This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Trump is suspending all Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden.

Hunter Biden has had Secret Service protection for an extended period of time, all paid for by the United States Taxpayer," Trump said Monday evening on Truth Social.

"There are as many as 18 people on this Detail, which is ridiculous! He is currently vacationing in, of all places, South Africa, where the Human Rights of people has been strenuously questioned.

"Because of this, South Africa has been taken off our list of Countries receiving Economic and Financial Assistance.

"Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection. Likewise, Ashley Biden who has 13 agents will be taken off the list."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Lawsuit targets officials for allowing a male to be on the women's volleyball team at San Jose State

A federal judge based in the leftist enclave of Colorado has refused to remove himself from a case concerning transgenderism despite his own court rules that call for all participants in cases to use the "proper" pronouns in his courtroom. And his decision should be appealed to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the plaintiffs say.

The issue of "proper" pronouns is one of the strategic points used by advocates for transgenderism, in which various authorities require others to call a man who says he is a woman "she."

The report comes from the Cowboy State Daily about the advocacy for transgenderism adopted by S. Kato Crews, a judge based in Colorado, who has imposed those pronoun requirements in his court.

At the same time, he is refusing to remove himself from a lawsuit by members of the University of Wyoming volleyball team who are among multiple plaintiffs suing the Mountain West Conference and its officials for allowing a male to be on the women's volleyball team at San Jose State.

The report explained, "The women are now trying to appeal that decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, according to an argument they filed Wednesday."

They had charged, based on his expression of his ideology, that Crews was harboring bias and infringing on their speech.

The report notes: "Crews' rule required parties in his court to refer to people by their preferred pronouns. But Crews told the plaintiffs early in the case, at a Nov. 20 status conference, that he wouldn't require them to call Fleming 'she' in accordance with the rule. He only asked them to be professional and respectful when speaking about Fleming, according to the judge's order."

The order concerned Blaire Fleming, a man who presents himself as a woman, who was on the San Jose State team.

Crews imposed his requirements, with, "I do want to make clear, though, that the parties should not construe my use of she/her pronouns (for Fleming) as any indication that the Court has prejudged any issues in this case."

He claimed that courts all over use "preferred pronouns" "out of courtesy."

But Crews' ruling has a "chilling effect' on speech in the courtroom, the plaintiffs argue.

Their lawyer told the court that the ruling is unconstitutional, whether it's enforced or not, the report explained.

He said, "The court's statements do not eliminate or address the constitutional questions raised by plaintiffs."

There are issues, the plaintiffs explained, of viewpoint discrimination, prior restraint and more.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

More than 1,000 people, mostly minority Christians and Alawites, have been murdered across Syria in one of the deadliest periods since longtime President Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawite sect, was forced out of power just months ago, according to reports.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and local reports have confirmed the massive death toll as war has erupted between forces of the current government power there now and pro-al Assad fighters.

A report from Newsweek explains the Sunni Islamist Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham group, which has al-Qaida origins, attacked Syria and took down al-Assad.

Then late last week clashes between Syrian government forces, under the al-Sham group and pro-al Assad forces erupted in Jableh, leaving hundreds dead.

"The SOHR says the initial attacks started after government forces were working to detain a wanted person and were ambushed by al-Assad loyalists. The AP reported that pro-Assad gunmen took control of Qardaha, Assad's hometown," the report said.

The report cited Joshua Landis, of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, who said, "A total of 353 Alawite civilians lost their lives in #Syria yesterday, and dozens more were injured with varying degrees of severity."

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns all violence in Syria and calls on the parties to protect civilians and cease hostilities. The Secretary-General is alarmed by the risk of escalating tensions among communities in Syria at a time when reconciliation and peaceful political transition should be the priority," explained a statement from Stephane Dujarric, of the United Nations Secretary General.

The Washington Examiner reported the conflict included now Syrian President Abu Mohammad al Julani sending thousands of troops in to respond to a disturbance from "anti-government forces."

Israel strongly condemned the violence, with the statement from Defense Minister Israel Katz, "Now he's taken off the mask and exposed his true face: A jihadist terrorist of the al-Qaida school who is committing horrifying acts against a civilian population."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk have commented positively about each other in the wake of their reported Cabinet Room shouting match at the White House.

The pleasant exchange happened on X, which Musk owns. The comments came after Rubio said the State Department had found, "5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States."

Those contracts were part of the United States Agency for International Development.

Rubio thanked DOGE in the same X post. Musk then responded with, "Good working with you. The most important parts of USAID should have always been with the State Department."

Over the weekend, the pair shared similar criticism of Polish Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

Sikorski accused the U.S. of threatening to shut off Musk's Starlink Internet program, which Poland partly pays for Ukraine to use.

Rubio said Sikorski was "Making things up," and that "Ukraine would have lost the war a long time ago" without the crucial services of Starlink.

Both Secretary Rubio and Mr. Musk agreed that cutting off the service would gravely harm Ukraine's defenses. Musk, for his part, piled on by calling the prime minister "A small man" and that there is "no substitute for Starlink."

It appears that – for now – Mr. Musk and Mr. Rubio are back on the same page.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Ahead of Tuesday night's Joint Address to Congress by President Donald Trump, numerous Democrat U.S. senators have released videos of themselves blasting the commander in chief, apparently using identical scripts.

The videos commence with a clip from Trump, stating: "When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One."

And the Democrats all respond with: "Sh** that ain't true. That's what you just heard. Since Day One of Donald Trump's presidency, prices are not down, they're up. Inflation is getting worse, not better. The price of groceries, gas, housing eggs, of essentials. It's not getting better, it's getting worse."

Online journalist Collin Rugg is among those noticing the phenomenon, stating: "Senator Tim Kaine and Senator Mark Kelly join the list of Democrat Senators who all released the same message at the same time. Puppets."

Rugg later added: "I'm just wondering how no one at any point thought to themselves: Maybe this is not a good idea because it will look like we were all given the same script…"

DOGE leader Elon Musk also reacted to the clips, stating, "They are all actors reading a script" and "Who is writing the words that the puppets speak? That's the real question."

Musk is even offering a free Tesla Cybertruck to the person who can prove the author, saying: "Now we're up to 22 Dem senators all doing the same cringe video simultaneously! I will buy a Cybertruck for anyone can provide proof of who wrote this particular piece of propaganda. First person to post proof in the replies to this post gets the truck!"

Actor and director Kevin Sorbo wondered aloud: "Do they not realize that we can see these?!"

Others commented:

"A bunch of Ron Burgundys."

"Remember, Democrats always assume American citizens are idiots."

"Yet we're the ones in a cult???!! Dear lord."

The parroted scripts are reminiscent of a recent compilation of many TV news broadcasts voicing the same verbiage word for word.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Democrats since before President Donald Trump was elected a second time have claimed that his very presence in the presidential race was a constitutional crisis.

After all, their talking points portrayed him as a "Hitler" who was setting himself up for a lifetime tenancy in the White House, how he would be a "dictator," how he would destroy "democracy."

Then after he took office their rhetoric ratcheted up, as he was doing things that the Constitution allows the president to do, but they didn't like, like cracking down on illegal alien criminals, the flow of illegal drugs into America, the rampant waste fraud and corruption in the federal government.

Now, there is a real constitutional crisis, according to a new report in the Federalist, but it's not because of something Trump did; it's because of what a judge did in response to Trump's Constitution-authorized management of the executive branch.

It was Judge Amy Jackson, one of Barack Obama's choices for the federal bench, who ordered multiple individuals in the executive branch to "recognize" Hampton Dellinger as "Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel" and not "obstruct" his job.

It sets up the possibility of a constitutional crisis because Trump, in ordering Dellinger dismissed, was within the authorities the Constitution grants him, the report said.

"Consider the scenario: Donald Trump calls Hampton Dellinger, telling him 'I'm firing you again.' The president then directs other officials — not the named defendants — to process Dellinger's termination papers, to prevent Dellinger's access to federal property or his former office, and to disconnect Dellinger's cell phone and computer access," the report explained.

"As Judge Berman Jackson recognized in her accompanying 67-page opinion, federal courts lack the power to enjoin the president of the United States. So, the Obama appointee could not — and thus did not — order Trump to recognize Dellinger as the special counsel, enjoin him from firing Dellinger again, or otherwise prohibit Trump from doing anything to obstruct or interfere in Dellinger's performance of his duties. Instead, she entered that command against the five defendants in the case."

Her orders are for five people only, so that means "Trump could easily sidestep them to out Dellinger as the special counsel."

The report noted that's unlikely to happen as the Supreme Court is expected to step in.

"But the fact that scenario could play out, launching a revolving door of new defendants ordered by a federal judge to ignore the staffing decisions of the president of the United States, reveals the danger that efforts over the last month to obtain a coup by court order represents to our constitutional republic," the report said.

The facts are that Article II of the Constitution gives the president executive power.

"American voters elected Donald Trump president, giving him the executive power and the authority to delegate it, or not delegate it, as he believes appropriate. The Constitution provides some checks to that authority, for instance by requiring 'the Advice and Consent of the Senate' for certain appointments, such as 'Officers of the United States.' In contrast, Article II's silence concerning removal, 'confers upon the President an absolute and unqualified removal authority.'"

Jackson claimed Trump couldn't remove Dellinger because Congress allocated to him a five-year term.

But the Supreme Court previously has ruled that such congressional provisions cannot violate the actual words of the Constitution, in multiple previous cases.

In fact, the report said, Joe Biden in 2021 fired the head of the Social Security Administration without cause.

Two members of the Supreme Court already have pointed out that it's interference in the president's command of the executive branch for a judge to order the administration to recognize and work with someone who was fired.

Trump's lawyers already have argued that the order "manifestly violates the Constitution."

The report explains that Jackson's orders "represent a clear and intolerable interference in the president's executive authority."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Industrial Policy for the United States: Winning the Competition for Good Jobs and High-Value Industries is economist Ian Fletcher's latest published work with co-author Marc Fasteau, vice-chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA). This new book follows up on Ian Fletcher's excellent 2011 book Free Trade Doesn't Work: What Should Replace it and Why.

Industrial policy is defined in the book as "the deliberate governmental support of industries," such as the management of exchange rates, research and development (R&D) tax breaks, tariffs, export controls, and government-funded technological research.

Authors Ian Fletcher and Marc Fasteau rightly claim that "the free market can't do everything" but also that America does not need and should not seek government authority over all industrial policies. However, we do need a "coherent set of policies " that includes crucial items like "expansion of domestic programs designed to support manufacturing, especially to support the creation and commercialization of innovation."

That said, here is my summation of the pertinent points of this 800-plus-page book:

From the start, the original 13 colonies were not laissez-faire in dealing with foreign trade and the domestic economy, despite the thinking of free trade advocates saying so to justify their unalterable thinking. One of the first legislative acts of Congress in 1789 was a tariff on imports.

Not long after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, America's industrial policy saw the U.S. economy growing by serving primarily its own market. As steel magnate Andrew Carnegie said in 1890, "Even if every part of the United States were blockaded today, and remained so for ten years, the people of the United States would suffer only some inconveniences."

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.

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.

President Donald Trump's inspection of all of American government to root out wasteful spending, fraud and even criminal behavior has resulted in confirmation from the Department of Energy that its officials have eliminated $124 million in "wasteful" spending.

That was what was being spent on "ridiculously expensive" subscriptions and more.

A report from Fox News explained that department spokesman Ben Dietderich told the network in an interview that the total of $124 million included, "millions of dollars of DEI contracts to ridiculously expensive multi-million-dollar Politico news subscriptions" and other nonessential line items.

He pointed out, "We are just getting started."

Some identified expenditures already have been obligated, so there will be an "immediate" savings of about $65 million.

But there will be "more to come in the coming months and years," he said.

"President Trump and Secretary [Chris] Wright are fully committed to making government more accountable, efficient, and restoring proper stewardship of the American taxpayer's dollars."

He said the cuts so far come from "needless expenditures."

He charged that the corrections are coming after Joe Biden's failed leadership.