial waste. Now would be a bad time to revisit the state’s precarious budget position heading into the new year. Newsom is on the defensive after the blooming Minnesota fraud scandal has turned eyes toward California. […]", "description":""

Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) is trying to push back on the notion that California<\/a> is rife with fraud and financial waste. Now would be a bad time to revisit the state\u2019s precarious budget<\/a> position heading into the new year.<\/p>

Newsom is on the defensive after the blooming Minnesota<\/a> fraud scandal has turned eyes toward California. Even Rep. Ro Khanna<\/a> (D-CA) is now\u00a0pushing<\/a>\u00a0for a \u201cfull independent audit of California\u2019s budget,\u201d getting himself into a back-and-forth feud with Newsom\u2019s obnoxious social media team on X in the process. The talking point from Newsom\u2019s team is that there is no scandal behind the curtain; \u201cThe Governor takes fraud seriously,\u201d Newsom\u2019s team\u00a0says<\/a>.<\/p>

CALIFORNIA SCAPEGOATS BILLIONAIRES FOR ITS RECKLESS BUDGETING<\/a><\/p>

But how true is that? There is obviously waste, as evidenced by California plunging itself into a budget deficit year after year. Newsom started 2025 with a planned surplus of a relatively meager $363 million. By May, that became an estimated<\/a> deficit of $12 billion, thanks in part to Newsom\u2019s shoddy accounting<\/a> when it came to giving \u201cfree\u201d taxpayer-funded healthcare to all illegal immigrants in the state. Now, the state's budget deficit<\/a> is up to a projected $18 billion, as the state outspends the tax revenue produced by California's artificial intelligence boom.<\/p>

California, despite imposing a massive tax burden on its residents, has had this problem for years now. Democrats in Sacramento push massive programs that always end up costing more than estimated, and then make temporary cuts or delay spending on multiple programs to try and corral the deficit. They then find ways to increase taxes on residents. There is your waste.<\/p>

Newsom\u2019s team is also going all-in on defending the high-speed rail, despite the fact that the bastardized, shortened version of the project is tens of billions of dollars over budget compared<\/a> to the longer, promised project, that the state hasn\u2019t even started laying track despite the entire project promised completion date passing five years ago, and the fact that it does not currently have the funding it needs to continue.<\/p>

CALIFORNIA'S INCOMPETENT HOMELESS RESPONSE IS COSTING MILLIONS<\/a><\/p>

Newsom\u2019s team says this is not fraud because the billions already poured into the project have \u201ccreated 16,000 union jobs\u201d and \u201cbuilt 50+ COMPLETED projects.\u201d (Capitalization original). In other words, those billions were union giveaways that the state has used to \u201ccomplete\u201d anything other than the train that was promised to be completed in 2020. Yes, there is your fraud.<\/p>

California wastes billions of dollars year after year with little purpose or oversight, as evidenced by an audit of the state\u2019s homelessness spending, which\u00a0determined<\/a>\u00a0the state didn\u2019t even know how that money was being spent. California\u2019s government is one giant, bloated bureaucracy with dreams of changing the world and the financial responsibility of a child with unfettered access to his parents\u2019 credit cards. Its spending is rife with fraud and abuse, and everyone, including Newsom\u2019s team, knows it.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/california-high-speed-rail-scaled-e1767385403331.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379188-1767366754", "title":"California’s toxic empathy isn’t helping homeless drug addicts", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4379188%2Fcalifornia-toxic-empathy-not-helping-homeless-drug-addicts%2F", "byline":"Zachary Faria", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The toxic empathy of Democratic policies on homelessness and drug use allows homeless drug addicts to slowly kill themselves in the streets and even prevents them from getting the treatment they need to recover. This is playing out in Riverside, California, where former Nickelodeon actor Tylor Chase’s drug addicted homeless life is being chronicled by news outlets […]", "description":""

The toxic empathy of Democratic<\/a> policies on homelessness<\/a> and drug<\/a> use allows homeless drug addicts to slowly kill themselves in the streets and even prevents them from getting the treatment they need to recover.<\/p>

This is playing out in Riverside, California<\/a>, where former Nickelodeon actor Tylor Chase\u2019s drug addicted homeless life is being\u00a0chronicled<\/a>\u00a0by news outlets and tabloids alike. Chase, 36, was recently placed on a 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold but was released before he could\u00a0receive the necessary treatment. Riverside police can\u2019t do much else for him, as Chase declines all treatment and isn\u2019t considered disabled or a threat to himself or others, even as he is \u201csmoking meth during the evaluation with no shoes or jacket in the freezing cold\u201d in December 2025.<\/p>

NATIONAL GUARD SEIZES OVER A MILLION FENTANYL PILLS IN CALIFORNIA<\/a><\/p>

It does not have to be this way. Possession of methamphetamine is a misdemeanor in California, and in response to a federal court order capping prison populations, Riverside County simply cites and releases drug addicts with a court date, if at all, creating a revolving door that makes it impossible to force people including Chase into the treatment programs they need.<\/p>

Homelessness is also not illegal in California, removing another avenue for mandatory treatment. Democratic San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has\u00a0lobbied<\/a>\u00a0to make it illegal for a homeless person to turn down a vacant shelter spot three times in an 18-month span, which would allow the state to get homeless people off the street and force them into drug treatment programs if necessary. Instead, California allows homeless people to occupy public sidewalks, parks, and even private property to freeze in the December weather amid another stretch of storms. There, they can fall further into drug addiction and pose multiple hazards to other people, from homeless fires<\/a> to sanitation risks to random assaults<\/a> on passing-by civilians.<\/p>

REINSTITUTIONALIZING THE HOMELESS<\/a><\/p>

In what way is this model better for anyone? It isn\u2019t better for people living in communities beset by homeless encampments. It isn\u2019t better for drug-addicted homeless people such as Chase, who spend their days slowly killing themselves with drugs in the freezing cold. A system that arrests someone such as Chase and then presents him with just two choices, jail<\/a> or a mandatory treatment program, would obviously do more to help him than a system where he can \u201cpolitely decline\u201d treatment while smoking meth.<\/p>

The idea that jail can never be on the table for homeless drug addicts means you cannot leverage jail time to funnel them into these mandatory treatment programs. California\u2019s \u201cempathy\u201d for homeless drug addicts is thus keeping them locked in the death spiral of drug addiction and homelessness, thanks to the mistaken notion that this is somehow better for them.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25266697921536-e1764557044486.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399700-1767365900", "title":"Florida’s new laws target health care for people and pets", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F4399700%2Ffloridas-new-law-health-care-people-pets%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Florida’s newest laws require breast exam insurance coverage for state employees, regulate pet insurance and wellness programs, and punish health care providers and facilities who don’t refund overpayments in a timely manner. As of Thursday, people on a state employee health insurance plan that covers diagnostic or supplemental breast exams cannot […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) - Florida\u2019s<\/a> newest laws require breast exam insurance coverage for state employees, regulate pet insurance and wellness programs, and punish health care<\/a> providers and facilities who don\u2019t refund overpayments in a timely manner.<\/p>

As of Thursday, people on a state employee health insurance plan that covers diagnostic or supplemental breast exams cannot be charged copays, deductibles, or coinsurance for those exams, according to Senate Bill 158.<\/p>

Another new law, Senate Bill 1808, requires providers and health care facilities to refund overpayments made by patients within 30 days. Providers who don\u2019t follow the law could face disciplinary action by their licensing board or the Department of Health. Providers licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration could face a penalty of up to $500.<\/p>

House Bill 655, which also went into effect on New Year\u2019s Day, provides a regulatory framework and oversight for pet insurance and pet wellness programs.<\/p>

It prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in the industry, such as marketing a wellness program as pet insurance, requiring the purchase of a wellness program to obtain pet insurance, not clearly separating wellness program costs from pet insurance costs, duplicating coverage, and more.<\/p>

The law also requires pet insurers to use statutory definitions of terms and disclose certain information to policyholders, such as whether the policy excludes coverage due to a chronic condition, among other things.<\/p>

House Bill 255, which became law in July, increases penalties for aggravated animal cruelty cases and requires the Department of Law Enforcement to create a searchable database of people who have been convicted of animal cruelty. <\/p>

The requirement went into effect in January. The Aggravated Animal Cruelty registry is now available on the department\u2019s website.<\/p>

ABORTION LIKELY WON\u2019T MOTIVATE VOTERS IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

The harsher penalties are meant to make it more likely that offenders get prison time, according to state Rep. Linda Chaney, who filed the bill. She said animal abuse is often an early warning sign for family violence.<\/p>

\u201cIndividuals who commit these heinous acts typically don\u2019t stop at animals; they are better indicators of future violence, harassment, assault, rape, murder, and arson cases as found by the FBI,\u201d Chaney said at the time. \u201cIn another study, it was found that animal abusers are five times more likely to harm other humans. Animal abuse was even present in 88% of homes being investigated for child abuse.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25288848337026.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399691-1767365583", "title":"DeWine defends fraud safeguards at Ohio child care facilities", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F4399691%2Fdewine-defends-fraud-safeguards-ohio-child-care%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is defending the state’s child care spending, saying longtime safeguards are in place that help prevent widespread fraud uncovered in Minnesota. DeWine’s defense came after fellow Republican Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township) spearheaded a letter from lawmakers calling for an investigation into the state’s child care facilities, which he […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 Ohio<\/a> Gov. Mike DeWine <\/a>is defending the state\u2019s child care spending, saying longtime safeguards are in place that help prevent widespread fraud<\/a> uncovered in Minnesota<\/a>.<\/p>

DeWine\u2019s defense came after fellow Republican Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township)\u00a0spearheaded a letter<\/a>\u00a0from lawmakers calling for an investigation into the state\u2019s child care facilities, which he says are suspected of fraud.<\/p>

Allegations of fraud in Minnesota surfaced in November, when reports stated that millions of taxpayer dollars had been stolen from the state's welfare system and sent to a Somali-based terror group. <\/p>

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday announced it would freeze $185 million provided to Minnesota day care centers annually. <\/p>

Ohio received more than $800 million in federal taxpayer funds for child care services in fiscal year 2024, and the state set aside a total of $1.1 billion on child care.<\/p>

Jodi Norton Trimble, chief communications officer for the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, responded to TCS with a comment from DeWine.<\/p>

\u201cSince its inception, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) has worked toward stronger accountability, smarter oversight, and responsible stewardship of public funds, while preserving access for eligible families and compliant child care providers,\u201d DeWine said in the statement. \u201cThis work began long before recent headlines through thorough data review, unannounced visits, ongoing monitoring, along with making necessary changes to policy and practice to ensure the integrity of our program. But with any system, fraud has the potential to exist. It's important to note that when fraud is reported, or suspected, DCY investigates with a strong sense of urgency, sending representatives to centers to collect attendance and employment documentation, initiate investigations, complete safety reviews, and when necessary, act immediately on our findings.\u201d<\/p>

In a news release, DeWine outlined a series of safeguards that have been in place for years to combat potential fraud at the nearly 5,200 child care facilities in the state that receive taxpayer funds.<\/p>

He noted that Ohio pays facilities based on attendance, not enrollment, unlike some states. The Biden administration required all states to pay by enrollment by August 2026, but Ohio has not made the switch. DeWine said the Trump administration is currently reviewing the requirement.<\/p>

Ohio verifies attendance by requiring a personal identification number with photo confirmation or a location-specific QR code.<\/p>

WALZ RECEIVED $10,000 FROM DONORS TIED TO SOMALI-RUN DAY CARE CENTERS<\/a><\/p>

The state uses cross-department data studies to find fraud, waste, and potential misuse of taxpayer funds.\u00a0Those reviews are done monthly or on a case-by-case basis.<\/p>

\"People are rightfully concerned about what is happening with state-funded childcare facilities in Minnesota. These are the essential facts about what we do in Ohio,\u201d DeWine said. \"There are almost 5,200 state-funded childcare facilities in Ohio.  With that number of facilities, there is certainly the potential for fraud.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ohio-mike-dewine-smile.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399686-1767365330", "title":"North Carolina NYE terror attack foiled by FBI, several police departments", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4399686%2Fnorth-carolina-nye-terror-attack-foiled-fbi-police%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – The FBI and several police departments foiled another New Year’s Eve terror plot, this time in North Carolina, officials announced on Friday. The FBI apprehended 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant on New Year’s Eve, the day for which he had planned his attack, Russ Ferguson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said. […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013\u00a0The FBI<\/a> and several police<\/a> departments foiled another New Year\u2019s Eve terror plot<\/a>, this time in North Carolina<\/a>, officials announced on Friday.<\/p>

The FBI apprehended 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant on New Year\u2019s Eve, the day for which he had planned his attack, Russ Ferguson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said. Inspired by ISIS, Sturdivant had planned attacks on a local grocery store and fast food restaurant in the town of Mint Hill, North Carolina, where he lived, Ferguson said. <\/p>

Law enforcement worked \u201caround the clock\u201d through the holidays to ensure the safety of the public, surveilling Sturdivant and obtaining search and arrest warrants, Ferguson said.<\/p>

Law enforcement officers were able to follow Sturdivant\u2019s interest in ISIS online, through TikTok videos and internet searches, and an inadvertent confession of his plans to an undercover New York police officer he thought was a member of ISIS, authorities said.<\/p>

\u201cHe pledged his allegiance to ISIS\u2026 and disclosed his plans to \u2018Do jihad soon,\u201d Ferguson said at a news conference Friday.<\/p>

He then encountered another undercover agent, this time with the FBI, whom he also believed to be a supporter of ISIS, Ferguson said. It was with this agent that he disclosed his specific plans to attack a grocery store and fast food restaurant on New Year\u2019s Eve, he said.<\/p>

YEAR ZERO FOR THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST: ISRAEL RECKONS WITH THE FUTILITY OF \u2018LAND FOR PEACE\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Ferguson said that Sturdivant had been planning attacks for a long time. Sturdivant remains in law enforcement custody and has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He is the subject of an ongoing investigation.<\/p>

In December, the FBI thwarted a New Year\u2019s Eve bomb plot in Los Angeles by alleged members of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which Attorney General Pam Bondi described as\u00a0a \"far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group.\"<\/a><\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25016848556678.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399603-1767364880", "title":"New year, old challenges as AI faces uncertain path to power", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy%2F4399603%2Fai-power-enery-grid%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s electrical grid is at a critical crossroads, buckling under the pressure of rising demand with not enough supply or time to stabilize it. Those concerns – reliability and affordability – dominated the last year for PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator serving 67 million people across 13 states and the […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 Pennsylvania\u2019s<\/a> electrical grid is at a critical crossroads, buckling under the pressure of rising demand with not enough supply or time to stabilize it.<\/p>

Those concerns \u2013 reliability and affordability \u2013 dominated the last year for PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator serving 67 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia<\/a>. Long-standing generation is retiring faster than replacements can come online, while demand \u2013 driven largely by AI-powered <\/a>data centers \u2013 is increasing.<\/p>

The path ahead appears as uncertain as the one before it.<\/p>

Demand surge intersects with supply crunch<\/p>

Energy leaders spent much of 2025 warning that Pennsylvania, and the broader PJM region, are entering an era defined by rapid load growth.\u00a0Projections<\/a>\u00a0tied to data center expansion alone put anticipated new demand at roughly 22 to 30 GW \u2013 enough electricity for more than 10 million homes \u2013 while expected new supply is closer to 6 to 12 GW.\u00a0<\/p>

That widening gap has been a key driver behind record-high capacity prices, with experts warning that consumers will ultimately pay the difference through multi-year bill impacts. <\/p>

Pennsylvania\u2019s challenges are a part of a broader national story, but PJM\u2019s near-term imbalance made the region a focal point. A separate forecast from consulting and technology firm ICF projects U.S. electricity\u00a0demand<\/a>\u00a0will rise 25% by 2030 and as much as 78% by 2050, with peak demand growing 14% and 54% over those same periods.\u00a0<\/p>

Capacity prices and ratepayer guardrails<\/p>

In April, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, approved a settlement setting guardrails for the 2026-2028 auctions: a $325 price cap and a floor of $125.<\/p>

In PJM\u2019s\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0on the 2027-2028 Base Residual Auction, the grid operator said it procured 134,479 MW of unforced capacity at $333.44 per MW-day \u2013 a 1.3% increase over the prior year. Still, PJM said committed supply fell 6,623 MW short of its stated reliability requirement once the Fixed Resource Requirement is included \u2013 a shortfall roughly equivalent to powering about 6.6 million homes.\u00a0<\/p>

Stu Bresler, PJM\u2019s incoming chief operating officer, said customers\u00a0shouldn\u2019t assume the worst<\/a>, noting the region still holds reserves designed to meet the \u201conce-in-10-year\u201d reliability standard \u2013 though extreme weather or shifting market conditions can still test the system.<\/p>

Government involvement<\/p>

A statewide\u00a0poll<\/a>\u00a0found most respondents worried about utility bills and wanting lawmakers to intervene, while\u00a0governors<\/a>\u00a0across the PJM region pushed for a stronger state voice in its governance.<\/p>

\u201cIt has proven, over the last number of years, too darn hard to get enough new generation projects off the ground because of how slow PJM\u2019s queue is,\u201d said Gov. Josh Shapiro. He added they are exploring all options, including\u00a0leaving PJM<\/a>.<\/p>

The governor\u2019s comments followed a complaint he filed with federal regulators to compel PJM to\u00a0adjust the math<\/a>\u00a0used in its power pricing auctions and speed approval for new generation projects.\u00a0<\/p>

Shapiro and allies argued that without changes, PJM-related costs would have surged \u2013 estimates at the time suggest increases as high as 800%, with utility bills rising by roughly 30%, according to multiple estimates. <\/p>

Democratic governors in four other states in the power grid\u2019s territory, as well as consumer protection organizations,\u00a0backed the complaint<\/a>. Eventually,\u00a0PJM submitted a price cap adjustment<\/a>\u00a0that would lower the cost from $500 per megawatt day to $325.<\/p>

\u201cIt shouldn\u2019t take going to court to have our voices and the voices of 67 million who are served by the PJM grid heard by PJM\u2019s leadership,\u201d Shapiro said. \u201cWe need to be in the room to make sure our citizens have a seat at the table.\u201d<\/p>

Shapiro drew\u00a0criticism<\/a>\u00a0from some Republican lawmakers. Sen. Gene Yaw, who chairs the chamber\u2019s Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, for example, noted that PJM is powerless to change state policies that focus on climate action targets and are outpaced by growing demand.<\/p>

Competing narratives on affordability<\/p>

One line of argument emphasized high electricity rates and broader\u00a0affordability worries<\/a>. Another highlighted that, when adjusted for inflation, Pennsylvanians\u00a0may be paying less<\/a>\u00a0than they did nearly 30 years ago due to deregulation and the competitive market.\u00a0<\/p>

Meanwhile, industry groups offered a different message about the long-term price trajectory.\u00a0<\/p>

A\u00a0joint statement<\/a>\u00a0from the Electric Power Supply Association and PJM Power Providers Group warned that customers enjoyed record-low supply prices over the last decade; however, a new era has dawned and there is a cost to building the projected necessary resources on the timeline required.\u00a0<\/p>

Reliability issues<\/p>

A PUC report found a record number of reportable\u00a0outage events<\/a>\u00a0in the commonwealth in 2024, driven largely by severe storms and vegetation-related damage, and compounded by the challenges of an aging grid.<\/p>

Forecasting how much power the region will need is tied to nearly every debate over cost and reliability. <\/p>

PJM<\/a>\u00a0said its peak load forecast is about 5,250 MW higher than in the 2026-2027 capacity auction, with nearly 5,100 MW of that increase attributable to data center demand. The cleared resource mix for the auction year illustrated the current balance of the system: 43% natural gas, 21% nuclear, 20% coal, 5% demand response, 4% hydro, 2% wind, 2% oil, and 1% solar.<\/p>

At the same time, policymakers and analysts raised concerns about \u201cghost projects<\/a>\u201d \u2013 speculative or duplicative interconnection requests that inflate forecasts, complicate planning, and can lead to overbuild risk, stranded asset concerns, and contentious arguments over who should pay for upgrades.<\/p>

PJM has also pointed to significant supply in the pipeline: as of August, it said about 46,000 MW of new generation had signed interconnection agreements and were ready to construct \u2013 enough, once operational, to supply as many as 46 million homes. But many of those projects face headwinds outside PJM\u2019s direct control, including siting and permitting challenges, supply chain delays, and difficult financing conditions.<\/p>

Possible solutions<\/p>

Making the most of the existing generation<\/a>\u00a0became a topic of discussion.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cMake no mistake. Transitioning the energy mix isn\u2019t a simple task,\u201d said Diane Holder of Reliability First, at a House Energy Committee meeting in May. \u201cIt\u2019s not a shift from one resource to another. It\u2019s a monumental change to how the bulk power system operates and it will take careful planning \u2013 and we risk blackouts if we don\u2019t get this right.\u201d <\/p>

Witnesses also stressed that the transition to more wind and solar adds complexity because many renewable resources do not automatically provide the same stabilizing grid services as traditional plants unless paired with storage and grid-forming technologies.<\/p>

The hearing reflected growing consensus around \u201chigh-impact, lower-friction\u201d upgrades: grid-enhancing technologies such as dynamic line ratings, advanced conductors, and other upgrades that can increase transfer capability on existing lines. <\/p>

One example cited dynamic line ratings applied to 11 major transmission lines, with an estimated $23 million per year in congestion savings. \u201cNextGen Highways\u201d \u2013 the concept of co-locating high-voltage transmission along highway corridors \u2013 was presented as one pathway to reduce siting conflict and speed project development.<\/p>

Pennsylvania\u2019s grid is among the oldest in the country, making efficiency crucial, Chris D\u2019Agostino of Advanced Energy United told The Center Square. <\/p>

Integrated energy planning, he said, while still new, is viewed as a key innovation to optimize utility operations and investments. But, making overlapping electric and gas functions work together takes coordination and communication.\u00a0<\/p>

D\u2019Agostino compared planning to a\u00a0potluck dinner<\/a>: without coordination, two people might bring the same dish. Likewise, poor coordination risks duplication of investments and unnecessary spending.<\/p>

Large load policy<\/p>

Connecting large load customers like data centers sits at the center of the affordability and reliability discussion. <\/p>

The PUC launched a series of public hearings aimed at\u00a0developing a model tariff<\/a>\u00a0to guide interconnection and rate structures for large load customers. Vice Chair Kim Barrow framed the moment as one requiring \u201cradical transparency,\u201d noting the challenges of base load needs, climate-driven storms, infrastructure constraints, and unprecedented demand growth.<\/p>

Data center companies and trade groups \u2013 including representatives from Amazon Data Services, Google, Vantage Data Centers, and the Data Center Coalition \u2013 emphasized that tariffs should be fair, transparent, and grounded in cost-causation principles. Utilities and data center representatives also raised the need for clear rules around co-location and interconnection to reduce uncertainty and protect existing customers from stranded costs.<\/p>

On the PJM side, the debate intensified through the Critical Issues Fast Path process \u2013 a fast-track effort launched in August to address large-load growth and co-located data centers. <\/p>

A coalition of state legislators submitted a \u201cProtecting Ratepayers Proposal\u201d aimed at ensuring households aren\u2019t subsidizing new data center demand from Fortune 500 companies. Consumer advocates and the NRDC supported related concepts, pushing for \u201cbring your own\u201d or curtailment-first approaches that would require large loads to manage their impact on the grid.<\/p>

But the process ended the year without a clear winner. At\u00a0PJM\u2019s Nov. 19 meeting<\/a>, none of the 12 proposal packages received the votes needed to pass. Stakeholders acknowledged that the proposals were complex and some arrived late, requiring more development.\u00a0<\/p>

WHAT TO EXPECT FOR AI IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

Following the meeting,\u00a0FERC directed PJM<\/a>\u00a0to establish transparent rules to facilitate service of AI-driven data centers and other large loads co-located with generation facilities.<\/p>

As we enter a new year, Pennsylvania still seeks answers on how to deliver a reliable energy future \u2013 and who pays for it. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25352724161828.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399108-1767364202", "title":"DOJ seeks records about Minnesota ‘vouching’ voter registration system", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4399108%2Fdoj-seeks-records-minnesota-vouching-voter-registration-system%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Justice Department sent Minnesota officials a letter Friday demanding records regarding the state’s “vouching” system for voter registration, as the North Star State faces intense scrutiny over the Somali child care fraud revelations. Minnesota offers an alternative form of verifying an address when registering to vote on Election Day known as “vouching,” by which […]", "description":""

The Justice Department<\/a> sent Minnesota officials a letter Friday demanding records regarding the state's \"vouching\" system for voter registration<\/a>, as the North Star State faces intense scrutiny over the Somali child care<\/a> fraud revelations.<\/p>

Minnesota<\/a> offers an alternative form of verifying an address when registering to vote on Election Day known as \"vouching,\" by which a registered voter in the same precinct or a staff member of the residential facility where the prospective voter lives can sign an oath verifying another person's address for the purposes of voter registration. In a letter to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon asked for records pertaining to this method of voter registration for elections held in the past 22 months, including the 2024 elections.<\/p>

Today I sent Secretary Simon a letter demanding records pertaining to Minnesota\u2019s \u201cvouching\u201d system for voter registration, pursuant to my authority under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. This system seems facially inconsistent with the Help America Vote Act of 2002. We\u2019ll see! pic.twitter.com\/sqkqdqfGSF<\/a><\/p>— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 2, 2026<\/a>

\"The basis and purpose of this demand is to ensure Minnesota\u2019s registration and voting practices are in compliance with federal law, particularly the minimum requirements under [the Help America Vote Act],\" Dhillon said in the letter. <\/p>

\"The Department of Justice is particularly concerned with votes and registrations accepted on the basis of 'vouching' from other registered voters or residential facility employees \u2026 as well as other same day registration procedures,\" she said.<\/p>

The method of \"vouching\" to verify an address for voter registration exists in a handful of states and has been an option for decades in Minnesota. A registered voter may \"vouch\" for up to eight additional voters, but voters cannot vouch for someone else if they were registered to vote as a result of someone else vouching for them.<\/p>

The renewed scrutiny over the voter registration method comes as the state's handling of the child care fraud scandal has drawn national attention and received scathing criticism from the Trump administration.<\/p>

BONDI SIGNALS OBAMA-BIDEN ERA CONSPIRACY CASE COULD DROP IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

Simon defended the vouching system and the state's overall voter registration system in an interview with Minnesota Public Radio earlier this week, saying the state's voting systems are \"fundamentally fair, accurate, honest, and secure.\"<\/p>

\"It's really a tiny amount anyway, and we have the systems in place at the local level,\" Simon told<\/a> the outlet. \"All of these transactions are logged, by the way; you can see who vouches for whom, and you can see the attestation, you know, the sworn affidavit.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP24309099434553.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4398716-1767364084", "title":"Trump renews wind criticism, claims wind turbines kill bald eagles", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4398716%2Ftrump-renews-wind-criticism-claims-wind-turbines-kill-bald-eagles%2F", "byline":"Maydeen Merino", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of wind energy this week, arguing that wind turbines are responsible for killing “millions” of birds, including bald eagles. On Friday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Eagles going down!” alongside an image of a bald eagle on the ground and wind turbines in the background. In a […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> has renewed his criticism of wind<\/a> energy this week, arguing that wind turbines are responsible for killing \u201cmillions\u201d of birds, including bald eagles.<\/p>

On Friday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social, \u201cEagles going down<\/a>!\u201d alongside an image of a bald eagle on the ground and wind turbines in the background. In a separate post, he wrote, \"Killing birds by the millions<\/a>!\u201d with a photo of a flock of birds flying near a wind turbine.<\/p>

The president also posted on TruthSocial, citing a Fox News story<\/a> about the administration fining the wind energy company Orsted in November for allegedly killing bald eagles at two of its wind projects.<\/p>

TRUMP FIRST YEAR REPORT CARD: A- PROMISE KEEPER OR 'NIGHTMARE' FAILURE<\/a><\/p>

Friday morning\u2019s TruthSocial posts are just the latest attack from the president on the wind industry, as he has previously called wind turbines ugly and inefficient. Earlier this week, Trump posted<\/a> an image and wrote, \u201cWindmills are killing all of our beautiful Bald Eagles!\u201d <\/p>

But the bird in the photo was actually a dead falcon at an Israeli wind turbine in 2017.<\/p>

Under the Trump administration, the wind industry has faced several policy changes aimed at preventing its expansion. The administration has increased regulatory hurdles and has canceled more than $679 million in funding for offshore wind-related projects.  <\/p>

The administration has also halted wind projects already permitted or under construction.<\/p>

In late December, the administration announced<\/a> it had paused the lease for five under-construction projects. The five offshore wind projects along the East Coast included: Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, CVOW \u2013 Commercial, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1.<\/p>

The five projects had obtained all of the required federal permits and were at various stages of construction. Empire Wind was expected to come online next year.<\/p>

The Interior Department paused the projects over national security concerns related to the movement of massive turbine blades and the highly reflective towers, claiming the wind turbines can obscure legitimate targets and generate false targets in their vicinity.<\/p>

The administration's recent pause on wind projects resulted in Democratic lawmakers ceasing talks with Republicans over\u00a0accelerating environmental reviews<\/a>\u00a0for energy and infrastructure projects, also known as permitting reform. Democrats for months have been hesitant to support bipartisan permitting reform legislation due to Trump's attack on the renewable energy sources, particularly offshore wind.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS QUIT PERMITTING REFORM TALKS OVER TRUMP WIND CRACKDOWN<\/a><\/p>

The pause in the five offshore wind projects came just one week after the House passed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, also known as\u00a0the SPEED Act<\/a>, with nearly a dozen Democrats in favor.<\/p>

The bill would reform the National Environmental Policy Act, a law that requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental effects of projects like transmission lines, data centers, wind turbines, oil and gas, and much more.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP24087804570427.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399568-1767363234", "title":"Federal judge orders Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect to remain detained ahead of trial", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4399568%2Fjudge-jan-6-pipe-bomb-suspect-remain-detained-before-trial%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A federal judge said Friday that Brian Cole Jr., the Virginia man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings on Jan. 5, 2021, will remain in federal detention ahead of his trial. U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh declined to release Cole to home detention, writing in his Friday […]", "description":""

A federal judge said Friday that Brian Cole Jr.<\/a>, the Virginia man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings on Jan. 5, 2021<\/a>, will remain in federal detention ahead of his trial.<\/p>

U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh declined to release Cole to home detention, writing in his Friday order that the Justice Department sufficiently proved that \"there are no conditions of release the Court could impose to reasonably assure the safety of the community.\"<\/p>

\"Although home incarceration and a GPS monitor would provide some check against Mr. Cole\u2019s ability to carry out any menacing or dangerous conduct in the community, the Court is simply not satisfied these conditions rise to the necessary level for the reasons explained,\" Sharbaugh's ruling<\/a> reads.<\/p>

\"This is particularly true based on the severity of the potential danger Mr. Cole is alleged to pose, given his alleged persistent acquisition and retention of so-called 'bombmaking parts,' and given his reported penchant and capacity to create explosive devices and deploy them in public settings,\" the ruling reads.<\/p>

During a Tuesday hearing, Cole's lawyers pointed to his lack of a criminal record and \"Level 1\" autism for reasons why he should be released to home detention, while government prosecutors warned releasing him to such detention would be dangerous.<\/p>

Sharbaugh noted Cole's lack of a criminal record as a \"significant distinction\" from most people who appear before the federal court, but he also emphasized the seriousness of the charges against Cole during Tuesday's hearing. The magistrate judge ultimately sided with the Justice Department's arguments for keeping him locked up pending a trial.<\/p>

JUDGE CONSIDERS RELEASING JAN. 6 PIPE BOMB DEFENDANT INTO HOME DETENTION<\/a><\/p>

Cole was charged by the Justice Department with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill, injure, or intimidate, and attempted malicious destruction by means of fire or explosives, for allegedly planting the pipe bombs on the eve of the Capitol riot. <\/p>

The pipe bombs, which failed to detonate, were discovered on Jan. 6, 2021, but it took the Justice Department nearly five years to identify Cole as a suspect. Cole was arrested at his Virginia home in early December 2025, and he has not entered a plea in the case.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25339720068249.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399506-1767363061", "title":"Abortion likely won’t motivate voters in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F4399506%2Fabortion-likely-wont-motivate-voters-in-2026%2F", "byline":"Gabrielle M. Etzel", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Abortion is likely not going to be a motivating cause for most voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections, following a downward trend in the issue’s importance since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Several states will likely have abortion rights initiatives on the ballot come election season, but the majority of voters, […]", "description":""

Abortion<\/a> is likely not going to be a motivating cause for most voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections<\/a>, following a downward trend in the issue\u2019s importance since the overturning of Roe v. Wade<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>

Several states will likely have abortion rights initiatives on the ballot come election season, but the majority of voters, even Democrats, are no longer ranking abortion as one of their top decisions in choosing for whom to vote.<\/p>

The Public Religion Research Institute<\/a>, in its American Values Survey of 2024, found that 55% of Democrats cited abortion as a critical issue in their choice of candidate. That fell to only 36% of Democrats saying the same in the PPRI\u2019s 2025<\/a> iteration of the survey.<\/p>

Abortion\u2019s importance declined for independents too, from 36% in 2024 to only 25% in 2025. The issue\u2019s relevance also dropped slightly for Republicans, from 29% to 27%.<\/p>

The role of abortion in electoral politics reached a new zenith in 2022 following the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization<\/a> to give states control over gestational age limits on abortion.<\/p>

In the four years since the Dobbs decision, some data suggest that abortion\u2019s importance has reverted to a pre-Roe status quo of anti-abortion conservatives ranking abortion as their No. 1 issue instead of abortion-rights Democrats.<\/p>

A September 2025 survey from the gender politics news outlet the 19th and Survey Monkey<\/a> found that only 2% of people say abortion is their top issue in 2025, compared to 7% in 2024. Among those who see abortion as their first priority, nearly 6 in 10 want abortion outlawed or significantly curtailed.<\/p>

Prior to the Dobbs decision, a Pew Research Center poll<\/a> from 2020 found that only 35% of Democrats saw abortion as a \u201cvery important\u201d issue. But by August 2022, two months after the overturning of Roe, 74% of Democrats said it was very important.<\/p>

During the 2024 presidential election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a> and downballot Democrats overplayed their hand<\/a>, leaning into abortion-rights messaging despite polling showing that voters on both sides of the aisle were more concerned about the state of the economy.<\/p>

Democrats in 2024 also hoped that state-level ballot initiatives on abortion would drive voter turnout and elevate their candidates. But that plan backfired, with now-President Donald Trump winning four states that voted in support of ballot measures that added abortion rights to their respective constitutions.<\/p>

2026 IS A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR TRUMP'S SECOND TERM<\/a><\/p>

Even in the politically purple Arizona, 28% of voters who voted to enshrine abortion rights voted for Trump, with similar margins across other less-contested states, according to the health policy organization KFF<\/a>.<\/p>

Five states that are likely to have abortion-related ballot initiatives in 2026 are also slated to have elections for Senate this year, including Virginia, Oregon, Idaho, Nebraska, and Montana.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25322685719133.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399510-1767362400", "title":"The Right must learn discernment in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4399510%2Fright-must-learn-discernment-2026-conservative-podcast-wars%2F", "byline":"Brady Leonard", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. The worst part of the so-called conservative podcast wars is that the […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

The worst part of the so-called conservative podcast wars<\/a> is that the Right never had to let it reach this point. You can blame the \u201cbig tent\u201d nature of a two-party system or policy differences, but the fact is that conservatives are simply bad at seeing through common grifts and discerning honest brokers from bad actors. <\/p>

Take Candace Owens<\/a>. She has peddled every ridiculous conspiracy theory<\/a> imaginable, up to and including accusing the U.S. military, Israel, France, Egypt, Turning Point USA, and Erika Kirk of complicity in the assassination of her former \u201cfriend\u201d conservative icon Charlie Kirk<\/a>. Owens should never have been a respected figure in conservative politics to begin with. Yet here we are.<\/p>

Owens first arrived on the scene in 2016 with her website, \u201cSocial Autopsy,\u201d which existed in order to dox internet trolls. Owens was an open progressive with the explicit goal of canceling people for what they say on the internet. In 2017, her public persona evolved rapidly into an anti-identity politics right-winger, and by 2018, she was a frequent speaker at Turning Point USA events. Conservatives embraced her immediately despite her seemingly overnight about-face. Many on the Right were so desperate for black conservative voices that they failed to notice that Owens\u2019s grift essentially boiled down to \u201cI\u2019m black and here\u2019s why black people are wrong.\u201d This directly mirrored progressive white\u00a0commentators<\/a>\u00a0who insist that they are the good ones, despite all of the evils of white people generally.<\/p>

Fresh off her promotion to communications director for TPUSA, Owens appeared on the Joe Rogan <\/a>Experience, the most popular podcast in the world, in May 2018. Rogan is a notoriously kind interviewer, as evidenced by his friendly conversations with guests ranging from President Donald Trump to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). While Rogan pushed back on some of Owens\u2019s claims, he did not attempt to trap her. At one point, he asked, \u201cYou don\u2019t believe in climate change?\u201d Owens responded, \u201cNo. I think the climate always changes, I guess. Especially \u2026 global warming is an issue. \u2026 It\u2019s like global warming \u2014 they have conveniently got rid of the word once scientists started disproving it.\u201d Rogan attempted to soften Owens\u2019s stance, but she refused to grab the escape rope.\u00a0<\/p>

There is nothing nefarious about believing humans have no effect on the Earth\u2019s climate. But all it would have taken for the Right to realize that Owens was out of her depth was a moment\u2019s reflection and a dash of discernment. Of course, that reflection never came. Owens went on to work for the Daily Wire as well as TPUSA until her\u00a0conspiracism<\/a>\u00a0and antisemitism became undeniable.\u00a0<\/p>

Tucker Carlson<\/a>\u2019s descent into conspiracism, specifically his obsession with Israel and Jews, is\u00a0well documented<\/a>. But there were plenty of signs that the former Fox News host was no longer a good-faith right-wing actor, going back several years.<\/p>

By 2019, Carlson had fully embraced Elizabeth Warren-style left-wing populist economics after supporting free enterprise for the entirety of his decadeslong career, attacking corporations and globalization as the main problems with the American economy rather than the heavy hand of government.<\/p>

Fast forward to February 2024, and we saw Carlson in\u00a0Moscow<\/a>, standing in a Russian supermarket, pretending he didn\u2019t understand how exchange rates work in order to propagandize on behalf of a communist foreign government. The subsequent interview with Russian dictator\u00a0Vladimir Putin<\/a>\u00a0was such a softball that Putin himself mocked Carlson for it. Even if you disregard all of Carlson's conspiracy peddling, hilariously wrong predictions on foreign policy, and shilling for the state of Qatar, if the Right had a shred of discernment, the Moscow supermarket video would have been the end of Carlson as a respected thinker in conservative politics.\u00a0<\/p>

After conservative host and author Ben Shapiro<\/a> correctly called out Owens, Carlson, and others at Turning Point\u2019s AmFest in December,\u00a0speaking<\/a>\u00a0at the same conference, former Trump adviser and commentator Steve Bannon<\/a> called Shapiro a \u201ccancer\u201d while accusing him of dividing the conservative movement. Bannon lied in nearly all of his claims, but it has been well documented that he was a confidant of the deceased convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Bannon texted with Epstein in 2018, a decade after the latter was convicted of sex crimes, and newly released photos of the pair confirm their relationship. Epstein coached Bannon on political messaging after Bannon was fired by President Donald Trump, and Bannon counseled Epstein on how to present himself for media appearances. Bannon is presumably still in possession of a dozen or more hours of\u00a0footage<\/a>\u00a0filmed at Epstein\u2019s homes in New York and Paris, which was originally to become a documentary. It should go without saying that conservatives who claim to care deeply about getting justice for Epstein\u2019s victims should cast aside a man who had such a friendly relationship with one of the most prominent sex traffickers in American history, long after his crimes became, let\u2019s just say, extraordinarily public.\u00a0<\/p>

Speaking of Epstein, perhaps nothing has exposed the grifters on the Right as distinctly as the ongoing battles over the release of the so-called \u201cEpstein files.\u201d Right-wing influencers across social media have vacillated wildly between demands that the government release all available information and parroting Trump\u2019s claims that the Epstein files are a Democratic hoax. In a bizarre and frankly hilarious display, Attorney General Pam Bondi invited a motley crew of social media influencers to the White House and awarded them\u00a0binders<\/a>\u00a0full of information that was already public knowledge. The influencers did their duty to the administration and posed triumphantly for the cameras. Simply put: It is beyond me why any conservative would take any of these influencers seriously after that performance. Surely, the Right has better, more intelligent thought leaders.\u00a0<\/p>

IS THE GOP STILL THE PARTY OF LIFE? HARDLY<\/a><\/p>

Many on the Right, including Vice President\u00a0JD Vance<\/a>, have made the decision to ignore the bigotry and vile conspiracism from anyone he views as an ally. Vance is an ambitious politician who undoubtedly wants to become president, so it is unsurprising that he refuses to distance himself. But the Right should not follow the vice president\u2019s lead. A political Right that embraces neo-Nazis such as\u00a0Nick Fuentes<\/a>\u00a0and psychopathic conspiracy theorists such as Owens will become so repulsive to swing voters that losing the votes of a few racists would be the least of Vance's worries.<\/p>

Electoral politics aside, what exactly could a conservative movement that has abandoned free markets and genuine debate in favor of the failed socialist policies of Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and Barack Obama, and a campaign of \u201cjust asking questions,\u201d possibly stand to accomplish? Sane conservatives have been accused of \u201cgatekeeping\u201d when they point out the idiocies of certain segments of the postliberal New Right, but they should wear that insult as a badge of honor. Keeping your own house in order is different from the Left\u2019s tactic of cancellation and shutting down debate. Conservatives should discern the difference and proceed accordingly, before it's too late.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/MixCollage-22-May-2025-11-52-AM-3455.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399592-1767361308", "title":"Interest rises in AI tools in education: Study", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Feducation%2F4399592%2Finterest-rises-ai-tools-education-study%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Artificial intelligence tools for education continue to grow, according to a new study by One Click Human, a web-based platform designed to make AI-generated text sound natural and human-written.  The study analyzed Google search data to determine where Americans are most frequently searching for terms such as Free AI essay writer, Research […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 Artificial intelligence<\/a> tools for education<\/a> continue to grow, according to a new study by\u00a0One Click Human<\/a>, a web-based platform designed to make AI-generated text sound natural and human-written.\u00a0<\/p>

The study analyzed Google search data to determine where Americans are most frequently searching for terms such as Free AI essay writer, Research paper generator, AI essay, AI for assignments, and AI writer. Searches were measured per 100,000 residents to account for population differences.<\/p>

Hawaii ranks first nationwide, recording approximately 1,482 AI-essay-related searches per 100,000 residents. The state stands out as a clear outlier, with significantly higher interest than the rest of the country.<\/p>

Delaware ranks second with just over 1,030 searches per 100,000 residents, followed by Georgia in third place at 983.<\/p>

Jonas Muthoni, founder of One Click Human, said the findings reflect changing student needs rather than widespread academic dishonesty.<\/p>

\u201cWhat this study really shows is not that students are trying to cut corners, but that they\u2019re looking for smarter ways to manage their workload,\u201d Muthoni said in an email to The Center Square. \u201cAI tools are increasingly being used as research assistants rather than replacement writers. Students are using them to understand topics faster, structure their thoughts and identify credible sources before they even begin writing.\u201d<\/p>

Muthoni said students often rely on AI to better understand topics, organize their thoughts and identify credible sources before beginning to write.<\/p>

\u201cThere\u2019s a big difference between asking an AI to write an entire essay for you and using it to brainstorm ideas, clarify complex concepts, or improve clarity,\u201d Muthoni said. \u201cMost students still want their work to be their own. AI simply helps them get unstuck, especially when they\u2019re facing tight deadlines, multiple assignments, or subjects they\u2019re unfamiliar with.\u201d<\/p>

Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure, said in her experience, AI supports teachers and educators in the classroom.<\/p>

\u201cAI can bring meaningful data use to teachers who aren\u2019t data engineers, helping them intervene where it matters most,\u201d Loble said. \u201cAI can enable an environment where teachers spend more time with students, not less.\u201d<\/p>

According to the study, Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming all post high search rates, despite smaller populations and fewer large universities. North Dakota, Mississippi and North Carolina round out the top 10, each showing strong engagement with AI writing tools.<\/p>

The data suggests that strong interest in AI writing tools is not limited to states with large student populations or major technology hubs. Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming all report high search rates despite smaller populations and fewer large universities. North Dakota, Mississippi, and North Carolina round out the top 10.<\/p>

WHAT TO EXPECT FOR AI IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

The study concludes that responsible AI use can support learning rather than undermine it.<\/p>

\u201cThe goal shouldn\u2019t be to ban these tools, but to guide students on how to use them ethically, as support systems rather than shortcuts,\u201d Muthoni said. \u201cWhen AI is treated like a digital study partner instead of a ghostwriter, it can enhance education rather than undermine it.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iStock-2217957588-e1764857589332.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399521-1767360874", "title":"Senators discuss what should be in Newsom’s Capitol speech", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4399521%2Fsenators-discuss-newsom-capitol-speech%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom will give his annual State of the State address on Jan. 8, one year after the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County. Some lawmakers are voicing interest in what Newsom will say during his morning address before a joint session of the Legislature in Sacramento. In addition […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 California<\/a> Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> will give his annual State of the State address on Jan. 8, one year after the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles<\/a> County.<\/p>

Some lawmakers are voicing interest in what Newsom will say during his morning address before a joint session of the Legislature in Sacramento.<\/p>

In addition to fire<\/a> resilience, top issues should include waste or abuse of taxpayer dollars, the environment, and energy, according to legislators.<\/p>

\u201cI hope he tackles a lot of the waste, fraud and abuse,\u201d state Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) told The Center Square on Wednesday. \u201cThose are hardworking taxpayers\u2019 dollars that are wasted.\u201d<\/p>

Pulling taxpayer funds from paying for the California High-Speed Rail and instead using them for other transportation infrastructure projects would be a better use of that money, Strickland said.<\/p>

He also noted he hopes to see increased funding for the enforcement of\u00a0Proposition 36<\/a>. That measure passed in 2024 and aimed to enforce mass treatment for individuals who are charged with drug-related crimes. It also turns some misdemeanors into felonies and allows for tougher sentencing for repeat drug and theft charges.<\/p>

However, adequate funding from the state has not come through for enforcement of that measure,\u00a0according to previous reporting<\/a>\u00a0by The Center Square.<\/p>

\u201cI want him to say he\u2019s going to make crime illegal again and fully fund Proposition 36,\u201d Strickland told The Center Square. \u201cWhat he did last year was a slap in the face. He didn\u2019t fund it, especially when it comes to the probation and accountability piece. He should make safety a No. 1 priority, and he didn\u2019t make it a priority at all.\u201d<\/p>

Budget issues, California\u2019s relationship with the federal government, and environmental issues should also be important priorities in Newsom's State of the State address, said Sen. Ben Allen (D-El Segundo).<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m certainly very interested in what he\u2019s going to be thinking about in terms of our energy grid, the Pathways initiative, and fusion development,\u201d Allen told The Center Square. \u201cBroadly speaking, his speech is going to give a sense of the state of the economy, and where that will impact the budget going forward.\u201d<\/p>

Fire resilience and recovery, too, could be top of mind for the governor in his speech, Allen said, considering that the day of the State of the State address follows the first anniversary of the destructive\u00a0Palisades Fire<\/a>. That fire, which burned 23,448 coastal acres between Malibu and the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles,\u00a0destroyed 6,833 homes and killed 12 people, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.<\/p>

Another devastating blaze, the\u00a0Eaton Fire<\/a>, destroyed 9,418 homes and killed 17 people, Cal Fire reported.<\/p>

Both fires started on Jan. 7.<\/p>

\u201cI would certainly expect him to mention the fires,\u201d Allen said. \u201cObviously, he could talk more broadly about what needs to happen in terms of making the state more resilient to the impacts of climate change, and that relates to so many topics, including insurance, the future of our utilities, the wildfire fund and the FAIR Plan.\u201d<\/p>

CALIFORNIA POSTPONES CANCELING LICENSES OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVERS<\/a><\/p>

The Governor's Office declined to comment on Wednesday about the State of the State speech.<\/p>

The address will be live-streamed on the governor\u2019s\u00a0Facebook,<\/a>\u00a0YouTube channel,<\/a>\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0(formerly Twitter), and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0pages. The address is also expected to be broadcast live on television. The Governor's Office hasn't yet announced the time of the morning address.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25312774029251_88c654.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399291-1767360125", "title":"The Left must quit its zero-sum thinking", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4399291%2Fleft-must-quit-zero-sum-thinking%2F", "byline":"Rainer Zitelmann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In recent years, researchers have increasingly focused on zero-sum thinking, namely the widespread belief that economic, social, or political gains for one group can only be achieved at the expense of other groups. Shai Davidai and Martino Ongis of Columbia University in New York are among those to have investigated the relationship between zero-sum thinking […]", "description":""

In recent years, researchers have increasingly focused on zero-sum thinking, namely the widespread belief that economic<\/a>, social, or political gains for one group can only be achieved at the expense of other groups. Shai Davidai and Martino Ongis of Columbia University<\/a> in New York<\/a> are among those to have investigated the relationship between zero-sum thinking and political ideologies.<\/p>

The two researchers conducted six studies involving 3,223 participants to ascertain whether, and on which political issues, conservatives or leftists are more likely to adopt a zero-sum mindset. Their conclusion: \u201cWe find that both liberals and conservatives view life as zero sum when it benefits them to do so. Whereas conservatives exhibit zero-sum thinking when the status quo is challenged, liberals do so when the status quo is being upheld.\u201d<\/p>

The researchers point out that conservatives were significantly less inclined than liberals toward zero-sum thinking on the issue of redistribution, while they were more inclined to zero-sum thinking on the subject of affirmative action<\/a>. Affirmative action refers to government or institutional measures aimed at promoting certain groups, such as women or black people, through preferential treatment in hiring or college admissions.<\/p>

Liberals, for instance, were more likely to agree with the statement, \u201cPeople can only get rich at the expense of others,\u201d while conservatives were more likely to agree with statements such as, \u201cThe easier it is for black students to gain admission to college, the more difficult it becomes for white students to get admitted.\u201d<\/p>

However, these findings can also lead to conclusions other than those drawn by Davidai and Ongis. The crucial difference lies in whether viewing a situation as zero-sum actually corresponds to reality. In terms of economics, zero-sum thinking is mistaken. The above statement, that the rich can only become rich at the expense of the poor, is simply not true. How else can anyone explain developments over recent decades, which have seen a massive reduction in global poverty while the number of billionaires has drastically increased?<\/p>

The situation is different, however, in relation to the statement, \u201cThe easier it is for black students to gain admission to college, the more difficult it becomes for white students to get admitted.\u201d If a college admits only 1,000 applicants and lowers barriers for black students by introducing quotas or reducing entrance exam requirements, it is indeed the case that fewer white students will be able to get admitted to this college. While zero-sum thinking is not valid in economics due to the nonzero-sum nature of economic growth, it does apply to college admissions because this is objectively a zero-sum situation.<\/p>

Another major study on \u201cZero-Sum Thinking and the Roots of U.S. Political Differences\u201d was published in August 2025 by Sahil Chinoy, Nathan Nunn, Sandra Sequeira, and Stefanie Stantcheva of Harvard University, the University of British Columbia, and the London School of Economics. This study was based on surveys of 20,400 U.S. citizens. Among their findings, the researchers concluded that zero-sum thinking correlates with support for redistribution and more restrictive immigration policies. This finding has been confirmed in other countries as well, with the statistical correlation between zero-sum thinking and support for redistribution significantly stronger than the correlation between zero-sum thinking and support for restrictive immigration policies.<\/p>

Here again, the following applies: While the statement \u201cIf one group becomes wealthier, it is usually the case that this comes at the expense of other groups\u201d is objectively false, the issue of migration is more complex. Migration into social welfare systems, which plays a major role in many European countries and also exists in the United States, must be evaluated differently with regard to the zero-sum question than migration into the labor market.<\/p>

BORDER PATROL\u2019S MONTHS-LONG DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO EXPECTED TO LAST FOR \u2018YEARS\u2019<\/a><\/p>

It makes a difference whether someone immigrates from a poor country and then lives on welfare or whether, for example, a highly qualified specialist is hired by a U.S. company. In the first scenario, it is objectively a zero-sum situation if the immigrant does not contribute productively to the U.S. economy but lives primarily on welfare, as the economic \u201cpie\u201d does not grow as a result. Conversely, in the second scenario, it is not a zero-sum game because the immigrant increases the overall economic value added, and the \u201cpie\u201d gets bigger.<\/p>

Zero-sum thinking, as a false perception of reality, can be found across the political spectrum on both the Left and the Right. For instance, both President Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) believe trade is a zero-sum game, a view repeatedly rejected by economists. However, zero-sum thinking in relation to affirmative action, unlike in economics, is not a false perception of reality. And in relation to immigration, the validity of zero-sum thinking hinges on the type of immigration involved. Zero-sum thinking is only false when a nonzero-sum situation,\u00a0such as trade or the relationship between poverty and wealth,\u00a0is mistakenly perceived as zero-sum.<\/p>

Rainer Zitelmann is the author of How Nations Escape Poverty, nominated for the Hayek Book Prize 2025.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001705892119-e1767375901803.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4399519-1767359066", "title":"Palmer Luckey is right to revel in China’s sanctions", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Fcourage-strength-optimism%2F4399519%2Fpalmer-luckey-is-right-to-revel-in-chinas-sanctions%2F", "byline":"Sean Durns", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"China has sanctioned the leaders of top U.S. business and technology companies. The punitive measures are a response to a recent U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. But they are also a badge of honor. To compete with China, the United States needs captains of industry who are both innovative and patriotic. On Dec. 26, China imposed sanctions […]", "description":""

China<\/a> has sanctioned the leaders of top U.S. business and technology companies. The punitive measures are a response to a recent U.S. arms sale to Taiwan<\/a>. But they are also a badge of honor. To compete with China, the United States needs captains of industry who are both innovative and patriotic.<\/p>

On Dec. 26, China\u00a0imposed<\/a>\u00a0sanctions against 20 U.S. defense-related companies and 10 executives. Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and L3 Harris were among the corporations sanctioned. Anduril Industries and its founder, Palmer Luckey also made the list.\u00a0China\u2019s announcement came on the heels of a proposed U.S. arms sale package to Taiwan that is valued at more than $10 billion. China\u2019s Foreign Ministry\u00a0linked<\/a>\u00a0the sanctions to the arms sale: \u201cWe stress once again that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China\u2019s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations,\u201d the Ministry declared. \u201cAny company or individual who engages in arms sales to Taiwan will pay the price for the wrongdoing,\u201d it added threateningly.\u00a0<\/p>

China has long coveted the sovereign country of Taiwan. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping has instructed his country\u2019s armed forces to be prepared<\/a> to seize the island nation by 2027. <\/p>

Undeterred, Luckey called<\/a> the sanctions a \u201cChristmas gift.\u201d The Anduril founder took the news in stride, saying that \u201cit means so much to finally have my non-existent Chinese assets seized and repurposed. The sanctions also prohibit all Chinese nationals from engaging with me in any way, which should really clear up my social media feeds.\u201d Both Luckey\u2019s humor and his intent are praiseworthy. For too long, other American business leaders have taken a different approach.<\/p>

For years, many Western corporations have been reluctant to offend China, worrying that it would hurt their bottom line. Since the dawn of the U.S.-China relationship, Americans have sought access to China\u2019s vast and seemingly unlimited marketspace. The CCP has exploited this desire while stealing<\/a> U.S. intellectual property and key technology. Both accidentally and intentionally, many U.S. companies have been feeding<\/a> the war machine of our chief opponent. <\/p>

By contrast, U.S. business leaders were essential to winning the last major great power war. As the historian Arthur Herman documented in his book Freedom\u2019s Forge, business executives like William Knudsen and Henry Kaiser were key to building the famous \u201cArsenal of Democracy\u201d that won World War II. These were men who used their talents and experience to defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. They recognized that industrial power is key to winning wars and reshaped American industry accordingly, fighting both red tape and bureaucrats in the process.<\/p>

Unfortunately, when it comes to China, some U.S.-based companies have been more short-sighted, often putting quarterly profits before patriotism. However, Anduril and others have recognized the tremendous threat posed by China, a country whose economic and military power exceeds previous foes.<\/p>

TRUMP WARNS IRAN THAT US IS \u2018LOCKED AND LOADED\u2019 TO \u2018RESCUE\u2019 ANY \u2018PEACEFUL PROTESTERS\u2019 HARMED<\/a><\/p>

The United States must \u201claunch a new Golden Age of defense production,\u201d Luckey warned<\/a>. And it must lead on defense innovation, including<\/a> AI, or else \u201cthe world\u2019s dominant power will no longer be a democracy.\u201d Winning will be no easy task. And if history is an indicator it will require forward thinking and patriotic business leaders and innovators. The costs of complacency are too high. <\/p>

As the famed World War II General Omar Bradley famously remarked: \u201cin war there is no prize for the runner-up.\u201d<\/p>

The writer is a Washington, D.C.-based foreign affairs analyst. His views are his own.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2152503942.jpg?w=594" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379110-1767358824", "title":"Somali community care providers are valuable source of campaign cash for Somali politicians", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Finvestigations%2F4379110%2Fsomali-community-care-providers-valuable-campaign-cash%2F", "byline":"Robert Schmad", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"As allegations of fraud sweep Minnesota’s Somali community, some local politicians who identify with it and have long benefitted from its campaign contributions may find themselves in a tough place. People of Somali descent working in autism services, child care, and elder assistance, three areas that have recently been hit with accusations of foul play, […]", "description":""

As allegations of fraud<\/a> sweep Minnesota's<\/a> Somali community, some local politicians who identify with it and have long benefitted from its campaign contributions may find themselves in a tough place.<\/p>

People of Somali<\/a> descent working in autism services, child care, and elder assistance, three areas that have recently been hit with accusations of foul play, donate tens of thousands of dollars to Somali politicians in Minnesota each year, all of them Democrats. State Sen. Omar Fateh, a 2025 Minneapolis mayoral candidate, and a handful of Somali state legislators have been among the biggest beneficiaries of such funds.<\/p>

Somali community care providers have donated at least $138,000 to Minnesota politicians of Somali descent since 2020, according <\/a>to a Washington Examiner analysis of state and Minneapolis municipal campaign finance records.<\/p>

The true quantity of donations is likely much higher, as scores of Somali donors listed their occupations as \u201cself-employed\u201d without disclosing the industries they work in or providing any employment details. At least some of these people almost certainly work in community care. While tens of thousands of dollars may not go a long way in federal campaigns, it stretches much further in state and municipal elections.<\/p>

Many of the Somali politicians receiving these funds themselves were strong advocates of policies that would benefit their community.<\/p>

Hodan Hassan, who served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025 as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, for instance, helped craft<\/a> legislation that would give women of color resources to help them start businesses. Fateh, meanwhile, used his position as a state senator to push<\/a> public funding to the Somali Museum of Minnesota, advanced <\/a>expanded protections for the Somali-heavy gig economy, and criticized police officers<\/a> for killing a member of the Somali community after he had shot at law enforcement.<\/p>

Abdi Daisane, a Somali who received $10,000 from Somali community care providers between 2023 and 2024 for an ill-fated legislative run, runs a day care<\/a>. About a quarter of those donations came from his employees. His business has been hit with infractions for failing to collect required medical information from children, failing to prove that staff are adequately trained, and understaffing.<\/p>

Federal prosecutors said <\/a>during a recent press conference that the Minnesota fraud scandal could end up costing taxpayers upwards of $9 billion, with FBI Director Kash Patel calling the reports<\/a> of fraud the \u201ctip of a very large iceberg.\u201d The Trump administration froze <\/a>federal child care payments to Minnesota on Tuesday.<\/p>

While no one affiliated with the organizations identified in the most recent wave of fraud allegations has been charged with crimes yet, if charges do come, it could mean that funds obtained by Somalis through defrauding the government have been flowing into the coffers of the Somali politicians to help the Somali community obtain its policy goals.<\/p>

Such a possibility is far from being a mere hypothetical.<\/p>

Fateh, for example, received <\/a>roughly $11,000 from people implicated in the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, wherein federal authorities uncovered a Somali-run community organization bearing that name of defrauding Minnesota\u2019s federally funded school nutrition programs of over $250 million by billing the programs for millions of meals for poor children who never existed. Dozens have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the scheme.<\/p>

Fateh, after news broke regarding the scandal, redirected the contributions to local food assistance charities. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who served in the Minnesota House before being elected to Congress, also accepted funds<\/a> from people involved in the plot, which she later gave to community organizations \u201cout of an abundance of caution.\u201d<\/p>

Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN), who stands accused of allowing fraud to proliferate under his watch, has himself received thousands<\/a> of dollars from people linked to Somali-operated community care centers. Some of these donors have been caught up in past fraud schemes.<\/p>

The governor, for instance, received $2,750 from two Somalians employed by Best Care Home Health Care. In 2023, a judge ruled that the adult care center had improperly collected $2.23 million in Minnesota Health Care Program funds. Federal prosecutors accused Nazneen Khatoon, one of Walz's donors, in a 2002 lawsuit of billing Medicare on behalf of other providers who were not eligible for public reimbursements, then splitting the proceeds.<\/p>

ILHAN OMAR\u2019S OBSCURE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES UNDER SCRUTINY AMID MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL<\/a><\/p>

Many of the care centers whose employees are cutting checks to Walz and his Somali Democratic allies are located in dilapidated strip malls and have scant digital footprints.<\/p>

Campaign finance aside, Somalis are a large and growing voting bloc in Minnesota, and especially in Minneapolis. Any attempt by state Democrats to cross the community, such as by applying greater scrutiny to their business ventures, could be met with electoral rebukes. Further, such actions from politicians who are themselves members of the Somali community could carry considerable social costs.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25309263510361.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4397945-1767358468", "title":"Major developer challenges Trump’s offshore wind crackdown in court, again", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2F4397945%2Fmajor-developer-challenges-trump-offshore-wind-crackdown-in-court%2F", "byline":"Callie Patteson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Two of the largest offshore wind developers in the world are once again challenging President Donald Trump’s crackdown on the industry, taking legal action against the administration’s lease suspension of its $5 billion wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island.  Danish developer Ørsted announced on Friday that the renewables firm, alongside its project partner […]", "description":""

Two of the largest offshore wind<\/a> developers in the world are once again challenging President Donald Trump\u2019s crackdown on the industry<\/a>, taking legal action against the administration\u2019s lease suspension of its $5 billion wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island<\/a>. <\/p>

Danish developer \u00d8rsted announced on Friday that the renewables firm, alongside its project partner Skyborn Renewables, filed a complaint against the administration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia regarding its Revolution Wind project.\u00a0<\/p>

The project, which is estimated to be more than 80% complete, was scheduled to come online this year, though the administration has repeatedly attempted to thwart that timeline. <\/p>

Norwegian offshore wind developer Equinor also announced Friday that it filed a civil suit in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia challenging the administration over its Empire Wind project in New York.<\/p>

Just days before Christmas, the Interior Department paused leases<\/a> for five under-construction offshore wind projects, including Revolution Wind, citing national security concerns. <\/p>

All five projects have obtained all federal permits and are at various stages of construction. <\/p>

The Trump administration<\/a> claims that the projects pose national security risks related to the movement of massive turbine blades and highly reflective towers, which the administration claims create radar interference called \u201cclutter.\u201d In December, the Interior Department<\/a> said this \u201cclutter\u201d can obscure legitimate targets and generate false targets in their vicinity.\u00a0<\/p>

The move is the latest attempt from the administration to block the development of offshore wind, while circumventing past legal challenges and court losses already faced in Trump\u2019s crackdown. <\/p>

Trump has targeted the offshore wind industry<\/a> since his first day in office, launching a government-wide policy assault on new and existing development. In the last year, the administration has increased regulatory hurdles for new projects, canceled more than $679 million in funding for offshore wind-related projects, and attempted to strip permits for under-construction wind farms \u2014 including Empire Wind and Revolution Wind. <\/p>

The stop-work order imposed on the Empire Wind project was lifted in May after the administration said it had made a deal with Gov. Kathy Hochul<\/a> (D-NY) to approve two gas pipelines.\u00a0<\/p>

Equinor is seeking a preliminary injunction to allow the project to continue construction while litigation proceeds. The Norwegian company has said the wind farm is more than 60% complete. <\/p>

\"While Empire continues to work closely with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the other relevant authorities to find a prompt resolution to the matter, the order is in Equinor\u2019s view unlawful and threatens the progress of ongoing work with significant implications for the project,\" Equinor said in a release. <\/p>

\"The preliminary injunction filing is necessary to allow the project to continue as planned during this critical period of execution and avoid additional commercial and financing impacts that are likely to occur should the order remain effective,\" Equinor said.<\/p>

The Interior Department first attempted to block Revolution Wind with a stop-work order in August 2025, accusing project developers of rushing through the permitting process and failing to reach an agreement with the War Department via executive order over national security concerns.<\/p>

\u00d8rsted pushed back against the order, accusing it of being unlawful and claiming that the company was losing more than $2 million per day over the pause.\u00a0<\/p>

A federal judge ruled in favor of the company in September, calling the administration\u2019s stop-work order the \u201cheight of arbitrary and capricious actions.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cIf Revolution Wind cannot meet benchmark deadlines, the entire project could collapse,\u201d the judge said. \u201cThere is no doubt in my mind of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.\u201d<\/p>

\u00d8rsted is now looking for a similar win, saying that it believes the lease suspension for the project violates the law.\u00a0<\/p>

The renewables giant insists that Revolution Wind acquired all federal and state permits in 2023, following a review process that started over nine years ago. <\/p>

The company said Friday that the project underwent a \u201cyears-long consultation\u201d with the Department of War\u2019s Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse regarding any possible national security and defense effects.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cRevolution Wind has spent and committed billions of dollars in reliance upon, and has met the requests of, a thorough review process,\u201d \u00d8rsted said. \u201cAdditional federal reviews and approvals included the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, and many other agencies.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP HALTS FIVE UNDER-CONSTRUCTION OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS, CITING NATIONAL SECURITY<\/a><\/p>

The company noted that the project is on track to deliver enough energy to power more than 350,000 homes this year, as 58 out of 65 wind turbines are installed. As of December, it was expected to start generating power as soon as this month. <\/p>

If the lease suspension is not lifted, \u00d8rsted said the project faces \u201csubstantial harm.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP6803120167908823.jpg?w=400" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4397064-1767356826", "title":"Chinese BYD taking over Tesla as the biggest EV maker", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%2F4397064%2Fchinese-byd-taking-over-tesla-biggest-electric-vehicles-maker%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Tesla has been dethroned as the world’s foremost electric vehicle manufacturer after a rough 2025, with the title being claimed by the fast-growing Chinese BYD. Tesla reported that its overall sales fell by 9% from last year, delivering 1.64 million vehicles in 2025. BYD blew past this figure, selling 2.26 million vehicles in 2025 to […]", "description":""

Tesla<\/a> has been dethroned as the world's foremost electric vehicle manufacturer after a rough 2025, with the title being claimed by the fast-growing Chinese<\/a> BYD.<\/p>

Tesla reported that its overall sales fell by 9% from last year, delivering 1.64 million vehicles in 2025. BYD blew past this figure, selling 2.26 million vehicles in 2025 to become the world's largest EV maker. It sold 1.76 million EVs the year prior, marking a 28% increase. The news reflects China's growing dominance of the EV industry, buoyed by heavy government investment.<\/p>

Tesla's stock wasn't hit as hard as some expected by the news, however, falling by only 1.3% during midday trading.<\/p>

BYD's position is all the more remarkable as it doesn't sell any vehicles in the United States.<\/p>

Tesla's declining position was caused by a number of factors. The Trump administration phased out a $7,500 EV tax credit at the end of September, and the EV maker has struggled to adjust to the new landscape without federal subsidies. The company was also affected in 2025 by Elon Musk's foray into politics, with his work as part of the Department of Government Efficiency drawing heavy public backlash.<\/p>

In the late spring, his involvement caused a customer revolt, leading to a terrorism campaign from left-wing activists who firebombed and vandalized Tesla vehicles and property.<\/p>

Despite being dethroned by BYD, Tesla appears to be retaining its optimism. In November, shareholders approved an unprecedented new pay package for Musk, the company's CEO, which would make him the world's first trillionaire if he reached several targets for the company.<\/p>

POST-DOGE, ELON MUSK COULD BECOME THE TRILLION-DOLLAR MAN<\/a><\/p>

It also released a master plan over the summer to continue growing in the future, described as \"sustainable abundance.\" It's banking on artificial intelligence, robotics, and energy storage systems creating an even more favorable landscape for it in the near future.<\/p>

\u201cThe tools we are going to develop will help us build the kind of world that we\u2019ve always dreamed of\u2014a world of sustainable abundance\u2014by redefining the fundamental building blocks of labor, mobility and energy at scale and for all,\u201d Tesla wrote.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/AP24172491088501-1.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4397944-1767354982", "title":"Zelensky selects Ukraine spy chief Kyrylo Budanov to replace disgraced chief of staff", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4397944%2Fzelensky-selects-ukraine-spy-chief-kyrylo-budanov-replace-disgraced-chief-of-staff%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is replacing his disgraced chief of staff with his nation’s spy chief. Kyrylo Budanov, the 39-year-old head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, accepted his new role on Friday as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. “At this time, Ukraine needs greater focus on security issues, the […]", "description":""

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> is replacing his disgraced chief of staff with his nation's spy chief.<\/p>

Kyrylo Budanov, the 39-year-old head of Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, accepted his new role on Friday as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.<\/p>

\"At this time, Ukraine needs greater focus on security issues, the development of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, as well as on the diplomatic track of negotiations, and the Office of the President will primarily serve the fulfillment of these tasks of our state,\" Zelensky said in an announcement<\/a> of Budnaov's selection on Friday.<\/p>

He added, \"Kyrylo has specialized experience in these areas and sufficient strength to deliver results.\"<\/p>

Budanov has led Ukrainian military intelligence since 2020 and is considered a leading figure in the future of the country's politics.<\/p>

Zelensky adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told reporters <\/a>that procedures are underway to install Budanov as the president's chief of staff.<\/p>

\"For me, it is an honor and a responsibility to focus on critically important issues of the strategic security of our state at a historic time for Ukraine,\" Budanov said.<\/p>

He is replacing Andriy Yermak<\/a>, Zelensky's former chief of staff, who fell from grace late last year after an investigation by the Ukrainian national anti-corruption bureau named him as a suspect in \u201cOperation Midas\" \u2014 an alleged kickback scheme funneling money from the Energoatom nuclear power plant.<\/p>

Following the allegations and a raid on his home by authorities, Yermak denied all allegations and announced he was heading to the front lines<\/a> of the war effort.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m going to the front and am prepared for any reprisals,\u201d Yermak told the New York Post <\/a>in a late November text message. \u201cI am an honest and decent person.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019ve been desecrated, and my dignity hasn\u2019t been protected, despite having been in Kyiv since February 24, 202[2],\u201d he said in the message. \u201cI\u2019m disgusted by the filth directed at me, and even more disgusted by the lack of support from those who know the truth.\"<\/p>

RUSSIA DISMISSES CALLS FOR EVIDENCE AS DOUBT MOUNTS AGAINST ALLEGED UKRAINE ATTACK ON PUTIN RESIDENCE<\/a><\/p>

Budanov is widely considered one of the most eligible candidates to lead Ukraine<\/a> as its next president. <\/p>

While Zelensky has stated he does not intend to run again, a December poll from Socis<\/a> found Budanov would be projected to win head-to-head with 56% to Zelensky's 44%.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25235289813177.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4398065-1767354922", "title":"Tim Walz has been playing the ‘race card’ in the Somali fraud scandal: Joe Concha", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2F4398065%2Ftim-walz-playing-race-card-somali-fraud-scandal-joe-concha%2F", "byline":"Sydney Topf", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha said Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) has been deflecting accountability amid the Somali fraud scandal in Minnesota. “Accountability goes to the top [and] that goes to Tim Walz, and he has been deflecting, playing the race card from the bottom of the deck,” Concha said on Fox & Friends First. “And […]", "description":""

Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha<\/a> said Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN) has been deflecting accountability amid the Somali fraud scandal<\/a> in Minnesota.<\/p>

\u201cAccountability goes to the top [and] that goes to Tim Walz, and he has been deflecting, playing the race card from the bottom of the deck,\u201d Concha said on Fox & Friends First. \u201cAnd now even the liberal media is investigating this, and there is nowhere to go for this man.\u201d<\/p>

The fraud scandal in Minnesota has been dominating headlines, especially following independent journalist Nick Shirley\u2019s viral post<\/a> in which he is seen confronting child care centers in Minnesota over their legitimacy.<\/p>

The Justice Department handed down numerous indictments and convictions last month against individuals, largely from the Somali community, for allegedly defrauding state social welfare programs and stealing millions to fund what the department argues are \u201clavish lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>

Concha discussed a recent piece from the\u00a0Washington Post's\u00a0editorial board that argued food stamps should only be given to those who are hungry.<\/p>

\u201cWell, you got to wonder, guys, if Gov. Tim Walz will blame white supremacy for the Washington Post editorial board,\u201d Concha said. \u201cAn editorial board that has never endorsed a Republican presidential candidate in its history, by the way, they\u2019re now even calling out Walz and other Minnesota state leaders.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAnd rightly because now you've got to look at all the pressure from the federal government under Donald Trump and what he is doing to put the pressure on Minnesota,\u201d he added.<\/p>

Concha highlighted the actions the Trump administration has taken<\/a> to pressure Minnesota to address the fraud.<\/p>

The Department of Health and Human Services cut off all child care funds, the Agriculture Department is investigating the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Labor Department is investigating unemployment insurance fraud, and the Department of Homeland Security is executing search warrants in Minnesota, Concha said.<\/p>

Concha said betting markets are showing Walz is more likely to be indicted than become president.<\/p>

WALZ RECEIVED $10,000 FROM DONORS TIED TO SOMALI-RUN DAY CARE CENTERS<\/a><\/p>

\u201cBetting markets are now saying Gov. Tim Walz, again a vice presidential candidate with Kamala Harris in 2024, not too long ago, he now has a 30 times more chance of being indicted than he does of winning the presidency,\u201d Concha said.<\/p>

\u201cThe way this is going at this point, Nate, I think you might as well put that at 30,000 times at this point,\u201d he added.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP24230826166239.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4396056-1767352163", "title":"Mamdani voids Adams’s pro-Israel executive orders on Day One as mayor", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4396056%2Fzohran-mamdani-voids-eric-adams-pro-israel-executive-orders%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani began his term by voiding all of his predecessor’s executive orders signed after his September 2024 indictment, including several pro-Israel ones. In his opening moves as mayor, Mamdani signed executive orders dealing with housing and one repealing all of former Mayor Eric Adams’s executive orders signed after his indictment on […]", "description":""

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> began his term by voiding all of his predecessor's<\/a> executive orders signed after his September 2024 indictment, including several pro-Israel ones.<\/p>

In his opening moves as mayor, Mamdani signed executive orders dealing with housing and one repealing all of former Mayor Eric Adams's executive orders signed after his indictment on corruption charges in September 2024. Among the executive orders revoked was one signed last month banning businesses from taking part in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement regarding Israel. Another, signed in June 2025, adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, which lumped criticism of Israel in with antisemitism more generally.<\/p>

The move quickly drove backlash from Adams, Jewish groups, and even Israel itself, which condemned Mamdani's maneuver.<\/p>

\"On his very first day as @NYCMayor<\/a>, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,\" Israel's foreign ministry said in a post<\/a> on X. \"This isn\u2019t leadership. It\u2019s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.\"<\/p>

The definition in question was formulated by the IHRA. The basic definition<\/a> that was adopted is: \u201cAntisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and\/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.\u201d<\/p>

However, the definition also includes certain criticisms of Israel as antisemitism, giving six bullet points, such as characterizing the Jewish state as a racist endeavor, comparing its actions to the Nazis, and \"applying double standards\" as being antisemitic.<\/p>

Another action taken by Mamdani that invited criticism from the Jewish community was his scrubbing of some posts related to antisemitism on the official New York Mayor X account, which he took over from Adams shortly after midnight on Thursday. The posts outlined some of Adams's efforts to combat antisemitism.<\/p>

The National Jewish Advocacy Center sent a letter of protest to Mamdani over the two moves, demanding clarification and moves to protect Jewish New Yorkers.<\/p>

\"Your first days in office will define your administration,\" the letter reads. \"This is not how that definition should begin.\"<\/p>

MAMDANI VOWS TO GOVERN AS \u2018DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST\u2019 AND EMBRACE BIG GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/p>

In his own X post on the matter, Adams criticized Mamdani, saying he \"promised a New Era and unity today. This isn\u2019t new. And it isn\u2019t unity.\"<\/p>

The issue of Israel and antisemitism became a major flash point during the 2025 mayoral race, with Mamdani's rivals, Adams and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, attempting to center the race on the matter. Mamdani's disapproval of Israel drew considerable criticism, but it failed to have a significant impact, as evidenced by his landslide victory in November.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-collage-lk1oqet6j-1767046309843-e1767047066362.jpg?1767351187&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4396100-1767351576", "title":"Trump says he ‘aced’ cognitive test amid fresh questions about his health", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4396100%2Ftrump-says-he-aced-cognitive-test-amid-questions-health%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump boasted about his cognitive test results after admitting he regrets disclosing he had advanced imaging because of the scrutiny it has stoked regarding his health. “The White House Doctors have just reported that I am in ‘PERFECT HEALTH,’ and that I ‘ACED’ (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> boasted about his cognitive test results after admitting he regrets disclosing he had advanced imaging because of the scrutiny it has stoked regarding his health.<\/p>

\"The White House<\/a> Doctors have just reported that I am in 'PERFECT HEALTH,' and that I 'ACED' (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my Cognitive Examination, something which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take,\" Trump wrote on social media Friday. \"P.S., I strongly believe that anyone running for President, or Vice President, should be mandatorily forced to take a strong, meaningful, and proven Cognitive Examination. Our great Country cannot be run by 'STUPID' or INCOMPETENT PEOPLE!\"<\/p>

Trump told the Wall Street Journal<\/a> this week that he misspoke when he told reporters in October 2025 he had received an MRI when it was a cardiovascular and abdominal CT scan.<\/p>

\u201cIn retrospect, it\u2019s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition,\u201d Trump told the news outlet. \u201cI would have been a lot better off if they didn\u2019t, because the fact that I took it said, \u2018Oh gee, is something wrong?\u2019 Well, nothing\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>

Trump also told the Wall Street Journal, in an interview published Thursday, that he takes more than his doctor's recommended daily dose of aspirin.<\/p>

\"I'm a little superstitious,\" he said. \"They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart. \u2026 I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?\"<\/p>

Trump himself stoked speculation concerning his health when he disclosed to reporters in October that he had a \"perfect\" MRI amid questions related to why he underwent two annual physical examinations last year.<\/p>

\"President Trump agreed to meet with the staff and soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Hospital in October,\" Trump's doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, told reporters Thursday. \"In order to make the most of the president's time at the hospital, we recommended he undergo another routine physical evaluation to ensure continued optimal health.\"<\/p>

Barbabella added, \"As part of that examination, we asked the president if he would undergo advanced imaging \u2014 either an MRI or CT scan \u2014 to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues. The president agreed, and our team of consultants performed a CT scan. As we revealed in the post-examination report, the advanced imaging was perfectly normal and revealed absolutely no abnormalities.\"<\/p>

WHAT CAN TRUMP DO TO CHANGE THE TIDE BEFORE THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS?<\/a><\/p>

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt<\/a> underscored Trump's transparency with respect to his health as the oldest president to take the oath of office after a lack thereof from former President Joe Biden<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Additional details on the imaging have been disclosed by the president himself, because he continues to be the most transparent and open president in history and has nothing to hide, unlike his predecessor Joe Biden, who hid from the press and lied about his clear physical and mental decline,\" Leavitt told reporters.<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001077446334.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379257-1767347257", "title":"Electricity grid reliability at risk from bad government policies", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4379257%2Felectricity-grid-risk-bad-government-policies%2F", "byline":"Daren Bakst and Paige Lambermont", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The purpose of the nation’s electricity grid that powers our homes and businesses is to provide reliable electricity. That’s hardly a radical concept. But tell that to policymakers who spent decades imposing their anti-energy climate agenda on American electricity customers, threatening grid reliability. This problem has gained new urgency due to rising electricity demand from […]", "description":""

The purpose of the nation\u2019s electricity<\/a> grid that powers our homes and businesses is to provide reliable electricity. That\u2019s hardly a radical concept. But tell that to policymakers who spent decades imposing their anti-energy<\/a> climate<\/a> agenda on American electricity customers, threatening grid reliability.This problem has gained new urgency due to rising electricity demand from data centers that power the AI revolution. This makes it even more important to roll back years of governmental policies that have compromised the reliability of the electricity grid.Many states passed laws (called renewable portfolio standards) that require the use of certain percentages of intermittent electricity sources, such as wind and solar, that can\u2019t meet ongoing power demand. The wind doesn\u2019t blow all the time, and the sun doesn\u2019t always shine.  <\/p>

TRUMP FIRST YEAR REPORT CARD: A- PROMISE KEEPER OR 'NIGHTMARE' FAILURE<\/a><\/p>

And many states shuttered superior electricity sources such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear that meet the ongoing continuous demand for electricity and can be called upon to do so when needed. These sources were shut down in part because of economic pressures caused by market distortions from subsidies that give renewable sources an advantage over reliable power plants, such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear. <\/p>

They were  also shut down due to overt attempts by politicians and environmental groups to close disfavored sources of electricity, such as the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Station<\/a> in New York. Coal plants have been a major target for closure, with 290 coal power plants<\/a> (40% of U.S. coal plants)  closing between 2010 and May 2019, many for overtly political reasons<\/a>.Compounding grid reliability woes was a seemingly endless stream of federal rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has repeatedly tried to use regulations to shift our nation from reliable sources of electricity to unreliable sources such as wind and solar<\/a>. The agency also adopted<\/a> regulations such as the Biden administration\u2019s de facto electric vehicle mandate<\/a> that put greater stress on the grid by increasing electricity demand.To its credit, the Trump administration is taking action to get rid of these rules<\/a>; however, the fate of these actions is still up in the air.Then there is the Inflation Reduction Act. In 2022, Congress passed this law with a projected $1 trillion or more of subsidies to change how Americans use and produce electricity. This includes massive subsidies for wind and solar.<\/p>

In fact, the Inflation Reduction Act included an array of subsidies that increase the pressure on the grid by artificially increasing demand for electricity just as reliable electricity sources are being removed from the grid. This includes pushing electric vehicles as a means to help kill off gas-powered cars and trying to steer consumers away from using\u00a0natural gas<\/a>\u00a0appliances and toward electric options. This is despite the fact that natural gas costs less\u00a0than a third<\/a>\u00a0of what electricity does on a per unit of energy basis.<\/p>

BYRON YORK QUESTIONS US MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN NIGERIA<\/a>There has been some progress in undoing these bad policies. Congress and President Donald Trump enacted the\u00a0One Big Beautiful Bill Act<\/a>, which helped get rid of many of the Inflation Reduction Act subsidies. Yet some of the subsidies are being phased out over time, so they are still doing damage. This includes the infamous Investment and Production Tax Credits that prop up wind, solar, and other \u201cclean\u201d energy technologies at the expense of reliable electricity sources.Never mind that these are the same federal subsidies that the wind and solar industries have repeatedly said over the decades they need for a couple more years to be profitable.\u00a0The boondoggle tax credits<\/a>\u00a0have continually been resurrected after they have lapsed.In 2026, policymakers should prioritize addressing these unfortunate policies, particularly as electricity demand will only increase due to new data centers needed to power the burgeoning AI revolution. Without the decades of bad electricity policy, this new demand would likely be a far less daunting issue for reliability. But here we are.<\/p>

A July 2025 Department of Energy report<\/a> shows a 100 times increase<\/a> by 2030 in the projected hours where an insufficient amount of electricity is produced if the currently projected power plant retirements take place. This would be disastrous, and as the Energy Department has stated<\/a>, \u201csuch a surge would leave millions of households and businesses vulnerable.\u201d That\u2019s a future where Americans may have to get used to some brownouts and blackouts, which is simply inexcusable.Reliability has too often been subverted to less urgent policy objectives. If policymakers want to push some ancillary objectives, environmental or otherwise, such objectives should never come at the expense of reliability. <\/p>

AI CAN LOWER ENERGY BILLS WITH DATA CENTERS THAT POWER THEMSELVES<\/a>At the state and federal levels, the issue of reliability must be front and center to ensure reliable generation is the top priority for the grid. In fact, government intervention that shuts down reliable electricity generation and props up wind and solar (or any source for that matter) should be prohibited. The same goes for government meddling in the form of subsidies that artificially increase electricity demand and put greater stress on the grid.If strong reliability requirements mean less wind, solar, coal, or whatever source, then so be it. The purpose of the grid is to ensure that when Americans flick on the switch, the lights come on. It isn\u2019t to promote specific energy sources and the special interests that benefit from foisting them onto the grid.<\/p>

Daren Bakst is director of energy and environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, where Paige Lambermont is a research fellow.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/e64280c4e99fe48142a02989a17cb610-e1767364609674.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4396039-1767343095", "title":"Iranian officials threaten US troops after Trump promises intervention on behalf of protesters", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4396039%2Firan-threaten-us-troops-trump-promises-intervention-protests%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump and Iranian officials traded threats after he threatened to intervene on behalf of protesters. Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran. On Friday morning, Trump issued a threat to […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> and Iranian<\/a> officials traded threats after he threatened to intervene<\/a> on behalf of protesters.<\/p>

Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran. On Friday morning, Trump issued a threat to intervene if Tehran cracked down violently on the protests.<\/p>

\"If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,\" he warned in a post<\/a> on Truth Social, signing off with his name in all caps.<\/p>

Ali Larijani, a former speaker of Parliament who is now the secretary of Iran\u2019s Supreme National Security Council, claimed Trump's comments showed the U.S. and Israel were behind the protests.<\/p>

\"With the statements by Israeli officials and @realDonaldTrump<\/a>, what has been going on behind the scenes is now clear,\" he wrote in a post<\/a> on X. \"We distinguish between the stance of the protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors, and Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America\u2019s interests.\"<\/p>

Larijani then issued an implicit threat against U.S. soldiers in the region, saying Americans should be \"mindful of their soldiers' safety.\"<\/p>

Several people have already been killed in the protests, with Tehran admitting several deaths and human rights groups tallying anywhere from five to eight deaths by Friday.<\/p>

One of the most controversial deaths was Amirhesam Khodayarifard, who died in Lorestan province under unclear circumstances. Tehran claimed he was a member of the government's Basij militia and killed by protesters, while human rights groups claimed he was a protester killed by security forces, and that Tehran was pressuring his family to falsely declare him a member of the Basij militia.<\/p>

Iran has been plagued by crippling social instability for the past few years, with massive protests breaking out almost annually. The worst of these followed the death of the Kurdish-Iranian teenager Mahsa Amini, who died under unclear circumstances after being arrested by the government's morality police. Hundreds were killed over several months, and thousands more were arrested.<\/p>

The latest round of protests commenced on Sunday, started by shopkeepers angry over economic turmoil brought about by the collapse of the Iranian rial. These protests are unique for many protesters' repeated appeals to the deposed Pahlavi dynasty, the subject of several chants published on social media.<\/p>

The protests have also brought sympathy from some officials, however. The reform-minded President Masoud Pezeshkian went so far as to tell reporters<\/a> on Thursday, \u201cIf people are unhappy with us, we are the ones at fault.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP WARNS IRAN THAT US IS \u2018LOCKED AND LOADED\u2019 TO \u2018RESCUE\u2019 ANY \u2018PEACEFUL PROTESTERS\u2019 HARMED<\/a><\/p>

\"We are the ones who solve people's problems; we are not the ones who create problems for people,\" he said.<\/p>

The protests are occurring amid broader discussion between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over whether to launch new strikes against Iran to disrupt its nuclear or ballistic missile programs.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26002355356956.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3925965-1767337200", "title":"Where people got their entertainment in 2025", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%2F3925965%2Fwhere-people-got-entertainment-2025-streaming-netflix-hbo-disney-hulu-2025%2F", "byline":"Grace Hagerman", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Entertainment consumption continues to rise to historic highs, and media companies have seen massive merger deals in 2025 that have only increased the value of these platforms. Based on recent polling, people are indulging in the comfort of their private homes more often than seeking it on the big screen.   Streaming service usage is relevant […]", "description":""

Entertainment<\/a> consumption continues to rise to historic highs, and media<\/a> companies have seen massive merger deals in 2025 that have only increased the value of these platforms. Based on recent polling, people are indulging in the comfort of their private homes more often than seeking it on the big screen.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Streaming service usage is relevant now, as Netflix<\/a>, one of the world\u2019s most popular streaming<\/a> companies, brokered a deal <\/a>to buy the film studio Warner Bros. Discovery in December. Warner Bros. produced extremely successful box-office hits in 2025, such as A Minecraft Movie and Sinners.<\/p>

The deal is significant because Netflix will be able to merge with HBO<\/a>, another popular streaming service, which some industry insiders worry may narrow competition.\u00a0The effect the business deal will have on streaming services, theaters, and the entertainment industry as a whole is unknown.<\/p>

Data reveal more about the popularity of streaming services and how people may forgo a trip to the theater in favor of a comfy spot on their couch. \u00a0<\/p>

According to an April 2025 Pew Research Center poll<\/a>, 83% of U.S. adults use streaming services. Among those adults, over half only stream their entertainment, meaning they do not subscribe to cable or satellite. Ninety-two percent of Americans aged 30 to 64 use streaming services.<\/p>

In 2025, more U.S. adults chose to stream a movie at home rather than going to a theater at least once a month, according to a survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.<\/p>

There are many platform choices for those who stream their entertainment. The most popular service in 2025 was Netflix, with over 300 million subscribers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/iStock-1193131418-e1765307109432.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363321-1767337200", "title":"First round of January Social Security payments goes out in 12 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4363321%2Ffirst-round-january-social-security-payments-out-12-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 12 days. When will payments arrive? Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14.  The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients […]", "description":""

The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 12 days.<\/p>When will payments arrive?

Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14<\/a>. <\/p>

The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients born between the 11th and 20th of a month, followed by a third round on Jan. 28 to those born after the 21st of a month.<\/p>When am I eligible?

Citizens are eligible for Social Security payments beginning at 62 years old.<\/p>How can I maximize my check?

Social Security payment amounts are determined by several factors, including age of retirement, the amount paid into Social Security, and the number of years paid into Social Security.<\/p>

Payments largely depend on a recipient\u2019s retirement age<\/a>. A beneficiary retiring at the youngest age, 62, could receive up to $2,831 per month<\/a>, while a 70-year-old retiree could receive up to $5,108 per month, according to the Social Security Administration.<\/p>

Beneficiaries can see a personalized estimate of how much they can expect each month through the SSA\u2019s calculator<\/a>.<\/p>

REPUBLICAN BRYCE REEVES EXITS SENATE RACE FOR MARK WARNER\u2019S SEAT<\/a><\/p>How is it financed?

Social Security is financed by a payroll tax paid for by employers and employees.<\/p>

Social Security payment amounts are set to shrink unless Congress takes action to prevent it. Analysts estimate the SSA will no longer be able to issue full payments<\/a> as early as 2034, due to a rising number of retirees and a shrinking number of workers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Social-Security-money-5-5-e1766966098903.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363327-1767337200", "title":"February Social Security direct payment worth $994 goes out in 28 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4363327%2Ffebruary-social-security-direct-pay-in-28-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"February 2026 Supplemental Security Income payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 28 days. SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February’s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the […]", "description":""

February 2026 Supplemental Security Income<\/a> payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 28 days.<\/p>

SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February\u2019s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the case for February\u2019s payment, SSI payments are issued on the last weekday of the previous month.<\/p>

Beneficiaries are people with limited income who are either blind, aged 65 and older, or have a qualifying disability.<\/p>

The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing<\/a>. For example, individual filers can receive up to $994<\/a>, couples filing jointly can receive $1,491, and those providing essential care to SSI recipients can receive up to $498. <\/p>

In addition to the previous prerequisites for receiving SSI payments<\/a>, recipients must also be U.S. citizens or noncitizens in one of the alien classifications granted by the Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>

PELOSI SAYS GOP HAS \u2018ABOLISHED\u2019 CONGRESS, VOWS DEMOCRATS WILL RETAKE HOUSE IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

Additionally, recipients must live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and must not be absent from the United States for a full calendar month or 30 consecutive days.<\/p>

A full calendar<\/a> for the Social Security Administration payments can be viewed on the agency\u2019s website.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2457859_sd_6952b4a336974_1767027875.jpg?w=640" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363539-1767334200", "title":"The activism of Mr. Grinch", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fmagazine%2Fmagazine-letter-from-the-editor%2F4363539%2Fclimate-change-activism-mr-grinch%2F", "byline":"Hugo Gurdon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"That mean one, Mr. Grinch, came early and stayed late this year. He arrived before Christmas, then lingered like a bad smell days afterward. The killjoy of seasonal cheer has various guises, but his most common cover for interfering in everyone’s harmless pleasures is concern over climate change or animal welfare. He doesn’t deny that […]", "description":""

That mean one, Mr. Grinch, came early and stayed late this year. He arrived before Christmas<\/a>, then lingered like a bad smell days afterward.<\/p>

The killjoy of seasonal cheer has various guises, but his most common cover for interfering in everyone\u2019s harmless pleasures is concern over climate change or animal welfare. He doesn\u2019t deny that he\u2019s green, he just pretends his ugly tinge has nothing to do with envy of people having a good time and is all about altruism toward his fellow creatures, including, but certainly not especially, his fellow men.<\/p>

Two days before Christmas, the Washington Post scolded families for gathering around a log fire. It tut-tutted at those of us who regard a blaze of wood in the grate as a necessary ingredient of good cheer when the outer cold and darkness are crowding in on late December afternoons.<\/p>

\u201cMany fireplace lovers assume burning wood for warmth is climate-friendly,\u201d the Post intoned, unaware that most of us don\u2019t pause for a moment over such twaddle, then added<\/a>, \u201cbut wood emits 2.5 times as much CO\u2082 than natural gas and 30 percent more than coal when burned for heat, according to some scientists.\u201d That \u201caccording to some scientists\u201d is doing a lot of work.<\/p>

The Post is clearly unaware that the climate hoax has collapsed because decades of hard data and grift since the scare was first sprung upon us are finally debunking alarmist soothsaying of doom. The facts make a nonsense of the theoretical models, the icecap is still on top of the world, the great extinction isn\u2019t happening, etc., etc. But the Post proves C.S. Lewis right in his observations that \u201cthose who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.\u201d<\/p>

In Britain<\/a>, one of few countries where green leftism is even loopier and more pernicious than ours in America, the do-gooder government, which is breaking records for unpopularity, intends to ban trail hunting, a sport in which riders and hounds chase the scent of fox, not an actual fox, over fields, streams, and woodland in an approximation of the traditional rural pursuit that has delighted country dwellers for centuries.<\/p>

Trail hunters were in a defiant mood as they set off on their annual Boxing Day hunt <\/a>and vowed to fight to keep their sport. So they should. There\u2019s no good reason they should be stopped from enjoying themselves just as their forefathers did in a pastime that bonds them to the soil of the country in which they live.<\/p>

WORSE AND WORSE ON OBAMACARE<\/a><\/p>

Activists who want trail hunting banned say actual foxes are sometimes killed because the hounds get a whiff of the real thing. They claim this is cruel, even though a fox\u2019s death is quick, and it is, anyway, legal to shoot foxes as pests. The death of an animal is not what the antis mind; what the Grinch can\u2019t stand is that hunters, with their noise, noise, noise, noise \u2014 their tra-la-la trumpeting and tally-hos \u2014 enjoy themselves.<\/p>

People constantly harassing us to stop doing what we\u2019re doing, to wrench society toward the bleak leftist future they favor, underline the arrogant assertion<\/a> of New York<\/a>\u2019s new mayor<\/a> that not only is there \u201cno problem too large for government to solve\u201d but also there is \u201cno concern too small for it to care about.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/iStock-1354053443.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4356127-1767333900", "title":"Rising unemployment puts threat of AI competition in stark relief", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4356127%2Fmaking-jobs-market-more-human-again%2F", "byline":"Nick Thomas", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"“Brutal,” “disheartening,” even “traumatic” — these are just some of the daily descriptions, on platforms such as LinkedIn, about searches for decent white-collar work. It’s a problem compounded by the rising unemployment rate during President Donald Trump’s second, nonconsecutive term. U.S. unemployment in November 2025 reached a four-year high of 4.6%. That’s up from 4.4% […]", "description":""

\u201cBrutal,\u201d \u201cdisheartening,\u201d even \u201ctraumatic\u201d \u2014 these are just some of the daily descriptions, on platforms such as LinkedIn, about searches for decent white-collar work.<\/p>

It\u2019s a problem compounded by the rising unemployment rate during President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> second, nonconsecutive term. U.S. unemployment<\/a> in November 2025 reached a four-year high of 4.6%. That\u2019s up from 4.4% in September, the last month the Labor Department reported<\/a> for that metric.<\/p>

The jobs news wasn\u2019t all gloomy. Employers added 64,000 jobs in November, more than many economists predicted. Still, that\u2019s hardly enough to ease the apprehension of a tight labor market and the accompanying indignities of modern job-searching.<\/p>

The endless applications for jobs with apparently already hundreds of other applicants. The ghosting of applicants. Then, if you\u2019re lucky enough to even receive a \u201cthanks but no thanks\u201d response of rejection, there\u2019s a conciliatory note saying how strong your background is. This often only results in the applicant feeling worse.<\/p>

Is the world of work broken? If it is, why? And what can be done about it?<\/p>

\u201cLinkedIn applications are up 45% year-on-year, but the silence is what breaks people,\u201d said Logan Currie, founder and chief operations officer of recruitment company Careerspan. \u201cWhen you do everything \u2018right\u2019 and still get zero back, confidence evaporates, and then you start questioning whether the problem is really you.\u201d<\/p>

Artificial intelligence, of course, takes some of the blame for the current situation. As the technology explodes \u2014 ever been interviewed by an AI bot? \u2014 HR humans can also be seemingly dumbfounded as to how best to use it when it comes to job seekers. When their systems fail to align with the right candidates, not least because the companies are using AI systems to inadequately screen resumes and are filled to the brim with AI-generated applications, overloading seekers is the natural consequence. So much so that a company may receive hundreds of applications, but even fail to hire as the person it really wants has not been able to stick their head above the parapet in all the morass.<\/p>

A recent study from Dartmouth College and Princeton University analyzed 2.7 million job applications and found that carefully customized applications are increasingly losing out to the ChatGPT jobs approach. Top performers now get hired 19% less often, while weaker performers slip through the net 14% more often.<\/p>

\u201cThe system is literally inverting merit,\u201d Currie said.<\/p>

Not that long ago, during the latter period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were more jobs and hiring than ever, claims Michael Bruni of Talent Acquisition Strategies. If anything, however, there was significant overhiring, and that, combined with persistent economic uncertainty, has contributed to job creation stagnation as increasing amounts of talent remain jobless, he said.<\/p>

Overall, job creation is continuing, but economic uncertainty remains.<\/p>

\u201cEmployers are exhibiting caution \u2014 slowing hiring, pulling back on inclusive hiring initiatives, and shoring up balance sheets in anticipation of a possible downturn,\u201d said Alison Lands, vice president in the employer mobilization practice at Jobs for the Future.<\/p>

Still, there are positions out there, but the broken recruitment system is exacerbating the problem. When some job seekers are even paying money to get AI to send hundreds of applications for them daily, or AI customizes cover letters, it\u2019s almost like there is a war between the job seekers and the employers who don't really have the processes in hand to deal with the AI overload, sources say.<\/p>

\u201cThe AI is not where it needs to be, as there is this weird misalignment between those with valuable domain expertise not knowing how to optimize their resumes for AI that's taking over the first pass in the hiring process,\u201d said Cali Williams Yost, founder and CEO of New Jersey-based Flex + Strategy Group. \u201cWe have a broken tech-enabled system.\u201d<\/p>Labor shortage?

Conversely, the current, often depressing race for white-collar jobs is contradicted by an inherent weakness in the longer-term jobs market.<\/p>

While there may be some truth to the narrative that AI is taking over some entry-level white-collar jobs \u2014 recent college graduates, for example, are experiencing higher unemployment than non-college-educated workers \u2014 the labor force is actually facing a possible major shortfall in suitable worker availability only a few years down the line.<\/p>

For example, 2025 may have been the first year in U.S. history to record net negative immigration, said Scott Siff, founder and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Pivoters, a recruitment group focused on workers 55 and over. With birth rates well below the replacement level of 2.2, he adds, the worker supply is actually \u201cfalling off the cliff.\u201d<\/p>

This situation may be particularly acute in the career stages of younger professionals who have been working for two to three years and then want to move on to more complex and developed roles, Jost said. Who is going to replace them if AI has taken over some of the entry-level roles?<\/p>

Also, as skilled baby boomers and Gen Xers start to retire, they will give way to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, those born between 2010 and 2024, who are smaller cohorts. Georgetown University estimates that a dire 5.25 million skilled, college-educated workers will be missing in the workforce by 2032.<\/p>Who can help?

All future possible labor shortages aside, the situation remains apparently dire for out-of-work white- collar workers right now.<\/p>

Policy solutions seem few and far between, with efforts largely fixed on job creation rather than solving problems within the hiring infrastructure itself. AI, with its massive ability to change at lightning speed, is also something very difficult to legislate for, even as some states are mandating disclosure in AI-hiring processes, sources say.<\/p>

Any policy, therefore, to help with jobs could still come from creating a healthier economy to boost the basics of supply and demand.<\/p>

\u201cAI is nine steps ahead of you, and we are not going to be able to build much of a policy on that because of that,\u201d said Andrew Crapuchettes, founder of Moscow, Idaho-based jobs board and recruiter Red Balloon. \u201cMore important may be to build an economy that is cracking on so that we can hire the talented people we so desperately need to; the market will work it out if the economy is strong.\u201d<\/p>

There are some steps at the congressional level designed to effect the deep structural change needed. Steve Taylor, of the higher education and economic mobility practice at the Stand Together Trust, points to possible bipartisan updates on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act aimed at streamlining programs.<\/p>

But real change is much more likely to come from companies themselves. Rather than rely on policymakers, the solutions to the current problems should be placed at the door of the employers, Currie said.<\/p>

\u201cThe harder truth is that employers built this system,\u201d she said. \u201cThey'll have to be the ones willing to redesign it.\u201d<\/p>

Hiring has to be made human again, said Viktorija Speteliunaite, a human resources director at FL Technics Dominican Republic. FL Technics is a Lithuania-based global aviation maintenance provider.<\/p>

\u201cCompetitive pay, human-centered hiring, and employer-funded skill development consistently attract strong candidate interest, even in new industries,\u201d she said.<\/p>

Her words were backed up by Sam Caucci, CEO and founder of 1Huddle, an AI-powered training platform. There needs to be a shift from credential-based hiring to skills-based evaluation, he said.<\/p>

\u201cShorter audition-style assessments, fewer degree requirements, and clearer pathways for internal mobility,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen companies hire for potential and commit to real development, more candidates can compete, and more roles can be filled.\u201d<\/p>

What\u2019s clear is that workers looking for new roles cannot solely depend on government policy to help them out anytime soon, said Liz Eversoll, CEO at skills-based careers group Career Highways. There will have to be a strong partnership between the government and the private sector to ensure an employee-friendly job application system and decent job availability.<\/p>

\u201cGovernment can encourage skills-first practices, but employers need modern tools to put those policies into action,\u201d Eversoll said. \u201cThe future of work will be shaped by organizations that make skills transparent, pathways visible, and upskilling accessible to everyone.\u201d<\/p>Worker pivot

It\u2019s clearly a very difficult time for white-collar workers out of the job market, but there are things they can do to try and turn things around, and much of that depends on the old-fashioned approaches of human-centered things such as networking, sources say.<\/p>

More experienced workers may be better suited to such networking and relationship-building because that is something they may have relied on more in the past, rather than younger generations who have grown up in a completely different, more technology-based environment.<\/p>

Laid-off workers can also narrowly define themselves and limit their opportunities as a result. It\u2019s not easy, but job seekers can help themselves by taking their own career audit.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019d encourage employees going through the process to take a more complete, insightful view of who they are and what they are meant to do,\u201d said Pat Lencioni, an author and workplace expert. \u201cTo do that, they need to see themselves in terms of the unique, transferable gifts they've been given, which can be applied to a wide variety of jobs in just about any industry.\u201d<\/p>

Again, the key is building a work environment that helps professionals build meaningful connections and a sense of belonging, something that can offer help when job seekers are networking for jobs as well as when they are at work.<\/p>

The security industry is a prime example of such, said Elli Reges, director of learning and development at the Security Industry Association, an industry body that represents over 1,600 companies involved in global security solutions.<\/p>

\u201cWhen you talk to people who have built their careers here, many say the same thing,\u201d Reges said. \u201cThey stay because of the people \u2014 colleagues, customers, and partners who make this industry feel both purposeful and community-oriented.\u201d<\/p>

Until, perhaps, such community-building and a better focus on the employee become a more common thing, the white-collar jobs market may remain gloomy for a while to come.<\/p>

\u201cThere is something fundamentally broken with the labor market today, particularly for those out of work,\u201d Crapuchettes said. \u201cThere is a significant amount of noise, and unfortunately, many humans are being left out of the market.\u201d<\/p>

AUSTRALIA AND UK SACRIFICE FREE SPEECH OVER BONDI BEACH ATROCITY<\/a><\/p>

And much of that noise is coming from the AI-influenced recruitment system.<\/p>

\u201cUntil we fix the systemic friction in how candidates are evaluated, we\u2019ll continue to see talent discouraged, burned out, or sidelined, not because they lack ability, but because they can\u2019t get past the digital gatekeepers,\u201d career coach Elizabeth Harders said.<\/p>

Nick Thomas is a writer based in Denver.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/BizCover.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4394181-1767333893", "title":"Maduro says Venezuela is ready to discuss an agreement to ‘combat drug trafficking’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4394181%2Fmaduro-discuss-agreement-combat-drug-trafficking%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that his regime was open to negotiations with President Donald Trump to come to a deal regarding drug trafficking. Maduro’s admission comes after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Southern Spear. Maduro announced he was ready to […]", "description":""

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro<\/a> announced that his regime was open to negotiations with President Donald Trump<\/a> to come to a deal regarding drug trafficking.<\/p>

Maduro\u2019s admission comes after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Southern Spear. Maduro announced he was ready to come to an agreement with the United States in an interview<\/a> on Thursday on Venezuelan state television with journalist Ignacio Ramonet, according to Fox News.\u00a0<\/p>

Maduro recorded the interview in an unusual format, answering questions during a car ride<\/a> on New Year\u2019s Eve with three other passengers, including Ramonet. In the backseat, a red baseball cap, similar in style to the famous \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d caps worn by President Donald Trump, was conspicuously visible on the seat between two passengers. It featured text in white capital letters which read, \u201cNO WAR, YES PEACE.\u201d<\/p>

He spoke on a variety of topics with Ramonet, ranging from his rise to power and Venezuela\u2019s controversial 2024 presidential election to other political experiences. He then shifted the conversation to the rising tensions between Venezuela<\/a> and the U.S. He criticized the Trump administration\u2019s interest in the \u201cMonroe Doctrine,\u201d suggesting it is an outdated model and \u201cnot viable in the 21st century, totally not viable,\u201d according to a translated transcript<\/a> of the interview.<\/p>

Maduro also criticized Maria Machado, Venezuela\u2019s opposition leader and political opponent of Maduro\u2019s regime. Machado was the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.<\/p>

Speaking of the U.S., Maduro said people need to know that \u201c95% rejects what is being done by the current government of the U.S., of militarily threatened Venezuela,\u201d said<\/a> Maduro. \u201cIt is the immune reaction of the entire Venezuelan society. They need to know that this person that they have put as the chief of the right is very isolated and repudiated in Venezuela today. We could say the U.S. has no political force aligned in Venezuela because this lady named Maria Machado, in Venezuela, called \u2018La Sayona\u2019, has the 85% of rejection, of repudiation, total of the Venezuela society, never nor her, nor what she represents would have the capacity to rule this country.\u201d<\/p>

Later in the interview, Maduro said his country is ready to hold serious conversations with the Trump administration with \u201cdata in hand,\u201d mentioning possible discussions involving drug trafficking and oil investments.\u00a0<\/p>

\"The U.S. government knows, because we\u2019ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we\u2019re ready,\" said<\/a> Maduro. \"If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it, and however they want it.\"<\/p>

Maduro\u2019s interview came after the latest strike by the U.S. military on suspected drug-trafficking vessels on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31. Southern Command posted on X about each strike and claimed eight people total were killed in the operation.<\/p>

ALLEGED DRUG TRAFFICKERS JUMP OVERBOARD AFTER STRIKE ON BOAT CONVOY, US SAYS<\/a><\/p>

\u201cOn Dec. 31, at the direction of @SecWar<\/a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,\u201d read the post<\/a>. \u201cIntelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of five narco-terrorists were killed during these actions - three in the first vessel and two in the second.\u201d<\/p>

Maduro brushed aside questions about the latest U.S. strike in the interview, saying<\/a> that he would \u201ctalk about it in a few days.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-collage-h0k50r36b-1765410252616-e1765411797537.jpg?1767333352&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4355880-1767333600", "title":"Europe struggles to keep pace as US cracks the whip on defensive self-reliance", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4355880%2Feurope-struggles-keep-pace-defensive-self-reliance%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"U.S. military leaders are demanding that Europe shoulder its own defense responsibilities, but overturning decades of Washington-led security arrangements requires a monumental effort. The United States is reportedly pressing European powers to assume responsibility for the bulk of NATO defense capabilities on their continent by 2027 — a complete U-turn from the calculated dependency propagated […]", "description":""

U.S. military<\/a> leaders are demanding that Europe<\/a> shoulder its own defense responsibilities, but overturning decades of Washington-led security arrangements requires a monumental effort.<\/p>

The United States is reportedly pressing European powers<\/a> to assume responsibility for the bulk of NATO<\/a> defense capabilities on their continent by 2027 \u2014 a complete U-turn from the calculated dependency propagated by the White House in the postwar period.<\/p>

John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told the Washington Examiner that Europeans are right to complain that such an upheaval of the established order cannot be expected to be completed in such a short time frame.<\/p>

\"The system we built since World War II is designed to have the United States function at the center, and Europeans kind of plug in,\" Hardie told the Washington Examiner. \"That dependency is a feature, not a bug, and it was very much designed that way \u2014 and we can't just rewrite that in a matter of a couple years.\"<\/p>

Nevertheless, U.S. officials allegedly told their European counterparts that if Europe does not take on the burden by 2027, the U.S. military could withdraw from various coordination mechanisms as punishment.<\/p>

\"That's not really a realistic timeline for what Europe has to do,\" Hardie told the Washington Examiner.\u2029\"It's going to be a generational transition, and I think the United States is always going to have to play some role in the event of a major conventional war between Europe and Russia. It's just not really realistic where we stand right now, within the next 10 to 15 years, to see the Europeans fight.\"<\/p>

In March, the European Union published a landmark document<\/a> titled \"White Paper for European Defence \u2013 Readiness 2030,\" which laid bare the continent's degraded military preparedness and the necessity for a coordinated rejuvenation.<\/p>

\"The moment has come for Europe to re-arm,\" the white paper reads. \"To develop the necessary capabilities and military readiness to credibly deter armed aggression and secure our own future, a massive increase in European defence spending is needed.\"<\/p>

\"We need a stronger and more resilient defence industrial base,\" it reads. \"We need an ecosystem of technological innovation for our defense industries to keep pace with changes in the character of war. We need to learn the lessons from it and extrapolate to a possible large-scale conflict in the near future. We need faster and more efficient procurement. We need to find new ways of working with allies and partners who share the same goals.\"<\/p>

The short document laid out roughly four priorities: ensuring Europe secures and maintains a full spectrum of military capabilities necessary for the deterrence of rivals such as Russia and China in the short-to-long term; support for Ukraine's \u201cporcupine strategy\" via an integration with European systems; a revitalization of defense manufacturers on the continent, with less reliance on U.S.-produced military technology; and an immediate, rapid increase in defense spending for member states.<\/p>

In order to aid member states' efforts to reach these goals individually and as a collective, the EU has rolled out the Security Action for Europe loan program, which \"will provide up to \u20ac150 billion in competitively priced, long-maturity loans to Member States requesting financial assistance for investments in defence capabilities.\"<\/p>

Separately, NATO members<\/a> committed in June to reaching defense and security expenditures of 5% of GDP by 2035.<\/p>

But even with these new financial mechanisms, the European path to self-reliance<\/a> is moving far slower than the U.S. would like.<\/p>

George Barros, head of the Russia Team at the Institute for the Study of War, told the Washington Examiner that \"spending numbers have gone up, but it hasn't necessarily translated to better readiness or better, normal credible deterrence.\"<\/p>

The main issue is the inertia of heavy industries such as defense, which require immense amounts of capital investment, planning, and long-term cooperation to make a profit and produce efficiently.<\/p>

\"You can't just turn on and turn off an artillery shell assembly line with the flip of a switch,\" Barros told the Washington Examiner. \"It takes two to three years, by the time you break ground on a new factory, for the factory to actually become operational for turning out the product. And it's just not profitable if you're going to only run artillery factory for like five years.<\/p>

\"What the firms are wanting to see is long-term demand signal to help them pony up the money and the capital investors to hire the specialist, to build the specialized heavy industrial factories, to spin up these production lines, and then not just be a fad,\" Barros continued. \"I mean, they really want a robust thing, and the problem here is that the European governments largely have failed, I think, in actually putting forward that strong demand signal.\"<\/p>

The U.S.-centered \"plug-in\" model of European defense that has existed thus far makes it difficult for nations to move toward self-sufficiency with speed, as countries try to balance pressing demands for technology and munitions in-the-hand with bringing production back for the future.<\/p>

Italian<\/a> Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, at a multiyear defense planning hearing on Dec. 4, lamented that \"the European defense industry still suffers from severe fragmentation.\"<\/p>

\"We are witnessing unnecessary duplication, selfishness, and waste of resources,\" Crosetto told the Italian Senate. \"What may have seemed acceptable before Feb. 22,\" the Russian annexation of Crimea, \"is no longer tolerable today.\"<\/p>

Beyond military technology and munitions is the simple question of manpower \u2014 many European nations are suffering a severe personnel shortage in their military. <\/p>

\"One of the major lessons from the Ukrainian war is just the amount of mass needed on the modern battlefield,\" Hardie told the Washington Examiner. \"I think European armies in general are, especially the Germans, for quite some time, underfunded, undermanned. And so, you know, if you want to be able to take primary defense, primary responsibility for defensive Europe, you have to have the forces to be able to do that.\"<\/p>

\"These kind of post-Cold War, peacetime armies that a lot of these countries had \u2026 that's just not really going to cut it,\" Hardie said. \"I think across the board, you're going to need to see European countries investing in just more mass.\"<\/p>

Germany's Bundestag and Bundesrat approved legislation last month<\/a> to begin moving back toward a conscription system, hoping to bolster the approximately 182,000 troops and 100,000 reservists currently registered, up to 260,000 soldiers and 200,000 reservists by the 2030s.<\/p>

The approved plan will begin requiring young people born from 2008 onward to fill out a questionnaire about their capability of military service. Women may fill out and submit the same questionnaire voluntarily, but German law does not require female service.<\/p>

Leaders have tried to sweeten the deal for prospective volunteer soldiers, offering better pay and other incentives. But if enlistment continues to fall short, lawmakers would be able to pass a piece of follow-up legislation that could reactivate mandatory service.<\/p>

\"It's a good thing that the Western European states are starting these initiatives because military service is not a particularly popular profession in these countries,\" Barros told the Washington Examiner. \"Not that it's unpopular for any reason \u2014 I mean, it's respected and honored enough \u2014 but they just, they don't have the scale, and it's important to build a scale.\"<\/p>

\"We're trying to deter a war, but when war comes and you need to build a force, you just can't flip a switch and say, 'Alright, fine, we're going to warp speed a bunch of money into this and give us an army,'\" Barros said. \"To build a general actually requires having had an officer who's been an officer for like 20, 30, 40 years. To create the junior field officers, you know, you need to have the academies who train people.\"<\/p>

France, meanwhile, announced a new volunteer program<\/a> for 18- and 19-year-olds to help their country bolster its military personnel in noncombat roles.<\/p>

Volunteers will sign up for 10-month paid stints working in France or its overseas territories, with a choice after completion to either reenter civilian life or consider further military service.<\/p>

French President Emmanuel Macron<\/a> said the program was \u201cinspired by practices of our European partners \u2026 at a time when all our European allies advance in response to a threat that weighs on us all.\"<\/p>

RUBIO CRUSADES FOR WESTERN CIVILIZATION, WARNING EUROPEAN MASS MIGRATION COULD THREATEN FUTURE OF NATO<\/a><\/p>

Given the inertia of Europe's military overhaul, increasingly harsh demands from the U.S. have contributed to cross-Atlantic tensions between continental leaders and President Donald Trump.<\/p>

Following the release of the National Security Strategy, which stated a desire for Europe to \"remain European and \"regain its civilizational self-confidence,\" European Council President Ant\u00f3nio Costa warned that European nations<\/a> must now \u201cprotect themselves even against the allies who defy them.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25339382806834.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362559-1767333300", "title":"Trump’s all-in AI push is paying off handsomely, making up for his failed tariffs gamble at least somewhat", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362559%2Ftrump-ai-push-paying-off-making-up-failed-tariffs-gamble%2F", "byline":"Tiana Lowe Doescher", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"When politicos look back on President Donald Trump’s first year in his second stab at the presidency, early 2026 may mark the nadir of his career-wide economic approval. The inflation crisis inherited from former President Joe Biden has kept the cost of living the single most salient issue for voters across the political spectrum. So, […]", "description":""

When politicos look back on President Donald Trump's<\/a> first year in his second stab at the presidency, early 2026 may mark the nadir of his career-wide economic approval.<\/p>

The inflation<\/a> crisis inherited from former President Joe Biden <\/a>has kept the cost of living the single most salient issue for voters across the political spectrum. So, the White House ends Trump's first year back in power in a defensive posture with uncharacteristically low approval ratings on the economy.<\/p>

Yet, there are enough signs in the data that indicate the worst may be coming to an end, as one of Trump's most audacious economic gambles is beginning to pay off.<\/p>

Core consumer price index inflation, the Federal Reserve's<\/a> preferred measure, fell to 2.6% in November, its lowest point since the start of Biden's presidency nearly a half-decade ago. Economic growth in the third quarter of 2025 soared 4.3% at an annualized rate, according to the first estimate by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's GDPNow forecast conservatively estimates that the economy will grow by another 3% in the final quarter of the year.<\/p>

In part, liberation from the consequences of Bidenomics is the obvious result of the liberation of the regulatory and deficit-driven zeal of Bidenomics. The federal budget deficit for the first two months of fiscal 2026 is down 19% from fiscal 2025, which in turn was down 4% from the final stage of the Bidenomics experiment in the fiscal year prior. Trump's executive deregulation has already borne early fruit, and more will be felt as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act goes into full effect over 2026 and beyond.<\/p>

But the secret sauce pushing economic growth is Trump's great gamble on international investment in American innovation and artificial intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>

Although Trump's public boasts that he has secured nearly $20 trillion in foreign investments are overstated, the real number is still close to almost half that. Bloomberg estimates that at least $7 trillion of commitments are \"real investment pledges,\" while another $2.6 trillion are purchase or trade agreements, with more than 80% of the investments dedicated to AI.<\/p>

The practical benefits of generative AI are littered throughout the Q3 GDP report. EY-Parthenon quantifies the growth in AI investment in the first half of 2025 at 18% and estimates its contribution to the economic growth of the first half of 2025 to be more than a full percentage point. Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a note analyzing the third-quarter GDP print that AI was driving most of the country's private fixed investment.<\/p>

Yet not every Trump economic bet paid off. Particularly, his love of protectionism, which cannot restore 20th-century jobs to a 21st-century economy, despite his pledges. By imposing the single steepest tariff<\/a> regimes on American consumers in 100 years, the manufacturing sector is down 58,000 jobs, and male employment has effectively flatlined since Trump announced the duties on \"Liberation Day.\"<\/p>

It all makes for a mixed economic picture, but with serious reasons for optimism. The 4.6% unemployment rate is over a full point lower than the post-war average. And given that nearly a quarter of the workforce is 55 or older, the White House's<\/a> mass deportations will only expedite an inevitable collapse of the available prime-age labor force.<\/p>

This is where AI becomes crucial. The sort of exponential productivity growth proffered by an international AI investment sweep is the only way to produce the caliber of economic growth that vanquishes five years of inflation for good.<\/p>

IN FOCUS: TRUMP MUST REJECT HOUSING SOCIALISM OR FACE BACKLASH AT THE BALLOT BOX <\/a><\/p>

The speculative optimism of AI that has driven the Magnificent 7, the companies that have invested the most in AI, to dizzying heights, has begun to pay off in the form of wildly juiced productivity.<\/p>

Trump's AI optimism is no longer mere points on the board of the New York Stock Exchange, now that it's actually spinning junk into jewels on the nation's balance sheet. If this gamble continues to pay off, it won't just save his presidency; it may very well save the American economy's relevance in the new industrial revolution.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2203279232.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362685-1767333000", "title":"It’s the prices, stupid: The big challenge that lies ahead for Trump and the GOP", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fmagazine-features%2F4362685%2Fprices-challenge-ahead-trump-republicans-2026%2F", "byline":"Jeremy Lott", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The week before Christmas, President Donald Trump delivered a televised address from the White House. The president can stretch things out when he speechifies, but this time he got right to the point and landed the message in under 20 minutes. “Eleven months ago,” he said, “I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it.” Details […]", "description":""

<\/p>

The week before Christmas, President Donald Trump<\/a> delivered a televised address from the White House<\/a>. The president can stretch things out when he speechifies, but this time he got right to the point and landed the message in under 20 minutes. \u201cEleven months ago,\u201d he said, \u201cI inherited a mess, and I\u2019m fixing it.\u201d<\/p>

Details of that mess began with \u201cthe worst [inflation<\/a>] in 48 years, and some would say in the history of our country.\u201d The word \u201caffordability\u201d is now all the rage, he reckoned, because life has become \u201cunaffordable for millions and millions of Americans.\u201d<\/p>

The president covered many other subjects from the White House. These included immigration<\/a>, crime<\/a>, government promotion of transgender athletes (\u201cWe had men playing in women's sports\u201d), blowing up drug boats (\u201cDrugs brought in by ocean and by sea are now down 94%\u201d), education (\u201cWe have broken the grip of sinister woke radicals in our schools\u201d), and his foreign policy moves (\u201cbringing for the first time in 3,000 years, peace to the Middle East\u201d), but it\u2019s telling that he began with inflation and dwelled on it at length.<\/p>

The overall message that Trump emphasized was dramatic, rapid improvements under his second administration<\/a>, with more to come. For instance, \u201cWe inherited the worst border anywhere in the world,\u201d he said, \u201cand we quickly turned it into the strongest border in the history of our country. In other words, in a few short months, we went from worst to best.\u201d<\/p>

His administration is \u201cbringing our economy back from the brink of ruin,\u201d Trump bragged. \u201cUnder the Biden administration, car prices rose 22%, and in many states 30% or more; gasoline rose 30% to 50%; hotel rates rose 37%; airfares rose 31%.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDemocrat politicians also sent the cost of groceries soaring,\u201d he said, \u201cbut we are solving that too.\u201d<\/p>Domestic doom spiral

Bill Clinton<\/a>\u2019s political adviser James Carville summed up the key issue of the 1992 presidential campaign in one pithy soundbite: \u201cIt\u2019s the economy, stupid.\u201d Specifically, it was the jobs, stupid. After a recession from 1990 into 1991, there simply weren\u2019t enough of them to go around, with an unemployment rate north of 7%.<\/p>

People wouldn\u2019t stop talking about it, which magnified economic anxieties. The Bureau of Labor Statistics called this the \u201cjobs-confidence loop\u201d in a report. That doom spiral, more than anything else, is what made George H.W. Bush a one-term president.<\/p>

Republicans took it on the chin in the 2025 elections and are looking awful for the 2026 midterm elections<\/a> on the generic ballot. Why? Many explanations have been offered for this dismal result, following the previous year\u2019s GOP sweep of the House, Senate, and White House.<\/p>

Ultimately, it\u2019s likely that Carville was right in a way that is still relevant today. Which is to say that it\u2019s still the economy, stupid, but with a twist. This time, the issue is the prices, stupid.<\/p>Ripping up dollar bills

The song \u201cSuffer,\u201d by alt-country singer Boy Golden, begins with a common enough economic impression of the last several years. \u201cPrices go up and they don't come down \/ Cost 40 bucks just to hang around \/ I know people sleeping on the ground,\u201d the protagonist sings, before coming to his chorus of protest:<\/p>

\u201cI wanna know where my money wentI want a new f***ing presidentI wanna believe that God is benevolentI wanna know where my money went\u201d<\/p>

Prices ballooned under former President Joe Biden<\/a>. It happened because of moves that the Federal Reserve<\/a>, the government-owned and -operated central bank of the United States, felt compelled to make. The Fed had to deal with the economic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. It also had to finance a binge of pandemic-era and postpandemic spending that Biden himself had sought.<\/p>

Biden was warned against this last round of COVID-19 spending, which took place as the lockdowns were being lifted, vaccines were being administered, and people were returning to work. \u201cWe\u2019re taking very substantial risks on the inflation side,\u201d former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said in 2021, the year Biden's so-called American Rescue Plan was passed by Democrats in a party-line vote. \u201cPouring roughly half a trillion dollars of gasoline on the inflationary fire that is already burning is reckless,\u201d Jason Furman, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers when Biden was vice president, said in response to the administration's student loan forgiveness plans the following year. Both economists are Democrats, yet their counsel against inflationary policies went unheeded.<\/p>

The result was brutal economically. We\u2019ll get to the numbers, but first, dear reader, please take out a $1 bill and some Scotch tape. Eyeball about one-fifth of that bill, lengthwise, then tear that section off, crosswise.<\/p>

Next, imagine that happening to every single dollar in your wallet, purse, or bank account. Then realize that you are not imagining things. It took $100 in 2024 to buy what $82.55 could buy in 2020, according to an inflation calculator provided by Alioth Finance.<\/p>

Finally, use the tape to repair your $1 bill, because people need a lot more of those to pay for things these days.<\/p>What the Fed wrought

During the Obama years and Trump\u2019s first term, monetary inflation had poked along, usually in the 1%-2% range. The value of the dollar fell as the Fed gradually increased the supply of dollars, but only slightly and slowly. In 2020, the year Biden was elected, inflation was 1.2%.<\/p>

Then it skyrocketed, to 4.7% in 2021 and 8% in 2022. Even in 2023, when there was a significant reduction, inflation was still 4.1%. This effectively erased many of the salary gains workers had made over several years by making everything cost more, in a hurry.<\/p>

During this period, the Fed practiced what it calls \u201cquantitative easing,\u201d which is one of those terms that has the general effect of making most people\u2019s eyes glaze over. Starting in March 2020 and ending roughly two years later, this round of sustained economic activity injected trillions of dollars into the economy, initially to cushion the economic shocks caused by pandemic-related disruptions.<\/p>

In short, the Fed created a great deal of money with which to buy securities. The Fed\u2019s balance sheet, its list of owned financial assets that it bought by simply creating, or \u201cprinting,\u201d more money, ballooned during this time.<\/p>

\u201cBy the time [quantitative easing] ended in spring 2022, the size of the Fed\u2019s balance sheet had more than doubled \u2013 from $4.2 trillion in assets to $8.8 trillion,\u201d explains the website of financial technology firm American Deposit Management. \u201cTo put these numbers into perspective, the Treasury held assets equating to 36% of GDP at this time.\u201d<\/p>

Politicians, mostly of the Democratic variety, called for investigations into this or that industry during Biden\u2019s tenure in office. The oil industry was allegedly too greedy, or the snack industry was too sneaky, and was cheating people by charging the same for less. It all amounted to a failed attempt to change the subject.<\/p>

Prices are constantly rising and falling in a free market. This fluctuation happens because prices send economic signals back and forth from consumer to producer, dialing demand and supply up and down. When prices are rising across the board, however, the real culprit is the money supply. Under our system of fiat currency, the cause of that is the government itself.<\/p>

The Fed increased the number of dollars available at a rate that was all out of whack with economic growth. That imbalance significantly altered the exchange rate between money and things that money can buy. With so many more dollars in the system chasing roughly the same number of goods and services, all of the individual dollars ended up being worth considerably less.<\/p>

The public was, quite understandably, upset about this swift reduction in its purchasing power. The steep rise in prices started a price-confidence loop, and that made Biden a very unpopular president.<\/p>

Granted, it might have been his disastrous, senior-moment-prone debate performance in late June 2024 that finished Biden off. Yet inflation is what put him on the ropes in the first place.<\/p>The politics of prices

It was Biden\u2019s vice president, not the diminished man himself, who failed to stop Trump\u2019s big White House comeback. From the voters\u2019 perspective, Kamala Harris amounted to the same thing economically, and she did little to alter that impression.<\/p>

In effect, people turned an administration out of office that seemed hellbent on pursuing its own agenda with indifference to the effects that this agenda was having on prices. Some critics charge that we are getting more of the same thing from the Trump administration, with its tireless pursuit of tariffs and with Trump\u2019s own seemingly personal vendetta against current Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.<\/p>

In his pre-Christmas speech, Trump made the case that his administration cares deeply about prices.<\/p>

\u201cThe price of a Thanksgiving turkey was down 33% compared to the Biden last year,\u201d he said. \u201cThe price of eggs is down 82% since March, and everything else is falling rapidly, and it's not done yet. But boy, are we making progress.\u201d In addition, he would be \u201cstanding up to the special interest to dramatically reduce the price of prescription drugs.\u201d<\/p>

Yet voters\u2019 general impressions thus far are that the economy under Trump is not so great. Prices play an outsize role in that judgment. A December 2025 Navigator Research poll of 1,000 voters, for instance, found that Trump\u2019s ratings are \u201cespecially poor on inflation,\u201d with 61% of voters disapproving of Trump\u2019s performance on inflation and the cost of living, versus only 35% who approve. Four percent were undecided.<\/p>

The out party has more negative impressions of the economy when its opposite number is in office, so you would expect a more dour assessment from Democrats. Yet the Navigator poll also found some softness in the Trump coalition that could hurt in the midterm elections.<\/p>

\u201cNearly one in six Trump voters regret their 2024 vote choice, citing Trump\u2019s broken promises \u2013 especially on the economy,\u201d the polling firm reported.<\/p>Stuck in a loop?

A price-confidence loop arose during the Biden administration. Prices went up, and people talked about it a lot, even when inflation had finally slowed down. For 2024, the year that Trump beat Harris, inflation clocked in at 2.9%.<\/p>

That was a little high by recent historical trends, but not disastrously so. If that had been the average rate of inflation throughout the Biden administration, there\u2019s a decent chance he would still be president today. That figure, 2.9%, is perhaps only slightly higher than where economists expect the needle to land on total inflation measured over 2025.<\/p>

The Trump administration has done some things to bring prices down, especially on the regulation front. But Trump has also pressured the Fed to cut interest rates at the same time that it is trying to fight higher inflation, railed against Powell for not doing so until September, and is trying to fire one of the Fed governors, Lisa Cook, over alleged past mortgage fraud.<\/p>

Powell\u2019s term is up in 2026. Many financial analysts fear the president will appoint a replacement who will value short-term growth over price stability.<\/p>

Then there is the problem of tariffs. \u201cWe had the worst trade deals ever made, and our country was laughed at from all over the world,\u201d Trump said in his December speech, \u201cbut they're not laughing anymore.\u201d Neither were financial markets after \"Liberation Day,\" April 2, when Trump leveled tariffs on most nations and one island populated entirely by penguins.<\/p>

The specter of a worldwide trade war loomed. Financial markets experienced a massive selloff globally, temporarily shedding a ballpark $10 trillion of value in a matter of days. A combination of the administration relaxing some tariffs, lawsuits that challenged its authority to do this in the first place, and some trading partners deciding that a trade war would hurt too many people with friendly fire eventually calmed things down.<\/p>

The relationship between tariffs and inflation is complicated, but tariffs have demonstrable upward effects on many prices even in times of more straightforward trading. Under the current regime, tariffs have pushed up many prices already; harmed manufacturing jobs in the U.S., as many of the inputs are imported; and likely had knock-on bad effects on broader employment. Unemployment has ticked up at the same time that companies trying to navigate a new labyrinthine regime have had to eat some of the tariffs in the short run.<\/p>

Looking forward to 2026, many companies were already baking tariff-driven price hikes into their pie charts. A survey by the Institute for Supply Management, for instance, found that 86% of manufacturers were planning to pass on all or at least a significant portion of the cost of tariffs on their wares by raising prices.<\/p>

Members of the Trump administration have floated a \u201ctariff dividend,\u201d paid to citizens out of increased tariff revenues, to overcome the poll-measured skepticism of the majority of people toward its trade policies. However, this would still require the consent of a closely divided Congress and could be further undercut by an adverse ruling by the Supreme Court on tariffs.<\/p>

TRUMP TRIES TO TURN ECONOMY BACK ON DEMOCRATS IN PREVIEW OF 2026 CAMPAIGN<\/a><\/p>

The current price-confidence loop presents a tricky political problem for any party in power in that the country likely has to get well past it before the din ceases. After the November GOP shellacking in several state and local elections, Trump initially discounted concerns over \u201caffordability.\u201d<\/p>

Trump\u2019s party has a lot riding on public perceptions of prices and the economy in this year\u2019s midterm elections. His address was thus a Yuletide pivot. The president gave his supporters the gift of at least appearing to take the issue of prices seriously. If he proves serious about tackling the issue in the new year, it could make a real difference for the political battles to come.<\/p>

Jeremy Lott (@jeremylottdiary) is the author of The Warm Bucket Brigade: The Story of the American Vice Presidency.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Feat.Prices1.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362941-1767332700", "title":"What does the Democratic National Committee have to hide?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362941%2Fwhat-democratic-national-committee-have-hide%2F", "byline":"Jay Caruso", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"When a party loses a presidential election, the aftermath is marked by a slew of analysis and deep dives, often referred to as a “post-mortem” or “autopsy,” aimed at determining what exactly went wrong and how to improve the outcome four years later. Many of these reviews are unofficial and handled by political organizations, media […]", "description":""

When a party loses a presidential election, the aftermath is marked by a slew of analysis and deep dives, often referred to as a \u201cpost-mortem\u201d or \u201cautopsy,\u201d aimed at determining what exactly went wrong and how to improve the outcome four years later.<\/p>

Many of these reviews are unofficial and handled by political organizations, media outlets, and advocacy groups. However, from time to time, the major parties conduct an internal review using all available data. The Republican National Committee<\/a> conducted well-known autopsies following 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney<\/a>'s loss to former President Barack Obama<\/a>, outlining several ways the party needed to improve to increase its chances of winning.<\/p>

The Democratic National Committee carried out a similar autopsy following President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s electoral and popular vote win over former Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a> in 2024. The difference with this report, however, is that the public won\u2019t get to see it, as the DNC has refused to release it, similar to one produced by the House Democrats' campaign arm after Trump's initial win in 2016, against the 2016 Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton.<\/p>

Ironically, DNC Chairman Ken Martin promised to conduct an autopsy for the 2024 election, criticizing the decision not to release the 2016 report. Now, however, he has done a complete 180-degree turn.<\/p>

In a statement released in late December, Martin said, \u201cIn our conversations with stakeholders from across the Democratic ecosystem, we are aligned on what\u2019s important, and that\u2019s learning from the past and winning the future. Here\u2019s our North Star: does this help us win? If the answer is no, it\u2019s a distraction from the core mission.\u201d<\/p>

According to a CNN report, officials involved in the review were concerned that releasing it would only inflame internal party tensions at a time when Democrats have started to notch some wins. Gubernatorial victories in Virginia and New Jersey have buoyed the party. A Democrat was elected mayor in Miami for the first time in nearly 30 years. More than two dozen House Republican Conference members have announced they will not seek reelection, including Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who not only said she will not run again but also dropped out of the New York governor\u2019s race.<\/p>

Add in Trump\u2019s continued sagging poll numbers, and Democrats appear to be in a prime position for gains in 2026 and perhaps the 2028 presidential election. So why are they afraid to release the post-mortem of the 2024 election, especially after the 2024 Democratic ticket of Harris and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) burned through $1.5 billion in just 15 weeks?<\/p>

The concern about \u201cinflaming party tensions\u201d is revealing and offers some insight. While Democrats frequently say they are \u201cunited,\u201d the only thing truly uniting them is a shared animosity toward Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and the current administration. Beyond that, divisions run deep, centered on the strained relationship between the party\u2019s establishment wing and its progressive wing.<\/p>

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) remains influential within the party, and more progressive members of Congress, such as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), the latter of whom entered the primary to run for the Senate in Texas, have continued to grow their influence, often to the detriment of more traditional Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).<\/p>

The recent government shutdown, which lasted more than 40 days, occurred in part because progressive Democrats demanded that party leaders, including Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), maintain a strategy of holding out. As the shutdown dragged on, it began to affect government workers, SNAP payments, and small businesses, prompting more centrist Democrats to break with the party to reach an agreement.<\/p>

Progressives ultimately labeled the deal that reopened the government \u201ca betrayal.\u201d Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) took direct aim at Schumer, saying he \u201cis no longer effective and should be replaced.\u201d<\/p>

The autopsy likely reveals deep divisions among Democratic legislators, and between lawmakers and voters, over priorities, policies, and strategy. Those divisions include:<\/p>

Immigration and border security \u2014 While the Trump administration\u2019s methods have come under scrutiny and even some supporters are critical of deportation efforts, the Republican position remains more popular with voters. The progressive wing of the Democratic Party favors a more hands-off approach, similar to that of former President Joe Biden's administration, which proved politically disastrous.<\/p>

Israeli-Palestinian conflict \u2014 The issue is so divisive that some progressive Democrats are calling for a primary challenge to Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), a progressive Democrat. Fetterman\u2019s offense? He has been a staunch defender of Israel, particularly in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks. While he votes with progressives on most issues, for some activists and Democrats, that is no longer enough.<\/p>

ZELENSKY SUGGESTS RUSSIA IS PLANNING TO INTERFERE WITH REFERENDUM ON TRUMP PEACE PLAN<\/a><\/p>

Cultural issues and party image \u2014 The Democratic Party has increasingly been seen as \u201cout of touch.\u201d Its focus on \"gender-affirming care,\" transgender rights, the preservation of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and aggressive language policing has created an image of a party disconnected from average voters, particularly working-class and swing voters.<\/p>

Chances are, Martin does not want this internal battle to play out in public. Yes, it would be a distraction, but it is also a problem that will not disappear with off-year election wins or narrow margins in the 2026 midterm elections. These issues will still be there in 2028. Refusing to address them now almost guarantees they will resurface when Democrats begin announcing their presidential ambitions in early 2027.<\/p>

Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) is a writer living in West Virginia.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/WB.Campaign.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4355256-1767332400", "title":"When vice presidents are frozen in marble", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4355256%2Fkamala-harris-history-most-senate-tiebreaking-votes-vice-president%2F", "byline":"Jeremy Lott", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Kamala Harris may or may not run for president in 2028. To hear her tell it, Harris has already won an important victory, and her place in history is secure. “I understand the focus on ‘28 and all that,” the former vice president who came short in her 2024 bid for the White House said […]", "description":""

Kamala Harris<\/a> may or may not run for president in 2028. To hear her tell it, Harris has already won an important victory, and her place in history is secure.<\/p>

\u201cI understand the focus on \u201828 and all that,\u201d the former vice president who came short in her 2024 bid for the White House<\/a> said in an interview published in December.<\/p>

\u201cBut there will be a marble bust of me in Congress<\/a>,\u201d she told the New York Times. \u201cI am a historic figure like any vice president of the United States ever was.\u201d<\/p>

All U.S. vice presidents are indeed historic figures, albeit minor ones. Yet a surprising number of them go on to become president. Forty-five men have been or are the president of the United States. Fifteen of those men \u2014 one-third \u2014 were vice president first.<\/p>Vice presidential legacies?

Those vice presidents who became president then ran administrations whose legacies are ranked and debated throughout U.S. history. The victors received Secret Service protection for life and a dedicated presidential library to house their papers, which helps make the case for their place in history.<\/p>

As for vice presidents who do not become president, they can receive a government pension, provided they have at least five years of total employment with the federal government. Former President Joe Biden<\/a>, for instance, received a pension that paid $166,374 a year to start, after he served as vice president in Barack Obama's<\/a> administration, according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.<\/p>

Biden\u2019s payout was sweetened by his 36 years in the Senate<\/a> before the vice presidency. President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> first vice president, Mike Pence<\/a>, started receiving his pension with much less money, only $57,265 annually, according to NTUF. Pence's time on the federal government payroll, and now his pension, stem from his four years as vice president, plus 12 years as a House member from Indiana.<\/p>

Former vice presidents are also able to parlay their experience and connections into book deals, paid speaking engagements, and other opportunities. Harris is currently hawking her book 107 Days, a campaign memoir about how she tried, and failed, to keep Trump from retaking the Oval Office after Biden dropped out and endorsed her as the Democratic Party\u2019s standard-bearer.<\/p>

Yesterday\u2019s presidential understudies are also frequently mentioned on the quiz show Jeopardy! And, as Harris said, their 3D likenesses eventually join the Senate\u2019s vice presidential bust collection.<\/p>

Sculpting those busts can take quite some time, however. The queue is backed up at the moment, with marble busts for Biden, Pence, and Harris still in production.<\/p>

The Senate hosts the marble collection because of the vice president\u2019s historic, constitutional role as president of the upper chamber. Vice presidents preside over the Senate, although by tradition they do not take part in speechifying and debates. Instead, their chief power is to cast tiebreaking votes in closely divided Senates.<\/p>

The number of tiebreaking votes that happen varies wildly by administration. Biden did not have the opportunity to cast a single tiebreaking vote in his eight-year vice presidency.<\/p>

In contrast, Harris cast a record-breaking 33 votes in four years. The 50-50 Senate tie during the Biden administration's<\/a> first two years helps explain this. Pence cast 13 Senate tie-breakers over his four years as vice president, all with a Republican majority. Trump\u2019s second vice president, JD Vance<\/a>, formerly a freshman senator from Ohio, has thus far cast seven deciding votes, according to the Senate website.<\/p>Vance and the midterm elections

Vance, like Harris, will eventually have his own bust in the Senate. In 2024, he attacked Harris with gusto on the campaign trail, took a dig at her on social media over allegations that sections of an earlier book of hers had been cribbed from Wikipedia entries, and still contrasts her role in the Biden administration\u2019s lax border policies with the Trump administration\u2019s<\/a> more enforcement-minded approach.<\/p>

But to her comments that she is \u201ca historic figure?\u201d So far, crickets.<\/p>

What that likely means is that Vance doesn\u2019t view her as a credible threat to his own White House ambitions. Instead, Vance, like Harris before him, has hitched his near-term political career to the success of the administration that he serves.<\/p>

The 2026 midterm elections<\/a> stand in his way. Current polling is not favorable to Republicans. A significant loss in November would hobble his party and hurt his chances of succeeding Trump, so he\u2019s doing what he can to avert that disaster.<\/p>

KAMALA HARRIS SAYS DEMOCRATS NEED POST-TRUMP MESSAGE TO FIX \u2018FLAWED STATUS QUO\u2019<\/a><\/p>

\u201cDo you want rents to keep dropping and wages to keep rising, as they have over the last few months?\u201d he asked a stadium full of Turning Point USA<\/a> conservative activists at their December convention. In response to cheers, he urged them, \u201cThen mobilize with us. Don\u2019t hand power back to the people who tanked the economy in the first place. Join the America First<\/a> movement, and you will always have a place on our great team.\u201d<\/p>

The vice president noted that late January would mark the first anniversary of the second Trump administration, adding, \u201cI am damn proud of our record so far.\u201d<\/p>

Jeremy Lott (@jeremylottidiary) is the author of The Warm Bucket Brigade: The Story of the American Vice Presidency.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/WB.Congress.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4356866-1767331800", "title":"Trump’s rare earth minerals obsession is part of a national security strategy", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4356866%2Ftrump-rare-earth-minerals-obsession%2F", "byline":"Taylor Millard", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump’s focus on securing the domestic rare earth minerals market puts the White House in a bind: Does it ignore its promise to deregulate? Trump, shortly after returning to office in January 2025 for his second, nonconsecutive term, invoked the Defense Production Act through several executive orders, citing the Cold War-era law in […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> focus on securing the domestic rare earth minerals<\/a> market puts the White House<\/a> in a bind: Does it ignore its promise to deregulate?<\/p>

Trump, shortly after returning to office in January 2025 for his second, nonconsecutive term, invoked the Defense Production Act<\/a> through several executive orders, citing the Cold War-era law in an effort to increase competition while reducing reliance on imports. Specifics included aiming to boost rare earth mineral production for national security purposes.<\/p>

It can, at times, make for an odd-seeming focus by a U.S. president. However, gaining American government control over rare earth minerals is part of a broader approach to combating Beijing, stemming from a national security and economic strategy to reduce U.S. dependency on China, which dominates the global supply chain for these essential materials. His administration views securing a domestic and allied supply as a key priority for maintaining America's technological and military edge.<\/p>

Trump has pushed for streamlining the country\u2019s permitting process, which S&P Market Intelligence analysts say can take up to 29 years. He has also moved to buy stakes in rare earth mineral companies, giving the U.S. government rare power over private firm decisions.<\/p>

It\u2019s a decision that was welcomed by Melissa \u201cMel\u201d Sanderson, director of American Rare Earths, a Wyoming-based company looking to secure an American supply of the commodity.<\/p>

\u201cGrowing a world-leading economy will require a massive injection of capital investment and demands coordination,\u201d Sanderson said in an interview.<\/p>

In July 2025, the Defense Department, which Trump has since renamed the War Department via executive order, acquired a 15% stake in MP Materials, the owner of California\u2019s Mountain Pass rare earth mine. It later took a 10% stake in Trilogy Metals Minerals with the right to buy more. The Pentagon added another $620 million investment in Vulcan Elements Minerals.<\/p>

Other federal departments obtained partial ownership in mineral companies. The Energy Department took a 5% stake in both Lithium Americas and its Thacker Pass joint venture with General Motors in Nevada. The Commerce Department bought $50 million in equity in Vulcan Elements and a 10% stake in chipmaker Intel.<\/p>

When asked about the Intel deal, Trump said he hoped the United States would take more stakes in companies. He boasted on Truth Social that the Intel deal hasn\u2019t cost American taxpayers anything, even though the government said it paid $8.9 billion.<\/p>China's economic threats factor into Trump's rare earth minerals push

The Trump administration is betting that the policy moves will blunt China\u2019s rare earth minerals dominance \u2014 it controls 69% of the market. The International Energy Agency predicted Beijing will remain the top producer of rare earths through 2035. China also controls 92% of the processing market.<\/p>

Analysts argue that it\u2019s due to careful planning by the country\u2019s leadership.<\/p>

\u201cChina did not build up their rare earths expertise overnight, but rather through around 30-40 years of consistent government support in R&D and industrial policy coordinated in close conjunction with industry,\u201d said Seaver Wang, director of Climate and Energy Program at the Berkeley, California-based Breakthrough Institute, in an interview.<\/p>

Wang encouraged Trump to focus on ore processing and financial incentives to help give mining companies more operational certainty.<\/p>

Trump likened the demand for the rare earth minerals to the gold rush of the 1800s, when prospectors headed West to find vast ore deposits.<\/p>

Despite the political urgency and federal spending, not everyone is convinced the Trump administration is on the right path.<\/p>

Megan Jenkins, strategic research director at the Pacific Legal Foundation, said purchasing stakes avoids the heart of the problem. She pointed to a U.S. Geological Survey estimate<\/a><\/p>

Jenkins, in an interview, blamed the permitting process for making it difficult to access those minerals.<\/p>

S&P Market Intelligence analysts said the U.S. has the second-longest time to complete the mine permitting process, in front of only Zambia. Even more troubling is that only three American mines have started production since 2002.<\/p>

Josh T. Smith, energy policy lead for the Abundance Institute, likened that timeline to a \u201ccall coming from inside the house.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOur inability to mine is a self-inflicted wound caused by layers of regulation and a poor permitting environment. You add in philosophical opposition from strands of today's environmental movement, and you have permitting paralysis,\u201d said Smith, at the Salt Lake City-based Abundance Institute, which bills itself as \u201cA mission-driven nonprofit focused on creating space for emerging technologies to grow, thrive, and have a chance to reach their full potential.\u201d<\/p>

He blamed the National Environmental Policy Act, saying its rules make it easier for anyone to sue, thus delaying projects. He lobbied for a new \u201cbuild, baby, build\u201d mindset where red tape is cut by implementing swift deadlines for permitting review to accelerate construction timelines.<\/p>

If permit streamlining happened along with changes to the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, free market advocates predicted, then private investment would open up toward minerals and locations without taxpayer risk.<\/p>

Permitting reform also received endorsement from those who believe in industrial policy.<\/p>

Weaver pointed to the recent discovery of a rare earth deposit in Maine, one that can\u2019t be mined due to the state\u2019s Metallic Mineral Mining Act.<\/p>

BREAKING DOWN RISING ELECTRICITY PRICES: THE ROLE OF TRANSMISSION LINES<\/a><\/p>

Congress hasn\u2019t been willing to act.<\/p>

While the House of Representatives passed the SPEED Act, a permitting reform bill setting stricter deadlines on environmental reviews, the bill died in the Senate in late December 2025. It\u2019s not known if the majority of Republicans will attempt to take up the bill again.<\/p>

Taylor Millard is a freelance journalist who lives in Virginia. Follow him on X @TaylorMillard.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/WB.WhiteHouse.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364384-1767331200", "title":"No-rules college basketball", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4364384%2Fno-rules-college-basketball-baylor-james-nnaji%2F", "byline":"Conn Carroll", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"“Santa Claus is delivering mid-season acquisitions,” back-to-back NCAA basketball champion Dan Hurley posted on Christmas. “This s*** is crazy,” the University of Connecticut coach added. Hurley was reacting to Baylor University coach Scott Drew signing a 7-foot center named James Nnaji to the Bears roster almost two months after the season started. Schools adding players […]", "description":""

\u201cSanta Claus is delivering mid-season acquisitions,\u201d back-to-back NCAA<\/a> basketball<\/a> champion Dan Hurley posted<\/a> on Christmas. \u201cThis s*** is crazy,\u201d the University of Connecticut coach added.<\/p>

Hurley was reacting to Baylor University coach Scott Drew signing a 7-foot center named James Nnaji to the Bears roster almost two months after the season started. Schools adding players to their roster midseason is rare enough. But Nnaji\u2019s circumstances make his signing even more noteworthy.<\/p>

A native of Nigeria, Nnaji never played high school, let alone college, basketball in the United States. He began his professional basketball career in Hungary before being signed by FC Barcelona, the basketball arm of the famous European soccer brand, in 2020. Nnaji enjoyed enough success in Spain that he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2023. Nnaji never signed with Detroit, but his rights have since been traded first to the Charlotte Hornets and then to the New York Knicks.<\/p>

Not long ago, Nnaji\u2019s only option for playing basketball in America would have been to sign with the Knicks. Professional athletes were simply not allowed to compete in college sports. That changed after the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in NCAA v. Alston, which struck down restrictions on athlete compensation under federal antitrust law. Since then, lower courts have treated virtually all NCAA eligibility rules as legally suspect, plunging college athletics into disorder.<\/p>

\"It's wild out there right now,\" Gonzaga University coach Mark Few told reporters. \"We really don't have any organizational or any real rules right now. Until there's a rule that says you can't do it, it's hard to blame anybody for doing what they're doing.\u201d<\/p>

Drew was also quick to point out that because there are no rules, he can\u2019t be accused of breaking them. \"Early on, when it first came out with G League players, I wasn't in favor of that either,\u201d Drew said in reference to the fact that two current NCAA players once played for the NBA\u2019s developmental G League. \u201cBut again, we don't make the rules, and as we find out about things, we're always going to adapt to put our program in the best position to be successful, because that's what we get paid to do.\"<\/p>

\u201cFrom my knowledge,\u201d Drew continued, \u201cuntil we get to collective bargaining, I don't think we can come up with rules that are agreeable or enforceable. Until that, I think all of us have got to be ready to adjust and adapt to what's out there.\u201d<\/p>

Unfortunately for college sports fans, collective bargaining is not a viable solution for college basketball or football. For starters, the National Labor Relations Act, which governs collective bargaining, doesn\u2019t apply to either state employers or religiously affiliated institutions \u2014 and almost all colleges fit into one of those two categories. Furthermore, who would be in this union? All college athletes? Just those from so-called revenue sports, basketball and football? Just basketball? Just football?<\/p>

What would student-athletes be allowed to bargain over? Wages, sure. But what about academic requirements? Grades? Could a college football player union bargain for better grades or more time on tests?<\/p>

HOW THE SUPREME COURT BROKE COLLEGE FOOTBALL<\/a><\/p>

And then, of course, there are the inevitable strikes that come with unions. It has been a while since football or baseball had a strike, but both sports have had them. And they have crippled seasons, including ending the 1994 baseball season entirely. Are labor stoppages really what college sports need?<\/p>

The real solution is an antitrust exemption, modeled on the one Congress granted the United States Olympic Committee. With such protection, a new governing body composed of former student-athletes and administrators could write and enforce a coherent national rulebook, restoring order to a system that is unraveling.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/YL.NoRules.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363802-1767330900", "title":"Happy cows come from Texas now", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4363802%2Fleprino-foods-move-texas-from-california%2F", "byline":"Zachary Faria", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"If you’ve ever ordered a pizza from Domino’s, Pizza Hut, or Papa John’s, you’ve probably eaten mozzarella made by Leprino Foods in Lemoore, California. But that era is coming to an end. Like hundreds of other companies, Leprino is pulling back from California and expanding operations in Texas. For decades, Leprino was a cornerstone of […]", "description":""

If you\u2019ve ever ordered a pizza from Domino\u2019s, Pizza Hut, or Papa John\u2019s, you\u2019ve probably eaten mozzarella made by Leprino Foods in Lemoore, California. But that era is coming to an end. Like hundreds of other companies, Leprino is pulling back from California and expanding operations in Texas.<\/p>

For decades, Leprino was a cornerstone of the Central Valley economy. Now it is closing one of its two Lemoore facilities, eliminating nearly 400 local jobs. The company has pointed directly to California\u2019s crushing regulatory climate as a key factor behind the decision.<\/p>

CALIFORNIA SCAPEGOATS BILLIONAIRES FOR ITS RECKLESS BUDGETING<\/a><\/p>

Another reason cited by the company is its new facility in Lubbock, Texas, which will employ around 600 people and be fully operational sometime in 2026. It is more financially sustainable for Leprino Foods to build a facility in Texas and employ 600 people there than to employ fewer than 400 people at a facility in California that has operated daily since 1910. That is how big the gap is between California\u2019s business and regulatory environments compared to Texas\u2019s.<\/p>

More than 360 companies<\/a> left California from 2018 to 2024. Going back to 2005, half of the companies that left the Golden State went to Texas. The Lone Star State leads the country in job creation, having recently<\/a> posted its largest labor force number in history. California, meanwhile, leads the nation in unemployment<\/a>, as even the state\u2019s top industries of entertainment and technology are losing jobs.<\/p>

Believe it or not, things are only going to get worse in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and his fellow Democrats refused to pay back a federal pandemic unemployment loan, making California the only state to do so. The result is that the federal government will recollect<\/a> its money through taxes on every business for every employee they employ, through a tax that goes up year after year until the debt is repaid, which won\u2019t be until sometime in the 2030s, based on projections. Leprino Foods just saved itself around 400 employees' worth of additional taxes with this move, and other big businesses could do the same while California\u2019s small businesses are forced to shoulder the burden.<\/p>

NEWSOM'S UNPAID BILLS ARE COSTING CALIFORNIA JOBS<\/a><\/p>

California\u2019s Democratic<\/a> regulations have strangled businesses so severely that, from January 2022 to June 2024, over 96% of new jobs created<\/a> in the state were jobs in the state government. And that is all before this new rising tax on every employee goes into effect, which will force businesses to spend even more money for every person they employ or cut people loose in order to save money.<\/p>

Leprino Foods is just one of many companies that have decided to take the second option, taking hundreds of jobs to the more business-friendly Texas rather than try to swim upstream in California\u2019s onerous tax and regulatory environment. Despite it all, Newsom considers the California model to be a success, one he is so proud of that he intends to make it the focus of his 2028 run<\/a> for president. Companies such as Leprino Foods were able to escape Newsomology in Texas, but they won\u2019t have that same luxury if Newsom walks into the White House in 2029.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/YL.HappyCows.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364148-1767330600", "title":"Celebrating Christ at Christmas is apparently right-wing", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4364148%2Fright-wingers-put-christ-in-christmas%2F", "byline":"Timothy P. Carney", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"It’s slim pickings out there for the responsible progressive these days. What is he to do for a pastime without fear of becoming a right-winger? Is he allowed to like anything? To the long list of behaviors that the major media have branded as right-wing, readers of Politico and the Washington Post have been warned […]", "description":""

It\u2019s slim pickings out there for the responsible progressive<\/a> these days. What is he to do for a pastime without fear of becoming a right-winger? Is he allowed to like anything?<\/p>

To the long list of behaviors that the major media<\/a> have branded as right-wing, readers of Politico and the Washington Post<\/a> have been warned that celebrating the birth of Jesus<\/a> makes them Christian<\/a> nationalists.<\/p>

This might not be such a problem if libs and other non-right-wingers were allowed to do anything else. Sadly, the media keeps adding things that make you right-wing, starting with wearing deodorant.<\/p>

\u201cHate body odour? You\u2019re more likely to have rightwing views,\u201d the Guardian warned<\/a> in 2018.<\/p>

You should not be getting sweaty anyway if you are a good progressive who read \u201cThe White Supremacist Origins of Exercise<\/a>\u201d in Time magazine in 2022. If you ever lifted or ran, hopefully you stopped after a Guardian columnist warned<\/a>, \u201cGetting fit is great \u2014 but it could turn you into a rightwing jerk.\u201d<\/p>

But as you ditch physical fitness, you had better not turn into a bookworm \u2014 there lies fascism. If you are too big a fan of Lord of the Rings, you are in the same boat as Peter Thiel and Vice President JD Vance, MS Now celebrity Rachel Maddow explained<\/a>, as Vance accepted the Republican nomination for vice president in 2024.<\/p>

Don\u2019t touch Homer, either. The New York Times made it clear<\/a> in December that New College Florida is in a right-wing bubble in part because \"The Odyssey is required reading.\u201d<\/p>

Heck, even Harry Potter is right-wing now that author J. K. Rowling has been canceled.<\/p>

Eating protein, according to the Atlantic<\/a>, the New Republic<\/a>, and other liberal outlets, is part of \u201cright-wing politics.\"<\/p>

Even making babies<\/a> and having a family<\/a> are now conservative-coded. Sometimes it seems<\/a> that heterosexual attraction counts as \u201cright-wing.\u201d<\/p>

The latest addition to this list: Singing \u201cWhat Child Is This?\u201d is right-wing \u2014 at least that\u2019s the implication from a couple of liberal outlets.<\/p>

\u201cFar-right parties are claiming the festive season as their own, recasting Christmas as a marker of Christian civilization that is under threat,\u201d Politico gasped<\/a> on Christmas Eve. Imagine that! These people believe the birth of Christ is a marker of Christianity! (And where would they ever get the notion that Christian civilization is under threat?)<\/p>

Likewise, the\u00a0Washington Post\u00a0informed<\/a>\u00a0its readers that Trump administration Christmas greetings have \u201cdrawn\u00a0 objections\u201d (surely not from the outlet's editors and reporters, who have no opinions), for being \u201creligious\u201d rather than \u201csecular.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP'S BABY BONDS MISS THE MARK<\/a><\/p>

Two examples from the Department of Homeland Security: The Christmas social media posts declared \u201cChrist is Born!\u201d and one video displayed religious images, including Jesus, a manger, and crosses.<\/p>

So do yourself a favor if you don\u2019t want to be labeled a Christian nationalist or a right-winger, and just say \"bah humbug.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/books-numinous-sentimental-christmas-joseph-bottum-121124B1.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364577-1767330300", "title":"Streaming broke television’s sense of time", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4364577%2Fstreaming-broke-television-sense-of-time%2F", "byline":"Tiana Lowe Doescher", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Almost a full 10 years after debuting on Netflix, Stranger Things has finally come to a close in its fifth and final season. Ordinarily, one would say that audiences grew up with the children at the heart of the science fiction bildungsroman, but that’s not really true in a case where the actors have lapped […]", "description":""

Almost a full 10 years after debuting on Netflix<\/a>, Stranger Things has finally come to a close in its fifth and final season. Ordinarily, one would say that audiences grew up with the children at the heart of the science fiction<\/a> bildungsroman, but that's not really true in a case where the actors have lapped the characters whom they play by over a decade in some cases.<\/p>

In the first season, the five preteen actors at the core of the cast played 12-year-olds, while their older siblings, teenagers in-universe, were played by actors in their early 20s. By the show's finale, only four years are supposed to have passed. But the 16-year-old Jane Hopper, known in the wider culture by her mononym of \"Eleven,\" is played by Millie Bobby Brown, who is now an almost-22-year-old wife and mother. The godfather of Brown's child is Noah Schnapp, who is similarly 21-playing-16 in the show, despite being about to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and Joe Keery, who are supposed to play college-aged characters by the show's last season, are 30, 31, and 33 years old, respectively, in real life.<\/p>

It's easy to chalk up one delayed television<\/a> season to the 2020 pandemic, but the stultifying schedule of Stranger Things is more the industry rule than the exception these days. Hit high school drama Euphoria is finally scheduled to return to HBO this spring, but the four-year delay since the last season aired necessitates a multiyear flash forward, lest the 29-year-old Zendaya, 28-year-olds Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney, and 35-year-old Alexa Demie continue to be asked to portray awkward 16-year-olds.<\/p>

Also returning to HBO is House of the Dragon, which famously recast its protagonists halfway through its first season to accommodate a 10-or-so-year time jump in-universe. For example, the then-19-year-old Emily Carey and 22-year-old Milly Alcock, who played the teenage Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen, were replaced by the then-28-year-old Olivia Cooke and the 30-year-old Emma D'Arcy when their characters were aged up by a decade in the first season. The third season will air nearly five years after the first was filmed, shortly after Joe Biden's presidential inauguration. At this pace, the fourth season will come out in time for the 2028 election, and the Game of Thrones spin-off might as well return to the original cast, who will be closer in age to their in-universe characters than the secondary actors who were cast specifically to better align with the show's aged-up timeline.<\/p>

Name a top television show these days, and expect, at minimum, a two-year wait. CGI-heavy shows such as House of the Dragon will blame postproduction for the delay, but what excuse does a frothy regency romance such as Netflix's Bridgerton have? At this rate, the eight-season series, based on the eight happily ever afters of the eight Bridgerton children, will wait until the actress Claudia Jessie turns 40 to play a 19th-century noble girl falling in love for the first time.<\/p>

None of this is to mention that TV seasons themselves have become truncated. Whereas ABC put out multiple 20-something episode seasons of Lost, itself an animation juggernaut, for multiple years in a row with just three-month breaks in between, fans of The Boys can expect an eight-episode final season to air two years after its last entry on Amazon Prime.<\/p>

ROB AND MICHELLE REINER DESERVED BETTER<\/a><\/p>

The final Stranger Things season reportedly cost Netflix nearly a half-billion dollars, as though money compensates for quality. But some of the best episodes of television ever created were the cheapest. The Office's \"Dinner Party\" and Mad Men's \"The Suitcase\" were filmed almost entirely on single sets with a handful of actors, and Breaking Bad's iconic bottle episode, \"Fly,\" was literally written as such because the showrunners ran out of money and spun desperation into genius.<\/p>

As anyone paying for a smorgasbord of streaming services just to finish this NFL season can attest to, the streaming industry has essentially recreated cable-company prices from first principles, so why can't it resurrect cable-quality scheduling? The Smoke Monster on Lost may not have been exactly as realistic as HBO's dragons, but whatever TV once lacked in blockbuster-quality theatrics, it had an abundance of in storytelling and momentum. And you know what's less realistic than a fantasy monster that has been rendered slightly less technically advanced than a James Cameron film? Literal parents and college graduates pretending to be high school students.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/iStock-2199804583.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4361490-1767330000", "title":"The biggest geopolitical winners and losers of 2025", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4361490%2Fbiggest-geopolitical-winners-losers-2025-ukraine-rwanda-iran-el-salvador-pakistan%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The year 2025 saw some of the biggest overhauls of the international order in modern history, a process destined to favor some countries and disfavor others. President Donald Trump spent the first year of his second administration upending the existing world order, shifting alliances and power dynamics across the globe. Nearly all of the winners […]", "description":""

The year 2025<\/a> saw some of the biggest overhauls of the international order in modern history, a process destined to favor some countries and disfavor others.<\/p>

President Donald Trump<\/a> spent the first year of his second administration upending the existing world order, shifting alliances and power dynamics across the globe. Nearly all of the winners and losers on this list had their fortunes or misfortunes tied to this reorganization in some way.<\/p>

Here are the countries that won and lost the most in 2025:<\/p>WinnersPakistan

Pakistan<\/a> ended 2024 in an increasingly perilous situation. It was already on the outs with its main ally since the Cold War, the United States, which seemed to increasingly favor its rapidly growing rival to the east. The central Asian nation ended 2025 in a vastly different position.<\/p>

The zenith of Pakistan\u2019s good fortunes came in May, during its brief war with India. The two longtime rivals traded drone and air strikes against each other, culminating in one of the biggest dogfights in modern warfare. During the massive air battle<\/a>, Pakistan became the first country in history to shoot down the French-made Rafale fighter jet, which marked the first time the Chinese-made J-10 downed another aircraft. Five Indian Air Force jets were downed by Pakistani jets, at the cost of none of its own. A ceasefire took effect shortly after, leaving Islamabad in a position where it could claim victory. Islamabad\u2019s liberal thanking of Trump for helping to negotiate the ceasefire, going so far as to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, played a key role in ingratiating itself with the new commander in chief.<\/p>

Field Marshal Asim Munir, the chief of staff of the Pakistani Army, traveled to Washington after the war and struck a close relationship with Trump. The president has referred to Munir as his \u201cfavorite field marshal.\u201d Trump\u2019s favorite new field marshal then faced little pushback from Washington when he was granted sweeping powers later in the year.<\/p>

Even one of Pakistan\u2019s low points, an increase in terrorist attacks, had a silver lining. The common cause of counterterrorism revived some cooperation with the U.S., and the armed conflict with Afghanistan stripped Islamabad of the long-running taboo of having supported the Taliban.<\/p>United Arab Emirates

The UAE<\/a> was boosted by a friendly relationship with Trump, striking a number of business deals. The new realpolitik view of Washington helped the UAE play a more proactive role in different conflicts without inviting significant human rights abuse allegations.<\/p>

The most notable conflict the UAE was involved in was the Sudanese Civil War, in which it was credited with single-handedly turning the tide.<\/p>

After the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces lost the Battle of Khartoum in March, it seemed to most observers that it was only a matter of time before the Sudanese Armed Forces retook the rest of the country and declared victory. The UAE, which provided substantial support to the RSF throughout the war, drastically boosted its support beginning in March, swinging the fortunes of war in the paramilitary group\u2019s favor.<\/p>

With an influx of weapons, cash, drones, military hardware, training, and even mercenaries, the RSF went on the offensive, turning its focus on its western stronghold of Darfur. In late September, it took the city of El Fasher, the final SAF stronghold in Darfur, effectively splitting the country in half between the two. One of the worst massacres of the 21st century occurred in the aftermath, with RSF supporters murdering anywhere from thousands to tens of thousands of civilians. Despite U.N. condemnation and the widespread acknowledgement of the UAE\u2019s role, its vital role in the global economy prevented any concrete backlash against it.<\/p>

The UAE also flexed its muscles in Yemen. Three and a half years after the civil war ended in a ceasefire, the conflict suddenly burst open once again in December, when the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council blitzed across eastern Yemen<\/a>, going from a small enclave to controlling the entire east of Yemen. The internationally-recognized and Saudi-backed Yemeni government retreated almost without a fight, and the Saudi-trained National Shield Forces disintegrated.<\/p>

The UAE further proved its nickname as the \u201cLittle Sparta,\u201d with its growing influence set to continue in 2026.<\/p>Rwanda

In 2025, Rwanda<\/a> earned its long-held nickname of \u201cthe Prussia of Africa,\u201d with its much smaller, highly disciplined military routing the far larger Democratic Republic of Congo armed forces. The east-central African nation effectively has a country nearly 90 times its size at its mercy.<\/p>

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel movement and the Rwandan Defense Forces began the year with their greatest triumph in years, routing a multinational force several times their size and seizing the key city of Goma, capital of the mineral-rich North Kivu province. It took control of its next provincial capital, Bukavu, the following month, and spent the rest of the year gobbling up more territory.<\/p>

M23 now controls an area about half the size of Rwanda, but this territory includes some of the richest land in terms of natural resources on Earth. The mineral wealth significantly boosted Rwanda\u2019s economy, while international backlash has not invited crippling sanctions.<\/p>

Washington stepped in to broker a peace agreement, hoping to end not just immediate hostilities but the wider Rwanda-Congo conflict itself. Rwanda was criticized for allegedly not fulfilling its obligations under the treaty, similar to the Congo; however, this lack of enforcement did not isolate Kigali, Rwanda's capital, or elicit significant pushback. Rwandan President Paul Kagame ended the year by traveling to Washington in December to heap praise on Trump, likely winning further favor.<\/p>El Salvador

The government of Salvadoran<\/a> President Nayib Bukele\u2019s accomplishments on domestic matters have become well-known, a trend that continued into 2025 with record-low crime. However, its biggest gain was on the international level, with Bukele finally securing the long-desired recognition from the U.S.<\/p>

As Bukele embraced his image as an international right-wing darling throughout the early 2020s, unsurprisingly, the left-wing Biden administration was not as thrilled. However, relief came almost immediately when Trump took power, with Washington\u2019s tone shifting to one of praise.<\/p>

Most famously, and infamously among many, was the deal between Trump and Bukele to send over 280 suspected gang members to CECOT, the high-security prison that has become the symbol of Trump\u2019s harsh immigration crackdown. Most of the suspected gang members were linked to the main organized crime target of Trump\u2019s second administration, the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua. The move was widely decried among Trump\u2019s critics due to the brutal conditions of the prison, but praised by Trump and Bukele\u2019s defenders as a harsh new handling of illegal immigration and crime.<\/p>

Whatever the case, the deal and Bukele\u2019s following triumphant visit to Washington confirmed his status as a right-wing favorite in the Western Hemisphere, with all the prestige that entails.<\/p>

The U.S.\u2019s newfound support for San Salvador expanded into support for what activists have condemned as democratic backsliding. The State Department voiced support for the El Salvador legislature\u2019s decision to allow Bukele to run for election in perpetuity, reasoning that it was a decision up to the country and not the U.S.\u2019s business.<\/p>LosersIran

Iran<\/a> limped out of 2024, experiencing its worst year in recent history, with its feared Axis of Resistance having been thoroughly gutted by Israel. Despite its hopes that it could catch its breath in 2025, the opposite proved to be the case, with Iran ending the year in an even worse place.<\/p>

In June, Israel fought its first direct war against Iran in its history, launching a series of blistering airstrikes across the country that killed nearly the entire Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps senior command, killed the heads of its nuclear science program, vastly degraded its ballistic missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear program. The coup de grace was delivered soon after, with U.S. B-2 stealth bombers dropping bunker-buster bombs<\/a> on the deeply entrenched Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, the first ever U.S. strike against Iran. Though Iran was able to hit Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities with ballistic missiles, piercing its advanced air defense network, Iran emerged from the 12-Day War as the clear loser. It spent much of the rest of the year trying to recover.<\/p>

Outside the geopolitical front, Iran also faced growing existential internal problems. <\/p>

The worst of these was the increasingly apocalyptic water crisis<\/a> gripping Iran, as unsustainable water management practices began catching up to Tehran. Tens of millions have been affected, particularly the 14 million residents of Tehran\u2019s metropolitan area. After months of pessimistic rhetoric, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian definitively announced in November that Iran had to move its capital, stripped of all other options.<\/p>

Iran enters 2026 with no ready options for how to fix any of its crippling problems, which are only set to grow worse in the coming year.<\/p>Democratic Republic of Congo

The Congo<\/a> has long been known for dysfunction, and 2025 saw the culmination of decades of this. It began the year with one of the worst humiliations in modern warfare, when the far smaller Rwanda-backed rebels completely routed its army, itself backed by an international coalition, including U.N. troops, and seized one of the Congo's largest cities.<\/p>

M23 rebels continued to take more and more territory throughout the year. Congo's already weak government proved unsuccessful with its contingency measures. Even its direct appeals to Trump, offering lucrative mineral deals, failed to halt M23\u2019s advance, with ceasefire deals failing to hold so far.<\/p>

A December peace summit with Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in Washington failed to affect the intensity of the combat.<\/p>

Its international image was not helped when crowds in Kinshasa began rioting following the loss of Goma, storming the embassies of France, Rwanda, Belgium, and attempting to storm those of the U.S., Uganda, Kenya, and the Netherlands.<\/p>Armenia

Armenia<\/a> spent 2025 trying to navigate an increasingly isolated international position and grappling with domestic scandals.<\/p>

Progress toward a peace deal was only made after Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan agreed to several major concessions, while Azerbaijan continued to hold nearly all the cards. The terms of the agreement were widely viewed in Armenia as a capitulation, all at the cost of not even securing a lasting peace, as Baku continued to demand amendments to Armenia\u2019s constitution to remove language about the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region \u2014 a demand viewed by many Armenians as a nonstarter, as it would require a favorable vote in a plebiscite changing the constitution.<\/p>

Pashinyan continued his alienation of Armenia\u2019s traditional protector, Russia, and failed to secure the U.S. to take its place<\/p>

On the domestic front, Pashinyan, who boasted the impressive feat of winning an election after losing a major war in 2020, saw his popularity collapse. He came to power in a democratic revolution, but became viewed as increasingly authoritarian, exemplified by a scandal where he tried to crack down on the Armenian Church, one of the most treasured institutions at home and among the diaspora. His campaign against the church saw many critical priests arrested and carried off by armed, masked security forces, scenes widely decried over their poor optics.<\/p>

Pashinyan fell into a series of gaffes during the dispute, including an incident where he earned international headlines by offering to show his genitals<\/a> to the Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II.<\/p>

Pashinyan will likely be ousted in the elections this year, which are set to deepen the growing dysfunction of the divided nation.<\/p>Ukraine

Ukraine has seen its fortunes wax and wane throughout the nearly four-year war with Russia, peaking during the first year when daring counteroffensives helped facilitate the Russian Army\u2019s retreat from all of northern Ukraine, most of Kharkiv Oblast, and the capital of Kherson Oblast. The regrouping of the Russian Army led to a steady decline in fortunes, following Ukraine\u2019s main counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, which failed in the summer of 2023.<\/p>

Undoubtedly, 2025 marked the worst year for Ukraine so far. Despite continuing to inflict heavy Russian casualties and dealing some economic damage to Russia through drone strikes on its oil industry, Russia held the momentum on the battlefield the entire year. Most notably, 2025 marked the first year of the war during which Ukraine was unable to mount a major counteroffensive, showcasing the massively degraded capabilities of the Ukrainian armed forces. The Russian military began to outpace its rival in most major respects, most importantly in drone technology.<\/p>

PUTIN WARNS OF MILITARY ESCALATION IN UKRAINE TO GAIN MORE LAND IF NO PEACE DEAL IS REACHED<\/a><\/p>

Russia also maximized its aerial campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure, routinely launching hundreds of drones and missiles per night against factories, logistics centers, economic targets, and the energy sector. The results of the year\u2019s strikes showed the degradation of Ukrainian air defenses, with significant numbers of missiles and drones repeatedly breaching its air defenses.<\/p>

To top it all off, 2025 saw increased uncertainty about Western support for Ukraine, with Trump shifting the U.S.\u2019s stance from enthusiastic ally to neutral arbiter. U.S. aid for Ukraine has plummeted, a massive corruption scandal damaged the commitment of its European allies, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky\u2019s volatile relationship with Trump put Ukrainians on edge. These dynamics will likely continue into 2026.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-collage-i8e4myvlv-1766588515660.jpg?1766590859&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363744-1767330000", "title":"Bernie Sanders can’t and won’t stop AI development, and that’s good ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4363744%2Fbernie-sanders-not-stop-artificial-intelligence-development%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"People are generating wealth, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wants to put a stop to it. First on social media and now on Sunday TV shows, Sanders has called for a “moratorium” on all data center construction until “democracy” can “catch up” with technological change. Like so many of his proposals, this one would inflict […]", "description":""

People are generating wealth, and Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) wants to put a stop to it. First on social media and now on Sunday TV shows, Sanders has called for a \u201cmoratorium\u201d on all data center<\/a> construction until \u201cdemocracy\u201d can \u201ccatch up\u201d with technological change. Like so many of his proposals, this one would inflict real economic damage while undermining U.S. national security<\/a>.<\/p>

Sanders's first concern about the trillions of dollars being invested in computing infrastructure is, of course, that some people are getting rich doing it.<\/p>

\u201cWho is pushing this revolution in technology?\u201d Sanders asked rhetorically. \u201cIt is the richest people in the world ... They are doing it to get richer and even more powerful. That's issue number one.\u201d<\/p>

Bernie is right that rich people are investing in infrastructure so they can become richer and more powerful. That is what entrepreneurs do in a free society. It is also how the United States became the wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth. All of our past wealth, from railroads to factories to computers, came from people putting their resources to use in a way that benefited others and, in the process, enriching themselves. If our top priority were to prevent rich people from getting richer, every American would be much poorer today.<\/p>

Sanders also warned that artificial intelligence will destroy jobs, an argument as old as the Luddites smashing looms centuries ago. Every major technological advance, from mechanization to computers, sparked the same fear. Technology reshapes work, and some jobs will go. There are fewer blacksmiths or manure collectors today, thanks to the automobile. But technology also raises productivity and creates more jobs over time that are better paid because they are more productive. If we stop investing in infrastructure for new technology today, we will be choosing decline tomorrow.<\/p>

Sanders also raised an existential concern that \u201cAI is soon going to be smarter than human beings.\u201d Whether or not that is true, it is fair to acknowledge that AI\u2019s capabilities are growing, and we do not know the full extent of how it can be used. But its potential is not a reason to start a moratorium, especially as we know China is not slowing its pursuit of the technology.\u00a0<\/p>

No serious analyst believes China is debating whether to pause AI infrastructure out of concern for local zoning disputes or electricity prices. Beijing has made AI dominance a national objective and has explicitly integrated civilian AI development with its military and intelligence arms. Chinese firms have unlimited support from the state to pursue total AI supremacy. Any American slowdown would not be reciprocated and would be costly.<\/p>

The uncomfortable truth is that AI governance will not be set by the country that moves slowest, but by the country that leads. Safety standards, norms, and international rules tend to follow power, not precede it. If the U.S. relinquished leadership in AI, it would also relinquish leverage over how AI is used globally.<\/p>

A DANGEROUS SUPREME COURT DECISION<\/a><\/p>

Human progress is inseparable from energy abundance. Every leap in living standards, from agriculture to steam power to electricity, came not from using less energy, but from learning how to produce more of it reliably and cheaply. Societies that have embraced energy abundance have become wealthier, wiser, and more productive. Societies that have delayed stagnate. AI is simply the latest expression of this pattern.<\/p>

An AI race is underway, whether Sanders wants it or not. A data center moratorium would not protect Americans. It would ensure that someone else wins. Once that happens, there will be no pause button to press.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/iStock-2086323993.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4394171-1767327391", "title":"Trump warns Iran that US is ‘locked and loaded’ to rescue any peaceful protesters harmed", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4394171%2Ftrump-warns-iran-peaceful-protesters-harmed%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner Staff", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump warned Iran early Friday morning that its government would face consequences if any people protesting against Iran’s government were harmed.  Trump issued the warning to the Iranian government on his Truth Social account at 2:58 a.m. on Friday. He said the U.S. was “locked and loaded and ready to go” if Iran […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> warned Iran<\/a> early Friday morning that its government would face consequences if any people protesting against Iran\u2019s government were harmed. <\/p>

Trump issued the warning to the Iranian government on his Truth Social account at 2:58 a.m. on Friday. He said the U.S. was \u201clocked and loaded and ready to go\u201d if Iran engaged in any nefarious violence against the protesters.<\/p>

\u201cIf Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,\u201d Trump said<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cWe are locked and loaded and ready to go,\u201d the president posted. \"Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J.TRUMP.\"<\/p>

Trump\u2019s message comes after Iranians held protests in various areas throughout the country over economic woes related to the collapse of Iran\u2019s national currency. At least six people were reportedly killed in demonstrations earlier in the week<\/a>. It was unclear if the president's warning included those who had already died or any possible future fatalities. The demonstrations are the largest in the country since those held in 2022, according to the Associated Press<\/a>. Those demonstrations occurred after a 22-year-old died in police custody.<\/p>

Saeed Pourali, a deputy governor in Lorestan province, said the protests were due to \u201ceconomic pressures\u201d and were an expression of \u201clivelihood concerns.\u201d<\/p>

AT LEAST SIX KILLED IN IRAN AS PROTESTS OVER HURTING ECONOMY SPREAD<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThe protests that have occurred are due to economic pressures, inflation, and currency fluctuations, and are an expression of livelihood concerns,\" Pourali told<\/a> an Iranian news agency called the Student News Network.<\/p>

\"The voices of citizens must be heard carefully and tactfully, but people must not allow their demands to be strained by profit-seeking individuals.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25362800910737.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362579-1767327000", "title":"Year zero for the modern Middle East: Israel reckons with the futility of ‘land for peace’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362579%2Fyear-zero-modern-middle-east-israel-land-for-peace%2F", "byline":"Sean Durns", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"“In the Middle East,” the Israeli general and politician Ehud Barak once said, “a pessimist is simply an optimist with experience.” Barak would know. He was Israel’s prime minister in 2000, a year that forever altered both Israel and the region. Indeed, much of the current divide between Israel and the rest of the West […]", "description":""

<\/p>

\u201cIn the Middle East,\u201d the Israeli general and politician Ehud Barak once said, \u201ca pessimist is simply an optimist with experience.\u201d Barak would know. He was Israel<\/a>\u2019s prime minister in 2000, a year that forever altered both Israel and the region. Indeed, much of the current divide between Israel and the rest of the West can be traced to that moment, a quarter-century ago.<\/p>

The Jewish state is finally beginning to reckon with the consequences of what unfolded in 2000, but many of its allies, erstwhile and otherwise, have a long way to go.<\/p>

Israel has endured more than two years of grinding war. It has been the longest conflict in Israel\u2019s nearly eight decades of existence. And in many respects, it has been the most traumatic<\/a>.<\/p>

The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas<\/a> and other Iranian-backed<\/a> proxies invaded Israel, perpetrating the largest slaughter of Jewish civilians since the Holocaust<\/a>. More than 1,200 Israelis were murdered, often in their homes. Many were tortured and murdered in front of their loved ones, their deaths captured by gleeful terrorists who proudly filmed<\/a> their atrocities. Some were burned alive. Others were raped in what is one of the largest examples of mass sexual violence in modern history.<\/p>

Even now, two years later, the scope and scale of the depravity are hard to fathom. At the Nova Music Festival alone<\/a>, nearly 400 people were murdered \u2014 the highest death toll of any concert-related tragedy ever. Documents taken from dead terrorists and from inside their lairs in Gaza revealed that they intentionally targeted<\/a> community centers, day cares, and other places where civilians would be at their most vulnerable and helpless. This was their plan from the beginning.<\/p>

Indeed, in October 2025, the New York Times published documents, including images of a six-page memo written by top Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar, showing that the carnage was part of the terrorist group\u2019s strategy<\/a>. It was no accident, nor was its savagery exaggerated. As part of its charter<\/a>, Hamas calls for Israel\u2019s destruction and the genocide of Jews. Oct. 7 proved, not for the first time, that Hamas means what it says.<\/p>

Hamas also sought to weaponize Israel\u2019s humanity and respect for human life, both by seizing hostages and by its well-honed tradition<\/a> of using human shields. The terrorist group intentionally hid men, munitions, and command centers in densely populated civilian areas, including hospitals, schools, and United Nations facilities. It did so not only to slow or impede the inevitable Israeli response but also to murder its own people, thus creating a propaganda<\/a> weapon.<\/p>

The depravity of Oct. 7 is burned into the Israeli psyche. It has been made all the bitter by a profound sense of isolation and betrayal. From Western college campuses and city streets to the pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post, the Jewish state was depicted<\/a> as having received its just deserts. Indeed, Israel was accused of \u201cgenocide\u201d before it even responded militarily. As then-Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah reposted at the time: \u201cWhat did y\u2019all think decolonization meant? Vibes? Papers? Essays?\u201d Their thinking? Israel, derided by the global Left as a \u201ccolonialist implant,\u201d had it coming by dint of its very existence. Yet, a betrayal from such quarters, grotesque as it is, is hardly surprising.<\/p>

More troubling has been the deterioration of support elsewhere. Pro-Israel sentiment in Europe has long been tepid at best. But as the scholar Walter Russell Mead documented in his excellent 2022 book, The Arc of a Covenant, the United States has a unique relationship<\/a> with both the Jewish people and Zionism, the belief in Jewish self-determination. Indeed, more than any other Western country, the U.S. has been a refuge, intellectual and otherwise, for both. But this is changing.<\/p>

A July 2025 Gallup poll, for example, found<\/a> that only 46% of Americans sympathized with Israelis over Palestinians \u2014 the lowest level in a quarter-century of tracking. Further, only 32% of Americans approved of Israeli military actions in Gaza. This decline in support correlates with a growing chorus of efforts to delegitimize Israel and isolate it diplomatically. Being anti-Israel is now en vogue, the touchstone of everyone from low-IQ podcasters<\/a> with large audiences to established members<\/a> of the Senate and everyone in between. This is ominous. History is clear: The decision to single out Jews for opprobrium bodes poorly for the future well-being of Western civilization.<\/p>

There are a number of explanations for the shift, which itself varies significantly by age, demographic, and political makeup. The bias of many news organizations certainly explains a lot. As organizations such as the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis have documented, legacy media outlets often put anti-Israel narratives before facts, routinely treating claims by Hamas-linked entities as gospel. Other institutions have helped mainstream antisemitism and all of its derivatives. For example, irresponsible members<\/a> of Congress, such as Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar<\/a> (D-MN), have regurgitated modern-day blood libels depicting Israel as uniquely evil and malevolent.<\/p>

Israel alone is held to an impossibly high standard of self-defense. Adjusted for population, the Oct. 7 massacre was roughly the equivalent of more than 30,000 Americans murdered in one day \u2014 more than 10 times the number killed by al Qaeda on 9\/11. No other nation would be expected to endure what Israel has suffered and not respond. No other country would be expected to allow such barbarians to sit comfortably on its borders.<\/p>

But there\u2019s another explanation, and it can be traced back to a single year and the slow, but steady, immolation of a cherished belief.<\/p>

Many in the West, and not a few Israelis, believe that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be solved with a simple formula: in exchange for relinquishing land, the Jewish state would receive peace. Twenty-five years ago, that formula was put to its ultimate test \u2014 and it was found wanting. In fact, surrendering land only seemed to embolden Israel\u2019s enemies, not placate them. It has taken Jerusalem a quarter of a century to fully imbibe this lesson, but many of its allies and critics still can\u2019t bring themselves to acknowledge the truth. To understand why, one must go back to a more hopeful era.<\/p>

The 1990s have been characterized as the \u201choliday from history.\u201d The Cold War, the defining conflict of the post-World War II era, had ended \u2014 and in a far more peaceful fashion than many had predicted. The victor, the U.S., stood alone as the world\u2019s sole, unchallenged superpower. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Many of its former client states were either dissolving or looking to Washington for support.<\/p>

As absurd as it now seems, there was even talk of a \u201cpeace dividend,\u201d with Western lawmakers believing that savings<\/a> from a diminished defense budget could be put to domestic uses. Equally absurd: It was thought that the Middle East, of all places, would be a good proving ground for peacemaking. Nor was this delusion limited to the U.S. Europeans and Israelis indulged, as well. In a 1993 book, Shimon Peres, the longtime Israeli politician and unfailing optimist, hailed what he called a \u201cnew Middle East,\u201d one in which economic cooperation would upend centuries of internecine war and ethnic hatreds. It would be a reconstructed region that was \u201cfree of past conflicts\u201d and finally ready to take its rightful place in the world. Things would be as they should have been, were it not for the decades of divisions prompted by the Cold War.<\/p>

Some of the early returns seemed promising. In 1994, the Clinton administration managed to secure a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, which the president hailed as turning a \u201cno-man\u2019s land\u201d into \u201cevery man\u2019s home.\u201d President Bill Clinton<\/a> said the agreement<\/a> \u201creminds us that moderation and reason can and will prevail in the Middle East, that nations can put conflict behind them, that statesmen can lead people to peace.\u201d And an even more promising white whale seemed to be within reach.<\/p>

On Sept. 13, 1993, Clinton joined<\/a> Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization head Yasser Arafat for a signing ceremony on the White House lawn. Rabin, a veteran Israeli politician and famous general, was noticeably uncomfortable around Arafat, a longtime terrorist. In a preceding letter to Rabin and the Israeli government, Arafat pledged to renounce terrorism and to resolve outstanding issues in bilateral negotiations.<\/p>

\u201cThe PLO considers that the signing of the Declaration of Principles constitutes a historic event, inaugurating a new epoch of peaceful coexistence, free from violence and all other acts which endanger peace and stability,\u201d Arafat swore<\/a>. \u201cAccordingly, the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence and will assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order to assure their compliance, prevent violations and discipline violators.\u201d<\/p>

In exchange for these promises, the Israeli government recognized the PLO, until recently a designated terrorist group, to be \u201crepresentative of the Palestinian people\u201d and to \u201ccommence negotiations with the PLO within the Middle East peace process.\u201d The PLO was allowed to return to Gaza and the West Bank from its exile in Tunisia. What became known as the Oslo process had commenced. It proved to be a lifeline for the Palestinian terrorist group and its leader.<\/p>

The PLO, like most other major Palestinian terrorist groups at the time, had been dependent on Soviet largesse. And Arafat could no longer count on the Gulf Arab states. He had made the fateful decision of siding with Saddam Hussein when the Iraqi leader invaded Kuwait, his onetime patron. Arafat\u2019s decision enraged the Kuwaitis, the Saudis, and virtually everyone else. The PLO chairman was down and out when the Oslo process revived his moribund fortunes.<\/p>

But a leopard does not change its spots. Arafat had no intention of keeping his promises. Indeed, the very night of the signing ceremony, Arafat broadcast a speech in Arabic for his supporters, assuring them that they should understand the Oslo process in terms of the Palestinian National Council\u2019s 1974 decision. This was a reference to the so-called \u201cplan of phases,\u201d in which the PLO would acquire whatever territory it could by negotiations, then use that land as a base for pursuing Israel\u2019s annihilation. Arafat said all of the right things to the West and Israelis, but his real intentions, often uttered only in Arabic, were clear early on.<\/p>

Indeed, in a May 10, 1994, speech<\/a> in South Africa, and in another one on Aug. 21, 1995, at Al Azhar University in Cairo, Arafat compared his decision to participate in the Oslo process to deceptions that the Prophet Muhammad engaged in against rival tribes. Its purpose was for Arafat and the PLO to rebuild, consolidate, and then resume work toward Israel\u2019s destruction. As he stated<\/a> in 1996 remarks in Stockholm, \u201cWe plan to eliminate the State of Israel and establish a purely Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare and population explosion. \u2026 We Palestinians will take over everything, including all of Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>

The historian Efraim Karsh has noted<\/a> that PLO official Faisal al Husseini even referred to the Oslo process as a Trojan horse \u201cdesigned to promote the organization\u2019s strategic goal: \u2018Palestine from the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea\u2019\u2014that is, a Palestine in place of the state of Israel.\u201d<\/p>

As Shoshana Bryen of the Jewish Policy Center observed<\/a>, the PLO\u2019s charter, which called for Israel\u2019s destruction, was never amended, despite Arafat\u2019s promises to do so. Indeed, upon his triumphant return to Gaza, Arafat literally smuggled prohibited terrorists with him, most notably<\/a> Mamduh Nawfal, the mastermind of the 1974 Ma\u2019alot attack, in which 27 Israeli schoolchildren were murdered.<\/p>

Rabin was growing skeptical. By the time he was assassinated by an Israeli extremist in November 1995, the prime minister was pulling away from the Oslo process. In an Oct. 1, 2010 interview, his daughter Dalia said<\/a> that \u201cmany people who were close to father told me that on the eve of the murder, he considered stopping the Oslo process because of the terror that was running rampant in the streets, and because he felt that Yasser Arafat was not delivering on his promises.\u201d Shortly before he was assassinated, Rabin even told<\/a> Moshe Ya\u2019alon, a future defense minister, that, after the next election, \u201che was going to \u2018set things straight\u2019 with the Oslo process, because Arafat could no longer be trusted.\u201d Indeed, as CAMERA has documented, terrorist attacks actually increased in the years after<\/a> the Oslo process.<\/p>

But many in the West, and not a few Israeli politicians, still had a vested interest in trying to make Arafat and the PLO something that they were not. Talks and even some agreements continued \u2014 but they did so in spite of constant delays and bad faith. By 2000, Clinton, at the end of his presidency, was desperate<\/a> for a comprehensive agreement. Israel had withdrawn from Gaza and much of the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, allowing Arafat and the newly created Palestinian Authority the opportunity for limited self-rule. Arafat, at the nadir of his power less than a decade ago, now controlled the PA, the PLO, and the Fatah movement. Importantly, the PA was dependent<\/a> on Western funds and training, including for the Palestinian National Security Forces that Arafat used to quash dissent.<\/p>

During Israel\u2019s elections, Clinton campaign advisers worked to oust<\/a> Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party in favor of Labor, which they viewed as more amenable to the administration\u2019s objectives, including a final status agreement with Palestinians, withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and an ever-elusive treaty with Syrian dictator Hafez Assad.<\/p>

But talks with Assad went nowhere. Barak ordered a withdrawal from Lebanon, effectively ending Israel\u2019s 18-year-long occupation of southern Lebanon. The withdrawal was completed in May 2000, six weeks ahead of schedule<\/a>. The gambit failed. Iran\u2019s foremost proxy, Hezbollah, filled the void, eliminating Israel\u2019s allies in the south and further consolidating its grip on power. Israel had originally entered Lebanon in the early 1980s to take on the PLO, which fled to Tunisia. In the intervening years, Hezbollah\u2019s power had only grown. Now the U.S.-designated terrorist group had the state to itself, and Israel\u2019s intelligence assets and allies were in disarray. As importantly, Hezbollah claimed victory<\/a>, presenting itself as having done what the PLO and others could not: vanquish the Israelis.<\/p>

In July 2000, Clinton hosted Barak and Arafat for contentious talks at Camp David. Barak\u2019s offer surprised even Clinton. Barak proposed to create something that had not ever existed: a Palestinian Arab state. More than 92% of the West Bank would be ceded, along with all of Gaza, and eastern Jerusalem, which would serve as its capital. Controversially, Barak even offered the Palestinians control over the Temple Mount, the most sacred ground in Judaism. However, Arafat wouldn\u2019t budge. In 2001, in Tunisia, Clinton and his team encouraged Barak to make another offer for a Palestinian state. But this was refused by Arafat, who launched a terrorist war<\/a> instead.<\/p>

The so-called Second Intifada had begun. Fatah and its foremost rival for power, Hamas, and other Palestinian groups perpetrated a terrorist campaign that lasted nearly five years and murdered and maimed more than 1,000 Israelis. Peace had once seemed to be at hand. But now Israelis were murdered by suicide bombings, shootings, knife attacks, and car ramming, many while they were on buses or in cafes.<\/p>

Documents seized<\/a> during an August 2001 raid by Israel proved that Arafat and his minions were complicit in orchestrating the attacks. The evidence showed that Arafat had paid $20,000<\/a> to the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Arafat even personally signed checks for terrorists. Seized evidence also proved that the PA\u2019s security services helped recruit, arm, and dispatch terrorists inside Israel.<\/p>

In the span of a year, Israel ceded ground, literal and otherwise, to terrorists on several fronts. But instead of being satiated, they were emboldened. Israel\u2019s opponents held firm to the idea that the \u201cZionist entity\u201d was a temporary aberration, a \u201cspider web\u201d that could easily be swept away, as Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah was fond of saying. Islamists believe that any land once ruled by a Muslim power is forever theirs. Now they had proof that the Israelis weren\u2019t in it for the long haul. Rather, they were weak and could be induced to retreat. It would take years for the Israelis and others to fully imbibe this \u2014 and only then at great cost.<\/p>

Arafat\u2019s terrorist war was self-defeating. By the time the PLO head died in 2004, the younger members of his Fatah movement were mostly<\/a> in prison or dead. A colorless bureaucrat and terrorism financier, Mahmoud Abbas, took Arafat\u2019s place. But Hamas, Fatah\u2019s longtime rival, was now seen as the future of the Palestinian movement. In a final attempt at offering land for peace, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Yet this only enabled Hamas to claim victory just as Hezbollah had done five years before. When elections were subsequently held, Hamas won, then ousted Fatah from Gaza in a brief and bloody war. Israel now had two Iranian-backed terrorist groups, Hezbollah and Hamas, to their north and south, respectively, along with a shaky and permanently politically weakened Abbas adjacent.<\/p>

More wars would follow. In 2006, with Hezbollah. In 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021, among others, with Hamas. In 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered Abbas another opportunity<\/a> for a Palestinian state, with more than 93% of the West Bank and a capital in eastern Jerusalem. Abbas, who pays tax-deductible salaries<\/a> to terrorists, didn\u2019t even make a counteroffer. Hezbollah<\/a>, meanwhile, acquired more than 150,000 missiles, many of them precision-guided, making it the best-armed terrorist organization in the world.<\/p>

MOSSAD MAN <\/a><\/p>

For years, the West championed the idea that if Israel surrendered land, it would receive peace. This belief was held by American policymakers of both stripes and can even be found in think tank policy papers<\/a> as far back as the mid-1970s. Nor was this purely an American conceit. The British held the same belief and had tried the same thing in the years before and immediately after World War II.<\/p>

With the benefit of hindsight, 2000 can be seen as the year in which illusions were shattered and the modern Middle East was born. The course was set for a quarter-century of war. Popular opinion in Israel now shows a deep skepticism toward the formula of \u201cland for peace.\u201d Many in the West have yet to catch up, thinking that Israel just needs to surrender more. But Israel has reckoned with reality. Now it is everyone else\u2019s turn.<\/p>

Sean Durns (@SeanDurns) is a Washington-based foreign affairs analyst. His views are his own.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Feat.YearZero3.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364220-1767326700", "title":"The Heritage Foundation’s former antisemitism task force after its split with the think tank", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4364220%2Fantisemitism-task-force-after-split-heritage-foundation%2F", "byline":"Melissa Langsam Braunstein", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Some choices are minor and forgettable. Others have large, lasting repercussions. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts’s decision to side with podcaster Tucker Carlson in an October 2025 video is decidedly the latter. Carlson had posted a softball interview with Hitler and Stalin devotee Nick Fuentes, in which Carlson attacked Christian Zionists as heretics with a […]", "description":""

<\/p>

Some choices are minor and forgettable. Others have large, lasting repercussions. Heritage Foundation<\/a> President Kevin Roberts\u2019s<\/a> decision to side with podcaster Tucker Carlson in an October 2025 video<\/a> is decidedly the latter.<\/p>

Carlson had posted a softball interview with Hitler and Stalin devotee Nick Fuentes, in which Carlson attacked Christian Zionists as heretics with a \u201cbrain virus.\u201d When Roberts backed Heritage\u2019s \u201cclose friend\u201d Carlson and dubbed the commentator\u2019s critics \u201cthe globalist class,\u201d \u201ca venomous coalition,\u201d and \u201cbad actors who serve someone else\u2019s agenda,\u201d it was widely viewed as a gauntlet thrown.<\/p>

Roberts has kept his job after backtracking, but some others affiliated with Heritage have headed for the exits. That includes former Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore<\/a>, education scholar Jay Greene<\/a>, board members Robert George<\/a>, Shane McCullar<\/a>, and Abby Spencer Moffat<\/a>, George Mason law professor Adam Mossoff<\/a>, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni<\/a>, more than a dozen scholars who defected to<\/a> former Vice President Mike Pence\u2019s Washington-based advocacy organization, and the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism<\/a>.<\/p>

The task force had been synonymous with Project Esther<\/a>, Heritage\u2019s initiative to combat antisemitism by focusing on \u201ca global Hamas Support Network.\u201d Relatedly, the knock on the task force had been its exclusive focus on the political Left. Pastor Luke Moon, who\u2019s been the executive director of the Philos Project and a task force co-chairman, explained that it was based on a perception that Jew-hatred was seismically worse on the Left. However, with Roberts\u2019s video spotlighting the fight underway to define the post-Trump Right, and whether to embrace the identitarian Right, the task force has pivoted.<\/p>

On Nov. 18, the task force hosted its first post-Heritage event, \u201cExposing and Countering Extremism and Antisemitism on the Political Right,\u201d with the Conference of Christian Presidents for Israel. The event at The Line hotel in Washington showcased Christian and Jewish speakers with varied perspectives on this reality. There was widespread agreement, though, that Jew-hatred not only exists on the political Right, but it must also be fought.<\/p>

\u201cWe are here as a task force to declare wherever it arises on the Left, Right, or in between, we declare in America zero tolerance to any antisemitism in our nation,\u201d said Pastor Mario Bramnick, president of the Latino Coalition for Israel and task force co-chairman. \u201cAntisemitism is not just an anti-Jewish problem: It is anti-Christian, anti-American, and anti-Western.\u201d<\/p>

Moon referenced the Left\u2019s ignoring the rise of its radicals as a cautionary tale, making the case for a coalition opposing metastasizing Jew-hatred on the political Right. Looking back over recent weeks, Moon said, \u201cI don\u2019t feel like we did win the last battle, but we didn\u2019t lose yet either. And so I welcome you to the fight.\u201d<\/p>

Speakers described the contours of, and parties to, that fight differently. Bramnick explained, \u201cThe task force severed our relationship with Heritage as a result of what started two weeks ago and failure to mitigate the damage that was caused by Kevin Roberts\u2019s statements.\u201d Anglican priest and theologian Gerald McDermott questioned Roberts and Vice President JD Vance\u2019s suggestion that \u201cone must always defend our friends in public, even apparently when the friends are guilty of great evil, such as the evil of antisemitism.\u201d But mostly, Roberts was ignored.<\/p>

Both Bramnick and Moon expressed gratitude for Heritage\u2019s having hosted the task force. Bramnick further hopes \u201cHeritage will address these issues [that prompted the task force\u2019s departure] and take zero tolerance towards antisemitism, not just on the Left but also on the Right.\u201d The person most frequently criticized was Carlson.<\/p>

Bramnick said he\u2019s observed \u201cantisemitic acts coming from MAGA movement leaders,\u201d specifying \u201cTucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Steve Bannon \u2026 Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, among others.\u201d Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) and Zionist Organization of America President Morton Klein added Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to Bramnick\u2019s list.<\/p>

Klein expressed concern that Vance has \u201cpraised his friend Tucker Carlson,\u201d characterized a young Republicans\u2019 group chat praising Adolf Hitler as \u201cjoking,\u201d and answered a college student\u2019s question about Jews \u201csecretly shaping\u201d President Donald Trump\u2019s Middle East policy by saying, \u201cthey\u2019re not manipulating or controlling this president, I assure you. This president, as if they\u2019ve been controlling and manipulating other presidents.\u201d Klein also corrected Trump, \u201cmy favorite president of all time,\u201d after the latter \u201cpraised Tucker Carlson as a good man,\u201d who\u2019s entitled to interview Fuentes. \u201cNo, we aren\u2019t saying it\u2019s illegal,\u201d Klein clarified. \u201cWe\u2019re saying it\u2019s immoral. It\u2019s outrageous to give a platform to such a monster.\u201d<\/p>

With the task force\u2019s mandate now broadened, speakers made clear they oppose Carlson\u2019s post-Fox News hobbyhorses. Faith and Freedom Coalition President Ralph Reed, who attended \u201cmore bar mitzvahs than baptisms growing up\u201d in Miami, promised, \u201cWe\u2019re going to stand for Israel, we\u2019re going to stand with the Jewish people, and we\u2019re going to stand against antisemitism and religious bigotry in all of its ugly forms.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cFor us, it\u2019s not a matter of politics or really ultimately even policy, although it touches on those things,\u201d Reed said. \"For us, it\u2019s personal, and it\u2019s about the core of our being.\" Reed referenced German Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whom Carlson recently attacked for having \u201cdecided Christianity's not enough, we have to kill\u201d Hitler. Bonhoeffer \u201cis lionized in our [evangelical] churches,\u201d Reed said. \u201cHis letters from prison are standard reading in Bible studies in American churches.\u201d That reverence includes Dutch watchmaker Corrie ten Boom, whose family hid Jews during the Holocaust. \u201cI have been to Haarlem outside Amsterdam, and I have stood in those secret compartments behind their closets, where the Jews were hidden. And what I learned is what millions of other evangelicals learned from Bonhoeffer and the ten Booms and other righteous gentiles<\/a>. We learned that being a good Christian means defending Jews.\u201d<\/p>

McDermott filled out that Christian view, offering a detailed, biblical refutation of Carlson\u2019s claim that Christian Zionism is \u201ca brain virus\u201d and \u201ca Christian heresy.\u201d McDermott explained that \u201cZionism, which is simply the idea that Jews have and deserve a homeland, is not only a Hebrew bible idea repeated 1,000 times there \u2014 I\u2019ve counted \u2014 but that it\u2019s all over the surface of the New Testament. It\u2019s a brain virus and theological blindness for Christians not to see it.\u201d<\/p>

With nobody defending Carlson, the big question remained how attendees envision the task force\u2019s post-Heritage mission. Ellie Cohanim, a task force co-chairwoman and former U.S. deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, told the audience, \u201cOur task is clear: to speak the truth when lies about Jews or Israel are spread. To demand moral clarity in our schools, our universities, and in our government. To teach the next generation that our freedom is rooted in the biblical notion of human dignity, not in the ideologies of those who despise our civilization. And to remember George Washington\u2019s words [promising American Jews equality] not as a historical artifact, but as a living pledge that demands our vigilance.\u201d<\/p>

There is interest in religious education from both Jewish and Christian perspectives. Rabbi Yaakov Menken, executive vice president of the Coalition for Jewish Values, wants to teach the public \u201cthe biblical roots of antisemitism,\u201d which harken back to \u201cPharaoh, Haman, and \u2026 Laban\u201d and became two primary tropes: \u201cJewish property is stolen,\u201d and \u201cJews are unfair to everybody else.\u201d<\/p>

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, who visited a \u201ckibbutz where the walls were splattered with the blood of women and children who were brutally murdered\u201d and the Nova Music Festival site with Moon, Cohanim, and Bramnick, recalled, \u201cWe repented on that site for what the United States had facilitated and took place. I don\u2019t want to have to repent again for my silence.\u201d Perkins told listeners, \u201cWe have an educational problem in our own community. We have to push back on this idea that Judea and Samaria is up for sale.\u201d Perkins\u2019s solution involves a nine-part video series for younger evangelicals about \u201cthe heart of Israel, where 80% of what we read about in Scripture took place\u201d and an e-book making a biblical and prophetic case for Israel.<\/p>

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also offered a religious message via video. \u201cNever has there been a more important time to get the message out about what the Scripture teaches,\u201d Huckabee said. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be political. I\u2019m asking you to be biblical\u201d and \u201cpray for the peace of Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>

Other government officials addressed politics. Fine, who stands by calling Carlson \u201cthe most dangerous antisemite in America,\u201d wants Republicans to recognize that \u201cwe have a choice in our own movement today.\u201d That is, will Republicans replicate Democrats\u2019 response to leftists\u2019 Jew-hatred, ignoring it and hoping \u201cit will go away,\u201d or \u201care we going to punch it right in the face?\u201d Fine appreciated that this group had chosen the latter.<\/p>

Leo Terrell, chairman of the Justice Department's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, said his \u201cgoal is to eliminate antisemitism, period.\u201d Pointing to the public relations war, Terrell said, \u201cWe need to expand our base. We need to be just as loud, just as vocal as the other side.\u201d Terrell also wants to \u201cset up guardrails now, because we don\u2019t know who\u2019s going to win in 2028. We don\u2019t want to go backwards.\u201d<\/p>

The Generation Z panel offered advice with an eye on younger voters. Isaac Woodward, who\u2019s been director of the Philos Leadership Institute, recommended listeners \u201clive with the courage of your own ideals, the actual patrimony of your civilization, as Christians, as Jews,\u201d and don\u2019t \u201clet rage bait and troll culture take us over.\u201d As for combating right-wing Jew-haters, Media Research Center Anderlik fellow Justine Murray commented, \u201cHumor is the best disinfectant.\u201d She urged \u201cmore speech\u201d and eschewing the term \u201chate speech.\u201d Murray suggested following LibsofTikTok\u2019s lead: \u201cHold up a mirror to them.\u201d Murray continued, \u201cMock them, because they want us to get angry and offended, and there\u2019s really no reason to. These are a bunch of freaks.\u201d<\/p>

Moon concluded the event by saying, \u201cThis whole thing is still an ongoing conversation. I think a lot of people have just woken up over the last several weeks to how bad this problem is.\u201d He is \u201clooking forward to \u2026 ideas for the solution,\u201d which includes \u201cthis group.\u201d Moon encouraged leaning into \u201cwhat you think would be good ideas on how we move forward.\u201d Among Moon\u2019s recommendations were \u201ca rapid response group,\u201d an \u201ceffort to mobilize pastors around the country to speak up,\u201d nationwide events like this, and achieving \u201cpractical, regional stuff.\u201d To ensure \u201cour message\u201d gets out, there must be more \u201cpeople speaking it out there.\u201d Finally, \u201cwe have to hit the problem and challenge of Tucker from a lot of directions.\u201d<\/p>

Task force members see the struggle underway on the Right and intend to fight it. Implementing various presented ideas will, of course, be the hard part. Teaching young people about their history and religious inheritance alone is a yearslong effort requiring a nationwide network of committed parents, religious leaders, and other adults. It\u2019s also crucial if the Right and the country are to turn things around.<\/p>

When the moment unexpectedly required it, task force members were willing to walk<\/a>, rather than compromise their values.<\/p>

GUNNING FOR THE GAZA HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION <\/a><\/p>

In November, Carlson told<\/a> Alabama\u2019s 1819 News podcast that he had \u201cliked\u201d Roberts, past tense, but now thought Roberts \u201cweak\u201d and \u201cdead in a way.\u201d Like a character out of Greek tragedy, Roberts\u2019s intense loyalty to Carlson is apparently unrequited.<\/p>

Either way, Roberts has made a choice. Now everybody else gets a vote. Conservatism has evolved over Heritage\u2019s five decades, but certain critical ideas remain unchanged. Namely, Western civilization is worth defending, and identitarianism deserves no place on the mainstream Right.<\/p>

Melissa Langsam Braunstein (@slowhoneybee) is a columnist for London\u2019s Jewish Chronicle.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/FEA.UpTask.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4074701-1767326400", "title":"What can Trump do to change the tide before the 2026 midterm elections?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4074701%2Ftrump-change-tide-before-2026-midterm-elections%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"History will be against President Donald Trump when he tries to hold on to his control of Congress after this year’s midterm elections. From pressuring state Republicans to redraw their congressional districts to create more GOP-leaning seats in the House to underscoring his policy and political wins on the campaign trail and in prime-time TV […]", "description":""

History will be against President Donald Trump<\/a> when he tries to hold on to his control of Congress<\/a> after this year\u2019s midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>

From pressuring state Republicans to redraw their congressional districts to create more GOP-leaning seats in the House <\/a>to underscoring his policy and political wins on the campaign trail and in prime-time TV addresses, Trump has been trying to defy history. The late Jimmy Carter was the most recent president to keep control <\/a>of Congress after his first and only midterm elections in 1978.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019ve done a great job, but for whatever reason, and nobody\u2019s been able to give me an answer, when you win the presidency, you seem to lose the midterms, even if you win the presidency by a lot and you do a great job as president,\u201d Trump said this month at the White House<\/a>. \u201cI want to win, and winning the midterms is important. People want us to win the midterms, and I think we have great spirit. We should win the midterms.\u201d<\/p>

To that end, the \u201csingle most important thing\u201d Trump can do to help Republicans before the 2026 midterm elections, according to former Republican National Committee communications director Doug Heye, is to demonstrate that he understands the \u201ceconomic anxiety<\/a> voters are feeling and is working to alleviate it.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cVoters will give a politician some leniency on what potential solutions may be, but only if they sense the politician gets the underlying issue,\u201d Heye told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThat's it.\u201d<\/p>

However, Trump\u2019s approval rating regarding his response to inflation<\/a> and the cost of living is, on average, net-negative 27 percentage points<\/a>, compared to his overall average approval of net-negative 10 points<\/a>, according to RealClearPolitics.<\/p>

At the same time, Democrats have a small advantage in early generic congressional ballot polling, averaging a 3-point lead over Republicans<\/a> a year before the midterm elections. Thirty-eight percent of respondents, on average, told pollsters the country is headed in the right direction, and 55% considered it to be on the wrong track<\/a>.<\/p>

Against that polling backdrop, the Trump administration has resumed disclosing economic data that were postponed due to the October 2025 federal government shutdown, with the reports yielding mixed results. For example, last month\u2019s consumer price index unexpectedly decreased by 2.7% in contrast to that of last November, but last month\u2019s unemployment rate <\/a>unexpectedly increased to a four-year high of 4.6%.<\/p>

Fellow Republican strategist John Feehery agreed with Heye with respect to the importance of the economy to Trump and the midterm elections, arguing, \u201cThere's a lot of economic uncertainty, and Trump has to 'appreciate' and respond to it.\"<\/p>

\u201cThe president needs to take a cold, hard look at his tariff<\/a> policies and give people some economic certainty, especially business owners, so they can invest in the American economy, which they're now not really doing,\u201d Feehery told the Washington Examiner. \u201cIt's not just about the rhetoric, it's also about the policies. And while it's important for the president to go out and talk to the American people, he also needs to listen to them too.\u201d<\/p>

With Trump expressing pride after the 2025 elections that Republicans underperform when he is not on the ballot, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles<\/a> voiced confidence that the GOP can upend historical trends by metaphorically putting Trump on the 2026 ballot.<\/p>

\u201cTypically, in the midterms, it\u2019s not about who\u2019s sitting at the White House; you localize the election, and you keep the federal officials out of it,\u201d Wiles told <\/a>The Mom\u2019s View last month. \u201cWe\u2019re actually going to turn that on its head and put him on the ballot. I haven\u2019t quite broken it to him yet, but he\u2019s going to campaign like it\u2019s 2024 again.\u201d<\/p>

Former President George W. Bush's White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer, agreed that Trump \u201cmust nationalize the 2026 midterms\u201d because, simultaneously, \u201cDemocratic turnout remains high because they will make 2026 a contest against Trump.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe president needs to campaign everywhere and convince especially \u2018his\u2019 voters that we won\u2019t keep the White House in 2028 if people don\u2019t show up to make their down payment in the 2026 midterm,\u201d Fleischer told the Washington Examiner. \u201cPeople must show up in person to vote and make a down payment next November so we can keep the White House in 2028.\u201d<\/p>

Feehery similarly agreed, but because, to him, the strategy is a do-or-die political necessity for the GOP.<\/p>

\u201cIt's very good that the White House is acknowledging that this election coming up is about the president, and they're going all in on helping the Republicans because they have to mobilize those Trump voters,\u201d he said. \u201cWithout mobilizing those strong voters, they're dead.\u201d<\/p>

Regardless, Trump not only needs to appeal to Republicans but also counter voters\u2019 policy concerns, including those related to healthcare<\/a>, according to Feehery.<\/p>

\u201cIt's not enough to do the drug stuff. He's got to talk about the insurance companies,\u201d he said. \u201cIf the election is about healthcare, and we don't have a healthcare plan, we're going to lose. Healthcare is a huge part of affordability, and I think it's important to blame the Democrats for what they did (regarding the Obamacare framework) because they deserve to be blamed. But it's not just enough to blame the Democrats. We\u2019ve got to come up with our own plan.\u201d<\/p>

Last month, Trump announced that he would convene a meeting with healthcare insurance companies early in 2026 as Obamacare<\/a> insurance enrollees experience premium rises because Republicans are poised to permit Obamacare pandemic-era tax credits to expire at the end of the year.<\/p>

\"I'm going to call a meeting of the big insurance companies that have gotten so rich,\u201d he said. \u201cI'm going to see if they get their price down, to put it very bluntly.\"<\/p>

In addition, Feehery cited immigration<\/a> as another policy concern, contending, \u201cif we scare off every immigrant, we're not going to be able to get enough workers to get the economy really going again,\u201d and that the Trump administration\u2019s \u201cenforcement actions are becoming politically disastrous for Republicans.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThese tariff wars are hurting our voters,\u201d he said. \u201cOur farmers are getting killed. A lot of businesses, they have all these tax incentives to build factories here in the United States, but they don't know what the tariff regime is.\u201d<\/p>

Although Trump is unlikely to accept Feehery's advice, his administration has recognized the political problems instigated by his tariffs, announcing a $12 billion bailout this month to aid farmers during his trade war and in November, duty exemptions for some imported products, including coffee, bananas, and beef.<\/p>

DESANTIS\u2019S FLORIDA MOVES LAY GROUNDWORK FOR 2028 PRESIDENTIAL RETURN<\/a><\/p>

Nevertheless, Trump has remained adamant that his economic policies are the right ones, saying this month that the unemployment rate is high because his administration is \u201creducing the government workforce by numbers that have never been seen before.\"<\/p>

\"One hundred percent of new jobs are in the private sector, and I could reduce unemployment to 2%, 1%, or practically zero by just hiring people into the federal government, even though those jobs are not necessary, which is what we had before,\" he said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25353711610708.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357291-1767324900", "title":"Salman Rushdie pulls up a chair", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4357291%2Freview-salman-rushdie-eleventh-hour-quintet-stories%2F", "byline":"Gustav Jönsson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"When S.M. Arthur, an honorary fellow of the University of Cambridge, wakes up to the realisation that he’s dead, as he does in “Late,” one of five stories collected in Salman Rushdie’s The Eleventh Hour, he takes it rather well. True enough, having only just entered his seventh decade he “had not envisaged this turn […]", "description":""

<\/p>

When S.M. Arthur, an honorary fellow of the University of Cambridge, wakes up to the realisation that he\u2019s dead, as he does in \u201cLate,\u201d one of five stories collected in Salman Rushdie's<\/a> The Eleventh Hour, he takes it rather well. True enough, having only just entered his seventh decade he \u201chad not envisaged this turn of events,\u201d in fact he \u201chad been expecting several more years, twilight years, golden years, whatever people said these days,\u201d with lots of things to do that ghosts don\u2019t normally (or so I suppose) do: \u201cmeals to eat, galleries<\/a> to visit, music<\/a> to listen to, books<\/a> to read,\u201d and so on. <\/p>

Still, being a ghost \u201cat first didn\u2019t seem to change anything,\u201d or not for the worse, \u201cin fact, he felt unusually healthy, well rested, and eager for the day.\u201d Christian <\/a>theologians have long wondered what kind of bodies people have in heaven: the old sacks they had when they died, or the spry bodies of their 20s, or perhaps (why not?) they\u2019re forever 33, much like Christ himself. Arthur finds his ghostly body in much the same state as ever, except that the \u201cside effects of his various medications had disappeared, the sluggishness he was used to was absent, his eyes felt good.\u201d <\/p>

It\u2019s never been entirely clear to me why Rushdie is thought of as such a forbiddingly serious novelist, seeing as he is so often so very funny. The imbroglio S.M. Arthur finds himself in \u2014 that of the unenterprising chap trying to do the done thing even when plumped straight into confusing new circumstances \u2014 is the type of comic scenario of which Waugh and Wodehouse made whole careers. Befitting a Cambridge fellow, Arthur proceeds to grade the various philosophers who\u2019ve tackled the mind-body problem. Descartes, he concludes, seems to have been on to something (\u201cGuess what, Ren\u00e9? Mostly right\u201d) while \u201cthe old fellow Gautama\u2019s idea turned out to be interesting.\u201d <\/p>

But how is a ghost to behave? Arthur is clearly facing a situation without precedents. As medical personnel carry away his physical body, Arthur gives it some thought: \u201cIt\u2019s so strange, he told himself. All my life I was famous for my punctuality, even for showing up earlier than required, and now that time has slipped my grasp, I\u2019m going to be \u2014 well, I am \u2014 forever Late. The Late S.M. Arthur.\u201d That thought makes him chuckle, which he realizes mightn\u2019t be quite proper for a ghost. \u201cControl yourself, he thought. You\u2019re a dead man. Dead men don\u2019t have much to laugh about.\u201d <\/p>

Dignified comportment, then, is to be expected of English ghosts no less than of Englishmen in general. \u201cHe didn\u2019t want to wander the grounds of the College in his blue pajamas. If he was a \u2018ghost\u2019 now, whatever that was, he did not want to become a laughingstock as well, a phantom in nightclothes.\u201d And so, he grabs an \u201cectoplasmic variation\u201d of his walking stick, pours into a pair of brown corduroy trousers and a tweed jacket, and floats to the nearest bar for a \u201chalf-pint of lemonade shandy.\u201d <\/p>

But what ought a ghost get up to? A game of croquet on the college green seems indicated, and with eternity to look forward to, he can potter about in the library and \u201cmaybe even come up with an original thought.\u201d Ghost that he is, he eventually concludes that he should probably haunt his erstwhile tormentor, the college\u2019s provost, Lord Emmemm. Delightful, really. <\/p>

All five pieces in The Eleventh Hour offer reflections on mortality. As the narrator of the story \u201cIn the South\u201d puts it, \u201cIf old age was thought of as an evening, they were well into the eleventh hour.\u201d Age mellows most novelists, and Rushdie is himself past his 10 p.m. But if his prose style has mellowed slightly in some places, \u201cThe Musician of Kahani,\u201d where the musical prodigy Chandni marries Majnoo, the needlessly handsome cricket-playing scion of the multibillionaire Ferdaus family, is full of Rushdie\u2019s familiar themes (magical events), fixations (movie stars), and hysterical sentences (that forgo punctuation with words written in capitals) that suddenly end in something as pedestrian as a list. (\u201cHospitals, swimming pool, fancy shops, Sophia College, Art Deco buildings, Scandal Point, gardens, sea view.\u201d) <\/p>

The marriage<\/a> between Majnoo and Chandni soon enough sours as the Ferdaus in-laws try to micromanage every part of her life while her own father leaves her to lead a life among the followers of cult-leader Shankar, who espouses the philosophy of \u201cPOMO,\" not \u201cpostmodernism\u201d but \u201cThe Possibilities of Mankind Movement,\u201d which has as its guiding teaching something called \u201cFree Sex Theory.\u201d \u201c\u2018Like Gandhiji,\u2019 Shankar said, indicating the ladies. \u2018I too am making my experiments with truth.\u2019\u201d Ensconced in Shankar\u2019s compound, \u201cMoon-on-Earth,\u201d Chandni\u2019s father ladles soup for the other followers whilst Shankar trousers their Rolexes. <\/p>

In the meantime, the Ferdaus family pressures Chandni into pregnancy, which, for the sake of the \u201cfamily brand,\u201d must be celebrated in opulent style. \u201cAnd the guest list!\u201d the matriarch Dimmy Ferdaus exclaims to Chandni, \u201cThis time we are not only reaching for the top, not even the top-top, we are going so over the top it\u2019s out of sight, baby doll. Royalty, honey pie, European et cetera, our own also obviously, but only the hottest young ones.\u201d The party is to be held at the Taj (\u201cNo, not our beloved but overused grand hotel, darling\u2026 The Taj itself. Agra, baby.\u201d), where they have escorts \u201con tap.\u201d  <\/p>

With a celebration like that, everything must be timed to perfection, including the birth itself, so the Ferdaus prevail upon Chandni to have a \u201cvoluntary\u201d caesarean section. Before it gets that far, however, the baby\u2019s heart stops beating. Much like Arthur in \u201cLate,\u201d Chandni gets her supernatural revenge. She plays a magical sitar melody which brings ruin upon her enemies: calamity strikes Shankar when tax inspectors find his fleet of 93 Ferraris, the Ferdaus father is indicted for large-scale bribery, the mother succumbs to cancer, and Majnoo\u2019s cricket career is ended when he takes a ball to the head. <\/p>

This is where Rushdie flounders. He tries to hold it back, but his moralizing shoulders its way to the front. \u201cThe present decay of ethical society around the world is a matter of some concern. Words such as \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018bad\u2019 or \u2018right\u2019 or \u2018wrong\u2019 are losing their effect, emptying of meaning, and failing, anymore, to shape society,\u201d he writes. \u201cThese are days in which \u2018shamelessness\u2019 is king.\u201d The narrator of \u201cThe Old Man in the Piazza\u201d puts it that, \u201cWe have ceased to be the poetry lovers we once were, the aficionados of ambiguity and devotees of doubt, and we have become bar-room moralists.\u201d <\/p>

The seasoned reader of Rushdie should know to expect it. His satire had a barbed, not to mention hilarious, bite in his earlier novels \u2014 he took on Indira Gandhi\u2019s Emergency in Midnight\u2019s Children (1981), Pakistan\u2019s leaden regime in Shame (1983), religious tradition in The Satanic Verses (1988), the Kashmir question in Shalimar the Clown (2005) \u2014 but by the time of Quichotte (2019), the electric current that ran through his early prose had gone. His targets were now those of the low-wattage bien pensant.<\/p>

Too many easy \u201cmessages\u201d litter the pages of the present collection. In \u201cLate,\u201d Lord Emmemm has forced Arthur into chemical castration in a way that rather too lazily resembles Alan Turing\u2019s fate. \u201cThe Old Man in the Piazza\u201d is one long lament that people have become overly sure of themselves, much along the lines of the sentence cited earlier. In the story \u201cOklahoma,\u201d we find Goya seeking refuge from the court of that \u201ctotalitarian bastard\u201d Fernando VII, who has changed language \u201cto redescribe rape as love, horror as patriotism, bullying as good governance, war as peace, freedom as slavery, and ignorance as strength.\u201d Here\u2019s Rushdie, reduced to cribbing from a lesser novelist. <\/p>

REVIEW: THE IMPERIAL W.H. AUDEN <\/a><\/p>

In \u201cThe Musician of Kahani,\u201d we\u2019re told, \u201cLet us try to dig a little deeper into this young man\u2019s story, this Majnoo Ferdaus whose choices and actions would unleash such a tumult, such a disaster for all. Let us grapple with him sympathetically for the moment even though, as the story proceeds, it will become harder to feel sympathy for him.\u201d It\u2019s the George Eliot tick: Rushdie frets over moral shortcomings whilst congratulating himself on his capacity to show so much sympathy \u2014 the failure of sympathy, in other words, occurs precisely when it\u2019s most loudly proclaimed. <\/p>

Rushdie the bar-room moralist? Never. <\/p>

Gustav J\u00f6nsson is a Swedish writer based in London.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.Books_.SalmanRushdie.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362647-1767324600", "title":"Streaming and social costs: Our souls are at stake in the Warner Bros. Discovery-Netflix deal", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362647%2Fstreaming-social-costs-netflix-warner-bros%2F", "byline":"Peter Tonguette", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"For the overwhelming majority of people whose families, jobs, and personal pursuits loom larger than the endless mergers and acquisitions in Hollywood, the hue and cry over Netflix’s plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery is likely to elicit not much more than a shrug. To most ordinary, well-adjusted people, the ownership of a movie studio […]", "description":""

<\/p>

For the overwhelming majority of people whose families, jobs, and personal pursuits loom larger than the endless mergers and acquisitions in Hollywood<\/a>, the hue and cry over Netflix<\/a>\u2019s plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery is likely to elicit not much more than a shrug. To most ordinary, well-adjusted people, the ownership of a movie studio is not much more consequential than the ownership of a baseball<\/a> team or a chain of restaurants. As long as they still play ball, serve burgers, or, indeed, make movies<\/a>, who cares?<\/p>

Admittedly, there is an element of preciousness in all the worry over Warner Bros. being gobbled up by Netflix. After all, it has been a long, long time since studio head Jack Warner roamed the backlot of the studio responsible for such classic films as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and Now, Voyager. Furthermore, like all movie studios, Warner Bros. is no stranger to being incorporated into larger, seemingly unlikely corporations: In 1969, the studio, which, having already been purchased by Seven Arts, was then known as Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, was acquired by the little-remembered Kinney National Service, whose portfolio of businesses included such inspiring enterprises as operating parking garages. The next time you watch Stanley Kubrick\u2019s A Clockwork Orange, note that an opening credit identifies Warner Bros. as \u201cA Kinney Company.\u201d Does the fact that Kubrick\u2019s universally acclaimed masterpiece was, apparently, funded by parking garage revenue make its notably unpromising vision of the future more or less dystopian?<\/p>

Yet even as Warner Bros. found itself unceremoniously paired with companies such as Kinney National Service or, in later decades, Time Inc. and America Online, the studio itself remained faithful to its founding purpose: to produce good movies, and to release those movies in large, cavernous structures staffed by unhappy teenagers and marked by the persistent aroma of popcorn. To the uninitiated, such places are popularly known as movie theaters. This commitment survived even Warner Bros.\u2019s rather bizarre union with Discovery, the purveyor of such low-rent cable channels as Food Network, HGTV, and the Travel Channel, in 2022.<\/p>

If I may be permitted to put on my film critic hat for a moment, I make no great claims for the recent output of Warner Bros. Discovery, but the fact remains that the executives charged with greenlighting productions have been trying: Over the past 12 months, Warner Bros. has released Ryan Coogler\u2019s Sinners, James Gunn\u2019s Superman, and Paul Thomas Anderson\u2019s One Battle After Another. Masterpieces one and all? Surely not. But they are credible films of merit and interest \u2014 a nice try in a flailing industry. Put another way, Kubrick is not rolling over in his grave.<\/p>

Most importantly, audiences still had to trek to theaters, those strange, decaying edifices mentioned a moment ago, to see these offerings. Like all studios, Warner Bros. eventually makes its product available on streaming platforms, but it has stayed true to the long-standing industry belief that a movie should be seen in a theater before it is seen anywhere else.<\/p>

Netflix, however, is bound by no such tradition. Although it mollifies some of its filmmakers by granting vanishingly brief theatrical runs to some marquee titles, as happened this fall with Kathryn Bigelow\u2019s A House of Dynamite and Noah Baumbach\u2019s Jay Kelly, the company is called \u201cNetflix,\u201d not \u201cTheaterflix.\u201d Its only objective is to hang on to its subscribers, who pay their monthly fee not for the privilege of watching their movies in a theater, where, after all, their fee is no good, but to summon them at will to their laptop or smartphone.<\/p>

In its press release announcing its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix was careful to note that it \u201cexpects to maintain Warner Bros.\u2019 current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films\u201d \u2014 a sentiment underscored in subsequent statements by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Alas, such assertions have the faint ring of a fearsome new boss telling his panicked employees not to worry \u2014 everything will be just fine \u2014 before, in the fullness of time, covering the office in reams of pink slips. If Netflix was really, truly on board with the \u201ctheatrical releases of films,\u201d in the manner of an old-time studio such as Warner Bros., why would its top brass feel compelled to say so, again and again?<\/p>

The truth of the matter is that only the show business equivalent of an election denialist could spin the Warner Bros. Discovery-Netflix deal as beneficial to the moviegoing habit. Note that I distinguish here between \u201cmoviegoing\u201d and \u201cmovie-watching\u201d \u2014 the \u201c-going\u201d portion of the word being the most important for my purposes.<\/p>

For as long as I can remember, seeing a movie meant going to that movie. To wit, the prospective audience member had to undertake multiple concrete actions in furtherance of this objective: driving, walking, or taking public transportation to a movie theater; rounding up friends or family with whom to see the movie; hiring a babysitter to look after any children who were sitting out the movie; selecting a single title from the 10 or 12 or 22 movies that might be playing; waiting in line to buy a ticket; waiting in line to buy concessions; and, most important, reaching some kind of mutual accord with fellow audience members about when to laugh, cry, or shriek \u2014 depending on the genre and subject matter of the picture in question, of course. As consumer behavior is concerned, going to a movie is a fairly active activity.<\/p>

This experience bears no relationship to watching movies in a home environment. In the years before streaming, everyone understood that to catch a movie on the late show, order it on pay-per-view, or even rent a copy from the video store demanded less of the viewer, which is why the experience was always regarded as a counterfeit version of the real thing \u2014 like trying to make pizza at home rather than going to an actual pizzeria. It kind of tastes the same, but not really.<\/p>

Why is this important? To start with, activities that necessitate travel outside of one\u2019s own domiciles are regarded by more and more people as inconveniences at best and ordeals at worst \u2014 simply not worth it. The negligible but not illusory effort necessary to go shopping at a department store, attend a concert in a theater or club, or even dine at a restaurant or bar is too much to muster for too many. Instead, American capitalism has furnished its beneficiaries with at-home alternatives that are too attractive not to use.<\/p>

In the 1980s and \u201990s, home-shopping channels and their unacknowledged heir, Amazon, emerged as the leading edge of this phenomenon when they allowed viewers to procure goods simply by placing a phone call or logging on to a website. To be sure, shopping is an act of consumption however it is conducted, but going to a store demands at least the same modest exertion as going to a movie. Depending on the quality of the store, one might even strive to look one\u2019s best rather than lolling around in one\u2019s pajamas, as one is likely to do if conducting Christmas shopping by way of online retailers.<\/p>

More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic persuaded a significant portion of the population that attending a concert was an unnecessary luxury when the work of every artist in the known universe could simply be dialed up on YouTube, and that going to a restaurant, for which reservations might have to be made and, thus, schedules planned in advance, was too great a burden in the era of Grubhub and DoorDash. Of course, in utilizing such services, we have offloaded the work of doing something, such as picking up food, to others. To put it politely, we have become kingly layabouts.<\/p>

In this environment, then, we should not take for granted that Warner Bros. and other Hollywood studios continue to play by the old rules: They ask their patrons to make an effort, a shockingly small one, to see their content. Make no mistake: To streamers such as Netflix, the choice to grant theaters chunks of time to show major motion pictures is, in this day and age, a vestigial practice, a ritual, a tradition that only makes sense to baby boomers. And, in a certain sense, they are right. Undoubtedly, there is more money to be made more efficiently by simply depositing the recent Superman directly to streaming services \u2014 as Netflix already does with the majority of its own releases, and as it would surely do with any future Superman offshoots that might fall under its purview. In the war for how people consume mass entertainment, Netflix is already the victor to the extent that it bet that the public wants to watch as much as possible as easily as possible.<\/p>

ROB REINER, 1947-2025<\/a><\/p>

Yet there is a great social cost exacted by the ease and comfort offered by Netflix and its ilk. If people do not even have to depart their couch to watch the latest blockbuster, how can we expect them to be roused for more demanding things? The Netflixing of American movies is as bad an idea as universal mail-in voting \u2014 a supposed convenience that quickly corrupts by deluding its practitioners that there is nothing worth making an effort to do. Indeed, all one has to \u201cdo\u201d to watch Netflix is provide a major credit card.<\/p>

The Netflix deal should not be regarded as an inevitability. Another studio, Paramount, newly folded into Skydance Media, is attempting to engineer its own hostile takeover of Warner Bros., in part with the substantial backing of billionaire Larry Ellison, father of newly enshrined Paramount CEO and Chairman David Ellison. That deal, whatever its merits or demerits as a matter of business, seems likelier to preserve the movie-theater status quo. If Netflix prevails in its efforts, however, the public will have yet another reason to look, and stay, homeward. I readily concede that going to the movies is hardly a substitute for living, but in a society increasingly defined by laziness and lassitude, in which the stuff of life is brought to us rather than sought out by us, it is better than nothing. The grim truth is that Warner Bros. would be better off being part of a parking garage conglomerate once again.<\/p>

Peter Tonguette is a contributing writer to the Washington Examiner magazine.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Feat.Streaming.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363395-1767324300", "title":"Stranger Things is the Happy Days of the COVID-19 era", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4363395%2Fstranger-things-happy-days-of-covid-19-era%2F", "byline":"Jack Baruth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Stranger Things was never meant to end like this, largely because it was never meant to go on the way it has. The first season was conceived and written as a limited series, with the possibility of succeeding other, entirely different seasons, similar to True Detective or American Horror Story. Someone at Netflix decided during filming that […]", "description":""

Stranger Things was never meant to end like this, largely because it was never meant to go on the way it has. The first season was conceived and written as a limited series, with the possibility of succeeding other, entirely different seasons<\/a>, similar to True Detective or American Horror Story. Someone at Netflix<\/a> decided during filming that the story should be extended, and so it was. Cue a never-ending series of gaping plot holes, awkwardly introduced new characters, and enough absurd retroactive continuity to make the producers of the Fast and Furious films blush.<\/p>

Yet none of this has managed to address the show\u2019s primary weakness, which is a complete and utter lack of original thought. The guiding concept of \u201cchildren playing Dungeons & Dragons encounter something real\u201d is, of course, borrowed from E.T., while the general look and feel of the monsters and evil spirits is best described as \u201ccommunity-theater H.R. Giger.\u201d By the third season, the identical-twin directors Matt and Ross Duffer did little but pander to Generation X<\/a> and millennial<\/a> nostalgia. The plot was incidental; the real joy was in admiring the verisimilitude of the Starcourt Mall, which contained actual '80s retailers like the Gap, and became so popular as an idea that there is a thriving online community dedicated to creating perfect 3-D renders of the mall in various programs and video games. If you ask a true member of the fanbase, they would tell you that all of this is both deliberate and extremely delightful. It\u2019s a tribute show, you see! <\/p>

Some percentage of those folks would no doubt have been thrilled just to watch a half-dozen more tepid seasons of shopping malls, D&D games, functioning communities where children ride bikes to school, and other lamented casualties of our diverse modern e-commerce utopia. Unfortunately for them and the Duffer brothers, the series has an expiration date. The stars are all pursuing other projects, some of them are anxious to quit, and there have been accusations of misbehavior on set. Worst of all, the widening gap between the four-year timeline of the show\u2019s universe and the nine years it\u2019s taken to film it, combined with the Duffer brothers' early decision to cast older actors as children, has required viewers of Stranger Things to practice even more suspension of disbelief than would normally be necessary in a TV show about demons from an alternate universe. <\/p>

The fourth season was an ambitious attempt to reimagine everything that happened up to that point, create a durable antagonist who could chew up some screen time instead of just being a derivative and wholly mute CGI monstrosity, and generate a ton of extra plot threads to all be tied up in an even longer, more bloated, and more complex fifth season. Most memorable for the deft and even beautiful use of a Kate Bush song, the season was generally a conventional take on that old trope of the bad guy being created by the good guy. This plot device did not elevate the awful Bond film Spectre, and it did not help matters here, either. <\/p>

Which brings us to the plodding fifth season. Though more than 650 hours of footage were reportedly captured during over a year\u2019s worth of filming, much of the fifth season looks cheap or hastily done. It\u2019s hard to believe that what we see on screen represents the best of what was shot. But worse than the way it looks is the tangled story. In Game of Thrones fashion, the season manages to spend much of its energy adding new subplots rather than resolving old ones. The scope of the Stranger Things universe has become too unwieldy to operate logically, so the Duffers have contented themselves with using improbabilities to move the plot along. The entire U.S. Army is surrounding the gate to the netherworld? Well, there\u2019s probably room for a 6-foot-4-inch sheriff to sneak into that gate without anyone noticing. Does the plot require one man in a box truck to survive being shot up by a bevy of automatic rifles? Then that\u2019s what will happen. A monster that can kill dozens of people without pause or concern will suddenly become too slow and confused to kill one, simply because that person is of interest to the story. <\/p>

In an earlier season, there\u2019s an arch film-buff joke about how the \u201cdumb jock\u201d thinks Return of the Jedi was the best Star Wars film, which has become increasingly ironic because Seasons 3, 4, and 5 all hinge on situations where, as in Return of the Jedi, multiple groups of characters are all fighting different problems at roughly the same pace. George R.R. Martin had the same crowded-rooms problem with the aforementioned Game of Thrones, and he partially solved it by killing cherished characters as often as possible. The Duffer brothers are unwilling to do the same thing here; after all, these are children. They are played by 26-year-olds, but you get the idea. <\/p>

What we get instead of plot streamlining is ... fanservice. Linda Hamilton appears as an evil doctor. Why? Because she was great in The Terminator, of course. Did the plot need an evil doctor? You can guess the answer to that, but it takes 20 minutes' worth of scenes to make it obvious. One character comes out as gay, mainly because the actor who plays him came out on TikTok a few years ago, and the Redditors wanted that to be honored. Naturally, the literal end of the world stops around him long enough for him to make a heartfelt speech on the subject. Oh, look! A child shows a G.I. Joe lunchbox to actual soldiers! There\u2019s a lot of this, and much of it feels forced. <\/p>

The series finale, which will air after this review goes to print, will need to be extraordinary if it is to resolve both the Hanging Gardens\u2019 worth of unresolved plot threads and address the already vociferous chorus of disdain coming from the show\u2019s most rabid fans. Some viewers are so upset that they have gone to the trouble of creating a petition in which they demand to see all the \u201cmissing\u201d footage. Fan theories about this footage are running rampant, and the majority of them boil down to \u201cif we could see the other 600 hours they shot, or some of it, then maybe Season 5 would make sense.\u201d<\/p>

BUYING AN ENTHUSIAST CAR ON A BUDGET<\/a> <\/p>

If only. If Season 5 is bad, and it does seem to be at the very least not good, it\u2019s because of the creeping sloppiness that, like those evil underground tunnels in the second season, has managed to spread unchecked throughout the entire show. Characters regularly speak in modern phrases: \u201cI\u2019m not doing this right now,\u201d \u201cyou got this,\u201d and so on. Hamilton\u2019s evil doctor makes a joke about a soldier not learning sarcasm in ROTC, then addresses him as \u201csergeant.\u201d Even the much-discussed BMX bikes of the early seasons are not close to being period-correct. <\/p>

You might say Stranger Things is the Happy Days of the COVID-19 era; a show where indifferently executed nostalgia provides most of the reason to show up. Years from now, fans and critics will probably try to pinpoint where this series \u201cjumped the shark\u201d, a Happy Days-derived phrase meaning \u201cwore out its welcome.\u201d And with apologies to Bush, it seems obvious that the common consensus will eventually be \u201cafter the first season,\" which makes sense because nostalgia, like other strong but uncouth pleasures, is meant to be taken in small doses. But the Duffer brothers have insisted, for far too long, on feeding us a smorgasbord of it.<\/p>

Jack Baruth was born in Brooklyn, New York, and lives in Ohio. He is a pro-am race car driver, a former columnist for Road and Track and Hagerty magazines, and writer of the Avoidable Contact Forever<\/a> newsletter.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.TV_.StrangerThings.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357289-1767324000", "title":"An essayist who remembers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4357289%2Freview-good-bones-glorious-relics-age-reading-brooke-allen%2F", "byline":"Hugo Gurdon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"As you have begun to read this article, I will assume you are a reader. By this, I mean you regard reading creative works of literature as a good, sometimes delightful, and often beneficial way to spend your time. You know that reading delivers aesthetic and intellectual sustenance. You understand that it is not simply […]", "description":""

<\/p>

As you have begun to read this article, I will assume you are a reader. By this, I mean you regard reading<\/a> creative works of literature<\/a> as a good, sometimes delightful, and often beneficial way to spend your time. You know that reading delivers aesthetic and intellectual sustenance. You understand that it is not simply about achieving a minimum level of comprehension as one navigates modern life. Being that person, you will relish Good Bones: Glorious Relics from the Age of Reading, a collection of essays<\/a> written over a span of a quarter century by literary critic Brooke Allen. They are elegant, erudite, and witty. They are also about good or very good writers whose work would be more valued if our civilization were not rapidly abandoning the best aspects of its traditional artistic culture. <\/p>

In her preface, Allen writes, \u201cWe are in the middle of a seismic cultural change, as transformative as that which followed the appearance of the printing press half a millennium ago. And just as that invention turned the Western world into a literary society, we are now transitioning into a post-literate one \u2026 The authors I\u2019ve covered in this collection, though all were famous in the very recent past, are figures that will probably disappear in the post-literate society, if they have not done so already.\u201d<\/p>

With each essay, and by bringing them together in one jewel-laden volume, Allen is engaged in an act of literary preservation and respect. On her cover is a photograph of a beautiful 13th-century ivory reliquary casket carved with the figures of eight apostles and symbols of the four evangelists. It is a sadly apt choice, for the artists and the works contained are, as she writes, \u201cbeautiful relics, the sacred bones of a literary culture being ground into dust by technology.\u201d<\/p>

The essays differ sharply from one another, which is natural since they were written over many years and for several distinctly different publications. The first and second essays, for example, which discuss the madness and probable fakery of August Strindberg and the grating and overweening narcissism of George Sand, focus on the writers and their lives more than on their works. By contrast, the section on Madame Bovary is not really about Gustave Flaubert himself so much as it is a fascinating disquisition on translation per se, its insuperable compromises with perfection, and the fact that there is no such thing as a definitive version other than the original words. <\/p>

Poetry can hardly be translated at all, which is one way to define it, but prose, too, especially dialogue, is also baffling. It can be rendered precisely in no language nor even at any time in history other than those in which it was written. Should a translator, to take one difficulty, render the imagery of the colloquial French in Flaubert\u2019s great novel in precise English, sacrificing the verve of the vernacular? Or should he neglect precision and opt for equivalent colloquial English, capturing the energy of our argot but leaving the reader with only an approximate sense of what the original actually says?<\/p>

Such stuff is dry as dust, perhaps even meaningless, to those uninterested and unpracticed in reading. But for people who still spend time with literature, Allen\u2019s observations are permanently fresh, acute, and necessary. Her writing and her subject matter together evoke a small, exclusive literary world. They flatter the reader by dealing uncompromisingly with matters inaccessible to most people today. It is wrong to think of this as snobbery, as one critic on the back cover does. But it is a form of elitism \u2014 that form of which Harold Nicolson pleaded guilty, an elitism not of social class but of learning and culture.<\/p>

Allen\u2019s tone is elegiac, which is appropriate given that she is writing of an elevated world that is vanishing because few people today can any longer be bothered to pay attention to it. Books are often published not because they are well-written or have intrinsic merit, but at least partly because of extrinsic political or ideological factors, such as that the author is of an approved race or gender, or that their argument or narrative hews to some voguish agenda or advances some grievance mongering.<\/p>

Reading Allen\u2019s collection is an experience akin to being given one delightful little gift after another. It is chock full of sparkling literary anecdotes \u2014 one critic aptly described her work as \u201cthe most high-level, erudite gossip imaginable\u201d \u2014 such as Shelley referring to James Henry Leigh Hunt dismissively as a \u201cwren\u201d compared to the \u201ceagle\u201d that was Byron. Richard Burton (the 20th-century actor, not the 19th-century adventurer) was, one discovers, an expressive, funny, and sometimes venomous diarist; he refers to Lucille Ball as Milady Balls and describes her as \u201ca monster of staggering charmlessness.\u201d To him, Lawrence Olivier is a \u201cpast master of professional artificiality \u2026 A mass of affectations.\u201d Burton also describes doing bedtime exercises with his wife, Elizabeth Taylor, writing, \u201cIt is especially droll when we do running on the spot as she has to hold her breasts \u2026 It\u2019s a very fetching sight and were it to be open to the public would fetch a lot of people. Like ten million.\u201d<\/p>

Allen does not just preserve but also rescues reputations. Of the poet John Betjeman, for example, she writes that the academic obsession with differentiating \u201cmajor\u201d poets from \u201cminor\u201d ones, deprecating the latter, serves no one and harms the public, which reads for pleasure rather than for careerist motives. She agrees with Edmund Blunden that the distinction between major and minor poets is especially unhelpful of Betjeman, who, like Dylan Thomas, was doubtless a minor poet, \u201cbut a very, very good one.\u201d She discusses his sympathetic brilliance in delineating English social class distinctions, as shown in Betjeman\u2019s poignant recollection of a children\u2019s party in his poem \u201cFalse Security\u201d:<\/p>

Can I forget my delight at the conjuring show?<\/p>

And wasn\u2019t I proud that I was the last to go?<\/p>

Too overexcited and pleased with myself to know<\/p>

That the words I hear my hostess employ<\/p>

To a guest departing, would ever diminish my joy,<\/p>

I WONDER WHERE JULIA FOUND THAT STRANGE<\/p>

RATHER COMMON LITTLE BOY?<\/p>

It is almost confounding to find some authors included as old bones. Can it be that \u201cthat old, old parrot,\u201d Somerset Maugham, \u201cwith his flat black eyes, blinking and attentive, his courtly politeness and his hypnotic stammer,\u201d will really disappear from view? Yes, sadly, it can, even though, in my 20s, my peers and I would have been embarrassed not to have read him. Allen, however, quotes Elspeth Huxley, wisely noting, \u201cOne of the surprises of advancing age is to discover that part of one\u2019s lifetime has turned into history, a process which one generally assumes has come to a halt about the time one was born.\u201d<\/p>

Despite her mission to save her authors from oblivion, Allen is unsparing when she finds fault; Eudora Welty\u2019s dialogue, she says, \u201cis disgustingly folksy and conscious; none of the many voices can be differentiated from one another; the themes are obvious and uninteresting. Worse, the narrative has a smug confidence in the virtue of its own sentiments and values that neutralize the work\u2019s integrity.\u201d It is a good thing that Welty wrote other stories good enough to salvage the acclaim she is due.<\/p>

HUGO GURDON: WORSE AND WORSE ON OBAMACARE<\/a> <\/p>

No matter how sharply Allen skewers her subjects and their works where necessary, however, she includes them because, with all their lapses, their work is important \u2014 important for being creative, attempting and sometimes achieving beauty and originality \u2014 and it will be a great loss to us all when it drops down the oubliette. <\/p>

Allen\u2019s collection of bones is a small treasure. <\/p>

Hugo Gurdon (@hgurdon<\/a>) is the editor-in-chief of the Washington Examiner.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.Books_.GoodBones.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357301-1767323700", "title":"A sprawling history of Mexico", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4357301%2Freview-sprawling-history-mexico-paul-gillingham%2F", "byline":"Kyle Sammin", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"“Poor Mexico. So far from God, so close to the United States.” The famous words attributed to eight-term Mexican President Porfirio Díaz have often been repeated to describe the country he ruled as a de facto dictator for 30 years. They are also a fair summary of the story told in Paul Gillingham’s sprawling new […]", "description":""

<\/p>

\"Poor Mexico. So far from God, so close to the United States.\" The famous words attributed to eight-term Mexican President Porfirio D\u00edaz have often been repeated to describe the country he ruled as a de facto dictator for 30 years. They are also a fair summary of the story told in Paul Gillingham\u2019s sprawling new work, Mexico: A 500-Year History<\/a>.<\/p>

To the average American reader, our southern neighbor is something of a mystery. In yellow-tinted film scenes and wistful country music lyrics, Mexico <\/a>is a place apart, something distinctly different from the U.S. Except when some crisis bubbles up<\/a> into the international news, or when Mexico's problems leak across our all-too-porous<\/a> 2,000-mile border, Americans tend to forget about it, just as we forget about Canada and the rest of the world.<\/p>

But for those curious about Mexico, Gillingham\u2019s 700-plus-page book<\/a> provides a quick-paced and readable introduction to the nation\u2019s history, beginning with the first contact between Spaniards and natives in the early 16th century.<\/p>

Gillingham tells the story of a nation that developed from the start as a hybrid culture. Unlike the more sparsely populated parts of the New World to the north and the far south, the land that became Mexico was home to a dense, partly urbanized population of natives. Moreover, unlike the English settlers who would settle in New England a century later, the expeditions to New Spain were almost entirely male. The inevitable result, of course, was intermarriage and interrelations with the people they conquered and the rise of a mestizo population that would come to occupy places in every stratum of the developing Mexican society.<\/p>

Which is not to say that natives were especially well-treated, any more than the black slaves who soon joined them in Mexico\u2019s labor force. But the weight of their numbers, combined with the fact that some groups oppressed by the dominant Aztecs \u2014 most notably the Tlaxcalan people \u2014 joined the conquistador Hern\u00e1n Cort\u00e9s in conquering Tenochtitlan, meant that they shared in the victory that established Spanish hegemony there. The favoritism the Spanish crown would come to show for Spanish-born whites \u2014 peninsulares \u2014 in colonial government meant also that whites born in Mexico \u2014 criollos \u2014 began to have more in common with non-whites in Mexico than they did with their relatives back in the old country. <\/p>

While Mexico may be \u201cfar from God\u201d in D\u00edaz\u2019s formulation, it has never been far from the church. The initial impetus for the Spanish conquest included the usual colonial quests, second sons of minor nobility seeking fame and fortune in the New World because the Old World\u2019s opportunities were too few. But they also included a genuine belief among many clergy and laity that spreading the Gospel was desirable \u2014 even necessary. <\/p>

The clash of religions, Spanish Catholicism versus the human sacrifice of the Aztecs, was a major conflict in early Mexico \u2014 one which was not amenable to compromise or half-measures. The religion of Christ could not exist side-by-side with that of Hu\u012btzil\u014dp\u014dchtli, and the Spanish cast down the Great Pyramid and built their cathedral among its ruins. The conversion of the natives was surprisingly quick, led in part by the 1531 vision of the Virgin of Guadalupe. <\/p>

Gillingham suggests that the apparition may have been a form of syncretism, perhaps a repurposing of the native mother goddess, Tonantzin, but acknowledges the popular appeal of this new \u201cform of indigenous sainthood.\u201d Appeals to the Virgin of Guadalupe continue through Mexican history \u2014 some of the earliest rebels for independence displayed banners of her, perhaps in contrast to the atheistic French Revolution that was sweeping Europe. Battles between the church and secular liberals continued throughout Mexican history, culminating in an uneasy truce following the Cristero War of the 1920s, during which the Mexican Constitution severely proscribed the Catholic Church\u2019s role in public life, but the state learned not to push that too far in rural areas.<\/p>

The second half of D\u00edaz\u2019s epigram, \u201cso close to the United States,\u201d is also a theme in Gillingham\u2019s telling. In contrast with the fairly balanced explanation of Mexico's colonial period, the author singles out Americans for harsh criticism throughout. Calling the America of the 1840s a grouping of \u201cslave societies marked by Manichean racism and endemic vigilantism,\u201d full of \u201cgenocidal\u201d rhetoric and \u201cmessianic nationalism,\u201d he leaves no doubt of his opinion of the U.S., applying historical judgment far harsher than even that leveled at the Aztecs \u2014 a society literally built on human sacrifice.<\/p>

It is easy to paint such opinions as \u201cwoke\u201d 21st-century revisionism. But it is not all just trendy, academic anti-Americanism. Even at the time of the Mexican-American War, many in the U.S. believed their own nation to be acting unjustly. Abraham Lincoln<\/a>, then a Whig congressman, cast doubt on the reasons for the war. Ulysses S. Grant<\/a>, who fought in Mexico under General Winfield Scott, later called the war \u201cone of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger nation against a weaker nation.\u201d<\/p>

MAGAZINE: HOW TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENTS' MONEY MADE AMERICAN CAMPUSES AUTHORITARIAN <\/a><\/p>

The criticism is just, but later interactions between Mexico and the U.S. are not so one-sided, nor are all of Mexico\u2019s problems attributable to its northern neighbor. American wealth and power did extend into Mexico, for both good and ill, but foreign investment (and the political power that comes with it) is a factor in all developing nations. If the power and money of the U.S. had been absent \u2014 as it was during the American Civil War \u2014 that vacuum would have been filled by European power and money, as it was when the French imposed a Habsburg princeling on the Mexican people as their emperor.<\/p>

America played a larger role in Mexican history than Mexico played in American history, and one that is viewed by many Mexicans as a negative one. But while American readers will focus on those points and might quail at the disparagement of their own people, this book remains, for the most part, a useful guide to the history of that still-mysterious land of 130 million people just across the Rio Grande.<\/p>

Kyle Sammin is the managing editor of Broad + Liberty.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.Books_.Mexico.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363393-1767323400", "title":"Know (how to BS) thyself", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4363393%2Fnew-years-resolutions-white-lies%2F", "byline":"Rob Long", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"I have reached the age where my New Year’s resolutions arrive pre-broken. I know which ones will fail, roughly when they will fail, and what excuses I will make afterward. I will not lose the weight, I will not get up early, I will not meditate in the morning, I will not file columns on […]", "description":""

I have reached the age where my New Year\u2019s resolutions<\/a> arrive pre-broken. I know which ones will fail, roughly when they will fail, and what excuses I will make afterward. I will not lose the weight, I will not get up early, I will not meditate in the morning, I will not file columns<\/a> on time. And I will not \u2014 this I know with particular certainty \u2014 stop telling small white lies to get out of social obligations I don\u2019t want to keep. A person with real integrity would resolve to stop doing that in 2026. I am not that person.<\/p>

I am, however, a person with a skill. That skill is inventing plausible excuses at short notice. So instead of resolving to stop lying \u2014 a resolution destined for the same quiet failure as all the others \u2014 I\u2019m resolving to lie better. To put some elbow into it. To invest a few actual brain cycles in coming up with untruths that are believable, memorable, and internally consistent. Look, if I\u2019m going to remain a liar in 2026 \u2014 and trust me, I am \u2014 I might as well shoot for excellence.<\/p>

For instance, instead of saying something like, I wish I could accept that amazing invitation! Unfortunately, I'll be out of town, I might say, I wish! But that weekend I have already agreed to participate in a medical study involving LSD. See? It\u2019s interesting, it gets me out of the obligation, and it\u2019s just unsettling enough to end the conversation. The point is, I know myself. I am not going to stop wriggling out of social engagements. But now, I\u2019m going to do it with some flair.<\/p>

The importance of self-knowledge was reinforced for me recently by a conversation with someone young enough to have already figured out what most of us, well, me, keep trying to dodge: that real growth does not begin with pretending to be better, but with being honest about who you actually are.<\/p>

That conversation was with my niece, who is in high school<\/a> and, like many people her age, is both funny and blunt in a way that adults find impossible. She told me, calmly and without drama, that when she looks back on her early middle school years<\/a>, she remembers herself as a \u201cmean girl.\u201d Not vicious, not theatrical, just someone who enjoyed the quiet power of being inside a group that could decide who was out.<\/p>

What impressed me was not the confession. It was the clarity that followed. She told me she made a decision not to be that person anymore. She was not apologizing for who she was, nor was she pretending it had not happened. But when she decided who she wanted to be \u2014 in reality, realizing the person she\u00a0truly was \u2014 she adjusted her friend group, made the necessary changes, and moved on.<\/p>

It is a strange thing, I suppose, for a 60-year-old man to say that he is taking wisdom lessons from a 16-year-old girl. But the first step in self-knowledge is recognizing that you can learn important lessons from everyone.<\/p>

My niece did not resolve to become a better person in the abstract. She identified a version of herself she did not like and made it harder to become that person again. That is what integrity looks like, apparently, when it\u2019s not making up stories about why it can\u2019t go to a dinner party.<\/p>

THE TRUMP PENCIL DOCTRINE TOWARD CHRISTMAS PRESENTS <\/a><\/p>

Look: I am still going to tell small white lies to get out of things I don\u2019t want to do. But I am at least trying to stop lying to myself about why my grand resolutions fail. They fail because they are aimed at an imaginary version of me, rather than the actual one.<\/p>

Being a better version of yourself, I have learned, is not about reinvention. It\u2019s about self-recognition \u2014 knowing who you already are, who you have (maybe unfortunately) been, and which version of yourself you want to invest in. If I can manage that in 2026, along with a few truly excellent excuses, I\u2019ll consider it a successful year. And if I can\u2019t, I have a year to come up with a really riveting (and believable) excuse.<\/p>

Rob Long is a television writer and producer, including as a screenwriter and executive producer on Cheers, and the co-founder of Ricochet.com<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.LongLife.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362816-1767323100", "title":"Is a Korean reality show the last honest sport?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362816%2Fkorean-reality-show-physical-asia-last-honest-sport%2F", "byline":"Oliver Bateman", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The beauty of Physical: Asia, a televised sporting event-cum-reality show that originated in Korea before spinning off to this international franchise, is that it cannot be gamed. Most sports today, after all, are all about the numbers. You can see it in the way people watch sports now, eyes on their second screens, checking lines […]", "description":""

The beauty of Physical: Asia, a televised sporting event-cum-reality show <\/a>that originated in Korea <\/a>before spinning off to this international franchise, is that it cannot be gamed. Most sports<\/a> today, after all, are all about the numbers. You can see it in the way people watch sports now, eyes on their second screens, checking lines and prop bets while the actual game unfolds somewhere in their peripheral vision. Everything's got an angle. Gamblers and number-crunchers run the show. But Physical: Asia keeps bringing back the old ways.<\/p>

This season\u2019s premise was simple: 48 athletes from eight nations compete in challenges they cannot prepare for, testing strength and endurance in combinations that change every episode. There\u2019s no meta to learn and no film to study, no way to game the system through analytics departments or roster optimization. South Korea, Japan<\/a>, Thailand<\/a>, Mongolia<\/a>, Indonesia<\/a>, Turkey<\/a>, Australia<\/a>, and the Philippines<\/a> each sent six-person squads to fight for national pride and one billion units of Korea\u2019s currency, the won, worth some $680,000. The challenges ranged from king-of-the-mountain brawls on shifting sand dunes to hauling cargo from a sinking ship to dragging iron balls while tethered at the waist. In each event, these elite sportsmen either had it or they didn't.<\/p>

Physical: Asia ranked in Netflix's<\/a> global top 10 for non-English TV and recorded 3.6 million views in a single week. The franchise shows no sign of slowing, with a U.S. spin-off already announced that hopefully won\u2019t dilute the product overmuch by deluging us with brainless jock cliches intermingled with WNBA-style girlboss rhetoric. The appeal must stay the same: no shortcuts, no way to buy your way to the top, no meta to memorize. Each challenge arrives fresh. All you can do is be strong, be fast, be tough, be willing to suffer, and hope that's enough.<\/p>

The formula worked 40 years ago when World's Strongest Man saw British shotputter Geoff Capes and American arm wrestler and pig farmer Cleve Dean hauling refrigerators across U.S. television screens. It works today in Seoul, staged across sand and steel, watched by millions who recognize authentic competition when they see it. American sports gave that up somewhere along the way, trading purity for gambling revenue and analytics and whatever culture-war ideology seemed fashionable enough to slap on center court that week. The Koreans kept it. The view from there looks better than anything we've got.<\/p>

The team format added dimensions that the previous 100-person individual competition lacked. Each squad carried four men and two women, and the challenges rewarded teams that deployed members according to capability rather than ideology. Choi Seung-yeon, Korea's top female CrossFit athlete, contributed an insane amount of endurance that let stronger teammates deploy power in shorter bursts. Japan fielded Nonoka Ozaki, a freestyle wrestler who took bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She handled herself like a champ against other women and small men in the king-of-the-mountain scraps. Mongolia sent the hulking Adiyasuren Amarsaikhan, a female judoka who won silver at the Asian Judo Championships and was the first woman to beat the male competitors on Physical: Asia straight-up during the pillar hold event. These women were specialists whose skills sometimes solved problems that the men could not, which made them worth watching in ways the WNBA, with its insistence that women play the same game as men at inferior speed and explosiveness, never manages.<\/p>

Mongolia emerged as the tournament's most compelling squad despite finishing second to South Korea. Its roster blended b\u00f6kh (traditional Mongolian wrestling), judo, basketball, MMA, volleyball, and circus arts into something that, thanks to competitors such as MMA champion Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu waxing nostalgic about the greatness of Mongol warriors past, felt connected to place and history. Captain Orkhonbayar Bayarsaikhan, a heavyweight b\u00f6kh wrestler who won the President's Cup in 2022, led with quiet authority and sumo-grade strength. Lkhagva-Ochir Erdene-Ochir, a Cirque du Soleil performer designated a national treasure in 2025, brought ridiculous body control skills that no other competitor possessed. During a challenge requiring athletes to hang from rings, his background in high-level acrobatics proved decisive. Even if there were time between events to do so, how could you prepare an analytics package for use against an eccentric circus artist who balances on 11-meter stacks of chairs for a living? You don't. You just lose to him if the event requires hanging suspended in the air.<\/p>

MAGAZINE: THE ETERNAL ARGUMENT OVER WHAT IS AND ISN'T A SPORT<\/a> <\/p>

The Cecil B. DeMille-grade production matched the ambition. The crew built sets across five soccer fields, using 1,200 metric tons of sand and 40 metric tons of steel. The design drew from Korean mythology: statues of the Haetae (mythical lion-like creatures), drums recalling the 1988 Seoul Olympics, structures inspired by Joseon dynasty palaces. Traditional Korean instruments scored the action. <\/p>

South Korea won the finale against Mongolia in a six-on-six match. Mongolia took the first round of the wall pushing match after quickly developing a coordinated strategy, but Korea adapted. Olympic skeleton gold medalist Yun Sung-bin and baby-faced ssireum (Korean traditional wrestling) champion Kim Min-jae began timing their pushes together, and Mongolia couldn't answer. Korea took the second round, then the third, then the Iron Ball Dragging Match that followed. Team captain and UFC veteran Kim Dong-hyun wept afterward, having avenged his elimination from Physical: 100 Season 2. Amotti, the CrossFitter who won that season and now holds two Physical championships, said the shared victory felt different from winning alone. It looked different, too, with six thoughtful athletes draped in Korean flags crying together on a set built to honor their country's history.<\/p>

Oliver Bateman (@MoustacheClubUS<\/a>) is a journalist, historian, and co-host of the What\u2019s Left? podcast. Visit his website: www.oliverbateman.com<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.Sports.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393787-1767320400", "title":"Gas prices: 23 cents per gallon lower than last New Year’s Day ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4393787%2Fgas-prices-23-cents-per-gallon-cheaper-than-last-new-years-day%2F", "byline":"Christopher Tremoglie", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The new year began with another day of decreases at the pumps, as the national average price for regular gasoline dropped to $2.833 per gallon.   The latest price marked a decrease of 23 cents per gallon compared to New Year’s Day in 2025, according to AAA, when Joe Biden was president. The pricing on Jan. […]", "description":""

The new year began with another day of decreases at the pumps, as the national average price for regular gasoline dropped to $2.833 per gallon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

The latest price marked a decrease of 23 cents per gallon compared to New Year\u2019s Day in 2025, according to AAA<\/a>, when Joe Biden was president. The pricing on Jan. 1 was less than the last day of 2025, when the national average price for regular gas was $2.839. Pricing was also lower than a week ago, when a gallon of regular gas cost $2.847, and a month ago, when it averaged $3.001.\u00a0<\/p>

Moreover, current gas prices are at their lowest levels since the week of March 8, 2021, when a gallon of gas averaged $2.771 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration<\/a>. Also, 40 states in the U.S. currently have average prices less than $3 per gallon, according to AAA.<\/p>

There are 10 states with average gas prices of less than $2.50 per gallon, and seven states with prices of less than $2.45 per gallon. Notably, of the 11 remaining areas with gas prices over $3 per gallon, 10 states plus Washington, D.C.<\/a>, eight have Democratic governors, or a mayor in the case of Washington, D.C.<\/p>

After weeks of flirting with a $ 3-per-gallon price point, gas prices began a rapid decline in October. On Oct. 2, the national average price for a gallon of gas was $3.16. By the end of the month, gas prices dropped to $3.04 per gallon. After fluctuating fuel prices under the $3 per gallon threshold throughout November, the national average gas prices fell under $3 for the first time since 2021 on Dec. 2<\/a>. <\/p>

Fuel costs have continued falling ever since. During the last week of December, gas prices broke the $2.90-per-gallon barrier and continued to decline. On Christmas Eve, prices fell to $2.854 per gallon, and on Christmas, the national average cost for a gallon of regular gas was $2.847.<\/p>

Oklahoma<\/a> is the state with the lowest gas prices in the country, with an average price of $ 2.253 per gallon, according to AAA. Iowa has the next lowest gas prices at $2.37. Colorado is next at $2.376 per gallon, followed by Arkansas at $2.41 and Texas at $2.437. <\/p>

OIL EXECUTIVES PESSIMISTIC AS DRILLING ACTIVITY DIPS FOR END OF YEAR<\/a><\/p>

Hawaii has the highest gas prices in the country, significantly higher than the national average, at $4.415 per gallon. California<\/a> is next at $4.266 per gallon. These two states, both with Democratic governors, are the last two states in the U.S. with average gas prices over $4 per gallon.\u00a0<\/p>

Washington state is next, with an average of $3.857 per gallon, followed by Alaska with a state average of $3.55. Oregon has the 5th least-expensive gas prices in the U.S., with an average of $3.424 per gallon.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/gas-prices-33.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393773-1767315600", "title":"California postpones canceling licenses of illegal immigrant truck drivers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fimmigration%2F4393773%2Fcalifornia-licenses-illegal-immigrant-truck-drivers%2F", "byline":"Anna Giaritelli", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The sanctuary state of California has delayed the cancellation of approximately 17,000 commercial truck drivers’ licenses obtained by illegal immigrants. The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced this week that it will hold off on wiping out the thousands of licenses on Jan. 5, postponing the action for 60 days, a move that is likely […]", "description":""

The sanctuary state<\/a> of California has delayed the cancellation of approximately 17,000 commercial truck drivers' licenses obtained by illegal immigrants<\/a>.<\/p>

The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced this week that it will hold off on wiping out the thousands of licenses on Jan. 5, postponing the action for 60 days, a move that is likely to draw the ire of the Trump administration<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy \u2014 our supply chains don\u2019t move, and our communities don\u2019t stay connected without them,\" California DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a statement<\/a>. \"We are hopeful that our collaboration with the federal government will give [the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] confidence in our updated processes to allow California to promptly resume issuance of nondomiciled commercial driver\u2019s licenses.\"<\/p>

Illegal immigrants who were previously issued commercial driver's licenses will now have an additional two months to reapply for the document and retake their exams.<\/p>

In May, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy implemented<\/a> new guidance to enforce the English language proficiency requirement for truck drivers as part of a broader federal effort to ensure they can read and follow road signs.<\/p>

According to the DOT, a previous investigation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration uncovered \u201csignificant failures\u201d by California, New Mexico, and Washington to mark drivers \u201cout of service\u201d for English language proficiency violations.<\/p>

The Trump administration threatened<\/a> to pull millions of dollars of federal funding from blue states, including California, New Mexico, and Washington, unless the states adopted and enforced English language proficiency requirements for\u00a0commercial drivers.<\/p>

The California Highway Patrol has publicly stated<\/a> that it does not intend to follow the federal regulation.<\/p>

A number of fatal traffic incidents involving illegal immigrants granted commercial driver's licenses have surfaced nationwide.<\/p>

In August, Florida police identified<\/a> an illegal immigrant, Harjinder Singh, as the driver of an 18-wheeler truck who caused a fatal crash in St. Lucie County that resulted in the deaths of three people.<\/p>

Singh had ignored a road sign that showed no U-turns were permitted at the place where he attempted to make an illegal U-turn.<\/p>

MAMDANI VOWS TO GOVERNMENT AS 'DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST' AND EMBRACE BIG GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/p>

In recent months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has gone after<\/a> these commercial truck drivers.<\/p>

In November, the DOT announced that California would have to revoke thousands of \"illegally issued\" commercial driver's licenses. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25307837752582.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362469-1767312300", "title":"Norman Podhoretz, 1930-2025", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362469%2Fobituary-norman-podhoretz-1930-2025%2F", "byline":"Daniel Ross Goodman", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"“One of the longest journeys in the world is the journey from Brooklyn to Manhattan — or at least from certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn to certain parts of Manhattan.” Norman Podhoretz wrote those words in 1967, capturing in one wry sentence the improbable ascent that defined his life: from the rough streets of Brownsville to […]", "description":""

<\/p>

\u201cOne of the longest journeys in the world is the journey from Brooklyn to Manhattan<\/a> \u2014 or at least from certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn to certain parts of Manhattan.\u201d Norman Podhoretz wrote those words in 1967, capturing in one wry sentence the improbable ascent that defined his life: from the rough streets of Brownsville to the commanding heights of American intellectual life, where he would reshape conservative thought<\/a> and foreign policy<\/a> debate for generations.<\/p>

That journey began on Jan. 16, 1930, in a working-class immigrant household in Brooklyn's Brownsville section. His parents had fled Galicia, bringing with them Yiddish and leftist sympathies \u2014 Podhoretz later quipped that he never met a Republican until high school. A public school teacher, spotting his potential beneath a thick Brooklyn accent, insisted on speech lessons that helped refine his delivery and open doors. Talent and determination propelled him forward. Scholarships took him to Columbia College, where he studied under Lionel Trilling, whose emphasis on moral complexity in literature left a lasting mark; to Cambridge University on a Fulbright and Kellett Fellowship, earning a second bachelor's degree; and concurrently to the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he pursued Hebrew literature and earned a degree in Hebrew letters. After a stint in the U.S. Army, he emerged as a precocious literary critic, publishing sharp reviews in Partisan Review, the New Yorker, and elsewhere while still in his 20s.<\/p>

By 1960, at the astonishing age of 30, Podhoretz was named editor-in-chief of Commentary, the monthly magazine published by the American Jewish Committee. What he inherited was a respected but somewhat parochial anti-Communist journal rooted in Cold War<\/a> liberalism. What he forged over the next 35 years was something far more dynamic and contentious: first a vibrant forum for the cultural ferment of the early 1960s, publishing Norman Mailer, James Baldwin, Susan Sontag, Philip Roth, and Hannah Arendt; then, as the decade soured, a platform for unflinching critique of the New Left's excesses.<\/p>

The pivot came gradually but decisively. Disillusioned by campus radicalism, the counterculture's romanticization of violence, Black Power separatism, and mounting hostility toward Israel<\/a> on the Left after the 1967 Six-Day War \u2014 hostility Podhoretz viewed as veiling a resurgence of antisemitism<\/a> that had been taboo in postwar America \u2014 he steered Commentary rightward. He believed that the Left had abandoned its own principles in the face of totalitarianism. Alongside Irving Kristol, whom many credit as neoconservatism's godfather, Podhoretz became its foreign policy firebrand. He argued relentlessly that America must confront totalitarian threats head-on, whether Soviet expansionism or, later, Islamist militancy. Commentary under his watch launched ideas and careers: Jeane Kirkpatrick's seminal 1979 essay \u201cDictatorships and Double Standards,\u201d which distinguished authoritarian from totalitarian regimes, helped shape President Ronald Reagan's<\/a> foreign policy doctrine; pieces by Daniel Patrick Moynihan fortified defenses against Soviet disinformation; contributors such as Midge Decter dissected feminist excesses with surgical precision.<\/p>

Podhoretz's own books amplified the magazine's voice. His 1967 memoir Making It scandalized literary circles with its candid admission of ambition \u2014 for fame, money, and influence \u2014 earning savage reviews but cementing his reputation as a provocateur unafraid of ugly truths. Later works, such as Breaking Ranks: A Political Memoir (1979), chronicled his ideological defection. The Present Danger: Do We Have the Will to Reverse the Decline of American Power (1980) warned against d\u00e9tente with the Soviets. World War IV: The Long Struggle Against Islamofascism (2007) framed the post-9\/11 struggle as a protracted ideological war demanding American resolve. He never shied from controversy, breaking lifelong friendships with Mailer, Lillian Hellman, and others as ideological lines hardened. Woody Allen immortalized the era's tribal warfare in Annie Hall, joking that Commentary and Dissent had merged into \"Dysentery.\"<\/p>

Through it all, Podhoretz positioned Commentary as neoconservatism's flagship, insisting that America, for all its flaws, remained a force for good \u2014 a beacon worth defending aggressively abroad and whose values were worth upholding at home. His influence reached the White House<\/a>: Reagan admired him, and President George W. Bush<\/a> awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004. Even in retirement as editor emeritus after 1995, his essays continued to provoke, whether defending the Iraq War<\/a> or decrying what he saw as weakness in the face of new threats.<\/p>

DICK CHENEY, 1941-2025 <\/a><\/p>

Podhoretz's odyssey mirrored broader currents in postwar America: the rise of the New York intellectuals, the fraying of the liberal consensus after the Vietnam War<\/a>, the cultural upheavals of the 1960s, and the subsequent conservative revival that helped win the Cold War. He embodied the neoconservative archetype \u2014 a liberal \"mugged by reality,\" in Kristol's famous phrase \u2014 yet remained proudly paleo-neoconservative to the end, unapologetic in his hawkishness and his belief in U.S. exceptionalism. As Matthew Continetti wrote to me in an email message, \u201cHe was a great intellectual who shaped the views of generations of writers. And he was a kind and generous man.\u201d<\/p>

In one late interview, reflecting on President Donald Trump's<\/a> brash style, Podhoretz captured his own combative spirit with characteristic Brooklyn bluntness: \"His virtues are the virtues of the street kids of Brooklyn. You don\u2019t back away from a fight and you fight to win.\" Norman Podhoretz never backed away \u2014 and he fought, with words as his weapons, to the very last.<\/p>

Daniel Ross Goodman is a Washington Examiner contributing writer and the Allen and Joan Bildner Visiting Scholar at Rutgers University. Find him on X @DanRossGoodman<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Obit.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4356169-1767309900", "title":"The Trump administration’s unfinished business in Gaza", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4356169%2Ftrump-administration-unfinished-business-gaza%2F", "byline":"David Mark", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump’s boast about ending the Israel-Hamas war was a bit premature. Trump, on Oct. 13, addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem. The speech to the Israeli legislature marked the implementation of a landmark ceasefire and hostage deal in the Gaza Strip that the Trump administration helped negotiate, a bit over two years after the […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> boast about ending the Israel-Hamas war was a bit premature.<\/p>

Trump, on Oct. 13, addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem<\/a>. The speech to the Israeli legislature marked the implementation of a landmark ceasefire and hostage deal in the Gaza Strip<\/a> that the Trump administration helped negotiate, a bit over two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.<\/p>

The president proclaimed the war\u2019s end as the \u201chistoric dawn of a new Middle East,\u201d signaling a shift from an \u201cage of terror and death\u201d to an era of \"faith and hope.\u201d<\/p>

That could all still happen. But it\u2019s going to be a lot more difficult than Trump said at the time, as many Middle East experts and even casual observers have warned.<\/p>

After all, it\u2019s now been over three months since Trump unveiled his 20-point ceasefire proposal for Gaza. But officials have yet to explain how key aspects would function in practice, or how to address Hamas\u2019s entrenched presence in Gaza, from which it launched the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel that claimed more than 1,200 lives, with 251 people in the Jewish state taken hostage. The next day, Iranian-backed Hezbollah launched missile attacks from Lebanon, part of what became Israel\u2019s seven-front defensive war against Tehran and Houthi rebels in Yemen, among others.<\/p>

Problems facing the Gaza plan are legion, including whether an international stable of troops would actually be willing to confront Hamas in efforts to dislodge it from the enclave that abuts Israel, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea.<\/p>

\u201cThe level of trust in Israel of an international force that will disarm Hamas is very low,\u201d said Shmuel Rosner, a leading Israeli political analyst, in an interview. \"For Israeli decision-makers, the strategy now is to let it collapse, without Israel having to take any measures to help it collapse.\"<\/p>

\u201cIf Israel does something to disrupt the process, it will be blamed for its collapse,\u201d added Rosner, a Tel Aviv-based columnist, editor, and think tank fellow.<\/p>

\u201cBut it's fairly clear that disarming terrorist groups is a very tricky thing to do,\u201d said Rosner, author of the new book Why Am I a Jew? A Contemporary Guide for the Perplexed<\/a>. \"You need somebody with the ability and willingness to shoot. If the international force is not willing to go into Gaza and shoot, there's no point in going through this whole exercise.\"<\/p>Stalled progress

Under the plan, Gaza\u2019s governance would be overseen by a Trump-led \u201cBoard of Peace,\u201d followed by an international executive board expected to include Jared Kushner and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff. Beneath the board would sit a technocratic Palestinian government of approximately a dozen Palestinians who are not affiliated with Hamas.<\/p>

But as Trump focuses on handpicking members for his ideal Palestinian governing body, experts said the administration has offered little clarity on how this layered structure would actually govern Gaza \u2014 or, more consequentially, how it can operate while armed Hamas terrorists remain in control of much of the enclave.<\/p>

Israel controls 53% of Gaza, as demarcated by the \u201cYellow Line,\u201d while Hamas maintains control in the remaining western part of the enclave. Despite heavy losses, Hamas fighters continue to operate and have not indicated they'll relinquish power.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019re starting to see Gaza split into two parts,\u201d said Iftah Burman, a doctoral candidate at Israel\u2019s Bar Ilan University and geopolitical expert, in an interview. \"The Hamas-run Gaza on the Mediterranean coast. And the Israeli-controlled Gaza in the interior.\"<\/p>

Plus, nations that had volunteered to join the international force, such as Indonesia and Azerbaijan, have been backing away, while donor countries are refusing to begin reconstruction projects until there\u2019s security in Gaza.<\/p>

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Dec. 21 that Hamas is \u201cabsolutely not\u201d ready to disarm.<\/p>

\"Hamas is not abandoning power. They\u2019re consolidating power,\u201d he said on NBC\u2019s Meet the Press, speaking from Tel Aviv following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. \u201cThat\u2019s what the military intelligence people in Israel tell me. That\u2019s what the [Israeli military] told me. That\u2019s what our own people told me.\u201d<\/p>

Hamas triggers sporadic violence in the Gaza Strip, where an estimated tens of thousands of people died in Israel\u2019s defensive war after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. On the afternoon of Dec. 3, Hamas fighters emerged from a tunnel in the Israeli-held part of Rafah and engaged in a gunfight with Israeli troops. Five Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously, and all the terrorists were killed. Israel also retaliated with airstrikes and artillery fire. Meanwhile, other Israeli military units uncovered and dismantled rocket launchers in the northern part of Gaza.<\/p>

Nor are Israeli soldiers the only Hamas targets. In the early days of the ceasefire, Hamas carried out a wave of public executions of Palestinians whose clans it considered rivals. Those killings, and the torture and extortion that continue, are designed to neutralize alternatives to Hamas rule.<\/p>

All of which has made Arab and Muslim states skittish about peacekeeping troops to Gaza.<\/p>

\u201cIf it\u2019s \u2018peace enforcing,\u2019 nobody will want to touch that,\u201d King Abdullah of Jordan told the BBC in late October 2025.<\/p>

Lack of troops from countries in the regions makes for a conspicuous absence, Burman said.<\/p>

\u201cTurkey, Egypt, and Qatar are vouching for the Gaza agreements,\u201d Burman said. \u201cThey\u2019re supposed to supply the troops to get Hamas to give up their weapons. Terrorists don\u2019t give up their weapons. Israel needs to see these things actually happening.\u201d<\/p>View from nearby Gaza

While negotiations about foreign troop deployment continue, Israelis who live in the Negev Desert region near Gaza are watching wearily, but hopefully.<\/p>

\u201cThe environment is quieter. We don\u2019t have the same echo and volume of war. It still exists, but it\u2019s not like September,\u201d just before the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, said Ohad Cohen, founder and CEO of Atid La\u2019Otef, which is Hebrew for \u201cFuture for the Gaza Envelope.\u201d In that role, Cohen, a married father of three from Kibbutz Or HaNer near the Gaza border, leads the nonpartisan residents\u2019 movement working toward long-term, civilian-driven recovery in the region. He directs its policy and grassroots campaigns and regularly briefs Knesset committees.<\/p>

Long-term plans for Israel\u2019s southern region include not only safety and security for residents, but growth in the country\u2019s tech sector. Many leading tech companies have growing presences in Israel, including Google, with offices in Haifa and Tel Aviv, while Nvidia, the AI chip giant, has inked a deal to build a new campus in the country\u2019s north, near Haifa.<\/p>

PALESTINIAN PROPAGANDA HAS GLOBALIZED THE INTIFADA<\/a><\/p>

Recruiting tech firms to the Negev, where, during the two-year war, plumes of smoke from Gaza were common scenes while Israeli drones flew overhead, is a longer challenge, though one that can get going again if the war doesn\u2019t resume at any level resembling the two-year fight.<\/p>

\u201cWe want to see more investments in the south,\u201d said Cohen, who himself comes from the tech sector. \u201cHigh-tech entrepreneurs locating here with their families. This is the new Zionism, not just working the fields, but in the high-tech industry.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/WB.ForeignPolicy.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357293-1767309300", "title":"The Force adrift", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4357293%2Fforce-adrift-star-wars-force-awakens-disney%2F", "byline":"Varad Mehta", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Looking back at it now, 10 years later, the warning signs were clear from the start — from the first trailer, in fact. Its initial image was a shot of a speeder zooming past the wreckage of a long-forgotten battle, an X-wing in the foreground dwarfed by a Star Destroyer in the background. Following it […]", "description":""

Looking back at it now, 10 years later, the warning signs were clear from the start \u2014 from the first trailer<\/a>, in fact. Its initial image was a shot of a speeder zooming past the wreckage of a long-forgotten battle, an X-wing in the foreground dwarfed by a Star Destroyer in the background. Following it is a close-up of the melted, twisted husk of Darth Vader\u2019s helmet. It ends with a wistful Han Solo (Harrison Ford) telling his wookiee comrade, \u201cChewie, we\u2019re home.\u201d <\/p>

Which was the problem. Disney<\/a> took us back home. To the Star Wars we thought<\/a> we had lost. Together, we\u2019ve been scavenging the ruins ever since. Contrary to critics and fans who believe \u201cDisney Wars<\/a>\u201d only went awry later, the issues which have come to plague the franchise \u2014 from its inconsistent, contradictory plotting and endless recycling of itself, to its overall lack of vision \u2014 are present not merely in incipient but in fully mature form in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015).<\/p>

Episode VII felt off as soon as the lights went down. For the first time, a film<\/a> in the series opened without the 20th Century Fox logo and its accompanying fanfare. Evidently, this would not be your father\u2019s \u2014 or, if you\u2019re my age, your own \u2014 Star Wars<\/a>. But it so desperately wanted to be. From the opening scenes of the First Order\u2019s raid on the Jakku village mirroring the Empire\u2019s seizure of Princess Leia\u2019s (Carrie Fisher) ship, to the climactic attack on Starkiller Base recapitulating the assault on the Death Star, the parallels to the original are so numerous that calling them copies or ripoffs might be more accurate. There are so many that a side-by-side comparison video<\/a> compiled at the time couldn\u2019t capture them all.<\/p>

If being a rehash weren\u2019t bad enough, The Force Awakens is marred by one dubious storytelling beat after another. Oscar Isaac\u2019s character, Poe Dameron, disappears for the middle act. The First Order tries to destroy BB-8, although it needs him intact to get the map he\u2019s carrying to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Han Solo is shoehorned into the movie without any logical reason for him to show up how or when he does. The neophyte Rey (Daisy Ridley), who just learned of the Force an hour ago, should not best the far more accomplished Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in combat. Ren\u2019s identity is revealed midway through the movie, when it should\u2019ve been saved for his final confrontation with his father. And so on. <\/p>

The blame for the failure of The Force Awakens belongs primarily to J.J. Abrams, who, besides cowriting its screenplay, also directed it. Even if he understood the difference between homage and imitation<\/a>, Abrams\u2019s mediocrity as a filmmaker rendered him incapable of acting upon it. Thus, whereas George Lucas fashioned a pastiche which, inspired by fairy tale and myth, transmuted sources as diverse as Westerns, 1930s Flash Gordon serials, and Akira Kurosawa\u2019s samurai epics into something revolutionary, Abrams crafted a derivative work inspired solely by itself. <\/p>

This fundamental flaw besets the entire sequel trilogy. Worse still, it is compounded by a profusion of bizarre, inexplicable, befuddling, and plain idiotic narrative choices across all three movies. On occasion, these choices are at odds with each other. In The Last Jedi (2017), writer-director Rian Johnson has a scene reminiscent of Luke\u2019s vision of himself as Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Rey dives into a submerged cave and sees a vision of infinite versions of herself. The moral is that Rey is a nobody without a family or past; all she has is herself. Perhaps repaying Johnson for killing off Supreme Leader Snoke in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), the third film in the sequel trilogy, Abrams takes his own crack at the scene. This time, in the rubble of the second Death Star, Rey fights a dark side manifestation of herself as Palpatine\u2019s granddaughter, which it turns out she is. So much for being a nobody. <\/p>

Rey spurns her heritage and, instead, as Rise of Skywalker ends, anoints herself \u201cRey Skywalker.\u201d The groundwork for this self-reinvention is laid in The Force Awakens when Anakin\u2019s and Luke\u2019s lightsaber calls out to her. It chooses her to inherit their legacy. Yet Abrams overlooks, as though he forgot, his own foreshadowing. As a result, Rey\u2019s decision to take the Skywalker surname (she had none before this) feels arbitrary, even though it could have been justified on the terms presented in the earlier film. Rey the Nobody and Rey (Palpatine) Skywalker are antithetical interpretations. It\u2019s as if Johnson and Abrams were undoing what the other did, unity and cohesion of the plot be damned, and no one from Lucasfilm would or could stop them. <\/p>

There is no greater testament to how misbegotten the entire endeavor was than the fact that not once in the sequels do the heroes from the original trilogy appear in the same movie, let alone on screen together. The whole point of the sequels, and the justification for much of the anticipation for them, was seeing the old gang back in action. Yet it seems never to have occurred to anyone at Disney \u2014 not CEO Bob Iger, not Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, no one \u2014 that this might be a problem. Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, and Lando share zero seconds of screen time. How could that happen? It\u2019s the plot equivalent of leaving an exposed thermal exhaust port in the Death Star design: something which makes much more sense as the result of carelessness, incompetence, and bureaucratic inertia than as the purposeful act of sabotage it was retconned into in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).<\/p>

The original trilogy is a classic saga of a hero\u2019s journey set against the backdrop of a fight between good and evil, dressed up in futuristic, science-fiction garb. The prequels are an allegory<\/a> for the unraveling<\/a> of the postwar American political order, a tale of institutional decadence and collapse. Can anyone say what the sequels are about? There\u2019s no overarching storyline because it was never planned out; the switch of writers and directors produced dramatic, often contradictory narrative shifts. Say what you will about Lucas\u2019s vision, he had one. There is no vision to the sequels. It is questionable whether a corporate writer\u2019s room can even have a vision, though it did give us the hopelessly dated presence of Lin-Manuel Miranda. And Space Monaco. Seriously, what the hell? That Mickey and Co. have managed to release just five movies, and none since 2019, is indicative of its struggles. A sixth, based on the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, is scheduled for May. We\u2019ll see how that goes. <\/p>

REVIEW: YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION <\/a><\/p>

The Force Awakens was made to cater to fans who hated the prequels. It was the answer to a million cries that \u201cGeorge Lucas ruined my childhood.\u201d Like Bane returning Gotham to the people, Disney was handing Star Wars back to the fans. The irony is that today the prequels are more beloved than ever, while the sequels are lucky to be disregarded with polite indifference. Things got so bad that some fans even clamored for Lucas to reclaim custody of his brainchild. Alas, he is otherwise engaged completing his long-gestating \"Museum of Narrative Art\" in Los Angeles.<\/p>

What the sequels lacked above all is the sense of adventure and daring that thrilled movie audiences in 1977 and years thereafter. \u201cDisney Wars\u201d has become staid, dull, predictable, commodified \u2014 in a word, just one more intellectual property in Mickey\u2019s portfolio. I have a T-shirt, purchased in 2006, but based on a design from the late '70s. Emblazoned across Darth Vader\u2019s face are the words \u201cDARTH VADER LIVES.\u201d Underneath is this message: \u201cStar Wars Is Forever.\u201d Indeed, it is. But now, as we approach its 50th anniversary in 2027, it is not, as it seemed in 2015, because of Disney that it will live forever, but despite it. Ten years ago, the House of Mouse tried to awaken the Star Wars franchise. Instead, it has spent the last decade adrift.<\/p>

Varad Mehta (@varadmehta<\/a>) started down the Star Wars path in 1977. Forever has it dominated his destiny. Consume him, it did. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.Film_.StarWars.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362627-1767309000", "title":"Violence and ‘violence:’ What we should make of new campus data on speech", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362627%2Fwhat-to-make-campus-data-speech-violence%2F", "byline":"Graham Hillard", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"When President Donald Trump roared to victory in 2024, conservatives told themselves a number of just-so stories. Biden-era profligacy had driven the Democratic Party into its grave, leaving MAGA Republicans to plot America’s future alone. Former President Barack Obama’s “coalition of the ascendant” had permanently splintered. Most importantly, wokeness was spent as a cultural force. […]", "description":""

<\/p>

When President Donald Trump<\/a> roared to victory in 2024<\/a>, conservatives told themselves a number of just-so stories. Biden-era<\/a> profligacy had driven the Democratic Party<\/a> into its grave, leaving MAGA Republicans to plot America\u2019s future alone. Former President Barack Obama<\/a>\u2019s \u201ccoalition of the ascendant\u201d had permanently splintered. Most importantly, wokeness was spent as a cultural force. From now on, surely no one would insist that men could become women, that racism lurked behind every rock and tree, or that right-leaning speech ought to be muzzled.<\/p>

Alas, someone forgot to tell the country\u2019s undergraduates. In October 2025, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression conducted a nationwide survey of 2,028 college students, including an oversampling of students at Utah Valley University, the site of the Charlie Kirk<\/a> killing a month prior. The findings, released in early December, make for a harrowing read and duly rocketed through the news cycle. According to FIRE\u2019s widely shared summary of its data, 9 out of 10 undergraduates believe the self-evidently absurd claim that \u201cwords can be violence.\u201d Tallied in a particular way, the figures also seem to reveal that 79% think \u201csilence is violence.\u201d Such irrational attitudes, it would appear, give the lie to assertions of wokeness\u2019s demise.<\/p>

What are we to make of these terrible numbers? For starters, and with respect for FIRE\u2019s deservedly good reputation, we might push back against them a little. The \u201c9 out of 10\u201d figure, for instance, adds up only if one includes those respondents who \u201csomewhat,\u201d 28%, or \u201cslightly,\u201d 15%, agree with the \u201cwords can be violence\u201d claim. Nevertheless, journalists from Reason to UnHerd to Minding the Campus uncritically quoted FIRE\u2019s math. Nor is the 79% \u201csilence is violence\u201d mark quite as bad as it initially looks. As FIRE\u2019s own executive summary makes clear, only 29% of students \u201cmostly\u201d or \u201ccompletely\u201d assent to that lie.<\/p>

It is also the case that college campuses are where social science goes to die. As every pollster knows, social desirability bias is the specter haunting all survey attempts, provoking respondents to choose the answers they think others will applaud. Callow undergraduates have some of the least developed defenses against that peer pressure and know perfectly well which slogans they\u2019re meant to parrot. Moreover, having been around college students for more than a quarter-century, I can attest that they are fans of the outrageous, to quote one of my own university pals. For every respondent meekly bowing to the perceived majority, another may well be trying to irk the adults in charge.<\/p>

We might ask, too, the question that ought to attend every survey finding: And so what? At the extreme end, conflations of speech and deed can lead to \u201ccountermeasures\u201d that shock the conscience. Kirk\u2019s alleged killer presumably thought his victim\u2019s \u201cviolence\u201d warranted violence in return. Yet few would argue that 90% of college students are potential murderers or have anything like the courage of that depraved conviction. A safer bet is that, believing what they claim to think about speech, they are overwhelmingly going to vote for Democrats. But that is likely going to happen in any case, at least until adult realities shake many of them out of it.<\/p>

It is possible, in other words, to overread FIRE\u2019s data. However, that doesn\u2019t mean that we can safely ignore the illiberalism of the American campus. In the aftermath of the Kirk shooting, the percentage of students confusing speech and violence ought to have been zero. A broad daylight assassination should, if nothing else, illustrate the limits of political abstraction. To put it another way, the \u201cspeech is violence\u201d canard is exactly the sort of fuzzy, lecture hall daydream that turns to mist in the presence of an actual bullet. If students can be so wrong mere weeks after an incontrovertible demonstration of the truth, then they are lost indeed.<\/p>

Worse, they may not be recoverable. Among FIRE\u2019s discoveries is the fact that students learned precisely the wrong lesson from the September tragedy. \u201cBecause of what happened to Charlie Kirk,\u201d significant percentages of undergraduates are now \u201ca great deal,\u201d 19%, or \u201cslightly,\u201d 26%, less comfortable \u201cexpressing [their] views on a controversial political topic during an in-class discussion.\u201d Only 11% are now \u201cslightly\u201d or \u201ca great deal\u201d more comfortable. The numbers are similar when the \u201cdiscussion\u201d is moved to the quad, dining hall, or onto social media. Rather than redoubling, or inventing afresh, a commitment to civil discourse in the wake of political murder, college students are retreating further into their shells. And perhaps for good reason. Of the 28% of respondents who think it \u201calways,\u201d \u201csometimes,\u201d or \u201crarely\u201d acceptable to use violence \u201cto stop a campus speech,\u201d 7% are in favor of employing murder. That figure theoretically represents almost 300,000 undergraduates nationwide.<\/p>

As previously stated, I have very strong doubts that any meaningful percentage of degree-seekers will one day take the lives of their political opponents. Yet the implication that they might like to do so is chilling. In the long run, it is impossible to maintain a civil society if ideological disagreements carry the threat of death. To name just one historical example of many, Japan\u2019s prewar culture of assassination was a significant driver of that nation\u2019s slide into militarism. We are not there yet. Pray God we never will be. However, the warning lights are flashing red. A country riven by intractable disagreements can muddle through. A country in which each side fears for its literal safety is doomed.<\/p>

There is a final reason, too, that FIRE\u2019s statistics are so appalling. If political speech counts as violence, then those with provocative views can simply grimace and hold their tongues. Such a dispensation would be a disastrous betrayal of American values, but we could, as a people, limp along. If, on the other hand, a refusal to echo leftist talking points is itself beyond the pale \u2014 \u201csilence is violence\u201d \u2014 then we are no better than Maoist China. We are Stalin\u2019s Russia, and the first man to stop clapping is condemned. To keep me from saying what I believe is an abomination, but one that groups me with many, if not most, of the human beings who have ever lived. To require a lie is a special kind of evil. That even a few college students would do so represents a vast institutional failure.<\/p>

How might we begin to correct it? Let me say from the start that a full cure will require spiritual and psychological renewal across the nation. Political remedies will be half measures at best. Nevertheless, it is possible to exert the right pressures and take the right actions \u2014 and in so doing to ameliorate the very worst of what FIRE has found.<\/p>

To begin with, we should recommit to the slow, hard work of higher-education reform, school by school and state by state. Although splashy one-offs such as the Trump higher education \u201ccompact\u201d can usefully focus attention, they are no substitute for the workaday business of educating voters, legislators, and boards. Among the major triumphs of the reform movement in recent years has been a renewed sense, at both the state and federal levels, that American universities are beholden to the public. Happy progress has been made, too, on curricular reform; institutional neutrality; freedom of speech, if not the willingness of students to use it; and admissions fairness. <\/p>

These are not unrelated bites at the apple. Rather, they substitute, in their fullness, one vision of higher education for another. The university of the reformers\u2019 hopes is curious, open, meritocratic, and responsive to the nation it serves. The status quo college, meanwhile, is esoteric, exclusionary, and radical. Instead of challenging received orthodoxies, it jealously guards them.<\/p>

It is not difficult to imagine the kind of student that each institution might produce. Matriculants at status quo colleges read narrowly, chant sanctioned refrains, and find disagreement sinister and daft. Students at reformed universities speak civilly, search far and wide for truth, and have a foot in both the future and the past. To be sure, what college students believe is a function of what sort of people we bring to college. It is also a consequence of how we teach them once they arrive.<\/p>

Yet even if reformers achieve no other victories ever, it will still be possible to curb the worst excesses of the \u201cspeech is violence\u201d crowd. The answer, though difficult enough to put into practice, requires nothing more than wisdom and courage. Speak up. Say peacefully what you believe and why. Don\u2019t give your acquiescence to a system of thought that makes an insufficient distinction between a microphone and a gun.<\/p>

A HALF-CENTURY OF UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS <\/a><\/p>

In sum, don\u2019t play along. If the nation\u2019s transgender adventurism has taught us anything, it is that even widely shared delusions lose their power if nonparticipants refuse to cooperate. The more college students muzzle themselves, the more those who don\u2019t will seem like crazy provocateurs, undeserving of toleration and warranting whatever it takes to shut them up. If speech is widespread, however, then those who oppose it are the villains. To make words no longer \u201cviolence,\u201d we\u2019ll have to say a lot more of them.<\/p>

One is tempted, reading the latest campus data, to anger and despair. Let clearheaded action carry the day instead.<\/p>

Graham Hillard is editor at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal and a Washington Examiner magazine contributing writer.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Feat.Violence1.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4362841-1767308700", "title":"Ralph Lauren’s all-American cultural appropriation", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpremium%2F4362841%2Fralph-lauren-all-american-cultural-appropriation%2F", "byline":"Will Collins", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"After years of Scandinavian and Bauhaus-inflected minimalism, no-frills graphic design, and the Marie Kondo-inspired culling of closets, clutter is suddenly back in style. According to the New York Times, a Ralph Lauren Christmas was the trend of the holiday season, although you don’t need to shop at Ralph Lauren to get the look. Cost-conscious consumers […]", "description":""

After years of Scandinavian and Bauhaus-inflected minimalism, no-frills graphic design, and the Marie Kondo-inspired culling of closets, clutter is suddenly back in style. According to the New York Times<\/a>, a Ralph Lauren Christmas<\/a> was the trend of the holiday season, although you don\u2019t need to shop at Ralph Lauren to get the look. Cost-conscious consumers turned to a legion of influencers to learn how to fill their living rooms with tartan ribbons, cozy lighting, and throw pillows and blankets on the cheap. <\/p>

The Ralph Lauren <\/a>Christmas aesthetic is inspired by the man himself, who has become an iconic figure in American fashion<\/a> by borrowing extravagantly from a variety of sources, including English country homes, American Ivy League campuses, and the sport of polo, to create his distinctive aesthetic. There is a bit of poetic justice to social media personalities chasing clout by explaining how to get the Ralph Lauren look without paying Ralph Lauren prices. For decades, he occupied a similar space in the fashion industry, selling his own fanciful version of the \"old money\" lifestyle to customers who never went to prep school. <\/p>

As Ralph Lauren enters the winter of his career, his business acumen and broader influence on American culture are worth considering. Lauren is now widely acclaimed as the most important figure in American fashion. Mall brand competitors such as Tommy Hilfiger and Perry Ellis have long since fallen by the wayside. A cottage industry has sprung up around reselling vintage Ralph Lauren pieces (some of the prices for these secondhand finds are truly astonishing). Lauren\u2019s fingerprints are on everything from his ubiquitous, pony-adorned polo shirts to a capsule collection celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Postal Service<\/a>. <\/p>

To younger customers, Lauren embodies the \"old money\" aesthetic, but he was once a brash young arriviste, selling outrageously thick ties at a time when slimmer designs were in style (think the 1960s heyday of the Mad Men look in New York City). Even today, the Lauren empire relies on over-the-top logos to move product, from the aforementioned polo ponies to the inescapable Polo Bear. Lauren\u2019s talent for branding is undeniable, but it\u2019s not exactly traditional; the upper crust typically prefers subtler signifiers of wealth and taste.<\/p>

Lauren intuitively grasped the appeal of the \"old money\" look, borrowing liberally from the closets of Northeastern WASPs and British aristos to create his brand. But he was not born into this stylistic lineage, which is probably why he is so comfortable subverting its conventions. Lauren was once Ralph Lifschitz of the Bronx, an oft-overlooked biographical detail that the brand Old Jewish Men pays tribute to with its \u201cPolo Ralph Lifshitz\u201d hat<\/a>. He never finished college and got his start in the fashion industry as a salesman at Brooks Brothers, the preppy East Coast clothier that once occupied the same place in American culture that Lauren does today. <\/p>

There is a long and noble tradition of Jewish tailors catering to the styles and sensibilities of East Coast WASPs. J. Press, still the most iconic Ivy League shop, was founded in 1902 by Jacobi Press, an immigrant from czarist Russia. What sets Lauren apart from his stuffier counterparts is that he has never been constrained by the subdued traditions of classic menswear. He borrows liberally from every imaginable stylistic subculture, from Italian suiting to London\u2019s Savile Row to preppy Americana to workwear and Western-flavored ranch outfits, and unapologetically markets his products to a mass audience. <\/p>

Lauren\u2019s talent for pastiche may be why his brand continues to thrive in the social media age, which fixates on looks, trends, and designs without paying much attention to where they came from. The downside to this approach is an overreliance on loud logos and a penchant for fakery that would make a con man blush. <\/p>

At his best, Lauren\u2019s style has an egalitarian, democratic feel. Most of us will never step onto a polo field or a rugby pitch, but the accoutrements of these sports can now be found in middle schools across the country. There is something quintessentially American about taking a product or pastime meant for the elite and making it accessible to everyone. <\/p>

At other times, such borrowing veers dangerously close to stylistic stolen valor. From khakis to field jackets, many popular clothing items have army roots, but Lauren\u2019s fascination with vintage militaria goes beyond mere inspiration. It is deeply weird to charge premium prices for a made-in-China garment that implies you are a member of a crack military outfit. A current season offering is emblazoned with the words \u201cState Forestry Department,\u201d which suggests the wearer is, what, an off-duty forest ranger? <\/p>

RICK STEVES AND THE CLOSING OF THE TRAVEL FRONTIER <\/a><\/p>

Lauren\u2019s fakery may be his most lasting contribution to modern style. J. Crew has just released a \u201ccollegiate collection\u201d that will be worn by thousands of people who did not attend Northwestern or the University of Michigan. Mall brand competitor Abercrombie offers a range of faux-vintage T-shirts advertising destinations, musical acts, and events for its increasingly sedentary Gen Z customer base. GQ has noticed <\/a>a spate of T-shirts promoting bands the wearers have never bothered to listen to. Not every up-and-coming brand or influencer favors Lauren\u2019s preppy aesthetic, but they have all adopted his laid-back approach to authenticity.  <\/p>

At least Lauren\u2019s borrowing is aspirational. Ralph Lifshitz may have come from an undistinguished background, but Ralph Lauren is a member in good standing of the American aristocracy. In the best tradition of old money, Lauren generously subsidizes artists and craftsmen, including those from subcultures he\u2019s borrowed from. From his luxurious ranch to his glamorous red carpet appearances, Lauren is a living embodiment of the lifestyle his clothing empire celebrates. There is a lesson there for aspiring interior designers and would-be fashionistas. If you\u2019re going to steal a look, steal from the best and make it your own.<\/p>

Will Collins is a lecturer at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/LA.OnCulture.010726.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4363596-1767308400", "title":"Time must have a slop", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fmagazine%2F4363596%2Fmerriam-webster-words-generations%2F", "byline":"Dominic Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The American republic is tottering toward its 250th birthday like a character in a Jimmy Buffett song: debauched and in debt, but with its Stanley cup half full and its flip-flops still flapping. Meanwhile, American English remains forever young, a furnace of deregulated creativity. The French language is regulated by the “immortals” of the Académie […]", "description":""

The American republic is tottering toward its 250th birthday like a character in a Jimmy Buffett song<\/a>: debauched and in debt, but with its Stanley cup<\/a> half full and its flip-flops still flapping. Meanwhile, American English remains forever young, a furnace of deregulated creativity. The French language is regulated by the \u201cimmortals\u201d of the Acad\u00e9mie Fran\u00e7aise. This is the linguistic equivalent of dirigiste economics, and about as good for growth. The English language grows by the free market<\/a>, just like Margaritaville Holdings LLC. Put a neologism in print or digital circulation, and if there\u2019s a demand for it, the dictionaries will recognize it.<\/p>

You read it here first: the word of the year for 2026 will be semiquincentennial. The new Rome gets older, but the old Rome is always with us. An alternative coinage, sesquibicentenntial, is floating around online, but do the Latin math. Sesqui means \u201cone-and-a-half,\u201d bi means \u201ctwo,\u201d and centennial means \u201c100.\u201d A sesquibicenntenntialis 1.5 x 200 = 300. America\u2019s sesquicentennial will fall in 2076, so you have 50 years to print the T-shirts. The big one in 2026 is the semiquincentennial. For patriotic up-sellers, the quarter-millennium. For Latinists, the quartamillenium, or even the quartamilliarum.<\/p>

Back to the linguistic embers of the dying year. December is the month when the dictionaries get down with the children. Most of this year\u2019s novelties (chrononeologisms, even) derive from digital life. Merriam-Webster, which bears the name of the man who severed American English from Old World etymologies and liberated the language into democratic anarchy, goes for slop. The Australians, who have lately replaced the Canadians as America\u2019s best impersonators, refine this into artificial intelligence slop.\u00a0<\/p>

Oxford University honors its tradition of Wildean wind-ups by nominating rage bait. The incels at Cambridge University go for parasocial, which is what the youth used to call imaginary friends. Parasocial, combining Greek and Latin words, is a barbarolexis, a barbarian coinage, but we expect little better from Cambridge. Given its associations with spies and sexual deviants, and given the release of Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>\u2019s archive, Cambridge should have nominated Pedo Island.<\/p>

Dictionary.com, which also keeps it cute, nominated \u201c6-7,\u201d the nonsense phrase that came from the song \u201cDoot Doot\u201d by Skrilla (nope, never heard of him either). Collins, the pick-me girl of lexicography, went for vibe-coding (using AI) along with biohacking (previously \u201ctaking your vitamins\u201d), aura farming (posing), glaze (flattery), and three terms for underperformance(coolcation, micro-retirement, taskmasking) that suggest that the young are what Generation X called slackers.<\/p>

Despite the vandal resentments of Daniel Webster, the roots of the language survive. Oxford missed a trick by not telescoping rage bait into the compound noun rage-bait or ragebait (noun, verbed with seconds of its invention). Merriam-Webster\u2019s version, the hyphenated rage-bait, sets experimentation in the aspic of Georgian persnicketiness. This often happens in American English, where radical novelties coexist with crusty formalities that British English dropped long ago. But in this instance, Merriam-Webster gets it right, though I recommend we use ragebait. Why? Because that compression hits the taproot of our imagination and poetry.\u00a0<\/p>

In Old English, the language and alphabet that predate the medieval English of Chaucer, and Old English\u2019s older antecedent, Old Norse, that kind of compound is called a kenning. Two words are fused, creating the metaphorical image of a third (metaphoros means a \u201ccarrying-across\u201d of meaning). The sea is a whale-road. The body is a bone-house. The third object suggested by rage-bait is you, the internet user, baited and enraged by your parasocial relationship with Tucker Carlson<\/a>, who this year was renamed Tucker Qatarlson by Mark Levin, after Carlson, in retro-Soviet style, dubbed him Tel Aviv Levin.<\/p>

This was the year in which Carlson, the groypers, and their bot army returned the Jewish question (also JQ) and global Jewry to English parlance for the first time since 1933. They call themselves Heritage Americans, though the founders would not have let most of them on the Mayflower. Only in America would the leading white nationalists be a Mexican-Italian (the catboy-loving Nick Fuentes) and an African American (the whitefaced Candace Owens<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>

UNRAVELING IRELAND <\/a><\/p>

While the Heritage Americans capsized the Heritage Foundation<\/a>, post-liberalism broke through. Like the groyper insurgency, post-liberalism had been brewing for years. The two are not the same, but sometimes they overlap. In 2026, the differences between serious post-liberals, such as Patrick Deneen, and digital mountebanks, such as Auron Macintyre, will become clear. Expect to hear more about civnats (civic nationalists) versus ethnats (ethnonationalists), and plenty of remigration. At this rate, by 2027, we\u2019ll be talking about the Catholic Question.<\/p>

Midway through the 2020s, are you not entertained? This year, the chungus (the online slob) and the chad (the youth who has been lifting), begat the chud (the low-T chubber). When the chud gets the jab in 2026, his collagen collapse will give him Ozempic face, but he may finally get a GF. Her resort to plumpers will give her pillow face, but she will still be a diva. Is that not gaggy?<\/p>

Dominic Green is a Washington Examiner columnist and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Find him on X @drdominicgreen.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/iStock-2244626565.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393750-1767301516", "title":"Trump says he did not receive MRI during October exam, contradicting earlier claim", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4393750%2Ftrump-mri-ct-scan-walter-reed-october%2F", "byline":"Anna Giaritelli", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump sought to set the record straight about the medical care he received in October and denied receiving an MRI while at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal released on Thursday, Trump and his doctor said the president underwent a CT scan and […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> sought to set the record straight about the medical care he received in October and denied receiving an MRI while at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.<\/p>

In a new interview<\/a> with the Wall Street Journal released on Thursday, Trump and his doctor said the president underwent a CT scan and that the procedure was mischaracterized as an MRI, a more comprehensive method.<\/p>

\"It wasn't an MRI,\" Trump, 79, said<\/a>. \"It was less than that. It was a scan.\"<\/p>

Trump's doctor, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella stated in October that the president underwent \"advanced imaging\" without sharing details, but confirmed to the\u00a0Wall Street Journal\u00a0that a CT scan, not an MRI, was performed \"to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues\" and revealed no abnormalities.<\/p>

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House on Dec. 1 that Trump had undergone a \"preventive\" MRI earlier this fall and that he \"remains in excellent overall health.\"<\/p>

Trump said in November that he did not know why he underwent the scan but that he would make sure the White House released his \"perfect\" MRI results. He added that the procedure was a magnetic resonance imaging scan.<\/p>

\"It was just an MRI. ... It wasn't the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it,\" Trump said at the time.<\/p>

MAMDANI VOWS TO GOVERNMENT AS 'DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST' AND EMBRACE BIG GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/p>

Given the varying accounts, Trump told the Wall Street Journal in late December that he regretted sharing information about his care at Walter Reed.<\/p>

\"In retrospect, it's too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition,\" Trump said. \"I would have been a lot better off if they didn't, because the fact that I took it said, 'Oh gee, is something wrong?' Well, nothing's wrong.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/donald-trump-thumbs-up-scaled.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393741-1767300913", "title":"France defends granting Clooneys citizenship following Trump mockery", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4393741%2Ffrance-george-amal-clooney-citizenship%2F", "byline":"Anna Giaritelli", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The French government has defended its decision to grant citizenship to U.S. citizen George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, a British and Lebanese citizen, following President Donald Trump’s criticism of the pair and a French official’s accusation that the two received preferential treatment. The Clooneys recently locked in their French citizenship, the couple announced […]", "description":""

The French government has defended its decision to grant citizenship<\/a> to U.S. citizen George Clooney<\/a> and his wife, Amal Clooney, a British and Lebanese citizen, following President Donald Trump's criticism of the pair and a French official's accusation that the two received preferential treatment.<\/p>

The Clooneys recently locked in their French<\/a> citizenship, the couple announced in late December. The decision to award the Clooneys citizenship outside of normal immigration practices upset Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior minister at the French Interior Ministry.<\/p>

\"The message being sent is not good,\" Vedrenne told news outlet France Info. \"There is an issue of fairness that, in my eyes, is absolutely essential.\"<\/p>

In a statement issued Wednesday, the French government said the Clooneys \"contribute, through their distinguished actions, to France\u2019s international influence and cultural outreach.\"<\/p>

The actor, 64, and his human rights lawyer wife, 47, bought a home in France in 2021. The two have 8-year-old twins who were born in England.<\/p>

They have said their French home is their primary residence, though French media have reported that it is their part-time home.<\/p>

The Clooneys said their decision to raise their children in France was in an effort to be out of the paparazzi's reach.<\/p>

The French Foreign Ministry has maintained that it was within its legal right to grant citizenship to the Clooneys under a French law that permits foreign nationals to be naturalized if they contribute to France's international influence and economic well-being.<\/p>

The same department stated that France's movie industry would benefit from Clooney's work as a movie star and his wife's involvement with academic and international organizations in the country.<\/p>

President Donald Trump sarcastically cheered on the couple's new citizenship.<\/p>

MAMDANI VOWS TO GOVERNMENT AS 'DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST' AND EMBRACE BIG GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/p>

\"Good News! George and Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prognosticators of all time, have officially become citizens of France which is, sadly, in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration, much like we had under Sleepy Joe Biden,\u201d Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social.<\/p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/115816402893182666\/embed\" class=\"truthsocial-embed\" style=\"max-width: 100%; border: 0\" width=\"600\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/embed.js\" async=\"async\"><\/script>

Clooney had endorsed former President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential campaign but pulled his endorsement of the Democrat after a poor performance during a debate against Trump.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25364335318340.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393683-1767293724", "title":"Trump delays tariff hike on furniture and kitchen cabinets for one year", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Feconomy%2F4393683%2Ftrump-delay-tariff-furniture-kitchen-cabinets%2F", "byline":"Anna Giaritelli", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Trump administration has opted to hold off on raising tariffs on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities until 2027, according to the White House. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday, the last day of 2025, that delays the increase in tariffs on specific types of furniture until Jan. 1, 2027. Trump cited […]", "description":""

The Trump administration<\/a> has opted to hold off on raising tariffs on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities until 2027, according to the White House<\/a>.<\/p>

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation<\/a> on Wednesday, the last day of 2025, that delays the increase in tariffs on specific types of furniture until Jan. 1, 2027. Trump cited ongoing trade talks as the reason for delaying the hike.<\/p>

Currently, these items are taxed at 25% when imported into the United States.<\/p>

The U.S. was slated to raise the tax to 30% for upholstered furniture and 50% for kitchen cabinets and vanities, all as an incentive for foreign companies to bring manufacturing plants to the country.<\/p>

Ahead of the anticipated tariff hike, the Ashley Furniture brand had warned<\/a> customers that it would be forced to raise prices by between 3.5% and 12% if the 2026 rates were to take effect.<\/p>

The move follows the Trump administration's suggestion on Wednesday that it may withdraw a possible 107% tariff on imported Italian pasta.<\/p>

MAMDANI VOWS TO GOVERNMENT AS 'DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST' AND EMBRACE BIG GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/p>

Trump had threatened to tax the pasta after the Commerce Department initiated an antidumping review, following allegations that Italian pasta exporters were undercutting U.S. pasta producers by offering prices below the market rate.<\/p>

However, the Commerce Department announced on Wednesday that it would lower the tariffs on Italian pasta companies to between 2.26% and 13.89% because the affected brands had addressed the Trump administration's pricing concerns.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001092937425.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393665-1767290184", "title":"London mayor denies removing Star of David from fireworks show", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4393665%2Fsadiq-khan-star-of-david-london-nye-fireworks%2F", "byline":"Jenny Goldsberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"London Mayor Sadiq Khan denied political messaging in his city’s fireworks show for New Year’s Day by confirming that Israel’s flag was not altered for the show. Thursday’s fireworks display included a brief digital display of every flag from around the world on the London Eye, the city’s iconic Ferris wheel. The Israeli and Palestinian […]", "description":""

London Mayor Sadiq Khan<\/a> denied political messaging in his city\u2019s fireworks show for New Year\u2019s Day by confirming that Israel\u2019s flag was not altered for the show.<\/p>

Thursday\u2019s fireworks display included a brief digital display of every flag from around the world on the London Eye, the city\u2019s iconic Ferris wheel. The Israeli and Palestinian flags were shown.<\/p>

However, the display brought controversy, as the Star of David in the center of the Israeli flag appeared not to be visible to all. Among the most notable critics was Councilor George Madgwick, who leads Portsmouth\u2019s ReformUK Group.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThe Star of David was removed from the Israeli flag during last night's fireworks display at the London Eye. Just a white flag, with two blue stripes and the Jewish symbol gone,\u201d Madgwick wrote on X<\/a> on Thursday. \u201c@MayorofLondon Sadiq care to explain this one? We will wait.\u201d<\/p>

When asked for confirmation, London City Hall provided the Washington Examiner with a video that clearly displayed the Star of David.<\/p>

\u201cThe Star of David was not removed from the Israeli flag shown during the New Year\u2019s Eve display, and the attached video shows this. A range of flags were displayed on the London Eye to represent the wide variety of countries of origin of people who live in and contribute to the success of London,\u201d a City Hall spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\u201cThese animated flags were small and moving, so not all were entirely clear at every point as they gradually formed into the Union Flag. This affected a number of blue and white flags, including Guatemala, Argentina, and Honduras,\u201d the spokesperson added.<\/p>

A spokesperson for Khan also addressed further controversies with the show. While the New Year\u2019s show has previously included commercial partnerships and the city solicits \u201cbrand activation opportunities\u201d on its website<\/a>, the film Wicked: For Good was included on the London Eye. Actress Cynthia Erivo appeared as her character Elphaba, a green witch. Erivo hails from Stockwell, London.<\/p>

\u201cCity Hall is committed to ensuring the best value for Londoners, and every year we consider a range of options to enhance our world-famous New Year\u2019s Eve fireworks. The smash hit film \u2018Wicked: For Good\u2019 and its London star Cynthia Erivo featured in the display as part of an event partnership with Universal Pictures, and in keeping with our celebration of cultural moments from the year,\u201d a Khan spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

Khan himself also addressed the Universal Pictures partnership in a post on X on Thursday<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cWhat makes us unique is what makes us special. A lesson to all of us from Wicked: For Good,\u201d Khan wrote.<\/p>

The show also depicted the European Union flag on the London Eye. This was a notable shoutout to the EU as the United Kingdom marked nearly five years since leaving it. However, a Khan spokesperson explained that the symbol was meant to commemorate \u201cEurope\u2019s success in the Ryder Cup, and sent a message of togetherness for 2026.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHope over fear, unity over division. As we head into 2026, our New Year\u2019s fireworks lit up the skies with a clear message about the importance of togetherness,\u201d Khan captioned a video<\/a> of the New Year\u2019s show on X on Wednesday.<\/p>

Critics blasted the overall messaging in the celebration.<\/p>

\u201cChrist if I didn\u2019t dislike Sadiq Khan, London Mayor, enough already. That virtue signalling rubbish for the midnight fireworks on BBC just tipped it for me,\u201d Madgwick wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cThe weasel can\u2019t make anything be non-political can he.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSadiq Khan wasting no time humiliating Britain in 2026. The man is a disgrace,\u201d MP Rupert Lowe<\/a>, a former Conservative-turned-independent, said on X<\/a>.<\/p>

\u201cHardly any Union Jacks & no National Anthem at the end. The London fireworks were a disgrace. Sadiq Khan hold your head in shame!\u201d former MP Michael Take wrote on X.<\/p>

LONDON\u2019S TRAFALGAR SQUARE WON\u2019T HOST LATE QUEEN\u2019S STATUE IN \u2018FORESEEABLE FUTURE\u2019<\/a><\/p>

\u201cMy New Year\u2019s resolution is to work even harder to expose Sadiq Khan\u2019s dreadful decisions for us Londoners!\u201d Khan\u2019s former opponent for mayor, Susan Hall, wrote on X<\/a>. Hall is currently the leader of the Conservative group on the London Assembly.<\/p>

Khan is the first mayor of London to win three terms, being reelected in 2024. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001044086825.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393661-1767289158", "title":"At least six killed in Iran as protests over hurting economy spread", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4393661%2Firan-protests-economy-inflation%2F", "byline":"Anna Giaritelli", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"At least six people were killed as demonstrations over Iran’s ailing economy spread throughout the country midweek, marking the first protest-related deaths, according to a new report. One death occurred on Wednesday, with five more reported on Thursday, the Associated Press reported. The protests come as Iran’s currency reached an all-time low compared to the […]", "description":""

At least six people were killed as demonstrations<\/a> over Iran's ailing economy<\/a> spread throughout the country midweek, marking the first protest-related deaths, according to a new report.<\/p>

One death occurred on Wednesday, with five more reported on Thursday, the Associated Press reported<\/a>.<\/p>

The protests come as Iran's currency reached an all-time low compared to the U.S. dollar, and the cost of living has soared in recent weeks.<\/p>

Necessities have increased in price, putting more pressure on Iranians as the economy struggles to grapple with 40% tariffs imposed by Western nations earlier this year.<\/p>

Protests began on Sunday as shopkeepers in the capital city of Tehran gathered in the streets and called for change.<\/p>

Since then, the protests have spread, largely to rural areas, but have become the largest national demonstration since 2022, when Iranians gathered in protest to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for refusing to cover her head with a hijab.<\/p>

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said that the Trump administration stood with the people of Iran.<\/p>

\"The people of Iran want freedom. They have suffered at the hands of the Ayatollahs for too long,\" Waltz wrote in a post to X on Monday. \"We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country as they protest a radical regime that has brought them nothing but economic downturn and war.\"<\/p>

The people of Iran want freedom. They have suffered at the hands of the Ayatollahs for too long. We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country as they protest a radical regime that has brought them nothing but economic downturn and war.\u2026<\/p>— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) December 29, 2025<\/a>

MAMDANI VOWS TO GOVERNMENT AS 'DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST' AND EMBRACE BIG GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/p>

Officials have not disclosed the identities of those killed this week. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Washington stated that two of the deceased were protesters, not government officials or police.<\/p>

The deaths occurred in three cities in a region of the country that is primarily home to the Lur ethnic group.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25363522315836.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393664-1767288918", "title":"Britain has become a warning to Americans", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2F4393664%2Fbritain-has-become-a-warning-to-americans%2F", "byline":"Dan Hannan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Any Brits reading will know that, until recently, we had a good thing going in the United States. We were widely held to be smarter, politer, and more refined than we really were. In truth, British people are earthy and Hogarthian, more prone to drunkenness and profanity than Americans. But, for whatever reason, our American […]", "description":""

Any Brits reading will know that, until recently, we had a good thing going in the United States. We were widely held to be smarter, politer, and more refined than we really were. In truth, British<\/a> people are earthy and Hogarthian, more prone to drunkenness and profanity than Americans. But, for whatever reason, our American cousins insisted on seeing us as the epitome of courtliness.<\/p>

Well, not anymore. The upper-middle-class<\/a> accent, which Americans once found clever and, if we were lucky, sexy, now elicits pity. I visit the U.S. perhaps seven or eight times a year and, at some point in late 2024, I noticed a change in how people were reacting to what is, I suppose, my fairly posh pronunciation.<\/p>

These days, instead of being complimented, I am advised to get the hell out before Sharia law is imposed on my country. The United Kingdom is circling the drain as I'm told that crime<\/a> is out of control, white people are a minority, Brits are being put in the slammer for posting online, and it is all their own fault for having surrendered their firearms.<\/p>

What changed? Well, some of these things are, sadly, true. It is the case that people can be visited by the police for posting on X. In a handful of cases, they have ended up being convicted. And, yes, there have been terrorist attacks, some by immigrants and some by children of immigrants. It is even true that handguns were banned 30 years ago, though most other firearms are legal, as I myself own a gun.<\/p>

The real change, though, is that Elon Musk<\/a> bought Twitter, possibly the single most significant political shift of the twenty-first century. Voices that were once repressed online are now amplified out of all proportion. I sometimes see images of streets in South Asia presented as British cities and reposted millions of times. For the record, the Muslims comprised 6.5% of the British population.<\/p>

London\u2019s crime rates are lower, often a lot lower, than in comparable U.S. cities. Violent crimes are vanishingly rare, which is why they get so much coverage when they happen. There is typically one homicide per 100,000 Londoners per year. In New York, that figure is 5; in Chicago, 25; in Detroit, 40; in Baltimore, 55. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan<\/a>, is no Islamist. He\u2019s an irritating, self-righteous buffoon, but he has never expressed the slightest sympathy for religious extremists.<\/p>

Why the mismatch between what I see on X and what I see in real life? I think it goes back to something that happened just after Labour won the election in 2024. Three little girls at a dance class in Southport were stabbed to death by the son of Rwandan immigrants, provoking days of rioting. Perhaps seeking to move the conversation on from immigration, Starmer threatened social media platforms with legal action if they allowed hate speech. In doing so, he picked an unwinnable fight with Musk.<\/p>

British Leftists now accuse Musk of being anti-British, but the opposite is the case. He has, as many Americans have, a notion of Britain as the place that originally nurtured free speech, and he is pained to see liberty in retreat in his grandmother\u2019s homeland.<\/p>

The negative portrayal of Britain in the US has swung about 180 degrees. After the Brexit referendum in 2016, the\u00a0New York Times\u00a0became demented in its dislike of the UK, running a series of features about run-down towns and racism, and natives living on (it seriously said this in a 2018 feature) boiled mutton and porridge.<\/p>

In those days, the disdain for Britain was largely expressed by educated urban liberals. Now it comes from waiters, receptionists, and taxi drivers. On a recent visit to North Carolina, a Mexican chambermaid who spoke no English commiserated with me about the Mayor of London.<\/p>

AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE NO TRUCK WITH EUROPEAN ETHNO-NATIONALISM<\/a><\/p>

In both cases, Britain had become a foil in an essentially domestic argument. The New York Times associated the Leave vote with Trump\u2019s near-contemporaneous election, and railed against Brexit as a proxy for what it perceived as rising authoritarianism and isolationism at home. The anti-Muslim agitators on X similarly press Britain into an essentially internal argument, this time about immigration and culture.<\/p>

In both cases, the appeal of the U.K. seems to be that it is close enough to serve as a warning, but distant enough to make claims that would not stand scrutiny if they were made about Texas or Pennsylvania. The rather pedestrian truth is that, while we have our problems, things are not nearly as bad as they are made out to be. That, indeed, is why we have so many immigrants in the first place.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2251766962.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393626-1767285301", "title":"Mamdani vows to govern as ‘democratic socialist’ and embrace big government", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4393626%2Fmamdani-democratic-socialist-big-government%2F", "byline":"Anna Giaritelli", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The newly inaugurated mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, promised during his first address to residents on New Year’s Day that he would stick to his “democratic socialist” ideals as he leads the country’s largest city. Mamdani, a 34-year-old former state representative and rapper, vowed in his inaugural speech in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon […]", "description":""

The newly inaugurated mayor of New York City<\/a>, Zohran Mamdani, promised during his first address to residents on New Year's Day that he would stick to his \"democratic socialist<\/a>\" ideals as he leads the country's largest city.<\/p>

Mamdani, a 34-year-old former state representative and rapper, vowed in his inaugural<\/a> speech in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon to embrace big government and follow through on his promises to roll out free programs to the city's 8.5 million residents.<\/p>

\"I was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist,\u201d Mamdani said outside City Hall.<\/p>

Mamdani shared the stage with fellow self-identifying democratic socialists Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and called for \"safety, affordability, abundance,\" which have been pillars of the Democratic Party's push for more housing.<\/p>

To ensure that these tenets affect New Yorkers, Mamdani will likely have to rely on and expand the city's government, further growing it, an idea that Republicans oppose.<\/p>

\"Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try,\" Mamdani told the crowd. \"To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers' lives.\"<\/p>

Mamdani was elected in November following an expansive campaign that was filled with promises appealing to lower- and some middle-class residents.<\/p>

Those campaign promises included freezing rent increases, free citywide buses, universal no-cost child care, and raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030.<\/p>

BORDER PATROL'S MONTHS-LONG DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO EXPECTED TO LAST FOR 'YEARS'<\/a><\/p>

Mandani said he will fund those changes by increasing the taxes that the wealthiest New Yorkers and businesses pay the city. <\/p>

The new mayor himself does not have the legal authority to raise taxes. Such a move would have to be carried out by lawmakers, adding more pressure on his administration to get things moving behind the scenes.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26001729140589.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393610-1767283479", "title":"Margo Martin praised for key role in Trump social media presence", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4393610%2Fmargo-martin-praised-role-trump-social-media-presence%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"White House communications adviser Margo Martin is being celebrated as the face of President Donald Trump’s booming social media presence, offering an inside look into the president‘s days in office. Martin, a 30-year-old close ally and staffer to the president, uses her iPhone to show the inner workings of Trump’s day-to-day life while working with a network […]", "description":""

White House<\/a> communications adviser Margo Martin is being celebrated as the face of President Donald Trump's<\/a> booming social media<\/a> presence, offering an inside look into the president<\/a>'s days in office.<\/p>

Martin, a 30-year-old close ally and staffer to the president, uses her\u00a0iPhone<\/a>\u00a0to show the inner workings of Trump's day-to-day life while working with a network of new media to dominate the social media space for the administration.<\/p>

Much of the praise came after a Washington Post profile <\/a>was published on Thursday.<\/p>

An adviser to the president posted and praised the Washington Post<\/a> story.<\/p>

\"A surprisingly good read about @margomartin<\/a> in the Washington Post today,\" Alex Bruesewitz wrote. \"I'm shocked they treated her fairly! Margo is one of the most underrated yet impactful members of Team Trump! Her content has been viewed billions of times over the past year!\"<\/p>

Martin's content, for her nearly 400,000 Instagram followers, consists of vertical photos and videos shared across her feed and story daily, often with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.<\/p>

\"She\u2019s a force!\" wrote social media star and former Rep. George Santos on X<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Margo rocks,\" Libs of TikTok, a conservative media account, wrote back on X<\/a>.<\/p>

According to a Pew Research Survey<\/a>, about 53% of Americans get at least some of their news from social media, reinforcing the importance of using it for political strategy.<\/p>

Martin's content receives millions of views, showcasing to Americans what Trump does on trips to foreign countries, meetings with world leaders, and attending big parties, among other activities.<\/p>

CBS ANCHOR VOWS MORE FOCUS ON 'AVERAGE AMERICAN' AMID UPHEAVAL AT NETWORK<\/a><\/p>

The content provides easily shareable photos and videos for conservative media to receive an even larger outreach than from Martin's account or any official account.<\/p>

Before becoming a social media star of the Trump administration, she served as a press assistant during his first term, then moved to Palm Beach, Florida, to continue working with the president during the tenure of former President Joe Biden.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP23165510238292-e1767299685934.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393595-1767281274", "title":"AOC hails Mamdani mayorship as ‘ambitious pursuit’ of leftist ideas", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4393595%2Faoc-hails-mamdani-mayorship-ambitious-pursuit-leftist-ideas%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took the stage at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s inauguration ceremony on Thursday, cementing her alliance with the socialist as he tests his leftist ideas from Gracie Mansion. The congresswoman from the Bronx praised New York City voters for electing Mamdani, calling their choice an “ambitious pursuit” during the inauguration ceremony. […]", "description":""

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) took the stage at New York<\/a> Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>'s inauguration ceremony on Thursday, cementing her alliance with the socialist as he tests his leftist ideas from Gracie Mansion.<\/p>

The congresswoman from the Bronx praised New York City voters for electing Mamdani, calling their choice an \"ambitious pursuit\" during the inauguration ceremony. Ocasio-Cortez championed Mamdani and his progressive platform during his campaign against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a> and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT), who also campaigned with the socialist mayor, administered Mamdani's public oath of office on Thursday.<\/p>

\"New York City has chosen the ambitious pursuit of universal child care, affordable rent and housing, and clean and dignified public transit for all. And we have chosen that over the distractions of bigotry and the barbarism of extreme income inequality,\" Ocasio-Cortez said in her welcome speech Thursday.<\/p>

She painted this choice toward leftist policies as the \"right thing to do\" for New York City, saying, \"If we can make it here, we can make it anywhere.\"<\/p>

\"We have chosen courage over fear,\" Ocasio-Cortez said. \"We have chosen prosperity for the many, over spoils for the few. And when the entrenched ways would rather have us dig in our feet and seek refuge in the past, we have chosen instead to turn towards making a new future for all of us. In Zohran Mamdani, we have chosen a mayor who is relentlessly dedicated to making life not just possible but aspirational for working people.\"<\/p>

Ocasio-Cortez has made headlines in her advocacy for Mamdani's agenda since she endorsed his 2025 mayoral campaign. GOP leaders and politicians have paired\u00a0the two progressives\u00a0together, with Sen.\u00a0Ted Cruz\u00a0(R-TX), saying they are the \"two front-runners\u00a0for the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 2028,\" even though Mamdani is ineligible to serve as president because he was not born in the United States.<\/p>

Ocasio-Cortez, however, has played into speculation that she could run for president in 2028. She reposted a poll in mid-December that had her leading Vice President JD Vance in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup, writing on X, \"Bloop!\" She also told reporters she would \"stomp\" Vance in a matchup.<\/p>

With Ocasio-Cortez's full-fledged support, Mamdani's administration is seen by pundits<\/a> as an executive test drive of the progressive policies she endorses. <\/p>

AOC TO SPEAK AT MAMDANI INAUGURATION AS GOP PAINTS HIM AS NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER<\/a><\/p>

In his inauguration speech, Mamdani praised Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (D-NY) for their progressive leadership, referring to them as \"titans\" in Congress.<\/p>

\"You have paved the way for this moment,\" Mamdani said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Feat.Mamdani1.110525.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393445-1767278003", "title":"Interior Department paves way for possible Trump DC golf course renovation", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4393445%2Finterior-department-paves-way-trump-dc-golf-course-renovation%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Interior Department has terminated its lease with the nonprofit organization that ran Washington, D.C.‘s public golf courses, making way for President Donald Trump to possibly renovate the courses. The National Links Trust, a nonprofit, signed a 50-year lease with the National Park Service to operate the district’s East Potomac, Langston, and Rock Creek golf […]", "description":""

The Interior Department<\/a> has terminated its lease with the nonprofit organization that ran Washington, D.C.<\/a>'s public golf<\/a> courses, making way for President Donald Trump<\/a> to possibly renovate the courses.<\/p>

The National Links Trust, a nonprofit, signed a 50-year lease with the National Park Service<\/a> to operate the district's East Potomac, Langston, and Rock Creek golf courses in 2020. But the contracted relationship has been on the rocks in recent months, as disputes over the nonprofit organization's lease obligations ultimately led to the Interior Department terminating the agreement.<\/p>

The Interior Department said the National Links Trust did not make capital improvements to each of the courses, as required by the lease agreement. The department said it issued the nonprofit organization a lease default notice\u00a0on Oct. 29, 2025, which gave the group 45 days to come up with a plan to cure its defaults. The department said the National Links Trust has not produced this plan and also alleged the nonprofit organization owes several million dollars in rent payments.<\/p>

However, the National Links Trust said it is \"fundamentally in disagreement with the administration's characterization of NLT as being in default under the lease\" in a statement<\/a>. The group said it was \"devastated\" by the lease termination and that it \"consistently complied with all lease obligations.\"<\/p>

\"We have invested over $8.5 million in capital improvement projects at the courses, including critical short-term improvements that have paid significant dividends, more than doubling rounds and revenues while keeping green fees well below the market average for area public courses,\" the National Links Trust said. <\/p>

The National Links Trust also disputed the Department's assertion that it failed to pay millions of dollars in rent, saying the NPS approved offsets of its rent payments with its course improvements, according to the Washington Post<\/a>, which reported the lease termination news. The Interior Department served the nonprofit organization its termination letter on Tuesday, according to the outlet.<\/p>

The lease termination comes on the heels of Trump expressing interest in renovating the courses. Trump, who owns dozens of golf courses around the world, told the Wall Street Journal<\/a> in mid-December that he was looking to \"build something different\" and \"build them in government,\" referring to the course renovations. <\/p>

\"If we do them, we\u2019ll do it really beautifully,\" Trump told the Wall Street Journal. He said the East Potomac course would be the first course in the district that he would renovate and that residents would pay a lower rate at the courses if the administration took control.<\/p>

The Interior Department moved repurposed dirt<\/a> from the White House ballroom construction to the East Potomac Golf Links in October.<\/p>

The Interior Department did not say what the administration's future plans for the courses are, but gave a statement to the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\"The Trump administration prides itself on getting the job done for the American people and partnering with others who share that same goal,\" an Interior Department spokesperson said in the statement.<\/p>

The White House referred the Washington Examiner to the Interior Department for contract questions and to Trump's December interview with the Wall Street Journal for comments on the courses.<\/p>

DOUG BURGUM SUGGESTS AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION WILL HELP CITIZENS \u2018UNDERSTAND OUR SHARED VALUES\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Though the lease termination was effective immediately, the National Links Trust said in its statement that the group has agreed to remain as operators \"for the time being\" so that the courses can remain open. The nonprofit organization also confirmed that it would cease its long-term renovations on the Rock Creek Park rehabilitation project.<\/p>

\"We will continue to seek a dialogue with the administration to offer our experience, institutional knowledge, and strong community relationships to explore shared goals for these historic public assets. While this termination is a major setback, we remain stubbornly hopeful that a path forward can be found that preserves affordable and accessible public golf in the nation's capital for generations to come,\" the National Links Trust said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25222736235828.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393505-1767276686", "title":"On immigration and citizenship, listen to George Washington", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2F4393505%2Fon-immigration-citizenship-listen-george-washington%2F", "byline":"Michael Barone", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"As news reports proliferate of multimillion-dollar — and possibly billion-dollar — fraudulent diversions of government funds involving Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community, it may be time at one year’s end and the next one’s beginning to take a longer look at America’s experience with immigration, and to seek the guidance of the first and one of […]", "description":""

As news reports proliferate of multimillion-dollar \u2014 and possibly billion-dollar \u2014 fraudulent diversions of government funds involving Minnesota's Somali immigrant community, it may be time at one year\u2019s end and the next one\u2019s beginning to take a longer look at America\u2019s experience with immigration, and to seek the guidance of the first and one of its two greatest presidents. <\/p>

The Founding Fathers were aware that their new nation was gifted with vast acreage, but only 4 million people were counted in the first decennial Census in 1790. The Constitution's first words<\/a>, drafted by the gifted wordsmith Gouverneur Morris, stated that its authority came from \u201cWe the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common Defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.\u201d <\/p>

There is a tension in these words: the new federal government is designed to guarantee liberty but also to \"insure\" tranquility, all for the existing citizenry and for their descendants. But not just for them. Article I, Section 8, Clause 4<\/a> grants Congress the power \u201cto establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization ... throughout the United States.\u201d <\/p>

Leave aside, for a moment, current controversies over whether and how the federal government can prevent the states from obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration<\/a> laws. The larger point is that the Framers envisioned that it was possible and desirable that foreign migrants enter the U.S. and, under specified terms and conditions, become full citizens.<\/p>

This was inconsistent with British and European ideas, which envisioned that people born within a kingdom would remain subjects of its monarch for life. This was the basis on which the British impressed American seamen, capturing them in ships and enrolling them in the Royal Navy \u2014 the main reason Congress declared war in 1812.<\/p>

The Founders\u2019 attitude toward immigration and citizenship was enunciated best by the man who presided over the Constitutional Convention and who was elected unanimously as the first president, George Washington<\/a>.<\/p>

After his election, Washington embarked on carefully choreographed tours of the northern and then the southern states. The story is told vividly in Nathaniel Philbrick\u2019s 2021 book Travels with George: In Search of Washington and His Legacy<\/a>. <\/p>

On his northern trip, Washington skipped Rhode Island, which didn\u2019t ratify the Constitution until May 1790<\/a>, but he paid a special visit in August 1791. There, he made a point of stopping at the Touro Synagogue<\/a> in Newport, where the Jewish community dated back to 1658<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Washington was very much aware that Article VI of the Constitution <\/a>stated that \u201cno religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.\u201d And he certainly knew that the text of the First Amendment to the Constitution<\/a>, which would be approved by Congress<\/a> in September and ratified by the states in December, provided that \u201cCongress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.\u201d <\/p>

These again were departures from British and European experience. Membership in the British Parliament was open only to members of the established churches of England and Scotland, and would be until 1829. Almost every part of Europe excluded or imposed special restrictions on Jews.<\/p>

Washington addressed the Touro congregation, in words echoing in part the welcome of its Warden, Moses Seixas<\/a>, and spoke words that deserve to be remembered<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThe citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy \u2014 a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike the liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.\u201d<\/p>

He went on. \u201cIt is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.\u201d<\/p>

In the 340 words of Washington\u2019s letter is encased enduring guidance for immigration policy. He endorses the idea of the moral equality of all citizens and contemplates that citizenship will be extended widely, to the benefit of the nation. So much for the foolish notion that somehow \u201cheritage Americans,\u201d descendants of Washington\u2019s 4 million contemporaries, have some entitlement to deference.<\/p>

But there is also the notion of reciprocity. Washington\u2019s default assumption is that people of many different backgrounds can be good citizens. But the assumption is rebuttable: they must also, he adds, give the U.S. \u201con all occasions their effectual support.\u201d<\/p>

Thus, Congress has the task of making prudential choices as to who can be naturalized and under what conditions \u2014 and it can provide, as it has, that citizenship<\/a> once granted can be revoked under extraordinary and clearly defined circumstances.<\/p>

Those prudential decisions are often controversial. Even in the Ellis Island era (1892-1924), immigration was not unrestricted: Chinese were excluded, Latin Americans were disfavored, and stringent public health restrictions were enforced, theoretically by federal inspectors but in practice by steamship companies, which did not want to provide free return passage for rejected applicants.<\/p>

Some look back on the 1924 immigration act, which almost cut off immigration from southern and eastern Europe, as necessary for assimilating migrants from different cultures, although immigration fell toward zero in years of depression and war (1930-1945) and blocked by the Iron Curtain even longer (1947-1989), and assimilation was fostered during World War II and actively encouraged by articulate elites for the first two-thirds of the twentieth century.<\/p>

2026 IS A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR TRUMP'S SECOND TERM<\/a><\/p>

With elites skeptical of assimilation over the last half-century, it\u2019s not incompatible with Washington\u2019s vision to restrict immigration from cultures that are adversarial to or incompatible with the wide range of acceptable American cultural folkways. But we block migrants from hostile venues; what about the people there who reject those cultures and cherish America\u2019s?\u00a0<\/p>

In addressing such issues, it\u2019s worth keeping in mind the counsel Washington provided in Newport 234 years ago, and the constitutional framework, including the supremacy of federal laws over state preferences, that he did so much to create.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25094026880498.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393487-1767276000", "title":"Is the GOP still the party of life? Hardly", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4393487%2Fgop-party-of-life-abortion-rights-post-dobbs-decision%2F", "byline":"Kimberly Ross", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. In June 2022, the Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

In June 2022, the\u00a0Supreme Court<\/a> handed down a landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization<\/a>, effectively returning the abortion issue back to the states. For nearly a half-century before, the country had lived under Roe v. Wade<\/a>. Overturning Roe\u00a0(1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) shifted the cultural winds in welcome but unexpected ways. One of the pro-life movement's main goals finally became a reality. And abortion proponents in the Democratic Party angrily vowed revenge.\u00a0<\/p>

The fallout from that moment more than three years ago could not have been easier to predict. Democrats experienced an infusion of energy, the kind that comes from suddenly becoming the underdog. But that was not the source of the surprise. Once the dust settled, it became apparent that the Republican Party and the pro-life movement as a whole were not quite ready for a post-Dobbs world. Then a stunning, nagging question began to emerge: Is the GOP<\/a> still the party of life?\u00a0<\/p>The post-Dobbs GOP

The black and white nature of politics naturally leads to the assumption that if one side is for something, then the other side is against it. This template fits well over many issues. But when it comes to abortion, the decades-old equation no longer works very well. And it's not because the Democratic Party has become sympathetic to the plight of unborn souls. On the contrary, Democrats are as consistently anti-life as they've ever been. It is the Republican\u00a0half of the equation where the fervor has noticeably diminished, and the staunchly held ideals have waned. Once upon a time, support for unborn life served as a guiding principle for the Right. Now, the main criteria is whether such a principle will \"harm\" Republicans at the polls.\u00a0<\/p>

It is a dispiriting evolution, to say the least. And it has been heavily, perhaps even fully, induced by a GOP dominated by personalities above all else. <\/p>

A main feature of Donald Trump<\/a>'s 2016 campaign for president was the promise that he would appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. Every candidate in the crowded field understood what was at stake with the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia's death in February 2016. Trump's pledge to bring an end to Roe, combined with the kind of temperament that welcomes a fight, ignited hope. Republicans would finally come out on top in the decadeslong battle between the pro-life<\/a> and pro-choice crowds, at least at the Supreme Court. It was the kind of victory that pointed to the GOP's ability to do what had previously felt impossible: push back against leftist cultural domination.\u00a0<\/p>

Not long after Roe and Casey were overturned, the sinking reality of a post-Dobbs world was quickly felt. Anyone who believed a pro-life win at the highest court in the land would magically transform the United States into a pro-life nation was singularly naive. Dobbs would not bring an end to abortion<\/a> or the debate surrounding it. <\/p>

With the issue sent back to the states, laws around the country would span the spectrum from restrictive to permissive,\u00a0and everything in between. This seemed to catch some off guard. Furthermore, the Democratic Party's collective loss awakened a long-dormant sense of urgency. For years, abortion proponents had coasted on the existence of Roe. Overnight, that comfort was gone. In its place was a renewed effort to protect abortion and make Republicans pay.<\/p>Back to the states

Less than five months after the Dobbs decision, Americans went to the polls to vote in the 2022 midterm elections. Historically, the party in power does rather poorly during midterm elections. But this time, the \"red wave\" prediction of a Republican sweep did not come true. While the GOP took control of the House, Democrats expanded control in the Senate. Around the country, Democrats flipped governorships and legislatures. The deleterious effect the 2022 midterm elections had on Republican power has colored the pro-life agenda since then.\u00a0<\/p>

The 2022 midterm election autopsy pointed to the Dobbs decision as a major reason for the upsets. But instead of admitting that a post-Dobbs world, while difficult, was still worth it, far too many Republicans in both leadership and at the grassroots level have behaved as if the opposite were true. This is disgraceful. And it's proof the \"party of life\" is more concerned with power than unshakeable virtues.\u00a0<\/p>

In early December, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) unveiled a new pro-life group called Love Life Initiative.\u00a0According<\/a>\u00a0to its site, the group's goal is \"thoughtful, far-reaching advertising campaigns that promote the sanctity of life, advance referendums that protect life, and identify and defeat harmful proposals in statehouses across the nation.\"<\/p>

What did the Trump administration have to say about this? A source told Axios<\/a> the following: \"Clearly, Senator Hawley and his political team learned nothing from the 2022 elections, when the SCOTUS abortion ruling [overturning Roe v. Wade] resuscitated the Democrats in the midterms.\" Is the guiding force no longer what's morally correct but what's politically expedient? It's hard to come to any other conclusion. It's almost as if Trump and his team are embarrassed and\/or annoyed when Republicans do something so \"antiquated\" as maintain their pro-life creed. <\/p>

And this is the continuing aftermath of one of the biggest pro-life victories of all time? <\/p>

This reaction to Hawley is not the only indication the \"party of life\" has morphed into a shell of its former self. <\/p>

In August 2024, during his third run for president, Trump\u00a0posted<\/a>\u00a0on Truth Social: \"My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.\" This is the kind of language the pro-abortion Left uses when talking about the issue. It's fair to say Trump wanted to present himself as appealing to women during his run against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. But announcing you'd be great for women and so-called reproductive rights is clearly at odds with the pro-life agenda. Protecting both women and the unborn should be the goal. His post ignored the unborn completely.\u00a0<\/p>IVF Betrayal

Also during his third campaign, Trump promised to completely cover the cost of IVF for Americans who wished to go that route. But there is nothing pro-life about in vitro fertilization if you look at the human cost required to bring about a successful pregnancy. During the IVF process, multiple embryos are \"created\" in a laboratory. Some are used and implanted, some are miscarried, and still others are discarded or frozen. If pro-life Americans are horrified by the destruction of human life during abortion, they should also be concerned about the same result when it happens during IVF. <\/p>

In February, Trump signed an executive order meant to help reduce costs and remove barriers to IVF<\/a>. Lila Rose of Live Action and Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life were\u00a0vocal about their opposition<\/a>\u00a0to the order. But influential, longtime groups such as the National Right to Life and SBA's Pro-Life America either remained silent or weakly reacted to it. This is just one example showing that pro-life organizations are scared to hold Trump accountable, even on the issue that defines their missions. It is allegiance to a temporary politician over a foundational issue. It is pure cowardice.\u00a0<\/p>

The weakness further extends to Trump's appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr<\/a>. to the position of HHS secretary. Kennedy is an abortion-supporting Democrat and has been for years. That hasn't changed despite assurances to pro-life senators during his nomination hearings. Kennedy continues to refuse a review of the chemical abortion pill mifepristone. Through his organization, Advancing American Freedom, Former Vice President Mike Pence\u00a0called<\/a>\u00a0Kennedy out as a \"progressive wolf in pro-life sheep\u2019s clothing\" and demanded his removal.\u00a0<\/p>

These examples pile on top of the uncritical support that too many Republicans have for the president. In their minds, there is simply no room for criticism of him or his agenda. This holds true even when his words, actions, and nominations are at odds with long-standing values. Those values, protection of unborn life and support for politicians who refuse to bend on the issue, are no longer in the foreground. They no longer dominate nor direct what was once known as the \"party of life.\" <\/p>Winning well

When it comes to abortion, Republicans have to collectively decide whether they want to just win or win well. The former is nothing more than beating your opponent on Election Day. The latter is not only getting more votes but doing so while maintaining and promoting the principles that undergird American conservatism. These are the kind of ideals that are non-negotiable and don't shift based on what ideological enemies do. I dare say that \"winning well\" should be the ultimate goal. But for far too many years now, crossing the finish line first is all that has mattered.\u00a0<\/p>

CHINA TEACHES TRUMP TWO LESSONS ON TAIWAN<\/a><\/p>

At present, it's difficult to imagine a return to a time when pro-life principles stood at the center of the GOP's identity. The party now appears publicly uncertain about what matters most, and worse, largely untroubled by the fact that it has drifted from what it once defended without hesitation. Holding fast to these values requires an unapologetic approach that ignores the changing tides of political popularity. To care about these issues is to anchor oneself to what is right rather than what is convenient. And that's a risk an unsettling number of Republicans, voters and leadership alike, no longer seem willing to make. <\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25265775163280.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393447-1767275421", "title":"CBS anchor vows more focus on ‘average American’ amid upheaval at network", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2F4393447%2Fcbs-news-anchor-vows-more-focus-on-average-american%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"CBS News’s Evening News host Tony Dokoupil announced changes to the network’s nightly news show in the new year, shortly after Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief. “On too many stories, the press has missed the story,” Dokoupil said. “Because we’ve taken into account the perspective of advocates and not the average American. Or we […]", "description":""

CBS<\/a> News's Evening News host Tony Dokoupil announced changes to the network's nightly news show in the new year<\/a>, shortly after Bari Weiss <\/a>took over as editor-in-chief.<\/p>

\"On too many stories, the press has missed the story,\" Dokoupil said. \"Because we've taken into account the perspective of advocates and not the average American. Or we put too much weight in the analysis of academics or elites, and not enough on you.\"<\/p>

Dokoupil elaborated on the decline of trust between the public and legacy media. He went on to say that what he was seeing and hearing in the news was not a good reflection of what was happening in his life, promising to put average Americans first, even over the corporate owners of CBS.<\/p>

According to a poll conducted by Gallup<\/a>, trust in the media is at an all-time low, with just 28% expressing a \"great deal\" of trust, as seven in 10 say they have \"not very much\" or \"none at all.\" As trust in legacy media declines, there has been a major movement toward new media and influencers for news.<\/p>

Weiss is a former Wall Street Journal and New York Times opinion editor and founder of The Free Press. When Paramount Skydance acquired The Free Press, Weiss was installed as CBS's editor-in-chief, creating controversy among some in the newsroom.<\/p>

Editorial decisions made by Weiss have faced fierce backlash both inside and outside CBS. One recent firestorm stemmed from CBS pulling a planned and advertised 60 Minutes investigation on a Salvadoran prison holding migrants from the United States. She argued the story wasn't ready, as it was missing comments from the Trump administration, but critics labeled it political censorship.<\/p>

TRUMP RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH NETANYAHU <\/a><\/p>

\"Government silence is a statement, not a VETO,\" Sharyn Alfonsi, the reporter on the story, wrote in the email to the staff. \"If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a 'kill switch' for any reporting they find inconvenient.\"<\/p>

Actor and prominent Democrat George Clooney condemned Weiss and has accused her of \"dismantling\" the longtime network. Weiss then invited Clooney to visit CBS headquarters.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25149675313126.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393494-1767273067", "title":"NYPD investigating abandoned police uniforms", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F4393494%2Fnypd-investigating-abandoned-police-uniforms%2F", "byline":"Jenny Goldsberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The New York Police Department is looking into a number of police uniforms that were abandoned on the streets of New York City. A box of uniforms was found two days before NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani was sworn in. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Delaney Kempner confirmed to the Washington Examiner that officers were called to the […]", "description":""

The New York Police Department<\/a> is looking into a number of police uniforms that were abandoned on the streets of New York City.<\/p>

A box of uniforms was found two days before NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> was sworn in. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Delaney Kempner confirmed to the Washington Examiner that officers were called to the scene.<\/p>

\u201cOn Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at approximately 2039 hours, police responded to a report of abandoned NYPD uniforms within the confines of the 66 Precinct. Upon arrival, officers observed a box containing pants, shirts, jackets and hats,\u201d Kempner said. \u201cThe uniform items were removed to the 66 Precinct for safekeeping and the investigation remains ongoing.\u201d<\/p>

This 66th precinct encompasses Brooklyn\u2019s section of Borough Park, Midwood, and Kensington. Brooklyn was largely credited for electing Mamdani<\/a> in November. Most residents in those neighborhoods skew younger, which vastly favors the 34-year-old Mamdani. Most are also college-educated and renters. <\/p>

However, the precinct as a whole \u201cfeatures over 300 religious institutions, comprised mostly of Hassidic and Orthodox Synagogues and Yeshivas,\u201d according to the NYPD website<\/a>.<\/p>

Mamdani, who took office on Thursday, retained NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch<\/a>, who had worked under former Mayor Eric Adams since November 2024. Tisch\u00a0previously supported collaborations <\/a>with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Months into her tenure, Adams allowed ICE to open an office<\/a> at Rikers Island prison.<\/p>

Tisch, who has spoken with Mamdani many times, said <\/a>she\u2019s ready <\/a>to serve under his administration. Mamdani, who has criticized law enforcement, praised Tisch\u2019s work.<\/p>

DHS LAUNCHES TASK FORCE IN NEW YORK TARGETING TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINALS<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI have admired her work cracking down on corruption in the upper echelons of the police department, driving down crime in New York City, and standing up for New Yorkers in the face of authoritarianism,\u201d Mamdani said <\/a>in a statement. \u201cTogether, we will deliver a city where rank-and-file police officers and the communities they serve alike are safe, represented, and proud to call New York their home.\u201d<\/p>

The NYPD is combating an increase in retiring and resigning officers. Over 1,100 officers retired or resigned in the last three months, according to a website dedicated to the NYPD retention crisis<\/a>. As a result, the New York State Assembly, where Mamdani previously served, introduced a bill <\/a>regarding police promotions in February to help retention. While the bill is sponsored by an all-Democratic coalition, Mamdani was not counted as one of them.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/nypd-suicides-e1767290998570.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393394-1767269044", "title":"WATCH LIVE: Mamdani publicly sworn in as NYC mayor by Bernie Sanders", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4393394%2Fwatch-live-mamdani-new-york-city-mayor-ceremony-bernie-sanders%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will be publicly sworn into office on Thursday at 1 p.m. MAMDANI BEGINS HIS TERM AS MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of Mamdani’s political idols, will officiate the swearing-in ceremony that will take place as part of his public inauguration celebration. New York’s Democratic […]", "description":""

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> will be publicly sworn into office on Thursday at 1 p.m.<\/p>

MAMDANI BEGINS HIS TERM AS MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY<\/a><\/p>

Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT), one of Mamdani's political idols<\/a>, will officiate the swearing-in ceremony that will take place as part of his public inauguration celebration. New York's Democratic Attorney General Letitia James<\/a> officially swore in Mamdani shortly after midnight on Jan. 1 in a private ceremony.<\/p>

Mamdani's inauguration ceremony will also include an introduction speech<\/a> from Rep.\u00a0Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez\u00a0(D-NY), who championed the socialist during his campaign. Mamdani defeated former Gov.\u00a0Andrew Cuomo<\/a> and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa after former NYC Mayor Eric Adams<\/a> dropped out of the race.\u00a0<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25335050941099.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393370-1767266305", "title":"Doug Burgum suggests America 250 celebration will help citizens ‘understand our shared values’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4393370%2Fdoug-burgum-america-250-celebration-help-citizens-understand-shared-values%2F", "byline":"Jenny Goldsberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Interior Secretary Doug Burgum expressed his hope that the commemoration of the United States’s 250th anniversary will help its citizens “come together.” Burgum appeared on ABC News’s Good Morning America to preview the celebrations that began on the first of the year on Thursday. Already, the Washington Monument, among the country’s national parks, has begun […]", "description":""

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum<\/a> expressed his hope that the commemoration of the United States's 250th anniversary will help its citizens \u201ccome together.\u201d<\/p>

Burgum appeared on ABC News\u2019s Good Morning America<\/a> to preview the celebrations that began on the first of the year on Thursday. Already, the Washington Monument, among the country\u2019s national parks, has begun displaying a projected video on its walls about former President Theodore Roosevelt. This video will play at the top of every hour starting at 7 a.m. every day until Jan. 5. Burgum explained his mission behind America 250 events at over 60 National Parks.<\/p>

\u201cWhen we think about the 250, it\u2019s a chance for America to think about unity and our future,\u201d Burgum said. \u201cThis is a chance for America to come together, understand our shared values, and drive our future even further. As we always do, make it better for the next generation than we have for ourselves.\u201d<\/p>

Fourth of July events will be coordinated by Freedom 250, a nonpartisan organization, in partnership with the National Park Foundation.<\/p>

President Donald Trump<\/a> revealed another event slated for July 4, 2026, last month in announcing the first-ever Patriot Games<\/a>. One male and one female competitor from each state are expected to compete.<\/p>

The Patriot Games come after Trump teased a UFC event at the White House<\/a>, a National Garden of Heroes<\/a>, and a Great American State Fair on the National Mall, featuring pavilions from all 50 states, from June 25 to July 10.\u00a0<\/p>

The largest private sector partnership with the National Parks will go toward a digital library in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, according to Burgum. A $450 million presidential digital library will be opening there with an expected opening date of July 1.<\/p>

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ALTERS FREE ENTRY DAYS, ADDS TRUMP\u2019S BIRTHDAY AND REMOVES MLK DAY, JUNETEENTH<\/a><\/p>

\u201cKicking off July 1 honoring the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his leadership, citizenship, and his conservation,\u201d Burgum said. \u201cThat library is going to challenge anyone that visits it, how are they going to get in the arena to help make our next 250 years even better.\u201d<\/p>

Freedom 250 started a YouTube channel<\/a> last month to share video updates of what the celebrations in the district will look like.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Biz.Tiana_.032625.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393371-1767265745", "title":"Trump rings in the new year with Netanyahu", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4393371%2Ftrump-new-year-benjamin-netanyahu-mar-a-lago%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve party. The prime minister watched fireworks to ring in the new year alongside Trump. The two leaders met earlier this week in Florida at Trump’s private club in Palm Beach for lunch, aiming to find a peace deal for the […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> at his Mar-a-Lago <\/a>New Year's Eve party.<\/p>

The prime minister<\/a> watched fireworks to ring in the new year alongside Trump.<\/p>

The two leaders met earlier this week in Florida at Trump\u2019s private club in Palm Beach for lunch, aiming to find a peace deal for the issues in the Middle East. Trump and Netanyahu presented a united front as they discussed the future of\u00a0Gaza<\/a>\u00a0and the Middle East.<\/p>

\u201cI don\u2019t think it can be better,\u201d Trump said of their relationship earlier this week. \u201cWe just won a big war together. If we didn\u2019t beat Iran<\/a>, you wouldn\u2019t have had peace in the Middle East<\/a> because nobody would have been able \u2014 the Arab countries, who have been fantastic, would not have been able to make a deal.\u201d<\/p>

DEMOCRAT MOCKS COMER MINNESOTA FRAUD INVESTIGATION<\/a><\/p>

Trump has hosted a slew of prominent people at his Mar-a-Lago estate for many parties. He bought the historic estate in 1985, and it has since become his \"winter White House.\"<\/p>

Netanyahu has been a highly controversial figure in recent years as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise amid the war in Gaza. <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25363679563725_828333.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393297-1767261101", "title":"Democrat mocks Comer Minnesota fraud hearings", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4393297%2Fdemocrat-mocks-comer-minnesota-fraud-hearings%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) hit House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) in an X post responding to the committee’s hearing announcement on the Minnesota fraud scandal. The House Oversight Committee announced its first hearings into the Minnesota day care fraud controversy, which will include testimony from state Reps. Kristin Robbins, Walter Hudson, and Marion Rarick, all of […]", "description":""

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) hit House Oversight<\/a> Chairman James Comer<\/a> (R-KY) in an X post responding to the committee's hearing announcement on the Minnesota fraud scandal<\/a>.<\/p>

The House Oversight Committee announced its first hearings into the\u00a0Minnesota<\/a>\u00a0day care fraud controversy, which will include testimony from state Reps. Kristin Robbins, Walter Hudson, and Marion Rarick, all of whom are Republicans. Comer has invited Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and state Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify on Feb. 10.<\/p>

\"James thinks Somali is the person that picks out his Sauvignon Blanc,\" Moskowitz wrote on X<\/a> in response.<\/p>

The Florida Democrat is well-known for his humorous social media posts, often attempting to zing Comer. He sat on the committee for the previous Congress, a committee often known for its theatrics and antics.<\/p>

MAMDANI BEGINS HIS TERM AS MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY<\/a><\/p>

Comer\u2019s announcement came after the committee expanded its investigation, calling on state officials to testify in closed-door, transcribed interviews, while also requesting suspicious activity reports from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent<\/a>, along with a staff-level briefing from the Justice Department.<\/p>

The alleged fraud, of which the majority of those charged are Somali immigrants, targeted multiple government social services programs in Minnesota, including one intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic under Walz\u2019s leadership, with federal prosecutors saying billions of taxpayer dollars could have been stolen. Other programs in the state meant to support providers in assisting people at risk of homelessness, and another meant to provide therapy for autistic children, were also purportedly defrauded.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ap23039752901286-scaled-e1767277381173.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393300-1767260118", "title":"2026 is a pivotal year for Trump’s second term", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4393300%2F2026-pivotal-year-trump-second-term%2F", "byline":"W. James Antle III", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump rang in the New Year at Mar-a-Lago, but when he returns to Washington, D.C., 2026 could be the biggest year of his second term. Trump will spend the whole year with Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, assuming resignations don’t take their toll in the lower chamber. But those majorities will […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> rang in the New Year at Mar-a-Lago<\/a>, but when he returns to Washington, D.C.<\/a>, 2026 could be the biggest year of his second term.<\/p>

Trump will spend the whole year with Republican majorities in both houses of Congress<\/a>, assuming resignations don\u2019t take their toll in the lower chamber. But those majorities will be on the ballot in November\u2019s midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>

If Republicans lose control of either house of Congress, it will be extremely difficult for Trump to do anything legislatively for the remainder of his presidency.<\/p>

Republicans have a historically small majority in the House, currently just 220 to 213, with two vacancies. The Senate\u2019s GOP majority is somewhat more robust at 53-47. All 435 House seats and about a third of the Senate are up for reelection next year.<\/p>

Under the Constitution, all tax and spending legislation must originate in the House. That\u2019s also where impeachment proceedings start. During Trump\u2019s first term, a Democratic-controlled House impeached him twice, though he was not convicted by the Senate either time.<\/p>

The Senate confirms executive and judicial branch appointees. If Democrats took the majority there, it would become difficult to get new nominees approved. The Cabinet might be frozen in place, because Democrats would effectively have veto power over any replacements. It would also be challenging to shift the Supreme Court\u2019s conservative majority, which Trump bolstered with the help of a Republican-controlled Senate during his first term, any further to the right.<\/p>

Just last year, the Democrats were able to force the longest government shutdown on record without controlling either house of Congress. Their hand would be strengthened by a majority in either chamber.<\/p>

The presidential race will also begin in earnest once the midterm elections are complete. Trump is term-limited and, all joking aside, appears to accept that he cannot run in 2028. Vice President JD Vance<\/a> is being groomed to take his place, possibly on a ticket with Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a>.<\/p>

As will be the case in the midterm elections, the economy is likely to be the biggest issue in 2028. This is especially true of inflation and the cost of living, which loomed large in the big Democratic wins in the 2025 off-year elections. But if Democrats win either house of Congress, it will be harder for Trump to influence the direction of the economy. The fate of Trump's tariffs, which have been challenged at the Supreme Court, is also uncertain.<\/p>

Trump\u2019s tax cuts and deregulation may be more fully felt in 2026. The previous year closed with a report of 4.3% GDP growth, which is fairly robust. Trump will have the opportunity to replace Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman, which could have a major economic impact, especially given the Fed\u2019s dual mandate on inflation and unemployment. Trump may get another bite at reconciliation, the party-line he used to pass his One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025.<\/p>

Yet Trump\u2019s ability to reshape the narrative on the economy<\/a> could be limited to the next 12 months. When inflation was last a major issue more than 40 years ago, then-President Ronald Reagan <\/a>and Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker were unable to resolve it without a major spike in unemployment in time for the 1982 midterm elections, leading to major Republican losses. But inflation had been tamed, and the economy was booming by the following year. Reagan won reelection in a 49-state landslide in 1984.<\/p>

Trump heads into 2026 with a job approval rating of 43.4%, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average<\/a>. That\u2019s comparable to where former Presidents Barack Obama<\/a> and George W. Bush<\/a> were at this point in their second terms, although Trump is unusual in that his terms aren\u2019t consecutive. <\/p>

On the economy, however, Trump\u2019s approval rating averages just 40.7%. That\u2019s an improvement over former President Joe Biden<\/a> for most of his term. There has also been a slight improvement in the public\u2019s view of the direction of the country. These numbers nevertheless remain too low for the comfort of Republicans seeking reelection this year.<\/p>

Historically speaking, the party that controls the White House loses congressional seats, especially in the president\u2019s first midterm election. Democrats won 41 House seats and the chamber\u2019s majority when Trump last faced a midterm election in 2018.<\/p>

Republicans are hoping they can do better this time because they hold more safe red seats than in 2018. They are also betting that they can expand the number of GOP pickup opportunities through early redistricting in red states. <\/p>

TRUMP\u2019S AFFORDABILITY CONUNDRUM<\/a> <\/p>

But so far, redistricting has been a mixed bag at best for Republicans, with blue-state Democrats fighting back in places like California. House Republicans have also been rocked by early retirements and even resignations, with former Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) set to step down soon. And Democrats don\u2019t need many pickups to flip the House.<\/p>

For Trump, 2026 could be his last, best opportunity to cement his legacy without Democratic interference.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25362811343246-e1767217249141.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4393277-1767258039", "title":"Mamdani begins his term as mayor of New York City", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4393277%2Fmamdani-begins-term-mayor-new-york-city%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station on New Year’s Day after rising to fame last year. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, was sworn in ahead of his inauguration ceremony, just weeks after winning the crowded race to become New York City‘s mayor. Mamdani beat out former New York […]", "description":""

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani <\/a>was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station on New Year's <\/a>Day after rising to fame last year.<\/p>

Mamdani, a Democratic<\/a> Socialist, was sworn in ahead of his inauguration ceremony, just weeks after winning the crowded race to become New York City<\/a>'s mayor. Mamdani beat out former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a>. Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams<\/a> dropped his reelection campaign, but remained on the ballot as Mamdani won.<\/p>

\u201cThis is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,\u201d Mamdani said in his speech.<\/p>

Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of New York City, placed his hand on a Quran when taking his oath. The ceremony was administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, known in part for her dust-ups with President Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>

Mamdani will be sworn in again at a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). This event is open to 4,000 ticketed guests.\u00a0<\/p>

MAMDANI WILL BE INAUGURATED AS NEW YORK CITY MAYOR AT MIDNIGHT: WHAT TO KNOW<\/a><\/p>

\u201cFor the many New Yorkers who have long felt betrayed by a broken status quo, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embodies a new kind of politics that puts working people at the heart of it,\u201d Mamdani said in a statement ahead of his swearing in. \u201cI\u2019ve been so proud to count her as a partner across the many stages of our people-powered movement\u2014from the primary campaign to our Forest Hills rally in October to the very first day of the transition\u2014and I\u2019m honored that she\u2019ll be a part of our historic City Hall inauguration.\u201d<\/p>

All eyes will be on Mamdani as he assumes his position in one of the largest cities in the United States to see how his policies work and how he responds to Trump, who has long been known to go after states and cities with Democratic leadership.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/z-mamdani-transition.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357014-1767254400", "title":"Progressives try to mirror Mamdani’s campaign style, but one hopeful says it needs authenticity", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4357014%2Fprogressives-copy-mamdani-campaign-style%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani convinced many progressive Democrats that they could find success employing his flashy, eye-catching campaign style. He rode his prominent promises of fast and free buses, a rent freeze for certain tenants, and no-cost child care all the way to Gracie Mansion and over the well-politically established former New York Gov. […]", "description":""

New York<\/a> Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> convinced many progressive Democrats that they could find success employing his flashy, eye-catching campaign style.<\/p>

He rode his prominent promises of fast and free buses, a rent freeze for certain tenants, and no-cost child care all the way to Gracie Mansion and over the well-politically established former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. His viral social media prowess gave color to his messaging and spread it to voters.<\/p>

There are many progressives looking to imitate Mamdani's success, such as Abdul El Sayed for Senate in Michigan, Saikat Chakrabarti for House in California, and Janeese Lewis George for mayor in the District of Columbia, who are preparing their leftist campaigns for competitive elections in 2026.<\/p>

One progressive hopeful says efforts to copy his popular style are pointless without concrete policy plans.<\/p>

\"I think that his content ought to be a North Star for people,\" Cam Kasky, a Parkland, Florida, shooting survivor running for House in New York's 12th Congressional District, said of Mamdani's social media posts. \"Not only for the way it is composed, but also for the substance.\"<\/p>

\"I have already seen politicians use the visual style from that campaign without having any substantive policy, and that's not going to do anything for you,\" he added. \"Just recreating the visuals is not going to recreate the energy. The energy was there because the visuals were matched with substance.\"<\/p>

The 25-year-old isn't outside the progressive bubble trying to emulate Mamdani. His first campaign ad saw him walking through the streets of New York City and on the subways, communicating his progressive vows<\/a>, such as Medicare for All.<\/p>

Medicare For All. Stop Funding Genocide. Abolish ICE. #YesWeCam<\/a> Donate & Support: https:\/\/t.co\/yEvYlxnNjE<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/WwBp10Ni6M<\/a><\/p>— Cameron Kasky (@camkasky) November 18, 2025<\/a>

Kasky wouldn't name anyone he believed had flashed Mamdani's familiar visuals without substance, but there are similarities between Mamdani's content and that of many other progressives.<\/p>

Chakrabarti, who is running for Rep. Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) House seat, has played around with Mamdani's moving-and-talking campaign release style<\/a> for weeks. The style imitates <\/a>that of many social media influencers, who seek to keep their content dynamic<\/a>.<\/p>

A former top aide for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Chakrabarti walks in nearly every campaign video he makes. He also uses captions with his campaign logo floating below him on screen.<\/p>

For decades, the wealthy have pulled further ahead while everyone else has struggled to keep up. The Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act taxes assets over $50 million so we can undo decades of rigged economics and build an economy that finally works for working people. pic.twitter.com\/9o8YkFvR0S<\/a><\/p>— Saikat Chakrabarti for Congress (@saikatc) December 23, 2025<\/a>

All of it is part of a formula Mamdani uses for his campaign's social media videos, Kasky explained.<\/p>

\"[It] provides a hook in the beginning of the video; he makes a declarative statement and he tells you why he believes that to be true \u2026 whether or not you agree with a certain policy perspective, whether or not you have the same opinion that he does,\" Kasky said.<\/p>

\"In the first few seconds of the video, you understand that you are about to explore an opinion and a perspective and be provided with information that supports it,\" Kasky added. \"And that is very good for retaining attention, because a lot of other people post videos where in the first few seconds, you don't have a very clear sense of what you're about to be getting.\"<\/p>

El Sayed matches some aspects of Mamdani's formula. In a recent video, he speaks about healthcare and how some voters dislike him, but he cares about them anyway.<\/p>

\"You may not like me, but I care about you,\" he said. \"I want you to understand a couple of things. I know why you're in pain, and I actually want to do something about it. I'm not bought off by the people who are making it worse, so you may want to listen to what I have to say.\"<\/p>

Like me or not, understand something: I REALLY want you to have healthcare. pic.twitter.com\/ceGhXueLEN<\/a><\/p>— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) December 29, 2025<\/a>

The video does not provide any policy specifics outside El Sayed's suggestion that he wants voters to have healthcare. But it does provide a quick personal angle \u2014 he says he \"cares\" about the voters that may not like him \u2014 and he explains how he does care, by backing healthcare for them.<\/p>

Kasky thinks the videos are a great way for candidates to put their names out there and define their campaigns.<\/p>

\"Every time I put out a video, every time [Zohran] puts out a video, the goal is for the person watching it to have a better understanding of the platform, why the platform is the way it is, and new angles through which we can tackle certain issues,\" he said. \"That's something that candidates around the country ought to mirror, because it is a good way to reach voters.\"<\/p>

George, who reportedly planned her socialist campaign<\/a> to mirror Mamdani's, also exhibits similar campaign strategies. Her campaign launch video<\/a> is colorful, moving, and rolls with a steady musical beat. It also outlines her priorities, which include affordable childcare and housing, public safety, and education.<\/p>

The DC I know is worth fighting for.I\u2019m Janeese Lewis George, and I\u2019m running for Mayor. pic.twitter.com\/7ZI3dojxxh<\/a><\/p>— Janeese Lewis George (@Janeese4DC) December 1, 2025<\/a>

Mamdani's launch video<\/a> did many of the same things, though skewed more specifically to policy.<\/p>

All of the candidates are likely hoping that one social media video upload can be the difference for them in their campaigns. Mamdani is not the first to ride a viral campaign to the top.<\/p>

Ocasio-Cortez also ran a viral campaign video at the beginning of her House campaign in 2018. The video, titled \"Courage to Change,\"<\/a> played very differently from today's candidates. It rolled with a dramatic score closer to the theatrical realm than Mamdani's upbeat, strolling style.<\/p>

In the video, Ocasio-Cortez took a strong swing at then-incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley.<\/p>

\"It's time we acknowledge that not all Democrats are the same. That a Democrat that takes corporate money, profits off foreclosure, doesn't live here, doesn't send his kids to our schools, doesn't drink our water or breathe our air cannot possibly represent us,\" she said.<\/p>

The video garnered almost 2 million views and played a significant role in her digital presence. An Ocasio-Cortez aide said digital <\/a>is not the future of campaigns, but the present. She proved that drawing many eyes to a progressive digital operation can enable them to take down incumbents without spending a large portion of money on television or other advertising.<\/p>

Mamdani didn't have an exceptional political funding operation before his viral campaign videos. But after they seeped into the mainstream, he twice told his new supporters to hold off on donating more because they had maxed out the public fundraising match.<\/p>

Kasky, a young candidate seeking to become the next progressive to reach a high elected office, admits he doesn't yet have the money to compete with candidates who rely on big donors rather than grassroots support. However, he remains optimistic about his motivated supporters, with some crossover from Mamdani's campaign.<\/p>

\"We have a lot of volunteers, and at the end of the day, the people who are with us are motivated by something that money can't buy,\" he said.<\/p>

Kasky is also hoping his social media campaign is ripe with the authenticity, as he believes is needed to win, similar to Mamdani. And he thinks video editing alone isn't enough to do that.<\/p>

MS. RACHEL NAMED TO MAMDANI'S INAUGURATION COMMITTEE<\/a><\/p>

\"I'm talking about my beliefs, and I think that one of the things from [Mamdani's] campaign that everybody ought to recreate,\" he said.<\/p>

\"There's no amount of video editing that can make up for that. \u2026 You can't manufacture authenticity.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25335050941099.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375487-1767254400", "title":"Left-wing DC group coaches residents on how to ‘influence outcomes’ on a jury", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4375487%2Fleft-wing-dc-group-coaches-residents-on-how-to-influence-outcomes-on-a-jury%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A left-wing activist group opposing President Donald Trump’s law enforcement crackdown in Washington, D.C., has been coaching residents on how to use jury duty as a form of political activism, explicitly encouraging them to “influence outcomes” in criminal cases. Free DC, a progressive organizing group that has emerged as one of the most visible opponents […]", "description":""

A left-wing activist group opposing President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s law enforcement crackdown in Washington, D.C.<\/a>, has been coaching residents on how to use jury duty as a form of political activism, explicitly encouraging them to \u201cinfluence outcomes\u201d in criminal cases.<\/p>

Free DC, a progressive organizing group that has emerged as one of the most visible opponents of the Trump administration\u2019s federal crime and security surge in the capital, recently hosted a \u201cjuror teach-in\u201d aimed at reframing jury duty as a political tool rather than a neutral civic obligation.<\/p>

\u201cJury duty is not just a civic responsibility; it\u2019s a powerful tool for ensuring fairness and justice,\u201d the group said in promotional materials<\/a> for the event. \u201cBy serving on a jury, we can influence outcomes and help create a more equitable legal process.\u201d<\/p>

The event, co-hosted with the group Harriet\u2019s Wildest Dreams, encouraged participants to view jury service as a way to protect defendants the organizers say are disproportionately targeted by law enforcement, particularly amid increased federal activity in the District. The session was advertised as open to the public.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reached out to Free DC for comment but did not receive a response.<\/p>\u2018An enormous amount of power\u2019

According to a recent Washington Post profile<\/a>, the juror training was one of several events Free DC organized in a single week as it sought to integrate opposition to the Trump administration into everyday civic life in Washington.<\/p>

At the December meeting, roughly two dozen attendees gathered in a downtown office building, where Free DC leaders urged residents to approach jury service skeptically, particularly in cases connected to federal law enforcement operations.<\/p>

\u201cAs jurors, we have an enormous amount of power to decide whether this administration and its agenda are right or wrong,\u201d Free DC co-founder Alex Dodds said at the event, according to the Post.<\/p>Jury rejections mount in federal court

The group\u2019s focus on juries comes amid an extraordinary string of grand jury rejections in Washington federal court. Over the past several months, prosecutors have failed to secure felony indictments in multiple cases. At least seven grand jury rejections have occurred across five different cases since the administration\u2019s crime and security surge crackdown began in August.<\/p>

Among the most high-profile cases was that of a former Justice Department paralegal charged with felony assault after allegedly throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection officer in a busy nightlife corridor. A D.C. grand jury declined to indict, forcing prosecutors to downgrade the charge to a misdemeanor. A trial jury acquitted the defendant entirely<\/a> in November.<\/p>

The response to the sandwich thrower's acquittal was met with mostly humorous reactions online, though the prospect of repeated rejections of criminal cases related to Trump's crime crackdown prompted lawyers, including prominent trial attorney Robert Barnes, to suggest that the District \"does more jury nullification than any jurisdiction in the history of our country.\"<\/p>

DC does more jury nullification than any jurisdiction in the history of the country. https:\/\/t.co\/T583fZ3qB5<\/a><\/p>— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) November 6, 2025<\/a>

Josh Blackman, a professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, previously told the Washington Examiner that the sheer amount of repeated refusals by grand juries to bring charges against select defendants in the district could be construed by some critics as jury nullification, but he added in new remarks on Wednesday that there is usually no surefire way to indicate whether jury nullification has taken place.<\/p>

\"People have been talking about jury nullification for years,\" Blackman said. \"I don't know how much the average person in Washington, DC knows the line between a felony and misdemeanor. They don't. So it's often very hard to even identify where nullification is even happening.\"<\/p>

In another case, a grand jury declined to indict a D.C. attorney accused of assaulting and threatening National Guard members deployed as part of the federal surge. That case was similarly reduced to misdemeanor charges<\/a>.<\/p>

Those outcomes follow a longer history of politically sensitive cases in which D.C. juries have declined to convict Democrat-aligned defendants, including the acquittal of Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann on charges that he lied to the FBI and the acquittal of former Obama White House counsel Greg Craig on false statement charges related to his foreign lobbying work.<\/p>Legal experts: not illegal, but notable

Legal experts say the jury coaching itself does not clearly violate the law, but they note that it could raise concerns depending on how it is carried out.<\/p>

Blackman said there is generally no legal issue with broad discussions about jury nullification or jury power, provided organizers are not attempting to influence a specific case or target individuals summoned for jury duty.<\/p>

\u201cUnless you\u2019re trying to influence a particular case or targeting people who are called for jury duty, I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a legal problem,\u201d Blackman said. \u201cJudges give instructions, and if they find that a juror can\u2019t faithfully discharge their duty, the juror can be excused.\u201d<\/p>

However, Blackman said questions about participation in activist trainings could potentially arise during jury selection, particularly if there are concerns about bias, although grand jury selection typically involves far less vetting than trial juries.<\/p>

\u201cI think that would be fair game to ask during jury selection,\u201d he said, adding that prosecutors typically have less opportunity to scrutinize individual grand jurors\u2019 backgrounds in detail, unlike trial juries.<\/p>

Mike Davis, former chief counsel for nominations for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, told the Washington Examiner the language used by Free DC suggests they are \"not neutrally explaining civic duty.\"<\/p>

\"When these groups tell people to use jury service to 'protect our people' and advance a political cause, they\u2019re not neutrally explaining civic duty,\" said Davis, who is also the founder the conservative judicial advocacy group Article III Project. \"They\u2019re encouraging prospective jurors to ignore the law and the judge\u2019s instructions in favor of leftist ideology. That\u2019s an effort to rig outcomes before a trial even begins.\"<\/p>Free DC\u2019s broader resistance strategy

Free DC has framed jury participation as one of several methods residents can use to resist federal authority. The group has also trained residents on how to film police encounters, respond to Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, and confront federal agents operating in their neighborhoods.<\/p>

The organization traces its roots to the fight for the District's autonomy and has cast Trump\u2019s return to office as a direct threat to the city\u2019s home rule. Its leaders have said they aim to mobilize more than 24,000 residents to sustain long-term opposition to federal intervention.<\/p>Leadership scrutiny and criminal records

The group\u2019s leadership has also drawn scrutiny. An August Daily Caller report<\/a> detailed criminal histories among several Free DC leaders.<\/p>

Advisory councilman Darrell Gaston previously pleaded guilty in two separate cases involving assault-related charges and received community service sentences. Court records show Gaston was charged in 2016 with simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm and faced another assault conviction in 2018. He was also the subject of multiple civil complaints alleging harassment and assault while serving as a local elected official.<\/p>

Dodds, Free DC\u2019s campaign director, has faced multiple charges for crowding, obstructing, or incommoding tied to protest activity, with several cases resolved through bond forfeiture. Executive director Keya Chatterjee has similarly faced disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly charges dating back to 2016, according to court records.<\/p>

Despite that background, Free DC bills itself as a force for \u201cracial justice\u201d and opposition to what it describes as the militarization of local communities. The group has organized protests, lobbied Congress, and in October announced plans to endorse candidates<\/a> in the 2026 D.C. elections.<\/p>Clash over crime and public safety

Trump in August authorized the deployment of the National Guard and expanded federal law enforcement operations following violent incidents in the city, arguing that local leadership had failed to restore public safety. <\/p>

The administration has defended the surge as necessary to curb crime and protect residents and visitors.<\/p>

Davis said the damage from juries acting in more aggressively partisan ways is already causing more problems for the District.<\/p>

JUDGE CONSIDERS RELEASING JAN. 6 PIPE BOMB DEFENDANT INTO HOME DETENTION<\/a><\/p>

\"We\u2019re already seeing the damage in DC: serious crimes dismissed, charges downgraded, and criminals walking free while residents suffer the consequences,\" Davis said. \"Subverting the justice system from the jury box isn\u2019t reform. It\u2019s lawlessness, and it erodes public trust in the rule of law.\"<\/p>

As federal prosecutors continue to encounter resistance from D.C. juries, Free DC\u2019s effort to openly politicize jury service has placed renewed attention on the role local jurors play in shaping the outcome of high-profile and politically charged cases, and on how civic institutions meant to operate impartially are increasingly being drawn into the city\u2019s broader political battles.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25327737184711.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379205-1767254400", "title":"US likely to lose measles eradication status in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F4379205%2Fus-likely-to-lose-measles-eradication-status-2026%2F", "byline":"Gabrielle M. Etzel", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The United States is poised to lose its measles eradication designation in 2026 unless public health experts are able to curb an ongoing outbreak of the infection in South Carolina and several other states.  South Carolina has been the latest state to struggle with a measles outbreak in 2025, largely due to pockets of unvaccinated […]", "description":""

The United States is poised to lose its measles eradication designation<\/a> in 2026 unless public health experts are able to curb an ongoing outbreak of the infection in South Carolina<\/a> and several other states. <\/p>

South Carolina has been the latest state to struggle with a measles outbreak in 2025<\/a>, largely due to pockets of unvaccinated communities. But public health experts warn that the disease will no longer be considered eliminated in the United States unless the spread of the virus comes to a halt within a few short weeks.\u00a0<\/p>

Any infectious disease can be considered eradicated in a country if it no longer spreads continuously for a full calendar year.\u00a0That deadline is quickly approaching, as the first of 2025\u2019s measles outbreaks started in a Mennonite community in western Texas on Jan. 20.<\/p>

The number of recorded measles cases in the U.S. exceeded 2,000<\/a> in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>. The vast majority of cases, approximately 93%, occurred in unvaccinated patients, most of whom are under age 18.<\/p>

Measles cases have been reported in more than 44 CDC jurisdictions<\/a>, including 43 states and New York City, with 50 reported measles outbreaks, consisting of three or more clustered cases.\u00a0<\/p>

That\u2019s compared to only 16 outbreaks and only 285 confirmed measles cases in 2024 and nearly 1,300 cases in 2019. <\/p>

South Carolina\u2019s state epidemiologist, Dr. Linda Bell, said in a press briefing on Tuesday that measles transmission is continuing, with more than 287 people in quarantine to slow the spread. She said her team expects \u201cmore cases well into January.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

The surge in measles cases across the country is largely attributable to a decline in childhood vaccination rates, with less than 93% of kindergarteners<\/a> receiving two doses of the combination measles, mumps, and rubella, or MMR, vaccine for the 2024-2025 school year. A vaccination rate of 95% is needed for a population to achieve herd immunity.<\/p>

According to the University of Chicago Medicine<\/a>, measles is not life-threatening for most people, but it is virtually impossible to predict who will become seriously ill if infected.\u00a0<\/p>

Three in every 1,000 people who contract measles will die, with young children and immunocompromised people most at risk. Before widespread vaccination, roughly 500 people in the U.S. each year died from the disease.<\/p>

Many public health experts have expressed concern that vaccine skepticism espoused by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. <\/a>has contributed to U.S. measles outbreaks, but childhood MMR vaccination rates have been on a steady decline since 2019<\/a>, with the rise of anti-vaccine rhetoric in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>

Tracking vaccination rates is one way public health officials can coordinate resources to mitigate outbreak risks; however, doing so proves challenging, as many states do not publish local-level data on vaccine uptake.<\/p>

A study published in October<\/a> found that Texas\u2019s local vaccine data showed an overall MMR vaccine uptake rate of 82% in Gaines County, where the Jan. 2025 outbreak originated. However, the school-based vaccination rate ranged from 46.2% to 94.3%, indicating that low school vaccination rates in certain communities pose the greatest risk.\u00a0<\/p>

\"With attention to school-level coverage instead of state-level coverage as the barometer for risk, we can avoid overlooking critical clusters of unvaccinated children, whose existence is demonstrated by our analysis,\" the authors of the October paper wrote.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25350678159689.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3924782-1767250800", "title":"The Biden administration’s failed attempts to spin autopen use", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3924782%2Fbiden-administration-failed-attempt-spin-autopen-use%2F", "byline":"Jenny Goldsberry", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Joe Biden and his allies defended his use of an autopen during his presidency, but the practice largely drew scrutiny. Biden confirmed to the New York Times in July that he authorized the autopen. He said he used the machine, which allows someone to duplicate the signature of the commander in chief on […]", "description":""

Former President Joe Biden<\/a> and his allies defended his use of an autopen<\/a> during his presidency, but the practice largely drew scrutiny.<\/p>

Biden confirmed<\/a> to the New York Times in July that he authorized the autopen. He said he used the machine, which allows someone to duplicate the signature of the commander in chief on a document, due to the large number of clemencies<\/a> he granted.\u00a0<\/p>

The former president set a record for the most presidential pardons, commutations, and clemencies, which he granted to more than 4,200 people. These sweeping pardons included commuting the death sentences of 37 federal inmates<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>Biden allies

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) appeared on CNN's News Central shortly after Biden\u2019s comments were published to confirm that he had read the article. However, he said he interpreted it differently from his Republican colleagues in the House.<\/p>

\u201cMy understanding is that President Biden did look at these pardons, whether or not they came in classes of pardons \u2014 like these are people being pardoned because they had mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenses, and he didn\u2019t think that that was appropriate, that they\u2019d served their time well \u2014 as opposed to each individual one,\u201d Van Hollen said.<\/p>

\u201cI will have to take a look at that entire issue,\" he added.<\/p>

Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also faced pushback, even from ardent Biden supporters. While interviewing Jean-Pierre back in October, late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert described Biden during the time of his 2024 presidential debate as a \u201cdramatically different person<\/a>\u201d from how he was earlier in his campaign.<\/p>

Jean-Pierre admitted Biden had \u201caged,\u201d which affected his debate performance with President Donald Trump. However, she stopped short of saying Biden\u2019s age changed his ability<\/a> to agree to using an autopen.<\/p>Biden critics

In a statement released to the Washington Examiner, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said, \u201cNew reporting confirms Biden White House staff took executive action without the President\u2019s approval. The House Oversight Committee will continue pursuing answers about this historic scandal to prevent such an abuse from happening again.\u201d<\/p>

\u201c@GOPoversight will continue pursuing answers about this historic scandal to prevent such an abuse from happening again,\u201d Comer wrote <\/a>on X in July.<\/p>

Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) responded <\/a>to Comer\u2019s post, asking, \u201cWho was really in charge for the past four years?\u201d<\/p>

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey commented on the news, as two of the federal inmates who avoided the death penalty were originally sentenced in his state. <\/p>

\u201cIn March, I questioned the legal honesty of Biden\u2019s clemency given his cognitive decline,\u201d he wrote in a since-deleted post on X. \u201cNow, by his own admission, his pardons have no legal validity.\u201d<\/p>

In August, Bailey deleted his original X account, which included his title of attorney general in the username, as he resigned and joined the FBI<\/a>. Then, he opted to start posting under a username that simply included his name and state.<\/p>The latest 

The subsequent House Oversight Committee subpoenaed former White House chief of staff Jeff Zients<\/a> in its investigation of Biden\u2019s autopen use. During a closed-door interview, Zients said Biden\u2019s \u201cdecision-making slowed\u201d during the final phase of his presidency. Zients was one of over a dozen Biden administration officials to be swept up in the investigation.<\/p>

Jean-Pierre defended <\/a>Biden\u2019s \u201ccompetency\u201d <\/a>during her five-hour testimony to the committee.\u00a0<\/p>

Biden referred <\/a>to the House Oversight Committee investigation as \u201ccrazy,\u201d and said all Republican lawmakers who questioned his cognitive decline were \u201cliars.\u201d<\/p>

In October, while the government was still shut down, the Oversight Committee released its report on its investigation into Biden\u2019s use of autopen.<\/p>

TRUMP WHITE HOUSE SWAPS BIDEN FOR AUTOPEN IN NEW PRESIDENTIAL WALK OF FAME<\/a><\/p>

Trump announced that he would terminate all of Biden\u2019s orders<\/a> signed by autopen. According to Trump\u2019s announcement, this applied to nearly 92% of the former president's orders over four years.<\/p>

Biden finished his time in office with an all-time low approval rating of 35.6%, according to FiveThirtyEight's analysis of polls<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Feat.Media2_.060425.webp?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357107-1767250800", "title":"First round of January Social Security payments goes out in 13 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4357107%2Ffirst-round-january-social-security-payments-out-13-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 13 days. When will payments arrive? Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14.  The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients […]", "description":""

The first round of January Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,108, will be issued in 13 days.<\/p>When will payments arrive?

Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Jan. 14<\/a>. <\/p>

The second round of payments will be sent out on Jan. 21 to recipients born between the 11th and 20th of a month, followed by a third round on Jan. 28 to those born after the 21st of a month.<\/p>When am I eligible?

Citizens are eligible for Social Security payments beginning at 62 years old.<\/p>How can I maximize my check?

Social Security payment amounts are determined by several factors, including age of retirement, the amount paid into Social Security, and the number of years paid into Social Security.<\/p>

Payments largely depend on a recipient\u2019s retirement age<\/a>. A beneficiary retiring at the youngest age, 62, could receive up to $2,831 per month<\/a>, while a 70-year-old retiree could receive up to $5,108 per month, according to the Social Security Administration.<\/p>

Beneficiaries can see a personalized estimate of how much they could expect each month through the SSA\u2019s calculator<\/a>.<\/p>

PAUL\u2019S ANNUAL FESTIVUS REPORT CALLS OUT $1.6 TRILLION IN GOVERNMENT WASTE<\/a><\/p>How is it financed?

Social Security is financed by a payroll tax paid for by employers and employees.<\/p>

Social Security payment amounts are set to shrink unless Congress takes action to prevent it. Analysts estimate the SSA will no longer be able to issue full payments<\/a> as early as 2034, due to a rising number of retirees and a shrinking number of workers.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Social-Security-9-4.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4357197-1767250800", "title":"February Social Security direct payment worth $994 goes out in 29 days", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4357197%2Ffebruary-social-security-direct-payment-worth-994-out-29-days%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"February 2026 Supplemental Security Income payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 29 days. SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February’s payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the […]", "description":""

February 2026 Supplemental Security Income<\/a> payments, worth up to $994, will be issued to recipients in 29 days.<\/p>

SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of a month, though February's payment will go out on Jan. 30. When the first of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, the former being the case for February\u2019s payment, SSI payments are issued on the last weekday of the previous month.<\/p>

Beneficiaries are people with limited income who are either blind, aged 65 and older, or have a qualifying disability.<\/p>

The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing<\/a>. For example, individual filers can receive up to $994<\/a>, couples filing jointly can receive $1,491, and those providing essential care to SSI recipients can receive up to $498. <\/p>

In addition to the previous prerequisites for receiving SSI payments<\/a>, recipients must also be U.S. citizens or noncitizens in one of the alien classifications granted by the Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>

FCC BANS NEW FOREIGN-MADE DRONES AND COMPONENTS DUE TO SECURITY THREATS<\/a><\/p>

Additionally, recipients must live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and must not be absent from the United States for a full calendar month or 30 consecutive days.<\/p>

A full calendar<\/a> for the Social Security Administration payments can be viewed on the agency\u2019s website.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Social-security-money-4-5-e1766527158673.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364678-1767250800", "title":"China teaches Trump two lessons on Taiwan", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4364678%2Fchina-teaches-trump-two-lessons-taiwan%2F", "byline":"Tom Rogan", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. Chinese President Xi Jinping taught President Donald Trump two lessons […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

Chinese President Xi Jinping<\/a> taught President Donald Trump<\/a> two lessons on Taiwan this week. First, that Trump's rhetorical deference to the Chinese Communist Party's<\/a> chairman over Taiwan won't earn any respite from Xi's escalating pressure. Second, China could move so quickly against Taiwan that any U.S. military intervention might arrive too late to make a difference.<\/p>

China<\/a> sent this message by launching surprise multiday military<\/a> exercises surrounding Taiwan. Involving the People's Liberation Army's space, air, naval, and ground forces, the exercises simulated a total blockade of Taiwan<\/a> and attacks on its critical infrastructure. Notably, the PLA also declared its preparation for \"All-Dimensional Deterrence outside the island chain.\" This is a clear reference to intercepting any U.S. military forces in the Western Pacific Ocean that might intervene in Taiwan's defense against an actual attack.<\/p>

BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL: THE OBJECTIVE OF TRUMP'S DRIP-DRIP VENEZUELA STRATEGY<\/a><\/p>

This explicit recognition of military operations against the United States underlines Xi's first lesson for Trump. This is an aggressive and very public posturing from the Chinese. And while the Chinese are playing up a recent and admittedly large U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, it is notable that these exercises come so soon after Trump hectored <\/a>Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaishi for doing exactly what he and numerous other U.S. presidents have requested that Japanese prime ministers do. Namely, adopt a clearer strategic posture warning of possible Japanese<\/a> military intervention against a future Chinese attack on Taiwan.<\/p>

When Takaichi warned that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would risk Japan's survival and thus justify a Japanese military response, China went berserk. Trump then rewarded Takaichi for her courage by telling her to shut up<\/a>. He thought this would earn him Xi's favor. Instead, as these exercises prove, Trump's decision to put America's primary adversary before one of America's closest allies (even after the adversary threatened to cut Takaichi's head off) encouraged only Xi's more aggressive posture. And not just against Taiwan. PLA exercises this week also highlighted<\/a> simulating fighting in the Gulf of America and off the coast of Florida.<\/p>

Trump isn't worried about any of this, however.<\/p>

Asked about the PLA exercises on Monday, Trump insisted that he has \"a great relationship with President Xi and he hasn't told me anything about it\u2026 I don't believe he's going to be [attacking Taiwan]\u2026 nothing worries me, nothing.\"<\/p>

This is a good example of the problematic personality prism through which Trump views his interaction with foreign leaders. He doesn't recognize that the New York City real estate business model of personal loyalty and mutual benefit often offers a poor template for international diplomacy. Sometimes international relations really are a zero-sum game in which someone has to lose for someone else to win. The future status of Taiwan is one such example. It will either remain free and sovereign under a bolstered defense umbrella or be subsumed by either Chinese political pressure or military force.<\/p>

That leads us to Xi's second lesson: advertising the PLA's ability to act very quickly and thus greatly reduce the warning time the U.S. military would have to deploy against any move on Taiwan.<\/p>

The array of forces the PLA has surged into this exercise is significant, representing an impressive feat of command and control and forward logistics. While the U.S. currently has a carrier strike group, a Marine Expeditionary Unit (with F-35B fighter jets), and a number of submarines operating relatively close to Taiwan, any credible U.S. response to an actual PLA attack would require the vast majority of the U.S. Navy<\/a>. Getting those forces into the fight would take between two and three weeks in the very best scenario.<\/p>

It is true that full-scale preparations for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would offer weeks of warning time for the U.S. Yet, were China to conduct a snap surprise attack that only then led to the associated mobilization of hospitals, logistics trains, and forces, Beijing could reduce the warning time of an attack to a matter of days. Along with cyberattacks designed to deter American intervention on the home front, Beijing might hope to make its invasion a fait accompli soon after it began. Considering still woefully inadequate Taiwanese defensive preparations for any attack, this is no small concern.<\/p>

It also bears reminding that the PLA of 2025 is not the PLA of 2005 or 2015.<\/p>

As the reliable South China Morning Post reports<\/a>, China is preparing to enter mass production for its new YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile. The missile, which can be launched from China's superb Type-055 air defense cruisers, has a range of around 930 miles. That would put Chinese warships operating close to the Chinese mainland (and thus under an integrated air-land-sea air defense umbrella) well within striking range of U.S. aircraft carrier sortie zones during a Taiwan conflict. The YJ-20 is designed to defeat even the most advanced U.S. air defense systems and has a purported terminal engagement speed of 7,700 miles per hour. This is just one example of impressive PLA weapons systems that are credibly designed to complicate U.S. war planning and defeat U.S. warfighting assets.<\/p>

Put another way, Trump should be worried. <\/p>

If Taiwan falls under Beijing's control, it will mean the world's most advanced semiconductor chip manufacturer also falls under Beijing's control. It will mean China's much increased ability to dominate Pacific trade routes through the East and South China Seas, and to militarily blackmail America's treaty defense allies \u2014 Japan, the Philippines, and Australia \u2014 into obedience with Beijing's demands. It will also encourage nations from Asia to Europe to Latin America, and indeed the world over, to believe that China, rather than America, is the ascendant 21st-century power worth deferring to.<\/p>

IN FOCUS: THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY POSES A GREATER THREAT THAN ISLAMISM<\/a><\/p>

In short, it would be a catastrophe for American prosperity, security, and human freedom. On that latter point, if one considers what China does to its own people in Xinjiang province and Hong Kong, just consider what a Chinese superpower would mean for the rest of us.<\/p>

Whether Trump likes it or not, Xi is educating Trump that he is increasingly allergic to Taiwan's independence and increasingly prepared to do something very significant about it. If Trump's only response to these lessons is to take solace in a non-existent bromance, he risks history recording him poorly for it.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP24354445675875.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379280-1767250800", "title":"AOC to speak at Mamdani inauguration as GOP paints him as new Democratic Party leader", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4379280%2Falexandria-ocasio-cortez-zohran-mamdani-inauguration-democratic-party%2F", "byline":"Lauren Green", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is set to introduce New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Thursday as Republicans aim to paint him as the leader of the Democratic Party. The GOP has persisted in its efforts in recent months to tie Democrats to the socialist who won the high-profile New York mayoral race last month. […]", "description":""

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) is set to introduce New York City<\/a> Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani <\/a>on Thursday as Republicans aim to paint him as the leader of the Democratic Party.<\/p>

The GOP has persisted in its efforts in recent months to tie Democrats to the socialist who won the high-profile New York mayoral race last month. Since Mamdani began to rise to fame, Republicans have shown early indications that they plan to continue framing him as the face of the Democratic Party<\/a> as part of their 2026 midterm elections<\/a> messaging.<\/p>

Ocasio-Cortez will be joined by longtime Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) for the City Hall inauguration ceremony on New Year's Day that can be attended by 4,000 ticketed guests. Sanders will administer the oath of office, swearing in Mamdani as mayor.<\/p>

MAMDANI WILL BE INAUGURATED AS NEW YORK CITY MAYOR AT MIDNIGHT: WHAT TO KNOW<\/a><\/p>

\u201cFor the many New Yorkers who have long felt betrayed by a broken status quo, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embodies a new kind of politics that puts working people at the heart of it,\u201d Mamdani said in a statement. \u201cI\u2019ve been so proud to count her as a partner across the many stages of our people-powered movement\u2014from the primary campaign to our Forest Hills rally in October to the very first day of the transition\u2014and I\u2019m honored that she\u2019ll be a part of our historic City Hall inauguration.\u201d<\/p>

New York Republicans have slammed the mayor-elect in the weeks and months leading up to the election and his inauguration.<\/p>

\u201cWith the inauguration of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City, you will see the face of the Democratic Party: Mamdani, AOC, and Bernie Sanders,\u201d Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cZohran Mamdani is an avowed socialist, and we are seeing socialists across the country run for office as the Democratic Party continues to embrace and move further to the left.\u201d<\/p>

The National Republican Senatorial Committee<\/a> pushed messaging this week ahead of the inauguration that tied candidates across the country to Mamdani, listing out examples of each candidate.\u00a0<\/p>

\"[Texas state Rep.] James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett are modeling their campaigns around Zohran Mamdani's socialist and extremist agenda in an effort to pull ahead in their messy primary,\u201d NRSC regional press secretary Samantha Cantrell wrote. \u201cDemocrats are rallying behind Mamdani's radical, copy-cat candidates in messy primaries across the nation.\"<\/p>

Republicans pushed this narrative throughout the record-long government shutdown<\/a> earlier this year that lasted through the November elections<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThe new power center of the Left isn\u2019t the moderates; it\u2019s the AOCs and the Bernie Sanders and the Mamdani\u2019s of the party,\u201d House Speaker Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) said last month after Democrats\u2019 sweeping victory across the country while the government remained shut down.<\/p>

The GOP has long tried to tie the progressive end of the Democratic Party to the other factions as Democrats continue to search for a strong leader. Republicans have targeted Rep. Jasmine Crockett<\/a> (D-TX), who is running to be the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas, Sanders, Rep. Ilhan Omar<\/a> (D-MN), and Ocasio-Cortez, among others.\u00a0<\/p>

DEMOCRATS SPLIT ON MERITS ON JAN. 6 COMMITTEE\u2019S RETURN TO SPOTLIGHT<\/a><\/p>

\u201cRepublicans have been playing this sort of Whack-a-Mole for so long,\u201d Democratic operative Jon Reinish told the Washington Examiner earlier this year. \u201c[Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)] was the liberal San Francisco hippie [former President Barack] Obama, super, super lefty, boogey woman, then it switched to AOC, and [former Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton\u2019s no longer such a focus. [Former Vice President] Kamala Harris skyrocketed for a minute and then lost terribly.\u201d<\/p>

All eyes will be on Mamdani as he assumes his position in one of the largest cities in the United States to see how his policies work and how he responds to President Donald Trump<\/a>, who has long been known to go after states and cities with Democratic leadership.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-collage-d3asb7l4j-1767214390386-e1767214565846.jpg?1767196551&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4050359-1767247200", "title":"The fall and rise of the Left’s premier dark money network", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Finvestigations%2F4050359%2Ffluctuating-left-wing-premier-dark-money-network%2F", "byline":"Robert Schmad", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Few names have accrued as much infamy among Washington, D.C., conservatives as Arabella Advisors. The consulting firm, which, until recently, ran a sprawling network of liberal nonprofit organizations, has acquired a similar status to the likes of megadonors George Soros and Bill Gates in certain right-wing circles. Among other things, conservatives accused the consultancy of […]", "description":""

Few names have accrued as much infamy among Washington, D.C., conservatives as Arabella Advisors. The consulting firm, which, until recently, ran a sprawling network of liberal nonprofit organizations, has acquired a similar status to the likes of megadonors George Soros and Bill Gates in certain right-wing circles.<\/p>

Among other things, conservatives accused the consultancy of operating as a multibillion-dollar dark money ATM for left-wing causes, allowing foreign money to flow into American politics, and blurring the lines between charitable work and political advocacy. The Republican crusade against Arabella has produced legislation, congressional investigations, litigation, and even an investigation from the district's attorney general.<\/p>

Following years of pressure, Arabella announced <\/a>that it would be shuttering. To replace it, a trio of nonprofit organizations previously managed by Arabella has formed a public benefit corporation called Sunflower Services, which will be used to manage the three nonprofit organizations as well as a handful of additional undisclosed nonprofit organizations.<\/p>

Reactions as to what this means for the network were mixed.<\/p>

The Washington Free Beacon reported <\/a>that \u201cunder the rebrand, things will remain functionally the same for Arabella's dark money network.\u201d Meanwhile, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which is friendlier toward liberals, wrote <\/a>that the reshuffling \u201cmarks a significant shift for the consultancy world.\u201d<\/p>

Before the reshuffle, Arabella managed the New Venture, Windward, Hopewell, Sixteen Thirty, North, Telescope, and Impetus funds \u2014 the first three of which are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that will control Sunflower Services, while the latter four are 501(c)(4) organizations.<\/p>

501(c)(3) groups face strict restrictions on their political activity, being barred from campaigning for or against candidates for public office and only being allowed to dedicate a limited amount of their expenditures to lobbying on nonpartisan matters. 501(c)(4) organizations, in exchange for not being able to offer tax deductions for donations, have much greater political license \u2014 being able to spend directly on electioneering, partisan lobbying, and political messaging. Donations to both types of nonprofit organizations are fully anonymous, leading to Arabella\u2019s \u201cdark money\u201d label.<\/p>

There was initially some ambiguity as to whether the Sixteen Thirty Fund, Arabella\u2019s largest and most important 501(c)(4), would be involved with the Sunflower Services when the reshuffling was first announced. This fueled speculation that the reorganization could serve to remedy possible legal matters arising from the network\u2019s unusual organizational structure, especially with a GOP-led IRS breathing down its neck.<\/p>

However, a spokesperson for the Sixteen Thirty Fund told <\/a>the Free Press on Dec. 12 that it would not take an ownership interest in Sunflower Services but that it would contract with it for services \u201cto support finance, HR, grants management, and compliance.\u201d The fate of the North Fund, Arabella\u2019s other major 501(c)(4), which most recently reported <\/a>holding $62.4 million in assets, remains uncertain.\u00a0<\/p>

Right-of-center nonprofit experts previously told <\/a>the Washington Examiner that the organizational change could functionally be a simple rebrand, allowing Arabella to shed the toxic branding and defang GOP legal attacks given its new name and structure. <\/p>

\u201cLet\u2019s say they\u2019re still working hand-in-glove with the 501(c)(3)s and the 501(c)(4)s, but you\u2019ve got the operation separated into two different legal entities,\u201d Capital Research Center President Scott Walter told the Washington Examiner. \u201cThat makes the story much harder, and to the extent that we\u2019ve succeeded in making Arabella well-known, now we have to make Sunflower and Vital Impact well-known.\u201d<\/p>

Eric Kessler, an alumnus of the Clinton administration, founded Arabella Advisors in 2005 as a philanthropic consulting firm and quickly grew it into what the Atlantic described <\/a>as the \u201cmothership\u201d of the liberal financial world.<\/p>

Walter, whose organization was at the forefront of documenting the network\u2019s development, told the Washington Examiner that Arabella went through three major phases before its reshuffling.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cIt starts with nothing to begin with,\u201d Walter said. \u201cIt's just Eric Kessler setting this thing up out of his garage in \u201905, and \u201907 is the first year the nonprofits take in more than a million. What\u2019s now called the New Venture Fund takes in $1.7 million, and $1 million of that was from Hansj\u00f6rg Wyss, a foreign national billionaire.\u201d<\/p>

Wyss is a Swiss billionaire who some on the Right have likened to Soros, owing to his similar proclivity for bankrolling left-wing causes. His being a Swiss national has led to allegations that Arabella facilitated the flow of foreign funds into U.S. politics. Walter called Wyss the \u201coriginal sugar daddy\u201d of the Arabella network.<\/p>

\u201cStage two is when they realize that, if they want to keep this fabulous growth going, they need to have somebody who really knows business,\u201d Walter continued. \u201cSo that's when they hire Sampriti Ganguli<\/a>. She had no experience whatsoever in the nonprofit sector. She was just a sharp CEO-type. They hired her, and she focused on tripling revenue.\u201d<\/p>

As Walter pointed out, tax filings show that Arabella\u2019s constituent nonprofit organizations saw explosive fundraising growth during Ganguli\u2019s tenure as CEO. New Venture Fund<\/a>, for instance, saw its revenue spike from $461 million in 2019 to $975 million in 2020. Meanwhile, Sixteen Thirty Fund<\/a> saw its revenue increase from $181 million in 2019 to $390 million in 2020. Fundraising numbers remained high at Arabella\u2019s nonprofit organizations from 2020 onward.<\/p>

\u201cBut then they realize, if we want to keep getting even richer and bigger, we need serious capital infusions,\u201d Walter said, explaining the genesis of the network\u2019s third phase.<\/p>

Concentric Equity Partners, a private equity firm based in Chicago, bought out<\/a> Arabella in 2020. During the period, Walter said, Arabella purchased competing philanthropic management firms. Concentric Equity Partners was partially divested from Arabella at one point and, in November, Arabella announced its dissolution and the foundation of Sunflower Services to replace it.\u00a0<\/p>

Before its restructuring, Arabella wielded power through various means. Among them were \u201cpop-up\u201d groups that critics accused the network of using to spoof grassroots support for its favored policies, funding for local media operations<\/a>, get-out-the-vote efforts that targeted pro-Democratic demographics, direct political contributions to liberal PACs, and funding for state ballot initiatives.\u00a0<\/p>

Perhaps the most controversial of Arabella\u2019s tactics was the Sixteen Thirty Fund\u2019s spending on state ballot initiatives<\/a>.<\/p>

The controversy arose from what conservatives described as widespread loopholes in state election laws nationwide. Several states allowed 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations to financially support or oppose ballot initiatives. Conservatives alleged that, since 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations are allowed to take funds from foreign donors, foreign money could be flooding state elections to help liberal activists achieve their policy objectives.<\/p>

States were indeed flooded with money from the Sixteen Thirty Fund to sway their ballot initiatives, especially to provide expanded access to abortion following the Supreme Court\u2019s overruling of Roe v. Wade in 2022. The Sixteen Thirty Fund spent roughly $79 million on 33 different state referendums between 2017 and 2023, according <\/a>to Ballotpedia, a nonprofit election information resource.<\/p>

During this same period, Wyss, the foreign billionaire, was counted among the fund\u2019s largest known donors, directing hundreds of millions of dollars its way. Conservatives pointed to this as evidence that foreign funds could be finding their way into American elections. Representatives for both Wyss and the Sixteen Thirty Fund maintained that they were obeying the law when approached by the press, but they would stop short of confirming or denying that Wyss\u2019s money was making its way into politics broadly.<\/p>

In response, states such as Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Wyoming enacted legislation that would expressly prohibit foreign funds from being spent on domestic ballot referendums. <\/p>

Comparably controversial was the Arabella network's vast array of groups, which it legally controlled, but which had branding suggesting they were local or grassroots in nature. Critics of the network dubbed these \u201cpop-up\u201d groups<\/a>. District corporate records show that the Sixteen Thirty Fund operates groups such as these under reams of trade names, including \u201cFamilies Over Billionaires,\u201d \u201cArizonans United for Health Care,\u201d \u201cKeep Iowa Healthy,\u201d \u201cFloridians for a Fair Shake,\u201d and \u201cMichigan Families for Economic Prosperity.\u201d<\/p>

One investigation <\/a>conducted by the Daily Caller News Foundation in 2023 found that the Log Off Movement and Design It For Us, a pair of nonprofit organizations that were presenting themselves as part of a grassroots youth movement to increase regulation of social media, were, in actuality, arms of the North Fund. Corporate records show that the organizations became independent after the investigation.<\/p>

\u201cThese groups like to present as grassroots-driven, and too many reporters treat them that way, when in fact the Arabella \u2018dark money\u2019 empire is orchestrating these political campaigns at the behest of left-wing megadonors,\u201d Walter said at the time. <\/p>

Some have accused the Arabella network\u2019s 501(c)(3) arms of pushing the limit regarding how political a charity can be. <\/p>

During the 2022 midterm elections, Arabella network pumped over<\/a> $62 million into groups focused on registering, engaging, and mobilizing voters, largely from demographics that have historically favored the Democratic Party. Much of this came from the network\u2019s 501(c)(3) arms.<\/p>

\u201cThe Arabella Advisors Network is not in the business of charity, and the tens of millions they have sent to \u2018charitable\u2019 get-out-the-vote and voter registration groups is just more proof that they aren\u2019t either,\u201d Parker Thayer, an investigative researcher at Capital Research Center, said at the time. \u201cVoter registration nonprofits are nothing more than a cost-effective way to achieve partisan electioneering results for Democrats while keeping the donors totally anonymous and giving them a tax write-off for their troubles.\u201d<\/p>

LIBERAL DARK MONEY GIANT REBRANDS TO DODGE SCRUTINY, OBSERVERS SAY<\/a><\/p>

For instance, the New Venture Fund reported an $8.5 million grant to the Voter Registration Project, an organization that was \u201ccommissioned<\/a>\u201d by top Democratic operative John Podesta to encourage primarily liberal demographics, such as low-income individuals, African Americans, and Latinos, to cast ballots.<\/p>

According to some, that money is not going anywhere.<\/p>

\u201cThey were the biggest \u2018dark money\u2019 operation anywhere on the political spectrum,\u201d Walter said of Arabella. \u201cFinally, after seven years of exposing them, we've embarrassed them enough that they felt the need to rebrand. And given that it doesn't look like they're going to change their operations much, we expect they\u2019ll continue to be a heavyweight player in \u2018dark money\u2019 and politicized nonprofits.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25268653066733.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379119-1767247200", "title":"Off-year Democratic gains send mixed signals ahead of 2026 ", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F4379119%2Foff-year-elections-test-democrats-2026%2F", "byline":"Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Democrats capped off a year of encouraging election results on Tuesday with victory in a closely watched Iowa special election. That result, coupled with gains earlier this year, as well as historic trends, points to them enjoying wider success in the 2026 midterm elections. However, strategists in both parties have cautioned against reading too much […]", "description":""

Democrats capped off a year of encouraging election results on Tuesday with victory in a closely watched Iowa special election<\/a>. That result, coupled with gains earlier this year, as well as historic trends, points to them enjoying wider success in the 2026 midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>

However, strategists in both parties have cautioned against reading too much into off-year results. With fewer voters participating, these races tend to be driven by the most engaged and partisan voters, along with heavy spending and national attention that can skew results in either direction.<\/p>

The Iowa result came weeks after decisive wins in high-profile gubernatorial races in Virginia<\/a> and New Jersey<\/a> and the mayoral contest<\/a> in New York. Beyond the marquee contests, Democrats also logged a series of smaller-but-consequential victories, flipping two seats<\/a> on Georgia\u2019s Public Service Commission, winning Miami\u2019s mayoral office <\/a>for the first time in decades, and securing a redistricting victory<\/a> in California after voters approved new congressional maps expected to tilt in Democrats\u2019 favor.<\/p>

The 2025 elections reshaped the balance of power inside several statehouses, delivering tangible gains beyond individual races. Democrats emerged with a commanding hold on the Virginia House not seen in generations, strengthened their majority in New Jersey\u2019s Assembly, and dismantled GOP supermajorities in both Iowa and Mississippi. The party also notched an unexpected state Senate pickup in a deep-red corner of Pennsylvania and followed it with an upset in a Georgia district that backed President Donald Trump by double digits just one year earlier.<\/p>

Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist, said early off-year elections often provide one of the clearest previews of midterm election outcomes. He pointed to the 2009 election cycle under former President Barack Obama, when Republicans scored a series of unlikely and lopsided victories that foreshadowed the GOP\u2019s sweeping gains one year later.<\/p>

That year, Chris Christie flipped New Jersey\u2019s governorship, Bob McDonnell won the Virginia governor\u2019s race in a landslide, and months later, Republican Scott Brown captured a Massachusetts Senate seat in a January 2010 special election, an upset that rattled Democrats. Together, those results signaled mounting voter dissatisfaction with the party in power well ahead of the GOP\u2019s 2010 midterm \"shellacking<\/a>\" of Democrats, when Republicans reclaimed the House and made significant Senate gains.<\/p>

\u201cWhat happens in off-year elections in the first year of a presidency tends to say a great deal about what\u2019s going to happen in the midterms,\u201d Reinish said. \u201cBy the looks of it, all the indicators point to 2025 being a very successful year for Democrats and an upward trajectory for next year.\u201d<\/p>

However, Republicans have not been shut out. Trump-backed Republican Matt Van Epps held<\/a> a conservative, Nashville-area House seat, defeating a progressive Democrat by nine points. The win, however, came by a far slimmer margin than Trump\u2019s 22-point rout in the district just one year earlier. That underperformance mirrored a broader pattern in Florida\u2019s special House elections<\/a> earlier this year, where Republicans prevailed but fell short of traditional GOP benchmarks.\u00a0<\/p>

Republicans argue many of Democrats\u2019 recent victories say more about the dynamics of low-turnout races than about a lasting change in the electorate. They contend that recent margins in those environments do not always carry over once millions more voters enter the picture, and they often reflect resource advantages in isolated races.<\/p>

\u201cWhen Democrats have to pour national money into a state Senate district, so blue Republicans didn\u2019t even field a candidate last cycle, that\u2019s not coalition-building \u2014 it\u2019s maintenance,\u201d said Greg Manz, a GOP strategist with Direct Edge Campaigns. \u201cBy contrast, Republicans are focused on assembling durable, winning coalitions across competitive Midwestern districts, with strong, well-funded candidates positioned for success in Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and beyond in 2026.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Republicans also point to redistricting<\/a> as a wild card heading into 2026. Trump\u2019s call for mid-cycle redistricting has prompted an unusually aggressive push by Republican-led states to redraw House maps this year, injecting uncertainty into the fight for control of Congress. Several new maps enacted in 2025 are expected to yield GOP gains, and party operatives say Republicans could end the year with a net advantage in newly favorable seats. The maps create a possibly decisive edge in a House fight likely to be settled by only a handful of races.<\/p>

Still, the economic backdrop is emerging as a liability for Republicans. Voters consistently ranked the economy<\/a> as the top concern across the 2025 elections, a warning sign for Trump and the GOP as they look toward the midterm elections. Democrats\u2019 most prominent winners in 2025 centered their campaigns on affordability and cost-of-living pressures, capitalizing on an environment in which recent polls show some of the president's weakest economic approval ratings<\/a> to date.<\/p>

Brad Bannon, a Democratic pollster, said Democrats\u2019 steady overperformance in off-year elections has mirrored voter frustration with prices and broader economic direction. He noted that Trump\u2019s approval rating has hovered in the high 30s to low 40s nationally, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans say the country is on the wrong track.<\/p>

\u201cAs long as prices are high and Trump\u2019s approval is low, that\u2019s a godsend for Democrats,\u201d Bannon said, adding that recent special elections show Democratic candidates running well ahead of the party\u2019s traditional baseline. \u201cIf Republicans think these elections are false indicators, they\u2019re whistling past the graveyard.\u201d<\/p>

That warning is shared across party lines. Republican strategist Dennis Lennox said while special elections can be unpredictable, Republicans ignore them at their peril.<\/p>

\u201cWhen Democrats keep outperforming baseline expectations in special and off-year races, it\u2019s a warning light heading into a midterm that is already structurally difficult for the party in power,\u201d Lennox said. \u201cIgnoring it is how you lose.\u201d<\/p>

While Republicans still have pathways to hold Congress, Lennox said the margin for error is shrinking.  <\/p>

\u201cDenial is not a strategy,\u201d he said. <\/p>

DEMOCRAT RENEE HARDMAN WINS IOWA SENATE SPECIAL ELECTION<\/a><\/p>

\u201cBased on history, it\u2019s hard to see 2026 landing anywhere other than between the Democratic waves of 2006 and 2018,\" Lennox said. \"For Republicans, winning depends on turnout, which pushes them to nationalize races and keep Trump on the ballot.\u201d<\/p>

Strategists caution that off-year elections are signals, not destinies, with economic conditions, turnout dynamics, and campaign messaging still capable of reshaping the map before November 2026. For now, Democrats see momentum and Republicans see manageable risk, leaving less than a year for the competing interpretations to be tested.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25350476195456.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379228-1767247200", "title":"How Hegseth can reinforce military chaplains", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4379228%2Fhow-hegseth-can-reinforce-military-chaplains%2F", "byline":"Amy Vitale", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"George Washington founded the Army Chaplain Corps 250 years ago because he knew it was wrong to ask his troops to give the ultimate sacrifice while depriving them of the religious support they needed. Recently, War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced renewed attention to the Chaplain Corps, giving the Trump administration and Congress an opportunity to reinforce […]", "description":""

George Washington<\/a> founded the Army<\/a> Chaplain Corps 250 years ago because he knew it was wrong to ask his troops to give the ultimate sacrifice while depriving them of the religious<\/a> support they needed. Recently, War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced renewed attention to the Chaplain Corps,\u00a0giving the Trump administration and Congress an opportunity to reinforce its strength for the next 250 years.<\/p>

The Justice Department, through the Religious Liberty Commission, has already taken a first step in a similar direction, recently\u00a0holding<\/a>\u00a0a hearing<\/a>\u00a0on religious liberty in the military. I was honored to be invited to outline for the commission what military chaplains do and how their role is supported by the Constitution and federal law. As Hegseth and senior military leadership take a closer look at this matter, there are several structural and legal principles they should keep in mind.<\/p>

First, the chaplaincy is necessary to fulfill the government\u2019s constitutional duty of respecting the religious freedom of our men and women in uniform. Religious liberty is core to what makes America a great nation. In the context of military service, the First Amendment\u2019s promise creates an additional duty to provide for religious exercise.<\/p>

That\u2019s because those who answer the call to defend our nation leave their families and faith communities to be deployed to new and foreign places. They are asked to take on challenging, stressful, and grueling duties far from the support structures the rest of us take for granted. And that\u2019s why the chaplaincy exists: to bring God to soldiers on the front lines, where no one else can. We can not ask them to give up their religious liberties that they are defending for the nation.<\/p>

Second, the role of a chaplain is inherently\u00a0religious. Of course, the government is not qualified to decide what makes a good Catholic priest, baptist pastor, Jewish rabbi, or Muslim imam. Thus, all chaplains are endorsed or certified by their own faith groups, who are best fit to judge their religious qualifications. These chaplains then perform two roles: They are both commissioned officers in the U.S. military and religious leaders. But, at all times, they represent the faith groups that send them to serve.<\/p>

When chaplains perform their duties, which involve pastoral counseling and leading congregational worship, they do so as pastors, priests, rabbis, or imams of their own faith groups. This means that a chaplain\u2019s counsel is inherently religious and protected by the First Amendment, which places a structural protection around chaplains\u2019 performance of religious duties. Because military chaplains serve members of all faiths, if there is a need that a chaplain cannot meet, he or she provides for that need by connecting the service member with another chaplain or lay leader who can meet it.<\/p>

Chaplains, along with all service members, are additionally protected by multiple federal statutes, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and conscience protections in the National Defense Authorization Act. Collectively, these laws ensure that chaplains are not forced to abandon the very religious beliefs that animate their service. <\/p>

For example, in the mid-1990s, after former President Bill Clinton vetoed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Pentagon issued a gag order forbidding military chaplains of any faith to speak about important moral issues in legislation. It was RFRA that protected the ability of a Catholic priest, Father Vincent Rigdon, and a Jewish rabbi, Rabbi David Kaye, to speak to their congregations about protecting life, ensuring that military orders did not censor sermons.<\/p>

Third, chaplains are an essential part of advising commanders. Chaplains help commanding officers ensure they meet the military\u2019s legal obligations to provide for troops\u2019 religious exercise. A chaplain can advise, for instance, on the sincerity of a Jewish or Sikh service member\u2019s need for a neat and conservative beard, help commanders understand the importance of providing such accommodations, and help troops navigate the protections and processes in place to provide for this modest and reasonable\u00a0accommodation<\/a>. And they can help ensure the military brass does not run roughshod over religious conscience, as federal courts found occurred all too often in the COVID-19 vaccine context.<\/p>

Chaplains best fulfill this advisory role when they are fully integrated into decision-making processes by the officers they serve. Chaplains are able to help provide advice that both protects the rights of service members and ensures we are able to maintain the best and brightest recruits of the highest moral character.<\/p>

With all of this in mind, there are several actions Hegseth and Congress should consider to maintain the chaplaincy\u2019s effectiveness. The executive and legislative branches can ensure the role of chaplain remains a fundamentally religious role. Chaplains are pastoral and should not be diluted to something less than that.<\/p>

The president can support, and Congress can maintain, full application of RFRA to protect religion in the military. More than anywhere else in the federal government, culture matters in the military. Proactive support for RFRA\u2019s consistent application from the highest levels of the secretary\u2019s office will cultivate a culture that protects religious liberty for all.<\/p>

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS HELP MAKE OUR MILITARY GREAT<\/a><\/p>

Congress can work with Hegseth to integrate chaplains better as advisers in the chain of command and to implement training for commanding officers, military lawyers, and chaplains on constitutional and statutory protections for religious freedom.\u00a0And Congress can ensure an adequate number of chaplains and the necessary supporting commissioned and contract staffing are maintained.<\/p>

Finally, as we celebrate America\u2019s 250th birthday, national leaders can help us\u00a0remember<\/a>\u00a0the sacrificial heroism of military chaplains throughout our history. From the\u00a0four chaplains<\/a>\u00a0on the SS Dorchester, who gave their life vests and lives to save others on a sinking ship, to\u00a0Chaplain Dale Goetz<\/a>, who gave his life to serve beside his men in Afghanistan, military chaplains have been the recipients of our nation\u2019s highest honors of valor and sacrifice. They reflect the best of what America has to offer \u2014 laying down your life for a higher cause to serve others. We must honor their service and inspire virtue in future generations by telling their stories.<\/p>

\u00a0Amy\u00a0Vitale\u00a0is a government affairs counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/hegseth-signal-use.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379320-1767247200", "title":"Israel bristles as Trump cozies up to strong men in suits", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4379320%2Fisrael-bristles-trump-cozies-up-to-strong-men-in-suits%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"TEL AVIV, Israel – President Donald Trump’s willingness to sit down with any world leader, even dictators, has allies, such as Israel, on edge.  Trump’s untraditional approach to diplomacy has been criticized for rewarding bad behavior from the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the pair meeting last summer in Alaska, to North Korean […]", "description":""

TEL AVIV, Israel \u2013 President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s willingness to sit down with any world leader, even dictators, has allies, such as Israel<\/a>, on edge. <\/p>

Trump\u2019s untraditional approach to diplomacy has been criticized for rewarding bad behavior from the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin<\/a>, with the pair meeting last summer in Alaska, to North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un<\/a> during his first administration. <\/p>

At the same time, it has created opportunities for cooperation and partnerships as Trump, for example, puts pressure on other countries for trade<\/a> deals, military<\/a> purchases, and natural resource agreements.<\/p>

Trump, again, demonstrated his unorthodox diplomatic approach this week when he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <\/a>to the 'winter White House<\/a>', his Mar-a-Lago private club in Palm Beach, Florida.<\/p>

Israel has become increasingly concerned about Trump\u2019s relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan<\/a>. In October, the Turkish leader proposed taking a leadership role in the international stabilization force that Trump hopes to have in Gaza<\/a> following the Israel-Hamas<\/a> war. Erdogan has also appealed to Trump regarding the restart of the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Sales were stopped in 2019 after Turkey purchased the S-400 missile system from Russia<\/a>, helping preserve Israel\u2019s military advantage in the region.<\/p>

Israel\u2019s concerns about Erdogan stem from his past support of more extreme forms of Islam, the imprisonment of political opponents, and other democratic backsliding.<\/p>

\u201cI know President Erdogan very well and, as you all know, he's a very good friend of mine,\u201d Trump said alongside Netanyahu this week. \u201cI do respect him, and Bibi respects him, and they're not going to have a problem.\u201d<\/p>

Trump\u2019s relationship with Erdogan has also been pivotal in the shaping of U.S. foreign policy toward Syria<\/a>. In June, Trump announced sanctions against Syria. Last month, he hosted Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa<\/a>, a former al Qaeda <\/a>jihadist who last December pushed dictator Bashar al-Assad<\/a> out of power, to the White House.<\/p>

Israel is similarly concerned that Sharaa continues to be inspired by Islamic extremism and reports of ethnic minority massacres within the country.<\/p>

\u201cNow with Syria, you know, your new president,\u201d Trump said on Monday. \u201cI respect him. He's a very strong guy, and that's what you need in Syria. You can't put a choir boy. You can't put somebody that's a perfect person, everything's nice, no problems in life. You have the opposite there.\u201d<\/p>

The president added: \u201cI'm sure that Israel and him will get along. I will try and make it so that they do get along.\u201d<\/p>

During a press briefing in Tel Aviv, Israel, Gallia Lindenstrauss, a Turkey analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies, said \u201cit feels like Turkey is closing on [Israel] from two sides\u201d \u2013 from Gaza and Syria.<\/p>

\u201cTurkey is seen as a biased actor,\u201d Lindenstrauss said. \u201cTurkey is supportive of Hamas, has been very consistent in its support of Hamas since 2006, wants to see Hamas remain dominant, or at least behind the scenes in Gaza, the day after, and, hence, is not aligned with the interest of weakening Hamas and dismantling it.\u201d<\/p>

She continued: \u201cTurkey is not doing anything to relax Israel's anxieties on the issue. On the contrary, you see on a weekly basis, or even sometimes on a daily basis, critical remarks, and even sometimes very vicious remarks, coming out of Erdogan with regards to Israel.\u201d<\/p>

Speaking from Migdal Tefen, Israel, near the Lebanon border, Sarit Zehavi, president and founder of Alma Northern Research Center, conveyed concerns about Syria's Sharaa to the Washington Examiner earlier this month.<\/p>

During a separate briefing by Sarit Zehavi, founder and president of Alma Northern Research Center, in Migdal Tefen, Israel, near the Lebanon border, Zehavi conveyed concerns about Sharaa to the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\u201cWho are you? Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde,\u201d Zehavi, questioning whether he is the terrorist of the past or the man who met Trump at the White House. \u201cHe is not the guy you all think he is. The tie is just a tie. It doesn't mean anything. He's building an Islamist state in Syria.\u201d<\/p>

Israel is concerned, too, about Trump\u2019s relationship with Saudi Arabia,<\/a> which the president honored with the first pseudo-state dinner of his second term in November.\u00a0<\/p>

During Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman<\/a>\u2019s trip to the White House, Trump announced the U.S. would sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia, again, undermining Israel\u2019s military dominance.<\/p>

In addition, Trump has been advocating in support of Israel and Saudi Arabia signing on to his Abraham Accords, which would normalize relations between the two countries.<\/p>

Regardless, Saudi Arabia has promised not to do so until Gaza receives statehood, as Israel simultaneously expands its Jewish settlements in the West Bank<\/a>, decreasing the likelihood of a two-state solution any time soon.<\/p>

\u201cSaudi Arabia is great,\u201d Trump said Monday. \u201cWe have a great leader and friend of mine, and a friend of a lot of people, also an enemy of some people, but those people aren't doing so well, though.\u201d<\/p>

He went on saying, \u201cThey're getting along great with Israel. They will, and at some point they'll sign the Abraham Accords.\u201d<\/p>

In response to a question from the Washington Examiner, MK Amit Halevi, a member of Netanyahu\u2019s Likud Party in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, expressed frustration with the West\u2019s reaction to Israel\u2019s concerns.<\/p>

\u201cIt's not Israel's problem in my eyes,\u201d Halevi said. \u201cToday the Jews [are] paying the biggest price, and they are the first to pay the price all over the history. But it will not end with the Jews.\u201d<\/p>

In spite of Israel's complaints, Netanyahu's own leadership has been criticized as he contends with a corruption trial from which Trump is endeavoring to secure the prime minister a pardon.<\/p>

TRUMP RISKS POPULARITY IN ISRAEL WITH NETANYAHU PARDON PUSH<\/a><\/p>

\u201cIt's very important who the prime minister and president of Israel are,\u201d Trump said on Monday. \u201cBibi\u2019s a strong man. He can be very difficult on occasion, but you need a strong man. If you had a weak man, you wouldn't have Israel.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25363756466367.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3971565-1767243600", "title":"Lower court clashes with the Supreme Court are exploding", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsupreme-court%2F3971565%2Flower-court-clashes-supreme-court-exploding%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Supreme Court and lower federal courts had many clashes in 2025, highlighting tensions between federal judges and the courts above them. In an eventful year in the courts, the record number of stays the Supreme Court granted on its emergency docket fueled clashes between the high court and lower courts in hotly contested legal […]", "description":""

The Supreme Court<\/a> and lower federal courts<\/a> had many clashes in 2025, highlighting tensions between federal judges and the courts above them.<\/p>

In an eventful year in the courts, the record number of stays the Supreme Court granted on its emergency docket fueled clashes between the high court and lower courts in hotly contested legal disputes, mostly over Trump administration policies and actions.<\/p>Supreme Court pushes back on lower courts' disregarding orders

The Supreme Court pushed back against lower court judges disregarding previous orders in emergency docket orders in 2025, including one case that drew a sharp rebuke from Justice Neil Gorsuch.<\/p>

In August, the Supreme Court granted an emergency request to allow the cancellation of $783 million in diversity, equity, and inclusion-related grants from the National Institutes of Health, after it previously gave the green light for the Trump administration to cut $65 million in DEI-related teacher training grants in April on the emergency docket.<\/p>

The August order, which granted another pause in a nearly identical case, included a concurrence from Gorsuch, who took aim at lower court judges with a warning that they \"may sometimes disagree with this Court\u2019s decisions, but they are never free to defy them.\"<\/p>

\u201cSo this is now the third time in a matter of weeks this Court has had to intercede in a case squarely controlled by one of its precedents,\u201d Gorsuch wrote in his August concurrence.<\/p>

\u201cAll these interventions should have been unnecessary, but together they underscore a basic tenet of our judicial system: Whatever their own views, judges are duty-bound to respect the hierarchy of the federal court system created by the Constitution and Congress,\u201d he added.<\/p>

The other major instance of a justice calling out a lower court in a ruling came in July, when the high court had to issue a clarification in an emergency docket case where the Supreme Court allowed for the deportation of illegal immigrants to \"third countries.\" The clarification was issued after a district court still attempted to block the deportation of a group of illegal immigrants to South Sudan based on a technicality.<\/p>

Justice Elena Kagan, who joined the majority of the initial order, concurred with the clarification, calling out the district court for trying to disregard the high court's ruling.<\/p>

\u201cI continue to believe that this Court should not have stayed the District Court\u2019s April 18 order enjoining the Government from deporting non-citizens to third countries without notice or a meaningful opportunity to be heard,\u201d she wrote in her concurrence.<\/p>

\u201cBut a majority of this Court saw things differently, and I do not see how a district court can compel compliance with an order that this Court has stayed,\u201d Kagan said.<\/p>Lower court judges take aim at Supreme Court orders

While most federal judges tend not to throw jabs at the justices on the Supreme Court, some offered sharp rebukes aimed at the high court over its emergency orders.<\/p>

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs offered a thinly veiled jab at Gorsuch's comments about disregarding Supreme Court orders when she issued a ruling blocking the Trump administration from freezing $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard University in September.<\/p>

\u201cThis Court understands, of course, that the Supreme Court, like the district courts, is trying to resolve these issues quickly, often on an emergency basis, and that the issues are complex and evolving,\u201d Burroughs wrote.<\/p>

\u201cGiven this, however, the Court respectfully submits that it is unhelpful and unnecessary to criticize district courts for \u2018defy[ing]\u2019 the Supreme Court when they are working to find the right answer in a rapidly evolving doctrinal landscape, where they must grapple with both existing precedent and interim guidance from the Supreme Court that appears to set that precedent aside without much explanation or consensus,\u201d she said.<\/p>

The Supreme Court also faced jabs from anonymous federal judges who spoke to<\/a> NBC News earlier this year, with one accusing the high court of \"inexcusable\" orders on its emergency docket that show the justices \"don\u2019t have our backs.\"<\/p>

Another unnamed federal judge accused the high court of aiding the Trump administration with its emergency orders in \u201cundermining the lower courts,\u201d saying lower court judges have been \u201cthrown under the bus\u201d by the justices' orders.<\/p>

The hostility was not shared by all lower court judges \u2014 not even by the federal judge whom Gorsuch called out for allegedly defying the high court's previous emergency docket order.<\/p>

\u201cThose justices, and indeed the entire court, can be assured that this court will absolutely obey and generously adhere to the precedential decisions of the Supreme Court, as I have done and tried to do throughout all my judicial service,\u201d U.S. District Judge William Young said<\/a> in a September hearing.<\/p>Supreme Court justices also clashed with each other in some rulings this year

While there were some clashes between lower courts and the Supreme Court, there were also multiple instances in 2025 where justices took aim at their colleagues on the high court.<\/p>

In the majority opinion for Trump v. CASA, Justice Amy Coney Barrett swiftly dismissed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's dissent, which attacked the majority for limiting lower courts' ability to issue universal injunctions.<\/p>

\"We will not dwell on Justice Jackson's argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries\u2019 worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary,\" Barrett wrote in her opinion.<\/p>

Barrett also noted in a footnote that \"among its many problems,\" Jackson's rationale in her dissent \"is at odds with our system of divided judicial authority.\"<\/p>

The sharp rebuke by Barrett of her fellow justice was widely noted when it was issued in June 2025, with Barrett later defending her spicy opinion, saying<\/a> \u201cI attack ideas, not people,\u201d quoting the late Justice Antonin Scalia.<\/p>

The various orders issued by the high court in 2025, which handed President Donald Trump a record number of wins on the emergency docket, generally fell along ideological lines, with the six Republican-appointed justices and the three Democrat-appointed justices. As the number of successful emergency docket requests continued to accumulate, the liberal minority expressed increasing frustration through its dissents, accusing the majority of misusing the emergency docket.<\/p>

One of the most blistering dissents came in an emergency order allowing Texas to use its newly redrawn congressional map for the 2026 elections. Kagan wrote the dissent for the minority, arguing that the majority failed to understand its role when reviewing emergency petitions.<\/p>

\"The majority today loses sight of its proper role. It is supposed to review the District Court\u2019s factfinding only for clear error. But under that deferential standard, the District Court\u2019s 'plausible' (actually, quite careful) factfinding must survive. The majority can reach the result it does\u2014 overturning the District Court\u2019s finding of racial line-drawing, even if to achieve partisan goals\u2014only by arrogating to itself that court\u2019s rightful function,\" she wrote in her December dissent.<\/p>

SUPREME COURT GRAPPLES WITH HOW MUCH EXECUTIVE POWER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES REALLY EXERT<\/a><\/p>

\"We know better, the majority declares today. I cannot think of a reason why. And this Court\u2019s eagerness to playact a district court here has serious consequence,\" Kagan wrote.<\/p>

With several hot-button issues slated to be decided at the Supreme Court in 2026, including Trump's controversial birthright citizenship order, there could be additional clashes between courts and the justices.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25344035340229.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364712-1767243600", "title":"Five hopes for the new year", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2F4364712%2Ffive-hopes-new-year-goals-trump%2F", "byline":"Washington Examiner", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New Year’s Day is a celebration of the hope and promise of a fresh start. In that spirit, we have identified five goals that we hope will be achieved in 2026. Some of the items on our 2026 list are repeats from 2025: Progress has been made, but the goal has not been fully obtained. […]", "description":""

New Year\u2019s Day<\/a> is a celebration of the hope and promise of a fresh start. In that spirit, we have identified five goals that we hope will be achieved in 2026. Some of the items on our 2026 list are repeats from 2025: Progress has been made, but the goal has not been fully obtained.<\/p>

We are happy to report, however, that two goals from our 2025 list<\/a> were achieved: border security and permanent tax reform. Hopefully, our leaders in the White House<\/a>, Congress<\/a>, and the states will turn more of our hopes into reality by this time next year.<\/p>1. An end to the war in Ukraine

The pace of killing appears to have slowed down, but easily more than 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed this year alone in what has become the largest and worst conflict in Europe since 1945. President Donald Trump was unable to bring the war to an end on Day One of his second term in office, but he has overseen steady, if somewhat uneven, progress toward an end to the fighting.\u00a0<\/p>

The foundation of a deal is there. Ukraine would accept\u00a0territorial concessions and suspend efforts to join NATO<\/a> in return for Western security guarantees. This is not an ideal end, but it would be an end. However, Putin is balking over the security guarantees. They would make it harder for him to reinvade in the future. Hopefully, Trump will find the right pressure points (through sanctions on friendly oligarchs and Russia\u2019s trading partners) to get him to acquiesce to a deal. Any deal with Putin would most likely be temporary and would require constant vigilance, but it would be an improvement over the current constant death and destruction.<\/p>2. Permitting reform

A year ago, we were bemoaning the death of the Barrasso-Manchin bipartisan permitting reform bill, legislation that would have exempted only certain energy projects favored by Democrats, like\u00a0powerline transmission and geothermal energy, from the burdensome\u00a0National Environmental Policy Act process. Now the House has passed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, which would provide long-overdue NEPA reform not just to energy projects, but to all federal government permitting decisions. This is a major step forward. A compromise should be found to advance the legislation through the Senate.<\/p>3. An end to 'Liberation Day' tariffs

Encouraged by Trump\u2019s deregulatory agenda and the imminent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, business investment was increasing steadily before Trump upended the entire economy with his unilateral \"Liberation Day\" tariffs. While the intense inflation that some predicted never materialized, business investment has still been weak as companies dealt with the many uncertainties that Trump\u2019s constantly changing tariff policies created. We have said from the beginning that these tariffs are both illegal and unwise, and we still believe the Supreme Court will find that Trump lacked the authority to implement them. Trump should take such a decision as an off-ramp from what has been the biggest blunder of his second term.<\/p>4.\u00a0 Housing

Rents have begun to decrease in many cities, in no small part due to Trump\u2019s successful mass deportations. However, home ownership is still out of reach for far too many workers, especially young men and women looking to start a family. Fortunately, both the House and Senate have passed bipartisan legislation that would increase housing supply by cutting regulations (the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream to Housing Act in the Senate and the Housing for the 21st Century Act in the House). House and Senate leaders should find a way to combine the bills and put them on Trump\u2019s desk.<\/p>

SAN FRANCISCO'S EMPTY REPARATIONS PROMISES<\/a><\/p>5. Multiplying the Mississippi miracle\u00a0

Long a punchline for backwater ineptitude, Mississippi has turned that image around in recent years by climbing the charts in reading scores at the fourth- and eighth-grade levels. Beginning in the 2010s, Mississippi adopted science-of-reading reforms, including phonics-based instruction, intensive teacher training, universal literacy screening, and clear accountability tied to student promotion. The results have been striking. On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Mississippi posted the fastest gains in fourth-grade reading in the country, closing long-standing gaps. Other states have taken notice. Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas have passed or expanded similar literacy laws, and more states will likely follow suit.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25363767852117.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379153-1767243600", "title":"Walz received $10,000 from donors tied to Somali-run day care centers", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Finvestigations%2F4379153%2Fwalz-received-10k-from-donors-tied-somali-run-care-centers%2F", "byline":"Mia Cathell", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), whose administration is accused of allowing Somali fraudsters to target Minnesota’s child care subsidies program, received nearly $10,000 in campaign contributions from supporters connected to Somali-operated day care centers. The Democratic donors involved in Somali day cares and home health services have written considerable checks to Walz’s gubernatorial campaign, according to […]", "description":""

Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN), whose administration is accused of allowing Somali fraudsters to target Minnesota<\/a>\u2019s child care subsidies program, received nearly $10,000 in campaign contributions from supporters connected to Somali<\/a>-operated day care centers.<\/p>

The Democratic donors involved in Somali day cares and home health services have written considerable checks to Walz\u2019s gubernatorial campaign, according to campaign finance filings<\/a> compiled by the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

Like the Somali-run child care facilities highlighted<\/a> by videographer Nick Shirley, these companies appear as legitimate businesses on paper, but upon closer inspection, some appear not to be operational.<\/p>

Walz\u2019s 2022 reelection campaign received $1,000 from Mohamed Rabi, of Hiawatha Adult Day Center Inc, which does not have its own website, for instance.<\/p>

Third-party<\/a> sites<\/a> operating out of New Jersey list the facility\u2019s address as Franklin Avenue, a crime hot spot in south Minneapolis. The adult day care center is supposedly housed within a run-down strip mall, occupying four commercial suites next to African Immigrants Community Services, a refugee resettlement program<\/a> helping East Africans obtain public benefits<\/a>.<\/p>

<\/a>Doing business<\/a> as Hiawatha Senior Center, the entity is actively registered<\/a> with the Minnesota Department of Education as a child nutrition organization, receiving reimbursements<\/a> for meals and snacks served at the center through the state\u2019s federally funded Child and Adult Care Food Program<\/a>.<\/p>

The state Department of Human Services previously cited<\/a> the center for failing to provide patient records, including medical history, monthly progress reports, medication regimen, and notes on treatment.<\/p>

Yusuf Hassan, a business consultant, is listed as the center\u2019s chief executive officer. Hassan was also the director of Loving Arms Adult Daycare, another agency that lacked a discernible digital footprint and received payments through the state nutrition program.<\/p>

In 2021, Walz received a $1,000 campaign contribution from Khadar Jama, of Open Hearts Home Health Care, a Minneapolis-based at-home care provider that also lacks an independent website.<\/p>

The care center\u2019s office address<\/a> is the same as Caring Home Health\u2019s listed location<\/a>, which traces back to a three-bedroom residential home. Caring Home Health, a Somali-owned assisted living facility licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health, was flagged in 2024 for a number of safety violations, including insufficient patient care plans, according to a DHS inspection report<\/a>.<\/p>

WALZ ALLIES LED STATE AGENCIES THAT OVERSAW MASSIVE ALLEGED SOMALI DAY CARE FRAUD<\/a><\/p>

When Walz first ran for governor in 2018, he received $2,250 from Abdiwadi Husen, of Minnesota Quality Care, and $500 from Nazneen Khatoon, of Best Care Home Health Care.<\/p>

Best Care<\/a> was under investigation in 2023 for suspected maltreatment. According to a memorandum<\/a>, the DHS inspector general\u2019s office discovered \u201cneglect of a vulnerable adult\u201d in the facility\u2019s care. The incident involved a staff member smoking marijuana during a patient\u2019s medical appointment and then driving the client, who has early-onset Alzheimer\u2019s disease, home while under the influence.<\/p>

That year, Best Care was also issued a correction order<\/a> for repeatedly failing to develop individual abuse prevention plans as required<\/a> and for failing to complete well-being assessments. <\/p>

One past Yelp review claimed<\/a> that Best Care \u201cseem[ed] more concerned about making money than doing a good job,\u201d citing billing as the facility\u2019s top priority.<\/p>

In 2023, a judge found<\/a> that Best Care improperly collected $2.23 million in Minnesota Health Care Program funds and ordered the organization to pay a penalty for the overpayments, which resulted from documentation errors.<\/p>

Best Care was previously accused<\/a> in civil court of fraudulently billing or overcharging the federal government for healthcare services that were never actually performed. The staff allegedly forged fraudulent nursing notes, which Best Care reportedly submitted as proof of care to collect Medicare and Medicaid payments. In 2014, Best Care reached a settlement agreement with the federal government, which resulted from a case brought by whistleblower claims.<\/p>

In a separate 2002 suit<\/a>, the U.S. government lodged civil proceedings against Best Care for allegedly submitting fraudulent Medicare reimbursement claims. According to the complaint, Best Care, \u201cby and through Khatoon,\u201d billed Medicare on behalf of two other healthcare organizations that were not eligible for reimbursements themselves because they were not certified as Medicare providers, and agreed to split the payments.<\/p>

Between 2017 and 2018, Kenyan-born businessman Siyad Abdullahi, of Somali descent, donated a total of $4,000 to Walz\u2019s campaign coffers.<\/p>

Abdullahi, a self-described \u201cnationally recognized expert in cultural competency,\u201d is the co-founder of several Minneapolis-area companies, including Midwest Career Institute, The Language Banc, and Pro-Health Home Care Agency, a home and community-based service eligible<\/a> for Medicaid reimbursements.<\/p>

Pro-Health Home Care, sometimes stylized<\/a> as Pro-Health Care Inc., supplies \u201cculturally appropriate\u201d caregivers outside of a hospital setting for post-discharge senior citizens and other incapacitated individuals. Aside from non-medical personal care assistants, an intake coordinator said that there are currently no skilled nurses available, as advertised<\/a>, and recommended seeking private-duty nursing services elsewhere in Minnesota. Abdullahi had told the press<\/a> that they have over 700 professionally trained caretakers, including licensed nurses, on hand.<\/p>

MINNESOTA HUMAN SERVICES EMPLOYEES BLAME WALZ FOR \u2018MASSIVE FRAUD\u2019 IN STATE<\/a><\/p>

The Language Banc, which has since been acquired<\/a> by Piedmont Global Language Solutions, purportedly had more than 1,000 contracted translators available around the clock to provide 24\/7 interpretation services for communicating medical matters.<\/p>

However, one client review<\/a> on the company\u2019s Yelp page warned, \u201cScammer, using unqualified or uneducated interpreters for medical interpreting. Beware!\u201d<\/p>

A data entry employee, who later became a business developer for Language Banc, sued<\/a> Abdullahi in federal court, claiming that she was not paid overtime, despite working almost 60 hours a week, and was not allowed to take lunch breaks. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed in 2015 for unspecified reasons.<\/p>

Neighboring a used car lot, the Language Banc was located inside a small building, now home to the newly shuttered<\/a> Kids Care Center, a separate Somali-owned business that was fined<\/a> for failing to perform proper background checks on its staff.<\/p>

Abdullahi\u2019s Language Banc took over<\/a> the commercial space from Midwest Career Institute after the vocational school, which trained bilingual healthcare workers, dissolved<\/a> following its brief operation.<\/p>

The companies combined produced a revenue of $6 million, Abdullahi told<\/a> Twin Cities Business in 2013.<\/p>

\u201cCHAMS Media, Your Visibility Partner,\u201d a Kenyan-based content production and promotional brand-marketing company, recently released a documentary-length profile praising Abdullahi as a \u201ccelebrated\u2026leader in Minnesota\u201d running multiple healthcare-related businesses.<\/p>

In the video<\/a>, Abdullahi explained to Kenyan viewers where Minneapolis is and \u201chow to make it in business abroad as a foreigner.\u201d The footage also featured<\/a> photos<\/a> of Abdullahi, a Hillary Clinton donor<\/a>, posing for one-on-one pictures with the former Secretary of State and former President Bill Clinton.<\/p>

Local news outlets in Minneapolis have published similar stories touting Abdullahi\u2019s entrepreneurial success. Business Journal\u2019s Minneapolis-St. Paul Division declared<\/a> Abdullahi one of the Most Admired CEOs of 2020, and Language Banc the 20th fastest-growing company<\/a> in the Twin Cities region at that time.<\/p>

In Minneapolis, Abdullahi has held several positions on city committees tasked with advising the mayor and city council on policy and budgetary matters. Among them, Abdullahi served as a business representative<\/a> on the Minneapolis Workforce Council, a member<\/a> of the Minneapolis Public Health Advisory Committee, and by mayoral appointment<\/a> on the city\u2019s Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee.<\/p>

WALZ SAYS HE WOULD \u2018WELCOME MORE\u2019 SOMALIS AS FRAUD INVESTIGATION INTENSIFIES<\/a><\/p>

Abdullahi unsuccessfully ran for governor of Wajir County in Kenya\u2019s 2022 gubernatorial races.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner contacted Walz\u2019s office and other parties mentioned in the article for comment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25364858485345.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"3926377-1767240000", "title":"The Chinese ambitions behind threats of a ‘multipolar world’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3926377%2Fthe-chinese-ambitions-behind-threats-of-a-multipolar-world%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Chinese Communist Party can’t stop talking about how a “multipolar world” is on the horizon. References to “multipolarity” and its inescapable reality in the immediate future can be found peppered everywhere from documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the speeches of paramount leader Xi Jinping. A “multipolar” world is one with many […]", "description":""

The Chinese Communist Party<\/a> can't stop talking about how a \"multipolar world\" is on the horizon.<\/p>

References to \"multipolarity\" and its inescapable reality in the immediate future can be found peppered everywhere from documents at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the speeches of paramount leader Xi Jinping<\/a>.<\/p>

A \"multipolar\" world is one with many great world powers, as opposed to a \"unipolar\" world with the United States as the greatest world power. Naturally, Chinese officials consider it a matter of \"when\" not \"if\" the multipolar era is ushered in. <\/p>US 'chaos' opens door for China's 2049 vision

The Chinese government prioritizes involvement in the dialogue of international bodies and takes great pains to export to foreign partners.<\/p>

Experts who spoke to the Washington Examiner about the Chinese obsession say these references, often couched as dispassionate geopolitical prognostications about economics, have an unambiguous meaning within the Communist Party \u2014 the crumbling of Western influence in world affairs and the rise of the Chinese dragon.<\/p>

\"By 2049, the vision is that they will have replaced what they view as Western capitalism<\/a> \u2014 the U.S. as corrupt, colonial barbarians whose time has come and passed \u2014 much as the British Empire from 150 years ago is now a declining nation,\" a former U.S. diplomat with extensive experience in China told the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

He continued, \"They point to us and our political system to say, 'This is chaos. We are the future.' So when they say 'multipolar', this is [Beijing] saying 'We are going to overtake you.'\"<\/p>

Chinese ambitions to expand their influence are not exactly secret. Through transnational infrastructure projects like the \"Belt and Road Initiative\" to centering of the U.S.-opposed BRICS bloc, Beijing does not shy away from its aspirations for greater international muscle.<\/p>

POLITICAL VIOLENCE ON THE RISE IN THE US: A TIMELINE OF KEY INCIDENTS<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

In a landmark speech in 2012, the paramount leader introduced the concept of the \"Chinese Dream\" into the nation's civic vocabulary \u2014 \"Realizing the great renewal of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream for the Chinese nation in modern history.\"<\/p>

The next year, the implications of that \"dream\" became apparent when the People's Liberation Army rolled out its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Chinese servicemen arranged themselves on its decked so that aerial photographers captured them<\/a> spelling out the phrase \"Chinese dream, military dream.\"<\/p>

\"They have this kind of long term vision. We [Americans] are so short-term with administrations, politically. [The Chinese] say, 'Okay, you guys go do your chaos, but we have a long term plan that within the next, you know, twenty-plus years, we're going to have Taiwan back. We're going to be dominating Asia.' And yeah, [2046] that's the marker,\" the diplomat said.<\/p>

The year 2049 is significant in the Chinese political imagination as the centennial anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China under Chairman Mao Zedong.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS NEED TO TEMPER THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF A 2026 BLUE WAVE<\/a><\/p>

Xi has marked that anniversary as the deadline by which China must \"build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious.\"<\/p>

\"In the Chinese mindset, 1949 \u2014 the founding of the CCP \u2014 was a huge moment for throwing off the repression of Western imperialism, and we [the U.S.] very much fit in that camp,\" they continued. \"They lumped us as Americans in with the British and the Opium wars and the humiliation of the Qing dynasty.\"<\/p>

Steve Yates, a senior research fellow\u00a0on China at the Heritage Foundation and former deputy national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney<\/a>, is in agreement that a \"multipolar future\" is less about an ecosystem of powers and more about the centralization of Chinese influence as it was in the past.<\/p>

\"What they're really trying to say is that their aim is to take America down a peg or to celebrate America being taken down a peg,\" said Yates. \"What they're seeking is for the U.S. and its allies not to be able to impose standards, values, patterns of behavior upon them or to criticize them.\"<\/p>

Yates also agreed that the Chinese see a blueprint for their future in their past glories.<\/p>

\"One of their visions is going back to the classical notion of China being the center of the universe and others playing tributary state roles to them,\" he told the Washington Examiner. \"And if you're a tributary, then you will defer to what Beijing's permissions are for what you are aiming to do with other countries \u2014 you will not create challenges or problems or compete with China. And you certainly will not be colluding with competitor or hostile forces in the world to disrespect, criticize, or contain the influence of China.\"<\/p>

TRUMP PARDONS AND COMMUTATIONS: NOTABLE ACTS OF CLEMENCY IN HIS SECOND TERM<\/a><\/p>

He added: \"It's more of an imperial vision \u2014 which ironically, is what the Communist Party was campaigning against at its founding [and] in its first twenty-plus years.\"<\/p>China's approach is thousands of years in the making

For the majority of China's imperial history, it was the unchallenged master of the Asian continent \u2014 and in their perception, ruled \"all under heaven.\" Successive dynasties ruled the Sino-sphere as \"sons of heaven,\" quasi-divine monarchs to whom tribute was owed by all neighbors and vassal states.<\/p>

This celestial authority was jealously guarded for almost the entirety of Imperial China. <\/p>

When a Japanese envoy in the 7th century arrived bearing a message from Japan's \"Child of Heaven in the land where the sun rises\" to the mainland's \"Child of Heaven in the land where the sun sets,\" the Chinese Emperor Yang was furious with the ego of his lesser Japanese counterpart.<\/p>

More than a thousand years later, the Qing emperor rebuked King George III for having his ambassador request greater privileges in trade and diplomacy on equal terms, ordering the British monarch to \"reverently\u2029receive\" his judgement that there is \"no\u2029need to\u2029import\u2029the manufactures\u2029of outside\u2029 barbarians.\"<\/p>

Ultimately, brushing off the British in the 18th century proved more dangerous than snubbing the Japanese emperor in the 7th. Tensions between the British and Chinese boiled over into the Opium wars and subsequent colonization by foreign powers throughout the 19th century.<\/p>

This came to be known as the Century of Humiliation, a much-studied black mark on the nation's history that the Communist Party refuses to forget.<\/p>

TRUMP SLOWS BLEEDING OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS: WHITE HOUSE REPORT CARD<\/a><\/p>

\"We will never allow any foreign force to bully, oppress, or subjugate us,\" Xi told a roaring crowd in Tiananmen Square in 2021, celebrating the centennial anniversary of the party's founding. \"Anyone who would attempt to do so will find themselves on a collision course with a great wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people.\"<\/p>

It is this desire to rectify the humiliation of the past that drives Chinese foreign policy. <\/p>

Ambassadors have adopted what they call a \"wolf warrior\" mentality to international diplomacy, an aggressive and often offensive rhetorical disposition when China's interests are challenged \u2014 even threatening to cut off a prime minister's head.<\/p>

On a global stage, the only individual nation with the military and economic resources capable of unilaterally crushing Chinese ambition is the United States.<\/p>Xi maintains faith in multipolar world in face of Trump

President Donald Trump<\/a> has tried to use tariffs and other sanctions to punish what he claims have been imbalanced trade deals struck with Beijing under past administrations. At the same time, he asserts that he gets along well with his \"friend\" Xi.<\/p>

The paramount leader has responded to Trump's mercurial nature with an equally ambiguous stoicism \u2014 responding harshly with tariffs of his own while insisting that all these disagreements can be worked out diplomatically.<\/p>

In the run-up to their largely anti-climatic summit sideline meeting in South Korea, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi. <\/p>

The Chinese read-out of the conversation took an optimistic and conciliatory tone, affirming that despite having recently \u201cexperienced some twists and turns,\u201d the two nations have \u201clong-standing exchanges\u201d and \u201crespect each other.\u201d <\/p>

NETANYAHU SAYS HE WARNED AUSTRALIA OF POLICIES FUELING 'ANTISEMITIC FIRE' MONTHS BEFORE SHOOTING<\/a><\/p>

But when Wang delivered a speech the same day at the Beijing office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he took a far nastier tone, with veiled jabs at the Trump administration<\/a> \u201cfrequently withdrawing from agreements and reneging on commitments, while enthusiastically forming blocs and cliques.\"<\/p>

He snuck in a familiar, sinister observation: \u201cThe tide of history cannot be reversed, and a multipolar world is coming.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25273373914831.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4361626-1767240000", "title":"Trump tests Tim Walz as Democratic bogeyman after Somali fraud scandal", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4361626%2Ftrump-tests-tim-walz-democratic-boogeyman-somali-fraud-scandal-minnesota%2F", "byline":"Christian Datoc", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The revelation of widespread fraud committed by members of Minnesota’s Somali community is a political gift for President Donald Trump, allowing him to elevate Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as a sorely needed foil for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. But veteran campaign operatives for both parties expect that Walz’s status as a Democratic boogeyman […]", "description":""

The revelation of widespread fraud<\/a> committed by members of Minnesota\u2019s Somali community is a political gift for President Donald Trump<\/a>, allowing him to elevate Gov. Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN) as a sorely needed foil for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>

But veteran campaign operatives for both parties expect that Walz's status as a Democratic boogeyman will be short-lived, and that Republicans will inevitably look back to California or New York, where bigger-name figures are dominating GOP claims of socialism and incompetence.<\/p>

Trump has heaped attacks on Walz in the weeks after the fraud became a national news story<\/a>, with the president and Republicans more broadly questioning how hundreds of millions in federal dollars were squandered under Walz's watch. The fraud represents the latest misuse of pandemic-era funds and has become a ballooning case for the Justice Department, which has prosecuted dozens of alleged conspirators.<\/p>

But the story also has a political dimension that ties together the GOP's emphasis on fiscal responsibility with the hard line it has drawn on immigration. FBI Director Kash Patel said that his agency is working with immigration authorities for \"possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings.\u201d<\/p>

Walz has defended his handling of the fraud allegations, telling<\/a> Fox News that his office \"strengthened oversight\" once the schemes came to light. But that defense has not quieted the criticism, as the Trump administration and its congressional allies expand investigations into suspected misconduct and even begin to withhold federal dollars.<\/p>

Meanwhile, Trump has blamed Democratic policies for an influx of immigrants he says are \"completely taking over\" the country, and has hurled insults at Walz, drawing controversy for calling him a dated slur for intellectually disabled people.<\/p>

Republican operatives concede that the focus on Walz, the former running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, is easy political fodder after an election cycle spent portraying him as an inept and radical governor. And in an election season in which Walz is seeking a rare third term in office, the attacks could prove fruitful in a blue state where Republicans are hoping to make inroads.<\/p>

Still, Republicans believe that \u201ceven Democrats\u201d don't want Walz as a candidate in future general elections, and that Democratic politicians such as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), a possible 2028 contender for president, or New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, an avowed socialist, will prove the most useful in this and future cycles.<\/p>

\u201cLet\u2019s be honest. This is a guy who made Kamala Harris seem like an expert debater,\u201d said one out-of-government adviser to the president, a veteran of all three of his presidential campaigns. \u201cWe\u2019ll have our fun, but I\u2019m not sure that even an expert brander like President Trump can just wish this one into reality.\u201d<\/p>

A second Trump veteran, who previously worked in the White House but has since grown frustrated with the president\u2019s performance in office, said Trump\u2019s focus on Walz and \u201cthe past\u201d will eventually wear on voters\u2019 nerves, considering Trump's declining approval ratings.<\/p>

\u201cAmerica elected President Trump in 2024 to save us from the economic disaster that a Harris-Walz administration would inflict,\u201d the former Trump staffer explained. \u201cBut that was over a year ago, and we\u2019re more or less in the same place. We\u2019re still dealing with crazy inflation, and all the economic growth we\u2019ve seen this year is propped up by just a handful of tech companies, which the administration is heavily subsidizing by the way. He needs to actually deliver some real results and fix these problems, not just b**** and moan about how much worse things would\u2019ve been if he hadn\u2019t won.\u201d<\/p>

HERE'S HOW DENATURALIZATION WOULD WORK FOR US CITIZENS FROM SOMALIA<\/a><\/p>

Multiple senior Democratic officials, one of whom staffed Walz on the 2024 campaign trail, told the Washington Examiner that the Minnesota fraud scandal plays into the GOP\u2019s electoral strengths but doubted that it would help Minnesota Republicans win next year\u2019s gubernatorial election or resonate with voters beyond the state like Trump\u2019s immigration rhetoric did while running against Harris.<\/p>

\u201cThe thing about the border security issue was it was so present. People see \u2018fraud\u2019 and Somalian immigrants, but it\u2019s not like the images of people running across the border or through the Rio Grande,\u201d the former Walz aide said. \u201cI\u2019m always worried about the misuse of public dollars, but this is a little in the weeds.\u201d<\/p>

A second senior Democratic official welcomed Trump\u2019s attacks on Walz, saying the president\u2019s focus could solidify support from the \u201canti-Trump\u201d crowd around the incumbent.<\/p>

\u201cNo Democrat is running against Gov. Walz because we, and the voters, know the truth: He is a good man, and Trump\u2019s attacks are more rooted in racism than reality,\u201d the official assessed, noting that Republicans, by contrast, have not yet landed a strong recruit for the governor's race.<\/p>

\u201cOn the other side, you\u2019ve got basically a dozen Republicans all trying to out-Trump each other, and they\u2019re all probably going to lose to Mike Lindell,\" they added. \"Minnesota hasn\u2019t voted a new Republican into a major office since Trump stepped off the golden escalator, and I seriously doubt the My Pillow guy is going to change that.\"<\/p>

A third Democratic staffer laughed that Trump \u201ccan\u2019t even keep the plot straight\u201d on who to blame for the Minnesota scandal, pointing fingers at both Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who is a Somali immigrant.<\/p>

Still, the fraud scandal continues to be an unwanted firestorm for the Democratic Party that, beyond politics, could jeopardize millions in federal funding. Kelly Loeffler, Trump's Small Business Administration chief, sent a letter<\/a> to Walz before Christmas, alerting him that the administration would be halting some $5.5 million in funding previously allocated for the state while the federal government continues to investigate additional fraud cases.<\/p>

New reporting that surfaced over the weekend suggests that multiple Minnesota daycare operations were recipients of taxpayer subsidies, despite currently having no children enrolled in the programs.<\/p>

DEMOCRATS THINK TRUMP\u2019S MINNESOTA IMMIGRATION PIVOT LACKS LEGS<\/a><\/p>

Patel reacted to those reports on Sunday by announcing plans to surge \"investigative resources\" to expand the federal government's inquiry, adding that the indictments handed out so far represent \"just the tip of the iceberg.\"<\/p>

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem similarly offered up ICE agents on Monday to conduct investigations of alleged fraud sites.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25275657745849.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379536-1767222707", "title":"Trump must relinquish California National Guard to Newsom, appeals court rules", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4379536%2Ftrump-california-national-guard-newsom-appeals-court%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"An appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration must return control of the California National Guard to the state after the administration federalized and deployed troops. President Donald Trump announced earlier Wednesday that he would withdraw the National Guard from Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said Trump has “admitted defeat.” […]", "description":""

An appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration<\/a> must return control of the California<\/a> National Guard to the state after the administration federalized and deployed troops.<\/p>

President Donald Trump announced earlier Wednesday that he would withdraw the National Guard from Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago.<\/p>

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said Trump has \"admitted defeat.\"<\/p>

\"I\u2019m glad President Trump has finally admitted defeat: we\u2019ve said all along the federalization of the National Guard in California is illegal,\" he said in a statement.<\/p>

\"The President deployed these brave men and women against their own communities and without regard for the constitution and federal law. We welcome our California National Guard servicemembers back to state service, where they can continue to serve and protect the people of California \u2014 long delayed due to Trump\u2019s political theater,\" he added.<\/p>

Trump mobilized around 4,000 troops in June to control crime in the state. Newsom vigorously opposed the deployment. While most troops had been withdrawn, around 300 had remained under federal control.<\/p>

Trump said he withdrew the National Guard from major cities despite crime being \"greatly reduced\" by the troop presence. He cautioned that an increase in crime would compel the federal government to step in with a \"much different and stronger form.\"<\/p>

\"It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???\" he added.<\/p>

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Trump had no \"legal justification\" to deploy troops there.<\/p>

\u201cThe Constitution still applies to presidents who wish it didn\u2019t,\u201d Bass said on social media. \u201cAngelenos stood together. We saw through it. The courts saw through it.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP WITHDRAWS NATIONAL GUARD FROM CHICAGO, LA, AND PORTLAND DESPITE 'GREATLY REDUCED' CRIME<\/a><\/p>

The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration improperly federalized the Illinois National Guard in response to unrest over the ongoing immigration operation there.<\/p>

The rulings could influence the National Guard deployments in New Orleans, Memphis, and Washington, D.C.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25162648440480.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379337-1767222000", "title":"WATCH LIVE: New Year’s Eve ball set to drop in Times Square", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fvideos%2F4379337%2Fwatch-live-new-years-ball-drop-times-square%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"People across the nation are watching New York City’s Times Square as they await the New Year’s Eve ball drop at midnight. KENNEDY CENTER NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERTS AND MORE SHOWS CANCELED OVER ‘TRUMP RENAMING THE CENTER AFTER HIMSELF’ With the drop of the ball, the East Coast will enter 2026. The midterm elections and […]", "description":""

People across the nation are watching New York City's<\/a> Times Square as they await the New Year's Eve ball drop at midnight.<\/p>

KENNEDY CENTER NEW YEAR'S EVE CONCERTS AND MORE SHOWS CANCELED OVER 'TRUMP RENAMING THE CENTER AFTER HIMSELF'<\/a><\/p>

With the drop of the ball, the East Coast will enter 2026<\/a>.<\/p>

The midterm elections<\/a> and America's 250th anniversary will headline the new year.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP23001197480966.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379506-1767218918", "title":"Xi says reunification of China and Taiwan ‘unstoppable’ in New Year’s address", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4379506%2Fxi-reunification-china-taiwan-unstoppable%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"China’s efforts to reunify with Taiwan are “unstoppable,” Chinese leader Xi Jinping said in a New Year’s address on Wednesday. The Chinese military recently conducted major military exercises near Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory; China hasn’t ruled out military intervention to complete the reunification. Xi addressed the Chinese people in a […]", "description":""

China's efforts<\/a> to reunify with Taiwan are \"unstoppable,\" Chinese leader Xi Jinping <\/a>said in a New Year's address on Wednesday.<\/p>

The Chinese military recently conducted major military exercises near Taiwan<\/a>, which China claims as part of its territory; China hasn't ruled out military intervention to complete the reunification.<\/p>

Xi addressed the Chinese people in a nine-minute address on Wednesday night.<\/p>

\"We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship,\" he said. \"The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable. Only a strong Communist Party of China can make our country strong.\"<\/p>

The United States Embassy in China and China's foreign affairs spokesperson reposted the quote.<\/p>

Taiwan condemned China's military exercises this week, which featured missile tests and the mobilization of navy vessels, aircraft, and other military armaments. The drills were named \"Justice Mission 2025.\"<\/p>

\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party\u2019s aggressive and militaristic provocations endanger regional security and stability, and have been condemned by democratic allies in the international community,\u201d Taiwan's defense department said in a statement.<\/p>

There are questions about whether China will launch military operations targeting Taiwan in 2026. Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, acknowledged that 2026 will be critical for Taiwan in his New Year's address.<\/p>

TAIWAN CONDEMNS CHINESE MILITARY DRILLS AS BEIJING FIRES MISSILES ON SECOND DAY OF 'INTIMIDATION' EXERCISE<\/a><\/p>

\"The coming year, 2026, will be a crucial one for Taiwan,\" he said, adding Taiwan must \"make plans for the worst, but hope for the best.\"<\/p>

\"We are willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China on an equal and dignified basis, promoting a peaceful and shared environment across the strait,\" Lai said. \"As long as China acknowledges the existence of the Republic of China, respects the Taiwanese people's desire for a democratic and free way of life.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25273373914831.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379454-1767210761", "title":"Alleged drug traffickers jump overboard after strike on boat convoy, US says", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fdefense%2F4379454%2Fus-strike-drug-boat-convoy-overboard%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Multiple alleged drug traffickers jumped overboard and into the ocean after a Department of War strike on a suspected drug vessel convoy on Tuesday, the first of two strikes announced hours before the new year. U.S. Southern Command announced Wednesday a total of five strikes, three against “narco-trafficking vessels” that were traveling together on Dec. […]", "description":""

Multiple alleged drug traffickers<\/a> jumped overboard and into the ocean after a Department of War<\/a> strike on a suspected drug vessel convoy on Tuesday, the first of two strikes announced hours before the new year.<\/p>

U.S. Southern Command announced Wednesday a total of five strikes, three against \"narco-trafficking vessels\" that were traveling together on Dec. 30 and two against separate vessels on Dec. 31, all in international waters along known drug routes, according to<\/a> SOUTHCOM. It also said War Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a> ordered the strikes.<\/p>

Three people were killed in the strike on the convoy Tuesday, and five were killed on the two vessels in Wednesday's strike, SOUTHCOM said.<\/p>

\"On Dec. 30, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy,\" SOUTHCOM wrote on X of the Dec. 30 strikes.<\/p>

\"These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes,\" it added.<\/p>

The alleged drug traffickers fled their vessels after the first strike, creating distance between themselves and their doomed boats. Coast Guard search and rescue were activated after the strikes.<\/p>

\"Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement. The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels,\" SOUTHCOM concluded of Tuesday's strike. <\/p>

It said of Wednesday's<\/a>, \"A total of five narco-terrorists were killed during these actions \u2014 three in the first vessel and two in the second.\"<\/p>

The Coast Guard said it was activated because it was notified of \"mariners in distress in the Pacific Ocean.\" <\/p>

\"The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating search-and-rescue operations with vessels in the area, and a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft is en route to provide further search coverage with the ability to drop a survival raft and supplies,\" a statement from the Coast Guard said.<\/p>

U.S. officials told CBS News <\/a>that as many as eight people abandoned the vessels. Their statuses are unclear.<\/p>

NDAA REQUIRE HEGSETH TO SUBMIT 'UNEDITED VIDEO' OF BOAT STRIKES OR FACE TRAVEL BUDGET CUTS<\/a><\/p>

The strike is the latest of dozens already conducted against alleged drug traffickers in international waters, with the total number killed surpassing 100.<\/p>

The Trump administration has escalated its actions against drug traffickers to turn up the heat on President Nicolas Maduro's government in Venezuela, with the U.S. having recently \"knocked out\" a \"big facility\" last week linked to alleged drug boat operations, Trump said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25336614245773.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379489-1767209165", "title":"Fires, unrest, lawsuits, politics dominate Southwest in 2025", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4379489%2Ffires-unrest-lawsuits-politics-dominate-southwest-2025%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – 2025 started in California with devastating wildfires, continued with immigration raids and riots protesting them, and ended with congressional redistricting. It was a year of cliffhangers in Arizona, which almost saw its first state government shutdown, and a year of uncertainty in Nevada, where casinos saw a decline. Here’s a look at […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 2025 started in California with devastating wildfires, continued with immigration raids and riots protesting them, and ended with congressional redistricting.<\/p>

It was a year of cliffhangers in Arizona, which almost saw its first state government shutdown, and a year of uncertainty in Nevada, where casinos saw a decline.<\/p>

Here\u2019s a look at the year's major news in the Southwest.<\/p>California

The devastating Palisades and Eaton Fires started on Jan. 7.<\/p>

The Palisades Fire<\/a>,\u00a0which struck the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of coastal Los Angeles and nearby Malibu and rural communities, burned 23,448 acres. It destroyed 6,833 structures and killed 12 people, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported.<\/p>

The Eaton Fire<\/a>\u00a0in the Altadena\/Pasadena area destroyed 9,418 structures and killed 17 people, according to Cal Fire.<\/p>

As the fires started, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) was part of a Biden administration delegation to the new Ghanaian president\u2019s inauguration.\u00a0Bass<\/a>\u00a0said she wasn\u2019t aware of warnings before the fire started and suggested Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristen Crowley downplayed the risks. Bass later demoted Crowley and named interim and permanent fire chiefs.<\/p>

In August,\u00a0Crowley<\/a>\u00a0filed a legal claim against the city and Bass, claiming the mayor \u201claunched a smear campaign built on falsehoods\u201d because Crowley said the Bass' budget cuts and the city's years of neglect caused the fire department to be underfunded, understaffed and ill-equipped.<\/p>

In October, the U.S. Department of Justice charged\u00a0Jonathan Rinderknecht<\/a>,<\/a>\u00a0a 29-year-old Melbourne, Fla., resident, with starting the Palisades Fire. Rinderknecht was brought to Los Angeles and is awaiting a trial set for April 21. He has pleaded not guilty.<\/p>

Meanwhile,\u00a0Southern California Edison<\/a>, which many blamed for starting the Eaton Fire because of faulty equipment, has started a program to reimburse victims. Entities varying from the U.S. Department of Justice to the Pasadena Unified School District and the cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre have sued Southern California Edison.<\/p>

Fires weren\u2019t the only turbulence. After the Trump administration cracked down on illegal immigration with arrests and raids, rioters took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles in June. In response, President Donald Trump deployed the California National Guard to protect federal buildings. <\/p>

Besides rioters, there were peaceful protesters, some of whom told\u00a0The Center Square<\/a>\u00a0that they were avoiding any scenes of violence and simply wanted to get their message heard.<\/p>

In July,\u00a0U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a>\u00a0arrested nearly 200 illegal immigrants during raids in marijuana fields in Southern California's Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. ICE said more than 500 rioters attempted to disrupt the raids, but the United Farm Workers said several agricultural workers were critically injured, and one of them died from those injuries.\u00a0<\/p>

In Los Angeles, local officials and others accused ICE of detaining U.S. citizens and mistreating illegal immigrants during various operations. But Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin repeatedly told The Center Square that demonizing ICE was leading to a huge increase in assaults on agents.\u00a0<\/p>

As all this went on, California continued its growing number of lawsuits against the Trump administration on issues varying from immigration to food assistance. By the end of the year, California had filed 51 lawsuits. State Attorney General Rob Bonta joined or co-led a coalition of Democratic attorneys general in the suits.<\/p>

Against the news was the backdrop of the 2026 midterm election, the party in the White House historically loses control of at least one chamber of Congress. At Trump's urging, the Texas Legislature redrew congressional districts to pick up five Republican seats in the House. The Democratic supermajority in the California Legislature and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by putting Proposition 50 on the November general election ballot to redraw congressional districts to pick up five Democratic seats. Nearly 65% of\u00a0California voters<\/a>\u00a0approved Proposition 50.<\/p>

Plaintiffs, including Assemblymember David Tangipa, a Fresno Republican on the Assembly Election Committee, and the U.S. Department of Justice, responded with a lawsuit accusing California of illegal racial gerrymandering. The defendants, who include Newsom, contend the gerrymandering was political-partisan, which is legal. A decision is expected soon from the U.S. District Court for Central California in Los Angeles.\u00a0Tangipa<\/a>\u00a0told The Center Square he expects the suit to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, regardless of who wins in the lower courts.<\/p>

In the realm of more normal politics,\u00a0Democrats<\/a>\u00a0dropped in and out of a crowded field in the open 2026 gubernatorial race, in which a couple of Republicans are running. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat living in Los Angeles, decided against joining the race, raising speculation about her yet-to-be-announced plans, if any, for 2028.<\/p>

Newsom<\/a>, who said he will consider a run for president in 2028, will be termed out.\u00a0<\/p>

Democratic gubernatorial candidates vary from former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to Tom Steyer, the billionaire who financed the campaign to pass Prop. 50.<\/p>

It was also a year for movie studio mergers. Skydance bought Paramount Studios in Hollywood, and Netflix was all set to purchase Warner Bros. in Burbank, but is being challenged by a\u00a0hostile bid<\/a>\u00a0from the newly merged Paramount Skydance.<\/p>Arizona

It takes three to tango.<\/p>

That was according to state Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, then\u00a0the chair of the Arizona Senate Appropriations Committee, about getting the state Senate and House to agree on a $17.6 billion\u00a0budget<\/a>\u00a0that Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs would\u00a0sign<\/a>. Ultimately, the two Republican-controlled chambers agreed on a budget, and Hobbs signed it, just days before Arizona in June would have shut down its state government for the first time. Kavanagh went on to become the Senate's majority leader.<\/p>

\u201cBy working together, we have secured pay raises for state police and firefighters, made child care more affordable and accessible, taken action to stop drug smuggling and human trafficking, and invested in public education from kindergarten through higher ed,\u201d Hobbs said.<\/p>

The year's drama persisted with the\u00a0Dragon Bravo Fire<\/a>, one of Arizona\u2019s largest blazes at 145,504 acres. It struck the Grand Canyon National Park\u2019s Northern Rim.<\/p>

The blaze started July 4 and was 100% contained by late September when the rim partially reopened. Seasonal closure started Nov. 14.\u00a0The National Park Service<\/a>\u00a0said the Northern Rim is tentatively scheduled to reopen on May 15.<\/p>

Defense issues also dominated headlines in 2025. U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) urged Secretary of War Pete Hegseth not to downgrade\u00a0Luke Air Force Base<\/a>\u00a0near Phoenix.<\/p>

Also in 2025, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) went to\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0to watch pilots training on U.S. jets and voice his support for NATO and Ukraine's defense against Russia.<\/p>

Kelly, though, found himself at odds with Trump and Hegseth when he participated, along with other lawmakers, in a video urging military members to disobey illegal orders from the Trump administration. Hegseth said Kelly, a retired Navy combat pilot, could be called back into service for a court-martial, but\u00a0Kelly<\/a>\u00a0said he wouldn\u2019t be silenced.<\/p>

There were high-profile deaths this year in the Southwest. Among them was the Sept. 10 assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk when he spoke at a rally at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.<\/p>

Kirk, who lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, was the founder and CEO of Phoenix-based Turning Point USA. His widow,\u00a0Erika Kirk<\/a>,\u00a0stressed forgiveness during a memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, where those speaking on Kirk\u2019s behalf included Trump.<\/p>

Meanwhile,\u00a0Tyler James Robinson<\/a>,\u00a022, is in jail waiting to be tried on seven counts, six of which are felonies that include aggravated murder of Charlie Kirk. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said he will seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted of murder. The next in-person hearing is set for Jan. 16 in Utah County's Fourth Judicial Court in Provo.<\/p>

In politics,\u00a0Hobbs<\/a>\u00a0announced she would seek reelection in 2026. Trump, meanwhile, has endorsed two Republicans running for governor: Freedom Caucus member U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs and Karrin Taylor Robson, who lost the 2024 U.S. Senate primary to Republican Kari Lake. On Sept. 30, a third Republican announced he was running for governor: U.S. Rep. David Schweikert of Phoenix.<\/p>Nevada

The\u00a0$687 million gambling industry<\/a>\u00a0saw a decline in 2025 from 2024 on the Las Vegas Strip, along with a\u00a0continued decrease<\/a>\u00a0in tourism.\u00a0<\/p>

You couldn\u2019t bet this year on government websites always working. A\u00a0cyberattack<\/a>\u00a0left the state\u2019s executive branch without functioning websites in late August and early September.<\/p>

In other news, the Democratic majority in the Legislature killed all of Republican\u00a0Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony\u2019s bills<\/a>\u00a0in 2026. The reason, as reported exclusively by The Center Square, was because of Anthony\u2019s stance on keeping boys out of girls\u2019 sports, according to a source who worked for Anthony\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/p>

The blocking of the legislation meant the end of the state\u00a0Office of Small Business Advocacy<\/a>. Business owners who felt they were hurt by that move talked to The Center Square. They said the office helped them to navigate the maze of government regulations.<\/p>

In politics,\u00a0Nevada\u2019s 2026 gubernatorial race<\/a>\u00a0is neck-to-neck. An Emerson College poll this year shows Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and the leading Democratic challenger, state Attorney General Aaron Ford, are tied at 41%. As the two sides campaigned, a former Clark County deputy district attorney, Bernard Zadrowski, talked to The Center Square about an\u00a0ethics complaint<\/a>\u00a0he filed against Ford for allegedly using the Attorney General\u2019s Office social media account on X to campaign.<\/p>

TRUMP WITHDRAWS NATIONAL GUARD FROM CHICAGO, LA, AND PORTLAND DESPITE \u2018GREATLY REDUCED\u2019 CRIME<\/a><\/p>

And in economic news, the Legislature failed to pass a tax incentives bill that would have resulted in a new movie studio in Las Vegas.\u00a0Assembly Bill 5,<\/a>\u00a0also known as the Nevada Studio Infrastructure Jobs and Workforce Training Act,\u00a0 passed in the Assembly but didn't get enough votes in the Senate.<\/p>

The bill<\/a>\u00a0would have brought California studios to Nevada.\u00a0Warner Bros. Discovery, which operates the historic Burbank-based Warner Bros. movie studio, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, whose Culver City movie lot was once home to MGM classics, would invest in the Las Vegas studio. Another investor is the Howard Hughes Corp., a real estate company based in The Woodlands, Texas.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25283652022076.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379481-1767208398", "title":"Illinois’ compact fluorescent bulb ban begins to take effect", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%2F4379481%2Fillinois-compact-fluorescent-bulb-ban%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – One of the nearly 300 new laws that took effect in Illinois on New Year’s Day is a ban on compact fluorescent light bulbs. State Rep. Nicholas Smith (D-Chicago) introduced House Bill 2363 in February 2023. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure in August 2024. The law prohibits the sale and […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 One of the nearly 300 new laws that took effect in Illinois<\/a> on New Year\u2019s Day is a ban on compact fluorescent light bulbs<\/a>.<\/p>

State Rep. Nicholas Smith (D-Chicago) introduced House Bill 2363 in February 2023. Gov. JB Pritzker<\/a> signed the measure in August 2024.<\/p>

The law prohibits the sale and distribution of screw-base and bayonet-base compact fluorescent lamps. Restrictions on pin-base compact fluorescent and linear fluorescent lamps are set to begin in 2027.<\/p>

HB 2363\u2019s Senate sponsor, state Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) said toxic pollutants in fluorescent bulbs pose a health risk.<\/p>

According to a report by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), three in four fluorescent lamps are improperly disposed of, thus releasing mercury into the environment.<\/p>

State Rep. Nicole La Ha (R-Homer Glen) voted in favor of HB 2363 but said lawmakers should focus on smart, affordable solutions.<\/p>

\u201cAny time that we have unfunded mandates or things that are going to affect our small businesses, or there\u2019s more red tape that we have to push people through, I\u2019m not always going to be very excited about those things,\u201d La Ha told The Center Square.<\/p>

When \u201cAn Inconvenient Truth\u201d documentary was released in 2006, former Vice President Al Gore encouraged Americans to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. Many environmental groups also promoted CFLs.<\/p>

Tosi Ufodike was an Illinois House candidate in 2024, when she lost to incumbent state Rep. Nabeela Syed (D-Palatine) in the general election. Ufodike is also campaigning for the Republican nomination in 2026.<\/p>

Ufodike noted that Vermont became the first U.S. state to approve a ban on fluorescent bulbs when state lawmakers approved legislation there in 2022.<\/p>

\u201cThere\u2019s a growing trend to have energy-efficient LED lighting. Of course, we always want to have energy-efficient lighting and resources, but I always look at, \u2018What\u2019s the cost?\u2019\u201d Ufodike told The Center Square.<\/p>

TRUMP WITHDRAWS NATIONAL GUARD FROM CHICAGO, LA, AND PORTLAND DESPITE \u2018GREATLY REDUCED\u2019 CRIME<\/a><\/p>

Ufodike said suburban voters are stretched thin.<\/p>

\u201cThey\u2019re worried about gas. They\u2019re worried about putting food on the table. As long as it\u2019s done with the taxpayer in mind, then I\u2019m ok with it,\u201d Ufodike said.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/bcee6aba1e1eaf293dc83db9a6ddc928-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379446-1767207929", "title":"DOJ sues Virginia over tuition for illegal immigrants", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fimmigration%2F4379446%2Fdoj-sues-virginia-tuition-illegal-immigrant%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit this week against Virginia, alleging the state unlawfully grants in-state college tuition rates to students who are not legally present in the United States. The government is seeking a permanent injunction against certain provisions of the Virginia Education Code, which it claims conflict with federal […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 The U.S. Department of Justice<\/a> filed a\u00a0lawsuit<\/a>\u00a0this week against Virginia<\/a>, alleging the state unlawfully grants in-state college tuition rates to students who are not legally present in the United States.<\/p>

The government is seeking a permanent injunction against certain provisions of the Virginia Education<\/a> Code, which it claims conflict with federal immigration law.\u00a0<\/p>

The DOJ argues this policy allows illegal immigrants to access benefits denied to many U.S. citizens, calling the practice \"not only wrong but illegal.\"<\/p>

\u201cFederal law prohibits States from providing aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States with any postsecondary education benefit that is denied to U.S. citizens,\u201d the lawsuit states. \u201cThere are no exceptions. Virginia violates it nonetheless.\u201d<\/p>

Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act in 1996. According to the suit, the law was intended \u201cto promote immigrant self-sufficiency, reduce immigrant reliance on public assistance, and ensure that public benefits are not incentives to enter illegally.\u201d <\/p>

\u201cThis Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country,\u201d Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a\u00a0press release.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

Under the current classification, illegal immigrants can pay nearly $40,000 less than Americans who reside in another state, the lawsuit states. <\/p>

For example, in the 2025-2026 school year, the University of Virginia charged in-state students $23,897 in undergraduate tuition, while out-of-state students paid $62,923,\u00a0according<\/a>\u00a0to U.S. News & World Report.<\/p>

The lawsuit is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to challenge state laws that allow individuals without legal status to receive in-state tuition benefits.<\/p>

In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to ensure that \u201cno taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.\u201d <\/p>

The order also called on agencies to prevent states from using public funds to subsidize individuals without legal status and to avoid policies that interfere with deportation efforts.<\/p>

JACK SMITH WITHHELD NAMES FROM JUDGES WHO GREENLIT GOP LAWMAKERS\u2019 PHONE RECORDS ACCESS<\/a><\/p>

\u201cVirginia permits unlawfully present aliens who satisfy the statute\u2019s criteria to receive in-state tuition rates, while denying that same benefit to United States citizens who reside outside the Commonwealth,\u201d the lawsuit states. <\/p>

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP23026630057707.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379362-1767205800", "title":"WATCH LIVE: Trump holds New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fvideos%2F4379362%2Fwatch-live-trump-new-years-eve-party-mar-a-lago%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump is holding his annual New Year’s Eve party on Wednesday evening. FREEDOM 250 LAUNCHES NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT Trump is expected to be in attendance, with the event set to begin around 7:30 p.m. The event — held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida — is […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> is holding his annual New Year's Eve<\/a> party on Wednesday evening.<\/p>

FREEDOM 250 LAUNCHES NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT<\/a><\/p>

Trump is expected to be in attendance, with the event set to begin around 7:30 p.m.<\/p>

The event \u2014 held at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida \u2014 is expected to be well attended by many members of the Make America Great Again<\/a> coalition.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/trump-nye.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379287-1767205221", "title":"Bondi signals Obama-Biden era conspiracy case could drop in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4379287%2Fpam-bondi-signals-obama-biden-era-conspiracy-case-2026%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Attorney General Pam Bondi signaled this week that a Justice Department investigation into what she described as a decadelong conspiracy spanning the Obama and Biden administrations could come to a head in 2026. In written responses to Just the News released Sunday, Bondi said she has directed prosecutors to investigate what she characterized as a […]", "description":""

Attorney General Pam Bondi<\/a> signaled this week that a Justice Department<\/a> investigation into what she described as a decadelong conspiracy spanning the Obama and Biden administrations could come to a head in 2026.<\/p>

In written responses to Just the News released Sunday, Bondi said she has directed prosecutors to investigate what she characterized as a sustained campaign of political lawfare that protected Democrats from criminal scrutiny while targeting<\/a> Republicans, including President Donald Trump<\/a> and his supporters.<\/p>

\u201cAt my direction, our U.S. Attorneys and federal agents are actively investigating instances of government weaponization nationwide,\u201d Bondi said. \u201cThis is a ten-year stain on the country committed by high-ranking officials against the American people.\u201d<\/p>

Bondi said the inquiry treats alleged abuses of law enforcement and intelligence authority not as isolated incidents, but as part of a conspiracy dating back to the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.<\/p>

\u201cThis Department of Justice takes government weaponization seriously,\u201d she said. \u201cThat means protecting civil liberties, preventing election interference, and holding bad actors accountable. No one is above the law, even if they think they are.\u201d<\/p>

Bondi\u2019s framing mirrors a memo circulated earlier this year by FBI Director Kash Patel<\/a>, who argued that alleged misconduct tied to the Russia collusion narrative could qualify as a continuing conspiracy. Such an approach could allow prosecutors to reach conduct that would otherwise fall outside standard statutes of limitation.<\/p>

Bondi did not identify where prosecutors are conducting the investigation, but officials told Just the News that a significant portion of the inquiry is centered in Florida<\/a>, where the FBI executed its August 2022 search of Trump\u2019s Mar-a-Lago estate.<\/p>

The Washington Examiner reported in October<\/a> that federal prosecutors in South Florida were preparing a new grand jury that could set the stage for criminal charges against officials who served under former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, citing claims at the time from prominent Trump ally Mike Davis. A Sept. 26 court order<\/a> shows that Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga authorized a grand jury to convene in Fort Pierce beginning Jan. 12, 2026, though the order does not specify the subject of the proceedings.<\/p>

Bondi also criticized former CIA Director\u00a0John Brennan<\/a>\u00a0after public reports revealed that his attorneys sent a letter to Altonaga seeking judicial intervention in any grand jury proceedings tied to the investigation. The request sought to\u00a0block the chief judge from assigning<\/a>\u00a0any potential future case involving Brennan to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee who Democrats have accused of ruling in Trump's favor, and one who ultimately agreed to dismiss the classified documents case against him last summer.<\/p>

\u201cPublic reports of a recent letter sent to the chief judge of the Southern District of Florida show these bad actors are clearly concerned about their liability,\u201d Bondi said. \u201cThey want to preserve a two-tiered justice system. No more.\u201d<\/p>

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SHOWS SIGNS OF EYEING POSSIBLE CONSPIRACY CASE AGAINST OBAMA AND BIDEN OFFICIALS<\/a><\/p>

Brennan's request to the court\u00a0followed a report from Fox News last month<\/a>\u00a0that referred to a federal grand jury subpoenaing Brennan along with former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, among others, as part of the department's sprawling infestation.<\/p>

Whether the Fort Pierce grand jury ultimately produces criminal charges remains uncertain. But with the attorney general openly framing the alleged conduct as a continuing conspiracy and a Florida grand jury set to convene in early 2026, the investigation appears poised to enter a decisive phase.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25323602154556_faeed9.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379267-1767204534", "title":"Treasury Department expands sanctions on oil companies operating in Venezuela", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F4379267%2Ftreasury-expands-sanctions-oil-companies-venezuela%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Treasury Department moved to expand sanctions against oil companies operating in Venezuela on Wednesday, the latest sign of the Trump administration’s crackdown on President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced that four companies and their associated oil tankers were sanctioned. The department said the vessels are part of Venezuela’s […]", "description":""

The Treasury Department<\/a> moved to expand sanctions<\/a> against oil<\/a> companies operating in Venezuela<\/a> on Wednesday, the latest sign of the Trump administration's crackdown on President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro's government.<\/p>

The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced that four companies and their associated oil tankers were sanctioned. The department said the vessels are part of Venezuela's so-called shadow fleet that financially supports Maduro's government.<\/p>

The targeted companies are Corniola Limited, Krape Myrtle Co, Winky International Limited, and Aries Global Investment. Three of them are based in China, while one is based in Hong Kong.<\/p>

\"Maduro's regime increasingly depends on a shadow fleet of worldwide vessels to facilitate sanctionable activity, including sanctions evasion, and to generate revenue for its destabilizing operations,\" the national treasury's office said in a statement<\/a>. \"Today's action further signals that those involved in the Venezuelan oil trade continue to face significant sanctions risks.\"<\/p>

\"President Trump has been clear: We will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from exporting oil while it floods the United States with deadly drugs,\" Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent<\/a> added. \"The Treasury Department will continue to implement President Trump's campaign of pressure on Maduro's regime.\"<\/p>

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela significantly escalated this week when the CIA led the first-known land strikes<\/a> in the South American country. The target was a remote dock reportedly used by Venezuelan gang<\/a> Tren de Aragua for shipping narcotics. The Department of War<\/a> continues to authorize airstrikes on boats allegedly operated by drug traffickers.<\/p>

US SANCTIONS IRANIAN AND VENEZUELAN COMPANIES OVER 'COMBAT DRONES' WEAPONS TRADE<\/a><\/p>

Adding to the highly unstable relations between the nations are reports of detained Americans in Venezuela. Maduro's government, according to<\/a> the New York Times, is holding three Venezuelan American dual passport holders and two American citizens with no known ties to Venezuela. The U.S. is weighing whether to label at least two of the detainees as wrongfully detained. The rest appear to face legitimate criminal charges.<\/p>

Maduro has been accused of facilitating drug trafficking to the U.S. and leading an extensive cartel network, but he denies the allegations. In 2020, the Venezuelan leader was charged with narco-terrorism and drug trafficking in the U.S.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25355817938804.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379310-1767203608", "title":"Trump slams ‘rigged’ polling data, claims ‘real’ approval is over 60%", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4379310%2Ftrump-slams-rigged-polling-data-claims-real-approval-over-60%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump pushed back against his approval numbers ahead of 2026, claiming his approval rating is north of 60% on Tuesday night.  Trump posted a graphic of himself claiming that over 50% of voters approve of him, citing data from the Trafalgar Group. The survey’s latest polling puts Trump at 50.2% approval, with 46.7% […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> pushed back against his approval numbers ahead of 2026, claiming his approval rating is north of 60% on Tuesday night.\u00a0<\/p>

Trump posted a graphic of himself claiming that over 50% of voters approve of him, citing data<\/a> from the Trafalgar Group. The survey\u2019s latest polling puts Trump at 50.2% approval, with 46.7% showing strong approval, versus 44.6% in disapproval of the president; however, the survey was conducted with only 1,098 likely voters in a general election.<\/p>

\u201cThe polls are rigged even more than the writers. The real number is 64%, and why not, our Country is \u2018hotter\u2019 than ever before. Isn\u2019t it nice to have a STRONG BORDER, No Inflation, a powerful Military, and great Economy??? Happy New Year!\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social<\/a>.<\/p>

Trafalgar Group\u2019s data was collected from Dec. 26 through Dec. 27, and has a margin of error of 2.9%.<\/p>

Trump claiming he\u2019s sitting at high approval ratings comes as other polls don\u2019t paint him in a positive light, such as Nate Silver\u2019s Silver Bulletin. Silver\u2019s data puts the president at around 13% disapproval since mid-December<\/a>, and also puts Trump underwater in several issues, notably inflation at 28.8% disapproval.<\/p>

Trump also sits at 20.5% on both the economy and trade and tariffs. The president said earlier this month that the 2026 midterm elections will be about \u201cpricing,\u201d<\/a> seemingly reversing his previous stance that Democrats are focusing on the \u201cdead\u201d issue of affordability.<\/p>

THE 2026 BATTLEGROUND: CONGRESS\u2019S MOST VULNERABLE HOUSE AND SENATE SEATS<\/a><\/p>

Washington Examiner\u2019s investigations editor Sarah Bedford has argued that Trump has \u201cdelivered\u201d on key issues<\/a> to his voter base, something that could aid the Republican Party<\/a> before the midterm elections. Bedford suggested \u201cTrump could be running out of runway\u201d to enact legislation, especially if Republicans lose their thin majority in the House.<\/p>

Meanwhile, Washington Examiner senior writer Joe Concha said on Tuesday that the Democratic Party is also facing high disapproval numbers<\/a>, putting the party at 15% approval versus 77% disapproval. He also predicted that Democrats on the \u201cfar-left side\u201d will likely win the party\u2019s primary races, which could pose an issue if the party wants to win in swing states.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25362811343246-e1767217249141.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379004-1767201988", "title":"Appeals court revives free speech case over school DEI training", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4379004%2Fappeals-court-revives-free-speech-case-school-dei-training%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A federal appeals court revived a First Amendment case challenging diversity, equity, and inclusion training imposed by a Missouri school district. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled 6-5 to revive a lawsuit alleging that required diversity training by the Springfield R-12 School District violated the First Amendment rights of two […]", "description":""

A federal appeals court<\/a> revived a First Amendment case challenging diversity, equity, and inclusion training<\/a> imposed by a Missouri school district.<\/p>

The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled<\/a> 6-5 to revive a lawsuit alleging that required diversity training by the Springfield R-12 School District violated the First Amendment rights of two employees of the school district. A federal district court had tossed the lawsuit, finding no injury, and an appeals court panel had upheld that finding but reversed the awarding of attorneys' fees to the school district.<\/p>

Brooke Henderson and Jennifer Lumley filed a lawsuit in August 2021, claiming that the school district's mandatory diversity training required them to self-censor and stating that they would not receive credit and would be asked to leave the training if they were not perceived as \"professional.\" The training included claims that white people are oppressors, and one of the instructors insisted that black people cannot be racist and told Lumley to \"reflect on herself more\" after questioning that assertion.<\/p>

\"The plaintiffs have asserted that they have shown an objectively reasonable fear of negative consequences sufficient to demonstrate an injury in fact based on the trainers\u2019 responses to their opposing views and the school district\u2019s warning that if they did not complete the training, they would not receive the mandatory professional development credit,\" the majority opinion said.<\/p>

\"On appeal, the school district did not take issue with many of the underlying facts the plaintiffs have relied on but instead asserted that a public employer can require employees to attend equity and diversity training, and the plaintiffs\u2019 claims fail because they received credit and pay for attending the training, despite voicing objections to the principles presented,\" the majority continued. \"Because we find the plaintiffs have presented sufficient details and evidence to establish standing, we reverse the dismissal of their claims and remand to the district court.\"<\/p>

In the majority opinion, U.S. Circuit Judge Ralph Erickson wrote that with the case, \"the harm is in the suppression of the speech itself, and one is not subjected to punishment for self-censorship.\"<\/p>

U.S. Circuit Judge Steven Colloton, writing one of the dissenting opinions, argued the two employees \"suffered no tangible harm as a result of the training\" and expressed concern about the ramifications of finding standing to bring the constitutional claim.<\/p>

\"Public employee training will now be fraught with uncertainty. An employer who trains on any subject from any point of view, while requiring employees to be professional, is subject to a federal lawsuit by an employee who disagrees with the training and keeps quiet. Only time will tell how the court elects to manage this new front of litigation,\" Colloton wrote.<\/p>

TRUMP\u2019S HISTORIC YEAR OF SUPREME COURT VICTORIES<\/a><\/p>

\"If the court\u2019s opinion turns out merely to reflect disapproval of one tendentious training program that judges dislike, then the decision might be good for this day and this ship only. But if the court is true to its word, then the floodgates are open,\" Colloton added.<\/p>

The case will now return to the federal district court for further proceedings on the merits, following the appeals court's ruling on Tuesday. The en banc appeals court's ruling could be appealed to the Supreme Court.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25303757859379.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379309-1767201288", "title":"Trump withdraws National Guard from Chicago, LA, and Portland despite ‘greatly reduced’ crime", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4379309%2Ftrump-national-guard-withdrawal-chicago-los-angeles-portland%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that his administration is removing National Guard units from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite deployments to those cities leading to “greatly reduced” crime. “Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in,” Trump wrote on Truth Social before teasing that the […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> announced on Wednesday that his administration is removing National Guard<\/a> units from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite deployments to those cities leading to \"greatly reduced\" crime<\/a>.<\/p>

\"Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren't for the Federal Government stepping in,\" Trump wrote on Truth Social<\/a> before teasing that the National Guard may return if crime rates increase.<\/p>

\"We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again,\" he said. \"Only a question of time! It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???\"<\/p>

The unexpected move comes as the Trump administration<\/a> faces litigation in those cities over its use of the National Guard.<\/p>

In Illinois, the federal government faced a setback last week when the Supreme Court denied its request<\/a> to lift a lower court's order blocking the federalization and deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago<\/a>.<\/p>

In California, a federal judge temporarily blocked<\/a> the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles<\/a> and determined that Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) should regain control of the reserve force.<\/p>

In Oregon, a federal judge permanently blocked<\/a> the federal government from deploying the National Guard to Portland<\/a>.<\/p>

Meanwhile, the National Guard can retain its presence in Washington, D.C., for now, after an appeals court ruling<\/a>. Guard units are also active<\/a> in New Orleans after Trump granted Gov. Jeff Landry's (R-LA) request.<\/p>

BOWSER RECORDS HER MOST TRUMP-FRIENDLY YEAR ON HER WAY OUT OF MAYOR'S OFFICE<\/a><\/p>

Governors typically have control over the National Guard, but the president can call the military branch into service under certain circumstances. In this case, Trump authorized the guard to combat crime.<\/p>

While the military is leaving Chicago, federal immigration authorities are still operating in the city. In fact, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino said<\/a> on Wednesday that immigration officers will remain in the Windy City for years.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25350022016146.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379219-1767197544", "title":"Jack Smith withheld names from judges who greenlit GOP lawmakers’ phone records access", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4379219%2Fjack-smith-withheld-names-gop-lawmakers-greenlit-phone-records-access%2F", "byline":"Kaelan Deese", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The House Judiciary Committee on New Year’s Eve released the full transcript and video of its closed-door deposition with former special counsel Jack Smith, shedding new light on his now-defunct prosecutions of President Donald Trump and revealing previously undisclosed details about covert subpoenas targeting Republican lawmakers and weaknesses in the Jan. 6 investigation. The more […]", "description":""

The House Judiciary Committee<\/a> on New Year\u2019s Eve released the full transcript and video of its closed-door deposition with former special counsel Jack Smith<\/a>, shedding new light on his now-defunct prosecutions of President Donald Trump<\/a> and revealing previously undisclosed details about covert subpoenas targeting Republican lawmakers and weaknesses in the Jan. 6 investigation.<\/p>

The more than eight-hour deposition<\/a>, conducted Dec. 17, shows Smith repeatedly defending the twin criminal cases he brought against Trump, one over the retention of classified documents and another over efforts to challenge the 2020 election, while appearing to give Republicans more fuel for their accusations of Justice Department weaponization under former Attorney General Merrick Garland's leadership ahead of the 2024 election.<\/p>

\u201cThe decision to bring charges against President Trump was mine,\u201d Smith told lawmakers<\/a>, adding that he believed the evidence established Trump\u2019s guilt \u201cbeyond a reasonable doubt,\u201d despite neither case ever being tried before a jury. <\/p>

Smith, appointed by Garland to lead the two-pronged criminal cases against Trump in November 2022, saw both of his prosecutions collapse before Trump returned to the White House. The classified documents case\u00a0was dismissed after a federal judge ruled<\/a>\u00a0that Smith had been improperly appointed without congressional approval,\u00a0while Smith had voluntarily withdrawn<\/a> the election interference case<\/a>\u00a0earlier this year.<\/p>

Republicans focused much of the deposition on Smith\u2019s approval of secret subpoenas for the phone records of lawmakers who communicated with Trump during the post-election period. Disclosures that first surfaced this fall, after Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released Justice Department documents detailing how Smith utilized the Arctic Frost FBI investigation, which began in April 2022, to boost his prosecutions against the then-former president.<\/p>

Under questioning, Smith acknowledged that judges who signed off on nondisclosure orders tied to the subpoenas were not informed that the records belonged to members of Congress.<\/p>

\u201cI don\u2019t think we identified that, because I don\u2019t think that was Department policy at the time,\u201d Smith testified when asked whether judges knew the subpoenas targeted lawmakers.<\/p>

Those nondisclosure orders prevented lawmakers from being notified and from challenging the subpoenas in court, a point Judiciary Committee members have argued raises serious Speech or Debate Clause concerns. Smith said that the need for secrecy inherently blocked such challenges but argued that his approach was lawful and necessary to avoid what he described as a \u201cgrave risk of obstruction of justice.\u201d<\/p>

Chairman Jim Jordan<\/a> (R-OH) sharply criticized the DOJ's internal review of the legality of the subpoenas as cursory, noting that internal DOJ communications showed agency officials believed the litigation risk was minimal, in part because lawmakers would not know their records had been seized until years later. When asked whether the Justice Department's Public Integrity section conducted a thorough review before issuing the subpoenas, Smith also conceded, \"Certainly, there could be more analysis.\"<\/p>

Smith added that he personally approved the subpoenas and relied heavily on advice from the Public Integrity Section, which concurred with his team\u2019s legal assessment.<\/p>

Among those whose phone metadata was obtained were former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Jordan himself, Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), and several Republican senators. Perry was the only lawmaker whose phone was physically seized, according to unclassified FBI records.<\/p>

Separately, the transcript shows Smith distancing his prosecution from some of the most explosive testimony aired by the Democrat-led House Jan. 6 select committee, including allegations from its star witness, Cassidy Hutchinson<\/a>.<\/p>

Smith told Judiciary Committee members that Hutchinson\u2019s testimony relied heavily on secondhand or even thirdhand hearsay and noted she would not have made a strong witness in the election interference case.<\/p>

\u201cAt least one of the issues was that a number of the things that she gave evidence on were secondhand hearsay,\u201d Smith said, adding that such testimony \u201ccertainly wouldn\u2019t be as powerful as firsthand testimony.\u201d<\/p>

That included Hutchinson\u2019s claim that Trump lunged for the steering wheel of his Secret Service vehicle on Jan. 6, an allegation later disputed by agents involved. Smith said investigators interviewed the relevant witnesses and found differing accounts that undercut the dramatic version presented during the televised hearings.<\/p>

Republicans have long argued the Jan. 6 committee oversold unverified claims while withholding exculpatory testimony. Smith said his team never made a final decision on whether to call Hutchinson as a witness.<\/p>

Despite the intense scrutiny, Smith denied that his work was politically motivated and said he followed the facts and the law, saying he would have brought another indictment against a former president regardless of their party affiliation. He also acknowledged that testifying carried personal risk, given Trump\u2019s public calls for his prosecution.<\/p>

JACK SMITH FAULTS DOJ FOR DROPPING TRUMP CODEFENDANT CHARGES<\/a><\/p>

The Judiciary Committee said the release of the transcript and video was necessary to provide transparency into one of the most aggressive and controversial special counsel investigations in U.S. history.<\/p>

The report about Smith's case that he brought against Trump for alleged election obstruction was released on Jan. 7 this year, while a legal fight is still brewing over the release of the report from the classified documents case. A judge in Florida last week ordered the release of Smith's second report by Feb. 24, though the court left open the option for Trump or his former alleged co-conspirators to attempt further delay of the report's release.<\/p>

Read the full transcript below:<\/p>

Smith Depo Transcript Redacted w Errata <\/a> by reportoftheday <\/a> <\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Jack-Smith-Deposition.png?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4378901-1767197517", "title":"Don’t grant citizenship to people who hate their countrymen", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4378901%2Fnot-everyone-deserves-citizenship-alaa-abd-el-fattah%2F", "byline":"Ian Haworth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"It’s not enough that the United Kingdom is arresting people for social media posts, or that it is trying to erode the foundation of justice, or that it taxes its people into oblivion for the privilege of dying on waiting lists for healthcare. Now, thanks to the inept and feckless U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, […]", "description":""

It\u2019s not enough that the United Kingdom<\/a> is arresting<\/a> people for social media posts, or that it is trying to erode the foundation of justice<\/a>, or that it taxes its people into oblivion for the privilege of dying<\/a> on waiting lists for healthcare<\/a>.<\/p>

Now, thanks to the inept and feckless U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer<\/a>, we have the perfect example of not only the fall of the U.K., but the generational damage that has been done by the West\u2019s self-destruction under the cult of multiculturalism.<\/p>

After being released from an Egyptian prison, activist Alaa Abd el Fattah arrived in London late last week, with Starmer announcing that he was \u201cdelighted\u201d by the news.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief,\u201d Starmer drooled<\/a> on X. \u201cI want to pay tribute to Alaa\u2019s family, and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAlaa's case has been a top priority for my government since we came to office. I\u2019m grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon,\u201d Starmer wrote.<\/p>

On the same platform on which Starmer popped the champagne for el Fattah and his family, it immediately became clear that the Egyptian-born el Fattah really hates Jews, white people, and British people.<\/p>

In 2010 alone, as demonstrated by the responses to Starmer\u2019s post, el Fattah referred to the British people as \u201cdogs and monkeys\u201d; wrote that \u201cpolice are not human, they don\u2019t have rights, we should just kill them all\u201d; posted in support of suicide bombings; admitted he does \u201crejoice when US soldiers are killed\u201d; expressed his support of \u201ckilling Zionistsand [sic] even civilians\u201d; and described \u201ckilling any colonialists and especially Zionists\u201d as \u201cheroic,\u201d adding that \u201cwe need to kill more of them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Such a nice chap!<\/p>

Laughably, el Fattah\u2019s recent apology included the claim that his hateful remarks, which included anti-gay rhetoric, were \u201ctwisted out of meaning.\u201d Yes, because \u201cwe should just kill them all\u201d is shrouded in subjective mystery.<\/p>

Now, Starmer and his pathetic government are saying they knew nothing of these all-too-easily accessed posts before throwing el Fattah a proverbial parade. They are facing a monsoon of criticism and condemnation, including widespread calls to revoke the Jew-hating, police-hating, British-hating, American-hating, gay-hating, West-hating el Fattah\u2019s British citizenship.<\/p>

But here\u2019s the problem: You just can\u2019t do that. El Fattah is one of many utter scumbags who have inexplicably been embraced by the West as citizens of a society they seek to undermine and destroy, and yet the problem is that he was allowed to become a citizen. The horse, in this case, has long since bolted. If we start revoking citizenship, no matter how tempting, after the fact, what happens when that power inevitably comes into the hands of our enemies? What is to stop a future government from revoking your citizenship, even if you were born in that country?<\/p>

UK GOVERNMENT SQUIRMS AFTER REPATRIATING ANTISEMITIC, ANTI-WHITE ACTIVIST FROM EGYPT<\/a><\/p>

No, the problem goes far beyond el Fattah. The problem is that he and countless others have been welcomed into our countries while our leaders ignore their open and hateful ideologies that seek to burn everything we love.<\/p>

Instead of recognizing this obvious fact, Starmer bangs the drum of intersectionality as he and his liberal friends welcome their conquerors with open arms. It\u2019s like climbing into the wolf\u2019s mouth and pausing only to cover yourself in butter. Is there a better expression of the dying West than this? I think not.<\/p>

Ian Haworth is a syndicated columnist. Follow him on X (@ighaworth)<\/a> or Substack<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25266106476749-e1767207667990.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379181-1767196210", "title":"Trump tells Colorado governor and district attorney to ‘rot in Hell’ over Tina Peters incarceration", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4379181%2Ftrump-colorado-governor-district-attorney-rot-in-hell-tina-peters-incarceration%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump touched on the nine-year prison sentence of former Colorado election clerk Tina Peters again this month, telling Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Mesa County District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein on Wednesday to “rot in Hell” for incarcerating the 2020 election denier. The fiery statement came weeks after Trump granted a “full pardon” to […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> touched on the nine-year prison sentence of former Colorado<\/a> election clerk Tina Peters again this month, telling Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Mesa County District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein on Wednesday to \"rot in Hell\" for incarcerating the 2020 election<\/a> denier.<\/p>

The fiery statement came weeks after Trump granted a \"full pardon\" to Peters. The presidential pardon<\/a> was symbolic because her conviction rested on state charges, not federal.<\/p>

In 2024, the former Mesa County election clerk was sentenced for tampering with voting equipment to prove unsubstantiated voter fraud claims in 2020. Trump said she was unfairly imprisoned.<\/p>

\"God Bless Tina Peters, who is now, for two years out of nine, sitting in a Colorado Maximum Security Prison, at the age of 73, and sick, for the 'crime' of trying to stop the massive voter fraud that goes on in her State (where people are leaving in record numbers!),\" he wrote on Truth Social<\/a> before taking aim at Polis and Rubinstein.<\/p>

\"Hard to wish her a Happy New Year, but to the Scumbag Governor, and the disgusting 'Republican' (RINO!) DA, who did this to her (nothing happens to the Dems and their phony Mail In Ballot System that makes it impossible for a Republican to win an otherwise very winnable State!), I wish them only the worst,\" he continued. \"May they rot in Hell. FREE TINA PETERS!\"<\/p>

Peters's legal team previously requested<\/a> a pardon from the White House<\/a>, arguing that language in the Constitution allows presidents to issue pardons for state convictions. In making their case for a presidential pardon, the lawyers cited multiple prison attacks against their client. In response to the request, Trump issued the \"full pardon\" earlier this month.<\/p>

The clemency action is widely unrecognized by Colorado Democrats, who argue it does not apply to state-level charges.<\/p>

\"No President has jurisdiction over state law nor the power to pardon a person for state convictions,\" Polis said at the time. \"This is a matter for the courts to decide, and we will abide by court orders.\"<\/p>

Polis responded to Trump's latest attack against him, saying he should be focused on more important matters.<\/p>

\"I hope the President\u2019s resolution this year is to spend less time online talking about me and more on making America more affordable by stopping his disastrous tariffs and fixing rising health care costs,\" the governor said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. \"Finally, I wish all Americans, including the President and all the wonderful people across the political spectrum, a happy, healthy, and productive New Year.\"<\/p>

The Republican district attorney in question criticized the president's statement.<\/p>

\"There's a saying in the law: if the facts are on your side, pound the facts; if the law is on your side, pound the law; if neither is on your side, pound the table,\" Rubinstein said in a statement to the Hill.<\/p>

\"President Trump has no facts and no law here,\" he added. \"After trying and failing to invent both, he\u2019s left with nothing but pounding the table.\"<\/p>

TRUMP GRANTS 'FULL PARDON' TO TINA PETERS AFTER 2020 ELECTION INTERFERENCE CONVICTION<\/a><\/p>

Peters's appeal of her conviction is being processed through Colorado's court system. Last week, her lawyers requested her release from prison and argued the Colorado appeals court no longer has jurisdiction over the case in light of Trump's legally dubious pardon.<\/p>

The court ruled that the Colorado attorney general's office can respond to Peters's case for her appeal by Jan. 8, 2026, before hearing arguments from her lawyers on Jan. 14.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25358792968283.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379142-1767196183", "title":"Germany’s Merz says Europe must ‘defend and assert’ interests amid ‘changing’ relations with US", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4379142%2Fgermany-friedrich-merz-europe-defend-assert-interests-changing-relations-us%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a national address on New Year’s Eve that warned Europeans to take the future into their own hands without relying on the United States. In his first speech since being elected to lead Germany earlier this year, Merz called on his nation and the wider continent to take a more […]", "description":""

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz<\/a> delivered a national address on New Year's Eve that warned Europeans to take the future into their own hands without relying on the United States.<\/p>

In his first speech since being elected to lead Germany<\/a> earlier this year, Merz called on his nation and the wider continent to take a more aggressive posture defending their interests amid changes in the trans-Atlantic alliance.<\/p>

\"Our partnership with the United States of America, which has long been the reliable guarantor of our security, is changing,\" Merz said<\/a>. \"For us Europeans, this means that we must defend and assert our interests much more strongly by ourselves.\"<\/p>

It is the latest evidence of a growing rift<\/a> between the U.S. and its European allies since President Donald Trump<\/a> returned to the Oval Office in January.<\/p>

The warning of deterioration in U.S.-EU relations was just one of many topics Merz addressed, including \"protectionism in the global economy,\" Russia's \"aggression<\/a>\" in Ukraine, and daily \"sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks\" within Germany itself.<\/p>

Merz called on Germany to reclaim its international prominence and abandon a mentality of deferring conflict to \"great powers.\"<\/p>

\"Esteemed fellow citizens, all of these developments show that we are witnessing an epochal shift,\" the chancellor said. \"But I want to tell you, with the very deepest inner conviction, that it is up to us to overcome each of these challenges with our own strength. We are not the victims of extraneous circumstances. We are not at the mercy of great powers. Our hands are not tied.\"<\/p>

The White House has treated Europe with a carrot-and-stick approach \u2014 at times chastising the European Union<\/a> for failing to take sufficient actions to ensure its self-defense, and other times talking about a \"sentimental\" attachment to the continent and seeking to save it<\/a> from \"civilizational erasure.\"<\/p>

European leaders have both heeded the U.S. demands for greater military capacity and lambasted the White House<\/a> as having betrayed their alliance.<\/p>

Remilitarization was a major topic of Merz's address on Wednesday, with the chancellor boasting of a reinvigorated voluntary military service, the newly established National Security Council, and the Bundestag's movement toward compulsory military enrollment.<\/p>

New Year's celebrations<\/a> in Germany are notoriously raucous and unrestrained, with citizens of all ages flooding the streets to set off commercial and homemade fireworks.<\/p>

IN FOCUS: GERMANY, POLAND, AND THE BALTICS PREPARE FOR WAR; THE UK, FRANCE, AND OTHERS PRETEND TO PREPARE<\/a><\/p>

The wild celebrations have become a major subject of debate, with critics of the country's loose firework laws demanding tighter regulations due to frequent bodily harm.<\/p>

Last year, five people died<\/a> in fireworks-related incidents, and hundreds more were injured in Berlin alone.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25364151187104_616f04.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379168-1767194793", "title":"The US can help end the militarization of Ukrainian children", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Fcourage-strength-optimism%2F4379168%2Fus-can-help-end-militarization-ukrainian-children%2F", "byline":"Katya Pavlevych", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump and his team continue to push for peace in Ukraine. All signs indicate that Russia has zero interest in peace but is preparing for a larger war. The clearest indicator is the Kremlin’s systematic militarization of Ukrainian children, including those abducted and trapped in occupation, and Moscow’s long-term plans for these children. […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> and his team continue to push for peace in Ukraine<\/a>. All signs indicate that Russia<\/a> has zero interest in peace but is preparing for a larger war. The clearest indicator is the Kremlin\u2019s systematic militarization of Ukrainian children, including those abducted and trapped in occupation, and Moscow\u2019s long-term plans for these children.<\/p>

Since 2022, Moscow has intentionally kidnapped at least 20,000<\/a> Ukrainian children. Experts estimate the number to be much higher. Many are forced to join the Russian military and fight their own country. All males in occupied Ukraine receive draft notices to join the Russian army at 17.\u00a0Russia\u2019s policy to militarize Ukrainian children is evil, morally corrupt, and anti-Christian, but at this scale, it also poses a security threat to Washington and NATO countries. Here is why.\u00a0<\/p>

Since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow\u2019s federal annual expenditures on youth policy have increased<\/a> by 66% to $850 million this year. In 2025, the federal budget<\/a> allocation for the \u201cMovement of the First,\u201d one of the largest organizations responsible for the militarization of youth, exceeded the entire federal budget<\/a> allocation for Kalmykia, which is one of Russia\u2019s poorest regions and dependent on Moscow.<\/p>

Such a splurge is part of Russia\u2019s new cultural policy, which aims to increase the proportion of patriotic (i.e., militarized and ready to fight for Russia) youth to 70%. And it\u2019s working. Since 2022, Moscow has opened more than 300 cadet classes in Ukraine\u2019s occupied regions. At least 160,000<\/a> Ukrainian children have already been enrolled in military movements, and this number continues to grow.\u00a0<\/p>

At the same time, Russia persists in indoctrinating other Ukrainian children, sending tens of thousands into notorious \u201csummer camps\u201d that masquerade as recreation while teaching children to dig trenches. These efforts are set to be scaled up. In 2026, Russia plans<\/a> to finish the construction of its largest military camp in occupied Ukraine, a 27-acre camp called \u201cWarrior\u201d in Mariupol.<\/p>

During a recent Senate hearing, Kateryna Rashevska, a legal expert at Ukraine's Regional Center for Human Rights, broke<\/a> the news that Russia has taken some Ukrainian children to military camps in North Korea. There, children are taught to \u201cdestroy Japanese militarists\u201d and meet Korean War veterans who attacked the U.S. fleet in the 1960s. These early stories indicate that Russia is preparing its future army to fight not only Ukrainians but the whole world. Putin is partnering with America\u2019s enemies to do so.<\/p>

But the path to militarization has been shortened for Ukrainian children. They no longer have to go to Russia, Belarus, or North Korea. Over the last four years, the Kremlin\u2019s strategy has evolved; in 2022, children were forcibly taken from Ukraine to reeducation facilities elsewhere. Today, Russia is focused on building military camps inside Ukraine: In 2024, three branches<\/a> of the military center \u201cWarrior\u201d were opened in occupied regions of Ukraine. Approximately 1.6 million children still remain in the occupied territories of Ukraine, and Russia is determined to militarize them and all of those who come after them.<\/p>

The available evidence suggests that Russia intends to expand dramatically its militarization of youth, as it needs more men to keep the war machine going. At the current pace, we can expect that some 500,000 Ukrainian children will be militarized and bred to serve in the Russian army over the next five years.<\/p>

Russia\u2019s approach to military recruitment cannot be matched by NATO and its allies. Moscow\u2019s aggressive policy to increase its military manpower means the Western alliance is facing not only a major militarization campaign comparable in scale only to the Nazi\u2019s Hitler\u2019s Youth, but also a real national security risk.<\/p>

As Washington attempts to broker the talks between Russia and Ukraine, it should keep in mind that it may be more efficient (and needless to say, morally right) to save Ukrainian children from Russian captivity now than to face them on the battlefield in five years. Ukrainian children will be the first to be deployed if Russia invades NATO. Indeed, Ukrainian children who were militarized in 2014 when Russia took over the Donbas have already been killed as Russian soldiers since the full-scale war in 2022. <\/p>

TO ACHIEVE PEACE IN UKRAINE, TRUMP HAS TO FACE DOWN PUTIN<\/a><\/p>

First lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump get it. They understand the importance of freeing Ukraine\u2019s children and have been at the center of efforts to release more Ukrainian children. Hats off to the president and first lady.<\/p>

But policy must follow. Russia\u2019s policies against Ukrainian children are the actions of a terrorist state that jeopardize our security and peace. Since Russia does not shy away from taking Ukrainian children to North Korea \u2014 one of the four countries designated by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism \u2014 it deserves the same designation, especially when the bill<\/a> enjoys substantial bipartisan support already.<\/p>

Katya Pavlevych, founder of Forget Us Not, is an adviser on the abduction of Ukrainian children at Razom for Ukraine.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP24325627540831.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379144-1767194094", "title":"In Pluribus, the apocalypse arrives with a smile", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F4379144%2Fvince-gilligan-pluribus-science-fiction-series-review%2F", "byline":"Harry Khachatrian", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In the imaginative mind of Vince Gilligan, the end of the world does not arrive with flaming alien spacecraft or pulverized monuments, but with the unsettling cheer of a Walmart greeter. His new series, Pluribus, eschews the bombast of traditional science fiction tropes in favor of something far more disquieting: a world saved from war, famine, […]", "description":""

In the imaginative mind of Vince Gilligan<\/a>, the end of the world does not arrive with flaming alien spacecraft or pulverized monuments, but with the unsettling cheer of a Walmart greeter. His new series, Pluribus<\/a>, eschews the bombast of traditional science fiction<\/a> tropes in favor of something far more disquieting: a world saved from war, famine, and conflict at the cost of individuality itself.<\/p>

When an RNA sequence beamed from light-years away manifests as a mysterious alien virus \u2014 an event known as \u201cthe Joining\u201d \u2014 nearly all of humanity is absorbed into a single, smiling collective consciousness. Borders dissolve. Nations vanish. Poverty, violence, and discord evaporate overnight. What remains is a pacified, contented hive mind, incapable of deception, cruelty, or dissent. There are no Americans or Russians or Chinese anymore \u2014 no hierarchies, no hegemonies. Individual minds are subsumed into a shared intelligence so total that a former homeless drug addict can pilot a commercial airliner or perform lifesaving heart surgery. Humanity survives (technically), but only as a lobotomized mass.<\/p>

Among the 12 people worldwide immune to the virus is Carol (Rhea Seehorn), an accomplished fantasy novelist whose romantic partner, Helen, dies during the chaotic onset of the Joining. Carol is spared assimilation, but not grief. She becomes, by default, one of the last custodians of individual consciousness on Earth. The question Pluribus (at least in its first season) poses is not whether humanity can be saved, but whether it should be \u2014 and whether the burden of saving it is bearable.<\/p>

There is an unmistakable Ayn Randian undercurrent to Gilligan\u2019s premise. The hive mind\u2019s advocates insist that the virus has achieved in one stroke what centuries of politics and posturing failed to accomplish: universal peace. And yet, what is left behind feels eerily hollow. Though hive members retain human form, they lack whatever animating spark \u2014 call it conscience, soul, or individuality \u2014 that once distinguished the species from mere biological life. Humanity may no longer be violent, but it is no longer human in any meaningful sense.<\/p>

Gilligan\u2019s hive mind is not malevolent. It smiles, speaks gently, and eagerly indulges any request from the immune individuals, no matter the resources (or raunchiness) required. It also abides by a rigid moral code that forbids lying or intentional harm. Its pacifism is so absolute that it cannot even harvest fruit, perceiving the act as killing \u2014 an absurdity that nudges humanity toward extinction by starvation and, without giving anything away, toward unthinkable and macabre workarounds (one of which is rationalized in a darkly comic cameo by John Cena).<\/p>

When Carol presses the hive with difficult questions \u2014 can the virus be reversed? \u2014 it evades, sulks, or simply refuses to answer. In another revealing scene, she asks what it thinks of her fantasy novels. Despite her commercial success, Carol privately regards her work as disposable pulp and her fandom with thinly veiled contempt. The hive responds with the breathless enthusiasm of ChatGPT, offering uncritical praise and placing her books alongside Shakespeare. The exchange further underscores the hollowness of the hive: Without judgment, there can be no meaning.<\/p>

As a storyteller, Vince Gilligan has long excelled at placing flawed people under impossible moral strain and letting the consequences unfold mercilessly. In Breaking Bad, Walter White begins as a meek chemistry teacher facing terminal cancer and financial ruin, making decisions that feel defensible \u2014 until they no longer are.<\/p>

Carol, conversely, does not discover a hunger for power but slowly discovers the limits of endurance. Initially, Carol views reversing the virus as her singular moral obligation. But isolation and grief wear her down. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she begins to indulge: commandeering a Rolls-Royce abandoned in a driveway; hanging an original Georgia O\u2019Keeffe on her wall; entering a romantic relationship with a hive-afflicted victim whose presence offers companionship. These are undeniably selfish choices, but they are also recognizably human.<\/p>

The series wisely resists framing Carol as either savior or villain. Instead, it treats her compromises with tragic empathy. Watching her, one cannot help but wonder how any person would behave under such conditions. Who among us would refuse a private recital of Mahler\u2019s \u201cResurrection\u201d by the Berlin Philharmonic, performed on demand for an audience of one?<\/p>

Pluribus is not about apocalypse in the conventional sense. There are no heroic battles for survival. It is, rather, a study of how different people metabolize the same catastrophe. This becomes especially clear through Manousos (Carlos Manuel Vesga), a fiercely anti-communist Paraguayan who rejects the hive mind with near-religious fervor. He barricades himself in his hut, eats canned dog food rather than accept the caviar offered by the hive, and fills notebooks with observations, searching obsessively for a weakness. In a pivotal exchange, he asks Carol, \u201cIsn\u2019t it evil to value a human the same as an ant?\u201d \u2014 cutting to the philosophical core of the series.<\/p>

One of the show\u2019s most effective sequences follows Manousos\u2019s arduous, five-week journey from Paraguay to Albuquerque to meet with Carol. Refusing any assistance from the hive, he treks across continents, learns English from cassette tapes, and repeats his mantra like a prayer: \u201cI am not one of them. I want to save the world.\u201d It is a stark counterpoint to Carol\u2019s trajectory.<\/p>

If Manousos represents one extreme, then Koumba (Samba Schutte), another immune, is the other. Regarding himself as a victim of circumstance, resigned to making the best of an irreparably bad situation, he dubs himself the dean of Las Vegas, travels aboard Air Force One, and recruits a fleet of afflicted women as his personal paramours. For some, moral surrender is instantaneous; for others, it happens more gradually.<\/p>

READING SELF-HELP AS THE SCIENCE FICTION IT IS<\/a><\/p>

The series unfolds over nine episodes, and its pacing will test viewers expecting a propulsive sci-fi thriller. After a brisk setup, the narrative slows to a deliberate crawl. There are extended, seemingly indulgent sequences \u2014 such as a minute-long scene of Manousos fishing Carol\u2019s phone out of a drain after discarding it for fear of surveillance \u2014 that appear, on the surface, to stall momentum. Manousos\u2019s paranoia recalls a Soviet dissident during Josef Stalin\u2019s Great Purge, forever anticipating microphones and spies. Yet, these moments are essential. They create space to think, to sit with unease, and to understand not just what the characters are doing, but why.\u00a0<\/p>

Gilligan has made a career out of resisting narrative shortcuts, and Pluribus may be his most restrained work yet. It is not a sci-fi spectacle in the vein of Independence Day or War of the Worlds. It is a coldly intelligent character study about individualism and the cost of remaining human when the apocalypse arrives with a smile \u2014 and the rest of humanity greets it with a warm embrace.<\/p>

Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6<\/a>) is a film critic for the Washington Examiner\u2018s Beltway Confidential blog. He is a software engineer, holds a master\u2019s degree from the University of Toronto, and writes about wine at BetweenBottles.com<\/a>.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Pluribus_1.png?w=432" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379113-1767193497", "title":"Virginia to crack down on youth social media and classroom cellphone use in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Ftechnology%2F4379113%2Fvirginia-crackdown-youth-social-media-classroom-cellphone-use-2026%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"On January 1, Virginia teenagers under the age of 16 will be limited to one hour of screen time on each major social media platform. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) signed into law a bipartisan-supported amendment to the state’s Consumer Data Protection Act, which will require social media companies to limit children ages 16 or under […]", "description":""

On January 1, Virginia<\/a> teenagers under the age of 16 will be limited to one hour of screen time on each major social media <\/a>platform.<\/p>

Gov. Glenn Youngkin<\/a> (R-VA) signed into law a bipartisan-supported amendment to the state's Consumer Data Protection Act, which will require social media companies to limit children ages 16 or under to one hour per day per application. It also allows parents to increase or decrease that daily limit for their child.<\/p>

The bill puts the onus on social media companies to \"use commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to determine\" the minor's age, according to the state bill's description<\/a>. The bill's supporters championed the legislation as a measure to diminish the negative mental health effects<\/a> of social media on teenagers.<\/p>

\"Behavioral health distress among teens surged at the same time as increased use of social media and cell phones. That's why Virginia is leading on Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone-Free Education in schools across the Commonwealth\u2014and with a new law taking effect January 1 that will restrict social media use for kids under 16 to one hour per day, unless they have a parent's permission,\" Youngkin wrote on X<\/a> Wednesday.<\/p>

Virginia state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a history teacher at Glen Allen High School in Henrico County, cosponsored the bill. He told WJLA that he has seen how excessive screen time affects students<\/a>, that it \"hinders their ability to do well in school\" and \"hinders their socialization with their friends.\"<\/p>

However, the bill could face legal hurdles, as NetChoice, a trade association incorporating companies such as YouTube and Meta, filed a lawsuit<\/a> against the state over the bill.<\/p>

ICE ACCUSES POLITICO REPORTER OF \u2018INCITING VIOLENCE\u2019 AGAINST FEDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA POST<\/a><\/p>

\"This new law, set to go in effect on January 1, 2026, bars Virginians' access to valuable, lawful speech simply because it happens online,\" NetChoice's Litigation Center Co-Director Paul Taske wrote<\/a>. \"Such a restriction is no different than a law that curbs the time spent reading books, watching documentaries on TV or even having in-person conversations, and it violates the First Amendment<\/a>.\"<\/p>

How exactly the state will enforce the new law<\/a> remains unclear, according to WJLA. The bill is set to take effect on Thursday.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AP25309600534741.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4378897-1767191778", "title":"Mamdani will be inaugurated as New York City mayor at midnight: What to know", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F4378897%2Fmamdani-inaugurated-new-york-mayor-midnight-what-to-know%2F", "byline":"David Zimmermann", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will begin the new year with his private inauguration ceremony at midnight on Thursday, followed by a public ceremony in the early afternoon. The socialist will soon take charge of City Hall and succeed current Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the mayoral race before the general election. Adams […]", "description":""

New York <\/a>Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani<\/a> will begin the new year with his private inauguration<\/a> ceremony at midnight on Thursday, followed by a public ceremony in the early afternoon.<\/p>

The socialist will soon take charge of City Hall and succeed current Mayor Eric Adams<\/a>, who dropped out of the mayoral race before the general election. Adams said he will be joining Mamdani at the public ceremony to ensure a smooth transition of power.<\/p>

Here is everything to know about Mamdani's inauguration on New Year's Day.<\/p>Time and place

The private swearing-in ceremony is slated to start around midnight after the Times Square ball drops to ring in the new year. The event will be held in a decommissioned subway station beneath City Hall.<\/p>

While the location is an unusual choice for an inauguration ceremony, Mamdani's transition team said it reflects his \"commitment to the working people who keep our city running every day.\"<\/p>

\"When I take my oath from the station at the dawn of the New Year, I will do so humbled by the opportunity to lead millions of New Yorkers into a new era of opportunity, and honored to carry forward our city's legacy of greatness,\" Mamdani said.<\/p>

The mayor-elect will be surrounded by his family at the private ceremony as New York Attorney General Letitia James<\/a> administers the oath of office.<\/p>

The public swearing-in ceremony, scheduled to start at 1 p.m., will be held above ground on the steps of City Hall.<\/p>

Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) will swear in the incoming mayor. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) will deliver opening remarks for Mamdani, and Cornelius Eady will read an original poem.<\/p>

James, Sanders, and Ocasio-Cortez were all close allies of Mamdani during his campaign. They are also notable opponents of President Donald Trump<\/a>, who has committed to working with Mamdani for the betterment of New York City.<\/p>

Adams and former Mayor Bill de Blasio<\/a> are also expected to attend the public ceremony.<\/p>Number of attendees

The daytime inauguration is anticipated to draw about 40,000 to 50,000 people to Manhattan, according to<\/a> the New York Post.<\/p>

The inauguration ceremony will be capped at 4,000 ticketed guests, but the public is also invited to view the proceedings on large video screens and celebrate throughout the day.<\/p>

Up to 40,000 people can be accommodated for a public block party near City Hall. A stretch of Broadway will be closed by police for the street celebration on Thursday.<\/p>

The party is supposed to feature live musical performances and interfaith elements. Mamdani's transition team stressed there will be no heating tents for attendees to brave the cold January weather.<\/p>Use of Quran for oath of office

The inauguration will be unprecedented in the sense that Mamdani will not adhere to the traditional oath of office in which a Bible is often used. Instead, he will be sworn into office on the Quran.<\/p>

Mamdani, who's set to become the first Muslim<\/a> mayor of New York City, distinguished himself from the other mayoral candidates partly based on his religious faith.<\/p>

The New York Times reported<\/a> that the mayor-elect will use two family Qurans, including one from his grandfather, and another copy from black writer and historian Arturo Alfonso Schomburg during both inauguration ceremonies.<\/p>

\u201cIt's a highly symbolic choice because we\u2019re about to have a Muslim mayor swearing in using the Quran but also a mayor who was born on the African continent, in Uganda,\u201d New York Public Library curator Hiba Abid, who lent Schomburg's Quran to Mamdani for Thursday, told the outlet. \u201cIt really brings together here elements of faith, identity, and New York history.\u201d<\/p>Fundraising by inaugural committee

Mamdani's inauguration committee has raised at least $3.7 million in funds from more than 32,000 donors since his election victory in November. The transition team set an initial $4 million goal.<\/p>

His campaign surpassed Adams in the amount of funds donated during the transition period. By the start of his term in January 2022, Adams raised roughly $1.94 million.<\/p>

Mamdani's fundraising efforts were largely fueled by grassroots donors, reflective of his appeal to the working class. His policies, many of which were controversial for their socialist bent, focused on affordability and cost-of-living concerns.<\/p>

Among Mamdani's policy promises were rent freezes, free public transit, and city-owned grocery stores. Despite the public skepticism, the mayor-elect intends to follow through on these policies.<\/p>

ADAMS COMMITS TO ATTENDING MAMDANI INAUGURATION AFTER SPEAKING WITH MAYOR-ELECT<\/a><\/p>

High-profile figures on Mamdani's 48-member inaugural committee include Ms. Rachel, a popular YouTube personality who produces content for children; John Turturro, an actor and filmmaker; and Cynthia Nixon, an actress and progressive activist.<\/p>

The transition team has said the inaugural committee, which will also include small business owners and campaign workers, \"provided perspective, guidance, and cultural sensibility\" for the ceremonies.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25364723689583.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379172-1767191698", "title":"Maryland looks to AI as SNAP rules tighten", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4379172%2Fmaryland-looks-to-ai-as-snap-rules-tighten%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Maryland officials say they are exploring how artificial intelligence could be used to support parts of the state’s food assistance program after the state was awarded federal grants aimed at modernizing public services. Gov. Wes Moore’s office announced Tuesday that Maryland secured more than $2.6 million in grants over two years to fund artificial intelligence […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013 Maryland<\/a> officials say they are exploring how\u00a0artificial intelligence<\/a> could be used\u00a0to support parts of the state\u2019s food assistance program after the state\u00a0was awarded\u00a0federal grants aimed at modernizing public services.<\/p>

Gov. Wes Moore\u2019s<\/a> office announced Tuesday that Maryland secured more than $2.6 million in grants over two years to fund artificial intelligence projects across several state agencies. One of the projects focuses on developing tools to help streamline work verification for food assistance and Medicaid programs, according to the state.<\/p>

The effort is being led by the Maryland Department of Human Services, along with the Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Benefits\u00a0and\u00a0the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, as part of a multi-state project. State officials said the work will involve\u00a0developing and testing AI tools<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0could eventually be deployed\u00a0more broadly.<\/p>

The rollout of the AI project comes as Maryland adjusts to recent federal changes to food assistance rules. Those changes stem from H.R. 1, a budget law signed earlier this year that expands work requirements and shifts a larger share of program costs to states.<\/p>

Under the new law, states are required to cover 75% of food assistance administrative costs, up from the previous 50% federal-state split. Maryland currently spends about $115 million a year on its share of administrative costs. Under the new cost-sharing structure, state estimates show that the amount would increase by roughly $57.5 million annually, bringing Maryland\u2019s total administrative costs to about $172.5 million per year.<\/p>

The law also allows for benefit cost-sharing tied to payment error rates. States with error rates above 6% may be required to contribute a portion of benefit costs.<\/p>

Federal data shows Maryland\u2019s food assistance payment error rate was 13.64% in fiscal year 2024, one of the highest rates in the country. Based on current benefit levels, state estimates show Maryland could be responsible for up to 15% of benefit costs if the rate persists.<\/p>

Maryland is expecting to issue roughly\u00a0$1.6 billion<\/a>\u00a0in food assistance benefits in 2026. At a 15% state share, that would amount to approximately $240 million in benefit costs.<\/p>

WHAT TO EXPECT FOR AI IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

When combined with the higher administrative costs, state estimates show Maryland\u2019s total annual food assistance costs under the new federal framework could reach about $412.5 million, an increase of just over $300 million compared to what the state currently contributes.<\/p>

State officials have not said the artificial intelligence tools will reduce costs or error rates. The grants will fund development work over the next two years as Maryland tests how the tools could be used alongside existing systems.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iStock-2217957588-e1764857589332.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379171-1767191563", "title":"Lawmaker wants alleged Ohio child care fraud investigated", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4379171%2Flawmaker-wants-alleged-ohio-child-care-fraud-investigated%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Pointing to a multimillion-dollar taxpayer fraud scandal in Minnesota, an Ohio lawmaker wants an investigation into the state’s child care facilities he says are suspected of fraud. Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, claims there have been multiple reports alleging fraud in publicly funded child care programs that bill the state for children […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) \u2013\u00a0Pointing to a multimillion-dollar taxpayer<\/a> fraud scandal in Minnesota<\/a>, an Ohio lawmaker wants an investigation into the state\u2019s child care<\/a> facilities he says are suspected of fraud.<\/p>

Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, claims there have been multiple reports alleging fraud in publicly funded child care programs that bill the state for children who don\u2019t attend. Williams specifically wants Columbus-area facilities investigated.<\/p>

\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in Minnesota is almost certainly occurring in Columbus \u2013 and Ohio needs to use every power we have under the law to stop it,\u201d Williams said in a social media post.<\/p>

Allegations of fraud in Minnesota surfaced in November, when reports stated that millions of taxpayer dollars had been stolen from the state's welfare system and sent to a Somali-based terror group. <\/p>

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday announced it would freeze $185 million provided to Minnesota day care centers annually. <\/p>

Ohio received more than $800 million in federal taxpayer funds for child care services in fiscal year 2024, and the state spends a total of $1.1 billion on child care.<\/p>

A letter drafted by Williams and signed by 42 other Ohio lawmakers asks the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to conduct more unannounced inspections of child care facilities that receive state funding and audit attendance records and billing submissions to identify potential fraud. The letter requests the department suspend state payments to facilities where probable fraud or false reporting is found, refer substantiated cases to prosecutors and notify state lawmakers of the results.<\/p>

The letter claims \u201cwidespread public reports alleging that certain child care facilities participating in publicly funded child care programs are fraudulently billing the state of Ohio for children who are not actually in attendance.\u201d<\/p>

WHAT TO EXPECT FOR AI IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

\u201cThese allegations raise serious concerns regarding program integrity, the responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and the overall credibility of Ohio\u2019s publicly funded childcare system,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cUnannounced inspections are an essential tool to identify violations, deter fraudulent practices, and reinforce confidence in the oversight of publicly funded programs.\u201d<\/p>

The Department of Children and Youth did not respond to an email from The Center Square seeking comment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/546ca225274455340ceaca87f2b5a52a-scaled.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379173-1767191433", "title":"Florida’s minimum wage rising to $15 in 2026", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4379173%2Ffloridas-minimum-wage-rising-to-15-in-2026%2F", "byline":"Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – Florida’s minimum wage will rise to $15 an hour in 2026 as the result of a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2020. Florida’s current minimum wage is $14 an hour. The increase will go into effect on Sept. 30 and will be the state’s last scheduled minimum wage increase. The […]", "description":""

(The Center Square) - Florida\u2019s<\/a> minimum wage<\/a> will rise to $15 an hour in 2026 as the result of a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2020.<\/p>

Florida\u2019s current minimum wage is $14 an hour. The increase will go into effect on Sept. 30 and will be the state's last scheduled minimum wage increase.<\/p>

The pay was $8.56 an hour when voters agreed to allow an annual $1 increase until it hits $15. In the future, the state Agency for Workforce Innovation will be tasked with adjusting the minimum wage rate for inflation.<\/p>

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association had opposed the increase and warned that businesses would likely raise prices to offset the new wage costs. The organization cited a 2019 Congressional Budget Office report that said while incomes would rise, hundreds of thousands of jobs would be lost if the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour was increased to $15 by 2025.<\/p>

Business leaders who supported increasing Florida\u2019s minimum wage argued it would reduce employment turnover, saving them additional hiring and training costs and increasing productivity.<\/p>

The state has seen employment rise in many counties year-over-year since the wage increase was approved, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While prices have also risen, they are part of the nationwide trend of inflation, making it unclear whether the incremental wage increase is a contributing factor.<\/p>

Research indicates that for every 10% increase in the minimum wage, consumer prices rise 0.3%, according to the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.<\/p>

Florida is on the higher end of the minimum wage pay scale. Only 11 states have a rate of $15 or higher. Twenty states still use the federal minimum wage of $7.25.<\/p>

It\u2019s estimated that an adult with no children or spouse to support would need to earn $23.41 an hour to make a living wage in Florida, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s  Living Wage Calculator. The same person with a child or spouse would need to earn $37.98 an hour to make a living wage.<\/p>

Nearly 20 other states are increasing their minimum wage in the new year. <\/p>

WHAT TO EXPECT FOR AI IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

Some have implemented incremental wage increases, including Alaska, Hawaii, Michigan, Missouri and Nebraska.<\/p>

Others have an indexed minimum wage that automatically adjusts based on certain economic factors.<\/p>

Ohio\u2019s minimum wage<\/a>\u00a0has automatically increased since 2006, when voters approved a constitutional amendment to tie it to inflation.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25364664019620-e1767126180882.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375511-1767189660", "title":"Trump vetoes law expanding Miccosukee tribe’s territory in Everglades after its opposition to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F4375511%2Ftrump-veto-miccosukee-tribe-territory-expansion-everglades-alligator-alcatraz-opposition%2F", "byline":"Molly Parks", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump issued one of the first presidential vetoes of his second term to nix the expansion and additional flooding protections of the Miccosukee territory after the tribe challenged his administration’s “Alligator Alcatraz” project. Trump’s veto sent the bipartisan Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act back to Congress unsigned on Tuesday evening. The bill was […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> issued one of the first presidential vetoes<\/a> of his second term to nix the expansion and additional flooding protections of the Miccosukee territory after the tribe challenged his administration's \"Alligator Alcatraz\" project.<\/p>

Trump's veto sent the bipartisan Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act back to Congress unsigned on Tuesday evening. The bill was led by Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) in the lower chamber and Sen. Rick Scott<\/a> (R-FL) in the upper chamber. It would have expanded the Miccosukee territory to the Osceola Camp area of the Everglades National Park and protected the area from flooding.<\/p>

\"The previous administration developed a plan to protect and replace unauthorized infrastructure at the Osceola Camp, which could cost up to $14 million. But despite seeking funding and special treatment from the Federal Government, the Miccosukee Tribe has actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected,\" Trump wrote<\/a> in his veto statement.<\/p>

Though Trump did not specifically name Alligator Alcatraz in his veto memo, the Miccosukee Tribe made headlines in July when it filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit against the alliterative Florida Everglades detention center for illegal immigrants. The tribe raised environmental concerns and argued that the facility could interfere with its community and resources.<\/p>

\"My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration's policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country,\" Trump wrote.<\/p>

Trump also wrote that the Osceola Camp area was \"constructed in 1935, without authorization, in a low area that was raised with fill material.\" He said none of the structures are old enough to qualify for the National Register of Historic Places and that \"it is not the Federal Government's responsibility to pay to fix problems in an area that the Tribe has never been authorized to occupy.\"<\/p>

The Miccosukee tribe has been one of several plaintiffs to challenge the construction of Alligator Alcatraz as the Trump administration continues to vouch for the Everglades immigration detention facility. Despite legal opposition from environmental groups and detained immigrants, the Trump administration scored a win in December as U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek struck down<\/a> a detainee's injunction request to close the facility.<\/p>

\"The facility's proximity to the Tribe's villages, sacred and ceremonial sites, traditional hunting grounds, and other lands protected by the Tribe raises significant concerns about environmental degradation and potential impacts to same caused by the construction and operation of a detention facility at the TNT Site,\" counsel for the tribe wrote of Alligator Alcatraz in the July court document<\/a>. <\/p>

Gimenez, who championed the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act in the House, said<\/a> in July on the House floor that the bill \"ensures that the Miccosukee Tribe has the legal authority to manage, protect, and preserve their land \u2014 and continue their traditional way of life.\"<\/p>

\"The Osceola Camp is not only home to tribal members, but it is also a site of historical and cultural importance,\" Gimenez said. \"Including this land in the reserved area will empower the Tribe to protect their community, manage water flow into Everglades National Park, and raise structures within the camp to prevent catastrophic flooding.\"<\/p>

BOEBERT SUGGESTS TRUMP VETOED COLORADO WATER PIPELINE BILL AS \u2018RETALIATION\u2019 FOR EPSTEIN DISCHARGE PETITION<\/a><\/p>

Tuesday's two vetoes were Trump's first of his second term. He also vetoed<\/a> the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, which would have completed a water pipeline in Colorado.<\/p>

Neither Gimenez nor Scott responded to the Washington Examiner's requests for comment on the veto.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25185566158203.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375457-1767189600", "title":"Where does Sarah Palin go for her apology on death panels?", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fin_focus%2F4375457%2Fsarah-palin-deserves-apology-death-panels-canada-assisted-suicide%2F", "byline":"Becket Adams", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. In 2009, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin created a sensation […]", "description":""

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here<\/a>.<\/p>

In 2009, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin<\/a> created a sensation when she claimed that government-run healthcare<\/a> would inevitably lead to the creation of bureaucratic boards responsible for deciding who should and shouldn\u2019t receive treatment.<\/p>

It\u2019s from this charge that we got the term \u201cdeath panel<\/a>,\u201d which became a near constant reference during the congressional debate over the passage of the Affordable Care Act<\/a>.<\/p>

Palin was called a loon and a crank. <\/p>

Even today, a simple search on Microsoft\u2019s Copilot for the date when the former governor coined the term \u201cdeath panel\u201d carefully notes that her accusation quickly became a viral talking point despite \u201cbeing widely debunked as a myth.\u201d<\/p>

Fifteen years after Palin\u2019s remark, disability advocate Krista Carr testified before members of Canada\u2019s parliament<\/a>, which oversees the country\u2019s healthcare regime, that her organization receives weekly reports of medical assistance in dying, or legalized doctor-assisted suicide, being suggested unprompted to disabled individuals during routine, non-terminal care visits.<\/p>

Who could have\u00a0predicted that government-controlled healthcare, combined with legalized euthanasia<\/a>, would eventually lead to the sick and uncomfortable being told to kill themselves?\u00a0<\/p>

Where does Palin go for her apology?<\/p>

Canada<\/a>, whose lawmakers, celebrities, and influencers often boast about their \u201cfree\u201d healthcare and stringent anti-gun laws, recorded an astonishing 16,499 MAID suicides<\/a> in 2024, following 22,535 such requests that year. <\/p>

For reference, Canada reported approximately 15,500 MAID deaths in 2023, resulting in a per capita rate of 37 MAID deaths per 100,000 people. During the same year, the United States recorded around 18,000 gun-related homicides<\/a>, yielding a per capita rate of 5 gun-related murders per 100,000 people.<\/p>

Put simply, a Canadian has a greater chance of dying by suicide than an American has of being shot dead. <\/p>

How\u2019s that for perspective? <\/p>

Since the practice was legalized nationwide nine years ago, there have been a total of 76,475 reported MAID suicides in Canada. In 2022, the number of Canadians snuffed out by MAID was 13,241; in 2021, it was 10,064; in 2020, the four-year anniversary of legalized suicide in Canada, the number ranged from 7,595 to 7,611. Before that, the count was 5,665, and earlier, it was 4,478. In 2017, Canada reported 2,838 MAID suicides, and in 2016, it recorded an estimated 1,108.<\/p>

The number of Canadians lining up to commit suicide is increasing each year, and not just a little, but exponentially.<\/p>

There is a broader conversation to be had about Canada\u2019s evident culture of despair. But the more urgent and troubling issue is the one where, as Palin warned all those years ago, medical professionals within a \u201cuniversal healthcare\u201d system are evidently encouraging patients to consider assisted suicide, even when the patients themselves have expressed no such desire. <\/p>

We\u2019re not talking about just one or two cases in Canada since 2016; we\u2019re talking about at least a dozen, and those are only the ones we know about \u2014 cases where the victim lived to tell the story.<\/p>

In 2018, for example, a patient with a degenerative neurological condition at a London, Ontario hospital secretly recorded staff<\/a> offering him suicide, despite his repeated requests for home care support. In 2022, a paraplegic Paralympian and veteran<\/a> was offered MAID by a Veterans Affairs Canada caseworker when she requested a wheelchair ramp for her home, with the worker suggesting suicide as an alternative to feeling \u201cdesperate.\u201d A separate internal Veterans Affairs investigation confirmed four similar incidents<\/a> between 2019 and 2022 where the same employee offered suicide to veterans seeking help for post-traumatic stress disorder or disabilities, not end-of-life care.<\/p>

In 2023, a Vancouver woman seeking psychiatric care for chronic suicidal ideation had a clinician describe the MAID process<\/a> in detail without her prompting, which the patient felt undermined her suicide prevention efforts. In 2019, a man in British Columbia was approved for MAID amid family concerns<\/a> that it had been suggested while he was vulnerable in the hospital for suicidal ideation. In 2024, a Montreal woman with spina bifida<\/a> was offered MAID twice by hospital staff during unrelated treatment, and a woman from Nova Scotia was asked about MAID before breast cancer surgery<\/a> despite not being terminally ill.\u00a0<\/p>

Another disabled woman was suggested MAID by her physiotherapist<\/a> while seeking help for a bruised hip.<\/p>

If you think this is bad, know it will get much worse, especially as Canada prepares to broaden its already generous MAID qualification criteria<\/a> in 2027 to include people with mental health problems. This is in addition to separate proposals to make MAID suicide services available to \u201cmature minors,\u201d that is, patients under the age of 18 who are \u201cfound to have the requisite decision-making capacity<\/a>,\u201d as well as infants under one year old in cases of \u201csevere deformities<\/a>.\"<\/p>

Even without the proposed expansions, we know that things will get worse in Canada because we know what happens in modern societies where secular understandings of convenience and quality of life inform medical and lifestyle decisions. Just look at what Europe did to children with Down syndrome \u2014 it aborted them into near-extinction<\/a>.<\/p>

With the introduction of more precise prenatal testing, significantly fewer babies with Down syndrome are being born in Europe, as most parents choose abortion after a positive diagnosis. Between 2011 and 2015, elective abortions cut the number of live births with Down syndrome by an average of 54% across the continent, meaning about half as many babies were born as would have been without testing and abortion. The most significant decline was in Southern Europe (71%), followed by Northern Europe (51%) and Eastern Europe (38%). In countries such as Iceland and Denmark, nearly 100% of pregnancies diagnosed with Down syndrome end in abortion, so only a small number of babies with the condition, if any, are born each year (often just zero to 3 in Iceland).<\/p>

If an entire continent\u2019s worth of parents are willing to sacrifice their children in the name of convenience and quality of life, what do you suppose a culturally adjacent, secular government will do when the similarly \u201cinconvenient\u201d become a drain on its already overburdened healthcare system? It\u2019s the most predictable thing in the world that Canada and others would move toward suicide recommendations.\u00a0<\/p>

Remember, Canada is a country that, until relatively recently, had fewer MRI machines than Pittsburgh<\/a>. It\u2019s also a country with a median healthcare wait time of an astonishing 28.6 weeks<\/a>. Why wouldn\u2019t Canada try to ease the pressure on its healthcare system by encouraging the chronically ill, the elderly, and the mentally unstable to commit suicide? If a government is seeking a way to manage an already unwieldy budget, it might naturally consider removing those who contribute little but consume a\u00a0great deal \u2014 the crippled, the infirm, the feeble, and the mentally impaired.<\/p>

It has always seemed odd that Palin\u2019s warning was met with ridicule and mockery, dismissed as complete lunacy, the suggestion that a board overseen by nameless bureaucrats would eventually invent for itself the power to decide who should and should not have access to government-run medical care.\u00a0<\/p>

Governments operate on a limited resource: money. What do all businesses do when an asset incurs more debits than credits? They cut that asset. Governments are no different. In a utilitarian sense, it\u2019s only logical that Canada is pushing for the liquidation of those whose mere existence is a drain on the treasury; it would be surprising if it weren\u2019t.<\/p>

This will be the fate of all such countries with government-run healthcare. Necessity will ultimately force severe cost-cutting measures, and those implementing the courts will eventually stop caring about whether they affect an item or a person. <\/p>

The cuts will start as subtle hints, then become straightforward suggestions, then cajoling, until they finally become harassment. Eventually, we will reach the final stage, where it is no longer a suggestion but a government mandate that you be removed from the community. See: The United Kingdom and the fate of the child Charlie Gard<\/a>.<\/p>

Sounds fantastical, right? Tell that to Gard. Tell that to the Canadians whose healthcare professionals keep telling them to kill themselves.<\/p>

IN FOCUS: THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE RIGHT'S CIVIL WAR<\/a><\/p>

Canadian lawmakers often brag about their anti-gun initiatives, with leaders from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau<\/a> to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair stating that so-called red flag laws are necessary to lower the number of gun-related suicides.<\/p>

With 2025 expected to surpass last year\u2019s record-breaking MAID numbers, it\u2019s safe to say that Canadian authorities don\u2019t object so much to dead Canadians as they object to not being the ones to pull the trigger.<\/p>

T. Becket Adams is a journalist and media critic in Washington, D.C.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/a10b8edcf86b807789632bc5cff647ed.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4364938-1767188159", "title":"The reality of Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ agenda", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2F4364938%2Freality-trump-drill-baby-drill-agenda%2F", "byline":"Callie Patteson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"President Donald Trump has for months promised to “drill, baby, drill” and revitalize the fossil fuel industry, though as oil prices have plummeted, some within the industry doubt whether he can deliver.  Crude oil prices have fallen significantly since Trump took office in January, in part due to oversupply from increased production worldwide.  With oil […]", "description":""

President Donald Trump<\/a> has for months promised to \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d and revitalize the fossil fuel industry, though as oil<\/a> prices have plummeted, some within the industry doubt whether he can deliver. <\/p>

Crude oil prices have fallen significantly since Trump took office in January, in part due to oversupply from increased production worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>

With oil prices down by around $20 per barrel since January, gasoline prices have also continuously dropped, with the national average well below<\/a> $3 a gallon. <\/p>

While this has provided significant relief for consumers, many oil and gas producers remain worried<\/a> that lower costs of oil and gasoline \u2014 combined with supply chain constraints brought on by Trump\u2019s tariffs \u2014 will make it difficult to increase drilling operations and thereby \u201cdrill, baby, drill.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

In the last week of December, oilfield service company Baker Hughes reported 546 active oil and gas rigs in the United States. That is 43 fewer than the number active during this time last year, in the final weeks of the Biden administration. <\/p>

Numerous oil and gas executives have pointed to the rig count as evidence that production levels are slowing under Trump, despite his promises to boost the industry. <\/p>

\u201cIf economic conditions worsen, drilling and completion activities will cease in 2026,\u201d one executive said anonymously in a quarterly survey released<\/a> by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in December. <\/p>

\u201cA vibrant oilfield services sector is critical if and when the U.S. needs to ramp up production,\u201d another executive said in another quarterly survey released in September<\/a>. \u201cRight now, we are bleeding.\u201d<\/p>

As of Tuesday, domestic benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude was selling at around $57.95 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent Crude was priced at $61.92 per barrel. Both are far below the $70 and $75 baselines that producers wish to see oil selling at in order to pursue new drilling opportunities and open new rigs. <\/p>

As drilling companies have been forced to close rigs, producers have moved to lay off employees<\/a>. Majors such as Exxon, Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, and many others announced thousands of layoffs this year, with some companies reducing their workforce by 25% over the next two years.\u00a0<\/p>

However, fewer rigs and employees have not significantly slowed domestic production, and in fact, domestic production of oil has repeatedly hit record levels<\/a> throughout the year.\u00a0<\/p>

Kirk Edwards, former chairman of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, told the Washington Examiner that this can be attributed to technological advancements at existing wells. <\/p>

\u201cDrill, baby, drill definitely did not happen in any stretch of the imagination,\u201d said Edwards. <\/p>

\u201cWhat has happened, though, is the ingenuity of the engineers for the companies that are drilling the wells that are being drilled,\u201d he said, explaining that existing wells are being drilled longer with better fracking technology. <\/p>

\u201cThey\u2019re able to get more out of each well than what they did before,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cSo, technology is the winner this year, but it wasn\u2019t because we drilled more wells.\u201d <\/p>

Karr Ingham, president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers and a petroleum economist, agreed, describing this phenomenon more as \"produce, baby, produce.\"<\/p>

\"If you take that in its literal form, 'drill, baby, drill' did not happen this year,\" Ingham said. \"We had fewer of everything except barrels produced. And of course, that is the part that counts.\"<\/p>

For some Republicans, this alone is evidence that the administration is making good on its \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d promise. <\/p>

\u201cThere's been so much advancements in technologies over the last few years that we can use fewer rigs,\u201d Jason Isaac, founder and CEO of American Energy Institute, told the Washington Examiner. <\/p>

\u201cWe can use fewer drill sites. I mean, it's amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cThey used to drill one hole on a pad, and now there's multiple holes, and they're going in different directions, and so they're being more productive with less equipment.\u201d <\/p>

There is some skepticism, however, that technological advancements will continue to prop up the market and offset lower crude prices. <\/p>

Several producers have expressed concerns in recent months that production levels will plateau or even drop next year.<\/p>

\u201cThere is no way that increased production can continue into 2026,\u201d said Edwards, who also runs an independent oil and gas company. \u201cI think it's going to fall and fall precipitously at some point.\u201d <\/p>

Even larger oil and gas producers, such as TotalEnergies, ConocoPhillips<\/a>, and Diamondback Energy<\/a>, have made similar predictions.\u00a0<\/p>

\"There is a point at $60 per barrel where we'll see the shale industry beginning to slow down,\" TotalEnergy CEO Patrick Pouyanne told<\/a> Reuters in October. <\/p>

However, these majors are still producing, Ingham pointed out, meaning they are still able to make profits even with the cost of oil so low.<\/p>

\"What we know so far is, is that it remains profitable to produce barrels of oil at current crude oil prices, because if we didn't, they would stop,\" he said.<\/p>

Despite the concerns around low prices and the administration's tariffs on steel, Ingham explained that most, if not all, oil and gas producers would prefer to operate under Trump than the previous Biden administration.<\/p>

\"There's not an open hostility toward what these guys do, and there's an appreciation for it, and the regulatory relief has been pretty strong under Trump,\" he said. \"It just seemed like every day under the Biden administration, there was a new set of arrows being slung at these guys. And that has stopped.\"<\/p>

A significant reason behind the downward pressure on prices has been the increase in global supply, as OPEC repeatedly agreed<\/a> to boost production from April through December.\u00a0<\/p>

Trump himself urged OPEC to boost production in January in order to lower prices. <\/p>

There are some within the industry who believe these oil and gas companies will be further propped up by tax incentives and leasing stability established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and many remain upset with how the administration has prioritized bringing down gas prices at the expense of expanded drilling operations. <\/p>

OIL EXECUTIVES PESSIMISTIC AS DRILLING ACTIVITY DIPS FOR END OF YEAR<\/a><\/p>

\u201cI think every producer in the United States, especially in Texas, is 100% a Trump fan, and for, you know, for the administration to devastate the one industry that is that keeps this country secure, which is the American oil and gas energy industry, it's just heartbreaking,\u201d Edwards said.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cHe's asking OPEC to over-supply the market and every time that happens, oil prices go down and gasoline prices go down,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt's good for the rest of the country, but it's certainly not good for the energy security of the country.\u201d<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-collage-ganq4b5ge-1767126768694-e1767206079501.jpg?1767188072&w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4378989-1767187682", "title":"Fraud explains high Obamacare enrollment despite subsidy lapse", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F4378989%2Ffraud-explains-high-obamacare-enrollment-despite-subsidy-lapse%2F", "byline":"Gabrielle M. Etzel", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Conservative health economists suspect that program integrity problems are the main reason why Obamacare enrollment for the 2026 plan year has remained relatively the same despite rising premiums and expiring subsidies. Federal Obamacare marketplace insurance enrollment reached 15.6 million in December, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, down roughly 4% from the […]", "description":""

Conservative health economists suspect that program integrity problems are the main reason why Obamacare enrollment<\/a> for the 2026 plan year has remained relatively the same despite rising premiums and expiring subsidies<\/a>.<\/p>

Federal Obamacare marketplace insurance enrollment reached 15.6 million<\/a> in December, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, down roughly 4% from the same time last year.\u00a0<\/p>

Experts have been concerned for months that the expiration of COVID-19-era enhanced premium subsidies on Jan. 1 would cause patients to be unable to afford insurance or fall off the so-called \u201csubsidy cliff.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

Enrollees losing COVID-19-era subsidies will see their premium contributions more than double on average, with higher-income enrollees facing the steepest increases. Gross premium costs, or the total price of an insurance plan unaffected by subsidies, have also increased by 26% for 2026.\u00a0<\/p>

Brian Blase, president of the free-market think-tank Paragon Health Institute<\/a>, published a report on Tuesday outlining why he suspects that heavily subsidized Obamacare zero-dollar premium plans, coupled with automatic reenrollment, create a perfect storm for fraud, keeping enrollment artificially high.<\/p>

\u201cIn a normal market, soaring prices should lead to lower demand and fewer purchases, as consumers explore alternatives,\u201d Blase wrote. \u201cBut [Obamacare] is not a normal market because of the government\u2019s massive role and taxpayer subsidies.\u201d<\/p>

Paragon estimated that in 2024, there were between 3 and 4 million phantom Obamacare enrollees<\/a>, who are either unaware of their insurance coverage or entirely fictitious.\u00a0<\/p>

This is possible because of the plethora of zero-premium insurance plans, which Blase said creates a scenario in which \u201cindividuals receive no price signal and no reason to investigate their coverage status.\u201d<\/p>

Blase argued that automatic reenrollment in Obamacare plans exacerbates the phantom enrollee problem. In 2025, roughly 45% of exchange enrollees took no action to be reenrolled in the program, not needing to confirm income, residency, or other eligibility criteria, leaving no room to catch improper enrollment.\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cOnce created, these enrollments are unlikely to unwind on their own, because zero-premium plans eliminate the friction that would otherwise prompt enrollees\u2014or insurers\u2014to disengage,\u201d Blase wrote.<\/p>

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz<\/a> posted on X earlier this month that the small noticeable dip in enrollment from 16 million last year to 15.6 million this year is attributable to \u201cseveral important CMS actions over the past year to combat fraudulent and improper enrollments.\u201d <\/p>

Oz\u2019s agency announced in July that nearly 3 million people<\/a> were either enrolled in both Medicaid and Obamacare insurance programs or were enrolled in the Medicaid systems of multiple states. <\/p>

And in December, the Government Accountability Office<\/a> published a report finding possibly tens of billions of dollars in fraud and mismanagement of Obamacare subsidies, largely due to the program\u2019s inability to identify fraudulent enrollment.<\/p>

The GOP budget reconciliation bill passed this summer, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act<\/a>, takes measures to curb improper Obamacare enrollment by requiring household income verification and immigration status, but these new program requirements will not take effect until plan year 2028. <\/p>

But the One Big Big Beautiful Act did not address the issue of zero-dollar premiums, which Blase said ought to be a priority for Congress in the new year.<\/p>

\u201cPolicymakers should require that all enrollees pay at least a nominal premium, ensuring that enrollment reflects an affirmative choice and that ineligible or fictitious enrollments naturally unwind,\u201d Blase wrote.<\/p>

TRUMP'S HEALTHCARE AGENDA KICKS INTO GEAR IN 2026<\/a><\/p>

Congressional Republicans have largely been insistent that any extension of the COVID-19-era subsidies or other structural changes to Obamacare would require enrollees to pay at least some premium contribution to avoid the problem of phantom enrollment.\u00a0<\/p>

Republicans and Democrats were not able to reach a deal on what to do about the expiring subsidies before the end of the year, and the matter will likely be taken up again in January 2026.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25273652309977.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4379008-1767187014", "title":"Trump has ‘delivered’ for his voter base ahead of midterm elections: Sarah Bedford", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4379008%2Ftrump-delivered-voter-base-before-midterm-elections-sarah-bedford%2F", "byline":"Asher Notheis", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Washington Examiner’s investigations editor Sarah Bedford said President Donald Trump has delivered on his campaign promises ahead of the 2026 elections, which could motivate Trump supporters ahead of a tough election cycle. Trump and the Republican Party are seeking to retain their majority in Congress in 2026 to continue the president’s agenda. Ahead of the […]", "description":""

Washington Examiner\u2019s investigations editor Sarah Bedford<\/a> said President Donald Trump<\/a> has delivered on his campaign promises ahead of the 2026 elections<\/a>, which could motivate Trump supporters ahead of a tough election cycle.<\/p>

Trump and the Republican Party<\/a> are seeking to retain their majority in Congress in 2026 to continue the president\u2019s agenda. Ahead of the November elections, several media outlets have pointed to lower gas prices<\/a> and net migration<\/a> in the United States\u00a0during Trump\u2019s presidency.<\/p>

Bedford joked she is unsure if CNN views a decrease in net migration as a positive, but Trump supporters \u201ccertainly\u201d believe Trump is delivering on his 2024 campaign promises.<\/p>

\u201cAffordability, while it\u2019s slow and people aren\u2019t necessarily feeling it every day at the grocery store and wherever else they shop, inflation is slowing, and so there are a lot of policy promises that Trump has delivered on,\" Bedford said on Fox Business\u2019s The Evening Edit, guest-hosted by Edward Lawrence.<\/p>

\"And that\u2019s good because Republicans risk losing the House<\/a> next fall, and Trump could be running out of runway to get a lot of this stuff done. So packing it all in the first two years of his term, it\u2019s a smart strategy,\u201d Bedford added.<\/p>

Trump previewed the Republican Party\u2019s messaging going into the 2026 midterm elections in an interview published Saturday, saying it will focus on \u201cpricing.\u201d This comes shortly after he claimed the Democratic Party<\/a> is focusing on a \u201cdead\u201d issue with affordability.<\/p>

Bedford also reacted to several predictions various Fox News anchors gave for 2026, one of which was Outnumbered co-host Kayleigh McEnany's prediction that a Democratic candidate would emulate Trump by announcing a 2028 presidential run before the end of 2026.<\/p>

Bedford said McEnany\u2019s prediction is her \"favorite,\" echoing her other prediction that Gov. Gavin Newsom<\/a> (D-CA) will be the Democratic candidate for 2028.<\/p>

TRUMP\u2019S FIRST YEAR BACK IN OFFICE: FOUR SUCCESSES AND FOUR FAILURES<\/a><\/p>

For her own prediction, Bedford said she believes the Supreme Court<\/a> will make \u201ca major decision\u201d on transgender<\/a> people participating in sports in 2026, adding that Democrats are \u201cprobably nervous\u201d about this.<\/p>

Newsom confirmed in October that he is considering a possible 2028 run<\/a> for the White House, saying he\u2019d be \u201clying\u201d if he said he wasn\u2019t. The governor and his press office have mocked Trump on social media<\/a>, writing out messages and poking fun at the president<\/a> and his administration.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25363434762613-e1767202058777.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375504-1767186897", "title":"Netanyahu downplays settler violence in West Bank despite Trump’s concerns", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F4375504%2Fnetanyahu-downplays-settler-violence-west-bank-despite-trump-concerns%2F", "byline":"Timothy Nerozzi", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the coverage of recurring violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is “bloated” and disproportionate to the actual problem, which he said amounts to “a handful of kids.” Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has continued to escalate for months as mobs of settler extremists attempt to force […]", "description":""

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> said the coverage of recurring violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is \u201cbloated\u201d and disproportionate to the actual problem, which he said amounts to \u201ca handful of kids.\"<\/p>

Violence against Palestinians <\/a>in the West Bank has continued to escalate for months as mobs of settler extremists attempt to force the civilians out of their homes, clashing with Israel Defense Forces personnel <\/a>sent to quell the crowds at times.<\/p>

\u201cWhen they\u2019re talking about [West Bank violence], they\u2019re talking about a handful of kids,\u201d Netanyahu told Fox News on Tuesday. \u201cWe actually located it. It\u2019s about 70 kids. They\u2019re not from the West Bank.\"<\/p>

Netanyahu went on to say the political violence mostly amounts to vandalism and arson.<\/p>

\u201cThey\u2019re actually teenagers who come from broken homes, and they do things like chopping olive trees, and sometimes they try to burn a home,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t accept that. That\u2019s vigilantism. I\u2019m taking that out.\u201d<\/p>

The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> have documented approximately 752 incidents of \"nationalistic crime\" and \"settler violence\" in 2025.<\/p>

It has become a daily liability for both Muslims and Christians in the region, whose day-to-day lives have become completely upheaved by the largely unpunished mob violence. Homes, vehicles, and farmland have been burned. Palestinians have been beaten on camera and even killed.<\/p>

The Foreign Press Association said last month<\/a> that \"journalists, both local and foreign, have proven to be a clear target as they document an unprecedented level of unchecked violence against Palestinians during this year\u2019s olive harvest.\"<\/p>

The future of the West Bank<\/a> has become a wedge between Netanyahu and his most important ally, President Donald Trump.<\/p>

The White House has promised to prevent further annexation of the West Bank, which Zionist officials in Israel believe rightfully belongs to the Jewish people as the Biblical lands of Judea and Samaria.<\/p>

In October, a preliminary vote in the Knesset sought to formally annex the region \u2014 an action that Vice President JD Vance told Israeli media amounted to a \"very stupid political stunt.\"<\/p>

\"I personally take some insult to it,\" Vance said. \"The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.\"<\/p>

Trump later told the press that \u201cIsrael is not going to do anything with the West Bank,\" but it seems that Israel's most vehement Zionists did not get the president's message.<\/p>

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Sunday that the Israeli Cabinet granted recognition to 19 more settlements<\/a> in the West Bank.<\/p>

These settlements, explicitly intended to encroach upon Palestinian territory and prevent the possibility of a Palestinian state, are illegal under international law.<\/p>

\u201cThe people of Israel are returning to their land, building it and strengthening their hold on it. This is simple, correct and moral Zionism. We are stopping the establishment of a Palestinian terrorist state. We will continue to develop, build and settle in the land of our ancestors, with faith in the righteousness of the path,\u201d Smotrich\u00a0wrote <\/a>on X, according to a translation.<\/p>

Trump touched on his disagreements with the Israeli government following a bilateral meeting with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday. The president reportedly warned Netanyahu during their Monday meeting that an escalation of violence in the West Bank could threaten the peace process in Gaza.<\/p>

\"We have had a discussion, big discussion, for a long time on the West Bank,\" Trump told the press after the meeting. \"I wouldn't say we agree on the West Bank 100%, but we will come to a conclusion on the West Bank.\"<\/p>

HAMAS VOWS NOT TO DISARM DESPITE TRUMP THREATS, ANNOUNCES FIVE SENIOR LEADERS KILLED<\/a><\/p>

Netanyahu told Fox News that \"a lot of daylight\" remains between the White House and his Cabinet on the West Bank question<\/a>, but he remains confident they share the same mission.<\/p>

\"I think we both want to see a future in which that territory is not used for terrorist attacks,\" the prime minister said. \"We have done a lot of things in that regard. We also want to build a lot of infrastructure there. Both for us and for our Palestinian neighbors, and I think there is a lot of room to talk about it.\"<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25339610458903.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4378956-1767185779", "title":"Energy Department delays another coal plant closure, ordering Colorado unit to remain open", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F4378956%2Fenergy-department-delays-colorado-coal-plant-closure%2F", "byline":"Maydeen Merino", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Department of Energy has ordered a Colorado coal plant to remain open beyond its planned retirement as part of the department’s growing pattern of delaying coal plant closures over reliability concerns. The DOE issued an emergency order late Tuesday directing Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which operates Unit 1 of the Craig Station coal […]", "description":""

The Department of Energy<\/a> has ordered a Colorado coal<\/a> plant to remain open beyond its planned retirement as part of the department\u2019s growing pattern of delaying coal plant closures over reliability concerns.<\/p>

The DOE issued an emergency order late Tuesday directing Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which operates Unit 1 of the Craig Station coal plant, to keep the unit running just before it was set to close at the end of the year. The department said that the coal plant is essential to maintaining the region\u2019s electric grid stability during the winter months, helping minimize electricity costs and blackouts. The unit will continue operating until March 2026.<\/p>

In a statement, Energy Secretary Chris Wright<\/a> said, \u201cKeeping this coal plant online will ensure Americans maintain an affordable, reliable, and secure supply of electricity. The Trump Administration is committed to lowering energy costs and keeping American families safe.\u201d<\/p>

Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) criticized the DOE\u2019s effort to keep the coal plant running, arguing that it would lead to higher costs for ratepayers.<\/p>

\u201cThis order will pass tens of millions in costs to Colorado rate payers, in order to keep a coal plant open that is broken and not needed. Ludicrously, the coal plant isn\u2019t even operational right now, meaning repairs - to the tune of millions of dollars - just to get it running, all on the backs of rural Colorado ratepayers!\u201d Polis said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.<\/p>

\u201cGoing backwards is an attempt to force local communities to foot the bill to extend plant operations, and will cost energy consumers more. Today\u2019s action flies in the face of this careful planning, is inconsistent with market forces, and will hurt Coloradans,\u201d he added.<\/p>

The DOE\u2019s move is part of a broader effort to keep coal plants running past their retirement dates to address reliability concerns as energy demand increases and electricity prices rise. The department has issued at least five emergency orders<\/a> to keep retiring coal plants operating.<\/p>

Officials in the Trump administration have blamed rising prices on energy policies enacted during the Biden administration, which sought to phase out fossil fuels like coal in favor of renewable energy.<\/p>

Earlier this month, Wright told the Washington Examiner that when the administration entered office, about 100 gigawatts<\/a> of \u201creliable, firm\u201d energy capacity were set to close.<\/p>

\u201cAmericans have suffered that, Americans have seen that, President Trump was elected to reverse that,\u201d Wright said. \u201cTo date, in our 10 months to 11 months in office, we\u2019ve already stopped the closure of over 15 gigawatts of power production capacity across the country.\u201d<\/p>

He added, \u201cIf that 100 gigawatt had closed, and of course we wanted to participate in the AI race and build these data centers, [and] re-shore some American manufacturing, blackouts would be 100 times more common.\u201d<\/p>

Still, electricity prices continue to rise well above inflation rates. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, electricity prices rose 6.9% for the year ending in November, faster than overall inflation, which stood at 2.7%.<\/p>

NATIONAL AVERAGE GAS PRICES DROP FOR FIFTH WEEK IN A ROW<\/a><\/p>

Wright told the Washington Examiner that if the electricity prices continue to rise in three years, they will be to blame<\/a>.<\/p>

He said if prices fail to drop, \u201cThey should kick me out, fire me!\u201d<\/p>

<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25287656740595.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375441-1767185337", "title":"Judge who struck One Big Beautiful Bill Act abortion defunding overruled by appeals court again", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fjustice%2F4375441%2Fjudge-who-struck-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-abortion-defunding-overruled-appeals-court%2F", "byline":"Jack Birle", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"A federal appeals court again overturned a lower court’s ruling halting a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that prevents Medicaid reimbursements to abortion providers, marking the second case in which U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani has been overruled on the same matter. The three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit found […]", "description":""

A federal appeals court<\/a> again overturned a lower court's ruling halting a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that prevents\u00a0Medicaid<\/a>\u00a0reimbursements to\u00a0abortion<\/a>\u00a0providers, marking the second case in which U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani has been overruled on the same matter.<\/p>

The three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit found<\/a> that the Trump administration sufficiently showed it was likely to prevail on its arguments that the provision of the bill was lawful and not ambiguous. Tuesday's ruling came in a case brought by a group of Democrat-led states<\/a>, which argued the federal government failed to give clear notice of the new provision to states that participate in the joint federal-state Medicaid program.<\/p>

\"We conclude that the Federal Defendants have made a strong showing that they are likely to succeed in demonstrating that this ground also likely does not support the Preliminary Injunction,\" the panel of judges appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden said in its Tuesday ruling.<\/p>

The panel temporarily halted Talwani's Dec. 2 ruling after a different panel on the appeals court issued a temporary pause to Talwani's ruling in a case brought by Planned Parenthood<\/a> challenging the legality of the same provision on different grounds.<\/p>

In both cases, the appeals court panels later issued firm rulings siding with the Trump administration and overturning Talwani's rulings, which both had attempted to prevent the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's defunding of abortion providers. In the Planned Parenthood case, the appeals court panel vacated Talwani's injunction blocking the provision and remanded the case back to her court for further proceedings.<\/p>

Talwani, an Obama appointee to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, has ruled against the Trump administration in multiple high-profile cases this year, including lawsuits over the administration's bid to end mass parole for migrants and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the government shutdown.<\/p>

The rulings by the 1st Circuit siding with the Trump administration in the abortion funding cases are noteworthy, as the liberal-leaning appeals court has largely upheld lower court orders that blocked the Trump administration's agenda.<\/p>

TRUMP\u2019S HISTORIC YEAR OF SUPREME COURT VICTORIES<\/a><\/p>

At the Supreme Court's emergency docket this year, the 1st Circuit has been reversed by the high court in every case the Trump administration has brought contesting its rulings.<\/p>

The provision blocking abortion providers from Medicaid reimbursements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is only slated to apply for one year, but was a significant win for anti-abortion activists<\/a>, who have argued that the reimbursements indirectly help abortion providers fund the procedure. Federal funds cannot be directly used toward abortion under the Hyde Amendment.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25328476998458-1.jpg?w=696" }, {"Articles":[ {"id":"4375495-1767185159", "title":"Marjorie Taylor Greene calls for 2026 ‘tax revolt’ over Trump foreign policy agenda", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F4375495%2Fmarjorie-taylor-greene-2026-tax-revolt-trump-foreign-policy%2F", "byline":"Rachel Schilke", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) threw her support behind a “2026 tax revolt” over President Donald Trump’s administration decision to prioritize foreign affairs over domestic issues, her latest jab at the president as her days in the House come to an end. Greene said in a post to X that “almost every Trump voter” on […]", "description":""

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/a> (R-GA) threw her support behind a \"2026 tax revolt\" over President Donald Trump's<\/a> administration decision to prioritize foreign affairs over domestic issues, her latest jab at the president as her days in the House<\/a> come to an end.<\/p>

Greene said in a post to X that \"almost every Trump voter\" on X is \"fed up\" and is \"planning a 2026 tax revolt.\"<\/p>

\"And rightfully so! It\u2019s because Americans work their asses off, barely make ends meet, and the government consistently gives their hard earned tax dollars to foreign countries, foreign wars, and foreigners the U.S. government has brought\/allowed into America!\" Greene wrote.<\/p>

The Georgia<\/a> congresswoman, a conservative firebrand and former Trump loyalist, has spent much of 2025 taking stands against the president and his administration's policies that would have been unimaginable a year ago.<\/p>

She turned heads when she called the war in Gaza<\/a> between Hamas and Israel a genocide. She surprised many when she signed onto a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> files, a controversy deemed a \"hoax\" by the president and a \"show vote\" by House Republican leaders.<\/p>

Greene has also repeatedly called for the defunding of any support to Ukraine as the country continues its war with Russia<\/a>, a situation in which Trump is intimately involved.<\/p>

Trump finally pulled his support<\/a> from Greene on Nov. 14, calling her \"far left,\" a \"ranting Lunatic,\" and a \"traitor\" to the GOP. A week later, Greene announced she wouldn't seek reelection to the House in 2026 and, in a shock to many, said she would resign effective Jan. 5, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>

HERE\u2019S WHERE HOUSE RETIREMENTS STAND AS CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT ON 2025<\/a><\/p>

Some centrist GOP lawmakers have taken measured steps to critique the White House<\/a> on actions such as tariffs and military strikes against foreign vessels. Others have pointed out that some of his agenda items have deviated from his 2024 \"America First\" campaign slogan. But, on the whole, a majority of the GOP conference supports the administration's policies, making Greene's schism all the more rare in a political environment where the Republican Party<\/a> is dominated by Trump.<\/p>

A handful of centrists or those who have been outspoken on Trump in the past are retiring and not seeking reelection, such as Reps. Don Bacon<\/a> (R-NE) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA). Newhouse's seat will likely remain in Republican hands, while Bacon's swing district is trending toward Democrats for the 2026 election<\/a> cycle.<\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25345674720446.jpg?w=696" }, {"id":"3132228-1724374758", "title":"Delegates express disappointment at Beyonce no-show but say Harris ‘made up for it’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3132228%2Fdnc-delegates-disappointment-beyonce-no-show%2F", "byline":"Hailey Bullis, Mabinty Quarshie and Samantha-Jo Roth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"CHICAGO — Hopes that Beyonce would make a surprise appearance on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention were dashed after the night ended with no sign of the “Freedom” singer. The evening was packed with celebrities, with musicians such as Pink and the Chicks taking the stage on the grand finale of the […]", "description":""

CHICAGO\u2014HopesthatBeyonce<\\\/a>wouldmakeasurpriseappearanceontheclosingnightoftheDemocraticNationalConvention<\\\/a>weredashedafterthenightendedwithnosignofthe\u201cFreedom\u201dsinger<\\\/p>

Theeveningwaspackedwithcelebrities<\\\/a>,withmusicianssuchasPinkandtheChickstakingthestageonthegrandfinaleoftheDNCTheeventdrewsomanyattendeesthattheconventionfloorwascompletelyclosedoffhoursbeforeVicePresidentKamalaHarristookthestagetodelivertheDNC\u2019sclosingspeechTheA-listerdelegatesandattendeesweremostexcitedtosee,however,wasBeyonceSpeculationmountedthroughouttheweek,andhitafeverpitchThursday,thatBeyoncewouldperformonthefinalnightoftheDNCMarylanddelegateRoxanneBrown,45,saidshewasletdownthatBeyoncedidnotendupappearingHowever,BrownsaidthattheletdownwasOK,though,because\u201cKamalamadeupforit\u201d\u201cIwasdisappointedbecauseIwaslookingforwardtoseeingBeyonce,butIwasmostlookingforwardtowatchinghistory,whichisanominationofourfirstblackfemalepresident,\u201dBrownsaid<\\\/p>

AnotherMarylanddelegate,LilyQi,60,saidshewouldhavelovedtoseethepopsensation,butsheechoedBrown\u2019ssentimentthatsupportingHarriswasthemostimportantpartofthenight\u201cIwouldhavelovedtoseeherandherenergy,andshe'sanicon,aculturalicon,asIunderstand,\u201dQisaid\u201cButyouknow,thisisnotwhyI'mhere,ofcourse,right?IamheretomakesurethatKamalaHarrisiselected\u201d<\\\/p>

EricaHarrison,astay-at-homemotherfromNorthCarolina,capturedtheanticipation\\\"IwasgettingexcitedItoldmyhusband,IthoughtthatBeyoncewouldcomeoutandperformandsing'Freedom,'butIwaswrong\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"TheentirethingwasasurrealmomentI'mstillonahigh,\\\"shesaid\\\"SoeventhoughBeyoncedidn'tcome,shewouldhavejustbeenalittlecherryontopButeverythingelsewasamazing\\\"RumorshadbeenswirlingthattheDNCwouldfeatureaspecialguestfordays,withmusicianTaylorSwiftalsobeingfloatedasapossibilityButBeyoncewasthechieffigurespeculatedtomakeanappearanceExcitementoverthepossibilityofBeyonce'sDNCappearancehitafeverpitchThursdayafterWhiteHousepoliticaldirectorEmilyRuizpostedabeeemoji,whichislinkedtoBeyonceasherfanbaseisreferredtoasthe\u201cBeyHive\u201dRuizlaterpostedanapology,saying,\u201cSorryguysmy6-year-oldtookmyphone\u201d<\\\/p>

DemocraticPartyChairmanJaimeHarrisonalsododgedconfirmingordenying<\\\/a>whetherBeyoncewouldappearduringanappearanceonCBSMorningsConflictingreportsaboutwhetherornottheiconicsingerwouldappearwerepublishedbymultipleoutletsTMZpublishedareportearlieronThursdaysayingthatmultiplesourcestoldtheoutletshewouldbethesurpriseperformerspeculatedHowever,asthefinalnight\u2019sprogrammingwasunderway,arepresentativeforBeyoncetoldtheHollywoodReporterthatshewas\u201cneverscheduledtobethere\u201dandthat\u201cthereportofaperformanceisuntrue\u201dAWashingtonExaminerreporteroverheardattendeesexitingtheUnitedCenterexpressingdisappointmentthesingerdidn\u2019tshow,withoneexclaiming,\u201cButwedidn\u2019tgetBeyonce!\u201dNevertheless,MainedelegateEricBestsaidwhilehewantedto\u201cbeabletobragtomykidsthatIwastherewhenBeyonceshowedup,\u201dhedidnotfeellikehis\u201clifewasdiminishedbythefactthatshedidn't\u201d<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

NewYorkdelegateAliciaHyndman,52,saidshethoughtitwasforthebestthatBeyoncedidn\u2019tshow<\\\/p>

\u201cIfeltifBeyoncecame,itwouldhavebeentoocelebrity,\u201dHyndmansaid\u201cIthinkwouldhavebeenplayingintotheopposition'splaybooklikebigHollywood\u201d<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/beyonce_noshow_dnc.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3085609-1721196000", "title":"Sen. Whitehouse’s attacks on fossil energy producers are incoherent", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3085609%2Fsen-whitehouse-attacks-fossil-energy-producers-incoherent%2F", "byline":"Benjamin Zycher", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"It might seem difficult to take positions on a prominent issue diametrically opposed and equally preposterous. But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a man whose Pavlovian opposition to the U.S. fossil energy producers has led him into incoherence rare even by Beltway standards, has achieved just such a magical trick. Whitehouse, the chairman of the Senate […]", "description":""

ItmightseemdifficulttotakepositionsonaprominentissuediametricallyopposedandequallypreposterousButSenSheldonWhitehouse(D-RI),amanwhosePavlovianoppositiontotheUSfossilenergyproducershasledhimintoincoherencerareevenbyBeltwaystandards,hasachievedjustsuchamagicaltrick<\\\/p>

Whitehouse,thechairmanoftheSenateBudgetCommittee,foryearshasaccused<\\\/a>themajorUSfossilenergyproducersofcreatingthepurportedclimate\u201ccrisis\u201dandhidingtheirknowledge<\\\/a>ofanddeceivingthepublic<\\\/a>abouttheimpactsofgreenhousegasemissionsTranslation:Fordecades,theUSfossilenergysectorhasproducedtoomuchenergyandthustoomanygreenhousegasemissions\u00a0<\\\/p>

Alas,thatstanceissoyesterdayWhitehouse\u2019snewargument<\\\/a>isthat\u201coilandgascompaniescouldbeengagingincollusive,anti-competitiveactivitieswithOPEC+thatwouldraisecrudeoilprices\u201dSonowtheUSfossilenergyproducersincahootswithOPEC+mightbeproducingtoolittle\u00a0<\\\/p>

WithrespecttoWhitehouse\u2019scollusionargument:PerhapsWhitehouseshouldcallPresidentJoeBidenasawitnessforaBudgetCommitteehearing,asitwasBidenwhoinOctober2022asked<\\\/a>theSaudistodelayascheduledproductioncutuntilafterthemidtermelections\u00a0<\\\/p>

Moregenerally,itistheBidenadministrationthathastakenhundredsofactions<\\\/a>makingUSfossilenergyproductionmoredifficultandcostlyItistheBidenadministrationthathastriedtohidetheattendantadversepriceeffectsbyusing<\\\/a>theStrategicPetroleumReserve<\\\/a>andothergovernmentstockpiles<\\\/a>tomanipulateshort-runsuppliesinawhollyadhocfashion\u2014thatis,forpurelypoliticalpurposes\u00a0<\\\/p>

IfUSproducersare\u201ccolluding\u201dwithOPEC+torestrictoutput,theyaredoingaratherbadjobofitSinceMarch2021,whenrealUSgrossdomesticproductgrowthwasabout5%,UScrudeoiloutput<\\\/a>hasincreasedby13%USnaturalgasproduction<\\\/a>hasincreasedbymorethan5%USrefinerycapacityutilization<\\\/a>hasincreasedfrom819%to897%,refineryuse<\\\/a>ofcrudeoilandotherinputshasincreasedby107%,andrefineryoutput<\\\/a>ofproductshasincreasedby8%OPEC+output<\\\/a>isaboutthesameasinearly2021,whilenon-USoutput<\\\/a>intherestoftheworldhasincreasedbyalmost4%<\\\/p>

WithrespecttoWhitehouse\u2019sclimate\u201cresponsibility\u201dand\u201cdeception\u201dassertions:USgreenhousegasemissionsfromallcombustionoffossilfuels<\\\/a>areabout74%oftotalUSgreenhousegasemissions<\\\/a>EliminationofallUSfossilfuelcombustionemissionswouldreduceglobaltemperaturesin2100by0077degreesCelcius,applyingtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyclimatemodel<\\\/a>underrealisticassumptionsThateffectwouldnotbedetectable<\\\/p>

Accordingly,someoneshouldaskWhitehousetoexplaintheprecisesenseinwhichUSfossilenergyproducersare\u201cresponsible\u201dfortheassertedclimatecrisis(forwhich,bytheway,thereisnoevidence<\\\/a>)ThatistherelevantquestioninparticulargiventhatreducedoutputbyUSproducerswouldbeoffsetlargelyorwhollywithincreasedproductionbyforeignproducers\u00a0<\\\/p>

Whitehousecontinues<\\\/a>,\u201cFordecades,thefossilfuelindustryhasknownabouttheeconomicandclimateharmsofitsproducts\u201dTheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangeinits1990FirstAssessmentReportmadeitclearthatitcouldnotexplainwhytemperatureswerehigher5,000-6,000yearsagodespitenoevidenceofanincreaseingreenhousegasconcentrationsFastforwardtotheSixthAssessmentReport<\\\/a>:IPCCstillcannotnarrowdownthe\u201clikely\u201drangeofclimateeffectsofincreasedgreenhousegasconcentrationsAndtheIPCCclimatemodels<\\\/a>continuetooverstatetheatmospherictemperaturerecordbyafactorofover23<\\\/a>\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inshort,accordingtoWhitehousethefossilenergyproducersfordecadeshave\u201cknown\u201dthingsthatwerenotknownin1990andarenotknownnowTheyareproducingtoolittleenergyandtoomuchSucharetheSchr\u00f6dinger-likefruitsofastancewhollyideological,impervioustofacts,andoblivioustotherealinvestmentandeconomicharmcausedbytheBeltwayblamegame<\\\/p>

Whitehouse\u2019s\u201cinvestigations\u201dhaveproducednousefulinformationbutgobsofBeltwaypropaganda:\u201cIfitisanelectionyear,thefossilenergyproducersmustbeguiltyofsomething\u201dIsthisthebesthecando?Theevidencesaysyes<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMRESTORINGAMERICA<\\\/a><\\\/p>

BenjaminZycherisaseniorfellowattheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP22080625251491.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3081706-1720960622", "title":"DHS pressed for clarity on Secret Service protocols to ‘assess threats’ after Trump rally shooting", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3081706%2Fdhs-pressed-clarity-secret-service-protocols-trump-rally-shooting%2F", "byline":"Cami Mondeaux", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) is pressing the Department of Homeland Security to provide clarity on how Secret Service members are trained to respond to threats after a shooting broke out at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday. In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday, Green pressed […]", "description":""

HouseHomelandSecurityCommitteeChairmanMarkGreen(R-TN)ispressingtheDepartmentofHomelandSecuritytoprovideclarityonhowSecretServicemembersaretrainedtorespondtothreatsafterashootingbrokeout<\\\/a>atformerPresidentDonaldTrump'srallyonSaturday<\\\/p>

Inaletter<\\\/a>senttoDHSSecretaryAlejandroMayorkasonSunday,GreenpressedthetopBidenadministrationofficialtoprovideinformationoranydocumentationrelatedtosecuritydetailatTrump'srally<\\\/a>inButler,PennsylvaniaGreenpraisedthe\\\"swiftresponse\\\"oftheSecretServicemembersbutarguedtheDHSmustbeinvestigatedforsomereportsthatsuggestthedepartmentrebuffed\\\"multiplerequests\\\"fromTrump'ssecurityteamto\\\"increaseprotectiveservices\\\"aheadoftheevent<\\\/p>

\u201cTheseriousnessofthissecurityfailureandchillingmomentinournation\u2019shistorycannotbeunderstated,\\\"Greenwrote\\\"AstheUSSecretService(USSS)investigates,theCommitteeonHomelandSecurity(Committee)isdedicatedtoconductingrigorousoversighttoensurethattheAmericanpeoplereceiveanswersandpresidentialcandidatesreceiveproperandadequateprotection\\\"<\\\/p>

Greenoutlinedanumberofquestionshewantstobeansweredbythedepartment,includingaccesstoalldocumentsandcommunicationswithintheDHSandSecretServicerelatedto\\\"anypotentialincreaseoradditionofprotectiveresourcestoPresidentTrump\u2019ssecuritydetail\\\"frommid-Novembertothepresentday<\\\/p>

TheletteralsorequestsinformationonSecretService<\\\/a>rulesofengagementprotocols\u201ctoassessandneutralizethreats\u201dafterconcernswereraisedabouthowtheshooter\\\"wasabletoaccessarooftopwithinrangeanddirectlineofsightofwherePresidentTrumpwasspeaking\\\"<\\\/p>

Green'srequestscomeaslawmakersfrombothpartieshaverespondedswiftlytotheshootingandhavebeguntoreconsidersecurityprotocolsinCongressHouseRepublicansarescheduledtohaveabriefingwiththesergeant-at-armsonSundayafternoon,onelawmakertoldtheWashingtonExaminer<\\\/p>

RepsRitchieTorres(D-NY)andMikeLawler(R-NY)alsoannouncedtheywouldbeintroducingabillthatwouldprovideenhancedSecretServiceprotectiontoTrumpaswellasPresidentJoeBidenandRobertFKennedyJr<\\\/a>whileonthecampaigntrail<\\\/p>

\\\"Asreportscontinuetoemerge,it\u2019sclearthatmoreprotectionisneededforallmajorcandidatesforpresident,\\\"thetwosaidinajointstatement\\\"That\u2019swhywe\u2019replanningonintroducingbipartisanlegislationprovidingPresidentJoeBiden,formerPresidentDonaldTrump,andpresidentialcandidateRobertKennedyJrwithenhancedSecretServiceprotectionAnythinglesswouldbeadisservicetoourdemocracy\u201d<\\\/p>

TheFBIidentifiedtheshooterasThomasMatthewCrooks,20,ofBethel,Pennsylvania,onSundaymorningCrooksdiedshortlyaftertheshootingafterbeing\\\"neutralized\\\"bytheSecretService,agencyspokesmanAnthonyGuglielmisaidinastatementAtleastonerallyattendeewasalsokilled<\\\/p>

Trumpwastakentoanearbyhospital<\\\/a>tobetreatedafterconfirminghewaspiercedintheupperpartofhisrightear<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

\u201cIknewimmediatelythatsomethingwaswronginthatIheardawhizzingsound,shots,andimmediatelyfeltthebulletrippingthroughtheskinMuchbleedingtookplace,\u201dhewroteinaTruthSocialPost<\\\/p>

Theformerpresident<\\\/a>isinstableconditionTrumplaterflewtoNewJerseyafterbeingreleasedfromthehospitalHeisexpectedtotraveltoMilwaukeefortheRepublicanNationalConventionthatbeginsonMonday<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/secret-service-44.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3077696-1720701634", "title":"Johnson quiets initial concerns about fundraising prowess by raising $23.5 million in second quarter", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3077696%2Fjohnson-quiets-initial-concerns-about-fundraising-prowess-by-raising-23-5-million-in-second-quarter%2F", "byline":"Cami Mondeaux", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) raised $23.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, outperforming expectations and continuing to quiet initial concerns about his fundraising prowess when he took the gavel last October. More than $17 million of that haul went toward Johnson’s committees with the remaining $6.5 million going toward individual members and GOP […]", "description":""

HouseSpeakerMikeJohnson<\\\/a>(R-LA)raised$235millioninthesecondquarterof2024,outperformingexpectationsandcontinuingtoquietinitialconcernsabouthisfundraising<\\\/a>prowesswhenhetookthegavellastOctober<\\\/p>

Morethan$17millionofthathaulwenttowardJohnson'scommitteeswiththeremaining$65milliongoingtowardindividualmembersandGOPcandidatesAdditionally,Johnsonhasnowtransferredmorethan$16milliontotheNationalRepublicanCongressionalCommittee<\\\/a>thiscycleaspartofeffortstogrowtheparty'sslimHousemajoritynextyear<\\\/p>

\u201cWithcommonsensesolutions,strongcandidates,andmomentumgrowingeveryday,anotherextraordinaryquartershowsRepublicansareexpandingourbaseandenergizedtowinupanddowntheballotinNovember,\u201dJohnsonsaidinastatement\u201cAswegatherinMilwaukeenextweektoofficiallynominatePresidentDonaldTrump,ourPartyhasneverbeenmoreunifiedandequippedwiththeresourcesneededtogrowtheHousemajority,wintheSenate,andwintheWhiteHouse\u201d<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

Johnson'ssecond-quarterhaulbuildsonotherHouseGOPleaders'fundraisingforatotalof$45millionraisedduringthesecondquarter,whencombiningthespeaker'snumberswithHouseMajorityLeaderSteveScalise(R-LA),MinorityWhipTomEmmer(R-MN),andGOPChairwomanEliseStefanik(R-NY)<\\\/p>

Johnson'sfundraisingstillfallsslightlybehindhispredecessor,formerSpeakerKevinMcCarthy<\\\/a>(R-CA),butthehighnumbersofferhopetoRepublicansthatthespeakerisabletoraiselargesumsforthepartydespiteonlyholdingthegavelforninemonths<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24178017398020-scaled.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3074143-1720513167", "title":"State program spends $1 million to get 37 ‘disadvantaged’ people drivers licenses", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3074143%2Fstate-program-spends-1-million-to-get-37-disadvantaged-people-drivers-licenses%2F", "byline":"TJ Martinell | The Center Square", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"(The Center Square) – A program set up in King County through the state Department of Licensing and funded by the state Legislature has spent nearly $1 million teaching “disadvantaged” women to drive, with just 37 women actually obtaining their license in a five-month period. King County contracts with Mujer al Volante, a nonprofit organization in […]", "description":""

(TheCenterSquare)\u00a0\u2013AprogramsetupinKingCountythroughthestateDepartmentofLicensingandfundedbythestateLegislaturehasspentnearly$1millionteaching\u201cdisadvantaged\u201dwomentodrive,withjust37womenactuallyobtainingtheirlicenseinafive-monthperiod<\\\/p>

KingCountycontractswithMujeralVolante,anonprofitorganizationinSeattlethatofferssupportservicestorefugeeandimmigrantwomenIn2022,theLegislaturegaveDOL$350,000toalsocontractwiththenonprofit,withanadditional$2millionappropriatedearlierthisyearinthestatetransportationbudget<\\\/p>

TheDriversLicenseAssistanceProgram\u201cTakingtheSteeringWheelofMyLife\u201dprovidesqualifyingapplicantsassistancetowardobtainingadriver\u2019slicenseToqualify,apersonmustbeawomanor\u201cnonbinary,\u201danimmigrant,asylee,orrefugee,andbeclassifiedas\\\"low-income\\\"<\\\/p>

SincetheprogramstartedinDecember,therehavebeen522individualswhohavegonethroughtheprogramHowever,just37ofthemhavesuccessfullypassedthewrittenanddrivingexamsInJanuary,therewere101participantsandonlyoneofthemobtainedtheirlicenseInApril,therewere132participants,13ofwhichgottheirlicense<\\\/p>

WhenTheCenterSquarereachedouttoDOLforcomment,CommunicationsManagerChristineAnthonywrotethat\u201cwecontractedwithMujeralVolanteinDecemberof2023,andthisisthefirstreporttotheLegislatureThisisanewprogramweareadministering,andwewillcontinuetoworkwiththeorganizationandmonitortheirprogress\u201d<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP24014160536170-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3072819-1720443053", "title":"Sorry, progressives, but facts can’t be racist", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3072819%2Fsorry-progressives-but-facts-cant-be-racist%2F", "byline":"Brad Polumbo", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Facts cannot be racist. But that hasn’t stopped many liberal media figures and Democratic politicians from trying to insist otherwise after one conservative writer dared to point out what we all know about Vice President Kamala Harris: She wouldn’t be where she is now without the movement for DEI, also known as diversity, equity, and […]", "description":""

FactscannotberacistButthathasn\u2019tstoppedmanyliberalmedia<\\\/a>figuresandDemocraticpoliticiansfromtryingtoinsistotherwiseafteroneconservativewriterdaredtopointoutwhatweallknowaboutVicePresidentKamalaHarris<\\\/a>:Shewouldn\u2019tbewheresheisnowwithoutthemovementforDEI<\\\/a>,alsoknownasdiversity,equity,andinclusion\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inanarticle<\\\/a>thatwentviral,CharlesGasparinowrotethatifsheissuccessfullyputforwardasPresidentJoeBiden\u2019s<\\\/a>successor,Harriswillbe\u201cthecountry\u2019sfirstDEIpresident\u201dSufficeittosay,thisdidnotgooverwell\u00a0<\\\/p>

GovGavinNewsom(D-CA)tweeted<\\\/a>outtheheadlineandsaid,\u201cThisisstraight-upracist\u201d\u00a0<\\\/p>

Meanwhile,theaccount\u201cRacismWatchDog\u201dsharedthearticleandsaid<\\\/a>,\u201cBarkbarkbark,\u201dinapostthat47millionpeoplehaveseen\u00a0<\\\/p>

Anotherviraltweet<\\\/a>accusedthearticleof\u201cfindingawaytospellthenwordwithonly3characters\u201d<\\\/p>

Yougettheidea:HowdareconservativeslabelKamalaHarrisadiversitypickThat\u2019sobviouslyracistandhateful! <\\\/p>

There\u2019sjustoneproblem,howeverItisafactthatHarriswasselectedtobeBiden\u2019svicepresidentinpartduetoherraceandgenderItisafactthatifshehadbeenawhitemalebutotherwiseremainedaCaliforniasenator,Harrisneverwould\u2019vebeenselectedashisrunningmate\u00a0<\\\/p>

Youdon\u2019thavetotakemywordforitJustaskBidenDuringthe2020presidentialcampaign,Bidenopenlysaid,inexplicitterms<\\\/a>,thathewasonlyconsideringwomentobehisvicepresident,andhestronglyimplied<\\\/a>thathewouldfavorawomanofcolor\u00a0<\\\/p>

That\u2019sright:Weknowforafactthat,butforhergender,Harrisneverwould\u2019vebeenselectedasvicepresident(Andifnotforthat,shecertainlywouldn\u2019tbeattheforefrontoftheconversationforapotentialBidenreplacement)So,tocallheradiversityor\u201cDEI\u201dpickisnotanopinionthatcanbecharacterizedasracist:Itisanobservationofafact\u00a0<\\\/p>

WhenIpointedthisoutonX,manyofthesameliberalsandprogressivesgotupsetwithmeaswell <\\\/p>

ButafactthatupsetspeoplecontinuestobeafactAndnoneoftheircounterargumentschangethefactthatHarris,nomatterhowonefeelsaboutit,oweshercurrentpositioninparttotheDemocrats\u2019blatantidentitypoliticsandopenlydiscriminatorypursuitofdiversity\u00a0<\\\/p>

SomecriticspointedoutthatHarrisisn\u2019tunqualifiedforvicepresident,arguingthatasaformersenatorandstateattorneygeneral,shehassimilarqualificationstopastvicepresidentialpicks,suchasBidenwhenheservedunderPresidentBarackObamaYetthisissomethingofanonsequiturbecausetosaythatHarriswasadiversityselectionisnottosayshe\u2019stotallyunqualifiedforthejob\u00a0<\\\/p>

Forexample,SupremeCourtJusticeKetanjiBrownJacksonisobjectivelya\u201cdiversitypick\u201dbecauseBidenopenlysaidhewasonlyconsideringblackwomenforthejobYetJacksonisalsoeminentlyqualifiedfortheposition\u2014shewassimplyelevatedaboveothersduetoherimmutablecharacteristicsThesetwothingscananddocoexistwithregularity\u00a0<\\\/p>

DEIpicksrarely,ifever,resultinasituationwheresomeonetotallyunqualifiedispickedforajobButsomeoneisadiversityhireif,butforherimmutablecharacteristics,shewouldnothavebeengiventheroleunderastrictlymeritocraticselectionAndthatisalmostcertainlythecaseforHarrisAfterall,accordingtoBidenhimself,shewasselectedthroughaprocessinwhichmorethanhalfofthealternatives,males,wereruledoutduetotheirgenderandwhitefemaleswereseeminglydisfavoredThatleftonlyherandahandfulofotherminoritywomen<\\\/a>whowerehigh-rankingDemocraticofficialsfromwhichBidencouldchoose<\\\/p>

Andbeyondheridentity,Harrisdidn\u2019taddmuchtotheticketShewasn\u2019tfromaswingstateShehadneverwonacompetitiveelectionagainstaRepublicanShewasn\u2019tpopularwiththeDemocraticbase,havingfailedhorrificallyinherownpresidentialbidShewasn\u2019tevenpopularintheprimarywithblackvoters,agroupfromwhomBidenalreadyhadstrongsupportAndshewaspronetocringeworthymomentsandhadthecampaigntrailcharismaofawettowel\u00a0<\\\/p>

Harris\u2019smain\u201cvalueadd\u201dforBiden\u2019sticketwasthatshewasawomanofcolorWeallknewitthen,andweallknowitnow <\\\/p>

AnothercounterargumentisthatvicepresidentsareoftenselectedduetofactorsnotdirectlyrelatedtomeritThatmaybetrue,butitshouldn\u2019tbeAnditdoesn\u2019tmakeracialfavoritismanylessmorallydetestableItalsodoesn\u2019tmakethechargethatHarrisisaDEIpicklesstrueIfanything,itjustofferscontexttobetterunderstandthesignificanceofthistruth\u00a0<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

So,too,somecriticshaveyelled,\u201cButTrump!\u201d,astheyarewonttodo,andtheyhavepointedoutthatPresidentDonaldTrumpdidsomethingsimilarwhenheappointedSupremeCourtJusticeAmyConeyBarrettafterpromisingtoappointawomanYetthiswhataboutismisn\u2019tarefutationoftheactualchargeItjustmeansthatBarrettwasalsoaDEIpick,assomeacknowledgedatthetime(IftheirpointwasjustthatRepublicanscanbehypocrites,they\u2019dhavenoargumentfromme!)<\\\/p>

WesimplycannotletDemocratsandprogressivesmakenoticingfactstheyfindinconvenientoff-limitsbythrowingaroundfalsechargesofracismNomatterhowhardsomeontheLeftinsist,factscanneverberacist,andthemomentwecavetothatridiculousframing,welosetheabilitytodiscussthetruthandcedethepoliticalconversationtowhoeveriswillingtocry\u201cvictim\u201dtheloudest <\\\/p>

BradPolumbo(@Brad_Polumbo<\\\/a>)isanindependentjournalist,YouTuber<\\\/a>,andaco-founderofBASEDPolitics<\\\/a><\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AP24188824437913-scaled.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3071849-1720418400", "title":"Increasing economic growth should be top priority", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3071849%2Fincreasing-economic-growth-should-be-top-priority%2F", "byline":"Bruce Thompson", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"For the past three and a half years, the U.S. economy has struggled under the economic policies of the Biden administration and congressional Democrats.  Increased taxes, spending, deficits, and debt have produced higher prices, lower wages, soaring interest rates, and slower economic growth. For typical American families, the Biden administration’s policies have resulted in lower […]", "description":""

Forthepastthreeandahalfyears,theUSeconomy<\\\/a>hasstruggledundertheeconomic<\\\/a>policiesoftheBidenadministration<\\\/a>andcongressionalDemocrats\u00a0<\\\/p>

Increasedtaxes,spending,deficits,anddebthaveproducedhigherprices,lowerwages,soaringinterestrates,andslowereconomicgrowthFortypicalAmericanfamilies,theBidenadministration'spolicieshaveresultedinlowerstandardsoflivinganddashedhopesofabetterfuture <\\\/p>

Whiletheinflation<\\\/a>ratehaseasedfromits91%peak,thehighestlevelin40years,pricesarestillup20%sinceBidentookoffice,faroutpacingtheincreaseinwages<\\\/p>

MillionsofAmericansarefinanciallystressed,unabletobuyahome,payofftheirdebt,orsaveforthefuture<\\\/a>Householddebt<\\\/a>isatanall-timehigh,up$3trillion,or21%,sincethefirstquarterof2021\u00a0<\\\/p>

Alongwiththesehighprices,theUSeconomyisstuckinaslowgrowthrutThelatestnumbers<\\\/a>showtheeconomyisslowingunderhighinterestratesandpersistentinflation,withpersonalspendingandcapitalgoodsordersweakening\u00a0<\\\/p>

Realgrossdomesticproduct(GDP)grewatonly14%<\\\/a>\u00a0lastquarter,theslowestgrowthinnearlytwoyearsInthelastninequarters,economicgrowthhasaveragedonlyhalfourhistoricgrowthrate\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheUSneedstoadoptpro-growthpoliciestoencouragefastereconomicgrowthButifBidenandcongressionalDemocratsaregivenanotherchanceinNovember,wefaceevenhighertaxes,morespending,andslowergrowthTheyarealreadyplanningtoleveragethe2025<\\\/a>debateoverextendingthe2017taxcutstoforcethelargesttaxincreaseinourhistory\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheyaredraftingplanstoraisetaxesonindividualtaxpayersandAmericanbusinesses,actions,whichcouldtiptheeconomyintoarecessionandresultinlargerdeficitsanddebt<\\\/a><\\\/p>

TheBidenadministration\u2019smostharmfulproposalwouldraisetheUScorporatetaxratetooneofthehighestintheworldThiswouldbeamajoreconomicmistakeIncreasingthecorporaterateisthemosteconomicallydamagingtaxincrease,andraisingthistax<\\\/a>inaweakeconomywouldcauseittolosemorerevenuethanitgained,likelytriggeringaneventualeconomiccollapse<\\\/p>

Numerousstudieshaveshownthatraisingthecorporateratewouldhaveaharmfuleffectonworkingfamilies,loweringtheirwagesandincomes,increasingthepricestheypay,andreducingtheirretirement<\\\/a>\u00a0savingsAFederalReservestudy<\\\/a>foundthatahighercorporatetaxratewouldbe\u201cuniformlyharmful\u201dtoworkingpeople,leadingto\u201csignificantreductions\u201cintheirjobsandincomes<\\\/p>

IncreasingthecorporatetaxratewouldalsoputUScompaniesatasignificantcompetitivedisadvantageagainstourglobalcompetitorsUndertheBidenadministration,theUSrate<\\\/a>wouldbehigherthaneveryothercountrywecompeteagainst,reducinginvestmentinAmericaandshiftingprofitsandjobsoverseas\u00a0<\\\/p>

Americansfacedsimilarfinancialchallengesofhighprices,stagnantgrowth,andsoaringtaxesandspending44yearsagoTheRepublicanPartyplatformin1980statedthatnothingwasmoreimportantthaneconomicgrowth,andendorsedtheReaganeconomicrecoveryprogram<\\\/a>oflowertaxratesandspendingcuts\u00a0<\\\/p>

Oncepassed,theReagantaxcuts<\\\/a>andspendingreformskickedoffaneconomicboom,withrealGDPgrowthreaching\u00a07%in1983and8%in1984,andaveragingnearly5%ayearthrough1988Inflationdroppedfrom11%to4%andnearly20millionjobswerecreatedinthelargestpeacetimeexpansioninUShistory\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheReagantaxcutsweremodeledaftertheKennedytaxcutsinthe1960s,whichalsosetoffaneconomicgrowthboom,withrealgrowthaveragingmorethan5%ayearTheReagan-Kennedytaxcutsledtoextendedperiodsofunprecedentedeconomicgrowth<\\\/a>andahigherstandardoflivingforallAmericans\u00a0<\\\/p>

Underourcurrentpathofhightaxesandspending,theeconomicoutlookisdimTheCongressionalBudgetOffice(CBO)isforecasting<\\\/a>10yearsofdismalandweakgrowthaveraging18%ayear,\u00a0muchlowerthanthe35%averageannualgrowththeUSexperiencedfrom1960to2000Ifthathappens,wewillhaveadecadeoflowerincomes,fewerjobs,andcountlesslostopportunities<\\\/a>\u00a0<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

ButitdoesnothavetobethiswayAswehaveseen,aneconomicpolicyoflowtaxratesandfiscalrestraintcanincreaseinvestment,productivity,andoutput,leadingtohigherincomesandfastergrowthPro-growthtaxpoliciesthatincreasetheincentivetowork,save,andinvest,alongwithspendingrestraint,wouldimproveeconomicgrowth,gettingusoutofourslowgrowthrutandreturningtheeconomytoitshistoricgrowthrate<\\\/a> <\\\/p>

Highereconomicgrowthwouldgeneratetrillionsofdollarsofeconomicactivity,leadingtohigherwagesandincomes,betterjobsandopportunities,andmoreprosperityforallAmericansWecannotsettleforanother10yearsofsubpargrowthIncreasingeconomicgrowthshouldbeourtoppriority <\\\/p>

BruceThompsonwasaUSSenateaide,assistantsecretaryofTreasuryforlegislativeaffairs,andthedirectorofgovernmentrelationsforMerrillLynchfor22years<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP23315572079441.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3069418-1720072800", "title":"Is the American dream dead? My family’s story proves otherwise", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3069418%2Fis-the-american-dream-dead-my-familys-story-proves-otherwise%2F", "byline":"Hera Varmah", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The American dream has been woven into countless narratives throughout my life, shaped by the inspiring stories shared by my family members and friends who came to the United States in search of a better life. This Independence Day, it might be tempting to think this dream is now elusive as division and discouragement spread across […]", "description":""

TheAmericandreamhasbeenwovenintocountlessnarrativesthroughoutmylife,shapedbytheinspiringstoriessharedbymyfamilymembersandfriendswhocametotheUnitedStatesinsearchofabetterlifeThisIndependenceDay<\\\/a>,itmightbetemptingtothinkthisdreamisnowelusive asdivision<\\\/a>anddiscouragement<\\\/a>spreadacrossourcountry<\\\/p>

Butmylifeprovesitcanstillbeareality\u2014ifwestrivetomakeitone <\\\/p>

Thoseofusfromimmigrantcommunitiesarefamiliarwiththepromiseofopportunity,enshrinedbytheFoundingFathersintheDeclarationofIndependenceandencapsulatedintheidealsoflife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappinessFamilieslikeminehaveworkedurgentlytorealizethispromise<\\\/p>

Growingup,myfamilyof12childrenborntoimmigrantparentsfacedmanyobstaclesWecouldhavetakenthewrongpath,butwewerefortunatetoliveinastatethatgaveusaccesstoatop-tiereducationatCatholicprivateschools,magnetschools,andtraditionalpublicschools,inwhicheachofusfoundwhatweneededtochaseourdreams <\\\/p>

Asayounggirl,Ididn\u2019tbelieveIwasintelligentorthatIcouldexcelinschoolEventhoughmyparentshadfaithinme,IwasconvincedIwouldfailIfocusedonsports,thinkingitwastheonlyareainwhichIcouldsucceedIthoughtmysiblingswouldgoontobesuccessfulwhileIremainedstuckinpoverty<\\\/p>

Butthankstoscholarshipopportunitiesinmystate,Imetteacherswhosawmypotentialandsupportedme,helpingmegainconfidenceAndIwasabletobuildfriendshipswithothersfromdifferentbackgroundsandbeliefsystems <\\\/p>

Today,Iamacollegegraduateworkingatanationalpolicyorganization,fightingforchildrenlikemeIwentfromfeelinginadequateasayounggirltotestifyingbeforeCongressatage24\u00a0<\\\/p>

MysiblingsandIareafulfillmentofmygrandparents\u2019dreamsWeallhavedifferentopinions,careers,hopes,anddreams,butweareallachievingourgoalsFourofusarecollegegraduates,twoareengineers,oneisinmedicalschool,sixareuniversitystudents,andtwoarehighschoolstudents <\\\/p>

ThisIndependenceDay,Iwantmyfamily\u2019sstorytobethenorm,notanexception<\\\/p>

Iwantmygenerationtoreignitethespiritofstrivingforgreatnessintheircareers,nurturingtheirfamilies,orpursuingwhateverversionoftheAmericandreamtheymightholdNegativityanddoommaydrivenewscycles,butsuccessstoriesaboundwhenchildrenaregivenopportunityWemustsharethesestories\u2014andmakethempossible<\\\/p>

ConsidermyfriendandcolleagueGissell,afirst-generationAmericanborninDelawarebutraisedinMexicointheearly2000sAt14yearsold,shereturnedwithoutherparentstoMilwaukee,Wisconsin,topursuehereducationThankstoCristoReyJesuitHighSchool,whichshewasabletoattendbecauseofWisconsin\u2019sschoolchoiceprogram,Gissellovercamenumerousobstacles,includingthedifficultdecisiontoforgoafullscholarshiptoGeorgetownUniversitytobringhertwoteenagesistersfromMexicoinsteadandcareforthem <\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

ShewentontoearnadoublefullscholarshiptoMarquetteUniversityandbecamethefirstcollegegraduateinherfamilythisMaySheisstillbuildingherAmericandreamasshepursuesacareerinpolicy<\\\/p>

OurstoriesprovetheAmericandreamisaliveandwellifonlywegivechildrenthechancetochaseitThismeansgrantingthemaccesstoqualityeducationandopportunitiesregardlessoftheirbackgroundorZIPcodeThisIndependenceDay,let\u2019srededicateourselvestothatgoal<\\\/p>

HeraVarmahisagraduateofFlorida\u2019staxcreditscholarshipprogramsandanexternalrelationsassociateattheAmericanFederationforChildren<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iStock-1399726385.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3069580-1720021085", "title":"Three times Biden disregarded the ‘limits of presidential power’", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3069580%2Fthree-times-biden-disregarded-the-limits-of-presidential-power%2F", "byline":"Andrea Ruth", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Fresh off his humiliating performance at the presidential debate, President Joe Biden found the energy to deliver brief remarks to a nationally televised audience over the Supreme Court‘s presidential immunity case.  In a four-minute address that resembled a campaign ad more than a formal statement, Biden, who took no questions, condemned the Supreme Court’s decision. […]", "description":""

Freshoffhishumiliatingperformanceatthepresidentialdebate,PresidentJoeBiden<\\\/a>foundtheenergytodeliverbriefremarkstoanationallytelevisedaudienceovertheSupremeCourt<\\\/a>'spresidentialimmunitycase\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inafour-minuteaddressthatresembledacampaignadmorethanaformalstatement,Biden,whotooknoquestions,condemnedtheSupremeCourt'sdecisionHiscommentsechoedthoseofJusticeSoniaSotomayor<\\\/a>,employingfear-inducinglanguagesuchas\\\"fundamentallychanged\\\"andotherphrasessuggestingasignificantshiftbutalsoallowingforpossibleretreats,suchas\\\"forallpracticalpurposes,\\\"\\\"almostcertainly,\\\"and\\\"virtuallynolimits\\\"<\\\/p>

OnethingBidensaidstoodout<\\\/a>\\\"IknowIwillrespectthelimitsofthepresidentialpower,asIhaveforthreeandahalfyears,\\\"hesaid<\\\/p>

ThisstatementisinstarkcontrasttohisactionsInreality,thepresidenthasconsistentlypushedtheboundariesofhispower,particularlyduringthefirsttwoyearsofhispresidency,whenhefrequentlydisregardedtheseparationofpowers <\\\/p>

Rentmoratorium<\\\/p>

ThefirstinstanceinwhichBidenignoredthelimitsofpresidentialpowerwaswhenheallowedtheCOVID-erarentmoratoriumtoremaininplaceHewonaninitial5-4decisionStill,JusticeBrettKavanaugh<\\\/a>warnedheonlyallowedittocontinuetomaintainanorderlytransitionandthatanyfurtherreliefwouldrequire\\\"clearandspecificcongressionalauthorization(vianewlegislation)\\\"TheBidenadministrationignoredthewarningandtriedtoextendthemoratoriumagainTheSupremeCourtstruckitdown\u00a0<\\\/p>

Vaccinemandate<\\\/p>

Inanotherinstance,theBidenadministrationattemptedtoforceprivatecompaniestomandateemployeevaccinations,arguingithadtheauthoritytouseOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministrationregulationstoenforceitTheSupremeCourtdisagreed,strikingdownthemandateandrulingtheagencyexceededitsauthorityThecourtwrote,\\\"AlthoughCongress<\\\/a>hasindisputablygivenOSHAthepowertoregulateoccupationaldangers,ithasnotgiventhatagencythepowertoregulatepublichealthmorebroadly\\\"\u00a0<\\\/p>

Studentdebtrelief<\\\/p>

Thoughacademics,scholars,andformerHouseSpeakerNancyPelosisaidBidendidnothavetheauthoritytoimplementstudentdebtreliefunilaterally,thepresidentchosetodoitanywayOnceagain,theSupremeCourttoldhim\\\"no,\\\"remindinghiminyetanotherinstancethathewasnotrespectingthelimitsofpresidentialpowerChiefJusticeJohnRoberts<\\\/a>rejectedtheadministration'sargumentithadauthorityunderthe2003HEROESActtoimplementtheplanRobertswrote,\\\"Thequestionhereisnotwhethersomethingshouldbedone;itiswhohastheauthoritytodoit\\\"\u00a0<\\\/p>

Thecourtinvokedthe\\\"majorquestion\\\"doctrine,whichstatesthatifCongresswantstogiveagenciestheauthoritytomakedecisionsofvasteconomicandpoliticalsignificance,itmustsaysoclearlyRobertssaidtheHEROESActdidn'tauthorizedebtreliefatall <\\\/p>

RatherthangotoCongressandasklawmakerstodraftlegislationfordebtrelief,BidenattemptedabackdoortoimplementstudentdebtforgivenessTheadministrationdevisedanewschemeitfeltwouldinsulateitfromjudicialreviewBidenhadtheaudacitytoboastaboutitHesaid,\\\"TheSupremeCourtblockedme,butitdidnotstopme\\\" <\\\/p>

However,twofederaljudgesinseparatestates,KansasandMissouri,blockedthenewSavingonaValuableEducationplanenactedbytheDepartmentofEducation<\\\/a>Statessued,arguingtheadministrationonceagainoversteppeditsauthorityWhilethe10thCircuitCourtofAppealstemporarilyliftedtheKansasjudge'sbanonthenewrepaymentplan,theinjunctionisstillinplaceinMissouriThejudgesinbothcasessaidtheadministrationcouldnotshowCongressauthorizedthenewplan\u00a0<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

Thejudgesinthetwocases,USDistrictJudgeDanielDCrabtreeinKansasandUSDistrictJudgeJohnARossinMissouri,werebothappointedbyPresidentBarackObama<\\\/a>So,anycomplaintsteamBidenmighthaveaboutthejudges'politicalmotivationsfallflat<\\\/p>

PointingouthowwrongformerPresidentDonaldTrumpiswhenitcomestorestraintsonexecutivepowerisnotavalidwayforBidentoexcusehislackofrestraint,anditisabald-facedlieforhimtosayhe'srespectedthelimitsofpresidentialpowerduringhisterm<\\\/p>

AndreaRuthisacontributortothe WashingtonExaminer magazine<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/AP24184012822003-scaled.webp?w=696" } {"id":"3065773-1719900000", "title":"Fairfax County Public Schools leadership displays disdain for parents — again", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3065773%2Ffairfax-county-public-schools-leadership-displays-disdain-for-parents-again%2F", "byline":"Stephanie Lundquist-Arora", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Last Thursday, as the first presidential debate was making national headlines, Fairfax County School Board members held a meeting during which they voted on controversial changes to family life education curriculum. The takeaway for the few of us able to attend or watch it virtually was that the district’s leadership hates parents — or, at […]", "description":""

LastThursday,asthefirstpresidentialdebate<\\\/a>wasmakingnationalheadlines,FairfaxCountySchoolBoard<\\\/a>membersheldameetingduringwhichtheyvotedoncontroversialchangestofamilylifeeducationcurriculumThetakeawayforthefewofusabletoattendorwatchitvirtuallywasthatthedistrict\u2019sleadershiphatesparents\u2014or,attheveryleast,isseverelyinconveniencedbyus<\\\/p>

DarcyHealy,oneofthespeakersduringpubliccomment,deliveredanimpassionedstatementthatrepresentshowmanyparentsinFairfaxCountyarefeelingShesaid<\\\/a>,\u201cWeareparents,andwewantyoutolistentous,butwefeelthatthat\u2019sjustnothappening\u2026ThesurveythatwasdoneinMayandJune[shows]80%areagainstthisco-edsituationLet\u2019scontinuetodebatethisDon\u2019tdoitoverthesummerAnddon\u2019tdothevoteontheeveningofthepresidentialdebateThisisanimportanttopicShowusthatyouwantittobeimportant\u201d<\\\/p>

HealyisrightInsurveysboththisyear<\\\/a>andlastyear<\\\/a>,parentsandcommunitymembersmadeitclearthattheydidnotsupportco-edsexeducationorgenderideologyinstructionintheirchildren\u2019selementaryclassroomsSeveralcommunitymembersmadethisexactpointduringthelasttwoschoolboardmeetings\u2019publiccommentperiodsonJune13andJune27<\\\/p>

Insteadofbeinginclusiveandacceptingcommunityfeedback,theFairfaxCountySchoolBoardwashostile\u2014mostnotablyamongthem,theboard\u2019svicechairwoman,MelanieMeren<\\\/a><\\\/p>

First,Merenspokeindignantlyaboutthecurriculum\u2019sopt-outoptionShesaid<\\\/a>,\u201cAnd,youknow,whatIwanttoconveyisthatweneedtomakedecisionsofcurriculumforthebenefitof,youknow,asmanychildrenaspossibleAndthisiswhyparentsandfamilieshavetheoptiontooptoutiftheydon\u2019tfeelthecontentisappropriatefortheirchildrenwhenitcomestofamilylifeeducation\u201d<\\\/p>

Butwhyincludeunwanted,politicalnonsensesuchasgenderideologyinapublicschooldistrict\u2019ssexeducationcurriculumandthenplacetheburdenofoptingoutontheparents?Here\u2019swhy:becausedistrictleadershipknowsthatmanyparentsarepreoccupiedwithourmanyotherobligationsandwillforgettocompletetheextraadministrativetaskofoptingoutourchildrenfromcurriculumlessons<\\\/p>

Districtleadersshouldnotbeexperimentingwithourchildren,butsincetheyseemtoinsistondoingso,thiscurriculumshouldrequireparentstooptinratherthanoptout<\\\/p>

Merenthendeliveredanangryrantabouttheillegitimacyofthecommunity\u2019sfeedbackmechanismsShesaid<\\\/a>,\u201cIalsodowanttounderscorethatthecommentsthathavebeenreferredtoasasurvey,um,itactuallywasnotasurveyTherewasacallforpubliccomments\u2026TherewasalsonotamethodologytoensurethatcommentswereuniquecontributorsSo,ofthe2,500comments,it\u2019sunknownhowmanywerecontributedmorethanonce\u201d<\\\/p>

Thetakeawayisthatifthedistrict\u2019sleadersdon\u2019tlikecommunityfeedback,theyblamethecommentforumLastyear,forexample,KarlFrisch<\\\/a>,theschoolboardchairman,similarlydismissed<\\\/a>thesurveyasfeedbackfrom\u201cRedditwarriors\u201d<\\\/p>

Incontrast,IlryongMoon,aschoolboardmemberwhodoesnotappeartobecompletelydisgustedandinconveniencedbythedistrict\u2019sparents,seemedtorealizetheabsurdityofhiscolleagues\u2019commentsrightawayTheat-largememberresponded<\\\/a>thatiftherewasaproblemwiththefeedbackmechanismforcommunityinput,itwastheboard\u2019sresponsibilitytofixtheprocessMoonfurthersaidhevaluedcommunityinputandthankedthe2,539surveyrespondentsfortheirtime<\\\/p>

Unfortunately,inspiteofthenegativefeedbackontheproposal,schoolboardmembers,includingMoon,votedtoincludegenderideologyinstructionintheseventhgradefamilylifeeducationcurriculumAndtheydidnotvoteagainstgenderideologyindoctrinationforelementaryschoolchildrenTheyinsteadpostponedthatdecision\u2014perhapsinthehopesthattheycanpassitwhenfewerparentsarepayingattention<\\\/p>

Orevenworse,theywillincludesuchmeasuressurreptitiouslyandwithoutavoteActingonher\u201cmajoritydoesn\u2019talwaysdictate\u201dphilosophy,FairfaxCountyPublicSchoolsSuperintendentMichelleReidhasalreadyusedaback-door,anti-democratic,administrativemethodtointroduceco-edinstructionforsexeducationinthedistrict\u2019snewpilotprogram<\\\/a>in14elementaryschoolsthatshelikelyintendstoexpand\u00a0<\\\/p>

Andso,toHealyIsay,Ifeelyourpain,andwewillcontinuetodebatethisButsadly,itseemsthatReid,Frisch,Meren,andtheirtyrannicalleftistactivistminorityhavealreadydecidedwhatisbestforourchildrenTheyseemtobelievethatwe,theparents,areroadblocksobstructingtheirpath,tobecircumventedorrunover<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

StephanieLundquist-AroraisacontributorfortheWashingtonExaminer,amotherinFairfaxCounty,Virginia,anauthor,andtheFairfaxchapterleaderoftheIndependentWomen\u2019sNetwork<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/iStock-473628448-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3060911-1719468000", "title":"How Ben Sasse could transform education", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3060911%2Fhow-ben-sasse-could-transform-education%2F", "byline":"Max Eden", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In late 2022, former Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse was appointed president of the University of Florida. The media mostly ran with artificially inflated stories of student protests. But Sasse’s supporters were optimistic that he could prove a transformative leader.  To date, he’s kept a relatively low public profile. But Sasse has just been handed […]", "description":""

Inlate2022,formerRepublicanNebraska<\\\/a>SenBenSassewasappointedpresidentoftheUniversityofFloridaThemediamostlyranwithartificiallyinflatedstoriesofstudentprotestsButSasse\u2019ssupporterswereoptimisticthathecouldproveatransformativeleader\u00a0<\\\/p>

Todate,he\u2019skeptarelativelylowpublicprofileButSassehasjustbeenhandedagoldenopportunitytoremodelnotonlyhighereducation,butsubstantiallyimprovepublicK-12educationalongwithitWeshouldknowsoonwhetherhe\u2019lltakeit<\\\/p>

Fordecades,conservativeshavecomplainedaboutteachers\u2019colleges,whereeducatorsandadministratorsmustreceivecertificationTheevidenceprovesthatthey\u2019reawasteoftimeandmoneythatconfersnobenefitonnewteachersWorsethanthat,they\u2019vedevolvedintolittlemorethancriticalracetheory-indoctrinationcampsIt\u2019sratherinsanethatredstatesstillrequireteacherstobesteepedinanti-white,anti-American,anti-achievementdogmabeforeenteringapublicschoolclassroom<\\\/p>

Butmostdo,forthreereasonsFirst,statelegislatorstendtobeintimidatedbypeoplewhohave\u201cPhD\u2019s,\u201deveniftheyhavePhD\u2019sinnonsenseSecond,legislatorsaretypicallyreticenttorocktheboatattheiralmamatersAndthird,eveniflegislatorshadthewill,transformationalleaderswhocouldoverhaulateachers\u2019collegearefewandfarbetween<\\\/p>

Noneoftheselimitingconditions,however,applytotheUF<\\\/p>

TheFloridalegislaturepassedHouseBill1291lastmonth,whichmandatesthatstate-approvedteacher-preparationprogramsmaynotbe\u201cbasedontheoriesthatsystemicracism,sexism,oppression,andprivilegeareinherentintheinstitutionsoftheUnitedStates\u201dInstead,theseprogramsmustteach\u201cmasteryofacademicprogramcontent\u201dand\u201cinstructionalstrategies\u201dFancythat\u2014schoolsofeducationthatteachteacherstoteach,ratherthanbesocialjusticewarriorsThislawgoesintoeffectonJuly1<\\\/p>

AstheClaremontInstituterecentlydocumented<\\\/a>,theUF\u2019sCollegeofEducationisradicallyoutofcompliancewithstatelawUF\u2019sCollegeofEducationwentaswokeasanyteachers\u2019collegecouldget\u2014rightunderDeSantis\u2019snoseIn2020,itjettisonedrequirementsforthingssuchas\u201cCoreTeachingStrategies,\u201d\u201cMusicfortheElementaryChild,\u201dand\u201cArtEducation\u201dwith,respectively,\u201cEquityPedagogyFoundations,\u201d\u201cEquityPedagogyApplications\u201dand\u201cStudyingEquityPedagogy\u201dMathandscience?Theysimplyweren\u2019t\u201cinclusive\u201denough<\\\/p>

Whichistosay\u2014everythingwasinfusedwithCRTRequiredcoursereadingsincludethingssuchas\u201cTheFirstDayofSchool:ACRTStory,\u201d\u201cWhiteGirlTeaching,\u201d\u201cRaisingRaceQuestions:WhitenessandInquiryinEducation,\u201dandrequiredvideosincludedonecalled\u201cTheUrgencyofIntersectionality\u201d<\\\/p>

So,whatwillSassedo?Atraditionalcollegepresidentwouldtrytoruninterferenceforhisinstitution,makecosmeticchanges,anddohisbesttocontinuetoviolatethespiritofthelawwhilepretendingtoadheretoitsletterSassedoesn\u2019tneedtoplayitthisway,thoughHecan,andshould,seethatbetweentheFloridalawandtheClaremontreporthehasbeendealttwoaces<\\\/p>

Bygoinghard-wokerightunderDeSantis\u2019snose,theleadershipofUF\u2019sCollegeofEducationhasclearlyindicatedthattheydon\u2019tseethemselvesasFloridastategovernmentemployeesSo,theyshouldn\u2019tbeTheyshouldallbefiredTheCollegeofEducationshouldbefundamentallyreworked,roottobranch<\\\/p>

ThepossibilitieshereareincredibleAtminimum,Sassecouldrequirehisteachers\u2019collegetoactuallyhelpteachersteachBestpracticesinclassroommanagementandstudentdiscipline,rigorousinstructioninthescienceofreading,andadditionalcontentareaknowledgeforscience,math,orhistoryteachersshouldbeatoppriority<\\\/p>

ButUFcouldgofarbeyondteachingthebasicsFloridahasaburgeoningprivateandmicro-schoolsectorthankstoitsuniversaleducationsavingsaccountUFcouldofferateacherentrepreneurshiptrackFlorida\u2019sclassicaleducationsector,inparticular,isthrivingUFcouldofferteachersrigoroustraininginclassicalmethodsAndbelieveitornot,teachersarerarelytrainedtoactuallydeliveraparticularcurriculumUFcoulddothat,too<\\\/p>

WhymustateachermovetoGainesvilletogetaUFdegree?UFcouldsetupsatellitecentersineveryFloridacounty,andreworktheirprogramtosupportteacherapprenticeshipsWhat\u2019smore\u2014whylimitthattoFlorida?Withteachercertificationreciprocityagreements,UFcouldcolonize(wecanusethatword;it\u2019sFlorida)teachereducationnationally<\\\/p>

WhenMitchDanielswaspresidentofPurdueUniversity,heprovedthatcollegescouldbeeffectivelyadministered\u2014thatendlesstuitionincreasesresultedfromexecutiveincompetence,notaninexorablelawoffinanceSasse\u2019slegacycouldbetoprovethatsomeoneotherthanDanielscandothistooOr,itcouldbetopioneerwaysinwhichstateflagshipuniversitiescandrivedramaticimprovementinpubliceducation\u2014waysthatcouldandshouldbeemulatedineveryredstateinAmericaiftheywork\u00a0<\\\/p>

Here\u2019shopinghegetsstartednextmonthonhistransformationallegacy<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMRESTORINGAMERICA<\\\/a><\\\/p>

MaxEdenisaresearchfellowattheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP23008729452093-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3057090-1719295200", "title":"Biden’s Gaza pier is an abject failure", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2F3057090%2Fbiden-gaza-pier-abject-failure%2F", "byline":"John Hannah", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Choose your label to describe what’s become of President Joe Biden’s Gaza pier: Dumpster fire. Boondoggle. White elephant. Whatever you call it, the project is a bona fide failure. It seems destined to be a textbook example of what happens when the political imperative to “do something” overwhelms serious planning.  The latest news is that […]", "description":""

Chooseyourlabeltodescribewhat\u2019sbecomeofPresidentJoeBiden\u2019s<\\\/a>Gazapier<\\\/a>:DumpsterfireBoondoggleWhiteelephantWhateveryoucallit,theprojectisabonafidefailureItseemsdestinedtobeatextbookexampleofwhathappenswhenthepoliticalimperativeto\u201cdosomething\u201doverwhelmsseriousplanning\u00a0<\\\/p>

Thelatestnews<\\\/a>isthatthepiermaybeterminatedaheadofscheduleErectedinmid-MaybytheUSmilitarytodeliverseaborneassistance,thepier\u2019soperationsrepeatedlyhavebeeninterruptedbyroughwaters\u00a0<\\\/p>

Astormbroke<\\\/a>thepierapartonlydaysaftergoingintoserviceAftermillionsofdollarsofrepairs<\\\/a>,itwasthrownbackintoactionDayslater,forecastsofchoppywatersledthemilitarytotow<\\\/a>thepiertosafeharborIt\u2019sjustreturned<\\\/a>toserviceathirdtime,thoughit\u2019shardnottobelievethattheproject\u2019sdaysarenumbered\u00a0<\\\/p>

MotherNaturemayendupbeingtheproximatecauseofthepier\u2019sdemise,butithasn\u2019tbeentheonlyproblemfoilingtheeffortSecurityhasalsobeenamajorproblemInthebrieftimethefacilityactuallyfunctioned,therelativelysmallamountsofassistancemakingittoshorewerebeingwidelylootedbydesperatemobs\u00a0<\\\/p>

AllofthesechallengeswereforecastwellinadvanceThiswashardlyacaseinwhichofficialsstruggledtomakesenseofwhatformerSecretaryofDefenseDonaldRumsfeldfamouslydescribed<\\\/a>asthe\u201cknownunknowns\u201dandthe\u201cunknownunknowns\u201dOnthecontrary,theobstaclesposedbyGaza\u2019sheavyseasandlackofsecuritywereobvioustoanyonetrackingevents\u00a0<\\\/p>

Inotherwords,BidenandhisteamwereoperatingintheeasiestpartofRumsfeld\u2019smatrix:thelandof\u201cknownknowns\u201d\u2014problemsthatweknowwithcertaintywillariseandthatrequiresolutionsinadvance<\\\/p>

IwaspartofagroupthathaddiscussionslastDecemberwiththeUSteaminchargeofgettinghumanitarianaidintoGazaWeaskedaboutthefeasibilityofamaritimechannelInsomanywords,weweretolditwasadumbideaWatersnearGazaarenotoriouslytreacherousTheeffortwouldbewithinrangeofHamas\u2019sgunsTheamountofaidthatcouldbedeliveredbyseawouldbeadropinthebucketofwhatwasneededFarbettertofocusondramaticallyexpandinglandroutesintoGaza,weweretold\u00a0<\\\/p>

Thatwasn\u2019ttheonlyexpertadvicetheadministrationdisregardedReportingsuggests<\\\/a>theUSmilitaryfirstlearnedofBiden\u2019sdecisiontobuildthepieronlywhenheannounceditinhisMarch7StateoftheUnionaddressButatthetime,plannersstillhadnoanswersastohowsuchaprojectcouldbesuccessfullyexecuted<\\\/p>

Toppingtheirconcernswassecurityandmakingsurethatoncesuppliesmadeittoshore,theycouldbesafelydeliveredintothehandsofsufferingGazansItwasalreadywidelyunderstoodthatthebiggestchallengewasnotgettingadequatesuppliesoffoodintoGazabutmakingsureitreachedinnocentcivilianswithoutfirstbeingdiverted<\\\/p>

Remarkably,Bidenandhisteamdidn\u2019tdemandasolutiontothesecurityproblembeforemakingthepierthecenterpieceofamajorpresidentialinitiativeNordidtheybothertodeveloponeinthetwomonthsthatittookthemilitarytogetthepierintoplaceWiththeeyesoftheworldwatchingandUScredibilityontheline,theadministration\u2019sapproachtoawell-definedsetofchallengesthatcouldmakeorbreaktheeffortseemedtoamounttolittlemorethanhopingthingswouldworkout<\\\/p>

Alas,theyhaven\u2019tInstead,thepierhasbecomeahumiliatinginternetmeme<\\\/a>andjoke\u2014andatapricetagofmorethan$200millioninUStaxpayerfundsandmonthsofeffortby1,000troops\u00a0<\\\/p>

Onitsface,thisappearstobeaclassiccaseofabreakdowninsoundpolicymakingAtthetimeofBiden\u2019sannouncement,criticismofhissupportforIsraelwasreachingfeverpitchPicturesofGaza\u2019sdevastationdominatedheadlinesImportantparts<\\\/a>ofBiden\u2019sDemocraticcoalitionwerethreateningnottosupporthisreelection\u00a0<\\\/p>

It\u2019snothardtoimaginethatwithintheWhiteHousepressurecooker,thepanicto\u201cdosomething\u201dforsufferingPalestiniansandshowpresidentialleadershipbygoingovertheheadsofaseeminglyrecalcitrantIsraelileadershipbecameoverwhelmingSomethingbighadtobeannouncedintheStateoftheUnion\u2014regardlessofwhetherallthehardquestionshadbeenanswered<\\\/p>

Understandable?PerhapsAcceptable?NoGoodintentionsarenotenoughHopeisneverastrategy,especiallynotfortheworld\u2019sgreatestdemocracywhoseresolve,reliability,andcompetencehaveneverbeeningreaterdoubtWesimplycan\u2019taffordself-inflictedmistakessuchasBiden\u2019spier\u2014mistakesthatobserverssawcomingmilesaway <\\\/p>

Figuringouthowthingswentsobadlyawryshouldbeatarget-richenvironmentforcongressionaloversight  <\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMRESTORINGAMERICA<\\\/a><\\\/p>

JohnHannahisaseniorfellowattheJewishInstituteforNationalSecurityofAmericaandformernationalsecurityadvisertoVicePresidentDickCheney<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24139591326544.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3052740-1718960078", "title":"Rubio’s rapport with Latino voters could drive Trump to victory", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3052740%2Fmarco-rubio-latino-voters-trump-victory%2F", "byline":"Ross O'Keefe", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Former President Donald Trump‘s interest in selecting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as his vice president is setting off alarm bells for Democrats. The Florida senator and one-time rival of Trump has turned into a reliable ally and offers the former president a direct line to a bloc Republicans have been flirting with taking from Democrats […]", "description":""

FormerPresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/a>'sinterestinselectingSenMarcoRubio<\\\/a>(R-FL)ashisvicepresidentissettingoffalarmbellsforDemocrats<\\\/p>

TheFloridasenatorandone-timerivalofTrumphasturnedintoareliableallyandofferstheformerpresidentadirectlinetoablocRepublicanshavebeenflirtingwithtakingfromDemocratsforyears\u2014 LatinoandHispanicvotersWhileLatinoandHispanicvotersaren'tamonolith,creatingin-roadswiththemwouldputseveralstatesDemocratshavetakenforgrantedinrecentcyclesinplay,MichaelLaRosa,whoisaformerpresssecretaryforfirstladyJillBidenandspecialassistanttoPresidentJoeBiden,wrote<\\\/a>inanop-edfortheNewYorkTimes<\\\/p>

\\\"ButthereissomethingLatinovotershaveincommon:theirLatinAmericanrootsandthepridethatcomesfromcastingavoteforsomeonewholooksandtalkslikethem,\\\"LaRosawrote\\\"MrRubiowouldbreakasignificantculturalbarrierasthefirstLatinoonanationalticket\\\"<\\\/p>

RubiocouldhelpTrumpconvincelargeLatinoconstituenciesinswingstatesArizonaandNevadawhileshoringupRepublican-leaningFloridaItalsocouldmakenormallyDemocraticNewMexico,whichhasthelargestproportionofHispanicsintheUnitedStates,interesting<\\\/p>

TherehasbeensomedoubtaboutwhetherRubiocouldserveasTrump'svicepresident,giventhe12thAmendmentdoesn'tallowforapresidentandvicepresidenttobefromthesamestate,inthiscase,Florida,withoutlosingitselectoralvotes<\\\/p>

LaRosasaidthisconcernis\\\"overblown,\\\"citingformerVicePresidentDickCheney'sresidentialswitchfromTexastoWyoming,andhethinksRubiocoulddosomethingsimilar<\\\/p>

LaRosasaidTrumpselectingRubiowouldbetakingapageoutofBiden's2020campaignplaybookWhenheselectedVicePresidentKamalaHarris,hemadethechoicetoappealtovotersofcolor,amovethatworkedasblackwomenturnedoutfortheBiden-Harristicket<\\\/p>

AndwinningoverHispanicandLatinovoterswillmatterinstateswheretheymakeupsmallersharesoftheelectoratebutwheretheracesarestillconsideredtightTrumpisbeatingBideninPennsylvaniabymorethan2pointsintheRealClearPoliticsaverage<\\\/a>\u2014\u00a0astateBidencan'taffordtoloseifheplanstorepeathis2020success<\\\/p>

LaRosaargued,\\\"Therearevoterswhomaketheirchoicebecausetheywanttobeapartofhistoryandbreakgroundmorethan,say,thattheyagreewiththecandidate,ortheticket,onspecificpolicies\\\"Latinoscouldbethosevoters,andthat'swhyhesaidRubioscareshimandshouldscareDemocratsthisNovember<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

TheFloridasenatorisonemaninathrong<\\\/a>ofTrumpvicepresidentialcandidates,someofwhomrecentlyreceivedvettingmaterialsfromthecampaign<\\\/p>

TheWashingtonExaminercontactedtheTrumpcampaignandRubio'sofficebutreceivednoresponse<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP22310815339264-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3047141-1718618746", "title":"Torres mocks Bowman’s fire alarm stunt in hint he’s abandoning fellow Democrat", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3047141%2Ftorres-mocks-bowman-fire-alarm-hint-abandoning-democrat%2F", "byline":"Elaine Mallon", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) is in the middle of a brutal primary fight, and a fellow New York Democrat looks like he is on the cusp of endorsing the “Squad” member’s opponent. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a fiercely pro-Israel member of Congress, got into a spat with Bowman over the weekend after the Israel critic […]", "description":""

RepJamaalBowman<\\\/a>(D-NY)isinthemiddleofabrutalprimaryfight,andafellowNewYork<\\\/a>Democratlookslikeheisonthecuspofendorsingthe\u201cSquad\u201dmember\u2019sopponent<\\\/p>

RepRitchieTorres(D-NY),afiercelypro-Israel<\\\/a>memberofCongress,gotintoaspatwithBowmanovertheweekendaftertheIsraelcriticquestionedthesincerityofTorres\u2019ssupportfortheJewishstateTorreswasquicktohitbackatBowman,pokingfunatthelawmaker\u2019sstuntofpullingafirealarmintheCapitolwhileonhiswaytoavotethatwouldpreventagovernmentshutdownlastSeptember<\\\/p>

\u201cAsforJamaalBowman,IcareasmuchabouthisopiniononmeasIdoabouthisopiniononhowtoproperlypullafirealarmorhisopiniononhowtoremaininCongress,\u201dTorrestold<\\\/a>theNewYorkPost\u201cHisopinionisworsethanarubberstamp\u2014itleavesnoimpression,muchlikehislegislativerecordorhisrecentattendancerecord\u201d<\\\/p>

BowmansaidontheNightSchoolpodcast<\\\/a>hostedbyMarcLamontHillthatTorresonlystandsinsupportofIsraelbecauseofthe\u201cpoweroftheIsraellobby\u201d<\\\/p>

\u201cRitchieisverycalculatinginthiswayRitchie\u2014hejustseemstobealwaysplotting,alwayscalculatingsomething,\u201dBowmansaid<\\\/p>

Bowman\u2019sattackonTorres,atwo-termrepresentativeoftheBronx,appearedunprovokedastheneighboringrepresentativehadsteeredclearofweighinginonBowman\u2019scontest<\\\/p>

Butinthemiddleoftheepisode,HillaskedBowmantocommentonwhyTorresfallsinlinewithBowmanoneverymatterexceptforwhenitcomestoIsrael<\\\/p>

\u201cHowcansomeonebesoprogressiveonsomanyissuesandnotseetheinjusticegoingoninPalestineinthesameway?\u201dHillasked<\\\/p>

HillmadethecommentthatTorres\u201ctweetstoNetanyahulikeheisNetanyahu\u2019slonglostcousin\u201d<\\\/p>

\u201cSoifIwasdoingthatwhenIfirstgotin,mybankaccountfirstofallwouldbeflushed,\u201dBowmansaid<\\\/p>

Bowman\u2019scriticismsofIsraelasitwageswarwithHamashaveputhiminavulnerablepositionwiththelargecontingentofJewishsupportersinhisdistrict<\\\/p>

TheAmericanIsraelPublicAffairsCommittee,aninfluentialpro-IsraelPAC,hasspentmillionsofdollarsattackingBowman,helpinggiveWestchesterCountyExecutiveGeorgeLatimeraboostinhischallengetounseatthetwo-termcongressmanBowmanistrailingLatimerby17points,according<\\\/a>toarecentpoll<\\\/p>

PriortoservingasUSrepresentativefortheBronx,TorreswasaNewYorkCityCouncilmemberfor10yearsHenotedhispublicsupportforIsraeldatesbackto2015,whenhetookatripthere <\\\/p>

Hesaidoneofthereasonshedidn\u2019tjointhe\u201cSquad\u201dafterbeingelectedin2020washebelievedthatsomeofthemembers\u2019supportfortheBDSmovementwasantisemitic<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

\u201cIhaveageneralruleofnotweighinginagainstacongressionalDemocratwhohasnotweighedinagainstme,\u201dTorressaid\u201cButBowman\u2019sgratuitousattackonmycharactermightcausemetorethinkthatrule\u201d<\\\/p>

NewYork\u2019sprimarywillbeonJune25<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24165005433095.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"3004139-1715721649", "title":"Biden greenlights $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel week after withholding bombs", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fwhite-house%2F3004139%2Fbiden-greenlights-weapon-shipment-israel-after-withholding-bombs%2F", "byline":"Brady Knox", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"The Biden administration announced its approval of a $1 billion weapon shipment to Israel just one week after President Joe Biden announced he would withhold a weapons shipment if Israel launched an offensive into Rafah. The administration notified Congress of the move on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner independently confirmed. Officials told the Wall Street Journal […]", "description":""

TheBidenadministration<\\\/a>announceditsapprovalofa$1billionweaponshipmenttoIsrael<\\\/a>justoneweekafterPresidentJoeBidenannouncedhewouldwithholdaweaponsshipmentifIsraellaunchedanoffensiveintoRafah<\\\/p>

TheadministrationnotifiedCongressofthemoveonTuesday,theWashingtonExaminerindependentlyconfirmed<\\\/p>

Officialstold<\\\/a>theWallStreetJournalthatthepackageincludesoffensiveweapons,including$700millionintankammunition,$500millionintacticalvehicles,and$60millioninmortarroundsAdditionalstepsmustbetakenbeforetheweaponsareapprovedanddelivered<\\\/p>

ThemovewasforeshadowedbynationalsecurityadviserJohnKirby,speakingwithreporterslastweek<\\\/p>

\\\"[Biden]alsosaidyesterdaythathewillcontinuetoensurethatIsraelhasallofthemilitarymeansitneedstodefenditselfagainstallofitsenemies,includingHamas,\\\"hesaid\\\"Forhim,thisisverystraightforward:He\u2019sgoingtocontinuetoprovideIsraelwithallofthecapabilitiesitneeds,buthedoesnotwantcertaincategoriesofAmericanweaponsusedinaparticulartypeofoperationinaparticularplaceAndagain,hehasbeenclearandconsistentwiththat\\\"<\\\/p>

KirbyfurtherclarifiedthatIsraelhasnotyetlaunchedaRafahoperationthatcrossesBiden'sredlineBidensaidlastweekhewouldwithholdspecific2,000-poundbombsfromIsraelifthecountryexpandedoperationsintoRafah,wherePalestinianrefugeeshavefledduetothewar<\\\/p>

IsraelbegananoffensiveintoRafahlastweek,whichhascontinuedwithairstrikesandgroundoperationsIt'sunclearwhatBiden'sredlineregardingRafahis<\\\/p>

HouseSpeakerMikeJohnson(R-LA)signaledthatthelowerchamberwassatisfiedwithBiden'saction<\\\/p>

\u201cIthinkit\u2019simportantforustoexpressagainthewillofCongressonthematterandsoIdon\u2019tthinkwe\u2019llbechangingwhatwedoonthelegislation,\u201dhetoldreportersTuesdayevening<\\\/p>

Tuesday'smovetoapproveanothermajorweaponsshipmentislikelytoloseBidenthegoodwillhereceivedfromprogressiveDemocraticalliesafterhisannouncementthatoffensiveweaponswouldbewithheld,whichinturndrewhimirefromRepublicansandpro-IsraelDemocrats<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

Bidenhasattemptedtobalancethepassionsofpro-IsraelDemocratswiththevehementoppositionofpro-PalestinianDemocratsduringIsrael'scampaigninGazaTheinvasionofRafahhasemergedasanewflashpoint,withtheBidenadministrationrepeatedlywarningIsraeloftheconsequencesifitlaunchesanall-outassaultonthearea<\\\/p>

CamiMondeauxandNaomiLimcontributedtothisreport<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24128020312504-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"2872560-1709100613", "title":"Great Stakes: Michigan union and blue-collar workers in the driver’s seat for the presidency", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F2872560%2Fmichigan-union-blue-collar-workers-drivers-seat-presidency%2F", "byline":"Naomi Lim", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"Michigan voters have an outsize impact on who will win the White House and which party will carry the House and Senate in 2024. In this series, Great Stakes: The fight to be hailed as victors in Michigan, the Washington Examiner will look at the thorny politics and unique matters that will swing the critical battleground state. Part four, […]", "description":""

MichiganvotershaveanoutsizeimpactonwhowillwintheWhiteHouseandwhichpartywillcarrytheHouseandSenatein2024Inthisseries, GreatStakes:ThefighttobehailedasvictorsinMichigan, the WashingtonExaminer willlookatthethornypoliticsanduniquemattersthatwillswingthecriticalbattlegroundstatePartfour,below,examineshowtheeconomyandunionvotewilldeterminewhowinstheexpectedrematchbetweenPresidentJoeBidenandformerPresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/p>

SHELBYTOWNSHIP,Michigan\u2014PresidentJoeBiden<\\\/a>andformerPresidentDonaldTrump<\\\/a>'seconomic<\\\/a>pitchestoMichigan<\\\/a>'sblue-collarvoters,particularlythestate'shalfamillionunion<\\\/a>members,coulddecidethe2024generalelection<\\\/a>asthisweek'sprimaryunderscoresthelikelynominees'respectiveweaknessesbeforeNovember<\\\/p>

IfTrumpcancompetewithBidenforthosevotersinplacessuchasMichigan'sfamedMacombCounty<\\\/a>,asformerPresidentRonaldReagan<\\\/a>didin1980withso-calledReaganDemocrats,hecouldwinthestate's15ElectoralCollege<\\\/a>votesandreclaimtheWhiteHouse<\\\/a>thiselectioncycle<\\\/p>

TrumpnotonlyhastowinMacombCounty,ashedidin2016and2020,buthealsohasto\\\"winwithamargin\\\"tocounterthepartsofMichiganwherehecouldunderperform,accordingtoRepublicanstrategistJamieRoe,thelongtimechiefofstafftoformerRepublicanRepCandiceMiller<\\\/p>

Tuesday'sRepublicanprimaryemphasizedTrump'sloosegripon30to40%ofhisparty,withformerUSAmbassadortotheUnitedNations<\\\/a>NikkiHaley<\\\/a>holdinghimto70%ofthevoteMeanwhile,Bidennettedabout80%oftheDemocraticprimaryvoteduetoan\\\"uncommitted<\\\/a>\\\"protestvote<\\\/p>

MacombCountyvotedforGovGretchenWhitmer<\\\/a>(D-MI)in2022,\\\"buteverytimeTrump'sbeenontheballot,therearepartsoftheelectoratethatcomeout\\\"forhim\\\"thatreallydon'tcomeoutforawholelotofotherpeople,\\\"RoetoldtheWashingtonExaminer<\\\/p>

ThosepeopleincludeunionworkersdespiteMichigan-basedUnitedAutoWorkers<\\\/a>PresidentShawnFain,forexample,endorsingBidenlastmonth<\\\/p>

TerryBowman,Trump's2016campaignMichiganco-chairmanand2020WorkersforTrumpnationalchairman,hasalsoworkedfortheFordMotorCompany<\\\/a>foralmostthreedecadesBowmannowchairstheboardofthenonpoliticalInstitutefortheAmericanWorker,buthecontendedwhatisgoodforunionofficialsdoesnot\\\"necessarilymeanthatit'sgoodfortherankandfile\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"Theylike[Trump]personallyasacandidateandjustasaperson,\\\"Bowmansaid\\\"Secondly,wedonowhaveahistoryofDonaldTrump'spolicies,andgoinginto2024,Ithinkworkershavelookedat:WhatdidDonaldTrumpdoforblue-collarautoworkers<\\\/a>,andwhathasJoeBidendoneforblue-collarworkers?\\\"<\\\/p>

OneofBiden'smorepoliticallyproblematicpolicieshasbeenhisdesiretohave50%ofallnewvehiclesalesbeingelectricmodels<\\\/a>by2030,thoughpolicyanalystsdisagreeregardingitsworkforceconsequencesSimultaneously,BowmanwastemporarilylaidoffthisweekbecauseFord'sRawsonvillePlantinYpsilanti,Michigan,whichbuildsbatteriesforthemaker'selectricF-150Lightning,isreducingproductionandshifts<\\\/p>

\\\"Wehavethousands,ortensofthousandsofworkersintheautoindustryinAmericathatworkintransmissionplantsandinengineplants,\\\"Bowmansaid\\\"There'smorejobscomingintotheassemblyofbatteries,butit'snotgoingtobeonaone-for-onebasisEvenwiththegovernmentsubsidies,thedemandforthesetrucksisjustnotthere\\\"<\\\/p>

TrumpreceivingmoresupportfromindustrialunionworkersthanRepublicanstraditionallydois\\\"partofalongertransformationalongeducationallinesbetweenthepoliticalparties,\\\"accordingtoMichiganStateUniversityInstituteofPublicPolicyandSocialResearchDirectorMatthewGrossmannButthatdoesnothelpBiden,whothisweekhadalmost52,000Democratsmarkthemselvesas\\\"uncommitted\\\"inprotestoftheIsrael<\\\/a>-Hamas<\\\/a>warinsteadofvotingforhim<\\\/p>

\\\"It'sasmallerproportionoftheMichiganeconomythanitusedtobe,butitstillhasalotofculturalresonancebecauselotsofpeoplehavefamilymemberswhoworkfortheautoindustryorsupporttheUAW,\\\"Grossmannsaid<\\\/p>

MarkGaffney,aformerpresidentofMichigan's AFL-CIO<\\\/a>,aunionfederation,concededothertypesoflaborgroupshavebecomelesspoliticallypowerfulastheirmembershiphasdeclined,inadditiontothosemembersbeing\\\"moreindependent\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"Youngermemberstendtobeevenmoreindependent,\\\"Gaffneysaid,addingthatTrump'soppositiontotheNorthAmericanFreeTradeAgreementappealedtoindustrialunionmembersafteryearsoftheirleadershipdescribingsuchdealsasbad<\\\/p>

\\\"SoalongcomesTrump,andwhetherhefollowsthroughoneverythingthathesaysornotisdebatable,butheconvincespeoplethathe'stalkingtheirlanguage,\\\"Gaffneycontinued\\\"Sowecouldhavelost,insomeunions,asmanyas40%ofourmemberslasttimeAndthat'saprettybignumber\\\"<\\\/p>

ButJackieKelly-Smith,MacombCountyDemocraticCommittee'sblackcaucuschairwomanandaretiredUAWworker,wasmoreoptimisticconcerningBiden'sprospectsinthecommunity,citinghimtakingpartinlastfall'sstrike<\\\/p>

\\\"We'vehadthisgoingonsinceIgothiredbyGeneralMotors<\\\/a>in1975,\\\"Kelly-Smithsaid\\\"TheyfeelasthoughmyunionshouldnotendorsesomeonethatIdon'twanttovoteforOntheotherhand,youhavetheunionsayingwe'regoingtoendorsethosethatallowustocontinuetorepresent,negotiate,andbargain,andthat'snotalwaysaRepublicanpresidentTrumpdidn'tcareifwewentbankrupt\\\"<\\\/p>

Morebroadly,theeconomy,alongwithborder<\\\/a>securityandabortion<\\\/a>access,coulddeterminetheelection,withpollsdemonstratingdisapprovalofBiden'seconomicapproachForinstance,Biden'seconomicapprovalratingisroughlynetnegative16percentagepoints,with40%approvingand56%disapproving<\\\/p>

MichiganstateRepKarenTwinsett,aDemocratwhorepresentspartsofDetroitandDearborninneighboringWayneCounty,anothercriticalregion,recognizedthatBiden'seconomy,or\\\"Bidenomics,\\\"<\\\/a>hasbeendetrimentaltoherconstituents<\\\/p>

\\\"Whenyou'retalkingaboutsomebodyinthepresidency,normally,thesethingsdon'tbotheryouuntilthey'rehittingyouathome,likegasprices<\\\/a>orwhatever,\\\"Twinsettsaid\\\"Everydaypeopledon'tthinkaboutthatstuff,butwhenyougotothegrocerystore,you'refeelingit\\\"<\\\/p>

Inresponse,stateRepErinByrnes(D-MI),whorepresentsotherpartsofDearborn,imploredBidentoemphasize\\\"corporategreedthathasbeenmasqueradingasinflation\\\"<\\\/p>

\\\"Inflation<\\\/a>isreal,butalsocorporationshaveuppedtheirpricesexponentiallysincethepandemichit,\\\"Byrnessaid\\\"Iftheydon'tcallitoutanddon'tactonit,peoplewillfeellikethey'retryingtopullthewoolovertheireyes\\\"<\\\/p>

ButRepTimWalberg(R-MI),thedeanofMichigan'scongressionaldelegationinWashington,andformerstateSenTomBarrett,whoiscontestingMichigan's7thCongressionalDistrictagain,arguedBidenomics'sdamagehasalreadybeendoneForWalberg,fromthefivetownhallsheledlastweekbeforehisinterviewwiththeWashingtonExaminer,itis\\\"veryclear\\\"thatBidenomicsis\\\"notworking,\\\"especiallyrelatedtointerestrates<\\\/a>andenergycosts<\\\/a>,andthatonlya\\\"verysignificantturnaround\\\"couldimproveBiden'spopularity<\\\/p>

CLICKHERETOREADMOREFROMTHEWASHINGTONEXAMINER<\\\/a><\\\/p>

BarrettadditionallydownplayedtheimportanceofBiden'sunionendorsementsaftertheInternationalBrotherhoodofTeamsters<\\\/a>'spoliticalactioncommitteedonated$45,000totheRepublicanNationalCommittee'sconventionfundTheTeamstershaveyettoendorseacandidate<\\\/p>

\\\"ThenationalunionleadershipisalwaysgoingtoendorseDemocrats,andtheUAWwasalwaysgoingtoendorseBiden,\\\"Barrettsaid\\\"Itwasjustaquestionofwhennowtheyhadbecomefrustratedwithhimoverhiselectricvehiclemandatesandotherthingsthatreallydisadvantagedunionworkersandautoplantsbecausetheirjobsaren'tgoingtobearoundIwouldsayyouraverageorstereotypicalUAWworkerisprobablysomebodywhocaresaboutcrimeintheircommunities,caresabouttheborderawholeheckofalot\\\"<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AP24023837150822-1-scaled.jpg?w=696" } {"id":"4364560-1767183397", "title":"A classical education revival hits the capital region", "sharelink":"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Frestoring-america%2Ffaith-freedom-self-reliance%2F4364560%2Fclassical-education-revival-hits-capital-region%2F", "byline":"Andrea Picciotti-Bayer", "publishDate":"Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:21:00 -0500", "synopsis":"In the shadow of the nation’s capital, a growing number of Washington-area families are quietly rethinking where and how their children learn. From the economically struggling neighborhoods of Anacostia to the affluent suburbs of northern Virginia, families of faith are discovering an alternative to the region’s increasingly polarized debates over curriculum and school governance.   The revival of classical […]", "description":""

Intheshadowofthenation\u2019scapital,\u202fagrowingnumberofWashington<\\\/a>-areafamiliesarequietlyrethinkingwhereandhowtheirchildrenlearn<\\\/a>FromtheeconomicallystrugglingneighborhoodsofAnacostiatotheaffluentsuburbsofnorthernVirginia,familiesoffaith<\\\/a>arediscoveringanalternativeto\u202ftheregion\u2019sincreasinglypolarizeddebatesovercurriculumandschoolgovernance\u00a0\u00a0<\\\/p>

Therevivalof\u202fclassicalChristianeducation\u202fisunderway,andformanyparents,thetimingmattersWithprivateschooladmissionsdeadlinesarrivinginDecemberandJanuaryacrossWashington,Maryland,andVirginia,familiesarereassessingtheiroptionswithunusualurgency<\\\/p>

Thecontroversiesinpubliceducationarewell-documentedMontgomeryCounty\u2019sintroductionofLGBT-themedstorybooksintoelementaryclassroomssparkedafirestormwhentheschoolboardrefusedtoallowparentswithreligiousobjectionstoopttheirchildrenout\u202fTheSupremeCourt vindicatedtheparents in MahmoudvTaylor<\\\/a>,ruling6-3thatthedistrict\u2019spolicyviolatedparents\u2019religiousfreedom  <\\\/p>

InneighboringFairfaxCounty,parentshaveraisedsimilarconcernsabout\u202fprioritizingideologyoverparentalrights\u2014from admissions<\\\/a> atThomasJeffersonHighSchoolforScienceandTechnologyto policies<\\\/a> thatkeepparentsinthedarkwhentheirchildren seek tochangetheirgenderidentityatschool <\\\/p>

Againstthisbackdrop,manyfamilies\u00a0now\u00a0seekaneducationalphilosophythatofferscoherence,depth,andasharedmoralframeworkClassicalChristianeducation,\u00a0withitsemphasisonvirtue,orderedliberty,andarigorousengagementwithprimarytexts,\u00a0hasbecomeanincreasinglycompellingalternative\u00a0<\\\/p>

TheriseofclassicalChristianeducationisfundamentallytiedtoreligiousfreedom\u00a0\u2014\u00a0notmerelyasalegalright,butasarealitythatshapeshowyoungpeopleunderstandthemselvesandtheworldWhenchildrenlearnthatmathematicsreflectsdivineorder,literaturerevealsthehumanheartfashionedin\u00a0God\u2019s\u00a0image,andscienceexploreshiscreation,theyareequippedtolivefullyaliveintheworldThisisavisionofeducationthathasshapedWesterncivilizationforcenturies\u00a0<\\\/p>

ClassicaleducationpredatesmoderneducationalfadsbymillenniaUnlikethecollege-preptreadmill,classicalschoolsintroducestudentstogreatworksofart,music,andliteraturewhilemaintainingrigorousstandardsinmathematicsandsciencesMostimportantly,theycultivatewonder,thefoundationoflearning <\\\/p>

Thismovementisexemplifiedbyschoolssuchas CornerstoneSchoolsofWashington,DC,<\\\/a> and StJeromeInstitute<\\\/a>,whichrepresentawidertrendofclassicalChristianeducationstrivingforexcellenceacrossAmerica<\\\/p>

Cornerstone\u00a0operates\u00a0inAnacostia,oneofWashington'spoorestneighborhoodsthatsuffersfrombotheconomicpovertyandfamilyinstabilityCornerstoneprovidesaneducationrootedinfaith,love,andlearning\u2014toolsneededtobreakcyclesof\u00a0despairIt\u00a0benefits\u00a0fromthe\u00a0DCOpportunityScholarshipProgram<\\\/a>,whichprovidesvoucherstoqualifyinglow-incomeparentsof\u00a0upto$10,000forgradesK-8and$15,000forgrades9-12<\\\/p>

SJI\u00a0represents\u00a0classicaleducation'sappealtoCatholicfamiliesintheregionExpandingfromitsfirstcampusinNortheastDCtoNorthernVirginia,SJIwilllaunchanewhighschoolcampusatStPhiliptheApostleCatholicChurchinFallsChurchinthefallof2026LocatedjustinsidetheBeltway,SJI\u00a0NoVA\u00a0seeksstudentsfromdevoutfamilieswho\u00a0desire\u00a0aCatholic,seminar-style,technology-lite,liberalartseducationfortheirteenagers<\\\/p>

ThegreaterWashingtonareahasseenanexplosionofclassicalChristianoptions,includingAmblesideSchoolinMcLean,TrinityAcademyMeadowViewinFallsChurch,andparishschoolssuchasStJohntheBelovedAcademy inMcLean,StRitaCatholicSchool inAlexandria,andStJeromeAcademyinHyattsvilleManyofthese schools reportheightenedinquirieseachDecember,asfamiliesscrambletocompleteapplications,scheduleshadowdays,anddiscernwhetheradifferenteducationalpathispossible<\\\/p>

Yetaccessingthesealternatives\u00a0remains\u00a0challenginginVirginiaandMaryland,whereschoolchoice\u00a0lagsbehind\u00a0Washington's\u00a0options\u00a0Nationally,however,thelandscapeis\u00a0shifting:\u202fAsof2025,\u00a018states<\\\/a>nowofferuniversalornear-universalschoolchoiceprograms,\u00a0expandingaccesstoprivatereligiouseducation\u00a0<\\\/p>

Ihave\u00a0witnessed\u00a0thetransformationinmychildren,whoattendclassicalChristianschoolsinnorthernVirginiaAsolderoneshavegoneontosecularuniversities,theybringalightthathelpsboththemselvesandtheirclassmates\u202fConventionalwisdomsuggeststhatsuccessdependsonAPcoursesandtestpreparationButstudentsgroundedintruth,trainedtothinkclearlythroughengagementwithprimarytextsandSocraticdialogue,navigatecontemporaryhighereducationwithconfidenceandcharity<\\\/p>

WELOVEOURPUBLICSCHOOLHERE\u2019SWHYWE\u2019REGOINGPRIVATEANYWAY<\\\/a><\\\/p>

ThisDecemberandJanuary,thousandsofWashington-areaparentswill submit applications,attendopenhouses,andconsiderwhethertheschoolstheyonceassumedweretheonly option still servetheirchildrenwellTheclassicalChristianrevivalisnotmerelyareactivemovementItisanaffirmativevisionofwhateducationcanbe,onethatresonateswithfamiliessearchingformeaning,stability,andexcellenceamiduncertainty <\\\/p>

IntheWashingtonregion,thequietrevolutioncontinues \u2014 one admissions deadlineatatime <\\\/p>

Andrea\u00a0Picciotti-BayeristhedirectoroftheConscienceProjectandrecipientoftheReligiousFreedomInstitute\u2019s2025ReligiousFreedomImpactAward<\\\/p>"", "image":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/school-classroom-iStock-155096737.webp?w=696" } ]}