Block, the parent company of Cash App and Square, announced Thursday it will be laying off more than 4,000 employees — a move that sent the company&#8217;s stock up 25% in after-hours trading.
For most companies, laying off nearly half the workforce would send stockholders into a panic, tanking the stock within minutes of the announcement. But in 2026, investors in Block appear to have the opposite perspective — viewing humans as a liability in the modern economy, thanks in large part to the AI revolution.
Block CEO Jack Dorsey <a href="https://x.com/jack/status/2027129697092731343?s=20">said</a> in a statement on X that the layoffs did not happen “because we&#8217;re in trouble,” but rather because “something has changed.”
“We&#8217;re already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working which fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company [sic]. and that&#8217;s accelerating rapidly,” Dorsey said.
Dorsey viewed job cuts resulting from AI implementation as inevitable and chose to rip off the band-aid.
“i had two options: cut gradually over months or years as this shift plays out, or be honest about where we are and act on it now [sic]. i chose the latter,” Dorsey said. “repeated rounds of cuts are destructive to morale, to focus, and to the trust that customers and shareholders place in our ability to lead [sic].”
The layoffs are part of a broader shakeout in tech, where companies including Salesforce, CrowdStrike, Pinterest, and Chegg are shedding workers as AI absorbs key functions.
In a letter to shareholders, Dorsey predicted that, within the next year, “the majority of companies will reach the same conclusion and make similar structural changes.”
Block’s Q4 <a href="https://s29.q4cdn.com/628966176/files/doc_financials/2025/q4/Q4-2025-Shareholder-Letter_Block.pdf">numbers</a> were otherwise in the green, with gross profit increasing 24% year-over-year. Block CFO Amrita Ahuja told investors that the cuts are necessary “for our next phase of long-term growth.”
&#8220;We are choosing to shift how we operate at a time when our business is accelerating and we see an opportunity to move faster with smaller, highly talented teams using AI to automate more work,&#8221; Ahuja said.

Business investment and AI artificial intelligence data analysis technology. Businessman and robot future investor, stock market, forex, and crypto currency finance investment.

4,000 Jobs Gone — So Why Does The Market Love It?

Artificial Intelligence

Economy

Jack Dorsey

Stock Market

U.S.

The armed intruder who was shot dead on Sunday after attempting to breach Mar-a-lago has been identified after being reported missing by his family.
Austin Tucker Martin, who was reported missing by his family on Saturday, was identified as the man armed with a shotgun and a gas can attempting to breach Mar-a-Lago, law enforcement sources <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/22/us-news/mar-a-lago-shotgun-wielding-madman-idd-as-north-carolina-golf-course-artist/">told</a> the New York Post.
Martin’s family has been desperately searching for Martin since Saturday, according to the Post’s review of Martin and his family&#8217;s social media accounts.
Martin’s social media reveals an obsession with drawing golf courses in the Sandhurst region of England, as well as local courses surrounding his hometown of Cameron, North Carolina.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/armed-intruder-with-shotgun-sparks-deadly-secret-service-response-at-mar-a-lago?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jordan+Schroeder&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Armed+Intruder+With+Shotgun+Sparks+Deadly+Secret+Service+Response+At+Mar-A-Lago">reported</a>, the shooting happened at around 1:30 a.m. when Secret Service agents, alongside a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, responded to an unauthorized breach near the north gate of the property.
Authorities said the suspect was carrying what looked like a shotgun and a fuel can when he was confronted. Shots were fired after Martin refused to drop the shotgun and gas can, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
President Trump and his family were not on the property during the incident, the Secret Service confirmed.
No agents or deputies were injured during the incident, and the FBI director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is investigating the shooting.
&#8220;[The] FBI is dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident at President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago — where an armed individual was shot and killed after unlawfully entering the perimeter,&#8221; the director <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2025596613738000645">said</a> on X. &#8220;We will continue working closely with @SecretService as well our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able.&#8221;

Missing North Carolina Man Identified As Armed Intruder Shot Dead At Mar-A-Lago

Crime

Donald Trump

Mar-a-Lago

Political Violence

Secret Service

Shooting

A Nashville charter school threatened a first-grade teacher with termination after he refused to read an LGBTQ book about same-sex marriage to his class, according to a legal advocacy group.
KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary issued a “Final Warning” to Eric Rivera, a Christian first-grade teacher, after he declined to read a book featuring a same-sex married couple and child in the language arts curriculum, despite having no previous disciplinary history, according to First Liberty Institute.
Rivera requested a religious accommodation after discovering the LGBTQ book in the curriculum, according to a demand <a href="https://firstliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Eric-Rivera-FINAL-Demand-Letter62_Redacted.pdf">letter</a> First Liberty sent to KIPP Nashville on behalf of Rivera.
&#8220;Mr. Rivera asked a colleague to read the book to his class of first-graders, while he remained in the classroom to observe — a substitution that Mr. Rivera believed would be workable and accepted,” the demand letter said.
School officials denied his request, summoned him to the principal’s office, and threatened his job, the demand letter claims.
The “Final Warning” letter accused Rivera of failing to meet the “expectation” of teaching the curriculum “with fidelity” and said that as a result of his conduct, students would “miss content aligned with the scope of the unit” — even though a substitute teacher was still teaching the curriculum to students.
“[T]he principal indicated that the belief in same-sex marriage is so fundamental to the language arts unit that Mr. Rivera could not possibly be permitted to teach any portion of the unit, and therefore had to be removed from the first grade classroom,&#8221; according to First Liberty&#8217;s letter.
The school’s letter concluded with a further threat of disciplinary action, including termination, and stated, “A copy of this unsatisfactory notice is being placed in your personnel file.”
“Requiring a teacher violate their religious beliefs in order to keep their job is blatant discrimination that violates the Civil Rights Act,” <a href="https://firstliberty.org/media/nashville-first-grade-teacher-banished-from-classroom-after-asking-accommodation-from-pro-same-sex-marriage-book/">said</a> Cliff Martin, Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute. “Our client cares deeply about his students and simply has a religious objection to teaching certain lessons and asked for a simple religious accommodation. The school has sent the message that anyone who has a traditional view of marriage is unfit to teach first grade.”
First Liberty accused the school of potentially violating Tennessee law by failing to disclose two books listed in the &#8220;LGBTQ+ Books&#8221; category on Amazon to parents.
&#8220;Both of the books to which Mr. Rivera objected require parental notification under Tennessee law, and to our knowledge, none was given. Accordingly, based on our understanding of KIPP’s practices, KIPP should review whether it is in compliance with its obligations to parents under Tennessee and federal law,&#8221; the letter said.
First Liberty’s letter to the school on behalf of Rivera demands that KIPP remove the &#8220;Final Warning&#8221; from Rivera&#8217;s personnel file, cease religious discrimination, and commit to accommodating religious employees who object to reading materials that conflict with their faith.

image

Nashville Charter School Threatened To Fire First-Grade Teacher For Refusing To Read LGBTQ Book

LGBT

Public Schools

Religious Freedom

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are in for a hefty California tax bill following their 29-13 drubbing of the New England Patriots on Sunday, with some players expected to pay more in taxes than their Super Bowl earnings.
Each Seahawks player receives an individual bonus of $178,000 as negotiated by the NFL Players Association, while Patriots players will each receive $108,000.
Both Super Bowl teams are subject to California’s notorious “Jock Tax” imposed on out-of-state professional athletes, which will tax both respective teams on income from the eight “duty days” spent practicing and playing in the Golden State.
Jeffrey Degner, a research fellow in economics at the American Institute for Economic Research, told FOX Business that this tax alone will cut the average player’s Super Bowl bonuses in half at a minimum — without even taking into account additional state and federal taxes.
&#8220;What that means here is that the winning team, their take-home pay will be approximately $86,000. If you&#8217;re on the losing side, the take-home would be about $49,800,&#8221; Degner <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/super-bowl-lx-players-lose-thousands-californias-jock-tax-athlete-income">told</a> FOX Business.
Each “duty day” includes any day spent in California practicing, participating in team meetings, traveling, playing in a game, or doing media events. The state taxes each player by applying the ratio of their duty days in the state to their total duty days overall, then claiming that share of the player’s income.
&#8220;The players have a really complex tax situation where they can have 10 or more different states that they&#8217;re having to file taxes for,&#8221; Degner said. &#8220;This is why a lot of these young players, it&#8217;s really important for teams to settle them in with sharp financial advisors and tax advisors so that they don&#8217;t lose their shirts, so to speak.&#8221;
Sport business reporter Kurt Badenhausen <a href="https://www.sportico.com/law/analysis/2026/patriots-seahawks-super-bowl-2026-california-taxes-1234883101/">estimates</a> that Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, with 8+ duty days taxed out of his massive three-year, $105 million deal with Seattle and a $178,000 bonus, will pay $249,000 in California state taxes.
Stanford University Finance Professor and Hoover Institution Fellow Joshua Rauh commented on the numbers, sarcastically complimenting California&#8217;s tax system for ensuring the &#8220;incentive to win is preserved&#8221; by taxing the Super Bowl loser more than the winner.
&#8220;If his team wins, Darnold will receive $178k and pay $249k to California in taxes for his time here, losing $71k. If his team loses he gets $103k and still pays over $235k in taxes, losing $135k. I presume California is declaring victory, as his incentive to win is preserved,&#8221; Rauh <a href="https://x.com/joshrauh/status/2020208377515941905?s=20">quipped</a>.
California has the highest state income tax rate in the nation, while several states with NFL stadiums — including Tennessee, Texas, and Florida — impose no income tax on their residents or visitors, leading many to question whether future Super Bowls should be held in California.

Newsom/Lombardi

California Taxes Could Cost NFL Stars More Than Their Entire Super Bowl Paychecks

California Taxes May Cost NFL Stars More Than Their Entire Super Bowl Paychecks

California

Income tax

Sports

Super Bowl

Taxes

The United Nations is at serious risk of “imminent financial collapse” after President Trump slashed U.S. funding last month, Secretary-General António Guterres warned in a letter.
In a letter sent to all 193 member states last week, Guterres warned that the U.N. could run out of money by July. &#8220;I cannot overstate the urgency of the situation we now face. We cannot execute budgets with uncollected funds, nor return funds we never received,&#8221; the secretary-general <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr579mdv4m7o">wrote</a>, according to the BBC.
President Trump pulled out of UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency; the World Health Organization; and the U.N. Human Rights Council in January, citing waste, mismanagement, and a lack of financial commitment from other countries.
“We walked away from WHO, the World Health Organization; UNRWA, the U.N. agency in Gaza that’s been completely infiltrated by Hamas. We walked out of it and defunded that, too. The so-called human rights councils that cater to countries like North Korea and Venezuela and Iran. We’ve walked away from that,” United States Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-waltz-says-the-trump-administration-has-a-plan-to-save-the-united-nations">told</a> The Daily Wire in December. “It’s really about focusing our effort on the parts that align with an America First agenda and defunding and walking away from the rest of it — the nonsense.”
The U.S., previously the U.N.&#8217;s largest contributor, did not pay its regular budget contribution in 2025 and provided only 30% of the expected funding for U.N. peacekeeping operations. In December, the U.S. pledged $2 billion to U.N. humanitarian programs, a fraction of the $17 billion it spent in 2022, according to the BBC.
“[The U.N.] needs to get back to basics, stop with all of the other nonsense, trying to do everything for everybody all over the world. Stop with the focus on climate, stop with the focus on gender and all of these other social issues, regardless of how you feel about them, and let’s get back to peace,” Waltz said.
Prior to recent funding reductions, U.S. taxpayers had been providing 22% of the U.N.&#8217;s regular budget, more than the next three highest contributors <a href="https://www.cfr.org/articles/funding-united-nations-what-impact-do-us-contributions-have-un-agencies-and-programs">combined</a>.
President Trump has shifted his focus to his newly established Board of Peace, which is intended to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-asked-putin-to-join-his-board-of-peace-heres-what-that-means">oversee</a> the technocratic transitional government for Gaza, among other geopolitical objectives.
The Board has a $1 billion permanent membership fee, and with 60+ countries invited, is seen by many as a potential challenger to the United Nations.
Several other major donor nations have also announced funding reductions. The United Kingdom and Germany have implemented significant cuts to their foreign aid budgets, further compounding the U.N.&#8217;s financial troubles.
Guterres’ letter described the current crisis as &#8220;categorically different&#8221; from previous financial challenges, noting that only 77% of assessed contributions were paid in 2025, leaving billions in unpaid dues.
The Secretary-General concluded that the “integrity of the entire system” depends on all nations honoring their &#8220;assessed contributions,” and should the budget shortfalls remain unaddressed, the U.N. must &#8220;fundamentally overhaul our financial rules to prevent an imminent financial collapse.&#8221;

World Leaders Gather For The 80th Session Of The United Nations General Assembly

United Nations Chief Warns Of ‘Imminent Financial Collapse’ After Trump Slashes Funding

America First

Board of Peace

foreign affairs

Global Politics

Mike Waltz

Politics

Trump Administration

United Nations

U.S. envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over three hours to discuss a potential deal aimed at ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
Trump confidants Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with newly-appointed Board of Peace senior advisor Josh Greunbaum, met with Putin at midnight Thursday as the World Economic Forum in Davos comes to a close.
A video clip shared by the Kremlin on Telegram showed Putin, joined by his foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, and special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, shaking hands with the envoys prior to the meeting.
The group discussed the 20-point peace plan to end the Russian invasion, which has been held up due to key disagreements on Russian demands for land in Eastern Ukraine, much of which Ukraine has successfully defended at this point in the war.
The outcome of the meeting was unclear in the immediate aftermath of the talks, which were held shortly after President Trump said a deal was &#8220;reasonably close&#8221; and Witkoff <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-meets-us-envoys-late-night-talks-ukraine-2026-01-22/">said</a> a deal hinged on one last issue, according to Reuters.
Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hours earlier at Davos, describing the conversation as &#8220;good&#8221; to reporters aboard Air Force One.
&#8220;We&#8217;re discussing things that have been discussed for six or seven months, and he [Zelensky] came, and he said he wants to make a deal because I wasn&#8217;t necessarily sure. I think he should want to make a deal,” Trump said. “President Putin would like to make a deal. I think that President Zelensky would like to make a deal.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his meeting with President Zelensky in Davos: &#8220;We&#8217;re discussing things that have been discussed for six or seven months and he came and he said he wants to make a deal because I wasn&#8217;t necessarily sure. I think he should want to make a deal.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/89LxjlmJTs">pic.twitter.com/89LxjlmJTs</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014494433190817922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Zelensky blasted European leaders during his Davos speech on Thursday for what he called their inaction against Putin.
&#8220;Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today,&#8221; Zelensky <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-22/putin-starts-kremlin-talks-with-us-envoys-witkoff-and-kushner">said</a>. &#8220;Where is the line of leaders who are ready to act?&#8221;

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-CONFLICT-US-DIPLOMACY

Trump Pushes Ukraine Peace Deal As Kushner, Witkoff Hold Talks With Putin

Davos

Jared Kushner

Russia

Steve Witkoff

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

A record-high 45% of Americans identified as political independents last year, with both Democrats and Republicans tied at 27% in party identification, according to a Gallup poll released Monday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A record-high 45% of U.S. adults identified as political independents in 2025, surpassing the 43% measured in 2014, 2023 and 2024. <a href="https://t.co/1vKF7J2RnE">pic.twitter.com/1vKF7J2RnE</a>
— Gallup (@Gallup) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gallup/status/2010775854117171569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/700499/new-high-identify-political-independents.aspx">survey</a>, which interviewed 13,000 respondents over the course of 2025, found that 45% of Americans are political independents. Of that 45%, 20% lean Democratic, 15% lean Republican, and the remaining 10% expressed no partisan preference — a three-point decline in Republican leaners and a three-point increase in Democratic leaners compared with 2024.
The five-point Democratic advantage among independent leaners erodes what had been a key GOP edge during the 2024 election cycle, returning party identification to the levels seen in Trump&#8217;s first term.
Despite this unfavorable shift in party preference, more Americans in 2025 described their political views as &#8220;very conservative&#8221; or &#8220;conservative&#8221; (35%) than as &#8220;very liberal&#8221; or &#8220;liberal&#8221; (28%), with 33% identifying as &#8220;moderate.&#8221;
The Gallup poll showed a stark contrast in party identification across generations. Majorities of Gen Z adults (56%) and millennials (53%) identified as political independents in 2025, compared with just 33% of baby boomers and 30% of Silent Generation adults.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In 2025, majorities of Gen Z adults and millennials identified as political independents, as did more than four in 10 Gen X adults.
One-third or less of baby boomers and Silent Generation adults were politically independent. <a href="https://t.co/5JxXbwqyuU">pic.twitter.com/5JxXbwqyuU</a>
— Gallup (@Gallup) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gallup/status/2011087055733080219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The 56% of Gen Z adults identifying as independents today substantially exceeds the 47% of millennials who did so in 2012 and the 40% of Gen X adults in 1992.
Gallup notes that the shift does not indicate Americans are warming to the Democratic Party, as &#8220;favorable ratings of the Democratic Party are no better than those of the Republican Party.&#8221; Instead, the polling organization suggests these changes appear to be &#8220;a consequence of one party&#8217;s association with an unpopular incumbent president,&#8221; a pattern that has led to frequent changes in party power in recent federal election cycles.

Democrats vs. Republicans

Independent Voters Hit Record High As Both Parties Lose Ground: Poll

2026 Midterms

Democratic Party

Elections

polling

Polls

Republican Party

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting voted Monday to dissolve itself after Republicans in Congress rescinded $1.1 billion in federal funding, cutting off the primary government revenue stream that has long sustained NPR and PBS.
The CPB began <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/corporation-for-public-broadcasting-to-shut-down-after-trump-congress-pull-federal-funding">winding down</a> operations in August, notifying 100 employees that most staff positions would be eliminated by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, with Monday&#8217;s vote making the closure official.
In a press release, the CPB <a href="https://cpb.org/pressroom/corporation-public-broadcasting-board-votes-dissolve-organization-act-responsible">said</a> the decision resulted directly from &#8220;Congress&#8217;s rescission of all of CPB&#8217;s federal funding and comes after sustained political attacks that made it impossible for CPB to continue operating as the Public Broadcasting Act intended.&#8221;
President Donald Trump formally called on Congress to cancel public broadcaster funding over the next two years via a rescission request after the 2024 election. Congress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-house-delivers-trumps-9b-cut-to-global-aid-and-public-broadcasting-gets-final-approval">approved</a> that plan in mid-July, taking back $1.1 billion earmarked for public broadcasters over the next two years.
&#8220;It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions [sic] Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN &amp; MSDNC put together,&#8221; Trump said in a post on Truth Social in mid-July.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was created in 1967 to support radio stations in underserved areas. In recent years, conservatives have criticized the agency for funneling millions of dollars annually to NPR and PBS.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, a Media Research Center (MRC) study found the taxpayer-funded PBS program &#8220;Washington Week with The Atlantic&#8221; consistently exhibited a staggering 93% negative bias against Republicans and the Trump administration over three months, despite claiming to provide &#8220;objective&#8221; political coverage.
&#8220;The panelists spent 83 minutes opining on Republicans, focusing on Trump and his administration, in 93% negative fashion (77 minutes negative, six minutes positive),&#8221; the MRC report reads.
House Republicans grilled NPR chief executive Katherine Maher in July on the organization&#8217;s bias against conservatives, focusing in particular on the cover-up of the Hunter Biden laptop story during the 2020 election — claims Maher attempted to walk back.
Former NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner, who resigned after publishing an essay critical of the network&#8217;s leftward shift, was referenced by Republican lawmakers as further evidence of the outlet&#8217;s bias, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/npr-editor-who-accused-network-of-liberal-bias-resigns">reported</a>.
In a text message to The New York Times, Berliner wrote that he believes the organization should &#8220;openly acknowledge and embrace its progressive orientation&#8221; and decline federal support, contradicting Maher&#8217;s claims of NPR&#8217;s supposed objectivity.

NPR building

Bye Bye, Big Bird? Corporation For Public Broadcasting Votes To Dissolve After Trump Cuts Funding

Corporation For Public Broadcasting Votes To Dissolve After Trump Cuts Funding

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

News

Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was seen as a formidable challenger to incumbent New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, abruptly suspended her gubernatorial campaign Friday and is taking a step back from politics.
&#8220;While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress,&#8221; Stefanik <a href="https://x.com/EliseStefanik/status/2002121519342793163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">wrote</a> on X.
Stefanik&#8217;s choice stems from the unexpected entry of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman into the Republican primary for governor, a move Stefanik says would inevitably lead to a costly and ultimately unnecessary primary battle.
Blakeman jumped into the primary despite a phone call from President Trump warning him against challenging Stefanik, whom the president endorsed emphatically earlier this year.
&#8220;[W]hile we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,&#8221; Stefanik said.
With her congressional term ending in 2027, Stefanik hopes to focus her attention on motherhood and other personal goals.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. I believe that being a parent is life&#8217;s greatest gift and greatest responsibility,&#8221; Stefanik said. &#8220;I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don&#8217;t further focus on my young son&#8217;s safety, growth, and happiness &#8211; particularly at his tender age.&#8221;
The Harvard grad was once considered a rising star in the Republican Party and even a potential running mate for President Trump in 2024, but Stefanik has had a challenging year.
Stefanik gave up her leadership position and her spot on the House Intel committee earlier this year to accept the position of U.N. ambassador — only for the offer to be rescinded after Trump feared losing her House seat in the ensuing special election, eating into the Republicans&#8217; razor-thin House majority.
&#8220;I am incredibly grateful to the people of New York&#8217;s 21st District for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress. Thank you to my dedicated staff over the past decade. I am proud of the significant results that we successfully delivered for the hardworking families in our district and across America,&#8221; Stefanik concluded. &#8220;It has been a tremendous professional honor to serve as your Congresswoman over the past eleven years.&#8221;

Elise Stefanik

ELECTION SHOCK: Elise Stefanik Drops Out Of New York Governor’s Race

Kathy Hochul

New York

The suspect in the Brown University shooting has been found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a New Hampshire storage facility, according to Fox News.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Police chief identifies Brown University shooting suspect in press conference after he&#8217;s found dead. <a href="https://t.co/rK8R6ouaAh">pic.twitter.com/rK8R6ouaAh</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2001846650323841230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez identified the suspect as Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, whose last known address was in Miami.
Valente is a legal permanent resident who attended Brown as a physics student in 2001. He re-entered the country in 2017 as a green card holder. Authorities believe he acted alone.
<div id="attachment_1017563" style="width: 497px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1017563" class="wp-image-1017563 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-487x576.jpeg" alt="" width="487" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-487x576.jpeg 487w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-254x300.jpeg 254w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2-768x907.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Claudio-Manuel-Neves-Valente-2.jpeg 1206w" sizes=" (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px" />Image via Providence Police Dept.</div>
Authorities confirmed that Valente killed MIT professor Nuno Loureiro in his home, less than 50 miles from Brown University. Valente previously attended the same university program as Loureiro in 1995, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Law enforcement traced the suspect to a rental car location in Boston, and then to a storage facility in New Hampshire, where he was found deceased via a self-inflicted gunshot wound, along with the satchel seen on video footage and two firearms.
This marks the end of a 6-day-long manhunt that spanned three states and involved local, federal, and state law enforcement.
“I know this has been hard on all of us over the past five days,” Providence Mayor Smiley said at a Thursday night press conference. “Minutes have felt like hours, but the people of Providence have done what we’re best at – we’ve leaned on one another, come together and supported one another, and showed the nation what a tight knit community looks like.”
“Tonight our Providence neighbors can breathe a little easier,” Smiley said.
The Rhode Island press conference has yet to mention the shooting of an MIT professor. A separate news conference is planned in Boston around 10:30 p.m. EST.

Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente

Brown Shooting Suspect Found Dead By Suicide, Identity Released By Authorities

Brown University

New Hampshire

Police

Law enforcement is swarming a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, after locating an abandoned car linked to the Brown University shooting suspect.
Authorities believe the identified license plate matches the vehicle used in the Monday killing of an MIT professor in his home, less than 50 miles from Brown University, according to CNN.
Officers equipped with night vision and long rifles have surrounded the facility, and Fox News National Correspondent Brooke Taylor <a href="https://x.com/Brooketaylortv/status/2001816919813296600?s=20">reports</a> that local and federal law enforcement are preparing to enter the building after reviewing surveillance footage.
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Police were visible outside a building in Salem, New Hampshire. The activity was believed to be related to the Brown University shooting. Sources told NBC 10 earlier that the person of interest had been identified.<a href="https://t.co/rPZVMYxuU8">https://t.co/rPZVMYxuU8</a> <a href="https://t.co/miv8QBm5dF">pic.twitter.com/miv8QBm5dF</a>
— NBC 10 WJAR (@NBC10) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBC10/status/2001809038695104915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sources told Fox News that video surveillance shows the suspect entering the facility, but it is currently unclear if he ever left. Police have obtained a warrant to search the facility, per the New York Times.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Sources on the ground tell me that the suspected shooter has a storage unit under his name, in the facility where the abandoned car was found in New Hampshire. Agents have entered the facility but NOT his unit. Video shows him going into the storage facility at some…
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brooketaylortv/status/2001829086935544040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Salem Police Department issued an alert to residents regarding the police activity at the storage facility, stating they are assisting several federal agencies with “an active and ongoing investigation.”
“At this time, there is no information indicating an imminent risk to the public or residents of Salem,” police said. “However, we encourage everyone to remain vigilant and exercise heightened caution.”
Police are urging residents to report anyone who appears “out of place, unfamiliar to the area or behaving in a manner that seems unusual or suspicious.”
The news conference on the Brown University shooting investigation, scheduled initially at 4 p.m. EST Thursday, has been delayed.
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Shooting At Brown University In Providence Leaves Multiple People Dead And Injured

Police Surround New Hampshire Storage Facility Linked To Suspected Brown University Shooter

Police have identified a person of interest in Saturday’s shooting at Brown University, according to multiple outlets.
Law enforcement is now searching for the identified person of interest, with Boston 25 <a href="https://x.com/Bward3/status/2001786193424650550?s=20">reporting</a> that the manhunt is now centered on Salem, New Hampshire. Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/brown-university-mass-shooting-manhunt-gunman-12-18-2025">reports</a> that police now have an arrest warrant for the individual, whom authorities have not publicly named.
Law enforcement believes the identified car is the same make and model of the vehicle used in the Monday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-investigating-potential-connection-between-brown-university-mit-shootings?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Police+Investigating+Potential+Connection+Between+Brown+University%2C+MIT+Shootings">killing</a> of an MIT professor in his home, less than 50 miles from Brown University.
Boston 25 <a href="https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/brown-university-reports-active-shooter/">spotted</a> FBI agents and members of state police surrounding an unspecified location in Salem shortly before 7:00 p.m. Local reporter Ted Daniel <a href="https://x.com/TedDanielnews/status/2001802115321336073?s=20">reports</a> that officers in the area are equipped with long guns and night vision.
On Saturday, an unidentified gunman killed two Brown University students — Ella Cook and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov — and injured nine others after opening fire inside Brown’s Barus &amp; Holley engineering building.
48 hours later, an assailant shot MIT professor Nuno Loureiro multiple times inside his Brookline, Massachusetts, home.
Authorities have yet to identify suspects in either case publicly, and initially stated in a Tuesday press briefing that there “seems to be no connection” between the two shootings.
Surveillance footage from Brown University captured the alleged shooting suspect — wearing a dark jacket, mask, and hat — walking around campus for hours before the attack around 4 p.m. Saturday. Multiple law enforcement agencies have expanded their search for video evidence, releasing a new map that widens the area of interest around the university.
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ENHANCED VIDEO: We are releasing an enhanced video of the person of interest in the Brown University incident. Footage was captured on the East Side of Providence on Saturday afternoon before the incident.
Please share widely and contact the official tip line if you have… <a href="https://t.co/mewBSflOiO">pic.twitter.com/mewBSflOiO</a>
— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProvidenceRIPD/status/2001035754898653196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A second person of interest was identified on Wednesday, depicted wearing a blue jacket and green hood, carrying a white satchel in the area of the shooting.
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ENHANCED PHOTO: Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying and speaking to the individual shown in this photo who was in proximity of the person of interest.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the tip line at 401-272-3121. <a href="https://t.co/D1reRPCdZV">pic.twitter.com/D1reRPCdZV</a>
— Providence Police (@ProvidenceRIPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProvidenceRIPD/status/2001390136857178172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The search for the person of interest comes after law enforcement <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-recover-dna-evidence-from-brown-university-shooting-scene?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Police+Recover+DNA+Evidence+From+Brown+University+Shooting+Scene">recovered</a> physical evidence — including live ammunition and DNA — from the scene of the mass shooting.
The news conference on the Brown University shooting investigation, scheduled initially at 4 p.m. EST Thursday, has been delayed, a spokesman for the Providence mayor <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brown-university-shooting-suspect-12-18-25?post-id=cmjbvx0ot00003b6qsaezw3sb">told</a> CNN.

Brown Suspects

Person Of Interest Identified In Brown Shooting, Manhunt Underway

Rhode Island

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Nathan Gay