The National Rifle Association disagrees with President Donald Trump's Department of Justice in its push to prohibit gender-confused individuals from owning guns following the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last week, the Washington Examiner reported. The gun rights group made it clear that it objects to any limits on the Second Amendment without exception.
The NRA has been supportive of Trump and his agenda, but it is drawing a line in the sand as the DOJ seeks to disarm disturbed individuals like the cross-dressing man who shot schoolchildren during Mass on Aug. 27. "“The NRA supports the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans to purchase, possess, and use firearms," the NRA said in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
"NRA does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping gun bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process. The Second Amendment isn’t up for debate," the organization concluded.
The Second Amendment isn’t up for debate. pic.twitter.com/AQwouV4VDd
— NRA (@NRA) September 5, 2025
The Trump administration is considering restricting gun ownership for transgender individuals "to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms while they are unstable and unwell," one official told the press. The question comes on the heels of a fifth case of a transgender or nonbinary individual committing mass violence against schoolchildren in as many years.
This has opened the door to discussion about taking guns from people who are, by definition, mentally disturbed. "The DOJ is actively evaluating options to prevent the pattern of violence we have seen from individuals with specific mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders," a spokesperson for the Justice Department told the Washington Examiner.
However, Second Amendment advocacy groups are objecting to this as they believe that any excuse to ban guns could eventually result in all Americans losing their rights. Another gun-rights group, Gun Owners of America, is similarly committed to protecting gun rights for everyone, regardless of their mental health status or gender confusion.
"GOA opposes any & all gun bans. Full stop," the group posted to X on Thursday.
Other criticisms of a potential ban cite an unfair prejudice against a minority group, with transgender individuals especially feeling that they have been targeted under Trump. While it's admirable that these groups are concerned about Constitutional rights, there seems to be a growing problem with gender confused shooters.
The New York Times claims that the right is ginning up this ire against transgender people by pointing out the fact that the Assumption Catholic Church shooter, who changed his name from Robert Westman to Robin Westman, struggled with his gender and self-hatred. "I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brainwashed myself," Westman wrote.
The Times pointed out that this line was something conservatives "focused on" too much, as Westman seemed at other times content to indulge in his fantasy of being a girl even amid the uncertainty. "I don’t know if I am a trans girl. It is undeniable that I like how I look in girl clothes. I like thinking about being a girl," he added.
Nashville's Covenant Christian School similarly struggled with her biological reality while claiming to be a man. Although authorities fought legal battles to cover up these inconvenient facts about the shooter, it's clear that the deep-seated conflict about the most fundamental aspect of identity is a red flag that signals how disturbed the person is.
However, activists who fight for transgender rights insist this disorder has nothing to do with the violence and is instead an excuse to target these individuals. "To scapegoat an entire marginalized community in a moment of such intense national grief is wrong, dangerous, and dehumanizing," Human Rights Campaign spokesman Brandon Wolf said.
There's nothing wrong with using this evidence of disordered behavior and mental disturbance to identify people who are a threat to themselves or others. It's understandable that some believe the Second Amendment is sacrosanct, but there may be arguments to be made that some individuals deserve more scrutiny than others when it comes to their right to keep and bear arms.
Ten federal judges complained about the Supreme Court's rulings that cut in favor of President Donald Trump and overturned lower courts' rulings, Fox News reported. The judges, who chose to remain anonymous, were part of a 12-member panel that included both Democratic and Republican appointees.
The judges spoke with NBC News about the spate of rulings that overturn lower courts' decisions when they get to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority, and many attempts to block Trump's agenda have been thwarted once the decision works its way up to Washington, D.C.
These decisions come in the form of emergency rulings, which were previously rare but have become more common as judges repeatedly attempt to undermine the president's agenda. The judges who were asked about this trend stated that they believe it's a criticism of the lower courts and demonstrates disloyalty to their authority.
"It is inexcusable. They don’t have our backs," one of the judges interviewed said of the Supreme Court. However, the president sees it differently, as he has repeatedly warned that federal judges are intentionally chipping away at his agenda with their rulings, rather than examining the laws.
The judges believe that Trump's outspoken criticism of their conduct has led to a dangerous situation. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller indeed stated that rulings blocking Trump's tariffs amounted to a "judicial coup," and the president has repeatedly criticized the judiciary for what he believes is bias against him.
Still, the ominous predictions some made about Trump's habit of freely criticizing them are out of proportion. One judge said that "somebody is going to die" because the Supreme Court has decided to overturn the lower courts' rulings, while another judge claimed they were being "thrown under the bus" by the high court.
"It's almost like the Supreme Court is saying it is a 'judicial coup,'" yet another judge chimed in. Despite these criticisms from the three judges, a fourth, who was an Obama appointee, acknowledged that some of what Trump has said about the lower courts' agenda-driven decisions has merit.
"The whole ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ is a real issue. As a result, judges are mad at what Trump is doing or the manner he is going about things; they are sometimes forgetting to stay in their lane," the judge said.
"Certainly, there is a strong sense in the judiciary among the judges ruling on these cases that the court is leaving them out to dry. They are partially right to feel the way they feel," the fourth judge conceded. Nevertheless, Trump has a point about how the courts are being used against him.
The president believes his agenda has been unfairly attacked using litigation, and it's no secret that his opponents have intentionally filed lawsuits where the court overseeing the matter would reliably rule against him. According to the Washington Examiner, legal experts say it's a practice Democrats and Republicans employ, but it has gone into overdrive during Trump's presidency.
"Many of these lawsuits are being filed in places like California, Washington State, New York, Boston, other courts around the country where I suspect litigants are more likely to get a favorable with those challenging these policies, expect to get a more favorable judge who might be more inclined to rule in their favor," said Zack Smith, Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage foundation and former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Florida. The court will then issue injunctions that apply nationwide, a practice which was halted by the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Trump v. CASA.
During a news briefing in May, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained the extent of the problem. "Nationwide injunctions ordered against the first Trump administration, Trump 1.0, account for more than half of the injunctions issued in this country since 1963. And President Trump had more injunctions in one full month of office, in February, than Joe Biden had in three years," she pointed out at the time. The courts even "prohibited the Trump administration from eliminating federal funding for child transgender surgery and mutilation, a practice that the American people overwhelmingly reject."
The Supreme Court is meant to be a stopgap against rogue judges, and it appears that's precisely what it has been doing. The federal judges who were asked about this practice are incensed about being overruled by the high court because they have been caught in the act and stopped from carrying out this cynical mission. Even if they don't like it, this is precisely how the judiciary is supposed to work.
A top priority for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a renewed focus on the U.S. military's warfighting capabilities and warrior ethos, paired with the rollback or elimination of extraneous and unnecessary ideals and programs that detract from these efforts.
That includes the recent cancellation of the U.S. Army's Command Assessment Program, which factored in potential social biases and psychological evaluations over merit and performance in the consideration of candidates for command positions, according to Fox News.
The secretary declared "Good riddance" to the news that the generally unpopular feelings-over-facts Biden-era program had been ended.
First rolled out across the Army in 2020 and more broadly implemented thereafter, per Fox News, CAP was intended to reduce "conscious and subconscious biases" and utilize "peer assessments and behavioral analysis" when selecting candidates for promotion to command positions.
The program was finally made official in January 2025 by former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, just days before President Donald Trump took office, after which she was replaced by current Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
In August, Driscoll paused CAP and conducted a review of the new promotion program that ultimately led to its elimination.
In reaction to the news that CAP had been cancelled, Defense Secretary Hegseth wrote on X, "Good riddance. Promotions across @DeptofDefense will ONLY be based on merit & performance."
His post included a screenshot of a Military Times article on the subject that was headlined: "Army cancels Biden-era promotion program aimed at eliminating bias."
The article noted that CAP "relied heavily on peer evaluations and behavioral analysis" in the selection process for promotions, rather than the prior system that focused on a "series of performance factors," and further highlighted that a "stated goal" of the program was "protecting minorities from bias."
According to a doctrinal document on CAP published in January, "The battery of psychometric assessments employs several different instruments to measure cognitive capacity, emotional intelligence, conscientiousness, self-awareness, and other behavioral traits."
The document also admitted that the promotion selection process was subjective instead of objective, as it acknowledged, "Though not completely hidden, assessing intellect through casual observation is highly subjective and contextual."
The Military Times reported that while CAP was heralded by Army leadership during its brief run under former President Biden, it was not particularly popular with the troops and led to a reduction in officer candidates seeking promotions.
Indeed, in 2024, 54% of Army officers declined to take part in CAP, a record high non-participation rate, as compared to the 40% average in 2019 before the program's introduction.
With CAP scrapped, the Army has now reverted to the previous system known as the Centralized Selection Board/List, or CSL, which primarily focuses on candidates' merit and performance when under consideration for promotion to a command position.
President Donald Trump's administration is focused on making America healthy again, and part of that agenda includes prohibiting the use of taxpayer-funded food stamp benefits, more formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to purchase certain junk foods.
On Tuesday, Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had approved a waiver that allowed the state to exclude soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy from the list of foods eligible for SNAP purchases, while adding rotisserie chicken, according to Breitbart.
Louisiana now joins eleven other mostly Republican-led states that have applied for and received such SNAP waivers from the Trump administration to further the broader goal, first introduced during the 2024 campaign season by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to Make Americans Healthy Again.
In a video posted to X on Tuesday, Gov. Landry said, "Good morning, Louisiana. Guess what was in the mail? Got a great postcard from the wonderful Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, my great friend, and this is our SNAP waiver."
He thanked President Trump and Sec. Rollins "for helping make Louisiana healthy again," and noted that "SNAP beneficiaries are more likely to have higher rates of obesity. That creates a greater risk for chronic diseases."
"We want to make Louisianans healthy, so you will no longer be able to buy sugary candy, energy drinks, or soft drinks -- no more soda pop -- on food stamps," the governor continued. "But guess what? We're adding rotisserie chicken."
"We want all of Louisiana to be healthy, and our welfare programs are supposed to be a hand up, not a candy out," Landry added, as he once again thanked the president and secretary for approving the state's requested waiver.
The waiver approval letter from Sec. Rollins, dated August 4, explained that the waiver to exclude certain junk foods from SNAP eligibility in Louisiana would take effect in January 2026 and be good for two years, while also noting that it was a "novel design" that would be monitored and evaluated as a possible model to be implemented nationwide.
An attached summary of the waiver also provided definitions of what constituted and was exempted from the terms "soft drinks," "energy drinks," and "candy," along with other terms and conditions of the agreement.
At the time that letter was signed, HHS Sec. Kennedy issued a press release to celebrate the approval of SNAP eligibility waivers to exclude certain junk foods for not just Louisiana, but also Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, which joined six other states that had received similar approvals earlier in the year, including Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and Utah.
In that August press release, Sec. Kennedy said, "For years, SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy -- products that fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics."
"These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health," he added. "I thank these governors who have stepped up to request waivers, and I encourage others to follow their lead. This is how we Make America Healthy Again."
Sec. Rollins said at that time, "It is incredible to see so many states take action at this critical moment in our nation’s history and do something to begin to address chronic health problems."
"President Trump has changed the status quo, and the entire cabinet is taking action to Make America Healthy Again," she added. "At USDA, we play a key role in supporting Americans who fall on hard times, and that commitment does not change. Rather, these state waivers promote healthier options for families in need."
An award-winning actor who previously worked alongside major Hollywood stars like Kevin Costner and Tom Hanks has passed away.
Graham Greene, who co-starred in Costner's "Dances With Wolves" and Hanks' "The Green Mile," died on Monday at a hospital in Toronto, Canada, at the age of 73, according to the New York Post.
The Canadian-born Native American, who "stumbled into" acting after first working in several other trades, excelled at the craft, has been nominated for and won dozens of awards, and was honored recently with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
A representative for Greene confirmed to the Post that the actor died on Monday at a Toronto hospital with his wife of several decades, Hilary Blackmore, at his side, and leaves behind her along with his daughter, Lilly Lazare-Greene, and his grandson, Talo.
The rep described Greene as "a man of high moral character who will be missed," and noted that he was "finally free" of the unspecified "lengthy illness" he'd been battling.
He was born in 1952 in Ohsweken, part of Canada’s Six Nations Reserve, and though he would go on to have a prolific decades-long career in theater and Hollywood, acting was not his first calling for how to make a living.
In a 2018 interview with Reader's Digest Canada, when asked what he'd be doing if he wasn't an actor, Greene replied, "I’d probably be a welder. I started out as a carpenter, a welder, a draftsman, a carpet layer, a roadie, and an audio tech."
"I stumbled into acting, and I thought, These people keep me in the shade, give me food and water, take me over to where I say what I’m supposed to say, then they take me back," he added. "Wow -- this is the life of a dog!"
According to Greene's IMDb page, he has 188 credited appearances as an actor in movies, TV shows, and video games that date from the late 1970s through this year, including several projects at various stages of production that have not yet been released.
His most notable appearance was as "Kicking Bird" in 1990's "Dances With Wolves," in which he co-starred alongside Costner, and for which he was nominated for an Academy Award as the Best Supporting Actor in the film that otherwise had a total of 12 nominations and won seven Oscars overall.
Another memorable role came in 1999 as death row inmate "Arlen Bitterbuck" in the Hanks film "The Green Mile," as well as "Joseph" in the 1994 film "Maverick" that starred Mel Gibson and Jody Foster.
Often, though not always, Greene portrayed Native American characters in the dozens of movies and TV shows he appeared in over the years, and his acting abilities earned him several prestigious awards and nominations for his work in that regard, per his IMDb page.
In total, Greene boasted 22 wins and 18 nominations for various honors, including a Grammy Award for a spoken word album for children.
In 2021, the actor was further honored for his entire body of work with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
Special prosecutor Robert Mueller, 81, who headed the investigation into Trump-Russia collusion after the election of President Donald Trump in 2016, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2021 and won't be able to testify about federal involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein case, according to his family.
“Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the summer of 2021,” Mueller’s family said in a statement to the New York Times on Sunday.
“He retired from the practice of law at the end of that year. He taught at his law school alma mater during the fall of both 2021 and 2022, and he retired at the end of 2022. His family asks that his privacy be respected,” the statement said.
Mueller handled the Epstein case during his tenure as FBI director from 2001 until 2013. He was expected to appear on Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee and answer questions about his handling of the case.
Mueller has had trouble moving and speaking recently, which is why he is apparently unable to testify.
The Parkinson's diagnosis might answer a lot of questions about why Mueller seemed so disoriented and stumbling when he testified before the House Intelligence Committee for three hours in 2019.
“I was surprised that Mr. Mueller was so disoriented,” Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) told the New York Post after his testimony.
“He was unable to answer some basic questions, which really surprised me,” she said.
Parkinson's Disease usually affects people over the age of 60. It causes tremors, slowness, and speech difficulties, and there is no cure.
Symptoms of the disease can be managed with medications and other therapies, but it is progressive and usually gets worse over time.
After the statement from Mueller's family, the committee withdrew its subpoena for Mueller to testify.
"We've learned that Mr. Mueller has health issues that preclude him from being able to testify. The Committee has withdrawn its subpoena," a committee aide said in a statement.
Mueller was only one of many high-profile witnesses from which the committee sought testimony.
Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee James Comer (R-KY) has also brought in ex-FBI Director James Comey, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, and former Attorneys General Eric Holder Jr., Merrick Garland, Alberto Gonzales, Jeff Sessions and William Barr to testify about their involvement in the Epstein case.
The sports world is mourning a gridiron legend whose sports career brought him praise from some of the game’s greatest names.
As the Tuscaloosa News reports, Lee Roy Jordan, a standout linebacker for the Alabama Crimson Tide as well as the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, has died at the age of 84.
Jordan’s death was confirmed by the University of Alabama in a post on X which stated, “Rest in Peace to Crimson Tide Legend, Lee Roy Jordan,” describing the athlete as a “champion, a leader, and forever part of Alabama Football history.”
The Dallas Cowboys posted a separate message on X announcing the sad news, writing, “It is with a very heavy heart that we share the passing of Lee Roy Jordan.”
The team added that Jordan was “an inspirational leader of the Cowboys first championship teams” and someone who was “at the core of the Dallas Cowboys ‘Doomsday Defense,’ anchoring the middle linebacker spot for 14 years.”
The Cowboys organization noted that, in addition to his indisputable achievements on the field, Jordan was an admirable force after leaving the world of professional sports.
“His commitment to his community was the centerpiece of his life after retiring in 1976,” the team declared.
Jordan’s college years were marked by his unanimous selection as an All-American back in 1962, having played on Alabama’s 1961 championship squad, which was memorably helmed by legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.
His performance led Bryant to deem him “one of the finest football players the world has ever seen. He never had a bad day, he was 100% every day in practice and in the games.”
After college, Jordan was a first-round draft pick of the Cowboys, going on to play 14 professional seasons.
That era saw Jordan earn five Pro Bowl invitations, a 1972 Super Bowl championship, not to mention a nod as NFC Defensive Player of the Year.
In 1983, Jordan was a College Football Hall of Fame inductee, an honor that followed his 1980 ascension to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as a true leader in the sport that he loved.
As news of Jordan’s passing began to spread, social media lit up with reactions, including sports journalist Skip Bayless’ observation, “Great football player, great man. As hard a hitter as ever played the game. Bear Bryant’s favorite,” and Andrew Bone’s declaration that Jordan “is on the Mount Rushmore of best LBs of all time at Alabama.”
Perhaps most telling, aside from the football laurels Jordan garnered over the course of his career, was Alabama sports commentator Luke Robinson’s tribute honoring the late star as “A man’s man. An awesome player and businessman but better father, grandfather and person all around.”
Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official Dr. Demetre Daskalakis used the woke term "pregnant people" and put "he/his/him" pronouns in the signature line in a resignation letter posted to social media, Fox News reported. Daskalakis was the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases before resigning on Aug. 28 over President Donald Trump's attempt "to erase transgender populations."
One of the many reasons Trump was elected was to restore sanity after the left codified gender madness at all levels of government. This was objectionable to Daskalakis, a doctor and supposed man of science, who submitted his resignation to Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC's Chief Science and Medical Officer, over the policy.
Notably, his letter highlighted the very problems that Trump has been trying to root out. In his diatribe, Daskalakis slammed the administration's use of the CDC "as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health" while supporting anti-science woke nonsense.
My resignation letter from CDC.
Dear Dr. Houry,
I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business.…
— DrDemetre (@dr_demetre) August 27, 2025
It's clear from the letter that Daskalakis did the American people a favor. "I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested," he said in the letter.
"This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough," Daskalakis continued.
"While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people. This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles," the doctor said.
Daskalakis objected to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s scrutiny of the vaccine schedule, which he says will "threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people." In a twist of irony, Daskalakis then goes on to say he has "always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again," while using non-scientific terms for pregnant mothers.
"I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season. Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of 'Making America Healthy Again,'" the doctor lamented before more self congratulations.
As Daskalakis's letter went on, so did the grandstanding as he referenced the shooting at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. The doctor spoke of his own bravery, but insinuated it was about Trump. "I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed," Daskalakis continued.
"For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision," Daskalakis added.
His commitment to these issues was celebrated in a publication dedicated to HIV-positive individuals, where he was featured wearing bondage gear shaped like a pentagram. "Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest," Daskalakis claimed.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis echoed the sentiments of many others who pointed out that "‘trusting the science’ really means following the political science and perpetuating the prevailing narrative," the Florida Republican wrote on social media. "Embracing evidence-based medicine should be the bare minimum for working at the CDC," DeSantis added.
With Deskalakis' departure from the CDC, there is one less woke ideologue who is unfit to serve in the government, and that's a good thing for America. Hopefully, Trump's agenda will drive them all out of the government and allow common sense and real science to prevail in America's vital government agencies.
Ashli Babbitt, the unarmed woman shot by Capitol Police during the riot on January 6, 2021, will receive full military honors at her funeral, the Daily Caller reported. Then-President Joe Biden's administration had denied the privilege to the U.S. Air Force veteran in February 2021 because Babbitt participated in the demonstration.
President Donald Trump's administration is righting the wrongs of its predecessor on many issues. In this case, Babbitt's family will receive a $5 million wrongful death settlement as well as the proper military burial owed to her as a veteran.
According to Fox News, Babbitt was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol police officer as she attempted to enter the building's interior. Three months after the shooting, the officer involved was cleared of any wrongdoing, even though the Air Force veteran was unarmed. Now the family has gotten the settlement it deserves and will receive the closure it needs.
"On behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force, I write to extend the offer for Military Funeral Honors for SrA Ashli Babbitt. After reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect," the undersecretary of the Air Force wrote to Babbitt's husband, Aaron, on Aug. 15, the family's attorneys said.
This outcome is a long time in the making and came only after years of excuses from the government and the media. In an interview with NBC News' anchor Lester Holt, Lt. Michael Byrd, the man who ended Babbitt's life, blamed the dead woman and the chaos of the day for his decision to use deadly force.
He made no apologies, but instead explained that it was one of the few choices he had given the circumstances. "Once we barricaded the doors, we were essentially trapped where we were. There was no way to retreat. No other way to get out," He told Holt.
"If they get through that door, they’re into the House chamber and upon the members of Congress," he added. Byrd said that it was difficult to get information about what was happening outside of the building, and some of what he heard on his radio alarmed him, including an officer reporting that "his fingertips were blown off" by a rioter.
"It was literally broadcast over the air. I said, ‘OK, this is getting serious,'" Byrd said to himself in what would become his justification for using shooting a person who arguably posed no threat. In fact, the settlement reached in July confirms that to be the case as demonstrated by the large payout.
Trump's enemies have held so tightly to the narrative that Jan. 6 was a "deadly" day in Washington, D.C. in an effort to make him and his supporters seem violent and cruel. Even more than four years later and months into Trump's second term, they can't seem to let that go, even with the perspective of time and the facts coming to light about Babbitt's death.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), who participated in the Democratic witch hunt known as the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, continued to smear Babbitt after the settlement was reached. "[Ashli] Babbit dishonored her service by committing insurrection against her country," Kinzinger said.
"While her death is absolutely tragic and I wish it hadn’t happened, the Air Force giving her honors is in itself a dishonor," Kinzinger added. Former Capitol Police Officer Aquilino Gonell trotted out another one of the false narratives of the day by invoking the name of Officer Brian Sicknick, who was originally reported to have been hit by a fire extinguisher but later was found to have died of natural causes, the BBC reported at the time.
Gonnell, who said that Jan. 6 was the "worst day of his life," said that giving Babbitt military honors was disprectful in light of her participation in Jan. 6. "Not to officers, like Brian Sicknick, who served in the Air National Guard, but the member of the mob who stormed the Capitol and put herself and other’s lives in danger. Wtf," Gonnell eloquently wondered.
Biden punished Babbitt's grieving family to further Democrats' cynical agenda to smear Trump and his supporters. Now justice has been served, as they have been compensated for the damages and will have the burial Babbitt deserved.
A new poll shows that President Donald Trump has reached an all-time high in his approval rating, rising from 40% in July to 45% as of August 28, Breitbart reported. Author John Nolte credits this to the president's violent crime crackdown using the National Guard in Washington, D.C., while Democrats move further towards protecting criminals.
As Nolte points out, the poll was conducted by the "far left" news outlet, the Associated Press, which makes his high approval ratings that much more significant. The president has seen an 8% increase in his approval rating on crime, while also making up ground in his handling of the economy.
"The poll also shows that a vast majority of the public agrees with Trump on a number of issues Democrats oppose him on," Nolte wrote. This is great for Trump, as Democrats are forced to take a position that is antithetical to what Americans want simply so they can continue to oppose the Republican president.
AP-NORC POLL - Trump Approval
Approve: 45% (+5)
Disapprove: 53% (-5)Trump's highest approval ever by AP-NORC, including his first term
——
Net Approval
🟢 Crime: +8
🟤 Immigration: -9
🟤 Economy: -11 (was -22)(shift vs July) | 8/21-25 | 1,182 A https://t.co/2fdy0kVLdn pic.twitter.com/1XIa5SVYfm
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) August 27, 2025
The left was apoplectic when Trump announced he was sending in the National Guard to deal with crime in the nation's capital, but Americans seem to like the plan. "While Democrats and their regime media allies assure us violent crime is not a serious problem, the AP-NORC poll found that, 'Two-thirds of the public think crime is a major problem in the country overall and 8 in 10 say it is a major problem in large cities,'" Nolte wrote.
"What’s more, 55 percent, including 30 percent of Democrats and a plurality of 46 percent of Independents, agree that it is 'completely' or 'somewhat acceptable' to use 'the U.S. military and National Guard to assist local police," Nolte added. Notably, Trump enjoys a 53% approval rating on his handling of crime, with only 45% disapproving.
This demonstrates that Trump's tough-on-crime stance is effective for garnering widespread support. "There’s really no question that Trump’s decision to step in and finally do something about the godawful crime in Washington D.C. is what boosted this approval rating," Nolte contends.
"The contrast of Trump’s proactive approach with Democrats and their corporate media allies screaming fascism while arguing there was no serious crime problem was really something. This is such an easy win for Trump," the author went on.
"First off, fighting crime is easy. All you have to do is enforce the law and put criminals in prison. Secondly, fighting crime has been a popular move for politicians going back to the first politicians ever," Nolte wrote. "It’s a no-brainer. Always has been."
Rather than get on board with Trump's plan to clean up America's cities, Democrats have doubled down on their opposition to the president's agenda. "So, the fact that Democrats oppose both fighting crime and jailing violent criminals tells you just how far to the extreme left the party has been pushed by the lunatics in their base, the same lunatics about to elect a full-blown communist as mayor of New York City," Nolte wrote, referring to the appeal of Zohran Mamdani.
Even mainstream Democrats have lost their minds, as demonstrated in a clip Nolte shared of Democrat Rep Jamie Raskin (D-MD) downplaying the impact of violent crime. "In D.C., he was talking about cleaning up the graffiti and dealing with the blight of homelessness, which are obviously local, not federal issues," Raskin said of Trump.
"And he's trying to militarize our society, intimidate his political opponents. The whole idea of picking cities based on their partisan leadership is absurd," Raskin went on. Trump has considered sending the National Guard to other cities plagued by violence, vandalism, and criminal activity, but Raskin believes it's just part of the landscape people must accept if they live there.
"I mean, there are lots of Republican cities and towns struggling with crime. Everybody is across the country, always. Crime has always been part of our history," Raskin said.
Trump is winning over the American people because he's doing so many things Democrats have been unwilling to do, like get serious about crime. In their haste to oppose Trump, Democrats have taken some of the most idiotic positions that seem to suggest that they just don't mind murder and mayhem. This will surely be their undoing.