Matzav

Malcolm Hoenlein delivered an urgent message at the Yisroel Hayom Conference in New York, describing an alarming demographic and cultural trajectory he believes is endangering both Israel’s standing and the stability of the American Jewish community. As Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, he argued that shifts in population and political influence are rapidly outpacing the Jewish community’s preparedness to address them.

Reflecting on decades of public service—from his political activism in the 1950s during Adlai Stevenson’s presidential campaign to his lifelong battle against antisemitism—Hoenlein said the trends he long feared have now materialized. “Unfortunately,” he stated, “this prophecy has come true.” He noted that today’s manifestations of antisemitism echo troubling patterns he witnessed in Europe, warning that America is no longer immune to similar developments.

Hoenlein stressed that, despite widespread awareness, the community continues to avoid confronting the magnitude of the crisis. While hundreds of new groups have emerged over the last two years to combat antisemitism, many flush with funding, he said the overall effort lacks coherence. “For the past twenty years I have been warning about the phenomenon,” he said, adding that “we are winning a few battles but losing the war.” He emphasized the absence of a coordinated financial and strategic framework and pointed to the latest New York elections as evidence of how rapidly the political landscape is shifting. According to him, the city’s Muslim population now surpasses major ethnic communities such as Italians and Poles—and continues to expand.

During the conversation, Hoenlein addressed claims that nearly 30 percent of Jewish voters supported Zohran Mamdani. He dismissed the figure as inaccurate, explaining that the methods used to calculate the vote do not properly measure Jewish demographics. “They did not vote for him,” he said, noting that even if the number were closer to 20 percent, the real question is why those voters were drawn to Mamdani. “He spoke about the cost of living. He excited them. We are not exciting young people, and it is not only a revolt against Israel, Israel is just a symbol. It is a revolt against their families. We are not growing, and we are not building the future. We are the ones who carry this message we always have and now is the time to focus on the future.”

When asked if the community can still turn the tide, Hoenlein pointed to the limits of political maneuvering when stacked against demographic trends. “Ten years ago I said, ‘Don’t run, prepare,’ because you can argue with politics and policy but not with demography,” he explained. He called for investment in a new generation—one that is deeply educated, confident, and tied to Israel—but urged that the approach must be innovative and fundamentally different from past efforts.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump ignited a new national debate on Tuesday when he hinted that Americans could soon see the federal income tax vanish entirely, suggesting that soaring tariff revenue may make such a sweeping change possible under his watch.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting, Trump declared that “at some point in the not too distant future you won’t even have income tax to pay,” insisting that the money now flowing into the Treasury is “so great… so enormous.” He went even further, musing that income taxes might be scrapped or reduced to a symbolic level, saying, “Whether you get rid of it or just keep it around for fun or have it really low, much lower than it is now, but you won’t be paying income tax.”

If realized, the elimination of income tax would constitute the most dramatic transformation of America’s tax structure in more than 100 years. Trump has often signaled interest in funding the government through tariffs, but his comments on Tuesday represent his clearest embrace of that direction.

Earlier in his second term, he put forward the idea of exempting individuals earning below $150,000 from income tax altogether and relying on tariffs to compensate for the lost revenue. That plan echoed the rhetoric he used in January, when he said, “It’s time for the United States to return to the system that made us richer and more powerful than ever before. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich foreign nations, we should be tariffing and taxing foreign nations to enrich our citizens.”

His stance surfaced again during an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan while on the campaign trail, when he was asked directly whether he was serious about abolishing personal income taxes. Trump replied, “Yeah, sure, why not?” explaining that tariffs could serve as the government’s primary funding source in place of wage-based taxation.

This position marks a departure from ideas he floated decades ago. During his brief consideration of a presidential run with the Reform Party in 1999, Trump toyed with a proposal for a one-time “net worth” tax on individuals whose wealth exceeded $10 million.

Should he pursue elimination of the income tax now, the initiative would entail massive revisions to the tax code and would meet heavy resistance in Congress, especially with the House majority holding only a slim margin.

Although abandoning income tax has traditionally been viewed as an outsider proposal, Trump’s push to rely heavily on tariffs has propelled the notion closer to the center of national discussion than it has been in generations.

A new resolution at the UN General Assembly reignited international criticism of Israel on Tuesday, as the body approved a measure insisting that Israel relinquish the Golan Heights and labeling Israel’s control of the area as “illegal.”

Egypt brought the proposal to the floor, pressing the demand that, “Israel withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 1967 in implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.” The text accuses Israel of blocking progress toward stability in the region, asserting that its governance of the strategic plateau amounts to “a stumbling block in the way of achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region.”

The vote divided the chamber: 123 nations supported the resolution, seven voted against, and 41 abstained. The opposing camp included Israel, the United States, Paraguay, Palau, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga.

The initiative mirrors a yearly effort driven by Syria and several Arab states, who routinely put forward similarly worded resolutions that typically gain majority approval with little difficulty.

Israel’s envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, blasted the move, responding sharply that, “The UN General Assembly once again proves how disconnected it is from reality.” He faulted the organization for fixating on Israel while ignoring real dangers unfolding in the region.

Danon emphasized that the UN was misplacing its focus, saying, “Instead of addressing the crimes of the Iranian axis and the dangerous activities of militias in Syria, it demands that Israel withdraw from the Golan Heights – a vital defense line that protects our citizens.”

He closed with a firm declaration of Israel’s stance on the matter: “Israel will not return to the 1967 lines and will not abandon the Golan. Not now, not ever.”

{Matzav.com}

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Opposition Leader Yair Lapid launched a fierce broadside Tuesday night against the government’s latest version of the chok hagiyus, dismissing it outright as a “draft-dodging law.”

Lapid argued that Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu withdrew his planned statement on the matter simply because “Bibi ran away, because he knows we know the details of the law and he has no way to defend it.”

Lapid accused the government of orchestrating “a complete fraud,” claiming the bill is being controlled not by the IDF but by Shas leader Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf. “This law is full of holes that were put there deliberately. No quotas, no sanctions, no enforcement,” Lapid insisted.

He said the Israeli public expects responsibility and fairness, but “instead gets yet another betrayal of the soldiers. When faced with a choice between the fighters and the draft-dodgers, Netanyahu chose the draft-dodgers and betrayed the fighters.”

Lapid also charged that the aim of the bill is “to restart the flow of money to the yeshivas,” and claimed that Israeli taxpayers are funding “60 billion shekels a year for draft-dodgers who don’t show up at the induction center.” The bill, he said, “disgraces the soldiers, the 920 who fell, and the 20,000 wounded,” vowing: “This law can’t be defended and it will not pass. We will stop it.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett likewise tore into the proposal, warning that the IDF is currently short 20,000 soldiers. According to Bennett, Israel faces only two realistic paths: “Either draft the chareidim or impose 120 reserve-duty days a year on reservists and destroy their lives.”

Bennett said the government is advancing legislation that “will block any chance of drafting chareidim. It’s Israel-bluff. It’s a fully political law. Its purpose is to funnel billions into a system that doesn’t enlist.”

He added bluntly, “This is a law written by Aryeh Deri. It’s a fully political law.”

{Matzav.com}

An unusual notice posted this week inside the Ponevezh Yeshiva dormitory in Bnei Brak has stirred conversation among the bochurim, as the yeshiva temporarily suspended its longstanding early-morning wake-up system amid internal tensions over daily schedules.

The dramatic message, which appeared on the dormitory door at the start of the week, informed students that the yeshiva’s designated vekker—the individual responsible for waking bochurim before Shacharis—would not be coming as of Monday “until further notice.”

In major yeshivos, the role of vekker is traditionally filled by a devoted bochur or yungerman appointed by the administration. His duty is to walk through the dorm rooms, and ensure the bochurim are up in time to begin the day properly.

Talmidim at Ponevezh were taken by surprise to discover that the yeshiva’s management has halted this system entirely. The notice instructed them to assume full personal responsibility for their mornings: “Everyone should make sure to wake himself—and his friends.” It concluded with the pointed message now echoed throughout the yeshiva: “Know that it depends on you alone.”

For now, Ponevezh has no officially appointed vekker. Typically, this is a respected and sought-after role entrusted to a standout bochur, but the position is currently open. Anyone interested in taking on the responsibility is expected to speak directly with the hanhalah.

{Matzav.com}

A coalition of ninety one-time House members is pushing congressional leadership to advance a comprehensive ban on individual stock ownership and trading by sitting lawmakers and their families. Their appeal, unveiled Tuesday, calls on Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to fast-track the Restore Trust in Congress Act and bring it to the floor this year.

Their message urges the House’s top Republican and Democrat to anchor the measure to any essential legislative package, insisting they “strongly recommend attaching this legislation to a ‘must pass’ package before the conclusion of the year.” The signatories span Democrats, Republicans, and independents, reflecting broad bipartisan agreement among those no longer in office.

The group described the bill as the culmination of years of efforts to rein in congressional stock trading, arguing that its adoption “would eliminate the persistent appearance of insider trading among members of Congress.” They pointed to the erosion of public confidence in Washington and referenced surveys showing that Americans across the political spectrum overwhelmingly back restrictions on stock trades by lawmakers.

Their letter also highlighted a Wall Street Journal review that documented a burst of trading activity by lawmakers and relatives in early April, shortly before markets dived following President Trump’s sweeping tariff move. They raised this as evidence of why tougher guardrails are overdue.

“As former members of Congress from both parties, we’re deeply committed to the ongoing health of our democracy and the institution of Congress,” the letter stated. It continued, “The American people understand that our elected lawmakers cannot be both the referee and the player – that presents a clear conflict of interest. Even the appearance of self-dealing does damage.”

The Restore Trust in Congress Act sets strict limits, barring legislators, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing, holding, or selling individual stocks, securities, or futures—with a few narrow exceptions. Investments such as mutual funds, ETFs, municipal bonds, and treasuries would remain permitted.

Under the proposal, current lawmakers would be required to unwind any prohibited investments within 180 days of the bill becoming law. Newly elected members would have 90 days to divest. The legislation additionally empowers the legislative ethics office to impose tougher penalties and enforce compliance more aggressively.

{Matzav.com}

A fierce political and legal storm erupted again this week after Leon Panetta weighed in on allegations of a second U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean. Speaking on CNN, Panetta did not mince words, insisting, “I don’t think there’s any question that that’s a war crime, if it happened in that way.” He emphasized that the matter now rests with congressional oversight, noting that “the Armed Services Committee in both the Senate and the House have indicated that they’re going to do a full investigation of this issue.”

Panetta continued by highlighting that Washington is bracing for differing interpretations of what occurred, especially after recent public comments by the president. “And I think that’s what’s needed, because, there’s obviously going to be a lot of different viewpoints, you heard what the president said. But, I think, ultimately it’s up to those committees to find out exactly what happened. And if it was a war crime, to make sure we hold people accountable,” he said.

The renewed pressure on the administration follows reports from CNN and The Washington Post that surfaced late last week, asserting that two survivors of an initial strike in September were killed in a subsequent U.S. attack. Lawmakers from both parties have since demanded clarity about what unfolded and who authorized the operation.

Against that backdrop, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly rejected the allegations, firing back at the reporting and accusing the media of distorting the facts. He blasted the coverage as “fake news,” setting off a wave of commentary across political circles.

Hegseth doubled down in a follow-up message posted on X, writing, “As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.” He insisted the mission parameters have been clear from the outset, stating, “As we’ve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.’ The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.”

The controversy now moves to Capitol Hill, where committees will determine whether the operation was within legal boundaries—or whether, as Panetta suggested, the incident demands accountability at the highest levels.

{Matzav.com}

Guinness World Records has notified an Israeli nonprofit that it is refusing to review any new submissions from both Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to a Channel 12 report.

The revelation came after Matnat Chaim, an organization renowned for facilitating altruistic kidney donations, reached out to Guinness about a massive event it is preparing in Jerusalem. The group is working on assembling 2,000 kidney donors in a single location — a spectacle it hoped would earn recognition in the next edition of the record book.

What the organization expected to be a routine inquiry instead turned into a disappointment. As Channel 12 reported, officials at Guinness explained that they are currently declining entries from Israel as well as from Gaza and the West Bank, meaning the charity’s planned photo of the historic gathering would not even be considered.

Rachel Heber, who heads Matnat Chaim, expressed deep frustration over the decision. She told Channel 12, “Israel is leading the whole world in this wonderful revolution of mutual responsibility in altruistic kidney donations. The fact that Guinness refuses to include the Israeli achievement that astonished the entire medical world is unacceptable.”

Hillary Clinton used her appearance at the Yisroel Hayom Conference in New York to deliver a stark warning about Israel’s deteriorating image among young Americans. In her conversation with journalist Yoav Limor, she lamented, “Israel has the worst PR of any group I have ever known. The story that needed to be told is not being told effectively, and I think it is only getting worse now.”

Clinton explained that while teaching at Columbia University after October 7, she saw firsthand how students were absorbing wildly skewed narratives about the attacks. She said, “We saw an almost organized effort to turn what happened into something unrecognizable. We began to understand that our students smart, educated, young where are they getting their information? From social media, especially TikTok.” She cautioned that such unfiltered consumption of manipulated content is a threat to democratic discourse, “whether in Israel or in the United States.”

She argued that the problem transcends party alignment and stems instead from a generational shift in how people — particularly the young — consume information. Clinton pointed to extremist voices on the right as proof that this isn’t a partisan phenomenon, saying, “When you hear Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes speak, they are part of the right. This isn’t Democrats versus Republicans; it is a generational issue.” And she underscored the scale of the challenge: “More than 50% of young people in America get their news from social media. They see short videos, some of them completely fabricated, and that is where they get their information.”

To demonstrate how this online ecosystem shapes political outcomes, she referenced the rise of New York legislator Zohran Mamdani. “He was a social media candidate that is exactly my point. Young people were the engine, from every background and every ethnic origin, who connected to him. The social media campaign was extremely effective,” she said.

Still, Clinton indicated that Israel is not without opportunities. She pointed to the durability of the Abraham Accords as proof that regional cooperation remains viable. “When the Abraham Accords were signed, I publicly supported them immediately. Even after October 7, you did not see the signatories abandoning them and that is proof that there are more optimistic scenarios for Israel in the region,” she said, adding that “it is critical to keep Iran on the back foot and stop chasing a nuclear deal.”

Clinton concluded with a direct appeal to Israeli leadership to revamp its global messaging strategy. “You must engage in the narrative. You must do a better job telling Israel’s story not only looking inward, but outward, and especially toward the younger generation,” she insisted. She also urged more dialogue-focused gatherings, reflecting, “I hope there will be more events like this one bringing people together and engaging in dialogue. It is important not to dismiss anyone before we have a chance for a conversation.”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration will not allow Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, to neglect Jews in the city, according to Leo Terrell, chair of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.

“If this mayor turns his back on the Jewish American community, President Trump will take decisive action and the weight of the Department of Justice will be in New York City,” Terrell told JNS. “I can guarantee you of that.”

U.S. President Trump held a civil press conference with Mamdani, who has said he would have Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu arrested if the premier comes to the city, after the two met in the Oval Office. The president called the meeting “very productive” and joked about the mayor-elect considering him a fascist.

Terrell told JNS that there is an “ongoing investigation” about a chaotic, antisemitic protest outside a Nefesh B’Nefesh event at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan last month.

“We don’t trust the city of New York to do the right thing,” he said.

Terrell told JNS that he doesn’t think Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, will pursue charges against protesters who blocked the synagogue’s front entrance, barring congregants from safely accessing the building.

The Trump administration “will not allow Jewish Americans to be denied their right to practice their religion,” Terrell said.

The Justice Department official said that time will tell whether Mamdani, whose press secretary responded to the protest by stating that synagogues shouldn’t host events that violate international law, will change his behavior once he becomes mayor.

“I don’t think there is any prior indication that Mamdani is going to protect Jewish Americans,” he told JNS.

Terrell told JNS that Northwestern University’s $75 million settlement with the Trump administration over a probe that included alleged Jew-hatred was the result of a “full frontal attack” to eradicate antisemitism on campus.

“We’re expanding our efforts to K-12,” he said.

Some schools have been turning to courts to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze grant money and to push punishing settlements. Terrell said Trump has a high rate of success in the U.S. Supreme Court, even as some lower-level court decisions have gone against the administration.

“I can guarantee you that President Trump is going to pursue every avenue legally, and if it takes going to the Supreme Court, he will do it,” Terrell said. “That’s why these universities, before they get to the Supreme Court, many of them will try to resolve these cases.”

If anything, the Trump administration isn’t sufficiently aggressive, according to Terrell.

“These universities have been used to indoctrinate hate, and now they’re targeting K-12, and what I feel is that if there’s going to be a settlement, let’s make sure there’s safeguards in place where kids, students, faculty members and anyone of the Jewish religion are not to be intimidated or harassed,” he said.

The Trump administration began pursuing cases against Ivy League schools and large university systems, such as the University of California, to “provide a deterrent effect,” but it is well aware of problems at smaller and lesser-known schools.

“This phone never stops ringing, because there are problems all over,” Terrell said.

He added that his task force is working on a “50-state rapid response, to make sure we go where the problem is and not ignore any state, any city,”

“I will submit to you that a lot of local mayors, prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, they don’t even know how to address antisemitic behavior,” he said. “They don’t record it properly in their criminal reports.”

The task force, which Terrell said aims to set up “policies and doctrine” for the Justice Department but isn’t involved in litigation, is trying to codify policies on Jew-hatred so they will have a longer shelf-life than the executive orders the president signs. The panel is also meeting with members of Congress to discuss its projects.

“We want to make sure legislation is in place, to make sure not just Jewish Americans, but all Americans are protected in their protected class status and religious freedom,” he said. JNS

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump used an early morning post on Tuesday to urge Republican governors nationwide to shift their states toward paper-only voting, praising Texas counties that have already moved in that direction. “Great news! Dallas County, Texas, just went to all PAPER BALLOTS,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Many others are following suit! More accurate, totally secure with watermark paper, FASTER, and only 9% of the cost. All Republican Governors should mandatorily do this. Save Money and Freedom. Lead the Democrats out of their corrupt ways! President DJT.”

His comments come as Texas Republicans mount a broader effort to overhaul how primary elections are conducted. Because state law gives political parties control over their own primaries, GOP officials in several counties are attempting to move away from machine tabulation and instead count ballots by hand during next March’s elections.

The push has already taken hold in multiple parts of Texas. GOP leaders in Dallas, Hays, Eastland, and Gillespie counties have already adopted paper-only, hand-counting plans for the upcoming primary. Orange County Republicans approved a similar shift this past summer, signaling that the movement has been gaining momentum among local party activists.

While primary elections are generally managed by county election departments on behalf of both parties, some Republican officials are now opting to run their own precinct-level voting operations and discard scanning equipment on Election Day.

The Texas Tribune reports that election officials in Collin, Williamson, and Bastrop counties have begun modifying their systems and procedures as part of their compliance with a Trump executive order issued in March. That order sought to sharply curtail the use of voting machines that rely on barcodes or QR codes to expedite tabulation of paper ballots.

Across the country, many states already use paper ballots as the foundation of their election systems, whether hand-marked or produced through ballot-marking devices. But those ballots are typically fed into optical scanners, a method the National Conference of State Legislatures notes is still considered paper-based—though not strictly “paper-only”—because the actual counting is automated rather than manual.

{Matzav.com}

During a Cabinet session on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem delivered a blistering assessment of what she said was rampant visa and benefits fraud tied to Minnesota, asserting that the administration is preparing aggressive steps to recover federal funds and expel individuals she claims are in the country unlawfully. “You told me to look into Minnesota and their fraud on visas and their programs. Fifty percent of them are fraudulent,” Noem told President Donald Trump in remarks broadcast live on Newsmax.

Noem went even further in her criticism of Gov. Tim Walz, directing sharp words toward the state’s top executive. “That wacko Governor Walz either is an idiot or he did it on purpose. And I think he’s both, sir,” she said, arguing that policies under his watch had paved the way for what she characterized as systemic abuse.

According to Noem, federal investigators uncovered cases involving immigrants in Minnesota “were married to somebody who was their brother or somebody else,” which she cited as part of what she described as “fraudulent visa applications” used to secure various government benefits. She alleged that Walz’s approach to immigration oversight “brought people in there illegally that never should have been in this country,” leading to a landscape where fraudulent claims “took hundreds of billions of dollars from the taxpayers.”

She declared that the administration intends to “remove them” and “get our money back,” adding that the coming year would see the appointment of officials who “love this country and have its back.”

Her statements align with recent enforcement priorities laid out by federal immigration authorities, who have singled out Minnesota as a focal point of ongoing investigations into alleged immigration and benefits fraud.

On Nov. 24, the Department of Justice announced that 78 individuals had been charged in connection with misuse of the federal Child Nutrition Program under the now-defunct Feeding Our Future initiative. Prosecutors have described the case as the nation’s largest instance of COVID-19-era fraud.

Separately, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reported this fall that a Minnesota-based initiative known as “Operation Twin Shield” identified 275 suspected fraud cases in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region. Local accounts have described allegations of both visa-related misconduct and sham marriages as part of the broader investigation.

Newly filed court records reveal that the man accused of ambushing two National Guard soldiers in downtown Washington, D.C., cried out “Allahu Akbar” as he unleashed gunfire, and appeared to be midway through reloading when officers and troops brought him down and placed him under arrest.

Authorities say the shooter, identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the United States in 2021 after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. He had previously been connected to one of the CIA’s “Zero Units.” Investigators allege that he opened fire on Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe of the West Virginia National Guard in a brazen midday assault.

Beckstrom, just 20 years old, succumbed to her wounds on Thanksgiving Day. Wolfe was rushed to the hospital, where he continues to fight for his life in critical condition.

Surveillance footage included in the affidavit paints a disturbing prelude: Lakanwal lingering outside the Farragut West Metro Station, only a short walk from the White House, staring toward the west as if waiting for a cue. Prosecutors say he remained there for “about a minute” before sprinting toward the corner of 17th Street and I Street Northwest.

Another camera captured the moment he rounded the corner with his arms raised “in a firing stance,” according to the court filing. The video shows him directing bullets at Beckstrom and Wolfe, both of whom drop to the pavement after being struck in the head, the documents state.

A nearby National Guard member, identified in the affidavit as Complainant Reynolds, recognized the sounds of gunfire and immediately responded. He drew his service weapon and exchanged shots with Lakanwal, ultimately hitting the suspect and knocking him to the ground.

Reynolds later told investigators he believed the attacker’s weapon had run dry and that the suspect appeared to be reloading when help arrived. At that moment, another Guard officer, referred to in the filings only as “W-1,” lunged onto the gunman and restrained him until authorities could secure the scene.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth used Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting to deliver an unapologetic defense of commanders overseeing U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, insisting that his department “will always have the back” of those “making decisions in difficult situations.”

His remarks came as the White House and Pentagon continued dealing with fallout from reports that a second strike in the Caribbean may have hit individuals who survived the initial attack on a narco-trafficking boat. Hegseth rejected the idea that the operation represented anything other than direct, justified action. “We’re taking the fight to these designated terror organizations. And that’s exactly what we’re doing,” he said during the meeting, which aired live on Newsmax.

Hegseth said the administration’s approach marks a dramatic break from what he described as years of failed policy, accusing past leaders of relying on a “rinse-and-repeat approach.” He argued that traffickers have embedded themselves in American communities and caused devastating harm, adding that the campaign is aimed at stopping that damage before it reaches U.S. shores. According to him, the drug networks have left “hundreds of thousands of Americans poisoned.”

He made clear that President Donald Trump shifted course entirely. “President Trump said, ‘No, we’re taking the gloves off,’” Hegseth told reporters. “‘We’re taking the fight to these designated terror organizations.’” He also praised Trump’s comments on the significant drop in maritime drug flow into the country. As Trump put it, drugs arriving “by sea are down 91% … I don’t know who the 9% is.”

With fewer targets remaining, Hegseth said the slowdown in maritime strikes is a sign that deterrence is working. “We’ve had a bit of a pause because it’s hard to find boats to strike right now, which is the entire point, right?” he said, emphasizing that the goal is to stop the trafficking, not repeatedly capture and release smugglers. “Deterrence has to matter, not arrest and hand over and then do it again.”

Hegseth linked the entire strategy to Trump’s agenda, stressing that the War Department will support the officers carrying out these operations. “I will just end by saying, as President Trump always has our back, we always have the back of our commanders who are making decisions in difficult situations,” he said. “And we do in this case, and all these strikes, they’re making judgment calls and ensuring that they defend the American people. They’ve done the right things. We’ll keep doing that. And we have their backs.”

That same morning, the War Department publicly accused The Washington Post of fabricating comments attributed to Hegseth in its reporting on the Caribbean operation. Press secretary Kingsley Wilson said the newspaper’s account distorted the facts and was contradicted even by other media outlets. She said, “a completely fake story in The Washington Post, now discredited by the New York Times, tried to mischaracterize these successful strikes in bad faith. It was an attempt to damage the secretary and the president, and the people saw through it.”

The incident at the center of the dispute occurred on Sept. 2, when U.S. forces executed a secondary strike after the first attack crippled the suspected narco-smuggling vessel. Lawmakers and legal analysts have questioned whether the survivors still posed an imminent threat at the moment of the follow-up strike.

Wilson insisted the mission was fully lawful. “Our operations in the SOUTHCOM region are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict,” she said, adding that “These actions have also been approved by the best military and civilian lawyers up and down the chain of command.” She emphasized that Hegseth supports the officer who made the decision, Vice Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, noting he stands behind him “100%.”

The White House confirmed that Bradley acted under standing authority, backing the decision despite the scrutiny surrounding the operation.

The Trump administration has moved to tighten security around National Guard personnel, with War Department press secretary Kingsley Wilson announcing that Guard members stationed in Washington, D.C., have now been fully armed. Wilson explained that the step aligns with the administration’s broader insistence on ensuring troops can protect themselves while assisting civil authorities. “I can confirm that everybody in D.C. is now armed,” she told reporters, making clear that Guard units in the capital are now working closely with local police in combined patrols.

She stressed that safeguarding the soldiers remains a priority for officials overseeing the deployments. “Their safety, of course, is top of mind, and we will continue to make sure they’re able to do their jobs in keeping all of our great Americans safe across our country,” Wilson said. She also noted that ongoing Guard missions in Chicago and Los Angeles will not be halted, even in the wake of recent violence.

The heightened security posture comes on the heels of a tragic assault in Washington, D.C., where U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was killed and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was gravely injured. Both were serving with the West Virginia National Guard when they were attacked. A 29-year-old Afghan national has been charged in the case, prompting fresh debate about how best to protect Guard personnel deployed in support roles in major cities.

President Donald Trump has personally expressed support for the families affected by the attack, sharing that he welcomed Beckstrom’s relatives to the White House and intends to honor both service members. “When you’re ready, because that’s a tough thing, come to the White House,” Trump said. “We’re going to honor Sarah — and likewise with Andrew, recover or not.”

Back in West Virginia, communities have been gathering for vigils, mourning Beckstrom and davening for Wolfe’s recovery. Gov. Patrick Morrisey delivered an encouraging update during a Newsmax-broadcast press conference, explaining that Wolfe has shown hopeful signs despite being in serious condition. “We did have some positive news,” Morrisey said, recounting reports that Wolfe responded to a nurse with a thumbs-up and “wiggled his toes.” The governor said Wolfe’s mother has asked people to continue davening, noting, “Those prayers are working.”

Morrisey added that about 170 West Virginia Guard members currently serving in Washington volunteered for the assignment because of their commitment to both state and country. “They’re volunteering because they believe in the mission. They want to support the state of West Virginia. They want to support the country,” he said.

For officials in Washington, Wilson’s remarks underscore a broader administration approach: reinforcing the security of deployed troops while maintaining a visible law-and-order presence in cities facing instability. Supporters of the move argue that if service members are placed in unpredictable situations on American streets, arming them is simply a responsible and necessary precaution.

{Matzav.com}

In the aftermath of the deadly Washington, D.C., attack that left one National Guard member dead and another gravely injured, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is pressing for a dramatic overhaul of the United States’ travel-ban list. According to a CNN report, she has recommended expanding the current roster from 19 restricted nations to as many as 32, a significant escalation of existing policy.

The push follows revelations about the suspect in the D.C. shooting — an Afghan national who had assisted U.S. operations overseas, later arrived in Washington state during the Biden administration’s resettlement effort, and ultimately received asylum under the Trump administration.

After discussions with President Donald Trump, Noem signaled she favors a broad, aggressive strategy rather than incremental additions. As she wrote on X, “I am recommending a full travel ban on every …. country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies,” insisting that Americans should not be forced to witness “foreign invaders” harming citizens or draining public resources.

CNN noted that the administration has not yet finalized which countries would be added or when any announcement would be made. The reporting indicated that the proposal remains under active review and could be revised before the administration makes its decision public.

At present, the 19 countries with full or partial restrictions include Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Speaking to Newsmax, Noem emphasized what she described as deep flaws in the vetting systems used during the Biden administration — especially during Operation Allies Welcome, the mass evacuation and resettlement program following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, she warned, “We think up to 100,000 people came in under Operation Allies that may be here that we don’t know necessarily who they are or why they came to this country,” arguing that all screening should occur before individuals ever reach U.S. soil.

Noem also highlighted the mounting backlog in asylum cases and said the administration is reallocating resources to strengthen pre-entry checks and tighten immigration enforcement. These efforts, she noted, are part of President Trump’s wider security-driven agenda focused on safeguarding the border and prioritizing national security in migration policy.

A DHS spokesperson told Newsmax that the updated list would be released in the near future, as the administration evaluates how to correct past failures and rebuild trust in a system long criticized for putting procedural red tape ahead of protecting Americans.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump used a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday to blast the press for what he said is obsessive scrutiny of his health while giving Joe Biden a free pass during Biden’s time in office. He argued that the media is recycling baseless storylines because it cannot pin genuine scandals on him.

Speaking to reporters in the room, Trump complained that journalists repeatedly float questions about his condition. “But you always find something new. Like, is he in good health?” he said, noting that the same reporters showed little urgency when concerns were raised about Biden. “The guy didn’t do a news conference for eight months. If I go one day … ‘There’s something wrong with the president.’ You people are crazy,” he added.

Trump said he fields questions constantly and that critics are simply manufacturing narratives. “I sit here, I do news — four news conferences a day. I answer questions from very intelligent lunatics. You people,” he joked, before adding, “They always … I give the right answers. There’s never a scandal. There’s never a problem.”

He pointed to his recent physical, saying he voluntarily took a cognitive test even though he was told no other president had previously taken one. The exam, he said, was no pushover. “They said to me, ‘Would you like to take a cognitive test?’” Trump explained, noting that he chose to proceed. “As the doctor will tell you, I aced it … I got every single question right.”

Trump contrasted his own openness with what he described as years of gentle treatment of Biden. “Stories about Biden was in wonderful health,” he said, arguing that the different tone in coverage shows a clear imbalance.

His comments followed the White House release on Monday of additional medical details from his annual physical. According to a memorandum by White House physician Sean P. Barbabella, an MRI conducted last month showed no abnormalities. The imaging evaluation of Trump’s heart and abdominal organs was described as “perfectly normal,” with no indication of inflammation, impaired blood flow, narrowing, clotting, or any other concern.

The president, who is 79, underwent the scans on Nov. 14 and described them at the time as routine. “It’s part of my physical,” he said when asked. “Getting an MRI is very standard.”

Trump again emphasized that he “aced” his cognitive test and dismissed insinuations about his fitness for office. He closed his remarks by returning to familiar territory, once more labeling the 2020 election “fake” and “rigged,” and claiming that missteps under Biden left the country vulnerable.