Home Blog Page 39

Elon Musk Claims Steve Bannon Is ‘Going Back to Prison’ for a ‘Long Time’

3
Thor Brødreskift / Nordiske Mediedager, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Billionaire CEO Elon Musk’s public feud with Steve Bannon is not fizzling out.

Elon Musk took to X to claim that Steve Bannon is “going back to prison” as tensions between Musk and President Donald Trump continue to escalate.

“Bannon is going back to prison. This time for a long time,” Musk wrote in response to a user saying Bannon wants to “nationalize” Musk’s Space X.

The post Musk was replied to was itself a response to a Truth Social post in which Trump that targeted Musk. The president claimed once again that Musk’s problem with his Big Beautiful Bill budget is that it cuts electric vehicle mandates. Musk and Trump’s relationship has soured over the bill, with Musk calling it an “abomination” that will add to the national debt. Trump has hit back by teasing looking into cutting Musk’s government contracts.

The poll Bannon referenced brought in more than 1.2 million votes, with around 65% backing Musk’s idea for “the America Party.”

Musk further explained, “One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts. Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people.”

In a July 5 early morning X post, Musk again called for Bannon to go to prison, something that’s become fairly regular for Musk.

Bannon previously served four months behind bars last year for contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena from a congressional subcommittee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Billionaire Elon Musk announced the launch of his new political party on Saturday, but has yet to share any further details on how he plans to navigate the red tape to establish a viable alternative.

Elon Musk’s plan to launch a new US political party could split the Republicans, Donald Trump’s allies have warned.

Musk, who until recently was a key Trump ally, said the America Party would adopt a “laser focus” on winning a handful of Senate seats and House districts in a bid to sway key votes on legislation.

Senate Panel Blocks Trump’s FBI HQ Plan

I, Aude, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

A Senate committee voted Thursday afternoon to block President Donald Trump’s plan to keep the FBI headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C., escalating a simmering power struggle over the agency’s future location.

The dispute pits the White House against a bipartisan coalition in Congress that had long backed moving the agency’s headquarters out of the decaying J. Edgar Hoover Building and into suburban Maryland.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced an amendment to the fiscal 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill that would restrict funding exclusively to the original relocation site in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The measure gained unexpected bipartisan traction, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) siding with Democrats. The decision to cross party lines prompted a backlash from several Republican senators, who argued the decision was outside the committee’s authority.

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) pushed back, saying the panel does not “get to choose sites.”

The dispute led Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) to call for a “very long recess,” delaying further consideration of the bill. Collins said she hopes the standoff can be resolved before the next markup session.

“I think it’s better we withdraw the bill for now than watch this bill go down,” she said.

The panel is not expected to reconvene before next week.

Trump’s plan would relocate the FBI to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center — a federal property just blocks from the White House. The administration argues the move keeps the FBI close to other national security agencies while avoiding the massive cost of building a new complex from scratch.

But Maryland officials aren’t backing down, determined to secure the economic and strategic benefits of hosting the new FBI campus.

Politico has more on the reaction and outlook from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The blowup exasperated some Democrats on the panel, who questioned why the Republican majority could not accept Van Hollen’s provision. “Because there was a bipartisan amendment adopted we’re going to tank this bill?” asked Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz.

Others expressed confidence the issue would ultimately get settled.

“I honestly think we’ll be able to resolve it,” said Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the panel’s top Democrat. “We’ve always been able to work out issues.”

Murkowski, who was spotted chatting on the floor on Thursday afternoon with Murray, said she had “volunteered” a path for members to hit pause on the bill and “get a little more information about what it is the administration is seeking to do with the [new headquarters plan], because it seems to me that is kind of the blank spot right now.”

Despite cautious optimism, Thursday’s vote throws another wrench into the increasingly politicized debate over the FBI’s future headquarters — and highlights the broader friction between Congress and the Trump administration.

READ NEXT: Trump Mulling Federal Takeover Of DC To Tackle Crime

Secret Service Suspends 6 Agents Over Trump Assassination Attempt

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

Without Pay or Benefits…

The U.S. Secret Service has acknowledged disciplinary action against six agents, citing operational lapses during the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The agency confirmed to Fox News that the disciplinary action occurred in February. A Senate report on the near-assassination is scheduled for imminent release.

The attack occurred when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop roughly 400 feet from the rally stage. One bullet grazed Trump’s ear. Another fatally struck firefighter Corey Comperatore, who had shielded his family. Increasingly erratic gunfire from Crooks wounded two others before Secret Service counter-snipers neutralized him.

Leadership Fallout and Push for Reform

In the wake of the incident, then–Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, acknowledging it as the agency’s most serious operational failure in decades.

Acknowledging the desire for institutional reform, Deputy Director Matt Quinn stated, “We aren’t going to fire our way out of this.” Among the measures already underway: deploying military-grade drones, upgrading communication systems, and enhancing cooperation with local law enforcement.

Heated Congressional Oversight

Yet tensions boiled over in December 2024 during a public hearing held by the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump. Then–Acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) engaged in a heated, nearly unintelligible shouting match over the agency’s preparedness.

Lawmakers across party lines expressed deep frustration. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) criticized the agency’s outdated communications and a culture that discouraged agents from voicing security concerns.

Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) described the Secret Service’s posture during the Butler rally as “almost lackadaisical,” citing “really basic” lapses that hinted at complacency.

The bipartisan panel released a scathing report, outlining multiple preventable failures and calling for sweeping structural reforms.

Restoring Trust Under New Leadership

In January 2025, President Trump appointed Sean Curran — the agent who shielded him that day in Butler — as the new director of the Secret Service, signaling a commitment to restoring trust and accountability within the agency.

READ NEXT: DeSantis Suggests Musk Pursue Constitutional Amendments Instead Of Establishing New Political Party

DeSantis Suggests Musk Pursue Constitutional Amendments Instead Of Establishing New Political Party

0

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested that billionaire CEO Elon Musk push for balanced budget and congressional term limit amendments to the U.S. Constitution, rather than build a new political party.

Musk, who has been outspoken about the need to rein in government spending, announced that he is launching a new political party called the America Party. 

“Backing a candidate for president is not out of the question, but the focus for the next 12 months is on the House and the Senate,” he noted in a post on X.

The governor suggested that if Musk funds candidates in competitive Senate and House contests, Democrats will likely win.

But DeSantis acknowledged that the GOP has an issue with people running on spending less, but then failing to do so. “There’s a gap between the campaign rhetoric, and then the performance,” he said.

He explained that he does not believe “electing a few better people” will alter the “trajectory” on the debt issue.

DeSantis said that the “incentives” in D.C. will “lead to these outcomes, really, regardless of the outcome of elections at this point,” asserting that a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution is needed.

Musk “would have a monumental impact” if he got involved, DeSantis said.

Billionaire Elon Musk announced the launch of his new political party on Saturday, but has yet to share any further details on how he plans to navigate the red tape to establish a viable alternative.

Musk on Saturday appeared to confirm his intention to launch his “America Party,” after posting a poll to his X account the prior day asking followers whether or not he should create the new party.

“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” he wrote. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Elon Musk’s plan to launch a new US political party could split the Republicans, Donald Trump’s allies have warned.

Stacey Abrams Claims Trump Will Turn US Into Autocracy

5
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Failed gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams recently claimed President Trump is attempting to shift the United States from a democracy to an autocracy.

Abrams appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” where guest host Anthony Anderson asked her to explain the “10 steps to autocracy.”

Abrams said her 10 steps apply to “every nation that has become an autocracy having been a democracy,” specifically referencing Brazil India, Russia, and the Philippines.

“Start with winning an election,” Abrams said. “Usually the last one you’ll get to have for real.”

Office of U.S. House Speaker, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Abrams’ next steps included expanding executive power and weakening Congress and the judicial branch.

“Like, I don’t know, the Supreme Court is giving you unfettered power and saying we don’t have the ability to stop things,” Abrams said, presumably referencing the recent Supreme Court ruling limiting nationwide injunctions.

Abrams then conveniently avoided mentioning former President Joe Biden, who notably ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down his student loan forgiveness plan.

Abrams then said autocracies then “gut the civil service” to “break democracy” and put loyalists in the FBI “so they go after your enemies.”

She again failed to mention that under the Biden administration, Trump was charged in four criminal cases that were widely viewed as political prosecutions.

Abrams said that Trump “[going] after DEI” was evidence that he was looking for someone to blame, which she said was another hallmark of autocracies.

She then suggested Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard and the U.S. Marines in Los Angeles was one step away from a full autocracy.

Watch:

“You send the U.S. Marines into spaces where they should not be, you send the National Guard in, you kidnap people off of the streets and pretend that’s normal,” Abrams said.

“Once you’ve done those nine steps, step 10 is easy,” Abrams said. “That’s when you decide there won’t be new elections because everyone’s either afraid, poor, broken, or complicit.”

Abrams has claimed dozens of times that the 2018 gubernatorial election was stolen from her. In 2019, she said, “I didn’t lose. I got the votes. But we won’t know exactly how many because of how they cheated.”

Fired State Dept Bureaucrats Reportedly Uniting To Sabotage Trump ‘Regime’

7
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A recent report revealed that current and former USAID and State Department officials are using their expertise in undermining authoritarian regimes abroad against President Donald Trump.

NOTUS reporter Jose Pagliery reported that “Some of the democracy-building experts President Donald Trump fired this year from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department are now reapplying the skills and knowledge they built up over decades to undermine Trump’s power.”

One anonymous current federal official warned to NOTUS, “Take it from those of us who worked in authoritarian countries: We’ve become one.” He added, “They were so quick to disband AID, the group that supposedly instigates color revolutions. But they’ve done a very foolish thing. You just released a bunch of well-trained individuals into your population. If you kept our offices going and had us play solitaire in the office, it might have been safer to keep your regime.”

“Former officials” reportedly told the news outlet that they are “holding workshops on a tactic called ‘noncooperation.’ They’re building a network of government workers willing to engage in even minor acts of rebellion in the office. And they’re planting the seeds of what they hope could become a nationwide general strike.

“Some in the informal network of Trump opponents are sharing an old CIA pamphlet with allies who still work in the government: It’s called ‘Simple Sabotage,’” the reporter added.

This community, NOTUS reported, “is composed of diplomats and human rights activists who were once on the U.S. government payroll encouraging Latin American dissidents to fight dictators and supporting African independence movements. They were involved to varying degrees with an ultimately successful uprising in the Middle East.” 

One group that NOTUS cited was “DemocracyAID,” which has no formal website or legal entity so far, but is “already hosting invite-only workshops with federal employees who hear about them from friends, vetting each person before they’re allowed into a trusted circle and teaching them case studies, like the Danish underground insurgency against Nazi occupation.”

Deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly condemned such efforts in a statement to NOTUS, saying, “It is inherently undemocratic for unelected bureaucrats to undermine the duly elected President of the United States and the agenda he was given a mandate to implement.”

A senior State Department official told Fox News Digital, “The State Department is not aware of these reports but always takes our national security seriously. We will continue to take every precaution to protect the State Department from internal and external threats.”

The NOTUS report comes on the heels of a separate alarming report from Axios that revealed a concerning swath of Democrat lawmakers’ constituents encouraging political violence.

Democrat lawmakers say their voters are enraged at the lack of ability to counter President Donald Trump‘s agenda, with some sounding the alarm that they could potentially resort to “violence,” Axios reported Monday.

The outlet says it spoke to over two dozen House Democrats to measure the temperature of the Democrat base and what it uncovered was red-hot anger and a desire to circumvent the rule of law.

“We’ve got people who are desperately wanting us to do something… no matter what we say, they want [more],” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) told the outlet.

Axios noted that most of the lawmakers spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough… [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” one such lawmaker said.

Another said their constituents are convinced that “civility isn’t working” and that they should prepare for “violence… to fight to protect our democracy.”

READ NEXT: Supreme Court Allows Trump Admin To Proceed With Mass Layoffs Amid Legal Challenges

Report: Democrat Lawmakers Left Stunned As Some Constituents Suggest They ‘Storm The White House’

1

The threat of political violence is reaching a fever pitch.

Democrat lawmakers say their voters are enraged at the lack of ability to counter President Donald Trump‘s agenda, with some sounding the alarm that they could potentially resort to “violence,” Axios reported Monday.

The outlet says it spoke to over two dozen House Democrats to measure the temperature of the Democrat base and what it uncovered was red-hot anger and a desire to circumvent the rule of law.

“We’ve got people who are desperately wanting us to do something… no matter what we say, they want [more],” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) told the outlet.

Axios noted that most of the lawmakers spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough… [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” one such lawmaker said.

Another said their constituents are convinced that “civility isn’t working” and that they should prepare for “violence… to fight to protect our democracy.”

A third lawmaker described some of the messages from people online as “crazy ****,” saying that some told them to “storm the White House and stuff like that.”

Another lawmaker compared Democrat voters to the “Roman coliseum,” saying, “People just want more and more of this spectacle,” the lawmaker said.

Other constituents have insisted that lawmakers take on the risk themselves, with one lawmaker saying they were told they should be willing to get “shot.”

“What I have seen is a demand that we get ourselves arrested intentionally or allow ourselves to be victims of violence, and… a lot of times that’s coming from economically very secure White people,” another lawmaker said.

A seventh lawmaker recounted a meeting they had with constituents that laid bare the desire for escalation.

“I actually said in a meeting, ‘When they light a fire, my thought is to grab an extinguisher,'” the lawmaker detailed. “And someone at the table said, ‘Have you tried gasoline?'” they added.

The concerning report highlights the recent rise in political violence. (RELATED: Report: Suspected Minnesota Lawmaker Assassin Vance Boelter Captured)

In June, a man assassinated two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses while posing as a law enforcement official. Vance Boelter, 57, was captured in Sibley County after a two-day manhunt. He allegedly killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, early Saturday morning at their Brooklyn Park home in Minneapolis before allegedly shooting State Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, in their nearby Champlin home in a related attack.

NYC Mayoral Candidate’s Threat To Arrest Netanyahu Gets Brutal Trump Response

    2

    Never going to happen…

    After Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s leading mayoral candidate, pledged to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city, Netanyahu responded to questions about whether he’s worried. 

    In December, Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist and is the Democrat Party’s nominee for New York City mayor, said, “as mayor, New York City would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu.”

    “This is a city that our values are in line with international law. It’s time that our actions are also,” Mamdani said, referring to the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant against Netanyahu as well as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. 

    Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday evening to discuss a range of topics, including Iran and Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas.  

    When asked whether he was worried about the possibility of facing arrest in America’s largest city, Netanyahu said, “I’m not concerned about that.”

    The prime minister added, “I’m going to come there with the President Trump and we’ll see.” 

    He went on to say that Mamdani’s threat is “silly in many ways, because it’s just not serious.”

    Trump also chimed in, saying, “We don’t know who the mayor is going to be yet, but this is a communist. He’s not a socialist. He’s a communist, and he’s said some really bad things about Jewish people.”

    “He might make it,” Trump said. “But, you know, it all comes through the White House. He needs the money through the White House. He needs a lot.

    “He’s going to behave. He’ll behave. He better behave. Otherwise, he’s going to have big problems.” 

    President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during their joint press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Leslie N. Emory)

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that he had sent a letter to the Nobel Prize Committee to nominate President Donald Trump for the peace prize.

    While speaking to reporters, Netanyahu spoke about the relationship between Israel and the U.S.

    “I want to express the appreciation and admiration not only of all Israelis, but of the Jewish people and many, many admirers around the world, for your leadership, your leadership of the free world, your leadership of a just cause, and the pursuit of peace and security,” he said. “The president has an extraordinary team, and I think our teams, together, make, an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities.

    “But the president has already realized great opportunities. He forged the Abraham Accords. He’s forging peace as we speak, in one country and one region after the other,” Netanyahu continued. “So, I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee. It’s nominating you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved.”

    Trump accepted the letter, saying he was unaware of the nomination and thanking the prime minister.

    Watch:

    Report: Marco Rubio Impostor Is Using AI Voice To Call High-level Officials

    A disturbing new scam…

    Someone posing as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been contacting U.S. officials using AI-generated voice and text.

    The Washington Post’s John Hudson and Hannah Natanson reported this week, citing a State Department cable and a “senior U.S. official,” that the imposter Rubio contacted foreign ministers, a governor, and a member of Congress. The cable from Rubio’s office reportedly theorizes that the imposter is trying to gain “access to information or accounts.”

    The impersonation campaign began in mid-June when the impostor created a Signal account using the display name “[email protected]” to contact unsuspecting foreign and domestic diplomats and politicians, said the cable. The display name is not his real email address.

    “The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal,” said the cable. It also noted that other State Department personnel were impersonated using email.

    When asked about the cable, the State Department responded that it would “carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future.” Officials declined to discuss the contents of the messages or the names of the diplomats and officials who were targeted.

    This is not the first time someone has tried posing as a high-level official. President Donald Trump said in May that an imposter posed as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in calls to other officials.

    “I’ve heard they breached her phone and tried to impersonate her,” the president said at the time. “Nobody can impersonate Susie. There’s only one Susie.”

    Signal was at the center of recent controversy with Mike Waltz leaving his post as White House National Security advisor after a reporter was accidentally invited into a group discussing attack plans. Waltz was then nominated to be the ambassador of the United Nations, while Rubio was appointed interim National Security advisor.

    In May, the FBI issued a warning that “malicious actors” were impersonating senior U.S. officials in an “ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign” intended to target other senior government leaders and their contacts. The campaign relied on AI-generated voice messages, according to the FBI, and was likely meant to “elicit information or funds.”

    “If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior U.S. official,” the FBI warned at the time, “do not assume it is authentic.”

    Netanyahu Surprises Trump With Formal Nobel Peace Prize Nomination

    0
    President Donald Trump attends the National Prayer Breakfast, Thursday, February 6, 2025, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley.)

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that he had sent a letter to the Nobel Prize Committee to nominate President Donald Trump for the peace prize.

    Trump and Netanyahu met at the White House on Monday to discuss developments in the Middle East.

    President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during their joint press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Leslie N. Emory)

    While speaking to reporters, Netanyahu spoke about the relationship between Israel and the U.S.

    “I want to express the appreciation and admiration not only of all Israelis, but of the Jewish people and many, many admirers around the world, for your leadership, your leadership of the free world, your leadership of a just cause, and the pursuit of peace and security,” he said. “The president has an extraordinary team, and I think our teams, together, make, an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities.

    “But the president has already realized great opportunities. He forged the Abraham Accords. He’s forging peace as we speak, in one country and one region after the other,” Netanyahu continued. “So, I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee. It’s nominating you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved.”

    Trump accepted the letter, saying he was unaware of the nomination and thanking the prime minister.

    Watch:

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