President Donald Trump returned to the campaign-style stage Friday, delivering a wide-ranging, 90-minute address to a packed crowd in The Villages, Florida, where he leaned heavily into a message tailored to one of his most reliable constituencies: American seniors.
At an event billed as “Golden Age for the Golden Years,” Trump framed his administration’s economic agenda around a centerpiece promise, eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits, while tying it to a broader claim of national resurgence. 
“Our country is hot again,” Trump told the crowd. “These are your golden years … but this is really the golden age of America.”
Trump opened with a nod to the recent assassination attempt last weekend, brushing aside security concerns in a line that drew applause from the audience. 
“They want me to be in a secure place, I said, ‘What’s more secure than The Villages?’”
He quickly pivoted to policy, emphasizing what he described as historic tax relief for retirees. 
“No tax on Social Security — it’s done,” he declared, adding that more than 51 million seniors now effectively pay no federal income tax. He also cited an average deduction of over $7,500, arguing the policy is already translating into tangible benefits for retirees.
Trump illustrated the impact with anecdotal stories, including a Villages resident who used her tax refund to pay for a new roof. 
“That means more money to visit your grandkids … extra dinners out with your family,” he said. “You’re going to do a lot.”
The speech veered into familiar territory, including media criticism, attacks on political opponents, and reflections on his past administration. However, Trump consistently circled back to economic themes aimed at older Americans. 
He argued that seniors were “ravaged” under former President Joe Biden by inflation, which he called “the worst in the history of our country,” contrasting it with what he described as record gains in retirement accounts under his leadership.
“Under Biden, the average 401(k) rose $875 a year,” Trump claimed. “Under Trump, that number is $30,000 … for seniors, $50,000, $60,000, even $70,000.”
Healthcare policy was another major focus. Trump touted reductions in prescription drug prices, claiming his administration secured cuts of up to “80 or 90 percent” through international pricing pressure. He also announced expanded Medicare coverage for weight-loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, which he said would cost seniors “$50 a month.”
“We had the highest drug prices anywhere in the world,” Trump said. “Now we have the lowest.”
The president also highlighted anti-fraud efforts in entitlement programs, saying his administration had removed hundreds of thousands of ineligible recipients from Social Security and Medicare rolls. 
“What we’re really doing is saving Social Security,” he argued.
On foreign policy, Trump defended ongoing military action against Iran, framing it as a necessary step to prevent nuclear proliferation. 
“We’re in a war because we cannot let lunatics have a nuclear weapon,” he said, drawing chants of “USA” from the crowd. He added that oil prices would “come crashing down” once the conflict concludes.
The event drew several Florida Republicans, including Rep. Byron Donalds and Sen. Ashley Moody, underscoring the state’s continued importance in Trump’s political coalition. 
Outside the venue, a <a href="https://www.villages-news.com/2026/05/01/hundreds-gather-to-protest-president-trumps-visit-to-the-villages/">smaller group of protesters</a> organized by local Democrats staged a golf cart demonstration, signaling that even in one of Trump’s strongest enclaves, opposition remains active.
Still, inside the packed hall — and in overflow areas filled with thousands more — the message landed squarely with its intended audience. Trump urged midterm turnout using  a familiar refrain: “Make it too big to rig.”
For a president fresh off another attempt on his life, the stop in The Villages was both a reminder that his base remains strong and that his message continues to resonate.

US-VOTE-TRUMP

Trump Returns To Rally Stage, Touts Wins For Seniors

In a major legal victory for the pro-life movement, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday ordered a nationwide halt to a Biden-era policy allowing the abortion pill mifepristone to be prescribed online and delivered by mail, ruling that the regulation is likely unlawful and poses ongoing harm while litigation proceeds.
The unanimous panel granted Louisiana’s request to block the Food and Drug Administration’s 2023 rules, which removed longstanding in-person requirements for the drug. The <a href="https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/05/2026-05-01-Fifth-Circuit-Order-Granting-Stay-of-2023-REMS.pdf">court found</a> the state is “strongly likely to succeed on the merits” of its challenge and is suffering irreparable harm from the policy, including violations of its pro-life laws and increased taxpayer-funded medical costs.
“The public interest is not served by perpetuating a medical practice whose safety the agency admits was inadequately studied,” the court wrote. “Indeed, the public interest demands the opposite.” 
The ruling immediately blocks the mail-order distribution framework put in place after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, when the Biden administration expanded access to chemical abortion nationwide. Under the 2023 rules, mifepristone could be prescribed via telehealth and shipped without an in-person doctor visit.
Louisiana challenged the policy under the Administrative Procedure Act, arguing the FDA relied on flawed or nonexistent data while eliminating safety protocols. During litigation, the agency acknowledged it had failed to adequately study the safety of remote dispensing and is still conducting a review with no clear timeline for completion.
The Fifth Circuit rejected the argument that courts should wait on the FDA’s ongoing review. Allowing the policy to continue, the panel suggested, would effectively permit the agency to maintain a potentially unlawful regulation indefinitely while promising future study.
The court also found that Louisiana demonstrated concrete harm. According to the record, the mail-order regime has facilitated nearly 1,000 illegal chemical abortions per month in the state, directly undermining its laws protecting unborn life. In addition, Louisiana documented tens of thousands of dollars in Medicaid spending tied to emergency care for complications from the drug.
“Every abortion facilitated by FDA’s action cancels Louisiana’s ban,” the court wrote, emphasizing that such sovereign harms cannot be undone.
The decision reverses a lower court ruling that found Louisiana likely to win and suffering harm but declined to grant immediate relief. The Fifth Circuit said that balancing the equities weighed in favor of blocking the policy, stating plainly that neither the FDA nor the public has an interest in enforcing a regulation that likely violates federal law.
Pro-life leaders quickly hailed the ruling. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser<a href="https://sbaprolife.org/newsroom/press-releases/breaking-federal-appeals-court-halts-fdas-mail-order-abortion-drug-policy-effective-immediately"> called it</a> “a huge victory for victims and survivors,” arguing that the removal of in-person safeguards has led to predictable harms for both women and unborn children.
The case is one of several brought by Republican-led states challenging federal abortion drug policy in the wake of Dobbs. Other states, including Idaho, Kansas, and Missouri, have pursued similar efforts to block telehealth distribution, while Texas and Florida are seeking broader restrictions on the drug itself.
An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is expected, but for now, the Fifth Circuit’s order reinstates a key pro-life position: that abortion-inducing drugs should not be distributed through the mail without direct medical oversight, especially amid acknowledged gaps in safety data.

Appeals Court Keeps Abortion Pill Mifepristone Available, But With Restrictions

Court Issues Major Ruling On Biden Abortion Pill Policy

Thousands of activists, union members, and left-wing organizers are mobilizing across the country Friday for sweeping May Day demonstrations, with organizers calling for an “economic blackout” aimed at disrupting daily life.
More than 3,000 events are expected nationwide — more than double last year’s total — under the banner of “May Day Strong,” a coalition that includes labor unions, immigration groups, and political organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America. The coordinated effort centers on a simple directive: “No School. No Work. No Shopping.”
Organizers say the goal is to flex collective economic power. “We’re really trying to actually start organizing people to see that the power that we collectively have to do economic disruption is really the power that we need in this moment,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/28/may-day-economic-blackout">said</a> Neidi Dominguez, executive director of Organized Power in Numbers.
In New York City, demonstrators including Amazon workers and Teamsters marched from the public library toward corporate offices, demanding the company sever ties with federal immigration enforcement. In Washington, D.C., activists blocked intersections, carrying signs reading: “WORKERS OVER BILLIONAIRES” and “HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE.”
Across the country, similar scenes are expected to unfold in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, with rallies, walkouts, and block parties planned throughout the day.
The demonstrations are not limited to labor issues, as many of the same groups planning these protests are the same that organize the “No Kings” series of protests. Organizers have tied the labor movement to a broader set of political demands, including abolishing ICE, opposing U.S. military actions abroad, expanding voting access, and raising taxes on high earners.
“This includes unions, nonprofit groups, grassroots groups and faith groups,” said Pedro Trujillo of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. “We’re bringing back that energy of shutting it down.”
In Chicago, major unions, including the Chicago Teachers Union, have backed a citywide “day of civic action,” with leadership framing the protests as part of a broader ideological fight. “This is about building a more popular united front,” said union president Stacy Davis Gates. Teachers and students are playing a visible role in the demonstrations. In North Carolina, at least 15 school districts gave educators the day off to participate in rallies, while student organizers across multiple states coordinated walkouts.
Some organizers have been explicit about their long-term goal: a nationwide general strike. While such strikes have been heavily restricted under federal law since the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, union leaders have floated plans to align contracts in an effort to enable mass work stoppages in the coming years.
Despite the fresh coat of paint, the May Day Strong demonstrations bear much of the same activist infrastructure behind earlier anti-Trump mobilizations. Groups like Indivisible and the Democratic Socialists of America — both heavily involved in the “No Kings” protests — are again helping drive turnout, messaging, and coordination. The overlap suggests these are less an organic eruption of worker-led activism and more a repackaging to project momentum rather than reflect it.
Critics argue the one-day boycott is unlikely to have meaningful economic impact, and could instead hurt smaller businesses. Economist Peter Morici dismissed the effort as largely symbolic. “If you&#8217;re talking about non-perishable activities, like going to the movies, you&#8217;ll go see the same movie on Saturday,” Morici <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/may-day-protests-take-place-friday-agitators-across-us-push-workers-billionaires-motto">said to Fox</a>. “It&#8217;s not a hit on the billionaires.”
He added that shifting consumer behavior for a single day may simply redistribute spending rather than reduce it. “Somebody will go to store B instead of store A,” he said.
May Day itself has a long and contentious history. Originating in the late 19th century as a labor movement demonstration tied to the push for an eight-hour workday, the holiday later became closely associated with socialist and Marxist movements worldwide, particularly after the Russian Revolution.
In the United States, early May Day demonstrations turned violent, most notably during the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, where clashes between anarchists and police left multiple people dead and sparked a national controversy that still reverberates today.
Modern organizers have embraced that legacy as they attempt to tap into large-scale labor activism in the U.S. “When the billionaires break every rule, it’s going to take more than a rally to stop them,” the May Day Strong&#8217;s <a href="https://maydaystrong.org/">website reads</a>. Leah Greenberg of Indivisible described the effort as a test run for more aggressive tactics. “We are asking people to take a step into further exerting their power in all aspects of their lives,” she said, calling the blackout a “structure test” for future actions.
Whether Friday’s demonstrations remain peaceful or escalate into broader disruption remains to be seen. Organizers have made clear, however, that they view this year’s protests not as an endpoint, but as a stepping stone toward more sustained and coordinated economic action.

webp

May Day Protests Take Up The Left-Wing Pet Project Mantle From ‘No Kings’

No Kings

Politics

Protests

Social Issues

Teachers Unions

A leading Democratic candidate in Wisconsin’s 2026 gubernatorial primary is facing scrutiny over her ties to a controversial leftwing activist, as questions mount about political rhetoric and judgment in the wake of a recent attempted assassination on President Donald Trump.
State Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chilling-hotel-selfie-shows-suspect-minutes-before-he-attempted-to-murder-trump">Francesca Hong</a>, a self-described democratic socialist and one of the few candidates polling in double digits in a wide-open primary, is drawing criticism following comments she made after the attempted shooting tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and her past association with leftist activist and brewery owner Kirk Bangstad.
In a social media post addressing the incident, Hong <a href="https://x.com/FrancescaHongWI/status/2048451639506239542">condemned</a> political violence broadly but also offered justification of the attack within a wider critique of government and society, “The state enacts political violence on its citizens every day,” she added. “We see it when ICE agents occupy our cities and put children in cages. We see it in a healthcare system that lets people die because they can’t afford care.”
Critics argue that response fell short of directly addressing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-owned-brewery-promising-free-beer-day-if-trumps-murdered-whines-about-failed-attack">rhetoric from figures like Bangstad</a>, whose comments following the same incident sparked widespread backlash. Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company, wrote in the immediate aftermath of the attempted assassination that he was disappointed the effort had failed. “Well, we almost got #freebeerday,” Bangstad <a href="https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2048251323263672650">posted</a>. “Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship … Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens.”
The remark was part of a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric and activism that has made Bangstad a polarizing figure in Wisconsin politics, including legal battles and defamation cases tied to his conduct.
Hong’s past interactions with Bangstad, including appearing on a podcast with him and previously <a href="https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/2048758251135619256">donating</a> to his efforts, are now drawing renewed attention as she seeks to position herself as a serious statewide candidate.
Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin State Director Megan Novak sharply criticized Hong’s response and her perceived unwillingness to distance herself.
“It should have been really easy for Francesca Hong to denounce violent political hate coming from someone who’s wildly unpopular with 95% of the state,” Novak said in a statement. “And yet somehow she managed to excuse his behavior with a bunch of platitudes. And I think that’s just unacceptable for someone who wants to be the governor of the state of Wisconsin.”
The controversy comes as the <a href="https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/wisconsins-wide-open-2026-democratic-primary-for-governor/">Democratic primary</a> remains unsettled, with multiple candidates competing for a nomination that could shape the state’s political direction in 2026.
Recent polling from Marquette Law School shows that roughly 65% of Democratic voters remain undecided, underscoring just how fluid the race is. While several candidates, including former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, are actively campaigning across the state, only Barnes and Hong have consistently polled above 10%.
Hong has attempted to distinguish herself with a grassroots, activist-oriented campaign style, often emphasizing community organizing and mutual aid over traditional political events. “We are an organizing and community-powered campaign,” Hong said at a recent event. “This is what I hope more politicians will start doing.”
Bangstad, for his part, has built a reputation as an aggressive political operator who blends activism with business, using his brewery as a platform for leftwing messaging and fundraising. His affiliated political organization has raised millions of dollars while also facing scrutiny over opaque and shady spending through his super PAC and legal disputes.
The episode highlights a deeper tension in the race: whether Democratic primary voters will prioritize ideological alignment and far-left activist energy, or gravitate toward candidates with broader appeal in a general election.
With months remaining before the August primary, and a large share of voters still undecided, that question remains unresolved. But as the campaign intensifies, Hong’s ties to controversial figures and her response to moments of political crisis are likely to remain part of the conversation.

politics-election-2026-governor-hong-committee-1536×864

Dem Candidate Refuses To Condemn Ally Who Promised ‘Free Beer Day’ If Trump Dies

Donald Trump

Wisconsin

In her first public remarks since the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Erika Kirk delivered a sweeping and emotional response to critics. 
Accusing the media and broader cultural forces of fueling violence and distorting the truth, she blamed them for contributing to the climate that she says led to her husband’s death.
“Seems to me that nothing will ever be enough for the evil in this world. Our country has become unrecognizable,” Kirk said. “These people have perverted the truth to the point that they motivated the murder of my husband.”
Kirk framed her comments not only as a defense of herself and her late husband, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, but as a broader indictment of what she described as systemic “indoctrination” and dehumanization in American institutions, particularly media and education.
“They have continuously tried to assassinate the president, and anyone who stands in their way is labeled hateful, racist, fascist and every other trigger word that is grossly dishonest,” she said, referencing multiple attempts on the life of President Donald Trump.
Kirk pointed to the alleged background of the shooter as a school teacher as emblematic of a deeper problem. “He [Charlie] didn’t trust the radicalized liberal teachers, and this past Saturday, it was a school teacher, of all people … that attempted to change our history for the worse with bullets,” she said. Much of Kirk’s statement focused on her experience attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner itself, where she said she went in part to confront members of the press directly.
Kirk described the event as surreal, saying it was strange to see that “for one night, you’re able to put aside all of your differences for the sake of freedom of speech, and then by Monday morning, things will go back to being an absolute bloodbath.”
That sense of contradiction, she argued, was underscored by the chaos that erupted when gunfire broke out. “If you were in that room, you had no way of knowing what the status of the shooter was … it was just utter chaos,” Kirk said. “And so during an act of shooting, these journalists are using their phones to find moments to capture for clips.”
She accused members of the media of prioritizing content over safety. 
“They were so concerned about getting a video in a room with an active shooter that they could have accidentally … filmed themselves being shot,” she said. “Many of those people have become so desensitized that fight or flight became secondary to the opportunity of putting themselves into the story.” 
Kirk tied that moment to a broader critique of what she sees as a culture increasingly detached from basic human empathy, adding, “This culture we’re living in absorbs disagreement as a form of personal betrayal. It turns having an opposing viewpoint into a moral crime worthy of punishment.”
She argued that this environment leads to something far more dangerous: “If you strip someone of their humanity long enough, you will arrive at the chilling conclusion that they don’t deserve to exist at all.”
Kirk also addressed the personal toll of the past several months, saying she has been the subject of relentless attacks. “Every morning, I wake up to a new headline lying about me,” she said. “I have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/t-mobile-distances-itself-from-chief-switching-officer-druski-after-sketch-mocking-erika-kirk">comedians dressing up in whiteface</a>. I have people saying I’m not fit to be CEO, and I have Candace Owens claiming I murdered my husband.”
She reserved particular criticism for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, revisiting remarks he made following a recent assassination attempt. “That is what Jimmy Kimmel did to the First Lady,” Kirk said. “He said that she had the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-hits-back-at-critics-over-melania-widow-joke-and-refuses-to-apologize?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Jimmy+Kimmel+Hits+Back+At+Critics+Over+Melania+%E2%80%98Widow%E2%80%99+Joke+And+Refuses+To+Apologize">glow of an expected widow</a> … just 48 hours before that nightmare almost became a reality.”
Kimmel is a familiar foe for Kirk, as in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s killing, Kimmel drew outrage after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/an-affront-to-human-decency-kimmel-ripped-for-falsely-claiming-suspected-kirk-assassin-was-maga?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98An+Affront+To+Human+Decency%E2%80%99%3A+Kimmel+Ripped+For+Falsely+Claiming+Suspected+Kirk+Assassin+Was+MAGA">attempting to link</a> the suspected assassin to the MAGA movement. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said during a monologue. 
He went further, mocking Trump’s public response to the killing: “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, okay.” Kimmel was suspended and later reinstated, giving a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-returns-addresses-charlie-kirk-comments-in-teary-non-apology?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Jimmy+Kimmel+Returns%2C+Addresses+Charlie+Kirk+Comments+In+Teary+Non-Apology">teary non-apology</a> on air for the rant.
Kimmel now insists his comment about Melania should be taken as “a very light roast joke” and “not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.”
Melania, for her part, sharply rejected that explanation. “Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” she wrote. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.” She went further, calling the host “a coward” and urging ABC to act: “Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand.”
For Erika Kirk, these incidents are not isolated missteps but part of a broader pattern — one she argues reflects a media environment increasingly willing to blur the line between commentary and dehumanization. “There has never been a president who has faced this many assassination attempts in American history,” she said. “And after each one, the reaction from the far left has been at best a shrug and in some cases a sick disappointment that the shooter was unsuccessful.”
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<a href="https://t.co/hJGlNvggZI">pic.twitter.com/hJGlNvggZI</a>
— Erika Kirk (@MrsErikaKirk) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsErikaKirk/status/2049534498514383108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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She also expressed growing distrust in institutions she once may have taken for granted. “I have to tell you, we have an even bigger problem when it comes to the systemic indoctrination and radicalization of our own citizens,” she said, again pointing to education as a key concern.
Despite the tone of frustration and anger, Kirk closed her remarks with a call for unity and a return to dialogue, something she said was central to her husband’s mission in founding Turning Point USA. “This is why my husband created Turning Point USA, so we could have civil discourse and debate and open dialogue,” she said. “Because when we stop talking to each other, bad things happen.” Quoting the book of Romans, she added: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
“I am choosing to fight for America, for my children, for your children, and for our humanity,” Kirk said. “By the grace of God, we will succeed, and America will remain what she was always called to be — a shining city on a hill.”

CBS News Town Hall With Erika Kirk

Erika Kirk Blasts Media, ‘Radicalization,’ In First Remarks Since WHCD Shooting

Erika Kirk

Media

Social Media

Nonprofit hospitals are facing intensifying scrutiny on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers questioned whether the billions in tax breaks they receive are justified — and whether some systems should risk losing that status altogether.
The House Ways and Means Committee hearing Tuesday, which followed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/are-hospitals-putting-woke-politics-over-patients-new-campaign-targets-major-systems">a targeted campaign</a> by watchdog group Consumers’ Research, exposed a growing bipartisan unease with how nonprofit hospital systems operate at a time of rising costs and persistent complaints from patients.
At the center of the debate was a stark indictment from Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), who argued that the nonprofit designation no longer reflects reality. “For-profit hospitals are legally required to put shareholders over patients, but so-called nonprofit hospitals rarely act much different,” Smith said in his opening statement. “Tax-exempt hospitals deliver charity care that is consistently worth less than the tax breaks that they receive. These nonprofit hospitals receive a $28 billion tax break while only spending roughly $16 billion on charity care a year. The difference fuels a spending spree totally unrelated to providing health care, like real estate investments, stadium naming rights, green energy initiatives, and political activism.”
That imbalance, tens of billions in tax advantages compared to significantly less in direct charity care, became one of the central tensions of the hearing, raising the question: What exactly are taxpayers subsidizing?
Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) pressed hospital executives directly on whether the nonprofit designation still reflects reality. “I don’t know that I see a lot of difference between a for-profit and a nonprofit,” Smucker said. “Mr. Hazen, you’re the for-profit [CEO on the panel]. Do you think there’s much difference in the way hospitals that are designated for-profit operate differently than a nonprofit?”
“The short answer is no,” replied Sam Hazen, CEO of HCA Healthcare.
Smucker then turned to executive compensation, questioning non-profit CommonSpirit Health CEO Wright Lassiter. “Your compensation was $21 million last year. Is that correct?” Smucker asked.
“That’s not correct,” Lassiter responded.
“What was it?”
“Fourteen,” Lassiter said.
“Fourteen million,” Smucker replied. “Do you think that’s on par with what a for-profit would be receiving?” The exchange underscored a broader theme running through the hearing: if nonprofit hospitals operate like corporations, lawmakers want to know why they’re still treated differently in the tax code.
That question extended beyond compensation into how hospitals use their resources.
“$718 million invested in publicly traded securities … $134 million gained by those securities?” Smucker asked.
“Yes,” Lassiter said.
“So can you explain to me why you should be granted nonprofit status?” Smucker pressed, however, his time then expired. While hospital leaders later defended their “community benefit” spending, lawmakers questioned whether the current standards are too vague to enforce.
“Nonprofit hospitals receive a significant tax benefit, and in return, we expect them to meet certain obligations,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY). “However, those requirements are relatively broad and fall under the community benefits standard.”
That lack of clarity drew further concern from Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), who questioned how regulators can even measure compliance. “How can the IRS determine if an individual facility is satisfying the community benefit standard?” Hern asked. 
The hearing followed directly on the heels of a campaign launched by Consumers’ Research, which has accused major nonprofit systems, particularly NewYork-Presbyterian and CommonSpirit Health — whose CEOs were both present — of drifting away from core patient care and toward political and ideological initiatives.
That campaign highlighted public statements from hospital leadership that critics argue reflect a broader institutional shift. Ray Dalio, a trustee of NewYork-Presbyterian, said the institution aims to advance “equal healthcare and equal education,” while CEO Dr. Steven J. Corwin emphasized that the hospital seeks to be “a leader in health justice.”
Following Tuesday’s hearing, Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild issued a <a href="https://x.com/WillHild/status/2049206044627472745">statement</a> about the proceedings. “Tax-exempt hospitals are betraying patients by diverting resources to woke ideological agendas while people endure long waits, surprise bills, hidden prices, and in some cases outright failures in care,” Hild said. “Backed by generous public subsidies, these nonprofit systems are prioritizing activism over affordability and accountability, including spending on controversial programs like DEI and transgender treatments for kids, while patients are left to deal with rising costs. Nonprofit status is a privilege, not a right, and hospitals must be held accountable to refocus every dollar and every decision on delivering clear, affordable, high-quality care to the communities they are meant to serve.”
That outside pressure is now converging with growing frustration inside government.
A former White House official familiar with healthcare policy told The Daily Wire that nonprofit hospitals have effectively blurred the line between charity and corporate enterprise. “These aren&#8217;t charities; they&#8217;re greedy megacorporations that have been taking home hundreds of millions of dollars a year in profit and tens of millions in executive compensation,” the former official said. “Meanwhile, they&#8217;re fleecing patients by overcharging and ripping off taxpayers by claiming massive subsidies. The Trump DOJ paved the way for taking on hospitals by suing New York-Presbyterian for its antitrust violations, and it&#8217;s refreshing to see Congress follow suit.”
That sentiment was echoed by a current senior White House official, who emphasized the administration’s broader focus on healthcare costs. “Hospitals account for two-thirds of every healthcare dollar Americans spend on healthcare,” the official said. “The goal of this administration is to drive down those costs and address provider waste, fraud, and abuse. We will make sure that healthcare is affordable.”
For now, the Ways and Means hearing stops short of immediate legislative prescriptions. But it marks a clear shift in tone — and potentially in direction.
After years of rising costs, opaque pricing, and growing questions about priorities, nonprofit hospitals are no longer just defending their practices, they are defending the very tax status that underpins their business model.

NHS Healthcare Organisation Looks To The Future

‘Woke Hospitals’ Under Fire In House Hearing. What It Means For Your Health Care.

A gruesome double murder case in Florida is now colliding with a first-of-its-kind legal battle over artificial intelligence, after prosecutors revealed that the accused killer used ChatGPT to ask a series of chilling, highly specific questions in the days surrounding the crime.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is now moving to fold the case into his ongoing criminal investigation into OpenAI, raising the prospect that the company behind ChatGPT could face legal scrutiny for how its technology is used in violent crimes.
Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of University of South Florida doctoral students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27. The two, friends from Bangladesh pursuing advanced degrees, vanished on April 16. Days later, investigators would uncover a trail of evidence pointing to Abugharbieh and a series of disturbing interactions with ChatGPT that are now central to both the murder case and the state’s broader probe into artificial intelligence (A.I.).
According to the <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2026/04/26/usf-murder-case-missing-students/">Tampa Bay Times</a> report on the killings, Abugharbieh first turned to the chatbot on April 13, asking: “What happens if a human has a [sic] put in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster?” When the program responded that it “sounds dangerous,” he followed up: “How would they find out?” The questions did not stop there.
A day before the victims disappeared, he asked: “Can a VIN number on a car be changed?” and “Can you keep a gun at home without a license?” After the killings, the queries didn&#8217;t stop. Prosecutors say he asked: “Has there been someone who survived a sniper bullet to the head?” and “Will my neighbors hear my gun?”
He also reportedly asked: “Are cars checked at the Hillsborough River State Park?” and later, as the investigation intensified, “What does missing endangered adult mean?” Those digital breadcrumbs, obtained by a court-ordered search warrant of the man’s phone, are now being examined alongside a growing mountain of physical evidence.
When investigators searched the apartment Abugharbieh shared with Limon, they found blood traces throughout the residence, including droplets leading from the kitchen to his bedroom and larger patterns consistent with what officials described as “human-sized” blood evidence. Under his bed, detectives recovered trash bags and duct tape.
In a trash compactor at the complex, authorities found Limon’s wallet, glasses, and identification, along with Bristy’s pink phone case and multiple items of blood-stained clothing. A receipt tied to Abugharbieh showed purchases of trash bags, cleaning supplies, and other materials shortly after the victims disappeared.
Surveillance and phone data placed him driving across Tampa Bay the night of April 16, mirroring the last known location pings from Limon’s phone. Prosecutors say he later returned to the area after midnight, near where Limon’s body was ultimately found — stuffed into black trash bags along the Howard Frankland Bridge, bearing multiple stab wounds. Investigators have said they do not believe Bristy is alive, though currently unidentified remains were later recovered nearby.
Against that backdrop, Uthmeier is now escalating the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-officials-investigate-chatgpt-openai-alleged-role-fsu-shooting-rcna267477">ongoing investigation</a> into OpenAI, arguing that the role of A.I. tools in cases like this cannot be ignored. Uthmeier’s office began probing after a separate Florida mass shooting in which the suspect allegedly used ChatGPT to research attack methods and timing. 
“We are expanding our criminal investigation into OpenAI to include the USF murders after learning the primary suspect used ChatGPT,” Uthmeier <a href="https://www.wlrn.org/government-politics/2026-04-27/uthmeier-expands-criminal-ai-investigation-to-usf-murders">announced</a> Monday.
In an exclusive statement to The Daily Wire, he made clear the broader implications: “A.I. is being used to create child sexual abuse material, advise kids on how to commit suicide, and carry out violent crimes. We need to know who knew what and when. This investigation is just the first step in determining if OpenAI is criminally liable for these heinous acts, and our office is expanding the investigation to understand the scope of ChatGPT’s role in the USF murders.”
Together, the cases are forming the basis of a novel legal theory: that A.I. developers could bear some responsibility when their systems are used to facilitate real-world violence. For now, Abugharbieh remains jailed without bond as he awaits trial. OpenAI has not publicly responded to the latest developments.
But as investigators continue to piece together both the physical and digital evidence, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: this case may not only determine the fate of a murder suspect, it could help define the legal limits of artificial intelligence in America.

ChatGPT

Killer Relied On ChatGPT To Cover Up His Crime. Here’s How The State Is Responding.

Artificial Intelligence

Crime

China is warning of retaliation as the European Union moves forward with an aggressive plan to reindustrialize the continent and wall off key sectors from foreign competitors — particularly Beijing.
At the center of the brewing dispute is the Industrial Accelerator Act, also known as the &#8220;Made In Europe Act,&#8221; a sweeping proposal from the European Commission that would require a significant share of products in strategic industries to be made in Europe when public money is involved.
European officials argue the move is long overdue, as businesses across the bloc have complained they are competing against heavily subsidized Chinese firms — particularly in sectors like electric vehicles, batteries, and industrial materials. <a href="https://www.euronews.com/business/2026/04/27/china-slams-made-in-europe-push-mulls-retaliation">According</a> to EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, the act “will create jobs by directing taxpayers’ money to European production, decreasing our dependencies and enhancing our economic security and sovereignty.”
The proposal would impose strict domestic content requirements across strategic industries. Electric vehicles purchased with public funds, for example, would need to be assembled in Europe, with up to 70% of components sourced within the bloc. Similar thresholds would apply to materials like aluminum, cement, and key clean energy technologies.
It also directly targets foreign firms — primarily ubiquitous Chinese manufacturers — by requiring them to partner with European companies, limit ownership stakes, and in some cases transfer valuable technology in order to access EU markets or subsidies.
That has drawn a sharp response from Beijing: “If the EU &#8230; presses ahead with the legislation, and thereby harms the interests of Chinese companies, China will have no choice but to take countermeasures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises,” China’s Ministry of Commerce of the People&#8217;s Republic of China <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260427-china-warns-eu-made-in-europe-plan-countermeasures">warned</a> in a statement.
Chinese officials have accused the EU of erecting discriminatory barriers and violating principles of the World Trade Organization, arguing that the “European preference” system unfairly shuts foreign competitors out of public funding and investment opportunities.
The legislation is part of a broader “European preference” strategy aimed at reversing years of industrial decline. European officials say more than 200,000 jobs have already been lost in energy-intensive industries and the automotive sector since 2024, with hundreds of thousands more projected this decade.
At the same time, China has expanded its export footprint across European markets while building factories that EU officials say generate limited local economic benefit. “They come, build on European land, and run operations with minimal local value,” one EU official <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/what-is-eus-draft-made-europe-law-2026-02-17/#:~:text=Makers%20of%20electric%20vehicles%20bought,will%20negotiate%20the%20final%20law.">said</a>. “Europe is not a supermarket — it has to be a factory.”
Beyond procurement rules, the proposal would impose strict conditions on foreign investment in strategic sectors, particularly targeting countries like China that dominate global manufacturing capacity. Investments exceeding €100 million could face caps on foreign ownership, mandatory technology transfers, and requirements that a substantial share of production and employment remain within Europe.
Chinese officials say they are open to negotiations but have made clear that retaliation remains on the table if talks fail, underscoring a growing economic rift between Brussels and Beijing as Europe joins the United States in reassessing its reliance on Chinese manufacturing.
The plan is not without critics within the Union, Sweden and the Czech Republic have warned the measures could deter investment and raise costs, while Germany has urged a more flexible approach that allows cooperation with allied trade partners. The proposal must still pass through the European Parliament and member states before becoming law, setting up a contentious political fight within the bloc.
Regardless of the final outcome, the direction is clear: Europe is moving to reclaim its industrial base, even at the risk of escalating tensions with China. Beijing, for its part, seems to be prepared to respond in kind.

AP23268223768333

Europe And China Enter A High-Stakes Game Of Economic Chess

Communist China

Europe

Global Politics

A watchdog group is launching a new campaign targeting two of the nation’s largest nonprofit hospital systems, arguing they have strayed from patient care and should risk losing their tax-exempt status as a result.
Consumers&#8217; Research is set to roll out its “Woke Hospitals” initiative on Monday, ahead of a Tuesday hearing by the House Ways and Means Committee focused on rising health care costs. The campaign singles out New York-Presbyterian and CommonSpirit Health, accusing both of prioritizing political and social initiatives over core medical services.
The campaign includes a mobile billboard expected to circulate near Capitol Hill and <a href="http://wokehospitals.com/">a dedicated website</a> detailing the group’s allegations — what the group describes as “ideological overreach” by nonprofit hospitals benefiting from federal tax advantages.
Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research, said the effort is intended to draw attention to what he describes as a misalignment between public subsidies and hospital priorities. “It is appalling to see hospitals indulge in woke politics while their patients struggle with long waits, surprise bills, and a continuous lack of price transparency,” Hild said in an exclusive statement to The Daily Wire. “Nonprofit status is not an automatic right; it is a public subsidy granted in exchange for a public benefit.”
According to the campaign materials, Consumers’ Research is highlighting programs at New York-Presbyterian that it says reflect an institutional focus on “health equity” and social justice. Among them is the hospital’s <a href="https://www.nyp.org/daliocenter">Dalio Center for Health Justice</a>, which promotes initiatives aimed at addressing disparities tied to race, socioeconomic status, and access to care. The hospital has described these programs as a core part of its mission, with leadership emphasizing that addressing long-standing inequities is essential to improving patient outcomes.
<div id="attachment_1084581" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1084581" class="size-medium wp-image-1084581" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/NY-Pres-MBB-300x169.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/NY-Pres-MBB-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/NY-Pres-MBB-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/NY-Pres-MBB-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/NY-Pres-MBB.jpeg 1280w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Billboard content provided by Consumers&#8217; Research</div>
Consumers’ Research points to the hospital’s own language as evidence of a broader shift in priorities. “Our goal is to contribute to equal healthcare and equal education because we believe that these are the most fundamental building blocks of equal opportunity and just society,” said Ray Dalio, founder of Dalio philanthropies and a hospital trustee.
Hospital CEO Dr. Stephen J. Corwin similarly emphasized the institution’s focus on broader social goals, stating, “We are living in a profound time where social, economic and health crises are converging at once. … New York Presbyterian hopes to be a leader in health justice.”
The group also points to New York-Presbyterian’s Compass Program, which provides support services for trans-identifying youth, including counseling, family assistance, and medical referrals. Hospital leadership has publicly affirmed its commitment to “gender-affirming care,” describing it as an important part of serving the patient population.
At CommonSpirit Health, Consumers’ Research is focusing on the system’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, which coordinates a multi-pronged strategy aimed at reducing disparities in health care access and outcomes. The hospital network has described its work as an effort to improve care delivery through better data collection, community partnerships, and workforce diversification.
The campaign also highlights CommonSpirit’s participation in initiatives such as the <a href="https://www.chausa.org/news-and-publications/publications/catholic-health-world/archives/november-1-2023/commonspirits-five-pillars-approach-is-about-creating-equity-for-all">Race to Zero climate effort</a>, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as partnerships designed to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups in the medical field.
The timing of the campaign is designed to intersect with congressional scrutiny of nonprofit health care systems. Lawmakers in both parties have increasingly questioned <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hospitals-posting-real-prices-before-care-could-soon-be-the-new-reality">pricing transparency</a>, executive compensation, and whether nonprofit hospitals are providing sufficient community benefit to justify their tax status.
Consumers’ Research says it hopes the campaign will push Congress to more aggressively scrutinize whether hospitals that engage in political or ideological initiatives should continue receiving favorable tax treatment. The group has also indicated that this is only the first in a series of efforts targeting nonprofit health care providers. Hild said the group plans to continue highlighting what it sees as misuse of taxpayer-supported resources. “As this new campaign shows, Consumers’ Research will continue exposing hospitals and hold them accountable,” he said.
“Consumers are right to be fed up,” Hild added. “They’re dealing with long wait times, high costs, and a lack of transparency—while the institutions meant to serve them are pursuing agendas that have little to do with patient care.”
The targeted hospital systems have not yet publicly responded to the campaign’s Monday launch, though both have previously defended their equity and community health initiatives as central to their missions.

Close-up of sterilized and ready for use surgical instruments on medical tray during surgery operation in operating room at hospital

Are Hospitals Putting ‘Woke’ Politics Over Patients? New Campaign Targets Major Systems.

Congress

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Health

Healthcare

Hospitals

U.S.

President Donald Trump wasted no time in getting back to business as usual after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, offering new details about the suspect as he recounted the attempted attack and took swipes at left-wing media.
The &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; interview came less than 24 hours after a gunman, identified by authorities as Cole Tomas Allen, stormed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, opening fire outside the ballroom where the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was underway. The incident forced Secret Service agents to evacuate Trump, the First Lady, and hundreds of high-profile attendees.
Trump, reflecting on the suspect during the interview, described a man he believes had undergone a dramatic ideological shift. “I read a manifesto. He’s radicalized,” Trump said, adding that Allen had moved from being “a Christian believer” to embracing “anti-Christian” views. He also pointed to warning signs from the suspect’s family, claiming both Allen’s brother and sister had raised concerns about his behavior prior to the attack.
Law enforcement reporting aligns with parts of that account. Authorities say Allen sent a note to family members shortly before the shooting apologizing for what he was about to do, while expressing rage at the administration and outlining a plan to target government officials inside the event. Investigators believe he acted alone and had traveled cross-country by train before checking into the hotel.
Trump, however, struck a measured tone when asked about his own reaction in the moment. “I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” he said, while acknowledging that the situation was inherently dangerous. He described initially resisting Secret Service efforts to move him, saying he wanted to understand what was happening before ultimately complying with agents’ commands to get low and evacuate.
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“I said, ‘Wait a minute. Let me see what’s going on,’” Trump recounted. “Then they said, ‘Please go down,’ and I dropped to the floor.”
He praised First Lady Melania Trump’s composure under pressure, noting that while she had not previously experienced an incident of that magnitude, “she handled it great” and quickly understood the seriousness of the situation.
The president also offered a vivid description of the Secret Service response, emphasizing the speed with which agents neutralized the threat. “They were so professional,” he said. “They saw him, they drew their guns, and they took him down immediately.” At least one agent was struck during the exchange but was protected by a ballistic vest and is expected to recover.
Trump used the moment to defend the broader security apparatus, calling the response effective even as questions mount about how the suspect was able to breach an outer checkpoint while armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives. “You can always find fault,” he said, “but those guys did a good job last night.”
The interview turned sharply confrontational when O’Donnell referenced inflammatory claims from the suspect’s writings. Trump immediately pushed back, interrupting and accusing the network of amplifying false allegations. “I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody … I’m not a pedophile,” Trump said. 
“You’re a disgrace,” he added, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/shorts/e596f118-f784-4ab6-9359-a2ca09320ac3?elementPosition=2&amp;row=4&amp;rowHeadline=Shorts&amp;rowType=Shorts+Carousel">directly addressing O’Donnell</a>. “You shouldn’t be reading that in 60 Minutes.”
Trump seized on the moment in his interview with Norah O&#8217;Donnell to zoom out from the immediate attack and point to what he described as a broader pattern of political violence tied to the modern left.
O’Donnell noted that the room included multiple figures who have either survived or been shaped by political violence, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — whose family has been marked by high-profile assassinations — Erkia Kirk, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who was nearly killed in a 2017 shooting carried out by a leftist gunman.
“Well, you go back 20 years, 40 years, 100 years, 200 years, 500 years—it’s always been there,” Trump said. “People are assassinated. People are injured. People are hurt.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on political violence in America: &#8220;It&#8217;s always been there&#8230; I do think that the hate speech of the Democrats—much more so—is very dangerous. I really think it&#8217;s very dangerous for the country.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/CBrCgDJiJL">pic.twitter.com/CBrCgDJiJL</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2048546040177983870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But the president made clear he believes today’s political climate is uniquely combustible, placing blame squarely on what he described as escalating rhetoric from Democrats. “I do think that the hate speech of the Democrats … is very dangerous for the country,” he said
At the same time, Trump struck a more unifying note when describing the immediate aftermath inside the ballroom. “I saw a room that was totally unified,” he said. “In one way, very beautiful,” referencing the shared reaction among politicians, journalists, and attendees during the crisis.
Despite the violence, Trump made clear he does not want the annual dinner, hosted by the White House Correspondents&#8217; Association, to be canceled. He said he has already urged organizers to reschedule the event within 30 days, insisting that “we can’t let a crazy person cancel something like this.” Trump did not attend the event during his first presidency and was not present for last year’s edition either, making 2026 the first time attending the event as president. “We’re going to do it again,” he said. “It’s very important.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: Trump was heartened by the spirit shown after the shooting, wants the WHCA to run the dinner back soon.
NORAH O&#8217;DONNELL: I mention that because, again, his m&#8211; his motive. You brought this up. He had social media accounts that had anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric.… <a href="https://t.co/OQWV8tuFOb">pic.twitter.com/OQWV8tuFOb</a>
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/2048556214238208416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The president also hinted at future changes, including potentially moving the event to a planned East Wing ballroom at the White House, though that venue is not expected to be completed until 2028.
Meanwhile, investigators continue to piece together Allen’s motives, background, and movements leading up to the attack. While authorities believe he intended to target members of the administration broadly rather than a specific individual, many questions remain unanswered.
For now, Trump appears focused on projecting resilience—both personally and institutionally—after the latest in a string of threats against him. “These things have always existed,” he said. “But we handled it, and we’re going to move forward.”

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Explains Delay Leaving Ballroom, Says He Wanted To Personally Assess Scene

In the immediate aftermath of the attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — an incident that forced the evacuation of President Donald Trump and underscored once again the real-world consequences of escalated political rhetoric — a Wisconsin brewery owner and former Democratic candidate sparked outrage by publicly rooting for the president’s assassination.
Kirk Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company and founder of the affiliated Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC, sparked outrage after posting online that he was disappointed Trump survived a recent attempt on his life.
“Well, we almost got #freebeerday,” Bangstad wrote. “Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know. Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HOLY CR*P 🚨 This brewery called Minocqua Brewing Company in Wisconsin upset that Donald Trump didn’t get assassinated tonight is owned by Kirk Bangstad
Kirk Bangstad is a Democrat who ran for Wisconsin State Assembly
He founded a Democrat Super PAC that raised millions to… <a href="https://t.co/WFAZ2pZtkB">pic.twitter.com/WFAZ2pZtkB</a>
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) <a href="https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/2048251323263672650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
The remark was not an isolated one. Bangstad’s brewery has openly marketed merchandise tied to the idea of Trump’s death, including <a href="https://minocquamarketplace.com/products/is-he-dead-yet-unisex-t-shirt?_pos=1&amp;_sid=27c660dfd&amp;_ss=r">shirts</a> emblazoned with phrases like “Is he dead yet?” and <a href="https://minocquamarketplace.com/products/free-beer-day-yard-sign?_pos=4&amp;_sid=dd17ae6b5&amp;_ss=r">references</a> to a “free beer day” that would take effect if the president was assassinated. They also sell <a href="https://minocquamarketplace.com/products/trump-voodoo-doll?_pos=2&amp;_sid=27c660dfd&amp;_ss=r">voodoo dolls</a> with the faces of President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Stephen Miller, FBI Director Kash Patel, and an anonymous ICE agent. The brewery’s online store features political products such as “WOKE Coffee” and “Progressive Beer,” tying its commercial brand directly to left-wing activism.
Bangstad, a Democrat who previously ran for Wisconsin State Assembly, has long positioned himself as a political agitator. His Super PAC has raised millions of dollars to support liberal causes and Democratic candidates, while also launching a series of lawsuits targeting Republican policies and figures, including an effort to remove Trump from Wisconsin’s ballot.
But Bangstad’s rhetoric has often been just as controversial as his political efforts. According to <a href="https://www.wpr.org/news/minocqua-brewing-company-kirk-bangstad-oneida-county-controversy-donations-criminal-defamation">reporting</a> from Wisconsin Public Radio, he has been at the center of multiple defamation cases and legal disputes. In one incident, he posted a sexually explicit parody image targeting a local newspaper editor, prompting criminal defamation charges and significant personal distress for the victim. The editor reportedly told police she began sleeping with a knife near her bed after seeing the image.
Bangstad has also been found liable in a separate civil defamation case, resulting in a $750,000 judgment, later settled for $580,000, one of the largest such penalties in Wisconsin history.
Despite these legal setbacks, Bangstad has embraced a combative public persona. He describes himself as a “fighter” and frequently frames his disputes as battles for free speech and justice. 
Bangstad’s political organization operates in a similarly controversial way. <a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/disbursements/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00765529&amp;recipient_name=NCPS&amp;recipient_name=effervescent+blue">Financial records</a> show that the Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC has spent large sums on opaque or unexplained expenses. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been paid to little-known entities with no public presence, while former employees allege that PAC funds were used to pay brewery staff for non-political work.
Several former workers <a href="https://www.channel3000.com/news/investigates/former-employees-question-minocqua-brewing-super-pacs-use-of-donations/article_ab03c045-1864-4cad-b2e9-ad89bc111775.html">told local reporters</a> they were paid through the Super PAC despite performing routine bar duties. One employee described receiving checks labeled “organizing” even though no such activities were conducted.
While such practices may raise ethical questions, Super PACs operate under looser rules than traditional political campaigns. That regulatory gap has led some watchdogs to warn about so-called “scam PACs,” where political donations are redirected toward the organizers themselves rather than meaningful advocacy.
Bangstad has dismissed criticism of his spending and business practices, often responding aggressively to those who question him. Former employees and associates say he has used social media to target critics personally, including their families.
At the same time, Bangstad has cultivated a reputation among some leftwing activists as a provocative, anti-establishment figure. His newsletters reportedly reach tens of thousands of subscribers, and his brewery has become a destination for politically aligned customers.
The most recent episode underscores the increasingly volatile intersection of politics, activism, and commerce, where businesses double as ideological platforms and public figures blur the line between advocacy and provocation. Ironically then during his 2020 Assembly campaign, his website <a href="https://www.bangstadforwisconsin.com/">prominently declared</a>, “PUT THE HEALTH OF WISCONSINITES AHEAD OF PARTISANSHIP.” 
At a moment when law enforcement officials are still investigating the motive behind the White House incident, Bangstad’s response underscores a deeper problem in American politics: a culture in which outrage and extremism is tolerated, celebrated, branded, and monetized, no matter the human cost.

66204c21654c6.image.jpg

Dem-Owned Brewery Promising ‘Free Beer Day’ If Trump Is Murdered Whines About Failed Attack

assassination attempt

A 31-year-old California man has been identified as the suspected gunman who triggered chaos at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night, forcing the evacuation of President Donald Trump and hundreds of high-profile guests from the Washington Hilton.
Law enforcement has identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, with a background in engineering and education. Federal prosecutors say Allen <a href="https://x.com/USAttyPirro/status/2048246351230599633">has already been charged</a> with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro adding that “many more charges” will be leveled at the man as the investigation continues.
Authorities say Allen forced his way through a security checkpoint just outside the ballroom where the annual dinner was underway Saturday night. The event, attended by roughly 2,000–2,500 guests including cabinet officials, journalists, and the First Lady, quickly descended into panic as Secret Service agents engaged the suspect.
“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service,” Trump said shortly after the incident, later describing the attacker as a “would-be assassin.”
According to CBS News, Allen opened fire outside the ballroom where the president and other officials were gathered, discharging between five and eight rounds during the incident. The president and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated, and no attendees suffered serious injuries.
At least one Secret Service agent was struck by gunfire but was protected by a ballistic vest and is expected to recover. Officials say the suspect was subdued at the scene and taken into custody without being fatally wounded.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/d-c-police-say-suspect-in-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooting-appears-to-be-a-lone-actor-262130245620">Investigators</a> say Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. Washington, D.C., interim police chief Jeff Carroll confirmed the suspect was believed to have been staying at the hotel, giving him a potential pathway past earlier layers of security.
“At this point, it does appear he is a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll said, noting the investigation remains ongoing.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran defended the response, emphasizing that the layered security posture functioned as intended in stopping the attacker before he could reach the main event space.
Still, the breach is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of security protocols at major political gatherings, particularly given the high-profile nature of the correspondents’ dinner.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/26/correspondents-dinner-shooting-trump-blanche-00892236">said</a>, “It appears he purchased these firearms the past couple years. We don’t know how those firearms ended up in his possession in D.C.” Federal agents were seen conducting a search of his Torrance residence late Saturday night as part of the ongoing investigation.
Allen’s background adds another layer to the story. According to law enforcement sources, he earned a mechanical engineering degree from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 and later completed a master’s degree in computer science at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He was working as an instructor with C2 Education, a national tutoring and test preparation firm, and had been recognized internally as “Teacher of the Month” in late 2024.
Federal Election Commission records also show a $25 donation from an individual matching his profile to ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform, in October 2024.
Authorities have also confirmed that Allen&#8217;s social media footprint included &#8220;anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric,&#8221; and he&#8217;d <a href="https://x.com/SteveGuest/status/2048399274799517950">shared posts</a> on leftwing site Bluesky calling for Trump to be &#8220;immediately removed from office and tried for high crimes.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Law enforcement confirmed to CBS that Cole Allen&#8217;s social media contained &#8220;anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/oTpT3vEjnr">pic.twitter.com/oTpT3vEjnr</a>
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/2048413833929130379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Despite the emerging personal details, authorities have not established a definitive motive. Blanche said investigators believe Allen was targeting members of the Trump administration, though not any specific individual.
“He was trying to just breach his way in and take whoever he could,” one law enforcement source said.
Trump, for his part, downplayed any connection to ongoing geopolitical tensions, saying he did not believe the attack was linked to the U.S.-Israel conflict involving Iran.
The incident is the latest in a series of threats and attempted attacks targeting the president in recent years, underscoring persistent security concerns around major political events. Officials were quick to emphasize that the system ultimately worked, with the suspect stopped before reaching his intended target area.
Allen remains in federal custody and is expected to be arraigned in the coming days. Investigators continue to examine his movements, communications, and potential planning in the lead-up to the attack as authorities work to determine how the breach occurred and whether any warning signs were missed.

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Drew Berkemeyer