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    Trump Revokes Security Clearances For Officials Linked To Hunter Biden Laptop Letter

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    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)

    In one of his first moves as President, Trump revoked the security clearances of more than 50 national security officials who said Hunter Biden’s laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”

    In 2020, a total of 51 former national security officials released a public letter in 2020 claiming that even though the laptop did not have “any evidence of Russian involvement,” it looked like a “Russian information operation.”

    The letter came after the New York Post reported that they had emails showing Hunter Biden coordinated for Joe Biden to meet with a top executive at Ukrainian energy company Burisma months before pressuring Ukrainian officials to oust a prosecutor to investigate the company. 

    Included on the list are former director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr., former directors of the Central Intelligence Agency Michael Hayden, John Brennan, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton. 

    Fox News Digital previously reported that federal investigators with the Department of Justice were aware that Hunter Biden’s laptop was not manipulated and contained “reliable evidence.” 

    The order was one of more than 200 executive orders Trump approved on Inauguration Day, joining directives like withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement that the U.S. initially entered under former President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015. 

    Other executive orders Trump signed on day one include rescinding nearly 80 executive orders and memoranda issued under Biden, issuing a regulatory and hiring freeze upon the federal government, preventing “government censorship” of free speech, and directing every department and agency to address the cost of living crisis. 

    Prior to Trump’s Inauguration, the House Judiciary Committee signaled it plans to continue its probe into the criminal investigation of Hunter Biden who was issued a full pardon by his father.

    READ NEXT: Republican Says Hunter Biden Investigation Will Move Forward

    Trump Secures Release Of US Prisoner From Taliban

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    An American woman being held captive by the Taliban is free…

    American citizen Faye Hall was released finally this week after being held since February and received at the Qatari embassy in Kabul.

    A source informed reporters that she has been confirmed to be in good health after undergoing a series of medical checks. Arrangements are currently underway for her return to the U.S.

    The Taliban agreed to release Hall after President Donald Trump removed multimillion-dollar bounties on senior members of the militant group, according to a report by the Telegraph.

    The White House shared a video on X Saturday afternoon of Hall thanking the president.

    “I’m glad you’re the President, and thank you for bringing me home,” Hall said. “I have never been so proud to be an American citizen. Thank you, Mr. President.”

    In a response posted to Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Thank you Faye — So honored with your words!”

    Trump agreed to remove millions of dollars of bounties on three senior members of the Haqqani network, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban government’s interior minister, the outlet reported, noting that Washington was offering a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture.

    Hall was arrested on Feb. 1 along with a British couple, Peter Reynolds, 79, his wife Barbie, 75, and their interpreter, the outlet reported. 

    Hall’s release comes after the Taliban released American hostage George Glezmann, 65, last week after holding him for more than two years. (RELATED: Trump Admin Frees American Hostage From Taliban)=

    The Trump administration has also secured the release of multiple Americans being held prisoner in Russia, including Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel. (RELATED: Trump Secures Release Of Second American While Revealing Details Of Russian Prisoner Swap)

    Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was serving a 14-year prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana. 

    READ NEXT: “Democrats Have Nothing To Sell But Hate” – Texas Gov. Abbott Responds After Sleazy Dem Rep’s ‘Hot Wheels’ Slur

    FBI Agents Sue DOJ To Block Release Of Officials’ Names In Trump Investigations

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    6

    Nine anonymous FBI officials who worked on investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and the classified documents case at Mar-a-Lago have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit seeks to prevent the Department of Justice (DOJ) from compiling a list of officials involved in these high-profile cases, arguing that such a move could lead to retaliation and security risks.

    Agents Warn of National Security Concerns

    The plaintiffs claim the DOJ’s actions amount to an “unlawful” and “retaliatory” purge, raising alarms about potential misuse of the information.

    “Should this information fall into the wrong hands, the national security of the United States would be severely compromised,” the lawsuit states.

    Beyond job security, the agents fear broader professional consequences, alleging they could face demotions, lost promotions or blocked career opportunities as a result of their past investigative work.

    The New York Times has additional details:

    The lawsuits came in response to a demand by Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, that the F.B.I. compile and turn over a list of everyone who worked on those cases. That group, the lawsuits estimated, could number as many as 6,000 agents.

    The lawsuits said that the agents believed the administration intended to reveal their identities, exposing the agents and their families to profound danger. They seek court orders prohibiting the executive branch from releasing the names.

    The Trump administration has not said it intends to release the identities of the law enforcement officials, but its demand for names of people who worked on the cases has stoked the belief that it may move to fire them en masse. At the Justice Department, prosecutors who have worked on cases involving President Trump or the Jan. 6 rioters have been dismissed. The lawsuits on Tuesday appear to be putting down a marker that could expand into a challenge to any mass firings if they happen.

    “It is clear that the threatened disclosure is a prelude to an unlawful purge of the F.B.I. driven solely by the Trump administration’s vengeful and political motivations,” Chris Mattei, a lawyer for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association, said in a statement. “Releasing the names of these agents would ignite a firestorm of harassment towards them and their families, and it must be stopped immediately.”

    DOJ Under Scrutiny

    The lawsuit marks a significant legal challenge to the administration’s handling of federal law enforcement personnel, particularly those involved in the cases against President Trump. Critics warn that the creation of such a list could pave the way for politically motivated employment retaliation, a concern that has gained traction, especially on the left, amid ongoing debates over government oversight and accountability.

    A key element of the case is a DOJ questionnaire, which the plaintiffs say was distributed to thousands of FBI officials, asking them to disclose their involvement in Jan. 6 and Trump-related investigations. The lawsuit argues this effort could set a dangerous precedent for targeting law enforcement officials based on past casework.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Senate Confirms Kash Patel As FBI Director

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    2
    Image via gage Skidmore Flickr

    Kash Patel has been appointed to a 10-year term as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), following the resignation of Christopher Wray.

    The U.S. Senate first voted on Thursday morning to invoke cloture, the last procedural step before the afternoon’s confirmation vote. Patel, 44, cleared the hurdle largely along party lines, with Republicans supporting his nomination and Democrats expressing significant concerns.

    A final roll call vote was conducted at 1:45 p.m., securing Patel’s nomination following a confirmation process marked by adversity.

    The vote comes amidst efforts by Trump-backed officials to reshape the FBI and Department of Justice to align more closely with the administration’s priorities.

    During his confirmation hearing, Patel pledged to depoliticize the FBI and restore accountability within the Bureau. However, Democrats continued to vigorously criticize his close ties to President Trump and questioned his qualifications and impartiality.

    Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) warned last week, “My prediction is if you vote for Kash Patel, more than any other confirmation vote you make, you will come to regret this one to your grave.” Other Democrats attacked Patel over his comments on the 2020 election, his defense of Jan. 6 defendants and concerns that he could lead a purge at the Bureau.

    Patel fired back at Democrats, accusing them of twisting his words and taking his comments out of context—including a list in his book where he identified government officials as part of the “deep state,” which they categorized as an “enemies list.”

    The Senate Judiciary Committee ultimately advanced Patel’s nomination last week in a 12-10 vote, strictly along party lines.

    During Thursday’s cloture vote, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) came out in opposition to Patel’s nomination.

    Maine’s senior senator voiced concerns over Patel’s ability to lead the FBI impartially.

    “While I strongly support efforts to ensure all federal employees perform their responsibilities ethically and in accordance with the law, Mr. Patel’s recent political profile undermines his ability to serve in the apolitical role of director of the FBI,” Collins said, adding, “Therefore, I will vote against his nomination.”

    At the same time, news broke that longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell would not seek reelection. McConnell backed Patel, surprising some observers.

    As he begins his 10-year term, Patel faces major tasks ahead, having articulated a comprehensive agenda aimed at restructuring the FBI to enhance its efficiency and public trust.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Hegseth’s Inner Circle Crumbles — Top Aide Out In Pentagon Shakeup

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    1
    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Joe Kasper, former chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, likely walked out of the Pentagon as a Department of Defense (DOD) employee for the last time Thursday as controversy over leaked classified information spiraled out of control. His exit follows bombshell revelations that Hegseth shared sensitive military plans — including airstrike details in Yemen — with unauthorized parties via Signal, an encrypted messaging app.

    The scandal, now called “Signalgate,” has set off a series of investigations and toppled senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Darin Selnick and Senior Advisor Dan Caldwell. Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot called it a “full-blown meltdown,” and warned that Hegseth’s days could be numbered.

    Even as the chaos grows, President Trump is standing by Hegseth — at least publicly. But the fallout is exposing serious cracks in the Pentagon’s leadership and raising alarms about operational security.

    Kasper’s abrupt departure marks another blow during a brutal period of scrutiny. Although Hegseth told the hosts of “Fox & Friends” that his chief adviser would move to “a slightly different role” within the DOD, Kasper is officially gone — eyeing a return to government relations and consulting.

    A senior official confirmed the news on Friday, according to a report by The Guardian:

    “Secretary Hegseth is thankful for [Kasper’s] continued leadership and work to advance the America First agenda,” the official said in a statement, referring to Donald Trump’s protectionist policy push.

    The quick exit comes after Kasper was implicated as the orchestrator of a power grab that led to the dismissal of three senior Pentagon officials – Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll – allegedly as part of a leak investigation.

    The administration’s first hundred days created a troubled tenure for Kasper, with anonymous sources claiming he was frequently late to meetings, failed to follow through on critical tasks, and displayed inappropriate behavior, including berating officials and making crude comments allegedly about his bowel movements during high-level meetings.

    “He lacked the focus and organizational skills needed to get things done,” one anonymous insider told Politico.

    Other reports surfaced that the strip club aficionado shared inappropriate personal stories about exotic dancers during classified meetings — one of several reasons he became a liability. He’s now the fifth top aide to leave Hegseth’s circle in just a week.

    Meanwhile, the broader Pentagon leadership is under fire for security breaches, including Hegseth’s use of an unsecured “dirty” internet line for Signal communications — a move that may have exposed critical data to foreign surveillance, according to NSA warnings.

    READ NEXT: Trump’s Deportation Squad Takes Down Judge Linked To Gruesome Pics

    Report: Trump Admin. Planning Major Loophole To Deport Illegal Migrants

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    9
    Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

    The incoming Trump administration is reportedly devising a plan to remove illegal migrants from the United States.

    Illegal migrants that have been ordered deported by an immigration judge, but hail from a country that refuses to take them back, may be sent to Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Grenada, Panama or possibly elsewhere once President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, according to NBC News.

    The Trump transition team has not confirmed the proposed immigration plan.

    The Daily Caller reports:

    Foreign governments that refuse to take back deportees have long frustrated federal immigration authorities in multiple administrations. In lieu of remaining in detention indefinitely, many of these individuals may simply be released back into the U.S., even if an immigration judge has ordered them to be removed.

    During Trump’s first White House term, he secured safe third country agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, which were intended to keep asylum seekers at bay by forcing them to seek refuge in those countries first before applying in the U.S. However, the Biden administration suspended those deals immediately upon entering office — part of a massive unraveling of Trump-era immigration policies by President Joe Biden that helped spark the current southern border crisis.

    Trump Issues Warning To Hamas During Post-Certification Address

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Palestinian News & Information Agency (Wafa) in contract with APAimages, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    President-elect Trump repeated his warnings that “all hell will break loose” in the Middle East if hostages kidnapped from Israel and held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are not released before his inauguration.

    “It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” Trump said during a press conference at his residence in Florida, Mar-A-Lago. “All hell will break out. I don’t have to say anymore, but that’s what it is.” 

    Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said at the same press conference that there’s been a lot of progress on efforts to release about 100 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, saying he’s hopeful a deal is achieved ahead of the inauguration. 

    Witkoff said he had just returned from discussions in Doha, Qatar on the hostage release deal and was planning to head back to the region on Wednesday or Thursday. 

    “I believe we’ve been on the verge of it. I don’t want to discuss sort of what’s delayed it,” he said.

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier said he hoped the Biden administration could conclude a hostage release and ceasefire deal before the end of President Biden’s term

    Trump FBI Nominee Targeted By Iranian Hackers

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ramón Colón-López and the chief of staff to Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, Kash Patel, arrive at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Jan. 14, 2021. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

    President-elect Donald Trump’s FBI director pick, Kash Patel, was the target of an Iranian hacking plot.

    Sources close to the matter informed CNN that the hackers successfully accessed some of Patel’s communications.

    Hackers reportedly accessed some of Patel’s communications, according to one source. Patel, a former chief of staff to the defense secretary during Trump’s first term, has been a vocal critic of Iran and an advocate for aggressive measures against the regime.

    While refraining from addressing the specifics of the incident, Trump transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer framed Patel’s leadership as integral to the incoming administration’s security policies.

    “Kash Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against the terrorist Iranian regime and will implement President Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries as the FBI Director,” Pfeiffer told the network.

    Patel is only the latest to be targeted in the foreign hacking plot. Iranian and Chinese actors have reportedly ramped up efforts to infiltrate the communications of those close to the President-elect.

    Last month, the FBI informed Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead attorney and nominee for deputy attorney general, that Chinese hackers had tapped his cellphone, sources confirmed. 

    US Threatens To Abandon Ukraine Peace Negotiations

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    By President Of Ukraine - https://www.flickr.com/photos/165930373@N06/54169325552/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=156221279

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated the United States may back off from assisting in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that it needs to be determined within days whether achieving a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is “doable in the short term,” warning that he thinks the U.S. will “move on” if it is not achievable.

    Rubio has been working alongside Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to broker a 30-day ceasefire agreement with Russia and Ukraine, which has not yet been seen to fruition.

    “We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters Friday while departing from negotiations with his counterparts in Paris. “Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on.”

    “It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on,” he added, suggesting the U.S. would decide if continued talks were “doable” in a “matter of days.”

    But Rubio noted that the U.S. will help if either or both sides are “serious about peace.”

    (Miami – Flórida, 09/03/2020) Presidente da República Jair Bolsonaro durante encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio..Foto: Alan Santos/PR

    “@POTUS has been clear: The time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is now. Today in Paris, @SE_MiddleEast, @SPE_Kellogg and I met with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine to talk about how we can stop the killing and reach a just and sustainable peace,” Rubio noted in a post on X. 

    While ceasefire negotiations have been slow, Trump has maintained that efforts to obtain a minerals deal with Ukraine are picking up pace. The U.S. leader said access to the country’s critical natural resources would provide a strong interest in maintaining Ukraine’s sovereignty and security for years to come. 

    The secretary also suggested that the U.K., France and Germany can help “move the ball” on negotiations. Officials who met in Paris have agreed to meet again in London next week with hopes of gearing peace talks toward a secured deal. 

    Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

    Despite Rubio’s comments, Vice President Vance said Friday he believes talks will move forward.

    “The negotiations, I won’t pre-judge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war to a close,” he told reporters during his visit to Rome, where he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — a day after she met with President Trump at the White House.

    Ukrainian Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said she signed a memorandum of intent with the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ahead of a potential agreement. 

    “I assume they’re going to live up to the deal, so we’ll see. But we have a deal on that,” Trump said Thursday.

    Denver Mayor Could Face Removal, Jail Time Over Deportation Stance

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

    Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston recently said he was prepared to break with President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plans and Republicans are warning he will absolutely suffer the consequences.

    Johnston said during a recent interview that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is “illegal or immoral or un-American” in the city – including the use of military force.

    During a Sunday morning interview on Face The Nation, Paul told anchor Margaret Brennan that Johnston’s plan is a “form of insurrection” that could see him removed from office.

    BRENNAN: The stated Trump plan is to use the military or military assets, deputize the National Guard, and have them act as immigration agents. Do you believe that is lawful?

    PAUL: You know, I’m 100% supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapist, all of these people. Let’s send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison. So I would say all points bulletin all in. But you don’t do it with the army because it’s illegal. And we’ve we’ve had a distrust of putting the army into our streets because the police have a difficult job. But the police understand the Fourth Amendment. They have to go to judges. They have to get warrants. It has to be specific. And so I’m for removing these people. But I would do it through the normal process of domestic policing.

    Now, I would say that the mayor of Denver, if he’s going to resist federal law, which there’s a long standing, standing history of the supremacy of federal law, he’s going to resist that. It will go all the way to the Supreme Court. And I would suspect that he would be removed from office. I don’t know whether or not that would be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law. But he will lose. And people need to realize that what he is offering is a form of insurrection where the states resist the federal government. Most people objected to that and rejected that long ago. So I think the mayor of Denver is on the wrong side of history and really, I think will face legal ramifications if he doesn’t obey the federal law.

    The president-elect’s pick to be the next border czar responded that he’s willing to put the Denver Mayor in jail for outright flouting Trump’s policies.

    “You are absolutely breaking the law,” Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” designate, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S. and he would see he’s breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail.”

    Homan pointed to a statute that says it’s a “felony if you knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities.”

    Homan said they have to secure this country and save lives. 

    “President Trump has been clear, we want to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats. I find it hard to believe that any governor would say they don’t want public safety threats removed from their neighborhoods,” he said.

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