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Two Senate Republicans Break Ranks To Overturn Trump Executive Order

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Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

A pair of Senate Republicans has joined Democrats in backing legislation to roll back former President Donald Trumpโ€™s executive order on federal unions โ€” but it remains uncertain whether the bill will ever reach the Senate floor.

The House recently passed its version of the measure, the American Workers Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) The bill would undo Trumpโ€™s March executive order that restricts collective bargaining for most federal unions across agencies such as the Departments of War, Justice, State, Energy, and Veterans Affairs.

While nearly two dozen House Republicans crossed the aisle to support the legislation, similar GOP backing in the Senate appears far less likely.

So far, only Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have signed on as co-sponsors of the Senate companion bill, originally introduced in September by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that she agreed with Golden that โ€œcollective bargaining, which is afforded to federal employees under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, should be restored.โ€

Murkowski also defended the protections, arguing that federal employees โ€œdeserved these protections.โ€

โ€œCollective bargaining rights and workplace protections have lifted up federal employees across the United States for decades, protecting them from unsafe working conditions and political retribution,โ€ she told Fox News Digital.

But broader Republican support in the upper chamber is doubtful โ€” in part because the bill sits in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) a longtime advocate of right-to-work legislation. Even Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) โ€” generally more open to pro-worker policies โ€” signaled reservations.

โ€œI donโ€™t know,โ€ Hawley told Fox News Digital. โ€œThe public sector unions and private sector unions seem to be two different things.โ€

The House passed the bill 231โ€“195, with all โ€œnoโ€ votes coming from Republicans. Its advancement was made possible only after Golden filed a discharge petition, a procedural tool that forces a vote if a majority of House members sign on โ€” even over leadershipโ€™s objections. No similar mechanism exists in the Senate.

Senators could still attempt to force a floor vote, but that would require Republican consent โ€” something that appears unlikely at the moment. Still, a source close to Golden told Fox News Digital that he is actively talking with senators to build support for such a move.

Golden said Friday that both he and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) have begun outreach to Senate offices.

He confirmed he had already spoken with โ€œa fewโ€ senators after the House vote but added, โ€œthe real push is gonna be coming in the days and weeks ahead.โ€

Warner, who is leading the Senate effort, argued that the GOP defections in the House show the executive order went too far.

โ€œRepublicans and Democrats alike are recognizing that you canโ€™t run a functioning government by attacking the very workforce that keeps Americans safe,โ€ Warner said. โ€œThe bipartisan momentum in the House only strengthens our hand in the Senate, and I intend to build on it.โ€

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

Donald Trump Jr. Engaged To Bettina Anderson

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Donald Trump Jr. shared joyful news on Monday thatโ€™s sure to add even more cheer to the holiday season: he is officially engaged to longtime girlfriend Bettina Anderson.

    The eldest son of President Donald Trump proposed to longtime girlfriend Bettina Anderson after over a year of dating, revealing the happy news during a recent White House gathering. A beaming Trump Sr. stood proudly beside the newly engaged couple.

    The announcement came during a recent gathering at the White House, where President Donald Trump proudly stood beside his eldest son and future daughter-in-law as they revealed the engagement. Trump Jr. expressed his gratitude and excitement, thanking Anderson for saying โ€œyesโ€ and calling the moment a โ€œbig win to end the year.โ€ Anderson, radiant and clearly moved, described the experience as โ€œthe most unforgettable weekendโ€ of her life.

    She went on to say she felt like the โ€œluckiest girl in the world,โ€ offering warm thanks to the Trump family for hosting such a meaningful celebration and giving special recognition to First Lady Melania Trump for the beautifully crafted holiday dรฉcor that filled the room.

    Trump Jr. and Andersonโ€”known in Palm Beach social circles for her poise, philanthropy, and professionalismโ€”have been linked for more than a year. Their relationship became public in late 2024 after photos surfaced in the Daily Mail, and by New Yearโ€™s Eve, Anderson was standing confidently with the Trump family at their Mar-a-Lago celebration. Their appearance together signaled that the relationship was both genuine and serious.

    This engagement marks Trump Jr.โ€™s third. He married Vanessa Trump in 2005 at Mar-a-Lago, and the couple shared more than a decade together, raising five children: Kai, 18; Donald III, 16; Tristan, 14; Spencer, 13; and Chloe, 11. Vanessa, who has remained on good terms with the Trump family, is currently dating golf legend Tiger Woods.

    After his marriage ended, Trump Jr. became engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle in 2020. Although the two eventually went their separate ways, speculation about their split intensified as he was increasingly seen with Anderson around Palm Beach.

    While the exact moment of the proposal remains private, one thing is clear: the Trump family has yet another reason to celebrate as they head into the new year.

    Report: FBI Doubted Probable Cause For Mar-a-Lago Raid, Pushed Ahead Under Biden’s Pressure

    Marine One lifts-off after returning President Donald J. Trump to Mar-a-Lago Friday, March 29, 2019, following his visit to the 143-mile Herbert Hoover Dike near Canal Point, Fla., that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. The visit was part of an infrastructure inspection of the dike, which is part of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee Everglades system, and reduces impacts of flooding for areas of south Florida. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

    Newly declassified documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show that FBI officials repeatedly questioned whether they had probable cause to raid President Donald Trumpโ€™s Mar-a-Lago home in 2022โ€”yet the operation moved forward under pressure from the Biden Justice Department. One DOJ official reportedly dismissed concerns about political optics, saying he did not โ€œgive a damn about the opticsโ€ of the search.

    Fox News Digital obtained internal email exchanges between FBI and DOJ personnel from the months leading up to the unprecedented raid. The emails reveal deep internal hesitation about whether the facts supported such an intrusive action against a former president.

    In one email, an assistant special agent in charge wrote to colleague Anthony Riedlinger:

    โ€œVery little has been developed related to who might be culpable for mishandling the documents. From the interviews, WFO has gathered information suggesting that there may be additional boxes (presumably of the same type as were sent back to NARA in January) at Mar-a-Lago.โ€

    He continued, explaining that the Washington Field Office was struggling to build a reliable affidavit:

    โ€œWFO has been drafting a search warrant affidavit related to these potential boxes, but has some concerns that the information is single source, has not been corroborated, and may be dated. DOJ CES opines, however, that the SWโ€™s meet the probable cause standard.โ€

    The agent also suggested pursuing a voluntary approach rather than immediately resorting to a search warrant:

    โ€œEven as we continue down the path towards a search warrant, WFO believes that a reasonable conversation with the former presidentโ€™s attorneyโ€ฆought not to be discounted.โ€

    He added that even if Trump believed the documents were declassified, they could still be secured cooperatively:

    โ€œAt a minimumโ€ฆ it can be reasonably argued that the documents remain sensitive and should be properly secured until the matter of classification is sorted out.โ€

    Weeks later, another agent expressed frustration that the FBI still lacked new evidence:

    โ€œWe havenโ€™t generated any new facts, but keep being given draft after draft after draft. Absent a witness coming forward with recent information about classified on site, at what point is it fair to table this? It is time consuming for the team, and not productive if there are no new facts supporting PC (probable cause)?โ€

    Another internal message was even more direct:

    โ€œWFO does not believe (and has articulated to DOJ CES), that we have established probable cause for the search warrant for classified records at Mar-a-Lago.โ€

    Despite the FBIโ€™s objections, the DOJ insisted probable cause existed and pushed for a broad search scope.

    The FBI also warned leadership that a raid would likely be โ€œcounterproductiveโ€ and recommended โ€œalternative, less intrusive and likelier quicker options for resolution.โ€ Those concerns were ultimately overruled.

    On Aug. 4, 2022โ€”days before the raidโ€”one agent described the plan:

    โ€œThe FBI intends for the execution of the warrant to be handled in a professional, low key manner, and to be mindful of the optics of the search.โ€

    Nevertheless, the August 2022 raid went ahead, leading to the seizure of boxes of materials that included documents potentially protected by attorney-client and executive privilege. Trumpโ€™s attorneys said they were not allowed to observe the search and questioned how agents were determining which items belonged to Trump personally.


    Deadly Force Policy Included in DOJโ€™s Operations Order

    Fox News previously reported that the Biden administration authorized standard DOJ โ€œuse of deadly forceโ€ language in the operations order for the raidโ€”language also used when searching President Joe Bidenโ€™s home in a separate classified documents review.

    According to a court filing, the operations order stated:

    โ€œLaw Enforcement officers of the Department of Justice may use deadly force when necessary.โ€

    The order also showed that agents planned to bring:

    โ€œStandard Issue Weapons,โ€ โ€œAmmo,โ€ โ€œHandcuffs,โ€ and โ€œmedium and large sized bolt cutters,โ€

    while being instructed to wear โ€œunmarked polo or collared shirtsโ€ and keep โ€œlaw enforcement equipment concealed.โ€


    Legal Aftermath

    Special Counsel Jack Smith ultimately charged Trump with 37 felony counts related to alleged improper retention of classified material, later adding three more counts in a superseding indictment. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges. After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Smith dropped the case.

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

    Trump Files $5B Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President Donald Trump has filed a $5 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over its deceptive editing of a speech delivered by Trump on Jan. 6, 2021.

    The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Miami. In the 46-page filing, Trumpโ€™s team argues the edit gave the โ€œmistaken impressionโ€ he called for violence on that day.

    โ€œThis instance of doctoringโ€“in the form of distortion of meaning and splicing of entirely unrelated word sequencesโ€“is part of the BBCโ€™s longstanding pattern of manipulating President Trumpโ€™s speeches and presenting content in a misleading manner in order to defame him, including fabricating calls for violence that he never made,โ€ the lawsuit states.

    โ€œThe BBC, faced with overwhelming and justifiable outrage on both sides of the Atlantic, has publicly admitted its staggering breach of journalistic ethics, and apologized, but has made no showing of actual remorse for its wrongdoing nor meaningful institutional changes to prevent future journalistic abuses,โ€ it continues.

    The footage used in the broadcasterโ€™s Panorama documentary spliced together two separate clips, creating the impression Trump told supporters: โ€œWeโ€™re going to walk down to the Capitolโ€ฆ and Iโ€™ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.โ€

    The two clips are separated by 55 minutes in Trumpโ€™s original speech, and the documentary also left out Trumpโ€™s explicit calls for supporters to protest โ€œpeacefully and patriotically.โ€

    Speaking in Washington DC, the president accused the broadcaster of โ€œputting terrible words in my mouth that I didnโ€™t sayโ€ and claimed the BBC โ€œmay have used AIโ€ in its investigative Panorama show. He later added: โ€œThey actually have me speaking with words that I never said, and they got caughtโ€ฆ Letโ€™s call [it] fake news.โ€

    In a statement to The New York Times, Trumpโ€™s legal team said: โ€œThe formerly respected and now disgraced BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally, maliciously and deceptively doctoring his speech in a brazen attempt to interfere in the 2024 presidential election.โ€

    The fallout has already triggered resignations at the top of the BBC, including director generalย Tim Davieย and BBC News CEOย Deborah Turness.

    The BBC later issued an apology to Trump for his portrayal in the documentary:

    โ€œ[W]e accept that our edit unintentionally created the impression that we were showing a single continuous section of the speech, rather than excerpts from different points in the speech, and that this gave the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action,โ€ the statement said.

    โ€œThe BBC would like to apologize to President Trump for that error of judgement. This programme was not scheduled to be re-broadcast and will not be broadcast again in this form on any BBC platforms,โ€ it added.

    Trumpโ€™s latest lawsuit follows a string of high-profile legal battles against U.S.-based media outlets, includingย The New York Timesย andย Wall Street Journal.

    Biden Struggles To Raise Funds For Presidential Library

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      Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      More than a year after its launch, former President Joe Bidenโ€™s presidential library foundation has raised a modest sum, inviting questions about whether the project can move forward as a standalone institution.

      According to a report by The New York Times, public filings and donor interviews reveal that the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Library Foundation expects to raise just $11.3 million by the end of 2027. The foundation received no new donations in 2024, and its initial funding came largely from $4 million leftover from Bidenโ€™s 2021 inauguration.

      As of late 2025, Biden has not held any major fundraising events for the library. The first donor reception was scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15, in Washington, D.C.โ€™s Georgetown neighborhood. The foundation has not disclosed how much it raised in 2025, saying only that Biden has begun fundraising more actively.

      The projected fundraising total places Biden far behind other recent presidents. The Obama Foundation has raised more than $1.5 billion for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which is scheduled to open in 2026. Although the project has faced cost overruns and criticism from local residents, more than $850 million has already been committed to construction. Financial filings have nonetheless raised concerns about the centerโ€™s limited endowment and the potential for future taxpayer liability due to rising operating costs.

      President Donald Trump is also pursuing a far more ambitious library effort. Trump plans to build his presidential library in Miami and is hoping to raise nearly $1 billion. His project has already secured land and funding from private donations and legal settlements and received formal approval from the Florida Cabinet in September 2025, though a lawsuit presents potential issues. The library is being promoted as a major civic attraction.

      Bidenโ€™s fundraising challenges appear to be compounded by donor fatigue and dissatisfaction within Democratic fundraising circles. Several prominent donors have expressed reluctance to contribute. Longtime Democratic bundler John Morgan told The New York Times, โ€œHeโ€™ll be lucky to have a bookmobile,โ€ citing frustration with how Bidenโ€™s staff treated donors. Other contributors said they are prioritizing efforts to defeat Trump or were disillusioned with Bidenโ€™s presidency.

      According to Axios, Bidenโ€™s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, further alienated some Democrats, with several donors reportedly threatening to withhold support for the library effort.

      The Biden library foundation is chaired by Rufus Gifford, a Democratic fundraiser and former U.S. chief of protocol. Its executive directors include two of Bidenโ€™s closest aides, Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal. Over the summer, the foundation hired CCS Fundraising to evaluate its financial prospects. In September, Joe and Jill Biden sent letters to prospective donors inviting them to participate in 45-minute interviews to assess their willingness to give.

      Given the fundraising shortfall, some donors have suggested merging the future library with existing Biden-related institutions at the University of Delaware. The university has raised at least $22 million, including $20 million from the state of Delaware, to build โ€œBiden Hall.โ€ A merger could allow the library project to share resources and reduce costs, though both the university and the foundation declined to comment on whether such a consolidation is under consideration.

      At present, the Biden presidential library exists only as an entity listed on the National Archives website and as a corporate organization incorporated in December 2024. No specific site has been selected, though locations in Wilmington, Delaware, have been discussed. The foundationโ€™s stated fundraising goal of $200 million remains far out of reach.

      Nobel Laureate Praises Trumpโ€™s Tough Stance on Maduro

      By Kevin Payravi - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=179718533

      Nobel Peace Prize winner Marรญa Corina Machado, one of Venezuelaโ€™s most prominent pro-democracy leaders, is strongly backing President Donald Trumpโ€™s hard-line approach toward Nicolรกs Maduroโ€™s authoritarian regime. In a new interview that aired Sunday on CBSโ€™s Face the Nation, Machado said Trumpโ€™s strategy has given hope to millions of Venezuelans suffering under socialist rule.

      Asked whether she supports increased U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan officials and further U.S. seizures of illicit oil shipments, Machado was unequivocal.

      โ€œLook, I absolutely support President Trumpโ€™s strategy, and we, the Venezuelan people, are very grateful to him and to his administration, because I believe he is a champion of freedom in this hemisphere,โ€ Machado told host Margaret Brennan.

      Speaking from Oslo, where she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize after spending nearly a year in hiding, Machado noted that she had dedicated part of the award to Trump.

      โ€œI think that he finally has put Venezuela in where it should be, in terms of a priority for the United Statesโ€™ national security.โ€

      Machado argued that Maduroโ€™s regime is far more dangerous than a conventional dictatorship.

      โ€œThis is a very complex criminal structure that has turned Venezuela into a safe haven of international crime and terrorist activities, starting with Russia, Iran, Cuba, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Colombian guerrilla [groups], [and] the drug cartels operating freely and directed in partnership with Maduro and his regime.โ€

      Machado has long been one of Maduroโ€™s most effective opposition figures. After she overwhelmingly won the opposition primary in 2023, the regime barred her from running, then orchestrated an election that independent experts later declared โ€œmathematically and statistically impossible.โ€ Despite that, Maduro claimed victory and refused to relinquish power. Machado endorsed a stand-in candidate but remained the movementโ€™s central figureโ€”until she was forced into hiding for her safety.

      Now, speaking publicly for the first time in months, Machado is calling for increased international pressure.

      โ€œWe want every legal action through law enforcement โ€ฆ not only from the United States, also from other Caribbean, Latin American and European countries that further block the illegal activities of the regime.โ€

      Her argument is straightforward:

      โ€œWe need to increase the cost of staying in power by force. Once you arrive to that point in which the cost of staying in power is higher than the cost of leaving power, the regime will fall apart. And itโ€™s the moment where we advance into a negotiated transition.โ€


      Additional Context: Trump and the Nobel Peace Prize

      Machadoโ€™s praise comes as Trump has repeatedly been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, particularly for:

      • The Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nationsโ€”an achievement some foreign-policy experts called one of the most important diplomatic breakthroughs in decades.
      • His diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions with North Korea, which earned him multiple nominations from European lawmakers.
      • His support for democracy movements in Latin America, including Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.

      Report: Trump Border Czar Homan, DHS Chief Noem Barely Speaking Or Meeting

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      The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

      A simmering feud between Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trumpโ€™s border czar Tom Homan has grown so strained that the two leaders reportedly barely speak or meet with each other, according to a new Axios report. Despite the tension, neither official is in danger of losing their job, and President Trump continues to stand by both as key figures in his aggressive border-security agenda.

      The clashโ€”with roots that appear more personal than ideologicalโ€”has raised eyebrows inside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A White House adviser told Axios that Trump views the competition between Noem and Homan as a healthy dynamic that can improve overall performance. โ€œKristiโ€™s doing a great job,โ€ Trump reportedly said. โ€œHer and Tom donโ€™t get along, but theyโ€™re doing great.โ€

      Personality Clash, Not Policy Collapse

      Sources say the feud stems largely from a personality clash and differing leadership styles. While both leaders support tough enforcement of immigration laws, Noemโ€™s backers have criticized Homan for oversaturating conservative media with frequent appearances, especially on Fox News, which they say sometimes carries him past official channels or consultation with DHS communications staff. Homan has appeared on conservative outlets far more than Noem this year, which insiders say has aggravated the divide.

      Career Officials Bristle, But Trump Wants Results

      Career immigration officials have reportedly bristled at Noemโ€™s leadership style, including her public-facing promotion of policies like the CBP Home self-deportation app and the outsized influence of her senior adviser, Corey Lewandowski, who can only officially serve limited days under federal rules.

      At the same time, Noemโ€™s allies say Homanโ€™s media presence sometimes strays into self-promotion, making news on policy pronouncements without coordination. But neither side is backing down, and several White House sources say Trump is satisfied with the job both are doing.

      What This Means for Border Security

      Despite internal friction, the Trump administrationโ€™s border enforcement efforts remain robust. Deportations have reached record levels under this team, and DHS continues to pursue hard-line priorities. That focus on illegal immigration enforcement aligns with what Trump was elected to deliver and remains popular among the presidentโ€™s base.

      In public remarksโ€”such as Noemโ€™s recent testimony before the House Homeland Security Committeeโ€”Noem has defended the administrationโ€™s approach as strengthening national security and deterring illegal entries, insisting DHS is enforcing the law without selective leniency.

      Erika Kirk Says All livestreams ‘On Hold’ Until After Private Meeting With Candace Owens

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      Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Erika Kirk announced that she will meet privately with commentator Candace Owens, marking the first direct conversation between the two since a period of public disagreement and discussion following her late husbandโ€™s death.

      In a brief statement posted Sunday on X, Kirk said both women have agreed to pause all public commentary until after their meeting.

      โ€œCandace Owens and I are meeting for a private, in-person discussion on Monday, December 15,โ€ Erika said.

      โ€œ@RealCandaceO and I have agreed that public discussions, livestreams, and tweets are on hold until after this meeting. I look forward to a productive conversation. Thank you,โ€ she added.

      The planned meeting reflects a joint effort to move beyond weeks of escalating tension and online conspiracy theories by creating space for a more personal and thoughtful exchange.

      Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      During a recent CBS town hall, Erika spoke candidly about the emotional toll of the speculation surrounding her husbandโ€™s passing. When asked what she would say to those spreading unfounded claims, she responded, โ€œStop. Thatโ€™s it. Thatโ€™s all I have to say. Stop.โ€

      She also addressed the issue during a Dec. 10 appearance on Outnumbered, saying, โ€œWhen you go after my family, my Turning Point USA family, my Charlie Kirk Show family, when you go after the people that I love, and you’re making hundreds and thousands of dollars every single episode going after the people that I love because somehow theyโ€™re in on this, no.โ€

      Despite their earlier collaboration and personal friendship, the relationship between Kirk and Owens has deteriorated sharply in recent months. Their decision to meet privately signals a mutual desire to communicate directly, clear up misunderstandings, and reduce further speculation.

      Since the tragic death of her husband, Charlie Kirk, in September, Erika has focused publicly on preserving his legacy while navigating the intense scrutiny surrounding the circumstances of his passing.

      Earlier this month, Charlie Kirk Show producer Blake Neff announced that Kirkโ€™s friends will be holding an event to refute Owensโ€™s incendiary claims. Owens has turned down an invitation to attend it in person.

      Owens has a reputation for spreading widely debunked conspiracy theories, including once staking her entire professional reputation on the claim that the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron, is a man. Owens has also suggested that Israel was somehow connected to Charlie Kirkโ€™s death.

      Kirk, who founded the pro-Trump student group Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at a Utah university in September, and his alleged assassin is currently awaiting trial on murder charges. Neff called Owensโ€™s claims โ€œeither lies or they are innuendos thrown around with a total, reckless disregard for the truth,โ€ and added, โ€œI would say we have suffered more harassment from these people than we have from Antifa supporters who overtly celebrate Charlieโ€™s murder.โ€

      He concluded by saying Turning Point will host a live stream to further debunk Owensโ€™s conspiracies and invited her to participate.

      โ€œWe wanted to use this segment at the top of this hour to say something important, something very important. For the past two and a half months, there is a topic that has flooded our Freedom inbox. It has been nonstop on social media, but which we have almost totally avoided on this show. You probably already know what Iโ€™m talking about, which shows just how ubiquitous it has been,โ€ Neff began.

      Read his full statement below:

      Ever since Charlieโ€™s murder, Candace Owens has leveled a flood of allegations against people at Turning Point USA, people at Turning Point Action, and people who work for this show. She has made them against some of Charlieโ€™s closest friends and against some of his most dedicated employees. She has suggested that Michael McCoy, Charlieโ€™s chief of staff, knew Charlie would be murdered, was happy that he died, and stayed silent because he was told he would be the next Charlie.

      She has suggested Michael is not his real name. It isโ€”I have seen his birth certificate myself. She has called it suspicious that Mikeyโ€™s wife, who works at Turning Point, helped plan the campus tour event where Charlie was murdered, which she didnโ€™t, by the way. She doesnโ€™t work on campus events.

      Candace has suggested the Utah Valley University event was unusual and its details suggested a quote โ€œinside job.โ€ She has claimed that foreign aircraft have followed Erica Kirk around the country and that Turning Point has lied about this happening. She has accused us of lying about Charlie wanting Erica to take over for him if he died. She has suggested Charlieโ€™s security team intentionally denied him first aid after the shooting to ensure that he died. She has raised suspicions about the head of our technical team because he took an SD card out of a camera. She has spread absurd claims that Tyler Boyer, who we just had on the show, sexually abuses male interns. She has suggested that TPUSA Faith-affiliated pastors, like theologian Frank Turek, who weโ€™ll have on in a moment, and Pastor Rob McCoy, are part of a military quote โ€œinfiltrationโ€ of Turning Point, either because they are veterans or because they have family members who are.

      Even if not everyone has been named specifically, though, Candace has effectively tarred everyone here with complicity in Charlieโ€™s death by repeatedly saying he was, quote, โ€œbetrayed by,โ€ quote, โ€œeveryone.โ€ She has said Charlieโ€™s murder, quote, โ€œhad to be approved by Charlieโ€™s friends,โ€ and then suggested those friends might have her murdered too for quote โ€œknowing the truth.โ€ She has made claims of financial impropriety and fraud at Turning Point, adding up into the millions of dollars, which again is not true. Charlie made sure the organization was audited by a third party every year. He personally reviewed and signed off on every expense report and literally every single bill paid by the organization down to a single United States dollar. We have never missed a 990 deadline.

      Candace has made other, stranger allegations involving French paratroopers in maroon shirts, Egyptian Air Force planes flying out of Provo, Utah, and potential underground assassins traveling through unseen tunnels. At one point in early November, she started wildly throwing suspicion on members of Utah Valleyโ€™s soccer team for wearing hoodies. I could go on. There is always something new coming up, and none of it ever pans out. Because from the start, there has been nothing there.

      The attacks and allegations from Candace are either lies or they are innuendos thrown around with a total, reckless disregard for the truth, so that Candace can manipulate and string along an audience of people who donโ€™t realize they are being played. Instead of being able to grieve properly after one of the most heinous murders in American history, a murder many of us had to witness, my friends have had to endure harassment from people who have gotten whipped up by what Candace is saying. I would say we have suffered more harassment from these people than we have from Antifa supporters who overtly celebrate Charlieโ€™s murder. And just like a lot of those Antifa members, many of these people take delight in how gross and unpleasant they can be. What our friends have had to endure is not funny and itโ€™s not insignificant. It is evil. I have seen it.

      For months, we have received hundreds, thousands, I suspect, of emails and calls asking us to respond. People have wanted us to invite Candace on the show. But for a long time, our approach was to say nothing. We did that for several reasons. First, we thought that her prevarications were so absurd that nobody would believe them. We shouldnโ€™t have to answer questions about secret tunnels or Egyptian Air Force planes. That sort of thing is justโ€”itโ€™s beneath contempt to respond to. Lastly, we didnโ€™t respond because Charlie always viewed Candace as a friend, and we were holding out hope that she would return that friendship and stop what she was doing.

      But a week from now itโ€™s going to be three months since Charlieโ€™s murder. Candace has not changed her behavior. She has continued to spread falsehoods about Charlieโ€™s friends, and she continues to concoct new ones about new people. Sheโ€™s using these falsehoods to enrich herself while dividing the conservative movement at an absolutely critical time for this country. And far too often, we here have heard from ordinary people, people who loved Charlie and who Charlie loved so much in return. These people have expressed the worry that we are staying silent out of cowardice or as some sort of tacit admission that some of the attacks are true. Neither is the case. Our silence has never been, and it will never be, equal to complacency or approval.

      Still, we decided Charlie would not allow this to go on. Charlie was not a coward. Charlie was a fighter. Charlie would not allow someone to spread lies about the people closest to him with impunity. And he would feel ashamed if other people were stepping up to defend his friends while he never did so himself. Candace has mentioned several times that the ball is in our court.

      So hereโ€™s what is going to happen. In the near future, there will be a livestream here in Phoenix where we address in a clear and comprehensive way the claims and accusations, the false accusations that have been made against Charlieโ€™s family, friends, and the people here at Turning Point. We plan to walk through everything carefully and thoroughly. If Candace is available, we would sincerely welcome her participation in that livestream at our studio here in Phoenix. At this point, we believe the ball is back in her court.

      Our motivation for doing this is not out of any obligation to Candace. It is about honoring Charlie. We feel a deep responsibility to protect his legacy, his work, and the truth. I feel that. I owe Charlie everything in my life. I feel it immensely. And that is why we feel compelled to speak clearly and openly now. Weโ€™ll have more on this in the near future.

      Report: FBI Thwarts New Years Eve Terror Plot

      Federal law enforcement officials announced over the weekend that they successfully disrupted a credible terrorist threat, arresting four alleged members of a radical pro-Palestinian extremist group who were reportedly planning coordinated bombing attacks in Los Angeles on New Yearโ€™s Eve.

      According to the FBI, the suspects self-identified as part of a radical offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF)โ€”an extremist organization driven by a combination of pro-Palestinian, anti-law-enforcement, and anti-government ideology.

      Federal agents say the group intended to deploy improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a series of synchronized attacks targeting five separate locations across the Los Angeles area. Authorities believe the suspects were preparing to test explosive devices in Lucerne Valley when they were taken into custody. Each of the four has been charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.

      In a related development, the FBI announced Monday that a fifth individual believed to be connected to the same TILF extremist network was arrested in New Orleans in connection with a separate planned attack.

      Social media accounts linked to TILF describe the groupโ€™s mission as freeing what they call โ€œTurtle Islandโ€โ€”an Indigenous name used by some activists to refer to North Americaโ€”from the โ€œillegal American empire.โ€ One Instagram post attributed to the group declared: โ€œFree Palestine. Free Hawaii. Free Puerto Rico.โ€ The post continued, โ€œFreeing the world from American imperialism is the only way to a safe and peaceful future.โ€

      These arrests come amid a broader pattern of the FBI and other federal agencies disrupting terror plots across the country during President Donald Trumpโ€™s second administration. In recent months, federal authorities have thwarted an alleged ISIS-inspired terror plot in Michigan that involved suspicious encrypted communications and preparations at gun ranges, leading to multiple arrests before a planned attack could take place.

      Earlier this year, the FBI also intercepted another potential terror plot in Dearborn, Michigan, charging suspects with conspiracy to provide firearms and ammunition knowing they would be used to commit acts of federal terrorismโ€”again highlighting the agencyโ€™s proactive work in identifying and stopping threats before they materialize.

      These disruptions follow a national trend in which federal law enforcement has prioritized identifying and intercepting violent extremist plots before they can harm Americans. According to recent FBI press releases, multiple individuals have been charged or convicted this year for providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and attempting to aid violent extremist causes from within the United States.

      Republican leaders have emphasized the importance of strong law enforcement and border security in preventing homegrown terrorism and protecting American communities. The arrests in Los Angeles and New Orleans underscore the ongoing threat from ideologically motivated violent extremists and the need for vigilant counterterrorism efforts.

      As the nation enters the holiday season, federal officials say their work will continue to ensure that Americans can celebrate safely, free from the specter of coordinated terror attacks.

      Watch:

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

      Trump โ€˜Going To Campaign Like Itโ€™s 2024โ€™ Ahead of Midterm Elections

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      Gage Skidmore Flickr

      White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said Monday that President Donald Trump will play a far more active role on the campaign trail ahead of next yearโ€™s midterm electionsโ€”signaling a strategic shift designed to energize the GOP base and capitalize on Trumpโ€™s unique voter appeal.

      In an interview with The Mom View, Wiles emphasized that Republicans intend to harness the enthusiasm Trump generates among grassroots conservatives, particularly low-propensity voters who often turn out only when the president is directly involved.

      โ€œTypically in the midterms itโ€™s not about whoโ€™s sitting at the White House. You localize the election, and you keep the federal officials out of it. Weโ€™re actually going to turn that on its head and put him on the ballot because so many of those low propensity voters are Trump voters,โ€ Wiles said.

      Her comments underscore a growing recognition within the GOP that Trumpโ€™s presence remains the partyโ€™s strongest electoral asset. While midterms traditionally revolve around local issues, Republicans are betting that nationalizing the races around Trumpโ€™s leadershipโ€”and his policy agendaโ€”will boost turnout in key battleground states.

      Wiles noted recent election results as evidence of what happens when the president is not visibly engaged.

      โ€œWe saw a week ago Tuesday what happens when heโ€™s not on the ballot and not active,โ€ she said, referencing GOP underperformances in off-year contests in Virginia, New Jersey, and a special election in Tennesseeโ€™s 7th Congressional District. Despite strong fundamentals in these states, Republican turnout lagged noticeably without Trumpโ€™s direct involvement.

      โ€œI havenโ€™t quite broken it to him yet, but heโ€™s going to campaign like itโ€™s 2024 again,โ€ she added with a laughโ€”suggesting that the presidentโ€™s relentless campaign style, which galvanized millions of new Republican voters in both 2016 and 2024, will be making a return.

      So far in his presidency, Trump has spent less time on the campaign trail than in previous cycles, focusing instead on high-stakes foreign policy initiatives and diplomatic travel. But that dynamic may shift as early as Tuesday, when he heads to Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, to highlight the administrationโ€™s efforts to lower costs for American familiesโ€”a top priority for voters and a central theme in Trump’s economic messaging.

      Republicans hope that a more active presidential schedule will help counteract recent Democratic gains and re-energize the coalition that powered Trump to victory. With control of Congress on the line, the party is preparing for a midterm season unlike any in recent memoryโ€”one in which the sitting president will again be front and center.