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President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticized Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass after she suggested that Hispanic U.S. Border Patrol agents are motivated to take the job primarily because of financial pressures.

“Our Enlistment Numbers are at RECORDS, and we’ll keep it that way,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social. “There is no group I am more proud of than Border Patrol and ICE, and nobody understands the Border better than our fantastic Hispanic population, which continues to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Trump also defended Border Patrol leadership and highlighted the agency’s demographics in the same post.

“[National Border Patrol Council President] Paul Perez and the Border Patrol have done a fantastic job, and so proud that more than half are of Hispanic heritage, which Los Angeles’ incompetent Mayor, Karen Bass (who hasn’t even gotten the permits for people rebuilding their homes after the record setting fire that took place), and other Third Rate Politicians, are complaining about,” Trump wrote.

The comments followed a question Bass answered during a CNN interview prompted by a report showing an increase in Hispanic Americans joining the Border Patrol. Speaking with Wolf Blitzer, Bass expressed skepticism about how those recruits might view their work once on the job.

“I think that those Border Patrol agents are going to have a difficult time when they’re out in the field and they see what actually happens in real life, separate from their training,” she told Blitzer. “But I do understand that their primary incentive is financial. I think it just speaks to the financial situation that millions of Americans find themselves in.”

The Hill said it reached out to Bass’s office seeking comment following Trump’s remarks.

Bass’s comments drew a strong response from Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, who appeared on Fox News later Wednesday. Perez said Bass’s characterization was wrong and offensive to agents of Hispanic background.

“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Perez said during the interview, adding that the remarks were upsetting for Hispanic Border Patrol agents.

“We’re all Border Patrol agents, we all want to do the job,” Perez told Fox News co-host Griff Jenkins. “What she should concentrate on, what is sad, is her having a sanctuary city and not allowing the [Los Angeles Police Department] assist Border Patrol or [Immigration and Customs Enforcement].”

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The exchange is the latest chapter in a long-running feud between Trump and Bass. The mayor has frequently criticized the president, and Trump has repeatedly targeted her leadership.

After Trump previously floated the idea of using the military to train in Democratic-run cities, Bass accused him of “creating warfare within” those cities. Earlier this year, following destructive wildfires in Los Angeles, Trump referred to Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom as “incompetent.”

When asked about that label during an August interview with CNN, Bass dismissed it outright.

“I know that he has an ongoing feud with the governor, but, you know, again, he calls everyone incompetent,” she told CNN host Erin Burnett. “He’s called all of the mayors from the cities that he’s targeted as incompetent. So, it does leave you wondering how he makes those judgments, but, clearly they’re not based in facts.”

{Matzav.com}

WSJ: Saks Global, owner of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy within days after missing an interest payment of more than $100 million, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has struggled under heavy debt since its 2024 merger and has also faced delays paying […]

US forces targeted three suspected narco-trafficking vessels traveling in international waters. Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the initial strike.

Wall Street closed out another banner year for stocks Wednesday with a downbeat finish that extended the market’s recent losing streak to a fourth day. The S&P 500 gave up 0.7%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6% and the Nasdaq composite closed 0.8% lower. Trading volume was very thin ahead of the New Year’s […]

President Donald Trump on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Minnesota’s Democratic leadership, accusing state officials of presiding over widespread fraud and linking the allegations to illegal immigration.

In an early-morning post on Truth Social, Trump took direct aim at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. “Tim Waltz of Minnesota is a Crooked Governor!!!” Trump wrote at 9:26 a.m. ET.

About an hour and a half later, Trump escalated his remarks, asserting that “much of the Minnesota Fraud, up to 90%,” stems from people who “came into our Country, illegally, from Somalia.” In that same message, he singled out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., while calling for those involved in fraud schemes to be deported.

Trump described Omar as “an ungrateful loser who only complains and never contributes,” and claimed she was among the “many scammers” tied to the alleged misconduct.

He also repeated a long-standing allegation about Omar’s family life — an accusation she has previously denied.

Trump’s comments come against the backdrop of expanding investigations and prosecutions in Minnesota related to alleged misuse of public funds during the COVID-era response, particularly involving meal programs and social services.

The New York Post has reported that federal prosecutors have charged nearly 90 individuals in connection with what it characterized as a sweeping fraud operation centered in the Somali community within Omar’s congressional district. The paper noted that Omar herself has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

The Post also examined Omar’s personal finances, reporting a sharp rise in her wealth over recent years. According to the outlet, her most recent financial disclosures list assets valued between roughly $6 million and $30 million, compared with a negative net worth when she first entered Congress.

In addition, the newspaper reviewed business ventures associated with Omar’s husband, political consultant Tim Mynett, including a venture capital firm and a winery project, raising questions about asset valuations and financial transparency.

Mynett has not been charged in any of the Minnesota fraud cases cited by the Post, and some of the matters referenced were described as having been resolved outside of court.

The political fallout has intensified as Republicans ramp up congressional scrutiny. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced that the panel will hold a hearing next week titled “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I,” scheduled for Jan. 7.

Comer has also invited Gov. Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify before the committee on Feb. 10, accusing state leaders of being “asleep at the wheel or complicit” while taxpayer money was allegedly drained from public programs.

Trump, who has made border enforcement and government accountability central themes of his agenda, pointed to the Minnesota cases as evidence that weak immigration controls and lax oversight reinforce one another.

Many conservatives argue that when Washington and Democratic-led states expand taxpayer-funded benefits without strong safeguards, those programs become magnets for fraud — and they say Minnesota has now become a high-profile example.

Democrats, meanwhile, have rejected broad political claims linking fraud to immigration status, stressing that criminal allegations should be addressed through investigations and the judicial system rather than sweeping generalizations.

{Matzav.com}

A powerful Shabbos experience focused on strengthening emunah and bitachon is set to take place this winter in New Jersey, bringing together leading rabbonim, gifted speakers, and families from across the region for an immersive, uplifting weekend.

The 5th Annual Shabbos of Emunah & Bitachon will be held February 6–8 at The Westin Princeton, NJ, offering participants a rare opportunity to step away from the pressures of daily life and reconnect with clarity, purpose, and inner strength through Torah, tefillah, and meaningful human connection.

At the heart of the Shabbos is Rabbi Sholom M. Rubashkin, whose personal journey and teachings on faith and trust have inspired tens of thousands around the world. Throughout the Shabbos, Rabbi Rubashkin will deliver powerful addresses, lead spirited seud­os and oneg Shabbos, and engage in personal conversations with attendees. Special sessions for women will be presented by Rabbi Rubashkin together with Mrs. Rubashkin, offering depth, chizuk, and practical guidance.

The program features an exceptional lineup of singers and speakers, each bringing a unique voice and perspective to the themes of emunah and bitachon, including Avraham Fried, Rabbi Joey Haber, Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz, Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Rabbi Shloime Taussig, and Rabbi Getzel Rubashkin. Together, they will create an atmosphere of inspiration that speaks to the heart and resonates long after Shabbos ends.

Beyond the powerful content, the Shabbos is designed as a complete experience. Guests will enjoy luxury accommodations and a five-star menu, creating an environment of menuchas hanefesh that allows participants to fully absorb the message of the weekend. Inspiring tefillos, warm communal moments, and carefully curated programming ensure that every aspect of Shabbos contributes to spiritual elevation.

The event is truly for the entire family. Alongside adult programming, there will be special sessions for teens, an exciting and meaningful kids’ program led by Rabbi Motty Zeiger, and babysitting for infants—making it possible for parents to participate fully while knowing their children are engaged and cared for.

Over the years, the Shabbos of Emunah & Bitachon has earned a reputation as a life-changing experience for individuals and families alike. Many attendees describe leaving recharged, refocused, and better equipped to face life’s challenges with calm, confidence, and trust in Hashem.

Registration information and additional details are available at bitachonshabbos.com and alephbeisgimmel.com, or by calling or texting (732) 354-1496.

{Matzav.com}

Federal immigration agents are not planning to scale back their operations in Chicago anytime soon, according to U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who has repeatedly emphasized that enforcement efforts in the city are intended to last.

“Don’t worry, Chicago, we will be here for YEARS!” Bovino wrote in an online post last week.

“Despite calls for violence against our agents, the brave men and women of the United States Border Patrol have come together and developed serious plans to help Chicago rid their streets of criminal illegal aliens. We work for YOU,” he added.

Those remarks followed a statement Bovino issued Tuesday, amid ongoing backlash and protests over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Windy City. In that message, he dismissed suggestions that federal authorities were preparing to leave.

“If you think we’re done with Chicago, you’d better check yourself before you wreck yourself,” Bovino wrote on the social platform X.

“Don’t call it a comeback; we’re gonna be here for years,” he added.

The post was accompanied by a video montage showing immigration officers chasing, tackling, and arresting individuals, set to “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J. In one segment of the clip, an officer appears to gesture mockingly by waving his finger through a hole in his pants. The footage drew sharp criticism from some Chicago residents, many of whom have protested federal immigration actions with large demonstrations.

Tensions escalated earlier this fall. In September, the Department of Homeland Security said that more than 100 demonstrators “surrounded” an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center. According to DHS, protesters “assaulted law enforcement, threw tear gas cans, slashed tires of cars, blocked the entrance of the building and trespassed on private property.”

The department said at least three people were arrested and claimed that local police “refused” to respond to “multiple” requests for assistance.

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The standoff has also strained relations with local authorities. Confusion and conflict between federal agents and the Chicago Police Department have been reported during several confrontations.

In early October, officials said 27 Chicago police officers were “affected” by chemical agents released by federal officers during clashes with protesters near enforcement sites.

Despite the controversy and interagency friction, Bovino has continued to insist that federal immigration operations in Chicago are not temporary. His repeated online statements underscore the administration’s position that the city will remain a focal point of enforcement efforts for the foreseeable future.

{Matzav.com}

The Jan. 6., 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol “does not happen” without Donald Trump, former special counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers earlier this month in characterizing the Republican president as the “most culpable and most responsible person” in the criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee […]

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a senior Treasury official says plans are being explored for new currency that would feature President Donald Trump.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Wednesday that he is pursuing the idea of issuing a $250 bill bearing Trump’s likeness, tying the proposal to the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial.

“When Trump appointed me to the job, I told him I wanted to do a $250 bill with his picture on the 250th birthday celebration” of the U.S., Beach told the Caller, while noting that current law would first need to be changed by Congress, since presidents must be deceased to appear on paper currency.

Beach said that if Congress passes such legislation and it is signed into law, he would move immediately to begin work on the new $250 bill, which would rank among the highest-denomination notes in circulation.

In his role as U.S. treasurer, Beach oversees the production of the nation’s paper money and coins, including direct supervision of the U.S. Mint and Fort Knox.

Before joining the Treasury Department, Beach spent more than ten years as a Republican member of the Georgia State Senate and was appointed to his current post by Trump in May.

The proposed $250 bill is not the only Trump-related currency under consideration. Beach said in October that design work is already underway on a $1 coin that would feature Trump’s image.

That effort follows congressional passage of the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act, which authorizes the Treasury Department to mint special $1 coins to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, with issuance set to begin on July 4.

Beach emphasized that the planned Trump $1 coin would function as everyday money. “It is going to be legal tender,” he told the Caller.

“This is not a commemorative coin. You can go in and buy something with this $1 coin with Trump’s picture on it,” he said.

Beyond the semiquincentennial designs, Beach added that the administration is also preparing additional coin releases to mark other major events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when most matches are scheduled to take place in large U.S. cities.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF released a year-end operational summary on Tuesday detailing extensive military activity carried out in 2025 across multiple fronts, including the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, the West Bank, Iran and Yemen. According to the report, the IDF mobilized approximately 307,000 reservists during the year and conducted about 430 operations across all theaters, striking an estimated […]

Hundreds of prescription drugs sold in the United States are set to become more expensive in 2026, even as the Trump administration pushes pharmaceutical companies to rein in costs, according to new data from healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors.

The analysis shows that manufacturers intend to raise list prices on at least 350 branded medications, including vaccines for COVID, RSV, and shingles, as well as high-profile treatments such as the cancer drug Ibrance.

The scale of the planned increases exceeds last year’s pace. At the same stage in 2024, companies had announced price hikes for just over 250 drugs. For the coming year, the median increase is roughly 4%, about the same as in 2025.

The figures reflect list prices only and do not take into account rebates paid to pharmacy benefit managers or other discounts negotiated across the drug supply chain.

While most changes point upward, manufacturers are also planning list price reductions for about nine medicines. Among them is a cut of more than 40% for the diabetes drug Jardiance and three related treatments sold by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

Neither Boehringer Ingelheim nor Eli Lilly immediately responded to questions about the reason for the Jardiance price cuts.

Jardiance is one of 10 drugs whose prices were negotiated downward by the U.S. government for the Medicare program serving people 65 and older in 2026. As part of that process, Boehringer and Lilly reduced the drug’s price by about two-thirds.

Despite such negotiations, Americans continue to pay far more for prescription medicines than patients in other wealthy countries — often close to triple the cost — an issue President Donald Trump has repeatedly highlighted while urging drugmakers to align U.S. prices with those abroad.

The announced hikes are coming even as Trump has reached agreements with 14 pharmaceutical companies to lower prices on certain medicines for Medicaid recipients and for people paying cash. Companies involved in those deals include Pfizer, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and GSK — all of which are also planning price increases on some drugs starting Jan. 1.

“These deals ⁠are being announced as transformative when, in fact, they really just nibble around the margins in terms of what is really driving high prices for prescription drugs in the U.S.,” said Dr. Benjamin Rome, a health policy researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Rome said drugmakers appear to be pushing list prices as high as possible while privately negotiating discounts with insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, then establishing separate prices for patients who pay cash.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment.

Pfizer accounted for the largest number of planned list price increases, with hikes affecting around 80 different drugs. Those include the cancer treatment Ibrance, the migraine drug Nurtec, and the COVID therapy Paxlovid, along with hospital-administered medications such as morphine and hydromorphone.

Most of Pfizer’s increases fall below 10%, though the company plans a 15% increase for its COVID vaccine Comirnaty. Some lower-cost hospital drugs are slated for much steeper jumps, in a few cases rising more than fourfold.

Pfizer said it has kept the average list price increase for its innovative medicines and vaccines in 2026 below the overall inflation rate.

“The modest increase is necessary to support investments that allow us to continue to discover and deliver new medicines as well as address increased costs throughout our business,” the company said.

Large, double-digit U.S. drug price hikes were once far more routine, but manufacturers have pulled back amid growing criticism from lawmakers and new policies that penalize companies if Medicare prices rise faster than inflation.

GSK said it plans to raise prices on about 20 drugs and vaccines, with increases ranging from 2% to 8.9%. The company said it remains committed to reasonable pricing and that the adjustments are needed to support scientific innovation.

Additional price changes — both increases and cuts — are expected to be announced in early January, traditionally the busiest period for annual drug price adjustments.

3 Axis Advisors is a consulting firm that works with pharmacist organizations, health plans, and pharmaceutical industry-related groups on pricing and supply chain issues. It is affiliated with, and shares staff with, the drug pricing nonprofit 46brooklyn.

{Matzav.com}

Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that the Constitution remains a sturdy pillar for the country, a message that comes after a tumultuous year in the nation’s judicial system with pivotal Supreme Court decisions on the horizon. Roberts said the nation’s founding documents remain “firm and unshaken,” a reference to a century-old quote from President […]

President Trump announces that he will be removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland.

Israeli PM Netanyahu arrives at the Bal Harbour Shul, where he will address local community leaders and high school students.

More than 69,000 Israelis left the country in 2025 amid the prolonged shadow of Israel’s wars with Gaza and Iran, marking the second consecutive year in which Israel recorded a negative migration balance, according to a year-end report released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The CBS reported that despite the outflow, Israel’s total […]

Federal lawmakers are preparing to intensify scrutiny of alleged large-scale fraud tied to Minnesota’s social services system, as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ramps up a wide-ranging investigation.

According to committee leadership, the panel is digging into what it describes as extensive fraud and money laundering uncovered by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, signaling that the inquiry stretches beyond isolated incidents.

The Trump administration has already acted in response to concerns that federal programs in Minnesota were exploited on a broad scale, including a recent decision to halt federal child care payments to the state.

Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services said the move was part of a wider effort to confront fraud and lax oversight, citing worries that public funds were being diverted away from the children and families those programs are meant to serve.

Enforcement efforts across the federal government have stepped up, officials said, with multiple agencies involved. The administration has pointed to ongoing investigations and arrests, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department has been probing the allegations for months, resulting in dozens of convictions.

As part of the congressional effort, the committee plans to conduct transcribed interviews with Minnesota state officials and has sought records, correspondence, and documents from state leadership related to alleged misconduct.

In addition, the panel has asked the U.S. Treasury Department to turn over relevant Suspicious Activity Reports connected to the investigation.

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced that the committee will hold a public hearing next week focused on alleged misuse of federal funds in Minnesota.

The hearing, titled “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I,” is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Jan. 7 and will feature testimony from Minnesota lawmakers who have sounded alarms about what Comer says is widespread abuse within the state’s social services programs.

Comer also said the committee has invited Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison to appear before the panel on Feb. 10.

“Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs,” Comer said in a release announcing the hearing, adding that Americans “demand and deserve accountability” for the theft of taxpayer funds.

Comer said the Department of Justice is actively investigating and prosecuting fraudsters who have “stolen billions,” and argued that Congress has a responsibility to expose breakdowns, tighten safeguards, and ensure meaningful penalties for those responsible.

Lawmakers slated to testify at the Jan. 7 hearing include Minnesota state Reps. Kristin Robbins of Maple Grove, Walter Hudson of St. Paul, and Marion Rarick of Wright County. The committee noted that additional witnesses could be added.

Committee leaders say the upcoming hearing represents a critical moment for accountability, raising the question of whether officials and agencies responsible for overseeing taxpayer-funded programs will be compelled to answer for lapses that allowed alleged fraud to spread.

With Washington emphasizing efforts to curb waste and rebuild public confidence, the committee said it plans to continue pressing forward until taxpayers receive full transparency and consequences are imposed on anyone found to have enabled the misuse of federal funds.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: President Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services is freezing child care funding to all 50 states, not just Minnesota, ABC News reports. States will now be required to submit detailed data to the federal government demonstrating that the funds are being spent on legitimate child care programs. According to the administration, the money […]

A federal judge in San Francisco blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for migrants from Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua, ruling the decision failed to fully consider country conditions and citing statements that suggested discriminatory motives.

Escalation in Iran’s Hamadan Province – Protesters are heard shouting “Death to Khamenei” as they seize and set fire to a Basij militia headquarters, a paramilitary force that operates under Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has signed an ordinance establishing a legal framework for a “Reparations Fund” to address historic discrimination and displacement affecting Black residents. The plan could eventually allow payments of up to $5 million per eligible resident, but the measure does not allocate city funds or guarantee payments. Lurie says no taxpayer […]