A drug dealer let off the hook by President Joe Biden was arrested with a large stash of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Walter Lee Muhammad, granted clemency in the final months of the Biden presidency, faces drug trafficking charges after police say he was arrested with 25 kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of heroin, and four kilograms of fentanyl. Biden cut the Atlanta-based Muhammad’s 10-year prison sentence six years short in December 2024 when he issued clemency to over a thousand drug offenders. 
“Muhammad is a serial drug trafficker who — despite receiving the extraordinary gift of presidential clemency — continued to deal lethal fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the community is safer with this repeat offender off the street and back behind bars.” 
Muhammad now faces federal and state drug trafficking charges after a lengthy investigation.
DEA agent Michael DeWald said in the complaint against Muhammad that he and other suspected drug traffickers had been under investigation since July 2025. Officials suspect that Muhammad had several Atlanta properties that he used to store and distribute the drugs. 
On August 5, 2026, DEA agents observed multiple bags being shuffled out of a property used by Muhammad. Those bags were transferred to a BMW which left late that evening for North Carolina. The BMW was stopped by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, which deployed dogs that detected drugs, according to investigators. 
“The Adidas bag contained MUHAMMAD’s clothing that was wrapped around four kilograms of fentanyl. Deputies found 25 kilograms of cocaine in the cardboard box. Guilford County Sheriff deputies field-tested the seized substances, and both tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl, respectively,” DeWald wrote in the complaint. 
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1159009" style="width: 1026px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1159009" class="size-full wp-image-1159009" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM.png" alt="" width="1016" height="787" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM.png 1016w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM-300x232.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM-744x576.png 744w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-7.23.17-AM-768x595.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px" />Seized drugs: DOJ.</div>
The next day, agents searched Muhammad’s property and found more heroin and fentanyl, along with three firearms, including a stolen Glock handgun. 
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1159007" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1159007" class="size-full wp-image-1159007" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/MixCollage-17-Aug-2026-07-24-AM-7008-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Muhammed: Guilford County Sheriff; Guns: DOJ.</div>
“Despite receiving a second chance, this defendant returned to trafficking fentanyl and putting lives at risk,” said DEA special agent Jae Chung. “The seizure of this significant amount of fentanyl is a reminder that we will continue to hold those who profit from this deadly poison accountable.”
Prior to Biden’s clemency, Muhammad had been convicted for drug trafficking three other times. In August 1999, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Just over ten years later, in November 2010, he was convicted of conspiring to distribute marijuana, and in February 2020 he was sentenced for intending to traffic fentanyl. 
Biden issued a wave of pardons to drug dealers in his final months in office, claiming he was taking steps to give mercy to people given &#8220;disproportionately long sentences.&#8221; On January 17, 2025, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commutes-sentences-of-another-2500-drug-offenders">commuted</a> the sentences of 2,500 drug offenders, in addition to the nearly 1,500 he granted clemency to in December 2024.
“With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history,&#8221; Biden boasted at the time.

Former Presidents Gather For The Obama Presidential Center Dedication Ceremony

‘Back Behind Bars’: Career Drug Dealer Freed By Joe Biden Arrested Again

atlanta

clemency

drug trafficking

fentanyl

joe biden

politics

President Donald Trump advocated for a 35-year Atlanta Braves tradition during a rally in Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon.
While introducing former Braves manager Brian Snitker and current president and CEO Mike Plant at the event, fans immediately began to do the “tomahawk chop” — a move that has been criticized as culturally insensitive — but Trump quickly voiced his support for the gesture, and the crowd continued, even louder than before.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald Trump in Georgia, introducing former Braves Manger Brian Snitker and the tomahawk chop chant breaks out&#8230;
&#8220;Ohhh listen&#8230; they say you are not allowed to do that.. do it&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/EzSDdKOOOF">pic.twitter.com/EzSDdKOOOF</a>
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) <a href="https://x.com/ZachKleinWSB/status/2080032996896178428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
After thanking the president, Snitker expressed his gratitude for how passionate “Braves country” truly is and how there was a “room full of Braves country right here.” Snitker ended his speech telling the rally about gifts President Trump received, as well as possibly receiving in a few months.
“Mike and I presented President Trump with one of our 4th of July 250th anniversary jerseys the team wore over the weekend,” Snitker said. “I just wanted to tell President Trump we are going to be back in Washington a year from now and we are going to give him another world championship jersey.&#8221;
For years, the chant has received pushback from the Left with claims saying the chant is “racist” and “offensive.” Petitions were drawn up calling for a ban on the chant in stadiums across the country. The chop originated at Florida State University — and is still a common occurrence at that school. The Native American tribe reflected in the Seminoles logo has not expressed pushback over the chant.
The “tomahawk chop” is one of the most notorious chants across sports, but it only came to Atlanta 35 years ago. The Braves started chopping in 1991 when former Florida State University defensive back turned outfielder Deion Sanders joined the roster, bringing the tradition from college to MLB.

President Trump Delivers Remarks At A Georgia High School

WATCH: Trump Gives Braves Fans Permission To Infuriate The Woke Left

baseball

donald trump

georgia

President Trump

sports

In less than a week, visitors from around the world will descend on Atlanta for the FIFA World Cup 2026, but many residents worry that the city&#8217;s transit system, known as MARTA, isn&#8217;t ready after three attacks in the past two weeks, including one killing.
&#8220;I&#8217;m nervous that it won&#8217;t be ready by next week for the world coming here,&#8221; one passenger told The Daily Wire.
At MARTA&#8217;s North Avenue Station, riders described a system they believe has become increasingly unsafe, citing violent crime, fare evasion, and a lack of visible security. The Daily Wire interviewed several passengers at the station, many of whom said they no longer feel safe while riding.
&#8220;When I say it&#8217;s not safe, there is no security,&#8221; one passenger said, pointing to multiple people walking through fare gates without paying. MARTA officials say fare evasion costs the transit system <a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2025/06/25/how-can-you-be-confident-riders-officials-question-atlanta-transit-readiness-ahead">$7 million</a> per year. 
<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/eudbjNrI01h3RFP01XidH5I019ENoMSU1cG?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=9fb20955-a416-41eb-b613-b07fcd8655e7&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title='Absolutely%20not'%3A%20Riders%20deliver%20a%20damning%20verdict%20on%20a%20Dem-&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fb412ab3f-14f8-441d-9cdc-a33d26554ca0.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
Other riders said they have witnessed fights on trains. One passenger described an incident in which another rider struck a young girl without provocation. &#8220;There was a little Hispanic girl that got hit on the train,&#8221; the passenger said. &#8220;She was crying. It was really sad to see.&#8221;
Passengers also said weapons are not an uncommon sight. &#8220;Somebody dropped something. It was a gun,&#8221; one rider said. Another passenger recalled watching someone pull out a knife inside a crowded train car. &#8220;I&#8217;ve heard everything from death to rape to murder,&#8221; another rider said.
Several passengers said the trains get worse at night. 
&#8220;Absolutely not,&#8221; one rider said when asked if they felt safe riding MARTA at night.
&#8220;Nighttime is when I like to call them the nightcrawlers — the people you wouldn&#8217;t see in the daytime. The train is their home,&#8221; said another person. 
The riders&#8217; fears are reflected in the numbers and data. 
MARTA openly subsidizes fares for homeless riders while paying riders say they are left to deal with the consequences, such as drug use, outbursts, and mental disorders that can accompany those taking shelter on the train.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1113457" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM.png" alt="" width="1110" height="848" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM.png 1110w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-300x229.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-754x576.png 754w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-768x587.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></div>
Violent incidents on MARTA&#8217;s rail lines occur at nearly four times the national average for public transit systems, according to federal officials. 
Those concerns have drawn the attention of Washington. The Trump administration launched a federal investigation into MARTA following a series of violent attacks on the transit system.
&#8220;Every American should be disturbed by the horrific crimes we have seen on MARTA in the last month,&#8221; U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.
&#8220;No one should be forced to fear for their safety simply because they choose to ride public transit,&#8221; Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/soccer/world-cup/kemp-offers-help-to-marta-all-they-gotta-do-is-call-and-ask-us/85-1b493562-a5b2-4c9e-8859-809741d9f59b?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook_11Alive">told</a> Atlanta Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens. “All they gotta do is call and ask us.” 
And while riders raise questions, Dickens projects confidence in the city’s transit system for the World Cup. “MARTA is going to step up big,” he <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/soccer/world-cup/atlanta-mayor-andre-dickens-city-officials-world-cup-pep-rally/85-87e12a83-601e-43cc-9030-3e77d59d94aa?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>. 
While MARTA operates independently of City Hall, Dickens is not entirely removed from the transit system&#8217;s leadership. The mayor appoints three members to MARTA&#8217;s board of directors, giving him significant influence over the authority&#8217;s direction and oversight. As Atlanta prepares to welcome visitors from around the globe, that relationship is likely to intensify scrutiny of the mayor&#8217;s handling of transit safety.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Venues – Atlanta Stadium

‘It’s Not Safe’: MARTA Riders Sound Alarm As Atlanta Prepares For World Cup

crime

soccer

Transportation

world cup

A 25-year-old Georgia man could face execution after being charged with a horrific crime aboard an Atlanta transit train.
The suspect allegedly slashed a beloved great-grandmother’s throat and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/atlanta-train-stabbing-suspect-faces-new-charge-feds-weigh-death-penalty-great-grandmothers-killing?lid=f15sdfgqfnhu">stabbed her up to 20 times</a> in a completely unprovoked transit nightmare.
John Elijah Matthews, a 25-year-old vagrant with no address and no phone, is now facing heavy-duty federal charges that could put him on federal death row for the alleged gruesome, broad-daylight execution of 66-year-old Margaret Swan, prosecutors announced.
The bloodbath unfolded on May 30 around 11:25 a.m. aboard a northbound MARTA train. Surveillance footage captured the chilling countdown as the horror unfolded. Swan, described by authorities as a &#8220;phenomenal mom&#8221; and the &#8220;rock&#8221; of her family, boarded Train Car 134 and sat completely alone, minding her own business, according to the Fulton County arrest warrant affidavit.
Minutes later, Matthews stepped into the train car wearing glasses, an orange T-shirt, and black slides. He didn&#8217;t say a word. He didn’t know her, and she didn&#8217;t know him.
But video shows Matthews stalking over to the innocent senior, standing just inches away. At 11:25:26 a.m., he reached into his pocket, pulled out a folding knife, and flicked it open.
Six seconds later, total horror.
Matthews grabbed Swan by the head and cut her throat with his right hand, according to the chilling arrest affidavit. The terrified great-grandmother screamed, desperately trying to fight her way out of the seat. But the attacker held her down by the arm, raining down a flurry of 18 to 20 savage stabs into her chest and neck as she frantically tried to defend herself.
As other passengers fled the car in a panic, the affidavit describes Matthews throwing Swan’s mangled body to the floor. He stood over her bleeding body for nearly two agonizing minutes until the train finally screeched into the Oakland City Station.
Matthews allegedly stepped off the train with the bloody knife still in his hand. But his escape was cut short when a transit cop, alerted by terrified, screaming commuters pointing at Matthews, cornered him on the platform. After a brief standoff, cops detained Matthews and placed him in cuffs.
Emergency workers rushed to save Swan, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, the feds are stepping in. U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg slammed the killing as an &#8220;unprovoked act of senseless violence,&#8221; and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will personally decide if the government will seek the death penalty.
Meanwhile, Swan’s devastated family is <a href="https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/06/01/family-woman-killed-marta-train-calls-death-preventable-demands-more-police">furious</a>, tearing into the &#8220;weak, pathetic coward&#8221; who stole their matriarch and demanding to know why transit cops aren&#8217;t doing more to protect women on the increasingly dangerous, crime-ridden train system. The incident was the second homicide around the Oakland City station in the last two months.
“You took away our rock; you took away a gem,” Swan’s heartbroken daughter, Shanae Sams, said.
“She was a phenomenal mom. Just for him to do that, it’s unforgivable. I don’t forgive him, I will never forgive him ever,” another daughter, Tiara, said.

Atlanta_Train2

The Chilling Six Seconds Before A Great-Grandmother Was Butchered On A Train

THROAT SLASHED: Monster Guts Great-Grandma On Atlanta Subway In Broad Daylight — Now Faces Death

Grandmother

murder

Subway

A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama has been identified as the official caught having sex in her chambers with a high-ranking law enforcement officer during business hours.
Citing a person familiar with the investigation, Bloomberg Law <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/eleanor-ross-of-atlanta-is-judge-reprimanded-for-sex-in-chambers-94">reported</a> Thursday that U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-gets-slap-on-wrist-after-chambers-sex-scandal-with-police-officer?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Gets+Slap+On+Wrist+After+Chambers+Sex+Scandal+With+Police+Officer">received</a> a “private reprimand” from the court’s disciplinary panel for engaging “in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking law enforcement officer.” 
The panel said the judge had “sexual intercourse in the judge’s chambers during business hours within hearing distance of staff,” but did not identify Ross by name. 
Ross was <a href="https://x.com/MarcoPolo501c3/status/2060041718410416290">first identified</a> as the judge involved by Marco Polo, a watchdog organization known for publishing material related to Hunter Biden&#8217;s laptop. 
The Atlanta-based judge did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire. 
An investigation into Ross began in September 2025 after a court clerk reported hearing “kissing sounds and other noises consistent with intimate activity” and “sounds of moaning” coming from judicial chambers. 
That investigation found that Ross maintained a sexual relationship with the law enforcement officer for two years, placing herself in jeopardy of extortion and blackmail. Ross was also found to have lied about the relationship and attended a partisan political event in violation of court guidelines. 
The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability, which reviews complaints against judges, later affirmed the findings. 
Ross received a private reprimand along with an order to write apology letters to former clerks. She was also barred from becoming chief judge or serving on Judicial Conference committees. 
Obama appointed Ross to the federal bench in 2014. She was <a href="https://www.congress.gov/nomination/113th-congress/1231">confirmed</a> after advancing through the Senate with bipartisan support. 
During her confirmation hearing, Ross <a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/eleanor-louise-ross/75256/">called</a> her husband her “rock and source of inspiration in all of my professional and personal endeavors.” In her judicial questionnaire, she <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Ross%20Responses.pdf">wrote</a> that “the most important attribute of a judge is integrity.”
As a judge, Ross has overseen several high-profile election-integrity cases and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reality-stars-todd-and-julie-chrisley-sentenced-to-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced</a> reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley to 12 and 7 years in prison, respectively. They were later pardoned by President Donald Trump. 
Todd Chrisley <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0ud-IlrMp/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">called</a> for Ross to be impeached, writing on Instagram that “this corrupt judge who couldn’t focus on our case because she was to (sic) busy clapping dem cheeks in her chambers per the articles that are surfacing in the last few hours, she needs to be impeached and we will work with Congress and our legal team to see that this happens.”
During the 2020 election, Ross <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-f7ef69c7f79ddc036a14f76a00a4870d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended</a> the deadline for receiving absentee ballots to three days after Election Day. That ruling was later blocked by a higher court.

MixCollage-28-May-2026-12-31-PM-3045

Obama-Appointed Judge Caught Fornicating In Chambers Within Earshot Of Clerks

courts

A federal judge received only a “private reprimand” after admitting to having sex with a high-ranking law enforcement officer within judicial chambers and within “hearing distance” of court staff. 
The body that oversees disciplinary complaints against federal judges <a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/c.c.d.-no.-26-01-may-22-2026.pdf">affirmed</a> a lower panel <a href="https://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/judicial_complaints/11-25-90212%20Judicial%20Council%20Order_0.pdf">finding</a> that a federal judge in the Atlanta-based Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals engaged “in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking law enforcement officer” and had “sexual intercourse in the judge’s chambers during business hours within hearing distance of staff.”
The decision from the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability found that the judge also lied about the relationship to investigators and attended a partisan political event in violation of court guidelines. Investigators did not reveal the name of the sanctioned judge, who only received a slap on the wrist for the actions. 
After a clerk reported hearing “kissing sounds and other noises consistent with intimate activity” and “sounds of moaning” coming from judicial chambers, an investigation was launched in September 2025. That investigation involved a forensic test on “one of the cushions on a sofa in the Subject Judge’s chambers” because it “was stained in a manner that was consistent with being caused by semen.” The test later came back negative.
Both the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability and the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit substantiated the findings that over the course of two years, the judge had sex with the officer in violation of judicial rules of conduct. They also found that the judge lied about the relationship when first confronted by investigators and attended a blatantly political event for a person running for district attorney. These actions made the judge vulnerable to extortion and blackmail, the Judicial Council said. 
Investigators also said that the judge did not oversee any cases directly involving the law enforcement officer.
The only disciplinary actions the judge received were a private reprimand, an order to write apology letters to former clerks, plus a ban on becoming chief judge and serving on any Judicial Conference committee. 
The Judicial Council said it did not recommend a more “severe sanction” because the judge “corrected the false statements” and was “candid” after being caught lying, the relationship with the officer had ended, the judge promised to attend no more partisan political events, and the judge had otherwise rendered exemplary service to the court.”
That decision not to give a more severe punishment was affirmed by the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability, with the panel saying the punishment was “appropriate and proportional.&#8221; 
The investigation into the judge entailed numerous interviews, reviewing security footage, checking over visitor sign-in logs, and reviewing court documents.

A bronze statuette of Lady Justice, depicted with a blindfold and holding the scales of justice in her outstretched hand. The figure is sharply focused against a bright, blurred background, highlighting its symbolic details.

Federal Judge Gets Slap On Wrist After Chambers Sex Scandal With Police Officer

Federal Judge Gets Slap On The Wrist After Having Sex In Chamber With Police Officer

A pair of giant pandas will make their way to America as part of a ten-year agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, according to a statement from China on Friday. The male, Ping Ping, and the female, Fu Shuang, will relocate to Zoo Atlanta, becoming the third zoo in the United States to currently house the animals.
The announcement comes just weeks before President Donald Trump is set to visit Beijing, where he will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Specific departure dates have not yet been given, but the zoo is currently working on facility upgrades and preparation work for the pandas&#8217; arrival, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-pandas-zoo-atlanta-743549119313ddeea6b1d838f76fe8b3">statement</a>.
Zoo Atlanta <a href="https://zooatlanta.org/two-new-giant-pandas-are-expected-to-arrive-at-zoo-atlanta/">said</a> Thursday that it was delighted and honored to be trusted to take care of the pandas. “We can’t wait to meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and to welcome our members, guests, city, and community back to the wonder and joy of giant pandas,” said the zoo’s president, Raymond B. King. 
The zoo cited a previous panda agreement with the association from 1999 to 2024, which &#8220;resulted in a highly productive 25 years of partnership,&#8221; where pandas Lun Lun and Yang Yang gave birth to seven cubs. They returned to China once the partnership concluded.
America was briefly &#8220;panda-less&#8221; in 2024 when several agreements ended, marking the first time without pandas in fifty years since the first pair arrived in 1972.
Pandas have long been a broader symbol of China&#8217;s ties to foreign nations, where the country loans them to strengthen its relationships; the animals are typically sent back when the agreement ends. &#8220;Panda diplomacy,&#8221; as it&#8217;s commonly called, has been a practice since the People&#8217;s Republic of China&#8217;s founding in 1949 and can conversely be used to show the nation&#8217;s negative feelings toward another country.
In 2010, China <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/what-is-chinas-panda-diplomacy-how-does-it-work-2024-06-18/#:~:text=Former%20Chinese%20leader%20Mao%20Zedong,opens%20new%20tab%20Read%20more">recalled</a> two pandas from Zoo Atlanta after warnings from the nation of a meeting between then-President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama. Though there was no formal statement on the matter, some speculated the timing reflected Beijing&#8217;s displeasure with Washington.
The San Diego Zoo and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are the other two locations in the U.S. with pandas.

A Chinese Panda on a Tree

‘Panda Diplomacy’ Is Back And An American Zoo Just Hit The Jackpot

Animals

china

Communist China

General

Panda

U.S.

Some travelers spent as many as nine hours waiting in line at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, according to <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/long-lines-out-door-atlanta-airport-ice-agents-arrive-assist-tsa/SIDSKEKZXJGHHNBXBYESLHHYVI/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSB-TV</a>.
On Monday, the report noted that wait times ranged from four hours down to less than an hour depending on the time of day, as Americans continue to grow frustrated with the high number of TSA callouts. Essential DHS workers, like TSA agents, are forced to work without a paycheck due to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
“Due to TSA staffing constraints, ATL is continuing to see longer than normal wait times at security checkpoints,” the airport posted to X on Monday morning.
“Travelers are encouraged to arrive at least 4 hours early. We appreciate your patience and thank our federal and airport partners for their continued dedication,” the post continued.
According to Reuters, the Atlanta airport had a 41.5% callout rate for TSA agents, with other major airports having callout rates ranging from 20-40%. Hundreds of agents have quit their jobs entirely since the shutdown began in mid-February.
“As the Democrats’ DHS shutdown continues, many TSA officers are facing extraordinary financial hardship—forcing them to call out of work and take on side jobs to support their families,” the Department of Homeland Security posted to X on Monday regarding the <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2036121763701002738?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">callout numbers</a>. “Democrats are hurting Americans—and they don&#8217;t care.”
Videos on social media also showed ICE agents deployed to assist TSA agents at the airport, along with other airports around the country, on Monday morning in hopes of speeding up the lines. Atlanta is considered the busiest airport in the entire country, as it is a hub for Delta Air Lines and is considered a major connection for travelers.
Trump noted on Monday morning that ICE agents will not be wearing masks at the airport, as it’s become commonplace for the agents to do so during immigration operations, as proponents argue that it prevents doxing.
“I am a BIG proponent of ICE wearing masks as they search for, and are forced to deal with, hardened criminals, many of whom were let into our Country by Sleepy Joe Biden and his wonderful ‘Border Czar,’ Kamala (she never even went to the Border!), through their absolutely INSANE Open Border Policy,” he posted to Truth Social.
“I would greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS, when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports, etc. Thank you!” he added.
It’s unclear when the shutdown will end, as Congress has yet to reach a deal to end the closure, which started because of disagreements over federal immigration enforcement policies.

Long lines form outside Atlanta International Airport

Travelers Spent Nine Hours In TSA Line As Major Hub Becomes DHS Shutdown Flashpoint

Airports

congress

department of homeland security

Absences among transportation security workers this weekend reached their highest since a partial government shutdown began five weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday, as immigration enforcement agents prepared to fill in for them at some of the busiest U.S. airports.
Nationwide, about 11.5% of Transportation Security Administration staff were absent on Saturday, DHS said, but that figure soared to 42.4% at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, 33.4% at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and 33.6% at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Overall, more than 9% of TSA employees have been absent from work over the past seven days, leading to lengthy lines for passengers trying to get to their gates, according to DHS.
To help fill the staffing gaps, hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will deploy to airports starting on Monday, officials have said.
DHS said on Sunday it would not publicly share details about the ICE deployment, in order to preserve operational security. Sources briefed on the matter said the current plan calls for deploying ICE agents to 14 locations, although that figure may change.
Tens of thousands of airport security personnel have been working without pay for weeks while congressional Democrats and Republicans argue over a budget for DHS.
&#8220;Many TSA officers cannot pay their rent, buy food, or afford to put gas in their cars — forcing them to call out sick from work,&#8221; a DHS spokesperson said on Sunday.
Trump announced on Saturday that ICE agents would be sent to airports unless Democratic lawmakers agree to fund DHS. Democrats have criticized the department&#8217;s immigration operations and are demanding a change in rules.
For now, ICE agents will not be deployed in areas behind security checkpoints because they lack the specific clearance needed, the sources said.
Border czar Tom Homan said on Sunday that sending out immigration agents to bolster short-staffed TSA teams will speed up airport lines, but the union for TSA workers said that does not solve what they see as the underlying problem of pay.
In appearances on Sunday news shows, Homan and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy argued that ICE personnel can help with airport security screening, starting on Monday, even though they have not been specifically trained for it.
&#8220;When we deploy tomorrow, we&#8217;ll have a well thought-out plan to execute,&#8221; Homan said on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; program.
Hundreds of TSA agents have simply resigned, according to their labor union and TSA.
&#8220;ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!&#8221; Trump wrote in a Sunday morning social media post.
Details of how ICE agents would help with the lines were scant, although Homan told CNN a plan would be in place by the end of the day &#8220;to move those lines along.&#8221;
Homan and Duffy, in separate interviews, had different ideas about how the ICE agents might be deployed. Homan said he doubted ICE agents would operate X-ray baggage and passenger screening machines because they did not have experience. Duffy, in contrast, said ICE agents &#8220;know how to pat people down, they know how to run the X-ray machines.&#8221;
The labor union representing TSA workers criticized Trump&#8217;s decision, saying their members spend months in training learning to detect explosives and weapons.
&#8220;Our members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe,&#8221; Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, said in a statement. &#8220;They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.&#8221;
Unlike TSA employees, ICE agents have continued to get paid by the government through a separate funding provision while lawmakers debate whether ICE funding should be tied to new rules and procedures.
Democrats have said new rules are needed after masked ICE agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in the streets of Minneapolis earlier this year. The two had come out to protest or observe Trump&#8217;s deportation surge in Minnesota.
Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat and the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, told CNN that his caucus is open to a separate funding agreement for TSA employees while lawmakers debate measures to &#8220;get ICE under control.&#8221; But there has been little movement on an actual deal so far, especially in the Senate.
&#8220;We have an obligation to not fund an agency that is acting this lawlessly,&#8221; Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press&#8221; program.
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York, David Shepardson in Washington and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Additional writing by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Aurora Ellis, Sergio Non and Edmund Klamann)

Why ICE Agents In Airports May Be Arriving Just In Time

air travel

Houston

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A Southwest Airlines flight traveling from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale diverted to Atlanta on Friday night after a possible security concern.
Footage from the incident shows passengers inside the plane seated with their heads down and hands up as Atlanta Police travel to the back of the plane. A man is then removed from his seat and placed into handcuffs.
The pilot and flight attendants can be heard repeatedly saying &#8220;heads down, hands up&#8221; as passengers comply.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
✈️ Shocking video: plane in the U.S. makes emergency landing over security threat on board
Atlanta — A Southwest Airlines flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was forced to divert and land in Atlanta late Friday night due to a reported security threat, authorities said.… <a href="https://t.co/PJDCbRfQBi">pic.twitter.com/PJDCbRfQBi</a>
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) <a href="https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/2030306044446900587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Flight tracking software from FlightAware shows the plane landed safely at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at about 9 p.m. WSB-TV 2 reports the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined there was no credible threat.
Southwest told 11Alive, &#8220;Southwest Airlines Flight 2094 landed safely at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Friday evening after diverting to respond to a possible security matter. We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and apologize to our Customers for the delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees.&#8221;
The Daily Wire has reached out to the Atlanta Police Department and the FBI for comment.
The incident comes as the United States is on high alert following the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, Ndiaga Diagne, a Senegalese man wearing an Iranian flag shirt underneath a hoodie with the phrase “Property of Allah” emblazoned on it, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-shooters-iran-linked-attire-becomes-central-focus-in-terror-probe">opened fire</a> in Austin, Texas, killing three and injuring 14.
Authorities have not yet definitively linked the terror attack to the Iran strikes.
Jake Braun, a former senior counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, recently <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-agencies-us-cities-alert-potential-retaliatory-attacks-amid-israel-iran-war-conflict-no-specific-threats-il/18669574/">spoke</a> with ABC7, a Chicago affiliate, about the risk of homeland attacks, both cyber and physical, noting that multiple targets are potentially vulnerable.
An Iranian ayatollah called on Thursday for President Trump&#8217;s blood to be shed during a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iranian-ayatollah-calls-for-the-shedding-trumps-blood">message</a> on Iranian state TV.
“We are now on the verge of a great test and we must be careful to fully preserve this unity, to fully preserve this alliance,” said Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli in the message, <a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-lebanon-march-05-2026#0000019c-bcd4-d21d-a1dc-fefd3c7e0000">going on</a> to call for “the shedding of Zionist blood, the shedding of Trump’s blood.”
Invoking the &#8220;Imam of the time,&#8221; Amoli said, &#8220;Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders.”
In a separate development on Thursday, another Iranian official <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2029435610922996100?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> the United States following the sinking of an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka by a U.S. naval torpedo strike.
&#8220;The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran&#8217;s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India&#8217;s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,&#8221; said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Leif Le Mahiew contributed to this report.

Southwest

Stunning Video Shows Police Raiding Southwest Flight After Security Threat

southwest airlines

President Donald Trump riled up California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday night, suggesting the Democrat decided to take his name out of consideration for the 2028 presidential election.
&#8220;Wow! Gavin Newscum just dropped out of the Presidential Race!!!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116123225544591694">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
Newsom has not announced a decision on a 2028 presidential bid, but Trump&#8217;s post came as the governor faced criticism for comments he made about his SAT scores and dyslexia to a crowd in Atlanta during his book tour. The president&#8217;s Truth Social post caught Newsom&#8217;s attention, and the governor quickly responded through his personal and official social media accounts.
&#8220;WOW. THE PRESIDENT IS SUNDOWNING HARDER THAN USUAL TONIGHT!!! — GOVERNOR GCN,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/2026129785420742660">wrote</a> on the official account for Newsom&#8217;s press office, which regularly mocks Trump&#8217;s social media activity. &#8220;Sundowning&#8221; refers to symptoms that affect many Alzheimer&#8217;s patients, such as increased confusion and agitation that usually occur later in the day.
Newsom also joked about the president&#8217;s Truth Social post on his personal X account, <a href="https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/2026130066019651698">writing</a>, &#8220;It’s on page 69 of my new book. Buy it here.&#8221;
Newsom was slammed on Monday after a clip of his book tour event in Atlanta went viral, showing the governor discussing his low SAT score with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in front of a crowd of Democratic supporters.
“I’m like you. I’m not better than you,” Newsom said. “I’m a 960 SAT guy.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation&#8217;s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
Conservatives accused Newsom of making the comment in an attempt to pander to black Americans in a city made up of a large black population. In 2024, the average SAT score for black students was 907, while white students scored an average of 1083, according to College Board data.
After making the comment, Newsom added, &#8220;I&#8217;m not trying to offend anyone and act all there if you got 940. But [I&#8217;m] literally a 960 SAT guy.&#8221;
Newsom raged against Fox News host Sean Hannity after Hannity said Newsom &#8220;thinks a 960 SAT score makes him &#8216;like&#8217; black Americans. Let that sink in.&#8221;
&#8220;You didn’t give a sh*t about the President of the United States of America posting an ape video of President Obama or calling African nations sh*tholes — but you’re going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia?&#8221; Newsom shot back. &#8220;Spare me your fake f*cking outrage, Sean.&#8221;
Mayor Dickens defended Newsom after videos of his remark went viral on social media.
&#8220;Take it from someone who was actually in the chair asking the questions: context matters more than a headline,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVHpugCFGFT/?img_index=1">said</a>. &#8220;The conversation around his new book included him speaking about his own academic struggles, including not doing well on the SAT. That wasn’t an attack on anyone. It was a moment of vulnerability about his own journey.&#8221;
Dickens added that people in Atlanta were not offended by the governor&#8217;s comment.
&#8220;Let me be clear though. This is Atlanta. We don’t need anyone to tell us when to be offended. And history has shown&#8230; when we are, you’ll know,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If you want the full context, watch the full clip, read the book, and engage the complete conversation.&#8221;
Newsom is among the favorites to win the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. While he has not officially announced a presidential run, the governor appears to be testing the waters. Newsom launched a nationwide book tour last Saturday to discuss his new memoir with Americans, making his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-tennessee-gavin-newsom-sprints-to-the-far-left">first stop in Nashville</a>.
While in Nashville, Newsom echoed some rhetoric from the far-Left wing of the Democratic Party, praising Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders and saying that America’s economic system “fundamentally has to be reformed.” He also said the next Democratic president should be more aggressive with executive actions, adding, &#8220;We are capable of doing much more.&#8221;

Donald Trump/Gavin Newsom

Trump Taunts Newsom With 2028 Suggestion After Viral SAT Comment

california

Elections

Executive

gavin newsom

President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that Atlanta might be the next American city to see a surge of federal resources and personnel to help rein in rampant crime.
Trump floated the possibility during a Black History Month event at the White House on Wednesday afternoon: “You need help in Atlanta.&#8221;
&#8220;Atlanta. Atlanta. We could take care of Atlanta. I&#8217;ll tell you what, you oughta get them to call me. We could take care of Atlanta so fast,” he said to applause. “They don&#8217;t want to call. They don’t want to. They don’t want to call cause they don’t want to admit it, and they’ll never fix it themself,” he added.
“Don&#8217;t forget, we move people out. We just don’t go in and, you know, be tough guys. We move people out. We take career criminals and we get them out, we bring them back to the country from where they came. And think of it, 90% of the crime is caused by 2% of the people. So when you get the criminals out, you solve a lot of problems,” he continued.
The Daily Wire reached out to the City of Atlanta for comment, but has not yet received a response. The Trump administration has sent National Guard troops, as well as other federal law enforcement agencies, to cities like Washington, D.C., New Orleans, and Memphis in hopes of bringing down high crime rates.
There has been significant pushback in many blue cities over federal surges, but the president made it clear in a Dec. 31 Truth Social post that he is undeterred: it’s “only a question of time” before federal authorities “come back &#8230; when crime begins to soar again,” he wrote, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/13/national-guard-deployments-updates/88646816007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USA Today</a>.
“We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact. Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Dec. 31.
&#8220;It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???” he added.
Although murders have gone down in the Georgia city, robberies and assaults have been on the rise, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/homicide-rate-drops-in-atlanta-but-rising-assaults-and-robberies-leave-police-department-concerned/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS Atlanta</a> reported in January.
Trump is scheduled to visit Rome, Georgia, an hour northwest of Atlanta, for an economy-focused address. Rome is a part of the district left vacant by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who resigned from Congress earlier this year after a public falling out with the president. A special election is set for March 10, with a runoff to follow on April 7 if none of the candidates in the open race obtain over half of the vote. The president has endorsed Republican Clay Fuller to be Greene’s successor.
“He is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in Georgia, and many Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Feb. 4.

President Trump Visits Law Enforcement And National Guard During D.C. Crime Crackdown

Trump Floats Atlanta As Next City For National Guard Surge: ‘They’ll Never Fix It Themselves’

national guard

Menu