The Justice Department is investigating the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while hosting one of his signature events at the college campus in Orem, Utah. According to sources at the event, Kirk appeared to be hit in the neck area by a single gunshot. He was hospitalized. His condition is unknown.
Shortly after the shooting, FBI Director Kash Patel said that federal agents were en route to the scene. 
“We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected,” Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965851035467132940">posted</a>. “Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965851035467132940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Within ten minutes of Patel’s post, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that FBI and ATF agents were at the campus. 
“FBI and ATF agents are on the scene. PRAY FOR CHARLIE,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. 
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would be investigating the attack. 
“Praying for my friend Charlie Kirk during this difficult time. The Department is actively investigating this senseless act of violence,” Blanche said. 
A spokeswoman for the university said that the suspect fired at Kirk from about 200 yards away from a building called the Losee Center, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09/10/us/charlie-kirk-shot-utah">reported</a>. The shooter remains at large, according to multiple reports. 
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said that he was being briefed on “the violence directed at Charlie Kirk during his visit to Utah Valley University today.”
“Those responsible will be held fully accountable. Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act. Our prayers are with Charlie, his family, and all those affected,” Cox added.

Press conference at White House

Feds To Take Over Investigation Of Charlie Kirk Shooting

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)

Charlie Kirk

Department of Justice

kash patel

Pam Bondi

A task force created by President Donald Trump has revealed countless examples of apparent government weaponization against Christians and other faithful Americans during the Biden administration years.
The Task Force to Eradicate Anti‑Christian Bias &#8212; which was created through an executive order and is chaired by Attorney General Pam Bondi &#8212; concluded in a preliminary report that during the Biden era, there were &#8220;numerous instances of anti-Christian bias.&#8221;
The report details the incidents, which came from a number of government entities, as <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-task-force-finds-numerous-instances-anti-christian-government-bias-under-biden">outlined</a> by Fox News.
The Department of Defense, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Department of Labor, for example, mishandled or denied requests for religious exemptions to the Biden COVID shot mandate. Notably, the Biden administration stood by the mandate until it was blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court following a Daily Wire legal challenge.
Biden&#8217;s Department of Education also seemed to target Christian colleges, like Liberty University and Grand Canyon University, with outlandish multimillion-dollar fines. The report also noted Biden&#8217;s Department of Treasury de-banking many pro-Christian groups.
Other well known acts of anti-Christian bias were addressed in the report, such as the Biden administration&#8217;s clear weaponization of the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act against pro-life Christians. As reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-doj-rolls-back-bidens-aggressive-prosecution-of-pro-lifers">The Daily Wire</a>, Biden was able to lock up nearly a dozen peaceful pro-life protesters by, in part, using the FACE Act. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/2023-witnessed-continued-attacks-on-pro-life-pregnancy-centers-churches">dozens</a> of pro-life pregnancy centers and dozens of churches were vandalized or even set ablaze &#8212; with few delayed repercussions. &#8220;[The Biden] DOJ refused to apply the FACE Act to protect places of worship and crisis pregnancy centers,&#8221; the report asserts.
Another well-known example highlighted in the report is the Biden FBI memo targeting &#8220;radical-traditionalist&#8221; Catholics as &#8220;domestic terrorism threats.&#8221;
The report&#8217;s &#8220;conclusion&#8221; says that numerous investigations &#8220;remain in their early stages,&#8221; however, &#8220;the evidence uncovered is unmistakable: during the Biden Administration, people of faith, particularly Christians, were repeatedly subjected to anti-religious bias at the hands of their own government.&#8221;
&#8220;Attorney General Bondi and the Task Force are resolved to end that pattern once and for all,&#8221; it continues. &#8220;Over the next twenty months, the Task Force will pursue its mandate with vigor, conducting robust investigations, enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring that the Trump Administration’s commitment to equal treatment of all faiths is fully realized.&#8221;
&#8220;By eradicating anti-Christian bias in the federal government, the Task Force is reaffirming a principle older than the Republic itself, that freedom of religion is not granted by government but guaranteed against it,&#8221; the report adds. &#8220;America must remain One Nation Under God if she is to remain Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All. The Task Force will never permit the federal government to be used as a weapon against faith.&#8221;
&#8220;The days of anti-Christian bias in the federal government are over. Faith is not a liability in America—it is a liberty,&#8221; the report says.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-doj-rolls-back-bidens-aggressive-prosecution-of-pro-lifers">Trump DOJ Rolls Back Biden’s Aggressive Prosecution Of Pro-Lifers</a>

Bombshell DOJ Report Details Biden-Era Anti-Christian Attacks, Vows To End Weaponization

Abortion

Biden Administration

Christianity

Executive

Freedom of Religion

Pro-Life Movement

U.S.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces a hostile Senate hearing, defending his vaccine policies against attacks from Democrats. The Department of Justice is reportedly considering new gun restrictions targeting individuals with gender dysphoria following the Minneapolis school shooting. CBS News is under fire for another deceptively edited interview as reports suggest a major shakeup is coming with the potential hiring of Bari Weiss.
It’s Friday, September 5, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Kennedy’s Capital Crossfire &amp; DOJ’s Gun Ban Consideration" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L2awJwXdYnc?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>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kennedys-capital-crossfire-dojs-gun-ban-consideration/id1576594336?i=1000725120108" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>RFK Jr. Defends Vaccine Policies in Fiery Senate Hearing</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-968947" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endured a hostile Senate hearing on Thursday, where he fiercely defended his vaccine policies and shakeup of the CDC against a barrage of attacks from Democrats.
During the fiery hearing, Democrats called Kennedy a &#8220;charlatan,&#8221; said he was perpetrating &#8220;hoaxes,&#8221; and demanded his resignation. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) accused him of sacrificing children&#8217;s lives, to which Kennedy retorted, &#8220;You&#8217;ve sat in that chair for &#8230; 25 years – while the chronic disease in our children went up to 76%. And you said nothing.&#8221; When Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) attacked him over recent changes to COVID vaccine access, Kennedy shot back, &#8220;I know you&#8217;ve taken $855,000 from pharmaceutical companies, senator.&#8221;
Kennedy defended his decision to fire CDC Director Susan Monarez, saying she had twice admitted to him that she was not &#8220;trustworthy.&#8221; He also stood by his overhaul of the CDC&#8217;s vaccine advisory panel (ACIP), stating the old panel was &#8220;plagued with conflicts of interest.&#8221;
When Democrats praised Operation Warp Speed in an apparent attempt to drive a wedge between him and the president, Kennedy said Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for it, but that the risk-benefit &#8220;calculus is different&#8221; now that the virus has mutated and adverse event reports have piled up. He also announced that the FDA is reviewing the safety data of the abortion pill mifepristone, alleging the previous administration &#8220;twisted the data&#8221; to &#8220;bury one of the safety signals.&#8221;
<h2>DOJ Weighs Gun Ban for Gender Dysphoria</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-968943" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH2.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The Department of Justice is internally deliberating ways to bar individuals suffering from gender dysphoria from obtaining firearms, following a string of violent attacks by trans-identifying individuals, including last week&#8217;s deadly school shooting in Minneapolis.
The Daily Wire first reported that the DOJ is looking at the issue as one of mental health, not gun control. The move comes after a series of high-profile violent crimes committed by people who identify as transgender, including the 2023 Covenant school shooting in Nashville and the attempted assassination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The administration&#8217;s focus on mental health stands in stark contrast to the Democratic response to the Minneapolis shooting. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has called for a special legislative session to address gun laws, citing the strict gun control measures in Scotland and Australia as models for the U.S.
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance and his wife visited the Annunciation school in Minneapolis, where they laid flowers and met with the parents of the murdered children. &#8220;There is nothing that you can say that can take away the grief that these parents are dealing with,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;If you do have kids &#8230; make sure that they know that you love them &#8230; because there are families in Minneapolis who won&#8217;t be able to do that ever again.&#8221;
<h2>CBS Under Fire for Deceptive Edits as Shakeup Looms</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-968945" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH3-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.5.25-Fri-SH3.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The White House is blasting CBS News for deceptively editing an interview with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the latest in a string of similar incidents, as reports indicate a major leadership shakeup is imminent at the network.
CBS News is under fire for editing out the serious criminal allegations against illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia from an interview with Secretary Noem, making it appear the Trump administration was targeting an ordinary person for deportation. According to Curtis Houck of NewsBusters, this is at least the fifth time in four years that CBS has been caught making questionable edits that go &#8220;in one direction&#8221; against conservatives. Previous targets include Governor Ron DeSantis, Speaker Mike Johnson, President Trump, and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The repeated instances of apparent bias come as a major shakeup is reportedly coming to the network. Puck News reported Wednesday that CBS&#8217; new parent company is in the final stages of a deal to acquire The Free Press and install its founder, Bari Weiss, in a senior role at CBS News. The move is seen as a potential attempt to &#8220;de-politicize&#8221; the news division and return to the network&#8217;s more trusted roots, though it could face internal resistance from current staff.

MRN 9.05.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: RFK Jr.’s Blockbuster Senate Hearing, DOJ Weighs Trans Gun Ban, CBS’ Stunning Shakeup

CBS News

Gun Control

Guns

Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Transgender

Vaccines

The Justice Department announced Wednesday a “first-of-its-kind” indictment against 22 Chinese nationals and three Americans for allegedly engaging in an international drug trafficking scheme targeting the United States. 
An indictment handed down Wednesday from a federal grand jury in Ohio takes aim at dozens of defendants and four Chinese companies for a plot to ship drug-cutting agents, used to dilute the product and increase its volume to boost profits, from China into America. All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally.
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. 
Prosecutors say that the companies used a number of Chinese nationals “located overseas” to negotiate for payments for illegal cutting agents to drug traffickers in Ohio. Cutting agents are often added to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, and meth. 
The Chinese companies targeted include Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Company, Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Company, and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Company. 
The Americans charged in the operation include 39-year-old Eric Michael Payne of Ohio and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Auriyon Tresan Rayford. Ciandrea Bryne Davis of Atlanta was also charged for her alleged role in using cryptocurrency to pay Chinese nationals associated with companies for the drug-cutting agents. 
Payne is accused of purchasing several kilogram shipments of cutting agents from Chinese companies posing as legitimate pharmacies. He and the other Americans allegedly purchased at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl agents since 2022 that could be used in up to 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture sold on the streets. 
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
The Chinese defendants were listed as Lihui Zhao, [name unknown], Shanhong Jiang, Yan Yang, Fengdi Zhang, Dehui Xia, Xing Wu Chen, Qing Lin Wang, Xiaojun Huang, Meixiang Yao, Zhanpeng Huang, Yuqing Feng, Dongjing Sun, Chengqi Nong, Tiduo Wei, Zhisong Nie, Jichao Zhu, Zhengzhe Yin, Changgen Du, Hongfei Wang, Huatao Yao, and Xuening Gao.

22 Chinese Nationals Charged In International Drug Trafficking Scheme

China

Drugs

Fentanyl

Ohio

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/lisa-cook-justice-department-probe-e7e801a6?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAi-x1uObM-ouMQbF0PI67ubWITebM-NdCDtCfTL7W90ZRz24dcL2EAxufBpjws%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68b9adfc&amp;gaa_sig=ZMZASAa9bYsThktLwgBJ6HVseASrX7apCQs0hDQIB-tZHkMB-Xzkuuzs0NMCxG-IE_DO2maf7fcgKvNNp4Czhw%3D%3D">opened a criminal investigation</a> into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
The probe centers on allegations that Cook misrepresented her primary residence on mortgage applications — one in Michigan, the other in Georgia — to obtain more favorable loan terms. These accusations were first <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-lisa-cook-federal-reserve-governor-bill-pulte/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">raised</a> by Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a Trump appointee, who referred the matter to the DOJ last month. Pulte wrote on X:
<blockquote>
According to mortgage documents obtained by U.S. Federal Housing, it appears an individual, Ms. Lisa DeNell Cook, has falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute. This has included falsifying residence statuses for an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based residence and an Atlanta, Georgia-based property in order to potentially secure lower interest rates and more favorable loan terms.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Here is the Criminal Referral Letter on Lisa Cook, the current Fed Governor. <a href="https://t.co/aG0LGnokei">pic.twitter.com/aG0LGnokei</a>
&mdash; Pulte (@pulte) <a href="https://twitter.com/pulte/status/1958138434171629636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cook has denied wrongdoing and argues the claims are politically motivated, calling her firing unlawful.
In January 2022, former President Joe Biden nominated Cook to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. She was confirmed in May 2022, becoming the first black woman to serve as a Fed governor.
Days after Pulte’s accusations, President Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/20/trump-resignation-fed-governor-cook/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">demanded her resignation</a>, citing “serious financial misconduct.” She refused to resign. Five days later, Trump <a href="https://time.com/7312213/lisa-cook-trump-fire-federal-reserve-governor-mortgage-fraud-powell-interest-rates/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">issued a letter</a> to Cook stating he had fired her for cause, writing, “The American people must be able to have full confidence in the honesty of the members entrusted with setting policy and overseeing the Federal Reserve. In light of your deceitful and possibly criminal conduct in a financial matter, they cannot and I do not have such confidence in your integrity.”
Three days after that, Cook <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/28/economy/fed-lisa-cook-lawsuit">filed a lawsuit</a> in federal court, seeking to block her removal. The next day, a federal judge heard arguments in Cook’s lawsuit but did not rule on the case.
At the beginning of this month, nearly 600 economists signed a <a href="https://tatyanaderyugina.github.io/fed-open-letter/">letter</a> defending Cook and warning against threats to Fed independence.
If the DOJ files criminal charges against Cook, Trump would have legal grounds to justify Cook’s removal; Cook’s legal team argues that the president cannot dismiss a Fed governor except under strict “for cause” standards.
City Journal <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/lisa-d-cooks-careless-scholarship?utm_source=chatgpt.com">noted</a>:
<blockquote>
Cook also seems to have consistently inflated her own credentials. In 2022, investigative journalist Christopher Brunet pointed out that, despite billing herself as a macroeconomist, Cook had <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/01/20/bidens-fed-nominee-lisa-cook-criticized-for-being-unqualified-embellishing-resume">never</a> published a peer-reviewed macroeconomics article and had misrepresented her publication history in her CV, claiming that she had published an article in the journal American Economic Review. In truth, the article was published in American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, a less prestigious, non-peer-reviewed magazine. &#8230;
In a series of academic papers spanning more than a decade, Cook appears to have copied language from other scholars without proper quotation and duplicated her own work and that of coauthors in multiple academic journals without proper attribution. Both practices appear to violate Michigan State University’s own written <a href="https://ombud.msu.edu/sites/default/files/content/Plagiarism-What-is-it.pdf">academic</a> standards.
</blockquote>

MixCollage-04-Sep-2025-11-33-AM-4105

Justice Dept Zeroes In On Fed Governor Lisa Cook

Donald Trump

Federal Reserve

Lisa Cook

The Trump administration is backing legislation that would ban doctors from performing transgender procedures on children and allow lawsuits against doctors or hospitals who greenlit such procedures.  
The Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-proposes-legislation-protect-children-gender-mutilation">said</a> Wednesday that it had “transmitted a legislative proposal to Congress that protects and defends children from chemical and surgical mutilation under the guise of ‘gender-affirming care.’” In the press release, the DOJ said it was backing a proposal from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO) that would protect children nationwide from transgender procedures. 
“The Department of Justice has heard from far too many families who have been devastated by mutilative medical procedures that fly in the face of basic biology,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “While we continue our ongoing legal battle to protect children, we appreciate our colleagues in Congress who are working diligently alongside us to end these abusive procedures once and for all.”
The <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1412656/dl?inline">proposal</a> from the Republican lawmakers, called the Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act, would ban doctors from doing transgender surgeries like removing the breasts of girls who identify as boys or genital procedures. It would also ban children who identify as transgender from being put on puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones. 
Puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones can permanently destroy fertility, stunt bone growth, and impact heart health. 
The bill would also allow children who were put on transgender procedures to bring a civil suit for &#8220;damages against any healthcare professional, physician, hospital, or clinic, who participates in the chemical or surgical mutilation of that child. This includes, but is not limited to, compensatory damages, including all economic damages associated with undoing, correcting, or ameliorating the effects or results of any chemical or surgical mutilation procedures, and noneconomic damages for emotional distress and pain and suffering.&#8221;
The legislation would allow kids to sue their doctors within 25 years of their 18th birthday.
President Donald Trump has cracked down on transgender procedures for kids, signing an executive order in January that ended federal funding for any entity performing or promoting the procedures. His administration has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/health-care-puts-stop-to-trans-surgeries-on-kids">pressured</a> hospitals across the country to stop the procedures.

Attorney General Pam Bondi Announces Sinaloa Cartel Co-Founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia Guilty Plea

Trump Admin Backs Nationwide Push To Protect Kids From Transgender Procedures

gender ideology

Marsha Blackburn

transgender surgery

Trump Administration

Attorney General Pam Bondi fired a Justice Department staffer seen flipping off National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
Bondi announced the staffing change in a Friday post on X. The former employee, Elizabeth Baxter, was caught by a Justice Department security camera flipping off National Guard troops and telling them to “f*** off,” according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/29/us-news/bondi-fires-doj-staffer-who-flipped-off-national-guard-in-dc-and-was-seen-boasting-about-it/">New York Post</a>.
“Today, I took action to terminate a DOJ employee for inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members in DC. @TheJusticeDept remains committed to defending President Trump’s agenda and fighting to make America safe again,” Bondi posted. “If you oppose our mission and disrespect law enforcement — you will NO LONGER work at DOJ.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, I took action to terminate a DOJ employee for inappropriate conduct towards National Guard service members in DC. <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> remains committed to defending President Trump’s agenda and fighting to make America safe again.
If you oppose our mission and disrespect… <a href="https://t.co/E1NYMtALWu">https://t.co/E1NYMtALWu</a>
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1961634849250247095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
Baxter bragged about her confrontation with the National Guard troops to a security guard at the Department of Justice. On August 18, Baxter told a security guard that she had made the rude gesture to a National Guardsman at the Metro Center Metro Stop. A week later on August 25, she spoke to the security guard again about her feelings against the National Guard, according to the Post.
Baxter worked in the “4CON” building of the Justice Department – the same building that former Justice Department paralegal Sean Charles Dunn worked in. Dunn was fired from the department after allegedly throwing a Subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Patrol officer.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Dunn was fired and charged earlier this month over the incident. In a video captured by a bystander, the 37-year-old former Justice Department employee allegedly shouted at federal agents, calling them “fascists” and yelling “f*** you.”
Dunn then began to walk away from the officers before stopping, approaching the federal agents, and allegedly throwing his sandwich at an officer before trying to run away.
On Wednesday, a grand jury <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/after-failing-felony-indictment-feds-charge-dc-sandwich/story?id=125078765">refused</a> to charge Dunn with felony assault over the sandwich toss. Federal prosecutors have since charged him again with a misdemeanor.
Bondi said earlier this month that Dunn had been fired over the incident.
“This is an example of the Deep State we have been up against for seven months as we work to refocus DOJ,” Bondi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-employee-faces-felony-after-chucking-sandwich-at-federal-agent-to-protest-trumps-d-c-takeover">said</a> in a post on X at the time. “You will NOT work in this administration while disrespecting our government and law enforcement.”

Bondi Fires DOJ Staffer Seen Making Obscene Gesture Toward National Guard In D.C.

Bondi Fires DOJ Staffer Seen Making Obscene Gesture Toward National Guard In DC

General

National Guard

Washington D.C.

The FBI arrested a 22-year-old on Thursday for threatening to kill Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) earlier this year. 
The Justice Department accused Penelope Convertino, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, of leaving a voice mail message at Blackburn’s Nashville office threatening to shoot the senator on May 30. Convertino has been charged with making a threat to murder a federal official with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere. 
“Our public officials should be able to do their jobs without receiving vile death threats,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/murfreesboro-woman-charged-threat-murder-united-states-senator-marsha-blackburn">said</a> Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Threatening public officials with deadly violence cannot and will not be tolerated. We will not hesitate to hold those who make these kinds of violent threats accountable for their crimes.”
According to the Justice Department, Convertino’s voice mail said: “My name is mother**ker and I’m gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. I’m gonna shoot her with a gun. I’m gonna blow up her head on national TV,” Convertino said, according to the Justice Department. “She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead f**king body.”
If convicted, Convertino could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 
Blackburn, who is running for governor of Tennessee, expressed gratitude to federal investigators. 
“Threats against the life of any public official are unacceptable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” she <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/murfreesboro/woman-charged-alleged-threat-blackburn/">told</a> local outlet WKRN. “I am grateful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee for taking this threat seriously and for their swift action. My focus remains on serving the people of Tennessee, and I will not be intimidated or deterred by those who seek to silence me.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Republican Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) criticized the FBI, <a href="https://x.com/timburchett/status/1961433462079889900">saying</a> it took far too long to make an arrest in the case.
“Someone threatens [Blackburn’s] life and it takes the [FBI] 3 months to arrest the dirtbag?! That’s a problem,” he posted on X. 
Blackburn, who was re-elected to a second Senate term in 2024, will face off against Republican Rep. John Rose in the August 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary.

Senate Lawmakers Return To Work On Capitol Hill After Weekend

FBI Nabs Suspect Over Chilling Threat To Assassinate Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Crime

Nashville

Tennessee

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 gangbanger and illegal immigrant facing human smuggling charges, could be deported to Uganda, Garcia&#8217;s legal team says.
The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security allegedly told Garcia&#8217;s legal team on Friday that their client could be sent to Uganda if he refused to accept a plea deal offer on serious smuggling charges.
If not accepted by Monday, the departments allegedly said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would start the process of deporting Garcia to Uganda. If, however, the deal was accepted, Garcia could be deported to Costa Rica.
Garcia&#8217;s team says this is an act of coercion from the Trump administration. However, a DOJ spokesperson contends they are simply working to keep Garcia, a &#8220;clear danger,&#8221; away from law abiding Americans and hold him &#8220;accountable&#8221; for his actions.
“A federal grand jury has charged Abrego Garcia with serious federal crimes &#8230; underscoring the clear danger this defendant presents to the community,&#8221; the DOJ said. &#8220;This defendant can plead guilty and accept responsibility or stand trial before a jury. Either way, we will hold Abrego Garcia accountable and protect the American people.”
The DOJ never confirmed nor denied whether or not Garcia would be deported to Uganda.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Garcia was quickly championed by the Left after the Trump administration mistakenly deported him back to his home country of El Salvador, where Garcia apparently faces threats from gang members. Democrat politicians and legacy media infamously and erroneously dubbed him a “Maryland man,&#8221; weaving a story of a sympathetic family man wrongly deported.
However, more details were quickly uncovered, revealing apparent gang ties, alleged sexual misconduct toward young girls, and participation in an illegal alien smuggling ring.
The crux of the DOJ&#8217;s case against Garcia relies on a traffic stop in Putnam County, Tennessee, on November 30, 2022, when the illegal was pulled over driving a Chevrolet Suburban with nine others inside, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-why-the-trump-admin-says-it-would-be-dangerous-to-release-kilmar-abrego-garcia?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here’s+Why+The+Trump+Admin+Says+It+Would+Be+Dangerous+To+Release+Kilmar+Abrego+Garcia">Daily Wire reporter Leif Le Mahieu</a> reported from the Tennessee courthouse in June. One of those individuals noted his age to be 15 when Tennessee Highway Patrol had each person write their name and age down on a sheet of paper.
Homeland Security special agent Peter Joseph said that the 15-year-old boy was unaccounted for to this day and that they hadn’t tracked him down yet, saying that “we don’t know right now” if he is okay. Joseph added that at least six of the nine individuals being transported have been identified as illegal aliens from a variety of countries including Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras.
Garcia was released from jail on Friday and allowed to return to Maryland to await trial.
He faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and up to 10 years in prison for each illegal smuggled across the country if found guilty on another count of unlawful transportation of illegal aliens, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-why-the-trump-admin-says-it-would-be-dangerous-to-release-kilmar-abrego-garcia?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here’s+Why+The+Trump+Admin+Says+It+Would+Be+Dangerous+To+Release+Kilmar+Abrego+Garcia">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-belonged-to-a-biden-backed-illegal-alien-advocacy-group?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘Maryland+Man’+Kilmar+Abrego+Garcia+Belonged+To+A+Biden-Backed+Group+That+Called+For+Abolishing+ICE">‘Maryland Man’ Kilmar Abrego Garcia Belonged To A Biden-Backed Group That Called For Abolishing ICE</a>

Sen. Chris Van Hollen Meets With Wrongly Imprisoned Man Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in El Salvador

Trump Seeking To Deport ‘Maryland Man’ Abrego Garcia To Uganda: Report

Trump Admin Seeking To Deport Abrego Garcia To Uganda: Report 

Department of Homeland Security

Deportations

Illegal Immigration

Kilmar Abrego Garcia

The Justice Department on Friday released hours of audio and hundreds of pages of <a href="https://www.justice.gov/maxwell-interview">transcripts</a> of interviews it conducted with Jeffrey Epstein associate and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
During her two days of interviews with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell said she does not believe that Epstein, who was found dead in a Manhattan federal prison cell in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, killed himself.
&#8220;I do not believe he died by suicide,&#8221; Maxwell said, adding that she had no idea who could have been behind his death.
Maxwell confirmed her close ties to the rich and famous, but claimed she never saw any man do anything inappropriate with a woman of any age. She said that it was “a flat no” that any man, including President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, did anything inappropriate.
“I never, ever saw any man doing something inappropriate with a woman of any age. I never saw inappropriate habits,” she <a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/audio-files/Interview%20Transcript/Interview%20Transcript%20-%20Maxwell%202025.07.25%20(Redacted).pdf">told</a> Blanche. “Now somebody’s inappropriate and mine may be different.”
Maxwell also denied the existence of any Epstein client list and that anyone was being blackmailed. Blanche asked whether Maxwell had seen a variety of powerful men do anything inappropriate with women during her interactions with them.
“Absolutely never, in any context,” she said when asked if she had seen President Donald Trump do anything improper.
“Trump was always very cordial and very kind to me. And I just want to say that I find — I — I admire his extraordinary achievement in becoming the president now. And I like him, and I’ve always liked him. So that is the sum and substance of my entire relationship with him,” she said, according to the transcript.
“I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting. I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way,” she added. “The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”
She said that she was unaware of any masseuses from Mar-a-Lago ever giving Epstein a private massage. 
She also complained about people linking her and Epstein together.
“Another thing is that everyone puts us together like a monolith,” she said. “He literally had a separate life from me. I literally had a separate life from him.”
During the interview, Maxwell discussed her relationship with the Clintons, recounting a trip she took to Latin America with President Bill Clinton. When asked what the purpose of the trip was, she said that she did not remember.
“And I thought it was an honor and a privilege to be part of something so amazing and to have an opportunity to spend time with a man that I found truly extraordinary. And please, I don’t mean it in any other way, other than as a former fantastic ex-president,” she said.
She also said that she had met powerful figures like Elon Musk, former CNN host Chris Cuomo, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, former Secretary of State John Kerry, former Democrat Senator Ted Kennedy, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
According to Maxwell, RFK Jr. and Epstein took a trip in the mid-1990s to find dinosaur bones in the Dakotas. She said that she never witnessed anything inappropriate happen on the trip.
Shortly after the interview files were released, Maxwell’s lawyer put out a statement denying that she had ever committed any crimes.
“Ghislaine Maxwell is innocent and never should have been tried, much less convicted, in this case. She never committed or participated in sexual abuse against minors, or anyone else for that matter,” lawyer David Markus posted on X. “In fact, the government has admitted that it did not even consider her a conspirator during the extensive investigation into Epstein in the Southern District of Florida. The only reason she was ever charged is that she served as a scapegoat after Jeffrey Epstein died in prison.”
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for her role in the Epstein scheme to sexually abuse and exploit minor girls. She is currently serving out a 20-year sentence and was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-moved-from-florida-prison-to-lower-security-facility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moved</a> to a lower-security prison shortly after she met with Blanche.
Trump has been asked numerous times if he would consider pardoning Maxwell.
The full transcripts and audio files can be <a href="https://www.justice.gov/maxwell-interview">found here</a>.

Patrick McMullan Archives

Ghislaine Maxwell Reveals Whether She Believes Epstein Committed Suicide

Bill Clinton

Ghislaine Maxwell

Jeffrey Epstein

Sex Trafficking

President Donald Trump called for a top official at the Federal Reserve to step down after she was accused by federal officials of mortgage fraud. 
Trump said Wednesday that Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, should step down after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte called for the Justice Department to investigate her over alleged mortgage fraud. 
“Cook must resign, now!!!” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115061104213677946">wrote</a> on Truth Social.  
In an August 15 letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Pulte said that Cook falsely claimed primary residency at the same time for two homes she owned in Michigan and Georgia in order to get better interest rates. 
Pulte wrote in his letter that Cook “has falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute. This has included falsifying residence statuses for an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based residence and an Atlanta, Georgia-based property in order to potentially secure lower interest rates and more favorable loan terms.”
In follow-up posts on X, Pulte targeted Cook over the allegations. 
“How can this woman be in charge of interest rates if she is allegedly lying to help her own interest rates?” he <a href="https://x.com/pulte/status/1958162017468154310">wrote</a>, <a href="https://x.com/pulte/status/1958158594374873358">adding</a> in another, “Do not declare two principal residences in President Trump’s America. Mortgage fraud is a serious crime and must be prosecuted as such.”
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) <a href="https://x.com/SenRickScott/status/1958140416835940434">responded</a> to the criminal referral by demanding that an independent inspector general be established to investigate the Fed. 
“The lack of accountability at the Federal Reserve under Chair Powell is out of control!” Scott posted on X. “This is exactly why we need to pass my bill to establish an independent inspector general at the Fed ASAP.”
When reached for comment by The Daily Wire, a media relations assistant for the Federal Reserve said that “we don’t have anything to share at the moment, but will be back in touch asap.”
Cook later released a statement on the calls for her to step down.
“I learned from the media that FHFA Director William Pulte posted on social media that he was making a criminal referral based on a mortgage application from four years ago, before I joined the Federal Reserve. I have no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts.”
Cook was appointed to the board of governors by President Joe Biden and is slated to stay on the board until 2038. She previously worked on the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama and at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Trump has repeatedly battled with the Fed over interest rates, demanding that Chair Jerome Powell lower rates. 
“Could somebody please inform Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell that he is hurting the Housing Industry, very badly? People can’t get a Mortgage because of him,” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115057827631877948">posted</a> on Truth Social on Tuesday. “There is no Inflation, and every sign is pointing to a major Rate Cut.”
This story has been updated with comment from Cook.

US-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-SUMMIT-TRUMP

Trump Calls For Fed Official To Resign ‘Now’ After Mortage Fraud Allegations

Fraud

Interest Rates

Jerome Powell

Mortgages

The Justice Department announced Monday that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will step into the Trump administration as co-deputy director of the FBI, a move that reshapes bureau leadership amid reported internal disputes.
Bailey, who stepped down from his role as attorney general effective September 8, will hold his newly-created position alongside current FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and serve under FBI Director Kash Patel.
“I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI. He has served as a distinguished attorney general for Missouri and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service,” Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://ago.mo.gov/missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey-announces-resignation-in-order-to-accept-federal-position/">said</a>. “His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump’s mission. While we know this is undoubtedly a great loss for Missouri, it is a tremendous gain for America.”
Bongino, who has reportedly clashed with Bondi over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, welcomed Bailey to the FBI in a social media post. After the reported tension, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hes-in-good-shape-trump-speaks-with-bongino-after-flare-up-with-bondi?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘He’s+In+Good+Shape’%3A+Trump+Speaks+With+Bongino+After+Flare-Up+With+Bondi">said</a> that Bongino was in “good shape” and that he had complete faith in Bondi.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Welcome. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/nui5E7nWAt">https://t.co/nui5E7nWAt</a>
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDDBongino/status/1957572352889283039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bailey, who has served as Missouri&#8217;s attorney general since 2023, reflected on his role in a post on X.
“To Missouri, thank you. My tenure as Attorney General has been the honor of my professional career, but what has made it truly meaningful has been the opportunity to serve my home state,” Bailey <a href="https://x.com/AGAndrewBailey/status/1957574008381272245">wrote</a>. “Together, we have defended the rule of law and safeguarded our freedoms. I am forever grateful.”
&nbsp;
<div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text">
<div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text" data-qa="message-text">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer" data-qa="block-kit-renderer">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first">
<div class="p-rich_text_block" dir="auto">
<div class="p-rich_text_section"><a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-6481">End of Summer Sale &#8211; Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Bailey will not need to be confirmed by the Senate to take the role. Missouri Republican Governor Mike Kehoe will appoint Bailey&#8217;s replacement in the coming weeks. 
During his time as Missouri&#8217;s attorney general, Bailey challenged the Biden administration and filed a variety of culture war suits. For example, he sued multiple companies like International Business Machines (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/missouri-attorney-general-sues-tech-giant-ibm-alleging-discrimination-against-whites-asians-men">IBM</a>) and <a href="https://ago.mo.gov/attorney-general-bailey-files-suit-against-starbucks-for-race-and-sex-based-discrimination/">Starbucks</a> over diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. He also launched an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/missouri-attorney-general-launches-investigation-into-trans-center-for-harming-hundreds-of-children">investigation</a> into the Pediatric Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and <a href="https://ago.mo.gov/attorney-general-bailey-demands-millions-in-suit-against-national-planned-parenthood-for-deceiving-women-about-the-dangers-of-the-abortion-drug/">sued</a> Planned Parenthood over its promotion of the abortion drug mifepristone. Bailey also sued to stop the student loan cancellation plan pushed by the Biden administration and sued the Department of Homeland Security for data on whether illegal immigrants were being relocated to Missouri.

CPAC-DC-2024

Red State Attorney General Named FBI Co-Deputy Director Alongside Dan Bongino

Dan Bongino

Missouri

Menu