This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Trump wants to abolish the Department of Education. Sounds outrageous to some.

Writing for The Hill, Justin Hawkins notes, "The Trump administration is reportedly preparing an executive order that could eliminate or roll back significant parts of the Department of Education, a move that has already received significant criticism from Trump's political opponents."

Hawkins also says, "Regardless of whether you support such programs, the Constitution does not allow for the vast majority of what the Education Department does today."

The White House declares: "President Trump's Department of Education canceled $881 million in unnecessary contracts that were not benefiting students, including a $4.6 million contract just to coordinate Zoom and in-person meetings."

I interviewed Dr. Paul Kengor on a radio segment and asked him about the president's plan to abolish the Department of Education. Kengor is a bestselling author on American politics and history, as well as a professor of history and political science at Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

Kengor reminded our listeners that the Department of Education is a relative Johnny Come Lately. It was only established by President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s: "Americans think it was created not in 1978, but 1778 – as if the founders were talking about it in the Federalist Papers."

Kengor, added, "When Ronald Reagan, just months after that, talked about eliminating it, they treated Reagan as if he were some sort of domestic terrorist. Somebody who was out of his mind. 'Eliminate the Department of Education? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard.'" Kengor has called the department "a menace" and "a force of destruction."

Kengor answers the common question, "What will happen if this federal agency were to be abolished?" He observes, "People will fund education the way they've always done – at the local level, at the state level."

The Constitution does not mention education per se. In my "Foundation of American Liberty" series of documentaries on our nation's Judeo-Christian roots, the late Dr. Walter Williams of George Mason University made an interesting observation.

Williams, a syndicated columnist, stated, "The founders thought that education was very, very important, but they gave the federal government no authority to deal with education – that is, education was mostly a state function. And if you look at James Madison and others who wrote in the Federalist Papers, trying to get the colonies to ratify the United States Constitution, James Madison and other founders had a very limited view of the federal government. In fact, in Federalist Paper 45, James Madison, who was trying to explain what's in the Constitution, said that the powers that we left to the federal government are few and defined, and mostly restricted to external affairs."

In 1789, America's founders passed the Northwest Ordinance, so that as new territories became new states, they would follow a common template.

In Article III, they mentioned education. America's Founding Fathers wrote, "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." They didn't intend to banish Christianity in the schools but to encourage it. And these schools were voluntary.

In fact, most of the education at that time was conducted by churches or in home settings. The Bible was the chief textbook in one way or another. And back then, society was much more literate than we are today.

Reagan warned about education that removed God. Dr. Kengor wrote an article about the 40th president and some remarks he made about education at Georgetown in 1988 at its 200th anniversary. Said Reagan, "At its full flowering, freedom is the first principle of … Western society. … And yet freedom cannot exist alone. And that's why the theme for your bicentennial is so very apt: learning, faith, and freedom. Each reinforces the others, each makes the others possible. For what are they without each other?"

Reagan went on to say, "Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed. The names of many intellectuals are recorded on the rolls of infamy, from Robespierre to Lenin to Ho Chi Minh to Pol Pot."

Why is modern education so vacuous for so many? I believe for too long we have forgotten the biblical counsel that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

President Trump points out that we pay more for education for each pupil than do other industrialized nations. We are first in spending, but far down the list in results. No wonder people could well ask: Is the Department of Education a part of the solution or a part of the problem?

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

"Truth is stranger than fiction."

That's how DOGE leader Elon Musk is reacting to a stunning video showing a Democrat congressman panic when confronted by a journalist asking probing questions.

The reporter is Nick Sortor, and the congressman is U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, perhaps most infamous for his alleged relationship with a Chinese spy.

Sortor posted the video on X, stating:

"Eric Swalwell PANICS when I ask about his Chinese spy girlfriend Fang Fang, and whether that's a bigger 'national security threat' than Elon Musk.

"I sat next to a drunk Swalwell at dinner for 90 minutes. He was IMMEDIATELY compromised by a group of lobbyists he'd JUST MET, spilling intimate details about his job and asking for HELP CHEATING ON HIS WIFE.

"MASSIVE national security threat. This guy should have his clearances revoked.

WATCH: (Graphic language at times)

"Swalwell spent his dinner bragging about 'ORGlES' on Capitol Hill, telling them he's bored of his wife and "only wants to f*** tens."

"Worse, he spoke about ABUSlNG his power on the House Intel Committee (which he's since been booted off of), saying he pushed to SUBPOENA Ivanka Trump because she's 'hot as f***'

"THIS GUY MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE. He CANNOT keep his freaking mouth shut.

"After I began questioning him, Swalwell jumped back into the group of lobbyists to hide from me, but I pressed on.

"Dude looked absolutely TERRIFIED and 100% guilty. He knows he's been caught.

"And big shoutout to @LauraLoomer for assisting me with digging into this clown while I was focusing on listening in!"

Investigative journalist Laura Loomer responded to the video, saying: I'd say that's 2 hours of my life I won't get back that were put to incredibly good use last night.

I knew that would make him squirm. @RepSwalwell is the real national security threat. He should resign from Congress."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Apple is promising is it "addressing" the issue after its iPhones were documented to be using the dictation mode to post "Trump" on the screen when a user said the word "racist."

Be aware of offensive language in videos:

"Whoever at Apple is responsible for this should lose their job," one commenter said on social media.

News analyst and author Kyle Becker explained, "Apple says it is 'addressing the issue' as iPhone's voice-to-text feature periodically shows 'Trump' whenever a user says 'racist.'"

The company said, "We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation, and we are rolling out a fix as soon as possible."

Becker explained, "The text-to-speech imbroglio is part of a pattern of anti-Trump behavior that some users report in Big Tech products. A viral video from September showed Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant refusing to provide similar responses for current President Donald Trump while providing reasons to vote for failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Before Amazon could fix the issue, the company provided answers such as, 'she is a female of color with a comprehensive plan to address racial injustice and inequality throughout the country.' Alexa would not respond to the same question about Donald Trump, stating 'I cannot provide content that promotes this specific political party or candidate.' The company fixed the issue with a manual override to correct for the political bias."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

When President Donald Trump took office he worked immediately, through executive orders, to reopen America's energy resources for exploration, development and production. Even exports.

It was in direct conflict with Joe Biden's agenda to shut down oil, gas, coal and more, and rely instead on unreliable wind and solar power.

But now Democrats in Congress are trying to scheme a way to backtrack into Biden's agenda again.

And Trump is warning them their ideologies will cost voters trillions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

A report from Fox News cites attempts by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to simply overturn Trump's declaration of an energy emergency, which accompanied his executive orders.

"Tim Kaine wants to impoverish Americans. President Donald Trump's executive order brings America into the future and unleashes prosperity. Senator [Tim] Kaine wants to cost the economy trillions and risk losing nearly a million jobs," deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Fox.

Kaine has been joined by Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., the Democrats' top member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, in a proposal for a resolution to end Trump's emergency declaration.

But the move would cost 869,000 American jobs, the White House revealed in a document Fox obtained.

"The White House emphasized that ending the emergency would usher back in the Biden administration's policies. The document stressed that under those policies, during Biden's first two years, families spent an additional average of $10,000 in energy costs, citing a study published by the Committee to Unleash Prosperity," the report said.

Estimates are that under Trump's administration, the growth in the liquefied natural gas industry is projected to generate half a million jobs annually and boost the U.S. GDP by $1.3 trillion through 2040.

Kaine and Heinrich said, in a statement, that Trump's plan to expand access to natural resources somehow will decrease "the supply of American-made energy when demand is high."

They claimed that's the fastest way to raise prices, "and that's exactly what President Trump's sham energy emergency will do."

They also attacked his agenda to eliminate funding for costly and unreliable wind projects, electric vehicle campaigns and such.

"Senate Democrats are yet again attempting to block President Trump's efforts to secure cheaper, more reliable energy—just when America needs it most," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the committee chairman, charged.

"Their message to families is clear: pay more, expect less. Luckily, President Trump is committed to unleashing American energy and rescuing the country from the energy crisis that they have perpetuated. Senate Republicans won't let Democrats delay and obstruct any longer and will ensure the President has the tools necessary to deliver the results the American people expect."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

WASHINGTON – A change is coming to the storied White House "press pool." The pool covers events in tighter spaces – such as the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One – when all reporters who cover the White House cannot be accommodated.

The White House Correspondents' Association has traditionally maintained the rotating roster of reporters who take part in the pool each day. Radio, television, print, and newswire services are each represented in the pool, with one outlet from each medium taking part for a single day before passing duties on to another in their field for the next day.

As part of her effort to modernize the press briefing room, Leavitt announced today the White House press office will be taking over the assigning of the pool rotation. She will also be expanding it.

"Legacy outlets who have participated in the press pool for decades will still be allowed to join, fear not," Leavitt explained. "But we will also be offering the privilege to well-deserving outlets who have never been allowed to share in this awesome responsibility."

A few quietly excited exclamations of "yes!" could be heard in the briefing room as she shared the news.

This decision comes on the heels of a victory for the Trump White House as a federal judge denied a motion by the Associated Press seeking to be allowed back into the pool for the Oval Office and Air Force One while the legacy organization's lawsuit over being barred from those privileged locations is ongoing.

The organization was banned from those two points by the Trump administration for refusing to recognize that the administration has changed the name to the Gulf of America, from the old name Gulf of Mexico.

A graphic showcasing the word "Victory" stamped over a Gulf of America map could be seen by reporters entering the press briefing room on Tuesday.

"The judge's ruling upholding our decision to deny the Associated Press such privileged access reinforces the truth," Leavitt told reporters. "Asking the president of the United States questions in limited spaces, such as the Oval Office or Air Force One, is a privilege […] It is not a legal right for all."

The second Trump administration continues its mission to be the most accessible administration in history. President Trump answers questions from the press corps on an almost daily basis, and the White House press team has been known to let more journalists into events which are usually restricted to the pool.

"A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly over the privilege of press access at the White House. All journalists, outlets, and voices deserve a seat at this highly coveted table," Leavitt said.

The WHCA reacted strongly and negatively. In a statement attributed to association president Eugene Daniels, the group said the move. "…tears at the independence of a free press." They promised to "…never stop advocating for comprehensive access, full transparency and the right of the American public to read, listen to and watch reports from the White House."

Daniels also claimed the WHCA was not given a heads up on the decision, despite his being seen leaving the press office space shortly before the briefing began.

The White House Correspondents' Association's statement reads in full:

"This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.

"For generations, the working journalists elected to lead the White House Correspondents' Association board have consistently expanded the WHCA's membership and its pool rotations to facilitate the inclusion of new and emerging outlets.

"Since its founding in 1914, the WHCA has sought to ensure that the reporters, photographers, producers and technicians who actually do the work – 365 days of every year – decide amongst themselves how these rotations are operated, so as to ensure consistent professional standards and fairness in access on behalf of all readers, viewers and listeners.

"To be clear, the White House did not give the WHCA board a heads up or have any discussions about today's announcements. But the WHCA will never stop advocating for comprehensive access, full transparency and the right of the American public to read, listen to and watch reports from the White House, delivered without fear or favor."

However, Leavitt indicated these shakeups were an addition to the status quo, not a complete overhaul. She promised legacy television networks, radio, and the print rotation will remain a part of the pool.

"By deciding which outlets make up the limited press pool on a day-to-day basis, the White House will be restoring power back to the American people who President Trump was elected to serve," Leavitt said.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The lawyers at the American Center for Law and Justice have released a list of exactly what President Donald Trump's order protecting Christians will do.

Trump signed an executive order titled "Eradicating anti-Christian Bias" just days ago.

Its goal was to end the weaponization of federal government against Christians, such as the use by the Joe Biden administration of the law against Christians trying to protect the lives of the unborn.

The organization reported on the "top five unlawful attacks on Christians" the order will end.

First listed in an ACLJ column by Jared Austin is that unjust prosecution of pro-life advocates.

"Just days after taking office, President Trump issued pardons for 23 pro-life advocates who were imprisoned after the Biden DOJ secured unjust convictions. This news resonated with me personally because six of them were convicted just a few miles outside my home in Nashville. If they can target and convict pro-life advocates in the Bible Belt, then they can do it anywhere," he said.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A federal district judge has failed to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a fired worker who obtained a job at a religious school by promising to adhere to its biblical standards, even as he was already started on a campaign to embrace transgenderism.

The judge, Norman Moon, allowed the lawsuit by Jonathan Zinski against Liberty University to move forward by claiming that the school cannot "erect a shield against antidiscrimination laws by asserting that mere acceptance of a member from a particular group would impair its image."

Further, he said having the Christian school employ Zinski does not significantly burden its ability to maintain its views and does not affect its freedom of expressive association.

Liberty Counsel, representing Liberty, said there would be an immediate appeal.

"Liberty University has the right under the First Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to uphold its sincere Christian religious beliefs and require its employees to do the same. Jonathan Zinski intentionally and deceptively set up Liberty University in an attempt to undermine its religious beliefs and mission. Title VII makes it abundantly clear that Liberty University does not violate the law when it discharges an employee who has publicly engaged in conduct inconsistent with its religious principles. Title VII exempts Liberty University from having to employ individuals who violate its religious beliefs and doctrinal positions," explained Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel chief.

The next step in the case will be the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where Moon's refusal to recognize the "meritless" status of claims by Zinski will be considered.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A Democrat member of Congress has blasted Americans, perhaps even the ones who voted for her, for being lost in "stupidity" and for being really, just "idiots."

"I am at the point where it has become really hard to have an intellectual debate with any of these people because the level of stupidity that they are displaying every single day is frankly, embarrassing," said Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. "Not just in Congress, but as Americans.

"And the fact that these people are allowed to say just the most ridiculous things tells you that the dumbing of the United States has arrived, because how else do we get a Trump presidency again?"

She was being interviewed by Mehdi Hasan about a recommendation from Texas Congressman Brandon Gill to deport her.

She, in fact, long has promoted her allegiance to her home, Somalia, and has been involved in a long list of scandals during her time in Congress.

Real Clear Politics documented the full exchange.:

MEHDI HASAN, ZETEO: You and I have discussed people attacking you in the past, but you have this new freshman Congressional Representative, this lawmaker Brandon Gill, Republican who tweeted out that video of you and wrote America would be a better place if Ilhan Omar were deported back to Somalia. I mean I thought I'd seen everything, and I've seen a lot of attacks on you. But now you have a Republican colleague, dare I say, in the House saying to deport an American citizen, an American lawmaker, and an elected representative. How do you deal with that?"

"REP. ILHAN OMAR: These people are just idiots — I really am at the point where it has become really hard to have an intellectual debate with any of these people because the level of stupidity that they are displaying every single day is frankly, embarrassing. Not just in Congress but as Americans, and the fact that these people are allowed to say just the most ridiculous things tells you that the dumbing of the United States has arrived, because how else do we get a Trump presidency again?"

She also, in suggesting that people not be allowed to say even "stupid" things, hearkened back to the failed censorship agenda of the Joe Biden administration, when millions of taxpayer dollars were spent to silence Americans when Democrats considered their comments "misinformation" and such.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Video has emerged of a woman not only admitting she hasn't paid taxes in eight years, but also openly calling for the assassination of Elon Musk, President Donald Trump's head of DOGE, the Department of Governmental Efficiency.

The profanity-filled message, originally posted by LibsofTikTok, shows the woman making a beheading gesture, saying: "Elon Musk, we need to X him. And by X, I mean formerly known as assassination."

At one point the woman taunts federal law enforcement, stating: "You don't have enough people to investigate me at this point. I haven't filed my taxes in like eight years. And yet, no one's come for me.

"So I'm gonna f***ing say it. Let's assassinate some mother******s."

Elon Musk became aware of the video, and posted: "Death threat and admission of multiple counts of tax fraud @EagleEdMartin."

Musk's tag to Ed Martin sent the clip to U.S. Attorney Ed Martin in the District of Columbia, who reposted the clip along with the message: "Duly noted. Thx for letting us know. We'll put you in the system. Talk soon, M'am. #NoOneIsAboveTheLaw."

Some online reaction includes:

"Why openly admit to a crime while committing one at the same time?"

"Are you guys actually gonna arrest these people though? … Can we pick up the pace here?"

"She is so stupid she thinks if she simply gestures &whispers that she can get away with calling for m@rder? 8 years no filed taxes? You got a Big surprise headed your way! Not to mention all of the accrued interest you will have to pay since you readily acknowledge no compliance. Good luck in jail."

"Make Insane Asylums Great Again."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met in the White House Monday, with the potential ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia on both leaders' minds.

Speaking in the Oval Office about the need for a peace deal, Trump said, "It could lead to World War III if it's not solved. You know, there'll be a point at which it's not going to stop at those two countries [because] there's such involvement from other countries."

The bilateral meeting came after the two joined a call with all G7 leaders, where Eastern European security was also the main topic of discussion.

"We had a good discussion this morning for the G7 here for the [anniversary of] the third year of this war in Ukraine," Trump said. "And I think our common objective clearly is to build..a solid longstanding peace."