Former first lady Melania Trump explained in her memoir Melania that she was heartbroken after an institution she banked with for a long time suddenly refused to do business with her family, Florida's Voice News reported. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis shared that this practice is about to be examined.
So-called "debanking," where a bank refuses services to customers on ideological grounds, is becoming a common practice. These institutions are squeezing out clients based on religion, gun ownership, and other views.
The Trump family was famously subject to this, as Melania Trump noted. "I was shocked and dismayed to learn that my longtime bank decided to terminate my account and deny my son the opportunity to open a new one," the former and soon-to-be first lady said.
Now that President-elect Donald Trump is returning to the White House next year, many anticipate renewed scrutiny. Indeed, Patronis vowed to "open up the hood" on these banks.
In a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, Patronis signaled a possible investigation into this brazen discrimination. "I cannot wait to open up the hood on how these federal agencies worked with lending institutions to de-bank Americans," Patronis wrote.
"The unelected bureaucrats who targeted gun owners, Christians, and Trump supporters are going to have a day of reckoning," he added. The problem for the Trump family began shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The Hill reported weeks after the event that several financial institutions cut ties with Donald Trump and his businesses. Florida's Banks United, where Donald Trump held anywhere between $5.1 million and $25.2 million in money market accounts, declined his business.
"We no longer have any depository relationship with him," the institution flatly reported without giving a reason. Professional Bank, another Sunshine State institution, followed suit.
In New York, Signature Bank and Deutsche Bank decided to no longer do business with Donald Trump. The former went so far as to also call on him to resign his then-presidency while the latter was looking to dump $300 million in his loans.
This kind of treatment is not just a problem for the Trup family. It has been cropping up across the financial services industry, including Bank of America, which has garnered a reputation for such actions.
In April, 15 state financial officers from 13 states sent a letter to CEO Brian Moynihan about the company's selective cancellation of accounts based on ideology, Fox News reported. Some of those targeted included Indigenous Advance Ministries, a Christian anti-trafficking organization, and Timothy Two Project International, which trains Christian pastors.
"Americans should never have to worry that their personal financial decisions will be weaponized against them. This practice has become all too common, and banks must urgently course correct to uphold their fiduciary duty and safeguard the constitutional freedoms of Americans," Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball, one of the signors, said in a statement.
The letter claimed that "systemic drivers of religious and political bias may be at work within the company as a whole." Bank of America has pushed back on that claim, but it is just one of several institutions that seem to be quietly doing the same thing.
It's unconscionable for these banks to deny services based on religion or political viewpoint. It seems Patronis and others are about to shed some light on these shady practices, and it's about time.
President-elect Donald Trump told "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker that he plans to start pardoning those convicted of offenses on January 6, 2021 on his first day in office.
Host Kristen Welker said, “I asked the President-elect if he plans to follow through on his campaign promise to pardon those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, including the more than 900 people who pleaded guilty to a crime.”
Trump said, “I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases. But I’m going to be acting very quickly.”
Welker said, “Within your first 100 days, first day?”
Trump said, “First day.”
According to the Justice Department, more than 1,488 defendants in all 50 states and D.C. have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach. 894 defendants have pled guilty, while another 186 who contested the charges have been found guilty.
Of those, 562 were sentenced to serve time in jail for their crimes, while the rest received probation or other sentences that didn't involved jail time.
But all those who pled guilty or were convicted will have a criminal record, which can be limiting when searching for jobs, housing, and other necessities of life.
They may also have their voting rights taken away.
Trump can right these wrongs if he pardons these individuals, many of which were charged with much more serious crimes than they needed to be.
Most of those in the Capitol that day were doing nothing more than simply trespassing, but were made out to be violent or dangerous by the media and Democrats.
Using terms like "insurrectionists" and even "rioters" has turned the whole thing into some sort of attempted coup, which it definitely was not. For most, it was more like a temper tantrum or a curiosity excursion than any kind of concerted attempt to stop electoral count voting or overtake the government.
Trump also reacted to the prison many of them were put in, which reportedly had or has terrible conditions.
"These people have been there. How long has it been? Three or four years, OK? By the way, they’ve been in there for years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open," he told Welker.
President-elect Donald Trump's post-election pace has been a marvel of swiftness, not just in terms of Cabinet picks, but also with regard to his return to active engagement on the world stage.
Strong evidence of Trump's bold reintegration into the ranks of world leaders came on Saturday during his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, with social media users remarking en masse about what many described as his forceful assertion of American dominance after years of liberal control, as Fox News reports.
As NPR noted, Trump received a grand welcome from French President Emmanuel Macron that was full of official pomp and admiration.
Upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, Macron made an intentional display of the close ties between the United States and France, complete with posed photos of handshakes, smiles, and declarations of the “great honor” it was to receive his American counterpart.
“It's a great honor for the French people to welcome you five years later. Welcome back again,” Macron told Trump.
While Macron's words were surely noteworthy, it was a particular handshake between the two men that caught the attention of netizens everywhere.
Trump appeared to take control of the gesture, ensuring that his hand was angled high above Macron's during the exchange of pleasantries, and that move alone sparked a range of reactions from across the Internet.
An X user named George mused of Trump's physicality with the French leader, “President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake.”
“Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him,” he added.
Conservative commentator Drew Hernandez was similarly impressed, noting, “President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I've ever seen. We are so back.”
Writer John Lefevre joked, “The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious. Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practiced and then still got dominated.”
Colin Rugg, another conservative pundit, referenced a previous, awkwardly extended greeting between Trump and Macron that occurred in 2017, saying, “7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanual Macron.”
Macron was not the only notable name with whom Trump engaged during his time in Paris, spending roughly 35 minutes in a joint meeting with the French president and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country's conflict with Russia is one Trump has pledged to help end.
As the BBC noted, Trump also sat down with the Prince of Wales, someone he described as a “good man” who has been doing a “fantastic job” in his role, with Buckingham Palace declaring the discussion “warm and friendly,” in what appears to be a good sign for the special relationship between the U.S. and the U.K.
Rep. Adam Schiff will be sworn into the Senate Monday after resigning from his current House seat, Just the News reported. The California Democrat was elected into the upper chamber in November.
Schiff bested his GOP opponent, Steve Garvey, to win the seat left vacant by the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. "I just cast my last vote as a member of the House of Representatives," Schiff captioned a video message he posted to X, formerly Twitter, Friday.
"To my LA constituents — thank you for the amazing opportunity to serve. And to the people of the whole state of CA, I’m so grateful for your confidence and look forward to all we can get done together," Schiff added.
I just cast my last vote as a member of the House of Representatives.
To my LA constituents — thank you for the amazing opportunity to serve.
And to the people of the whole state of CA, I’m so grateful for your confidence and look forward to all we can get done together! pic.twitter.com/i3TZjUR27p
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 6, 2024
Schiff made a name for himself by going after President-elect Donald Trump during his first term in office. He was a driving force behind the Russia collusion hoax that ultimately fell apart because there was never any truth to it, Fox News reported.
In June 2023, the House passed a 213-209 resolution to censure Schiff for pushing the false narrative that would put Trump under suspicion throughout his 2016 campaign and beyond. Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said Schiff "launched an all-out political campaign built on baseless distortions against a sitting U.S. president" before the vote.
"With access to sensitive information unavailable to most members of Congress and certainly not accessible to the American people, Schiff abused his privileges, claiming to know the truth while leaving Americans in the dark about his web of lies… lies so severe that they altered the course of the country forever." Schiff was the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee at the time of the investigation.
With his usual flair for the dramatic, Schiff thanked his enemies. "To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you. You honor me with your enmity, you flatter me with this falsehood," Schiff said.
"You, who are the authors of a big lie about the last election, must condemn the truth tellers. And I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been effective in the defense of our democracy, and I am grateful," Schiff claimed.
That surly approach was popular enough with his Democratic constituents to get Schiff elected to the Senate. However, he has since taken a more defiant stance against Trump, The Hill reported.
Trump has promised payback for Schiff's malicious pursuit of him, and Schiff is striking a tougher tone against Trump. "Look, I’m not going to be intimidated by anything he says, by anything he does," Schiff said last month on CNN's State of the Union.
"I’m going to do my responsibility in this Senate. Californians are expecting me, first and foremost, to try to work and get things done," Schiff added.
The California Democrat pledged that "where the President wants to engage in unconstitutional abuses of power, just as he did in the first administration, I will defend our state." Apparently, Schiff will continue sparring with Trump as a political strategy.
Schiff is an opportunistic and unscrupulous politician who made his name by getting on the never-Trump bandwagon. He will continue to be so as long as the people of California keep voting for him.
President-elect Donald Trump doubled down on supporting Pete Hegseth as his nominee for defense secretary, Breitbart reported. Trump has stood by Hegseth despite the onslaught of attacks from the left lobbed at the former Fox News host to create controversy.
On Friday, Trump took to his Truth Social to reaffirm his support for Hegseth, which is a victory for conservatives. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe," Trump wrote.
"He was a great student - Princeton/Harvard educated - with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high-energy Secretary of Defense Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" Trump said.
In an earlier social media post, Trump shared New York Post op-ed by Miranda Devine titled "Dems’ attacks on the intelligent, articulate and patriotic Pete Hegseth show why they lost – a salute to Trump’s defense secretary pick." The article seemed to sum up his reasons for the pick.
"The elitist attacks on Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, show exactly why Democrats lost the election in a landslide," Devine began. She noted his many attributes, including that Hegseth is "a graduate of Princeton and Harvard, a combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, with two Bronze Stars," Devine recounted.
She also believes the 44-year-old "is an inspired choice to lead the Pentagon and rid it of the woke poison that has sent recruitment levels down the toilet," a necessary task after the mess of President Joe Biden's administration. Devine noted that military morale suffered because of "the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan" and "the exhibitionistic sexual fetishism" that infiltrated Biden's military.
"He’s a lot better qualified to run the Defense Department than Kamala Harris ever was to be commander-in-chief," Devine noted of Hegseth. She believes most objections come from elitism rather than a real concern about Hegseth's qualifications.
"It’s the same snobbery and elitism that cost Dems the election — not just the Electoral College, the House and the Senate, but the popular vote. The times they are a-changing. Trump has the mandate for change, and he is making the most of it," Devine concluded.
A woman wishing to remain anonymous alleged that Hegseth had raped her in 2017, NBC News reported. The district attorney never pressed charges, noting that there wasn't enough evidence.
Hegseth settled with her despite his claims that their encounter was consensual. Democrats have tried to turn this into a disqualifying event, but they've tried it one too many times.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Wednesday that he was "not going to make any decisions based on an anonymous source," NBC News reported. Graham likened it to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, where Christine Blasey Ford made vague accusations that were completely unsubstantiated.
Hegseth's accuser hasn't even come forward to the public with this issue in the news, ang Graham believes that could be an indication that it might not be true. "I’ve seen this movie before," Graham said.
Trump has made his pick because Hegseth is well-qualified for the job. Even as the left attacks him, Trump remains loyal to his original pick and will likely see him through to his confirmation if Republicans don't cave, and that's a win for his supporters.
President Joe Biden appeared to fall asleep during a meeting with African leaders Wednesday, Breitbart reported. The 82-year-old seemed to nod off for about 80 seconds during a discussion at the three-day summit.
The president was in Angola for a short trip to talk to leaders and pledge $2.5 billion to build railroads through Africa. "Mr. President, I’m coming back to ride on the train all the way from end to end," Biden said to João Lourenço, president of the southern African nation.
"I like trains a lot. So I’m coming back. You’re stuck with me," the president added while still alert.
"Africa has been left behind for much too long. But not anymore. Africa is the future," Biden triumphantly claimed. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm wasn't enough to keep him engaged for long.
Biden is finishing out his one and only term as president, but it appears he's already checked out. During Wednesday's meeting, the president found it difficult to keep his eyes open during a discussion.
On two separate occasions, it appeared that Biden nodded off in his chair as he put his hand over his eyes. The UK Daily Mail noted that Biden's "hand twitched and he dropped something" at one point as well.
Breitbart reporter Wendell Husebo shared a video of the president apparently catnapping at his seat. "Joe Biden appears to fall asleep in the middle of a summit with African leaders," Husebo captioned the video on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday.
Joe Biden appears to fall asleep in the middle of a summit with African leaders
— Wendell Husebø (@WendellHusebo) December 4, 2024
This apparent inability to stay awake has plagued Biden for some time. Shortly before he dropped out of his reelection bid in July, Biden told state governors on a call that he needed more sleep. "I’m fine — I don’t know about my brain, though," the president said.
During the 2020 campaign, President-elect Donald Trump famously conferred the moniker "Sleepy Joe" on Biden. As it seemed Biden lived up to that name last week, the internet was abuzz.
Clay Travis, founder of Outkick, posted about the debacle to X. "Joe Biden fell asleep during a meeting with African leaders today," he wrote.
"He’s sharp as a tack though!" Travis wrote, referring to the way the media described Biden just before he left the presidential race. "Honestly, this feels intentional. Who puts an 82 year old on a plane for a THREE DAY trip to Africa?! Three days! So dumb," Travis said.
Of course, a National Security Council spokesperson came to Biden's defense in an attempt to save face. "The President was awake during the conversation and did not fall asleep. He was simply listening to his counterpart’s remarks."
Biden is an old man who has been struggling for years to keep up with the demands of the job. It's embarrassing that the leader of the free world would appear as anything but alert and engaged when the world is watching, but perhaps that's why Biden won't get a second term.
Breitbart Editor-in-Chief and podcaster Alex Marlow believes President-elect Trump should pardon suspects caught up in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, Breitbart reported. Marlow said this on Tuesday after President Joe Biden announced a presidential pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.
Marlow, host of the "Alex Marlow Show," said Trump must help these people who were unfairly prosecuted. "Donald Trump should pardon every single person and commute the sentences of every person who was involved in January 6," Marlow said.
"It was so overblown, and we need to send a signal that you’re not allowed to do that to the American people," he added. With Joe Biden's recent move to go back on his word about his son, Trump now has yet another mandate.
On Sunday night, Joe Biden issued his son Robert Hunter Biden a "Full and Unconditional Pardon" from his crimes beginning in 2014, the New York Post reported. Hunter Biden was convicted of tax and gun crimes but has yet to be sentenced.
This came after the president had repeatedly insisted he would not do so for his 54-year-old son. Following Hunter Biden's conviction in June, Joe Biden insisted that he was committed to making his son serve whatever sentence he would be given.
"I said I abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him," the president said. When asked if he would commute his son's sentence, Joe Biden again said he would not.
However, Joe Biden's statement this week claimed that his previous promise didn't hold up because his son was "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently … singled out only because he is my son," Biden wrote.
Astonishingly, the president still insisted he didn't lie in his previous statements despite doing exactly what he promised he would never do. "For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth," Joe Biden claimed.
During the campaign, Trump pledged to consider pardons for certain Jan. 6 prisoners and suspects. Joe Biden's clemency for his son now opens the door for the incoming president.
"Biden is doing exactly the wrong thing by pardoning Hunter. This will now give Trump the license to pardon all of his supporters, including those from Jan 6th," Trump's ex-national security adviser John Bolton said on X, formerly Twitter, according to USA Today.
Trump similarly hinted that the pardon served as his permission slip. "Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?" Trump wrote on social media.
"Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!" Trump added. The left has no avenue to object to such a move after Hunter Biden's unearned pardon and the president's lies about doing so.
Understandably, Joe Biden wants his son to stay out of jail. What's wrong is that the president went back on his word about his intention before the election, a lie he likely told because of the political fallout that would come if he simply told the truth.
South Korean actor Park Min-jae died suddenly Friday while on a trip to China, New Delhi Television reported. The 32-year-old actor suffered a cardiac arrest.
Although his career was just beginning, Park Min-Jae clinched many respectable dramatic roles in his native country. His body of work included Call It Love, The Korea-Khitan War, True To Love, Snap And Spark, and Little Women.
A statement from Big Title, the agency that represented Park, noted that the actor did not have a known illness or condition until his sudden death. "A beautiful actor who loved acting and always did his best, Park Min-jae has gone to heaven," the statement said.
"We will no longer be able to see his acting, but we will always remember him with pride," it added. Park received tributes from others who were devastated by the loss.
The actor's brother, Park Jae-hyung, shared information about the star's final sendoff on his Instagram. The funeral was to be held on Wednesday, but it's clear that his family is already mourning him.
"Our beloved brother has gone to rest peacefully. We hope as many people as possible can come to see him off. We kindly ask for your understanding as we are unable to personally contact everyone," the actor's brother wrote in his post.
In a separate post, Hwang Ju Hye, CEO of Big Title, also posted a tribute. "The guy who said he would conquer China and go on a month-long trip has gone on a much longer journey," the executive began.
"It was so sudden and so shocking... The family must be feeling unimaginable sorrow..." Hwang Ju Hye continued.
"Min Jae, there's still so much we wanted to say and do together. I was grateful to have been your representative, even if only for a short time, and I'm deeply sorry. I will never forget the name, Actor Park Min Jae," he concluded. .
The news about the actor's passing comes at a time of upheaval for South Korea. The Associated Press reported that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed martial law on his nation late Tuesday local time.
This marked the first time since 1980 that the nation made such a move. As the military rolled into place around the government buildings, lawmakers sprang into action to reverse the sudden order.
South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik put out a statement on his YouTube asking for a meeting of the government body. He asked law enforcement and military personnel deployed to "remain calm and hold their positions" as he worked it out.
By early Wednesday, the National Assembly vote lifted the order in a unanimous vote among the 190 members who heeded the leader's call. Yoon reportedly initiated the order after the opposition party attempted to impeach members of his cabinet over a budget deal.
The nation was pulled back from the brink, which means life will go on as usual for the people of South Korea. This is good news for all citizens, including those attending a beloved actor's funeral this week.
It's over and done with: President Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter Biden of any crimes he could possibly be charged with from his past actions, as well as granting him clemency from the two convictions he already faced.
All that's left now is to point out the fact that he and his mouthpiece, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, lied to the American people numerous times and said he wouldn't pardon his son--both when he was trying to get re-elected and after he stepped down as the Democrat nominee in 2024.
Jean-Pierre said as far back as July to Fox News reporter Mark Meredith that no pardon would happen.
At the time, the question was hypothetical, but when Hunter was indicted a few weeks later, she doubled down.
"So I've answered this question before. It was asked of me not too long ago — a couple of weeks ago — and I was very clear, and I said no," Jean-Pierre responded.
When nine counts of tax evasion came down from the DOJ, she got a little more vague.
"I mean, the president has said this before, and he will continue to say, which is that he loves his son and supports him as he continues to rebuild his life. And I'm going to be really careful to not comment on this and refer to Department of Justice or my colleagues at the White House counsel. But that's what I'm going to – I'm not going to go beyond telling you all what the president has said over and over again. He's proud of his son, and he is building his life back," Jean-Pierre said.
Going back to June, Biden said in his own words that he wouldn't pardon Hunter and would accept the federal gun trial against him.
Following up, Jean-Pierre said, "Yeah, so, look, as I stated at the top, I don’t have anything to say beyond — to your first question — beyond what the President’s statement was yesterday. He has been very clear. We’ve been very clear. You know, he — he loves his son. And he and the First Lady love their son, and they support their son. I just don’t have anything — certainly anything beyond that."
At the time, Biden was trying to get re-elected and didn't want it to look like he was trying to subvert justice.
In all likelihood, even if he did stay in the race and get re-elected, though, he would have pardoned Hunter anyway.
Hunter was set up on those charges to get the heat off his dad's alleged bribery and payoffs from foreign entities. He was clearly told to let the process play out and that he'd get pardoned at some point.
After all, Hunter knows exactly what his dad did, and could spill the beans if Dad let him hang out to dry.
As the Bidens fade into obscurity, will anyone even remember what the laptop and other witnesses like Tony Bobulinski say he did to the country he claims to have spent half a century serving?
Personal scandals and calls for resignation are par for the course in political life, but a scenario that unfolded in Britain in recent days was especially embarrassing for the individual involved.
As The Guardian reports, Louise Haigh resigned her role as transport secretary in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Cabinet after a past fraud conviction came to light in the press, leaving officials in the U.K. -- as well as in Washington, D.C., -- shocked by the swiftness of developments.
Haigh stepped down from her role on Friday after reports began to circulate that she was convicted of a fraud offense in 2014 stemming from a phone that went missing from her place of employment.
News broke last week that Haigh pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation back in 2014 amid a probe conducted by her former employer into the aforementioned missing phone.
A statement from Haigh indicated that while she was working for the company as a young twenty-something, she was accosted and mugged while out one night, subsequently listing for police the items she believed were taken from her purse, with the work phone among them.
Haigh's company issued her a new phone for work purposes, but when she later found the old one and turned it on, further police questioning ensued.
As Haigh described the situation, “Under the advice of my solicitor, I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain. The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome available.”
The controversy surrounding Haigh is just the latest difficulty to engulf Starmer's Labour government, with a recent online petition calling for a new general election to determine his fate garnering several million signatures, as the BBC notes.
Even so, Starmer's political allies are denying that Haigh's scandal is a reflection of anything broader amiss inside Labour's ranks, with Pat McFadden, chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster, declaring that the situation was handled “very quicky,” as Sky News reported.
Amid a host of other awkward recent revelations, including the receipt of free Taylor Swift tickets, clothing, and other goods for high-powered politicians, McFadden was asked whether his party was “just as tawdry and chaotic” as the opposition.
McFadden said, “I don't accept that for a minute. If you take this Louise Haigh situation, this story came to light, and it was dealt with very quickly.”
“This isn't something that dragged on for weeks. It isn't something where there happened to be endless stories about it before action was taken, and within 24 hours, we have a new transport secretary.”
Haigh is not the only high-ranking member of Starmer's government to experience a shameful public disclosure in recent weeks, with Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, coming under fire for what appeared to be a significant exaggeration in her own work history, as the Daily Mail reports.
Though Reeves' online CV initially boated of her time as an “economist” at the Bank of Scotland, further probing into her background forced her to correct her LinkedIn profile to reflect what was actually her work in “retail banking,” casting further doubt on the honest of those Starmer has chosen to include in his inner circle.