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    Panel Reports Another Assassination Attempt ‘Likely’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    An independent panel investigating the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump released its findings this week.

    The report which was released to the public on Thursday predicted that without significant reform measures, another potshot assassination attempt like the one on former President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania earlier this year “can and will happen again.”

    According to the panel, its investigation revealed “deep flaws in the Secret Service, including some that appear to be systemic or cultural,” including: “a lack of clarity, in practice, regarding who has overall security ownership of a protectee’s site on the day of an event,” and “a troubling lack of critical thinking by Secret Service personnel,” among other issues.

    24_1017_opa-Independent-Review-Panel-Final-Report-and-Accompanying-MaterialsDownload

    In a letter presenting their findings to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the panel wrote, “The United States Secret Service aspires to be the best protective service of high-ranking government officials in the world. This is a zero-fail mission, for any failure endangers not only the life of the protectee, but also the fundamentals of our government itself. Today, however, the Secret Service does not perform at the elite levels needed to discharge its critical mission. The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static even though risks have multiplied and technology has evolved.”

    “Thousands of men and women have dedicated their lives to the Secret Service, and we remain grateful to them for their bravery, selflessness, and willingness to serve in a vital role,” they continued. “But the Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission. Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another Butler can and will happen again.”

    Iranian Grand Ayatollah Issues Fatwa Targeting Trump

    By
    Patrick Houck
    -
    5
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    A senior Iranian cleric has called for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other Israeli officials, calling them “Enemies of God.”

    Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a leading Shiite cleric in Iran with authority to issue legal rulings under Islamic law, has issued a fatwa — an Islamic legal decree — escalating regional tensions and offering religious justification for violence against Western and Israeli leaders.

    As Newsweek rightly notes, the development highlights the Islamic Republic’s ongoing use of religious decrees as political tools — a strategy Iran has long used to project power beyond its borders.

    While a fatwa is not legally enforceable, it can influence judicial decisions in countries with Sharia-based legal systems.

    Khosro K. Isfahani, senior research analyst at the National Union for Democracy in Iran wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the fatwa issued by Shirazi against Trump was similar to the murder fatwa issued against the author Salman Rushdie for his novel The Satanic Verses which led to a number of assassination attempts.

    Fatwa Targets U.S. and Israeli Leadership

    Shirazi’s ruling singles out Trump, Netanyahu, and senior Israeli officials for death, framing the call as a divine imperative. While fatwas lack direct enforcement mechanisms outside of Islamic law, they carry significant weight among hardline elements and militias aligned with Tehran.

    The fatwa comes on the heels of a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire that followed a 12-day conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the United States.

    At the height of the fighting, President Trump declared that the U.S. knew the whereabouts of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, calling him an “easy target” — though he added Khamenei was safe “for now.” Around the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued his own threat, saying that Khamenei should be assassinated.

    As Newsweek reporters Brendan Cole and Shane Croucher add, “Shirazi said anyone who threatens the Leader or Marja is considered ‘an enemy of God’ and reminded Muslims and Islamic states that it would be ‘haram’ (forbidden) to stand in support of the enemy.”

    They continue:

    “It is necessary for all Muslims around the world to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes,” the fatwa said.

    Isfahani said on X that the fatwa had been signed and sealed responding to an Estefta (formal query) and was significant because it directly named Trump and that “unlike the nonexistent Fatwa against nukes, this one is real.”

    Not Shirazi’s First Outrageous Decree

    Shirazi, known for issuing rulings against smoking and even banning women from attending soccer matches, has a long record of using his clerical position to shape Iranian social and political norms.

    Critics say the fatwa resembles Iran’s infamous 1989 ruling against author Salman Rushdie, which led to a decades-long threat on Rushdie’s life and culminated in a violent stabbing in 2022 that left the writer blind in one eye.

    Elena Ternovaja, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Comes Amid Pattern of Threats Against U.S. Officials

    This latest fatwa doesn’t come in a vacuum. It follows reported Iranian-backed plots targeting Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — both of whom played key roles in the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the targeted killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

    While the White House has not yet responded to Shirazi’s declaration, U.S. officials have previously acknowledged ongoing threats from Iranian actors against Trump-era leaders.

    What This Means Going Forward

    Even if symbolic, Shirazi’s call could inspire real-world violence — and it’s likely to complicate diplomatic efforts in the region, particularly as Tehran faces renewed scrutiny over its nuclear ambitions and destabilizing activity across the Middle East.

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    Colombian President Immediately Backtracks After Trump Threat

    By
    Seijah Drake
    -
    1

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro has backed down from his earlier declaration that he would not accept deportation flights from the United States. After initially refusing two repatriation flights containing 160 deportable migrants, Petro announced that he would instead send his presidential plane to personally pick up deported individuals, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

    This came after former President Donald Trump, who has consistently criticized Petro’s handling of immigration matters, responded with a series of strong retaliatory measures, including the imposition of emergency 25% tariffs on Colombian goods and the threat of a broader diplomatic and economic crackdown.

    The Colombian president had originally indicated that he would accept deportation flights from the U.S. but changed his tune resulting in two flights being halted. The public explanation offered was that the U.S. treated Colombian migrants as “criminals,” which he argued violated basic human rights, though some doubted the sincerity of his rationale.

    In his announcement, Petro demanded that the United States “establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.” 

    Petro was met with swift and fierce condemnation from former President Trump, who argued that Petro’s refusal to accept the flights jeopardized U.S. national security. Trump highlighted the seriousness of the issue in a post on Truth Social.

    In response to Petro’s decision, Trump wasted no time in outlining a series of retaliatory measures aimed at pressuring the Colombian government into complying with U.S. demands. On Sunday, Trump announced that his administration would implement “emergency 25% tariffs” on all Colombian imports to the U.S., a figure he vowed would escalate to 50% within one week.

    These tariffs are expected to impact a wide range of goods, from agricultural products to textiles, and could severely harm Colombia’s economy, which relies heavily on exports to the U.S. Trump’s statement also included plans for a travel ban and visa revocations targeting Colombian government officials, along with their allies and supporters.

    Trump emphasized that these actions were just the beginning, stating, “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States.”

    In a further escalation of tensions, a U.S. official revealed that the U.S. Embassy in Colombia would close on Monday following Petro’s refusal to honor his previous commitment. While no further details were provided regarding the closure, this move is likely to further strain the relationship between the two nations. The embassy’s closure could have a significant impact on diplomatic and consular services, including visa processing.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

    Secret Service Shoots Man Near White House

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    United States Secret Service personnel shot an armed man near the White House early Sunday morning.

    The individual had parked his car near 17th and F Streets NW, close to an entrance to the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the Secret Service said. President Donald Trump is in Florida for the weekend, staying at Mar-A-Lago, and was not in the vicinity when the shooting occurred.

    “Earlier on Saturday, local police shared information about a suicidal individual who may be traveling to Washington DC from Indiana,” the Secret Service said in a statement. “Around midnight, members of the Secret Service encountered the individual’s parked vehicle near 17th and F Streets NW. They also saw an individual on foot matching the description nearby.”

    “As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel.”

    https://twitter.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/1898680017736843573

    Secret Service shot the man, who was transported to an “area hospital.” The statement said the man’s condition is unknown, and that “there were no reported injuries to the Secret Service Personnel.”

    Report: Senator Accuses Secret Service Of Hiding Information To Ensure Trump’s Safety

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    Is the Secret Service hiding something?

    Sen. Josh Hawley sent letters to U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leaders on Wednesday detailing a new whistleblower claim that Secret Service leadership is trying to hide the level of protection given to former President Donald Trump.

    The letter to USSS Director Ronald Rowe and DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari alleges a whistleblower’s claims that government auditors are being denied access to certain Trump campaign events in an effort to hide these apparent protection shortfalls for the former president.

    “You of course have publicly stated that former President Trump is receiving ‘the highest level of Secret Service protection’ and that ‘he’s getting everything.’ This new whistleblower information troublingly contradicts your public statements,” Hawley wrote in his letter to Rowe.

    In his letter to Cuffari, Hawley said the new whistleblower allegations say “Secret Service headquarters blocked several of your auditors from accessing recent Trump campaign events.”

    “The Secret Service whistleblower alleges that the denial was in order to hide the fact that the former president is not receiving a consistent level of protective assets for all of his engagements,” Hawley wrote. “[Y]ou should be aware of these allegations, which indicate that the Secret Service is not in fact cooperating with your auditors and is instead painting a false picture.”

    Since the July 13 assassination attempt against the former president in Butler, Pennsylvania, Hawley has been collecting whistleblower claims to expose potential USSS deficits and errors.

    Hawley released a wide-ranging whistleblower report detailing various allegations against the agency.

    Hawley found a “compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding,” the report read.

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    Cruz Rages At Reports Iran Is ‘Explicitly Threatening To Murder Trump’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,

    Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and other close allies of President Donald Trump were left fuming after reporters leaked that Iranian state TV broadcast an image threatening to assassinate the president.

    Iran issued the sickening threat against President Trump on Wednesday, broadcasting a picture of the commander in chief during the 2024 Butler rally assassination attempt — with the words “This time it will not miss the target.” The ominous warning was aired on Iranian state-run TV, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.

    This marks Tehran’s most direct threat yet against Trump, following repeated threats that the US will strike the country if it continues its brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.

    On Tuesday, President Donald Trump urged the people of Iran to “take over” the country’s institutions on saying he has canceled all planned meetings with the Iranian regime until its crackdown on unrest ends.

    “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

    “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” he continued, referencing “Make Iran Great Again.”

    The death toll from nationwide protests grew to 2,000, The Associated Press reported, citing activists.

    Trump’s message to Iranians has become increasingly intense in recent days. In addition to encouraging anti-government protests, Trump threatened earlier this week to impose a 25 percent tariff on any country conducting business with Iran if they also do business with the U.S.

    Cruz shared the image and wrote on X, “Iran explicitly threatening to murder Trump. Tucker—whose podcast the Ayatollah is currently playing in Persian all across Iran—insists that Iran has never done this.”

    Mediaite reported that Cruz referenced Tucker Carlson in his post as the two have long feuded over Trump’s previous strikes against Iran, which Carlson vehemently opposed and warned would lead to World War III.

    Fox host Mark Levin also shared the image and wrote, “Iranian regime threatening to assassinate our President and making clear they’ve tried before! It’s time to deal with this. I’m sure we will.”

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    Report: Appeals Court Upholds Jan. 6 Trespassing Misdemeanor

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    On Tuesday, a federal appeals court upheld a Jan. 6 rioter’s misdemeanor trespassing conviction in connection with the 2021 Capitol riot.

    Couy Griffin, a founder of “Cowboys for Trump” and former New Mexico county commissioner, challenged his 2022 conviction for entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.

    The law bars “knowingly” entering a restricted zone, described as areas “posted, cordoned off or otherwise restricted,” and later defines “otherwise restricted” as an area where Secret Service protectees will be visiting.

    According to The Hill, Griffin claimed that he could not have “knowingly entered” the restricted zone without knowing the reason for the restriction was to safeguard a person under the Secret Service’s protection — on Jan. 6, then-Vice President Pence during his time at the Capitol.

    A District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals panel affirmed 2-1 that breaching a restricted area alone suffices as a violation of the law, even without knowing why the restriction is in place.

    “A contrary interpretation would impair the Secret Service’s ability to protect its charges,” Judge Cornelia Pillard wrote in the majority opinion. “It would require Secret Service agents preventing members of the public from encroaching on a temporary security zone to confirm that each intruder knows that a person under Secret Service protection is or is expected to be there. Neither the text nor the context of the statute supports that reading.”

    Griffin also argued that many of the rioters ahead of him trampled fencing and signage that would have designated restricted areas, but the panel held that Capitol grounds were “adequately ‘posted, cordoned off or otherwise restricted’ when Griffin clambered over a stone wall and jumped inside.’”

    Judge Gregory Katsas wrote in a dissenting opinion that both elements of the law — knowledge of an area being restricted and the reason why — must be satisfied to successfully convict for entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.

    “My colleagues try to split the difference,” Katsas wrote. “They agree the defendant must know that the relevant area satisfies the first part of the statutory definition — i.e., that the area was ‘posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted’ at the time of the trespass. But there is no textual or contextual basis for projecting the knowledge requirement only halfway through the definition.”

    A decision in favor of Griffin could have upended the cases against hundreds of fellow rioters facing the same charge.

    More than 1,400 Jan. 6 rioters faced the count as a misdemeanor.

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

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    Karoline Leavitt Says Trump Won’t Give Security Details Back to Ex-Officials Amid Iran Tensions

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Karoline Leavitt speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore ]

    In a bold reaffirmation of his America First leadership style, President Donald J. Trump is standing firm in his decision not to reinstate security details for former officials—even amid rising tensions with the Iranian regime.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made it clear on Thursday that the issue isn’t even up for debate. “That’s not in consideration,” she said when asked if Secret Service protection would be restored to former National Security Adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley.

    This refusal reflects Trump’s long-standing belief that federal security resources should be allocated wisely and not squandered as political favors for former insiders who may no longer reflect his administration’s priorities.

    John Bolton, a self-styled foreign policy hawk who distanced himself from Trump after leaving the administration, went public in January claiming he was “disappointed but not surprised” when his Secret Service detail was revoked. But critics of Bolton note that his policy stances often ran counter to Trump’s vision of restraint abroad and strength at home.

    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide Brian Hook also had their security details pulled shortly after Bolton’s. Both men were instrumental in enforcing sanctions and confronting Iranian aggression. But as Leavitt and others close to Trump suggest, their job was to serve the country during his presidency—not to become lifetime beneficiaries of the national security apparatus.

    Pompeo and Hook are reportedly still under threat from Tehran, but many MAGA supporters argue that American taxpayers shouldn’t be expected to foot the bill indefinitely, especially for those now spending more time on book tours and speaking engagements than protecting the Republic.

    Perhaps the most controversial figure in the mix is Gen. Mark Milley, who lost his protection by the end of January. Milley, who had a strained relationship with President Trump following the 2020 election, was provided security after Trump took decisive action to eliminate Iranian terrorist Qasem Soleimani.

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    Trump Confirms The US Used New Sonic Weapon

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump confirmed in a NewsNation interview this week that the U.S. used a previously undisclosed weapon during the mission that captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

    During a conversation with NewsNation host Katie Pavlich, Trump was asked about reports claiming a “sonic weapon” was deployed in Venezuela—one that allegedly disabled Maduro’s Cuban bodyguards and left them unable to fight back.

    Trump didn’t offer technical details, but he strongly implied the reports were accurate.

    “Yeah, something I don’t wanna— Nobody else has it,” Trump said, suggesting the U.S. possesses capabilities that America’s enemies simply can’t match.

    Trump added that the U.S. military has “weapons that nobody knows about,” saying it’s better not to discuss them publicly—but praising the operation as a total success.

    “That was an amazing attack,” Trump said. “Don’t forget, that house was in the middle of a fort, an army base, a big one, a lot of soldiers, and they came in and they did their job. We lost nobody.”

    Leavitt amplified viral claims of a “sound wave” weapon

    The conversation follows a viral post shared on X by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on January 10. Leavitt reposted a dramatic account from influencer Mike Netter, writing, “Stop what you are doing and read this…”

    Netter’s post claimed to feature an exchange between a Venezuelan security guard loyal to Maduro and an interviewer. In the account, the guard described U.S. forces as overwhelmingly precise and unstoppable, even while badly outnumbered.

    The guard alleged the Americans used such advanced firepower that it seemed “each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute,” and claimed the attack wasn’t just about guns.

    According to the account, the turning point came when U.S. troops launched something the guard described as “a very intense sound wave.” He claimed it caused instant physical effects—including nosebleeds, disorientation, and even vomiting blood—leaving Maduro’s men collapsed and defenseless.

    The guard also claimed the raid ended with roughly twenty U.S. soldiers defeating hundreds of defenders without a single American casualty.

    Legacy media largely ignores the story

    Despite Trump’s comments and the attention Leavitt’s post received online, the story has seen limited coverage from major U.S. outlets.

    However, several British tabloids—including The Independent and Daily Mail—reported on Trump’s remarks, with the Mail running the headline: “Trump reveals details of secret ‘sonic weapon’ used in Venezuela raid: ‘Nobody else has it.’”

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    Trump Rips Into ‘Kooky’ Tucker Carlson Over Opposition To Israeli Strikes On Iran

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President Trump responded to Tucker Carlson on Monday after the former Fox News host criticized the president’s handling of Iran and the conflict in the Middle East.

    Last week in a newsletter, Carlson accused Trump of being “complicit” in Israel’s strikes against Iran that sparked the current days-long exchange between the two Middle Eastern powers. The newsletter arrived in the inboxes of Carlson’s readers under the headline: “This Could Be the Final Newsletter Before All-Out War.”

    “Earlier this week, unnamed Washington sources expressed concern over Israel’s ability to fend off Iran’s retaliation, which would inevitably lead to Benjamin Netanyahu ordering the American military to step in and fight on his country’s behalf,” Carlson wrote. “On Thursday, Iran’s president threatened to ‘destroy’ any country that eliminates his government’s nuclear facilities. Now, the world will learn what that looks like.”

    Trump responded to Carlson’s criticisms while attending the Group of Seven Summit in Canada.

    “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, ‘IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!’” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday evening.

    Earlier in the day, Trump dismissed a question from a reporter on Carlson’s concerns.

    “I don’t know what Tucker Carlson is saying. Let him go get a television network and say it so that people listen,” said Trump, appearing to jab at Carlson over his exit from Fox News. Carlson now runs his own media business, the Tucker Carlson Network, and hosts a popular interview podcast.

    Greene, a staunch Trump supporter, pushed back on the president’s criticism of the former Fox News host.

    “Tucker Carlson is one of my favorite people. He fiercely loves his wife, children, and our country,” Greene wrote on the social platform X. “He unapologetically believes the same things I do. That if we don’t fight for our own country and our own people then we will no longer have a country for our children and our grandchildren.”

    “And foreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction,” she added.

    On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that President Trump was leaving the G7 Summit early due to the conflict between Israel and Iran. Leavitt said Trump had planned to stay at the economic summit longer, but returned to Washington Monday night “because of what’s going on in the Middle East.” Trump left Washington for Canada this week to meet with world leaders at the Group of Seven Summit.

    “President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,” said Leavitt.

    The change in the president’s plans came as he posted a warning to residents in Tehran to leave the city immediately. The Iranian capital has been bombarded for days by Israel in targeted strikes on military and other key locations.

    President Donald Trump said Tuesday morning that he has not reached out to Iran for peace talks.

    “I have not reached out to Iran for ‘Peace Talks’ in any way, shape, or form. This is just more HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS! If they want to talk, they know how to reach me,” Trump posted. “They should have taken the deal that was on the table — Would have saved a lot of lives!!!”

    “Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran,” Trump wrote. “Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!”

    When asked on board Air Force One what he meant by promising something more than a ceasefire, Trump said he wanted, “An end. A real end. Not a ceasefire.” He added that “giving up entirely” would also be an option. 

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