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    Anarchist Arrested In Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Top Government Official

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5

    A 29-year-old man has been arrested for what federal authorities describe as a brazen “murder-for-hire” online plot targeting the U.S. Attorney General.

    According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minnesota resident Tyler Maxon Avalos was taken into custody on October 16 after a tipster notified them of his alleged TikTok post offering a $45,000 bounty on the life of Pam Bondi, the U.S. Attorney General.

    The post reportedly featured Ms. Bondi’s photo with a red target icon over her forehead and the caption: “WANTED: Pam Bondi / REWARD: 45,000 DEAD OR ALIVE (PREFERABLY DEAD). Beneath the image: ‘Cough cough. When they don’t serve us, then what?’”

    Court filings reveal Avalos used the handle “Wacko” on TikTok and had references to an “An Anarchist FAQ book” in his profile. Authorities further noted his criminal history of violence: a July 2022 felony stalking conviction in Dakota County (Minnesota), an August 2016 felony third-degree domestic battery charge in Polk County, Florida, and an April 2016 misdemeanor domestic assault in Dakota County (originally a felony domestic assault by strangulation). The affidavit describes media concerns that Avalos has “anarchist ties,” though the FBI has not publicly confirmed a full motive.

    Federal prosecutors say Avalos now faces a charge of interstate transmission of a threat to injure another person — a federal crime carrying potentially years in prison. His attorney, Daniel Gerdts, stated only that his client “is not guilty of any crime.”

    Recent incidents of violence targeting Republican or conservative figures

    While the Bondi case is extraordinary, it aligns with a growing body of incidents in which political actors — particularly those associated with the Republican side — have been targeted:

    • In September 2024, at least one apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump (the Republican former-President and leading 2024 nominee) was reported.
    • More broadly, an analysis by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) found that between 2016 and 2025 there were 25 attacks and plots targeting elected officials, candidates, judges and other government figures motivated by extremist partisan beliefs — more than triple the number in the previous 25 years combined.
    • While some of the high-profile cases involve Democratic officials (for example, the June 2025 shootings of Minnesota legislators), the broader trend applies across the ideological spectrum: violence is trending upward, not just against one side but throughout government—and conservatives are explicitly among the targets.

    Polls & studies confirm the spike in political violence

    The Bondi bounty scheme emerges against a backdrop of disturbing data indicating rising public concern and creeping acceptance of politically motivated violence:

    Other surveys show that while majorities condemn political violence, many believe it will increase. For example, a CBS News poll found that people of all parties overwhelmingly find political violence unacceptable — yet they are concerned it will escalate.

    A recent study found that 86 % of Americans believe political violence is either a major or minor problem — the highest in two years. When asked whether political violence has increased over the past few years, 78 % said yes.

    A Pew Research Center-sponsored survey found that Americans believe politically-motivated violence is increasing, and that polarization is seen as a key cause.

    A PBS/NPR/Marist poll found that nearly one-third of Americans now believe political violence may be necessary to set the country back on track — up from 19 % about a year and a half earlier.

    Other surveys show that while majorities condemn political violence, many believe it will increase. For example, a CBS News poll found that people of all parties overwhelmingly find political violence unacceptable — yet they are concerned it will escalate.

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    Authorities Respond To Multiple Tesla Dealer Vandalisms

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Tesla

    Authorities are responding after multple Tesla’s were destroyed.

    Police are investigating a fire involving several vehicles at a Tesla Collision Center in Las Vegas.

    The fire was reported around 2:45 a.m. in the 6000 block of West Badura Avenue near Jones Boulevard and Warm Springs Road. Badura is closed to traffic.

    “LVMPD Communications received information that an individual had set several vehicles on fire in the parking lot and caused damage to the property, according to police.

    A California Tesla dealership was also vandalized early Monday.

    Multiple cars were found with swastikas spray-painted on them, and several windows of the dealership building were spray-painted with swastikas and profanity.

    The incident occurred around 5 a.m., the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release Monday. No suspects have been identified, and no arrests have been made.

    The vandalism comes two days after a protest at the same Tesla dealership where community members rallied against federal funding cuts. Protesters could be seen holding signs with messages like “boycott Tesla” and “save Social Security.”

    The string of vandalism come after Donald Trump said last week considering labeling the vandals as domestic terrorists.

    Other incidents of vandalism have occurred around the country, including two incidents at an Oregon dealership where shots were fired and Molotov cocktails thrown at a dealership.

    A 41-year-old man faces charges for those incidents.

    Earlier this month, authorities responded to multiple Tesla superchargers being set ablaze in Massachusetts. (RELATED: Trump Hater Accidentally Sets Himself On Fire While Trying To Destroy Tesla Station)

    A total of seven chargers were damaged, police said. 

    On Saturday, NBC News noted, “There have been at least a dozen [acts] of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, dealerships or charging stations in recent weeks, according to police and local reports.” (RELATED: Woman In Custody After Explosives Discovered At Tesla Dealership)

    The incidents come months after a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.

    A U.S. Army soldier drove the Cybertruck, which he rented from Turo, outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Monday morning. Upon arriving, the vehicle was detonated by explosives in the car.

    Investigators found fireworks, gasoline canisters and camping fuel in the remains of the vehicle. The soldier was believed to have fatally shot himself shortly before the explosion.

    On the day of the attack, Musk commented on X that the individual “picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack” because the “Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.”

    Trump Breaks Silence On Request From Lindsay Clancy Lawyer

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    President Donald Trump answers questions from members of the media aboard Air Force One en route to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, for a rally on the economy, Tuesday, December 9, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump is refusing to intervene in the explosive Lindsay Clancy case, telling reporters that the fate of the Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children must remain in state hands.

    Trump addressed the extraordinary pardon request Sunday after Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, publicly urged the president to get involved following her mistrial.

    “It’s a very sad situation,” Trump said. “There is no winner there—there’s no win no matter what you do; three children are dead.”

    “It’s actually a state situation, not a federal,” the president added, according to The Daily Wire.

    When a reporter asked whether Trump would instead pressure Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz, the president again kept his distance.

    “I hope they can work it out,” Trump responded. “That’s something they have to work out. There is no win there.”

    Trump also described Reddington as a “good attorney” but stopped short of offering the political intervention the defense lawyer had sought. The president delivered the remarks while leaving Ireland following a two-day visit, according to CBS News Boston.

    Lawyer Wanted White House Pressure

    Reddington initially appealed directly to Trump during a “Good Morning America” interview after Clancy’s trial ended in a hung jury.

    “Mr. President, I would hope that you would consider this young lady, the type of person she is, what she’s been through, and consider a pardon,” Reddington said.

    The request immediately ran into a constitutional roadblock. Clancy is charged with murder under Massachusetts law, while the president’s pardon power applies only to federal offenses.

    Pressed about that limitation during a subsequent interview, Reddington acknowledged that Trump could not directly pardon his client. He said his real objective was to persuade the president to exert pressure on Cruz, a fellow Republican.

    “Trump would be able to reach out to one of his Department of Justice people, maybe talk to Tim Cruz, and maybe bring some pressure,” Reddington said.

    When questioned about asking a president to pressure a local prosecutor, Reddington did not back down.

    “I don’t care if Mahatma Gandhi came down and pressured him into doing something,” he said, arguing that he does not believe Clancy’s prosecution is “righteous.”

    Trump’s response effectively closed the door on both proposals, leaving any decision about a retrial or negotiated resolution with Massachusetts authorities.

    Governor Says She Cannot Issue Pardon Either

    Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has also addressed the pardon controversy, saying she cannot grant clemency while Clancy’s prosecution remains unresolved.

    “I don’t have the authority to pardon,” Healey said. “It’s in the middle of the court case, so there’s no existing conviction.”

    That leaves Clancy’s future with the courts and Cruz’s office, which has not announced whether it will pursue a second trial.

    Defense Prepares Another Legal Fight

    Clancy was charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of her 5-year-old daughter Cora, 3-year-old son Dawson and 8-month-old son Callan at the family’s Duxbury home in January 2023.

    She has admitted killing the children but pleaded not guilty by reason of a lack of criminal responsibility. Her defense maintained that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and the effects of multiple medications. Prosecutors argued that she acted deliberately and understood what she was doing.

    The jury deliberated for approximately a week before Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on Sept. 4. Reddington and several jurors have said the panel was divided 11-1 in favor of acquittal, with the lone holdout allegedly refusing to apply the reasonable-doubt standard as the other jurors understood it.

    Reddington now plans to ask Sullivan to block another trial on double-jeopardy grounds, arguing that there was no “manifest necessity” to declare a mistrial. Prosecutors have not yet said whether they will retry Clancy.

    Clancy is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 29, when the next stage of the bitterly contested case could begin—without help from the White House.

    Trump Acting Attorney Files Charges Against Lawmaker Involved In ICE Facility Raid

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Image via Pixabay images

    Ouch…

    On Monday evening, acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced that her office had charged Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) in connection with the congresswoman’s visit to an ICE detention facility in Newark.

    McIver, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) and Reps. Rob Menendez (D-NJ)and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) visited the center on May 9. Baraka was arrested on that day, and shortly afterward, Habba hailed his arrest. But on Monday, Habba announced she is dropping the charges against the mayor and will proceed with the prosecution of McIver, alleging the lawmaker “assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement.”

    On X, Habba wrote, “Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement.” In a statement, she added:

    I take my obligations as U.S. Attorney seriously. I understand the responsibility that comes with my position, and I will work diligently to uphold the law and deliver justice to the people of New Jersey.

    After extensive consideration, we have agreed to dismiss Mayor Baraka’s misdemeanor charge of trespass for the sake of moving forward.

    In the spirit of public interest, I have invited the mayor to tour Delaney Hall. The government has nothing to hide at this facility, and I will personally accompany the mayor so he can see that firsthand.

    The citizens of New Jersey deserve unified leadership so we can get to work to keep our state safe.

    The dismissal against the mayor is not the end of this matter.

    Congressional oversight is an important constitutional function and one that I fully support. However, that is not at issue in this case.

    Representative LaMonica McIver assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1 1 1 (a)(1). That conduct cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties. I have persistently made efforts to address these issues without bringing criminal charges and have given Representative McIver every opportunity to come to a resolution, but she has unfortunately declined.

    No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise. It is the job of this office to uphold justice impartially, regardless of who you are. Now we will let the justice system work.

    McIver responded with her own statement:

    “Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district,” McIver said. “We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short. Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka.

    Last week, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) warned against repercussions for his fellow Democrat lawmakers who clashed with federal agents at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, last week after Trump’s border czar Tom Homan issued a warning to the lawmakers that charges could soon follow.

    During an exchange with Fox News reporter Chad Pergram, Jeffries repeatedly said “they’ll find out” when pressed what might happen if the House Democrats involved in the incident were to be arrested by federal authorities or get sanctioned.

    White House Teleprompter Operator Pays $172K After Betting on Trump’s Speeches

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    A former longtime White House teleprompter operator will hand over more than $172,000 after federal regulators found he used advance knowledge of President Trump’s speeches to cash in on prediction-market bets.

    Gabriel Perez, who ran the teleprompter for Trump since 2016, settled with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Friday. He must return $107,539 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty. A three-year trading ban is also in place.

    According to the CFTC, Perez traded so-called “mention market” contracts on Kalshi between December 2025 and February 2026. These contracts pay out based on whether specific words or phrases appear in a speech. As teleprompter operator, Perez saw the prepared remarks before the President delivered them and used that nonpublic information to place winning bets.

    The agency said he misappropriated the material “in breach of his duty of trust and confidence,” generating over $107,500 in profits. The $65,000 penalty was reduced because of Perez’s “exemplary cooperation” with investigators. Kalshi flagged the activity and assisted the probe.

    Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed earlier that Perez was placed on unpaid administrative leave after the allegations surfaced. He is no longer employed by the federal government. The White House has long maintained strict ethics rules and previously warned staff against using nonpublic information for prediction-market bets.

    ABC News first reported the investigation last month. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan were notified but declined to pursue a criminal case.

    Kalshi’s lead lawyer welcomed the outcome, stating that no one is above the rules. The settlement closes the matter on a staffer who broke trust—and underscores that even in the White House, the rules apply.

    Trump Reveals Top Democrat Asked To Hug Him After Dinner Shooting Chaos

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    President Donald Trump answers questions from members of the media aboard Air Force One en route to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, for a rally on the economy, Tuesday, December 9, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump revealed in a “60 Minutes” interview that a prominent Democrat approached him for a hug in the chaotic aftermath of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — a moment he described as unexpectedly unifying.

    Speaking with CBS’ Norah O’Donnell, Trump said the night took a dramatic turn just as he was preparing to deliver a speech aimed at the press.

    “I was going to hit them really hard, with humor,” Trump said, noting the event was ultimately scrapped due to the security scare. “But I couldn’t do it. I would’ve had to just get up there and say, ‘I love you all.’”

    Instead, the evening became something far different.

    “There was love in the room. It was amazing. There was love in the room,” Trump said.

    According to the president, even longtime political adversaries softened in the moment.

    “Democrats that truly can’t stand me were saying, ‘Sir, could I just shake your hand?’” Trump said. “I’m leaving, and I’m seeing high-level people, and they’re saying, ‘Sir, great job.’”

    Then came the moment that stood out most.

    “One of them said, ‘Could I hug you?’” Trump recalled with a laugh. “A big politician on the other side. There was love. It just all came together. It was very amazing to see. It was a very beautiful thing — at a non-beautiful moment.”

    The chaos erupted Saturday night when a suspect, identified as Cole Allen, rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton and opened fire. A Secret Service officer was struck in his bulletproof vest and survived. Allen was quickly apprehended and now faces multiple felony charges.

    Video released late Thursday by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, shows the 31-year-old suspect pacing a hallway on April 24, before returning the following evening and sprinting through security while heavily armed.

    The gunfire forced the evacuation of Trump, his Cabinet, and attendees. The annual dinner has since been postponed, though Trump said he pushed to keep it going.

    “I fought like hell to have it continue,” he said, adding that the event will likely be rescheduled within the next month.

    In the immediate aftermath, Trump struck an unusually conciliatory tone toward the media.

    “This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press — and in a certain way, it did,” he said during a press briefing. “I saw a room that was totally unified. It was, in one way, very beautiful.”

    For one night, at least, Trump said the divisions in Washington briefly gave way to something else.

    And it came with a hug.

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    Jeanine Pirro Announces Additional Charges Against DC Teens Over DOGE Employee Attack

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,

    U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Monday that two young men have been charged in connection with a violent summer attack on a federal staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

    Federal prosecutors have charged Lawrence Cotton-Powell, 19, and Anthony Taylor, 18, with robbery, assault, and carjacking for their alleged roles in the beating of DOGE employee Edward Coristine, known to colleagues as “Big Balls,” and another individual in early August.

    According to Pirro, the pair had already been involved in another mugging — of a victim named Ethan Levine — shortly before the brutal assault on Coristine. Both suspects, she said, are repeat offenders who should never have been on the streets in the first place.

    “Lawrence Cotton-Powell is 19 years of age. He is now charged with robbery, first-degree robbery for which he faces 15 years in prison. He also faces a charge of assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and robbery for Edward Coristine, 15 years, assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and attempted carjacking, five years,” Pirro said.

    Pirro didn’t mince words when calling out judges who ignored her office’s repeated requests for jail time. Instead of protecting the public, the courts released Cotton-Powell on probation, giving him multiple chances to reoffend — and, according to prosecutors, he did just that.

    Watch:

    This latest attack became a flashpoint for President Donald Trump’s crackdown on violent crime in America’s cities. Following the assault, Trump ordered National Guard deployments to crime-plagued areas like Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee, while courts have blocked his efforts to extend the same law-and-order measures to other liberal-run cities like Seattle.

    During an interview, Coristine said he was defending a woman when he was attacked by the group.

    The charges against Cotton-Powell and Taylor follow outrage over two other teens — a 15-year-old girl and boy — who received only probation for their roles in the same attack. Both Pirro and Trump condemned the slap-on-the-wrist punishment. (RELATED: Police Apprehend Suspects Linked To DOGE Staffer Beating)

    “I think the judge should be ashamed of himself,” said Trump.

    Calling the outcome “terrible,” Trump and Pirro have urged lawmakers and local officials to enact tougher sentencing laws for youth offenders in D.C., arguing that the explosion of teen crime in the capital is the direct result of years of leniency and failed progressive policies.

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    Georgia Man Arrested Over Alleged Threats To Kill Tulsi Gabbard

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    FBI agents arrested a Georgia man after making numerous death threats against Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.

    Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, of Lilburn, Ga., was charged on Friday with “transmitting interstate threats to injure” Gabbard and her family, according to the DOJ press release.

    “Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” acting U.S. Attorney Richard Moultrie, Jr. said in a statement. “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”

    Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Prosecutors allege Amin sent text messages between March 29 and April 1 that contained threats against Gabbard and her husband, including, “You and your family are going to die soon,” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”

    “The home you two own . . . is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing,” Amin wrote in another text, according to the DOJ.

    Other texts allegedly included, “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn,” and “Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.”

    Federal agents later found a firearm at Amin’s house while executing a search warrant, the DOJ said.

    “The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, said in a statement.

    “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison,” Brown added.

    Gabbard thanked the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and local law enforcement on Friday after the FBI announced the arrest.

    “Thank you @FBI, @USMarshalsHQ, and local law enforcement for your service and dedication in apprehending this radicalized, dangerous criminal who repeatedly threatened the lives of me, my family, and @realDonaldTrump. Thank you for your tireless work every day keeping the American people safe,” she wrote in a post on X.

    Threats against political officials have been on the rise, during the 2024 campaign cycle Donald Trump survived multiple assassination attempts.

    A recent study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has revealed a concerning trend: a significant portion of left-leaning Americans believe that political violence, including assassination, is justifiable against figures such as President Donald Trump and the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk. The study surveyed over 1,200 U.S. adults and found that 38% of respondents felt that assassinating Trump would be at least “somewhat justified,” with this figure rising to 55% among those identifying as left-leaning. Similarly, 31% of overall participants, and 48% of left-leaning individuals, expressed some level of justification for assassinating Musk.

    This data suggests a troubling normalization of violent political rhetoric within certain segments of the population. The NCRI report highlights that this shift has been particularly pronounced following the December 2024 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione. Mangione’s actions have been glamorized in various online communities, leading to a proliferation of memes and discussions that endorse political violence.

    Screenshot via X [Credit: Elon Musk]

    Mexican President Pushes Back On Trump’s Latest Cartel Proposal

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, says she had “a very good conversation” with President Donald Trump on Monday — a call that focused heavily on cartel violence, cross-border drug trafficking, and the Trump administration’s push for tougher action against transnational criminal groups

    The call lasted about 15 minutes and came after Sheinbaum said she requested direct dialogue with the Trump administration, following a week of escalating rhetoric from Trump about the cartels and Mexico’s security crisis.

    A familiar dispute: U.S. military action vs. Mexican sovereignty

    Trump has repeatedly suggested the United States could use the U.S. military to strike cartel networks inside Mexico — an idea that resonates with many Republican voters who view the cartels as a direct national-security threat tied to fentanyl deaths, human trafficking, and illegal immigration.

    Sheinbaum, however, again rejected the idea of U.S. intervention, signaling that her government wants continued security cooperation, but on Mexico’s terms.

    Trump “still insisted that if we ask for it, they could help” with military forces, Sheinbaum said, adding that she rejected the offer again:

    “We told him, so far it’s going very well, it’s not necessary, and furthermore there is Mexico’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and he understood.”

    For Republican-leaning audiences, the tension here is straightforward: Mexico wants U.S. support — but not U.S. control, even as American communities continue facing the fallout of cartel-driven fentanyl trafficking.

    Trump presses the issue: “The cartels are running Mexico”

    Trump’s posture has been consistent: treat cartels like the enemy force they are.

    In a Fox News interview aired last week, he said:

    “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water and we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico. It’s very sad to watch.”

    That message plays to a key Republican argument: the U.S. cannot allow criminal organizations to operate with near-military power just across the border, especially when those groups fuel drug deaths and destabilize communities on both sides.

    Venezuela raid adds new weight to Trump’s threats

    The conversation also came in the wake of a dramatic U.S. operation in Venezuela — the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — which Sheinbaum said Trump raised directly.

    “He (Trump) asked me my opinion about what they had done in Venezuela and I told him very clearly that our constitution is very clear, that we do not agree with interventions and that was it,” Sheinbaum said.

    Sheinbaum’s comments reflect a longstanding Mexican government position against foreign military interventions, but the timing matters: the Venezuela operation has made leaders across the region take Trump’s warnings more seriously — including when he talks about Mexico, Cuba, and even Greenland. AP News+1

    Rubio demands “tangible results” from Mexico

    The Trump administration’s pressure campaign hasn’t been limited to the president.

    Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente spoke Sunday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called for “tangible results” and more cooperation to dismantle cartel power, according to the U.S. State Department.

    That demand reflects what many Republican voters have argued for years: Mexico must do more than make promises — it must deliver measurable enforcement.

    Sheinbaum claims progress — and wants credit

    Sheinbaum said Mexico shared results with the U.S. side, including:

    • a significant drop in homicides
    • falling U.S. fentanyl seizures
    • lower fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S.

    Even so, U.S. officials and border-state Republicans have frequently questioned whether Mexico’s progress is durable and nationwide, or simply temporary or concentrated in certain regions while cartels continue adapting.

    Why intervention is still unlikely — for now

    Experts say U.S. intervention in Mexico remains unlikely because Mexico is currently doing much of what Washington has requested and remains one of America’s most important economic partners. But they also expect Trump to keep using hardline rhetoric to maintain pressure.

    Cuba left out — but still a point of friction

    Sheinbaum said the two leaders did not discuss Cuba, even though Trump has recently threatened action related to the island. Mexico remains an important ally of Cuba, including through oil shipments, which have become even more significant now that the Trump administration has moved to stop Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba.

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    ‘Security Agent’ With Hollow-Point Ammo Busted at Trump Golf Club Before President’s Visit

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    A California man allegedly filmed federal agents as they mapped out security for President Donald Trump’s visit to his Los Angeles-area golf club — then returned two days later with hollow-point ammunition in his pocket and a loaded pistol in his pickup truck, authorities said.

    Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, setting off a search that authorities say uncovered an illegally modified rifle, body armor, high-capacity magazines, radio devices and notebooks filled with “concerning statements” at his home.

    Now he is staring down cases in two court systems.

    Federal prosecutors charged Taele Tuesday with possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

    The First Red Flag

    The encounter did not begin Sunday.

    According to an affidavit filed with the federal complaint, agents were conducting a security assessment at the golf club on Friday, July 31, ahead of Trump’s Aug. 4 visit when they spotted Taele walking across the grounds.

    He was wearing an earpiece, taking photographs and recording video of the agents’ security-planning work, prosecutors alleged. He eventually left in a vehicle.

    But Taele allegedly returned Sunday while federal agents were still working at the club. Staff recognized him and alerted the agents, authorities said.

    Taele then approached the agents and claimed he was employed by the State Department and assigned to a security detail at the property, according to the federal affidavit. He also acknowledged that a loaded firearm was inside his pickup in the club parking lot.

    Agents called the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. When deputies arrived, they learned Taele was already wanted in connection with a robbery investigation in El Segundo, prosecutors said.

    During a search, deputies allegedly found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in Taele’s pants pocket.

    Inside his truck, authorities said they found a loaded 9mm pistol, another magazine packed with hollow-point rounds, binoculars and a badge bearing the words “security protection agent.”

    The Search That Deepened the Mystery

    The arrest quickly widened into a federal security investigation.

    Detectives assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force obtained a warrant and searched Taele’s Downey home Monday because of what the Sheriff’s Department called the incident’s potential security implications.

    Authorities said the search turned up an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a 1911 .45-caliber pistol, an AR upper receiver, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk rifle and pistol ammunition, an earpiece and two radio signal devices.

    Investigators also seized multiple notebooks containing what they described only as “concerning statements.” Officials have not disclosed what was written in them.

    “We are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in announcing the federal charge. He said investigators were still working to determine Taele’s motive.

    FBI Los Angeles chief Patrick Grandy said the alleged conduct raised serious red flags and left “no room for error” given the previous attempts on Trump’s life.

    State Charges — And a Separate Robbery Case

    Taele also faces three California weapons counts: receiving a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle and possessing a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, TIME reported, citing the state complaint.

    Prosecutors separately charged him with second-degree robbery over an alleged Nov. 4, 2025, incident that El Segundo police were investigating before his arrest at the golf club.

    Taele pleaded not guilty Tuesday. A judge set his bail at $250,000, ordered him not to possess weapons, barred him from Trump National Golf Club and prohibited him from leaving California while the case is pending. His next state court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 26.

    He was also expected to make his first appearance in federal court Wednesday on the rifle charge.

    Authorities have not publicly accused Taele of plotting to attack Trump, and no motive has been announced. The Sheriff’s Department said it had identified no credible threat to the surrounding community, while the Secret Service, FBI, ATF and local investigators continued to examine the case.

    The Secret Service said it investigates any conduct that could signal a threat or a directed interest in a protected person. The Trump Organization thanked local and federal authorities for their swift response.

    Trump’s Tuesday evening Republican National Committee event at the golf club went forward. The president briefly addressed the arrest during an appearance on “Fox News @ Night.”

    “The only thing I get a little solace from is, they say only consequential presidents,” Trump said. “And I am definitely consequential.”

    The scare came two years after a gunman wounded Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and after Ryan Routh’s 2024 attempt to kill Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.
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