Rudy Giuliani is sharply criticizing New York City politics and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, arguing that the city he once led is moving away from the reforms and identity he fought to build during his tenure as mayor.
Speaking in on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=840XLrUFcFA">&#8220;Pod Force One&#8221;</a>, Giuliani said his reaction to the current direction of the city is emotional and personal, describing it as “heartbroken” and rooted in decades of attachment to New York.
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💥NEW: Rudy Giuliani on Zohran Mamdani🤯💔
&#8220;My heart is broken.&#8221;
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t think it could get worse than de Blasio. I really didn&#8217;t. I thought, &#8216;Well, that&#8217;s it. Now we had the worst mayor.&#8217; WOW!&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/kEyUoIKnoe">pic.twitter.com/kEyUoIKnoe</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/2043348364981395456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“The situation with New York, in a pure way, was a love affair,” Giuliani said. “I love New York. I love the city. I love what I did as mayor. I put my whole heart and soul into it.”
He added that his connection to the city goes beyond politics. “A lot of people love New York, but nobody loves it more than I do,” he said, pointing to his lifelong identity as a fan of the Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers as part of that bond.
Giuliani, who served as mayor from 1994 to 2001 and is widely credited with a major drop in crime during that period, said he believes the city is now in decline under its current leadership.
“I just think New York is potentially the greatest city on Earth and has been,” he said. “And what he’s doing to it … I didn’t think it could get worse than de Blasio. I really didn’t. I thought, well, that’s it. Now he had the worst mayor. Wow.”
Giuliani then escalated his criticism, framing Mamdani’s politics as part of a broader ideological threat. “He combines two things that I have been studying and fighting against since I was a child,” Giuliani said. “He’s a communist and he’s a violent supporter of violent Muslim religion.”
He went on to reference his early academic study of comparative religion, saying he had examined Islamic texts from a young age and concluded that they promoted violence in ways he found deeply troubling. He also stressed that he believes most Muslims are peaceful, while warning against what he sees as silence from within the broader community.
“The vast majority of Muslims are good people … but Muslims don’t stand up,” he said. “That’s what happens … good men do nothing.”
Giuliani extended his criticism beyond New York, warning about what he sees as broader cultural and political shifts in Western cities, suggesting that similar dynamics are emerging in Europe as well. Joking about a comment he made to Piers Morgan, “Charles the Third is gonna become an Imam.”
At the center of his remarks was a broader warning about what he views as ideological extremism taking hold in urban leadership, and a call for renewed political opposition to it.
Giuliani closed by reiterating his deep personal connection to New York and his belief that the city’s future is at risk if current trends continue, framing his comments as both a political critique and a personal lament for a city he once led through crisis and rebuilding.

Rudy Giuliani

Giuliani Thought NYC Hit Rock Bottom With DeBlasio. Then Came Mamdani.

Bill de Blasio

New York City

Politics

Zohran Mamdani

Pressure is rapidly mounting on Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) as members of his own party increasingly join Republicans in calling for his resignation, or even expulsion, amid a growing sexual misconduct scandal and an active criminal investigation.
A growing number of House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now openly discussing removing Swalwell from office — a rare moment of bipartisan alignment on Capitol Hill. Speaking on NBC’s &#8220;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/byron-donalds-says-swalwell-gonzales-need-to-go-home-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations-261198405567?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>,&#8221; Byron Donalds (R-FL) made clear he would support expulsion if the issue comes to a vote. “[If] that vote comes to the floor, I will be voting yes on both measures. These allegations are despicable and they demean the integrity of Congress,” Donalds said. “These things are just completely unacceptable… both gentlemen need to go home.”
That sentiment is now being echoed by prominent Democrats. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) also said she would support expulsion, on &#8220;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/pramila-jayapal-says-she-will-vote-to-expel-swalwell-gonzales-this-is-not-a-partisan-issue-261197381846?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>,&#8221; emphasizing that the issue transcends party lines. “This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said. “This is clearly a pattern … and I think we have to hold everybody accountable.”
Meanwhile, Ro Khanna (D-CA) has called directly for Swalwell to resign, framing the controversy as part of a broader cultural issue within Congress. “I believe that he should resign,” Khanna said on <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6392970099112">Fox News Sunday</a>. “And whatever in terms of the House has to happen should happen… This shouldn’t be about politics… anyone who abuses staffers should not be in the United States Congress.”
Khanna also stressed the importance of setting a standard for congressional staffers, arguing that lawmakers must demonstrate that “their bosses don’t get to do this to them.” The criticism has extended beyond television appearances and into direct calls from colleagues. Jared Huffman wrote on social media that he has “seen enough,” arguing that Swalwell’s own public defense “all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules.”
“He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress,” Huffman wrote on <a href="https://x.com/JaredHuffman/status/2043129042862526859?s=20">X</a>, adding that he would support a vote to expel Swalwell if he refuses to step down.
Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, issued a forceful statement to <a href="https://x.com/RepTeresaLF/status/2043360353879236933">X</a> on Sunday, calling for both Swalwell and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) to step down. “Men in power rely on the silence of the women they have abused,” Leger Fernández said. “Both Reps. Gonzales and Swalwell believed it was acceptable to sexually abuse staff and still run for and serve in elected office. They clearly did not expect there would be any consequences for their actions.”
She continued by highlighting the vulnerability of congressional staffers, saying they were “preyed upon” despite their commitment to public service.
“These women have suffered enough. Now we must act to protect them and make sure there is accountability,” she said. “Reps. Gonzales and Swalwell are not fit to serve. They must resign. If they do not, I will vote to expel them.”
The growing backlash comes after multiple reports detailing allegations against Swalwell. A woman first accused him of sexual assault on Friday, and within hours, three more women came forward with additional claims ranging from harassment to sending unsolicited explicit images. Swalwell has denied all allegations, calling them “absolutely false” and vowing to fight them.
The situation has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-video-surfaces-of-eric-swalwell-forcibly-kissing-alleged-sex-worker?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Video+Surfaces+Of+Eric+Swalwell+Forcibly+Kissing+Alleged+Sex+Worker">triggered a criminal inquiry</a> by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which is investigating claims that include an alleged assault involving a former staffer in New York City in 2024.
At the same time, Democratic leadership has begun to distance itself, though not all have gone as far as calling for resignation from Congress. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) urged Swalwell to end his gubernatorial campaign, stopping short of demanding he leave office entirely.
The controversy has also drawn comparisons to Gonzales, a Republican facing his own misconduct allegations. Lawmakers in both parties have increasingly linked the two cases, calling for equal accountability regardless of party affiliation.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), <a href="https://x.com/RepLuna/status/2043354820447191055">says</a> she intends to inquire with the house parliamentarian to pair her resolution to expel Swalwell with Gonzalez. They would be the seventh and eighth expulsions in the history of the house, while only the fourth and fifth since the civil war. The most recent expulsion was George Santos in 2023.
Even as Swalwell remains defiant, insisting the allegations are politically motivated, the political reality around him appears to be shifting quickly. With allies stepping away, leadership urging him out of the governor’s race, and a bipartisan bloc now openly discussing expulsion, the congressman is facing the most serious threat to his career since entering public office. 
Whether that pressure ultimately forces him from Congress, or triggers a historic expulsion vote will be determined in the days ahead.

Eric Swalwell

Closing Ranks: Bipartisan Calls For Swalwell’s Resignation Surge

Congress

Sexual Assault

At least one person is dead and a number of others are injured after a mass shooting at a Chick-fil-A in Union Township, New Jersey, late Saturday night, according to preliminary reports.
Authorities say gunfire erupted around 8:40 p.m. inside or near the crowded fast-food restaurant along Route 22, sending patrons scrambling for safety. Early accounts indicate that at least six people were shot, with one victim pronounced dead at the scene. The conditions of the injured victims have not been fully disclosed, though several were transported to nearby hospitals.
Witnesses described a chaotic and fast-moving scene. A father waiting outside the restaurant told <a href="https://abc7ny.com/post/reports-multiple-people-shot-inside-chick-fil-union-new-jersey-investigation-ongoing/18873199/">ABC7 New York</a> his son, an employee, reported that multiple masked individuals entered the establishment and opened fire, wounding several workers. “It was a war zone,” he said.
&#8220;I got an unconscious witness. I&#8217;ve got one shot in the face &#8230; and I have at least two in the leg,&#8221; a 911 dispatcher says in audio obtained by <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/union-township-nj-chick-fil-a-shooting/">CBS News New York</a>. Another witness, a ride-share driver, said he heard at least seven gunshots while completing a trip nearby. “I heard the shots very close,” he said, describing a heavy police presence arriving within minutes.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/12/us-news/dramatic-video-shows-masked-gunman-fleeing-nj-chick-fil-a-after-mass-shooting/">The New York Post</a> reported the suspects forced their way behind the counter before firing, suggesting employees may have been specifically targeted, though authorities have not confirmed that detail. Video circulating from the scene appears to show at least one masked individual fleeing the area shortly after the shooting. Law enforcement has not confirmed the number of suspects involved, and no arrests have been made as of Sunday.
Employees were locked inside the restaurant for hours following the shooting as police secured the scene and searched for suspects. Family members gathered outside the building late into the night, waiting for updates as officers moved in and out of the restaurant.
Authorities from multiple jurisdictions responded to the scene, shutting down the surrounding parking lot and portions of Route 22 as emergency crews worked to treat victims and clear the area. The scale of the response underscored the uncertainty investigators are still facing as they work to determine how many shooters were involved and whether the attack was targeted or random.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that an “active and ongoing investigation” is underway, but officials have not released information regarding a motive.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill <a href="https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2043316847408267644">said</a> she had been briefed on the shooting and that her administration is in contact with law enforcement officials on the ground. “My thoughts are with those who were injured in the shooting, and with their families,” Sherrill said in a statement.
Union Township, a suburban community of roughly 60,000 residents located about 15 miles west of New York City, remained on edge as the investigation stretched into Sunday. The Chick-fil-A remained an active crime scene late into the night as multiple law enforcement agencies worked to piece together what led to the attack.
Authorities say more information, including potential suspect descriptions and a clearer timeline of events, will be released as the investigation develops.

inside-chick-fil-a-restaurant-125497677.jpg

One Dead, Others Injured After Multiple Gunmen Open Fire In Chick-Fil-A

Gun Violence

Mass Shooting

Violent Crime

President Donald Trump said Iran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear program has forced the United States into a more aggressive posture following marathon trilateral talks in Islamabad, including a planned naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The comments, delivered in a pair of posts on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116391830634836370">Truth Social</a>, come after more than 20 hours of negotiations involving U.S., Iranian, and Pakistani officials. Trump said the talks produced movement on several fronts but ultimately broke down over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions,” Trump wrote, reiterating his long-standing position that the regime will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. He doubled down on that position during a phone interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, explaining that he was standing firm on that particular point because &#8220;I think they would use it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;It&#8217;s the easiest question you&#8217;ve asked me so far. They can&#8217;t have nuclear weapons,&#8221; says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on why Operation Epic Fury was critical.
&#8220;I think they would use it.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/MYupnZKyr5">pic.twitter.com/MYupnZKyr5</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2043333857722655006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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According to Trump, he was briefed following the talks by Vice President JD Vance, along with senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He also praised Pakistan’s leadership, specifically Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and military chief Asim Munir, calling them “very extraordinary men” and crediting them with helping facilitate the talks.
Trump said the negotiations stretched “throughout the night,” and suggested that while some secondary issues saw progress, none of it mattered given Iran’s position on nuclear development. He added that U.S. negotiators had developed a cordial working relationship with Iranian counterparts during the talks, but dismissed that as irrelevant to the outcome.
“My representatives became … very friendly and respectful … but that doesn’t matter,” Trump wrote, emphasizing that Iran remained “unyielding” on the nuclear issue.
Trump also sharply criticized Iran’s conduct in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the regime of reneging on commitments to keep the critical waterway open. He said even claims that mines “may” be present were enough to paralyze global shipping markets, describing the situation as causing “anxiety, dislocation, and pain” for countries dependent on the route.
“They knowingly failed,” Trump wrote. “There is great dishonor and permanent harm to the reputation of Iran.”
In response, Trump announced that the United States will move forward with a naval blockade.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy… will begin the process of blockading any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
The administration also plans to interdict vessels suspected of paying what Trump described as illegal tolls to Iran, while deploying forces to locate and destroy any mines in the waterway. Trump said no vessel that cooperates with Iran’s demands would be guaranteed safe passage.
He framed the move as both an economic and military response, warning that the United States is prepared to escalate further if necessary.
“We are fully locked and loaded,” Trump wrote, adding that any Iranian forces that engage U.S. ships or commercial vessels would be “blown to hell.”
Trump reiterated, during an appearance by phone on &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures&#8221; on Fox News, that Iran’s military capabilities have already been significantly degraded, asserting that much of its naval and air power is “gone.” He warned that continued defiance on the nuclear issue would only worsen Tehran’s position.
&#8220;They came in like they had the cards, but they don&#8217;t have the cards. Their army and their whole military is obliterated. The whole place is obliterated,&#8221; Trump explained.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the Iranians: &#8220;They came in like they had the cards, but they don&#8217;t have the cards. Their army and their whole military is obliterated. The whole place is obliterated.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/6nonjAOnqx">pic.twitter.com/6nonjAOnqx</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2043331248622280732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The blockade, which Trump said will begin “shortly” and involve additional countries, marks a significant escalation following the Islamabad talks and underscores how little ground was gained on the core issue driving the conflict.
For all the latest Iran news, follow <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+U.S.%2C+Iran+Face-To-Face+As+Trump+Warns+Negotiating+Window+Could+Close+Fast">The Daily Wire’s live blog.</a>

Strait_of_Hormuz_Trump

Trump Takes Aggressive Stance As Iran Refuses To Budge On Nuclear Ambitions

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Iran

Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is facing mounting political and legal pressure as a video has surfaced showing him forcibly kissing an alleged sex worker and multiple allegations of sexual misconduct trigger a criminal investigation and threaten to derail his campaign for governor of California.
The new video circulating on social media, first <a href="https://x.com/MartinShkreli/status/2043011574504235484">posted</a> Saturday by Martin Shkreli, shows Swalwell in an intimate setting with a woman identified by a source as a sex worker. The footage, which the source claims was taken inside Swalwell’s home, shows the two kissing on a bed. The authenticity of the video and the identity of the woman have not been independently verified, and Swalwell has not commented on the video.
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I heard about these videos a few months ago. And I know they’ve been confirmed as authentic… <a href="https://t.co/yMTVuJoZMY">https://t.co/yMTVuJoZMY</a>
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentScher/status/2043084657646817742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has opened an inquiry into accusations that include an alleged sexual assault in New York City in 2024. In a statement first obtained by <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/manhattan-da-investigating-rep-eric-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegation/6488682/">NBC New York</a>, prosecutors urged “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations” to come forward, directing them to the office’s Special Victims Division and emphasizing a “trauma-informed, survivor-centered” approach.
A former staffer first came forward <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-accused-of-sexual-assault-by-former-staffer">Friday</a> with an allegation of sexual assault stemming from a 2024 incident in New York City, as first reported by the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php">San Francisco Chronicle</a>. Within hours, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-more-women-level-sexual-misconduct-accusations-against-eric-swalwell">three additional women</a> publicly accused him of a range of misconduct, including unwanted advances and the alleged sending of unsolicited explicit images, dramatically expanding the scope of the controversy.
Swalwell has denied all allegations.
“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false,” Swalwell said in a <a href="https://x.com/RepSwalwell/status/2042800069334962405">video posted Friday</a>. “They did not happen. They have never happened. And I will fight them with everything that I have.”
His attorney, Elias Dabaie, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/10/swalwell-campaign-imploding-amid-sexual-assault-allegation-00867619">described</a> the accusations as a “coordinated effort to undermine his candidacy,” adding, “We believe those allegations are baseless and continue to seek the truth.”
But the political fallout has been swift and severe.
Once seen as a serious contender to replace Gavin Newsom, Swalwell’s campaign has been thrown into <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5826574-swalwell-loses-campaign-chair-endorsements-over-sexual-assault-allegations/">turmoil</a>. Senior staffers have resigned, key endorsements have been withdrawn, and prominent Democratic allies have begun publicly distancing themselves. Within days of the reports surfacing, the endorsements page on Swalwell’s website was taken down after major backers, including organizations and elected officials, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwells-dem-buddies-flee-like-rats-after-sexual-assault-allegation">pulled their support</a>. Labor unions and political groups have also distanced themselves.
Top House Democrats, including Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Pete Aguilar (D-CA), and Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) issued a <a href="https://x.com/RepJeffries">joint statement</a> calling for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial bid, but notably stopped short of demanding he resign from Congress.
“Following the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, we call for a swift investigation into these incidents and for the Congressman to immediately end his campaign to be California’s next Governor,” the three leaders said. “This is unacceptable of anyone — certainly not an elected official — and must be taken seriously.”
They added: “We commend the courageous women for sharing their experiences. In this and all circumstances, we must ensure that those who come forward with allegations of sexual assault and harassment are heard and respected. All perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment must be held accountable.”
Former Representative and fellow Democratic candidate for California Governor Katie Porter on Friday took to <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/katieporterca.bsky.social/post/3mj6jpcqzn22n">Bluesky</a>, saying,  “In light of the allegations of sexual assault, Eric Swalwell should resign from Congress and end his campaign for public office. But those decisions do not absolve him of taking responsibility for his misconduct, especially when he has attempted to silence and retaliate against these victims” No current Democratic congressman has called for Swalwell’s resignation.
On the Republican side, however, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) <a href="https://x.com/repluna/status/2042963674462064894?s=46&amp;t=NSKSMT1xVMtR_0wBMP4X8g">posted</a> on Saturday that she plans to introduce a motion to expel Swalwell from the House.
“There’s a fork firmly implanted in him,” California Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/us/politics/eric-swalwell-california-governor-sexual-misconduct.html">told</a> The New York Times. “It’s over.”
Swalwell, 45, has represented a Bay Area district since 2012 and built a national profile through frequent cable news appearances and a short-lived presidential campaign in 2019. His gubernatorial bid had been gaining traction in a crowded primary field ahead of the June 2 election. Now, with ballots set to go out within weeks, the race has been upended.
In the video addressing the allegations, Swalwell acknowledged personal shortcomings, but maintained his innocence. “I do not suggest to you in any way that I’m perfect or that I’m a saint,” he said. “I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife.” He also apologized directly to his family. “To her, I apologize deeply for putting her in this position,” he said.
This is far from the first time Swalwell has found himself in hot water. The congressman was previously <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/23/politics/swalwell-house-ethics-investigation-closed#:~:text=CNN%20previously%20reported%20that%20Swalwell,start%20of%20the%20current%20Congress.">linked</a> to a suspected Chinese spy named Fang Fang, who fundraised for his re-election campaign in 2014 and allegedly placed an intern in his orbit.
Despite his defiance, the combination of a criminal investigation, multiple accusers, and political support vanishing in a matter of hours has left Swalwell&#8217;s campaign and career almost certainly collapsed, with increasing calls for him to step aside from the governor’s race and for now, slowly, from Congress as well.

New Video Surfaces Of Eric Swalwell Forcibly Kissing Alleged Sex Worker

California

Crime

A man armed with a machete stabbed three people inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City on Saturday morning before being shot and killed by police after a prolonged confrontation on one of the busiest transit platforms in the country.
Police identified the suspect as Anthony Griffin, 44, who allegedly carried out the attacks after entering the subway system in Queens and traveling into Midtown Manhattan.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the sequence of events began around 9:30 a.m., when Griffin entered the subway at the Vernon Boulevard station in Queens and boarded a 7 train bound for Grand Central. Once there, he launched his first attack on an 84-year-old man on the 7 train platform, inflicting what Tisch described as “significant lacerations to the head and the face.”
Griffin then moved upstairs to the 4, 5, and 6 train platforms, where the violence continued. A 65-year-old man suffered similar injuries along with an open skull fracture, while a 70-year-old woman was slashed in the shoulder.
All three victims were transported to Bellevue Hospital. Police said their injuries, while serious, are not believed to be life-threatening.
At approximately 9:40 a.m., officers assigned to transit duty were flagged down by a civilian reporting that a man armed with a knife had just stabbed multiple people. As officers moved toward the 4, 5, 6 platforms, they encountered one of the victims coming up the stairs, confirming the attack. From the top of the stairs, officers observed Griffin on the platform and immediately ordered him to drop the weapon.
“The individual was armed with a large knife described as a machete and was behaving erratically, repeatedly stating that he was ‘Lucifer,’” Tisch said during a <a href="https://x.com/NYPDnews/status/2043011402827465011">press conference</a>.
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This was the weapon recovered at the scene. <a href="https://t.co/J1gxyECKm3">pic.twitter.com/J1gxyECKm3</a>
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/2043012597931270596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Police issued at least 20 commands for Griffin to drop the weapon. Tisch said officers also attempted to de-escalate the situation, telling him, “We are going to get you help.”
The standoff lasted roughly ten minutes, according to law enforcement sources.
Griffin refused to comply. “He then advanced toward the officers with the knife extended,” Tisch said. “One officer discharged his firearm, striking the perpetrator twice.” Officers immediately began performing life-saving measures at the scene before Griffin was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“Our officers were confronted with an armed individual who had already injured multiple people and was continuing to pose a threat,” Tisch said. “They gave clear commands. They attempted to de-escalate, and when that threat did not stop, they took decisive action to stop it and to protect New Yorkers on one of the busiest train platforms in the city.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he had been briefed on the incident shortly after it occurred and praised the response by law enforcement. “I’m grateful to the NYPD for their quick response and for preventing additional violence,” Mamdani posted on <a href="https://x.com/NYCMayor">X</a>. “The three victims were taken to the hospital and are thankfully in stable condition.”
The incident caused immediate disruption inside Grand Central, with yellow police tape blocking entrances and multiple subway lines diverted as officers secured the scene and began their investigation. Authorities said the entire encounter was captured on body-worn cameras, and the NYPD is expected to release that footage as part of its standard review process for officer-involved shootings.
Officials also noted that Griffin had three prior arrests, but no documented history of being classified as an emotionally disturbed person by the department. Tisch emphasized the challenges officers face in moments like this, particularly in a crowded transit hub. “Incidents like this show the reality of this work,” she said. “Officers step into situations where the risks are immediate and the stakes are high. They make decisions in tight spaces in real time with lives around them.”
The commissioner added that the NYPD has recently increased its presence in the subway system, deploying more than 175 additional officers to transit patrol in recent weeks, alongside existing overtime posts. “Their focus is on preventing violence and responding immediately when something happens, just as they did today,” Tisch said. “They work to ensure that the millions of people who ride our subways each day can do so safely.”
The investigation remains ongoing.

New-York-Subway-Violence-1_1775931890

‘Lucifer’ Unleashes Bloody Slashing Rampage Inside Grand Central Station

Law Enforcement

U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has terminated the legal status of three Iranian nationals tied to Masoumeh Ebtekar, the spokeswoman for the militants behind the Iran Hostage Crisis, placing them in ICE custody and initiating their removal from the United States.
“I terminated their lawful permanent resident status and today, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending their removal from our country,” Rubio said.
Rubio added that the decision reflects a broader principle: “America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families — and under the Trump administration, it never will.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
‼️ NEW DETAILS: 
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has TERMINATED the legal status of three Iranians tied to regime figure known as “Screaming Mary.”
They are now in ICE custody and facing deportation.
“I terminated their lawful permanent resident status and today, Seyed Eissa… <a href="https://t.co/7XnEgjbyQ0">https://t.co/7XnEgjbyQ0</a> <a href="https://t.co/xU3udiFLJ8">pic.twitter.com/xU3udiFLJ8</a>
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) <a href="https://twitter.com/MOSSADil/status/2042982578995478677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
The individuals are directly connected to Masoumeh Ebtekar, known to many Americans as “Screaming Mary,” who served as the English-language spokeswoman for the militants who seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
That crisis saw 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days, a defining moment in U.S.-Iran relations that continues to shape policy decades later.
Chosen for her fluent English and familiarity with the United States, she became the public face of the hostage-takers, appearing repeatedly on American television to defend the operation and relay the group’s demands. She has never expressed regret for her role, and frequently used her appearances to justify the takeover.
After the crisis, she transitioned from revolutionary activist to establishment figure, eventually rising to serve as a vice president of Iran, specifically Vice President for Women and Family Affairs from 2017 to 2021.
Despite that history, her son Hashemi had been living in Southern California, working as a lecturing psychology professor while residing in Los Angeles County with his wife, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/06/us-news/son-of-irans-twisted-pr-chief-found-living-life-of-luxury-in-la-and-hes-teaching-superrich-california-kids/">New York Post</a>. Reports and photographs placed him at upscale locations in the area, fueling criticism that relatives of senior regime figures were benefiting from life in the United States.
Public pressure had been building for months. Petitions and protests called for federal authorities to review the immigration status of Hashemi and others connected to Iran’s ruling apparatus, arguing that allowing such individuals to remain in the country undermines U.S. credibility on human rights and national security.
In its statement, the State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/secretary-rubio-terminates-green-cards-of-foreign-nationals-tied-to-infamous-iranian-regime-propagandist/">indicated</a> that the individuals originally received visas during the Obama administration before later obtaining green cards through the Diversity Visa Program.
Later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters, “Her family should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in our country. America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families.”
The move comes amid a broader push by the administration to target individuals in the U.S. with ties to Tehran’s ruling apparatus. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-asks-leavitt-about-iranian-officials-family-living-lavishly-in-the-u-s?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Daily+Wire+Asks+Leavitt+About+Iranian+Official’s+Family+Living+Lavishly+In+The+U.S.">The Daily Wire</a> the effort is a “top priority,” particularly in cases involving fraud or national security concerns.
“I understand one of the individual’s visas was revoked by Secretary Rubio, and they were deported by ICE because they had a fraudulent asylum claim,” Leavitt said, referring to a separate case involving relatives of the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. “Anyone who is here illegally or fraudulently is subject to our nation’s immigration laws and will be removed from our country.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1076379" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-870x576.jpg 870w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-1536x1017.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-2048x1357.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/iranian_official_fam_members_LA-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
That case involved Soleimani’s niece and grandniece, who were also taken into custody after reportedly living openly in the United States while expressing support for the regime, part of what officials describe as a pattern now under increased scrutiny.
The administration has already deported dozens of Iranian nationals over the past year, with hundreds more potentially facing removal as enforcement ramps up.
The message from the administration is that drawing a harder line not just against Iran’s government, but against those connected to it, is going to continue and we could see similar moves going forward.
For all the latest Iran news, follow <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+U.S.%2C+Iran+Face-To-Face+As+Trump+Warns+Negotiating+Window+Could+Close+Fast">The Daily Wire’s live blog</a>.

1179b268-3139-11e9-b26a-04579b7820b3.jpg

Anti-American ‘Screaming Mary’ Terrorist Family Faces New Reality: U.S. Isn’t Their Playground

Executive

Marco Rubio

State Department

World

A long-stable community of chimpanzees in Uganda has fractured into a sustained, lethal conflict that researchers are now describing as a kind of civil war, raising new questions about the roots of violence not just in primates, but in human societies.
The conflict is unfolding among the Ngogo chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, a group that scientists have studied continuously since the mid-1990s. For roughly two decades, the apes lived as a single, unusually large and cohesive community, at one point numbering around 200 individuals.
“They were living the good life by being together,” primatologist John Mitani, a longtime researcher on the project, told The <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/ngogo-uganda-chimpanzee-civil-war-99f04332">Wall Street Journal</a>. The chimps hunted together, shared territory, and even coordinated attacks against rival groups outside their own. That stability and cooperation began to break down around 2015.
According to a new study published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz4944">Science</a>, the group started to split into factions after several key male chimpanzees died, weakening the social bonds that had tied different cliques together. Around the same time, a shift in the dominance hierarchy introduced new tensions, with a new alpha male rising to power.
At first, the changes were subtle; chimpanzees that once moved freely between subgroups began avoiding each other, interactions that had once ended in grooming and cooperation started to turn hostile. Then, in a moment researchers described as unmistakable, the shift became visible.
“All hell broke loose,” Mitani recalled of a 2015 encounter between two factions that suddenly turned violent. Over the next three years, the split hardened, and by 2018, what had once been a single group had fully divided into two separate communities, occupying different parts of the forest, no longer mating with one another, and treating a shared territory as a contested border.
Then the killing began.
Members of the smaller faction, called the Western group, began launching coordinated attacks on the larger Central group. Researchers observed organized patrols, targeted ambushes, and repeated attempts to kill rival males — among other <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/nov/02/chimps-use-military-style-tactics-to-gain-advantage-on-rivals-study-reveals">common tactics</a> used by chimpanzees. By 2021, the violence had escalated further, expanding to include attacks on infants.
In total, researchers have documented more than 28 deaths among the Ngogo chimps, including those of 19 infants, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/science/chimpanzees-war-ngogo-uganda.html">according</a> to The New York Times. The real number is likely higher, as some bodies are never recovered.
What makes the situation unusual is not just the scale of the violence, but who it is directed at. Chimpanzees are known to attack rival groups, but in this case, the victims are former allies — animals that once lived, hunted, and socialized together for years.
Researchers say they still do not have a definitive explanation for why the split happened. One theory is that the group simply grew too large, straining the social ties that kept it together. Another points to the loss of key individuals who acted as “bridges” between different cliques. Changes in leadership and competition for mates may have further accelerated the breakdown.
Aaron Sandel, another co-author on the study, said those overlapping pressures may have been enough to push the group past a tipping point.
The findings are significant because they challenge a common assumption about conflict, that it is driven primarily by cultural or ideological differences. Scientists and philosophers have long debated where human warfare is rooted: whether it lay mainly in cultural differences, desire for wealth and security, or whether it can emerge more fundamentally from the breakdown of social cohesion.
The Ngogo chimps suggest the latter may play a larger role than previously thought. Researchers caution against drawing direct parallels, but the pattern is difficult to ignore. A large successful group, the gradual erosion of internal bonds leading to the emergence of factions, and eventually, sustained violence between former members of the same group.
For now, “It’s an ongoing conflict,” Mitani said, with no signs of slowing down.
And for the scientists tracking it in real time, the experience is as unsettling as it is revealing. “I feel like a war correspondent,” Sandel said. “I want to be there to see it, but it’s sad. I’ve seen so many dead bodies of chimps.”

1280px-Chimpanzees_in_Uganda_(5984913059)

Bloody Civil War Between Two Factions Of Chimpanzees Has Scientists Baffled

Africa

Animals

General

A warehouse employee is facing multiple felony arson charges after allegedly setting a massive fire at a paper distribution center, and recording himself doing it while ranting about his pay.
Authorities say 29-year-old Chamel Abdulkarim, an employee at a facility operated for Kimberly-Clark, was arrested after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/massive-california-warehouse-destroyed-in-suspected-arson-attack">six-alarm fire tore through a 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse</a> in Ontario, California, Tuesday morning.
The fire was set at around 12:30 a.m., quickly spreading through the building, which was filled with paper goods like toilet paper and facial tissue. What sets the case apart — beyond the sheer scale of destruction — is video circulating online that investigators believe shows Abdulkarim lighting the fire while delivering a profanity-laced grievance.
“All you had to do was pay us enough to live,” a voice believed to be Abdulkarim says repeatedly in the footage.
“You may not pay us enough to f*cking live … but these b*tches dirt cheap,” he adds referring to a lighter, as stacks of products catch fire. At one point, as flames begin to spread, a voice is heard over a walkie-talkie: “We’ve got a fire in the warehouse.” He concluded the rant saying, “there goes your inventory.”
Warning: Strong Language
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A pissed off employee started a massive fire at a warehouse after complaining about low pay. 😬
“All you had to do was pay us enough to f*cking live… there goes your inventory.” <a href="https://t.co/beWaZScs55">pic.twitter.com/beWaZScs55</a>
— kira 👾 (@kirawontmiss) <a href="https://twitter.com/kirawontmiss/status/2041995687168979210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fire officials said the scale and speed of the blaze immediately raised red flags. “This fire was very quickly identified as suspicious in nature,” Ontario Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Wedell <a href="https://6abc.com/post/arson-suspect-arrested-massive-fire-tears-warehouse-ontario-california/18851853/?ex_cid=TA_WPVI_FB&amp;link_source=ta_first_comment&amp;taid=69d771a78830ae00010ca3f1&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem">said</a>. “There was a subject of interest identified very early on in the incident. That subject has been arrested.”
While investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive, if the video is verified, it would certainly leave little question.
More than 140 firefighters responded as the fire escalated to six alarms, with crews forced into a defensive operation as flames moved rapidly through the structure. Roughly 20 employees were inside at the time. No injuries were reported.
Abdulkarim was initially reported missing, but was later located nearby and taken into custody. He is being held without bail. The warehouse itself was a major regional hub, supplying paper goods to an estimated 50 million people. The facility is valued at roughly $156 million.
Officials said the building’s fire suppression system activated, but was ultimately compromised when part of the roof collapsed.
The nature of the inventory, large quantities of paper products, accelerated the fire’s spread. Flames and smoke were visible for miles, and air quality warnings were issued for surrounding neighborhoods. Several trucks docked at the facility were also destroyed.
Beyond the immediate damage, the fire is expected to have a broader economic impact. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-07/toilet-paper-facility-fire-risks-disruption-to-major-us-market?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;embedded-checkout=true">Industry analysts</a> say the loss of the facility could affect more than 3% of Kimberly-Clark’s U.S. sales, while increasing transportation and logistics costs as distribution is rerouted. The company’s stock fell more than 4% following the incident.
The warehouse was operated by a third-party logistics firm, which said it is cooperating with authorities and working to relocate affected employees. Kimberly-Clark said its supply chain is designed to handle disruptions and does not expect widespread shortages.
Authorities say the video is part of an ongoing investigation.

WATCH: Did An Arson Suspect Just Record Himself Lighting A Warehouse On Fire?

Arson

The federal government is moving to overhaul how young American men enter the military draft system, shifting from individual responsibility to automatic enrollment.
Under a proposed rule from the Selective Service System (SSS), men would no longer need to register themselves within 30 days of turning 18. Instead, the government would automatically add them to the draft pool using existing federal data.
The change, which could take effect as soon as December, was authorized by Congress in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and is now under regulatory review.
“This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS,” the <a href="https://www.sss.gov/about/">agency says</a>, calling it a “streamlined” system that integrates federal data sources.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), who sponsored the provision, framed it as a resource decision. “This will allow us to rededicate resources—basically that means money—towards readiness and towards mobilization,” she told the <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/04/08/automatic-registration-for-us-military-draft-eligible-men-to-begin-in-december/">Military Times</a>, “rather than towards education and advertising campaigns driven to register people.”
For decades, the government has spent millions reminding young men to comply with a requirement that is already mandatory. Nearly all men between 18 and 25 must register under the Military Selective Service Act, and failure to do so can carry serious penalties, including fines up to $250,000, potential jail time, and loss of access to federal student aid and jobs.
Despite that, compliance has slipped falling to roughly 81% in 2024, per official <a href="https://www.sss.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Annual-Report-2024-6-4-25.pdf">SSS reports</a>. Automatic registration is designed to close that gap entirely. The United States has not used conscription since 1973, at the end of the Vietnam War, when widespread public opposition helped usher in the modern all-volunteer military. The draft system itself was later reinstated in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter as a contingency measure during the Cold War.
Today, officials insist the new rule does not signal an imminent return to conscription. “It’s not part of the current plan right now,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt when asked about the possibility of a draft. “But the president … wisely keeps his options on the table.”
That caveat is precisely what has fueled concern among some Americans. The idea that registration will now happen automatically, combined with ongoing instability abroad, has led critics to question whether the infrastructure for a draft is being quietly modernized.
Legally, however, a draft remains a high bar. Even with a fully populated registry, the president cannot reinstate conscription unilaterally. Congress would need to pass new legislation authorizing inductions into military service. In practical terms, the policy change does not expand who is eligible, it simply ensures that those already required to register are captured in the system without relying on them to act.
Women remain exempt from the system, despite efforts in Congress to expand draft eligibility in recent years. For now, the shift is framed as administrative, an efficiency measure in a sprawling federal system.
The result is a policy that is, on paper, about saving money and improving compliance, but in practice touches on a far deeper question: how prepared the country is, and how much it expects from its citizens if crisis comes.

Army Chief Of Staff Gen. Casey Swears In New Army Recruits

What A Push To Overhaul The Military Draft Could Mean For Young American Men

Draft

Trump Administration

U.S. Military

The suspect in a brutal killing outside a Fort Myers, Florida, gas station has been captured, becoming another statistic in the national immigration debate, after federal officials confirmed the suspect had been released into the United States and later shielded from deportation.
Rolbert Joachim, a Haitian national, is accused of murdering Nilufa Easmin, known to friends and family as Yasmeen, by bludgeoning her with a hammer outside the Chevron station where she worked. The attack, captured on surveillance video, unfolded in broad daylight.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This criminal illegal alien from Haiti BARBARICALLY MURDERED an innocent woman by hitting her in the head multiple times with a hammer.
He was RELEASED into our nation by the Biden administration. Not only did they release this heinous murderer into our communities, but they… <a href="https://t.co/vbIKRNiIgx">https://t.co/vbIKRNiIgx</a> <a href="https://t.co/P6NgTzCUQy">pic.twitter.com/P6NgTzCUQy</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2041618194335769001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Joachim first entered the U.S. in August 2022 and was “caught and released” at the border. Later that same year, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal against him. But instead of being deported, DHS says he was allowed to remain in the country under Temporary Protected Status, which expired in 2024.
“This illegal alien barbarically hit this woman in the head multiple times with a hammer,” said Acting DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This heinous murderer was released into the country by the Biden administration. Not only did the administration release him, but they then gave him temporary protected status. Their reckless immigration policies cost this woman her life.”
Surveillance footage shows Joachim allegedly smashing a car windshield in the gas station parking lot. That vehicle, according to coworkers, belonged to Easmin. Moments later, she walked outside to confront him. He then rushed toward her and struck her in the head with a hammer. She collapsed, and investigators say he struck her repeatedly again.
Police launched an intensive manhunt, ultimately locating Joachim nearby. “I would just say one word — persistence,” a Fort Myers police official said. “We were not going home until we found him. We had a cop on every single block in the last confirmed area, and we used every resource — from aviation support to canine units to boots on the ground.”
Joachim is now in custody and being held without bond. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on him, and DHS says he will be deported following the resolution of his case.
Neighbors described her as kind, devout, and consistent in her daily routine. “She was good,” said M.D. Islam, a local man who knew her. “She came and did her prayer in the morning … just minutes before the attack.”
“Everybody right now is sad,” Islam added. “Not only me or my Bangladeshi community — all of us. People around the world are very sad to see this news.”
A growing memorial now sits outside the gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Highland Avenue, where flowers and candles mark the place where Easmin was killed.
But alongside mourning, the case is raising broader questions, particularly about how an individual ordered deported was able to remain in the country.
<a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2041599762844062049">According to DHS</a>, Joachim’s case reflects a wider system that has relied on release mechanisms and temporary protections rather than immediate removal. An immigration judge had already determined Joachim should be removed, yet he remained in the country for years after that order, long enough, tragically, for the April 3 killing to occur.
For neighbors like Islam, the policy debate is secondary to the senselessness of the violence. “I don’t know why some people become like this,” he said. “I cannot explain.”

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Biden Admin Gave Illegal Haitian ‘Protected Status.’ Now He’s Accused Of Killing An Innocent Woman.

Haitian immigrants

illegal immigrant

Illegal Immigration

Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro sat down with Peter Robinson on &#8220;Uncommon Knowledge&#8221; for a conversation that ultimately landed on a single, animating concern: what happens to a political movement, and a country, when it loses its grip on truth.
“Every proposition, when originally proposed, is nuanced,” he said, “and by the time it is popularized, it becomes a bumper sticker.” 
That flattening, he argued, has reshaped American politics on both the Left and the Right, replacing argument with emotion and, increasingly, skepticism with outright conspiracism.
That shift, in his telling, is downstream of collapsing institutional trust. Events like Russiagate, COVID-era policymaking, and the unrest of 2020 each contained “grains of truth,” he said, but those truths were “abstracted into a theory whereby the fundamental institutions of the West are themselves corrupted.” Once that belief sets in, “you’re susceptible to literally anything.”
Nowhere is that dynamic more visible, he argued, than in the rise of grievance politics. On the global stage, Shapiro pointed to Israel as a case study in how success breeds resentment. “There’s only one successful state in the Middle East … a tiny state,” he said, noting its economic and military strength relative to the region. “That country is hated for its success because of that.”
But the same instinct, he warned, is now taking root on the American Right. If people come to believe the United States is in managed decline, they begin searching for someone to blame. “You start to look at who’s had a pretty good 80 years?” he said. “The truth is that Jews in America have had an amazing 80 years … and the state of Israel has had a pretty stellar 80 years.” That line of thinking, he suggested, helps explain the overlap between populist grievance and rising anti-Semitism.
Shapiro has increasingly taken aim at those tendencies within his own coalition. Reflecting on a recent speech at Turning Point USA following the murder of Charlie Kirk, he warned that “the conservative movement is in serious danger … from charlatans who … traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty.” In the interview, he was more blunt: “There is a market for conspiracism.”
He dismissed criticism from figures like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly as beside the point. “They’re not even remotely arguments,” he said, drawing a distinction between censorship and judgment. “Anyone can have anyone on any stage at any time. This is America. If you decide to waste your time listening to the conspiratorial ravings of an incipient madman like Tucker Carlson, you can do that. This is America. But you are also wasting your time and you&#8217;re making your brain dumber.”
That raised a deeper question: what actually defines conservatism today? Shapiro drew a sharp distinction between the Republican Party and the conservative movement, arguing the former is “a vehicle for victory,” while the latter has lost touch with its philosophical roots. The principles that once undergirded the right, limited government, federalism, localism, are no longer widely understood. “When you say to people, government should be as small as it can, most people’s reaction is, why?” he said. “Most politicians even have no capacity to explain that.”
The result, he predicts, is fragmentation. The post-Trump coalition contains too many competing strains to hold together long-term. “It will fragment,” he said, pointing to a broader “withering of the ability to explain the philosophy undergirding these policy preferences.”
That same erosion, he argued, is playing out in governance itself. Blue states losing residents to red states are unlikely to correct course anytime soon. “That’s like saying when will East Germany fix itself if they had left an open border,” he said. “It won’t — because everybody who wanted to fix it left.” Real change, he suggested, will only come through crisis: “The only thing that could happen that would prompt it is almost full-scale collapse of some of these states in terms of their financing and fiscal capacity. And I think that will come. I think that you will see bankruptcy of many of these states.”
Still, Shapiro’s most pointed critique was cultural, not political: “One of the great disappointments of my life has been finding out that people follow people, not ideas,” he said. That reality, he argued, fuels everything from audience capture to the spread of bad thinking.
It also undercuts what he sees as the core of the American experiment: the idea that problems are meant to be solved. “If you’ve got a problem in your life, it is solvable by you,” he said. &#8220;If you don&#8217;t have a solution, if you&#8217;re asking questions and you&#8217;re not interested in the answers, then as I&#8217;ve said before, you&#8217;re not really asking questions. You&#8217;re fomenting a proposition.&#8221;
In Shapiro’s view, that shift, from solving problems to narrating them, is the real fault line in American life. And until it’s reversed, the politics built on top of it will remain unstable.
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Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro Talks Truth, Problem-Solving, And True Conservatism On ‘Uncommon Knowledge’

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Drew Berkemeyer