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    Iranian Cleric Threatens Trump, Calls To Execute Protesters

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a hard-line Iranian cleric close to the regime, on Friday openly called for the execution of protesters in Tehran as the Islamic Republic intensifies its crackdown on demonstrations spreading through the capital.

    “Armed hypocrites should be put to death!” Khatami declared in a sermon broadcast on Iranian state radio, according to The Associated Press.

    Khatami’s remarks underscore what many conservatives have long argued: Iran’s leadership is not a conventional government but a revolutionary theocracy that rules through intimidation, mass arrests, and violence—especially when faced with internal dissent.

    Regime turns its fury toward Trump and Israel

    Khatami also aimed his threats at President Donald Trump, who has warned the Iranian regime that executions of demonstrators would cross a red line that could trigger a U.S. military response.

    Khatami described the demonstrators as “butlers” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “Trump’s soldiers,” accusing both men of “disintegrating the country.”

    “They should wait for hard revenge from the system,” Khatami said of Netanyahu and Trump, per the AP. “Americans and Zionists should not expect peace.”

    For Republican-leaning Americans who view Iran as the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, Khatami’s comments serve as another reminder that Tehran’s ruling clerics continue to treat the United States—and Trump in particular—as an enemy to be threatened, not a partner for diplomacy.

    Iranian state TV escalates rhetoric against Trump

    The comments come amid renewed concerns over inflammatory messaging carried by Iranian state media. Iran’s government-controlled television networks—which operate as propaganda arms of the regime—have repeatedly aired hostile messaging targeting the United States and Israel, including threatening rhetoric directed at President Trump.

    Iran’s state broadcasters have often been used to amplify the regime’s “Death to America” ideology, glorify attacks against U.S. interests, and signal the leadership’s intent to retaliate against Western pressure. That same infrastructure is now being used to justify domestic repression, painting protesters as foreign agents rather than Iranian citizens demanding freedom.

    Judiciary chief pushes for “fast” punishment

    Khatami’s call for executions followed remarks earlier this week from Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, who urged rapid action against protesters.

    “If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly,” Mohseni-Ejei said, according to The Associated Press, citing a video from Iranian state television.

    “If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast,” he added.

    His statement reflects a familiar authoritarian playbook: move quickly and harshly to crush resistance before it spreads—through intimidation, public punishment, and fear.

    Trump says executions halted after U.S. warning

    Iranian shopkeeper Erfan Soltani was expected to be among the first to face the death penalty, but the Trump administration said hundreds of executions were halted following the president’s intervention. Trump on Wednesday said he’d been told by good sources that Iran would not proceed with executions.

    On Tuesday, Trump canceled talks with Iranian leaders and issued a blunt message of support to demonstrators.

    “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” he wrote in a Truth Social post.

    The president has said any acts of violence against protesters would draw a “strong” response from the U.S., while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters “all options remain on the table.”

    To Republicans who supported Trump’s maximum-pressure strategy, the moment is being viewed as a test of whether deterrence still works: the U.S. draws a clear line, and hostile regimes back down when they believe America is serious.

    Death toll rises as Iran tightens grip

    The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 2,797 deaths in Iran amid the government crackdown as of Friday afternoon.

    Trump Sends Ultimatum to Maduro Allies as U.S. Signals End to Negotiations

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

    President Donald Trump has delivered a blunt message to Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his inner circle: cooperate with the United States—or step aside.

    Fox News senior foreign correspondent Benjamin Hall revealed Sunday that Trump personally warned Maduro’s allies that they must either “surrender or play ball,” underscoring what the administration describes as a decisive shift away from diplomacy and toward direct action.

    According to Hall, President Trump spoke directly with Maduro roughly a week before Saturday’s strike in Caracas. During that call, Trump reportedly issued a clear ultimatum demanding Maduro’s surrender. Maduro, Trump said, “was not willing.”

    Hall noted that while Maduro has now been removed, several senior figures within the Venezuelan regime remain aligned with him, presenting an ongoing challenge for U.S. policymakers seeking stability in the region and an end to what they describe as narco-terrorist activity emanating from the country.

    Operation Absolute Resolve – January 3rd, 2026

    That message was reinforced by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who made clear that the Trump administration has no intention of tolerating continued obstruction from Venezuela’s remaining leadership.

    “President Trump is done negotiating. He proved that a couple of days ago, that he is a man of action, that when someone is threatening the United States, he will defend it with every resource that we have, and he’ll continue to do that,” Noem said on Fox News Sunday.

    Noem explained that Trump’s communications with Venezuela’s vice president were deliberately direct and unambiguous.

    “His conversations now with the vice president in Venezuela are very matter-of-fact and very clear: ‘You can lead, or you can get out of the way because we’re not going to allow you to continue to subvert our American influence and our need to have a free country like Venezuela to work with rather than to have dictators in place who perpetuate crimes and drug trafficking,’” she said.

    Her remarks followed the Trump administration’s high-profile operation on Saturday that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro—an unprecedented move that sparked intense debate in Washington. While Democrats and some Republicans raised questions about the legality of the action and the long-term implications for Venezuela, supporters of the operation argued it sent a long-overdue message to hostile regimes.

    The operation capped months of U.S. efforts to dismantle what officials describe as a network of narcoterrorism tied to the Venezuelan government. Those efforts included strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels operating in Caribbean waters and increased enforcement against illicit oil shipments.

    Noem pointed to those actions as further proof that the administration is committed to protecting American security interests and cutting off financial lifelines to adversarial governments.

    “The Coast Guard has been heavily involved in stopping a lot of this shadow fleet of oil that has been trafficking illegally to many of our enemies in other countries,” she said.

    Administration officials argue that Venezuela’s instability has long fueled drug trafficking, mass migration, and regional insecurity, and that decisive action was necessary after years of what they view as failed appeasement. Supporters say Trump’s approach represents a return to peace through strength—using American power to deter threats before they reach U.S. shores.

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    Trump Ups The Ante On Imminent BBC Lawsuit

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Tyler Merbler, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump is threatening to sue the BBC for at least $1 billion, accusing the British broadcaster of defamation after it aired a misleadingly edited clip in its pre-election documentary, “Trump: A Second Chance?”

    The film, which aired ahead of the November 2024 election, includes footage from Trump’s January 6, 2021 “Stop the Steal” rally, just before Congress certified Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. The BBC’s version of Trump’s remarks spliced together two separate parts of his speech to make it appear more inflammatory.

    The documentary quoted Trump as saying:

    “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”

    However, in reality, Trump’s words were more measured. He told supporters:

    “We’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down, we’re going to walk down. Anyone you want, but I think right here, we’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them. Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness.”

    He continued:

    “You have to show strength, and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated.”

    Trump also explicitly called for peaceful protest, adding:

    “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

    It wasn’t until about an hour later in his remarks that Trump said the second part of the BBC’s edited clip:

    “And we fight. We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

    BBC Leaders Step Down Amid Backlash

    The controversy was first exposed by The Daily Telegraph, which published an internal BBC memo acknowledging the editing issue. Following the uproar, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness both resigned.

    In a message to staff, Turness admitted that “mistakes have been made” but denied claims that the BBC is “institutionally biased.”

    Trump’s Legal Response

    Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Britt, sent the BBC a legal letter demanding a full apology and retraction. The letter accuses the broadcaster of “defrauding the public” and misrepresenting Trump’s words to paint him in a negative light.

    “Well, I guess I have to,” Trump told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham on Tuesday, confirming his intent to sue. “Why not? Because they defrauded the public, and they’ve admitted it.”

    A Pattern of Media Accountability

    This is not the first time the President has successfully taken on major media outlets.

    Last year, ABC News settled with Trump for $15 million after anchor George Stephanopoulos falsely claimed on-air that Trump was found civilly liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case. The jury had, in fact, found him liable only for sexual abuse.

    In July 2024, Trump won another $16 million settlement from Paramount, following claims that a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris was heavily edited to favor her during the election season.

    Trump also has an ongoing $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, accusing it of defamation after it published a supposed birthday note he allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein—a note Trump denies ever writing.

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    Newsom Says California to Draw Congressional Maps to ‘END TRUMP PRESIDENCY’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation), CC BY 2.5 AR via Wikimedia Commons

    It’s on…

    California Governor Gavin Newsom is moving forward to draw new congressional lines in the Golden State that will aim to threaten Donald Trump’s presidency according to a blistering new attack.

    “DONALD ‘TACO’ TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, ‘MISSED’ THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE ‘BEAUTIFUL MAPS,’ THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!),” Newsom wrote Tuesday night, in a post written in the style of President Donald Trump’s occasionally all-caps social media posts.

    The announcement comes amid Texas Republicans’ efforts to redraw congressional maps in their party’s favor. The redistricting showdown in Texas has led blue states to threaten to retaliate — with Newsom proposing to cut five GOP-held seats in California.

    The redistricting battle in Texas — and potentially other states — has national implications, with control of the U.S. House potentially at stake. The Texas GOP’s proposed congressional map could net Republicans between three and five seats in next year’s midterm elections — seats that could make a difference as Republicans work to maintain their small majority in the U.S. House.

    A spokesperson for California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas confirmed to ABC News that the state legislature is aiming to release draft maps on Friday.

    Newsom sent a letter to Trump on Monday asking the president to tell Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican governors to abandon efforts to draw new congressional maps. Texas Democrats have fled the state in protest of the maps.

    The Texas House of Representatives was once again unable to reach a quorum Tuesday. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said that the House will convene once again on Friday, adding if there’s no quorum by then, Abbott will adjourn the current session and call a second special session to begin immediately.

    The Texas Attorney General is working towards throwing Democrat politician Beto O’Rourke behind bars over his role in helping fundraise for the Democrats who fled the Lone Star State earlier this month.

    In a statement released Tuesday, AG Ken Paxton said O’Rourke “blatantly” violated a restraining order when he continued to raise money for the lawmakers who fled Texas amid a contentious redestricting battle.

    Over the weekend, a Texas judge blocked O’Rourke from fundraising for the runaway Dems. (RELATED: Texas Judge Stops Beto O’Rourke From Aiding Runaway Democrats)

    District Court Judge Megan Fahey, who was appointed in 2019 by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, wrote in Friday’s order that she believes O’Rourke and his group “have and will continue to engage in unlawful fundraising practices and utilization of political funds” that either violates or causes the Democrats to violate state law and House rules.

    Evoking the almost 200-year-old Texas refrain “Come and Take It,” Paxton celebrated the ruling in a statement.

    “Today, I stopped his deceptive financial influence scheme that attempted to deceive donors and subvert our constitutional process. They told me to ‘come and take it,’ so I did,’” said Paxton, who is challenging U.S. Sen. John Cornyn for his Senate seat in next year’s GOP primary.

    Tulsi and Trump just exposed Obama’s SECRET DIARY: a blueprint for the Radical Left’s war on America. President Trump will NEVER give up on his fight to Make America Great Again. We Need MAGA patriots to stand and fight [DONATE NOW]

    Fox News Host Defies Conservative Line On Trump’s Christmastime Move

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    19

    Brian Kilmeade isn’t on board.

    The Fox & Friends co-host recently broke with several conservative allies after blasting President Trump’s newly unveiled “Presidential Walk of Fame” plaques at the White House, warning the displays go too far — and could come back to haunt Republicans.

    Installed along the White House Colonnade, the plaques feature blunt and often mocking descriptions of former presidents. While some on the right have praised the move as funny and overdue, Kilmeade says it crosses a line.

    “I’m not for this at all,” he said.

    What’s on the plaques

    The displays take direct aim at multiple Trump predecessors:

    • Joe Biden: Replaced with an autopen image and labeled “by far, the worst President in American history.”
    • Barack Obama: Called “one of the most divisive political figures in American history.”
    • Bill Clinton: Noted mainly for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss to Trump.
    • George W. Bush: Also targeted with critical commentary.

    The plaques first sparked debate on The Five, where Jessica Tarlov called them “repulsive behavior.”

    Why Kilmeade objects

    Kilmeade warned that today’s trolling could become tomorrow’s problem.

    “They’re just going to mock President Trump or put something on his plaque,” he said, arguing the displays could fuel endless political payback as power shifts.

    He was especially critical of the autopen image used for Biden.

    “I am not for the autopen,” Kilmeade said, calling it juvenile and unfit for a historic setting.

    “If you’re going to do it,” he added, “just put the profiles up there.”

    History — and consequences

    Kilmeade also noted that presidential reputations often change, pointing to Ulysses S. Grant as a leader once derided but later reassessed.

    Even so, he made clear he opposes using the White House for political trolling.

    “I don’t think it’s going to happen with Joe Biden,” he said, “but I am not for the trolling.”

    Conservatives divided

    Kilmeade’s stance puts him at odds with Fox colleagues Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld, who defended the plaques as entertaining and brushed off concerns about decorum or future blowback.

    What do you think? Is this harmless trolling that is long overdue in response to the left’s taunts, or is it inappropriate for the president to display on the side of the White House? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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    Judge Delays Verdict In Trump Business Fraud Trial

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    Well, that was unexpected…

    On Thursday, a court spokesperson revealed Judge Arthur Engoron is now expected to announce a ruling in the $370 million civil fraud case brought against former President Trump by the New York attorney general’s office in “early to mid-February.” 

    Judge Arthur Engoron previously said he would aim to issue a decision by the end of January but emphasized that the deadline was not firm. The new mid-February deadline is a “rough estimate” and is “subject to modifications,” according to the court spokesperson. 

    Closing arguments in the trial finished last week as New York Attorney General Letitia James seeks to fine Trump more than $370 million in a lawsuit alleging Trump misled the value of his company’s assets in financial statements.

    Engoron has already rescinded some of Trump’s business licenses in New York, finding Trump and some of his top executives, including Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, liable for fraud.

    Trump’s defense has argued that their client’s financial statements were unaudited estimates and were clearly offered as such, adding that the estimates of his net worth were too low, the opposite of what James is claiming.

    “There have been no losses to any party, as the loans here were negotiated between very sophisticated parties,” Trump’s lawyers Christopher Kise and Michael T. Madaio wrote in court papers on Friday. “Lenders made their own informed decisions.”

    Supreme Court Upholds Trump-Era Tax

    By
    admin
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    1
    Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    The Supreme Court upheld a Trump-era tax on overseas investments Thursday morning, marking what CNN is calling a win for the Biden administration.

    In a 7-2 decision, the court rejected arguments from a Washington state couple that threatened existing tax provisions and hindered Democratic ambitions of instituting a wealth tax:

    At issue in the closely watched tax case was whether the government could levy a tax on investment proceeds that had not yet been received. Charles and Kathleen Moore, a Washington state couple, challenged a $15,000 tax bill they received because of their investment in an India-based company. The profit at issue, the Moores claimed, were reinvested and never distributed to them.

    The tax involved was enacted by Congress in 2017 as part of a larger package signed by former President Donald Trump. The one-time mandatory repatriation tax was levied on shareholders on undistributed profits accrued between 1986 and the end of 2017 by certain foreign corporations that are majority owned by Americans. The provision was expected to raise $340 billion over a decade.

    Some conservative groups warned that a win for the government could open the door to a federal tax on wealth, which President Joe Biden and several congressional Democrats have eyed in recent years. But during oral arguments in December both conservative and liberal justices appeared to be looking for a narrow outcome that wouldn’t undermine current taxes or dip into the debate over a wealth tax. And Kavanaugh repeatedly said the ruling shouldn’t impact the debate.

    Kavanaugh authored the majority opinion, emphasizing that the ruling was “narrow” and did not address the broader debate. “Those are potential issues for another day, and we do not address or resolve any of those issues here,” the justice explained.

    Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the dissent.

    Aside from the legal issues involved, Moore v. US drew attention to the Supreme Court for other reasons. Democrats on Capitol Hill had called for Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself because one of the lawyers representing the Moores co-authored two favorable opinion pieces about the justice in the Wall Street Journal last year.

    Here is a general outline of what a wealth tax in the United States might look like, based on past proposals from lawmakers:

    • Tax Rate: Often proposed rates range from 1% to 3% annually on wealth exceeding certain thresholds.
    • Threshold: The tax typically targets ultra-wealthy individuals, with thresholds starting at $50 million in net worth.
    • Assets Included: The tax would apply to a wide range of assets, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and personal property.
    • Exemptions: Primary residences and certain retirement accounts may be exempt or subject to different rates.
    • Administration: Proposals often include measures to ensure proper valuation and reporting of assets to prevent evasion.
    • Revenue Use: Revenue generated would be intended for social programs, infrastructure, and reducing economic inequality.

    Surveys conducted in recent years generally show majority support for higher taxes on the wealthy, with specific support for a wealth tax varying by poll but often in the range of 50-60%.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

    Trump Names Two People When Asked About Potential VP Picks

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Trump is narrowing down his search for his next running mate…

    During a weekend interview, former President Donald Trump said he has two potential candidates in mind.

    Trump mentioned Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem when asked during a Sunday interview with Maria Bartiromo

    “Well, I have a lot of good people. We have a lot of really good people,” Trump said. “I have a lot of good ideas, but I haven’t — and there’s no reason to do that quickly.”

    “I speak to everybody,” he said. “I called Tim Scott … and I said, ‘you’re a much better candidate for me than you are for yourself.’ When I watched Tim, he was fine, he was good, but he was very low-key, et cetera, et cetera.”

    However, Trump admitted he’s still a ways off from making any final decisions on a running mate. The GOP frontrunner told Bartiromo that his priority in choosing a running mate will be choosing “someone who would be a good president.”

    “I watched him in the last week defending me and sticking up for me and fighting for me,” he continued. “I said, man, I said, ‘you’re a much better person for me than you are for yourself’, because, for himself, he was low-key. For me, he’s been a real tiger. He’s been incredible. And others have too.”

    “Kristi Noem has been incredible fighting for me,” Trump added. “She said, I’d never run against him because I can’t beat him. That was a very nice thing to say.”

    On Monday, former Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway advised the President to consider choosing a person of color for VP during an op-ed published in The New York Times.

    “With a crisis on the border, economic dissatisfaction, fears about crime, a parents’ rights renaissance and multiple wars and threats across the globe, Mr. Trump’s deputy must be able to navigate chaos and challenges at home and abroad,” Conway wrote.

    “Taking all of this into consideration, if I were advising Mr. Trump, I would suggest he choose a person of color as his running mate, depending on vetting of all possibilities and satisfaction of procedural issues like dual residency in Florida,” Conway wrote. “Not for identity politics a la the Democrats, but as an equal helping to lead an America First movement that includes more union workers, independents, first-time voters, veterans, Hispanics, Asian Americans and African Americans.”

    Conway listed Sen. Tim Scott, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) among the potential options.

    This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

    DeSantis Reveals A Republican Under Consideration to Become His Running Mate

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    8

    Republican White House contender Ron DeSantis says he is eyeing Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds as his potential pick for vice president.

    DeSantis made the remarks after he touted the popular Iowa governor on Friday at a forum with Tucker Carlson. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson to Host GOP Presidential Forum – Without Trump)

    “Governor, you have spent a lot of time with Governor Reynolds, you defended her after President Trump’s recent statements,” a reporter said to DeSantis at an event on Saturday. “Would you consider her as a potential vice presidential pick in this campaign?”

    “Of course,” DeSantis responded. “I mean, she’s one of the top public servants in America, I thought the attacks on her were totally, totally out of hand, and totally unnecessary.”

    “We should be thanking good Republican office holders,” he continued. “You know, we kind of joke about the Iowa-Florida [competition], sometimes they do things before us, sometimes we do. But honestly, I want them to do better than us because it’s healthy. When Republicans are doing well, I like that, I don’t get jealous of that, I want to see them do well.”

    “And so they’ve done a great job and I think she’s been a model public servant and anybody who’s a Republican that’s trying to denigrate her I think is way off base on that,” he concluded.

    GOP Congressman Issues Warning To Trump Admin Official: ‘Come And Take It’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,

    Republican Florida Rep. Greg Steube issued a forceful response to comments from Jeanine Pirro, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, after she warned that anyone carrying a firearm in Washington, D.C., should expect to be arrested.

    During a Monday night interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum, Pirro took a hard line on guns in the nation’s capital while discussing efforts to remove repeat offenders and illegal firearms from the streets.

    “You bring a gun into the District, you mark my words, you’re going to jail. I don’t care if you have a license in another district and I don’t care if you’re a law abiding gun owner somewhere else. You bring a gun into this District, count on going to jail, and hope you get the gun back! And that makes all the difference,” Pirro warned.

    Her remarks immediately drew criticism from gun-rights advocates and several Republican lawmakers, including Steube, who pointed out that lawful concealed carry is permitted in Washington, D.C., including for non-residents.

    “I bring a gun into the district every week, @USAttyPirro. I have a license in Florida and DC to carry. And I will continue to carry to protect myself and others,” Steube wrote on X. “Come and Take it!”

    MacCallum defended Pirro’s position during the interview, arguing that tougher enforcement changes behavior. “It’s amazing how accountability works, and people think if they actually get arrested they might have to do time and they might get taken off the street, it sorta puts a little bit of a different message in people’s heads.”

    Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie also pushed back, noting that D.C. law allows permitted carry and has done so for years.

    “The District of Columbia has been ‘shall issue’ since 2017 when the requirement that you must have a ‘good reason’ to carry a handgun was struck down. Non-residents can obtain a permit in DC — don’t ask me how I know,” Massie said in a post on X.

    In a separate post, Massie questioned Pirro’s rhetoric more broadly, writing, “Why is a ‘conservative’ judge threatening to arrest gun owners?”

    The National Rifle Association clapped back at Pirro on Tuesday, writing on social media, “Now is the time for Congress to pass HR 38, the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. Your right to self-defense should not end simply because you crossed a state line or into Washington, D.C.”

    The backlash surprised many conservatives, given the Trump administration’s long-standing and vocal support for Second Amendment rights.

    Facing growing criticism, Pirro addressed the controversy in a video posted Tuesday to X, emphasizing her support for gun ownership and constitutional rights.

    She said she is a “proud supporter of the 2nd amendment” and a gun owner herself, noting that she previously keynoted a National Rifle Association convention. Pirro stressed that her comments were aimed at criminals, not law-abiding citizens.

    “However, you need to be responsible. And every responsible gun owner that I know makes sure they understand the laws where they are going and understand whatever registration requirements there might be,” Pirro said. “President Trump’s goal here, and my goal as well, is to make sure we take guns out of the hands of criminals.”

    She added, “There is a reason that we have the lowest homicide rate in reported history. We’re taking guns off the street — illegal guns — in the hands of criminals, who want to use those guns to victimize law-abiding citizens. There is a big difference here. If you are responsible, you follow the laws, you are not going to have a problem with me.”

    Pirro’s clarification appeared aimed at reassuring conservatives that her tough-on-crime stance is focused on illegal firearms and repeat offenders—not Americans lawfully exercising their Second Amendment rights.

    Tuesday morning, Pirro attempted to quell the outrage with a post on X.

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