In an appearance that would make Machiavelli blush, Illinois Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker took to the airwaves to project the very authoritarianism he claims to despise onto his political rivals.
Speaking on &#8220;Meet the Press Now,&#8221; the billionaire heir didn’t just criticize the Trump administration; he essentially promised a long-term &#8220;lawfare&#8221; campaign against officials who dare to enforce federal immigration law.
Pritzker’s rhetoric was nothing short of a declaration of judicial war. He accused ICE and CBP agents of &#8220;invading&#8221; Chicago and &#8220;tackling&#8221; citizens. But rather than focusing on policy, Pritzker shifted into the role of a vengeful prosecutor.
He touted an &#8220;accountability commission&#8221; tasked with gathering evidence for future trials. The target list? High-ranking officials like Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, and Tom Homan. Pritzker’s chilling promise — &#8220;We are coming after them&#8221; — sounded less like a champion of due process and more like a man orchestrating a political purge. He admitted that while he might not have the power today, he is willing to wait years for a friendly administration to weaponize the courts against these individuals.
The irony reached a fever pitch when the conversation turned to the recent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. When asked about his own history of inflammatory language, Pritzker suddenly transformed into a paragon of &#8220;civility.&#8221; He somberly lectured that &#8220;all of us need to be very careful about how we speak&#8221; and urged both sides to &#8220;bring the rhetoric down.&#8221; He insisted there is a &#8220;big difference&#8221; between his prior calls for &#8220;peaceful protests&#8221; and the &#8220;authoritarian&#8221; actions of his opponents.
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Today on Meet the Press Now, JB Pritzker calls President Trump an &quot;authoritarian, and if we are not pushing back every single day, then we&#39;re doing it wrong.&quot;
A few seconds later, Pritzker threatens Trump admin officials: &quot;It may take us a couple of years, in fact, to go after… <a href="https://t.co/UxrRHq1L6R">pic.twitter.com/UxrRHq1L6R</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/2049241692373450788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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However, Pritzker’s newfound commitment to &#8220;soft rhetoric&#8221; is belied by his own recent history. While he stands on the national stage calling for peace, his record tells a different story of provocation. In April, 2025, at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Pritzker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ive-never-seen-anything-like-it-stephen-miller-blasts-jb-pritzker-for-inciting-violence?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98I%E2%80%99ve+Never+Seen+Anything+Like+It%E2%80%99%3A+Stephen+Miller+Blasts+JB+Pritzker+For+%E2%80%98Inciting+Violence%E2%80%99">dropped the mask</a> of the statesman, explicitly calling for &#8220;mobilization&#8221; and &#8220;disruption.&#8221; He told a cheering crowd, &#8220;These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace.&#8221;
This is the Pritzker Paradox: a man who threatens to hunt down government officials through the legal system and tells his followers to harass his opponents, yet has the audacity to blame others for a toxic political climate. By vowing to prosecute his enemies while simultaneously calling for &#8220;softened&#8221; language, Pritzker isn’t fighting authoritarianism — he’s providing a masterclass in it. For the Illinois Governor, &#8220;civility&#8221; is apparently a one-way street, and the law is simply a tool to be stored away until it can be used to bury his enemies.

US-POLITICS-CRIME-TROOPS-CHICAGO

‘We Are Coming After Them’: Democrat Pritzker Threatens Patel, Homan

Illinois

J.B. Pritzker

kash patel

Tom Homan

Trump Administration

A Chinese computer hacker who stole research from the United States on COVID has been arrested, FBI Director Kash Patel has announced.
Patel said in a social media post early Tuesday morning that 34-year-old Chinese national Xu Zewei had been extradited to the United States to face charges for stealing research from American scientists and participating in a hacking campaign targeting thousands of United States organizations.
“The FBI and our great partners have arrested Xu Zewei — a PRC national and state-sponsored hacker — allegedly responsible for a massive cyber intrusion campaign in 2020 and 2021 stealing COVID-19 research from American institutions,” Patel posted on X.
“During 2020 and 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xu and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted and hacked U.S. based universities, immunologists, and virologists conducting COVID-19 research &#8211; including key treatment and vaccines — accessing email accounts and more,” Patel added.
One example of the COVID hacking occurred before the United States and most of the rest of the world conducted shutdowns. Reports from American officials have concluded that COVID likely escaped from a Chinese lab.
Xu confirmed on February 19, 2020, to a Chinese intelligence officer that he had compromised the network of a research university in Texas, according to the indictment. On February 22, 2020, he was directed “to target and access specific email accounts (mailboxes) belonging to virologists and immunologists engaged in COVID-19 research for the university,” according to the Justice Department.
Other targets of the hacking scheme included another university in Texas, a university in North Carolina, and a law firm with offices in Washington, D.C.
Xu was arrested in Milan, Italy, on April 27, according to court documents, years after a bench warrant was first issued for him on November 2, 2023. Patel thanked Italian law enforcement for helping to locate and extradite Xu.
Patel said that Xu was also a contractor for the Hafnium cyber espionage group directed by Chinese officials that has “compromised nearly 13,000” American organizations.
“This case is a historic win for our cybersecurity efforts under President Trump, bringing bad actors who target American infrastructure to justice no matter where they try to hide,” Patel said.
The Justice Department alleges that Xu was directed to conduct the hacking by China’s Ministry of State Security’s Shanghai State Security Bureau.
Dan Cogdell, a lawyer representing Xu, told The Daily Wire that his team was still preparing their case.
&#8220;My team was only recently hired to represent Xu, so of necessity I don&#8217;t have a lot of information to share at this point. Xu entered a plea of ‘Not Guilty’ to all charges and we will return to Magistrate Bennett’s Ct on Thursday for the bond hearing,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Until that time, we will prepare in earnest to try and obtain a bond on our client’s behalf.&#8221;
He added that he wouldn&#8217;t elaborate more on what their defense strategy would be.
&#8220;In terms of the defense of the charges themselves, I tend not to share what our defenses are to the media-or anyone else. I’m no Nick Saban-but as far as I know, he never told the press what his game plans were for an upcoming football game. I think I will follow that lead here,&#8221; he said. 
Xu faces decades in prison after being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to cause damage to and obtain information by unauthorized access to protected computers, two counts of obtaining information by unauthorized access to protected computers, two counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, and aggravated identity theft.
The Justice Department said that Zhang Yu, another Chinese national suspected of aiding in the hacking scheme, remains at large. A detention hearing for Xu is set for April 30.

MixCollage-28-Apr-2026-07-11-AM-3970

He Hacked America At Its Weakest Moment, And Now He’s Finally Facing The Consequences

China

Chinese Communist Party

COVID

Crime

Cybercrime

hacking

Italy

U.S.

The FBI returned a 10-year-old Utah boy to his mother after he was kidnapped and taken to Cuba by his transgender-identifying father and his family feared the child would undergo transgender procedures, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. 
Authorities charged 42-year-old Inessa-Ethington, who goes by &#8220;Rose,&#8221; and 32-year-old &#8220;Blue&#8221; Inessa-Ethington with international parental kidnapping after the gender-confused boy was taken to Cuba. The boy has since been safely returned to his mother.
The child, a boy who identifies as a girl, split time with his divorced parents, who share custody in Cache County, Utah. The boy was supposed to go on a camping trip to Canada with his father — a man who identifies as a woman — and his partner, Blue, but instead ended up in Cuba, according to court documents. 
Family members told authorities they feared the boy&#8217;s father, Rose, intended to force his son to undergo transgender surgery abroad against the mother&#8217;s wishes. They feared the boy &#8220;was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty,” according to a criminal complaint. 
The two kidnappers were <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/utah-10-year-old-reunited-biological-mother-after-transgender-parent-and-partner">deported</a> from Cuba on Monday, and the child was returned home safe to Utah. 
FBI Director Kash Patel told The Daily Wire the rescue was another example of the bureau protecting children. 
“Each and every day this FBI is stepping up to protect kids in America at levels never seen before — identifying and rescuing 6200 child victims just last year alone,” he said. “This case is no different. We are proud of our agents, Intel analysts, and partners who acted quickly and saved a young child from what could have been a horrific kidnapping. Let it be a message to any criminal actor who would try the same — this FBI will find you, no matter where you try to hide.”
Court documents say the group left Utah on March 28, 2026, telling the boy&#8217;s mother they were heading to Alberta, Canada.  The child later called and said they had arrived, but the group could not be reached afterward. 
On March 29, the group crossed into British Columbia at the Douglas Port of Entry, then flew to Mexico the same day before arriving in Havana, Cuba, on April 1, 2026, according to investigators. 
A search of the pair’s residence found a to-do list that included “learn Spanish,” along with travel plans, an intent to withdraw $10,000 in cash, and indications they planned to empty a bank account, according to the FBI. 
“Recovered notes include instruction from a mental health therapist located in Washington D.C. including instruction to send the therapist the $10,000.00 and instructions on gender affirming medical care for children,” the criminal complaint says. 
On April 13, a Utah judge granted the boy&#8217;s mother full custody of the boy and ordered him returned to her. Rose and Blue were located by Cuban authorities on April 16, according to the Justice Department. 
Lawyers for the defendants have not been identified. They appeared in court for an arraignment in Virginia and will be transferred to Utah for further proceedings.

Patel_Child_Handcuffs

FBI Spoils Trans Father’s Plan To Transition Son In Cuba

Cuba

Transgender

Utah

FBI Director Kash Patel on Monday sued The Atlantic for $250 million over what he calls a “malicious and defamatory hit piece” that accused the federal law enforcement chief of having a serious drinking problem.
Patel is acting on a promise he made over the weekend to sue <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/04/kash-patel-fbi-director-drinking-absences/686839/">The Atlantic over a Friday story</a> whose sub-headline read, “Kash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.”
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The story portrayed an absent FBI chief concerned about his job security and allegedly struggling with substance abuse, which is said to be affecting key investigations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Patel has forcefully denied all allegations of misconduct.
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&#8220;You wanna attack my character, come at me, bring it on, I&#8217;ll see you in court,&#8221; Patel said in an <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2045893562026353027?s=20">interview with Fox News</a>. &#8220;We have to fight back against the fake news.&#8221;
The piece, written by reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, cited more than two dozen anonymous sources alleging Patel engages in “excessive drinking,” as well as “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences&#8221; that &#8220;alarmed officials at the FBI  and the Department of Justice,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/fbi-director-kash-patel-sues-atlantic-court-records-show-2026-04-20/">according to Reuters</a>.
&#8220;Memo to the fake news &#8211; the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop,&#8221; Patel posted on April 18. &#8220;Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing. And no amount of BS you write will ever deter this FBI from making America safe again and taking down the criminals you love.&#8221;
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Memo to the fake news &#8211; the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop. Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing. And no amount of BS you write will ever deter this FBI from making America…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2045549772044439803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Patel’s <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.291527/gov.uscourts.dcd.291527.1.0.pdf">19-page suit</a> was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., accusing The Atlantic of publishing a &#8220;sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece.&#8221;
&#8220;Defendants are of course free to criticize the leadership of the FBI, but they crossed the legal line by publishing an article replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office,&#8221; the lawsuit reads. &#8220;Indeed, Fitzpatrick could not get a single person to go on the record in defense of these outrageous allegations, instead relying entirely on anonymous sources she knew to be both highly partisan with an ax to grind and also not in a position to know the facts.&#8221;
The Atlantic provided the FBI a two-hour window to respond to &#8220;nineteen detailed allegations concerning complex issues of national security, personnel files, security-detail logs, internal facilities logs, and personal conduct,&#8221; according to the lawsuit.
On Monday, The Atlantic vowed to fight the lawsuit, which seeks $250 million in punitive damages.
&#8220;We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,&#8221; the company said in response to the lawsuit.
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Statement from The Atlantic: <a href="https://t.co/ZoIldjSbzl">pic.twitter.com/ZoIldjSbzl</a>
— The Atlantic Communications (@TheAtlanticPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAtlanticPR/status/2046239419422675189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2026</a></blockquote>

Kash Patel

We Now Know How Much Kash Patel Is Suing The Atlantic For

Courts

Lawsuit

Politics

The Atlantic

House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) said Sunday that “something sinister” might be happening as officials probe a rash of disappearances and deaths of former top scientists who reportedly worked with classified information.
Comer said he would bring in leaders of the agencies where the scientists worked for questioning about the matter. His comments come after the White House said last week it would be probing the strange cases and President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-scientists-are-turning-up-dead-or-missing-now-the-white-house-is-stepping-in">said</a> he hoped the disappearances were &#8220;random.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve put a notice out to the Department of War, to the FBI, to NASA, to the Department of Energy, that we want to know everything that they know about what happened with these scientists because those four agencies were predominantly the agencies that those 11 individuals were affiliated with. And we want to try to piece this together,” Comer <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/comer-warns-something-sinister-may-behind-deaths-disappearances-11-nuclear-space-linked-scientists">told</a> Fox News on Sunday.
&#8220;We know there are many countries around the world that would love to have our knowledge and nuclear capabilities. And these are the people that were at the forefront of it, and they&#8217;re either dead or missing,” he added.
A few of the strange cases include the disappearance of NASA scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, who <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/21/us-news/rocket-scientist-with-professional-ties-to-missing-gen-william-mccasland-disappeared-under-similar-circumstances/">went missing</a> during a hike in June 2025; astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, who <a href="https://abc7.com/post/man-charged-killing-caltech-astrophysicist-carl-grillmair-llano-carjacking-own-relative-burglarizing-home/18626990/">was shot</a> on his front porch in February; Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Nuno Loureiro, who <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2025/nuno-loureiro-professor-director-plasma-science-and-fusion-center-dies-1216">was shot</a> and killed in his home in December 2025; and Air Force Maj. Gen. William McCasland, who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/missing-general-scientist-deaths-tied-secret-us-work-prompt-white-house-probe">went missing</a> from his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home in March.
The investigation into the deaths and disappearances is being led by the FBI.
“These missing and killed scientists and former professional members of the Department of Energy vary [widely], and we&#8217;re working most importantly with our state and local partners who have the jurisdiction on each of these cases, whether they be a homicide or a missing person&#8217;s case, they have the evidence. What we&#8217;re going to do is collectively pull it all into one place,&#8221; FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News on Sunday.
Patel said that the investigation was focusing on whether there were any connections to classified information or foreign actors.
Other examples of strange circumstances involving the scientists include the disappearance of Kansas City National Security Campus government contractor Steven Garcia in Albuquerque in 2025, allegedly with a handgun, and the discovery of pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas at the bottom of a Massachusetts pond after he went missing three months ago.

Scientists

11 Scientists. Multiple Deaths. One Question No One Can Answer — Coincidence Or Something Darker?

House Oversight Committee

James Comer

Nuclear

scientists

FBI Director Kash Patel is preparing for a full-scale legal battle against The Atlantic after the outlet published a bombshell report he says is riddled with falsehoods, and he’s making clear he intends to take it to the mat.
“Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court — bring your checkbook,” Patel <a href="https://x.com/S_Fitzpatrick/status/2045273851764859074">told the magazine</a> ahead of publication, a warning that has now escalated into an imminent lawsuit.
The Friday article by Sarah Fitzpatrick, titled “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/04/kash-patel-fbi-director-drinking-absences/686839/">The FBI Director is MIA,</a>” levels a barrage of allegations against Patel, painting a picture of a senior law enforcement official allegedly plagued by instability, heavy drinking, and internal dysfunction. The report claims Patel engaged in “erratic” behavior, suffered bouts of paranoia about his job security, and was frequently absent or unreachable during key moments.
Among the most explosive claims: that Patel is “known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication” in front of colleagues, that members of his security detail have struggled to wake him due to alleged inebriation, and that officials once considered using breaching equipment to access a locked space when he could not be reached. The piece also alleges that meetings had to be delayed due to his condition and suggests his behavior could pose a “national security vulnerability.”
Patel’s legal team has forcefully rejected every one of those claims.
In a <a href="https://x.com/jbinnall/status/2045287437325254768">pre-publication letter</a>, his attorney Jesse Binnall called the allegations “categorically false and defamatory,” emphasizing that most rely on anonymous sources using vague phrasing like “people familiar with the matter.” Binnall argued that such sourcing “could not possibly possess firsthand knowledge” and accused the magazine of reckless disregard for the truth, a key component in proving defamation involving a public figure.
He also pointed to what he described as glaring factual holes, including the alleged “breaching equipment” incident, which he said has “no corroborating public record whatsoever” and appears to be either fabricated or based on a single unreliable source.
Reaction on X was immediate and sharply divided, with Patel allies and critics clashing over the credibility of The Atlantic’s reporting.
FBI media adviser Erica Knight <a href="https://x.com/_EricaKnight/status/2045279436354867267">blasted</a> the article as a recycled collection of rumors that “every real DC reporter chased, couldn&#8217;t verify, and passed on,” while laying out a lengthy defense of Patel’s record. She pointed to internal metrics under his leadership — including tens of thousands of arrests, major increases in violent crime enforcement, and large-scale fentanyl seizures — while dismissing the report’s central claims outright. “The so-called ‘intoxication incidents’ The Atlantic breathlessly reports have happened exactly ZERO times,” Knight wrote, adding bluntly: “Lawsuit is being filed.”
Others with direct ties to Patel echoed that pushback. Clint Brown, who described himself as a “sherpa” during Patel’s transition into the role, <a href="https://x.com/DissidentClint/status/2045310456340840611">said</a> he spent months working closely with him, and never witnessed any of the behavior described in the report. “Your anon sourced story is BS,” Brown wrote, adding that Patel was consistently responsive, detail-oriented, and deeply engaged in his work, often reviewing briefings at all hours.
Patel himself <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2045549772044439803">leaned into the fight</a>, framing the controversy as proof he’s doing his job. “Memo to the fake news — the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop,” he posted, adding that criticism would not deter the FBI from “making America safe again.”
On Capitol Hill, the reaction broke along predictable lines. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) seized on the report, <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2045524585567723876">saying</a> it confirmed Patel is “completely unfit to serve” and calling for his resignation. But Tom Cotton (R-AR), who works directly with Patel as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, <a href="https://x.com/TomCottonAR/status/2045517520849773053">dismissed</a> the story as a “dishonest smear” and pointed instead to what he described as tangible results from the bureau. Cotton followed up, <a href="https://x.com/TomCottonAR/status/2045517524926705838">adding</a>, &#8220;Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s really happening: Liberal reporters and disgruntled deep state leakers — who have zero knowledge of what the story alleges — are bitter that the FBI is no longer targeting Catholic parents and pro-lifers.&#8221;
The clash underscores what is quickly becoming more than just a media dispute: a political and legal showdown that is now playing out in real time across both the press and the courts.
Inside the administration, Patel has drawn swift and public backing. “Patel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said when reached out to by The Atlantic for comment.
FBI Assistant Director of Public Affairs Ben Williamson, who pushed back on the allegations when first contacted by the outlet, didn’t mince words in his response. He dismissed the report as a reheated collection of long-circulating rumors that had never held up under scrutiny, <a href="https://x.com/_WilliamsonBen/status/2045274603455476140">saying</a>: “This article is a compilation of pretty much every obviously fake rumor I’ve heard the last 14 months except the Atlantic is the only one dumb enough to actually print it.”
Patel himself has gone further, <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2045327321192599867">publicly accusing</a> the magazine of acting with “actual malice,” the high legal bar required in defamation cases involving public officials. He went further, saying, “See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court.”
His team is also demanding that The Atlantic preserve all internal communications, drafts, and source materials related to the story, a clear signal that litigation is not just a threat, but imminent.
For her part, Fitzpatrick is standing by her reporting, citing interviews with more than two dozen sources and insisting the story is accurate. 
Neither side is backing down and so the high-stakes collision between a top federal law enforcement official and a major national publication seems imminent. If Patel follows through, the case could become a major test of modern media practices, particularly the reliance on anonymous sourcing in stories involving national security figures, and whether courts are willing to scrutinize those standards more aggressively.
The next round seems likely to play out in court, where both sides will be forced to back up their claims under oath, and where the consequences could be far more serious than a war of words.

Patel Unleashes On The Atlantic Over ‘Categorically False’ Report Including ‘Locked Room’ Claim

Media

Media Bias

The FBI has arrested a former Army employee accused of leaking classified information to a journalist.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Wednesday that Courtney Williams, 40, a former employee at Fort Bragg who previously held top security clearance, has been charged with transmitting classified national defense information. 
“FBI and our partners have arrested a former [Special Operations Command] employee, who supported our top-level military warfighters, for allegedly transmitting classified information to a member of the media. Outstanding work by [FBI Charlotte] and the FBI Counterintelligence &amp; Espionage Division &#8211; as well as our [Justice Department] partners,” Patel said. 
“Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: we’re working these cases, and we’re making arrests. This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harm’s way,” he added. 
In a subsequent <a href="https://x.com/fbidirectorkash/status/2042199396738080809?s=46">post</a>, Patel suggested that more arrests over leaks were “coming.” The arrest follows statements by President Donald Trump threatening jail time for reporters who decline to identify sources in connection with a leak about a downed American aircraft. 
Williams held top security clearance from 2010 to 2016. Authorities say that from 2022 to 2025, she communicated with an investigative journalist through more than 10 hours of phone calls and 180 text messages. She allegedly shared “tactics, techniques and procedures” related to a special operations force. 
While not named in court documents, the journalist appears to be Seth Harp, the author of “The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces.” An excerpt from the book appeared in POLITICO under the headline, “My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit,” and focused on Williams&#8217; experience in Delta Force. 
In a post on X, Harp <a href="https://x.com/sethharpesq/status/2042037022336934195?s=20">claimed</a> that Williams had done nothing criminal. 
“Trump&#8217;s unhinged DOJ will not even say what ‘classified information’ she allegedly leaked,” he said. “Her arrest and imprisonment is an outrage.”
Harp <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-fort-bragg-employee-charged-leaking-classified-military-information-journalist">told</a> WRAL-TV that &#8220;the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit,&#8221; adding, &#8220;This is a vindictive act of retaliation.&#8221;
Text messages cited in court documents suggest Williams was aware of potential legal risk following the publication of Harp’s book. In one message, she allegedly expressed concern about “the amount of classified information being disclosed,” and in a separate message wrote, “I might actually get arrested . . . for disclosing classified information.” 
Another message attributed to Williams said that she knew she was “probably going to jail for life.”
Court documents show that Williams will be appointed counsel from the Eastern District of North Carolina Federal Public Defender’s Office. An attorney has not yet been publicly identified.

FBI Director Patel And Eastern District U.S. Attorney Nocella Holds News Conference On Major Illegal Sports Gambling Schemes

Department Of War Leaker Nabbed In Journalist Tip Case As Kash Patel Signals Next Move

Army

classified documents

U.S. Military

FBI Director Kash Patel&#8217;s personal email account was hacked, with some of his correspondence and photos leaked online by a group linked to Iran that has vowed to go after &#8220;all the enemies of Islam in the West.&#8221;
The FBI confirmed to The Daily Wire that Patel&#8217;s account was hacked, but added that &#8220;no government information&#8221; was compromised. The FBI said there is a $10 million reward for information on an Iranian group called the Handala Hack Team, which &#8220;has frequently targeted U.S. government officials.&#8221;
“The FBI is aware of malicious actors targeting Director Patel’s personal email information, and we have taken all necessary steps to mitigate potential risks associated with this activity,&#8221; the bureau said. &#8220;The information in question is historical in nature and involves no government information.&#8221;
The hackers released around 300 documents and multiple photos of Patel. The email correspondence leaked by the hackers was dated between 2010 and 2019, Reuters reported. Some of the photos leaked from Patel&#8217;s personal email include images showing Patel smoking a cigar and standing next to an antique car.
The Handala group is believed to be used by the Iranian regime to carry out cyberattacks on targets throughout the world. The hackers pledge their loyalty to &#8220;the supreme leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei&#8221; and &#8220;declare war on all the enemies of Islam in the West.&#8221; Earlier this month, Handala hackers took credit for illegally gaining access to the server of Stryker, a company in Michigan that provides medical devices.
Just last week, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-disrupts-iranian-cyber-enabled-psychological-operations">removed</a> four websites operated by the Iranian-backed Handala group. The hackers used the websites to post sensitive stolen data. The website operators also called for &#8220;the killing of journalists, regime dissidents, and Israeli persons,&#8221; according to the Justice Department.
&#8220;Iran thought they could hide behind fake websites and keyboard threats to terrorize Americans and silence dissidents,” Patel said after the Justice Department took down Handala&#8217;s websites. “We took down four of their operation&#8217;s pillars and we&#8217;re not done. This FBI will hunt down every actor behind these cowardly death threats and cyberattacks and will bring the full force of American law enforcement down on them.”
The hack targeting Patel appears to be in response to the Justice Department&#8217;s actions, as the domain used to hack Patel&#8217;s personal email was registered on the same day the Justice Department announced its crackdown on Handala&#8217;s domains.
&#8220;Kash Patel, the current head of the FBI, who once saw his name displayed with pride on the agency&#8217;s headquarters, will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims,&#8221; the hackers wrote on their website. &#8220;The so-called &#8216;impenetrable&#8217; systems of the FBI were brought to their knees within hours by our team.&#8221;

Kash Patel’s Personal Email Hacked By Iranians

Kash Patel's Email Hacked By Iranian Group That Vows To 'Declare War On All Enemies Of Islam'

Hackers

Iran

FBI Director Kash Patel credited brave students with saving many lives by stopping a gunman who carried out a suspected terror attack at Old Dominion University on Thursday.
“Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” Patel said in a social media post. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2032183663350214858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Patel said the students likely saved many lives.
“The FBI is now investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. Our Joint Terrorism Task Force is fully engaged, embedded with local authorities, and providing all resources necessary in the investigation,” he said. “In the meantime, please pray for the victims, their families, and the ODU community.”
The gunman has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guardsman who was convicted in 2016 for conspiring to provide material support for ISIS. The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/12/us-news/hero-rotc-cadet-fatally-stabbed-crazed-old-dominion-gunman-to-prevent-more-carnage/">reported</a> that a student member of the Reserve Officers&#8217; Training Corps (ROTC) stopped the gunman with a knife. Two ROTC members were injured during the attack.
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, the FBI spoke about the students who subdued and killed Jalloh.
&#8220;There were students that were in that room that subdued him and rendered him no longer alive,&#8221; said Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI&#8217;s Norfolk office. &#8220;They basically were able to terminate the threat.&#8221;
Evans also noted that Jalloh yelled &#8220;Allahu Akbar&#8221; during his attack.
“We are deeply saddened from the active shooter incident that occurred at Old Dominion University on March 12, 2026. We can confirm that two members of the university ROTC program were shot and were taken to a local hospital to treat their injuries,” U.S. Army Cadet Command said in a statement. 
Old Dominion Police Chief Garrett Shelton said that there were three victims in the shooting. Shelton confirmed two victims were transported to the hospital for medical treatment, and the third victim went on their own.
Patel confirmed early on Thursday that the FBI was on the scene and assisting police in investigating the attack. 
As a result of the attack, Old Dominion President Brian Hemphill cancelled all classes. 
“The safety of our campus community is my top priority. We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times,” he said. “We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus. I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted.

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Heroic Students Rally To Stop Gunman Who Carried Out Terror Attack At Old Dominion

Heroic Students Stopped Gunman Carrying Out Terror Attack At Old Dominion

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Virginia

Whoopi Goldberg floated a bizarre theory during Monday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;The View&#8221; on ABC, suggesting that FBI Director Kash Patel had been sent to Italy to watch Team USA&#8217;s first Olympic hockey gold medal in 46 years because the rank and file wanted him out of the way.
Goldberg and her cohosts began the segment by bashing Patel for going to the championship game between fierce rivals, the United States and Canada, because that meant he was not present to handle other major issues in which the FBI has been deeply involved.
Cohost Ana Navarro mentioned the videos that showed Patel partying with Team USA in the locker room after their overtime win, and complained that he was behaving like &#8220;a member of &#8216;Animal House,'&#8221; and claimed she had no idea what he was even doing there.
Sara Haines argued that she personally would rather have a law enforcement leader who was &#8220;serious and borderline boring,&#8221; complaining that he was partying instead of dealing with real issues like the upheaval in Mexico and the Secret Service-involved shooting at Mar-a-Lago.
&#8220;Right now the world doesn&#8217;t feel settled or stable, and you&#8217;ve got the head of the FBI, and the visual of chugging a beer in a locker room,&#8221; she added, arguing that he was not helping the administration to appear more &#8220;competent&#8221; and that the whole scenario was &#8220;a bit of an insult to the American people.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whoopi suggests the rest of the FBI told Patel to get out of the office to get their &#8220;incompetent&#8221; boss out of their hair so they could do their jobs: 
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to put a positive spin on it. Maybe the folks in the FBI say, &#8216;yeah, Kash, go do that&#8217; so they don&#8217;t have to deal with… <a href="https://t.co/Fjof0tBmGn">pic.twitter.com/Fjof0tBmGn</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/2025970450304524565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Goldberg then pivoted to suggest that maybe the move had come at the behest of some in the FBI who felt that they would be better able to do their jobs if Patel was off doing something else.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to put a positive spin on it. Maybe the folks in the FBI say, &#8216;yeah, Kash, go do that&#8217; so they don&#8217;t have to deal with him, because they know he doesn&#8217;t know what he&#8217;s doing,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They know that he is incompetent. They know that he is just — he is a joke and he is a joke in the rest of the world. And because for most of the people working in the FBI it is not a joke. They are the ones whose eyes are on the ball.&#8221;
Patel himself <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kash-patel-owns-partying-with-usa-hockey-team-yes-i-love-america">addressed the media</a> scrutiny in a post to X, saying that he&#8217;d been invited to celebrate with Team USA after their gold-medal win and had chosen to do so.
&#8220;For the very concerned media — yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth.&#8221;

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Floats Wild FBI Theory Tying Kash Patel To Team USA’s Gold Medal Moment

Whoopi Thinks The FBI Sent Kash Patel To USA Hockey Game To Get Rid Of Him

Donald Trump

The View

The Department of Justice said Friday morning that a key figure in the 2012 Benghazi attack has been brought to the United States to face justice.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Zubayr al-Bakoush was captured overseas and flown to the United States, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base at 3:00 a.m. Friday morning, where he was greeted by FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
“Al-Bakoush will now face American justice on American soil,” Bondi said. “We will prosecute this alleged terrorist to the fullest extent of the law.”
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Zubayr Al-Bakoush, a key participant in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, was arrested and arrived in the U.S. today to face justice. <a href="https://t.co/cnC0CbVSB4">pic.twitter.com/cnC0CbVSB4</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2019791355665347040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
Al-Bakoush will face several charges related to murder, terrorism, and arson for his role in the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack that led to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, State Department information officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
“Let this case serve as a reminder: if you commit a crime against the American people anywhere in this world, President Trump&#8217;s Justice Department will find you,” Bondi said. “It might not happen overnight, but it will happen. You can run, but you can’t hide.”
The fallout from the 2012 Benghazi attack remained a major focus in U.S. political debate for years, prompting multiple congressional investigations and high-profile hearings over security failures and the Obama administration’s response under then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Much of the criticism centered on Americans on the ground who waited 13 hours for help that never came.
Bondi said that even 14 years later, holding those responsible to account still matters.
“Hillary Clinton famously once said about Benghazi, &#8216;What difference at this point does it make?&#8217; Well, it makes a difference to Donald Trump,&#8221; said Bondi. &#8220;It makes a difference to those families. And fourteen years later, it makes a difference to law enforcement who made the difference in this case.”
Bondi said the families of the victims were “absolutely thrilled,” adding that they had “probably lost faith that something would happen.”
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I asked Attorney General Pam Bondi what communication looked like with victims families amid today’s major Benghazi suspect arrest.
Bondi said details were kept airtight until arrest was made but they contacted afterward. <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realdailywire</a> <a href="https://t.co/cnoEB8Yryx">pic.twitter.com/cnoEB8Yryx</a>
— Cameron Arcand (@cameron_arcand) <a href="https://twitter.com/cameron_arcand/status/2019794468438695948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
“Donald Trump never forgets,” she said.
FBI Director Patel said capturing those responsible for the attack was an early priority, adding that more suspects remain at large. He noted that the Trump administration has arrested six of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives in about one year, two more than were apprehended under the Biden administration.
In 2014, American authorities arrested militia commander Ahmed Abu Khatallah in connection with the Benghazi attack. He was acquitted in 2017 of 14 charges, including murder, but convicted of four lesser terrorism-related counts and <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/ahmed-abu-khatallah-sentenced-22-years-prison-september-2012-attack-benghazi-libya">sentenced</a> to 22 years in prison. 
Al-Bakoush was first charged by a complaint in 2015, a case that remained sealed for 11 years, according to Pirro. 
“We&#8217;re here today because we have an interagency that is led by superior individuals who have one shared goal: protecting America and our lives and our future,” Patel said. “And to any others out there who wish to do harm, especially commit acts of terrorism here and around the world, this is the fate you will meet. You will not be forgotten by us. We will chase you down.”
The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, and the FBI’s Special Flight Operations Unit were involved in the operation.
Pirro, who will prosecute al-Bakoush, said she had a close relationship with the victims&#8217; families while reporting on the attack for Fox News. She said she personally called the families to share the news after the suspect was arrested. 
“I spoke with Sean Smith’s mother, who I’ve known for years and have communicated with for years. I spoke with Tyrone Woods’ wife, widow, Dr. Dorothy Woods. I spoke with Ambassador Chris Stevens’ family, as well as Glen Doherty’s brother, Greg, as well as his widow. These were people who never expected that justice would be coming.”

US-LIBYA-POLITICS-JUSTICE-BENGHAZI

BENGHAZI BOMBSHELL: U.S. Captures ‘Key Participant’ In Deadly 2012 Embassy Attack

Benghazi

Department of Justice

Jeanine Pirro

Pam Bondi

Multiple gun rights groups, which are typically supportive of President Donald Trump and his policies, are enraged over the administration&#8217;s response to the deadly shooting of an armed protester in Minneapolis over the weekend.
In the hours after anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents on a Minneapolis street, multiple officials in the Trump administration suggested that anyone who carries a firearm at a protest is breaking the law and inflaming tensions.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=4zRMVdGYgBw">said</a> on Saturday, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign. This is a violent riot when you have someone showing up with weapons and are using them to assault law enforcement officers.&#8221; FBI Director Kash Patel referred to Noem&#8217;s comments during an interview on Fox News on Sunday, <a href="https://x.com/mtracey/status/2015515877249040840">adding</a>, &#8220;As Kristi said, you cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It&#8217;s that simple. You don&#8217;t have that right to break the law and incite violence.&#8221;
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which focuses on defending &#8220;the right to keep and bear arms&#8221; for Minnesotans, <a href="https://x.com/mnguncaucus/status/2015454381953396888">said</a> that Patel&#8217;s comments were &#8220;completely incorrect on Minnesota law.&#8221;
&#8220;There is no prohibition on a permit holder carrying a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines at a protest or rally in Minnesota,&#8221; the gun owners caucus added.
Other gun rights groups criticized Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, after he said, &#8220;If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you.&#8221;
&#8220;This sentiment from the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong,&#8221; the National Rifle Association <a href="https://x.com/NRA/status/2015227627464728661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2015227627464728661%7Ctwgr%5E0002a021af82c8c202fed9086b877f0f2c2c5307%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Fus-news%2Fgun-rights-groups-clash-with-trump-officials-over-fatal-shooting-of-armed-protester-acf5e433">said</a>. &#8220;Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.&#8221;
Gun Owners of America <a href="https://x.com/GunOwners/status/2015178191715893725">condemned</a> &#8220;the untoward comments of [Essayli],&#8221; adding, &#8220;Federal agents are not &#8216;highly likely&#8217; to be &#8216;legally justified&#8217; in &#8216;shooting&#8217; concealed carry licensees who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm. The Second Amendment protects Americans&#8217; right to bear arms while protesting—a right the federal government must not infringe upon.&#8221;
Gun Owners of America then called on the Left to &#8220;stop antagonizing&#8221; federal immigration agents on the streets. After Pretti was shot, hundreds of people descended on the scene. According to the Department of Homeland Security, one leftist agitator bit off the finger of a federal officer. The NRA released another statement on Saturday condemning Minnesota Democrats over their refusal to work with federal immigration officers.
&#8220;For months, radical progressive politicians like Tim Walz have incited violence against law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their jobs,&#8221; the NRA said. &#8220;Unsurprisingly, these calls to dangerously interject oneself into legitimate law-enforcement activities have ended in violence, tragically resulting in injuries and fatalities.&#8221;
At least one member of the Trump administration had an acceptable response to the shooting in the eyes of gun rights activists. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was praised by Gun Owners of America when he told NBC, &#8220;There&#8217;s nothing wrong with anybody lawfully carrying firearms.&#8221;
&#8220;But whether he was disarmed, or whether he pulled the gun on law enforcement, or whether law enforcement saw him go for the gun —what they have to do is protect themselves. They have to protect the public around them. And we&#8217;ll see what happens,&#8221; Blanche added.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Justice Department and the DHS for comment.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115951636521315703">mentioned</a> the fact that Pretti was carrying a firearm at the protest, asking, &#8220;What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off?&#8221;
Pretti was licensed to carry a firearm when he was shot and killed. DHS said on Saturday that a Border Patrol agent fired &#8220;defensive shots&#8221; as Pretti was &#8220;violently&#8221; resisting arrest. Pretti appeared to be shot ten times in about five seconds.
&#8220;The suspect also had 2 magazines and no ID—this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,&#8221; Homeland Security added. Video shows that Pretti was filming federal immigration officers with his phone as they conducted an operation. A group of federal agents then wrestled Pretti to the ground in an attempt to arrest him. One video angle appears to show an officer disarming Pretti before gunfire erupted. The investigation remains ongoing, but so far, the Trump administration has defended Border Patrol&#8217;s actions.
The Trump administration has urged Minnesota Democratic leaders to cooperate with federal immigration officers, but Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, have continued to oppose Trump&#8217;s immigration operations in the state and have demanded that ICE and Border Patrol leave.
Trump has doubled down on the federal immigration operations in Minnesota following the deadly shooting over the weekend. On Sunday, the president also <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115958123338296139">called</a> on Congress to pass legislation to &#8220;END Sanctuary Cities,&#8221; which he called &#8220;the root cause of all these problems.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Gun Rights Groups Slam Trump Officials For ‘Demonizing’ Law-Abiding Armed Citizens

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