They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Whether Albert Einstein actually said it or not, the point stands: nowhere is this truer than in America’s broken education system.
Since the Department of Education opened its doors in 1979, we’ve been pouring increasing federal money into our public school system – more per child than <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cmd/education-expenditures-by-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most developed nations</a> – but our test scores keep sliding. And the more our schools fail our children, the more Washington doubles down on what isn’t working. 
As a doctor, a parent, and Louisiana’s senator, I’ve seen firsthand the toll our broken education system exacts. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I know there’s only one way to fix it: let the states take the lead.
That’s why Congress should deliver on President Trump’s promise: dismantle the Department of Education and let states, families, and educators shape our children’s education and future.
Look no further than my home state of Louisiana, where we told Washington to take a hike and took control of our own destiny. The proof is in the pudding. When states lead, students succeed.
In 2019, our students were last or near last in the nation for reading and math. In six short years, Louisiana students have made some of the most significant academic gains in the country. Our fourth graders led the nation in reading growth for the second consecutive cycle according to <a href="https://doe.louisiana.gov/about/newsroom/news-releases/release/2025/01/29/louisiana-students-achieve-their-highest-national-rankings--on-the-nation-s-report-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Nation’s Report Card</a>, and we are among the top five states for math improvement. We’re one of just two states where fourth graders exceeded pre-pandemic scores in reading and math. And our eighth graders are posting gains in math when much of the country is seeing declines. 
Even more importantly, Louisiana students with disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are now exceeding the national average in both achievement and growth.
This progress wasn’t driven by Washington bureaucrats or yet another bloated federal program dictating how classrooms should be run. This progress happened because those closest to the students – local leaders, teachers, and parents – made the decisions. 
Louisiana’s success is no accident; it’s the result of strategic reforms that put students first. We overhauled literacy instruction with a <a href="https://doe.louisiana.gov/docs/default-source/literacy/louisiana-comprehensive-literacy-plan.pdf?sfvrsn=500c6418_2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science of Reading-based plan</a>, ensuring that phonics is the foundation of reading education. In math, we prioritized the <a href="https://doe.louisiana.gov/educators/instructional-support/louisiana-math" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mastery of fundamental skills</a>, giving students the tools to succeed in advanced coursework. These efforts helped Louisiana students achieve some of the highest academic growth in the nation.
To strengthen teacher support, Louisiana launched a statewide <a href="https://doe.louisiana.gov/educators/professional-development/louisiana-mentor-teachers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentor training program in 2017</a>, building a high-quality network of educators to guide new teachers. By improving teacher preparation and cutting unnecessary bureaucracy, we gave educators the tools to succeed in the classroom.
We also <a href="https://doe.louisiana.gov/about/newsroom/news-releases/release/2024/07/20/louisiana-department-of-education-awarded-55-million-to-increase-school-choice-options-for-families" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expanded school choice</a>, ensuring families have more options to find the best educational environment for their children. Whether through charter schools, scholarship programs, or open enrollment, Louisiana has empowered parents to choose schools that meet their children’s unique needs. That’s why I co-sponsored the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/120" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Educational Choice for Children Act</a>, which expands school choice opportunities nationwide, giving every child the chance to succeed, no matter their ZIP code.
To sustain this momentum, we also expanded <a href="https://doe.louisiana.gov/school-system-leaders/school-system-support/statewide-tutoring-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-dosage tutoring</a>, launched a statewide K-3 literacy and math screening program to catch learning gaps early, and implemented a nationally recognized accountability system that raises academic standards and improves career education. Louisiana’s approach proves that when states lead, students win.
We need to make this model the national standard. The Department of Education is a bloated bureaucracy that holds schools back from success. We don’t need federal mandates telling Louisiana, or any state, how to educate its students. We need to return power to the states, where local leaders can tailor education to their communities, and families can have a greater voice in their children’s future.
Eliminating the Department of Education isn’t about cutting resources. It’s about cutting red tape and the over-broad, one-size-fits-all mandates. It’s about trusting parents to know what’s best for their kids. It’s about empowering teachers, not federal bureaucrats, to shape what happens in the classroom. And most of all, it’s about giving every student, no matter where they live, the chance to succeed.
It’s time for Washington to step aside and let the states lead. Let’s finish the job. Let’s fulfill President Trump’s pledge to return education to those who know it best — parents, teachers, and local communities.
* * *
Sen. <a href="https://thehill.com/people/bill-cassidy/">Bill Cassidy,</a> M.D. has represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate since 2015.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-EDUCATION

Stop The Insanity: Why States, Not Washington, Should Run Education

Congress

Department of Education

Education

Linda McMahon

Louisiana

Opinion

President Trump

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that South Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai will be investing $21 billion in the United States over the next four years, starting with a steel plant in Lousiana that is expected to create nearly 1,500 jobs.
The new Louisiana plant, Hyundai&#8217;s first steel mill in the United States, will produce next-generation steel for Hyundai&#8217;s electric vehicles that will also be manufactured at two United States auto plants, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/south-korea-hyundai-us-investment.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump was joined by Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung, Lousiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise at the White House for the announcement.
&#8220;This investment is a clear demonstration that tariffs very strongly work,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And I hope other things also, but the tariffs are bringing them in at levels that have not been witnessed.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#039;Tariffs Very Strongly Work&#039;: Trump Announces $21 Billion Hyundai Investment In U.S." width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nhmTrp35-RA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Euisun said the $21 billion investment is the largest ever the company has made in the United States. The four-year investment is expected to create 14,000 jobs in the United States as the company seeks to boost its production to around 1.2 million vehicles per year, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-24/trump-to-highlight-hyundai-plans-for-20-billion-us-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;We are especially excited about Hyundai Steel&#8217;s multi-billion dollar investment in a new facility in Louisiana, which will create 1,300 American jobs and serve as the foundation for a more self-reliant and secure automotive supply chain in the U.S.,&#8221; the chairman added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hyundai Executive Chair Euisun Chung delivers remarks upon announcing a massive new investment in the United States:
&quot;Hyundai Motor Group is proud to be a stronger partner in America&#39;s industrial future.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sUbqIALdQQ">pic.twitter.com/sUbqIALdQQ</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1904243823292895658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hyundai, which already has two auto plants in the United States &#8212; one in Alabama and another in Georgia &#8212; also revealed on Monday that it will open another auto plant in Georgia. Hyundai announced the major investment in the country as Trump plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on U.S. trade partners on April 2.
Hyundai&#8217;s investment comes after other major foreign companies, such as Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC and Japan&#8217;s SoftBank, announced multi-billion-dollar investments in U.S. manufacturing as Trump considers levying reciprocal tariffs on April 2, the day he is referring to as &#8220;Liberation Day in America.&#8221;

Donald Trump

‘Tariffs Very Strongly Work’: Trump Announces $21 Billion Hyundai Investment In U.S.

Economy

Hyundai

Jeff Landry

Mike Johnson

Politics

Steve Scalise

Tariffs

New York Governor Kathy Hochul refused on Thursday to extradite an abortionist accused of illegally mailing an abortion pill to a Louisiana mother who allegedly pressured her minor daughter into ending the life of her unborn child.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an <a href="https://gov.louisiana.gov/assets/2025-Extras/Extradition-warran-Doctor-Margaret-Carpenter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extradition warrant</a> this week for New York abortionist Margaret Carpenter after she was indicted on charges of criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs. Hochul said that she would not sign Louisiana’s order of extradition, citing the state&#8217;s abortion &#8220;shield&#8221; laws.
“This office received an order of extradition for a New York doctor, an abortion provider who lives upstate. In the state of New York, at my direction, we have put in place strict shield laws that anticipated this very situation,” Hochul <a href="https://x.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1890175495670775913" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We knew &#8230; we had providers who could be vulnerable. Louisiana has changed their laws, but that has no bearing on the laws here in the state of New York.”
“Doctors take an oath to protect their patients. I took an oath of office to protect all New Yorkers. And I will uphold not only our constitution, but the laws of our land,” she said.
Carpenter is accused of mailing abortion drugs to a woman in Louisiana who then pressured her underage daughter into taking them and ending the life of her unborn child.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill <a href="https://x.com/AGLizMurrill/status/1890214240142913793" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot back</a> at Hochul, saying that she was covering up for a “drug dealer.”
“This child was NOT this doctor’s patient. She never met her, saw her, or knew anything about her. The child is a victim. [Hochul] is protecting a drug dealer who victimized a child,” Murrill posted on X.
Landry <a href="https://gov.louisiana.gov/news/4764" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the minor was “excited” to have the baby and was planning a gender reveal party before her mother intervened.
<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" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-7935">PRESIDENTS’ DAY SALE! 40% Off DailyWire+ Annual Memberships With Code DW40</a>
“Her mom conspired with a New York doctor to get a chemical abortion pill in the mail and then forced that minor to take it,” Landry said as he signed the extradition order. “This pill ended up ending her pregnancy and that baby’s life.”
Carpenter was also sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-stops-radical-abortionist-unlawfully-supplying-dangerous-drugs-kill#:~:text=Attorney%20General%20Ken%20Paxton%20has,in%20violation%20of%20state%20law." target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured</a> a $100,000 penalty and permanent injunction against her on Friday. He sued Carpenter for allegedly sending abortion pills into Texas in violation of state law.
“In Texas, we will always protect innocent life and uphold the laws that protect mothers and unborn babies,” Paxton said Friday. “Radical out-of-state doctors will not be allowed to peddle dangerous and illegal drugs in Texas to kill unborn babies. Any doctor attempting to do so will be punished to the full extent of the law.”

At Least 10 Killed In New Orleans After Truck Plows Into Crowd On Bourbon St

Louisiana Battles New York Over Abortionist Accused Of Mailing Abortion Drugs

Abortion

Abortion Drug

Crime

Kathy Hochul

New York

U.S.

House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) showed his southern roots when he was asked at a Tuesday press conference to respond to a Democratic colleague who had called him a &#8220;liar&#8221; and said that he was &#8220;full of s***.&#8221;
The exchange began late last week, and the point of contention was a top-line number for the next funding agreement that must be reached by March 14 to avoid a government shutdown. When no such number was reached, Johnson suggested to reporters that was intentional.
&#8220;Leader Jeffries and others seem to be trying to set up some sort of government shutdown,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We were negotiating in good faith and trying to get the top-line number, but so far as I know, they’ve been sort of unresponsive the last two days or so. So I hope we can get back to it.&#8221;
&#8220;First of all, he’s full of s***. He’s a liar. And he’s a total shill for Donald Trump and Elon Musk,&#8221; Rep Jim McGovern (D-MA) said, pointing the finger at Republicans. &#8220;So he can blame anybody he wants … but we’re not walking away from the table. They’re not interested in hearing from us at this particular point. Maybe they will be in March.&#8221;
But when he was asked on Tuesday about McGovern&#8217;s comments, Johnson appeared unbothered.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Johnson Is Asked About Democrat Who Said He’s ‘Full Of S**t,’ ‘A Liar,’ A ‘Shill’ For Trump, Musk" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xqR7A1vC4JE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;Bless his heart. Look, the Democrats are flailing,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;I get it. They’ve engaged in some pretty crazy rhetoric in the last couple of weeks — you know, we’re going to shut down the city, we’re at war, we’re going to fight them in the streets, you’ve all seen that covered.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s because they’re kind of in panic mode in the party over there. They, as I’ve noted, don’t really have a vision or a strategy. They don’t have a leader. Their platform has been openly repudiated by the American people in the election outcome,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;They’re really in a tough spot and what people tend to do in politics in that way is they lash out at leaders on the other side.&#8221;
Johnson went on to say that he didn&#8217;t take such comments &#8220;personally,&#8221; adding, &#8220;I don’t think he can back up a single thing he said. What we’re doing is delivering on the mandate that the American people gave us.&#8221;

Mike Johnson Goes Full Southern When Dem Colleague Claims He’s ‘Full Of S***’

Mike Johnson Goes Full Southern When Dem Colleague Claims He's 'Full Of S***'

House Speaker

Southern States

On Sunday night, after the Philadelphia Eagles had defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 at the Super Bowl in New Orleans, President Donald Trump took aim at pop singer Taylor Swift, who invariably is shown on TV at NFL games cheering for the Chiefs and her boyfriend Travis Kelce, the Chiefs&#8217; All-Pro tight end.
Trump targeted Swift, who had endorsed Kamala Harris for president, noting that fans booed her when she was shown on TV.
“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!” he wrote on social media, adding video clips of her getting booed and another shot of the crowd cheering the American flag.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!
Donald Trump Truth Social Post 11:14 PM EST 02/09/25
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1888808002008010831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/tXMPsK8iSW">pic.twitter.com/tXMPsK8iSW</a>
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1888771697509323159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Taylor Swift confused by the boos ☹️ <a href="https://t.co/zzstUEmDfp">pic.twitter.com/zzstUEmDfp</a>
— RBT (@SamuelBrownRBT) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamuelBrownRBT/status/1888738867030983131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
Swift actually grew up in Philadelphia as an Eagles fan but switched to the Chiefs after she started dating Kelce, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/taylor-swift-hears-loud-boos-super-bowl-lix-after-trump-gets-raucous-cheer">noted</a>. Trump received cheers when he was shown on the Jumbotron inside the Caesars Superdome.
Last September, Swift endorsed then-Vice-President Kamala Harris for president on <a href="applewebdata://88643B06-700D-4D5D-94C1-68CB856F6CA5/v">Instagram</a>. Calling herself a “childless cat lady,” she wrote, “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kamalaharris/?hl=en">@kamalaharris</a> because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate <a href="https://www.instagram.com/timwalz/?hl=en">@timwalz</a>, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
The next morning, Trump was interviewed on “<a href="https://x.com/ConservBrief/status/1833832221540602188">Fox and Friends</a>,” where he was asked about Swift’s endorsement. “I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was just a question of time. She couldn&#8217;t &#8230; you couldn&#8217;t possibly endorse Biden,” he declared. “You look at Biden, you couldn&#8217;t possibly endorse him. But she&#8217;s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat. And she&#8217;ll probably pay a price for it at the, uh, in the marketplace.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Watch as Donald Trump responds to Taylor Swift&#8217;s endorsement of Kamala Harris when calling in to &#8216;Fox &amp; Friends&#8217; this morning:
&#8220;I actually like Mrs. Mahomes MUCH better, if you want to know the truth. She&#8217;s a big Trump fan. I was not a Taylor Swift fan. It was just a question of… <a href="https://t.co/wZWEfLJlTD">pic.twitter.com/wZWEfLJlTD</a>
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConservBrief/status/1833832221540602188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Super Bowl LIX: Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles

Trump Slams Taylor Swift After Crowd Booed Her At Super Bowl

Executive

New Orleans

Super Bowl

Taylor Swift

President Donald Trump is reportedly set to attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday, which would make him the first president to attend America&#8217;s biggest sporting event while in office.
A White House official told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/donald-trump-super-bowl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> on Tuesday that Trump is expected to attend the Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome with guests that could include House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), among others. The heavy security planned for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will be heightened even more for the president&#8217;s attendance, according to CNN. The Super Bowl will take place just over a month after a radical Islamic terrorist drove a truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street on New Year&#8217;s Day, killing 14 people.
Trump&#8217;s new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in New Orleans on Monday, where she visited the site of the terrorist attack with Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry and looked into preparation for the Super Bowl. During her visit, Noem spoke at an NFL public safety press conference where she said &#8220;there are no credible threats&#8221; that DHS has on the &#8220;radar&#8221; for the big game, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/no-credible-threats-super-bowl-lix-new-orleans-following-new-years-terror-attack-kristi-noem-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>. The city expects around 125,000 visitors, who will begin arriving on Wednesday.
&#8220;The world is a much more dangerous place, but here in the homeland, we are safe, and I will tell you that right now we have no specific credible threats to this event at the Super Bowl, which I think should give us all a sense of security, but also knowing we will adjust that as needed,&#8221; Noem said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
DHS has protected the NFL Super Bowl for 20+ years. We’re working around the clock to ensure a safe and secure game day at the Superdome and in the city of New Orleans. <a href="https://t.co/WlxggYgImh">pic.twitter.com/WlxggYgImh</a>
&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1886766439350100353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump attended multiple college football games and an NFL game. In December, as president-elect, he also attended the Army-Navy game.
The Chiefs will go for their third consecutive Super Bowl victory on Sunday while the Eagles look for their second Super Bowl win in franchise history. Super Bowl LIX will feature performers Jon Batiste — singing the &#8220;Star-Spangled Banner&#8221; — and Lauren Daigle — singing &#8220;America the Beautiful.&#8221; Rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform during the halftime show.

Trump To Become First Sitting President To Attend Super Bowl

General

Kristi Noem

This week, a historic storm dumped several inches of snow across some states along the Gulf Coast, resulting in accumulations deeper than amounts recorded in more traditionally wintry parts of the United States.
AccuWeather <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/florida-shatters-all-time-snowfall-record-as-winter-storm-blankets-gulf-coast/1736705" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Wednesday that all-time snowfall records were preliminarily set at weather stations in cities across the South, from Louisiana to Florida. Eight inches of snow fell in New Orleans and more than seven inches in Pensacola, Florida, shattering decades-old records.
&#8220;The south has received fresh snowpack from a historic storm while areas in the Midwest remain bare. In the Northeast, we continue to hang onto our snowpack thanks to below freezing conditions for most of January,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/NWSBinghamton/status/1882070625403216352" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> an X account from the National Weather Service (NWS).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Here is the latest snow depth analysis from NOHRSC. The south has received fresh snowpack from a historic storm while areas in the Midwest remain bare. In the Northeast, we continue to hang onto our snowpack thanks to below freezing conditions for most of January.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nywx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nywx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pawx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pawx</a> <a href="https://t.co/UeIKrtfrHf">pic.twitter.com/UeIKrtfrHf</a>
&mdash; NWS Binghamton (@NWSBinghamton) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSBinghamton/status/1882070625403216352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A <a href="https://x.com/NWS/status/1882074650169266320" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> from the main NWS account responded, &#8220;Here&#8217;s something you don&#8217;t see, well, EVER! On January 22, Florida and Louisiana have more snowpack than *checks notes* &#8230; *checks notes again* &#8230; South Dakota.&#8221;
States of emergency were activated in Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/21/weather/winter-storm-south-tuesday-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> CNN, which also noted widespread closures across the region. Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/22/snow-winter-storm-us-south-texas-louisiana-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> a handful of deaths associated with the winter storm in the South, including a vehicle crash in Texas, where <a href="https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/icy-roads-leads-to-deadly-accident-in-zavala-county" target="_blank" rel="noopener">icy road conditions</a> made travel dangerous.
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Several meteorologists posted images and weather maps to X while remarking on the unusual weather unfolding across the southern U.S.
&#8220;Florida broke their state snow record from the historic winter storm on Tuesday. New totals are in and Milton received 9.8&#8243;, more than double the old record of 4&#8243; from 1954 (in also Milton). For many areas, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience they&#8217;ll never forget,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/MattDevittWX/status/1882102717495103638" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> a post from Matt Devitt, who is the chief meteorologist at WINK News in Southwest Florida.
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NEW: Florida broke their state snow record from the historic winter storm on Tuesday. New totals are in and Milton received 9.8&quot;, more than double the old record of 4&quot; from 1954 (in also Milton). For many areas, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience they&#39;ll never forget.… <a href="https://t.co/f7Q8ftlXiR">pic.twitter.com/f7Q8ftlXiR</a>
&mdash; Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattDevittWX/status/1882102717495103638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I’m still in disbelief this happened. Here it is. Timelapse of historic New Orleans snow storm,&#8221; Payton Malone, a meteorologist for local CBS affiliate WWL-TV, <a href="https://x.com/paytonmalonewx/status/1881860133422293164" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a now-viral post to X along with a video. He added, &#8220;Snow got up to 12 inches on my snowboard in the French Quarter.&#8221;
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I’m still in disbelief this happened. Here it is. Timelapse of historic New Orleans snow storm. Snow got up to 12 inches on my snowboard in the French Quarter. <a href="https://t.co/M9byQeZJGL">pic.twitter.com/M9byQeZJGL</a>
&mdash; Payton Malone WWL-TV (@paytonmalonewx) <a href="https://twitter.com/paytonmalonewx/status/1881860133422293164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The NWS office in Anchorage, Alaska, <a href="https://x.com/NWSAnchorage/status/1882082172057899062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X that New Orleans received more than double the amount of snowfall since the start of meteorological winter on December 1, with New Orleans getting 8.0 inches of snow and Anchorage getting just 3.8 inches. The account tagged NWS New Orleans, quipping, &#8220;We&#8217;d like our snow back. Or at least some King Cake in return.&#8221;

Winter Storm Brings Rare Snowfall To Large Swath Of Southern States

Parts Of Florida And Louisiana Have More Snow Than South Dakota

Florida

Severe Weather

Snow

South Dakota

Winter storm

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a joint statement on Monday, warning of potential copycat &#8220;vehicle ramming,&#8221; such as the attack carried out by Islamic terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who killed 14 people and wounded dozens more in New Orleans on New Year&#8217;s Day.
The statement highlighted that attackers in the U.S. &#8220;and abroad&#8221; have used rented vehicles &#8220;which are easy to acquire&#8221; and warned of terrorists using weapons such as guns, knives, and explosive devices as well, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/5083217-fhi-dhs-new-orleans-copycat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The DHS and FBI urged the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.
“The FBI and DHS are concerned about possible copycat or retaliatory attacks due to the persistent appeal of vehicle ramming as a tactic for aspiring violent extremist attackers. Previous attackers inspired by foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) who have conducted vehicle attacks in the United States and abroad have used rented, stolen, and personally owned vehicles, which are easy to acquire,” the agencies wrote. “Some have used additional weapons, such as firearms and knives, to attack individuals after the vehicle has stopped. Additionally, attackers may attempt to conceal and pre-position improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to supplement a vehicle attack.”
Recently released <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bodycam-footage-shows-nola-terrorist-firing-on-police-after-driving-through-crowd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodycam footage</a> shows Jabbar — a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas who recently pledged his allegiance to ISIS — fired upon police after crashing his truck on Bourbon Street. Just an hour before the attack, the terrorist had also placed IEDs on Bourbon Street, but the explosives were not detonated. Jabbar was shot and killed by New Orleans police officers who returned fire. Police found a transmitter to detonate the IEDs in the terrorist’s rented truck along with an ISIS flag.
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Officials are still looking into the security measures that were in place to protect people who were ringing in the New Year on Bourbon Street. Despite owning portable steel barriers that are often used to block off streets during large events, the city did not use any steel barriers to block off Bourbon Street during the New Year’s Day celebration. Jabbar accessed the bustling street by driving past a police car that was parked to block it off.
In a &#8220;60 Minutes&#8221; <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-director-christopher-wray-on-threats-america-faces-decision-to-step-down-60-minutes-transcript/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> on Sunday, outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray said that terrorists like Jabbar &#8220;radicalize not in years but in weeks,&#8221; adding that their &#8220;method of attack is still very deadly but fairly crude.&#8221;
&#8220;The investigation&#8217;s very much ongoing. But what I can say right now is that he appears to have been inspired — from afar — by ISIS. And it is, in many ways — the most challenging type of terrorist threat we face,&#8221; Wray added.
The terrorism threat is an issue that will soon face the Trump administration after the president-elect is sworn in for a second term in the White House. The New Orleans vehicle ramming attack was the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, in 2016.

New Orleans terrorist attack

Feds ‘Concerned’ About Possible Copycat ‘Vehicle Ramming’ Attempts After NOLA Terrorist Attack

DHS, FBI Warn Of Possible Copycat 'Vehicle Ramming' Attempts After NOLA Terrorist Attack

Radical Islamic Terror

terrorist attack

Two high school girls in Louisiana were charged with lying to police after they attempted to frame a male teacher they claimed was sending inappropriate messages to a student.
The two girls, who have not been named because they are minors, were charged with one count each of false swearing for the purpose of violating public health or safety (a felony), cyberstalking, and online impersonation, according to <a href="https://www.lpso.net/2025/01/06/two-high-school-girls-charged-for-trying-to-frame-teacher-for-inappropriate-messages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a> from Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff Craig Webre.
“Our juvenile detectives are diligent and take claims of inappropriate behavior very seriously,” Webre said in the press release. “They are, however, equally serious about false claims. Someone’s life can be instantly ruined by a false allegation, and I am proud that our investigators were able to get to the bottom of this. Technology has made it very easy for people to try to manipulate the truth, but technology also makes it easy for investigators to ultimately find the truth.”
On December 18, the sheriff said, someone reported to the police that a male teacher at Central Lafourche High School had been sending inappropriate messages to a 16-year-old girl who was a student. Upon investigation, detectives found that the 16-year-old and her 15-year-old friend had conspired to frame the teacher.
At first, the two girls said they had received inappropriate messages from the teacher through an online instant messaging platform. Over the next two weeks, detectives investigated the claims, interviewing everyone involved and searching their phones and accounts on the platform.
Detectives soon learned that the two teen girls had created fake accounts impersonating the teacher and used those accounts to send bogus messages. They then sent screenshots of those messages to their friends to frame the teacher.
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Detectives were able to prove that the male teacher had not sent any of the messages or photos the girls claimed he sent, and one of the girls eventually confessed to the crime. The sheriff’s office declared the teacher to be the “crime victim” and stated that he “has been cleared of all allegations,” something rare when it comes to false accusations.
Both girls were charged on January 6 with falsely reporting a crime to police, cyberstalking, and impersonating the teacher online. They were released into the custody of their parents but were placed on electronic monitoring, the sheriff’s office said.
“We are shocked and appalled to learn of the actions of two of our students,” Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin said in the press release. “The allegations against one of our teachers were false and malicious, and we appreciate the efficiency of investigators in uncovering the source of these messages. Such attacks on a teacher’s credibility and reputation are concerning and can inhibit their ability to effectively educate our children. We are committed to investigating all allegations of misconduct in order to provide a safe environment conducive to learning and working for all of our students and staff.”

False Accusation

Two High School Girls Charged After Falsely Claiming Teacher Sent Inappropriate Messages

false accusations

High School

Teenagers

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> said Thursday that he would release a report on the recent mystery drone sightings reported in New Jersey and other states once he takes office. 
Trump made the comments as he met with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, prompting several to chime in with their own reports of drone sightings. Last month, the FBI, FAA, and Pentagon said they identified no threats among the 500 drone sightings they had investigated based on public tips.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration because I think it&#8217;s ridiculous that they&#8217;re not telling you about what&#8217;s going on with the drones,” Trump said, noting that drones had been spotted over his property in Bedminster, New Jersey. “It’s not only with me, [Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin] was telling me today that in Virginia they have drones all over the place too and nobody is reporting it.” 
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PRESIDENT TRUMP: &#8220;I&#8217;m going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration because I think it&#8217;s ridiculous that they&#8217;re not telling you about what&#8217;s going on with the drones.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/BnUBaAsBl6">pic.twitter.com/BnUBaAsBl6</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1877521790920020281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump said he would issue a report on the drones “shortly” after his inauguration on January 20. 
“They don’t want to talk about it and nobody knows why,” Trump said. “That could be us sending drones, I hope that’s the case, us doing it and doing research and maybe they don’t want to talk about it from that standpoint. I hope it&#8217;s not an enemy, but we’re going to find out on the 21st.”
Referencing how much of the U.S. military and intelligence infrastructure is in Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said that drones had been flying over secure air space for the last two years. 
“For two years running we have had drone incursion over secure air space and we still don’t know why. And I think that’s absolutely unacceptable,” Youngkin said. “And I think President Trump and the new leadership coming in will work diligently to understand who’s behind this and what we do in order to stop the digital surveillance of all our secure infrastructure.”
Louisiana Republican Governor Jeff Landry said that his state had recently seen drones flying over its nuclear reactors but that the FAA had done nothing after they brought it to their attention. 
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Wyoming Republican Governor Mark Gordon added that he had also struggled to deal with drones being flown over critical infrastructure. 
“We have drones in Wyoming flying over our infrastructure as well,” he said. “And it&#8217;s incredibly frustrating that we not only have no way of knowing what it is, but nobody knows how to deal with them.”

President-Elect Trump Meets With Republican Governors At Mar-A-Lago

Trump Promises To Release Report On Mystery Drones After Taking Office

Air and Space

Drones

Glenn Youngkin

Mar-a-Lago

National Security

New Jersey

Virginia

Wyoming

The 42-year-old man behind the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year&#8217;s Day visited the city at least twice in recent months and used Meta smart glasses to film Bourbon Street — where he drove a truck into a crowd of pedestrians, killing 14 people.
FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil said on Sunday that Shamsud-Din Jabbar of Houston stayed at a rental home for a few days beginning on October 30 and then revisited the city on November 10, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/05/us/new-orleans-attack/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. During his trip to New Orleans in late October, Jabbar rode a bike on Bourbon Street and used Meta smart glasses to record and plan his attack, according to the FBI.
On Sunday, the FBI also revealed new footage of the terrorist placing two IEDs on Bourbon Steet just over an hour before his attack. Jabbar hid the IEDs in coolers. One of the coolers was dragged a block by “someone on Bourbon Street, who we have no reason to believe was involved,&#8221; according to Myrthil. The FBI reiterated that it believes Jabbar acted alone.
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WATCH: FBI releases video of NOLA terrorist wearing Meta glasses and placing coolers with IEDs throughout the French Quarter <a href="https://t.co/UQFm3Aox2R">pic.twitter.com/UQFm3Aox2R</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1875976555182387497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After driving his rented Ford pickup truck through Bourbon Street, Jabbar got into a shootout with police officers and was killed. The terrorist, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, was wearing the Meta smart glasses when he died, and officers found a transmitter to detonate the IEDs in the truck. Jabbar reportedly did not activate the smart glasses during his attack. <a href="https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meta smart glasses</a> can record videos, make calls, send texts, and answer questions through Meta AI. The smart glasses typically cost between $300 and $400.
Before carrying out his attack, Jabbar set fire to his rental home, a move authorities believe was meant to &#8220;hide evidence of his crimes&#8221; and potentially distract first responders before he drove through the crowd gathered on Bourbon Street. The FBI is looking into multiple trips Jabbar took in recent years, including a trip to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 3, 2023, and a trip to Ontario, Canada, from July 10 to July 13, 2023.
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“Our agents are getting answers as to where he went, who he met with, and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here in our city of New Orleans,” Myrthil <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/05/new-orleans-attack-smart-glasses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, recently became radicalized. In a video he recorded in the rented pickup truck on his way to carry out the attack, Jabbar said, “I wanted to record this message for my family. I wanted you to know that I joined ISIS earlier this year,” according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/04/us/new-orleans-attack-shamsud-din-jabbar-isis.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. In the video, Jabbar added that he considered killing his family members so they could “witness the killing of the apostates.”

New Orleans terror attack

New Orleans Terrorist Visited City Twice Before Attack, Filmed Bourbon Street With Meta Glasses

ISIS

Terrorism

The college football quarterfinal playoffs Allstar Sugar Bowl game opened on Thursday with a moment of silence for the people killed in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-orleans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans</a> following a terror attack in the city before the game was set to take place on New Year’s Day.
In several videos posted on <a href="https://x.com/RossDellenger/status/1874920156549574748">X</a>, fans inside the Caesars Superdome paused for 60 seconds and <a href="https://x.com/YahooSports/status/1874925600059658628" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bowed their heads</a> for the 15 people killed and dozens more wounded <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/truck-plows-into-crowd-in-new-orleans-french-quarter-mayor-calls-it-a-terrorist-attack">after a terrorist</a> with an ISIS flag drove a truck through a crowded Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day.
It was just before the Georgia Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish players took the field for the coin flip and subsequent kickoff at 4:00 p.m. ET. The bowl game was postponed after it was initially scheduled to take place on Wednesday night.
Before the game, Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry said that he’s “convinced” New Orleans is “safe” following the terror attack, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/louisiana-governor-says-hes-convinced-new-orleans-is-safe-ahead-of-sugar-bowl">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
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Moment of silence for the French Quarter victims ahead of the Sugar Bowl. <a href="https://t.co/XNDgLBPOAB">pic.twitter.com/XNDgLBPOAB</a>
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) <a href="https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1874920156549574748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
In an appearance on “<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/new-orleans-bourbon-street-terror-attack-01-02-25">Fox &amp; Friends</a>” Thursday morning, Landry was asked if he is concerned about more potential threats to New Orleans after Wednesday’s terror attack carried out by 42-year-old Texas native and Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
“I think one of the most important things is to make sure that each one of those victims did not die in vain. All of them had come to the city in order to enjoy the city, in order to enjoy some entertainment and ring in the new year,” the governor said.
“Y’all had a guest earlier who was an eyewitness, who said the same thing is that: We can’t live in fear. We need to be able to live our lives,” he added. “And what we plan to do is ensure that as we remember those folks, that we put New Orleans back in a position where people can come and have a good time. We believe that the city – I’m convinced that the city is safe.”
During pregame warmups, Georgia coach Kirby Smart described the Bourbon Street attack as &#8220;saddening and scary,” <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43260792/new-orleans-security-presence-hundreds-sugar-bowl">ESPN reported</a>.
&#8220;Things are bigger than football out there,&#8221; Smart said. &#8220;Sometimes we get caught up in our own selves and our own moment and you lose sight how blessed we are every day to have the opportunity we have to play football and to play in a CFP quarterfinal game against a historic program. A lot of times when you have gratitude, it takes away a lot of anxiety.&#8221;
The winner of Thursday’s Bowl game will take on No. 6 Penn State in the CFP Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 9, the outlet noted.
Zach Jewell contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/louisiana-governor-says-hes-convinced-new-orleans-is-safe-ahead-of-sugar-bowl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisiana Governor Says He’s ‘Convinced’ New Orleans Is ‘Safe’ Ahead Of Sugar Bowl</a>

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