A sweeping redesign of America’s currency for the nation’s 250th anniversary has ignited fresh controversy, with a proposal now circulating that places President Donald Trump at the center of a commemorative $1 coin.
According to the online materials tied to the Mint’s semiquincentennial planning, new illustrations of Trump have been drafted for the obverse of a potential 2026 dollar coin. At the same time, concept art for earlier “America 250” quarters—once built around themes such as abolition, women’s suffrage, and civil rights—has reportedly been shelved in favor of a return to more traditional, founding-era motifs.
The Mint’s broader 2026 redesign calls for all coins to bear dual dates honoring both the birth of the nation and its 250-year milestone. As part of this shift, officials have previewed imagery steeped in Revolutionary-era symbolism, including iconic documents and scenes tied to America’s founding. These new directions come after the abandonment of concepts initiated during the Biden years that placed greater emphasis on later chapters of American social progress.
A series of five quarters is expected for 2026, each tied to a pivotal historical text or event: the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the U.S. Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address.
Treasurer Brandon Beach has acknowledged that a Trump-themed dollar is being weighed, and several reports describe mock-ups portraying Trump’s profile on one side and, on the other, an image of him thrusting his fist upward following the 2024 assassination attempt, accompanied by the words “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.”
The idea, however, runs directly into federal restrictions prohibiting living presidents—current or past—from appearing on U.S. coinage. Advocates of the new coin insist that special semiquincentennial authorities could offer legal leeway, while opponents argue it would violate long-established practice and risk politicizing the nation’s money.
Within conservative circles, the controversy is framed as part of a larger cultural battle over how America’s 250th birthday should be told: whether through the nation’s founding ideals and foundational texts or through what they see as the left’s negative reinterpretations of American history.
Alongside these debates, the Mint is also preparing updates to long-standing circulating coins for 2026. Even the dime—whose appearance has been unchanged for eight decades—is scheduled for a refresh. And although the penny exited daily circulation in 2025, collectors will still be able to obtain it in annual Mint sets, complete with the commemorative “1776 ~ 2026” dual date.
{Matzav.com}
The man accused in the killing of Charlie Kirk returned to court this week, and a newly analyzed off-mic exchange revealed disturbing remarks that shed light on his mindset in the months since the shooting, the NY Post report. A professional lip-reading review of the courtroom footage suggests that Tyler Robinson repeatedly referenced the attack and even brought up Kirk’s widow, Erika, in a chilling aside to his attorney.
As Robinson entered the Provo, Utah, courtroom on Thursday—his first in-person appearance more than three months after the shooting—he appeared composed, even sharing a quiet laugh with his lawyer. Yet the lip-reading analysis captured a far darker tone beneath the surface. One portion of the footage shows him saying, “I think about the shooting daily,” a remark attributed to a private moment before the hearing began. He went on to add, “Every morning … all the time.”
The analysis indicates that Robinson then shifted to the subject of Kirk’s family, referencing the activist’s widow, who is raising their two young children alone. At one point, the lip reader caught him saying, “So, he had a wife….”
Other snippets appeared to show Robinson speaking about his own state of mind. According to the review, he confessed privately to his lawyer that he’s been “smoking a lot … Not sleeping at night … it’s driving me mental.” He continued with, “Unfortunately, it’s doing my head in. I’m not good for anything.”
Despite those alleged comments, Robinson displayed little visible distress while standing before the judge, wearing a plain blue button-down shirt paired with an argyle tie. Prosecutors say he opened fire on the 31-year-old conservative activist on September 10 during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, attacking in front of thousands of attendees.
Thursday’s proceedings were expected to address two issues: whether cameras would be permitted in the courtroom and whether portions of an earlier October phone-hearing transcript—regarding Robinson’s right to appear in street clothes—would be released to the public. Robinson’s defense opposed both. Judge Tony Graf spent more than two hours behind closed doors considering arguments, ultimately postponing any decision.
A new hearing was set for December 29, when the judge is scheduled to issue rulings on the outstanding matters.
Robinson remains held on multiple serious charges, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.
{Matzav.com}
A moving memorial ceremony was held this morning at the Herzliya cemetery marking two years since the death of Gal Eisenkot, the son of former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who was killed in Gaza during an operation to recover the bodies of kidnapped Israelis.
Standing before family, friends, and soldiers, Eisenkot spoke with raw emotion about the profound void left by his son’s loss. “Gal is missing from every second of my day, and he walks with me always,” he said. “What defined Gal more than anything was his deep friendship.”
He reflected on the bond between Gal and his close friend Eyal, who fell alongside him during the same mission. “They shared an enormous love for the country, a sense of camaraderie and commitment,” Eisenkot said. “In their deaths—like so many young men and women whose lives have been cut short—there remains a duty and a command: to advance the State of Israel with a spirit of responsibility, mutual responsibility, excellence as a way of life, and the principle of ‘Ve’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha,’ not in words, but in actions.”
Eisenkot continued by describing the spirit in which his son and his comrades went to battle: “Gal and his friends went out to a just and difficult war, after a very serious national failure, and they demonstrated remarkable resilience that teaches us something about Israeli solidarity and the strength found within Israeli society.”
In his closing words, the former chief of staff emphasized what he sees as the essential message of his son’s legacy. “The final point, which in my eyes is the central one, is mutual responsibility and solidarity. If there is something that defined Gal from childhood—and this was echoed by his friends who spoke here—it is mutual responsibility. And if something is deeply troubling today, it is the enormous gap between the talk of solidarity, unity, and shared purpose, and the practical reality.”
{Matzav.com}
A deep pall of grief has fallen over Yerushalayim after the passing of 13-year-old Nosson Tzvi Reizfeld z”l, a child with special needs who succumbed to injuries sustained in a catastrophic fire last week. He died at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, despite a week of intensive medical efforts. His levayah was held at midnight at the Shamgar Funeral Home, followed by burial at Har Hamenuchos.
The heartbreaking incident occurred last Wednesday. According to initial reports, the boy left a therapeutic program in the Ramat Shlomo area and made his way to a residential building on Yaakov Elazar Street in the Ramot neighborhood. There, he accidentally ignited a blaze that quickly engulfed two floors of the building, posing a grave risk to the residents inside.
Fire and rescue teams rushed to the scene within minutes, battling the flames and evacuating residents from the smoke-filled building. Firefighters found Nosson Tzvi unconscious, suffering from severe smoke inhalation and extensive burns.
The drama intensified during the emergency transport to the hospital. Shuki Baker, a United Hatzalah paramedic, described the life-or-death struggle inside the ambulance. According to Baker, the child’s heart stopped en route, forcing the medical crew to initiate advanced resuscitation.
“After administering an electric shock from the defibrillator, his heart began beating again, and we transported him to the hospital in critical condition,” Baker said.
For a full week, hospital teams fought tirelessly to stabilize him. Tragically, his condition deteriorated and doctors were ultimately forced to declare his passing.
{Matzav.com}
A major search effort intensified along the Yarkon River on Friday as rescue teams scoured the area from both air and water in an urgent attempt to find 19-year-old Eliyahu Abba Shaul of Bnei Brak, who has been missing since Wednesday. Helicopters, drones, rescue boats, and dozens of volunteers joined the operation as fears for his safety increased.
While the teams were searching for the young man, police received a second report: another resident of Bnei Brak had disappeared. Rescue crews immediately divided into separate units to search two areas simultaneously.
After roughly two hours of parallel searches, the missing woman was found alive.
According to ZAKA, police alerted them around midday about the additional missing person. Divers and rescue boats were deployed along the river, carrying out extensive sweeps of the water and surrounding terrain. During the search, ZAKA’s diving team discovered the woman exhausted and exhibiting signs of severe hypothermia as she called out for help.
She was brought onto a rescue boat and transferred for medical treatment.
The search for the 19-year-old, however, remains unresolved. His clothing and electric bicycle were found near the river, raising growing concern for his well-being. Police and numerous volunteers continue to search on foot, by boat, and in kayaks, covering significant stretches of the Yarkon as daylight hours pass.
Yisroel Chossid, spokesperson for ZAKA, said: “The search for the young man was underway at the same time that we received a report about another missing person in the river. ZAKA divers, together with the rescue boat, located her while our teams worked quickly and professionally to save her life. We are continuing the search for the missing young man using every operational resource available to us.”
Rescue teams say the operation will continue nonstop until he is found.
{Matzav.com}
Federal officials sharply escalated their criticism of New York’s commercial driver licensing system on Friday, with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning that the state could lose $73 million in highway funding unless it overhauls how it handles licenses issued to immigrants. Duffy said the problem stems from licenses remaining valid well beyond the period an immigrant is authorized to live or work in the country.
State officials pushed back, insisting that their procedures comply fully with federal rules and that they have been properly checking lawful status before issuing any commercial driver’s license. They rejected any suggestion that New York was ignoring regulations or failing to verify documents.
Duffy’s scrutiny of New York is part of his broader national campaign to tighten oversight of truck and bus driver qualifications. He launched that push after a tragic Florida crash in which a truck driver — who was not permitted to be in the country — made an illegal U-turn that led to three fatalities. Although the regulations governing these licenses have been on the books for years, Duffy has begun leaning heavily on states he says are falling short.
While the Transportation Department has emphasized that it is reviewing these “non-domiciled” commercial licenses nationwide, only states with Democratic governors have been threatened with the loss of federal highway money. Still, Duffy insisted politics has nothing to do with it, saying the goal is simply to ensure that anyone operating a massive tractor-trailer is properly vetted and legally authorized.
According to Duffy, federal investigators examined roughly 200 commercial licenses in New York and concluded that more than half were issued incorrectly. Many defaulted to eight-year validity even when an immigrant’s work authorization would expire much sooner. Investigators also reported that New York could not demonstrate proof of lawful-status checks for the 32,000 active non-domiciled commercial licenses currently on the books, and that in some cases the state granted licenses even though the applicant’s work permit had already lapsed.
“When more than half of the licenses reviewed were issued illegally, it isn’t just a mistake — it is a dereliction of duty by state leadership. Gov. (Kathy) Hochul must immediately revoke these illegally issued licenses,” Duffy said.
New York now has a 30-day window to submit its formal response. The DMV, meanwhile, flatly rejected Duffy’s accusations, with spokesperson Walter McClure issuing a pointed rebuttal.
“Secretary Duffy is lying about New York State once again in a desperate attempt to distract from the failing, chaotic administration he represents. Here is the truth: Commercial Drivers Licenses are regulated by the Federal Government, and New York State DMV has, and will continue to, comply with federal rules,” McClure said.
“Every CDL we issue is subject to verification of an applicant’s lawful status through federally-issued documents reviewed in accordance with federal regulations. This is just another stunt from Secretary Duffy, and it does nothing to keep our roads safer. We will review USDOT’s letter and respond accordingly,” the statement continued.
Although immigrants constitute about one-fifth of the nation’s truck-driving workforce, these non-domiciled licenses make up only about 5% of total commercial licenses nationwide. At the same time, the Transportation Department has attempted to impose stricter rules limiting which noncitizens can qualify for commercial licensing, but those regulations are currently paused due to a court ruling.
New York is not the only state facing threats of financial penalties. Duffy has issued similar warnings to California, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota after federal audits flagged significant compliance issues, including licenses remaining valid long after a driver’s work authorization had expired. Under that pressure, California ultimately revoked 17,000 licenses.
{Matzav.com}
A major shift in how COVID-19 vaccines are presented to the public may be on the horizon, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is preparing to add a stringent “black box” warning to the shots, according to a CNN report citing individuals familiar with the internal discussions. A black box warning is the FDA’s strongest caution, reserved for highlighting potentially serious risks or important limitations on use.
CNN reported that the effort to implement the enhanced warnings is being directed by Vinay Prasad, who serves as the FDA’s chief medical and scientific officer as well as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. His office is reportedly coordinating the review and the proposed language of the label changes.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, did not immediately respond to Reuters when asked for comment about the developing plan.
According to CNN, the proposal remains fluid. Officials have not yet finalized the policy, and the contours of the warning could still be revised before anything is made public.
The report said it is still uncertain whether the warning—expected to be announced before the end of the year—would apply only to mRNA-based vaccines or to all COVID vaccines on the market. It also remains unclear whether the warning would be uniform across all age groups.
Moderna and Pfizer both rely on messenger RNA technology for their shots, while Novavax offers a protein-based vaccine built on a more traditional platform.
{Matzav.com}