Louisville, Kentucky, announced on Tuesday that it would take steps to remove its &#8220;sanctuary city&#8221; status, a designation imposed by the Trump administration earlier this year.
The Louisville Metro Department of Corrections will now honor immigration detainers filed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which the federal law enforcement agency uses to ensure it can gain custody over illegal aliens arrested by local authorities.
Democrat Mayor Craig Greenberg said the Trump administration informed him that the city was in violation of federal law by refusing to comply with the detainer requests. In a letter, the Justice Department warned that other jurisdictions in violation had been hit with legal action and freezes on federal funding. Greenberg <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/22/us-news/louisville-drops-sanctuary-city-policies-after-threat-from-trump-admin-the-stakes-are-too-high/">commented</a> on the decision to revive a policy to hold illegal aliens for up to an additional 48 hours, explaining that doing so would remove the &#8220;sanctuary city&#8221; designation.
&#8220;I have been assured by the U.S. Department of Justice that, if we reinstate the 48-hour detainers for inmates who&#8217;ve been arrested for crimes, Louisville will be taken off the federal sanctuary city list,&#8221; Greenberg <a target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
He added that the city caved to the Trump administration because “the stakes are too high,” referencing the recent deployment of military forces to Los Angeles last month that were triggered by protests over ICE raids.
“We do not want the National Guard occupying the streets of Louisville,” said Greenberg. “Cities on the sanctuary city list right now are experiencing a terrifying increase in raids by ICE, including mass raids&#8230;Just look at what’s gone on in LA and other cities.”
Greenberg did note, however, that the city’s cooperation with ICE would be limited to complying with detainer requests and that local police would not assist the federal government in immigration enforcement, as some state and local law enforcement agencies <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-dhs-partners-with-100s-of-police-departments-to-supercharge-deportation-campaign">across the country</a> have done.
Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated the city’s decision to comply with ICE detainer requests as “a major victory for the Department of Justice.”
“The city of Louisville is dropping its sanctuary city policies as a result of a strong written warning from my office,” Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1947659049450815554">posted</a> on X on Tuesday. “This should set an example to other cities. Instead of forcing us to sue you — which we will, without hesitation — follow the law, get rid of sanctuary policies, and work with us to fix the illegal immigration crisis.”

ICE Arrest

Blue City Abandons ‘Sanctuary City’ Policy After Warning From Trump Administration

deportation

Illegal Immigration

Immigration

Kentucky

Louisville

Pam Bondi

Politics

Sanctuary Cities

A man reportedly looking for his wife at a Lexington, Kentucky, church gunned down a grandmother of eight and her daughter after shooting a state trooper near the city’s airport on Sunday. The gunman also shot the two women’s husbands, one of whom is the pastor at the church, before police responding to the emergency shot and killed him.
The suspected shooter, Guy House, 47, shot a state trooper outside Blue Grass Airport before fleeing, then carjacked a vehicle and headed to Richmond Road Baptist Church, the Lexington Herald Leader <a href="https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article310590260.html">reported.</a> The small church is comprised mainly of families related to one another, Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/13/us/kentucky-shooting-lexington-church-ky">said</a>.
Beverly Gumm, 72, and her daughter, Star Rutherford, were cooking lunch in the basement of the church on Sunday afternoon when House barged in and asked for his wife, the mother of their three children, who is Gumm’s daughter and Rutherford’s sister. When they informed him she wasn’t there, he said, “Well, someone is gonna have to die, then,” and started shooting, Rutherford told the Herald-Leader, which added, “Gumm, 72, ducked and avoided the first shot, but the second hit her in the chest, killing her. The man then went outside and shot and killed another of Rutherford’s sisters — Christina Combs, 32 — and injured two others: Gumm’s husband and the longtime pastor of the church, Jerry Gumm, and Combs’ husband, Randy Combs.”
Another daughter of Gumm’s, Rachael Barnes, said Combs had five children, including a 6-month-old baby, and had plans to graduate from nursing school in December. Of her slain mother and sister, she said, “They were both fantastic moms.” She said Jerry Gumm and Randy Combs were in critical but stable condition. The injured trooper is reportedly also in stable condition.
Star Rutherford said she held her mother as she died. Gumm’s surviving daughters said she was a “faithful member of the church who loved God,” and her “love language” was feeding “homeless people, drug addicts, strangers.”
“In 2022, the Lexington Police Department and Madison County Sheriff’s office featured House as the Crimestoppers ‘Wanted Person of the Week,’” Fox 56 r<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKEVJXLCGec">eported</a>. “He was wanted for wanton endangerment of a police officer.” Other charges against House included theft of a vehicle, fleeing and evading, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and receiving stolen property.

Shooting In Kentucky Leaves State Trooper Injured And Multiple Victims At Baptist Church

Gunman Opens Fire At Kentucky Church After Shooting State Trooper, 2 Dead

Church

Crime

Murder

U.S.

GE Appliances announced this week that it&#8217;s moving even more of its production from China to Kentucky, and investing nearly half-a-billion dollars.
The company is moving most of its washing machine production to Kentucky, spending $490 million in the process, and creating at least 800 full-time jobs. The move is expected to be completed by 2027.
&#8220;We are bringing laundry production to our global headquarters in Louisville because manufacturing in the U.S. is fundamental to our ‘zero-distance’ business strategy to make appliances as close as possible to our customers and consumers,&#8221; GE Appliances President and CEO Kevin Nolan <a href="https://pressroom.geappliances.com/news/ge-appliances-doubles-down-on-u-s-manufacturing-with-490-million-laundry-plant-investment-at-its-global-headquarters-in-louisville-kentucky">said</a> in a statement.
&#8220;This decision is our most recent product reshoring and aligns with the current economic and policy environment,&#8221; Nolan said, adding that the investment &#8220;positions&#8221; GE &#8220;to become the biggest American washer manufacturer.&#8221;
The announcement comes amid President Donald Trump using tariffs on a host of countries, including China, to help restore what he views as fair trade, American manufacturing, and also address national security issues, like illegal immigration and fentanyl.
Additionally, under Trump, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/cpi-inflation-may-2025.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation has cooled</a> and gas prices have hit a <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/summer-gas-prices-hit-lowest-level-4-years-despite-middle-east-tensions">four-year low</a>.
GE&#8217;s Appliance Park, a massive industrial complex located in Louisville, already employs around 8,000 workers, the company said. Additionally, GE has invested $3.5 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations over the past ten years.
&#8220;This investment will move production of more than 15 models of front load washers to Building 2 at Appliance Park – bringing the total area of clothes care production to the equivalent of 33 football fields,&#8221; a statement from the company said.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, praised the move from GE.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-2388">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
“Today’s announcement further secures Louisville as the global headquarters of GE Appliances, a Haier company, and brings more world-class, unparalleled appliance manufacturing back to the United States,” he said in a statement on Thursday. 
“This new investment strengthens one of our vital Kentucky assets and underscores our state’s reputation as America’s destination of choice for advanced manufacturing and job creation,&#8221; he added.
A number of companies have committed to investing in the U.S. since Trump took office, including South Korean-based car manufacturer Hyundai, which is <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/president-trump-is-remaking-america-into-a-manufacturing-superpower/">investing</a> $21 billion in U.S. onshoring, including a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana. Pharmaceutical giant Johnson &amp; Johnson, too, announced plans to invest $55 billion in U.S. manufacturing. And in February, tech company <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-manufacturing-domestic-tariffs/">Apple</a> committed to spending more than $500 billion on U.S. manufacturing capabilities over the next four years.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ted-cruz-exposes-chinas-plot-to-undermine-american-energy-a-coordinated-assault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ted Cruz Exposes China’s Plot To Undermine American Energy: ‘A Coordinated Assault’</a>

Trump/GE

GE Appliances Moving Production From China To Red State

General Electric Moves Production From China To Red State

Communist China

Donald Trump

Economy

Washington Post immigration reporter Maria Sacchetti earned herself a wave of backlash when she attempted to use Saturday&#8217;s Kentucky Derby winner — Sovereignty, ridden by Venezuelan immigrant Junior Alvarado — as a cudgel with which to dishonestly attack President Donald Trump and his administration&#8217;s policies on illegal immigration and mass deportation.
Sacchetti, like so many others in broadcast and print media, conflated Alvarado — a legal immigrant from Venezuela — with the millions of illegal immigrants in the United States, suggesting that it Trump was allowed to continue deporting criminal illegals, Alvarado and others like him would be among them.
&#8220;Trump officials, who have sought to expel hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, are celebrating the victory of Sovereignty at the Kentucky Derby. Sovereignty’s jockey, Junior Alvarado, is an immigrant from Venezuela,&#8221; Sacchetti posted via X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump officials, who have sought to expel hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, are celebrating the victory of Sovereignty at the Kentucky Derby.
Sovereignty’s jockey, Junior Alvarado, is an immigrant from Venezuela. <a href="https://t.co/vbGAGh7GS3">pic.twitter.com/vbGAGh7GS3</a>
— Maria Sacchetti (@mariasacchetti) <a href="https://twitter.com/mariasacchetti/status/1918846076922007915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Critics quickly pointed out the fact that Alvarado was in the United States legally — and Trump&#8217;s deportation policies were aimed primarily at those who were not only in the country illegally but had also committed additional crimes since their arrival.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon posted, &#8220;In America, legal immigrants are awesome and many serve in the Trump administration. I am one. Junior Alvarado is leading in sports. Many like Elon change the world. Stop conflating law-abiding citizens with criminal gangbangers, drug dealers, and human traffickers. We see you.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In America, legal immigrants are awesome and many serve in the Trump administration. I am one. Junior Alvarado is leading in sports. Many like Elon change the world. Stop conflating law-abiding citizens with criminal gangbangers, drug dealers, and human traffickers. We see you. <a href="https://t.co/LX32GXPQwO">https://t.co/LX32GXPQwO</a>
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@HarmeetKDhillon) <a href="https://twitter.com/HarmeetKDhillon/status/1919047378327257130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Great story, Maria. So the entire (dishonest) implication of your premise is that he entered the country illegally and Alvarado is now at risk of being deported. Except he came here legally,&#8221; Joe Concha added. &#8220;The &#8216;hundreds of thousands&#8217; of Venezuelans Trump is seeking to expel entered illegally.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Great story, Maria. So the entire (dishonest) implication of your premise is that he entered the country illegally and Alvarado is now at risk of being deported.
Except he came here legally. The “hundreds of thousands” of Venezuelans Trump is seeking to expel entered illegally. <a href="https://t.co/0lJPgGMOPn">https://t.co/0lJPgGMOPn</a>
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeConchaTV/status/1919063938328572353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This article, shared by a Washington Post reporter, conflates illegal immigrants, foreigners with legal guest visas, and Latinos as a whole to pretend that cracking down on illegal immigration would exclude jockeys. An immigration attorney quoted in the article confirms there’s been no problem obtaining visas for foreign jockeys. I think these people actually believe their own propaganda,&#8221; Laura Powell said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This article, shared by a Washington Post reporter, conflates illegal immigrants, foreigners with legal guest visas, and Latinos as a whole to pretend that cracking down on illegal immigration would exclude jockeys.
An immigration attorney quoted in the article confirms there’s… <a href="https://t.co/JGL9otuuUA">https://t.co/JGL9otuuUA</a> <a href="https://t.co/r8z2tC2BTu">pic.twitter.com/r8z2tC2BTu</a>
— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) <a href="https://twitter.com/LauraPowellEsq/status/1919089927884882373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This woman is allegedly an immigration &#8216;reporter&#8217; for the Washington Post and does not understand the difference between LEGAL immigrants and ILLEGAL immigrants,&#8221; Abigail Jackson posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This woman is allegedly an immigration “reporter” for the Washington Post and does not understand the difference between LEGAL immigrants and ILLEGAL immigrants. <a href="https://t.co/RfT6AWoMbN">https://t.co/RfT6AWoMbN</a>
— Abigail Jackson 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) <a href="https://twitter.com/abigailmarone/status/1919058565370704032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I wonder if she understands that her assertion demonstrates that Trump supporters don’t hate people because of their ethnicity but instead want illegal aliens gone regardless,&#8221; Kurt Schlicter added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I wonder if she understands that her assertion demonstrates that Trump supporters don’t hate people because of their ethnicity but instead want illegal aliens gone regardless <a href="https://t.co/dcpNlC7BAM">https://t.co/dcpNlC7BAM</a>
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) <a href="https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/1919030326883430472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

151st Kentucky Derby

WaPo Reporter Obliterated For Using Kentucky Derby To Bash Trump On Immigration

horse racing

Journalism

Media

Washington Post

Torrential storms and violent tornadoes wreaked havoc across the Midwest and South over the weekend, killing at least 21 and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses.
Among the victims was nine-year-old Gabriel Andrews, who was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus stop early Friday morning, leaving his family and community reeling while demanding answers from their school district.
The National Weather Service put in place a flash flood warning for 13 counties surrounding and including Franklin County, Kentucky, until 8:30 a.m. that morning, but rather than heeding the NWS&#8217;s county-wide advisory and canceling school for the devastated district, the district <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C26ixMhv5/">announced</a> on Facebook at 5 a.m.: “We need to cancel two bus routes this morning.”
As the storms intensified, the district dismissed &#8220;rumors&#8221; of a shutdown of the schools, despite flooded roadways and up to 12 inches of water <a href="https://www.wkms.org/2025-04-07/significant-flooding-continues-to-wreak-havoc-across-kentucky-tennessee">reported</a> in some areas.
“All schools are operating normally and there are no lockdowns in the district,” the district <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FmxHeBYbc/">posted</a> on Facebook after Andrews&#8217; had been missing for hours.
The reality on the ground was much different, according to Franklin County local Caitlin Green who told CNN affiliate WLKY that “the rain was coming down hard” the day of Andrews’ death, with “flooded roadways” requiring Andrews to hop drains and cross dangerous obstacles to reach their bus stop.
The third-grader&#8217;s body was found around 8:47 a.m., approximately half a mile from where he was swept away in the Hickory Hills area while walking to his bus stop, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/05/us/gabriel-andrews-frankfort-kentucky-death/index.html">reported</a>.
Superintendent Mark Kopp offered no explanation for holding classes during the flood warning. &#8220;We are deeply saddened that this horrific tragedy has claimed the life of one of our students,&#8221; Kopp said in a statement.
The tragedy occurred as Kentucky was under a state of emergency, with rivers nearing record levels, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-flooding-tornado-cda0e8803e4e692d162de856ccc6ef9e">reported</a>. Governor Andy Beshear confirmed more than 500 state roads remain closed.
The storm system responsible for Gabriel&#8217;s death has caused at least 21 fatalities across multiple states as of Monday.
Ten deaths occurred in Tennessee alone, while others were reported in Arkansas, Missouri, and Georgia.
Among the victims was a 5-year-old boy in Arkansas who died when a tree fell on his family&#8217;s home, and a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter in Missouri who perished in a crash while attempting to rescue storm victims, per the Associated Press.
More than 500 state roads remained closed across Kentucky as of Monday morning, with dozens of locations in multiple states expected to reach &#8220;major flood stage.&#8221;
The Frankfort Police Department and Franklin County Coroner&#8217;s Office continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Gabriel&#8217;s death.

US-WEATHER-STORM-FLOODING

Tragedy In Kentucky: 9-Year-Old Swept Away By Floodwaters As Storms Kill 21 Across Region

Natural Disaster

On Thursday morning, Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mitch-mcconnell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitch McConnell</a> (R-KY) announced that he will not seek another term in the upper chamber during next year&#8217;s election, a decision that will bring to an end a lengthy career that included serving nearly two decades as party leader in the Senate.
&#8220;Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,&#8221; McConnell said in a Senate floor speech on his 83rd birthday. &#8220;Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business right here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sen. Mitch McConnell (<a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcConnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenMcConnell</a>): &quot;Seven times my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate&#8230;Representing our Commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/b33cR7I36e">pic.twitter.com/b33cR7I36e</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1892621015370399750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
During a record <a href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/longest-serving-party-leaders.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18 years</a> as party leader in the Senate, McConnell played a key role in shaping the conservative Supreme Court, sending aid to Ukraine, implementing a sweeping tax overhaul, and handling two impeachment trials for President Donald Trump, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-retirement-34c79ef12bf62d14cb71d3c393f23a83" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per the AP</a>.
<a class="c-link" href="http://dailywire.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://dailywire.com/subscribe" data-sk="tooltip_parent">PRESIDENTS’ DAY SALE! 40% Off DailyWire+ Annual Memberships With Code DW40</a>
McConnell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-to-step-down-as-senate-republican-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> one year ago he would not seek another term as GOP Senate leader. The childhood polio survivor was briefly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-senate-minority-leader-mitch-mcconnell-discharged-from-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospitalized</a> in March 2023 with a concussion from falling. In the months that followed, he appeared to freeze and struggled to answer questions. He also got a cut on his face and sprained his wrist after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-falls-again-gets-medical-attention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tripping</a>.
After revealing his plans to step aside from leadership, McConnell indicated that he planned to serve out the remainder of his current term in the Senate, which ends in January 2027, saying in a speech, &#8220;I still have enough gas in my tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm with which they&#8217;ve become accustomed.&#8221;
McConnell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-falls-twice-in-short-span-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fell again</a> — twice during a short time span — earlier this month. Soon afterward, a spokesperson for the senator told The Daily Wire that McConnell was &#8220;fine,&#8221; adding, &#8220;The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work.&#8221;
Over the past couple of weeks, McConnell has voted against some of Trump&#8217;s second-term Cabinet nominees. They included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
It did not take long for people to start announcing their intention to run for McConnell&#8217;s seat after the senator announced his plan to retire. Former Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who lost a bid for governor in 2023 after being endorsed by Trump, revealed his campaign on X, posting, &#8220;Kentucky, it&#8217;s time for a new generation of leadership in the U.S. Senate. Let&#8217;s do this.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Kentucky, it&#39;s time for a new generation of leadership in the U.S. Senate. Let&#39;s do this. <a href="https://t.co/YRXAm4Busv">pic.twitter.com/YRXAm4Busv</a>
&mdash; Daniel Cameron (@DanielCameronKY) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielCameronKY/status/1892622418113372645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sen. Mitch McConnell

McConnell Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election

Congress

Daniel Cameron

Mitch McConnell

U.S. Senate

Like his father <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2011/06/24/news/economy/ron_paul_gold_audit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before him</a>, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is pushing for an audit of the gold reserves at the United States bullion depository at Fort Knox in Kentucky. He proposed that the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been scrutinizing various aspects of the federal bureaucracy, help in the endeavor.
Over the weekend, the X account for ZeroHedge <a href="https://x.com/zerohedge/status/1890856057368347006" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> technology executive Elon Musk, who is overseeing the DOGE effort, &#8220;take a look inside Fort Knox just to make sure the 4,580 tons of US gold is there.&#8221; Musk <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1890869046096060559" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a>, asking, &#8220;Surely it&#8217;s reviewed at least every year?&#8221; Paul then replied to Musk, <a href="https://x.com/RandPaul/status/1891125412442370355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, &#8220;Nope. Let&#8217;s do it.&#8221;
According to the United States Mint <a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/tours-and-locations/fort-knox?srsltid=AfmBOoowzZJPVc66duhbOfyS-nWWxEEoSDbvvowtvGmm6CvHzeKP_dby#accordion-d08d17b2a7-item-17dfee3991" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, Fort Knox has 147.3 million ounces of gold holdings. It says roughly half of the Treasury&#8217;s &#8220;stored gold (as well as valuables of other federal agencies)&#8221; is kept there. The website also notes the gold is held as an asset of the United States at a book value of $42.22 per ounce and only &#8220;very small quantities&#8221; have been removed for purity testing &#8220;during regularly scheduled audits. Except for these samples, no gold has been transferred to or from the Depository for many years.&#8221;
Fort Knox broke from its &#8220;strict no visitors policy&#8221; in 1974 to allow journalists and a congressional delegation into its vaults to view the gold reserves, the U.S. Mint noted, adding the Treasury Secretary &#8220;allows the visit when rumors persist that all the gold had been removed from the vaults&#8221; and previously, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only person other than authorized personnel to access the vaults.
During an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmAi0c69biA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> on Fox News over the weekend, Paul talked about how he has tried to gain access to the Fort Knox gold vaults for a decade and missed his opportunity in 2017 when the bullion depository opened for a second time for then-Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, and congressional representatives.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been trying to go down and see the gold and make sure it&#8217;s all there for about 10 years. During the first Trump administration I got permission. You have to get permission all the way up to the Secretary of Treasury. And then the Secretary of Treasury said, &#8216;Well, I want to go down there, too.&#8217; And then he said, &#8216;I want to go down there when the eclipse is coming through Kentucky, too, so I can see the eclipse and the gold at the same time,'&#8221; Paul explained.
&#8220;But they came when I wasn&#8217;t there,&#8221; Paul continued with a chuckle. &#8220;So I tried for 10 years. I set up the appointment and then because they wanted to see the eclipse, they changed the appointment. I didn&#8217;t get to go down but the secretary of Treasury and the senior senator from Kentucky did go down and attest that they believe they saw the gold down there.&#8221;
Asked by &#8220;Fox and Friends&#8221; co-host Lawrence Jones what he thinks is the problem, Paul replied: &#8220;I think some of them may not think it needs to be audited all the time, but I think the more sunlight, the better. More transparency, the better. And also it brings attention to the fact that gold still has value and implicitly — not explicitly, but implicitly — gold still gives value to the dollar. That&#8217;s why we don&#8217;t get rid of it. You know we&#8217;ve got it. The IMF has it. The World Bank has it. Most of the central banks around the world have gold. And it&#8217;s an implicit trust that the dollar still has some backing.&#8221;

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Rand Paul Suggests DOGE Help Audit Fort Knox Gold Reserves

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Elon Musk

Gold

Rand Paul

Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Kentucky after it was hit with torrential rain over the weekend causing widespread flooding. 
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear said Monday that at least 11 people had been killed by the weather and flooding and that the death toll could still rise. He added that “there is impact and damage everywhere” and warned residents that dangerous conditions throughout the state persisted. 
“We are still in the search and rescue phase of this emergency,” he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKrI_u-OBT0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a press conference on Monday morning. “We still have multiple different missions that are underway. There are still people that are in harm’s way.”
Beshear that there have already been more than 1,000 rescues across the state with around 175 National Guard troops on the ground. Both Indiana and Tennessee have sent personnel to assist with rescue efforts. 
Two National Guard troops had a dangerous escape after their truck was overcome by water during relief efforts over the weekend, Beshear said. 
“And its very important today that we continue to remind folks not to drive through standing water, not to drive around barricades, they are there for a reason. We need to make sure that we are not creating additional emergency situations,” he said. 
Beshear said that a storm relief fund has been created to provide relief for victims and that the funds will first go toward the funerals of those killed by the flooding.
”All of Kentucky still has standing water in different areas,” he said, noting that around 344 federal and state roads were impacted by the flooding. 
More than 14,000 <a href="https://poweroutage.us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">customers</a> in Kentucky are currently without power, while 17,000 customers are without access to water. 
<a href="http://dailywire.com/subscribe">PRESIDENTS’ DAY SALE! 40% Off DailyWire+ Annual Memberships With Code DW40</a>
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/president-donald-j-trump-approves-kentucky-emergency-declaration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> an emergency declaration for Kentucky on Sunday, authorizing both FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the disaster relief response. 
“Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding,” Trump’s approval said. 
Beshear said Monday that he has applied for additional aid from the Trump administration and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. 
In the coming days, Kentucky is likely to experience more weather hazards as parts of the state are expected to get up to six inches of snow. Much of the water that hasn’t drained will likely freeze and could create hazardous black ice.

US-NEWS-KENTUCKY-FLOODING-LX

Kentucky Still Searching For Flood Survivors As It Braces For Another Winter Storm

Andy Beshear

Floods

Severe Weather

Winter storm

Governor Tate Reeves (R-MS) slammed CBS News host Margaret Brennan after she suggested during an interview with Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jd-vance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J.D. Vance</a> that states like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi</a> wouldn’t be able to coordinate a response to natural disasters without the federal government’s help. 
Reeves ripped into Brennan on X after she pushed back on President Donald Trump’s proposals to transform the role of FEMA during her Sunday interview with Vance. Brennan said that states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky would suffer if FEMA took a reduced role in natural disaster response. 
“HILARIOUS elitism by [Brennan] claiming that Mississippians know less about emergency management than DC bureaucrats — all because her favorite Democrats in CA and NC have failed their constituents,” Reeves posted on X. “[Vance] did a great job handling her condescending questions. The disdain these people have for any Americans outside of their little bubble is so pathetic and revealing.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HILARIOUS elitism by <a href="https://twitter.com/margbrennan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@margbrennan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSNews</a> claiming that Mississippians know less about emergency management than DC bureaucrats &#8211; all because her favorite Democrats in CA and NC have failed their constituents.<a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> did a great job handling her condescending questions. The… <a href="https://t.co/YHWqWJhp6h">pic.twitter.com/YHWqWJhp6h</a>
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) <a href="https://twitter.com/tatereeves/status/1883581254114930958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-overhaul-of-fema-floats-getting-rid-of-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> on Friday that he would sign an executive order that would “fundamentally” overhaul and transform FEMA. He also suggested that he may get rid of the agency altogether and hand over responsibility to the states. 
“You know FEMA has specialized expertise that some of these states just don’t have,” Brennan told Vance. “How will lower income states, the Mississippis, the Kentuckys, the Alabamas, be able to do this for themselves without federal help?”
Vance replied by saying that the reason behind Trump’s proposal to revamp FEMA was to ensure that disaster victims were able to receive support and aid as efficiently as possible. 
“The president, to be clear, is not saying we’re going to leave anybody behind,” Vance said. “He’s saying that the way that we administer these resources, some of which is coming from the federal level, some of which is coming from the state level, we’ve got to get the bureaucrats out of the way and get the aid to the people who need it most.” 
Trump has said it would be better if states were in total control of recovery efforts and the federal government would fund a certain percentage of the response. His proposals to change FEMA come after he has criticized the agency’s response to both Hurricanes Helene and Milton, saying that the agency slowed its response because many of those impacted were in conservative rural areas. 
During a Friday stop in Asheville, North Carolina, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-nice-trump-speaks-out-about-fema-denying-aid-to-his-supporters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke out about</a> a FEMA scandal first reported on by The Daily Wire where relief workers skipped homes because of Trump signs or flags.
“A whistleblower testified that some FEMA employees refused to help people who display Trump signs on their property. I think that’s true, isn’t it? I read that. That’s not nice, that’s not too nice, is it? But whoever those property people were, thank you very much,” Trump said.
In November, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs">broke a story</a> that FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington had ordered relief workers in Lake Placid to “avoid homes advertising Trump.” These instructions were given in person and verbally, whistleblowers told The Daily Wire. At least 20 homes were skipped due to the orders.

Mississippi Votes To Remove Confederate Symbols From State Flag

‘Hilarious Elitism’: GOP Governor Fires Back After CBS Says State Can’t Handle Emergency Response

Alabama

CBS News

FEMA

J.D. Vance

Margaret Brennan

Mississippi

At least two people were killed and nearly a dozen wounded when a factory in Louisville, Kentucky, was destroyed in an explosion on Tuesday.
All of the victims are employees of Givaudan Sense Colour, a factory that produces caramel color for soft drinks, ABC&#8217;s Louisville affiliate WHAS 11 <a href="https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/2-people-dead-large-factory-explosion-louisville/417-a05bfdd5-6dd4-40cf-ab4c-11918f041b6d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Images of the explosion&#8217;s aftermath showed that a large portion of the factory&#8217;s roof had caved as smoke rose into the air. The blast blew out windows in some houses in the Clifton neighborhood, the area that surrounds the factory,
Immediately after the explosion, city officials told people within a one-mile radius to shelter in place since hazardous materials could have leaked into the air. Around two hours later, officials said there was no longer a threat. The cause of the blast is still under investigation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: Reports indicate people are missing and others are trapped following an explosion at a factory in Louisville, Kentucky. City officials have issued a one-mile shelter-in-place order due to hazardous materials at the site. <a href="https://t.co/hjyKkxq6fO">pic.twitter.com/hjyKkxq6fO</a>
&mdash; CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1856446668205387995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Twelve people were transported to the hospital following the explosion, and two of them who were in critical condition died overnight, according to WHAS 11.
The massive explosion was caught by a WAVE 3 News sky camera.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Our SkyTrack Camera in Downtown Louisville captured the explosion at a facility on Payne Street in Clifton around 2:58PM today. Live cameras: <a href="https://t.co/m24xrXRrXX">https://t.co/m24xrXRrXX</a> <a href="https://t.co/fxVW9Vm9VR">pic.twitter.com/fxVW9Vm9VR</a>
&mdash; Ryan Hoke ⚡️ (@RyanHokeWAVE3) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanHokeWAVE3/status/1856454792090169382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We are deeply saddened to share the news that two of our team members lost their lives in this accident. Several other individuals were also injured as a result. We are grieving with the families, friends, and loved ones of those that were lost and injured during this very difficult time,&#8221; Givaudan Sense Colour said in a statement.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
&#8220;We are in the early stages of investigating the cause of this incident and are cooperating with first responders and supporting agencies. We appreciate their heroic response and send our thanks to those in the community who have shown their support throughout the day,&#8221; the company added. &#8220;Our priority right now is on our team members, the families of those we have lost and those that were injured in this accident. We are in touch with them, and committed to supporting them in the coming days and weeks.&#8221;
Tuesday&#8217;s deadly explosion was not the first at the location. In 2003, when the building was owned by D.D. Williamson, one worker was killed when a &#8220;process vessel became over pressurized&#8221; and released 26,000 pounds of aqueous ammonia into the air, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/12/us/explosion-louisville-kentucky/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“And you would think that after one explosion, it wouldn’t happen again. But here we are,” said Lorrie Hibbard, whose grandfather was killed in the 2003 accident. “All I heard was that there was an explosion at the plant again, and it just takes you right back to 2003.”

US-EXPLOSION

2 Dead, 10 Wounded After Building Explodes In Louisville Neighborhood

Death

Explosion

General

In an incident that left one person dead, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kentucky</a> sheriff was arrested after shooting a judge at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky.
According to <a href="https://www.themountaineagle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mountain Eagle,</a> Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines, a <a href="https://letcher.countyclerk.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/144/2022/09/Updated-Letcher-County-2022-GENERAL-ELECTION-CANDIDATES-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democrat</a>, is accused of shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins, <a href="https://www.letchercounty.ky.gov/government/eo/Pages/jas.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">District Judge</a> of the 47th Judicial District, in his office.
Mullins <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Kevin_R._Mullins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">served</a> as the assistant commonwealth&#8217;s attorney in Letcher County before being appointed as a district judge by Democrat Governor Steve Beshear in 2009. According to the <a href="https://www.eventscribe.net/2022/StimulantSummit/fsPopup.asp?efp=TEJWWldJVE8xNjM0Nw&amp;PresenterID=1335620&amp;rnd=0.1604415&amp;mode=presenterinfo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profile</a> of Mullins for the Cocaine, Meth &amp; Stimulant Summit in November 2022:
<blockquote>
Judge Mullins has set forth to implement practices that promote substance use treatment for justice-involved individuals and has successfully helped 971 residents of Letcher County (population 22,000) enter inpatient residential treatment. Likewise, the program developed on August 14, 2018, by Judge Mullins and Matt Brown with Addiction Recovery Care to offer peer support services within the courthouse and courtrooms has been adopted in 50 counties across the Commonwealth helping 16,510 individuals into inpatient residential treatment. Judge Mullins served as a founding member of the Responsive Effort to Support Treatment in Opioid Recovery Efforts (RESTORE) Leadership Team. Judge Mullins’ participation on the RESTORE initiative led to his appointment to the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health.
</blockquote>
Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg locked down; the school wrote on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lcchs/posts/pfbid02W1oubuxyoMEuTmFPYKKhUPZ1svp3n2JuquhYJdzo3GQ4q23pXMfF4GaxGSnQ74tsl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>:
<blockquote>
Parents and Community: After a call from Kentucky State Police, we were ordered to go into a mandatory lockdown because of an active shooting in downtown. Your children are safe. The shooter has been apprehended, but KSP has not released us to come out of lockdown. Your children were never in a concerning situation. Please give us time to work with KSP to figure out our next steps.
</blockquote>
The coroner confirmed one person was killed, but did not identify the dead person as Mullins.

Lawyer writing documents

Kentucky Sheriff Arrested After Shooting Judge

Judge

Shooting

Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear banned &#8220;conversion therapy&#8221; for &#8220;LGBTQ+ youth&#8221; on Wednesday in a sweeping executive order.
“Kentucky cannot possibly reach its full potential unless it is free from discrimination by or against any citizen – unless all our people feel welcome in our spaces, free from unjust barriers and supported to be themselves,” Beshear said in a <a href="https://www.kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&amp;prId=2288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “Conversion therapy has no basis in medicine or science, and it can cause significant long-term harm to our kids, including increased rates of suicide and depression. This is about protecting our youth from an inhumane practice that hurts them.”
The order applies to therapy for minors under the age of 18, saying, &#8220;Discrimination against our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, including our LGBTQ+ youth, is unacceptable in this Commonwealth.&#8221;
The text of the <a href="https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20240918_Executive-Order_2024-632_Relating-to-Protecting-Minors-from-Conversion-Therapy.pdf">order</a> makes clear that banned types of therapy include “any practice, treatment, or intervention that seeks or purports to change an individual&#8217;s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Allowed under the law is any therapy that is either “neutral” regarding “sexual orientation or gender identity” or helps “facilitates an individual’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, so long as such practice, treatment, or intervention does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Critics say the order undermines the rights of parents and their freedom to pursue religious values within their homes.
“Governor Beshear’s executive order is an unlawful action that will hurt children, trample the fundamental rights of Kentucky parents, and suppress free religious expression,” David Walls, executive director of The Family Foundation, said in a <a href="https://www.kentuckyfamily.org/gov-beshear-signs-unlawful-executive-order-banning-conversion-therapy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“This order, like previous failed legislative efforts, is designed to promote false LGBTQ ideologies and muzzle Christian counselors, therapists, and pastors from helping children struggling with sexual orientation or gender identity confusion,” Walls continued. “Kentucky parents and their children should be free to seek the faith-based counseling on sexuality and identity issues that they need. The Christian message on sexuality and human dignity is not harmful, it is life-bringing.”

Menu