Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were assassinated over the weekend in what appears to be a politically motivated killing, sending shockwaves across the state and nation.
According to Fox 9, President Donald Trump reacted quickly to the devastating and scary news of their deaths, saying
"such horrific violence will not be tolerated."
The same suspect also shot state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who are both expected to survive.
The president released a full statement after the murders were confirmed, vowing to have his DOJ get to the bottom of what happened and how to prevent it from happening in the future.
The president assured the public that his top people would be on the case until it's resolved.
"I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers. Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law.
He added, "Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place."
For her part, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the FBI was on the ground where the lawmakers were murdered, working with state and local law enforcement, saying she's "closely monitoring" the situation.
She added, "This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The outlet added:
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said, "The FBI is fully engaged on the ground in Minnesota and is working in collaboration with our local and state partners."
Vance Boelter was named as the suspect in the killing/shootings and was caught just a few days later and charged.
Vance Luther Boelter has formally been charged.
Bail set at $5M.
4 counts of 2nd Degree of Můrdęr WITH Intent NOT Premeditated.
The Statement of Probable Cause confirms that he was dressed as a Police Officer and had identified himself as one.
How is that not Premeditated!?! pic.twitter.com/F3tNwHaYfb
— Southern FFA Family (@FFAFamily) June 16, 2025
Many are claiming that there's much more to this story, given some of the oddities surrounding the suspect.
Only time will tell where it goes.
President Donald Trump has never made a secret of his disdain for what he views as green energy boondoggles, and he recently underscored that point during a signing event at the White House.
As The Hill reports, as part of remarks made while signing measures designed to reverse California's electric vehicle mandate, Trump vowed not to approve any expansion of wind energy generation outside of emergency scenarios.
The president held little back when discussing what he sees as the highly detrimental effects of wind energy production initiatives, not just in terms of its limited viability, but also with regard to its aesthetic and environmental consequences.
He declared, “We're not going to let windmills get built because we're not going to destroy our country any further than it's already been destroyed.”
Touching on the proliferation in wind farms seen in recent years all across the country, Trump continued, “You go and look at these beautiful plans and valleys, and they're loaded up with this garbage that gets worse and worse looking with time.”
The president noted that only an exigent scenario of national proportions would be sufficient to change his mind on the subject.
“We're not going to approve windmills unless something happens that's an emergency. I guess it could happen, but we're not doing any of them,” he concluded.
Trump registered his disapproval of wind energy in extensive fashion while on the campaign trail last year, and upon taking office early this year, his new administration took some measured steps to begin curtailing its expansion.
On Jan. 20, Trump issued an executive order placing what was described as a temporary halt to new wind project approvals.
According to the order, onshore wind project development was only slated to be stopped until an assessment of permitting practices could be conducted by the administration.
The language of the order indicated that the assessment would assess the potentially “grave harm” wind projects may cause.
The environmental impact on communities of “defunct and idle windmills” was also a subject slated for review as part of the ordered pause.
No timeline for the aforementioned assessment was provided, and The Hill suggests that no movement on the advancement of any new wind projects appears to be imminent.
Though it remains to be seen whether the administration will hold fast to the president's pledge and prevent wind energy expansion during his term in office, there appears to be little doubt about how he feels about the idea.
An appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump may keep National Guard troops in Los Angeles to quell anti-ICE riots, the BBC reported. California Governor Gavin Newsom had sued over Trump's intervention.
As part of Trump's enforcement efforts, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been rounding up suspected illegal aliens. This has led to widespread protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
The president activated the California National Guard after protests against ICE turned disruptive and violent. Trump sent 4,000 guardsmen and 700 Marines to the affected area over Newsom's opposition.
The governor and others sued the administration, and a federal judge initially blocked the use of the troops. However, Thursday's decision will allow the administration to continue for the time being.
When Newsom got his way in the federal court, he took to X, formerly Twitter, for a victory lap. "BREAKING: The court just confirmed what we all know — the military belongs on the battlefield, not on our city streets," Newsom wrote.
"This win is not just for California, but the nation. It’s a check on a man whose authoritarian tendencies are increasing by the day," the Democratic governor who locked people in their homes during COVID-19 said.
"End the illegal militarization of Los Angeles now, @realDonaldTrump. History is watching," Newsom warned. He shared a copy of the legal notice to rub it in.
BREAKING: The court just confirmed what we all know — the military belongs on the battlefield, not on our city streets.
This win is not just for California, but the nation.
It’s a check on a man whose authoritarian tendencies are increasing by the day.
End the illegal… pic.twitter.com/0YMqvZSN6u
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 13, 2025
Unfortunately for Newsom, it was a short-lived victory as the judge allowed Trump's team time to put together an appeal. The order for the troops will stay in place during the legal battle, at least for now, and Newsom once again looks petty and ridiculous.
The left is losing its mind because Trump activated the National Guard and Marines without consulting Congress. However, Trump invoked the law that allows the federal government to do so when a "rebellion" is taking place and needs to be addressed.
Years after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, Democrats tried to paint Trump as an insurrectionist because a group of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol, according to Fox News. Now they're trying to say that the violence, property damage, and anarchy on Los Angeles city streets do not meet the definition.
For nearly a week, rioters have been shutting down the freeway with demonstrations and committing acts of vandalism. More than 400 arrests have occurred with no signs that the riots are slowing down.
Still, the state's lawsuit objected to Trump's characterization. "At no point in the past three days has there been a rebellion or an insurrection. Nor have these protests risen to the level of protests or riots that Los Angeles and other major cities have seen at points in the past, including in recent years," the legal filing claimed.
It's utter madness that the Democrats will fight Trump on his attempts to stop these riots. It's clear that they serve a purpose for Democrats who seem to celebrate destruction and mayhem, as long as it's their side that's doing it.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem explained that Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) was seen as a threat because he failed to properly identify himself during a dustup Wednesday, Breitbart reported. Noem shared her side on Fox News Channel's The Story on Wednesday.
The situation unfolded when Padilla showed up at a news conference where Noem was speaking and became combative. He disrupted proceedings as she was addressing the anti-ICE riots taking over Los Angeles, Fox News reported.
Padilla "lunged" at the Noem, which forced security to remove the senator from the room and eventually handcuff him. Now, Padilla is complaining about how he was manhandled, but Noem set the record straight while speaking to host Martha MacCallum.
"This man burst into the room, started lunging towards the podium, interrupting me and elevating his voice and was stopped, did not identify himself and was removed from the room. So as soon as he identified himself, appropriate actions were taken," Noem explained.
Padilla can be heard yelling his name and political office, but only as he's being ushered out of the room. "If he would have requested a meeting, I would have loved to have sat down and had a conversation with him," Noem said.
"Coming into a press conference like this is political theater. It’s wrong, and it does a disservice to this country and the people who live here," she charged.
Noem explained that he was forceful and belligerent, which likely spooked security personnel. "People tried to stop him from interrupting the press conference," Noem said.
"He refused and continued to lunge towards the podium. And that is when he was removed from the room. So the way that he acted was completely inappropriate. It wasn’t becoming of a U.S. Senator or a public official," Noem said.
As a lawmaker, Padilla should understand the boundaries around a fellow official and how security might treat someone acting as he did. Instead, the senator has begun to "cash in," as a separate Fox News report called it.
Padilla, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-NY), and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) each used the incident as a fundraising tool in emails sent to donors on Friday. Padilla said that how they treated him was exactly how they'll treat the salt of the earth illegal immigrants.
Schiff gushed that Padilla is "one of the most decent people I know." The DNC, of course, claimed this was more "steps toward authoritarianism" under President Donald Trump.
However, they all failed to mention the important fact that Padilla only identified himself once security got hold of him and were already escorting him out. This was a manufactured incident orchestrated for exactly the kind of publicity he's getting now.
The people working Noem's security detail did exactly as they should have with a perceived threat. Whether or not Padilla identified himself in a timely manner, he was acting in a way that was threatening and unhinged.
The U.S. authorized voluntary evacuations of the embassy in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East on Wednesday as tensions with Iran continue to simmer, Breitbart reported. Diplomats, their families, and dependents are headed back to the U.S. as a nuclear deal stalls.
The action primarily affects personnel and their families in Bahrain, while no such order has been issued for the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. This is happening as President Donald Trump attempts to broker a deal with Iran over its nuclear capabilities.
The government message was shared to X, formerly Twitter, by news correspondent Daniel Cohen with an ominous message. "Monitoring a potential escalation with Iran. The U.S. has ordered nonessential staff to leave the Baghdad Embassy. Not insignificant..." he wrote.
Monitoring a potential escalation with Iran. The U.S. has ordered nonessential staff to leave the Baghdad Embassy. Not insignificant.
The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain - home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th fleet - says rumors about reduction of staff or a change of posture in any way is… pic.twitter.com/i5VINT6nfk— Daniel Cohen (@DanielCohenTV) June 12, 2025
The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran is complicated by Israel's involvement in the situation. The nation is at war with Iranian-backed Hamas and has been the target of ballistic attacks from Iran.
Trump has asked Israel to hold its fire against Iran while the talks continue. However, the president has said the U.S. is prepared to take action against Iran if a deal cannot be reached.
However, Israel has already said that it is ready to proceed with attacks on Iran, whether or not the U.S. is on board, NBC News reported. This could bring the U.S. into the conflict as one of Israel's closest allies, even if there's no involvement.
Israel relies heavily on the U.S. for material and intelligence support for its military operations because of an established understanding. Even if the nation acts unilaterally in this situation, it could bring retaliatory attacks down on Americans in the region.
For this reason, the Defense Department is also allowing the voluntary evacuation of families and dependents of U.S. military personnel stationed in the region. It's clear that the U.S. may be bracing for the inevitable in this precarious situation.
Trump is currently in talks with Iran over its nuclear proliferation program. The president is trying to carefully broker a deal that will halt its progress in gaining nuclear capabilities, according to Fox News.
In a House Armed Services Committee Tuesday, General Michael E. Kurilla said he provided Trump with "a range of options" for Iran. However, the outgoing commander of the U.S. Central Command clarified that he was "in all favor of having a negotiated settlement that prevents Iran from getting a nuclear weapon because of the consequences of conflict," hinting at a military solution.
It appears even Trump is concerned with the lack of progress on these talks. "Iran is acting much differently in negotiations than it did just days ago," the president told Bret Baier on Fox News Tuesday.
"Much more aggressive. It’s surprising to me. It’s disappointing, but we are set to meet again tomorrow – we’ll see."
Trump is doing his best to diffuse the situation with Iran and Israel, but it's a bad sign when evacuations are the order of the day. Still, the president is an expert negotiator and notoriously adverse to active war unless completely necessary.
A federal judge refused California Gov. Gavin Newsom's petition to stop President Donald Trump from deploying troops to break up riots in the Golden State, the Daily Caller reported. Trump has been forced to call on the Marines and National Guard as protests against immigration enforcement have turned violent in recent days.
Trump is attempting to restore law and order to Los Angeles while California resists such intervention. A violent mob has been rioting over enforcement measures from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as Los Angeles officials stand by.
California sued in what the Department of Justice called a "legally meritless" case because Trump tried to clean it up. The DOJ contended that denying military intervention would be dangerous to federal law enforcement and Homeland Security.
Tuesday's decision is not final as U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer scheduled a hearing for Thursday to further examine the matter. Bryer refused to grant an emergency block but will hear more testimony from both sides before rendering a verdict, while the chaos continues in Los Angeles.
Rather than containing the riots in Los Angeles, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Trump administration. The president deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to attempt to quell the violent uprising in the city.
The administration was prepared to send an additional 4,000 troops, including U.S. Marines, to address the issue. Newsom and Bonta worry that this is an overreach of the federal government and of Trump's authority.
Trump maintains that Newsom left him no choice. He slammed Newsom in a post to Truth Social Monday, calling him "incompetent" because he was "unable to provide protection" against the "out of control mob of agitators, troublemakers, and/or insurrectionists."
While Newsom complains about Trump's action, the president said he had called Newsom and urged him to "do a better job" to get a handle on the situation. Newsom denies he ever spoke to Trump, claiming, "There was no call. Not even a voicemail."
According to Fox News, the riots began because ICE agents launched raids on illegal immigrants in the sanctuary city. It has sparked off days of looting, rioting, and vandalism that often include anti-American sentiments.
Predictably, Newsom is siding with the criminals. "Instead of focusing on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records and people with final deportation orders, a strategy that both parties have long supported, this administration is pushing mass deportations, indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families regardless of their roots or risk," the governor had claimed.
The governor blames the use of the American military for the escalation. "If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe," Newsom claimed.
However, as Vice President J.D. Vance pointed out, it's Newsom's support for illegal immigration that "allowed Los Angeles to turn into a war zone." In a post to X, Vance charged that Gavin and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass share the goal "to promote mass migration into our country."
These riots have persisted because the leftists in California support the cause of illegal immigrants and don't seem to mind mass destruction. Trump has tried to stop the madness by invoking his power as president, but all the Democrats can do is cry foul.
Police arrested dozens of protesters who descended on New York City's Trump Tower Monday to protest immigration enforcement, Breitbart reported. The New York Police Department told them to leave several times before zip-tying and removing those who refused to vacate the premises.
Several protests sprang up against President Donald Trump's illegal immigration crackdown over the last week. They believe that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should not deport these people who are in the country illegally.
Moreover, they are incensed that these dangerous criminal migrants are being sent to El Salvador's infamous CECOT prison. During the Manhattan protest, many in the crowd chanted, "Bring them back."
As one female protest leader explained, they "are demanding that the administration bring back everyone from CECOT to the United States, release them from ICE custody, return them to their homes and families, and allow them their day in court." Many of the protesters found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
In an effort to break up the event, NYPD played several warnings for what the New York Post called a "mostly grey-haired crowd" of protesters. "This is the New York City Police Department," the audio recording said.
"You are occupying these premises unlawfully and without permission. I am ordering you to leave these premises now," the police warned.
"If you refuse to leave, you may be subject to arrest," the message said. Despite the warnings, people remained, and the police were forced to remove around 24 people who refused to leave the building's lobby.
Police loaded them into vans and escorted them out of the area, though it's unclear whether they will face charges. Footage of the protest and audio recording were shared on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
🚨BREAKING: NYPD just SHUT DOWN an anti-ICE "protest" in Trump Tower and ARRESTED THEM ALL!
"I am ordering you to leave this premises now. If you refuse to leave, you may be SUBJECT TO ARREST."
pic.twitter.com/GYCHQ3tchR— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) June 9, 2025
The protest at Trump Tower was resolved without injury or damage, but the same can't be said everywhere. Anti-ICE protests on the left coast have erupted into their predictable pattern of destruction and anarchy as leftist media once again downplay the situation as they have done before.
According to Fox News, news outlets in Los Angeles are once again sympathizing with the people causing damage and destruction. A local ABC7 Los Angeles anchor, Jory Rand, said these riots were "just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn."
Rather than condemning the rioters, Rand cautioned against pushing back. "It could turn very volatile if you move law enforcement in there in the wrong way, and turn what is just a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn into a massive confrontation and altercation between officers and demonstrators," Rand said.
Reporter Tim Caputo at the scene similarly warned not to "agitate the crowd" by stopping it. "The police presence, the flashbangs, the tear gas, those are provoking the crowd to fire back, but it’s tough because police are not part of the immigration," Caputo said.
A former military PR officer turned podcaster told World Net Daily on Saturday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has many enemies in the DOD who were promoted due to their leftist ideology and plan to just wait him and the Trump administration out.
"There have been some notable restorative changes in the Defense Department under Pete Hegseth's tenure," Dr. Chase Spears said. "But constitutionally minded friends and colleagues of mine still in the force tell me that fear of defending truth remains palpable in the ranks."
As an example, Spears said, "One shared candidly that a left-wing supervisor is openly contemptuous toward the new secretary."
Spears said he had not encountered anything like it in his 20-year military career.
"The defense complex views this as a war and is determined to wait the Trump Administration out," Spears characterized the DOD.
In fact, he added, "Many of the senior officers charged to carry out Hegseth's orders were promoted for their fidelity to leftist ideology."
Spears said he didn't think there was any viable way forward without replacing these leftist officials.
"Trusting generals and colonels who created these problems to help clean them up is unwise at best," Spears said. "It's past time to send the majority of them on their way."
Some of these generals and admirals have shown that they think they are above the law, Spears shared, and that's dangerous.
One of these is Rear Adm. James P. Waters III, who was responsible for denying religious accommodations to soldiers who asked for them in regard to COVID-19 vaccinations.
After being promoted to commander of the Navy Recruiting Command, he blocked the X account of Navy Commander Robert A Green, Jr. from the Navy Recruiting Command's official X account in June 2024.
The action violated federal law in the same way his earlier action violated the Constitution.
"If you refuse to honor a rightful law, Americans have no reason to believe that you'll honor your oath to any other proper authority, Constitution included."
"Admiral Waters, and anyone else still openly violating the law, must be relieved and referred for court-martial charges," Spears suggested. "Anything less sets a dangerous precedent that military officials are above the law."
In addition, he said, "People who believe that, especially those who command well-armed combat formations, historically tend to become extraordinarily dangerous to the people they're charged to protect."
Though their unexpectedly close friendship was once the talk of the political world, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk engaged in a very public falling out last week, during which all sorts of incendiary accusations and threats were made.
However, it seems that Musk is backtracking a bit from one of his most jarring salvos, now stating that he will not decommission his company's Dragon spacecraft -- used by NASA to transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station -- after all, as Breitbart reports.
The feud between Trump and Musk reached a boiling point on Thursday, with the two former allies trading barbs the likes of which few expected.
Musk's discontent appeared to be piqued by the Trump-backed “Big Beautiful Bill” that the tech entrepreneur believes is an irresponsible expansion of America's debt.
The mudslinging ramped up from there, with Musk declaring that Trump's alleged presence in the Jeffrey Epstein files is the reason they have not been released and aligning himself with a social media suggestion that the president deserves impeachment.
Trump responded by flexing his own leverage against Musk, posting on his Truth Social platform, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions of Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”
That remark prompted Musk to write on X, “Go ahead, make my day,” later adding that he would commence the process of decommissioning Dragon -- the only U.S. company currently capable of bringing crews to and from the International Space Station -- as a result.
Whether Musk was serious about his threat regarding Dragon remains unclear, but just hours after the original threat, he indicated in a response to another X post that he would not proceed with the stated plan.
Replying to a commenter who suggested that the powerful men should take a step back and expressed hope that cooler heads might prevail in the worsening rift, Musk said, “Good advice. Ok, we won't decommission Dragon.”
That was not the only sign that Musk may be rethinking his scorched earth approach to the president, with ABC News reporting that he appeared to have deleted some of his most startling posts, including the one that included the aforementioned Epstein allegation.
Additional reporting amid the rift hinted that a phone conversation between Trump and Musk might have been on the cards for Friday, but the White House tamped down such speculation and revealed that no such discussion was planned.
Though Trump did engage in Thursday's social media war of words with Musk and later suggested that the billionaire would face “serious consequences” if he funds Democratic Party challengers to Republicans who support the aforementioned bill, he soon downshifted to a tone of indifference about the former first buddy.
Implying that their once strong association was likely over, Trump said he has little interest in reconciliation with Musk, noting, “I'm really interested in the country and solving problems.”
In a remark that arguably had a note of pity to it, particularly in light of his earlier observation that Musk had “a problem” which some commentators have interpreted as related to drug addiction, Trump added, “I'm not thinking about Elon. I just wish him well.”
FBI Director Kash Patel has revealed that phones belonging to Dr. Anthony Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic response have been recovered, Newsmax reported. Patel said this during Friday's broadcast of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, played a crucial role in coordinating the nation's response to the virus during President Donald Trump's first term. Even five years later, questions about the origins of the virus and the decision-making process for the response persist.
Data from the phones, which were previously missing, could shed light on those issues. "It is of public importance to figure out: Did that guy lie? Did he intentionally mislead the world and cause countless deaths?" Patel told host Joe Rogan. The clip was shared to X, formerly Twitter on Friday.
FBI Director Kash Patel on Dr. Anthony Fauci: “It is of public importance to figure out: Did that guy lie? Did he intentionally mislead the world and cause countless deaths?” pic.twitter.com/QYMtfGOit5
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) June 6, 2025
Patel was excited to share that the devices that could spill Fauci's secrets have been recovered. "We just had a great breakthrough this week on Fauci," Patel shared.
"They had always been looking for phones and devices he used while he was back in Trump one during COVID, and nobody had found it until two days ago," he added. Although this appears to be great news for transparency, Patel carefully managed expectations.
"Everybody listening to us shouldn't jump to the conclusion that everything's in there. Maybe it's deleted, maybe it's not," Patel continued.
"But at least we found it. And at least now we can tell people that we have been looking, because it is of public importance," the FBI director added. Many people, including Trump, believe that Fauci's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic were not entirely above board.
"We think that there was definite foul play, but my opinion is irrelevant. It only matters what I can show the American people and prove," Patel noted.
Republican lawmakers have sought accountability regarding Fauci's role in the pandemic response. Last year, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Fauci should go to jail as his support of gain-of-function research potentially caused "between 10 [million] and 20 million" deaths.
Fauci has denied this, of course, and said during a 2024 House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic that there was no "lab leak" that caused the virus, nor was there a cover-up. Fauci has maintained that his COVID-19 response policies were lifesaving.
If that's true, it's a wonder why former President Joe Biden would bother to grant Fauci a preemptive pardon on his way out of office. According to the Associated Press, Biden granted Fauci a "full and unconditional" pardon all the way back to Jan. 1, 2014.
"These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances," Biden wrote in the pardon.
There is likely more to the story about the origins of COVID-19 and Fauci's role in it, and his phone records may reveal that. In the meantime, it's enough to know that the issue has not been swept under the rug.