This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Cites 'the mass invasion of the country my ancestors built with their bare hands'
Perhaps sourcing some straightforward talk from his years growing up in the Appalachia, Vice President JD Vance Wednesday unloaded on an X user for her characterization of Trump supporters.
Jesse Singal had posted: "Joining the Trump bandwagon means you either need to be dumb or pretend to be dumb. JD Vance might have mortgaged his morality and his legacy, but he's not dumb. He doesn't actually think anyone's proposing 20 million [deportation] trials. Rather, he knows he has very, very dumb supporters."
The post was part of a thread critical of President Trump's effort to deport millions of illegal aliens and the deportation of Salvadoran Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
"I hate this smug, self-assured bullsh**," responded Vance, referring to the notion of: "I know I'm right, and people must be dumb or immoral to disagree with me."
"It's an easy way to go through life, because then you never have to think seriously about why your worldview is a justification for the mass invasion of the country my ancestors built with their bare hands."
White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller says a Salvadoran national was "not mistakenly deported" as the media was led to believe, the Daily Wire reported. Miller says the erroneous claim comes from a "saboteur" Justice Department attorney who has since been dismissed.
Miller was a guest on Fox News Saturday to set the record straight about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. President Donald Trump's administration deported him to his native El Salvador, but reports claimed that it was done in error.
Abrego Garcia was identified as an illegal alien who was also identified as a member of the dangerous MS-13 gang. The left used the narrative that he was not supposed to be deported to hammer Trump, but Miller said they got the story all wrong.
Fox News host Bill Hemmer noted that the administration claims there were misconceptions about the case and said Miller was on air to "straighten it out." Miller got right to it without holding back.
"He was not mistakenly sent to El Salvador. He is an illegal alien from El Salvador. In 2019, he was ordered deported," Miller charged.
He [has] a final removal order from the United States. These are things that no one disputes. Where is he from? El Salvador. Where is he a resident and citizen of? El Salvador. Is he here illegally? Yes. Does he have a deportation order? Yes," Miller went on.
Although Miller didn't name names, he said that the initial reports came from a particular Justice Department attorney with an agenda. "A DOJ lawyer–who has since been relieved of duty, a saboteur, a Democrat–put into a filing incorrectly that this was a mistaken removal," Miller noted.
"It was not. This was the right person sent to the right place," Miller added.
Miller said that there was a strong case that even with the withholding order, Abrego Garcia had to go. "Now some have said, 'well, but he had a thing called a withholding order' – so a withholding order means you’ve been ordered deported, but an immigration judge is saying you cannot go back to a particular country," Miller said.
"Here’s the thing: if you are a member of a foreign terrorist organization, you cannot have a withholding order. Since he’s in MS-13, there is no withholding order," Miller added. Trump designated the gang as a terrorist organization as one of his first executive orders after taking office.
"Furthermore, the gang he is accused of being persecuted by doesn’t exist anymore in El Salvador. The 18th Street gang is gone," Miller noted.
The left believes Abrego Garcia's assertion that he is not a gang member despite evidence to the contrary. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents used a tip from a confidential informant to verify Abrego Garcia's membership as an MS-13 gang member.
The left hates that the Trump administration is clearing dangerous illegal immigrants from American streets, and they will do anything they can to undermine him. Abrego Garcia appears to be someone who was correctly deported despite the hysterical claims otherwise.
Investigators found that Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman's wife, searched for symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 in the days leading up to her death from hantavirus in February, the New York Post reported. Police have been combing through digital data, voicemail, and security footage in the hopes of piecing together the timeline of the tragedy.
Her internet search history indicates that Arakawa was looking up information such as whether nosebleeds and dizziness were associated with the common seasonal maladies. These searches occurred between Feb. 8 and 12, the day she is thought to have died.
Email records show that Arakawa reached out to her masseuse for advice on whether to seek medical intervention for Hackman. She also searched for Santa Fe health care on the day she is thought to have died.
The 65-year-old was the primary caretaker for Hackman, who was suffering from a heart condition and Alzheimer’s disease. Hackman, 94, died at home nearly a week later, and both bodies went undiscovered for some time after.
According to Fox News, the bodies of Arakawa and Hackman were found on Feb. 26 after both had been long dead. Before then, it appears Arakawa's Google history noted "multiple searches related to flu and COVID symptoms" beginning on Feb. 8.
Two days later, Arakawa searched "flu and nosebleeds" as well as "COVID nosebleeds and finally, "Can COVID cause dizziness?" On Feb. 11, Arawaka sent to an email to massage therapist Katia Van Horn indicating that Hackman had taken a "covid test" due to "flu/cold-like symptoms" but that the test was negative.
"But out of an abundance of caution, I should cancel my appt tomorrow and rebook, say, in a couple weeks, last week of Feb if something is available." Then, on the morning of Feb. 12, her searches included the prompts "How long do the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy last" and "Cloudberry Health Santa Fe, New Mexico."
Those would be her final searches. "This data suggests that Betsy was actively researching medical conditions related to COVID-19 and flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to her death," a report from investigators stated.
Police would find their bodies nearly mummified, with Arakawa's German shepherd dog still standing guard near her body. Pace maker records indicate Hackman lived for about a week in the house with her body before succumbing to heart disease and Alzheimer's.
The condition of the couple's home has become fodder for the media, including Page Six. "Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s cluttered, rat-infested home revealed in shocking new photos," the media outlet captioned a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s cluttered, rat-infested home revealed in shocking new photos https://t.co/vr22fb1t2y pic.twitter.com/cPO4LK9MnT
— Page Six (@PageSix) April 15, 2025
Hackman's estate had been trying to keep the investigator's photos and police body camera footage out of the media. Now that it has been released, it's part of the late actor's legacy.
The home was certainly cluttered and infested with rodents, which likely contributed to Arakawa's death from a rodent-borne illness. However, it should be noted that the main house was not infested and that Hackman needed constant care, with his wife the only person around to do so.
This is a tragic story with many sad angles. Hackman was a prolific actor, but age and illness caught up with him as it does for everyone. By all accounts, this was a horrible end for a man so beloved by audiences.
Former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores made headlines when it was announced that was hospitalized hours after she announced a run for embattled Rep. Henry Cuellar‘s (D-TX) House seat in Texas.
Flores’s team did not provide much detail about the illness when announcing it on social media, only asking for “prayers and support," as the Washington Examiner reported.
“We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue her unwavering commitment to serving our country,” the Flores campaign said in its statement.
After confirming the illness, the campaign went on to speak to the former lawmakers' grit and intention going forward.
“Mayra’s passion for building a brighter future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come is at the heart of everything she does. Guided by faith and determination, she remains steadfast in her mission during this critical moment,” the statement added.
Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas's 28th District, has been hospitalized.
During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue…— Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores4TX) April 15, 2025
Flores flipped the Texas 34th Congressional district just a few years ago, taking it red for the first time in more than a decade.
She made history for another reason, however, as she was the first Mexico-born female member of Congress.
She served only briefly, though. Her tenure in the House of Representatives lasted from late June 2022 to early January 2023 after winning a special election to replace former Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela Jr.
Flores lost to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) twice, as she lost once in the election for a full term to the 34th District in 2022 and then again in the 2024 elections.
Finally, she challenged Cuellar in the 28th District, which should have been a more reasonable endeavor, considering he was indicted by the Justice Department for bribery and money laundering. Cuellar is one of House Democrats' most vulnerable candidates in 2026.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Flores voiced her desire to represent the Spanish-speaking community and make sure they're appropriately informed about President Trump's administration's remarkable work.
“And that’s something that I feel I’m obligated to do, because there’s a lot of misinformation being spread from the left, and they’re trying to instill fear and hate in the Hispanic community,” the former congresswoman said.
Flores faces a challenging race as Cuellar's seat is a "lean Democrat," while Gonzalez's seat is a toss-up and perceived as a Republican pickup opportunity.
The Associated Press faced an unexpected roadblock on Monday when they were denied access to cover an Oval Office meeting, The Hill reported.
The surprise exclusion arose despite a recent court injunction compelling the Trump administration to provide the Associated Press with access to key White House locations.
The dispute centers on a disagreement over naming conventions related to the Gulf of Mexico. The situation began when the administration decided to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," requesting media outlets to follow suit.
The Associated Press objected, preferring to maintain the original nomenclature while agreeing to use the new term as a secondary reference to lessen any confusion.
After the Associated Press stood its ground on its stylebook, a federal judge intervened. Last week, Judge Trevor McFadden ordered the restoration of the outlet's access to important White House areas, a move welcomed by the AP. However, the ruling specified that the government retained its discretion over which journalists could attend limited-access events.
Judge McFadden's order aimed to balance the media's right to cover the administration with the government's need to manage press contacts. His written ruling emphasized that the government can choose which journalists to engage with. The decision did not mandate unrestricted entry for journalists to events or governmental spaces, allowing officials to express their views concerning press engagement.
In a statement, an AP spokesperson expressed frustration over Monday’s barring. The spokesperson emphasized the expectation for the White House to include the AP in the press pool on the same day, referencing the court's recent directive. This incident marked the first day under the judge's order but showed that tensions had not fully resolved.
The Associated Press had previously taken legal action against three top White House officials over their restricted access. This legal challenge underscored the escalating conflict over press freedoms and the control over who covers White House activities. The exclusion on Monday was particularly striking given the legal backdrop and the presiding injunction.
The White House Correspondents’ Association traditionally managed the selection of outlets for the press pool. However, this responsibility seemingly shifted back to the administration itself, adding to the complexity of media relations under the current administration. Monday's decision is emblematic of this new power dynamic, leaving media outlets uncertain about future access to the president’s events.
The White House did not comment on the exclusion of the AP from the Oval Office event with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele. The lack of an official response left questions unanswered about the reasoning behind the exclusion despite the judge’s clear injunction.
Besides covering the day's events, the Associated Press is a prominent news organization that often sets the standard for journalistic practices. Its cautious approach to the administration’s renaming decision can be seen as a defense of editorial independence, resisting perceived political interference.
The broader conversation around the Gulf of Mexico’s name change highlighted ongoing tensions between the government and the press. Although the Associated Press offered a compromise by considering the new name as a secondary reference, maintaining journalistic independence remained a priority. This independence is often at the heart of disputes between media organizations and governmental bodies.
As the story unfolds, the Associated Press remains committed to advocating for its participation in presidential coverage. They continue to monitor the situation and respond as necessary to safeguard their journalistic rights. Meanwhile, other media outlets will likely watch closely to see how this dynamic develops, considering its potential implications for their own access and reporting capabilities.
The standoff has put a spotlight on the delicate balance between government policies and media freedom. It also raises questions about how similar issues will be handled in the future, particularly when major news organizations stand firm in the face of pressure to conform to political narratives. Journalists and media entities are reminded of the importance of remaining vigilant in protecting their editorial choices while navigating an increasingly complex media ecosystem.
Vice President J.D. Vance dismissed an "absurd" accusation from Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Ukrainian leader returns to taking shots at the Trump administration's efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Weeks after his infamous Oval Office spat with Vance and President Trump, Zelensky blasted the administration's diplomacy with Russia in a 60 Minutes interview.
Zelensky has repeatedly criticized the Trump administration's efforts to negotiate a cease-fire with Russia. Zelensky aired his grievances in a now-infamous Oval Office meeting where Trump and Vance criticized him for not showing gratitude for American support.
In his latest testy remarks, Zelensky accused Trump and Vance of dwelling in an "altered reality" invented by the Kremlin. Zelensky also claimed Vance is "justifying" Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"'It seems to me that the Vice President is somehow justifying Putin's actions," Zelensky said.
The White House rejected Zelensky's latest rhetoric, which appears likely to further damage already strained ties between the U.S. and Ukraine.
"The Vice President has repeatedly said that this war was not justified to begin with and is the product of Joe Biden’s weakness and incompetence," Taylor Van Kirk, the press secretary to the vice president, told Daily Mail.
"Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance's rhetoric," the spokesman added, "President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion. His comments are counterproductive to the goal of achieving peace for his country."
Vance also issued a personal response to Zelensky's "absurd" charges in an interview Tuesday.
The vice president said it is not possible to end the war in Ukraine without an objective understanding of Russia's interests.
"I think it's sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the [American] government, which is currently keeping his entire government and war effort together, that we are somehow on the side of the Russians," Vance added.
Meanwhile, Trump - who previously accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War III" during their Oval Office confrontation - said the Ukrainian leader has contributed to the death and destruction with his repeated efforts to escalate.
"When you start a war, you got to know you can win," Trump said Monday, ripping Zelensky for "always looking to purchase missiles."
"Millions of people dead because of three people," Trump said. "Let's say Putin number one, let's say Biden who had no idea what the hell he was doing, number two, and Zelensky."
A longtime liberal justice on the Supreme Court of Oklahoma has officially been replaced.
Governor Kevin Stitt (R) handpicked Travis Jett to fill the vacancy left by Justice Yvonne Kauger, who lost a retention election in November.
This is Stitt's fourth Supreme Court appointment, the most of any Republican governor in the state's history.
In Oklahoma, Supreme Court justices are nominated by a judicial commission and appointed by the governor. Justices must then face voters at the end of each of their terms.
Kauger, who was appointed in 1984 by Democrat George Nigh, was voted out last year, becoming the first Supreme Court justice to ever lose retention in the state.
Jett has ties to Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a conservative advocacy group that has called for overhauling the judicial nomination process.
The group has cited research showing that Oklahoma's Supreme Court is much more liberal than the state's voters, who tend to lean conservative.
The Judicial Nominating Commission sent three candidates for Stitt to choose from, including two judges, Donna Dirickson and Jon Parsley. Jett, a private practice lawyer, has never served as a judge before.
“I am humbled and honored by the governor’s trust,” said Jett. “It will be the privilege of a lifetime to serve on our state’s Supreme Court. I will approach my service with thoughtfulness, impartiality, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.”
The governor's office pointed to Jett's experience as a litigator, with clients including a former governor, the State Board of Education, publicly traded corporations, privately held companies, family farms, and more.
“Travis Jett is a man of integrity, wisdom, and deep respect for the rule of law,” said Governor Stitt. “He brings an impressive legal mind, a servant’s heart, and a wealth of legal experience to our Supreme Court. I am confident he will uphold our Constitution and apply the law fairly and faithfully for Oklahomans."
State Supreme Courts have grabbed more attention in recent years as America's cultural divide has deepened, making Supreme Court elections in some states expensive and overtly partisan affairs.
Jett received praise from Retired Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven Taylor, who said he would be "fair and impartial."
"Travis Jett will be a great Justice. Oklahoma can comfortably place total confidence in him to be fair and impartial. He is a leader, experienced and academically gifted. He now makes the life-changing transition from advocating for his clients to serving as a Justice; where he will faithfully uphold the Rule of Law and zealously protect the independence of the Judiciary."
The granddaughter of Hillary Clinton's "hero and mentor" was charged with a felony for destroying a university president's office over the Israel-Gaza war.
As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, Stanford University student Zoe Edelman was one of a dozen people charged over the violent break-in last June.
Once inside, the masked suspects barricaded themselves in and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen.
Zoe Edelman is the granddaughter of Marian Wright Edelman, a liberal civil rights lawyer and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.
Hillary Clinton was a recent Yale Law School graduate when she worked for Edelman's organization in 1973. Clinton has often cited her work for the Children's Defense Fund throughout her career in politics to shore up her progressive bona fides.
Clinton has not always seen eye to eye with her "mentor." Their relationship was strained by President Bill Clinton's enactment of welfare reform, which led to public criticism from Edelman and her husband, Peter Edelman, resigning from the White House in protest.
Despite their past differences, Clinton and Edelman have patched up their relationship in recent years. Edelman's organization honored Clinton as a "voice for children" in 2013, and Clinton called Edelman a "hero and mentor" in 2020.
Zoe Edelman, a senior at Stanford, was pictured with Clinton at a 2022 gala in Washington D.C.
District Attorney Rosen said Edelman and 11 other students "broke windows and furniture, splashed fake blood, and disabled security cameras." They were charged with felony vandalism and felony conspiracy to trespass.
The suspects had a methodical plan to break into the building, hide their identities and conscript "lookouts" to avoid police detection. A search of their cell phones turned up detailed operations planning, which included an "occupation" guide justifying vandalism as a revolutionary act.
“Vandalism? Occupying a space removes the space from the capitalist landscape," the guide said. "A group may decide it is better to destroy or vandalize a space than to return it to its usual role in good condition. The role of vandalism may be different in each situation, but it should not be disowned outright.”
A student journalist who was embedded with the group but did not participate in violence was not charged.
"Dissent is American. Vandalism is criminal," said Rosen. "There is a bright line between making a point and committing a crime. These defendants crossed the line into criminality when they broke into those offices, barricaded themselves inside, and started a calculated plan of destruction."
The radicals involved in the Stanford vandalism were a mixture of undergraduate and graduate students, according to the school's newspaper.
The Justice Department filed federal charges against Jamison Wagner Monday following a pair of allegedly politically charged attacks, Breitbart reported. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the 40-year-old's arrest for a firebombing at a New Mexico Tesla dealership and the New Mexico Republican headquarters.
Bondi announced the arrest in a statement that followed her tough-on-crime philosophy "We have made an arrest in connection to the February firebombing of a New Mexico Tesla dealership and the March attack on the New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters," Bondi announced.
"We will be prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law. We are seeking up to 40 years in prison—no negotiating," Bondi continued.
She went on to thank the agencies who made it happen, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "More details to come," she promised.
Wagner is accused of firebombing a dealership that sells the vehicles made by Elon Musk's Tesla company. He also allegedly set fire to a doorway of the political headquarters, which caused interior smoke damage as well.
The Justice Department released a statement on the alleged crimes, stating Wagner was connected "to both incidents through surveillance footage and scene evidence." Bondi made it clear that these moves would not go unpunished.
"Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence," Bondi is quoted in the statement. "We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate," she promised.
"Crimes have consequences," Bondi added. Federal agencies got involved on the basis that these attacks were domestic terrorism motivated by political bias.
Kash Patel, director of the FBI, credited his agency's "aggressive efforts to investigate and hold accountable those who have targeted Tesla facilities in various states across the country" for the arrest. "Thank you to our agents and support teams in Albuquerque who did an outstanding job executing the mission," Patel said before also thanking Bondi.
According to the New York Post, Wagner is identified as a "lipstick-wearing" man "listed as a member of LGBT group 500 Queer Scientists." The Breaking911 account on X, formerly Twitter, shared his photo and those of the alleged crimes.
"Jamison Wagner, 40, charged federally for arson attacks at Tesla, Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters. Wagner face 2 counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives," the post is captioned.
"If convicted, he faces between 5 & 20 years in prison for each count," the account added. The photo of Wagner indeed shows the man wearing a long hairstyle and dark purple lips.
JUST IN: Jamison Wagner, 40, charged federally for arson attacks at Tesla, Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters.
Wagner face 2 counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives. If convicted, he faces between 5 & 20 years in prison for each… pic.twitter.com/32SIgCd2j1
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 14, 2025
These kinds of attacks have happened more frequently since President Donald Trump took office. However, it seems the alleged perpetrators like Wagner will face justice now that the Justice Department and others are finally serious about crime.
First lady Melania Trump chose not to attend a baby shower in honor of stepdaughter Tiffany Trump's first child, the Daily Beast reported. Sources say that she opted to spend the weekend with Barron Trump, the son she shares with Tiffany Trump's father, President Donald Trump.
Friends and family of Tiffany Trump gathered in Palm Beach on April 6 to celebrate the mother-to-be. Several members of the Trump clan were in attendance, including Tiffany Trump's mother, Marla Maples.
"A beautiful day celebrating my daughter Tiffany’s 1st baby shower surrounded by love, family, and dear friends. Thank you, Ivanka, for hosting such a stunning and heartfelt gathering—a memory we’ll cherish forever," Maples, who was Donald Trump's second wife, captioned a photo of her with her 31-year-old daughter on Instagram Thursday.
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Noticeably absent from the festivities was Melania Trump, who is Donald Trump's third wife. A source claiming to be close to the family said this was because the first lady was spending time with her son Barron Trump while he concludes his second semester of his freshman year at New York University.
The source claimed this choice isn't "surprising" for the First Lady, who felt there wasn't "any reason" to show up at the baby shower. Moreover, Melania Trump "has her own schedule, even on weekends" which precluded her from attending the event.
Ivanka Trump, who is the child of Donald Trump's first wife Ivana Trump, hosted the Peter Rabbit-themed soiree, the UK Daily Mail reported. The Trump children from the different marriages seem to get along even if their parents' marriages didn't work out.
According to People, Donald and Ivana Trump were married for over a decade before their 1990 divorce. They had three children together: Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump. Their split was rumored to be because of an extramarital affair Donald Trump was having with Maples.
In 1993, Donald Trump took Maples as his second wife shortly after Tiffany Trump was born. Their marriage lasted until 1997, and Donald Trump would go on to wed Melania Trump in 2005 before welcoming Barron to the family in 2006.
The life of a first lady is not easy, and being a step-parent is a challenge, even under the best of circumstances. Still, the internet had no grace for Melania Trump's decision to stay away from Tiffany Trump's big day.
"Would you really want the woman your dad cheated on your mom with to come to your baby shower?" one user sniped under the Daily Beast's post of the article on Friday to X, formerly Twitter. Of course, this is entirely incorrect, but it is indicative of the kind of venom directed at the First Lady.
Another user compared Melania Trump's absence to Michelle Obama's decision not to attend Jimmy Carter's funeral with her husband, Barack Obama, earlier this year. "But when a former FLOTUS (Michelle) misses a funeral, suddenly everyone thinks they’re getting divorced," the user noted.
There have been several rumors about both couples, including a September 2024 report that the Trumps were getting divorced. According to Reuters, this was patently false and based on a fake Newsweek report circulated online.
Family dynamics are never easy, but the Trumps are arguably the most powerful family in the world. This makes news outlets and internet dwellers believe that a guest list at a baby shower is their business, even when it's not.