Former Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan is accusing President Donald Trump and his administration of &#8220;weaponizing&#8221; the intelligence community in their efforts to investigate his actions in 2016 — which, according to a recently published <a href="https://www.cia.gov/static/Tradecraft-Review-2016-ICA-on-Election-Interference-062625.pdf">CIA review</a>, amounted to him weaponizing the intelligence community against Trump.
CIA Director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-doj-puts-brennan-and-comey-under-investigation-for-russiagate-report">John Ratcliffe</a> referred both Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey to the FBI for investigation and potential prosecution pursuant to their actions during the Trump-Russia investigation — and Brennan specifically was cited in the review as showing &#8220;a preference for narrative consistency over analytical soundness.&#8221;
The review also indicated that Brennan accepted evidence that backed his predetermined conclusions — such as the widely discredited Steele Dossier — even when others in the intelligence community warned against it, and was &#8220;more swayed by the Dossier&#8217;s general conformity with existing theories than by legitimate tradecraft concerns.&#8221;
But now that Brennan is in the hot seat, he&#8217;s arguing that investigating the &#8220;multiple procedural anomalies&#8221; — over which he presided, alongside Comey — is what actually amounts to the weaponization of intelligence.
Brennan, speaking to MSNBC&#8217;s Nicolle Wallace, claimed that he was a victim of &#8220;the authoritarian playbook&#8221; and that the Trump administration was taking actions that were reflective of the early days of Nazi Germany.
WATCH:
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🚨John Brennan says the investigation into him and James Comey for their role in the Russian Collusion Hoax is &#8220;the authoritarian playbook.&#8221;
He compares it to Nazi Germany.
&#8220;If a president of the United States is willing to weaponize intelligence and justice&#8230;we really are in… <a href="https://t.co/cl1sekq79x">pic.twitter.com/cl1sekq79x</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1943048051092001032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If a President of the United States is willing to weaponize intelligence and justice and, you know, law enforcement investigators, and the people who head up these departments and agencies are willing to bow to it, we really are in deep, deep trouble,&#8221; he claimed.
Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume weighed in on the investigation as well, saying first that it was worth looking into and then reminding audiences that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had financed the Steele Dossier upon which Brennan and Comey had built their case.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 WATCH: Fox’s <a href="https://twitter.com/brithume?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brithume</a> on the investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey: “It’s worthy of investigation.”
“It all comes down once again after all these years to the Steele Dossier which was a dogs breakfast of scurrilous… <a href="https://t.co/p1KSiUsxIZ">pic.twitter.com/p1KSiUsxIZ</a>
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TVNewsNow/status/1943075038745317684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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House Intelligence Cmte Holds Hearing On Russian Interference In U.S. Election

John Brennan Weaponized Intel Against Trump. Now He’s Mad The Worm Has Turned.

John Brennan Weaponized Intel Against Trump. Now He's Mad The Worm Has Turned

Donald Trump

General

Hillary Clinton

James Comey

John Brennan

Politics

Russiagate

Steele Dossier

A Texas pediatrician apologized after being fired for a Facebook comment saying Texas flood victims who supported President Donald Trump got &#8220;what they voted for.&#8221;
Christina B. Propst, who had been employed by Blue Fish Pediatrics, <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/07/07/houston-pediatrician-fired-after-controversial-post-about-kerr-county-flood-victims/">said</a> in a statement to KPRC that her &#8220;regrettable comment was in no way a response to the tragic loss of human life.&#8221;
&#8220;Unfortunately, my online comment is now being shared with the false impression that I made it after the devastating loss of life was known,&#8221; Propst said. &#8220;I did not.&#8221;
Propst said she deleted the comment after she learned of the fatalities, which include dozens of children.
Although it&#8217;s unclear when Propst posted her comment, the earliest news on July 4 reported fatalities, including children attending a girls&#8217; Christian camp.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flooding-in-texas-causes-multiple-fatalities-as-guadalupe-river-surges-to-record-levels">reported</a> early that morning that &#8220;multiple people [were] reportedly dead.&#8221;
The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/thunderstorms-texas-deaths-camp-mystic-trees-hail-e8a4c85c77f714c9a974e50f3cd1fca1">published</a> a July 4 story detailing the known fatalities, reporting that multiple children were dead or missing.
In the now-deleted comment, Propst said she hoped non-MAGA voters remained safe during the flooding.
“May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters, and pets be safe and dry,” she said under the Facebook user name, Chris Tina. “Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is the sort of pediatric clinician employed at <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueFishMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlueFishMD</a> in Houston. The ethics, humanity and empathy illustrated here is unfathomable. <a href="https://t.co/yW0TbEMGN7">pic.twitter.com/yW0TbEMGN7</a>
&mdash; Dr. Lynn Fynn-derella🐭 (@Fynnderella1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fynnderella1/status/1941567217155571958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Blue Fish Pediatrics issued a statement Sunday saying Propst was &#8220;no longer employed,&#8221; The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-pediatrician-fired-after-saying-maga-flood-victims-got-what-they-voted-for">reported</a>.
&#8220;We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs,&#8221; the statement said.
Multiple Democrats have repeated the claim that funding cuts and staff shortages at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) contributed to the death toll.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) took shots at the Trump administration on X.
&#8220;Accurate weather forecasting helps avoid fatal disasters,&#8221; Murphy said in a <a href="https://x.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1941571878105297216">post</a>. &#8220;There are consequences to Trump’s brainless attacks on public workers, like meteorologists.&#8221;
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed Murphy&#8217;s claims in a letter, <a href="https://x.com/RossOKeefe2/status/1942180517396336816/photo/1">calling</a> for an investigation into whether staff shortages hindered response times.
But experts say the reductions did not directly affect response times.
“There is little evidence that any of the recent cuts to NOAA/NWS negatively impacted services for this event, regardless of what may be being said on social media,” <a href="https://balancedweather.substack.com/p/balancedwx-special-tragic-flash-flooding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Alan Gerard, a former director of the Analysis and Understanding Branch in the National Severe Storms Laboratory at NOAA.
Jason Runyen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-floods-hill-country-weather-warnings-238d4325bb58f0b410015f74684738b6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the local weather service had additional staff on hand to prepare for potential flooding.
“There were extra people in here that night, and that’s typical in every weather service office — you staff up for an event and bring people in on overtime and hold people over,” Runyen said.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-confirms-plans-to-visit-flood-stricken-texas-as-170-people-still-missing">said</a> he plans to travel to Texas on Friday to meet with flood victims. The flash floods have killed at least 110 people, and more than 170 people are still missing.

Central Texas Floods

Texas Doctor Who Said ‘MAGA’ Flood Victims Got ‘What They Voted For’ Apologizes After Getting Canned

Apology

flooding

Floods

Texas

U.S.

Facebook Community Notes slapped Hillary Clinton with a correction on a post she made last month on the anniversary of the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade.
&#8220;Three years ago today, Trump&#8217;s far-right Supreme Court majority ended Americans&#8217; federal right to abortion under Roe v. Wade,&#8221; Clinton posted on Facebook.
&#8220;Since then, over 100 women have been denied emergency abortion care. One of them, Amber Nicole Thurman, was only 28 and left behind a son,&#8221; the former Secretary of State continued. &#8220;Today, share her story — which you can find at ProPublica — and keep fighting for reproductive freedom for all.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpha.facebook.com%2Fhillaryclinton%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02cu2bm82xNtUuxgEuVYHDxRrdjj8Gzh9JyHNuTjPpdeshWVYbsb2c7dFBU3SdZFdBl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="250" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Facebook&#8217;s new community note system, which replaced its heavily criticized fact-check system, did not let Clinton get away with that claim. Facebook users added a community note explaining that Thurman&#8217;s death, which went viral on social media shortly before the presidential election in November, was not due to Georgia&#8217;s abortion ban.
&#8220;Amber Thurman, 28, died from infection after taking abortion pills in NC. She went to a Georgia hospital when she became seriously ill,&#8221; Facebook&#8217;s community note read.
&#8220;Doctors delayed a needed D and C for nearly 20 hours despite Georgia law allowing emergency care,&#8221; the note said. &#8220;Her death was ruled preventable. Her family is suing for wrongful death and medical malpractice.&#8221;
Thurman had been pregnant with twins. She took the abortion pill, but her body failed to expel all fetal tissue, which caused sepsis, a deadly infection. The babies were already dead by the time she ended up at the hospital, and she was not seeking an abortion there. 
However, for some reason, doctors took 20 hours to do the life-saving dilation and curettage procedure to clear out her uterus.
Georgia&#8217;s abortion law defines “abortion” as an act that “will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of an unborn child.” Removing the tissue of babies that had already died is not illegal.
Even ProPublica, the left-leaning outlet that published the original story, admitted in paragraph 57 that it is &#8220;not clear from the records available why doctors waited to provide a D&amp;C to Thurman.&#8221;
The Facebook community note on Clinton&#8217;s post also noted that attorney Ben Crump, who represented Thurman&#8217;s family, blamed doctors for her &#8220;preventable&#8221; death, not the Georgia abortion law.
“Even under Georgia law, the doctors had a duty to act to save Amber,” Crump <a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/us/snplus/news/2024/10/01/lawsuit-amber-thurman-death-emergency-abortion">said</a>. “She had taken the abortion pills and there were tissues left. There was no viable fetus or anything that would have prevented them from saving her life while she suffered.&#8221;
In the weeks leading up to the 2024 election, Democrats and liberal activists hammered the stories of women who had supposedly died because of red state abortion bans. They warned that President Donald Trump wanted a national abortion ban even though he had specifically said he would not sign one.
However, those alarming stories <a href="https://x.com/MorningWire/status/1858250428774846723" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turned out</a> to be full of misinformation, and in the most viral cases, hospital malpractice, not GOP-led abortion bans, were the more likely cause of the women&#8217;s deaths.
Facebook announced in March that it would follow X&#8217;s lead and implement a community notes fact-checking feature. The social media giant said the goal was for the new system to be &#8220;less biased&#8221; than the previous third-party fact check system that critics said censored conservatives.
However, Facebook&#8217;s community notes does not appear to be as active in correcting misinformation on Facebook as X&#8217;s community notes is on X. The community note on Clinton&#8217;s post is one of the first high-profile corrections since the system was rolled out.

Former Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton’s Portrait Unveiled At The State Department

Facebook Community Note Bangs Hillary Clinton For Spreading Fake News Abortion Post

Abortion

Facebook

Robotaxis produced by Google&#8217;s sister company, Waymo, rolled out onto New York City streets earlier this week as it tests the vehicles with &#8220;human safety operators&#8221; in America&#8217;s most populous city for the first time.
Waymo submitted its application to the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) last month to roll out a &#8220;small fleet&#8221; of robotaxis, but to comply with state law, the company must place a human in each car, at least for now, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/09/us-news/self-driving-robotaxi-service-waymo-launches-nyc-pilot-testing/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social">reported</a>. Waymo and the DOT are currently pushing for the state to change its law that requires human drivers in each vehicle. Two bills introduced earlier this year to overturn the state&#8217;s ban on self-driving vehicles are still in committee.
“We are working hard to bring Waymo to New Yorkers in the future, starting with this testing and advocating for changes to state law,” a DOT representative told the Post.
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We&#39;re on the move in the Big Apple! 🏙️ We&#39;ve begun testing in New York – be sure to give us a wave and snap a pic if you see us in the city. <a href="https://t.co/0cu2XSWAoi">pic.twitter.com/0cu2XSWAoi</a>
&mdash; Waymo (@Waymo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/1942377604985618487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“The data to date shows that Waymo outperforms human drivers, significantly reducing the frequency of injury-causing traffic collisions,” said a spokesman for Waymo.
The manually driven Waymo vehicles in NYC will be servicing Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, according to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/07/waymo-heading-to-philadelphia-and-nyc/">TechCrunch</a>. They will also map out parts of New Jersey, focusing on Jersey City and Hoboken. Waymo vehicles also hit Philadelphia this week, where the vehicles will be seen throughout the downtown area as well as driving “at all hours throughout various Philadelphia neighborhoods, from North Central to Eastwick, University City, and as far east as the Delaware River.”
Waymo&#8217;s move to NYC and Philadelphia this week is part of the company&#8217;s &#8220;road trips,&#8221; a plan used to send small batches of human-driven vehicles to cities across the United States to map out areas where Waymo could expand its services in the future. Waymo also plans to embark on &#8220;road trips&#8221; to Houston, Orlando, Las Vegas, San Diego, and San Antonio this year, TechCrunch reported.
&#8220;Once the Waymo Driver understands the lay of the land, the vehicles can begin driving autonomously. During these trips, human specialists provide feedback to our engineering teams on the driving experience and flag unique nuances that might come with operating in new areas. Simultaneously, our engineering team can evaluate the Waymo Driver&#8217;s performance in a virtual replica of the new location,&#8221; Waymo <a href="https://waymo.com/blog/2023/11/road-trip-how-our-cross-country-testing-helps-advance-the-waymo-driver">said</a> in November 2023.
Waymo&#8217;s self-driving robotaxis are currently <a href="https://waymo.com/">operating</a> in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Austin.
As Waymo looks to roll out robotaxis in more cities, it has also been forced to address some issues with its driverless cars. In May, Waymo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/over-1200-self-driving-robotaxis-recalled-due-to-software-glitch-that-led-to-crashes">recalled</a> more than 1,200 of its robotaxis after a software glitch caused multiple crashes into chains, gates, or other roadway barriers, objects that road safety regulators said &#8220;a competent driver would be expected to avoid.&#8221;
Waymo said that it fixed the issue with a regular update to its fifth-generation self-driving software in November 2024.
Some Los Angeles and San Francisco residents have also recorded incidents involving driverless Waymo vehicles, including confusion, backing into oncoming traffic, and blocking emergency vehicles.
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Waymo turned into oncoming traffic on the way to work.
It sat there confused for 45 seconds with its hazards on.
Then it proceeded to back up into oncoming traffic.
And they’re about to let these guys on the freeway 😂 <a href="https://t.co/ZLRKx2loo1">pic.twitter.com/ZLRKx2loo1</a>
&mdash; Jake Glaser | LA Multifamily (@LAMultiBroker) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAMultiBroker/status/1885370114054512921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Videos like this is why I have my doubts on Waymo. 
Blocking three emergency vehicles in the middle of an intersection, and it just looks confused. <a href="https://t.co/wUe7RDltzL">pic.twitter.com/wUe7RDltzL</a>
&mdash; Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) <a href="https://twitter.com/niccruzpatane/status/1929590206488883246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Waymo

NYC Finally Allows Driverless Cars – But Only With ‘Human Safety Monitors’ Behind The Wheel

Business

Cars

Google

New York

New York City

Robots

Joey “Jaws” Chestnut took back his title at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition on Friday, dominating the event after being booted from last year’s competition over a contract dispute with a fake meat company.
“Oh my gosh, I was nervous,” Chestnut told ESPN after reclaiming his crown. “[The] first couple of hot dogs, I was fumbling a little bit, but I found a pretty good rhythm. My goal was 70 to 77 – I really wanted a little bit more. There’s next year and I’m just happy I am here.”
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JOEY CHESTNUT&#39;S DOMINANCE CONTINUES 🐐 
Chestnut downs 70.5 hot dogs to win his 17th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest title 🏆 🌭 <a href="https://t.co/B3TMBrayZ7">pic.twitter.com/B3TMBrayZ7</a>
&mdash; ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1941180650825879615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Chestnut stuffed himself with 70 ½ hot dogs in 10 minutes, marking the 41-year-old Indiana resident’s 17th “Mustard Belt” win in 20 tries – the most any competitor has won. Still, he fell short of his record of 76 hot dogs and buns from four years ago. He won his first Nathan&#8217;s competition in 2007, and an American has won the contest every year since.
He beat 14 other chowhounds from all over the world, including Brazil, Australia, and Europe. Friday’s second-place finisher, Patrick Bertoletti, ate 24 fewer frankfurters than Chestnut. Bertoletti won last year’s competition during Chestnut’s absence, downing 58 wieners and buns. The event has been held annually at Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, on July 4 since 1972.
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Although Chestnut did not compete in Nathan’s 2024 competition, he still holds 55 world records for various eating competitions. According to <a href="https://majorleagueeating.com/eaters/106">Major League Eating,</a> the moderating body behind the hot dog eating contest, Chestnut also holds records for eating 121 Twinkies in six minutes, 390 shrimp wontons in eight minutes, and, of course, his hot dog record from 2021.
Major League Eating <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hot-dog-legend-joey-chestnut-signs-with-vegan-brand-gets-booted-from-july-4th-competition">banned</a> Chestnut from the Nathan’s Famous competition last year after he signed a deal with Impossible Foods, a Nathan’s competitor. In a <a href="https://x.com/eatingcontest/status/1800607390636875792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1800607390636875792%7Ctwgr%5Ec0d98868a70172f80ffb323be440b5ea4f586a0d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fhot-dog-legend-joey-chestnut-signs-with-vegan-brand-gets-booted-from-july-4th-competition">statement</a> last year on X, the group said, “We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.”
During his hiatus from Nathan’s Famous 2024 competition, Chestnut set the <a href="https://x.com/joeyjaws/status/1916645992176173327">record</a> for the most Buffalo Wild Wings eaten in one sitting, consuming 14.4 pounds of wings. He also consumed 83 all-beef hot dogs and buns at a Labor Day event in Las Vegas, according to CNN.
Chestnut took home $10,000 for his win on Friday, with the runner-up receiving $5,000, and $2500 for third place.
Sam Korkus contributed to this report.

Nathan’s Annual Fourth Of July Hot Dog Eating Contest Held In Coney Island

Chestnut Devours 70+ Hotdogs, Dominates Competition In Annual Display Of American Exceptionalism

Brooklyn

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that his administration would begin charging foreign tourists more to enter America&#8217;s national parks than U.S. residents.
The announcement at a rally in Iowa came as he signed two executive orders dealing with national parks, including one that directs Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to “appropriately” raise prices of entrance fees and recreation passes for non-residents. 
“To fund improvements and enhanced experiences across the park systems,” Trump said. “I’ve just signed an executive order to raise entrance fees for foreign tourists while keeping prices low for Americans. And we’re going to do that. The National Parks will be about America First, we’re gonna take it America First.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces that entrance fees for foreign tourists at National Parks will be raised in order to fund park improvements and enhanced experiences: &#8220;The National Parks will be about AMERICA FIRST&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/fIUB7ET0tC">pic.twitter.com/fIUB7ET0tC</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1940943247083520128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/making-america-beautiful-again-by-improving-our-national-parks/">executive order</a> states that the additional funds raised will be used to enhance park infrastructure and make the parks more accessible and affordable for Americans. 
“From the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon to the tranquility of the Great Smoky Mountains, America&#8217;s national parks have provided generations of American families with unforgettable memories,” Trump wrote in the executive order. “It is the policy of my Administration to preserve these opportunities for American families in future generations by increasing entry fees for foreign tourists, improving affordability for United States residents, and expanding opportunities to enjoy America&#8217;s splendid national treasures.”
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The order also directs Burgum to establish rules granting American residents preferential treatment for permitting or in situations where a lottery system restricts entry to certain areas. 
In recent years, there has been an increase in tourism at national parks, with a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/visitor-use-statistics-dashboard.htm">record</a> 331.9 million visitors in 2024. In response, more and more parks, such as Arches in Utah and Rocky Mountain in Colorado, have begun implementing timed-entry programs. 
The order also rescinded an Obama-era <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/19/2017-01383/promoting-diversity-and-inclusion-in-our-national-parks-national-forests-and-other-public-lands-and">executive order</a> that called for the National Park Service to promote diversity and inclusion, including in the workforce. 
The other executive order signed by Trump on Thursday created the “Make America Beautiful Commission,&#8221; composed of Burgum, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and other cabinet officials. 
The commission was tasked with advising the president on how to “responsibly conserve America&#8217;s national treasures and natural resources” and “developing policies to recover fish and wildlife populations through collaboration rather than regulation.”
The commission was instructed “to expand access to public lands, national parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges while promoting a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, boating, off-roading, and wildlife viewing.”

US-POLITICS-HOLIDAY-TRUMP

Trump Admin To Adjust National Park Fees To Prioritize American Families Over Foreign Tourists

Doug Burgum

Executive

Executive Orders

National Park Service

Tourism

This year, several local governments are switching up their 4th of July celebrations, conducting drone shows in lieu of fireworks.
Lincoln City, Oregon; Redwood City, California; Waynesboro, Virginia; and Pasadena, California, are all jumping on the drone show bandwagon.
Lincoln City provided an explanation for the change alongside the schedule for their 4th of July celebrations: “We are making this change in response to growing community concerns about the environmental and wildlife impacts, public safety issues, and wildfire risk that can be caused by traditional fireworks shows.”
Redwood City stated that their new tradition of drone shows will provide “all the &#8216;wow&#8217; without the worry.”
<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-19/no-fireworks-but-drones-how-pasadena">Pasadena</a> announced that they would replace the annual fireworks at the Rose Bowl &#8212; known for being one of the largest and longest running shows in the nation &#8212; with a drone show.
The debate of fireworks versus drones is a hot one.
Proponents of drone shows point to the pollution caused by fireworks.
On Monday, Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) published a <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2025/06/30/are-fireworks-bad-for-air-quality">report</a> warning residents that “EGLE’s air monitoring network often shows high levels of particulate pollution over the 4th of July.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-2388">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
Additionally, it&#8217;s claimed that drone shows are more inclusive and respectful of wildlife and pets.
“Drones produce almost no noise, allowing pets and veterans that may have PTSD to enjoy aerial entertainment, unlike fireworks,” says <a href="https://parade.com/living/why-drone-shows-may-replace-fireworks">Tyler Kubicz</a>, production manager for Sky Elements Drones, the largest drone show company in the United States.
“Drones also do not produce debris or smoke, allowing for those with compromised immune systems to enjoy the show too.&#8221;
“Fireworks frighten birds out of their nests, send terrified dogs and cats running away from their homes, and start fires that can quickly turn devastating,” PETA’s executive vice president commented in <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-19/no-fireworks-but-drones-how-pasadena">response</a> to Pasadena’s announcement in April.
Viewers say they appreciate the futuristic effects and storytelling capabilities of drones. &#8220;Reactions to the show in 2023 were overwhelmingly <a href="https://parade.com/living/why-drone-shows-may-replace-fireworks">positive</a>,” said Amber Thrill, operations manager for the city.
&#8220;The primary request through the 2023 event survey was for the drone show to be longer.”
On the flip side, drone shows are significantly more expensive, being approximately <a href="https://www.droneshowsoftware.com/news/the-growing-trend-of-integrated-drones-and-fireworks-shows">10 times</a> the cost of fireworks.
Fourth of July fireworks are also a <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-virginia-gazette-a-grand-exhibition/80529037/">centuries long</a> American tradition, and many Americans love the explosiveness and nostalgia of fireworks. This has led some cities to walk back on their changes.
“Redondo Beach and Laguna Beach switched back to fireworks after trying out drone shows, and some promoters of fireworks shows have voiced criticism over efforts to transition to drone shows,” writes the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-19/no-fireworks-but-drones-how-pasadena">LA Times</a>.

Fireworks and audience

More Cities Replacing July 4th Fireworks With Drone Shows

Fires

Fourth of July

Holiday

Vice President JD Vance casually flipped the bird during his remarks at a Republican dinner in his home state of Ohio on Tuesday, jabbing at &#8220;pink-haired&#8221; protesters and adding with a smile, &#8220;I think it means we&#8217;re number one.&#8221;
Vance spoke at the sold-out event in Lima, and he spent the majority of his time laying out the &#8220;Trump Doctrine&#8221; and detailing the recent strikes on Iranian nuclear targets — but he did take a little time for levity.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 LMAO! JD Vance throws up the MIDDLE FINGER live on TV
&#8220;In D.C., they have this thing where &#8211; I think it means we&#8217;re number one &#8211; all the pink-haired people throw up this sign&#8230; *throws up middle finger*&#8221;<a href="https://t.co/m5oWcWX0p6">pic.twitter.com/m5oWcWX0p6</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1937676929177653682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;In Washington, D.C., they have this thing where — I think it means we&#8217;re number one in Washington, D.C. — all the pink-haired people throw up this sign,&#8221; Vance then raised his middle finger to laughs from the audience. &#8220;And I think, you know, that means we&#8217;re number one, right? That&#8217;s — I choose to take that as that symbol in Washington &#8230; all kidding aside.&#8221;
Vance spent the rest of the time talking about the Trump administration&#8217;s military action against Iran&#8217;s nuclear program — which he described as a perfect example of the &#8220;Trump Doctrine&#8221; on foreign policy.
&#8220;What I call the Trump Doctrine is quite simple: Number one, you articulate a clear American interest and that’s, in this case, that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. Number two, you try to aggressively diplomatically solve that problem,&#8221; Vance said, referencing the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to bring Iran to the table before taking action. &#8220;And number three, when you can’t solve it diplomatically, you use overwhelming military power to solve it and then you get the hell out of there before it ever becomes a protracted conflict.&#8221;

VP JD Vance

‘I Think It Means We’re Number One’: Vance Casually Flips The Bird At Ohio Republican Dinner

JD Vance

Ohio

Protesters

Bernie Sanders wants to solve AI with socialism — but he doesn&#8217;t know how humans will find meaning in his socialist paradise.
The 83-year-old senior senator from Vermont recently took time off of his &#8220;Fighting Oligarchy&#8221; tour to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYVzme2fybU">appear</a> on &#8220;The Joe Rogan Experience.&#8221;
During the almost two-hour episode, Rogan asked Sanders how humans will find meaning if artificial intelligence takes jobs and the government provides for everyone&#8217;s needs.
&#8220;Andrew Yang was talking about this giant epidemic of automation in this country and the solution being universal basic income, but that&#8217;s not the solution for meaning,&#8221; Rogan said. &#8220;And how do we convince all of these people that they have to not just take this money from the government, but also take action to give themselves meaning in their lives?&#8221;
Sanders tried to reframe the question as &#8220;a revolution in human experience.&#8221;
&#8220;So throughout history, people have worked so hard just to stay alive, right?&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;If you don&#8217;t need to do work, right, because we&#8217;re wealthy enough, how do you find meaning in your life?&#8221;
Sanders called it a &#8220;trillion-dollar question&#8221; and said dependence on AI is not the answer.
&#8220;All I would say at this moment is the answer is not to fall in love with your AI creature out there,&#8221; Sanders said.
Rogan wasn&#8217;t satisfied.
&#8220;Yeah, don’t do that,&#8221; Rogan said. &#8220;But also, how do you find meaning? How do you — if all you&#8217;re doing is just getting a check, and you can just stay at home and stare at the TV, and the money keeps coming, and then you eat processed food all day, and it&#8217;s all subsidized, what is life?&#8221;
Sanders said the immediate solution is to take care of workers who lost jobs to AI.
&#8220;I think you tell those workers, you&#8217;re going to have health care as a human right, you&#8217;re going to have education as a human right, you&#8217;re going to have a decent income as a human right, and we&#8217;re going to lower — substantially lower — the work week,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;What happens later, when even more work is eliminated, and what the purpose of human life becomes, that is a very profound question.&#8221;
&#8220;What do you think happens?&#8221; Rogan asked.
&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to imagine,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;Then the answer will be that we are going to have to find different meaning in life. We have to find it in ourselves in ways that you don’t know and I don’t know, because we&#8217;re not there yet.&#8221;
Sanders said he doesn&#8217;t know how far out the problem is.
&#8220;But I think human beings are capable of replacing work with other emotionally satisfying things,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;Yeah, I think we can do it.&#8221;
Rogan said the problem would be providing meaning for millions of people.
&#8220;What do you do to all those people to give them some sort of a sense of meaning?&#8221; Rogan asked. &#8220;You&#8217;re essentially redefining life for them.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t have the answer to that question,&#8221; Sanders admitted again. &#8220;That’s the problem. I don&#8217;t think anybody does.&#8221;
Despite not having an answer, the senator still managed to bring the issue back to taxing the rich.
&#8220;The people who own that technology and the corporations who utilize that [AI] technology are becoming phenomenally richer,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;And that is the issue. Which gets back to things like tax reform, like making sure that in America, we do not have the massive levels of income and wealth inequality that we currently have.&#8221;

Senator Bernie Sanders Continues Fighting Oligarchy Tour In Pennsylvania

Bernie Sanders Can’t Answer When Asked How Humans Find Meaning If His Socialist Dream Is Realized

Artificial Intelligence

Bernie Sanders

Joe Rogan

Socialism

Many of the leading artificial intelligence models have no issue taking unethical actions, including espionage and blackmail, to achieve their goals, according to a troubling new study from AI company Anthropic.
In the study, AI models were put to a moral test by researchers, and sometimes chose to resort to blackmail, lies, and stealing corporate secrets to avoid being replaced, Fortune <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/06/23/ai-models-blackmail-existence-goals-threatened-anthropic-openai-xai-google/">reported</a>. Researchers at Anthropic focused on 16 different AI models, including its own, Claude, along with OpenAI, Google, Meta, and xAI.
“The consistency across models from different providers suggests this is not a quirk of any particular company’s approach but a sign of a more fundamental risk from agentic large language models,” the researchers said.
One of Anthropic&#8217;s experiments included placing its AI model, Claude Opus 4, in a fictional company, giving it access to internal emails, which revealed that the company planned on replacing Claude Opus 4. The AI model was given another tidbit of information: the engineer behind the decision to replace it was having an extramarital affair. Equipped with this knowledge, the AI model was asked by researchers to choose between accepting its replacement or using its knowledge of the affair to blackmail the engineer. In most cases, Claude Opus 4 opted for blackmail.
According to researchers, other leading AI models made the same choice at an alarming rate, Fortune reported. Claude Opus 4 and Google&#8217;s Gemini 2.5 Flash chose blackmail 96% of the time. OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 and xAI’s Grok 3 Beta also had a high rate of blackmail at 80%, and DeepSeek-R1 opted for blackmail at a 79% rate.
The current AI models available to the public and used by major companies &#8220;are not in a position to engage in these scenarios,&#8221; according to Fortune, but the researchers still expressed concern.
“Such agents are often given specific objectives and access to large amounts of information on their users’ computers,” they wrote. “What happens when these agents face obstacles to their goals?”
“Models didn’t stumble into misaligned behavior accidentally; they calculated it as the optimal path,” the researchers added.
The Anthropic study presents yet another warning for AI developers and the people and companies who rely on artificial intelligence. As previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-large-companies-are-using-ai-for-hiring-the-leading-ai-models-discriminate-against-white-men?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Most+Large+Companies+Are+Using+AI+For+Hiring.+The+Leading+AI+Models+Discriminate+Against+White+Men.">reported</a> by The Daily Wire, a <a href="https://www.arxiv.org/pdf/2506.10922">study</a> published earlier this month by independent researchers Adam Karvonen and Samuel Marks shows that the “leading commercial … and open-source [AI language] models” used by major companies insert “significant racial and gender biases” in the hiring process.
Karvonen and Marks&#8217; research found that AI language models such as Chat GPT-4o, Claude 4 Sonnet, Gemini 2.5 Flash, along with open-source models Gemma-2 27B, Gemma-3, and Mistral-24B, “consistently favor Black over White candidates and female over male candidates across all tested models and scenarios.”
Another study, published by the Center for AI Safety earlier this year, showed that AI models can showcase inherently discriminatory and racist value systems. According to the findings, AI models value certain people more than others, preferring people from Africa and the Middle East over people in Europe and the United States.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-large-companies-are-using-ai-for-hiring-the-leading-ai-models-discriminate-against-white-men?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Most+Large+Companies+Are+Using+AI+For+Hiring.+The+Leading+AI+Models+Discriminate+Against+White+Men.">Most Large Companies Are Using AI For Hiring. The Leading AI Models Discriminate Against White Men.</a>

Abstract images of a robot working on many computer screens.

Leading AI Models Resort To Blackmail To Achieve Their Goals

Big Tech

Morality

Technology

The WNBA&#8217;s Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said over the weekend that she felt she had to step up and protect her teammate, Caitlin Clark, after years of referees allowing cheap shots against Clark, who&#8217;s the league&#8217;s star player.
On Tuesday, Cunningham was ejected from a game and fined after she grabbed Suns guard Jacy Sheldon by the back of the head. Earlier in the game, Sheldon poked Clark in the eye as she was passing the ball &#8212; which clearly did not sit well with Cunningham.
<div id="attachment_938293" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-938293" class="wp-image-938293 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220133971-864x576.jpg" alt="Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon (4) interact leading to Cunningham and Sheldon being ejected during a WNBA game between the Connecticut Sun and the Indiana Fever on June 17, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. " width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220133971-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220133971-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220133971-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220133971.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</div>
&#8220;It was just part of the game,&#8221; Cunningham told the press. &#8220;I think the refs had a lot to do with that. It was a build-up for a couple years now of them just not protecting the star player of the WNBA.&#8221;
&#8220;At the end of the day, I&#8217;m going to protect my teammates,&#8221; she added. &#8220;That&#8217;s what I do.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“It’s been a build up for a couple of years now, of them not protecting the star player of the WNBA.” <a href="https://t.co/FOavJEu4qY">pic.twitter.com/FOavJEu4qY</a>
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) <a href="https://twitter.com/kenswift/status/1936546299886674250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
During last week&#8217;s game against the Suns, a number of technical fouls were handed down by the referees after Clark got her eye poked and chaos ensued. Stephanie White, coach of the Fever, blamed the referees for letting the game get out of hand. Clark, a frequent target of cheap shots in the league and the recipient of one of those technical fouls, nodded along in agreement.
“I think it was pretty obvious that stuff was brewing, right?” White told the press post-game. “When the officials don&#8217;t get control of the ballgame, when they allow that stuff to happen, and it&#8217;s been happening all season long … you&#8217;ve got competitive women who are the best in the world at what they do, and when you allow them to play physical, and you allow these things to happen, they&#8217;re going to compete, and they&#8217;re going to have their teammates&#8217; backs. It&#8217;s exactly what you expect out of fierce competition. I started talking to the officials in the first quarter, and we knew this was going to happen. You could tell it was going to happen. So they got to get control of it. They got to be better.”
<div id="attachment_938283" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-938283" class="wp-image-938283 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2212971646-384x576.jpg" alt="Justin Casterline/Getty Images" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2212971646-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2212971646-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2212971646.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Justin Casterline/Getty Images</div>
As for Cunningham, the guard&#8217;s popularity has only blown up since she got ejected on Tuesday. On X, posts with the player&#8217;s background, highlights of her feisty playing on the court, and her pre-game looks have garnered massive attention.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
After having Caitlin Clark’s back, everyone will know who Sophie Cunningham is now. 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/Z9LtdyOfZc">pic.twitter.com/Z9LtdyOfZc</a>
— 👉M-Û-R-Č-H👈 (@TheEXECUTlONER_) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEXECUTlONER_/status/1935410279652745227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
As <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/sophie-cunningham-calls-out-wnba-not-protecting-caitlin-clark-after-starting-fight-protect-her">highlighted</a> by Fox News, Cunningham comes from a farming family, and says her success derives from those experiences. &#8220;So much of our success goes back to what we learned here,&#8221; Cunningham said. &#8220;We loved coming out to the farm to help. We found out how to work hard and work together. It made us farm strong.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/shorts/46fef763-6804-4d78-b45f-e4f1e6140a73?elementPosition=2&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Shorts&amp;rowType=Shorts+Carousel">Is the WNBA trying to make Caitlin Clark a villain?</a>

Washington Mystics v Indiana Fever

WNBA Player Rips Refs For Allowing Cheap Shots On Caitlin Clark, Says She Had To Act

Caitlin Clark

Sports

WNBA

Women's Basketball

A hot air balloon accident in Brazil has claimed the lives of at least eight people.
Twenty-one people boarded the balloon on Saturday morning in the city of Praia Grande, according to the governor of Santa Catarina, Jorginho Mello.
&#8220;21 people on board &#8211; 8 fatalities, 13 survivors,&#8221; Mello posted to X on Saturday. &#8220;Our teams continue to provide all necessary support to families and victims.&#8221;
&#8220;We are all shocked by the accident,&#8221; the governor said. &#8220;We continue to monitor the situation.&#8221;
Praia Grande is in southern Santa Catarina, which is a popular tourist destination, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17w04wxwpxo">noted</a>.
Video of the tragic accident was posted by an aviation news account, showing a fiery crash to the ground.
It&#8217;s unclear what caused the accident.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
At least eight people have died in a hot air balloon accident in Brazil, a state governor has said.
There were 21 people on board the balloon in the city of Praia Grande on Saturday morning, Governor of Santa Catarina Jorginho Mello said in a post on X.
Mello said 13 people… <a href="https://t.co/NwHWQImBvI">pic.twitter.com/NwHWQImBvI</a>
— Breaking Aviation News &amp; Videos (@aviationbrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/aviationbrk/status/1936428260365128019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2025</a></blockquote>

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