Fed Keeps Rates Unchanged — But Two Vote against Powell’s ‘Wait-And-See’ Approach

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The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged Wednesday despite intense pressure from President Trump for a cut — and votes by two of the central bank’s governors against Jerome Powell’s “wait and see” approach.

The central bank’s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee maintained the benchmark rate between 4.25% and 4.5%, where it has been since December.

It marked the first meeting in three decades where more than one governor on the 12-member board has dissented on an interest-rate vote .

“On the dissents, what you want from everybody, and also from a dissenter, is a clear explanation of what you’re thinking is and what are the arguments you’re making and we had that today,” Chairman Powell said during a press conference immediately following the meeting.

“This was quite a good meeting all around the table where people thought carefully about this.” (Read more from “Fed Keeps Rates Unchanged — But Two Vote against Powell’s ‘Wait-And-See’ Approach” HERE)

Trump Reveals How Jeffrey Epstein Was Banned From Mar-A-Lago

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President Donald Trump shed new light this week on his severed ties with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, recounting how the disgraced financier allegedly used Mar-a-Lago’s spa to recruit young women — including one who later became a central figure in the Epstein scandal.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned from a five-day trip to Scotland, Trump detailed the incident that led him to permanently ban Epstein from the exclusive Palm Beach club.

“I have a great spa, one of the best spas in the world, at Mar-a-Lago. And people were taken out of the spa, hired by him,” Trump said. “When I heard about it, I told him, I said, ‘Listen, we don’t want you taking our people,’ whether it was spa or not spa, I don’t want him taking people. And he was fine. And then not too long after that, he did it again. And I said, ‘Out of here.’”

Among those allegedly targeted was Virginia Giuffre, who famously accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of trafficking her to high-profile figures — including the UK’s Prince Andrew — when she was a teenager.

“I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people. Yeah, he stole her,” Trump said, adding that she “had no complaints about us, as you know. None whatsoever.”

Giuffre, who first went public in 2011, later won a defamation suit against Maxwell in 2017 and settled multiple legal disputes connected to the Epstein case. Her life and statements have continued to draw scrutiny, particularly after inconsistencies emerged in some of her past claims.

The Epstein case has roared back into the spotlight in recent weeks following the release of a July memo from the Department of Justice and FBI, concluding that Epstein’s death in 2019 was a suicide and that no evidence had been uncovered of an “incriminating client list” of powerful figures.

Trump, who has faced renewed questions over his past association with Epstein, has said he severed ties with the financier long before his arrest.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recently held two days of questioning with Maxwell, whose legal team is reportedly exploring the possibility of a presidential pardon or commutation.

“Nobody’s approached me with it. Nobody’s asked me about it,” Trump told reporters when asked about the topic.

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Democrats Target Masked ICE Agents, Despite Enforcing $500 Fines for Going Maskless During COVID

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Michigan Democrats are aiming to prosecute Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents for wearing masks—yes, the same party that imposed $500 fines on citizens for not wearing masks during the COVID era. After years of enforcing strict pandemic mandates, including mask requirements backed by hefty penalties, state Democrats have shifted gears, targeting federal immigration officers for concealing their identities while enforcing the law.

State House Democrats, sponsored by Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City), introduced a proposed bill earlier this month that would result in law enforcement officers who attempt to conceal their faces or identities while on the job in Michigan facing jail time. Coffia claimed that ICE agents wearing masks “mirror the tactics of secret police in authoritarian regimes and stray from the norms that define legitimate local law enforcement.”

“It confuses and frightens communities. Those who protect and serve our community should not do so behind a concealed identity,” she said, announcing with a banner behind her that boldly proclaimed, “Justice doesn’t need a mask.”

While state Democrats argue that these so-called “secret police” tactics sow fear, reduce accountability, and endanger the public and other law enforcement, the Trump administration has maintained that allowing ICE agents to wear masks is essential for their safety—protecting officers and their families from harassment, doxxing, and threats once their identities are exposed online or in public.

“For the average person, these incidents look like violent kidnappings,” Coffia added. “With this new federal tactic of wearing masks with no identification, there is no way for the public, the people being accosted or grabbed or even local law enforcement and local, state elected leaders to know who these folks are.” (Read more from “Democrats Target Masked ICE Agents, Despite Enforcing $500 Fines for Going Maskless During COVID” HERE)

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Restaurant Permanently Closes after Chef Insults TikTok Influencer

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A San Francisco restaurant recently closed its doors after an influencer shared a viral encounter she had with the restaurant’s chef.

The eatery, Kis Café, closed down last week, according to its own Instagram post. A TikTok creator named Karla — who doesn’t share her last name but goes by the handle @itskarlabb — alleged that the restaurant’s chef, Luke Sung, belittled her during an interaction.

“I’m still shaking and I feel so frazzled, but I just left a restaurant collaboration crying,” the creator said in the viral video, which has racked up some 22 million views to date. . .

During a collaboration with the restaurant, Karla said Sung – who also co-owns Kis Café – approached her and asked who she was. . .

When he pulled up her account, the chef allegedly scoffed at Karla’s perceived lack of influence.

“This guy pulls up my TikTok and says that I have 15,000 followers,” Karla recounted in the video. “He was saying that I have too [few] followers and that this was a mistake.” (Read more from “Restaurant Permanently Closes after Chef Insults TikTok Influencer” HERE)

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WATCH: Chaos Erupts on the Senate Floor Over Police Funding Bill

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Things got fiery on Capitol Hill today after a heated showdown broke out in the Senate over a police funding bill. What started as a standard discussion turned into a full-on meltdown from one senator, Cory Booker, who ranted about the country sliding toward authoritarianism and accused his own party of being too weak to lead.

The senator blasted his colleagues, saying they “deserve to lose the midterms” if they can’t stand united. It wasn’t a policy debate as much as a performance — complete with finger-pointing, emotional appeals, and a laundry list of grievances that had little to do with the bill at hand.

The drama escalated when Sen. Amy Klobuchar stepped in, pointing out that the Judiciary Committee had already passed the bill unanimously. “I can’t help it if someone couldn’t change their schedule to be there,” Klobuchar shot back, calling for consistency from lawmakers who praise law enforcement during Police Week but stall legislation when the cameras are off.

The unnamed senator, clearly fired up, lashed out in response, invoking personal tragedy to make his point. “I don’t need lectures about the urgency of this,” he said, recounting how one of his childhood friends — a police officer — died by suicide after a hard day’s work. “Don’t imply this isn’t vital to me or my state.”

The exchange left many questioning what’s really going on within the Democratic Party. The blow-up over a routine police funding bill highlights the lack of leadership, clear messaging, and unity as November’s elections draw near.

Meanwhile, late-night talk shows — often cited by these same politicians — are being canceled due to plummeting ratings and massive losses. And the free speech issues these senators love to lecture about? College campuses are becoming hotspots of antisemitism instead of open debate.

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CIA Director: More Intelligence Shows the Russia Collusion Hoax ‘Was a Hillary Clinton Plan’

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More files may link failed 2016 Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to the origins of the Russia collusion hoax that targeted President Donald Trump.

During an interview Sunday on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” CIA Director John Ratcliffe explained the situation to host Maria Bartiromo, per the New York Post.

“Part of what came out last week was about how John Brennan, Clapper, Comey, they all pushed the known fake Steele dossier into intelligence community assessments, and that’s the basis for Crossfire Hurricane and all that,” he continued:

But what hasn’t come out yet and what’s going to come out is the underlying intelligence that I have spent the last few months making recommendations about final declassification and sent that to the Department of Justice, that will come out in the John Durham report classified annex. And what that intelligence shows, Maria, is that part of this was a Hillary Clinton plan, but part of it was an FBI plan to be an accelerant to that fake Steele dossier, to those fake Russia collusion claims by pouring oil on the fire, by amplifying the lie and burying the truth of what Hillary Clinton was up to.

Ratcliffe said Clinton testified before Durham under oath in 2022 and “Much of that testimony is frankly completely inconsistent with what our underlying intelligence that is about to be declassified in the Durham annex, what that reflects.”

(Read more from “CIA Director: More Intelligence Shows the Russia Collusion Hoax ‘Was a Hillary Clinton Plan’” HERE)

Federal Court Rules in Favor of Christian Woman Blocked by Oregon From Adopting Because of Her Beliefs

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A federal appeals court is siding with a Christian mom who has been barred from a state adoption program due to her biblical worldview on gender and sexuality.

Jessica Bates, a Christian and a widowed mother of five, applied to adopt two 9-year-old children in 2023, but the Oregon Department of Human Services excluded Bates from participating in the adoption program since she would not agree to unilaterally “respect, accept, and support” the “sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression” of children placed in her care, which ODHS said included using children’s “preferred pronouns,” taking them to LGBTQ+ Pride events, or taking them to gender-transition procedure appointments.

Bates insisted that her Christian beliefs prevented her from lying to children about their gender or sexuality and told ODHS officials that she would “happily love and accept any child” placed under her care, but the agency rejected her application and barred her from adopting any child, regardless of the child’s age or the child’s own religious beliefs. With the assistance of attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom, Bates filed a lawsuit, alleging the ODHS decision and the rule it was based on violated her First Amendment rights.

A federal district court rejected the Oregon mother’s request for a preliminary injunction, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision Thursday, issuing a preliminary injunction and allowing Bates to obtain an adoption license while litigation continues at the district court level. Judges Daniel Bress, appointed by President Donald Trump, and Michael Daly Hawkins, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, sided with Bates, while George W. Bush appointee Judge Richard Clifton dissented.

In the majority’s opinion, Bress noted that ODHS guidance requires adoptive and foster parents to encourage pro-LGBTQ+ sentiment—including through talking about pronouns and gender identity and hanging LGBTQ-themed signs and flags in the house—even if children placed in their care do not identify as LGBTQ+. The judge observed, “Among other things, the [ODHS] materials state that for LGBTQ youth, ‘[p]rejudice and rejection can occur’ in certain settings, listing among them ‘faith-based communities.’” (Read more from “Federal Court Rules in Favor of Christian Woman Blocked by Oregon From Adopting Because of Her Beliefs” HERE)

Trump’s Cognitive Test Results Revealed in Annual Physical Report

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The White House has released President Donald Trump’s annual physical exam results, confirming the 78-year-old commander-in-chief is in “excellent cognitive and physical health” and fully capable of carrying out his duties.

The memo, signed by Dr. Sean Barbabella, physician to the president, followed Trump’s visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday. It marks the first public health update on Trump since last July’s assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

‘Fit to Serve’

“President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” Barbabella wrote in the official statement.

The president stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 224 pounds, with a blood pressure reading of 128/74 mmHg and a resting heart rate of 62 beats per minute. Barbabella praised Trump’s active lifestyle, even highlighting his “frequent victories in golf events” as evidence of his stamina and physical well-being.

Cognitive Test Results: 30 Out of 30

The report revealed that Trump underwent the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) — a quick 10-minute exam designed to detect mild cognitive impairment — and scored a perfect 30 out of 30.

This is not the first time Trump has aced the test. During his first term, in January 2018, then-White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson reported an identical 30/30 score.

The physical also noted scarring on Trump’s right ear from last summer’s shooting in Pennsylvania but found no ongoing health issues from the incident. All diagnostic and laboratory testing, conducted with input from 14 specialist consultants, came back normal.

“President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function,” the memo concluded.

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Social Media Posts Reveal Anti-Trump Bias Of CIA Officer Who Helped Create 2016 Russiagate Report

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A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) counterintelligence officer who claimed she helped lead the 2016 U.S. Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) regarding allegations of Russian election interference has a history of social media comments blasting President Donald Trump as a “dictator.”

The comments from recently-retired CIA officer, Susan Miller, were originally reported by Just The News Tuesday and verified by the Daily Caller. Miller claimed she assisted in spearheading the 2016 ICA investigative team. The CIA under Director John Ratcliffe released a tradecraft review of the ICA in 2025.

Responding to a May New York Times (NYT) article, Miller commented that the reported dismantling of an investigative squad in the FBI was “awful” and “Further proof that Trump is a dictator,” according to her LinkedIn post.

Miller also responded on LinkedIn to a March Washington Post article as “proof” of Trump’s “lack of empathy ….. and his high regard for a dictator,” adding that Trump has “dictator envy.”

Additionally, she agreed with a comment that appeared to compare Trump to Hitler, saying, “the Hitler analogy is not lost on a bunch of us” on LinkedIn. (Read more from “Social Media Posts Reveal Anti-Trump Bias Of CIA Officer Who Helped Create 2016 Russiagate Report” HERE)

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Rising Popularity Of Rent-A-Womb Industry Emboldens Pedophiles To Buy Proximity To Kids

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Surrogacy is problematic for a whole host of reasons. It makes procreation and pregnancy transactional, creates morally and ethically reprehensible conundrums, hurts women and babies, has strong overlap with human trafficking, and reeks of corruption.

Arguably, the most alarming consequence that comes from the increasingly popular practice of renting wombs, however, is that surrogacy can be easily exploited by pedophiles and abusers to gain proximity to children.

One such example surfaced this week after internet sleuths discovered that one of the two men seen in a viral video celebrating a baby’s monthly milestones by kissing the boy’s face is a convicted pedophile.

Less than 10 years before Brandon Mitchell bought his son via surrogacy, the then-high school chemistry teacher earned himself several criminal charges for attempting to solicit images from a male teenage student. Subsequent investigation by law enforcement yielded more than 12,000 texts between the teacher and child as well as several pieces of sexually explicit media.

Mitchell was quickly convicted and sentenced to nearly two years in prison. After just two months, however, Mitchell was paroled on the condition that he would “have no unsupervised contact with minors.”

Thanks to unregulated fertility and surrogacy industries, however, Mitchell now has custody of a baby boy without so much as a required background check. (Read more from “Rising Popularity Of Rent-A-Womb Industry Emboldens Pedophiles To Buy Proximity To Kids” HERE)

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