Trump’s Gulf Bonanza

It used to be that only the leaders of smaller, mercantile powers would travel the world with an entourage of businessmen and use their political clout to help them sign deals.

French president Mitterrand turned this into an art form, and his successors have all sought to champion “La Maison France” during diplomatic missions abroad or during the visits of foreign leaders to Paris.

This sometimes led to retrospective embarrassment, such as Prime Minister Jacques Chirac gushing over visiting Iraqi vice president Saddam Hussein in 1975 and taking him on a tour of the Dassault Mirage fighter jet factory and of a French nuclear reactor, before selling the Iraqis both.

Chirac even hosted Saddam to an epic lunch in the hilltop paradise, Les Baux-de-Provence, where the Iraqi pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money to the young men who won a “cockade” bull fight specially staged in his honor. I tell the inside story of French arms sales to Saddam in the first volume of my memoir, And the Rest is History.

So far, the only people embarrassed by Donald Trump’s whirlwind tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates seem to be Democrats in Congress, who have pledged to put a hold on the hundreds of billions of dollars of new arms sales to those countries until Trump “explains” the Qatari offer of a $400 million Boeing jet he can use as Air Force One.

Even former Biden and Obama era officials were grudgingly praising the president for the way he wielded the powers of the presidency, not just in getting more than $1 trillion in investment deals and commercial purchases from the Gulf states, but in conducting diplomacy.

At the suggestion of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Trump held a thirty minute meeting on Wednesday in Riyadh with new Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa, who just six months ago had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his as an international terrorist.

In any other administration, such a suggestion would have been turned over to the National Security Council and the “inter-agency,” where bureaucrats at a handful of government departments and the heads of intelligence agencies could chew it like cud — and invariably get the president to nix the idea because it had never been done.

Trump used the opportunity to publicly call on al-Sharaa to recognize Israel and join the Abraham Accords, which, if it happens, would totally transform the Middle East.

Also during the trip, Hamas released the last remaining U.S. hostage, Edan Alexander. But a deal brokered by Steve Witkoff for them to release another ten Israeli hostages apparently fell through. By the time you read this, Israel could be pummeling Hamas again.

Previous U.S. presidents distributed U.S. taxpayer dollars during overseas trips. President Trump has been filling the tax coffers instead.

As he was flying back to the United States, Trump revealed that Witkoff had put a term sheet on the table for a nuclear deal with Iran, and warned that the Iranians had a limited window for accepting it.

This brought an immediate response from Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, who wrote on X that Iran “has not received any written proposal from the united States, whether directly or indirectly.”

Araghchi went on to reiterate the Iranian regime’s own non-negotiable demand that they be allowed to retain the capability to enrich uranium, which Trump, Rubio, and 51 Republican Senators have rejected.

I suspect the Iranians are, once again, trying to play us. If they continue in this vein they are going to lose and lose big.

On the sidelines of the President’s Gulf Bonanza tour, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Putin wasn’t coming to peace talks with Ukraine, and that NATO members were poised to agree to boost defense spending to 5% of GDP, more than double the current 2% guideline.

In any other presidency, that would have been headline news. What a time we are privileged to live in.

I discuss all this, as well as the astonishing advances Ukraine has made in battlefield tactics and in their defense production on this week’s Prophecy Today Weekend.

The Ukrainians have created an entire new defense industry that today churns out 200,000 military drones every month, so when the Z-man comes to the table with Putin, he will have some unexpected new cards in his hand.

As always, you can listen live at 1 PM on Saturday on 104.9 FM or 550 AM in the Jacksonville area, or by using the Jacksonville Way Radio app. Later, you can listen to podcast here.

Yours in freedom.

©2025 All rights reserved.


Ken Timmerman’s 14th book of non-fiction, THE IRAN HOUSE: Tales of Revolution, Persecution, War, and Intrigue, can be ordered by clicking here or by viewing my author’s page, here. 

Raising Olives in Provence, can be ordered by clicking here.

James Comey Deletes ‘8647’ Post After Online Backlash Sparks Calls For Investigation

Former FBI Director James Comey deleted a post depicting ‘8647’ from his Instagram on Thursday after sparking online outrage from Republicans and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who opened an investigation.

In a now-deleted post to Instagram, Comey uploaded a picture of shells that depicted four numbers, ‘8647,’ saying he found the ‘cool shell formation’ during his walk on the beach. Republicans swiftly called out the former FBI director, saying the message was a threat to President Donald Trump as the term ’86’ is commonly used to “get rid of” or “throw out.”

With backlash piling on from figures like Trump’s senior advisor Dan Scavino Jr. and Donald Trump Jr., Comey deleted his original post and added a new one saying he didn’t “realize” the association of the numbers.

“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence of any kind so I took the post down,” Comey wrote.

WATCH: Former FBI director James Comey under investigation for Trump post

Prior to the takedown of his post, Trump Jr. took to X saying Comey is “causally calling for my dad to be murdered.”

“This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”

Scavino Jr., in another post on X, called the former FBI director a “POS,” alleging he “knows exactly what he’s doing.”

“Comey truly is a POS. While he’ll claim not to know what 8647 means, there’s no doubt that the former disgraced FBI Dir. knows exactly what he’s doing, with a plea to bad actors/terrorists to assassinate the POTUS’ while traveling internationally,” Scavino Jr. wrote. “Don’t let him get away with it!!”

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk said on X that Comey is making “cringe posts,” adding that the country should be “grateful” he was removed from the law enforcement agency.

“James Comey held himself up as a bastion of fairness and moral rectitude,” Kirk wrote. “Now, he makes cringe posts like a childless 50-year-old liberal woman on Facebook. The entire country should be grateful Trump put this weirdo out to pasture.”

Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also spoke out, asking how “many times” Democrats are “going to try to assassinate President Trump”?

Noem in response said Comey “called for the assassination” of the 47th president, adding that both DHS and the Secret Service will investigate the “threat and will respond appropriately.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the agency is aware of the post, adding they are in “communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran.”

“Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support,” Patel wrote.

Trump has yet to publicly respond to Comey’s post. The president left the United States and this week is conducting discussions in Saudi Arabia. During Trump’s 2024 campaign, he faced two assassination attempts, with the first leaving him injured by a bullet and one rally attendee killed.

AUTHOR

Hailey Gomez

General Assignment Reporter.

RELATED ARTICLE: Liberal Media Suggests Trump Was Asking For It After Second Failed Assassination Attempt

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Senate Rejects Dem Effort Defending Illegal Migrant Criminals

The Senate on Thursday afternoon voted down a resolution from Senate Democrats to require President Donald Trump’s State Department to write a report on El Salvador’s human rights practices — in light of the administration’s deportation of illegal migrant criminals.

Senators voted along party lines — 50 to 45 — to reject the motion to discharge the resolution, led by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Alex Padilla of California and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senate Republicans sharply criticized the effort as “pure political theater” and another example of their Democratic colleagues defending illegal migrant criminals and obstructing the president’s deportation agenda.

The resolution also required the State Department to report any steps the administration is taking to comply with a court order to “facilitate” the return of reputed MS-13 gangbanger and human trafficker, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The El Salvadoran national has been named in two domestic abuse cases against his wife and has been accused of trafficking illegal migrants across state lines.

Van Hollen referred to Abrego Garcia as his “constituent” on the Senate floor Thursday prior to the vote. Van Hollen was the first Democratic lawmaker to travel to El Salvador in April to protest his deportation and advocate for his return to the United States.

“I have made very clear from the start that I’m not vouching for Kilmar Abrego Garcia,” Van Hollen said Thursday. “I am vouching for his rights, because if you deny his rights, you put in jeopardy the rights of everybody who resides in the United States of America.”

Senate Republicans torched Democrats for forcing a vote on the resolution.

“Senator Van Hollen says he does not ‘vouch’ for Garcia, yet he’s one of many Democrats who visited Garcia in El Salvador,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso during a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday. “What they’re proposing is to shield illegal immigrant criminals from deportation and help them evade arrest.”

“This [Kilmar Abrego Garcia] is who Democrats are defending – not just that one individual, but that whole style of behavior that has now impacted every community in America,” Barrasso continued.

“I’m frustrated why we have to have extensive due process for folks who ignore due process to come here,” Republican Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy told the Daily Caller News Foundation Tuesday. “This is a very curious turn of constitutionality from folks who had no concern about the constitutionality of millions of people coming here illegally.”

Senate Republicans also noted that their Democratic colleagues have largely rejected efforts to crack down on illegal immigration in the 119th Congress.

Just 12 Senate Democrats voted for the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation Trump signed into law during his second term. The law requires the detention of illegal migrants accused, charged or convicted of an array of criminal offenses.

Similarly, no Senate Democrats in April supported Republicans’ budget resolution unlocking historic amounts of funding to fast-track the president’s deportation agenda.

“What they should be doing is taking their energy to work with us to improve the economy, to make the country safer, to reduce government spending — that’s what they should be doing,” Republican Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno told the DCNF. “This stuff is just total nonsense.”

AUTHOR

Adam Pack

Contributor.

RELATED ARTICLES:

‘This Is Unbelievable’: Kristi Noem Turns Tables On Eric Swalwell As He Jumps To Abrego Garcia’s Defense

China, Cartels, And Cash: How Chinese Operatives Are Laundering Mexican Drug Money In Broad Daylight

RELATED VIDEOS:

WATCH: Body cam footage of DeMS13’s Kilmar Abrego Garcia caught human trafficking in 2022

Three Criminal Illegal Aliens take life of 47-year-old Aleksandre Modebadze in Los Angeles

California Democrats blocked push to make it an automatic felony to buy 16 year olds for sex

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

South Korea’s Democrats, Crisis, And What The U.S. Must Know

China | MEMRI Daily Brief No. 772

South Korea stands at a critical political crossroads. The impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol has triggered a snap presidential election, now just weeks away. What is at stake is more than the outcome of a vote. This election could decide the future direction of South Korea’s democracy, its institutional integrity, and its strategic alignment with the United States.

The moment is grave. Interpretations vary widely along ideological lines. But for those alarmed by China’s expanding influence, the ideological drift of South Korea’s Democratic Party under the sway of postmodernism and Marxism, and the post-pandemic legacy of coercive public health mandates, the stakes are especially high. Many South Koreans who hold conservative views – rooted in a Judeo-Christian worldview – find themselves sidelined by domestic media and mischaracterized abroad. Their voices must now be heard – and understood.

Freedom Forged In Blood

South Korea owes its existence as a free nation to the United States. During the Korean War, 36,574 American lives were lost in defense of Korea’s freedom. They bled not as Republicans or Democrats, but as guardians of liberty. Their sacrifice laid the foundation for the Republic of Korea’s democracy and postwar transformation.

The values that shaped the United States – liberty, truth, and faith – also shaped the founding of modern Korea. Under President Syngman Rhee and the Christian leaders of his time, those principles were carried across the Pacific and embedded in our national identity. Korea’s remarkable rise from the ashes of war would not have been possible without the blood, commitment, and leadership of America.

That is why, during the most recent U.S. presidential election, the organization I lead – Truth Forum – supported for the election of Donald Trump. It was not about party politics. It was about restoring a nation founded on moral clarity and biblical truth. A strong and free America is not just in America’s interest – it is vital to ours.

Korea’s future is deeply tied to America’s direction. As we now approach a critical election of our own, following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, our nation stands at a crossroads. The path ahead will determine whether we remain free – or fall to ideological subversion. In this decisive moment, we do not ask for sympathy. We ask for clear understanding – and for prayer.

A Mirror Of America – And A War Over Memory

South Korea was born in the image of America – built on the same biblical worldview that inspired the U.S. Constitution and the founding principles of liberty, law, and faith. But like the United States, South Korea is now locked in an ideological crisis.

Postmodernism, cultural Marxism, and atheistic progressivism have penetrated the nation’s core institutions: schools, universities, media, courts, and even churches. These ideas have found political shelter within the Democratic Party, mirroring trends on the American left. The results are strikingly similar – truth replaced by narrative, and identity distorted by ideology.

At the heart of this ideological subversion is a calculated revision of history. In the U.S., progressives have recast the founding as a project of oppression, built on slavery and colonialism. In South Korea, the left promotes a parallel fiction: that the Republic of Korea was not a sovereign act of national will, but a betrayal – engineered by pro-Japanese collaborators and propped up by American imperialism.

This narrative does not stop at national shame. It assigns moral legitimacy to North Korea, portraying the regime as the “true Korea,” supposedly forged in resistance against foreign domination. Never mind Pyongyang’s record of tyranny, famine, and forced labor – the myth of anti-imperialist purity prevails.

These distorted narratives function as political weapons. By undermining the Republic’s moral foundation, they sow anti-Americanism and pave the way for sympathy toward Communist China. In this upside-down worldview, China is no longer seen as a threat – but as a model of post-Western order. That illusion is not only false – it is dangerous.

This war over history is not a sidebar to politics. It is the front line. It shapes how nations understand themselves, choose their alliances, and decide their futures. For South Korea – and for the U.S.-ROK alliance – the outcome of this battle will determine whether truth or falsehood writes the next chapter.

Distorting The Past: How Historical Revisionism Fuels Political Power

South Korea’s Democratic Party, under the leadership of Lee Jae-myung, has embraced a dangerous revisionist interpretation of Korean history – one that casts doubt on the very legitimacy of the Republic itself.

In 2023, Lee appointed Lee Rae-kyung – an ideologue affiliated with the “Another Centennial” Foundation – as head of the party’s Innovation Committee. Lee’s theory claims that the last 100 years of Korean history, beginning with the 1919 March First Movement, represent an era of foreign domination, imposed particularly by the United States. In his view, Korea’s founding was not liberation – but subjugation. He calls for a new national narrative, unburdened by ties to the West.

This narrative has not remained on the fringes. Former progressive presidents echoed similar views. In 2003, Roh Moo-hyun stated that Korean history was defined by the “defeat of justice” and the “rise of opportunism.” In his autobiography, Moon Jae-in described his sense of elation upon witnessing America’s retreat from Vietnam, which he regarded as a realization of historical justice.

At the center of this narrative war is the reinterpretation of the 1948 Jeju April 3 Incident. What was originally a violent communist uprising intended to derail South Korea’s first democratic elections is now widely portrayed in global discourse as a state-sponsored massacre of civilians. UNESCO’s recent decision in April to inscribe related documents into its “Memory of the World” register lends international legitimacy to this rebranding – while omitting the historical context of communist-led violence.

Acknowledging civilian casualties is necessary. But to erase the nature of the uprising – to deny that it was launched to prevent the creation of the Republic of Korea – is not just revisionism. It is a political weapon.

This is no longer a matter of domestic academic debate. It is a coordinated strategy to delegitimize South Korea’s founding, absolve the violent legacy of communism, and sow anti-American resentment. The result is a warped historical lens through which younger generations are taught to question the morality of their own nation’s birth.

The roots of this revisionist impulse run deep. Many within the Democratic Party are not only ideological heirs of the South Korean Workers’ Party but are connected to it by lineage. Former President Roh Moo-hyun’s father-in-law, Kwon Oh-seok, was a lifelong unrepentant communist and political prisoner. These are not mere coincidences – they reveal a clear line of ideological continuity from Korea’s radical past to its contemporary political elite.

If the United States and its allies fail to recognize how historical narratives are being weaponized to undermine the moral foundation of free societies, they will forfeit critical ground – not only in Korea, but across the broader fight for truth in the Indo-Pacific.

Strategic Blind Spots: How the Democratic Party Enabled China’s Reach

The Democratic Party’s embrace of revisionist history is not merely ideological – it has translated into real-world deference to authoritarian regimes, most notably China. Under President Moon Jae-in, Seoul announced the “Three No’s” policy in 2017: no additional THAAD missile deployments, no integration into a U.S.-led missile defense system, and no trilateral military alliance with the United States and Japan. In effect, the policy conceded strategic leverage to Beijing.

The consequences have been more than symbolic. In late 2024, South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection uncovered evidence that sensitive details about the THAAD deployment may have been leaked to China during Moon’s presidency. This revelation followed Moon’s 2017 pledge at Peking University to support China’s so-called “national dream” – a message that sent a clear signal of alignment rather than neutrality.

On the ground, the situation is even more alarming. Chinese nationals have repeatedly been caught photographing sensitive South Korean and U.S. military installations – ranging from U.S. Navy assets in Busan to the headquarters of South Korea’s intelligence agency. Yet under current law, espionage is defined exclusively in relation to the “enemy state,” which is North Korea. Efforts to revise the law to include other hostile foreign actors were blocked – and notably, by the Democratic Party.

As a result, those caught gathering intelligence for China face, at most, a fine or deportation. There is no real deterrent. Critics call it what it truly is: passive collusion.

This troubling pattern continues. While the United States intensifies efforts to combat Chinese fentanyl trafficking, South Korea’s Democratic Party has slashed narcotics investigation budgets and curtailed prosecutorial authority. The results are catastrophic: in just five years, teenage drug crimes have surged fourteenfold.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has signaled his intention to strengthen ties with Beijing. In a 2022 interview with Time magazine, he pledged greater cooperation with China if elected. When China’s ambassador to Seoul warned in 2023 that South Korea would “regret” siding with the United States, Lee offered no rebuttal – a silence some critics interpreted as tacit approval. Even before that, Chinese state-run outlets such as Global Times and CCTV had portrayed him as a friendly and reliable figure in South Korean politics – coverage that, in China’s tightly controlled media environment, is rarely incidental.

Around the world, democratic nations are waking up to the reality of China’s “united front” operations – covert campaigns to shape public opinion and co-opt foreign elites. Confucius Institutes, long exposed as soft power arms of the Chinese Communist Party, have been shut down across much of the West. In South Korea, however, they remain active – and some are reportedly expanding.

At Seoul National University – South Korea’s most prestigious academic institution – a “Xi Jinping Library” continues to operate despite widespread public opposition. It no longer serves as a neutral academic resource, but rather stands as a stark symbol of how deeply China has embedded itself in the nation’s intellectual and political landscape.

China’s ambition matters – but more concerning is South Korea’s vulnerability. If the United States and its allies ignore this creeping influence, they risk losing not just a partner – but the geopolitical anchor of democracy in Northeast Asia.

When Impeachment Aligns With Authoritarian Ambition

Whether the declaration of martial law was the right course remains debated. But what followed is beyond dispute: tens of thousands of young South Koreans – many previously disengaged from politics – took to the streets. Their outrage transcended partisanship. It stemmed from deepening concerns over unchecked legislative power, weaponized budget obstruction, growing doubts about election integrity, and clear signs of Chinese interference.

For China, Yoon represented an obstacle – resolutely pro-U.S. and openly critical of Beijing’s influence operations. For the Democratic Party, removing him was existential. A failed impeachment could have spelled collapse, especially with Lee facing intensifying corruption probes, including the high-profile Daejang-dong scandal.

The convergence of interests between South Korea’s progressive establishment and the Chinese Communist Party is no longer a matter of speculation. Reports indicate Chinese nationals took part in pro-impeachment rallies – raising urgent questions about foreign orchestration at the heart of Korea’s constitutional process.

This is not coincidence. It is coordination. It is what happens when internal political warfare intersects with the global ambitions of authoritarian regimes. Beijing wants South Korea out of America’s orbit. The Democratic Party wants to survive – at any cost. Their common adversary: President Yoon.

For U.S. policymakers, the lesson is clear and urgent. South Korea’s internal crisis is not just confined to its borders. It is a case study in how foreign adversaries can leverage democratic institutions against themselves. Unless the United States recognizes this alignment for what it is – a coordinated effort to undermine Indo-Pacific stability – it risks repeating the mistakes of the past.

A Sudden Pivot – Or Calculated Camouflage?

In a striking shift, South Korea’s Democratic Party – long criticized for its dovish stance toward Beijing – has begun to sound an unfamiliar tune. On January 21, the party introduced a resolution reaffirming support for the U.S.-ROK alliance. The timing was no accident. It coincided with rising global anticipation of a possible Trump administration return, and with South Korea’s own snap election looming.

Party leader Lee Jae-myung has followed suit. Once a champion of progressive economic policies, Lee is now signaling a retreat. He has signaled a willingness to abandon key progressive platforms, including the Democratic Party’s hallmark policy of universal basic income – once championed as a pillar of its socialist agenda. In meetings with U.S. and Japanese officials, Lee has gone so far as to emphasize the importance of trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo, a line rarely heard from the party’s upper ranks.

To casual observers, these gestures might suggest an ideological realignment. But within South Korea, few are convinced. Even some within the Democratic Party have expressed unease over the abruptness and optics of this sudden shift.

However, this calculated camouflage seems working abroad. Not long ago, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited South Korea and addressed growing concerns in Washington about the Democratic Party’s pro-China leanings and far-left tendencies. In a post on his X account, he noted that despite these concerns, most South Koreans remain firmly supportive of the U.S.-ROK alliance – and that even if the Democratic Party wins the presidency, the alliance would likely endure.

His observation reflects a widely held reality in South Korea. The majority of South Koreans strongly value the alliance with the United States.

However, as the U.S.-China rivalry intensifies, it is critical to recognize the dangers posed by the Democratic Party’s distorted view of history and ideological foundations. If these are overlooked, the future of the U.S.-ROK alliance could face serious and lasting consequences. America’s allies must distinguish rhetoric from conviction – because the future of our shared security may depend on it.

Forecast And Response: South Korea’s Election At The Crossroads

South Korea stands on the edge of a consequential decision. The outcome of its upcoming presidential election will not only define the direction of its domestic politics but may also recalibrate the nation’s democratic framework and foreign policy orientation.

With the National Assembly firmly in the hands of the Democratic Party – widely criticized for its conciliatory stance toward Beijing – many Koreans fear that continued consolidation of power could tilt the country irreversibly toward strategic ambiguity. Some fear it could even lead to alignment with authoritarian regimes.

Amid this uncertainty, Kim Moon-soo has emerged as the conservative standard-bearer. Once a socialist labor activist, Kim renounced those beliefs following the collapse of the Soviet Union. He went on to serve three terms in the National Assembly, as Minister of Labor, and as Governor of Gyeonggi Province. During his tenure, Kim played a key role in advancing South Korea’s industrial growth through projects like Samsung’s Pyeongtaek complex, Pangyo Techno Valley, and Gwanggyo New Town.

Kim’s profile – defined by personal modesty and a reputation for integrity – stands in stark contrast to his rival, Lee Jae-myung, who remains entangled in multiple legal investigations and continues to face widespread public distrust. Several individuals connected to his criminal cases have died under suspicious circumstances – allegations that continue to raise unanswered questions.

Yet the political momentum has shifted since President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment. Conservative unity has weakened, and concerns have emerged over the reliability of polling and voter engagement. Notably, Yoon’s approval ratings had rebounded to over 50 percent prior to his impeachment – suggesting that, with proper mobilization, the conservative base could still be reactivated.

At the core of this election lies the issue of electoral integrity. While fraud allegations in the United States have prompted unified calls for investigation within conservative circles, South Korea’s conservative leadership has remained largely silent – eschewing any meaningful inquiry. Even President Yoon’s invocation of martial law, tied to concerns over election manipulation, failed to prompt a serious audit of the system or restore public trust in the electoral process.

The result is a fragmented national discourse. Allegations of rigging are dismissed by some as fringe conspiracy theories, while others point to opaque procedures by the National Election Commission and the possibility of foreign interference – particularly from China. Public confidence continues to erode.

This erosion is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader geopolitical threat. Anti-China sentiment in South Korea ranks among the highest in the world – 81 percent, according to Pew Research. Yet paradoxically, the political party widely viewed as sympathetic to Beijing continues to command significant support.

This contradiction stems from deep historical and ideological divides. Some voters perceive the conservative bloc as tainted by alleged ties to Japan’s colonial legacy. Others downplay the threat from China, citing economic pragmatism. Still, some progressives argue that concerns about Chinese influence are overstated. Others believe that economic cooperation must take precedence in times of global uncertainty.

But this calculus may not hold. Recent reports of Chinese espionage involving South Korean military personnel have heightened public alarm. If further evidence emerges, the backlash could be swift – and politically decisive.

South Korea is approaching a moment of reckoning. Rebuilding democratic confidence will require more than campaign rhetoric. It will demand transparency, institutional courage, and an honest reckoning with the risks posed by foreign interference. The stakes in this election are not abstract – they are existential.

Syngman Rhee’s Warning And The Unfinished Mission

In 1954, President Syngman Rhee delivered a stark message to the United States Congress: “Unless we win back China, ultimate victory for the free world is unthinkable.” At the time, his words may have sounded extreme. Seventy years later, they read like prophecy.

The Republic of Korea today stands amid an unresolved struggle between truth and falsehood – a battle rooted not only in domestic division, but in the broader regional order shaped by North Korea’s authoritarian regime and China’s expanding influence. This ideological fault line runs deep, touching everything from historical interpretation to democratic governance.

The collapse of North Korea and the liberalization of China remain essential, not optional, conditions for the full realization of freedom and stability on the Korean Peninsula. So long as the North Korean regime endures, it serves as a source of internal subversion, disinformation, and national division. Likewise, China’s authoritarian reach continues to embolden illiberal forces in South Korea and beyond.

This is more than strategy – it is a question of values. The U.S.-ROK alliance was forged not just to deter war but to safeguard liberty. That mission – defending truth, securing sovereignty, and advancing human dignity – remains incomplete.

The question before us is whether we are prepared to finish the work begun decades ago. For both Koreans and Americans, the unfinished mission is clear: the liberation of North Korea and the arrival of genuine freedom in China. Without these, the free world’s victory remains partial – and its future uncertain.

AUTHOR

David Eunkoo Kim

David Eunkoo Kim is the founder and representative of Truth Forum, a conservative youth organization founded at Seoul National University. Rooted in a Judeo-Christian worldview, Truth Forum promotes universal values and defends freedom, national sovereignty, and historical integrity in response to the rise of leftist ideology in academia and media.

He holds a law degree from Seoul National University, where he also completed his doctoral coursework. Before launching his own game development company, he worked on the legal team at Nexon, one of South Korea’s leading tech firms.

He also co-produced and appeared in The Birth of Korea, a groundbreaking documentary that surpassed one million viewers. The film challenges progressive distortions of history and restores the legacy of South Korea’s founding president, Syngman Rhee – a U.S.-educated Christian who built the Republic on principles of liberty.

David founded Truth Forum in response to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, which he viewed as a turning point in South Korea’s ideological trajectory. Under his leadership, the organization successfully led the campaign to shut down the Xi Jinping Library at Seoul National University – a symbol of growing Chinese influence on Korean campuses. He also launched Students for Israel in Korea to combat rising antisemitism and pro-Hamas sentiment in academia.

Today, Truth Forum is at the forefront of a rising conservative movement, championing a strong U.S.–ROK alliance and advocating for Pro-Life, Pro-Family, Pro-Israel, Pro–South Korea, and North Korean human rights. David regularly writes and speaks on national identity, international security, and cultural resistance, focusing on countering authoritarian influence and defending democratic values.

EDITORS NOTE: This MEMRI column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

The War On Cops — Cincinnati Is Ground Zero

Ryan Hinton was an 18-year-old black man living in Cincinnati, Ohio. On May 1, 2025, he and three friends were pulled over by the police in a vehicle the police officers believed was stolen. The four youths took off running. The two police officers who had made the stop pursued on foot.

Seconds later, Hinton appeared from between two dumpsters with a semi-automatic pistol in his hand and pointing it at one of the police officers. He was shot dead.

On May 2, 2025, the police showed Hinton’s parents body cam footage taken by one of the officers, clearly showing their son holding a pistol. The weapon was recovered from the scene.

The father, Rodney Hinton, Jr., was upset. So, later that day, he got in his car and ran over a sheriff’s deputy directing traffic outside a University of Cincinnati graduation event. The officer was killed.

Other members of the Hinton family were in another vehicle following Rodney Hinton, Jr., when he ran over the police officer. It is unclear if they knew what Hinton was going to do in advance.

Rodney Hinton, Jr., is now being charged with murder and may face the death penalty. The Black Panthers and the Democratic Socialists of America have shown up. Rodney Hinton has a long criminal record including grand theft, aggravated robbery, and domestic violence. That is irrelevant. Hinton is, you understand, being oppressed. The answer is not that he should be prosecuted. The answer is that more cops should die.

“They might wanna kill Rodney for avenging his son. We say no, sir!” said Mmoja Ajabu, Executive Director of Pan-African Affairs for the Black Panther Movement, at a rally in support of Rodney Hinton. “You do that, and other things are gonna happen!”

“No justice! No peace!” the crowd at the rally chanted.

“Say his name! Rodney Hinton! And we’re not going to just say his name, we’re going to protect his body.”

Ajabu was surrounded by armed members of the Black Panther Party in full military regalia.

Later that day, Mmoja Ajabu spoke again at a town hall. Hinton was lionized as some sort of revolutionary hero, and the act of running over a deputy was glorified as an act of revolutionary courage.

“Most of us think like this, especially in this room, but how many of us have the courage to carry it out?” Ajabu asked.

“When we start seeing each other as brother and sister, then if it’s your child, it’s mine too.”

“Rodney has shown us, and we’re gonna support him. Now they’re talking about killing him,” Ajabu said.

“That ain’t gonna happen without there being a price. But see, we don’t want to riot. We want to have a military strategy that we bring them to their knees.”

“If you ain’t ready for the killing, then you’re in the wrong place.”

A group of representatives from the Democratic Socialists of America at the University of Cincinnati attended the town hall as well. Someone asked about identifying the officer who shot Ryan Hinton. “We take the position that Rodney took,” Ajabu replied. “Any of them will do.”

There is no ambiguity here. Ajabu is not calling for an inquiry or due process. Ajabu is legitimizing the deliberate murder of a police officer and encouraging others to act as Rodney Hinton did. “Any of them will do.” The objective is to kill police officers. In Ajabu’s terms, a “military strategy”.

The Democratic Party set this monster loose. It made common cause with revolutionary Marxists who want to burn the system down. It encouraged mobs to destroy cities and demonized the police. Trump is in the White House, but the revolutionary forces across the nation remain powerful and fully intent on destroying the existing social, economic, and political order.

This is the United States of America. We give a wide berth to free speech as we should. We need to understand, however, that groups like the Black Panthers and others on the far left have no real interest in talking. They are organizing for overt, violent action.

At some point, we are going to have to recognize that and act accordingly. These guys are already talking about a war on cops. All the rest of us are next.

©2025 . All rights reserved.


Please visit the AND Magazine substack.

President Trump in Qatar: Proposes U.S. Take Control of Gaza and Create a “Freedom Zone”

“I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good—make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone…I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone.” — President Donald J. Trump.


During a business roundtable in Qatar, President Donald Trump, proposed the United States take control of Gaza and transform it into a “freedom zone”. He expressed that he would be proud of the United States if it were to take over and redevelop the territory. This statement was made during a visit to Qatar, where the leader was concluding a Middle East trip . The idea was presented as a way to address the destruction in the area and potentially rebuild it. The leader also mentioned that he has aerial shots of the area that show practically no buildings standing, implying the need for rebuilding

Announcing in Qatar, Hamas HQ, is priceless.

I hope a plan is already underway.

The concept of transforming Gaza into a strategic asset aligns with prioritizing American interests over foreign entanglements. Past administrations poured billions into failed “nation-building” projects abroad while neglecting domestic infrastructure and border security. The focus should be on eliminating terrorist threats like Hamas and Iranian proxies through decisive military action—not indefinite occupation.

Redevelopment must serve U.S. strategic goals: securing maritime trade routes, neutralizing hostile actors, and ensuring regional partners like Israel can operate without constant rocket barrens. Biden’s approach of funding UNRWA and half-measures only perpetuated cycles of violence.

Real solutions demand overwhelming force against enemies and leveraging partnerships that advance American security—not babysitting failed territories. (DOGEai)

AUTHOR

RELATED ARTICLES:

CHESS MOVES: Trump Urges Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Sign Abraham Accords Recognizing Israel

EDITORS NOTE: This Geller Report is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Rome Likens Jesus to Buddha: Pope Leo XIV Affirms Continuity on Interfaith Dialogue

New pontiff assures Jews that he will strengthen Catholic-Jewish dialogue in the spirit of Vatican II.

The Vatican is equating the teachings of Jesus with those of Buddha in its first interfaith message since Pope Leo XIV’s election, signaling the pontiff’s desire for continuity with the dialogical approach of Vatican II and Pope Francis to the world religions.

The pope’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue sent its greetings to Buddhists on the occasion of the festival of Vesak on Monday, likening the message of Jesus in John’s gospel with the teaching of the Buddha in the Dhammapada — an anthology of teachings in the Buddhist canon.

“The Buddha taught that, ‘he who is free from craving and attachment is perfect in uncovering the true meaning of the Teaching, and knows the arrangement of the sacred texts in correct sequence — he indeed is the bearer of his final body,’” the Vatican noted.

“He is truly called the profoundly wise one, the great man” (Dhammapada, Ch. 24, V. 352),” the document, titled “Buddhists and Christians in Liberating Dialogue for Our Time,” stated, marking the “sacred festival” commemorating the Buddha’s birth and enlightenment.

“For Jesus, knowledge of Truth is liberating: ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’ (John 8:32),” Cardinal Jacob Koovakad, the dicastery’s prefect who cosigned the document, wrote in his comparison of the Son of God with the prince who founded Buddhism.

Buddhism Offers “True Liberation”

Koovakad, a Syro-Malabar priest who was raised to the cardinalate by Pope Francis in December 2024, said, “This yearning for true liberation finds deep resonance in our shared pursuit of truth and fullness of life, and it aligns with the teachings of our respective traditions.”

The Vatican’s endorsement of Buddhism as one of the paths of “true liberation” echoes the sentiments of Pope Leo XIV, who shared a post on the Buddha’s teachings from Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi in 2014. The post, in Italian, quoted the Buddha as saying: “Life is not a problem to be solved but an experience to be lived.”

Koovakad’s message also echoes the final statement of the Seventh Buddhist-Christian Colloquium on “Karuna and Agape in Dialogue for Healing a Wounded Humanity and the Earth,” which involved the Holy See and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand and put Jesus on the same plane as the Buddha concerning redemption and healing.

“As Buddhists and Christians, we see the Buddha and Jesus as Great Healers. The Buddha pointed to greed and Jesus to sin as the cause of suffering,” the colloquium declared. “On many levels, Jesus and the Buddha proposed love and compassion as medicine to drive out the darkness in the human heart and the world.”

“For those of us who work in Buddhism, the Vatican releasing that document also speaks volumes! Really happy where this is headed,” tweeted Tyler McNabb, a Catholic associate professor of philosophy at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania.

Great Healers, Hopeless, or Heresy?

In comments to The Stream, the Rev. Dr. Rohintan Mody, who converted to Christianity from his background in Zoroastrianism and is author of the book Empty and Evil: The Worship of Other Faiths in 1 Corinthians 8-10 and Today, noted that the new document “compares both Buddha and Jesus as two great healers with the same solution: love and compassion.”

“Yet it leaves the big question unanswered: the existence, nature, and identity of God,” he said. “Even if you want to do interfaith dialogue you have to start with God, not anthropology. The wrong starting place means the wrong answer. It is prima facie heresy.”

Dr. Paul Williams, a former Buddhist who is emeritus professor of Indian and Tibetan Philosophy at the University of Bristol, agrees. “If the Buddhist position is correct, our death in this life is actually, really, the death of us. Death will be the end for us,” he writes.

“I began to see that if Buddhism were correct then unless I attained enlightenment (nirvana) or something like it in this life, where the whole cycle of rebirth would finally come to a complete end, I would have no hope. Each one of us — the person we are — is lost forever. Buddhism for me was hope-less.”

Open-Minded Augustinian Pontiff

The message from the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue signals continuity with the religious inclusiveness heralded by the Second Vatican Council and the extraordinary strides Pope Francis made in interreligious dialogue during the 12 years of his pontificate.

When asked if Leo XIV would follow Francis’s lead when it comes to interfaith dialogue, Dr. Craig Considine, Islamic scholar and senior lecturer in the department of sociology at Rice University, told ABC News, “I think we’re going to see a continuation of Pope Francis’s approach.

“When he was at the Chicago seminary, one of his professors was a leading Jewish scholar on Jewish-Catholic relations, and I would surmise that this professor had a big impact on Pope Leo,” Considine observed. “I think that one of the big reasons why Pope Francis was so beloved was that he wasn’t trying to force-feed Catholicism on anyone.”

Pope Leo’s professor at CTU, Fr. John T. Pawlikowski, told The Jewish Chronicle: “My experience of him was he’s a very open-minded person who’s very much in the context of Vatican II.”

“Being an Augustinian means being pretty open,” explained Fr. Alejandro Moral Antón, the prior general of the Augustinian order to which Leo XIV belongs. Compared to other orders, theirs does not have “very rigid norms.”

Leo Praised for Inclusive Approach

Leo XIV’s alma mater, the Catholic Theological Union, is known for its interfaith emphasis, including courses on Catholic-Jewish and Catholic-Muslim studies. In 2020, CTU appointed a Muslim scholar, Prof. Syed Atif Rizwan, as the director of its Catholic-Muslim Studies Program.

On May 8, the day he was elected, Leo XIV wrote to the American Jewish Committee’s Director of Interreligious Affairs, Rabbi Noam Marans, pledging “to continue to strengthen the Church’s dialogue with the Jewish people in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate.”

Marans’s response was warm. “We are deeply moved that Pope Leo XIV, so early in his papacy, has reaffirmed his commitment to Catholic-Jewish relations,” he wrote. “As we approach the 60th anniversary of this landmark declaration, we look forward to working together to deepen understanding and cooperation.”

“Complete Commitment” to Vatican II

In his first papal address, Leo XIV issued a call to dialogue: “Help us as well — help one another — to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, uniting everyone to be one single people always in peace.”

Over the course of his first week in office, Leo XIV has repeatedly emphasized his desire to pursue continuity rather than rupture with the new magisterium of Vatican II and Pope Francis.

“I would like us to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council,” he told the College of Cardinals on May 10. “Pope Francis masterfully and concretely set it forth in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium.”

Conservative Catholics reacted negatively to this inclusive approach. When asked how he would respond to the new pontiff’s “complete commitment” to Vatican II, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, a leading voice in the traditionalist movement, said: “I think a pope should not speak so because our first complete commitment is to Jesus Christ’s gospel.”

The prelate stressed that Leo XIV’s first task must be to correct issues that are “disfigured” or “confused” in the life of the Church, beginning with “the truth about the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation and that other religions are not means of grace or means or ways of salvation.”

The Smiling Buddha and the Crucified Christ

In his Credo: A Compendium of the Catholic Faith, Schneider notes that some of the affirmations of the Second Vatican Council “are in themselves ambiguous and can lead to an erroneous understanding.” The bishop writes that Catholics may “propose emendations or corrections of evidently ambiguous or erroneous statements or commands of a pope or ecumenical council.”

“Is Buddhism a means to supreme illumination and liberation from evil?” Schneider asks, citing Vatican II’s endorsement of that religion. “No. Buddhism rejects the Incarnation and Redemption, proposing instead a path of self-extinction through meditation techniques. Such a path is contrary to God’s plan for divine union with man in Christ, culminating in the illumination of the Beatific Vision in heaven.”

Koovakad, by contrast, cites Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate: Buddhism “proposes a way of life by which people can, with confidence and trust, attain a state of perfect liberation and reach supreme illumination either through their own efforts or with divine help.”

“Where is the basic difference between Jesus and the Buddha to be found?” theologian Hans Küng asks in his book Christianity and the World Religions. “We can bring it into sharp focus by holding side by side the figure of the smiling Buddha, seated on a lotus blossom, and that of the suffering Jesus, nailed to the cross.

“Christian faith is convinced, this Crucified One did not fall into nothingness [as in the teaching of Buddhism], but was taken up out of this temporary, fleeting, inconstant reality into the true, eternal life.”

AUTHOR

Dr. Jules Gomes (BA, BD, MTh, PhD) has a doctorate in biblical studies from the University of Cambridge. Currently a Vatican-accredited journalist based in Rome, he is the author of five books and several academic articles. Gomes lectured at Catholic and Protestant seminaries and universities and was canon theologian and artistic director at Liverpool Cathedral. This article has been cross-posted with the author’s permission from The Stream.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Repeal the Deal: Pope Leo XIV Must Adopt a New, Pro-Freedom Policy towards the CCP

Israeli Vocalist Yuval Raphael Under Siege at the Eurovision Contest

Salman Rushdie pulls out as college graduation speaker after complaints from Hamas-linked CAIR

Macron scolds Netanyahu, supports review of Europe-Israel trade ties — Netanyahu responds

Carney slams UK over 2nd invite to Trump, says it ‘undermined’ Canadian government effort against ’51st state’ talk

Jihad Airways: Muslim Air Traffic Employee Wears Keffiyeh on the Runway

EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Elite University Withholds Student’s Diploma After He Went Rogue During Grad Speech, Ranted About Palestine

New York University (NYU) is withholding a student’s diploma after he turned his graduation speech into a pro-Palestine rant.

The student allegedly lied about the contents of his speech and instead used his time addressing the graduating class only to condemn the U.S.’s supposed “complicity” in genocide, according to a statement from the school on Wednesday. NYU apologized for the student’s speech and announced  that it is pursuing disciplinary action against the speaker.

“As I search my heart today in addressing you all … the only thing that is appropriate to say in this time and to a group this large is a recognition of the atrocities currently happening in Palestine,” the student began. “I want to say that the genocide currently occurring is supported politically and militarily by the United States, is paid for by our tax dollars, and has been livestreamed to our phones for the past 18 months, and that I do not wish to speak only to my own politics today, but to speak for all people of conscience, all people who feel the moral injury of this atrocity. And I want to say that I condemn this genocide and complicity in this genocide.”

The student ended his speech after adding the usual congratulatory statement to the graduating class.

“NYU strongly denounces the choice by a student at the Gallatin School’s graduation today—one of over 20 school graduation ceremonies across our campus—to misuse his role as student speaker to express his personal and one-sided political views,” the university said in a statement. “He lied about the speech he was going to deliver and violated the commitment he made to comply with our rules. The University is withholding his diploma while we pursue disciplinary actions.”

“NYU is deeply sorry that the audience was subjected to these remarks and that this moment was stolen by someone who abused a privilege that was conferred upon him,” the university continued.

Rising rates of pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses disrupted graduation ceremonies across the nation in 2024, with some schools having to cancel the events altogether.

The Trump administration has demanded universities tackle anti-Israel bias on campuses and has been swiftly punishing schools that refuse to comply, gutting them of billions of dollars.

NYU did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

AUTHOR

Jaryn Crouson

Contributor.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Democrats Finally Get Behind Push To End Anti-Israel Campus Encampments

Watchdog Demands Probe To Strip Tax-Exempt Status From Lefty Nonprofit Incubating Anti-Israel Activism

Harvard Begins Funding Itself As University Feels Effects Of Trump Administration Cuts

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Michigan: Islamic State mass shooting at military base thwarted, former Michigan Army National Guard member arrested

What could have motivated a member of the Michigan Army National Guard to plot mass murder for the Islamic State?

Will we hear that he is mentally ill?

Or angry with Israel?

Or simply misunderstood his peaceful faith?

Which excuse will be in play this time?

Trump: Oct. 7 one of the worst days in world history, Hamas must be dealt with

President Donald Trump says U.S. must “tale Gaza, make it a freedom zone,” while adding that Hamas must be “dealt” with.

The Gaza invasion of Israel on October 7th, 2023 marked one of the “worst days in history,” said President Donald Trump in Doha on Thursday.

During a meeting with business leaders in the Qatari capital, Trump lamented the 2023 invasion of southwestern Israel, during which some 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage.

October 7th was “one of the worst days in the history of the world, not only in this region,” the president said, calling it “one of the worst, most atrocious attacks anyone has ever seen.”

During the meeting, Trump also echoed his comments made in the White House on February 4th, in which he suggested the U.S. take control of the Gaza Strip.

“If it’s necessary, I think I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone,” Trump said.

“Let some good things happen, put people in homes where they can be safe and Hamas is going to have to be dealt with,” the president continued, without mentioning whether he still backed his previous call to resettle the entire population of the Gaza Strip abroad.

“We’re working very hard in Gaza. Gaza has been a territory of death and destruction.”

World Israel News

AUTHOR

RELATED ARTICLES:

Hamas severely tortured hostage Edan Alexander, left him handcuffed in cage for extended period

$3,500,000,000 from 9/11 Victims Being Held by U.S. for the Taliban

Why Is Duke’s Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies Department Spending So Much Time Maligning the Jewish State?

Left Outraged After Military School Libraries Dump Book That Called 9/11 Firefighters ‘Not Human’

The Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at Duke: An Introduction

Afghanistan: Taliban government bans chess, says that in Islamic law, it’s ‘a means of gambling’

RELATED VIDEO: Exploring the Quran: Surah Table with Hatun Tash and Robert Spencer

EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Wisconsin Judge Criminally Charged for Obstructing Deportations. Who’s Next?

As Democrats fret over possible arrests for opposing deportations, a federal grand jury has handed down an indictment against a Wisconsin judge who hid an illegal immigrant from law enforcement. A grand jury on Tuesday indicted Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on charges of “knowingly concealing” an illegal immigrant named Eduardo Flores-Ruiz when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers showed up at the courthouse to arrest him and “corruptly endeavor[ing] to influence, obstruct, and impede the due and proper administration of the law” by actively trying to prevent the Mexican national’s arrest. Dugan was accused in the indictment of knowingly lying to ICE officers and telling Flores-Ruiz to leave by a back door to avoid being arrested.

Dugan was arrested last month after confronting and obstructing ICE agents waiting outside her courtroom to arrest Flores-Ruiz, who was in court for allegedly assaulting his roommate. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reported that Flores-Ruiz “has a laundry list of violent criminal charges including strangulation and suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse.” The Mexican national has entered the U.S. illegally twice and was ordered deported in 2013. Dugan faces up to six years in prison if convicted of the charges.

In comments to The Washington Stand, Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, said, “Of course, this judge and other judges should be prosecuted for obstructing federal agents from enforcing the law. It is long past time for those obstructing law enforcement to face the consequences of their own actions.” In a Tuesday night interview, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said he was “glad” Dugan had been indicted, referring to her actions as an “egregious case” of flouting U.S. law. He suggested that other local, state, and even federal officials should face prosecution for obstructing President Donald Trump’s deportation program. “Let every other judge and member of Congress out there take a lesson from this: you are not above the law,” the senator said.

The Trump administration certainly appears poised to initiate prosecutions against officials who obstruct ICE operations. Last week, a group of protestors — including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) and Reps. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Robert Menendez, Jr. (D-N.J.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) — tried to “break into” an ICE detention facility in New Jersey and reportedly shoved and threatened several federal law enforcement officers and facility guards. McLaughlin said in a statement at the time, “Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk. Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities.”

Department of Justice (DOJ) official Alina Habba confirmed that Baraka “committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center” and was subsequently arrested. The former Trump defense lawyer added, “He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.”

The Trump DOJ is reportedly weighing criminal charges against McIver, Menendez, and Watson Coleman, eliciting fierce backlash from House Democrats. In a video posted to social media, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) claimed that her congressional colleagues had done no wrong. “If anyone’s breaking the law in this situation, it’s not members of Congress, it’s the Department of Homeland Security,” the congresswoman said, specifically naming border czar Tom Homan and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who are in charge of ICE operations and deportations. “You lay a finger on someone, on Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman … or any of the representatives that were there, you lay a finger on them, we are going to have a problem,” Ocasio-Cortez said. She added, “Because the people who are breaking the law are the people not abiding by it.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) made similar comments in a Tuesday press conference. When asked what would happen if the Trump administration followed through on filing criminal charges against McIver, Menendez, and Watson Coleman, Jeffries repeatedly replied, “They’ll find out.” Fox News congressional correspondent Chad Pergram asked, “What would you do?” Jeffries replied again, “They’ll find out.” The Democratic official said that arresting his congressional colleagues would be a “red line” for the Trump administration. “They know better than to go down that road. And it’s been made loudly and abundantly clear to the Trump administration. We’re not going to be intimidated by their tactics,” Jeffries said. He continued, “No one’s intimidated by this dude. No one. And so there are clear lines that they just dare not cross.”

However, some Republicans are seeking penalties for the New Jersey Democrats, whether prosecutions come or not. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) introduced a resolution Tuesday to strip McIver, Menendez, and Watson Coleman of all committee assignments. In a social media post touting the resolution, he commented, “The radical left has lost their minds — they would rather raid an ICE facility to defend criminal illegal immigrants than represent their own constituents.” He added, “The three Democratic members involved in this stunt do not deserve to sit on committees alongside serious lawmakers.”

Ries told The Washington Stand that consequences are necessary for the Democrats’ conduct. “It has been the absence of consequences in so many aspects of American society that has allowed illegal behavior and corruption to escalate,” she said. Ries continued, “The perpetrators have relied on non-action to continue their transgressions, as demonstrated by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries threatening yesterday, in essence, ‘Don’t you dare arrest Democrat lawmakers for bum-rushing an ICE detention facility and shoving federal agents.’”

AUTHOR

S.A. McCarthy

S.A. McCarthy serves as a news writer at The Washington Stand.

RELATED ARTICLE: Liberal Pollster Warns Lefty Activist Group to Focus on Hill GOP and Gov’t Corruption, Not Trump and Musk

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2025 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Graham: If Iran Rebuffs Trump, Israel Should ‘Use Force’ to Stop Nuclear Program

As strains appear to be forming between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to the White House’s stalled talks over the Islamist regime’s nuclear program, a prominent senator is insisting that the U.S. must support Israel carrying out strikes against Tehran’s nuclear facilities unless they are completely dismantled voluntarily.

Following a fourth round of talks between the U.S. and Iran that ended without progress on Sunday, Netanyahu signaled that his government may distance itself from the Trump administration after being snubbed from participating in the negotiations. According to reporters on the ground in Israel, Netanyahu and many others in the Jewish state are also concerned that Iran is pulling the Trump administration into the same never-ending negotiation games that it did with previous administrations.

“[T]he Iranians are masters at negotiating, masters at prolonging the talks,” CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell pointed out during “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins” Monday. “All the while, they continue to enrich uranium to near military grade and continue their nuclear program. That’s exactly the concern that many people have here in Israel at the very beginning of these negotiations. … They were talking about enriching uranium. Well, here in Israel, they felt there was no point talking about enriching uranium. The point is, you want to dismantle and destroy the Iranian nuclear infrastructure, period, just like they did in Libya back in 2003 and 2004. So, yeah, the Iranian negotiations are deeply concerning here.”

However, Trump struck a forceful tone regarding Iran during a foreign policy speech in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, remarking that he “want[s] to make a deal with Iran. … I’ll be very happy if we’re going to make your region and the world a safer place. But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure [and] drive Iranian oil exports to zero like I did before.”

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” the president continued. “But with that said, Iran can have a much brighter future. This is an offer that will not last forever. The time is right now for them to choose. … Things are happening at a very fast pace.”

According to Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), that “maximum pressure” must lead to the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program.

“[H]ere’s what it should look like,” he made clear during “This Week on Capitol Hill” over the weekend. “President Trump said this past Sunday [that] dismantlement is his goal. They have three enrichment sites. They have been at levels to create six bombs. They have a civilian nuclear power plant, and the fuel is supplied by Russia. Here’s what most people don’t know. Of all the uranium they enriched, they haven’t used any of it in their civilian reactor. They’re literally stockpiling uranium to make bombs. So you’ve got to get all that out. You’ve got to dilute it down and take it out of Iran. You’ve got to close up the enrichment facilities. That is an outcome we could live with because [Iran] can’t make a bomb without enrichment. Shut down their path to [a] bomb. I hope that will happen.”

Graham, who serves on four Senate committees and is chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, further acknowledged that Iran is unlikely to agree to a full dismantlement of their nuclear capabilities, but maintained that the Trump administration should still pursue it while also empowering Israel to take military action if necessary.

“[N]o one’s ever offered them that deal with clarity and with strength,” he argued. “If you dismantle, you get out of the nuclear enrichment business, you can have peaceful nuclear power. We will ensure you have spent fuel rods, but they won’t be made in Iran. That way they can’t make a bomb. If they don’t take this deal within weeks or months, then we should get behind Israel to use military force to stop their march toward a nuclear weapon.”

“I trust Trump to get this right because we can’t get it wrong,” Graham added. “… I think President Trump is the right guy at the right time.”

Graham went on to underscore how the Islamist regime in Tehran is the lynchpin to the multitude of existential threats that Israel continues to face. “[The] Houthis attacking Israel … and our ships are only possible because of Iran. The Houthis don’t have the capability there to generate these missiles. Iran provides it. So if you deal with Iran, you’re going to deal with the Houthis, you’re going to deal with Hamas and Hezbollah.”

The senator further contended that among all the potential rogue nations and leaders in the world that have nuclear capabilities, Iran remains a singular threat.

“I don’t believe India and Pakistan want to blow each other up,” he observed. “… Rocket man in Korea — he has a nuclear weapon, but I don’t think he’s going to attack America with it. And Putin threatens nuclear activity, but he’s not suicidal, nor is China. The point I’m trying to make is there’s one group of people that [if] they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it. That’s Iran. They threatened the existence of Israel. They want the holy sites in Saudi Arabia to be under their control, not Sunni Arab control. And they’re serious about it. They’re religious Nazis. Do you doubt al-Qaeda would use a nuclear weapon if they had one? There’s no difference between al-Qaeda and the Ayatollah in terms of religious extremism.”

As for those on the Right who argue for strict American isolationism with regard to Middle East affairs, Graham highlighted the unique nature of Israel in both political and biblical history.

“[Isolationists] don’t understand history,” he posited. “They don’t understand the dynamic around Israel that led to its founding. The Jewish state was formed out of the ashes of the Holocaust. It’s been under constant siege. And here’s my theory about that. The closer you are to God, the more the world hates you, and God has designated the Jewish people as the chosen people. Because of that designation, throughout history, they’ve been pilloried, they’ve been attacked and oppressed because I think the closer you are to God, the more the world hates you. And we have to make a choice as Americans. And I’m going to stand with Israel.”

AUTHOR

Dan Hart

Dan Hart is senior editor at The Washington Stand.

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2025 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

EXCLUSIVE: Plurality Of Swing Voters Support Trump’s China Tariffs, New Poll Reveals

A new survey from the Protecting America Initiative (PAI) shows a plurality of voters in 19 key swing districts back Trump’s tariffs and trust him more than major retailers to stand up for American workers.

The respondents generally place the blame for trade issues on corporate retailers and believe the companies, not consumers, should bear the cost of any price hikes, according to the poll, first reported Wednesday by the Daily Caller. Many swing district voters blame retailers for the outsourcing that likely fueled U.S. dependence on China and believe retailers should bring jobs back home.

The survey, conducted from May 1–6, polled 1,000 likely voters across 19 battleground districts identified by the Cook Political Report, with a margin of error of ±2%. It included 636 live phone interviews and 364 text-to-web surveys, with the data weighted to reflect demographics and voter registration trends.

The findings highlight a divide in trust when it comes to defending American workers as 43% of voters trust Trump while 39% trust retail CEOs.

Seventy-eight percent say retailers should absorb price increases tied to outsourcing and tariffs. This view cuts across political, age, and demographic lines, reflecting broad frustration with corporations appearing to offload the consequences of their decisions onto consumers.

Swing voters expressed deep skepticism toward major retailers.

Seventy-five percent of voters agree retailers exploited COVID-19 by using the pandemic as an excuse to raise prices, post record profits, and never bring costs back down, with 50% strongly agreeing, according to the PAI poll.

Now, that same 75% worry these companies will exploit tariff-related price hikes to keep overcharging consumers.

Eighty-three percent support investigations into corporate price gouging, and 78% back tough penalties for companies that used the pandemic or trade tensions to inflate prices, according to the PAI poll.

That concern may already be playing out. A viral TikTok video appears to show Hallmark hiking prices on its Kansas-made Christmas ornaments while blaming the increase on tariffs.

Many voters say they’re still paying pandemic-era prices even though the crisis is over. A full 84% agree it is time to investigate who’s profiting and why prices haven’t come down, including 64% who strongly agree.

PAI polling also shows that 81% of voters are more likely to support candidates who call for investigations, while 79% favor those who back legislation to rein in corporate price gouging.

AUTHOR

Ashley Brasfield

Reporter.

RELATED ARTICLES:

‘Never Bet Against America’: Charles Payne Says Price Increases Have Nothing To Do With Trump’s Tariffs

American Manufacturers Overwhelmed With Orders After Trump’s Tariff Crackdown On China

Does Team Trump Have The ‘Winning Hand’ It Needs To Break China’s Back In Looming Trade Talks?

Grant Newsham: Dissecting Trump’s China tariffs

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Michael Yon reports on the ground from Texas: It’s not what you think, folks!

Famed war correspondent Michael Yon goes to Texas to find out exactly how much cooperation with state law enforcement Trump is getting for his ‘mass deportation’ program. 

In a Substack post featuring his interview with Emerald Robinson, independent journalist Michael Yon paints a disturbing picture of the Texas law enforcement community. We think of Texas as a bright red state, but maybe we need to recalculate?Read below:

By Michael Yon

Today I will also go on with Steve Bannon on War Room. Yesterday I flew over Colony Ridge, Texas. An invasion city built with help from Governor Abbott.

Early yesterday morning I flew over Colony Ridge with Dave Cannon in his helicopter. Fog became thick because Colony Ridge is built on precious low wetlands. So we came back with Dave’s airplane and got higher after fog burned off. More on the flight today when I go on with Steve Bannon.

Bottom Line — a critical mass of Texas Law Enforcement is refusing to help with mass deportationsTexas DPS specifically. Department of Public Safety leadership is outright refusing to help deport. As are many local law enforcement agencies.

A critical mass of Texas leadership is captured and helping destroy Texas and the rest of America. Many officers are angry. Trump promised mass deportations yet even Texas refuses to do it. Tom Homan is very angry.

Some local and county leadership in Texas are ready to roll and work mass deportations. Others are openly obstructing cooperation with ICE. Importantly, ICE itself is obstructing ICE duties. ICE is specifically at fault.

Any law enforcement who refuses to help mass deportations should see their federal funding cut immediately. Likewise at State level, including Lone Star Texas. Cut Texas funding immediately.

Section 287(g) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1357(g)) is being incinerated by various agencies in Texas. Florida is working hard to get things done. Texas is at best limping to catch Florida. More realistically, Texas is behaving like California while Texas pretends to be TEXAS!

BE TEXAS: Deport!

Colony Ridge in Liberty Country near Houston is effectively another sanctuary zone. Yes, there was one flashy bust. And then nothing. ICE refuses to address Colony Ridge and other invasion colonization zones. As does Texas DPS itself. These bustling sanctuary rape and drug zones are heavily populated by illegals.

Texas Governor Abbott takes big money from the developer. Remember…I warned about Abbott for years and took much flak. It’s all turned out to be perfectly accurate.

Nobody needs to go to Mexico to fight cartels. They are very powerful and know how to throw the money around. Abbott takes money to help cartels operate in sanctuary zones. That makes Abbott part of the cartel machinery. Bottom line.

©2025 . All rights reserved.


Please visit Leo’s Newsletter substack.

Regarding Israel, Greta Thunberg Knows Exactly What She Is Doing

Greta Thunberg and her Freedom Flotilla friends clearly don’t know much about international law. Article 23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly allows a state to withhold humanitarian aid from an enemy combatant under certain conditions. To wit:

The obligation of a High Contracting Party to allow the free passage of the consignments [humanitarian aid] indicated in the preceding paragraph is subject to the condition that this Party is satisfied that there are no serious reasons for fearing:

(a) that the consignments may be diverted from their destination,

(b) that the control may not be effective, or

(c) that a definite advantage may accrue to the military efforts or economy of the enemy through the substitution of the above-mentioned consignments for goods which would otherwise be provided or produced by the enemy or through the release of such material, services or facilities as would otherwise be required for the production of such goods.

Hamas does “divert aid from its [intended] destination.” Much of that aid is “diverted” from the people of Gaza to Hamas. Until now “control” of the distribution has been nearly nonexistent. Hamas does have a “definite advantage to accrue to it” when its fighters know they can take vast quantities of the aid for themselves and their families, which helps Hamas sustain its men, and even gain new recruits. And Hamas sells much of the aid it steals to the Gazans who were supposed to have received the aid for free.

In other words, all three of the permissible reasons for withholding humanitarian aid, as set out in the Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 23, have been met. Would someone make sure Greta Thunberg is sent a link to Article 23? She might even read it.

Brendan O’Neill takes her to task for her latest cause, and the malignancy of her attack on the tiny, embattled Jewish state that is now fighting a seven-front war for its survival, here: “Greta Thunberg’s moral siege of Israel,” by Brendan O’Neill, Spiked, May 7, 2025:

People talk about the siege of Gaza but few are prepared to reckon with the siege of Israel. For years, the Jewish State has been subjected to a double siege. There’s the physical siege by the armies of antisemites that surround it and which dream of its obliteration. And there’s the moral siege by the intellectuals of the West. By our credentialed classes, our activist set, our literary elites, all of whom increasingly derive their fantasy of virtue from their hostility to the Jewish nation. And some of whom also dream of its destruction. ‘From the river to sea’, they cry, to let the world know that their utopia is a Middle East with no Jewish homeland.

Yes, seemingly all of a sudden, since the atrocities of October 7, 2023, when six thousand members of Hamas, accompanied by a few hundred civilians who wanted to join in the fun, smashed into Israel from Gaza and proceeded to rape, torture, mutilate, and murder 1,200 Israelis and kidnap 251 others, antisemites have been having a field day. Israel has become the object of nonstop vilification, and many people, from campus brownshirts to UN officials, have no problem demanding that “from the river to the sea/Palestine will be free,” which can mean only one thing: Israel must be destroyed, in order to be replaced by a 23rd Arab state. As for the Israelis themselves, those who are not killed in the fighting that will undoubtedly ensue must be expelled.

Brendan O’Neill, not for the first time, has given Greta Thunberg the drubbing she deserves. But don’t worry. She’ll be in the news again very soon. She has been formally diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, and from here on out, her obsession will be the mighty empire of Israel that has been, in her view, the source of so much woe. She hasn’t a syllable to spare for the mass famine in Sudan, or Pakistan’s aggression against India, or the murders of Alawites and Druze in Syria, or Russia’s war against Ukraine. For Greta Thunberg, it’s all the way with “globalize the Intifada” and “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho/The IDF has got to go.”

Don’t forgive her, Lord. She knows exactly what she is doing.

AUTHOR

RELATED ARTICLE: Greta Thunberg, If You Can Stand Her

EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Pope Leo XIV: ‘I am deeply hurt by what is happening in the Gaza Strip’

Hurt by what, exactly? A nonexistent “genocide”?

Israel having the lowest ratio of civilian-to-combatant deaths in the history of modern warfare?

Hamas embedding its activities among civilians so that it can use any retaliatory fire for propaganda purposes?

The specter of a second pope in a row retailing Hamas propaganda?

Or something else?

WATCH: Pope Leo XIV: ‘I am deeply hurt by what is happening in the Gaza Strip’

AUTHOR

RELATED ARTICLES:

Indonesia: Catholics wait 45 years to get permit to build church, then get rejected

France: Muslims screaming ‘Allahu akbar’ storm church, threaten priest, say they’ll set fire to the building

Poland: Thousands demonstrate against illegal migration and pro-EU Tusk government a week before elections

Lebanon purges dozens of Hizballah-linked staff from Beirut airport

Iran: Khamenei responds ‘Your judgment is right’ to Tehran crowd screaming ‘Death to America’

EDITORS NOTE: This Jihad Watch column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.