Hegseth Orders Review Of Discharge Characterizations For Troops Booted Over Biden’s Covid Shot Mandate

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum ordering a reevaluation of discharge characterizations for service members removed from service for foregoing the Biden-era Covid shot mandate, the Pentagon revealed Tuesday.

Signed on Dec. 6, the new directive instructs the War Department to undertake a “proactive review of personnel records, to identify individuals who were involuntarily discharged solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and facilitate appropriate discharge upgrades.” As The Federalist previously reported, more than 8,700 troops were effectively forced out of the military for opting not to get the experimental jab.

In his memo, Hegseth acknowledged the Pentagon’s ongoing efforts to reinstate members “who were involuntarily discharged or voluntarily left Military Service” as to avoid the “unfair, overbroad, and unnecessary” mandate. He further noted that “It is unconscionable that thousands of former Service members who held true to their personal and religious convictions were not just separated, but separated with General (Under Honorable Conditions), rather than Honorable, discharge characterizations.”

“While many have applied for and received relief from our Military Department review boards, I believe the onus is on us to make this right,” Hegseth wrote.

In addition to instructing the Pentagon to conduct the aforementioned review of personnel records, Hegseth has ordered the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata to “provide implementing policy and guidance and direct staffing requirements to the Secretaries of the Military Departments.” Under this edict, Tata “will issue directive guidance in this area, coordinated with the Secretaries of the Military Departments, outside the standard Department process … and with the authority to direct appropriate staffing and to amend this memorandum as required,” according to the memo. (Read more from “Hegseth Orders Review Of Discharge Characterizations For Troops Booted Over Biden’s Covid Shot Mandate” HERE)

Trump Mocks Biden, Obama With New Plaques Under ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ Portraits

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President Donald Trump took some not-so-subtle swipes at his predecessors with new plaques below their portraits in the new White House Presidential Walk of Fame.

Former President Joe Biden had already been mocked in the installation, which was unveiled in September, when Trump used a photo of an autopen to represent the 46th president. Now, there are two plaques that include Trump’s nicknames for Biden.

“Sleepy Joe Biden was, by far, the worst President in American History,” the top plaque states. “Biden oversaw a series of unprecedented disasters that brought our Nation to the brink of destruction. His policies caused the highest Inflation ever recorded, leading the U.S. Dollar to lose more than 20% of its value in 4 years.”

“Nicknamed both ‘Sleepy’ and ‘Crooked,’ Joe Biden was dominated by his Radical Left handlers. They and their allies in the Fake News Media attempted to cover up his severe mental decline, and his unprecedented use of the Autopen,” the second plaque reads. “Following his humiliating debate loss to President Trump in the big June 2024 debate, he was forced to withdraw from his campaign for re-election in disgrace.”

Trump also took jabs at former President Barack Obama, calling him “one of the most divisive political figures in American History.” (Read more from “Trump Mocks Biden, Obama With New Plaques Under ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ Portraits” HERE)

Chinese Billionaire’s U.S. Baby Factory Exposes Birthright Citizenship Scam

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The left insists that birthright citizenship is “plainly written” into the Constitution and immune from any challenge. But cases like that of Chinese billionaire Xu Bo expose just how stupid that claim is.

Xu, a reclusive tech billionaire, has reportedly fathered more than 100 children — possibly more — through surrogacy agencies in the United States, though Xu himself has never lived in the United States. But his children, through the left’s twisted interpretation of birthright citizenship that has been the prevailing interpretation of the 14th Amendment for decades, are citizens.

It’s a convoluted form of the disgusting practice known as birthright tourism (where foreigners come to the U.S. to give birth to secure their children birthright citizenship) and it’s the exact abuse of the 14th Amendment that the framers — and anyone with a brain — would have found absurd.

The citizenship clause reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

The limiting phrase — “subject to the jurisdiction” — was added deliberately, and its purpose was clear: not everyone born in the United States should automatically become a citizen. (Read more from “Chinese Billionaire’s U.S. Baby Factory Exposes Birthright Citizenship Scam” HERE)

FBI Agent Steve Friend, Who Blew Whistle on Jan. 6 Investigation, Is Fired From Agency After Veiled Threat to Director Kash Patel

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A former FBI agent who was suspended under the Biden administration and was reinstated under President Trump to much fanfare has been ousted again, The Post has learned.

FBI whistleblower Steve Friend issued what was deemed to be a threat against Director Kash Patel on a podcast hosted by ex-FBI agent Kyle Seraphin last week and that outburst helped cost him his job on Saturday, bureau insiders told the Post.

Friend gained fame for claiming he was wrongly placed on leave by ex-FBI Director Chris Wray for exposing problems with the Jan. 6 investigation that saw roughly 1,600 defendants prosecuted for the 2021 attack on the Capitol. He went on to become an author, media commentator — and onetime ally of Patel.

Suspended in August 2022 and having resigned in February 2023, Friend returned to the FBI’s payroll on Oct. 10. However, he hadn’t been performing duties at the FBI in Jacksonville, as he had not yet been cleared for a background check, an issue that can arise in whistleblower cases.

While pedaling a conspiracy theory that Patel falsely arrested alleged DC pipe bomber Brian Cole Jr. as part of an elaborate “cover up,” Friend made disturbing remarks about bringing “God’s wrath” to punish him. (Read more from “FBI Agent Steve Friend, Who Blew Whistle on Jan. 6 Investigation, Is Fired From Agency After Veiled Threat to Director Kash Patel” HERE)

Four Republicans Break Ranks, Vote Against Ban on Child Sex Change Procedures

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Four House Republicans joined Democrats in opposing legislation that would ban irreversible sex change procedures for minors — a move that exposes just how fractured the GOP has become on protecting children.

The House on Wednesday evening passed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Protect Children’s Innocence Act, which would criminalize puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures for minors seeking to alter their biological sex. The bill marks the first time a nationwide ban on child sex changes has reached the House floor.

Despite overwhelming Republican messaging against gender ideology, Reps. Gabe Evans of Colorado, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mike Kennedy of Utah, and Mike Lawler of New York voted against the measure.

Their opposition came even as three Democrats — Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas and Don Davis of North Carolina — crossed party lines to support the bill. All three represent competitive swing districts that Republicans are targeting in the next election cycle, underscoring the political risks Democrats increasingly face on the issue.

Greene’s legislation would make performing sex change procedures on minors a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Parents and adults who assist minors in obtaining such procedures would also face penalties.

The bill simply codifies what common sense already dictates: children are not capable of consenting to permanent medical interventions that can sterilize them, alter their development, and cause lifelong harm.

“Republicans showed today that they are as committed to protecting children as Democrats are to disfiguring them,” said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project. “Democrats have been captured by an ideology that is as poisonous as it is profitable.”

The vote also exposed bitter infighting within the Republican conference. Greene secured a floor vote on her bill by leveraging her support for a procedural vote advancing the annual National Defense Authorization Act — a tactic that drew sharp criticism from Texas Rep. Chip Roy.

“That’s the kind of [stuff] that happens around this institution and I’m sick of it,” Roy said during a House Rules Committee meeting, accusing leadership of trading votes.

Greene fired back, accusing Roy of attempting to weaken her legislation and enable what she described as the continued “trans agenda on kids.” Roy countered that narrowing the bill could improve its chances in the Senate.

For many conservatives, the argument rang hollow. More than half of U.S. states have already enacted bans on child sex changes, and public support for protecting minors from such procedures continues to grow.

Dan Bongino Announces Departure From FBI Deputy Director Role

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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced Wednesday night that he will step down from his position in January, ending a tenure that lasted less than one year.

“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January,” Bongino wrote in a social media post. He thanked President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel for the opportunity to serve, adding that it was a privilege to serve the American public.

The announcement followed a day of mounting speculation about Bongino’s future at the bureau. Multiple sources said his departure had been expected, with some indicating he had already begun packing up his office and saying farewell to colleagues.

President Trump later confirmed Bongino’s exit, praising his work while suggesting the former media personality may return to broadcasting.
“Dan did a great job,” Trump said. “I think he wants to go back to his show.”

Bongino, 51, joined the Trump administration in March and served under Director Patel. One source said Bongino had planned from the outset to serve only a limited term, potentially just one year.

His time at the FBI was not without internal tension. In July, Bongino reportedly considered resigning after a heated exchange with Attorney General Bondi regarding the handling of documents connected to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi had issued a memo stating that no further disclosure was warranted and that there was no evidence to justify investigations into uncharged third parties.

Despite the dispute, Bongino remained in his role until announcing his departure this week.

While Bongino has not publicly outlined his next move, multiple sources believe he is likely to return to political commentary, a role he held prior to joining the administration.

With Bongino’s exit, co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey is expected to assume the full responsibilities of the position. Bailey, who previously served as Missouri’s attorney general, joined the FBI leadership in September. He played a key role in a Supreme Court challenge related to government pressure on social media companies, though the case ultimately failed.

The FBI deputy director position traditionally oversees day-to-day bureau operations. In previous administrations, the role has carried significant influence within the agency.

Before entering government service, Bongino had publicly questioned the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s 2019 death, at times suggesting foul play. Earlier this year, however, he stated he accepted the official determination that Epstein died by suicide.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Trump Slams Door on Five More Countries in Major Immigration Crackdown

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded a travel ban by adding five more countries and imposing limits on others.

The move came as the Trump administration continues to tighten U.S. entry requirements and immigration standards.

“The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the proclamation states.

Through his actions on Tuesday, citizens from five countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, as well as individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents – will face a ban on travel to the United States, the White House said. In addition, existing partial bans on Laos and Sierra Leone were expanded into full suspensions of entry.

Another 15 countries – Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe – will face partial restrictions.

The proclamation also “narrows broad family-based immigrant visa carve-outs that carry demonstrated fraud risks, while preserving case-by-case waivers,” the White House said. (Read more from “Trump Slams Door on Five More Countries in Major Immigration Crackdown” HERE)

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Schumer Won’t Rule Out Another Government Shutdown

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declined Tuesday to rule out triggering another government shutdown as Democrats press Republicans to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.

President Donald Trump ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history on Nov. 12 by signing a spending package that funded the government through the end of January and restored pay to affected federal workers. During an exchange with reporters, Schumer repeatedly declined to give a direct answer when reporters asked whether Democrats would again risk a government shutdown by tying federal funding to their health care demands ahead of the Jan. 30 deadline.

“Mr. Chairman, you mentioned January 1. There is also a January 30 deadline to fund the government. Do you have any expectation that Democrats might tie back to ACA like you did last time to try to get a result?” one reporter asked.

“Look, just as I said, it’s on the Republicans that we haven’t had health care done after January 1. It’s very, very hard to put it back in the bottom,” Schumer said.

When asked explicitly whether Democrats would vote to shut down the government on Jan. 30 if they fail to secure an extension, Schumer again avoided a clear commitment. (Read more from “Schumer Won’t Rule Out Another Government Shutdown” HERE)

Trump Stands by Chief of Staff Susie Wiles After Bombshell Vanity Fair Interviews — Admits He Has ‘Alcoholic’s Personality’

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President Trump defended White House chief of staff Susie Wiles in an exclusive interview with The Post Tuesday — saying she was right to tell Vanity Fair he has an “alcoholic’s personality” and that he has confidence in Wiles to continue in her role.

In an afternoon phone call, Trump said that he wasn’t offended by his subordinate’s word choice.

“No, she meant that I’m — you see, I don’t drink alcohol. So everybody knows that — but I’ve often said that if I did, I’d have a very good chance of being an alcoholic. I have said that many times about myself, I do. It’s a very possessive personality,” Trump said, a teetotaler who has frequently cited the 1981 death of his older brother Fred at age 42 of an alcohol-induced heart attack as the main impetus for his abstinence.

“I’ve said that many times about myself. I’m fortunate I’m not a drinker. If I did, I could very well, because I’ve said that — what’s the word? Not possessive — possessive and addictive type personality. Oh, I’ve said it many times, many times before.”

In the profile, Wiles — the daughter of late NFL player and broadcaster Pat Summerall, who underwent his own public struggles with the bottle — told author Chris Whipple: “High-functioning alcoholics or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink. And so I’m a little bit of an expert in big personalities.” (Read more from “Trump Stands by Chief of Staff Susie Wiles After Bombshell Vanity Fair Interviews — Admits He Has ‘Alcoholic’s Personality’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Trump Thinks Russia’s Putin Wants All of Ukraine: WH Staff Chief Susie Wiles

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President Trump thinks Russian dictator Vladimir Putin wants much more than what’s on the table in talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, according to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

“The experts think that if he could get the rest of Donetsk, then he [Putin] would be happy,” Wiles told Vanity Fair in August, according to a report published Tuesday. “Donald Trump thinks he wants the whole country.”

Trump’s team has been pushing Ukraine to give up some of the Donbas region, a key sticking point in the talks, and they’re now trying to sell Russia on the peace plan. Moscow has not yet agreed to these terms and Ukraine is loath to cede any territory without security guarantees from the United States.

Trump for months has been convinced Putin is hellbent on taking over the entirety of Ukraine with his nearly four-year-old war there — disagreeing with advisers who felt that giving him Ukraine’s easternmost region would be enough, Wiles signaled.

A senior US official told The Post the same late last month as the latest US peace plan push was just kicking off. When asked what concessions Russia would have to make in a peace deal, the person said it was simply getting Russia to accept that it can’t take over all of Ukraine. (Read more from “Trump Thinks Russia’s Putin Wants All of Ukraine: WH Staff Chief Susie Wiles” HERE)