This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver, a Democrat, has been indicted on charges of impeding police, interfering with federal law enforcement and more after she was seen on video apparently breaking into a federal immigration detention center.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, who promised to hold the Democrats involved in the episode accountable.
McIver pulled her stunt May 9 at Newark's Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed, privately owned facility that Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses as a detention center.
McIver claims she was just doing her job at the time.
McIver is accused of obstructing Homeland Security agents during the May 9 incident. The indictment comes from a federal grand jury, which charged she was "forcibly impeding and interfering with federal law enforcement officers."
"During her continued attempts to thwart the arrest, McIver slammed her forearm into the body of one law enforcement officer and also reached out and tried to restrain that officer by forcibly grabbing him," the Department of Justice charged. "McIver also used each of her forearms to forcibly strike a second officer."
McIver claimed, "The charges against me are purely political — they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight."
Brian Wilson, the iconic American songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys and pushed pop music's limits, challenging the Beatles at their prime, has died. He was 82.
The California native's family did not immediately say what the cause of death was. Tributes are pouring in for the gifted songwriter, with his former rival Paul McCartney praising Wilson's "mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special."
"I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while," McCartney wrote.
For such an accomplished musician, Wilson built his reputation on a relatively short burst of inspired work in his youth. During his peak from 1962 to 1966, he wrote a string of timeless hits, including "I Get Around," "California Girls" and "Don't Worry Baby," and he captured lightning in a bottle with his masterpiece, Pet Sounds, which contained the beloved songs "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows."
Wilson's extraordinary gift for melody came paired with an almost child-like sincerity that produced musical gold. The power of his musical imagination led many to see him as a genius, the Mozart of pop. His core influences were American songsmiths like George Gershwin and Chuck Berry.
His legendary career began in Hawthorne, California, where he formed the Beach Boys with his brothers Dennis and Carl, his cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine in 1961. In a touching video tribute to his cousin, Mike Love said Wilson was "the soul of our sound."
"Brian Wilson wasn’t just the heart of The Beach Boys—he was the soul of our sound. From the first time we sang together as kids in my living room, I knew there was something otherworldly in him. His musical gifts were unmatched. The melodies he dreamed up, the emotions he poured into every note—Brian changed the course of music forever," Love said.
A master of harmony, Wilson first put the Beach Boys on the map with youthful, feel-good doowop tunes about surfing, cars, and girls, songs that for many, still comprise the quintessential soundtrack of the summer. Wilson showed hints of his later musical maturity with tender teenage ballads like "Surfer Girl" and "In My Room."
As the Beach Boys grew in fame, the pressure of the British Invasion motivated Wilson to push new musical frontiers. Wilson responded with "I Get Around," which became one of the Beach Boys' biggest hits and established them as America's answer to the Beatles. The B-side, "Don't Worry Baby," was inspired by lifelong muse Phil Spector and his masterwork, the Ronettes' "Be My Baby." "Don't Worry Baby" features Wilson's soaring falsetto at its sweetest, along with introspective lyrics and grand, glorious harmonies.
A nervous breakdown in 1964 led Wilson to stop touring and turn all of his creative energies to the studio. Another breakthrough came with 1965's "California Girls," a symphonic tribute to the "cutest girls in the world" that he co-wrote with lead vocalist Mike Love.
In some ways the quintessential Beach Boys tune, the song bridges the fun vibes of their surf and sun material with the more sophisticated productions that Wilson would provide. The instantly recognizable orchestral prelude seems to open the door to a new world of sound.
In 1966, Wilson reached his apotheosis with his most beloved works: the album Pet Sounds and the transcendent single "Good Vibrations," which he called a "pocket symphony." With Pet Sounds, Wilson used the recording studio as never before to create music of almost heavenly perfection. Wilson was crushed by the initially modest reception to Pet Sounds, but its exceptional musical quality eventually came to be recognized.
With its achingly beautiful songwriting and adventurous, captivating sound, the album travels an emotional journey that seldom leaves listeners untouched, from the fantasy of domestic bliss that is "Wouldn't It Be Nice," to the hushed intimacy of "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)," to the prayerful devotion of "God Only Knows" and the sweet outpouring of regret on its closing track, "Caroline No."
Revered by professional musicians and casual listeners alike, Pet Sounds remains, to many, the benchmark for pop music. None other than Paul McCartney called "God Only Knows" the greatest song ever written.
After Pet Sounds, Wilson entered a long creative decline as his personal life spiraled. He struggled to complete Smile, his much-hyped follow-up to Pet Sounds, and the Beach Boys wandered without their visionary leader, who became reclusive and lost in drug abuse. Wilson's last major project as a producer with the Beach Boys was the wildly eccentric, polarizing 1977 album Love You, which showed Wilson at his most unfiltered and eventually became a cult favorite.
Following years of mental health challenges under the care of the controversial therapist Eugene Landy, Wilson found his footing again, launching a solo career in the 1990s and returning to touring. He briefly reunited with the Beach Boys in 2012, and in 2004, he achieved a great personal triumph when Smile was performed for the first time in front of a live audience.
Wilson continued touring late in life, his music having attracted a new generation of listeners who fell in love with his beautiful, bittersweet music. His last concert was in 2022, although by that time, Wilson was often withdrawn, even catatonic, on stage. In 2024, he suffered the loss of his second wife and caregiver, Melinda, and Wilson was placed under a conservatorship.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump, who set as one of his goals for his second term reaching trade fairness for United States consumers and corporations in the world market, has announced that a new trade deal has been reached with China.
"Done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me," he posted on Truth Social.
The announcement came after negotiators for the two nations met in London, and Trump's own telephone conversation last week with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
It follows a 90-day détente in a tariff war announced in May.,
"Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!). We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. Relationship is excellent!" Trump said.
A report from Fox Business said U.S. negotiators included Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer.
The report explained Lutnick expects Trump to approve the agreement, explaining he feels "really good about where we got to."
"Senior Chinese negotiator Li Chenggang also said both the U.S. and China 'agreed in principle,'" the report cited.
The White House also said Trump's administration is working to move onshore critical supply chains, reducing the nation's reliance on foreign sources for many needed components.
Senate Democrats have introduced a significant legislative proposal aimed at rescinding a Pentagon policy that restricts military service based on gender dysphoria diagnoses, Breitbart reported.
This measure is a reaction to President Trump's executive orders and faces an uncertain future in a Republican-controlled legislative environment.
In a strategic move, the "Fit to Serve Act" was put forward by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, joined by 12 fellow co-sponsors, including one independent. Together, they aim to eliminate restrictions that prevent the Department of Defense from discriminating against service members based on their biological sex.
The current military policy, which the proposed legislation seeks to overturn, originated from an executive order by President Donald Trump. This policy received judicial backing for implementation earlier this May, following approval from the Supreme Court. However, it has encountered resistance at lower court levels.
Under the policy, service members diagnosed with or exhibiting symptoms of gender dysphoria faced a specific deadline to self-identify by June 6. Those missing this deadline were subject to termination unless they chose to resign voluntarily from service.
Additionally, transgender individuals serving in the National Guard and Reserves have until July 7 to comply with the policy requirements. This extension adds complexity to a policy already under intense scrutiny and debate.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has argued that individuals experiencing gender dysphoria do not meet the military's stringent mental and physical standards. This viewpoint has fueled ongoing debates within and outside the military community regarding the policy’s fairness and impact on national security.
In contrast, Sen. Warren has mounted a strong critique, arguing that the presidential order might compromise military effectiveness, stating it “makes us less safe.” Her stance highlights a profound division in how security and inclusion are perceived in military service.
The response from Senate Democrats illustrates a broader advocacy for transgender rights, challenging systemic barriers and discrimination. As this legislation develops, it underscores the complex interaction of law, policy, and personal identity within national defense.
Despite the vigorous push from its sponsors, the success of the "Fit to Serve Act" remains ambiguous. With Republicans holding a majority in both legislative houses and the presidency, traversing the political landscape to pass this bill presents substantial hurdles.
Furthermore, the intricacies of legal battles in the lower courts present an additional layer of complexity. Ongoing litigation reflects ongoing contention about the extent and implementation of such military policies, and their alignment with broader civil rights principles.
While legislative efforts continue domestically, international attention may also shape perceptions and decisions around this policy. It remains a focal point for advocates on both sides of the debate.
The introduction of the legislation aligns with broader advocacy beyond military policies. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, for instance, has spotlighted the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, emphasizing issues of justice and human rights amidst deportation and smuggling allegations.
This context enriches the discussion around the "Fit to Serve Act," suggesting a broader Democratic strategy to address individual rights within and beyond military contexts. The ongoing legislative and legal dynamics illustrate evolving conversations around identity and governance.
A federal judge has denied California governor Gavin Newsom's (D) attempt to immediately block President Trump from federalizing the National Guard to put down the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.
The judge in the case, Charles Breyer, denied Newsom's emergency request Tuesday and granted the Trump administration more time to respond.
“The Court will hold a hearing on Plaintiffs’ motion in open court at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, 2025,” Breyer continued.
Newsom has downplayed days of chaos in America's second biggest city, accusing Trump of fanning the flames and creating a "manufactured crisis" by sending in 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines.
Trump deployed the National Guard last weekend after anti-ICE rioters began setting fires, vandalizing federal property and throwing deadly objects at law enforcement.
Trump has said he intervened to restore order after the state's "incompetent" Democratic leaders lost control of the streets.
"All I want is safety. I just want a safe area," he told reporters Tuesday. "Los Angeles was under siege until we got there. The police were unable to handle it."
Newsom's emergency request sought to block Trump from using National Guard troops and active-duty Marines to police the streets of LA.
“Defendants intend to use unlawfully federalized National Guard troops and Marines to accompany federal immigration enforcement officers on raids throughout Los Angeles,” the request reads. “They will work in active concert with law enforcement, in support of a law enforcement mission, and will physically interact with or detain civilians.”
The Trump administration had asked for 24 hours to respond, calling Newsom's request "meritless", unusual, and dangerous.
"If entered, Plaintiffs’ proposed order would jeopardize the safety of Department of Homeland Security personnel and interfere with the Federal Government’s ability to carry out operations," the Trump administration said.
"Plaintiffs’ request that this Court supervise the President and Secretary of Defense’s management of military forces is itself highly unusual and indeed non-justiciable under constitutional principle."
In a lawsuit Monday, Newsom claimed Trump had illegally federalized the National Guard without the governor's consent. The governor cast Trump's action as a tyrannical overreach that threatens state sovereignty and the rule of law. The military can only be used for domestic law enforcement in the most extreme circumstances, "none of which is present here," Newsom claimed.
"Indeed, nothing about the scale of the protests or acts of violence set these events apart from other recent periods of significant social unrest," he said.
President Trump is bringing back the original Confederate names of Army bases like Fort Lee, undoing a trend of cultural revisionism that escalated in the Biden era.
The stunning reversal is certain to anger Trump's critics in the Democratic party, who accuse him of celebrating traitors who fought to defend white supremacy. The president announced the change to a crowd of soldiers at Fort Bragg, who erupted into cheers over the news.
"For a little breaking news," Trump said, "we are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill, and Fort Robert E. Lee."
The traditional names of the bases were erased as part of the racial "reckoning" that followed the death of George Floyd. Trump, who has long opposed "politically correct" efforts to erase American heritage, vetoed a military bill in the waning days of his first term that required bases to be renamed, but Congress overrode him.
The political climate has changed considerably since then, with the post-Floyd "racial reckoning," and ideologies like DEI, in retreat. While Trump is bringing back the old names, the seven bases will honor different namesakes.
The new Fort Lee will be named after Private Fitz Lee, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Spanish-American War. Under Biden, Fort Lee became Fort Greg-Addams.
The new Fort Pickett will honor 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett, who destroyed Nazi positions with grenades in France, was captured and later escaped before dying in combat, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross.
Fort Hood will return to being Fort Hood, but this time it's being named after Col. Richard B. Hood, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I.
Fort Gordon, formerly Fort Eisenhower, will be named after Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, who received a posthumous Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Battle of Mogadishu, also known as "Black Hawk Down."
Fort Polk in Louisiana will be named for Gen. James H. Polk, who was awarded the Silver Star as commanding officer of the 3rd Mechanized Cavalry Group in World War II; Fort Rucker will honor Capt. Edward W. Rucker, a World War I aviator who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery against numerically superior German forces; and Fort A.P. Hill will be named after Lt. Col. Edward Hill, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Private Bruce Anderson, who each received the Medal of Honor during the Civil War.
In recent years, Confederate leaders have increasingly been seen as traitors, although figures like Robert E. Lee were widely esteemed in the relatively recent past.
None other than President Eisenhower called Lee one of the great Americans.
Trump added another reason for keeping the old names in his speech at Fort Bragg.
"We won a lot of battles out of those forts. It’s no time to change. And I’m superstitious. You know, I like to keep it going, right? I’m very superstitious. We want to keep it going," Trump said.
New Jersey Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted by a federal grand jury for her role in a violent scuffle outside an ICE facility last month.
The lawmaker is facing 17 years in prison if convicted on the charges of "forcibly impeding and interfering" with ICE agents.
The Democrat has denied all wrongdoing. She claims she was conducting legitimate oversight, and her party has claimed the charges are politically motivated.
McIver was one in a group of three House Democrats who were present during a chaotic confrontation at Delaney Hall in Newark on May 9.
The indictment says McIver and Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) were performing congressional oversight that coincided with an immigration protest.
The charges against McIver revolve around her alleged efforts to forcefully block the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D), who was told to leave the facility but refused, and who later had trespassing charges dropped. McIver made two separate attempts to block the mayor's arrest, the indictment says.
"After the Mayor was escorted outside the secured area, law enforcement officers made a second attempt to arrest him. At this time, someone in the crowd yelled 'circle the mayor.' McIver then faced the Mayor and placed her arms around him in an effort to prevent HSI from completing the arrest," the DOJ said.
"During her continued attempts to thwart the arrest, McIver slammed her forearm into the body of one law enforcement officer and also reached out and tried to restrain that officer by forcibly grabbing him. McIver also used each of her forearms to forcibly strike a second officer."
The interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, issued a statement on the charges.
"As I have stated in the past, it is my Constitutional obligation as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for New Jersey to ensure that our federal partners are protected when executing their duties,” Habba said in a statement.
“While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve,” Habba said.
McIver has insisted she did nothing wrong, casting blame on ICE for instigating the confrontation. She dismissed the case as "an effort by Trump's administration to dodge accountability for the chaos ICE caused".
"The facts will prove I was simply doing my job", she added.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Joe Biden used the power of the White House and his presidency to have federal agencies spy on Elon Musk, the billionaire chief of Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink and X, even before President Donald Trump was elected to his second term.
The Daily Mail described the details from the Wall Street Journal as a "bombshell."
It explains how Musk was "trailed" by government agencies during 2022 and 2023, including Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.
The ostensible reason, the report said, was his routine contact with foreign nationals.
The report said the investigations focused on claims and concerns that Musk was "being swayed by foreign powers in Eastern Europe and elsewhere."
The investigations apparently never produced anything to support the concerns, and no charges ever were formulated.
"Sources said the probes highlighted concerns about the number of foreign nationals in Musk's inner circle as he was gaining influence in the U.S. and before he began publicly supporting Donald Trump," the report said. "Last year, Musk poured upwards of $250 million into Trump's campaign through a super PAC, the America PAC, raising questions over the unprecedented level of spending in the 2024 election."
The report said "insiders" in the PAC expressed concern over the number of "outsiders" involved in various discussions.
Musk was born in South Africa but now is a naturalized U.S. citizen whose company, SpaceX, has a number of government contracts. His Starlink organization also has a network of communications satellites that have played key roles in various disputes.
The two publications together said they did not get a comment from Musk, the White House, DHS and SpaceX.
Insiders also were quoted in the report claiming Musk's "proximity to a number of foreign nationsl was a source of tension within Trump's White House."
Musk himself has high-level security clearances.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
American voters chose Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton for president back in 2008. In 2016 they chose Donald Trump over Clinton.
Since then, she's repeatedly harped on how the election was stolen from her and even these days, sarcastic comments often target her for being "jealous" that Jill Biden was president, not her.
That, of course, plays on the evidence of Joe Biden's mental decline while he was in the White House, and questions about exactly who was making decisions.
But even those scenarios look to end up taking second place to the mockery of Clinton's insistence, in her newest episode, of continuing to tell other people what she thinks.
That's when she went on social media to call the Los Angeles riots, triggered by federal law enforcement warrants and arrests in a criminal cartel investigation of money laundering and more, to say they are "peaceful demonstrations."
Fox News noted it was the first and only comment from Clinton, as of Tuesday morning, about the riots.
"California Governor Newsom didn't request the National Guard be deployed to his state following peaceful demonstrations. Trump sent them anyway," she wrote. "It's the first time in 60 years a president has made that choice. Trump's goal isn't to keep Californians safe. His goal is to cause chaos, because chaos is good for Trump."
Social media watchers noted immediately that while Clinton wanted other people to hear her voice, she was uninterested in others' comments: She turned off that feature on her post.
"Ever notice that only leftists disable comments?" California Republican Liberty Caucus chair John Dennis posted.
And Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican, informed her, "'These are not peaceful Hillary."
Fox said the situation allowed Clinton to be "brutally mocked" for her "delusional" comment.
Because of Clinton's imposed limits on comments, "Social media users were able to respond to Clinton through quote engagements, but not through direct replies as of Tuesday morning," Fox reported.
Another commenter pointed out, "Accusing the National Guard of causing chaos is a serious allegation that requires serious proof. I see none."
Another, posting an image of fire raging as rioters waved a Mexican flag, said, "Hillary Clinton is delusional if nothing else."
When federal officers tried to deliver warrants and make arrests in their criminal investigation, rioters soon targeted them with thrown rocks, physical attacks and worse. Cars were torched.
Elon Musk now says he regrets his barrage of social media posts slamming President Donald Trump, Fox News reported. The former Department of Government Efficiency head launched a series of personal attacks on the president on social media.
The feud between Musk and Trump erupted over the president's "big beautiful" bill that came with a huge price tag. The Tesla billionaire was incensed that he worked to slash spending while Trump's legislation would add to the deficit.
Musk lashed out at Trump, saying the Department of Justice had evidence that Trump was tied to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Musk deleted the posts and later shared to X, "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far."
I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025
Things got ugly as Musk very publicly made the claim about Trump and Epstein. "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files," Musk wrote in a since-deleted post to X.
"That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!"
Musk also accused Trump of "ingratitude" as he claimed that it was he who helped push Trump over the finish line to win the 2024 presidential election. Musk went so far as to say Trump should be impeached and Vice President J.D. Vance installed as president.
Surprisingly, Trump was mostly subdued in his criticisms of Musk, which is a far cry from how the president handled such situations in the past. Trump did say that "Elon's totally lost it" during a Fox News interview, but otherwise, Trump's response was measured.
Still, Trump couldn't help but take a jab on social media. "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" Trump wrote.
Trump would later share kind words for his former associate, signaling that he had moved on from the feud. "We had a great relationship and I wish him well—very well, actually," Trump said Monday.
Besides his quasi-apology, Musk subtly reasserted his support for Trump by sharing one of his posts about the riots happening in Los Angeles. "Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they’ve done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots," Trump's post shared by Musk said.
"These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists," Trump added in the post. On another post by Vance that also shared Trump's words, Musk replied with two American flag emojis.
The post voiced Vance's support for Trump's position on the riot while also including a screenshot of Trump's post."This moment calls for decisive leadership. The president will not tolerate rioting and violence," Vance captioned the screenshot.
This situation had the potential to become a drawn-out feud between these two powerhouses of American politics and culture. While the internet had fun with it for a few days, it seems cooler heads have prevailed as both men have gone back to their respective corners.