This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump recently signed a series of executive orders for the military, addressing transgenderism, diversity, COVID-19 and more.
One of them offers to reinstate service members forced out of the military as a result of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's now-rescinded August 2021 vaccine mandate.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will be tasked with ensuring both active and reserve components of the military who request reinstatement will be restored to their prior rank and provided back pay and benefits.
Fox News recently reported that, according to a White House fact sheet, "After the vaccine mandate was repealed in 2023, only 43 of the more than the 8,000 troops dismissed elected to return to service under the Biden Administration and Secretary Austin."
According to Trump's EO, "Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue." For many, it's a big step in the right direction, but is it enough to persuade former members of the military to return to service? This writer has personally spoken to hundreds of service members over the past three years who desire accountability for the military's unlawful enforcement of the shot mandate.
Specifically, 10 USC §1107a codifies that servicemembers must have the right to informed consent, which was not provided to them during the Biden administration. Each should have had the option to accept or refuse the shot, but rather, most were either coerced or booted from service.
Additionally, 21 USC § 360bbb requires that products with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) can be used only when there is no other approved drug available. Yet prior to the FDA pulling the trigger on a vaccine authorized for "emergency use only," effective drugs including ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine were available.
Yet for many service members, the experimental injection was the their only option to remain in the military. Those who objected were uniformly denied. Many others attempting to avoid the shot were coerced. In fact, in a survey conducted by this writer in 2022 and published by the Epoch Times, "More than 72 percent of individuals serving in the U.S. military who responded to a survey said they felt 'coerced' into receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and/or booster after the Pentagon's 2021 vaccine mandate."
So, while many are thankful for Trump's order, some former and current members of the U.S. military are also seeking accountability for the wrongs they've endured.
WorldNetDaily spoke to John Frankman, a former Army Captain and Special Forces Green Beret whose career was cut short because of the mandate. He is "incredibly grateful" that Trump signed the executive order to reinstate service members.
Yet, while he is thankful the order is "a little more inclusive" than he expected, he said, "it needs to be much broader." He suggested the inclusion of "help for people to get their careers back on track, [considering] all the career losses, as well as the lost appointments, promotions and school opportunities."
"It needs to include accountability," Frankman added. "What hasn't been acknowledged is that the order was illegal, that it violated religious rights, and that there are flag officers who broke the law and need to be held accountable for it."
After all, with respect to accountability, President Trump once told Frankman, "Yeah … there would be accountability, is right. We'll fire their asses."
Accountability is extremely important to service members like Robert A. Green, Jr., an active duty Navy Commander and author of "Defending the Constitution Behind Enemy Lines," who expressed his thoughts about the executive order on X. Interestingly, CDR Green is also author of the Declaration of Military Accountability, which was signed by 231 service members and veterans in an effort right the wrongs of the COVID-19 shot mandate.
While Green is thankful to President Trump for the executive order, he also admitted, "There is much work left to do."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
In the aftermath of President Donald Trump announcing the removal of 17 inspectors general at various federal agencies, including the Defense Department, at least one former military IG is totally in favor.
WorldNetDaily spoke to Lt. Col. Ryan Sweazey, USAF-Ret., the founder of Walk the Talk Foundation, an organization that advocates for and protects military whistleblowers. Sweazey once served as an inspector general, or IG, in the Air Force where he not only witnessed, but also bravely called attention to, various deficiencies within the Department of Defense and IG system.
Sweazey likened Trump's removal of the 17 IGs to "when a military commander is not happy with a subordinate commander's performance, they are relieved for loss of confidence."
"The system was long overdue for an overhaul," added Sweazey.
While commenting that not much has come from the Trump administration regarding the president's motivation for removing more than a dozen inspectors general, Sweazey suspects "the Department of Defense Inspector General warranted a removal for loss of confidence because his organization was not carrying out the mission it's mandated to do, which is be an independent avenue of recourse for the individual service member." Instead, he said, "that entity served as the protectorate of the institution and an insulating protective measure for its leadership."
For Sweazey, "Removal of the head of the organization is an important first step for accountability." But what happens next?
"This is where the rubber meets the road," he said, explaining, "there has to be true reform within the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General," or DODIG
Such reform can be accomplished through an organization staffed with "more professional investigators that are better trained," Sweazey offered. "We also need to see timely, just and fair investigations accompanied by more transparency." Ultimately, he said, "We need a truly independent investigative entity."
With President Trump's bold move to remove the total of 17 watchdogs, Sweazey admitted that "some people say the IG was already independent and the president is only paving the way for loyalists to fill positions." But for the former IG, "this is ludicrous in the case of the Department of Defense, as it and its subordinate Service Inspectors General were never independent."
Also, with his experience as a former IG in the Air Force, as well as through his work with Walk the Talk Foundation, Sweazey says he can provide many examples of DODIG allowing military leaders and managers to violate Title 5, Title 10, Title 32, Title 50, the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, and more.
One example he cited: "The system failed to properly investigate in a timely manner the concerns of service members with regard to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility leak that poisoned 90,000 people in Hawaii."
"Apart from this single example, people sitting at home need to realize that thousands of service members' lives have been ruined because the IG failed them," he lamented. "When they're playing their violin for the 17 that were removed, they need to remember this."
Sweazey and his organization hope President Trump will consider a proposed executive order to establish a truly independent inspector general for the Department of Defense.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The staffing at the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control center in Washington, D.C., is under review after one controller reportedly was allowed to leave early, just before Wednesday's midair crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military helicopter.
All 67 aboard the two aircraft are believed to have died.
It was the New York Times that explained one air traffic controller was juggling two jobs at the same time because another worker had left early.
The report said the tragedy "appeared to confirm what pilots, air traffic controllers and safety experts had been warning for years: Growing holes in the aviation system could lead to the kind of crash that left 67 people dead in the Potomac River in Washington."
There were 19 air traffickers assigned to the office, even though union recommendations had been for 30 workers there.
There routinely would be different individuals handling helicopter and passenger jet traffic, and those duties would be handled by one person late in the evening and overnight when traffic numbers are down.
On the night of the crash, those duties were being done by one person, early, as another worker had left early, the report said.
A report from the Daily Mail explained the worker "was reportedly allowed to leave their post early just before American Airlines Flight 5342 collided in midair with a military helicopter over Washington D.C."
The Mail explained it is between 10 a.m. until 9:30 p.m, that different controllers work on passenger jet and helicopter routes.
"After 9:30 p.m. the duties are typically combined and left to one person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night. A supervisor reportedly decided to combine those duties before the scheduled cutoff time however, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early."
The FAA has, in fact, confirmed that the staffing there "was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," when the accident happened.
Why someone was allowed to clock off early hasn't been revealed.
The report note it would be routine for one person to address both job requirements during a shift change, if traffic is slow, or during breaks.
The nation was rocked earlier this week after a military Blackhawk helicopter crashed into a commercial aircraft, killing everyone involved.
According to the Daily Mail, the situation became even more grim after the final words of American Airlines pilot Jonathan Campos was revealed by the outlet, which had to do with how excited he was to be back with his family soon.
His heartbroken uncle, John Lane, revealed the saddening message during an interview from his home in Brooklyn, New York.
Lane described his nephew as the type of man who was "living his dream," noting that Campos, 34, was the boy who was always playing with toy planes as a child.
The Daily Mail noted:
Doomed Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas - carrying 67 passengers and crew - collided in a massive fireball with an Army Black Hawk helicopter 400ft above the Potomac River as it was approaching Reagan National Airport just before 9pm Wednesday.
Lane revealed that he spoke with his nephew for about 10 minutes as Campos was boarding the plane to get ready for the flight.
"I spoke to him as he was boarding the plane. We spoke for 10 minutes. I can't believe it. He sounded really happy," Lane said. "He was looking forward to going on a cruise next week on the Icon of the Seas, the cruise ship."
"Ten family members were going to fly to Florida to take the trip with him. It was going to be a big celebration," the uncle added.
Lane also gave an update on Campos' family, who he said were taking it hard, which is beyond understandable.
"He loved flying, it was his dream. He was living his dream. He played with toy planes when he was a kid. He wanted to qualify to fly bigger planes. We're just sick right now. His mother isn't doing well," Lane said.
The Daily Mail noted:
The NTSB, the accident investigative agency, has recovered the 'Black Box' recorders from both aircraft involved in the crash, which was the worst aviation disaster in the US in 16 years.
Aside from the deaths of the crewmembers, several members of the American figure skating team were also killed in the horrific accident.
Now, the questions are pouring in as to what went wrong. Initial reports revealed that several catastrophic failures occurred before the crash.
The crash has also sparked numerous conspiracy theories given that a military Blackhawk helicopter was involved, and reports say it might have diverted from its original flight path for unknown reasons.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The U.S. Department of Education has flip-flopped, and announced it now will enforce Title IX on the basis of its historic understanding, that "sex" actually means "sex," that is male or female, and not some politically correct idea of "gender."
And while that's good, the fight actually isn't all over.
Kristen Waggoner, head of the ADF, which has fought the White House campaign under both Barack Obama and Joe Biden to redefine English words to take on a political twist, said, "President Trump has spent his first days in office undoing some of the most harmful policies of his predecessor.
"Today, his Department of Education continued that good work by abandoning the Biden-era Title IX rule: an unlawful attempt to redefine 'sex' to include gender identity. As the basis for its action, the DOE cited a recent court ruling that struck down the rule in a case litigated by ADF and a coalition of states led by Tennessee."
She said, "This restoration of Title IX is a victory for student safety, privacy, and free speech. But above all, it's a win for women and girls—especially those who stood up to defend their sports and private spaces."
Under Joe Biden's ideology, boys should be allowed in girls locker rooms and showers and on girls sports teams. Likewise with men in women's facilities.
His agenda was problematic in that it ignored the historical perspectives of male and female, set women up for abuse and injury, and blatantly violated religious rights protected by the Constitution.
It was the Department of Education that recently issued a "Dear Colleague" letter that now rejects Biden's "unlawful attempt" to change the meaning of "sex" in the federal law, which was written to create equal opportunities for women in education and athletics.
"Our client Adaleia is one of those courageous young women," Waggoner explained. "When she was in 7th grade, school officials allowed a boy identifying as a girl to join the girls' team and share the girls' locker room. This male athlete subjected Adaleia to verbal abuse and sexual harassment. But she refused to stay silent. With ADF's help, she told her story and joined a lawsuit defending Title IX—the same case that led to today's victory."
She said, "Now, the fight continues. ADF is currently representing female athletes in two cases defending Title IX's original meaning from lawsuits by activist groups. We hope the Supreme Court will agree to take up this issue and fully restore the law to its proper foundation: biological reality."
The letter went to K-12 schools and institutes of higher education.
Biden had simply rewritten the law to provide special protections for people with "gender identity" issues. His move was ruled unlawful by a federal court in Kentucky
"The Biden Administration's failed attempt to rewrite Title IX was an unlawful abuse of regulatory power and an egregious slight to women and girls," acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said. "Under the Trump Administration, the Education Department will champion equal opportunity for all Americans, including women and girls, by protecting their right to safe and separate facilities and activities in schools, colleges, and universities."
The federal agency said returning to the old precedent also eliminated a threat to campus free speech.
Trump, on his first day in office, ordered all departments in the executive branch to enforce "sex-protective laws to promote [the] reality" of two sexes, "male and female."
Kash Patel, nominee for FBI director, made waves Thursday by suggesting there are scenarios where federal law enforcement need not secure a warrant before conducting surveillance, Fox News reported. Despite objections to this notion from civil rights advocates, some legal experts agree it's appropriate.
Patel was grilled in Congress after President Donald Trump picked him to head the agency. One of the questions he was asked pertained to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
This portion of the law is controversial because it doesn't require a warrant before allowing the government to spy on suspects. However, Patel will have the FBI scrambling as he believes that the permission can only remain with the utmost caution.
Patel acknowledged that there are "those that have been in government service and abused it in the past." For this reason, Patel believes it is necessary to "work with Congress to provide the protections necessary for American citizens dealing with these matters."
In April, Congress renewed Section 702, which allows for warrantless surveillance and compels communications companies to turn over electronic data. Some are surprised at Patel's willingness to keep this rule intact, given its potential for abuse of Constitutional rights.
However, Patel's approach to the issue is pragmatic. "Having a warrant requirement to go through that information in real-time is just not comported with the requirement to protect American citizenry," Patel said.
"I'm all open to working with Congress on finding a better way forward. But right now, these improvements that you've made go a long way," he added, suggesting they proceed with caution.
The battle between protecting Americans' Fourth Amendment rights and promptly gathering intelligence will not be settled quickly. Still, former district attorney Phil Holloway believes Patel is on the appropriate side of the argument, given his position.
"Some lawmakers have absolutely called for the necessity of a warrant in these situations. And so it makes sense that the senators would ask the nominee to run the FBI whether or not he has an opinion on it. But, ultimately, it's not his call," Holloway said, noting that it's up to Congress.
Trump was the victim of what can be called a misuse of FISA, if not an outright abuse. According to the Associated Press, the FBI spied on his 2016 campaign based on the false Steel dossier that suggested Trump was colluding with Russia.
Even though the government obtained warrants, the underlying evidence was ridiculously flimsy. This suggests there is further opportunity for abuse if surveillance can occur without even the pretense of a warrant.
Patel's approach is more nuanced. "What Kash Patel is saying is that there may be some situations that may be in that gray area where you shouldn't have to get a warrant," Dave Aronberg, a state attorney from Palm Beach County, Florida, told Fox News Digital.
"And I am encouraged by his comments because I do think that law enforcement needs flexibility when it comes to national security matters, especially with the very real threat of terrorism here on our shores," Aronberg added. Of course, the stated purpose is always for something grave like terrorism, but giving up a portion of any right can invite government overreach.
Patel's answer was likely constructed to appease those who would vote on his confirmation. However, Americans still must be vigilant that their rights are not trampled on, even if the person doing it is supposedly on their side.
A federal judge granted an injunction Friday against President Donald Trump's spending freeze for woke programs, The Hill reported. Attorneys general from 22 states and Washington, D.C., filed a motion for an immediate injunction.
The Office of Management and Budget issued a memo Monday night demanding that federal agencies halt federal aid and grants if there was a misalignment of values with the Trump administration. The attorneys general sued to stop the administration from doing so.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell agreed that the edict would likely be thrown out and thus granted the injunction. "Are there some aspects of the pause that might be legal and appropriate constitutionally for the Executive to take?" the Obama-appointed judge asked rhetorically in his opinion.
"The Court imagines there are, but it is equally sure that there are many instances in the Executive Orders’ wide-ranging, all-encompassing, and ambiguous ‘pause’ of critical funding that are not. The Court must act in these early stages of the litigation under the ‘worst case scenario’ because the breadth and ambiguity of the Executive’s action makes it impossible to do otherwise," McConnell wrote.
Earlier in the week, Trump rescinded the order amid the legal action. However, McConnell noted that he believed the withdrawal "was in name only" because White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt promised that the underlying intention to freeze funding would remain.
The judge said the administration may have rescinded the memo "simply to defeat the jurisdiction of the courts. The substantive effect of the directive carries on," McConnell wrote.
The judge's order means that the administration may not proceed with directly cutting funding or implementing the OMB memo. The current injunction is temporary to allow further scrutiny based on the states' lawsuit.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is a longtime nemesis of Trump and led the states' lawsuits, was happy about the ruling. "I will keep fighting to protect essential services like childcare services that millions of Americans depend on," she posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
"The rule of law is not subject to the whims of the president," James added. Although James may be celebrating now, the fight is far from over.
According to Fox Business News, this memo was just a small portion of Trump's agenda to starve wokeism of federal funding. Trump has issued other orders to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at several government agencies to rid them of the rot.
Vice President J.D. Vance called DEI a "scandal that the president has stopped." Vance was speaking to Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures about Trump's most recent comments blaming woke hiring practices for a crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial airline this week that killed 67 people.
"We have to have our smartest people. It doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are," Vance said, echoing Trump.
"What matters is intellect, talent. The word 'talent.' They have to be talented geniuses. We can't have regular people doing that job. They won't be able to do it," he added about the aviation industry.
Trump was elected because of his hardline stance against wokeism and the problems it creates when merit is ignored. While the judge blocked one of Trump's battlegrounds for this fight, he shows no signs of backing down from the larger war against it.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
In an interview, new Secretary of State Marco Rubio explains that President Donald Trump is serious about acquiring Greenland.
The idea was just one of the bombshells Trump has dropped in recent days; another being the desire to have the U.S. exercise more influence over the operations of the Panama Canal, instead of China.
Rubio explained that Trump, on Greenland, "wants to buy it. He wants to pay for it.
But he said discussions over the idea will be in the "appropriate forum," not in the public.
"Those conversations will happen," he explained. "This is not a joke… this is in our national interest."
He said Trump has "put out there what he intends to do … He just speaks bluntly and frankly with people."
He said four years from now, "our interests in the Arctic will be more secure. Our interest in the Panama Canal will be more secure.
A report at Twitchy said, "Like Rubio said, Trump is going to leverage every option to reach an agreement with Denmark which turns over Greenland to America. Some are laughing at Trump but America's safety and security is no joke."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
At least twice in the week before Wednesday night's tragic midair collision between a helicopter and a passenger jet at the airport in Washington, D.C., pilots had to abort landings because of helicopter traffic.
The Washington Post reported one incident was just 24 hours before the deadly collision which is thought to have killed all 64 aboard the passenger jet and three on the Black Hawk military helicopter.
Fox News said the Tuesday incident happened when "a different plane alerted the air traffic control tower that it had to abort its landing to avoid collision with a helicopter."
"Yet another plane arriving at DCA from Charlotte scrubbed its landing on Jan. 23, again because of a helicopter," the report said.
Passenger Richart Hart said in an interview, "They had to circle back around because there was a helicopter in the flight path. At the time I found it odd. … Now I find it disturbingly tragic."
Wednesday's crash involved an inbound commercial flight from Wichita, Kansas, and the Black Hawk from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
Recovery efforts are under way and multiple bodies of victims have been recovered.
Fox News reported that the catastrophe "has raised concerns about frequent military training flights around Reagan National Airport, including a helicopter lane that intersects with the flight path of aircraft on the southeastern approach to Runway 33, where American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita attempted to land Wednesday."
There remain many questions, including why the pilots did not see each other, as it was a clear night and the lights from both aircraft would have been visible for miles.
A federal report from 2021 noted that safe paths were needed for military helicopters in the region to avoid interfering with commercial flights there, and FAA rules implemented altitude limits for them.
Air traffic controllers had asked the Black Hawk pilot that night if he could see the approaching Flight 5342, and the report said the pilot confirmed, citing "visual separation," "meaning he was trying to get out of the flight's path."
But the collision happened almost immediately after that exchange.
A former Air Force navigator told Fox that seeing other aircraft, while flying at night, may be difficult in areas like Washington because of lights from a vast landscape of tall buildings and towers. The navigator suggested it was possible the helicopter pilot saw other lights, but missed the approaching craft.
The Daily Mail reported the Black Hawk also was "not on its approved route and flying higher than it should have been."
The report said the helicopter should have been no higher than 200 feet along the east side of the Potomac River, and in that path it would have missed the jet.
Barack and Michelle Obama are actively addressing rumors of marital discord by presenting a united front through public appearances and social media.
In response to speculation about their relationship, the former first couple is emphasizing their shared commitment and partnership in various ways this month, according to the Daily Mail.
Rumors regarding the Obamas' marriage have been circulating, largely fueled by Michelle Obama's public absences during significant events. These included Jimmy Carter's funeral and Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony. Despite these speculations, both Barack and Michelle have taken steps to publicly showcase their unity.
The couple addressed a recent plane crash in Washington, D.C., with Barack Obama releasing a heartfelt statement using language that emphasized the inclusion of his wife. "Our hearts break for the families," Barack stated, with a comforting acknowledgment of the shared sorrow from both him and Michelle. This joint response is just one example of how they've continued to act as a team amidst swirling rumors.
Michelle amplified Barack's message by sharing it on her own social media accounts. This action can be seen as a deliberate effort to strengthen the perception of their solidarity. The couple further demonstrated their unity by jointly announcing an initiative at The Obama Presidential Center.
In a move that highlighted their continued shared endeavors, the Obamas announced their plans to honor Hadiya Pendleton with a memorial garden at The Obama Presidential Center. Michelle spoke warmly of Pendleton, who was tragically killed shortly after performing at President Obama’s second inauguration. "She had an extraordinary light," Michelle said, affirming the couple's collective commitment to preserving her memory.
Meanwhile, the former president made a very personal tribute to his wife on her birthday. Barack posted a touching message on January 17, vigorously expressing his affection for Michelle. He wrote about how lucky he felt to "take on life's adventures" with her, further countering speculations about discord.
The Obamas' public appearances have also come under scrutiny, particularly since their last sighting together in December during a dinner in Los Angeles. UK body language analyst Judi James observed their demeanor, noting a contrast between Michelle's cheerful expression and Barack’s more serious one. Despite this observation, the couple's continuation of joint statements and appearances suggests a strong partnership.
James noted the absence of overt signs of togetherness, such as hand-holding or synchronized movements, but she also indicated that such behavior is common when facing paparazzi. Neither Obama's expressions, according to James, are definitive indicators of marital issues.
Rumors of Barack's alleged relationship with actress Jennifer Aniston were refuted by Aniston herself. She firmly stated that she had "met him once" and seemed to know Michelle better, extinguishing that particular fire of gossip.
On social media, Michelle reciprocated Barack’s birthday affection with a straightforward yet endearing message: "Love you, honey!" Such interactions in the public digital sphere serve to underline their bond in a venue observable by millions.
Although rumors have continued primarily driven by Michelle's absence from certain events, neither Barack nor Michelle has commented directly on these rumors. They seem to be allowing their visible acts of unity to convey their position.
The commentary from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama stated that while Barack would be attending future inaugural ceremonies, Michelle would not. This announcement could have contributed to public speculation, yet it coincides with Michelle's choice to focus on other commitments.
In the absence of explicit remarks about the gossip, the couple's actions, intertwined public and professional connections, and mutual affirmations appear to reflect a dedication to maintaining a joined front against unfounded marital discord speculations.