Release the hostages, or there will be 'HELL TO PAY': Trump warns Hamas



President-elect Donald Trump delivered a stark ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, calling for the immediate release of hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack against Israel.

Hamas' brutal assault resulted in the tragic deaths of approximately 1,200 civilians and injuries to 8,700 others. The extremist group kidnapped hundreds of hostages, including infants, women, and the elderly.

'Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.'

On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old American-Israeli dual citizen who was previously thought to be a hostage, was actually murdered during the October 7 attack.

It is believed that three American hostages — Eden Alexander, 21; Keith Siegel, 65; and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35 — are still alive and being held by Hamas more than a year later.

The terror organization released a propaganda video on Saturday that showed Alexander alive and, while under duress, calling for Trump to "use your influence and the full power of the United States to negotiate our freedom." The footage warned that "time is running out."

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, "Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East - But it's all talk, and no action!"

"Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump declared.

"Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!" he demanded.

In October, the Israeli government confirmed that it killed Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas who was one of the masterminds behind last year's attack.

Over the weekend, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told "Face the Nation" that he believes the terror organization is "feeling the pressure."

"They're feeling the pressure because one of their main partners in crime here, Hezbollah, has now cut a ceasefire deal," Sullivan stated. "They're feeling the pressure, of course, because their top leader, Sinwar, has been killed. So they may be looking anew at the possibility of getting a ceasefire and hostage deal."

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Liberal establishment throws conniption over Trump's FBI director announcement; Patel speaks out



Establishmentarians hostile to President-elect Donald Trump have spent weeks characterizing former National Security Council official Kash Patel as a threat to their dysfunctional status quo.

Former FBI Special Agent Daniel Brunner told CNN last month that "putting someone like Kash Patel in the position of director of the FBI is, I believe, extremely, extremely dangerous." Andrew McCabe, the former FBI deputy director who undermined the Trump presidency with Crossfire Hurricane, said, "There is a lot of damage someone like Kash Patel could do."

Following many such unintentional endorsements, Trump announced Saturday that he will nominate Patel as FBI director Christopher Wray's replacement.

Although Patel wasted no time indicating what he intends to achieve at the FBI, elements of the liberal establishment and intelligence community signaled a desire to instead rely on their own slapdash dystopian fiction for insights into what might happen next.

'I think the best-case scenario for everybody is that Kash Patel and this talk of Kash Patel ends.'

David Frum, the former George W. Bush speechwriter and Atlantic editor who suggested days after Trump was shot in Pennsylvania that the gunman and his target were "common enemies of law and democracy," tweeted, "We are headed toward a US constitutional crisis vastly bigger than Watergate."

MSNBC talking head Joe Scarborough similarly panicked, saying, "This is not only bad for the men and women who run the FBI. This not only bad for the rule of law. This is not only bad for the First Amendment. This is not only bad for the United States of America. This is bad for Donald Trump. This is bad for the Trump administration. This is not going to end well. So I think the best-case scenario for everybody is that Kash Patel and this talk of Kash Patel ends."

The Washington Post's Ruth Marcus complained, "This is not normal," and urged Republican senators to "stand up to Trump."

Although the GOP won a majority in the U.S. Senate, those nominal Republicans who reportedly refused to support Matt Gaetz's appointment to run the Department of Justice — Sens. Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and John Curtis (Utah) — could help spike Patel's nomination.

McCabe griped to CNN on Sunday, "The installation or the nomination, I guess we should say at this point, of Kash Patel's FBI director can only possibly be a plan to disrupt, to dismantle, to distract the FBI and to possibly use it as a tool for the president's political agenda."

"And, you know, as an organization, we know what that looks like. This country has been there before, right?" continued McCabe, James Comey's former right-hand man who shut down investigations into the Clinton Foundation in 2016.

McCabe quickly made clear that he was not referencing the Biden FBI's targeting of pro-life activists, traditional Christians, political opponents, and outspoken parents, but rather the FBI's former targeting of communists.

"The pre-Watergate FBI, the J. Edgar Hoover FBI struck fear in the hearts of Americans across the spectrum — of politicians, people in entertainment, people in the civil rights community — because the director operated at the direction of presidents to collect political intelligence and to utilize the legal authorities, the investigative authorities of the FBI, to terrorize and intimidate Americans," said McCabe.

Former Bush adviser John Bolton, a key proponent of America's disastrous 2003 invasion of Iraq, similarly criticized Trump's decision, reportedly stating, "Trump has nominated Kash Patel to be his Lavrenty Beria. Fortunately, the FBI is not the NKVD. The Senate should reject this nomination 100-0."

Vice President-elect JD Vance responded, "John Bolton has been wrong about everything so I guess Kash must be pretty awesome."

'You shut down the Hoover building immediately.'

In his announcement on Truth Social Saturday, Trump noted, "Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and 'America First' fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People. He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution."

"Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council," continued the president-elect. "Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials. This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border. Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI."

After first making an X account, Patel shared the following statement: "It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President Trump to serve as Director of the FBI. Together, we will restore integrity, accountability, and equal justice to our justice system and return the FBI to its rightful mission: protecting the American people."

While Patel has been highly critical of the FBI, he told Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck in December 2023 that the bureau is "fixable" and explained what reform might look like.

"You shut down the Hoover building immediately. I think you literally open it up the next day as a museum of the deep state and you let everybody walk the halls for free, and you leave that behemoth open 365 days a year," said Patel. "You need like 20 people in a skiff to run the FBI. The other 7,000 agents that are sitting in that building should be chasing criminals around America, not distorting statistics about January 6 so Chris Ray can go to Congress and lie and say, 'Domestic violent terrorism is on the rise.'"

While various Democrats joined McCabe in throwing tantrums, various Republican lawmakers celebrated Trump's choice.

'He is a man of honor, unquestionable loyalty, and an American Patriot.'

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote, "Kash Patel has extensive experience in national security and intelligence. He is an America First patriot who will bring much-needed change and transparency to the FBI."

Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty (R) told NBC's "Meet the Press," "There are serious problems at the FBI. The American public knows it. They expect to see sweeping change, and Kash Patel is just the type of person to do it."

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said, "I look forward to supporting him and pushing this nomination across the finish line."

"Kash will get confirmed by the Senate," tweeted Rep.-elect Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.). "He is a man of honor, unquestionable loyalty, and an American Patriot. Kash is the son of Indian immigrants who escaped Uganda's genocidal dictator, Idi Amin. He WILL restore and uphold the rule of law, and the FBI will be premier again!"

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How Donald Trump helped save the UFC when no one else would



When the Ultimate Fighting Championship was nearly defunct, Donald Trump gave the organization a platform to display what would become one of the biggest sports empires in the world.

Trump’s relationship with UFC President Dana White dates back to 2001, when the UFC was beloved by only hardcore fight fans.

The organization had gained a cult following in the 1990s with names like Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Chuck Liddell, and Tito Ortiz headlining cards. Despite the company and those fighters being household names for fathers and sons who rented UFC tapes at their local video store, the company was running on fumes and nearing its end.

Money had dried up so much that owner Semaphore Entertainment Group was unable to fund the DVD releases of its last seven events from 1999-2000; UFC 23-29 subsequently became referred to as the “dark ages” of the UFC.

When Station Casinos executives Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, along with their business partner White, bought the UFC in 2001, all signs pointed to a failing business.

'I had my attorneys tell me that I was crazy because I wasn’t buying anything.'

White said in 2011 that at first, he and his partners were sports fans looking to invest in boxing. After attending a UFC event, however, the trio began taking jiujitsu classes and fell in love with the sport.

This piqued the group’s interest, and with White managing fighters Liddell and Ortiz, they found the perfect opportunity to get their hands on the company.

“It was going out of business,” White said of the UFC. “I called [the Fertittas] and said, ‘I think this thing’s in trouble, I think we can buy the UFC,’ and a month later we owned the company.”

Lorenzo Fertitta recalled years later that when he bought the UFC, his lawyers couldn’t grasp the purchase, asking him exactly what he was getting in exchange for the large sale price.

“I had my attorneys tell me that I was crazy because I wasn’t buying anything. I was paying $2 million and they were saying 'What are you getting?'" he told Fighter’s Only in 2009.

The owner called the promotion a “never-ending black hole” that kept absorbing his checks as fast as he could write them.

However, with the company now under their belt, White and the Fertittas began plotting how to get the business profitable and started their journey to get sanctioned in flourishing markets.

The Trump Taj Mahal era

For years, the UFC was seen as a barbaric and brutal sport not fit for regular consumption. Different fighting organizations had different rules that were deemed too violent by many jurisdictions.

Visions of knee and soccer kicks to the heads of downed opponents were visions that the new owners had to erase from the minds of legislators.

Therefore, legendary UFC referee John McCarthy worked as part of a group of experienced martial arts experts who met with different governing bodies to establish a set of rules.

The tipping point was when the group teamed up with the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board to create unified mixed martial arts rules.

'They couldn’t get a venue because of the danger.'

As MMAWeekly noted, this took place in September 2000.

By the time the Fertittas and White took over in January 2001, the UFC had already held one sanctioned event in New Jersey; UFC 28 on November 17, 2000, at the Trump Taj Mahal.

Soon, two more events would take place at the Trump-backed arena: UFC 30 in February 2001 and UFC 31 in May 2001.

Trump talked about the beginning of his relationship with the UFC owners in a 2023 interview with former UFC champion Matt Serra, who fought at one of the Trump Taj Mahal events.

“I respected Dana a lot,” Trump began. “[The UFC] couldn’t get a venue because of the danger. People thought it was so dangerous — and they happened to be right about that — but they couldn't get a venue and I supplied them with a venue.”

White said the same in 2016, telling the Republican National Convention that arenas refused to host UFC events, and nobody took them seriously.

White and the Fertittas knew, however, that although their events were welcomed in New Jersey — and other smaller markets like the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut — they needed to get their shows sanctioned in Nevada under the unified rules.

“It was perceived as being just like death,” Trump continued. “So a lot of the athletic commissions wouldn't do it, and owners wouldn't do it, and they couldn't get venues, and I gave them venues early on.”

Donald Trump and musician Kid Rock at UFC 287 in Miami.Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Trump provided what would become a launching pad for the UFC to prove, under the New Jersey unified rules, that the UFC could be mainstream, professional, and safe, and therefore become recognized by official governing bodies.

The new rules helped the UFC’s image greatly. Fighters now had to wear trunks, specific gloves, and were not permitted to wear any other attire (UFC fighters used to be allowed to wear shoes, gis, and even shirts).

New weight classes were also implemented, from flyweight (125 pounds) all the way up to super heavyweight (over 265 pounds). The latter has only been used once by the UFC, at UFC 28 at the Trump Taj Mahal.

From October 2000 all the way until late June 2021, the Trump Taj Mahal was the only U.S. venue to put on a UFC event.

During this time, the State Athletic Control Board of New Jersey held a meeting to discuss the regulation of mixed martial arts events. Nick Lembo, counsel to the SACB, recalled that the April 2001 meeting proposed uniform rules that were to be agreed upon by several “regulatory bodies, numerous promoters of mixed martial arts events and other interested parties.”

All parties allegedly signed off on the uniform set of rules, with the anticipation of more regulatory bodies adapting them soon thereafter.

Nevada was among the jurisdictions to subsequently adopt the unified rules, and by September 2001, the UFC was hosting its first sanctioned event in Las Vegas.

UFC 33 marked a turn for the company, and while White said years later that “every fight” on the card “sucked,” the event sold out and returned to Pay-Per-View with 75,000 buys.

Modern influence

UFC President Dana White at the Republican National ConventionPhoto by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Now, despite over 200 events in Las Vegas, Trump is still sitting cage-side during many of the organization’s most monumental moments.

His appearances at the events have become headline-makers in their own right, as outlets anticipate which personalities will appear in his entourage and what role their relationship may play in his politics.

“I knew you were a fan,” Serra told Trump in 2024.

Serra recalled that even though UFC 32 was held at the Meadowlands in New Jersey — not the Trump Taj Mahal — Trump was still in the audience.

That love of the sport is not only felt by the fans but by the fighters, as well.

Near limitless UFC athletes have voiced public support for the president in recent years, perhaps most notably Colby Covington, who adopted a “Make America Great Again” hat in 2018.

That support has grown to the biggest athletes in the sport, including heavyweight champion Jon Jones, former “Baddest” UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal, and perpetual contender Michael Chandler.

'Donald championed the UFC before it was popular.'

White himself has explained that his fighters relate to the president for the same reasons Americans do; he is a person who uplifts himself and others around him, often persevering when odds are stacked against him.

“Trump Donald was the first guy that recognized the potential that we saw in the UFC and encouraged us to build our business,” White said in 2016. “He dealt with us personally, he got in the trenches with us, and he made a deal that worked for everyone.”

“Donald championed the UFC before it was popular, before it grew into a successful business, and I will always be grateful ... so grateful to him for standing with us in those early days.”

The UFC now promotes Trump with his own entrance videos and has him walk to his seat as if he is about to fight. Broadcasts feature like-minded celebrities throughout the entire show as part of an ever-growing ecosystem of influencers that has been built between his two administrations.

This relationship between the presidents of both the UFC and the United States appears to be mutually beneficial, but in terms of influence, Trump’s early adoption of the sport seems to be paying dividends.

'He has his own agenda': Mark Zuckerberg dines with Trump — does he want to make America great again?



Meta CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg reportedly had dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Florida golf club on the day before Thanksgiving.

Zuckerberg was first spotted on the property around 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time before reports were confirmed later in the evening.

A Meta spokesperson told CBS News that Zuckerberg was "grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming Administration."

Stephen Miller, Trump's former adviser and now deputy chief of staff, said that while Zuckerberg has his own interests, he assured the Trump team that he's hoping to help revive the country.

"Mark, obviously, he has his own interest, and he has his own company, and he has his own agenda,” Miller said in an interview, according to the Associated Press. "But he's made clear that he wants to support the national renewal of America under Trump’s leadership."

— (@)

The relationship between Trump and Zuckerberg has been a contentious one, with Trump being kicked off Facebook after January 6, 2021, with the social media platform claiming that his posts had potentially encouraged violence. Trump's account was then restored in 2023 but with reported "guardrails."

Any restrictions were allegedly lifted in July, before Trump's 2024 election victory, potentially allowing Trump to reach his combined 65 million followers across Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta.

That same month, Trump posted a warning on Truth Social that he considered sending those committing election fraud to prison, directly referencing Zuckerberg.

"If I’m elected President, we will pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time. We already know who you are. DON’T DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!" Trump wrote.

Prior to Trump's re-election, UFC fighters Michael Chandler and Jorge Masvidal pontificated on why Zuckerberg has seemingly made a shift in his attitude since being interviewed by Joe Rogan and appearing at UFC events.

"I just think Zuck started training, that testosterone started going through the roof. ... He realized what being a sovereign individual means," Chandler explained. "You don't know how not sovereign you are until you stand in front of a man, and he beats the crap out of you, and then you pick yourself back up and you do it again, or you get choked out and then you got to get up and do it again."

Chandler continued, "I think Zuck has started to realize that, and now he's starting to lean over [to the right] a little bit."

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Lori Chavez-DeRemer Would Be A Disaster As Labor Secretary

Republicans should take the side of their own voters instead of listening to decadent union goons like Sean O’Brien.

The fall of the corporate press: A Thanksgiving reflection on the new media era



President-elect Donald Trump's overwhelming victory on November 5 appears to have marked the end of an era for the corporate press. And that is certainly something worthy of gratitude this Thanksgiving.

The outcome of the election revealed that the vast majority of voters were unswayed by the liberal media's relentless attacks against Trump and the Biden-Harris administration's persistent lawfare.

'We could all be fired a year from now.'

Instead, America largely rejected the barrage of propaganda and negative coverage directed toward the Republican nominee, including outlandish comparisons to Adolf Hitler and desperate warnings of fascism.

Even with the most prominent news networks behind it, the Democratic Party still failed in its mission to instill widespread fear among Americans about the prospect of a second Trump administration.

So while the lights may still be on — for now — at the once-powerful media giants, Trump's landslide victory undoubtedly marks the greatest decline in their influence to date. The election results even prompted Elon Musk, a now-Trump supporter who voted predominantly Democrat in the past, to declare to the public, "You are the media now."

Whether the reporters at the legacy media outlets will continue with their bogeyman narratives of Trump throughout his upcoming presidency remains to be seen. Though this scenario seems the most likely, at least for the moment, this holiday season provides a brief respite from the fearmongering as these wildly out-of-touch networks evaluate their missteps and strategize on how to bail out their collective sinking ship.

So far, fresh out of Trump's win, the reaction from the corporate press and far-left reporters has notably been varied, with some trying to regain favor with the American audience and others doubling down on their hatred for Trump.

Following the election results, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, announced that he planned to replace the editorial board to realign with voter sentiment.

Jeff Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post, made a similar move, vowing to incorporate more conservative editorial writers. The Post's senior politics editor was reportedly informed that he would soon be removed from that position.

Both newspapers faced significant pushback from their respective newsroom staffers when the owners declined to endorse a presidential candidate during this election cycle.

Over at MSNBC, there appears to be even more internal turmoil. Elon Musk floated the idea of purchasing the network after Comcast announced that it plans to spin off several cable channels, including MSNBC, CNBC, and USA Network. The upcoming reorganization prompted anchor Rachel Maddow's contract to be renegotiated down by $5 million, and other staffers are reportedly concerned about job security.

Last week, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said, "We could all be fired a year from now."

His co-host and wife, Mika Brzezinski, replied, "Or tomorrow."

Scarborough and Brzezinski's show, "Morning Joe," suffered a steep decline in viewership after the two liberal co-hosts announced they had met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to reportedly "restart communications."

While the two anchors give the impression of attempting to bridge the divide, other left-wing hosts, such as Joy Reid and much of "The View" panel, have opted to double down on their loathing of Trump, attributing his election win to what they perceive as a cloud of racism and sexism obscuring the judgment of most American voters.

During a podcast episode last week, Joe Rogan commented on the deteriorating viewership of liberal media.

Rogan said, "I was just reading something about CNN's ratings and MSNBC's ratings post-election — they've crashed."

"All these left-wing kooks on YouTube are hemorrhaging subscribers. Where people go, 'You guys are out of touch, you're not accurate, you're delusional,'" he added. "And people are speaking with their subscriptions, and they're speaking with their purchasing of the Washington Post and their purchasing of the New York Times."

This Thanksgiving, let us celebrate the nation seeing through the veil of misleading and biased reporting, inspiring hope among Americans that we might return to the values upon which our country was founded. And let us give thanks for what we stand to gain: a more independent media landscape that is held accountable to the people.

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Jack Smith still has Trump's allies in legal crosshairs, despite dropping case against president-elect



President Joe Biden's Department of Justice is still targeting Donald Trump's co-defendants in the classified documents case despite ending its lawfare against the president-elect.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who has led two federal indictments against Trump, requested on Tuesday that the case be dismissed against "Trump only."

'Just because you can doesn't mean you should.'

The case out of Florida, which accused Trump of mishandling classified documents after the government led a raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate, was previously dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida in the summer. Cannon ruled that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional because it circumvented Congress.

Smith then moved to appeal her ruling but pulled part of his request after Trump secured the presidency. Smith has continued to pursue an appeal in the case against Trump's co-defendants: longtime aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira.

Nauta faces eight criminal charges, while De Oliveira is charged with four counts. Before the case was dropped against Trump, the president-elect was charged with 38 counts.

"The appeal concerning the other two defendants will continue because, unlike defendant Trump, no principle of temporary immunity applies to them," Smith wrote in his motion to dismiss the appeal against Trump, citing the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity.

In a separate filing, Smith called Cannon's ruling to dismiss the case over his appointment a "flawed analysis."

"The Supreme Court held more than 50 years ago that Congress vested the Attorney General with the power to appoint special prosecutors like the Special Counsel," Smith claimed.

John Irving, De Oliveira's lawyer, told the New York Post that Smith's decision to pursue the charges against a Mar-a-Lago employee was "poor judgment."

"The special counsel's decision to proceed in this case even after dismissing it against President Trump is an unsurprising tribute to the poor judgment that led to the indictment against Mr. De Oliveira in the first place," Irving said. "Just because you can doesn't mean you should. If they prefer a slow acquittal, that's fine with us."

Nauta's lawyer did not respond to a request for comment from the Post.

Smith has reportedly already wasted at least $50 million in taxpayer funds to pursue the lawfare against Trump and his allies.

Trump pledged to fire Smith "within two seconds" of taking office. Sources also reportedly told the New York Times that Smith was planning to wrap up the cases and retire ahead of Inauguration Day.

In a statement to the Post, a spokesperson for Smith's office explained that upon the office's closure, its duties and ongoing matters can be transferred to "other components of the Department of Justice and the FBI."

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Texas expands proposal to aid Trump's mass deportation plan



On Tuesday, Texas expanded its previous offer to provide land to President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration to aid with its sweeping deportation plan.

Last week, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham sent a letter to Trump, informing him that the state would like to provide his administration with 1,400 acres of land near the Mexico border in Starr County, Texas, "to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation's history."

'My office has identified several of our properties and is standing by ready to make this happen on Day One of the Trump presidency.'

Buckingham wrote in her letter, "I am committed to using every available means at my disposal to gain complete operational security of our border."

Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, stated that the administration "absolutely will" use the land.

On Tuesday, Buckingham told the New York Post her plans to extend the land offer further. She noted that it will be called the "Jocelyn initiative," named in honor of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houston girl who was brutally raped and murdered, allegedly by two Venezuelan nationals with suspected ties to Tren de Aragua.

"The new project that the general land office is gonna embark on that I have created is the Jocelyn initiative, in which we will locate appropriate land under my jurisdiction to lease for the construction of violent criminal deportation facilities," Buckingham stated.

Nungaray's family, who has backed Trump and his mass deportation plan, also supports Texas' plan to provide the land to the federal government.

The child's grandmother stated, "We're taking back power, we're taking back our peace, and we're taking back hope so that no other families have to go through what our families go through [because] this should've never happened."

"Those monsters should've never been here," she added.

Buckingham told the Post that Texas aims to "be a good partner" with the Trump administration to see to it "that these violent criminals that are hurting our sons and daughters that are here illegally are off our soil."

She said she is committed to doing "everything in our power to ensure no other parent has to feel the pain" Nungaray's family has experienced.

"My office has identified several of our properties and is standing by ready to make this happen on Day One of the Trump presidency," Buckingham declared.

Homan told Fox News on Tuesday that he was in Texas meeting with Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

"We're not waiting until January 20th. We're already planning what we're going to do to lock down the state of Texas," Homan said. "Bottom line, it's about saving lives."

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Radical Maryland mayor vows to help illegal aliens fight Trump's deportation efforts using taxpayer dollars



A radical mayor in Maryland has pledged to devote taxpayer dollars to help illegal aliens living in his city fight President-elect Donald Trump's deportation efforts.

On Thursday, Mayor Michael O’Connor held a press conference at city hall in Frederick, a city of 78,000 residents about 50 miles northwest of Baltimore. During the press conference, O'Connor vowed to stand firm on a number of left-wing issues, including protecting illegal aliens.

'I'd rather our taxpayer money go towards American citizens.'

As part of that pledge, O'Connor promised to earmark part of the city's budget to create a legal advocacy fund for illegal aliens, thereby "ensuring they have the legal support they need to stand strong and remain in this community they have chosen to call home."

WBFF claimed that all of the Frederick residents who spoke to the outlet about O'Connor's remarks opposed the idea of taxpayers paying for attorneys for illegal aliens.

"I'd rather our taxpayer money go towards American citizens," said Rachel Pett.

"You break the law, it's just what happens, added Ryan Head, who noted that U.S. citizens in Frederick are not afforded the same luxury.

"Nobody helped me pay for my attorney fees when I break the law. So, why should we be paying for theirs out of taxpayer money?"

Taxpayer advocate David Williams likewise claimed that Frederick cannot "afford" the legal advocacy fund since it would deprive other municipal agencies of badly needed resources. "Taxpayer money should be going towards infrastructure and the basic needs of the community. This is not a basic need of a community of Frederick," Williams said.

Rita Darko said that while she appreciates the contributions immigrants have made to her community, she is still "torn" about using public dollars to pay for their legal costs.

State Delegate Jesse Pippy, who also chairs the Republican Party of Frederick County, called parts of O'Connor's speech "egregious" and "highly inappropriate," according to the Frederick News-Post.

In response to a request for comment, O'Connor told WBFF: "This could support any resident in our community, and while we will never get everyone to agree on everything, working to support residents who may be fearful through trusted community partners is worth advocating for."

The city council must first approve the fund before it can become a reality. None of the five members responded to WBFF's request for comment.

Like Democrats around the country, O'Connor also promised that local law enforcement would not assist "outside agencies attempting to detain, deport, or remove" any Frederick residents.

In addition to his remarks about illegal aliens, O'Connor vowed during the press conference to "stand unequivocally" for unrestricted abortion access and those who identify as LGBTQ+.

"Being a safe, inclusive community is a distinction I am immensely proud of, and our residents have my commitment that we will maintain the perfect score, and we will continue to be a safe, inclusive community for anyone as long as I am mayor," he said.

These positions appear to stand in direct contravention to the teachings of O'Connor's religion.

A biography for O'Connor listed on the city website makes several references to his Catholic faith. Not only did he attend a Catholic prep school and university, but he claims association with Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic Church and to be a volunteer member of the Knights of Columbus.

The Catholic church ardently opposes abortion and believes that all "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."

H/T: Libs of TikTok

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Biden admin's lawfare against Trump cost taxpayers over $50 million: Report



The Biden-Harris administration reportedly spent at least $50 million in taxpayer funds to go after President-elect Donald Trump in two federal criminal cases.

Fox News Digital reviewed Department of Justice expenditure reports, indicating that the Special Counsel Office, led by Jack Smith, incurred costs of $9.25 million from November 2022 to March 2023. A subsequent report showed an additional $14.66 million spent over the next six months. From October 2023 to March 2024, there was another $11.84 million in expenses. The expenditures from April 2024 to September 2024 have not yet been reported, but based on the average of the previous reported periods, it is estimated to be approximately $12 million.

'Empty and lawless.'

Therefore, since Smith's appointment in late 2022, the office has reportedly spent an estimated total of approximately $47.5 million.

The news outlet stated that the expenditures included both direct and indirect costs related to the two federal indictments overseen by Smith.

Newsweek reported earlier this month that the total is likely "well past" $50 million when including expenditures from September 30 onward.

Ultimately, the Biden administration's relentless lawfare against Trump came to a screeching halt following the outcome of the presidential election.

In the summer, Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida dismissed one of Smith's federal cases against Trump, where the president-elect was accused of mishandling classified documents. In her dismissal, Cannon ruled that Smith's appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional. Smith filed an appeal but moved to place that request on hold earlier this month.

On Monday, Smith requested to dismiss the other federal case against Trump, which alleged that he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Smith cited a longstanding DOJ policy that prevents the agency from filing criminal charges against a sitting president. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan approved Smith's motion to dismiss the case without prejudice, thereby allowing the option to reinstate the charges in the future.

However, CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig explained on Tuesday why he believes the federal cases will not be revived after Trump's presidency despite being dismissed without prejudice.

"Yes, technically the cases were dismissed without prejudice, which means technically someone could come back in four years and reinstitute these charges," Honig said. "It's not mathematically eliminated. That's not gonna happen for a lot of reasons. First of all, four years from now is an eternity. Whoever the next president is in 2029, the next attorney general is gonna have no appetite in bringing this case back."

Honig also stated that "there are moves Donald Trump's DOJ could make" to eliminate that possibility.

"They can go back to the court and say, 'We want to switch this from without prejudice to with prejudice,' meaning it cannot be brought back. Who knows, Donald Trump may try to issue himself a pardon, something we've never seen before," he continued. "So I wouldn't hold out any expectation that this case ever gets charged in 2029."

Trump now faces only two state-level indictments, one in New York and the other in Georgia. However, the judge overseeing his New York criminal case, where he was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, has agreed to review the defense's request to dismiss the case. The Georgia case remains tied up in the courts, with some speculating it may also be thrown out over Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' potential disqualification.

On Monday, Trump posted a statement on Truth Social responding to the recent case dismissal.

"These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought. Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party's fight against their Political Opponent, ME. Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before," he wrote.

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