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As Trump warmongers over Greenland, what explains the lack of push back from the right-wing given the "anti-war" position they took prior to the 2024 election. Is this competence or optics? There was a perceived sentiment among the right and some moderates that Republicans were the anti-war party in the lead-up to the 2024 election: Democrats have become the party of war. Americans are tired of it - Opinion article by Matt Duss, executive vice-president at the Center for International Policy and former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders Election 2024: Are Republicans Turning Isolationist? r/Ask_Politics/comments/1ghqtim/how_did_conservatives_become_the_antiwar_party/ In contrast, the Trump administration has pursued extensive military aggression and intervention throughout 2025 and into early 2026: 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela March–May 2025 United States attacks in Yemen United States strikes on Iranian nuclear sites Greenland crisis What explains the inconsistency in right wing positions on military intervention and war-making from before the 2024 election to now?

‘Brain the size of a walnut’: Bessent goes off on Newsom What's the administration thinking here? California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been one of the most vocal critics of President Donald Trump since his return to office last year. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argues it’s a sign of Newsom’s weakness. “I think Gavin Newsom may be cracking up, some of these things he’s saying. I think he may be in over his hairdo,” Bessent said in an interview Thursday with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for “The Conversation." Trump’s top economic adviser said that Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate and longstanding Trump foe, has a “brain the size of a walnut” and that he knows “less about economics than” former Vice President Kamala Harris, which he clarified is “a terrible place to be in.” The attacks are the latest in a simmering feud between Trump and Newsom, which escalated over the course of the week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Newsom was scheduled to speak at USA House on Wednesday as part of the conference, but his appearance was cancelled at the last minute. Newsom blamed the Trump administration, but an organizer said they decided to focus on programming with business leaders. At Davos, Newsom met with world leaders, as did Bessent and Trump. Upon arriving, Newsom urged European leaders not to cave to Trump’s demands over a wide-range of foreign policy issues. In a panel at the conference, the California governor brandished a pair of kneepads bearing Trump’s signature to mock world leaders he feels have been overly accommodating of the president. Bessent dismissed the “strange things” Newsom has said to attack Trump, including the knee pad stunt and a comment in which Newsom analogized Trump to a dinosaur. “To say strange things like President Trump is a tyrannosaurus rex, what the hell does that mean? I can say Gavin Newsom is a brontosaurus with a brain the size of a walnut,” Bessent said. “And, if you brought the knee pads, maybe that was for his meeting with Alex Soros.” Bessent also defended the Trump administration from criticisms that they’re out of touch with the economic concerns of Americans. During a panel in Davos, Bessent said the administration wants to protect the investments of “mom and pop” retirees who may have purchased “5, 10, 12 homes.” In his defense, Bessent took another opportunity to swipe at Newsom, who he labeled “Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken” during a speech earlier at the conference. “I think it was a Dem governor, Newsom, who made the comment of being out of touch. What does he know? Like, his father worked for the Getty family,” Bessent said. “I actually think he knows less about economics than Kamala Harris, which is a terrible place to be in.” The full interview with Bessent will air on "The Conversation."

Trump cites armed suspect, lack of police support following fatal Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis This isn't complicated—it's willpower. President Donald Trump sounded off on Truth Social after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot an armed man in Minneapolis on Saturday, claiming federal agents "had to protect themselves" because of the lack of support from local police in the blue city. The 37-year-old man, a U.S. citizen from Minneapolis, allegedly approached agents and then "violently resisted," while armed with a 9mm pistol and two magazines. "This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go—What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?" Trump wrote in the post. "The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves—Not an easy thing to do!" The president also called out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., questioning her finances amid a federal fraud investigation. VANCE TELLS MINNEAPOLIS TO ‘STOP FIGHTING’ ICE AS WHITE HOUSE DOUBLES DOWN ON CRACKDOWN "Why does Ilhan Omar have $34 Million Dollars in her account? And where are the Tens of Billions of Dollars that have been stolen from the once Great State of Minnesota?" Trump wrote. "We are there because of massive Monetary Fraud, with Billions of Dollars missing, and Illegal Criminals that were allowed to infiltrate the State through the Democrats’ Open Border Policy. We want the money back, and we want it back, NOW.  "Those Fraudsters who stole the money are going to jail, where they belong! This is no different than a really big Bank Robbery. Much of what you’re witnessing is a COVER UP for this Theft and Fraud." Trump then accused Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of "inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric!" FBI DIRECTOR PATEL WARNS ELECTED OFFICIALS 'NO ONE' IS EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL SCRUTINY AMID MINNESOTA PROBE "Instead, these sanctimonious political fools should be looking for the Billions of Dollars that has been stolen from the people of Minnesota, and the United States of America," he wrote. "LET OUR ICE PATRIOTS DO THEIR JOB! 12,000 Illegal Alien Criminals, many of them violent, have been arrested and taken out of Minnesota. If they were still there, you would see something far worse than you are witnessing today!" Vice President JD Vance reacted to Trump's message on social media, claiming that during his recent visit to Minnesota, ICE agents "wanted more than anything" to work with local law enforcement. "When I visited Minnesota, what the ICE agents wanted more than anything was to …

Wolford v. Lopez --- M&K Employee Solutions v. Trustees of the IAM National Pension Fund - [Oral Argument Live Thread] The headline tells the story. Audio Stream [10AM Eastern] Wolford v. Lopez Question presented to the Court: Whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit erred in holding that Hawaii may presumptively prohibit the carry of handguns by licensed concealed carry permit holders on private property open to the public unless the property owner affirmatively gives express permission to the handgun carrier. Opinion Below: 9th Cir. Orders and Proceedings: Brief of petitioners Jason Wolford Joint appendix Brief of respondent Anne E. Lopez, Attorney General of Hawaii Reply of Jason Wolford, et al. Coverage: Second Amendment in the spotlight - Kelsey Dallas, SCOTUSblog --- M & K Employee Solutions, LLC v. Trustees of the IAM National Pension Fund Question presented to the Court: Whether 29 U.S.C. § 1391’s instruction to compute withdrawal liability “as of the end of the plan year” requires the plan to base the computation on the actuarial assumptions most recently adopted before the end of the year, or allows the plan to use different actuarial assumptions that were adopted after, but based on information available as of, the end of the year. Opinion Below: D.C. Cir. Orders and Proceedings: Brief of petitioners Jason Wolford Joint appendix Brief of respondent Anne E. Lopez, Attorney General of Hawaii Reply of Jason Wolford, et al. Coverage: Joint appendix Brief of petitioners M & K Employee Solutions, LLC, et al. Brief of respondents Trustees of the IAM National Pension Fund Brief amicus curiae of United States Reply of petitioners M & K Employee Solutions, LLC, et al. Our quality standards are relaxed for this post, given its nature as a "reaction thread". All other rules apply as normal. Live commentary threads will be available for each oral argument day. See the SCOTUSblog case calendar for upcoming oral arguments.

Hawaii RNC members pay their way to represent state: ‘It’s not a cheap hobby’ This deserves loud pushback. SANTA BARBARA, California — Hawaii’s Republican National Committee members pay thousands of dollars out of pocket, burn vacation days, and still show up to winter meetings to prove their loyalty to the party and the president.  Unlike some states that receive funding, Hawaii’s RNC delegation must cover the cost of quarterly trips to the mainland to get face time with RNC officials and keep its state’s issues top of mind.  Hawaii RNC Committeewoman Shirlene Ostrov at the RNC Winter Meeting in Santa Barbara, California, on Jan. 23, 2026. (Barnini Chakraborty/Washington Examiner) At this week’s RNC winter meeting in Santa Barbara, Hawaii’s chairperson, alongside multiple committee members, spent close to $2,000 each on plane tickets, hotel stays, food, transportation, and incidentals.  “It is not a cheap hobby,” Hawaii committeewoman Shirlene Ostrov told the Washington Examiner, adding that “people forget that this is 100% volunteer. You’re all on your own with the cost.” While a handful of state party chairmen and chairwomen do have their travel paid for, Hawaii is not among them. Typically, there are at least three meetings per year. This year, the RNC is moving forward with plans for a national convention ahead of the midterm elections, which will likely add even more zeroes to the final cost for Aloha State committee members.  “I was properly informed that if I wanted to serve as committeewoman, it would be something that I paid for myself, and I had to be prepared,” Laura Nakanelua told the Washington Examiner. “It wasn’t going to be cheap. And I’m not a wealthy person, per se, but I was a working person, and so my husband and I talked about it and realized in advance the cost that it would incur.” Not only does she travel on her own dime, but Nakanelua also uses up her vacation days at work to attend RNC events.  “I had to really balance those leave days as well, getting permission from the company, making sure that I cleared the decks before I came here for a full four or five days to get that work done,” she added.  Hawaii RNC committee members Laura Nakanelua and Scott Smart at the 2026 Winter Meeting in Santa Barbara, California. (Barnini Chakraborty/Washington Examiner) Committeeman Scott Smart, a veteran who came to Santa Barbara with his wife, told the Washington Examiner that it was worth it.  “It’s part of what we can give back to the party,” Smart said. “Not everyone has the resources or the time because, you know, flying back and …

Ways to Support Minnesota’s Immigrant Communities as ICE Activity Escalates Who's accountable for the results? Here is a partial list from the many resources mentioned in the article linked: Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee has continued its food card fundraiser to help get groceries and necessities to families forced into hiding, parents kept away from work and kids from school. You can donate here. Community Aid Network is an excellent evergreen mutual aid organization—you can donate directly. The Women's Foundation of Minnesota runs an Immigrant Rapid Response Fund that, in the organization's words, "ensures that resources move quickly, responsibly, and with community accountability to trusted organizations responding to immigration-related emergencies across Minnesota." It's a good general fund to donate to. The Immigrant Law Center is offering legal support to countless people detained by ICE in Minnesota—you can donate here.

The Prosecution of Idaho Mom Sara Brady, by Michelle Malkin Be honest—this is ridiculous. The Unz Review - Mobile The Unz Review • An Alternative Media Selection$A Collection of Interesting, Important, and Controversial Perspectives Largely Excluded from the American Mainstream Media User Settings: Version? DefaultUse DesktopUse MobileUse Tablet Social Media? 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CommentNext New ReplyRead MoreReplyAgree/Disagree/Etc. More... This Commenter This Thread Hide Thread Display All Comments AgreeDisagreeThanksLOLTrollThese buttons register your public Agreement, Disagreement, Thanks, LOL, or Troll with the selected comment. They are ONLY available to recent, frequent commenters who have saved their Name+Email using the 'Remember My Information' checkbox, and may also ONLY be used three times during any eight hour period. Ignore Commenter Follow Commenter Search Text Case Sensitive  Exact Words  Include Comments SearchClearCancel List of Bookmarks UPDATE: Scroll down to read full motion to dismiss on constitutional grounds, memorandum in support of motion to dismiss, and stipuation of undisputed facts. MERIDIAN, IDAHO — Kleiner Park is an all-American, family-friendly gathering place west of Boise with 60 acres of greenery, trails, ponds, outdoor performance facilities, picnic shelters, and children’s swings and slides. Two weeks ago, I enjoyed a visit there with several hundred freedom activists gathered to support GOP Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin’s gubernatorial bid. The sun shone brightly. Toddlers romped on the lawn. A sea of unmasked faces roared the Pledge of Allegiance in joyful unison. But all is not and never will be back to “normal” in America. Never forget that citizens across this country still face tyrannical persecution and prosecution for defying COVID-19 tyranny just two short years ago. At the publicly owned Kleiner Park, I met and embraced mom of four Sara Brady, whom I recognized instantly from the worldwide viral video of her arrest in April 2020. “What ever happened to your case?” I asked. This un-American nightmare, it turns …

What Jack Smith Didn’t Say About Paid Confidential Informants Ask who never gets charged. Former special counsel Jack Smith couldn’t answer how much in tax dollars went to confidential sources in his nearly two-year investigation of President Donald Trump.  House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, pushed Smith on the topic during the committee hearing on Thursday. Jordan noted that at least $20,000 went to a single source to review video and photos of the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, as part of Smith’s investigation into the incident. Smith answered that he couldn’t remember if there were more such expenses. “What I want to know is how much of that $35 million of taxpayer money did you give to confidential human sources?” Jodan asked. “We know you gave $20,000 to someone.” Smith said the $20,000 was a payment from the FBI to a confidential source that he approved. “My recollection regarding the $20,000, which is not a payment from me, I was approving a payment by the FBI to a confidential human source, who was reviewing video and photography,” Smith said.   Jordan asked the identity of the source, but Smith said he did not know. President Joe Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, appointed Smith as special counsel to investigate Donald Trump over his challenge to the results of the 2020 election and his potentially unlawful possession of classified information.  Smith ultimately secured indictments against Trump in both investigations. Republican lawmakers grilled Smith on Thursday over his securing warrants to review congressional phone records without telling judges whom he was investigating. Jordan asked Smith how many payments went to confidential sources, to which Smith responded that he did not know. Jordan noted that Smith had information from multiple government agencies, the Republican National Committee, and members of Congress.  “Why did you have to pay people for information?” Jordan asked. “My recollection and understanding is the payment, the $20,000 that I approved, was for a confidential human source to assist in the review of video and photographic evidence showing people who were attacking the Capitol,” Smith said.  The post What Jack Smith Didn’t Say About Paid Confidential Informants appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Rahm Emanuel calls for mandatory retirement age for public officials — including him Trust is earned, not demanded. Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday he wants to institute a mandatory retirement age of 75 for the president and across branches of government, a pipe dream of a call from the potential White House hopeful that would bar him from serving a second term as president. “You’re 75 years old: done,” the former Chicago mayor and ambassador to Japan said Wednesday at a Center for American Progress event. “And that would be in the legislative branch, it’d be in the executive branch — including the Cabinet — and it’d be also in the Supreme Court, and all the federal courts.” Emanuel, who is 66, would be 69 when sworn into office if he runs for and wins the 2028 presidential contest. He would be 73 at the start of his second term, and would, by his own standard, be unable to serve all four years. He acknowledged this when pressed by POLITICO at a Christian Science Monitor roundtable Wednesday afternoon. “I know where I am in my age. Of course it would apply to me,” Emanuel said. “You can’t say ‘here’s what I want to do to change Washington, one of the things I want to do’ — but I get an exemption because I bought it beforehand.’” His standard would make Donald Trump, 79, ineligible to continue serving as president. And it would have barred Joe Biden, under whom Emanuel served as ambassador to Japan, from serving his single term. It would also impact the 17 senators and 45 members of the House who are currently 75 or older. “You can’t serve in the armed forces, you can’t serve in private sector jobs” at 75, Emanuel said. “Go work on your golf swing, it’s not that good to begin with.” Emanuel is reigniting a debate that raged throughout the last presidential election as Biden, then 81, and Trump, then 78, each sought a second term — and as questions about Biden’s mental and physical stamina crescendoed. And it’s simmered for years on Capitol Hill as lawmakers confront mental decline and even death within their ranks. Age limits are popular with voters who have balked in recent years at the advancing ages of the nation’s presidential contenders, lawmakers and Supreme Court justices. Roughly two-thirds of Americans support age limits for federal elected officials and the Supreme Court, polls show. Emanuel, a former representative, said he would push for legislation to set the limit rather than attempt a constitutional amendment. (The Constitution sets a minimum age for members of Congress but not a maximum, and establishes no limits for the Supreme Court.) It’s not clear whether that legislation itself would be constitutional — and could be a tough sell in a Congress where the median age for senators is 64. Emanuel framed the age limit as part of a broader call for “comprehensive ethics, lobbying [and] anti-corruption reform” across the federal government that he …

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confronts a rising populist tide Transparency shouldn't be controversial. ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to center her reelection campaign on the cost of living. Doing so is putting her at odds with both the populist left and a resurgent Republican right. She faces left-flank pressure to raise taxes on rich people so that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s expensive agenda comes to fruition. On the right, Republicans have pledged to exploit any effort to support Mamdani’s goals as a sign the moderate Democrat is beholden to the upstart democratic socialist. Hochul holds wide leads over likely Republican nominee Bruce Blakeman and primary challenger Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, but the strength of her campaign will be vital for down-ballot Democratic candidates running in crucial House races. New York’s swing Congressional districts have the potential to determine control of the closely divided chamber and the future of Trump’s presidency. Yet she must still work with both the untested mayor who vowed at his inauguration to govern unapologetically from the left and the volatile Republican president eager to shape the fate of Democratic-led states. Veteran politicians aren’t envious of the challenge she faces. “I’m glad it’s Gov. Hochul and not me,” former Gov. David Paterson said. “You’re dealing with two very excitable people who are on opposite ends of the spectrum. My only suggestion to her is let them yell and criticize, but be the voice of reason. It’s putting yourself out there to your fellow New Yorkers.” Yet the governor is showing signs that she’s willing to blend the policies of both the mercurial president and rookie mayor — making cost concerns a centerpiece for the coming year amid the expectation voters will reward her for sympathizing with their pocketbook problems. Hochul plans to make a major push for free child care, a signature Mamdani proposal and an issue she’s supported during her time in office, with a multi-year plan to phase in a statewide program, she said in a recent radio interview — essentially backing a downpayment with the promise of future installments if she wins reelection. The governor also embraced a Trump-backed proposal to cap taxes on tips at the state level amid Republican pressure to do so, signaling plans to introduce legislation this year to the Democratic-dominated Legislature, which is set to reconvene Wednesday in Albany. “As we welcome in the New Year, affordability remains my top priority and I am doubling down on my commitment to put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets,” Hochul said last week. The governor, though, is facing opponents who will try to lay claim to the affordability mantle that Mamdani leveraged so effectively in his longshot bid for mayor. That will put pressure on Hochul to deliver on these populist themes — or potentially face the …