This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump has started his second term with a flurry of actions: Getting rid of DEI, pardons for J6ers and pro-lifers, plans to revamp multiple federal agencies, plans to cut government spending and much more.
Of course the opposition from Democrats, who are not in power in the White House, Senate or House, is as high as when they were orchestrating the multiple lawfare court cases they hoped would keep him from running for president again.
But Trump also has vast support.
A report from the Washington Examiner confirms Trump's approval during his "rollicking start" to his new term is at 57%, "his highest-ever approval rating."
"As the 45th president, Trump's average approval never popped above 47%, according to RealClearPolitics President Tom Bevan in an X post uploaded before the Napolitan survey was released," the report said.
The Real Clear Politics average now has him at 53% approval.
The report cited two key points, including that 95% of Republicans approve, along with 39% of independents and even 20% of Democrats.
Further, "Seventy-three percent of evangelical or Bible-believing voters approve. So do 59% of Catholic voters and 51% of other Protestants. Among Jewish voters, 38% approve and 59% disapprove. The president's lowest ratings come from atheists, only 29% of whom approve."
The results confirm Trump's oft-repeated assertions that he has a public "mandate" for the swift and complete implementation of his agenda.
"What's more, since his election, pollster Scott Rasmussen of RMG Research, which is behind Napolitan, said that the mood of the nation has been improving," the report said.
On social media, Rasmussen explained, "Since @realDonaldTrump victory on Election Day, perceptions of the economy have improved. In the last @NapolitanNews pre-election survey, 41% of voters said their personal finances were getting worse. That's down to 31% today. That's ten-point improvement is part of an ongoing trend noticed in six surveys conducted since Election Day."
Rasmussen told the Examiner, "These results confirm the positive response we've measured to the president's flurry of executive orders. Voters strongly approve of his efforts to improve border security and to require the federal government to recognize only two sexes. Most also approve of his decision to remove national security clearance from the 51 former intelligence officials who signed a misleading statement concerning Hunter Biden's laptop."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Trump pulls Bolton security detail despite alleged threat from Iran to former NSA
U.S. president Donald Trump has ended Secret Service protection for John Bolton, his former national security adviser turned political antagonist, despite an alleged threat to Bolton's life from Tehran, reported Iran International.
"I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection," Bolton said in a statement on X on Tuesday, adding that Joe Biden had given the protection despite his criticism of Biden's policies.
"The American people can judge for themselves which president made the right call," he said, referencing Iranian threats, including an alleged plot against Trump himself.
The protection stemmed from Bolton's role in Trump's administration, where he was a key figure in the decision to kill Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force in Iraq in January 2020.
In retaliation, the IRGC allegedly sought to orchestrate Bolton's assassination.
"The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hitman to target me. That threat remains today," Bolton added.
Iraq passes law that could allow for child marriages
Iraq's parliament passed three divisive laws Tuesday, including amendments to the country's personal status law that opponents say would in effect legalize child marriage, according to the Times of Israel.
The amendments give Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce and inheritance.
Activists argue that this undermines Iraq's 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family law and established safeguards for women.
Iraqi law currently sets 18 as the minimum age of marriage in most cases. The changes passed Tuesday would let clerics rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law, which some interpret to allow marriage of girls in their early teens – or as young as 9under the Jaafari school of Islamic law followed by many Shiite religious authorities in Iraq.
Stefanik: Israel has biblical right to Judea and Samaria
Israel-related issues dominated the Senate confirmation hearing of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R–N.Y., on Tuesday to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – If there were an X hashtag to describe the current moment in Israel, it would probably read #AllEyesonJudeaSamaria. As the fragile ceasefire in Gaza continues to hold – with the first small tranche of hostages released and another planned for Saturday – immediate attention is being drawn to Israel's spine and the biblical heartlands of Judea and Samaria.
It has largely been a forgotten front, especially in comparison with the south-eastern border so infamously penetrated by thousands of Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, and the northern border over which Hezbollah was firing missiles, drones and rockets on a daily basis. That arena too is somewhat bequieted as an imperfect ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah still holds. There are growing fears Judea and Samaria will shortly become the locus of attention for several different reasons, and could spill over into Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem.
Analysts such as veteran journalist Khaled Abu Toameh and Joe Truzman of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies have pointed out a third intifada effectively broke out in June 2021, it's just nobody officially got round to declaring it. There is significant evidence Iran has taken advantage of Israel's long and porous border with Jordan to smuggle weapons of increasing power into Judea and Samaria. And the IDF has been conducting operations – sometimes significant in scale and lasting for days at a time – in and around towns such as Jenin and Tulkarem for the last few months.
Indeed, on Tuesday, the IDF in cooperation with the Israel Border Police and the Israel Security Agency launched drone strikes on several targets. The military has reportedly said the operation will continue for as long as is needed.
"The operation has clear objectives: continue to maintain the IDF's freedom of operation in all of Judea and Samaria and to destroy and neutralize terrorist infrastructure and 'ticking time bombs,'" the IDF stated. The operation's codename is "Iron Wall," a nod to early revisionist Zionist history and the treatise which Ze'ev Jabotinsky penned more than 100 years ago in 1923, in which he outlined the need for a strong military presence to fight back against the Arabs who would do everything in their power to prevent a Jewish presence in its biblical homeland.
The operation also comes on the back of a reserve soldier's fatality Monday – and the wounding of several others – when their military vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device while taking part in a counterterrorism action near the northern Samaria town of Tammun.
Israel's Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi recently told troops they must be prepared for significant operations in Judea and Samaria in the coming days, which was given even greater urgency following the return of convicted murderers from Israel's prisons as part of the hostage release shakedown.
FDD CEO Mark Dubowitz painted a grim picture. "The very success with which Israel has neutralized Iranian proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria has turned the West Bank into an increasingly significant threat. For Tehran, it represents one of the few remaining avenues to strike at the Jewish state. This danger is set to escalate as numerous freed terrorists return in the coming weeks, many eager to resume their jihad."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday said he'll issue an executive order once he's inaugurated Monday to help keep TikTok's operations alive in the U.S.
"I'm asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!" Trump posted on Truth Social.
"I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.
"Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.
"I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.
"Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose."
While TikTok is a popular app especially among America's younger populace, concerns about the company's ties to Communist China have pushed U.S. lamwakers to suspend its service in America unless the company divests its ownership.
Mere hours after Trump's post, the app started coming back online for American users.
The company said, "In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive."
It added, "We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."
TikTok want offline earlier Sunday morning, posting a message indicating: "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now.
"We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!
"In the meantime, you can still log in to download your data."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the CIA, John Ratcliffe, has boasted on social media that "There's only one country in the world that can parallel park a 200-foot rocket booster."
And that would not be the Chinese. Or the Russians.
"We do it," he said.
Stunning feat was in video thanks to a test launch, the seventh of the SpaceX Starship series.
RedState reported, "Elon Musk has done some astonishing things with SpaceX, including being able to bring back a booster and catch it, in a pretty incredible feat. He managed that again in a stunning display during the seventh flight test of the Starship unmanned mega-rocket from Starbase in South Texas, showing the first time wasn't a fluke. It had a successful lift-off, then separation of the upper and lower stage, with the lower stage making it back to Starbase to be caught by the tower."
The day wasn't without its mishap, however.
The upper part of the rocket, which was supposed to do a "controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean," instead became part of a "rapid unscheduled disassembly."
RedState explained, "In non-nerd language, we would say it blew up."
The cause has been reported as a fuel leak.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday on Truth Social:
"WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!"
"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.
"With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!
"We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my Administration is fully confirmed, so they can secure more Victories for the United States!"
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The late Jimmy Carter entered the White House with an approval rating from Americans of some 75%. He left with 34% approval, but at his recent funeral, reports noted that had rebounded to about 59%.
But that was after he spent the last 45 years of his life doing charitable and diplomatic work.
Joe Biden, 82, when he leaves next week, will have the approval of only 37% of Americans.
That includes 30% of the members of his own Democrat party who either do not approve or have no opinion on him, according to a Washington Examiner report that cites the results from Emerson College Polling.
"Most people won't think twice when President Joe Biden takes his final Air Force One trip to Delaware on Monday," the report said.
Emerson, following Gallup and Rasmussen Reports polls that showed "the nation considers the 46th president among the worst ever," Emerson confirmed only 37% of voters approve of Biden.
"President Biden closes his term with an approval rating 12 points lower than the first Emerson national poll in 2021 that measured the president's approval, at 49%," explained Spencer Kimball, of Emerson College Polling.
"Biden ends with a 70% approval among his base of Democratic voters, a 16-point drop since the 2021 poll, 33% among independents, a 2-point drop, and 10% among Republican voters, a 10-point decrease."
The drop follows the horrendous inflation of more than 20% that has hit Americans since Biden took office, the illegal aliens, including terrorists, who have entered the U.S. because of Biden's open borders agenda, his nonstop promotion of the transgender ideology and abortion, and more.
The polling also noted that 67% say American is on the wrong track, up from 54% when Biden took office.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Joe Biden once famously said to terrorists around the world, "Don't." So, just like Joe, I am also saying to my billions of readers, "Don't." That is, when you see Joe, living back in Delaware, with a brand new corvette sitting in his garage next to thousands of boxes of classified documents, don't think that the new 'vette has anything to do with Hillary Clinton getting a Medal of Freedom award.
No way are the Clintons going to cough up a hundred-thou for a new corvette to get a medal. That new car might come from George Soros' wallet, but not from Bill and Hill.
Joe Biden was just walking in the steps of the Nobel Prize guys when he diminished the honor of the Medal of Freedom. Do you remember when Barack Obama was awarded the Peace Prize by the nitwits in Norway after only seven months of being president? That's because you probably had forgotten when the U.S., Russia, China, North Korea and whoever else had nuclear weapons got together one day and dumped all their nukes into the ocean. That was Obama's Day of Peace … that never happened. And that was also the day when Donald Trump hugged Whoopi Goldberg after a lovely lunch together. More fictional peace from the Little O.
Joe Biden still has time to award more freedom medals before he leaves office with his pockets full, along with the silverware and drapes. Look around, Joe, there are some more tempting recipients awaiting medals according to your standards of "freedom."
How about the former emperor of Rome, Nero. He got rid of those pesky Christians by turning them into live human torches. Nero was obviously a believer in environmental purity. So, to save on electricity, he read by the light of human torches. Obviously, the human torches added to their carbon footprints – but Nero didn't know about global warming back then, so give the guy a break.
Though the emperor is long gone, Joe Biden could easily send a Medal of Freedom to Nero's relatives who now operate one of Rome's finest pizza palaces. Joe could claim that Nero was an early environmental crusader saving on the usage of fossil fuels to create light.
According to Biden's standards of freedom, the former leader of China, Mao Zedong, could qualify for a Medal of Freedom. Since freedom is a rather nebulous term, Mao qualifies by freeing a lot of Chinese people from the burdens of poverty, illness and life. He was also a great environmentalist, having reduced the population of the world by about 45 million people in just a few years with the Great Leap Forward. For 45 million Chinese, the great leap ended up in the grave, but hey, the woke are determined to save the earth from the destruction brought on by human beings, and Mao helped lessen that human burden. Take a bow, Mao.
Two more suggestions for medals are Alejandro Mayorkas and Adam Schiff. Mr. Mayorkas constantly displayed freedom from the truth every time he declared that the southern border was secure. Adam Schiff qualifies for his freedom medal by being free from the truth every time he said Donald Trump colluded with the Russians to beat the honorable Hillary Clinton.
And now thousands of homes in Los Angeles have burned because of the wise leadership of Gov. Gavin Newsom. My staff nominates him for displaying freedom from common sense. In order to save the smelt fish from losing some of its watery habitat in Northern California, Newsom has refused the transfer of excess water from there to Southern California.
Along with Newsom, we also nominate the geniuses who in 2022 freed L.A. of firefighting equipment and shipped it to Ukraine … to defend democracy, of course.
Is there any doubt that the Apostle Paul was right when he told us, "we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places"?
Joe Biden, or whoever his puppet-masters are, has made the truth of that scripture perfectly clear.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A lawsuit over whether parents are allowed to know about what their schools are telling their children is going to continue.
Officials with the Thomas More Society say that U.S. District Court Judge Roger T. Benitez in California has denied in a court order all Motions to Dismiss in Mirabelli v. Olson.
That lawsuit challenges "Parental Exclusion Policies" adopted by schools that specifically prevent parents from knowing about some of their own children's activities in school.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and members of the California Department of Education and the Escondido Union School District had demanded the case be thrown out.
They had claimed that their rules limiting what parents are allowed to know was "just a suggestion" so there was nobody really harmed by their agenda.
However, Benitez found that the parents "enjoy standing and have stated plausible claims upon which relief can be granted."
"The Supreme Court has long recognized that parents hold a federal constitutional Due Process right to direct the health care and education of their children," the judge said.
"The Defendants stand on unprecedented and more recently created state law child rights to privacy and to be free from gender discrimination."
Paul Jonna, special counsel with the society, explained, "We are incredibly pleased that the Court has denied all attempts to throw out our landmark challenge to California's parental exclusion and gender secrecy regime. Judge Benitez's order rightly highlights the sacrosanct importance of parents' rights in our constitutional order, and the First Amendment protections afforded to parents and teachers."
The judge said, "By concealing a child's gender health issues from the parents, parents are precluded from exercising their religious obligations to raise and care for their child at a time when it may be highly significant. [T]he teachers make out a plausible claim for relief under the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause."
The judge added, "This Court concludes that, in a collision of rights as between parents and child, the long-recognized federal constitutional rights of parents must eclipse the state rights of the child.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Fani Willis, the Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney who hired her paramour, at a cost to taxpayers of some $600,000, to create an organized crime case against now President-elect Donald Trump, has long fought against a request for public records regarding her investigation.
Now, apparently, she's going to have to pay for her deeds.
Some $21,578.00.
Judicial Watch, which brought the public documents fight to Willis over her collusion with special counsel Jack Smith and Nancy Pelosi's partisan House committee investigation of Jan. 6, announced that the Superior Court in Fulton County has ordered Willis to pay that amount for "attorney's fees and costs" in the fight.
The court earlier had ruled that she was in default in the case.
Judicial Watch sued last March "after Willis falsely denied having any records responsive to Judicial Watch's earlier Georgia Open Records Act request for communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith's office and/or the January 6 Committee."
After finding her in default, the court held a hearing and that resulted in the payment order.
Those "shall be paid within two weeks of the entry of this Order," the court said.
Judicial Watch had asked for the records of what could be collusion among the various anti-Trump agendas that had been developed in the Democrats' lawfare against him.
Her office apparently responded that no records existed, although Judicial Watch already had uncovered at least one that "should have been in the district attorney's offices' possession."
Ultimately, Willis simply defaulted on the requirements of the court and law.
The court found "relevant and reasonable attorney's fees and costs of litigation are properly awardable to Plaintiff … Defendant is thus liable to Plaintiff for $21,578 pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(b). That amount shall be paid within two weeks of the entry of this Order."
Judicial Watch explained, "Willis by her own admission conducted at least three searches before finding any responsive records not already supplied by [Judicial Watch]. She did not even bother to conduct a search until the Complaint was filed. Her records custodian says he does not know the Cellebrite [digital investigations] equipment he apparently had a hand in ordering can be used to search cell phone texts and other data…. Moreover, the custodian had no standard practice for conducting searches and keeps no records of the methods used in a given search."
That all gives grounds for "grave suspicion that all responsive records have not been found," Judicial Watch said, in asking for a special master to be appointed to supervise and monitor the records searches.
"Fani Willis flouted the law, and the court is right to slam her and require, at a minimum, the payment of nearly $22,000 to Judicial Watch," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "But in the end, Judicial Watch wants the full truth on what she was hiding – her office's political collusion with the Pelosi January 6 committee to 'get Trump.'"