Eight million people just took to the streets to stop a king who does not exist.
They say they are protesting tyranny. But if you look at who&#8217;s actually holding the megaphone — and more importantly, who&#8217;s signing the checks — this grassroots movement starts looking a lot less grassroots and a lot more like a sophisticated and coordinated operation by Hollywood elites and radical activists having public meltdowns demanding labor militancy. 
The real story isn&#8217;t the useful idiots on the streets. It&#8217;s the apparent $3 billion web of funding tied to a tech tycoon living in Shanghai and a wedding-turned-mysterious summit in Jamaica. 
Who are these shadowy figures funding the chaos? Why are America&#8217;s enemies cheering from the sidelines?
These people are not turning out because they suddenly oppose centralized government. You think Democrats are anti-centralized government? Against a bigger federal government run by the executive branch?
No way.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2398-sub?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Presidents Obama and Biden radically expanded the power of the executive branch. Funny, there were no protests then.
They&#8217;re also not turning out in the streets because they oppose an intervention such as what&#8217;s going on in Iran or because they oppose tyrants. They were fine with Barack Obama&#8217;s interventions in Libya, Syria, and in the drone wars. They were totally fine with Joe Biden&#8217;s funding of the war in Ukraine.
They&#8217;re not anti-tyranny, the “No Kings” people; they&#8217;re perfectly pro-tyranny in foreign countries, and they tolerate their friends’ tyranny at home.
We all know the real reason: A lot of people hate President Trump, and they hate the American system.
How do they get this many people organized?
A lot of money. Where exactly is that money coming from?
Fox News <a href="https://www.wfmd.com/2026/03/28/500-groups-with-3b-in-revenues-are-behind-the-nokings-protests-and-communist-call-for-revolution/#:~:text=A%20network%20of%20about%20500,a%20Fox%20Digital%20News%20investigation.">reported</a>:
<blockquote>A network of about 500 groups with an estimated $3 billion in combined annual revenues is behind the coordinated nationwide “No Kings” protest Saturday, including communist groups who are using the day to call for a “revolution,” according to a Fox Digital News investigation. 
According to a copy of the permit for the “flagship” march in St. Paul, Minn., Indivisible, a national well-heeled Democratic political advocacy organization funded by billionaire George Soros, is the lead coordinator for the protest.
But Fox News Digital has also identified key participation by a network of radical socialist and communist organizations funded by Neville Roy Singham, an American tech tycoon and avowed communist living in China.
Over nearly a decade, Singham has financed a constellation of activist institutions that promote revolutionary socialist politics and frequently collaborate in protest campaigns, including the People’s Forum in New York, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the ANSWER Coalition and CodePink, whose co-founder Jodie Evans is married to Singham. These groups work closely with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.</blockquote>
So there’s a communist living in China who is funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into various protest groups.
Fox News also <a href="https://www.wfmd.com/2026/03/23/power-couple-of-chaos-how-a-tycoon-and-activist-built-a-revolutionary-base-at-the-house-of-singham/#:~:text=A%20monthslong%20Fox%20News%20Digital,a%20superpower%20through%20economic%20programs">noted</a>:
<blockquote>As far-left American activists flood Cuba to support its flailing communist regime, U.S. officials have opened a sprawling investigation into an anti-America, pro-China nonprofit network forged during a wedding celebration in late February 2017, off Runaway Bay on Jamaica’s northern coast.
There, beneath a canopy of palm trees, an elite cadre of activists, intellectuals, celebrities, political organizers and comrades in a global Marxist-Leninist-Maoist movement assembled to celebrate the “Revolutionary Love” of two luminaries, both 62 at the time: Neville Roy Singham, an American-born tech tycoon living in Shanghai, and Jodie Evans, a red-haired veteran activist and co-founder of CodePink Women for Peace.
Like the opening scene of “The Godfather,” where powerful families consolidate power, the wedding celebration was about much more than the union of two people.
Over four days of dancing, lectures and late-night conversations in venues from the Flavor Beach Bar to Sharkey’s Seafood, celebrating the bond of “Roy and Jodie,” alliances were formed that would shape protests, unrest and political agitation over the next decade, from the fiery 2020 scenes in Minneapolis to demonstrations today supporting the regimes in Cuba and Iran.</blockquote>
Apparently, Singham has pushed some $278 million into organizations that sow discord in the United States.
None of these protests are innocent. They are not happening by accident. It takes an awful lot of money to make this magic happen.
Singham said in 2025: “If we want to therefore have a new world order that is based on multilateralism that President XI and CPC and China have proposed, we have to undo the ideological damage that has been done by the narrative of World War II. &#8230; China has a very important role, and we in this forum have a very important role, that to envision a new multi-polarity order requires that, quite frankly, this deconstruction or restoration, a history of what really happened.”
He said there should be a multipolar world order with China and Russia as leading forces and that we need to rewrite the history of World War II in order to achieve this new world order.
Outside forces are trying to destroy America — and President Trump.
And it’s our job to make sure that does not happen.

No Kings Protests Across The US Rally Against Donald Trump

‘No Kings’ Rallies — Paid For By A King

Ben Shapiro

China

Communism

Democrats

George Soros

Protests

Socialists

“You know what we call a gram of coke here in Cuba?”
In the humid outskirts of Havana, I felt like I’d drifted into a sepia-tinted parallel timeline.
“A ‘Fidel’.”
My laughter wasn’t forthcoming. Not that it wasn’t funny. I was paralyzed by the surrealism. It was the last week of six decades of Castro rule and the final week of Raúl Castro’s presidency, yet here I was with his granddaughter Gabriella. And her boyfriend was selling me drugs.
Hadn’t her grandparents put people to death for selling drugs? Yes. Four high-ranking officials were executed by firing squad in 1989 for drug-smuggling. Despite this, her presence gave me an odd sense of safety. Some farm animals are more equal than others. And these, surely, were the most equal of all.
“And half a gram?”
He eyed me.
“…a ‘Raul’.”
Try as they might, Marxists can’t escape hierarchies. I wondered if they’d caught the irony. At least this one had a sense of humor. I turned to see if Gabriella was amused. The Castro name is quite a burden to carry. New World nobility. Her face remained stoic as a Castilian queen. She was more interested in the music.
If this was their way of welcoming me to their country, they went overboard with the midnight Lada racing through the capital. Cuba’s cocaine communists really put North London’s champagne socialists to shame.
Speaking of which, in the latest season of Radical Chic, eight years on from the Castros, a flotilla of useful halfwits has arrived.
From England comes cardigan-commie Jeremy Corbyn, Labour backbencher Richard Burgon, and YouTuber Owen Jones. Influencer Hasan Piker swapped Hollywood for Havana, wearing glasses worth $1,380 and a $690 T-shirt. “We have just been living la vida loca … Just peppering people with wads of cash,” he humbly divulged to the press — oblivious to what this revealed about which society better delivers material prosperity.
He was joined by fellow Americans Christian Smalls, the former Amazon unionist, the women-led anti-war group CODEPINK, and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s daughter Isra Hirsi. Isra proudly following in her mother’s footsteps by siding with the enemies of the nation that so warmly welcomed her family from Somalia.
They are all part of the Nuestra América Convoy, which arrived in Havana this week. The delegation brought together over 650 people from 33 countries and 120 organizations, delivering roughly 20 tons of humanitarian aid. What a hoot. I only hope their phones have enough battery to capture selfies when they hear ordinary Cubans chanting “Down with communism!” through the blackouts.
And that is exactly what Cubans have been chanting in Morón, outside the local headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba. But the Nuestra América Convoy is not there to protest decades of brutal dictatorship, but rather the US “blockade,” recently reinforced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On 29 January, the United States issued Executive Order 14380, titled “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba.” In it, President Trump declared that the situation with respect to Cuba “constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat” and announced a national emergency.
The real question is how long it will take Corbyn &amp; Co to realise they are on the side of Cuba’s dictatorial regime. After all, none of them have uttered a word about the lack of democracy in a country where only Communist Party members may hold office.
Not a peep about the breadlines — which I have witnessed on every one of my trips to Cuba over the last twenty years, both during and since the Castro era. Breadlines in Santiago de Cuba. Breadlines in Trinidad. Breadlines in Havana.
While there have been <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2036521369492725871?s=20">interesting reports</a> about how the Radical Chic Flotilla was funded by the US-born self-described Marxist billionaire Neville Roy Singham, the root of this idiocy was perhaps best articulated by the Irish rap band Kneecap.
If the Black Panthers had Leonard Bernstein, what does it say about the Nuestra América Convoy that their house band are Kneecap? The Belfast hip-hop trio is most famous for its vocal support of Hamas and Hezbollah — and the resulting terrorism charges against one member. On a Havana boulevard, they dish out their Radical Chic <a href="https://x.com/ultras_antifaa/status/2035502703804080378?s=20">insights to the press</a>.
Móglaí Bap, Kneecap’s rapper, has things to get off his chest: “I can’t remember the last time Cuba invaded a country.” Bless his cotton socks. They have. Panama and the Dominican Republic (1959), Algeria (1963–64), Congo (1965–67), Guinea-Bissau (1966–74), Angola (1975–91), Ethiopia (1977–89), Syria (1973–83), Mozambique (1975–80s), South Yemen (1970s–80s), Nicaragua (1979–90s), and Grenada (1979–83).
But it’s not just stupidity that motivates Kneecap. “They wanna isolate all these countries and make them feel like they have no support … and then when that happens, that’s when imperialism takes over.” Here Bap gets to the heart of it.
Anti-imperialism. It is the same blind ideology that has these rappers supporting the forces of evil wherever they emerge: Gaza, Tehran, Caracas. But it could not be more fitting than here in communist Cuba, for it is the central pillar of Castroism.
“I propose the immediate launching of a nuclear strike on the United States. The Cuban people are prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause of the destruction of imperialism and the victory of world revolution.”
So said Fidel Castro in a telegram to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev on 26 October 1962, at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/23/opinion/castro-wanted-a-nuclear-strike.html">According to Fedor Burlatsky</a> — a member of Khrushchev’s inner circle — this was the real turning point. So shocked was Khrushchev by Castro’s brazen desire for national suicide that the Soviet leader immediately changed tack and sought a resolution with President Kennedy. Imagine an ideological derangement so potent it makes Soviets blush.
Today, despite the cries for “libertad!” from Cubans downtrodden by six decades of this anti-imperialist experiment, the ideology is thriving — not in Cuba, but in the coffee shops of Islington, the vegan restaurants of Beverly Hills, and the congressional district offices of Minnesota. Anti-imperialism is the ultimate luxury belief.
My last interaction with Gabriella Castro came as we stepped out of the car after racing around Havana. She’d made it clear she was staunchly anti-American, but I thought I’d poke a bit further.
“How does one say ‘friends’ in Spanish?” I asked, knowing the answer but pretending otherwise.
“Amigos.”
“But what if it’s male and female?”
“Amigos.”
“It’s still masculine?”
“Sí.”
“Isn’t that a little…”
“Sexist. Yes…”
She paused, looking seriously into the distance.
“…we should change it.”
***
This is republished with the author&#8217;s permission from Substack: <a href="https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/p/cocaine-with-the-castros">www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/p/cocaine-with-the-castros</a>.
Winston Marshall is a writer, musician, and host of &#8220;The Winston Marshall Show&#8221; podcast. His writing is available on his Substack, Winston Marshall:  <a href="https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/">https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/</a>.

Cuba – Cienfuegos: Old cyclist and revolutionary propaganda with picture of Fidel Castro on house wall.

Cocaine With The Castros

Cuba

Global Politics

Havana

The communist dictatorship in Cuba has never been closer to collapse. Thankfully, the cadre of leftist American activists and influencers that descended on Havana this week will not be able to save it. While the island endured its second total electrical grid collapse in a matter of days, the regime welcomed a delegation of limousine socialists from the United States. They quickly pulled out their phones, merging grotesque voyeuristic <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/22/world-news/champagne-socialists-in-cuba-stage-concert-stay-in-5-star-hotel-as-country-plunges-into-nationwide-blackout/">slum tourism</a> with propagandistic livestreams from their five-star, regime-owned hotel. As their diesel generators hummed, the rest of the country starved in the dark.
The good news? This is late-stage communism. Cuba’s 67-year-old experiment with Marxist ideology could finally end if the Trump administration avoids the traps of negotiation and holds the line on its successful oil embargo. It would be a historic accomplishment for Trump 2.0, and petroleum is the key.
Margaret Thatcher famously observed that the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money. This is happening in real time in present-day Cuba: The government has run out of other people’s oil. It scraped by for decades on Venezuelan crude shipments, using Venezuela&#8217;s oil imports to generate electricity, which is the least efficient task imaginable. This imported crude is in addition to the 25,000 barrels of oil per day that the regime pumps for itself.
The ouster of Nicolás Maduro and President Trump’s total oil embargo have set a countdown clock for the regime. The punishment will continue; the power outages will get worse. What’s more, they presage a breakdown in the paltry benefits the regime still offers.
Decades ago, Bernie Sanders <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ad-v0qpB3A&amp;t=22s">infamously claimed</a> that bread lines were “a good thing” because they meant that the poor were not starving. Eventually, he argued, people received bread. The 2026 energy shortage in Cuba has given that interpretation a new, grim twist. Limited gasoline for transportation and power for baking means that there will be less bread for the bread lines.
As President Trump recently noted, “They have no energy. They have no money. They’re in deep trouble.” Trump is correct.
Deputy Cuban Foreign Minister Fernández de Cossío declared that the oil blockade “cannot be sustained forever.” The regime is obviously betting that the White House will eventually cave and let foreign tankers arrive in Cuban ports. This should not happen, since it will extend the lifespan of this regime once more.
Conditions on the ground are ripe for public unrest not seen since Cuba’s nationwide protests in July 2021. Unlike the previous unrest due to blackouts, however, the regime no longer has a Venezuelan patron to bail them out. Their current strategy is to play for time.
Here’s what we do next:
The administration must hold the line on the current oil embargo. The Cuban regime has learned how to manipulate public opinion by claiming that an end to the U.S. embargo will end the poverty of the Cuban people. In reality, it is the regime’s communist economic policies that have made them poor. It is why the <a href="https://x.com/TheCCShowcast/status/2035796964529365458?s=20">cavalcade of socialist influencers has backfired</a> on the government.
By showcasing the desperate poverty of the Cuban people and retreating to their hotel rooms to broadcast their support for the regime from a swanky 42-story high-rise, the woke circus of the “Stop the Siege” campaign inadvertently showed the disconnect between the luxury of communist elites and the people they imprison.
Next, the administration should not accept the “Venezuelan model” for Cuba. Simply replacing a few leaders at the top will not cure the island’s woes.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio seems to understand this, recently declaring that Cuba’s current leaders “can’t fix it,” namely, the economy. This is accurate. It is also why asking for a change in management at the top will not work.
Cuba needs a fundamental restructuring, similar to Central Europe after 1989.
As we learned from successful post-communist countries in Europe, gradual reforms lead to corruption and take too long to yield the desired results. Conversely, rapid changes shock the system into embracing free-market mechanisms that have not existed for decades. Poland and the Czech Republic are the shining examples of this rapid teardown and rebuilding.
Lastly, President Trump can and should do more to use the bully pulpit of his presidency to encourage the Cuban people. Ultimately, they cannot be “given” freedom; they must use the regime&#8217;s weakness to seize their own national destiny. Trump has the loudest megaphone in the world; he should use it to remind everyday Cubans that America is waiting to make the island rich through trade, investment, and most importantly, energy.
Because none of this can happen while the current regime remains in power, the White House should fully embrace a straightforward idea: “Viva Cuba libre.”
***
Peter Doran is a Senior Adjunct Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He previously served as a Foreign Affairs Fellow for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and later served with the Cuba Development Initiative at the OAS.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

A protester holds a Cuban flag during the demonstration.

Trump Must Hold The Line On The Cuba Oil Embargo

Bernie Sanders

Crude Oil

Donald Trump

Anti-government protesters attacked a Communist Party office in northern Cuba early on Saturday, a state-run newspaper reported, in a rare outburst of public dissent triggered by worsening blackouts that have been exacerbated by a U.S. oil blockade.
A rally against power cuts and food shortages appeared to begin peacefully in the city of Moron late on Friday then turned violent in the early hours of Saturday morning, Invasor newspaper said.
Videos on social media showed a large fire and people throwing rocks through the windows of a building as voices shouted &#8220;liberty&#8221; in the background.
Reuters was unable to confirm the authenticity of videos that posters said showed the unrest in Moron, a city on Cuba&#8217;s northern coast about 250 miles (400 km) east of the capital Havana near the tourist resort of Cayo Coco.
US BLOCKADE TURNS THE SCREW
The ​United States has tightened the screws on Cuba this year since capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro &#8211; Cuba&#8217;s most important foreign benefactor &#8211; in January.
U.S. President Trump cut off Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatened to slap tariffs on any country that sells oil to Cuba, piling pressure on the economy already struggling with shortages of food, fuel, electricity and medicine.
Trump has in recent weeks made a series of statements, saying Cuba was on the verge of collapse or eager to make a deal with the United States. Cuba&#8217;s government said on Friday it had begun talks with Washington to try to defuse the crisis.
Public protests, particularly violent ones, are exceedingly rare in Cuba. Cuba&#8217;s 2019 constitution grants citizens the right to demonstrate, but a law more specifically defining that right is stalled in the legislature, leaving those who take to the street in legal limbo.
&#8220;What initially began peacefully, and after an exchange with local authorities, turned into acts of vandalism against the headquarters of the Municipal Party Committee,&#8221; the Invasor newspaper said.
&#8220;A smaller group of people stoned the entrance of the building and started a fire in the street with furniture from the reception area,&#8221; it added.
Vandals targeted several other state-run establishments in the area, including a pharmacy and a government market, the report said.
In one unverified video on social media, a gunshot is heard, and the camera pans to a person lying on the ground. State media outlet Vanguardia de Cuba dismissed online reports that the person lying on the ground had been shot by police.
&#8220;The image circulating shows the scene of the protest, but it&#8217;s important for the public to know the truth: no one was injured by gunfire,&#8221; Vanguardia de Cuba said on X.
&#8220;Media manipulation seeks to sow fear and confusion among our people. Let&#8217;s not fall for provocations,&#8221; it added.
Police detained five people and one drunken participant fell over and was being treated for injuries in a local hospital.
Over the past week, several small groups of residents across Havana have banged pots in protest against extended blackouts.
Students on Monday staged a sit-in on the steps of the University of Havana after the government suspended in-person classes, blaming the U.S. oil blockade. Fuel shortages have vastly reduced public transportation, making it difficult, if not impossible, for teachers and students to get together for classes.
Moron was also the site of significant protests during anti-government riots on July 11, 2021, the largest since Fidel Castro&#8217;s 1959 revolution.
(Reporting by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Anti-Government Riot Breaks Out In Cuba Over Blackouts

Venezuela

World

The following is an edited transcript excerpt of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1906-libs-in-minneapolis-create-their-own-border-patrol?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
* * *
Liberals in Minnesota have had it with ICE raids and Border Patrol, so they’ve decided to take matters into their own hands with a novel plan to keep the people they don’t want out of their communities.
They are, quite literally, creating a system to control who comes and goes.
In the middle of the road at 32nd and Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis, activists erected a makeshift roadblock, turning the intersection into a roundabout. Cars slowed as drivers noticed. Some honked, others asked questions. One man even brought food for the people standing watch.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Minneapolis roadblock created as safety measure against ICE, residents say" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kpxvfub-gHA?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>
Credit: @WCCO &#8211; CBS Minnesota/YouTube.com
When asked how it felt to see a community checkpoint in his neighborhood, one local shrugged it off. It felt “fine,” he said. He didn’t have any trouble with people “helping out.”
<blockquote>Wade Haynes has been standing at that corner twice a day for one reason: to stand up against ICE activity and “keep his community safe.” He chose that corner. Others chose other intersections. He found it inspiring. “Wow,” he said. “We’ve got folks out there who are kind of taking care of us, looking out for us.”</blockquote>
Taking care of them? Looking out for them?
Some might say policing their communities.
And the way they’re doing it is by erecting structures in the street on the corners — stopping points. Some might even call them “borders,” staffed by people who check to make sure that only the right people get into the community, and that the people they don’t want stay out.
Many people, including some on the Right, have questioned President Trump’s tactics in Minneapolis. But you can’t argue with results — and the results of the Minneapolis raids are that Trump got anti-ICE liberals to invent Border Patrol.
That’s the beautiful part.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1906-libs-in-minneapolis-create-their-own-border-patrol?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
Trump actually trolled the Minneapolis Left into reinventing everything they claim to oppose: border patrol, wall checkpoints, cops, enforcement. “We need our own ICE to deport these ICE agents,” they cry, without a trace of irony.
This is what always seems to happen when utopians on the Left — of all stripes — dream up their perfect society.
They start by declaring that society as it exists is no good:
<blockquote>We’ve got markets. We’ve got people making money. We’ve got private property. We’ve got exploitation — we don’t want any of that, man! 
So what are we going to do? We’re going to move to a commune. A farm in the middle of nowhere. It’s going to be beautiful — not like this city, not like this town. We’re going to live together in harmony. Some people are going to grow the food. Some people are going to bake the bread. Some people are going to watch the kids. It’s going to be amazing. We’re going to have a diversity of labor.</blockquote>
Oh, you mean we’re going to have a market economy?
<blockquote>Well, yeah, but this time it will be perfect. And we’re all going to take care of each other, man.</blockquote>
Oh, you mean like police?
<blockquote>Yeah, man.</blockquote>
And so, without realizing it, they invent society as it has always existed — just with the assumption that this time, they’ll do it right.
<blockquote>That’s the problem with our society, they say. We just didn’t do it right.</blockquote>
And now, in Minneapolis, they’ve reinvented Border Patrol.
It’s so beautiful.
So I say: take them at their word.
Yes, we do need people to keep our communities safe. 
Yes, we do need checkpoints to keep the people we don’t want out. 
Yes, we do need a group of people to take care of the community.
If that’s what they believe, then flood Minneapolis with even more ICE agents, Mr. President.

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations

Minneapolis Liberals Invent Their Own Border Patrol

Border Patrol

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Leftists

Michael Knowles

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Opinion

Socialism is back. We see it with the election of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York. We also see it in polling from the <a href="https://www.cato.org/blog/81-say-they-cant-afford-pay-higher-taxes-next-year">Cato Institute</a> that suggests many young Americans view socialism favorably: “Among Americans under 30, 62 percent feel favorable toward socialism…”
Beyond the obvious economic and political dangers of socialism, one component receives relatively little attention: the culture of work.
People who live and work in socialist societies often report being far less satisfied and motivated than those who work in relatively free markets. When a nation’s government controls businesses, they lose a competitive advantage. As a result, employees who derive dignity from achievement and contribution experience disappointment.
At the same time, people uninterested in hard work are more likely to be coddled and protected. This often perpetuates an environment of mediocrity.
Talk to any driven person who has ever worked in a socialist country, or in an industry controlled by government regulation, and you’ll hear this sentiment. Hard work is not rewarded. Mediocre employees can’t be let go. Innovation is harder to sustain. Work becomes a matter of showing up, biding your time, and accepting that upward mobility is not possible.
I work with a young man who took great risks to escape a socialist country, and I have other colleagues who have lived in socialist countries. Their experiences convey a muted sense of hope that most people have about their employment.
Anecdotes aren’t proof, but they often show you what certain systems tend to produce. A vivid lesson about the dangers of socialism on the culture of work comes from a surprising source: people who have worked in “socialist-like” industries that exist within free markets.
When traveling for business, I’ve spoken to many flight attendants about their work experiences. The vast majority work in heavily unionized environments, and many have told me there is little incentive to do their job well other than their intrinsic desire to make people happy. Their careers are determined by seniority, and chronically underperforming colleagues are tolerated, rarely addressed, and almost never dismissed.
The fantastic flight attendants I met can’t be recruited by competitors — or even move to airlines that pay more or treat employees better — because they’d have to start over at the back of the seniority line. So the next time you experience great service on a flight, show some respect knowing they are often doing what they do out of love for others, not because they are rewarded.
The purpose of work should be to give people the freedom to provide for their families, use the gifts that God has given them, and experience the dignity of serving others well. When leaders organize work with these purposes, they give individuals incentive to tap into their best potential.
However, when organizations tolerate poor performance and remove the extrinsic rewards of achievement, they do a terrible disservice to the dignity of customers and employees alike. It’s important to understand that even underperforming employees lose dignity in socialist societies and organizations as they are prevented from experiencing the tough love necessary to become the best versions of themselves.
This is the real tragedy of socialist workplaces: people rarely become the best versions of themselves. In other words, they settle.
Despite all of this being true, why do large numbers of Americans still say they have a positive view of socialism? I believe there are three reasons.
First, many have never really experienced the impact of socialism. To them, socialism is merely a theory that involves more sharing and kindness. For example, according to actress Amanda Seyfried, socialism means <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/actress-amanda-seyfried-calls-socialism-gorgeous-idea">“taking care of each other.”</a>
Second, many people who say they like socialism already work in socialist organizations and have settled. They are accustomed to roles where competition is muted, and pay and advancement are constrained by rules, not results.
Finally, too many Americans work in very large organizations that mimic some aspects of socialism via crony capitalism and corporate welfare. Their industries are protected by lobbyists and elected officials who thwart authentic capitalism.
When addressing the false hope of socialism, we must not attempt to split the difference. In fact, we must advocate for more competition in all industries, as well as for real consequences for people who consistently underperform. Additionally, we must push for the enforcement of antitrust laws that prevent dangerous monopolies and oligopolies.
Perhaps most important of all, America must support one of the best sources of employment, dignity, and innovation in our society: small businesses. These small companies, where most Americans work, still have great incentives to find new ways to please customers and to attract and retain great employees. But in socialist countries, there is less capital and fewer incentives for entrepreneurs to take risks and start small businesses.
If America truly wants to defend human dignity, we can’t romanticize systems that smother the very drive that makes people come alive. Socialism doesn’t just weaken economies; it weakens people. America doesn’t need more managed mediocrity. It needs the freedom that lets workers, and the work itself, succeed.
* * *
Pat Lencioni is one of the founders of The Table Group, a pioneer of the organizational health movement, and the creator of <a href="https://www.workinggenius.com/about?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21520445429&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD4dDHRyei0FFfuRCa63VdPO11RDk&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwlaTGBhANEiwAoRgXBSUpr89SSKKSTeoiFk-LdSAKpBsTFlfYYrEIm9MHWtUL1HjC7imP1RoC65MQAvD_BwE"> The Working Genius</a>, which helps leaders understand workplace efficiency. He is the bestselling author of “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” as well as 12 other books, which have sold over 10 million copies and been translated into more than 30 languages.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Mamdani Takes Reins Of New York City After Historic Election Win

Why So Many Americans Romanticize Socialism — And Why They’re Wrong

Democratic Socialism

Employers

Gen Z

Labor Unions

Millennials

New York City

Socialism

Zohran Mamdani

Editor’s note: This week, we’re reprinting some of our best stories from the past year. This is the fourth installment in a five-part series from Xi Van Fleet and Sasha Gong — both activists, scholars, and survivors of Mao’s communist uprising. In this piece, the authors explain how Democrats’ cringeworthy embrace of foul language is actually a tried-and-true strategy of revolutionary movements — one that Maoists used to frightening effect.
After the 2024 election, Democrats convinced themselves that their problem was not their embrace of divisive radical ideology or failed policies, but poor communication with the people — particularly working-class voters.
Their conclusion was simple: Donald Trump had won over working-class and minority men through vulgarity. If Trump could toss out blunt, unpolished lines, then they believed they could surpass him — and regain an electoral edge — by lacing their speeches with profanity.
Their experiment over the past few months has been awkward at best. Many Democrats now spit out curse words with visible discomfort, as if swearing were a foreign tongue.
With the exception of lawmakers like Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett — a lawyer who seamlessly flits between courtroom diction and a less polished vernacular — most Democrats can’t pull this off. Audiences have noticed the fakery and have been quick to mock the lawmakers and their newfound “edge.”
But something more sinister is afoot with Democrats’ sudden embrace of profanity.
In Mao’s China, where both of us grew up, the first casualty of the Cultural Revolution was not lives, but language. For millennia, Chinese tradition prized harmony, and criticism was expressed through subtlety, suggestion, and indirection.
Then, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution with a short essay in the People’s Daily in which he branded his opponents “poisonous.”
“They have puffed up the arrogance of the bourgeoisie and deflated the morale of the proletariat,” Mao wrote. “How poisonous!” He demanded their purge, hinting even at their physical destruction. Red Guards, intoxicated with revolutionary zeal, followed his lead. And to prove their proletarian authenticity, they laced every sentence with the Chinese equivalent of the F-word, reducing a once-elevated language to a blunt weapon of class struggle.
Crudeness soon became a prerequisite for joining the Red Guards, while proper speech was denounced as bourgeois and unworthy of the revolution. Almost overnight, vulgarity filled big-character posters, leaflets, even newspapers and magazines.
The belief was simple: the cruder the words, the closer one stood to the “chosen people” of the revolution — workers, peasants, and soldiers.
Obscenity fused seamlessly with violence. Students became mobs, hurling profanities as they smashed classrooms, beat teachers, and paraded “class enemies” through the streets. Language collapsed into humiliation, torture, and public killing. For 10 years, Mao’s China lived under obscenity and terror. A generation had its soul poisoned; a civilization’s fabric was shredded.
The revolutionary tradition carries on in China today. More than once, the current Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping has warned that China’s enemies will be reduced to fen shen sui gu — literally, “a body ground into powder and bones smashed to pieces.” If you wonder why Xi speaks with such brutal bluntness and violent vocabulary, the roots lie with Mao.
The Chinese Communists believed that vulgar language could rally the masses into revolutionary action. In practice, it mobilized the worst elements of society. The tragedy was that it never reflected the authentic voice of the working class. Real working people in China, though they might not speak the “King’s Chinese,” cherished the hope that their children would. They understood that education and refinement elevate one’s status. Coarse language, by contrast, chained people to the bottom. As George Bernard Shaw showed in “Pygmalion” —later adapted into the hit musical “My Fair Lady” — speech is the passport to opportunity.
Like Mao, Democrats operate on the same false assumption about their base. Instead of lifting the working class, they trap voters in a linguistic and cultural ghetto, telling themselves that this is what the people want and deserve — all while pretending to champion them.
By forcing obscenities into their speeches, Democratic leaders sound neither authentic nor loyal. They sound desperate.
They have also badly misread Trump. Pseudo-intellectuals assumed the president’s appeal lay in coarseness. In reality, it lay in candor. Trump does not speak from consultant-written scripts. He speaks with raw, sometimes jarring honesty that working people recognize. He stands with the average Joe because, culturally, he is one of them — not by wealth or pedigree, but by instinct.
He talks about jobs, factories, borders, and national pride. He despises management jargon and academic euphemism. His voters love him not for his rough edges, but for his faithfulness to what they live and feel. Democrats may try to imitate populists, but until they truly understand them, they cannot be believed.
Language can heal, elevate, and liberate. Or it can poison, debase, and destroy. In their anti-Trump frenzy, Democrats have humiliated themselves, degraded voters, and poisoned the young. They must stop — or be stopped.
READ MORE:
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/license-to-kill-what-turns-normal-people-to-political-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Maoists, Part I: License To Kill: What Turns Normal People To Political Violence?</a>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-wheel-of-misfortune-victims-victimhood-and-victimization?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Xi+Van+Fleet+and+Sasha+Gong&amp;category=Opinion&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=The+Wheel+Of+Misfortune%3A+Victims%2C+Victimhood%2C+And+Victimization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Maoists, Part II: The Wheel Of Misfortune: Victims, Victimhood, And Victimization</a>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-red-guard-to-blue-hair-why-leftists-destroy-womanhood?author=Xi+Van+Fleet+and+Sasha+Gong&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=From+Red+Guard+To+Blue+Hair%3A+Why+Leftists+Destroy+Womanhood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Maoists, Part III: From Red Guard To Blue Hair: Why Leftists Destroy Womanhood</a>
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erasing-history-the-real-cultural-marxism?author=Xi+Van+Fleet+and+Sasha+Gong&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Erasing+History%3A+The+Real+Cultural+Marxism">American Maoists, Part V: Erasing History: The Real Cultural Marxism</a></h4>
Xi Van Fleet is a survivor of Mao’s Cultural Revolution, an activist, and the author of “Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning.”
Sasha Gong is a writer, scholar, journalist, and filmmaker. A dissident in Mao’s China, she holds a PhD from Harvard University and was previously Director of the China Branch at Voice of America.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Untitled design (97)

Best Of 2025: Like Communists, Democrats Want To Trap Voters In A Linguistic Ghetto

Chinese Communist Party

Profanity

In 1988, after escaping socialism in Romania, I celebrated my first Christmas in America. It was a profound experience marked by joy, gratitude, and reflection. It was the first time I was able to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ without fear of being arrested by a totalitarian socialist regime. I enjoyed the freedom to attend church and the joy of discovering new cultural traditions. It marked a significant milestone in my journey toward freedom and renewal.
But before that journey was even an idea, I attended my first Socialist Party Christmas as a child. As we arrived, my father said very sternly, “We are at the Socialism Party headquarters, where Santa’s party will take place. Remember, only say yes or no, nothing more.”
The large reception room was decorated in red, and on each wall there was a large portrait of our “Beloved Leader” Nicolae Ceaușescu, flanked by Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. On the left side of the room, a small Christmas tree stood, decorated with pictures of soldiers who had died, a picture of Ceaușescu, and topped with a big, red socialist star with a yellow hammer and sickle.
There were no angels, no silver Bethlehem stars, no nativity scenes.
Santa was a Socialist Party leader, and all the gifts had a Communist theme. The boys received Communist soldier toys or books about Ceaușescu. The girls received red-scarfed socialist dolls. The following year, Santa was replaced with Dictator Ceaușescu’s name, and no gifts were given.
<div id="attachment_1017011" style="width: 790px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1017011" class="size-large wp-image-1017011" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-3438665-780x576.jpg" alt="circa 1985: Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu (1918 - 1989) and his wife Elena with a large group of children in national costume. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)" width="780" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-3438665-780x576.jpg 780w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-3438665-300x221.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-3438665-768x567.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-3438665.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" />circa 1985: Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu (1918 &#8211; 1989) and his wife Elena with a large group of children in national costume. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)</div>
Now, years later, I’ve watched as the influence of socialist ideologies and policies has infiltrated and changed how Christmas is celebrated in America.
Since 1971, court cases, like <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/403/602/">Lemon v. Kurtzman</a> and <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/492/573/">Allegheny County v. ACLU</a>, have scrutinized the use of religious elements in public Christmas displays, often resulting in the restriction of nativity scenes on government property to avoid the perception that the government favors one religion over another.
The fear of appearing “too religious” or “exclusive” has transformed Christmas celebrations, shifting them toward a more secular, inclusive holiday focused on community and festive cheer rather than its core religious meaning. This secularization has diluted the profound significance of Christ’s birth.
As governments and institutions increasingly strip Christ from Christmas, our religious freedoms are slowly eroding – and could soon vanish entirely if we don&#8217;t stand against it.
Make no mistake. This is exactly what happened in Romania.
Ceaușescu&#8217;s rise to power in Romania was due to his charm, enthusiasm, anti-capitalist rhetoric, and how he portrayed himself as a man of the people. These qualities all resonated emotionally with citizens and framed socialism as a path to equality and justice.
As soon as Ceaușescu took power in Romania, his regime systematically attacked religious freedom by promoting atheism, controlling religious institutions, and demolishing churches. This created an environment of repression that stifled religious expression and contributed to the decline of organized religion in Romania during his rule.
Ceaușescu used <a href="https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71402.htm">Decree 177/1948</a> for further repression that significantly curtailed religious freedom in Romania. He established a framework for state control over religious organizations and practices.
New religious groups faced significant difficulties in obtaining official recognition. Religious literature, including Bibles and other texts, faced heavy censorship. Many publications were banned in socialist Romania or required state approval before distribution. Nativity scenes, crosses, and other religious imagery were often removed from public spaces, and churches faced restrictions on displaying decorations that highlighted the religious significance of Christmas.
Some families in socialist Romania, risking cruel punishment, jail time, or death, created small altars or displays in their homes featuring religious icons, candles, and nativity scenes, allowing them to express their faith privately.
While initially Ceaușescu’s anti-capitalist rhetoric resonated, the reality of his regime’s failures ultimately led to widespread disillusionment.
George Barna&#8217;s research recently found that <a href="https://www.arizonachristian.edu/2021/02/03/americas-thirst-for-socialism-plummets-in-wake-of-2020-election/">support for socialism</a> is growing in America. Socialism is now deeply rooted in New York City after the election of self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.
And Mamdani is following Ceaușescu’s playbook. He strongly criticizes capitalism as corrupt and exploitative, while socialism is a path to equality and justice. He plays on the emotions of New Yorkers who struggle to survive in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Mamdani hopes people will see the true reality of his policies years from now. He advocates for religious freedom by emphasizing the importance of maintaining a secular government approach to it. He frames religious freedom within the broader context of social justice, racial equality, economic justice, and immigrant rights. He believes in promoting government policies grounded in ethical and secular principles rather than religious doctrines.
<div id="attachment_1017055" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1017055" class="size-large wp-image-1017055" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250069091-768x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 04: Crowds gather for a look at a Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center on December 4, 2025 in New York City. The tree, which is an icon of New York City's holiday season, was lit up on the night of December 3 in midtown Manhattan. (Photo by Liao Pan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250069091-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250069091-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2250069091.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Liao Pan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images</div>
The election of progressive candidates who openly identify with socialist principles in America has changed the political landscape, challenging traditional party norms and policies.
Socialism stands in direct opposition to God, replacing Him with an all-powerful government that demands total allegiance. It erodes our God-given religious freedoms and brands faithful Christians as obstacles to its agenda.
My own life bears witness to this truth. I fled a socialist regime in 1988, escaping the brutal oppression that crushed religious rights and silenced believers. Those same poisonous lies of socialism, now spreading rapidly in America, are gaining ground, especially among those who despise our nation&#8217;s founding principles and Judeo-Christian heritage.
We cannot remain silent. Those of us who have endured the horrors of socialism will never stop sounding the alarm. It is time to rise up and fiercely defend our freedoms before they are lost forever.
* * *
<a href="https://www.virginiaprodanbooks.com/">Virginia Prodan</a> is an international human rights attorney, best-selling author of the memoir “<a href="https://virginiaprodanbooks.com/get-the-book-2/">Saving My Assassin</a>,” and host of the “<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/courageous-leadership-with-virginia-prodan/id1590554517">Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan</a>” podcast. She serves as an ambassador on the President’s Council for National Religious Broadcasters, a member of the Advisory Board of the American Christian Leaders for Israel, and an Allied Attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Christmas in Rockefeller Center – Season 2025

Don’t Let Socialism’s Red Star Top America’s Christmas Tree

Bible

Christmas

Europe

Karl Marx

Marxism

Religion

A tremor is moving through Armenia. It is not shaking its borders or its mountains. It is moving through the spiritual heart of the world’s first Christian nation. The Armenian Apostolic Church, the ancient institution that carried a people through genocide, exile, and the long shadow of Soviet repression, now stands in the center of an escalating national confrontation. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/armenia-order-arrest-senior-priest-over-alleged-coup-plot-triggers-scuffles-2025-06-27/">accused leading church figures</a>, including Catholicos Karekin II, of political meddling and moral misconduct. Church leaders and their supporters insist that the government is attempting to silence a sacred institution that has preserved Armenian identity through centuries of persecution. To understand the significance of this confrontation, it is important to consider how both the government and the Church explain the actions that have unfolded since early summer.
Since June, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government has said its actions against senior clerics are lawful investigations tied to alleged criminal conduct and concerns about political destabilization during a sensitive period for Armenia’s security and peace negotiations. Church leaders and critics counter that the arrests, including the recent detention of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/armenian-archbishop-arrested-drug-related-charges-amid-crackdown-clerics-2025-12-05/">Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan</a> on revived drug-related charges, amount to political pressure on the Armenian Apostolic Church and raise serious questions about religious freedom and state overreach.
The truth of these accusations remains contested. The facts are intertwined with political tension, historical memory, and the understandable anxieties of a nation that has endured repeated national trauma. Yet this controversy is about more than the conduct of any particular leader. It is about the role faith continues to play in shaping the conscience of a modern society. It is about whether institutions that helped form the Armenian nation can still speak with moral authority in an age that increasingly demands their silence.
In much of the West, faith is often treated as a personal preference or a cultural accessory, reduced to one choice among many in an age defined by individual identity. Yet faith has never been sustained by ease. It is shaped by conflict, sacrifice, and transformation. The Armenian Church has survived empires, invasions, massacres, political manipulation, and ideological pressure that sought to erase it. It has weathered the weakness of its leaders, the failures of its institutions, and the pressures of hostile governments. Through all of this, it has remained a source of identity and hope for its people.
Americans should see something familiar in this moment. We, too, have seen spiritual disappointment in every corner of our own religious landscape. We have witnessed the failures of pastors, priests, bishops, and spiritual leaders who lost their way. Yet the endurance of faith despite human failures reminds us that no institution stands or falls on the perfection of its leaders. A church draws its strength from the conviction of its people and from a shared belief that truth is larger than any one individual.
This insight matters not only for religion but also for politics. Mature societies understand that institutions must outlast personalities. A democracy cannot survive if it relies on the strength of a single figure. A church cannot survive if it places all of its hope in the purity of one clergyman. The resilience of a nation rests in the covenant of shared responsibility, shared belief, and shared accountability.
<div id="attachment_1014245" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1014245" class="size-large wp-image-1014245" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-864x576.jpg" alt="Tatev, Armenia. Sunrise view of 9th-century Armenian Apostolic monastery located near the Tatev village in Armenia." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-1487435283-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Tatev, Armenia. 9th-century Armenian Apostolic monastery located near the Tatev village in Armenia. Anton Petrus. Getty Images.</div>
Armenia’s struggle also reveals something essential about freedom. Under Soviet rule, the Armenian Church was monitored, restricted, and infiltrated by state authorities, making open criticism dangerous or impossible. In a free Armenia, citizens can question both political leaders and church authorities. Such questioning might be loud and painful, but it is proof of democratic life. Freedom requires discernment. A society must learn how to confront wrongdoing without destroying the institutions that hold its moral memory.
None of this diminishes the seriousness of the concerns raised on both sides. If the Church has tolerated harmful practices, it must face that reality with honesty and courage. If the state is using the language of justice to exert political pressure, it must stop before it undermines the very democratic values it claims to protect. The state exists to govern. The Church exists to guide conscience. When each respects the purpose of the other, both flourish.
This moment also calls for humility among believers. It is easy to demand perfection from spiritual leaders and then abandon the Church when those leaders fail. Yet the endurance of Christianity has never depended on perfect leadership. It has grown through crises that forced communities to seek renewal, accountability, and deeper integrity. Faith is not destroyed by human weakness. It is strengthened when weakness is confronted with truth.
For that reason, the crisis in Armenia may ultimately bring spiritual renewal. A Church that survived genocide, communism, and the attempt to erase its identity will not collapse because of a political controversy. It may emerge more transparent, more accountable, and more prepared to meet the longing of a new generation that desires authenticity from every institution. And if the government learns that the Church remains an essential guardian of Armenian identity, then this moment of strain may lead to a healthier balance between state authority and spiritual influence.
Americans should pay attention to this moment. We live in a time of deep skepticism toward every institution. We have grown accustomed to believing that a single failure invalidates the entire structure. Armenia offers a humbling reminder. Imperfection is not the opposite of strength. It is the environment in which renewal can take root if people refuse to surrender to cynicism.
The world’s first Christian nation is wrestling with its soul. It is rediscovering a timeless truth. The endurance of faith is not measured by the virtue of its leaders, but by the resolve of its people to preserve what is true even when the ground beneath them is shaking. That is a message America needs to hear now more than ever.
* * *
Bishop Dr. Paul Murray is a global religious freedom advocate and nonprofit executive with more than three decades of experience working at the intersection of faith, human rights, and public life. He serves as CEO of <a href="https://www.savearmenia.us/">Save Armenia</a> and is an adjunct professor at <a href="https://www.indwes.edu/academics/seminary/">Indiana Wesleyan University</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Artsakh-Diocese-in-Etchmiadzin-Armenia

Armenia’s Spiritual Earthquake And The Warning America Cannot Ignore

Armenia

Armenians

Christianity

Church

genocide

Investigation

Middle East

Persecution

Politics

Soviet Union

We are at a critical moment in our shared history. A moment that calls for moral clarity and an unwavering commitment to justice. 
Christians around the globe are facing a genocide. And while President Donald Trump champions religious liberty in Syria after hosting the former al-Qaeda fighter-turned-president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and declares <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/11/trump-deserves-credit-for-focus-on-nigerian-christians/">Nigeria</a> a “country of particular concern” because of the slaughter of Christians, we cannot be naive.
Christian persecution is already here in America. Our nation is becoming a dangerous place for faithful believers to live.
We must stand up now for the persecuted not only as individuals but as a united front for our brothers and sisters around the world.
Policymakers, churches, and ordinary citizens have a moral responsibility to ensure our nation remains a beacon of hope and freedom for all, especially those persecuted for their faith.
I know something about persecution and the price of freedom. I grew up in Communist Romania, where the freedoms we now experience in America were stolen from its citizens. Speaking the truth meant imprisonment, torture, and even death. The government sought to control every thought, every word, every breath. That’s why I became a political refugee and found a new home in America in 1988.
A <a href="https://www.cato.org/blog/new-poll-74-worry-americans-could-lose-our-freedoms-were-not-careful">2024 Cato Institute survey</a> found that nearly 74% of Americans worry that if we’re not careful, Americans could lose their God-given freedoms and liberties. An out-of-control regime can gradually build persecution against Christians, making small, incremental changes that could go unnoticed until it is too late. I know. I lived it.
In Communist Romania, Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime controlled religious organizations by appointing loyal leaders, restricting activities, and nationalizing properties. Atheism was promoted through education and propaganda, portraying Christianity as outdated. Religious groups faced pressure to align with state policies, with non-compliance leading to imprisonment, job loss, or death.
The legacy of this persecution continues to shape the religious landscape in Romania today.
While the extent and nature of persecution differ significantly between Communist regimes and contemporary American society, there are parallels in the experiences of marginalization, pressure to conform, and struggles for expression. The challenges faced by Christians today often manifest initially in social and cultural pressures rather than outright physical persecution. And we are beginning to see signs of it here.
That’s why I’m joining the “<a href="https://www.washingtonpolicyinstitute.org/events/persecuted-and-prevailing-addressing-christian-persecution-in-the-modern-world/">Persecuted and Prevailing”</a> panel on December 4, 2025, at the Museum of the Bible to promote the truth, amplify our voices, and push for legislative action to support Christians.
As a human rights attorney in Communist Romania, I defended Christians, experiencing firsthand America’s crucial support. Congressmen Frank Wolf and Christopher Smith met with me often to discuss my cases, raising awareness among U.S. policymakers and the public about Romania’s dire situation. Their efforts drew media attention to the plight of Romanian Christians under the thumb of Communism, creating urgency for supporting persecuted believers.
Wolf’s actions shaped U.S. foreign policy to prioritize religious freedom, and the global impact included co-sponsoring the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ281/PLAW-114publ281.pdf">International Religious Freedom Act</a> (IRFA) of 1998, which established a framework to combat religious persecution worldwide and monitor and recommend policies. The Congressman also backed resolutions condemning persecution in Iran, Sudan, North Korea, and China, reinforcing human rights as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.
Now it’s our turn to carry the torch forward. Citizens who have the freedom to advocate for change must pressure policymakers to strengthen global religious liberty.
We are the voice for the persecuted who suffer in silence worldwide. If we fail to speak about oppression, like what I and many others endured in communist Romania, it will most certainly take root here. This generation needs to understand the fragile nature of freedom and the courage it takes to preserve it.
Using our voice and Constitutional rights to petition our government is the only way to protect our freedom and stand for truth. If we don’t use our voice today, we risk being silenced tomorrow.
When truth is distorted, freedom fades. Pray for discernment in a world clouded by lies. Live boldly, speak the truth in love, for true freedom flows from God’s presence, which has been with America since its founding. Remember, if God’s presence fades, so will our freedom.
* * *
<a href="https://www.virginiaprodanbooks.com/">Virginia Prodan</a> is an international human rights attorney, best-selling author of the memoir “<a href="https://virginiaprodanbooks.com/get-the-book-2/">Saving My Assassin</a>,” and host of the “<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/courageous-leadership-with-virginia-prodan/id1590554517">Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan</a>” podcast. She serves as an ambassador on the President’s Council for National Religious Broadcasters, a member of the Advisory Board of the American Christian Leaders for Israel, and an Allied Attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Far-left Democratic socialist and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will visit the White House for a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday.
Trump previously threatened to yank funding from the Big Apple if the 34-year-old Mamdani was elected, urging New Yorkers to back former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo instead. On Wednesday, Trump said that Mamdani had requested a meeting. 
“Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani, has asked for a meeting,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st. Further details to follow!”
Mamdani confirmed Trump’s post, <a href="https://abc7ny.com/post/president-trump-meet-nyc-mayor-elect-zohran-mamdani-white-house-friday/18177558/">issuing</a> a statement that the meeting was routine and would focus on public safety and the economy. 
&#8220;As is customary for an incoming mayoral administration, the Mayor-elect plans to meet with the President in Washington to discuss public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda that over one million New Yorkers voted for just two weeks ago.”
Trump said on Sunday that he would be open to meeting with Mamdani, stating, “We want to see everything work out well for New York.”
Mamdani said that he would be “Trump-proofing” New York by resisting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and claimed Trump was a “despot” during his Election Day victory speech. 
“If we embrace this brave new course, rather than fleeing from it, we can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves,” he said. “After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump, how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”
Mamdani has promised to open city-run grocery stores and raise the city’s minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030. Trump has said that New York’s economy will crumble under Mamdani’s leadership. 
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!” Trump posted on Truth Social before the election.

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Trump To Meet With ‘Communist’ Zohran Mamdani At The White House

The Free Press has <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/inside-the-dsas-hostile-takeover">reviewed</a> internal Democratic Socialists of America documents that show the organization&#8217;s leaders view Mamdani as a tool in their agenda to abolish prisons and borders and ultimately end what they call the “barbaric order of capitalism.”
The Free Press continued:
<blockquote>The DSA, founded in 1982, is a political body dedicated to the doctrine of democratic socialism, which is a variety of socialism that simply specifies how it would like revolution to occur: peacefully, through the subversion of democracy. Mamdani, a dues-paying DSA member since 2017, is the tip of that spear. </blockquote>
The Left constantly screws around with the definitions of terms. Socialism, typically speaking, is government control of the market-based order, nationalization of resources, getting rid of the pricing system, etc.
There are touches of socialism in a capitalist economy. This is called a mixed system. The United States obviously has a mixed system. So do Denmark and Norway. Fully socialist countries include Cuba and North Korea. China is an economically fascist system that has maintained aspects of nationalization, but then allowed certain aspects of the private market to operate so they could actually have a workable pricing system.
When people say democratic socialism, sometimes they mean Norway and sometimes they mean the DSA, which is to say, communism achieved through democratic means. 
<blockquote>The DSA held its <a href="https://convention2025.dsausa.org/">annual convention</a> in August, with the theme “Rebirth and Beyond: Reflecting on a decade of DSA’s growth and preparing for a decade of party building.” There, delegates voted to adopt a resolution titled “Principles for Party-Building,” which stated that the purpose of the DSA is “to unite workers to win the battle for democracy and bring about socialism, not to seek a governing coalition with a perceived lesser evil under the current undemocratic political system.” The resolution stated that the goals go beyond the White House. “A socialist party in the United States,” the document said, “must be a part of the global political movement of the working class.” </blockquote>
These are communists. They have nothing to do with the traditional Democratic Party, and yet they have more and more power. They have made it a full-time job to infiltrate school boards and majorities all over the country.
And they&#8217;re not being stopped.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2312-fear-and-loathing-reds-take-new-york?elementPosition=6&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
There&#8217;s going to be a whole new wave of DSA-inspired candidates all across America. State Rep. Ruwa Romman is running for Georgia governor in 2026. She, of course, has talked about how Israel is a fascist government, which is table stakes for the DSA. She canvassed for Mamdani. She&#8217;s mainly driven by radical Third Worldism that is deeply connected to antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. Her bid is a long shot in that Democratic primary, but she is running.
Graham Platner is very likely to win the Senate nomination in Maine in 2026. He, too, is a radical in the mold of Zohran Mamdani. He&#8217;s taken some hits because he had a giant Nazi tattoo on his chest, which he then denied was a Nazi tattoo, and then covered it up with an even uglier tattoo. But he is a democratic socialist.
Kat Abughazaleh is a candidate for Illinois&#8217;s ninth congressional district in 2026. She has a lot of followers on TikTok. She, like Mamdani, is very social media-savvy. She was indicted by a federal grand jury recently for allegedly blocking vehicles outside an ICE facility. Although she&#8217;s not formally DSA, her platform basically mirrors DSA.
There’s Kshama Sawant, who’s running for Washington&#8217;s ninth congressional district in 2026, and is an open Marxist. There’s Abdul El-Sayed, running for U.S. Senate in Michigan in 2026.
These candidates are very much to the Left, and the Democratic Party seems to have very little systemic immunity to them.
And all it&#8217;s going to cost you if they win is all your money and all your freedom.

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