Trump: ‘I’d Like to See’ Mark Walker Confirmed as Religious Freedom Ambassador

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President Donald Trump said Thursday he would like to see the Senate confirm his nominee for the post of Religious Freedom ambassador, former Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC).

During an executive order signing to establish a national policy framework for artificial intelligence, Breitbart News asked the president if he would like see Walker confirmed before Christmas.

When Trump asked if something came up, Breitbart News emphasized that Walker was nominated in April and has yet to receive a confirmation hearing from Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chair Jim Risch (R-ID).

“I’m hearing very good things about him… I’ve always found him to be a high-quality person. Yeah, I’d like to see that happen,” Trump responded.

He also lauded Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) for his work in confirming nominees. (Read more from “Trump: ‘I’d Like to See’ Mark Walker Confirmed as Religious Freedom Ambassador” HERE)

Report Highlights High Welfare Usage Among Somali Refugee Households in Minnesota

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Newly compiled figures from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) show that the overwhelming majority of Somali refugee–headed households in Minnesota rely on at least one form of public assistance, underscoring a significant gap between refugee families and native-born residents.

The analysis draws on a decade’s worth of Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) data. According to CIS, 81 percent of Minnesota households led by Somali refugees utilize one or more public welfare programs. This includes 27 percent receiving cash assistance, 54 percent using food stamps, and roughly 73 percent enrolled in Medicaid.

By comparison, just 21 percent of native-born Minnesotan households participate in any welfare program, with far lower rates for each category — 6 percent receiving cash aid, 7 percent using food stamps, and 18 percent enrolled in Medicaid.

The numbers rise further for Somali-headed households raising children. The ACS data indicates that about 89 percent of these families depend on at least one safety-net program. Medicaid enrollment alone reaches 86 percent, while 62 percent receive food stamps and 23 percent rely on cash assistance.

“Nearly every Somali household with children receives some form of welfare,” CIS researcher Jason Richwine noted in his analysis.

Meanwhile, among native Minnesotan families with children, only about 30 percent use any form of welfare — with 6 percent on cash aid, 10 percent using food stamps, and 28 percent covered by Medicaid.

The disparities extend beyond public benefit usage. According to the same data, more than 66 percent of Somali refugees in the state live in or near poverty. In contrast, fewer than 20 percent of native-born Minnesotans fall into that category.

Language proficiency also remains a major hurdle. While virtually all native-born Minnesotans report speaking English “very well,” nearly 60 percent of Somali refugees say they do not — including many who have lived in the state for over a decade.

Educational differences add another layer. Only 5 percent of native Minnesotans lack a high school diploma, compared to almost 40 percent of Somali refugees. More than a quarter of Somali adults who have been in Minnesota for at least 10 years still report not having completed high school.

Minnesota is now home to nearly 80,000 people of Somali ancestry, despite having virtually none in 1990. The state hosts one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the United States, a population that has grown quickly due to refugee resettlement over the past three decades.

U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker in Major Escalation Against Maduro

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The United States has seized a Venezuelan oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela — a striking move that significantly expands Washington’s pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro and his government.

On December 10, 2025, U.S. forces — including the United States Coast Guard (USCG), along with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security, and other military elements — boarded and seized the tanker named Skipper. The vessel was reportedly carrying heavy crude oil that the U.S. says was sanctioned under laws targeting illicit oil trading.

President Donald Trump confirmed the seizure at a White House roundtable, calling it “a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized.” He said the decision was taken “for very good reasons.”

Venezuela’s economy depends heavily on oil exports. With this tanker seized — and pressure mounting on other shipments — Caracas faces disruption in its primary revenue stream. Many analysts view this move as a key escalation, shifting from sanctions and limited maritime actions to direct interdiction.

The government in Caracas immediately condemned the move, calling it “an act of international piracy” and “blatant theft.” They vowed to defend national sovereignty and to bring the case before international bodies.

It remains uncertain whether the U.S. will seize additional vessels. The Trump administration appears poised to maintain or intensify pressure. Some analysts warn that continued tanker seizures could signal a shift toward a de facto oil blockade.

Vance Heads to Pennsylvania as White House Intensifies Affordability Push

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Vice President JD Vance will travel to Pennsylvania next week as the White House ramps up its nationwide effort to sell the administration’s affordability message, according to two sources familiar with the planning.

The visit comes just days after President Donald Trump launched his year-long economic tour with a stop in Wilkes-Barre, where he argued that his policies are easing financial pressure on American families. Vance is scheduled to deliver remarks near Allentown on Dec. 16, focusing heavily on the administration’s argument that it is reversing what it calls an affordability crisis left behind by Democrats.

A spokesperson for the vice president said Vance’s remarks will underscore that “making America affordable again is the number one priority of the Trump administration,” pointing to the White House’s tax cuts and domestic investment initiatives as evidence of progress.

“President Trump has made enormous strides in reversing the affordability crisis left behind by Democrats,” the spokesperson said. “The benefits of the Trump economic agenda have only begun to kick in and there is more work to be done in the new year.”

During his Wilkes-Barre speech, the president told supporters that Americans should already be feeling relief as prices cool, particularly for groceries. He also reiterated his claim that Democrats’ renewed focus on affordability is a “hoax,” arguing they are responsible for the economic strain families have experienced in recent years.

Vance is expected to echo Trump’s message, reinforcing the administration’s argument that Republican leadership is stabilizing the cost of living after years of inflation. His visit also reflects a broader GOP effort to reclaim political ground on the issue after Democrats saw notable gains in the November elections by making affordability a centerpiece of their campaigns.

Recent polling shows the depth of voter concern. A Politico survey released this week reported that 46 percent of Americans believe the cost of living is the worst they can remember. Among 2024 Trump voters, 37 percent agreed. The poll surveyed 2,098 adults between Nov. 14 and 17 and had a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

The administration’s renewed messaging drive also mirrors tactics used by former President Joe Biden, who spent much of his term traveling the country to promote what he called “Bidenomics.” As economic perceptions deteriorated, Biden and his team ultimately abandoned the branding effort amid criticism that it failed to match voters’ lived experience.

With Republicans now working to position themselves as the party best equipped to bring costs down, Vance’s Pennsylvania stop marks one of the earliest high-profile outings in what is expected to be a sustained push heading into the new year.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Team Biden Bathed America In Solar Panels While Reportedly Ignoring China Sabotage Warning

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Biden-era officials reportedly overlooked warnings that imported Chinese solar panel components posed risks to the American power grid, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

America’s reliance on Chinese-linked solar panel inverters gives China an opportunity to sabotage the U.S. power grid, the Post reported, citing new research from Strider Technologies. The report and cybersecurity experts warned that this dependency poses a national security threat as the inverter devices in solar panels could be remotely triggered to precipitate cascading blackouts, the Post noted.

Power inverters are often made in China and are used to connect solar panels and wind turbines to the power grid. The Post does not clarify what warnings specifically were brought to the Biden administration in regard to national security risks linked to Chinese inverters.

“They were not excited to hear that clean energy technology made in China could pose a speed bump in the green energy transition,” the official told the Post. “You don’t need to turn off the entire western area power [grid] to create societal panic. … All you need to do is create some number of significant incidents that are widely reported to create the same effect.”

More than 85 percent of utilities surveyed anonymously are using inverters from companies linked to the Chinese government and military, the Post reported. The Strider Technologies report notes that it “surveyed utility and energy companies representing approximately 12% of U.S. installed capacity.” (Read more from “Team Biden Bathed America In Solar Panels While Reportedly Ignoring China Sabotage Warning” HERE)

Teen Dies Just 3 Hours After Being ‘Sextorted’ as Nefarious International Groups Like 764 Target US Kids: ‘It’s 100% murder’

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The afternoon that 15-year-old Bryce Tate was sextorted started off as a perfectly normal Thursday.

The Cross Lanes, W. Va., sophomore came home from the gym on Nov. 6, scarfed down a plate of tacos prepared by his mom, then went outside to shoot hoops. At 4:37 p.m., he received a text message from a strange number.

Three hours later, Bryce was found in his dad’s man cave — dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“They say it’s suicide, but in my book it is 100% murder,” Bryce’s father, Adam Tate, told The Post. “They’re godless demons, in my opinion. Just cowards, awful individuals, worse than criminals.”

According to his dad, Bryce was apparently the latest victim of a vicious sextortion scheme targeting teen boys — one that law enforcement says is surging.

A representative for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children told The Post the group tracked over 33,000 reports of child sextortion in 2024 alone — with nearly that number reported in the first six months of this year. (Read more from “Teen Dies Just 3 Hours After Being ‘Sextorted’ as Nefarious International Groups Like 764 Target US Kids: ‘It’s 100% murder’” HERE)

Princess Met Several Times With Jeffrey Epstein — Who Invited Her to His Now-Infamous Private Island

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Princess Sofia of Sweden met several times with late pedophile billionaire Jeffery Epstein — who once invited her to his now-infamous private Caribbean island, emails revealed.

The 41-year-old royal — who was a lingerie model and reality TV actress before marrying Prince Carl Philip in 2015 — first met the disgraced financier through a mentor, Barbro Ehnbom, in 2005, according to emails published Tuesday by the Swedish outlet Dagens Nyheter.

“This is Sofia, an aspiring actress who just arrived in New York. She’s the girl I told you about before I left, who I thought you might like to meet,” Ehnbom, a Swedish businesswoman, reportedly wrote to Epstein in December 2005.

“Maybe we can visit before you go on holiday?” she added in the email, along with a photo of the then-model, Sofia Balthazar-Winslow.

“I’m in the Caribbean. Does she want to come for a couple of days? I’ll send a ticket,” Epstein replied — inviting her to Little Saint James, where he was accused of sex trafficking minors.

Princess Sofia turned down the offer, according to the Swedish royal family, but later met Epstein multiple times. (Read more from “Princess Met Several Times With Jeffrey Epstein — Who Invited Her to His Now-Infamous Private Island” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Erika Kirk Urges an End to Conspiracy Theories Surrounding Charlie’s Killing

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Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA and widow of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, used a Wednesday appearance on Fox News’ Outnumbered to directly address — and firmly reject — the conspiracy theories circulating online about her husband’s death.

Speaking publicly about the issue for the first time, Kirk said the speculation has become a harmful distraction as she and her team continue cooperating with investigators.

Kirk compared the online noise to a biblical story from the Book of Nehemiah, saying she feels called to stay focused on “building” rather than responding to people “calling down” from the sidelines. “My silence does not mean complacency,” she said. “Every time we hear a lead, anything at all, we send it to the authorities. No stone will be left unturned. I want justice for my husband more than anyone.”

While she said she can tolerate criticism directed at her personally, she drew a firm line at attacks on her staff and colleagues. According to Kirk, members of the Turning Point team — some of whom witnessed Charlie Kirk’s killing — have been overwhelmed with threats and harassment sparked by widely shared online theories accusing staff of involvement.

“When you go after my Turning Point USA family… claiming they’re somehow part of this, that’s where it ends,” she said, noting that some content creators are profiting from pushing those accusations. “This is a mind virus,” she added, describing the emotional toll the conspiracies have taken on the team. “My team is exhausted. They have death threats, kidnapping threats — you name it.”

Fox News host Harris Faulkner observed that Kirk appeared more forceful than usual. Kirk replied that what viewers were seeing was “righteous anger,” fueled by the pain her team relives each time new conspiracies spread. “Why should they have to retraumatize themselves every day?” she asked.

Kirk ended the segment with a direct message to those spreading the theories: “If people thought I was going to shrink into a corner, they were wrong. I will honor my husband’s legacy and never back down. My message is simple: stop.”

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Australia Enforces Nationwide Ban on Social Media Accounts for Under-16s

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Australia has rolled out a sweeping new policy that blocks anyone under the age of 16 from holding social media accounts, marking one of the most aggressive child-protection measures implemented by any Western nation.

The nationwide restriction, which officially took effect this week, forces major platforms to verify a user’s age before granting access. Companies that fail to comply may face large financial penalties and additional regulatory action.

Under the new rules, children under 16 are barred from creating or maintaining accounts on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and any service that allows user-generated content and algorithm-driven feeds. Parents cannot override the ban, even with permission.

The government has approved specific age-verification mechanisms that platforms must use, shifting the burden of compliance onto the tech industry rather than parents or schools.

Officials say the move stems from mounting evidence connecting early social media use to rising mental health concerns among adolescents. Studies citing increased rates of anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and exposure to adult or harmful content helped fuel political momentum for the ban.

Leaders behind the policy argue that platforms have failed to adequately safeguard minors.

“We’ve let tech companies dictate the online environment for kids for far too long,” government officials said in recent remarks. “This change gives young people space to grow without constant digital pressure.”

Social media firms have pushed back, warning that mandatory age verification raises privacy challenges, may be difficult to enforce, and could drive minors to circumvent rules through VPNs or borrowed accounts.

Privacy advocates also worry about the amount of personal data required to verify age, though the government insists approved methods protect user information.

Photo credit: Flickr

ICE Locks Up Pedophiles, Other Violent Illegal Aliens as DHS Launches ‘Worst of the Worst’ Searchable Site

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement is locking up more pedophiles and violent criminals as the Department of Homeland Security launches a new “worst of the worst” searchable website.

A press release obtained exclusively by Blaze News highlighted the Monday arrests of five criminal illegal aliens.

“Americans may be busy with Christmas parties and shopping, but the mission to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens never stops — and neither does ICE law enforcement,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated.

“Every day, our law enforcement are removing the worst of the worst from across our nation,” McLaughlin continued. “Just yesterday, ICE arrested pedophiles, armed robbers, and drug traffickers. Thanks to our new website, Americans can see for themselves the criminal illegal aliens that we are arresting and removing from their communities.”

ICE nabbed Juan Aucenjio-Natalio, a Mexican national who was previously convicted in Fort Bend County, Texas, for indecency with a child by exposure. (Read more from “ICE Locks Up Pedophiles, Other Violent Illegal Aliens as DHS Launches ‘Worst of the Worst’ Searchable Site” HERE)