President-elect Donald Trump just did it again.
In a bombshell announcement that had his supporters cheering, the soon-to-be 47th president finally selected the person he wants to lead the FBI, and the Washington D.C. establishment is already shaking in its boots.
According to Breitbart, Trump chose the highly popular lawyer and investigator Kash Patel to head up the agency under his incoming administration.
Patel, a longtime Trump supporter and "America First" proponent, thanked the incoming president in a social media post and hinted that his goal for the federal agency is reform.
Trump released a lengthy statement announcing Patel as his top FBI man, and praised the lawyer for his work leading up to the nomination.
"I am proud to announce that Kashyap 'Kash' Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and 'America First' fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People," Trump wrote.
Trump added, "He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution. Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council."
The president-elect also touted his legal experience, and highlighted his vision for the reformation of the FBI.
"Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials. This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border. Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI."
Trump was praised across social media for picking Patel for the job, with many expressing hope that the tarnished agency can once again be restored to what it once was.
For his part, Patel responded to Trump's announcement indicating that he's ready and willing to take on the job.
"It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President Trump to serve as Director of the FBI. Together, we will restore integrity, accountability, and equal justice to our justice system and return the FBI to its rightful mission: protecting the American people," Patel wrote.
He was also praised by several other members of Trump's incoming administration.
Patel undoubtedly has a tough job ahead of him, but by all accounts, there's no better person to tackle it.
The amount of crazies in the world who want to do harm to President-elect Donald Trump is off the charts, and that was evidenced once again over the past week.
According to the New York Post, federal authorities arrested an Arizona man for making bizarre and disgusting threats against Trump, threatening to kill him in several videos.
Manuel Tamayo-Torres, who was arrested in San Diego, had just posted another one of his deranged videos in which he threatened to "put a hole" in Trump's face.
Disturbingly, federal agents revealed that Torres posted numerous videos threatening Trump on nearly a "near-daily basis."
The suspect had posted several videos targeting Trump and making disgusting comments about his children, even claiming falsely that Trump was involved in a sex-trafficking his own children.
The Post noted:
Charging documents, which refer to Trump as “Individual 1,” described the threats as “vague yet direct,” and accused Tamayo-Torres of posting “numerous” videos “on a near-daily basis” over several months.
In the series of profane videos posted to Facebook, the suspect claimed that Trump kidnapped and sex-trafficked his kids, though it’s unclear whether Tamayo-Torres has children, according to the outlet.
"[Y]ou’re gonna die," the suspect allegedly said in a video posted last week, referring to the president-elect. “[Y]our son’s gonna die. Your whole family is going to die … I’m going to put a hole in your face."
In several of the threat videos, the suspect brandished what "appears to be a white AR-15-style rifle with a 30-round magazine inserted into it."
Feds arrest Manuel Tamayo-Torres of Arizona who allegedly threatened to kill Donald Trump
"(Y)ou're gonna die," he allegedly said in a video he posted. "(Y)our son's gonna die. Your whole family is going to die... I'm going to put a hole in your face."
🔻https://t.co/SfX3UBi7zV pic.twitter.com/0ATXu5GFBa— Blue Owl (@BlueOwlHoots) November 29, 2024
Torres even filmed one of his videos from outside of a Trump rally in Arizona, making crude comments about his children.
The suspect had also been charged by federal agents "with making false statements while purchasing a firearm after he allegedly lied on federal forms last year."
He had indicated on the form required to purchase the firearm that he had not been convicted of a felony, when in fact he had, in 2003.
According to court documents, evidence showed that the man owned several firearms.
Thank goodness he was captured before he tried something stupid that could have put Trump and his family in grave danger.
Prince Johnson, the African rebel warlord who infamously tortured Liberia's former president to death and later became a powerful senator, has died. He was 72.
Notorious for his brutality, Johnson was seen sipping beer while his forces sliced off President Samiel Doe's ear in a video that was broadcast to the world.
Johnson's forces captured, tortured, and executed Doe in September 1990, plunging Liberia into years of civil war that killed 250,000.
In December 1989, Johnson allied with rebel leader Charles Taylor to overthrow Doe, launching what became the First Liberian Civil War.
The war ended in 1997 with Taylor as president of Liberia. Johnson broke with Taylor during the war and fled to neighboring Nigeria, where Johnson remained for 12 years.
Johnson converted to Christianity and returned to Liberia after the Second Liberian Civil War, which culminated in Taylor going into exile.
Eventually, Taylor was convicted of crimes against humanity by the Sierra Leone Tribunal and sentenced to 50 years in prison, but Jonhson's post-war life followed a different course.
He became an influential politician in Liberia, winning election to the senate in 2006.
While accused of war crimes by the post-war Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Johnson never faced trial. He died at a local hospital in Paynesville, a suburb of the capital Monrovia.
President Joseph Boakai, an ally of Johnson, called him a "figure who played a pivotal role in Liberia's complex historical evolution and contributed to national discourse through his service in the Senate."
In 2011, Johnson ran for the presidency and placed third. He had insisted he was a changed man, but he defended his actions during the civil war as a justified response to Doe's repression.
Doe had ruled Liberia with an iron fist and was known for showing favoritism towards his tribe, the Krahns.
"I cannot be sued. I have done nothing criminal... I fought to defend my country, my people who were led to the slaughterhouse, as if they were chickens and goats, by the Doe regime," Johnson said in 2011.
"There are circumstances that change people, that regenerate them... I have changed, my action proves it. See the enormous support I have in the country."
In 2021, the Biden administration sanctioned Johnson for his role in an alleged multi-million dollar pay-to-play scheme, as well as selling votes for money.
A scramble has begun for J.D. Vance’s Senate seat as the vice-president elect prepares to join the second Trump administration.
Whoever Republican governor Mike DeWine appoints will serve until a special election in 2026, which will decide who serves the remainder of Vance’s term. Another election will then follow in 2028 for a new six-year term.
The list of candidates includes Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, former Ohio Republican chair Jane Timken, and state senator Matt Dolan, who all ran unsuccessfully for Senate seats in either 2022 or 2024.
Some new possible contenders include Ohio Attorney General David Yost, Congressman Mike Carey and attorney Mehek Cooke, who was a Trump 2024 surrogate.
Although floated for the Senate role, Vivek Ramaswamy confirmed he isn't seeking the job after being tapped to co-lead "DOGE" with Elon Musk.
Trump has turned Ohio, a former swing state, solidly red over the last few election cycles since his first presidential run. This year, he won the state by double digits and helped Republican Bernie Moreno defeat incumbent senator Sherrod Brown (D).
Despite Ohio’s shift to the right, special elections can sometimes be unpredictable. Whoever DeWine picks will have to ensure Democrats do not claw back power in a state where they have recently been shut out.
“It has to be someone who could win a primary. It has to be somebody who could win a general election, and then two years later, do it all again,” DeWine said. “So this is not for the fainthearted. This is not for someone who just wants a seat.”
Vance was elected to the Senate just two years ago after winning a contentious and crowded primary with help from Trump, who gave Vance a crucial endorsement. The field of candidates that year included Matt Dolan and Jane Timken.
Trump has previously endorsed several of the candidates currently vying to replace Vance, with the notable exception of Dolan, who ran as a moderate and anti-Trump Republican in 2022 and 2024.
DeWine, an establishment Republican, endorsed Dolan this year against Bernie Moreno. DeWine also did not endorse Trump in 2024.
With DeWine playing gatekeeper, it's not guaranteed that his choice for Vance's seat will have the same MAGA pedigree. Trump will want not just any Republican, but someone who is loyal to him and his agenda.
“We’re not expecting someone to be appointed who is as ideologically connected to President Trump’s agenda as JD was, but there is an expectation that whoever gets it is broadly supportive of his policies, and publicly supporting his Cabinet nominees should be a given for anyone who wants the job,” a Trump operative told NBC.
While DeWine will get first dibs, there's still a primary coming up in 2026 for the seat. Trump was the kingmaker for the last two Senate races in the state, and it's a role he could play again.
As Donald Trump prepares for a historic return to Washington D.C., many are crediting his low-key son Barron as the "secret weapon" to the president-elect's success.
Barron has long been kept out of the political spotlight, with his father first entering the White House when Barron was just a child. Like his mother Melania, he is seen as an enigmatic and silent figure, creating intrigue about his private life and aspirations.
As Barron continues to maintain a low profile, he has been credited with helping to make his father "cool" among young voters who put him over the top in the election.
The college freshman is studying business at New York University, where he is commuting to class from his family's Trump Tower residence.
"It's Barron's mystique that does it," one social media user wrote of his appeal. Another added: "Barron is his dad's secret weapon. He helped him win the votes."
In particular, Barron has been praised for connecting his 78-year-old father with popular "bro" podcasters like Joe Rogan.
"Recognizing the growing influence of online media on younger voters, Barron recommended that his dad embrace new forms of communication, that his dad went on popular podcasts and shows that would resonate with Gen Z and millennial audiences," a source told the Irish Star.
The mounting public interest in Barron comes as his father's approval ratings have surged - with many labeling President-elect Trump "cool" as his famous "Trump dance" is widely adopted in popular culture.
The pro-Trump culture shift has also impacted Barron's popularity, as TikTok remixes featuring a young Slovenian-accented Barron take the internet by storm.
Barron's sister-in-law Lara Trump, the wife of his half-brother Eric, called Barron a significant influence on his father during a recent interview.
“He’s so cool. That’s like the one word I’d use for Barron. He’s very cool. He’s like the sleeper a little bit. He’s kind of stayed out of the spotlight, probably intentionally," she said.
During the campaign, Barron would offer his own ideas on how his father could get votes, Lara said, piling praise on the young, reserved man - who bears a striking resemblance to his father.
“He’s always throwing ideas out there,” Lara said. “We’ve got to give Barron some serious credit.”
"He’s his father’s son, there’s no doubt about it, and he’s going to do really incredible things.”
Joe Biden has pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey for the final time, marking another "last" for the lame duck as his presidency nears its sad end.
The New York Post noted the "unusually somber" tone of the event, which is traditionally known for levity, as Biden shared his gratitude for the time he served in office.
The 82-year-old president pardoned two Minnesota turkeys named Peach and Blossom, who will live out their days at Farmamerica — Minnesota Agricultural Interpretive Center.
Peach, Biden quipped, lives by the motto "keep calm and gobble on" while Blossom follows the mantra, "No foul play, just Minnesota Nice.”
"Based on your temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon Peach and Blossom!” Biden said to applause.
While Biden came equipped with the usual jokes expected during the annual event, he struck a wistful note as he acknowledged the coming end of his time in office.
“Let me close on a more serious note,” Biden said.
“This event marks the official start of the holiday season here in Washington. It’s also my last time to speak here as your president during this season and give thanks and gratitude. So let me say to you, it’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful.”
Many have questioned whether Biden will pardon his son, Hunter, who was convicted on felony gun charges this year and pled guilty to tax offenses in a case that touched on his family's influence peddling.
The White House has said that Biden will not give his son a break, which would likely be perceived as unethical - but Biden also doesn't have much to lose, at this point.
Biden's plans for re-election were upended in June when his performance in a presidential debate set off alarms in his own party about his cognitive health. After weeks of resistance, Biden gave in to pressure from Democrats to forgo a second term.
Since then, Biden has been blamed by many Democrats for sabotaging the party's efforts to defeat Donald Trump - who won a historic second term after beating vice president Kamala Harris in a landslide.
Despite his bitter rivalry with Biden, President-elect Trump has not ruled out pardoning Hunter Biden as a gesture of goodwill.
“There’s no question about it, he’s been a bad boy. All you had to do is see the laptop from hell. But I happen to think it’s very bad for our country,” Trump added.
The Philippines is on edge after the vice president threatened to have the head of state and First Lady both assassinated in a shocking power struggle.
Vice president Sara Duterte could face criminal charges for the brazen, public threat - which she said was not a joke - and which led to a surge in protection around President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos.
“That criminal plot should not be allowed to pass,” President Marcos said in a televised statement. “I’ll fight it.”
"As a democratic country, we need to uphold the rule of law,” Marcos said.
The Philippines votes separately for the president and vice president, but Marcos Jr. and Duterte ran together on the same ticket in 2022. However, they have since spiraled into a feud that escalated sharply over the weekend, as Duterte openly called for her rival's assassination.
During an online press conference, Duterte intimated that there is a plot against her life after Marcos and his allies detained her chief of staff over an inquiry into the vice president's alleged misuse of funds.
Duterte warned that she has given orders to seek revenge if she is killed against Marcos - known by the initials BBM - and his family, including his cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
"Don’t worry about my security because I’ve talked with somebody. I said ‘if I’m killed, you’ll kill BBM, Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez. No joke, no joke,’” the vice president said.
"I’ve given my order, ‘If I die, don’t stop until you’ve killed them.’ And he said, ’yes,’” the vice president said.
Duterte had served in Marcos Jr.'s Cabinet but resigned from her position in June as tensions escalated.
The nation's justice department has opened a probe, labeling Duterte the "self-confessed mastermind" of a "premeditated plot to assassinate the president."
“We have to maintain order in a civilized society by adherence to the rule of law and we will apply the full strength and force of the law on this,” Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said.
Sara Duterte is the daughter of Marcos' predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who was known for his tough image and support of extra-judicial killings of criminals. President Marcos is the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the Philippines for two decades.
Duterte's father is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for extra-judicial killings that occurred under his rule from 2016 to 2022.
Legal fallout from the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots is still unfolding in courts across the country, but one particular case involving Rep. Nancy Pelosi's stolen laptop recently took a turn.
According to a CBS affiliate, a lawyer for Riley Williams, who has been jailed since 2023 after being hit with six charges related to her alleged involvement in the Capitol protest, pointed out that even though she's been acquitted of stealing the lawmaker's laptop, the government hasn't made any efforts to change the media narrative.
Williams has been continually blasted by most of the establishment media as a major player in the J6 Capitol protests, and was originally charged with the theft of Pelosi's laptop.
The FBI recently confirmed that it had a new suspect in the stolen laptop case, according to reports.
It's been three years since the events of that day unfolded, but just last week, the FBI announced that a man called David Slinker, from Kentucky, is the new suspect in the case of Pelosi's stolen laptop computer.
Williams' attorney, Lori Ulrich, blasted the U.S. government for not making much in the way of efforts to clear her client from being the suspect in the laptop case.
The government had every reason to believe soon after January 2021 she did not take the computer," Ulrich said. "But they never changed the narrative in the media."
The CBS outlet noted:
Williams, who was convicted on six other stemming from her involvement in the Capitol storming, has been in prison since 2023. Throughout the process, Ulrich felt her client was guilty until proven innocent.
"She was treated like she had stole the computer," the lawyer said, adding that her client "never had the laptop."
"Where it actually went, we don't know," Ulrich continued.
One of the investigators behind the case, Matthew Schappell, said after reviewing mountains of video evidence, there wasn't any indication that Williams ever had the laptop on her person or in her bag as she left the building.
"I saw her at the building on video," Schappell said. "There were no indications that she had a laptop in her person, in her purse. Nothing to indicate she was carrying a laptop."
Like many others who took part in the J6 protests and were eventually imprisoned or charged, they're hoping President-elect Donald Trump will come through on a previous vow to consider issuing pardons.
Some believe he'll issue the pardons on a case-by-case basis. Only time will tell.
Legal cases from the Jan. 6 Capitol protest and riot are still playing out, but some of the aspects of that day that flew under the radar are now resurfacing, including the theft of Rep. Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) laptop.
According to reports, a woman called Riley Williams was the first person accused of stealing Pelosi's laptop from the U.S. Capitol on that day, but was later fully acquitted.
However, her lawyer says that the U.S. government under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hasn't done much in the way of correcting the narrative about his client.
Just last week, the FBI announced that it has a new suspect regarding the theft of Pelosi's laptop.
Like many J6 participants, Williams has spent an insane amount of time in prison while her lawyer argued that it truly felt like she was "guilty until proven innocent."
She was charged with six other charges, originally with the laptop theft, but was later acquitted of that particular charge.
"She was treated like she had stole the computer," Williams' attorney Lori Ulrich said.
"The government had every reason to believe soon after January 2021 she did not take the computer," Ulrich said. "But they never changed the narrative in the media."
The accusation comes after Harrisburg woman Riley Williams was previously charged with stealing the laptop, only to be acquitted of the charges related to the theft in March of 2023.https://t.co/6Gy7FMywto
— CBS 21 News (@CBS21NEWS) November 16, 2024
A local CBS affiliate noted:
The legal team acknowledged that Riley was inside the Capitol on January 6th and entered Speaker Pelosi's office, but they maintained a firm stance on the laptop charge.
The team spent hundreds of hours reviewing security tapes and CCTV from the Capitol riot, finding video proof that Williams left the office without Pelosi's computer.
"I saw her at the building on video," said investigator Matthew Schappell. "There were no indications that she had a laptop in her person, in her purse. Nothing to indicate she was carrying a laptop."
The media relentlessly attacked Williams even after she was acquitted of the laptop charge.
There was also a movement to have Williams released on a "compassionate release" condition from a "Covid infested" jail cell, but it never panned out.
The FBI named Kentucky man David Slinker as the new suspect in the theft of Pelosi's laptop.
While Democrats try to find out how to move on from their 2024 disaster, a former Obama speechwriter is offering some surprising advice: don't ditch celebrities.
President-elect Trump's historic comeback victory has been hailed as marking the end of the Obama era - as Democrats have been left leaderless and at each other's throats.
It wasn't just Obama who lost - Trump dealt a blow to the influence of big stars like Taylor Swift and Oprah, who offered Harris their endorsements to no avail.
The Harris campaign spent millions on glitzy events, but the spectacle failed to move voters and may have even backfired.
Indeed, the popular view is that Harris lost because the Democrats have become too "woke" and out of touch with ordinary people.
But Obama speechwriter David Litt argues that celebrities can still be useful - to drive turnout in midterm races.
“These nonpresidential elections are often decided by ‘differential turnout.’ The party that gets more of its base to the polls has a big advantage — which means that celebrity endorsements can provide a decisive boost,” he said.
Democrats have been locked out of power in D.C. until 2026, at least, after Trump won the presidency and the popular vote while helping Republicans take back the Senate.
In his column, Litt argued it would be a mistake for Democrats to give up their traditional advantage when it comes to celebrities.
“As Democrats stare into the political abyss, they can voluntarily cede their advantage in celebrity support to Donald Trump and the GOP,” he said.
“Or they can use that advantage to boost turnout in nonpresidential races, broaden a shrinking coalition, and reach politically unengaged voters. Given the likely consequences of the 2024 election, it’s hard to overstate how much depends on Democrats making the right choice,” he said.
Litt also recommended that Democrats try to expand their coalition by targeting cultural spheres typically coded as Republican, like NASCAR and country music.
"Can the next wave of Democratic candidates augment their typical enthusiasm from Hollywood with supporters from surprising places: country music; NASCAR; the tech bro-sphere; or the unapologetically masculine, politically incorrect corners of hip-hop and comedy? The future of the party, and possibly the country, may hinge on the answer," he wrote.
This is wishful thinking, to put it mildly. How are Democrats going to win over NASCAR fans and "bros" after years of PC, woke garbage and demonizing rural America at every turn?
At the end of the day, Litt's analysis is as good as anyone else's. Democrats are going to have to dig deeper than this if they want to get out of the ditch they are in.
They have lost touch with America, full stop. There is simply no substitute for authenticity - and Trump has that in spades.