U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled on Tuesday afternoon that President Donald Trump and his administration had to allow The Associated Press access to White House spaces following a weeks-long ban over the outlet&#8217;s refusal to refer to the Gulf of America by its new name in print.
McFadden, who was appointed by President Trump, argued that the First Amendment applied and that if other credentialed outlets were given access to space in the White House or aboard Air Force One, then the administration could not selectively bar The Associated Press over a difference of opinion.
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BREAKING: Associated Press wins preliminary injunction against White House in &quot;Gulf of America&quot; case: <a href="https://t.co/Hjw3t5AMXk">pic.twitter.com/Hjw3t5AMXk</a>
&mdash; Adam Steinbaugh (@adamsteinbaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/adamsteinbaugh/status/1909711155666522366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Acknowledging the fact that limited space would not always allow for every outlet to have a physical presence at every event, McFadden stated in his ruling that this judgment was not a free pass for The Associated Press to have access to every possible event.
&#8220;This injunction does not limit the various permissible reasons the Government may have for excluding journalists from limited-access events. It does not mandate that all eligible journalists, or indeed any journalists at all, be given access to the President or nonpublic government spaces. It does not prohibit government officials from freely choosing which journalists to sit down with for interviews or which ones’ questions they answer. And it certainly does not prevent senior officials from publicly expressing their own views,&#8221; McFadden wrote.
&#8220;No, the Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints. The Constitution requires no less,&#8221; he added.
The ruling is set to go into effect on April 13, giving the Trump administration time to appeal.

President Donald Trump

Judge Orders White House To Reinstate AP To Press Pool

Judge Sides With AP Against White House

Associated Press

Donald Trump

Gulf of America

Gulf of Mexico

Karoline Leavitt

Media

Politics

White House

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., declined the Associated Press’ request to temporarily restore its White House access after President Donald Trump banned the outlet for continuing to use “Gulf of Mexico” in its reports.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by Trump in 2017, turned down the Associated Press’ request for a temporary restraining order, writing that the AP “can get access to the same information” from pool coverage rather than attending each White House event directly.
Judge McFadden explained that he was not <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/24/politics/ap-white-house-access-ruling/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convinced</a> the AP faced “irreparable harm” from the current restrictions, per CNN.
He noted that the AP was only being barred from “more private areas” of the administration, such as Air Force One and the Oval Office.
The White House celebrated the decision in a press release, “As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right.”
“We stand by our decision to hold the Fake News accountable for their lies, and President Trump will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press. This is the most transparent Administration in history.&#8221;
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<a href="https://t.co/6GGzAGz6NE">https://t.co/6GGzAGz6NE</a> <a href="https://t.co/qKbMZmWL4S">pic.twitter.com/qKbMZmWL4S</a>
&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1894147560844951862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A more extensive legal debate over the ban will unfold in the coming weeks, with McFadden scheduling a hearing for March 20th, with the court expected to decide whether the restriction should remain in place longer term.

US-JUSTICE-POLITICS-MEDIA-AP

Judge Sides With White House Over AP, Won’t Overturn Briefing Room Ban

Legacy Media

Trump Administration

The Trump White House has barred the Associated Press from entering the Oval Office and boarding Air Force One, pointing to the outlet’s continued use of “Gulf of Mexico” instead of the administration’s newly proclaimed “Gulf of America.”
President Trump issued an executive order last month to institute the name change in government agencies and among federal contractors, but the AP and other non-government institutions have resisted the change.
The AP claims that since the order has not been recognized internationally, it would continue calling the body of water the Gulf of Mexico, and is <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/14/media/white-house-ap-ban-air-force-one-oval-office-gulf-of-mexico/index.html">preparing</a> a lawsuit challenging the White House’s decision, according to CNN.
The White House has only barred AP reporters from “pooled” events at both the Oval Office and Air Force One, with the outlet’s photographers still permitted along with retaining their white house credentials, according to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich.
“While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One,” Budowich said in a statement on X.
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“Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration,” Budowich said.
Budowich reiterated the administration’s disapproval of the AP’s editorial stance, characterizing the outlet’s refusal to adopt the new name for the gulf as “not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation.” Another official indicated that the spaces previously occupied by AP correspondents would now be made available to a rotation of other outlets.
The White House Correspondents Association called the move “a textbook violation of not only the First Amendment, but the president’s own executive order on freedom of speech and ending federal censorship.”

US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-MEXICO-OCEANS-TRUMP

AP Indefinitely Barred From White House Over Use Of ‘Gulf Of Mexico’

White House Correspondents Association

On Sunday, President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> designated February 9 to be &#8220;Gulf of America Day,&#8221; the latest move by the commander in chief to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-u-s-to-change-name-of-the-gulf-of-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rename</a> the Gulf of Mexico.
&#8220;I call upon public officials and all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities,&#8221; Trump said in his proclamation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY! <a href="https://t.co/xmsFDUjkXB">pic.twitter.com/xmsFDUjkXB</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1888709653111980115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on X that Trump signed the document to declare the new holiday as Air Force One flew over the gulf on the way to the Super Bowl.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
✈️MOMENTS AGO ON AF1: President Trump signed a Proclamation declaring February 9th “Gulf of America Day” while flying over the newly and appropriately named GULF OF AMERICA! 🇺🇸
📸: <a href="https://twitter.com/dto_rok?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dto_rok</a> <a href="https://t.co/BA1f5VF3ft">pic.twitter.com/BA1f5VF3ft</a>
&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1888701998511390877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We&#8217;re flying right over it right now, so we thought this would be appropriate,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888699739509817590" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a video posted to X. &#8220;Even bigger than the Super Bowl, this is a big thing.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> signs a Proclamation declaring February 9, 2025 as the first ever Gulf of America Day 🇺🇸
Listen as Air Force One announces a flyover of Gulf of America en route to Super Bowl LIX! <a href="https://t.co/fNk0e6l7dL">pic.twitter.com/fNk0e6l7dL</a>
&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1888699739509817590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Before taking office in January, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-u-s-to-change-name-of-the-gulf-of-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that he would rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. He took aim at Mexico, raising issues with trade deficits and cartels.
And, on the day of his inauguration, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-names-that-honor-american-greatness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> an order directing the Interior secretary to &#8220;take all appropriate actions&#8221; to rename the U.S. Continental Shelf area as the Gulf of America.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who was with Trump in Air Force One on Sunday, <a href="https://x.com/secretaryburgum/status/1888701693707035001?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that his department had implemented the president&#8217;s instructions from the executive order.
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It&#39;s official! Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the Gulf of America! <a href="https://twitter.com/Interior?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Interior</a> has implemented your instruction from the Executive Order on Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness. Another big win for President Trump&#39;s agenda to Make America Great Again. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/nZtkDQTFO3">pic.twitter.com/nZtkDQTFO3</a>
&mdash; Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretaryBurgum/status/1888701693707035001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Another big win for President Trump&#8217;s agenda to Make America Great Again,&#8221; Burgum <a href="https://x.com/secretaryburgum/status/1888701693707035001?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X, which also featured a U.S. Geological Survey map showing the Gulf of America.
Mike Waltz, who is Trump&#8217;s national security adviser, posted a photo looking out a window on Air Force One and said, &#8220;Nothing like the first flight of Air Force One over the Gulf of America!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Nothing like the first flight of Air Force One over the Gulf of America! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/pnGvsfUzfl">pic.twitter.com/pnGvsfUzfl</a>
&mdash; Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeWaltz47/status/1888707639057563890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marjorie-taylor-greene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> (R-GA) has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-offer-bills-to-realize-trumps-ideas-for-gulf-of-america-and-taking-back-panama-canal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> a bill to ensure references in U.S. law, maps, and other records to the Gulf of Mexico are deemed to be references to the Gulf of America.
In response to Trump signing his Gulf of America holiday proclamation, Greene <a href="https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1888713151044088184" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> on Congress to pass her legislation so &#8220;a future America Last Democrat can’t change it back!&#8221;
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HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY!! 🇺🇸 
Aboard Air Force One today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> signed a proclamation declaring 2/9/25 the first Gulf of America Day.
Congress needs to pass my bill renaming the Gulf of America, so a future America Last Democrat can’t change it back! <a href="https://t.co/UEGxEq4XfV">pic.twitter.com/UEGxEq4XfV</a>
&mdash; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1888713151044088184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump threatened to institute 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico earlier this month, but <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pauses-tariffs-on-mexico-after-it-agrees-to-send-thousands-of-troops-to-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paused</a> the plan after the country sent troops to its border with the U.S. to stop drug trafficking.
Canada also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trudeau-caves-to-trump-canada-to-ensure-border-security-after-tariff-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent</a> troops to its border with the U.S., a move that averted tariffs for at least a month, like with Mexico. Meanwhile, the U.S. and China have begun a series of tit-for-tat levies.

‘We’re Flying Over It Right Now!’: Trump Creates New Holiday En Route To Super Bowl

Department of Interior

Doug Burgum

Holiday

Mexico

Super Bowl

U.S.

Far-left Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum refused to acknowledge President Donald Trump&#8217;s new executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the &#8220;Gulf of America,&#8221; claiming that the world would not acknowledge it.
“So what corresponds to the continental shelf of the United States, which they call the ‘Gulf of America,’ for us is still the Gulf of Mexico,” she said. “And for the whole world, it will continue to be the Gulf of Mexico.”
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejects President Donald Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” <a href="https://t.co/R4QzhBFL8j">pic.twitter.com/R4QzhBFL8j</a>
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1881745270800887894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump announced during his inauguration speech on Monday that the Gulf of Mexico would be renamed to the &#8220;Gulf of America,&#8221; then signed an executive order directing the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to make the change on federal maps.
The president first announced his intentions to rename the Gulf of Mexico earlier this month while discussing corruption in Mexico.
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“We have a massive deficit with Mexico and we help Mexico a lot,” Trump said. “They’re essentially run by the cartels. And we can’t let that happen. Mexico is really in trouble. A lot of trouble. A very dangerous place.”
Trump said at the time that in the near future, his administration would be “changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.”
“The Gulf of America. What a beautiful name!” Trump said. “And it’s appropriate. It’s appropriate.”
Trump said the U.S. has the right to do it because “we do most of the work there, and it is ours.”

President-Elect Sheinbam Receives Election Majority Certificate

Mexico’s President Refuses to Acknowledge ‘Gulf Of America’

Claudia Sheinbaum

Executive

Executive Orders

This week, a pair of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/house-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Republicans</a> proposed bills that could bring to life President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s suggestions for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-u-s-to-change-name-of-the-gulf-of-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renaming</a> the Gulf of Mexico the &#8220;Gulf of America&#8221; — at least on maps and documents within the United States — and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-former-trump-official-explains-why-trump-may-take-panama-canal-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking back</a> the Panama Canal.
Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marjorie-taylor-greene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> (R-GA) announced on Tuesday that she directed her staff to draft a bill to make the &#8220;Gulf of America&#8221; rebranding happen as soon as Trump brought up the idea.
If the legislation is enacted, any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico shall be deemed to be a reference to the &#8220;Gulf of America.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 READ MY STATEMENT &amp; BILL TEXT 🚨
Mexican cartels currently use the Gulf of Mexico to traffic humans, drugs, weapons, and God knows what else while the Mexican government allows them to do it.
The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the maritime… <a href="https://t.co/m0Nh3a6vuq">pic.twitter.com/m0Nh3a6vuq</a>
&mdash; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1876756973644837111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And the commerce secretary, acting through the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, would oversee the implementation of changing the names in each federal document and map — an overhaul that would be completed in 180 days.
&#8220;It’s our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America and it’s what the entire world should refer to it as,&#8221; Greene <a href="https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1876756973644837111" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X, adding later, &#8220;We already have the bill written with legislative council and ready to file first thing Thursday morning. Congress has to take the Trump Agenda mandate seriously and that means acting fast to enact it.&#8221;
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Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) is going to introduce a bill to authorize the president, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to enter into negotiations for the acquisition of the Panama Canal from the Republic of Panama for the &#8220;symbolic&#8221; amount of $1. The bill, according to a screenshot <a href="https://x.com/cami_mondeaux/status/1877058216032379180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to X by The Washington Examiner&#8217;s Cami Mondeax, also calls for a report to Congress detailing progress on the talks, potential challenges, and anticipated outcomes in 180 days.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Here’s bill text from <a href="https://twitter.com/DustyJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DustyJohnson</a> to “authorize the President to enter into negotiations for the reacquisition of the Panama Canal from the Republic of Panama for the symbolic amount of $1.” <a href="https://t.co/k9nRSmrE7l">pic.twitter.com/k9nRSmrE7l</a>
&mdash; Cami Mondeaux (@cami_mondeaux) <a href="https://twitter.com/cami_mondeaux/status/1877058216032379180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;President Trump is right to consider repurchasing the Panama Canal. China’s interest in and presence around the canal is a cause for concern,&#8221; Johnson said in a statement <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5074775-republican-bill-panama-canal-trump-purchase/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Hill. &#8220;America must project strength abroad — owning and operating the Panama Canal might be an important step towards a stronger America and a more secure globe.&#8221;

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump

Republicans Offer Bills To Realize Trump’s Ideas For ‘Gulf Of America’ And Taking Back Panama Canal

Congress

House Republicans

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Panama Canal

Donald Trump just gave one of the greatest press conferences in American history. He talked more in this press conference than Joe Biden has for four years. He spoke quite coherently and cogently.
The press conference was a doozy. It was wonderful in so many ways.
Trump is going to instruct the federal government to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and I am here for it. It is fantastic. If you look at a map, about 65% of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico is in America.
Who&#8217;s going to stop us from renaming it? Mexico? Sure. They can’t even balance the budget or stop the cartels from running their country.
But that&#8217;s not the only item on the Manifest Destiny Agenda for the Trump administration that I love.
I love that Trump has been talking about making Canada the 51st state. I know that Justin Trudeau is out there tweeting how it&#8217;ll never be the 51st state, but he has no say in the matter because when we invade, he will be shipped to work the Panama Canal.
More America is better. Greenland, a vital place territorially, is on Trump’s list. Why not? The United States spends money on the military defense of Greenland, and we have military bases in Greenland. We use Greenland’s northern border in order to protect Arctic shipping. Greenland is very important because as ice melts in the Arctic Circle, there will be brand-new North Atlantic shipping lanes which have drawn interest from Russia and China. Either Russia and China are going to have an impact there, or we are. Arctic shipping has increased, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/01/08/why-does-trump-want-to-buy-greenland-heres-what-to-know-as-don-jr-arrives-on-island/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a>, 37% over the past decade.
In addition, Greenland is part of the strategically important Greenland-Iceland-UK gap, a choke point that Russian ships actually have to transit to travel from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic.
And Greenland has a plethora of untapped mineral resources. Those include copper, iron ore, diamonds, and oil. We should purchase Greenland.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2112-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
The people of Greenland have been talking about independence for a very long time. If that were to happen, they would realign with the United States in a heartbeat. First of all, it&#8217;s better to live in the United States than it is to live in a principality of Denmark. Second, as far as security concerns to defend those Arctic Straits against Russia and China, do you think Denmark is going to go up against the Russians or the Chinese?
If that is a matter of national security for the United States, why not sell Greenland to the United States if you are Denmark?
Back in 1775, Denmark and Norway declared Greenland a colony. Greenland was then formally transferred from Norway to Denmark by a treaty in 1814. Denmark started trying to colonize the island in the 1880s.
But before the 1880s, a huge chunk was actually discovered by Americans. Charles Francis Hall saw northwest Greenland during the Polaris expedition, which was from 1871 to 1873. And another explorer named Robert Peary actually claimed much of the North.
The only reason that Denmark has any claim whatsoever to Greenland, as far as the United States is concerned, is because when the United States was interested in purchasing the Danish West Indies during World War I, Denmark required the U.S. to recognize its claim over the whole island of Greenland.
At the time, Peary, the explorer who discovered and claimed much of it, opposed the U.S. giving up the claim because the Monroe Doctrine said there should be no European interference in the Western Hemisphere.
He correctly suggested that we should have purchased the island outright. And then, as it turned out, we had to defend it anyway because in the early 1940s, Denmark had been conquered by the Nazis. Once that happened, the United States basically had to defend Greenland as its own principality because it was the only known significant source of a material called rhyolite. Because Germany was attempting to use the North Atlantic as a base during World War II, the United States actually did apply the Monroe Doctrine on European colonies in the North Atlantic Ocean.
By 1946, the joint chiefs of staff had listed Greenland and Iceland as essential international locations for American bases. In fact, when NATO was in its heyday, Greenland was seen as more important to both American and Canadian defense than some of the Western European countries. That was because the very, very north of Canada, the North American continent, gets pretty close to territory that is controlled by Russia.
In 1951, Greenland and the United States signed a treaty that gave the United States exclusive jurisdiction over defense areas within Greenland. So there is a significantly solid case that the United States actually ought to buy Greenland.
But there’s more. 
President Trump has made clear that he does not want the Panama Canal to be controlled by the Chinese. He&#8217;s half joking when he&#8217;s making fun of Justin Trudeau and talking about making Canada the 51st state, but the Greenland issue is actually a fairly serious proposal. And when it comes to the Panama Canal, there really is a serious problem. The Panama Canal was built with American labor and money. It was turned over idiotically by one of our worst presidents, Jimmy Carter.
The Panama Canal has run significantly worse since we turned it over to Panama. The Panamanians have turned over both ends of the canals to Chinese companies who could easily shut off the entrances and exits to the Panama Canal. 40% of all American container traffic goes through the Panama Canal. That&#8217;s a lot of American commerce moving through the Panama Canal.
If the United States were ever to get into a conflict with China, most shipping would cease because China would try to take control of the Taiwan Strait and the Strait of Malacca, which is basically the tip of the South China Sea. That would shut off another shipping route. If they could shut off shipping in the Western Hemisphere, they could absolutely cripple the American economy.
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On foreign policy, Trump was asked about what he&#8217;s going to do if the hostages are not freed by Hamas by the time he takes office in just 13 days. 
President Trump <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/news/trump-vows-all-hell-will-break-out-if-hamas-hostages-not-released-before-he-takes-office-do-i-have-to-define-it-for-you/">answered</a>:
<blockquote>Do I have to define it for you? Look, all hell will break out. … If they’re not back by the time I get into office, all hell will break out in the Middle East. It will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone. All hell will break out. I don’t have to say anymore, but that’s what it is. And they should have given them back a long time ago, they should have never taken them, there should have never been the attack on Oct. 7. People forget that, but there was, and many people [were] killed.</blockquote>
This is strength. Joe Biden never had any moral clarity about this because he&#8217;s a fool. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has moral clarity about this.
And this is the correct approach. If Hamas is not afraid, they&#8217;re not releasing the hostages. It is that simple. There&#8217;s nothing else that is going to make them release the hostages other than dire threats and action and allowing Israel to do exactly what it needs to do in the Gaza Strip.
And then Trump was asked about the possibility of a preemptive strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities if they were to ramp up their nuclear production. And Trump gave the correct answer on this one too.
Again, Trump gave more answers in this one press conference than Biden has given in four years. He made more intelligent statements in this press conference than Biden has ever said in his entire career. That’s because Biden was, is, and will be a dullard. 
President Trump explained that if Iran were to attempt a nuclear weapon, he wouldn’t tell the reporter what he would do because he&#8217;s the president, and he&#8217;s not going to tell some dumb reporter what he&#8217;s going to do because it&#8217;s a stupid question. That is correct.
Speaking of other good things, President Trump also had some words about Biden&#8217;s attempts to shut down drilling for oil off pretty much all of America&#8217;s Eastern seaboard on his way out. Trump said, we like to produce energy in America. American energy independence has made us less dependent on some of the worst places in the world. That is a good thing. And Biden is throttling America&#8217;s energy independence.
A great press conference.
He’s better than he ever was.

President-Elect Trump Holds Press Conference At Mar-A-Lago

Trump Gives The Best Press Conference Ever

Ben Shapiro

Canada

China

Denmark

Greenland

Hamas

Hostages

Humor

Joe Biden

Mar-a-Lago

Opinion

Presidency

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the U.S. in the coming weeks will be renaming the &#8220;Gulf of Mexico&#8221; to the &#8220;Gulf of America.&#8221;
Trump made the announcement during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago while speaking about trade deficits that the U.S. has with its southern neighbor.
&#8220;We have a massive deficit with Mexico and we help Mexico a lot,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;They&#8217;re essentially run by the cartels. And we can&#8217;t let that happen. Mexico is really in trouble. A lot of trouble. A very dangerous place.&#8221;
Trump said that at a future date, which he said would be &#8220;pretty soon,&#8221; that his administration will be &#8220;changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.&#8221;
&#8220;The Gulf of America. What a beautiful name!&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And it&#8217;s appropriate. It&#8217;s appropriate.&#8221;
Trump said that the U.S. has the right to do it because &#8220;we do most of the work there, and it is ours.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Trump says that the drug cartels run Mexico and that the country is in deep trouble
He also announces that he is changing the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” <a href="https://t.co/bSpmJp5SZY">pic.twitter.com/bSpmJp5SZY</a>
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1876673987683754435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
Mexico is in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-threats-are-already-yielding-results-in-the-fight-against-cartels">frantic state of preparation</a> for the incoming Trump administration as officials worry Trump could take military action against the country’s notorious drug cartels.
Mexico’s new far-Left president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who blames her country’s problems on the U.S., has tried to calm nerves in her country over the possibility of U.S. military intervention, claiming: “There won’t be an invasion. It’s not going to happen.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Mexican officials are rushing to gauge just how serious the threat from Trump is, especially considering that two of Trump’s picks for his upcoming administration — Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) for national security adviser and Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense — are proponents of the idea.
Trump indicated on the campaign trail that he would use military action against the drug cartels, who fuel the deaths of north of a hundred thousand Americans per year. He’s also indicated he would use the U.S. Navy to stop fentanyl precursors from arriving in Mexico from China and he would designate the drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). He’s also threatened steep tariffs if Mexico does not stop the flow of illegal aliens and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Journal reports that in response to Trump’s threats, Sheinbaum is starting to take action against the Sinaloa cartel, arguably the world’s most powerful drug trafficking organization. Mexican law enforcement has made record seizures of fentanyl from the cartel and she sent her security minister to Sinaloa “to oversee the efforts to take back control of a state where organized crime dominates.”
The country is also setting up an elite unit of security officers, who will be vetted and trained by the U.S. for operations against the cartels in Mexico, the report said.

Trump Announces U.S. To Change Name Of The ‘Gulf Of Mexico’

Global Politics

President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> announced Monday that he would ban offshore drilling for more than 625 million acres of U.S. waters before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. 
Biden&#8217;s prohibition through two presidential memoranda on new oil and natural gas leases will cover the entire East Coast and West Coast of the continental U.S., the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the Alaska coastline. The White House said the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act gave Biden the authority to make such a sweeping ban on energy production.
“In protecting more than 625 million acres of the U.S. ocean from offshore drilling, President Biden has determined that the environmental and economic risks and harms that would result from drilling in these areas outweigh their limited fossil fuel resource potential,” the White House said in a statement. “With these withdrawals, President Biden is protecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and local economies – including fishing, recreation, and tourism – from oil spills and other impacts of offshore drilling.”
He previously used the same 1953 law to ban drilling for portions of the North Bering Sea and 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea. 
“The withdrawals have no expiration date, and prohibit all future oil and natural gas leasing in the areas withdrawn,” the White House said. 
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The move from Biden comes just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has promised to increase American oil production and make it easier for oil and gas companies to drill in U.S. waters.
Trump told Hugh Hewitt on Monday that he would take immediate action to reverse Biden&#8217;s executive actions.
&#8220;I see it just came over that Biden has banned all oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal territory. It&#8217;s ridiculous. I&#8217;ll unban it immediately,&#8221; he said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PRESIDENT TRUMP: &#8220;I see it just came over that Biden has banned all oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal territory. It&#8217;s ridiculous. I&#8217;ll unban it immediately.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/mGijm5N6v7">pic.twitter.com/mGijm5N6v7</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1876272349542252936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/karolineleavitt/status/1876228351028858932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Monday that the ban was motivated by revenge. 
“This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices,” she said. “Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill.”
While campaigning for president, Trump vowed to make the U.S. “energy dominant&#8221; and dramatically increase energy production. 
“We’re going to supply it all over Europe, all over the world,” he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-vows-to-unleash-u-s-energy-production-we-have-more-liquid-gold-than-saudi-arabia-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We’re going to be double and triple what they’re doing. We’re going to have tremendous energy, and we’re going to lower our prices of energy.”
During his first term in office, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disgraceful-decision-trump-press-secretary-blasts-bidens-move-to-block-more-offshore-drilling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> an executive order to rescind former President Barack Obama’s orders to withdraw hundreds of millions of acres of submerged land on the outer continental shelf, leading to a court battle. Obama also pointed to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act for his actions.

US President Joe Biden signs the Social Security Fairness Act

Biden Bans Offshore Drilling For Most Of U.S. Coastline Before Trump Takes Over

Alaska

Atlantic Ocean

Oil and Gas

Pacific Ocean

A fuel barge slammed into a bridge in southern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a> on Wednesday, causing damage to the structure and oil to spill into the surrounding waters.
The accident in Galveston — which is just south of Houston on the Gulf of Mexico — happened when the barge ran into the Pelican Island Causeway, a bridge that connects the town to Pelican Island.
The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bridge-barge-galveston-texas-6c112f0032ab88fbdd0c78d1957247c8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the bridge was struck around 10 a.m. local time when &#8220;a tugboat backing out of Texas International Terminals, a fuel storage operator next to the bridge, lost control of two barges it was pushing.&#8221;
There was no indication that anyone had been harmed in the accident even though one person reportedly fell off the barge during the accident.
&#8220;The current was very bad, and the tide was high,&#8221; said David Flores, a bridge superintendent with the Galveston County Navigation District. &#8220;He lost it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BRIDGE CLOSURE | A barge struck the Pelican Island Causeway, shutting it down in both directions this morning. The bridge connects the north side of Galveston Island just west of the Port of Galveston with the south side of Pelican Island.
Full story: <a href="https://t.co/Y0rXOcGs1n">https://t.co/Y0rXOcGs1n</a> <a href="https://t.co/3FD6o3DGuh">pic.twitter.com/3FD6o3DGuh</a>
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) <a href="https://twitter.com/KHOU/status/1790795636217917600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
When the barge hit the bridge, it caused fuel that it was carrying to spill into the surrounding waters. While the barge has the capacity to carry 30,000 gallons, it is unknown how much it was carrying at the time or how much spilled out.
“Engineers from the Texas Department of Transportation are also enroute to inspect the roadway and determine if there is damage,” the the City of Galveston said. “The bridge will remain closed until it is deemed safe to use.”
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The state of Texas was scheduled to build a new bridge next year to replace the one that was just hit with estimates coming in at $200 million.
The 164-foot bridge was last inspected two and a half years ago and more than 9,000 vehicles cross it every day on average.

Barge

Barge Runs Into And Damages Bridge In South Texas

General

Texas

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in and around <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida">Florida</a>&#8216;s Big Bend region in anticipation of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-an-escalating-forecast-tropical-storm-idalia-expected-to-hit-florida-as-major-hurricane">Tropical Storm Idalia</a> becoming a major <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane">hurricane</a> and slamming into the state&#8217;s Gulf Coast later this week.
The forecast as of Monday evening shows Tropical Storm Idalia will likely strengthen into a powerful Category 3 hurricane as it moves through the warm waters of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gulf-of-mexico">Gulf of Mexico</a> and make landfall early Wednesday, though the outer bands of the storm stretch out for miles beyond. Just before 8 p.m. ET, the National Hurricane Center said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1696310709188198696">post to X</a> that Idalia was approaching hurricane strength while near the western tip of Cuba.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
When monitoring <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Idalia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Idalia</a>, remember:
&#8211; The cone only represents the probable track of the CENTER of the storm, it does NOT show the size of the storm &#8211; Impacts will extend far outside of the area that is shown &#8211; You should have your plan in place &amp; heed all warnings from officials <a href="https://t.co/QRMt9NifsK">pic.twitter.com/QRMt9NifsK</a>
&mdash; FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLSERT/status/1696256788302090405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Heavy rain, flooding, storm surge, strong winds, and even tornados could impact Florida as well as neighboring states, as Idalia is expected to swing through the Panhandle and sweep up along the coastline of Georgia and the Carolinas through the end of the week. But the National Hurricane Center warned on Monday that certain aspects of the forecast, including the track of the storm, could shift over time.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In addition to the life-threatening storm surge inundation and hurricane conditions expected along portions of the Florida Gulf Coast from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Idalia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Idalia</a>, a stripe of tropical and excessive rainfall may produce flash and urban flooding from northern Florida to the eastern Carolinas. <a href="https://t.co/DQ6KE1Mu79">pic.twitter.com/DQ6KE1Mu79</a>
&mdash; National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/1696306925518946339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Officials in a western Florida coastal stretch ranging from <a href="https://www.wctv.tv/2023/08/28/mandatory-evacuation-order-issued-taylor-county/">Taylor County</a> down to <a href="https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2023/aug/28/city-declares-state-emergency-sarasota-county-issues-evac-order/">Sarasota County</a> — including the <a href="https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/weather/2023-08-28/evacuation-orders-hernando-pasco-citrus">greater Tampa Bay region</a> — have directed people in low-lying zones and vulnerable structures to leave their homes ahead of the storm. There were also some voluntary evacuation areas.
Emergency shelters are set to open up and tolls are being suspended as all sorts of hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge warnings have been issued. Residents have been advised to adhere to local announcements and make preparations, <a href="https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-florida-readies-for-approaching-storm-idalia-continues-to-closely-monitor-storms-path-and-intensity">including for power outages</a>. In addition, schools are closing across Florida, <a href="https://www.wftv.com/news/local/heres-where-you-can-pick-up-sandbags-seminole-county-officials-monitor-invest-93l/Q6HGNFOV6FFK3P43POUIQOS4RY/">sandbags</a> are being made available to residents, and Tampa International Airport is <a href="https://news.tampaairport.com/tampa-international-airport-to-close-early-tuesday-ahead-of-potential-major-hurricane/">slated to suspend commercial operations</a> on Tuesday.
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, unlocking federal assistance for state, tribal, and local response efforts related to Idalia. And Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who has <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/27/desantis-pauses-campaigning-as-florida-faces-duel-crises-00113140">paused his presidential campaign</a>, has been busy helping spearhead preparations. Over the past couple days, DeSantis has worked to <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2023/08/27/governor-ron-desantis-issues-updates-on-tropical-storm-idalia/">mobilize resources</a>, issued a state of emergency in dozens of counties, delivered in-person updates on Idalia, and visited multiple counties expected to be at the forefront of the weather event.
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&#8220;For those in the potential path of this storm, stay tuned for updates &amp; heed all evacuation orders,&#8221; DeSantis said on Monday <a href="https://twitter.com/FLSERT">in a post to X</a> directing people to follow the <a href="https://twitter.com/FLSERT">Florida Division of Emergency Management</a> for the most up-to-date information.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
As of 5 p.m. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Idalia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Idalia</a> is forecast to make landfall at Florida’s Big Bend on Wednesday as a major hurricane. For those in the potential path of this storm, stay tuned for updates &amp; heed all evacuation orders.
Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/FLSERT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLSERT</a> and your local media for the most up-to-date information. <a href="https://t.co/4moLnIpaom">pic.twitter.com/4moLnIpaom</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1696291272938422386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Far off the eastern coast of Florida is another tropical system, <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/271442.shtml?">Hurricane Franklin</a>, which is not expected to hit the United States but did lead to warnings about life-threatening storm surge and rip currents along the southeastern coastline of the country.

Florida’s Gulf Coast Prepares For Arrival Of Hurricane Idalia

Evacuation Orders Issued In Florida As Idalia Approaches Hurricane Strength

Florida

Ron DeSantis

Severe Weather

Weather

Four U.S. citizens were assaulted and kidnapped in Mexico on Friday, the FBI said.
The four Americans drove across the U.S. border and entered the city of Matamoros, which borders the southernmost part of Texas. They were fired upon by unidentified gunmen and “placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men,&#8221; according to the FBI in San Antonio.
The group drove a white minivan with North Carolina license plates, according to the FBI. The names of the victims have not been released.
They are believed to have been targeted by mistake, a U.S. official <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/06/americas/fbi-mexico-kidnapping-us-citizens/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN.
The FBI and Mexican law enforcement agencies are investigating. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for the return of the kidnapped Americans.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the &#8220;whole government is working on&#8221; rectifying the situation.
“The information we have is that they crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico, there was a confrontation between groups and they were detained,” Obrador said.
Receipts found in the Americans&#8217; vehicle support the theory that they were in the country to buy medicine.
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An innocent Mexican citizen also died as a result of the incident, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64842273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to U.S. ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar.
Matamoros has been rife with gang violence for years, particularly warring sub-groups of the Gulf Cartel. On Friday, the city had several shootings, and the U.S. Consulate <a href="https://mx.usembassy.gov/alert-u-s-consulate-general-matamoros-mexico-march-3-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> government employees to avoid the area.
The State Department cautions U.S. citizens not to visit the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, where the city is located, due to &#8220;crime and kidnapping.&#8221;
&#8220;Organized crime activity – including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault – is common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria,&#8221; <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html#Tamaulipas%20state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reads</a> the State Department&#8217;s &#8220;Do Not Travel&#8221; advisory. &#8220;Criminal groups target public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments.&#8221;
CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/06/americas/fbi-mexico-kidnapping-us-citizens/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it obtained photos that reportedly show the vehicle believed to be the Americans&#8217; minivan. The photos, which CNN said it confirmed with a U.S. official, reportedly show that the minivan crashed with another vehicle before the group was kidnapped at gunpoint.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_9E7D5D7E-B6D9-F0B0-DFA7-B7D3FD57ED96@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">In the photos, a woman is reportedly seen looking at and then sitting next to three people lying on the ground outside a white minivan, which has all its doors open, CNN reported. Then, the woman appears to be loaded onto the bed of a white pickup truck, while three people are lying in the street next to the truck, the photos reportedly show. One photo also shows an ambulance, the outlet said.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_9E7D5D7E-B6D9-F0B0-DFA7-B7D3FD57ED96@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">A <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidWolf777/status/1631812544682917888" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> posted to Twitter on Friday appears to show the kidnapping, CBS reported.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_9E7D5D7E-B6D9-F0B0-DFA7-B7D3FD57ED96@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">In the video, a woman is seen being forced to walk to the back of a white pickup truck and then forced to get in the bed of the truck. One man is seen dragging a motionless person across the street to the pickup truck, leaving a dark trail. Three men put two motionless people in the bed of the pickup truck with the woman. The men were armed with long guns and wearing bulletproof vests.

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