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GOP Senator Swatted Hours After Heโ€™s Branded โ€˜RINOโ€™ By Trump

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President Donald Trump is threatening to primary Indiana Republicans for declining to gerrymander the state and add GOP seats to Congress.

The president has repeatedly urged GOP-led states like Indiana to redistrict and give Republicans an advantage in the 2026 midterms.

Trump took to Truth Social Sunday to put โ€œRINO Senatorsโ€ on notice for โ€œdeprivingโ€ Republicans of a House majority.

โ€œVery disappointed in Indiana State Senate Republicans, led by RINO Senatorsย Rod Brayย andย Greg Goode, for not wanting to redistrict their State, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats,โ€ Trump wrote.

โ€œThe Democrats have done redistricting for years, often illegally, and all other appropriate Republican States have done it. Because of these two politically correct type โ€˜gentlemen,โ€™ and a few others, they could be depriving Republicans of a Majority in the House, A VERY BIG DEAL!โ€

Trump took a shot at Californiaโ€™s Prop 50 redistricting measure that passed overwhelmingly and allows the state to redraw congressional districts in favor of Democrats. Prop 50 was proposed after Texas approved redistricting in favor of Republicans.

โ€œCalifornia is trying to pick up five seats, and no one is complaining about that. Itโ€™s weak โ€˜Republicansโ€™ that cause our Country such problems โ€” Itโ€™s why we have crazy Policies and Ideas that are so bad for America,โ€ Trump wrote, continuing:

Also, a friend of mine, Governorย Mike Braun, perhaps, is not working the way he should to get the necessary Votes. Considering that Mike wouldnโ€™t be Governor without me (Not even close!), is disappointing! Any Republican that votes against this important redistricting, potentially having an impact on America itself, should be PRIMARIED. Indiana is a State with strong, smart, and patriotic people. They want us to see our Country WIN, and want to, โ€œMAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!โ€ Senators Bray, Goode, and the others to be released to the public later this afternoon, should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW! If not, letโ€™s get them out of office, ASAP.

The Indiana state lawmaker was the target of a โ€œswattingโ€ incident just hours later, according to local authorities.

Sheriffย Derek Fellย said deputies were dispatched around 5 p.m. on Sunday after Terre Haute police received an email โ€œadvising harm had been done to persons inside a home, located in southeastern Vigo County.โ€ Officers struggled to make contact at first, Fell said, but eventually confirmed the residents, including the senator, were safe.

Goode and his family โ€œwere secure, safe, and unharmed,โ€ Fell said, adding that an investigation showed the threat was a hoax, โ€œalso known as โ€˜swatting.’โ€

In a brief statement, the senator said he and his family were โ€œvictims,โ€ offering thanks to the sheriff and Terre Haute Police Chiefย Kevin Barrettย for their โ€œprofessionalism.โ€

The incident lands amid a tense and unusually public fight over redistricting in Indiana. GOP leaders froze the process on Friday when Senate President Pro Temporeย Rodric Brayย refused to reconvene lawmakers to draw new maps favoring Republicans.

Earlier Sunday, Trump threatened to publish a list of GOP holdouts โ€œlater this afternoon,โ€ though the promised names did not emerge.

Suspect Arrested After Ramming Car Into White House Barricade

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A man was arrested Tuesday night after driving his vehicle into a security gate at the White House complex, the United States Secret Service (USSS) announced. According to the agency, at approximately 10:37 p.m. on October 21, the individual drove his vehicle into the Secret Service vehicle gate located at 17th and E Streets NW in Washington.

Arrest image via Pixabay

Uniformed Division officers of the Secret Service immediately arrested the driver. The vehicle was assessed in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and was โ€œdeemed safe.โ€

The agency said the investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing, and no motive has yet been publicly identified.

While officials noted there was no known breach of the core residence or threat to the Presidentโ€™s safety at the time, the incident raises fresh questions about security.

Since President Trump returned to office for his second term, the nation has witnessed a number of alarming incidentsโ€”some narrowly averted, some still under investigation. Two recent events in particular stand out:

1. The hunting-stand incident near Air Force One
Over the weekend, the Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a federal probe after agents discovered a โ€œhunting standโ€ positioned in a tree with a direct line of sight toward where Air Force One touches down at Palmโ€ฏBeachโ€ฏInternationalโ€ฏAirport in Florida, ahead of President Trumpโ€™s arrival at his estate in Mar-a-Lago.

While officials stressed that no individuals, ammunition or explosives were found at the site, the discovery of an elevated platform within view of the presidential aircraft sparked serious concern. It comes on the heels of past assassination attempts targeting the Republican President.

2. The July-and-September 2024 assassination attempts
On July 13, 2024, while President Trump was speaking at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman climbed onto a rooftop and fired multiple shots; one grazed Trumpโ€™s ear and a spectator was killed.

Then on September 15, 2024, at the Trumpโ€ฏInternationalโ€ฏGolfโ€ฏClub,โ€ฏWestโ€ฏPalmโ€ฏBeach in Florida, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was spotted hiding in shrubbery with a rifle aimed at Trump. Secret Service agents intervened and arrested him later that day.

Trump Announces He Will Pardon Ex-Honduran President

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Image via Pixabay

President Donald Trump announced Friday on Truth Social that he intends to grant a full pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernรกndez, who is currently serving a 45-year sentence in U.S. federal prison on drug trafficking and weapons charges.

Hernรกndez, who led Honduras from 2014 to 2022, was arrested in Tegucigalpa in February 2022 following a U.S. extradition request. He was transferred to New York two months later to face charges that federal prosecutors said stemmed from years of cooperation with major drug cartels. Prosecutors accused him of turning Honduras into a โ€œnarco-state,โ€ alleging that during his presidency he leveraged political power to help move more than 400 tons of cocaine toward the United States in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes. Among those he allegedly interacted with was notorious Mexican cartel leader Joaquรญn โ€œEl Chapoโ€ Guzmรกn.

A federal jury convicted Hernรกndez in March 2024 on three counts related to drug-trafficking and firearms conspiracies. On June 26, 2024, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay an $8 million fine.

In his Friday post, Trump criticized the prosecutionโ€™s handling of the case and suggested Hernรกndez had been treated more harshly than warranted. โ€œI will be granting a Full and Complete Pardon to Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez who has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly,โ€ Trump wrote. โ€œThis cannot be allowed to happen, especially now, after Tito Asfura wins the Election, when Honduras will be on its way to Great Political and Financial Success.โ€

The message reflects Trumpโ€™s increasingly vocal support for Nasry โ€œTitoโ€ Asfura, the conservative National Party candidate in Hondurasโ€™ presidential election. Earlier this week, Trump used Truth Social to praise Asfura, writing that the two โ€œcan work together to fight the Narcocommunists, and bring needed aid to the people of Honduras.โ€

Trumpโ€™s Friday post escalated that endorsement further, urging Hondurans to โ€œVOTE FOR TITO ASFURA FOR PRESIDENT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ ON YOUR UPCOMING PARDON. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE HONDURAS GREAT AGAIN!โ€

He also warned that future U.S. assistance to Honduras could hinge on the electionโ€™s outcome, stating that if Asfura loses, โ€œthe United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which country it is.โ€

Context: Trumpโ€™s Recent Use of the Pardon Power

The announcement comes amid renewed attention to Trumpโ€™s approach to pardons and commutations, which he has described as an important tool for correcting what he views as systemic unfairness in the U.S. justice system and in politically sensitive prosecutions. In recent months, Trump has signaled his willingness to revisit high-profile cases involving allies, military personnel, and others he says were treated wrongly by federal authorities.

During his first term, Trump issued several controversial pardons, including for former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former adviser Roger Stone, and several U.S. military service members involved in war-related prosecutions. He also pardoned political figures such as former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and longtime conservative commentator Dinesh Dโ€™Souza, citing prosecutorial excess in those cases.

More recently, Trump has publicly floated pardons for individuals prosecuted for actions related to border security and drug enforcement, arguing that some federal casesโ€”particularly those involving international cooperation or politically volatile regionsโ€”deserve closer scrutiny.

Hernรกndezโ€™s case now appears to be the latest example of Trumpโ€™s willingness to intervene where he believes U.S. prosecutors overstepped or failed to account for broader geopolitical considerations.

A Sign of Trumpโ€™s Foreign Policy Priorities

Trumpโ€™s strong backing of Asfura and criticism of the U.S. prosecution of Hernรกndez reflect his broader emphasis on building alliances with conservative governments in Latin America. Throughout his presidency and afterward, Trump has framed left-wing governments in the region as destabilizing forces aligned with organized crime, while praising leaders who adopt pro-business and anti-corruption platforms.

By tying Hernรกndezโ€™s pardon to Hondurasโ€™ political future, Trump is signaling that he views Asfuraโ€™s victoryโ€”and Hondurasโ€™ alignment with the United Statesโ€”as strategically important.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Taken Into Custody By ICE

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Arrest image via Pixabay

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the immigrant deported to El Salvador who became a political flashpoint for the Trump administrationโ€™s immigration crackdown, wasย detainedย again on Monday

Speaking to reporters outside the ICE Field Office in Baltimore after Abrego Garcia was detained, his lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said ICE officials had declined to tell them where they were detaining Abrego Garcia prior to his removal, or tell them why they were arresting him. 

“As of the last five minutes, Mr. Abrego Garcia has filed a new lawsuit in the federal district court for the District of Maryland challenging his confinement and challenging his deportation to Uganda, or to any other country unless and until he’s had a fair trialโ€” as in, an immigration court, as well as his full appeal rights,,” Sandoval-Moshenberg sad.

The habeas petition, filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland, was assigned to U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who has presided since March over his civil case.

Abrego Garcia, who fled El Salvador as a teenager and lived in Maryland, addressed supporters before entering his appointment.

โ€œMy name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and I want you to remember this, remember that I am free and I was able to be reunited with my family,โ€ he said. โ€œThis was a miracle. Thank you to God and thank you to the community. I want to thank each and every one of you who marched, lift your voices, never stop praying, and continue to fight in my name.โ€

Abrego Garcia’s legal fight for months has dominated U.S. headlines, after he was deported by theย Trump administrationย to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order. He faces a possible second deportation, this time to Uganda.

Shortly before his arrival Monday morning, immigration advocates, faith leaders, and other community members massed outside the field office at sunrise for a vigil, organized by two immigration advocacy groups.

The Trump administration returned him to the U.S. months after sending him to El Salvador, under orders from a federal judge and from the Supreme Court.

He was arrested upon return to the U.S. on human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennesee. He remained in federal detention until Friday, when he was released from U.S. custody and ordered to return to Maryland, where a judge said he could remain under electronic surveillance and under ICE supervision while awaiting trial.

ICE officials notified Abrego Garcia’s attorneys shortly after his release on Friday that they planned to deport him to Uganda.

The notice, sent by ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Adviser, said it was intended to “serve as notice that DHS may remove your client, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, to Uganda no earlier than 72 hours from now (absent weekends).”

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan told Fox News in an interview Sunday night that Abrego Garcia was “absolutely” going to be deported from the U.S, and said Uganda is “on the table” as the third country of removal.ย 

“We have an agreement with them. It’s on a table, absolutely,” Homan said in an interview on “The Big Weekend Show” Sunday evening.

“He is absolutely going to be deported,” Homan reiterated. 

For now, he said, Abrego Garcia “can enjoy the little time he has with his family. And for the person who says we’re not going to separate family, his family can go with him, because he’s leaving.”

Cuban Regime Finally Loses a Longtime Fugitive: Joanne โ€œAssataโ€ Shakur Dies in Havana

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Havana, Cuba โ€” On September 25, 2025, Cubaโ€™s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Joanne Deborah Byron โ€” better known by her aliases Joanne Chesimard and Assata Shakur โ€” died in Havana at the age of 78 due to health complications and the rigors of old age.

This news brings to a close a decades-long saga in which a convicted murderer escaped justice, was shielded by a hostile foreign regime, and became a symbol for radical causes.


A Fugitiveโ€™s Origin: From Violent Crime to Escape to Cuba

In 1977, Chesimard was convicted on multiple serious charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and other felonies after a 1973 shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left State Trooper Werner Foerster dead.

She escaped prison in 1979, spent years underground, and resurfaced in 1984 under asylum in Cuba โ€” a regime that refused U.S. extradition requests.

For decades, the United States and New Jersey authorities pushed Cuba to hand her over. She carried the dubious distinction of being the first woman ever placed on the FBIโ€™s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with a $1 million reward for her capture.


A Death Without Accountability

Her passing in Havana presents a bitter irony: after decades of immunity facilitated by a foreign government, she dies free โ€” far from the prison cell where she was supposed to serve life in the U.S.

New Jersey officials immediately expressed outrage. They reiterated that justice was never fully served for Trooper Foersterโ€™s family.

Cubaโ€™s complicity in harboring Chesimard has long been roundly condemned by American leaders. Senator Marco Rubio recently denounced Havana for providing โ€œa safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States.โ€

What She Represented โ€” and What the U.S. Must Learn

For defenders of law and order, her story is a cautionary tale of diplomatic failure and ideological double standards.

  • Rule of Law Must Be Absolute: A convicted cop killer escaping and living with impunity is a stain on the integrity of the justice system.
  • Foreign Regimes Should Not Shield Criminals: Cubaโ€™s refusal to extradite Chesimard fashioned her into a political symbol, rather than merely a criminal. That sets a dangerous precedent.
  • Consistency in Foreign Policy Matters: If the U.S. does not forcefully demand accountability from regimes that shelter fugitives, it weakens its moral and strategic footing.

Now that she has died abroad, the question of bringing her remains home may arise. But more importantly, the memory of Trooper Foerster โ€” his sacrifice and service โ€” must remain central. And the mission remains: to hold foreign governments accountable when they interfere with American justice.

Trump Commutes Prison Sentence Of Hunter Biden’s ‘Fall Guy’

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President Joe Biden hugs his family during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump commuted the sentence ofย Jason Galanis,ย a convicted ex-business associate of Hunter Biden, whom Trump officials described as the “fall guy” for the former first sonโ€™s business dealings.ย 

Galanis was sentenced in 2017 to 189 months, or 14 years, in prison, after pleading guilty to securities fraud based on bonds issued by a company affiliated with a Native American tribe in South Dakota. 

The funds were reportedly supposed to be used for certain projects, but were instead used for his personal finances. 

A Trump administration official told Fox News Digital that Galanis served eight years and eight months of his sentence and had an “unblemished record while in prison.” The official also said Galanis was sexually assaulted by a security guard while in prison.ย 

The Trump official told Fox News Digital that Galanis “basically was the fall guy for Hunter Biden and Devon Archer.” The official noted Galanis was “extremely cooperative” during the 2024 House impeachment inquiry into the Biden family. 

“After serving eight years and eight months in prison on good behavior, the administration felt it was time for him to regain his liberty and go on into his private life,” the official told Fox News Digital. 

Congressional investigators interviewed Galanis while he was in prison to gather information on the Biden familyโ€™s business dealings and any “access” to then-Vice President Joe Biden

Galanis testified that Joe Biden was considering joining the board of a joint venture created by Hunter Biden and his business associates with ties to the Chinese Communist Party after he left the vice presidency.

Georgia Man Arrested Over Alleged Threats To Kill Tulsi Gabbard

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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 โ€œtransmitting interstate threats to injureโ€ Gabbard and her family, according to the DOJ press release.

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

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, โ€œYou and your family are going to die soon,โ€ and โ€œI will personally do the job if necessary.โ€

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

Other texts allegedly included, โ€œPrepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn,โ€ and โ€œDeath to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.โ€

Federal agents later found a firearm at Aminโ€™s house while executing a search warrant, the DOJ said.

โ€œThe 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,โ€ Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBIโ€™s Atlanta Field Office, said in a statement.

โ€œLet 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,โ€ Brown added.

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

โ€œThank 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,โ€ 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]

Steve Bannon Released From Federal Prison

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Image via Pixabay

A free man!

Nearly a week from Election Day and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon has been released from Federal custody.

On Tuesday, Bannon walked out of the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut with his head held high after serving his four-month sentence.

Bannonโ€™s conviction stemmed from his refusal to cooperate with the House committeeโ€™s investigation into the January 6th Capitol riots in 2021. In 2022, a jury found Bannon guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for failing to provide requested documents and another for refusing to testify before the committee.

According to his representatives, Bannon is expected to hold a press conference in Manhattan late Tuesday. He is also expected to resume his War Room podcast.

Bannonโ€™s legal battles, however, continue. In December, he faces a New York state trial on separate charges, where he is accused of defrauding donors in a campaign to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.

Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Arrested

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Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn was briefly arrested this week in Cape Coral, Florida โ€” yet the setback may not slow what many believe is a mounting effort to reenter national politics.

Authorities took Cawthorn into custody on a warrant stemming from an August 19 citation for driving without a valid license in Naples. He was released shortly thereafter on a $2,000 bond and is expected to appear in court to resolve the matter. Supporters have dismissed the incident as a minor technicality, unlikely to derail his ambitions.


From Conservative Trailblazer to Political Lightning Rod

Cawthorn burst onto the national stage in 2020 as one of the youngest Republicans ever elected to Congress, winning his North Carolina seat at just 25 years old. He quickly became a symbol of youthful conservative energy and unapologetic defiance of the Washington establishment.

But his meteoric rise ran into turbulence during his lone term. In early 2022, he alleged that some D.C. elites had invited him to a cocaine-fueled โ€œorgy,โ€ a claim that drew sharp criticism from GOP leadership. Weeks later, police body camera footage showed him being pulled over while driving a car he mistakenly believed he owned, and he was also cited for bringing a firearm through airport security โ€” his second such incident in less than a year.

Republican leadership, once supportive, gradually distanced themselves. The controversies overshadowed his legislative work and contributed to his loss in the 2022 Republican primary.


Florida Could Offer a Second Act

Now, Cawthorn may be plotting a political revival โ€” this time from Floridaโ€™s 19th Congressional District, where Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) is expected to step down to run for governor. Axios recently reported that Cawthorn has been exploring a run to fill the soon-to-be-open seat, potentially offering him a clean slate and new political base in one of the countryโ€™s most Republican-leaning regions.

If he enters the race, Cawthorn could return to Washington older, more seasoned, and still armed with the anti-establishment instincts that made him a grassroots favorite. For many conservatives, his resilience โ€” and willingness to challenge entrenched power โ€” could be the very qualities the GOP needs in its next generation of leadership. for the second time in nine months.

Retired 4-Star Navy Admiral Found Guilty In Bribery Case

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A retired four-star admiral who once served as the Navyโ€™s second-highest ranking officer, was convicted of bribery and other conspiracy charges on Monday. The conviction marks the most senior member of the U.S. military ever convicted of committing a federal crime while on active duty.

Following a five-day trial, retired four-star Adm. Robert Burke, 62, was found guilty on Monday of a scheme to direct lucrative contracts to the training company Next Jump in exchange for a $500,000-a-year job after leaving the Navy, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. 

Burke is facing up to 30 years in prison for his role in the scheme to direct contracts potentially worth millions of dollars to a New York City-based company that offered training programs to the Navy.

Burke, who served aboard attack and ballistic missile submarines, rose through the ranks to eventually become chief of naval personnel in 2016 followed by vice chief of naval operations in June 2019. He then took command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Forces Command in June 2020 before retiring in summer 2022.

Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, co-CEOs of Next Jump, allegedly participated in the scheme to get a government contract in exchange for offering Burke a position with the company.

Kim and Messenger were each charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, according to the caseโ€™s unsealed indictment. They face trial in August, which is when Burke will be sentenced. 

Kim and Messenger, via their company Next Jump, provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. However, the deal appeared to go downhill and the Navy terminated a contract with the company in late 2019 and directed it not to contact Burke.

The Hill reports:

But in summer 2021, Messenger and Kim met with Burke in Washington, D.C., to reestablish their companyโ€™s business relationship with the Navy. While at the meeting, the two โ€œagreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a contractโ€ to their firm โ€” as well as influence other Navy officers to award another contract to the company โ€” in exchange for his future employment there, according to the Justice Department. 

Burke in December 2021 then ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Next Jump to train personnel under Burkeโ€™s command in Italy and Spain, which the company performed in January 2022. 

In October 2022, Burke began working at Next Jump with an annual salary of $500,000 and a grant of $100,000 in stock options. 

Burke was accused of making several false and misleading statements to the Navy to conceal the scheme, such as implying that his discussions to join Next Jump began months after the contract was awarded.

“When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro wrote in a post on X following the conviction.