Conservatives Furious after Trump ‘Gives into Democrats’ on Divisive Culture War Issue

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Like many other MAGA Republicans, President Donald Trump has often attacked Democrats for supporting transgender rights — claiming that their position is “transgender for everybody.” But in some Thursday, March 5 posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump appeared to be “softening” his tone somewhat. And he is drawing scathing criticism from some MAGA culture warriors because of it.

In a morning post, Trump wrote, in all caps, “NO TRANSGENDER MUTILATION SURGERY FOR CHILDREN, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE PARENTS.” But in a subsequent post, Trump wrote, “NO TRANSGENDER MUTILATION SURGERY FOR CHILDREN” and left out the “written approval” part.

On X, formerly Twitter, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) pointed out the contrasts because those posts. . .

But other X users were much more biting in their response, including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) — who was once a major ally of Trump but is now an outspoken critic.

Greene tweeted, “‘Without the express written approval of the parents.’ Trump now supports trans gender mutilation surgeries of children if their parents want it!!!!! The House passed my bill Protect Children’s Innocence Act that makes it a felony to trans any child under 18 even if their parents are supporting or pushing it on their own children. My bill was a reflection of Trump’s own executive order banning child trans surgeries and so called gender affirming care. Now Trump is reversing his stance???!!! What is wrong with him???”

(Read more from “Conservatives Furious after Trump ‘Gives into Democrats’ on Divisive Culture War Issue” HERE)

The Real Reason Why Kristi Noem’s Husband Stayed Married to Her Through Corey Lewandowski ‘Humiliation’

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Bryon Noem‘s family members are hoping he finally leaves his wife, embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after the ultimate “humiliation” from her alleged affair with a top adviser — but fear he’ll continue to stay in his marriage due to his Christian faith and commitment to his vows.

Members of the extended family of Bryon Noem told The Post on Friday that the South Dakota businessman has long felt it was his religious duty to stand behind his wife — even as the very public scandal rocks their marriage.

“He said he decided about 20 years ago that it was his calling from God to support her in whatever she decided to do,” one family member said. “So he has put up with the humiliation. We will see if he sticks with her now.”

“I think it’s him honoring the calling from God,” the family member added. “But it seems like there would be some limit to that.”

The Noems’ more than three-decade-long marriage began in 1992, after having gone to high school together. They began dating when Kristi was a junior at Hamlin High School in Hayti, S.D., and Bryon was a freshman at Northern State University. (Read more from “The Real Reason Why Kristi Noem’s Husband Stayed Married to Her Through Corey Lewandowski ‘Humiliation’” HERE)

The Iran Conflict Will Be the ‘Straw That Breaks the Camel’s Back’ for the U.S. Economy if It Goes on Much Longer, Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman Warns

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The U.S. economy has been on unsteady footing for a while now, but the catalyst to tip it over the edge could be an event playing out on the other side of the world.

The conflict in Iran is not even a week old, but observers are already seeing ways the war could cascade and contribute to a broader economic downturn on U.S. soil. If the war goes on for much longer, and if belligerents begin to target energy infrastructure important to the global oil and gas trade, the U.S. is likely to feel the economic pinch, according to Nobel Prize–winning economist Paul Krugman.

With initial hopes for a swift, decisive victory in Iran rapidly fading, the U.S. has entered a delicate “war of whim” with no clear endgame and a rising daily price tag, Krugman wrote in a Substack post Wednesday. It’s a potential shock the U.S. might be able to deal with in isolation, he added, but combined with an increasingly fragile and uncertain outlook back home, America’s latest foray in the Middle East could end up coming at an enormous cost.

“It isn’t occurring in isolation,” Krugman wrote. “There are many stresses on our economy, and this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back—a straw that becomes heavier the longer the war goes on.”

The primary economic risk stemming from the conflict has to do with energy—specifically oil and gas. The Strait of Hormuz—a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to global trade routes—has been effectively closed since the war’s onset, cutting off the approximate 20% of both liquefied natural gas and petroleum products that ordinarily transit through the strait. (Read more from “The Iran Conflict Will Be the ‘Straw That Breaks the Camel’s Back’ for the U.S. Economy if It Goes on Much Longer, Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman Warns” HERE)

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‘Ding-Dong Ditch’ Goes Sideways Yet Again as Teen Gets Shot Amid Popular Prank, Officials Say

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Once again, the popular “ding-dong ditch” prank — in which young people bang on front doors of homes, typically late at night, and run away — has ended with a teenager getting shot.

Sheriff Mike McCormick of Garland County, Arkansas, said a 16-year-old male suffered a gunshot wound during a reported “ding-dong ditch” prank in the area of Marion Anderson Road on Feb. 27.

The sheriff said the 911 Communications Center late in the evening received multiple complaints of vehicles in the area with subjects wearing hoods and masks who were kicking and hitting residential doors.

While patrol deputies were performing an initial investigation, officials said they received another report about a subject who suffered a gunshot wound and was at a local hospital.

Sheriff’s office investigators responded in order to collect surveillance, witness statements, and related evidence, officials said, and they determined that reports of subjects kicking and hitting residential doors and the shooting were related incidents.

(Read more from “‘Ding-Dong Ditch’ Goes Sideways Yet Again as Teen Gets Shot Amid Popular Prank, Officials Say” HERE)

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White House Releases Wild Video Montages Pairing Iran Strikes With Hollywood Blockbusters: ‘Justice the American Way’

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The Trump White House released a chaotic video montage of US military strikes on Iran combined with iconic movie scenes Thursday night, drawing backlash from both sides of the aisle for making light of the Middle East war.

The X video — which stitched together memorable moments from Hollywood blockbusters like “Gladiator” and “Top Gun: Maverick” with footage of strikes on Iranian targets — was posted by the White House with the message, “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” and later boosted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth himself made a brief appearance in the 42-second montage, which was crammed with clips from “Transformers,” “Braveheart,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” “Iron Man,” and “Star Wars” as well as the popular video games Halo and Mortal Kombat — with a voice proclaiming a “flawless victory” at its end.

“White House trying to get every copy right [sic] strike known to man,” one X user quipped.

Actor Ben Stiller later called on Trump aides to “please remove the Tropic Thunder clip.”

(Read more from “White House Releases Wild Video Montages Pairing Iran Strikes With Hollywood Blockbusters: ‘Justice the American Way’” HERE)

53 House Democrats Vote ‘No’ on Declaring Iran a ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism’

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A significant number of House Democrats voted “no” on declaring the Islamic Republic of Iran a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

Sponsored by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), the resolution passed the U.S. House on Thursday by a 372-53 vote. Two Democrats voted present. While squad members like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) were expected to vote “no,” a full 53 proved somewhat surprising.

Their names, per Fox News:

Donald S. Beyer Jr.
Suzanne Bonamici
André Carson
Greg Casar
Joaquin Castro
Yvette D. Clarke
Steve Cohen
Danny K. Davis
Maxine Dexter
Lloyd Doggett
Dwight Evans
Lizzie Fletcher
Valerie Foushee
Maxwell Alejandro Frost
Robert Garcia
Jesús “Chuy” García
Al Green
Raúl M. Grijalva
Val Hoyle
Jared Huffman
Sara Jacobs
Pramila Jayapal
Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr.
Robin Kelly
Ro Khanna
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Summer Lee
Sarah McBride
Morgan McGarvey
James P. McGovern
LaMonica McIver
Christian D. Menefee
Robert Jacobsen “Rob” Menendez Jr.
Gwen Moore
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Ilhan Omar
Chellie Pingree
Mark Pocan
Ayanna Pressley
Delia Ramirez
Emily Randall
Luz Rivas
Linda T. Sánchez
Janice D. “Jan” Schakowsky
Lateefah Simon
Mark Takano
Rashida Tlaib
Lori Trahan
Lauren Underwood
Nydia M. Velázquez
Maxine Waters
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Nikema Williams

The resolution said nothing about President Trump’s strikes on Iran, while saying the regime “remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism and provides substantial financial and military support to groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis,” adding that it “poses a direct and persistent threat to the United States and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American citizens,” (Read more from “53 House Democrats Vote ‘No’ on Declaring Iran a ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism’” HERE)

China Slashes Fuel Exports As War In Iran Magnifies Key Vulnerability

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China is demanding domestic oil refiners stop exporting fuel and renegotiate or cancel existing contracts as the conflict in Iran threatens the communist nation’s crude supplies.

Officials from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), responsible for planning the nation’s economy, ordered oil executives to stop exporting refined fuel, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The stockpiling comes as U.S. and Israeli military forces continue strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury. China is the world’s top oil importer and one of Iran’s top trade partners, reportedly purchasing over 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude oil between 2024 and 2025.

The communist country also imports 30% of its liquefied natural gas and 40% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed at the start of the conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any ships belonging to Western allies “will certainly be hit,” and although the Strait remains open for China, oil tankers are beginning to avoid the conflict zone. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that three “very large crude carriers” turned away from the Persian Gulf, attempting to avoid the increasing instability in the region.

China is one of Asia’s three biggest oil exporters, shipping over 43 billion barrels of oil in 2023. Beijing exports billions of dollars worth of refined oil to countries in southeast Asia including Singapore and the Philippines, meaning a freeze on exports will likely create price instability in the region. (Read more from “China Slashes Fuel Exports As War In Iran Magnifies Key Vulnerability” HERE)

US Economy Could Be In Dire Straits As Hormuz Slams Shut

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. . .Brent crude, the oil blend that sets worldwide prices, has jumped 24% to over $90 a barrel since Operation Epic Fury began. The highest Brent price of Trump’s second term is already impacting U.S. gasoline prices.

Despite the U.S.-backed war risk insurance that President Donald Trump offered all maritime operators in the Strait of Hormuz, traffic remains down 90% since Iranian retaliatory strikes began. Refineries have no way to ship their oil, and some are halting extraction as storage facilities hit capacity.

U.S. gasoline prices move in tandem with Brent crude. For every $10 Brent increase, U.S. gas prices rise roughly 24 cents per gallon. Since striking Iran, the AAA national gas average price increased from $2.98 to $3.32. Gasoline prices haven’t risen comparably since the Russia-Ukraine War began in March 2022.

A sustained 25-cent-per-gallon increase in gas prices raises inflation by about 0.25 percentage points, according to the Federal Reserve. If the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and oil exports resume, prices could return to pre-war levels.

Very Large Crude Carriers, ships capable of carrying roughly 2 million barrels of oil, saw their daily rental prices skyrocket from $206,000 to over $480,000 since markets opened Monday. The rate-doubling results from continued war risk insurance issues and a dearth of vessels willing to brave the increasingly dangerous Strait. (Read more from “US Economy Could Be In Dire Straits As Hormuz Slams Shut” HERE)

Everything You Need To Know About Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s Pick To Replace Kristi Noem At DHS

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President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was replacing Kristi Noem as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with Republican Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin. The personnel change will occur March 31. . .

Mullin also told reporters that he and Trump are “great friends,” adding that they “get along great,” according to NBC News.

Mullin, 48, is an Oklahoma native and the youngest of seven children. He enrolled in Missouri Valley College on a wrestling scholarship in 1996, but dropped out the following year to rescue the family plumbing business after his father fell ill. Mullin later received an associate’s degree in applied science from the Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in 2010.

“A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social announcement, made Thursday.

Mullin enjoyed a stint as a mixed martial arts fighter between 2006 and 2007, retiring undefeated. He was honored by the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. (Read more from “Everything You Need To Know About Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s Pick To Replace Kristi Noem At DHS” HERE)

‘Make The Right Choices’: Fallen Soldier’s Advice Should Guide Trump’s War In Iran

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. . .[M]essaging on the war has been disjointed, conflicting, and confusing, with administration officials citing different priorities and objectives. Is the endgame regime change? Is it knocking out Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the threat that we “totally obliterated” last summer?

Are we doing this to sate the unquenchable blood lust of the neocon warmongers? To further fatten the wallets of the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about so long ago?


Whatever the plan is, it must keep in mind the service members in and moving toward harm’s way. As of late Wednesday, there are six flag-draped caskets heading back from a war with many aims.

How many more families will have to hear the death knell of the doorbell like the Coadys? At the very least, they and their fellow Americans should know what it is we’re fighting for.

Sgt. Declan Coady, the Eagle Scout and cybersecurity major at Des Moines’ Drake University, the young man his mom described as “so kind and so amazing,” has given the last full measure of devotion and his future to the exigencies of war.

As a pre-teen in 2017, Coady offered some advice on his Facebook page that all of us, particularly the war planners, should take to heart: “The world is always changing my friends be prepared for your future and make the right choices.” (Read more from “‘Make The Right Choices’: Fallen Soldier’s Advice Should Guide Trump’s War In Iran” HERE)