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SCOTUS Overrules Judge Who Blocked State Dept. From Putting Natural Sex On Passports

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The U.S. Supreme Court momentarily paused a lower court injunction on Thursday that sought to force the Trump administration to deny biological reality when issuing passports to trans-identifying individuals.

In its order in Trump v. Orr, the high court granted the federal government’s request to temporarily stay a sweeping preliminary injunction issued by Biden-appointed District Judge Julia Kobick in mid-June. That order attempted to block enforcement of part of a January executive order by Trump that directed the secretaries of State and Department of Homeland Security and director of the Office of Personnel Management to “implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”

Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson would have denied the administration’s request for relief.

According to CBS News, Kobick ruled that “any individual who needs to renew their passport because it expires within one year, apply for a new passport, or change their name or sex designation” may select the sex they “identify” as. This June ruling “expanded an earlier decision in April that only applied to six of the original plaintiffs.” A three-judge panel for the First Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration’s request to stay Kobick’s injunction in early September.

In its temporary ruling, the Supreme Court noted that “[d]isplaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth—in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.” (Read more from “SCOTUS Overrules Judge Who Blocked State Dept. From Putting Natural Sex On Passports” HERE)

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Trump Admin Slashes Refugee Cap, Prioritizes Afrikaners As ‘Victims Of Unjust Discrimination’

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The Trump administration on Thursday announced a sharp reduction in the number of refugees it will admit into the country next year.

The refugee cap for fiscal year 2026 will be set at 7,500 with priority given to Afrikaners — a predominantly white minority group in South Africa — and “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands,” according to a notice published in the Federal Register. By comparison, the U.S. admitted more than 100,000 refugees under former President Joe Biden in fiscal year 2024 — the highest figure since 1994 — according to the Migration Policy Institute. . .

A senior Trump official told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the administration “has long expressed its intention to end Biden’s abuse of the refugee program,” and noted that the ongoing government shutdown will affect refugee admissions.

“No refugees will be admitted in FY26 until the appropriate consultations with Congress are held, which are being delayed because certain members of Congress insisted on shutting down the government,” the official said.

The move reflects President Donald Trump’s broader effort to tighten asylum standards and “realign” U.S. policy, and for the first time focusing on a predominantly white minority facing persecution abroad. (Read more from “Trump Admin Slashes Refugee Cap, Prioritizes Afrikaners As ‘Victims Of Unjust Discrimination’” HERE)

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Pete Hegseth Doesn’t Dispute Plans to Have ‘Crowd Control’ Troops in Every State Ahead of 2026 Midterms

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth didn’t deny reported plans to have National Guard ‘response force’ in every state ahead of the 2026 midterms.

During a conference on Thursday (23 October), a reporter asked Hegseth about  a memo circulating on social media detailing, “the establishment of a National Guard response force that will be trained in crowd control and civil unrest  deployed in all 50 states by April of 2026”.

(Read more from “Pete Hegseth Doesn’t Dispute Plans to Have ‘Crowd Control’ Troops in Every State Ahead of 2026 Midterms” HERE)

Trump Admin Asks SCOTUS To Intervene After Judicial Block Of National Guard Deployment

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The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the ongoing legal battle over the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago.

“This case presents what has become a disturbing and recurring pattern. Federal officers are attempting to enforce federal immigration law in an urban area containing significant numbers of illegal aliens,” Solicitor General John Sauer wrote. “The federal agents efforts are met with prolonged, coordinated, violent resistance that threatens their lives and safety and systematically interferes with their ability to enforce federal law.”

Judge April Perry of the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois initially blocked the deployment of the National Guard to Chicago. Her ruling was upheld by a three-judge federal appeals court on Thursday. The judges claimed there was “insufficient evidence of rebellion or a danger of a rebellion” and that with “regular forces,” the president could still maintain the law.

Sauer argues that the resistance forces federal agents to “scramble to protect themselves and federal property” in the face of “violent, hostile mobs.” Thus, presidential authority is warranted.

“Federal officers in Chicago have been threatened and assaulted, attacked in a harrowing pre-planned ambush involving many assailants, rammed in their government vehicles, shot at with fireworks and other improvised weapons, injured and hospitalized, and threatened in person and online, including by a $10,000 bounty for the murder of a senior federal official,” he wrote. (Read more from “Trump Admin Asks SCOTUS To Intervene After Judicial Block Of National Guard Deployment” HERE)

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Trump White House Begins Substantial Federal Workforce Reduction as Shutdown Continues

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White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought on Friday said the Trump administration has started layoffs of federal bureaucrats after Democrats shut down the government.

“The RIFs have begun,” Vought wrote on X, referring to reductions in force that would dramatically reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy.

An OMB spokesperson told Breitbart News that the RIFs have begun and they are substantial.

Eric Teetsel, the CEO of the Center for Renewing America, noted that a RIF is a permanent elimination of a position rather than a temporary furlough. . .

About 300,000 federal civilian workers will leave their jobs this year as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. (Read more from “Trump White House Begins Substantial Federal Workforce Reduction as Shutdown Continues” HERE)

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Former Trump Faith Adviser Robert Morris Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse

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Robert Morris, once a leading figure in the evangelical world and an informal spiritual adviser to Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child sexual abuse.

Morris, 64, was the founder and longtime senior pastor of Gateway Church in Texas, which grew into one of the larger evangelical congregations in the U.S. Over time, he also gained political visibility. In 2016, he served on Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board. Trump’s public remarks indicate a favorable view of Morris: at a “Roundtable on Transition to Greatness” event in Dallas, Trump thanked “Pastors Robert Morris and Steve Dulin,” calling them “great people with a great reputation” and praising Gateway Church’s hosting role.

Morris entered a plea in Osage County, Oklahoma, admitting to five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. The criminal conduct dates back to 1982–1986, when the victim was aged 12 to 16 and Morris was a traveling evangelist.

Under the plea agreement, Morris will serve six months in the Osage County Jail, followed by probation under supervision (in Texas) and a requirement to register as a sex offender. The remainder of a 10-year sentence is suspended. He must also pay restitution and cover incarceration costs.

The Oklahoma Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, condemned the case as “despicable” due to Morris’s status as a pastor, emphasizing that “there can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children.”

The victim, Cindy Clemishire, confronted Morris in court, saying, “There is no such thing as consent from a 12‑year‑old child … You committed a crime against me.”

Other Known Sex Offenders in Trump‑Connected Roles

While Morris’s case is unusual in its combination of religious prominence and political connection, it is not the only instance of a convicted sex offender or alleged sexual predator connected to Trump-affiliated spheres. Below are notable examples:

Lawrence Taylor — Presidential Fitness Council

In 2025, Trump relaunched the Presidential Fitness Test and reconstituted the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Present at the signing was former NFL star Lawrence Taylor, whom Trump introduced as “a friend … an incredible guy.”

Taylor pleaded guilty in 2011 to misdemeanor sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute involving a 16‑year-old girl, and as part of a court order was required to register as a sex offender. In many jurisdictions (including Florida), he remains listed in sex offender registries.

This appointment drew criticism, given that a youth- or fitness-related advisory council would plausibly engage with children or minors. Some questioned the propriety of including a convicted sex offender in a role tied to youth fitness initiatives.

Taylor himself, during the event, said, “I don’t know why [I was tapped], but I’m here to serve you.”

Tim Nolan — Former Trump Campaign Associate

Another case is Timothy Lee Nolan, a former Kentucky judge and Republican activist who was associated with Trump’s 2016 campaign. Nolan was charged with multiple counts including human trafficking, rape, prostitution, and transactions involving a minor.

In 2018, he pleaded guilty to 19 counts of child sex trafficking and was sentenced to 20 years.

Ralph Shortey — Oklahoma Campaign Chair

During the 2016 election, Ralph Shortey served as Trump’s Oklahoma campaign chair and was later charged and convicted of child sex trafficking (pleaded guilty in 2017). The case involved hiring a 17-year-old male for sexual services, and Shortey was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Trump’s remarks about Morris at the 2020 Dallas “Roundtable on Transition to Greatness” represent one of the few documented instances where he publicly commented favorably on Morris. Trump said:

“Pastors Robert Morris … they’re great people. Great people with a great reputation. … Gateway Church — the team has been incredible in hosting us.”

Trump Adding $100K Fee to H-1B Visa Applications in Latest Crackdown on Foreign Workers

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President Trump signed an executive order Friday adding an annual fee of $100,000 to all H1-B visa applications.

The move marks the latest crackdown by the administration on migrants coming into the US for job opportunities, and is likely intended to limit visa applicants to those from higher financial brackets.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the idea behind the order is to have American companies hire and train US workers, instead of hiring foreign ones.

The policy would apply to all H1-B visa holders, including those seeking to renew their status, he said.

The $100,000 fee would have to be paid out per year for the next six years. (Read more from “Trump Adding $100K Fee to H-1B Visa Applications in Latest Crackdown on Foreign Workers” HERE)

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Here’s What FBI Agents Took From John Bolton’s House in Raid — and What Charges He Could Face

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Federal agents seized three computers, two iPhones and reams of documents from former Trump national security adviser John Bolton’s house during their Aug. 22 raid, according to court records — which also revealed that the 76-year-old could soon face charges that may land him in prison for more than a decade.

The feds raided Bolton’s Bethesda, Md., home and Washington, DC, office as part of an investigation into allegations that he snuck national security files out of the White House during President Trump’s first term by emailing them to family members on a private server, high-ranking FBI officials told The Post at the time.

In addition to the high-tech hardware, agents confiscated two USB drives, a hard drive, four boxes of “printed daily activities,” “typed documents in folders labeled ‘Trump I – IV’” and a white binder labeled “statements and reflections to allied strikes,” according to an inventory made public Thursday.

The warrant also revealed that Bolton is being looked at for allegedly violating two sections of the Espionage Act of 1917 forbidding unauthorized possession or removal of national defense information, and another law preventing hoarding of classified files.

If tried and convicted on all counts, Bolton could face up to 25 years behind bars. The longtime diplomat has not been arrested or charged with a crime. (Read more from “Here’s What FBI Agents Took From John Bolton’s House in Raid — and What Charges He Could Face” HERE)

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Trump Administration Cancels Army Program After Officer Participation Plummets

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The Trump administration has officially scrapped the Army’s Command Assessment Program (CAP) — a leadership evaluation system that incorporated psychological testing, peer feedback, and behavioral analysis into the promotion process for senior officers — following years of declining participation and controversy within the ranks.

The decision marks a sharp break from the Army’s recent attempts to modernize its promotion pipeline by reducing bias and incorporating non-traditional metrics like emotional intelligence and cognitive capacity. CAP, introduced in 2020 and formally codified in early 2025 under former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth.

According to internal Army documents, the program used a range of psychometric tools to measure leadership traits such as self-awareness, conscientiousness, and emotional intelligence. Each year, approximately 2,000 senior officers were invited to undergo the assessments as part of the process to fill key command positions.

But the program struggled to gain traction. By 2024, more than half of eligible officers — 54% — declined to participate, up from 40% in 2019. Critics within the ranks argued the assessments were overly subjective, bureaucratic, and disconnected from actual field performance.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll placed the program under review last month before officially pausing it. The Army will now revert to the Centralized Selection List (CSL) process, which evaluates candidates based on their service record, prior assignments, and evaluations from senior leaders — a more traditional method long favored by military brass.

The termination of CAP also aligns with a broader Defense Department review, ordered in June, to evaluate how officer promotions are conducted across all branches. The June 20 memo from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness called for a return to selection methods that emphasize proven performance and experience over experimental assessment tools.

With CAP now shelved, the Army will re-center its leadership selection process around the CSL system. Proponents argue this will restore confidence and objectivity to promotions.

Trump Admin Reverses Course After Outrage Over Israel Boycott Funding Ban

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The Trump administration has rolled back a controversial policy that would have blocked federal disaster preparedness grants from cities and states engaged in boycotts against Israel. The change came just days after updated funding guidance from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sparked widespread criticism.

On Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released guidelines for its upcoming grant cycle, which governs the distribution of over $1.9 billion in emergency preparedness funding. The guidance originally referenced a DHS provision that prohibited awarding funds to jurisdictions involved in “discriminatory prohibited boycotts”—a phrase specifically defined to include boycotts of Israeli companies or entities doing business with Israel.

The policy language, which appeared to mirror anti-boycott measures found in some state laws, quickly drew backlash—not only from critics of Israel’s policies but also from prominent voices within the MAGA movement, who accused the administration of applying political litmus tests to public safety funding.

By Monday, DHS quietly updated the guidance, removing the explicit reference to anti-Israel boycotts while retaining more general anti-discrimination provisions. The reversal came after increased public scrutiny and pressure from right-leaning commentators and media outlets.

A DHS spokesperson clarified that no state or city had been denied funding and that no new restrictions had been imposed. “FEMA grants remain governed by existing law and policy, not political viewpoints,” the spokesperson said, adding that the department enforces anti-discrimination laws, including those concerning the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement.

The initial proposal could have affected more than $300 million in emergency preparedness funding and over $1 billion in anti-terrorism support for major cities. While the policy is no longer in effect, the controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding U.S. policy toward Israel and how domestic political positions on the issue can impact federal funding.

President Trump has maintained strong public support for Israel, but this incident shows that policies seen as punishing dissent—even perceived anti-Israel sentiment—can create political friction, even among allies.

FEMA declined to comment on the policy update or its original inclusion in the funding requirements.