The wife of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner discovered that her husband had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with multiple women and flagged the texts for Platner&#8217;s campaign last year, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
Platner&#8217;s wife Amy Gertner flagged the messages for some of Platner&#8217;s aides in August 2025, but the campaign ultimately decided to keep the scandal under wraps and label it a personal matter between the couple and their marriage counselor, the Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/graham-platners-wife-flagged-sexually-explicit-texts-to-his-senate-campaign-628ec832">reported</a>.
The messages came to light within the Platner campaign just before he appeared on stage with democratic-socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for a Labor Day weekend rally where Sanders officially endorsed the leftist&#8217;s Senate bid. Exactly how many women Platner exchanged sexually charged messages with was not specified in the Journal&#8217;s reporting.
Platner tied the knot with Gertner in fall 2024, and she first discovered the sexually explicit messages just months later in spring 2025. Gertner told the Journal that she and her husband worked through the infidelity, and their &#8220;marriage today is stronger than ever before.&#8221;
“We did the hard work that marriage requires. We went to counseling. We were honest with each other in ways that weren’t easy,” she said. “And we came through it, not in spite of how much we’ve been through, but because of how much we love each other and the life we’ve built.&#8221;
&#8220;I know who Graham is. I know the man I married and the husband he has been to me on the best and the worst days of my life. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t,&#8221; she added.
National Democrats have rallied behind Platner, pushing him as a political outsider and lowly &#8220;oyster farmer&#8221; who&#8217;s prepared to be a thorn in the side to Republicans.
The text revelations, however, add yet another scandal to a campaign defined by Platner&#8217;s long list of disturbing comments and actions that include defending his Nazi tattoo, mocking a wounded American soldier, and making derogatory comments about women. Earlier this month, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-candidate-complained-about-thai-prostitute-loophole-closing?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dem+Candidate+Complained+About+Thai+Prostitute+%E2%80%98Loophole%E2%80%99+Closing">reported</a> that Platner once lamented the closing of a loophole that allowed military contractors to save money on taxes by spending their time off “banging hookers in Thailand.”
“Spend your leave banging hookers in Thailand instead of getting b*tched at by the wife back home, and you could sell it as avoiding federal income tax,” Platner wrote on Reddit in June 2019. “Once the Afghans started using our paychecks as a personal piggy bank, that whole loophole disappeared.”
Platner is expected to cruise to victory in the Democratic primary in Maine on June 9 after his top Democratic opponent, Governor Janet Mills, suspended her campaign last month. Platner also holds a polling lead over Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.

Graham Platner

Graham Platner Caught By Wife Exchanging Raunchy Texts With Women

Democrats

graham platner

Maine

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump suggested that he would take the place of multiple &#8220;third rate&#8221; artists who have dropped out of the Freedom 250 concert planned for next month, calling himself &#8220;the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World.&#8221;
At least five artists <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-the-america-250-concert-reveals-about-our-broken-political-culture">pulled out</a> of the concert earlier this week, claiming that the event has become too politicized. After the Great American State Fair announced the lineup, artists Morris Day &amp; The Time, Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Young MC, and the Commodores all announced they had changed their minds about performing at one of America&#8217;s 250th anniversary celebrations, which begin next month.
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116664367963376218">suggested</a> on Saturday that the concert might be replaced by an &#8220;America is Back&#8221; rally.
&#8220;I understand Artists are getting &#8216;the yips&#8217; having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate &#8216;Artists,&#8217; and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!&#8221; he wrote on Truth Social.
Some of the artists scheduled to perform have remained committed to the concert, but with the loss of five headline singers, the Freedom 250 event could be forced to make major last-minute changes to the programming.
&#8220;I don’t want so-called &#8216;Artists&#8217; that get paid far too much money, who aren’t happy,&#8221; Trump added on Saturday. &#8220;I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN.&#8221;
The artists who dropped out complained about so-called partisanship in the concert programming, arguing that it was a Trump-backed event.
&#8220;The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event. And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed. I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged,&#8221; Young MC said.
Michaels released a similar statement and added that he and his team had faced threats after it was announced that he was performing.
&#8220;Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable.&#8221;
Freedom 250, the nonprofit dedicated to uniting Americans around the nation&#8217;s 250th anniversary, said the concert will be non-political.
&#8220;Freedom 250 is focused on our signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans — welcoming all who share our goal of commemorating this milestone in a way that uplifts and unites America,&#8221; spokeswoman Rachel Reisner told CBS News.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Hints At New Programming For Freedom 250 Concert After ‘Third Rate’ Artists Drop Out

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Freedom 250

Music

A Washington Nationals executive was fired this week after he claimed on a hidden-camera video that an outspoken Christian pitcher was excluded from some of the team&#8217;s promotional content because of his religious views.
The Nationals fired Sean Hudson, its director of community relations, after undercover journalist James O&#8217;Keefe posted a video showing Hudson admit to blacklisting pitcher Trevor Williams from the team&#8217;s social media content.
&#8220;One of our pitchers, Trevor Williams, he is very Catholic,&#8221; Hudson said on the hidden camera video.
The former Nationals executive then provided an example of why he avoided featuring Williams for the team&#8217;s promotional content.
&#8220;The Dodgers had a group out to the stadium who were drag queens who sometimes dressed up as nuns. He went on social media [and wrote], ‘This is wrong. This is my religion. You all are mocking it.&#8217; Because of that, we don&#8217;t use him on social [media],&#8221; Hudson said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-dodgers-will-honor-drag-group-mocking-catholics-sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence">condemned</a> by Christians across the country, including multiple MLB players, for inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a drag queen group that mocks Jesus Christ and Christians, to perform at one of their games in 2023.
After Hudson was canned, Washington Nationals President of Business Operations Jason Sinnarajah went on live TV to <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2060560136804954555">apologize</a> to Williams and the team&#8217;s Christian fans for Hudson&#8217;s remarks. He also said Hudson&#8217;s comments were false and &#8220;don&#8217;t reflect us as an organization, our values, who we are.&#8221;
&#8220;We took action right away, and [Hudson] is no longer employed by the team,&#8221; Sinnarajah added.
&#8220;We do not hide players from social media. Even just last week, we featured several players, including Trevor Williams, as part of their visit to the Museum of the Bible,&#8221; Sinnarajah <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2060560136804954555">said</a>.
In the hidden-camera video, Hudson also talked about his disdain for War Secretary Pete Hegseth and said that he prevented some Nationals players from meeting Hegseth after they expressed interest in talking to the top Trump official when he attended a game.
&#8220;We had Pete Hegseth at Space Force Day last year &#8230; and a few players texted me and they were like, &#8216;Is he going to be here after the game? I want to say hi.&#8217; And I&#8217;m like, &#8216;Oh, no he left, he&#8217;s gone, sorry.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING NEWS: Washington <a href="https://x.com/Nationals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nationals</a> Director of Community Relations Admits on Hidden Camera to Active Religious Discrimination Against Starting Pitcher Trevor Williams, Surveillance of Nationals Fans’ Google History, and Segregated LGBTQ+ Corporate Meetings to an O’Keefe… <a href="https://t.co/AWqlq6wXV9">pic.twitter.com/AWqlq6wXV9</a>
— James O&#8217;Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2059322421371605039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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One of the team&#8217;s social media stunts that Hudson claimed specifically excluded Williams was a video of Nationals players being asked whether a hot dog is a sandwich. Williams posted a photo on Instagram on Friday that appeared to reference Hudson&#8217;s comment about the hot dog video. The post showed numerous photos, including one that features a hat that reads &#8220;Bad Day to Be a Hot Dog.&#8221;
In the post, Williams also discussed his reading of 1 Peter chapter four and wrote, &#8220;This entire chapter really addresses the social costs of the faith &#8230; As my friend Fr. Joshua said &#8216;Sometimes we lean into it and bravely bear witness to Christ’s truth; sometimes we dodge it and regret it later, feeling we’ve let Jesus down.'&#8221;

Trevor Williams

MLB Exec Fired After He Claimed To Exclude Christian Player From Team’s Social Media

Baseball

Catholics

Christianity

The exiled daughter of the late communist revolutionary and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro fanned the flames of theories involving her father&#8217;s relationship to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
During an interview with NewsNation host Katie Pavlich on Tuesday, Alina Fernández — one of Castro&#8217;s 11 known children — was asked about rumors that Castro had another child, who grew up in one of Canada&#8217;s most powerful political families.
&#8220;For years, we&#8217;ve heard rumors that Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister of Canada, could be your half-brother. What do you think of that?&#8221; Pavlich asked.
&#8220;The only thing I can say is that his mother used to visit the country very often,&#8221; Fernández replied.
Pavlich said the answer seemed like a &#8220;tell&#8221; and asked whether Fernández would call Trudeau to &#8220;maybe find out.&#8221;
&#8220;No, no. I won&#8217;t do it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;If he wants [to], he&#8217;s going to be welcome, but I won&#8217;t. I think he keeps that to himself, and you have to respect that.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Fidel Castro’s daughter WARNS Cuba will only &#039;implode&#039; if there’s change | Katie Pavlich Tonight" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ldbpEPs7qns?start=348&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Canadian government has sought to put the Castro-Trudeau rumor to rest for years, but the claim continues to resurface.
Many people have linked Trudeau to Castro because of similarities in their facial features, and because Trudeau&#8217;s parents traveled to Cuba in the 1970s. Trudeau&#8217;s parents, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau, had one documented trip to the island country in 1976, five years after Trudeau was born. Pierre Trudeau also struck up a friendship with the communist leader.
The Canadian government has denied claims that Trudeau is the love child of the Cuban dictator, stating that Margaret&#8217;s first and only trip to Cuba occurred during a highly publicized affair in 1976, five years after Trudeau&#8217;s birth. The Cuban government has never claimed that Castro had a child with Margaret Trudeau.
It&#8217;s widely speculated that Castro had far more children than the 11 kids known to the public. Of Castro&#8217;s 11 known children, at least five were conceived during his relationship with a secret partner. Two of his other children were born out of wedlock with two different women, and Fernández was born from an extramarital affair that Castro had with Cuban socialite Natalia Revuelta Clews.
Fernández, who became an anti-communist activist, fled Cuba in 1993 and was granted asylum in the United States.

Justin Trudeau/Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro’s Daughter Has Very Interesting Answer When Asked If Justin Trudeau Is Her Half Brother

Fidel Castro

Justin Trudeau

California&#8217;s federally funded Medicaid program pays for exorcisms, herbal medicines, meal deliveries, and housing, among other services that don&#8217;t appear to be medically essential, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) pointed out this week.
Kennedy brought up California&#8217;s strange Medicaid payments during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday as he questioned Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The Trump administration is engaged in a nationwide effort to root out fraud and has zeroed in on Democrat-run states, including California and Minnesota.
During Tuesday&#8217;s hearing, which focused on the DOJ&#8217;s 2027 budget, Kennedy pointed out that for every $1 that California spends on Medicaid, American taxpayers spend $9 to prop up the system.
&#8220;California will actually pay a healthcare provider, I didn&#8217;t know this was a medical expertise, to pay for exorcisms,&#8221; Kennedy said.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Taxpayer-funded exorcisms? The Medicaid debate just got WILD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w_sTmE-3zeI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Wall Street Journal editorial board brought attention to California&#8217;s exorcism coverage in an op-ed <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/california-medicaid-payments-fraud-jd-vance-cms-mehmet-oz-0fdb051e?mod=opinion_lead_pos1">published</a> last week. In the piece, the Journal pointed out that exorcisms and tribal prayers are covered by Medicaid, along with activities “that support an eligible member’s inclusion in the community.&#8221;
&#8220;California Medicaid program will pay for herbal medicines, meal deliveries. They&#8217;ll pay for housing. I don&#8217;t know what housing has to do with healthcare,&#8221; Kennedy added. &#8220;Is that correct?&#8221;
&#8220;Yes,&#8221; Blanche replied.
&#8220;Were you aware that the Medicaid program, using federal taxpayer money, will pay for an in-home chef?&#8221; Kennedy asked.
&#8220;Yes, if it&#8217;s a family member,&#8221; Blanche said.
&#8220;They&#8217;ll even pay for gymnasium fees in California. They&#8217;ll pay for bicycles, scooters, gym memberships. Did you know that?&#8221; Kennedy asked.
&#8220;Yes,&#8221; Blanche said. &#8220;Several states do, but California does for sure.
California has also used Medicaid funds to repay qualifying individuals&#8217; student loans &#8220;to encourage them to become a healthcare provider,&#8221; according to Kennedy.
&#8220;I was not aware of the student loans repayment,&#8221; Blanche said.
California&#8217;s Medicaid payments have come under the microscope, and the Trump administration froze $1.3 billion in federal funds for the program earlier this month. Vice President JD Vance blasted the state&#8217;s leaders last week, saying, &#8220;The state of California has not taken fraud very seriously.&#8221;
The state&#8217;s Medicaid fund has more than doubled since 2019, currently sitting at $220 billion, which is more than the entire general fund budget of any other state, according to the Journal.
Vance&#8217;s anti-fraud task force has also focused on the Republican-led state of Ohio, following an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-ohios-home-health-empire-7-buildings-288-medicaid-companies-250-million">investigation</a> by Daily Wire reporter Luke Rosiak that uncovered billions of dollars in dubious “personal services” payments, allowing individuals to be paid to spend time with their own family.

Exorcism

Taxpayer-Funded Exorcisms? The Medicaid Debate Just Got Wild

Fraud

John Kennedy

Medicaid

Senate

Todd Blanche

A video released by authorities on Tuesday shows the left engine of a UPS cargo plane burst off the aircraft in a bright flash as it attempted to take off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport last November.
The newly released footage came as the National Transportation Safety Board started a two-day hearing into the crash, which killed three people on board and 12 people on the ground and injured another 23. Airport surveillance video shows the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane&#8217;s left engine and pylon separating from the wing after the aircraft lifts off the runway during takeoff.
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BREAKING: The NTSB has released new CCTV footage of UPS Flight 2976, showing the moment the left engine and its pylon detached from the wing during takeoff from Louisville. <a href="https://t.co/kNc0toEslz">https://t.co/kNc0toEslz</a> <a href="https://t.co/oBIeb6zXAR">pic.twitter.com/oBIeb6zXAR</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2056732930974629931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The plane, which was destined for Honolulu, climbed only about 30 feet off the ground before plunging and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/investigators-release-more-photos-of-ups-plane-crash-find-evidence-of-fatigue-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slamming</a> into a scrap metal recycling center in a massive fireball. It was carrying more than 50,000 gallons of fuel, which caused secondary explosions after impact.
During Tuesday&#8217;s hearing, the NTSB released animations showing how fatigue cracks in the pylon connecting the engine to the wing led to a complete fracture, causing the engine to separate from the plane.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="NTSB Animation - Engine-to-Wing Attachment Design Overview and Findings" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iWkLZjJXaos?start=300&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Federal investigators are now examining reporting systems put in place by UPS and Boeing to flag mechanical issues.
When asked about procedures followed when problems are discovered, UPS Airlines Director of Engineering and Technical Operations David Springer told the NTSB, &#8220;It has to be addressed, per the manual or other engineer document. It has to be closed before that aircraft would be considered airworthy.&#8221;
Among those killed in the November crash were 47-year-old Louisnes Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa. The other victims were identified as Capt. Dana Diamond, 62, Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 57, First Officer Lee Truitt, 45, Angela Anderson, 45, Carlos Fernandez, 52, Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37, Tony Crain, 65, John Loucks, 52, John Spray, 45, Matthew Sweets, 37, Ella Petty Whorton, 31, Megan Washburn, 35. The 15th victim, Alain Rodriguez Colina, 50, died on Christmas Day, weeks after the crash, after battling severe injuries.
The NTSB hearing is expected to focus on &#8220;fleet safety processes&#8221; on Tuesday, then turn to pylon safety requirements on Wednesday.

UPS Cargo Plane Crashes In Louisville

WATCH: Footage Shows Engine Fly Off UPS Plane Before Crash Killed 15

Louisville

Plane Crash

A group of rowdy young people flung chairs and threw punches in a Washington, D.C., Chipotle on Saturday night, just one day after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro vowed to crack down on parents who allow their kids to run wild through the streets.
The chaos in D.C.&#8217;s Navy Yard was captured on camera by a news crew and posted to social media on Sunday. Footage shows at least eight people engaged in a full-blown brawl in the restaurant, with some of the culprits picking up chairs and slamming them into other fighters. Girls were heard screaming in the background, and Chipotle workers watched the fight from behind the counter.
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Massive brawl broke out Friday night at a Chipotle in the Navy Yard area. <a href="https://t.co/xqZTliXWvK">pic.twitter.com/xqZTliXWvK</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2056153477567438871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The brawl took place just across the street from a large gathering of juveniles in a grassy area. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department eventually arrived on the scene and arrested at least one person who was part of the teen gathering, ABC 7 News <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/navy-yard-chipotle-fight-washington-dc-brawl-crime-teen-takeover-caught-on-camera-mpd-investigation-jeanine-pirro-juvenile-curfew-violence-breaking-news-se-violent-restaurant-public-safety-chairs-thrown-in-incident-metropolitan-police-department-zones">reported</a>.
A man who lives in Navy Yard told ABC 7 News that the violent teen gatherings have become &#8220;routine on Saturdays and Friday nights.&#8221;
“It’s not shocking anymore, since this has become routine on Saturdays and Friday nights, but it’s disappointing to know this is still happening,&#8221; Ken Ledet said on Sunday. “I actually come to this Chipotle at least three or four times a week, so thankfully I didn’t come here last night.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-takeovers-turn-blue-cities-into-scenes-from-the-purge">Teen takeovers</a> are plaguing Democrat-run cities across the country, including the nation&#8217;s capital. On Friday, Pirro held a press conference to address the growing issue in Washington, D.C., and issued a warning to parents.
&#8220;Starting today, my office will prosecute parents under D.C.&#8217;s curfew law,&#8221; Pirro said.
“If the evidence shows the parent knew or should have known or permitted or failed to prevent participation, we are going to charge them,” she continued, adding, “If you drop your kid off and you fail to supervise them, or you let them skip school to join the chaos, you are going to face fines, court ordered classes, and possible jail time.”
The D.C. city council recently voted to extend the police chief&#8217;s power to impose an 8:00 p.m. curfew for kids under 18 in certain areas. Navy Yard has become a top spot for teens to meet on the weekends in gatherings that often turn violent. D.C. also has an 11:00 p.m. citywide curfew for juveniles on week nights and a midnight curfew on weekends.

U.S.-WASHINGTON, D.C.-TRUMP-SHOOTING-SUSPECT

Violent Teen Takeover Erupts Inside Chipotle As Officials Promise Parents Won’t Escape Blame

Crime

Teenagers

Trump Administration

Washington D.C.

Chinese officials have made life difficult for White House staffers, American journalists, and Secret Service agents as several chaotic scenes played out on Thursday in Beijing during President Trump&#8217;s visit to the communist nation.
In one incident, a Secret Service agent accompanying the White House press pool was denied entry into a secure area because he was carrying a firearm, which is standard protocol for Secret Service agents providing protection in foreign countries, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/14/world-news/us-chinese-officials-in-shouting-and-shoving-matches-behind-scenes-of-trump-xi-summit/">reported</a>. Chinese officials would only allow the agent to move into the secure area if he handed over his firearm, resulting in a standoff and heated argument.
The standoff reportedly delayed the press pool for 30 minutes as they tried to reach Trump&#8217;s motorcade. A second agent who had already been allowed into the secure area came back to escort the journalists. The chaos was captured on the BBC&#8217;s live feed from the press pool.
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As reporters were held back, multiple people expressed their frustration with the Chinese official, telling him, &#8220;We have to go!&#8221;
&#8220;U.S. press, we are going!&#8221; one woman said as the reporters finally pushed through.
One person was heard calling the incident a &#8220;sh*t show.&#8221;
As they moved toward the motorcade, more Chinese officials ran toward them to try to stop them, according to the Post. The American journalists, however, made it to the president&#8217;s convoy.
In a separate incident on Thursday, a female White House staffer was trampled by Chinese reporters as the reporters attempted to get into the room where Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were set to meet. The White House aide was reportedly bruised in the incident, but she didn&#8217;t sustain any major injuries.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-set-to-land-in-china-for-high-stakes-talks-with-xi?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+Trump+And+Xi+Agree+Key+Oil+Chokepoint+Must+Remain+Open">FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES</a>
The messy scenes took place shortly after China rolled out the red carpet for President Trump with a showy welcome as Trump stepped off Air Force One on Wednesday night. Trump and Xi engaged in bilateral talks for much of Thursday before the U.S. President accompanied Xi to a banquet at the Great Hall of the People.
&#8220;It was a fantastic day,&#8221; Trump said during a speech at the banquet. &#8220;And in particular, I want to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome.&#8221;
&#8220;We had extremely positive and productive conversations and meetings today with the Chinese delegation earlier,&#8221; Trump added.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump and Xi celebrate at banquet following private talks on trade and Iran" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kmedEQMyfHQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Xi Holds Welcoming Ceremony For Trump

Secret Service Agent, Chinese Security Get Into Standoff During Trump Visit

China

Secret Service

Xi Jinping

Divers in Mobile, Alabama, stumbled upon an improvised explosive device earlier this week that had been placed underwater at a dam in what authorities are calling an &#8220;unprecedented threat&#8221; to the city&#8217;s drinking water.
A diving team that was surveying the J.B. Converse Reservoir dam for routine maintenance on Tuesday found a grenade-like IED, <a href="https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/05/13/explosive-device-found-detonated-mobile-water-reservoir/">according</a> to Mobile&#8217;s Fox 10 News. The divers immediately notified authorities, sparking a multi-agency response that included the FBI Bomb Squad. The IED was safely removed from the reservoir and detonated. The reservoir, which <a href="https://www.mawss.com/learning-center/protecting-our-water/">holds</a> around 17 billion gallons of water, is federally designated as critical infrastructure.
“This is an unprecedented threat, and we are fortunate that this device was discovered before it could cause serious damage to our water supply or harm to individuals,&#8221; said Bud McCrory, the director of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System. &#8220;We are grateful for the professionalism and competency of our law enforcement partners — as well as the quick thinking of our contractors and divers — in identifying this device and safely destroying it.&#8221;
“Our top priority is keeping your drinking water safe,” McCrory added.
The response also included officers from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Mobile Police Department Explosive Ordinance Detail, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Bomb Squad, and the Daphne, Alabama, Search and Rescue Team.
Local officials notified the Department of Homeland Security after the explosive was discovered. Authorities have not identified a suspect as of Thursday morning.
The Mobile Area Water and Sewer System said it plans to <a href="https://www.wkrg.com/news/explosive-device-found-at-big-creek-lake-detonated/">increase</a> security around the dam following the troubling find. The reservoir, built in 1952, is protected from surrounding developments by 9,000 acres of land.

J.B. Converse Reservoir Dam in Mobile County

Drinking Water For Thousands Threatened After Disturbing Discovery Underwater

Alabama

Drinking Water

explosives

Colorado officials identified the man <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-horrifying-video-shows-moment-plane-strikes-airport-trespasser">killed</a> while walking on the runway of the Denver International Airport last week and said they believe he died by suicide.
Michael Mott, 41, died from multiple blunt and sharp force injuries he sustained when he was struck by a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 that was speeding down the runway just before takeoff, according to the Denver City and County Medical Examiner’s Office. While authorities said they have not found a suicide note, they believe that Mott wanted to end his life.
“We currently are looking for any notes, computers, anything like that, trying to identify places where he most recently was,” <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/12/us-news/officials-reveal-grim-details-in-death-of-trespasser-mutilated-by-frontier-airlines-jet-engine-at-denver-airport/">said</a> Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas.
Mott had run-ins with Denver police in the past, according to a department spokesman, who did not say what led to those encounters.
Mott hopped an eight-foot barbed wire fence before casually strolling onto the runway just after 11:00 p.m. local time last Friday. Video footage showed the 41-year-old man slowly walking into the middle of the runway and directly into the path of the plane before the collision.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/565TSHGgG7PqNoEm01D2A00KNy5I8LSfa3?metadata-video-content-type=short&amp;metadata-video-id=a300aedf-aefa-45c4-8d5f-c83194a95540&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=WATCH%3A%20Moment%20plane%20strikes%20person%20on%20runway%20seen%20in%20horrifying%20new%20video&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fshorts%2F7bad4735-08f8-4466-97e6-60ee6693ee16.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Mott was ingested into one of the engines of the Airbus A321, sparking a fire and causing passengers to evacuate through the plane&#8217;s emergency slides. Twelve passengers were injured in the emergency evacuation, according to officials.
The Denver International Airport said it has alarms set up to alert staff if someone gets past the airport&#8217;s barriers, but last Friday, the operator on duty “reviewed the alarm and identified a herd of deer just outside of the perimeter fence.”
“The camera view was alternating between the wildlife and the individual. There are some ditches in the area, so the person was out of view for a bit as well,&#8221; Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington said.
Washington said the airport would conduct a review to look into the incident and better prepare for the future.
“Since this incident, we have been asked, ‘Why don’t you electrify the fence, or ‘Why isn’t the fence tall?’ or ‘Why don’t you use razor wire instead of barbed wire?’” the CEO added. “Safety and security, again, is always our top priority. We don’t want our fence to be deadly, and even if the fence was taller, we believe a motivated individual could find a way to penetrate, that is why we have many layers of security.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free hotline for individuals in crisis or distress, or for those looking to help someone else. It is available 24/7 by dialing 988.

Denver International Airport

Police ID Man Hit By Frontier Jet, Reveal Horrifying Final Moments

Airplane

Death

Denver

Suicide

Independent journalist Nick Shirley recently traveled to Cuba, where he looked into the ongoing food and energy crisis on the island and asked residents about living under a communist regime.
Shirley, who gained nationwide recognition for his reporting on suspected fraud schemes in Minneapolis, was in Cuba for 24 hours earlier this month as the country faces an oil shortage and mounting pressure from the Trump administration.
In one interview, Shirley asked a Cuban man to share his opinion on communism.
&#8220;The worst thing to exist in life!&#8221; he said. &#8220;The worst thing to exist in life is communism because, in reality, none of them are communist. They get rich and exploit the people.&#8221;
He argued that the equality promised under communism &#8220;doesn&#8217;t exist.&#8221;
&#8220;They are the ones with everything,&#8221; he added, referring to Cuba&#8217;s communist leaders. &#8220;They have electricity, they have the nicest cars, they have oil, they have gas, they have everything. And the people have nothing. And the majority of the companies are theirs.&#8221;
The oil shortage has forced Cuba into island-wide blackouts, disrupting essential services, including hospitals and public transportation. Many Cubans are also forced to wait in long lines for food handed out by the government, which is typically imported.
&#8220;How can you live off a ration book that gets you three pounds of sugar and one pound of salt?&#8221; the Cuban man told Shirley. &#8220;Each year, they give you a chicken and eggs. Eggs haven&#8217;t arrived in a year. It&#8217;s been a year since I had an egg.&#8221;
Asked why some people in Cuba continue to defend the country&#8217;s communist system and government, the man replied, &#8220;The only ones who defend communism are with the Castro family, or someone who&#8217;s afraid of them, or someone who lives off the government — who gets rich from the dictatorship.&#8221;
He then urged Americans to reject socialism and communism.
&#8220;The worst thing that can happen in life is socialism and communism because it&#8217;s the great lie,&#8221; the Cuban man said. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t exist. It just leads you to misery, harassment, hunger, and anguish.&#8221;
&#8220;Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, I am waiting for you guys, please, to see if we can live like people, to live like a human being,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is the truth about communism from someone living in communism: 
&#8211; Regime leaders get rich and exploit the people 
&#8211; No food (hasn&#8217;t had eggs in a year) 
&#8211; No freedom of speech 
&#8211; No equality
&#8220;It just leads you to misery, harassment, hunger and anguish&#8221; &#8211; Man living in communism <a href="https://t.co/qSa4ref68U">pic.twitter.com/qSa4ref68U</a>
— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickshirleyy/status/2053995650518601906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Shirley later claimed he was tracked by undercover government agents and a Cuban general while in Havana and said he had to plan his own escape from the country &#8220;to avoid being taken hostage.&#8221;
Cuba&#8217;s already bleak energy crisis worsened following the January capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces. After the capture of Maduro, the United States took control of Venezuelan oil sales and imposed a blockade around Cuba. Previously, Venezuela was Cuba&#8217;s main oil supplier.
President Donald Trump has sought to force Cuba&#8217;s communist regime to the negotiating table as it tries to hold onto power. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the Cuban regime poses a national security threat to the United States. Cuba has been accused by American officials of aiding adversarial governments and maintaining close ties with regimes in China and Venezuela.

Cuba

‘Worst Thing To Exist’: Cuban Man Blasts Communism On Streets Of Havana

Communism

U.S.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he&#8217;s serious about officially making Venezuela and its massive oil reserves part of the United States.
In a phone call with Fox News anchor John Roberts, Trump <a href="https://x.com/johnrobertsFox/status/2053844898890051748">said</a> he is &#8220;seriously considering a move to make Venezuela the 51st state.&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2053849060377759775">emphasized</a> Venezuela&#8217;s oil reserves and discussed his administration&#8217;s focus on the South American country, adding, &#8220;Venezuela loves Trump.&#8221;
Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela&#8217;s acting president, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/venezuela-never-considered-becoming-51st-172403831.html">responded</a> to Trump&#8217;s remark and told reporters that Venezuela wants to remain independent.
&#8220;That would never have been considered, because if there is one thing we Venezuelan men and women have, it is that we love our independence process, we love our heroes and heroines of independence,&#8221; she said.
Rodríguez added that her government would continue to work with the United States in &#8220;a diplomatic cooperation agenda.&#8221;
For Venezuela to become a U.S. state, Congress would have to pass a law via the Admissions Clause of the Constitution, which would then require the president&#8217;s signature. Former territories, such as Alaska and Hawaii, also held referendums for residents to vote on statehood before they became part of the union.
Trump floated Venezuelan statehood as his administration continues to work with the country&#8217;s acting president after dictator Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces and brought back to the United States to stand trial on narco-terrorism charges. Trump suggested in March that he was pleased with Rodríguez as oil flows from Venezuela to the United States and Europe, with the South American country&#8217;s exports hitting a <a href="https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Venezuela-Oil-Exports-Hit-Seven-Year-High.html">seven-year high</a> last month. The U.S. Treasury Department is currently managing the proceeds from Venezuelan oil sales in specialized accounts.
Since Trump took major military and economic action on Venezuela in early January, the United States has become the top destination for Venezuelan oil, with around 445,000 barrels per day exported to America in April, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/venezuelas-oil-exports-jump-highest-since-2018-with-more-sales-us-india-2026-05-01/">reported</a>. Last month, Chevron said that the increased oil imports from Venezuela are helping mitigate rising fuel costs due to the war in Iran.
Andrew Walz, Chevron&#8217;s president of global refining, said the oil imports are helping &#8220;bring revenue to Venezuela&#8221; and &#8220;helping Americans.&#8221;
The Trump administration also reopened commercial flights to Venezuela late last month, with direct flights to Caracas set to become available at major airports across the United States in the coming months.
Trump first hinted at making Venezuela the 51st state in a Truth Social post in March when he wrote, &#8220;Good things are happening to Venezuela lately! I wonder what this magic is all about? STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?&#8221;
While Trump claims that Venezuelan statehood is a serious consideration inside the Oval Office, the president has often suggested that the United States would take over foreign countries or territories.
As the president pressured Canada on trade last year, he regularly suggested that America&#8217;s neighbor could become the 51st state. He has also pushed for Greenland to become a U.S. territory for national security purposes and suggested that the United States could take over Gaza following the Israel-Hamas war.

Trump ‘Seriously Considering’ Turning America’s Former Adversary Into 51st State

Venezuela

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Zach Jewell