Well, folks, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I always try to be honest with you and the truth is: something terrible has happened. Elon Musk has become a trillionaire, so now … everything is ruined.
It seems like only a week ago, when Musk was just worth $900 billion and life was great in this country. I had a beautiful wife. A couple of wonderful kids. Now … I look at my family and, sure, I still love them and all, but not like I’d love a trillion dollars. I mean, that’s a lot of money! But I don’t have it and Elon Musk does, so … everything is ruined.
It’s just like they said on the socialist website Left Voice — “A trillionaire Elon Musk is a morbid symptom of capitalism.” That’s right. Capitalism simply isn’t fair. After all, the Soviet Union had socialism for 70 years and ended up with nothing. Musk shows up in a capitalist country with $2,000 just 37 years ago, and now he’s a trillionaire so … everything is ruined.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/the-andrew-klavan-show-ep-1283?contentProgram=The%20Andrew%20Klavan%20Show&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-974735 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1536x256.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg 1800w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez was obviously right too when she said, &#8220;You can’t earn that much money&#8221; just by creating Tesla with its new energy storage systems, and Starlink, with its worldwide network of satellite connections or Neuralink, which gives paralyzed people the ability to use computers with their minds and SpaceX with its rocket ships that go into space and then come down and land safely on a platform the size of an inner tube so they can be used again and ultimately take mankind to Mars. You can’t earn that much money just by doing those things. Musk must have cheated his employees, by forcing them to work for low wages and stock options that have now made 4,500 of those employees millionaires themselves. And, okay, that might make them happy now, but wait till they find out they only have a lousy million bucks while Musk is a trillionaire so … everything is ruined.
To give credit where credit is due, a lot of politicians tried to stop this from happening. Senator Elizabeth Warren did a tribal dance to the Great Spirit of Sun and Sky who lives on Mackinac Island. Warren asked the Great Spirit of Sun and Sky to stop the fork-tongued white man from taking all that money like the whites took the land that belonged to Elizabeth Warren’s Native American ancestors. Unfortunately, the Great Spirit of Sun and Sky just looked down from Mackinac Island and said, “Whoever told that white girl she could dance?” Then he handed out cards good for a free gin and tonic at his new Sun and Sky Casino on Mackinac Island, and before we knew it, Musk was a trillionaire and … everything was ruined.
And just think what good we could have done with all that money if Musk hadn’t taken it. There are almost 800,000 homeless people in America. If Musk just divided his wealth among them, each and every homeless person could be smoking meth through a rolled hundred thousand dollar bill and talking to Venutians using a helmet made out of genuine tinfoil.
Even if Musk just gave away enough money to help one location, that would be something. For instance, there are 70,000 homeless people in the tent cities of Los Angeles alone. If Musk just gave $1 billion to the public officials there, I bet within a month, there would be some very happy public officials driving their Ferraris past the tent cities of Los Angeles. Instead, Elon Musk is a trillionaire and … everything is ruined.
Let’s face it. A trillion dollars in the hands of one individual just gives that individual too much power. With that much money, Elon Musk could come over my house and order me to do whatever he wanted, and I would have to do it, unless I didn’t want to, then I wouldn’t have to do it. Still, it would be really annoying to have Elon Musk coming to my house shouting orders at me all the time. What the hell is his problem?
Anyway, that’s the bad news. Everything is ruined. The good news is we’re going to Mars.

Elon Musk

Everything Was Fine Until Elon Musk Became A Trillionaire

Democrats

Money

Satire

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who has a net worth somewhere between $450 million and $600 million, has gone viral for saying billionaires shouldn’t exist. 
The racing pro made the comments in 2023, but they quickly resurfaced now that he’s amassed a pile of wealth and is newly dating influencer Kim Kardashian, who has a personal net worth that’s close to $2 billion. Per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/lewis-hamilton-worth-500m-dating-billionaire-kim-kardashian-wants-put-limit-wealth-">Fox News</a>, Hamilton, who races for Ferrari, is paid somewhere around $70 million per year as a salary.
Hamilton also reportedly owns six houses around the world and a 90-foot yacht, as the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/08/business/lewis-hamilton-doesnt-think-billionaires-should-exist-thats-pretty-rich-from-an-f1-driver/">reported</a>, plus has brand deals with designers including Lululemon, Dior, Puma, Tommy Hilfiger, IWC Schaffhausen, and Perplexity.
One of his homes is in Monaco, where his millions are protected from taxes.
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Lewis Hamilton says there should be a limit to how much wealth one person can have
&#8220;One of the things that I struggle with every day is that there is such a disparity between the wealthy and the poor”
&#8220;When you drive around LA there&#8217;s still so many people living on the streets.… <a href="https://t.co/Br2V9PqZld">pic.twitter.com/Br2V9PqZld</a>
— Jack (@Jackkk) <a href="https://x.com/Jackkk/status/2063293682762260715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“If you could create one law that everyone in the world had to follow,&#8221; Jay Shetty asked the seven-time world champion in a clip circulating on X, &#8220;What would it be?&#8221;
&#8220;One of the things that I struggle with every day, and it&#8217;s just how life is, and it&#8217;s been this way for thousands of years, is that there is such a disparity between the wealthy and the poor,&#8221; the F1 driver said. &#8220;When you drive around LA there&#8217;s still so many people living on the streets.”
&#8220;You shouldn&#8217;t be able to have billions, right, I think there should be a limit to how much you can have because there&#8217;s enough to go around to everyone. So, somehow create a law that creates more equality and equal access for everyone.&#8221;
The video now has a community note added, which says, “In order to avoid tax, Lewis Hamilton lives in Monaco and Switzerland. He also used a corporate leasing structure to save over £3 million in taxes when buying his £16 million private jet in 2013.”
Commenters called out Hamilton for his apparent hypocrisy.
“To the guy worth a half billion who’s dating a woman worth 2 billion wants there’d be a wealth cap on everybody else, he can go screw himself,” one person <a href="https://x.com/JerUnderhill/status/2064134155097518082">wrote</a>, echoing what most others were saying.

Lewis Hamilton

F1 Star Declared War On Billionaires And Then He Started Dating One

Auto racing

Billionaire

Entertainment

Formula One

Kim Kardashian

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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Do people who are really, ridiculously rich deserve our sympathy?
Radical progressives think the answer is no if the murder <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-murder-of-brian-thompson-how-individual-acts-of-evil-get-justified">victim is a healthcare CEO</a>. Certain mainstream journalists believe the same about at least one millionaire socialite who owns keys to a private beach on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. 
In case you haven’t seen it, the latest “author telling lies” controversy revolves around Belle Burden, a New York City heiress who wrote a memoir detailing the breakup of her marriage. 
“Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage” started out as a Modern Love column and eventually was turned into a full-length memoir that went viral. Book clubs and avid readers were drawn by the schadenfreude of a rich, beautiful woman being abandoned by her husband of two decades for reasons that are still frustratingly unclear. 
Yes, he had an affair and got caught. As Burden’s memoir explained, her husband “James” (really hedge fund executive Henry Davis) calmly explained to her in the aftermath of getting caught that rather than trying counseling or finding a path back to trust, he was unhappy with the marriage and wanted out. 
The book was highly praised until it wasn’t. The New Yorker published an exposé at the end of May titled “What’s Missing From Belle Burden’s ‘Strangers,’” laying bare some of the details the author reportedly fudged about her financial situation. 
While Burden expressed alarm at the prospect of losing multiple properties after blindly trusting her husband and adding his name to the deeds without protecting the generational wealth her family had built, the publication noted with disdain that Burden would have remained super rich no matter what. Journalist Jessica Winter accused the socialite of overexaggerating the severity of the situation and, crucially, of not being anywhere near poor enough post-divorce. 
“No reasonable person would demand that she provide a forensic accounting of her finances in the memoir. Yet its impression of candor may suffer in light of what Burden leaves out of the narrative,” Winter <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/whats-missing-from-belle-burdens-strangers">wrote</a>. She later concluded, “[Burden’s] long-term financial security, as opposed to her emotional security, was never at risk. It might be difficult for anyone in her position to separate one from the other.”
The fine details of Burden’s tax returns aren’t even the point here. What’s very revealing is how quickly the online discourse changed from sympathy for a woman who had her entire life blown up overnight to scorn for someone who didn’t tell the whole truth about how much money she had. “Belle Burden’s Memoir Made Me Feel Poor,” one Substack writer titled her reaction piece. 
It led to questions like, are rich people allowed to be sad? Are they allowed to mourn the loss of their life partners if they still have a lot of money left when that person leaves them? 
Burden said in a statement to the New Yorker: “When I wrote ‘Strangers,’ I shared my heartache, my mistakes, and my shame. I owned my privilege as plainly as I could, and I respected the privacy of sealed court records. I stand by everything I wrote, including the fear I felt from my ex-husband’s threats, the contributions I made and could make to my family, and what happened to me financially and emotionally in my marriage and divorce,” she said to the New Yorker. “While I didn’t intend it, I am glad that women have taken my story as motivation for insisting on financial transparency in their marriages.”
I’ll admit, as someone who does not boast Vanderbilts in my lineage and who has never owned a vacation home, I found it a little jarring when I read “Strangers” earlier this year. But the moments that stuck out to me most had nothing to do with money. Burden shares three children with her ex-husband, and, according to her, he didn’t fight for custody at all. Instead, he allegedly told her, “I thought I was happy but I’m not. I thought I wanted our life, but I don’t. You can have the house and the apartment. You can have custody of the kids.”
According to her book, her husband said, “I don’t want it. I don’t want any of it.”
Rejection of his wife is bad enough. But a man rejecting his children and, according to her, seeming happy enough seeing them infrequently in the coming weeks and months, is an absolute tragedy. I try to imagine being in a similar situation and would almost certainly feel more heartbroken about my husband abandoning our children than I would about him rejecting me. 
Sympathy for any aspect of Burden’s messy divorce is hard to come by after the New Yorker journalist tore her story to shreds. There are multiple think pieces and exposés that essentially say we shouldn’t care anymore because she lied about the finances. Burden was never in danger of ending up homeless, they argue, so we shouldn’t care about her memoir anymore at all.
While the financial fallout of her divorce does feature prominently in the memoir, the more pressing issue Burden focuses on is trying to glean an explanation from her ex. She asks why he left her alone when she expected to grow old with him. Why did he abandon what she believed to be a stable, loving relationship in favor of something else? 
“This was not just an affair. This was not just a rejection of me,” Burden wrote in the book. “He was abandoning all of it, and all of us.”
Anyone who has actually read the book can see this woman’s pain laid bare. Meanwhile, the whole conversation has changed to figuring out how much Burden has in her multiple trusts. As if having millions of dollars makes the sacred covenant of marriage dispensable. 
“I don’t know if he made the decision to leave suddenly after being caught, or if he’d carefully planned his exit for years,” she wrote. “I don’t know what role the pandemic played. I don’t know how much of it was about money. I don’t know how much of it was about me.”
“I don’t know why he left. I don’t think I ever will,” Burden added.
Memoirs in general should be taken with a grain of salt. They are one person’s perspective on a situation and shouldn’t be read as non-fiction. They sit somewhere in between — not totally true, but not untrue. Burden added a disclaimer, saying the book &#8220;recounts events as accurately as I can remember them.&#8221; Memoirs are meant to be entertaining, and they are always deeply personal and emotionally vulnerable. Would it kill us to show a little grace to the person writing them? 
And then there’s the question of whether any journalists would have dug into this woman’s tax returns if she were poor or even middle class. Maybe they would have. But it does seem that any exaggerations or half-truths would have been reported less gleefully if Burden had fewer commas in her bank account.
Somewhere along the way, we&#8217;ve decided that grief only counts if it happens to the right people. A husband can abandon his wife, reject his children, blow up a family, and leave emotional devastation in his wake. But if the woman left behind still has money in the bank, we&#8217;re told not to feel sorry for her.
The question isn&#8217;t whether Belle Burden is rich or if she really lost everything when her husband left. It’s whether we&#8217;re allowed to have sympathy for rich women when they, like the rest of us, often do face tragedy.

Heart crying crystal tears

The Left’s New Rule About Human Suffering

divorce

Upstream

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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RSVP like you mean it, y’all, because it’s wedding season. But this year, standing by your bestie as she says “I do” comes with a soul-crushing price tag. Grab a bottle of Veuve and get ready for a shocking lesson in “girl math.” 
Just like Kristen Wiig’s character in “Bridesmaids,” <a href="https://youtu.be/sf9038zMVgo?t=22">“I’m excited, and I feel relaxed, and I’m ready to parrrrrr-tayyyyyy!”</a> The <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/publications/weo/issues/2026/04/14/world-economic-outlook-april-2026">economy’s sluggish</a>, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/style/marriage-decline-delay.html">people are less likely to get married</a>, but the <a href="https://www.theknotww.com/press-releases/the-knot-worldwide-unveils-2026-real-weddings-study">$100 billion</a> wedding industry in the U.S. continues to thrive. 
Roughly 2 million couples tied the knot in 2025, with <a href="https://www.theknotww.com/press-releases/the-knot-worldwide-unveils-2026-real-weddings-study">77%</a> of those who said the economy affected their plans claiming they spent more, not less. Apparently, “something borrowed” refers to all the cash in the wedding party’s savings accounts. 
These days, the average wedding costs <a href="https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/average-wedding-cost">$36,000</a>, but it’s not surprising to see couples shell out <a href="https://www.zola.com/expert-advice/whats-the-average-cost-of-a-wedding">$100,000</a> or more for the party of the year. <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/09/06/lifestyle/why-gen-z-is-saying-no-to-being-a-bridesmaid-and-its-not-just-the-cost/">Allison Cullman</a>, vice president of marketing for wedding planning site Zola, blames extravagant spending on the limitless inspiration of social media. Decades before, brides were stuck with “wedding magazines and binders.” 
With <a href="https://www.eonline.com/photos/38028/2026-celebrity-weddings">high-profile nuptials</a> from stars like Lainey Wilson already on the books for #WeddingSzn26, and <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/04/09/entertainment/taylor-swift-and-travis-kelces-wedding-date-and-location-revealed-as-save-the-dates-go-out/">Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s</a> semi-secret ceremony likely to flood social media in July, there’s a cultural script to go big or go home when it comes to the big bash. 
As Kansas City Chiefs co-owner <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/18/sports/chiefs-heiress-gracie-hunts-lavish-wedding-will-feature-14-bridesmaids/">Clark Hunt</a>’s daughter Gracie Hunt recently revealed via Instagram, every detail matters. The billionaire heiress invited <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYYIIGRJUaL/">14 bridesmaids</a> to participate in her upcoming wedding. We can assume Hunt and Co. covered the fresh flowers, catering, personalized bubbly, and Sugarfina champagne gummy bears. But the rest of the #BrideTribe probably spent significant dough on floral tea dresses, matching clutches, hair, makeup, and party heels.
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“There is something so special about being surrounded by women who make you feel stronger, wiser, softer, and closer to Jesus just by knowing them,” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYaDqYfDmb3/?img_index=1">Gracie posted</a>. “My heart is overwhelmingly grateful for each of these friendships and the gift of getting to do life together.”
It’s a blindingly beautiful message. But logistically, these warm fuzzies come at a price. For those who might not be funded by an heiress bride, the cost of entry into this bridal supporting cast is astronomical compared to the estimated <a href="https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-guest-cost">$610</a> to be a regular wedding guest. 
This is the reality. Bridesmaids throw down on <a href="https://thewed.com/magazine/the-real-cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid-in-2026">dresses</a>, shoes, shapewear, jewelry, alterations, bachelorette blowouts, travel, lodging, spray tans, and Instagrammable looks for the wedding weekend.
All-in, the bridesmaid life can cost anywhere from $1,500 to <a href="https://www.brides.com/cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid-2025-11702605">$5,000</a> per wedding. The tally only rises from there for destination ceremonies, bachelorette vacations, plus-ones, and babysitters. And don’t forget to peep those bridal shower and wedding registries. Waterford crystal flutes don’t buy themselves.
Add to that the potential emotional cost of a viral wardrobe malfunction during the reception entrance, like the bridesmaid who did “<a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/bridesmaid-wardrobe-malfunction-wedding-dance-goes-viral/">The Worm</a>” in a dress she may never want to show her face in again. This is your gift for agreeing to give 100% support with zero decision-making ability regarding the festivities.
“I cannot believe I have to walk down the aisle in front of 200 people looking like something you drink when you’re nauseous,” Rachel said on “<a href="https://youtu.be/81J7Oco3_VQ?t=20">Friends</a>” while dressed in a Pepto-colored tulle disaster of a bridesmaid’s dress. Pay up, girl. You wouldn’t want your BFF4EVR to catch wind that you aren’t in it to win it.
Even when your eyes are wide open, surprise expenditures add up fast. “My total costs ended up being $3,500 at the end of the year after a bunch of events (that I didn&#8217;t know I had to pay for) and keeping up with the bougie tastes of the other bridesmaids,” noted one reluctant <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/wedding/comments/1px1tzo/comment/nwaboxq/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">wedding attendant</a>. “I sincerely regret saying yes because I ended up being extremely stressed over money all the time (I was not making much then).”
Someone else spelled out the truth for everyone but the newlyweds when they <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/wedding/comments/1px1tzo/comment/nwe6s0t/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">wrote</a>, “While your wedding might be the most important day of your life, it&#8217;s not the most important day for everyone else.” 
There’s an emotional cost as well since you weren’t invited to be a bridesmaid for nothing. Maybe you were best friends as kids, you held each other’s hair after college parties, or you cried with each other through heartbreak. Can you put a price on hurt feelings or strained friendships after declining a bridesmaid proposal? And there’s the inevitable knife to the gut when you see the #LoveAtFirstSwipe and #BrideOrDie carousels on Instagram, minus you. It’s even worse if several different friends are getting hitched in the same year.
Still, despite the social pressure to say yes to the financial mess, some would-be bridesmaids are unapologetically saying “no thanks” to the gig. 
“We need to normalize saying no to being people’s bridesmaids,” one maid of honor posted to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@steph_greenstreet/video/7396553847906372897">TikTok</a>. “This is hard work … it’s okay to assess whether you can do it.”
One <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheGirlSurvivalGuide/comments/vcsyno/comment/ichhc5g/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Redditor</a> wished they had spoken up before being subjected to an over-the-top bridesmaid proposal. “I really felt forced to say yes because I was handed a box of goodies including a personalized wine glass, and asked at the same time as others, in front of a room full of people,” they said. “It [was] so not me, I was really bummed that my friend didn’t know me well enough not to ask me like that.”
“Being in someone’s wedding is much more expensive than simply attending,” Chicago-based wedding planner, <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-rsvp-no-wedding-invitation.html">Kia Marie</a>, says. “It can cost $4,000 or $5,000 or more, between the dress, the makeup, the bachelorette party, travel expenses, staying in a hotel for multiple days — that’s not money that anyone should take lightly.”
Hey … [Repeatedly taps a fork on a wine glass] … before this all ends in shredded peonies and a shattered champagne tower at some Airbnb villa in the South of France, can we agree to bring normal weddings back? We’re trying to get good people hitched, not gatekeep marriage for the .01%. 
Here comes everyone to tell us they got married in a trash bag in the alleyway behind the courthouse for $18 and they’ve been happily married for 90 years. (Okay, maybe <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/1naaiud/comment/ncsytiq/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">that’s</a> not for everyone.) But a <a href="https://simplyeloped.com/blog/why-do-couples-elope/">70% increase</a> in elopements shows more couples are going for intentional, personal, and often more affordable weddings. 
Others are skipping the formal ceremony in favor of relaxed <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/key-wedding-micro-trends-of-2026">parties</a> (and exchanging rings privately). Potluck buffets, dual-purpose engagement-to-wedding bands, and bespoke cakes all signal smaller wedding day budgets — and savings that get passed down to bridesmaids-turned-guests of honor. 
If all goes well, the whole crew gets to spend a day celebrating the ultimate commitment between two of their favorite people. And pretend like they’re hearing “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtOvBOTyX00&amp;list=RDrtOvBOTyX00&amp;start_radio=1">A Thousand Years</a>” by Christina Perri at a wedding for the very first time, till death do us part.

The One Wedding Trend Draining Young Women’s Bank Accounts

brides

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gracie hunt

Kansas City Chiefs

wedding cost

weddings

Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said the solution to shrinking portion sizes is simple: just ask for more.
The exec addressed the issue during an appearance this week on Yahoo! Finance. Customers have been complaining for months that fast food burgers are smaller, pre-packaged snacks have less food, and burritos from Chipotle aren&#8217;t as stuffed as they used to be. 
“If you want more, you should ask for a little more,” the fast food exec said. “I promise you, there&#8217;s never a team member on that line that is going to say no to you.”
“We will continue to put heaping spoonfuls of food in bowls and burritos,” Boatwright continued, adding that the company is focused on both portions and food quality. 
“It has always been our brand ethos, and it is still to this day,” he insisted. “We serve big, beautiful bowls and burritos. No questions asked.”
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The CEO further pushed back on claims that Chipotle employees were “skimping” on portion sizes.
“I tell my team all the time, ‘put as much food in that bowl and burrito as you possibly can,'&#8221; he told Yahoo! Finance. “‘I want the consumer to tell you, &#8216;it&#8217;s too big.'&#8221;
“We&#8217;re about abundance, we&#8217;re about value,” he went on. “Value equals benefit over price.” The exec also claimed to be “absorbing” the cost of inflation rather than passing it on to customers. He told the outlet that Chipotle is pleased to offer “an affordable price point for all walks of life, and we&#8217;re for everyone. We want everyone to have access to wholesome, nutritious food.”
Commenters were skeptical that restaurant workers would be willing to increase portion sizes without charging them extra. 
“Save this video [for] every time you walk in,” one commenter wrote.
“He said if you want more, they will give you more, but will also charge you more,” another comment said.
“Bro … have you been to Chipotle,” a third person chimed in.
“Straight lies they will 100% charge you double each time you say more,” yet another commenter agreed.
Others brought up the common complaint that delivery portions are rumored to be much smaller than those being served inside the restaurants, a problem that wouldn’t be solved by Boatwright’s suggestion to &#8220;ask for more.&#8221;

Chipotle

The Chipotle Phrase That Could Get You More Food For Free

Business

Fast-Food

Food

Inflation

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is being absolutely trashed online for saying that no one can legitimately become a billionaire.
“You can’t earn a billion dollars. You just can’t earn that,” the democratic socialist congresswoman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTZzXzRCA50">told</a> comedian Ilana Glazer on an episode of the “It’s Open” podcast. 
“You can get market power, you can break rules, you can do all sorts of things,&#8221; AOC said. “You can abuse labor laws, you can pay people less than what they’re worth. But you can’t earn that, right? And so you have to create a myth that — since you didn’t earn that, you have to create a myth of earning it.&#8221; 
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;">  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/01HjTo301q9Gmv2K8j7iu5VdYnqXalvDSA?metadata-video-content-type=short&amp;metadata-video-id=182bada4-4c01-424a-a259-324f705f7c95&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=All%20lies.&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fshorts%2F2a2a5153-958e-4fbd-83ef-6ac563cbc73e.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
The Democrat seemed laser focused on billionaires in business without commenting on billionaire entertainers like Taylor Swift. When the critics started calling her out, AOC doubled down in an X post she <a href="https://x.com/AOC/status/2052529622655402174">shared</a> Thursday evening.
“The single largest form of theft in America is wage theft. $50 billion a year are stolen from American workers,” she wrote. 
“Some people get enraged that I draw attention to this. That’s on them. Let them call me shrill, dumb, inexperienced, girly, uneducated – these folks will say anything to distract from or undercut the truth that working people are getting screwed, and giving people a fair shake means we must have a grown conversation about reigning in abuse of power.”
Commenters with common sense pointed out the multiple flaws in her argument.
“Lies. Billionaires get rich by innovating and risk-taking, offering new and better goods and services at prices people are willing to pay. Government makes cash through confiscation. AOC&#8217;s conspiratorial, envious view of the world leads to impoverishment and tyranny,” Ben Shapiro, the editor emeritus of The Daily Wire, <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/2052576063738269819">wrote</a>. 
“Socialists don’t run businesses,” author Helen Raleigh <a href="https://x.com/HRaleighspeaks/status/2052521924090097961">wrote</a>. “They produce nothing valuable or desirable that others want. They enrich themselves only by taking from others by force. Therefore, they don’t understand how entrepreneurs can be so wildly successful in a free market simply by providing goods or services many people want and are willing to pay for.”
“What a naive and wrong point of view. So much of leftist politics and thinking these days is about justifying envy,” entrepreneur and venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale <a href="https://x.com/JTLonsdale/status/2052452637245657095">agreed</a>. “I’ve co-founded six different multi-billion dollar companies, with more on the way. AOC perhaps isn’t bright enough to make a lot of money without massive grift &#8211; sure. But 10000’s who worked with me are rich; some are also billionaires!”
He added, “Our innovation sector is the best in the world, solving problems and growing the pie with US talent for a brighter future for all. I’m aligned against cronyism. But demonizing success is totally unAmerican.”

Did AOC Just Spark Bad Blood With Taylor Swift?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

America

Capitalism

In his State of the Union address, President Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7whtgZ2MQI">highlighted</a> the need to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks. He pointed to stopping members like Nancy Pelosi, whose stock portfolio has performed extremely well — imagine that.
To the American citizen working hard, paying the bills, and trying to do the right thing, this is not only suspicious but also extremely frustrating. Trust is already at an all-time low. A recent Pew Research study found that just <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/12/04/public-trust-in-government-1958-2025/">17% of Americans</a> say they trust the government. That is partly because members of Congress, like Nancy Pelosi, are trading stocks.
To show you how big a deal this is, Nancy Pelosi earned an estimated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-josephs-knows-pelosis-stock-trades-better-than-anyone-he-says-they-should-be-banned">$130 million</a> while in Congress, often purchasing or selling stocks just before legislative announcements affecting the industries in which she had investments. In 2024 alone, her portfolio grew by 70%. Unfortunately, this isn’t just Nancy Pelosi — it’s a problem across Congress.
What happens when Americans believe the system is rigged? They disengage. They stop believing their votes make a difference and that their government is working on their behalf. We need to restore confidence in elected leaders. That will not happen until the line is clearly drawn. Rebuilding trust requires accountability — and that starts with ending practices that put private profit ahead of the public interest. It also requires transparency and rules that apply equally, without exception or delay.
So, to join President Trump’s call to end this loophole that is eroding the trust of the American people, I introduced the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7008">Stop Insider Trading Act.</a> It says that if you are a member of Congress, or you’re married to one, or you’re the child of one, you cannot purchase individual, publicly traded stocks. To do so is wrong. This legislation is clear, enforceable, and leaves no room for loopholes. The bill also requires a seven-day public notice before sales of stocks that members and those closest to them already own can take place.
There have been previous attempts to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, but no final ban has passed. Every day, lawmakers are attending committee hearings and briefings, meeting with stakeholders, and writing and voting on legislation that could change the course of an industry. Clearly, there is a conflict of interest. How can the American people be sure their elected officials are making decisions for the public good, and not for private gain? The answer is, they can’t.
That is why there is such strong public support for the Stop Insider Trading Act. In fact, one <a href="https://publicconsultation.org/united-states/stock-trading-by-members-of-congress/#:~:text=A%20survey%20by%20the%20Program%20for%20Public,in%20individual%20companies%20by%20Members%20of%20Congress">poll</a> by the Program for Public Consultation shows that 86% of people support banning stock-trading in individual companies by members of Congress. That includes 87% of Republicans, 88% of Democrats, and 81% of Independents. Clearly, most Americans are on the same page when it comes to this issue. Yet, Congress has done nothing, further fueling public skepticism.
The American people deserve more out of their elected officials, and rightfully so. Considering the overwhelming support for banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, every single member of Congress should support my Stop Insider Trading Act. If they don’t, it says exactly where their priorities lie.
Elected leadership is about public office, not private profit. We don’t let referees bet on games. Congress should not be any different. My bill makes sure that public service is actually about serving the public, not getting ahead of it.
If you are a lawmaker, you should not be a day trader. That’s a good principle that most people agree on. Now, let’s make it a law.
* * *
Sen. <a href="https://thehill.com/people/bill-cassidy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Cassidy,</a> M.D., has represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate since 2015.

White House Officials Hold All-Members Briefings On Iran Strikes For House And Senate

We Don’t Let Referees Bet On Games. So Why Does Congress Get To?

Congress

Insider Trading

Nancy Pelosi

Stock Market

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

wealth

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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The inner workings of the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/onlyfans-sex-origins/">Ukraine-based company</a> remain obscure. Slightly less sketchy for creators, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keily_Blair">Irish-born</a>, Oxford-educated lawyer OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair creates a comfy landing as the face of the brand.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t have to be everyone&#8217;s cup of tea; we&#8217;re happy to be someone&#8217;s glass of champagne,&#8221; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs1BWF9Q69g">Blair says</a>. She claims, &#8220;Adult content appears on a lot of other &#8216;traditional&#8217; social media platforms, but without the safety and controls that we have in place to help keep our community safe.&#8221;
The platform’s elite <a href="https://ofstats.net/">0.1%</a> of creators amass the most jaw-dropping riches, with familiar stars from outside the skin biz leading the charge. “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” fans might recognize Rob Kardashian’s baby mama, rapper and socialite <a href="https://people.com/rob-kardashian-shows-support-for-ex-blac-chyna-11932949">Blac Chyna</a>, who shares too much information with OnlyFans in exchange for a reported <a href="https://ofstats.net/#:~:text=Since%202019%2C%20the%20OnlyFans%20creators,there%20are%20377.5%20OnlyFans%20users.">$20 million</a> per month. Former star of Disney’s “Shake It Up” actor and singer <a href="https://people.com/bella-thorne-taking-control-new-chapter-exclusive-interview-8760560">Bella Thorne</a> puts it all out there as her <a href="https://ofstats.net/#:~:text=Since%202019%2C%20the%20OnlyFans%20creators,there%20are%20377.5%20OnlyFans%20users.">$11 million</a> monthly side-hustle. (She earned <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/bella-thorne-1-million-first-day-onlyfans-9440360/#:~:text=Bella%20Thorne%20Is%20the%20First%20Person%20to,Million%20in%20Her%20First%20Day%20on%20OnlyFans.">$1 million</a> on her first day.) 
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Even though OnlyFans has attempted to diversify by promoting <a href="https://www.riverfronttimes.com/onlyfans-offering-business-classes/#:~:text=The%20company%20is%20backing%20more,hub%20for%20all%20things%20spicy.">business courses</a>, cooking content, <a href="https://influencers.feedspot.com/comedian_onlyfans_instagram_influencers/">comedy</a>, and fitness classes (some of which aren’t topless), for most of us, the foreseeable payday is barely worth a peek at an ankle. The average OnlyFans creator makes an average of <a href="https://ofstats.net/">$131 per month</a>, which won’t even cover a daily Starbucks <a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/how-much-is-a-cup-of-coffee">latte habit</a>. 
Ah, too bad you already went full frontal on the MILF content you’re not telling your family about. As Britney Spears once advised, “<a href="https://genius.com/2209338/Britney-spears-work-bitch/You-want-a-hot-body-you-want-a-bugatti-you-want-a-maserati-you-better-work-bitch-you-want-a-lamborghini-sip-martinis">You want a Maserati? You better work, b*tch</a>” — but maybe at a 9-to-5 that contributes to your 401(k).
The “<a href="https://www.deseret.com/2023/9/11/23859829/onlyfans-porn-degradation-culture-reframed/">soft prostitution</a>” of OnlyFans is often pegged as the catalyst behind creator stunts like Bonnie Blue’s quest to sleep with <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/02/10/bonnie-blue-breaks-world-record-unprotected-sex/">1,000 men in 12 hours</a>, and the depression and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250826230420/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12119-022-10009-3">loneliness</a> that sex workers commonly experience. But even if Roxie_KittenAngel doesn’t stick around OnlyFans long enough to feel those effects, chances are, she made exactly not-enough-dollars doing it. 
Valued at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-23/onlyfans-owner-is-said-to-explore-a-sale-at-8-billion-valuation">$8 billion</a> 10 years after it was founded, OnlyFans continues to blow up. It seems that branding itself as a so-called empowered-Girls Gone Wild kind of creative sex space, where consenting adults take full <a href="https://buildd.co/p/onlyfans-business-model">control of their spiciest content and get rich doing it,</a> still works. So is it worth trading your dignity for an anonymous fan’s <a href="https://dataglobehub.com/onlyfans-statistics-and-insights/">$4.99</a> monthly subscription? 
“I had no idea what I was getting into … And then once I had done it, I figured there was no reason to stop, since the photos were already out there,” a verified former OnlyFans creator, who reportedly made $20,000 a month, told <a href="https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https://www.businessinsider.com/downsides-and-regrets-of-doing-onlyfans-2023-9">Business Insider</a>. &#8220;I did something I thought would help me feel empowered as a woman, but instead it left me traumatized.&#8221; Contrasting with the safe space OnlyFans claims to create, she added, &#8220;I would also receive terrible messages that were so degrading and I didn&#8217;t see any filtering system on OnlyFans to block them.&#8221;
Having been raised in a Christian home, she ultimately found a way back to Jesus through prayer, admitting, “I don&#8217;t think I could&#8217;ve left it all behind on my own, but I&#8217;ve found strength through my faith … I think I experienced what I did so that I could have a platform to share my story with other girls who are going through it.”
Now an outspoken advocate against the platform, Nala Ray made <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/12/04/nala-ray-onlyfans-anti-porn-faith-advocate/87572291007/">$14 million</a> on OnlyFans in five years. She drove a Ferrari, Bentley, and a Lambo, bringing in $300,000 a month. When asked what lie convinced her to start creating content, Ray told <a href="https://youtu.be/COTlj6w3bUU?t=283">Uncensored W/ Brittni De La Mora</a>, &#8220;The first month on OnlyFans, I made, like, $87,000. I quit my job immediately … I just kept selling more and more of myself to my fans.&#8221;
&#8220;Honestly, I couldn&#8217;t feel much at all. I could feel angry, but I didn&#8217;t cry for years,&#8221; <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/12/04/nala-ray-onlyfans-anti-porn-faith-advocate/87572291007/">she explained</a>, admitting to relying on alcohol and marijuana just to get through the day. &#8220;Anytime I would have to do major scenes, I&#8217;d have to drink myself into oblivion to just do it.&#8221;
Once she finally summoned the courage to leave OnlyFans after being <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/28/lifestyle/pastors-daughter-leaves-onlyfans-career-behind-after-finding-jesus-and-new-boyfriend/">baptized</a>, even other Christians labeled her as <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Catholicism/comments/1gw1k2e/whats_your_take_on_nala_ray_and_andrew_wilson/">a grifter</a>. While she describes herself as a work in progress, she hopes to encourage others to walk away from the soul-crushing riches of adult entertainment.
&#8220;The ones who are glamorizing [this lifestyle] are men trying to run women’s lives and take a percentage out of … you showing your body on the internet. It’s just like having a pimp,&#8221; <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/28/lifestyle/pastors-daughter-leaves-onlyfans-career-behind-after-finding-jesus-and-new-boyfriend/">she said</a>. &#8220;But it makes me want to fight all the more to help women understand that this is not where you want to go.&#8221;

GettyImages-157501466

OnlyFans Made A Few Stars Rich, But What Most Creators Actually See Is Another Story

Celebrity

OnlyFans

A federal appeals court on Monday largely upheld a ruling that blocked a &#8220;sweeping and unprecedented&#8221; freeze on trillions of dollars in government financial assistance that President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration instituted early last year.
A three-judge panel of the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia in finding that the White House&#8217;s budget office had directed federal agencies to implement a categorical freeze on funding that was likely improper.
Chief U.S. Circuit Judge David Barron said the Office of Management and Budget &#8220;directed the agency defendants to freeze such funds without considering an obvious aspect of the problem &#8212; namely, the reliance interests of the recipients of the obligated federal funds that were to be frozen.&#8221;
The judge, who like the other panel members was appointed by a Democratic president, pointed to a lower-court judge&#8217;s conclusion that the agencies failed in carrying out OMB&#8217;s directive to assess whether such payments were legally required or appropriate on a case-by-case basis.
While the appeals court largely upheld Rhode Island-based U.S. District Judge John McConnell&#8217;s March 2025 injunction blocking the policy, it overturned part of it to the extent it required agencies to make payments to the states that sued.
It did so citing a ruling last year by the U.S. Supreme Court in a different Trump-era case that indicated lawsuits seeking to recover money owed by the government under contracts and grants must be pursued in a different, specialist court.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
The state attorneys general sued after the OMB in January 2025, shortly after Trump returned to the White House, issued a memo directing federal agencies to temporarily pause spending on federal financial assistance programs.
That memo said the freeze was necessary while the administration reviewed grants and loans to ensure they are aligned with Trump&#8217;s executive orders, including ones ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs and directing a pause on spending on projects seeking to combat climate change.
The freeze implicated up to $3 trillion in federal funding.
OMB later withdrew that memo after it became the subject of two lawsuits, including the one before McConnell. But the states argued the memo&#8217;s withdrawal did not mean the end of the policy itself.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

Donald Trump

Trump Admin Cannot Implement ‘Sweeping’ Funding Freeze, Court Rules

Courts

Executive Orders

Politics

Trump Administration

I’ve been fortunate to build a career as a working musician in the music industry for more than thirty years now.
Over the course of my career, I’ve experienced the music business from the inside on every level. I&#8217;ve written, produced, and performed chart-topping songs not only for myself, but many other platinum artists.
What I’ve seen is simple: the system isn’t working the way it should for the people who actually perform the music.
Because of a loophole in the law, terrestrial radio has managed to avoid paying artists for the use of their music for more than a century. Today, American performers are being asked to give their work away under outdated rules, while everyone else in the chain gets paid. That imbalance doesn’t just hurt artists — it devalues the very creativity that sustains our culture. When music plays on the radio, songwriters and publishers are paid, but performers receive absolutely nothing.
Meanwhile, Big Radio corporations like iHeart, Cumulus, and others pull in nearly $14 billion each year, selling advertising wrapped around the performer&#8217;s talent and work. They’ve built their entire business on the backs of American artists, yet still tell us we should be grateful for the “exposure” that comes from being played on the radio. &#8220;Shut up and be happy that we&#8217;re playing your music! You have no right to the income stream.&#8221; This is their mantra.
Don’t get me wrong: radio has played an important role in my career as a country artist, and I appreciate the foundational place it holds in American music. There’s no better feeling than hearing your song on the radio for the first time. But gratitude for the radio’s role doesn’t mean we should accept a system that only lets one side of the table participate in the success.
As of today, the United States is the only major democracy that does not pay artists when their music is played on terrestrial radio — putting us in league with countries like Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. So would it be fair to say we have a &#8220;Communist business model when it comes to terrestrial radio in America?&#8221;
This question answers itself.
What’s more, many nations that do pay artists are now withholding hundreds of millions of dollars owed to American performers because our own system refuses to recognize their rights. Money that should be coming home to American artists is instead being held overseas.
To me, this issue is just common sense: If you use the music and leverage it to make money for your company, you should pay the artist. That’s how things work in this country. If you work hard, your work deserves to be honored with fair pay. That’s a core American value — AM/FM radio knows this, but they have the benefit of antiquated rules allowing them to take a free ride. 
So they do.
They’ve protected that free ride for decades with armies of lobbyists and political contributions designed to keep the system just the way it has always been. But now, we have a President who understands this fight.
President Trump knows the entertainment business because he’s worked in it, and he has been a true friend to American artists. In 2018, he signed the Music Modernization Act to improve compensation and copyright laws for the digital era. Now, he’s supporting the next step: a bill that will finally ensure artists are paid fairly when their music is played on terrestrial radio.
The American Music Fairness Act, introduced by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the Senate and Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) in the House, would require AM/FM radio corporations to start paying performers, just as digital radio already does. Royalties would go directly to artists.
What about the mom and pop stations? Well, small, independent broadcasters would pay only a few hundred dollars a year for unlimited access to music, and Big Radio would finally pay its fair share.
It’s no surprise this bill is already supported by conservative policy groups, more than 300 major recording artists, and community broadcasters alike. In December, Gene Simmons of Kiss testified before the Senate on behalf of the American Music Fairness Act, telling lawmakers, “If you are against this bill, you are un-American.” I believe he’s right.
All of us deserve an America where hard work still matters, and fair pay still means something. Passing the American Music Fairness Act would send that message clearly. It would tell the world that we stand with artists — not with the Big Radio companies that continue to profit by exploiting them.
It’s time for Congress to take action and finally right this ship. No more delays. Send the American Music Fairness Act to President Trump’s desk and deliver a victory for every American who believes that hard work and fair pay go hand in hand.
* * *
John Rich is an American country music songwriter, artist, and producer, best known as one half of the duo Big &amp; Rich.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Editor&#8217;s note: The title of this article has changed.

Volunteer Jam: A Musical Salute To Charlie Daniels

The Billion-Dollar Radio Free Ride Faces A Reckoning

Economics

John Rich

Marsha Blackburn

Radio

I grew up believing America is the land of opportunity. Over the last few years, however, I have begun to wonder if that America still exists. Are we still the kind of nation where children can realistically pursue happiness, homeownership, and the American Dream?
Even in the face of endless division and media narratives designed to make families doubt it, I believe, perhaps now more than ever, the answer is yes. That’s due in large part to the Trump administration introducing <a href="https://trumpaccounts.gov/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Trump Accounts</a>, a major step in setting American children up for success. And that means a lot to this mother of three with a newborn at home.
During the Biden years, I was genuinely scared about the financial state of our country. Inflation was out of control, crime was rising, and the value of the dollar felt meaningless. I couldn’t help but wonder if my kids would ever be able to afford homes, raise families, or even live independently in the country I love.
That fear is exactly why <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/3209769/why-mothers-should-back-trump/">I pleaded</a> with other moms to vote for Donald Trump. And now, everything feels different.
Last month, I gave birth to my youngest daughter, Monroe Lee, a name rooted in American history. And for the first time in years, I feel something I haven’t felt in a long time about this country, real hope for the American Dream. Inflation and crime are down, and Wall Street can’t outbid first-time home buyers. Under President Trump, the American Dream feels alive and well again.
That’s why Trump Accounts hit me personally.
These investment accounts are brilliant in their simplicity. This isn’t some complicated, exclusive program — it’s a literal capital investment that starts growing right away. A $1,000 jumpstart for a better future.
If we want our nation to prosper, we must facilitate individual prosperity, and one of the easiest ways to kickstart long-term, widespread opportunity is to give every child a personal stake in the nation’s success from day one. Not only will they grow into more financially independent adults — reducing long-term reliance on government programs — but they will be literal stakeholders in America’s prosperity itself. With skin in the game, they’ll be eager to contribute so they can reap the financial benefits of their hard work, thereby driving progress and innovation. It’s textbook win-win-win.
While my first two children were born during the dark economic days under Biden, my third qualifies for a Trump Account. If we simply open the account, that original <a href="https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/corporatesite/us/en/corp/articles/what-to-know-about-new-trump-accounts-for-kids.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">$1,000 could be up to $8,000 by age 18, and over $18,000 by age 28.</a> It could potentially turn into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars by adulthood — especially if parents and family contribute. Under current guidance, parents, employers, and even philanthropists can add to these accounts, and contributions are invested in low-cost, diversified funds designed for growth. 
<div id="attachment_1038081" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038081" class="size-large wp-image-1038081" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-864x576.jpg" alt="nicoletaionescu. Getty Images. Mother and child having fun walking outdoors in winter season" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1933761156-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />nicoletaionescu. Getty Images.</div>
This is the kind of financial opportunity that creates generational wealth — something that has, for too long, mostly been accessible only to the already wealthy. But Trump Accounts change that by giving every child a tangible financial head start.
The tragic reality is that most Americans lack the kind of financial literacy and experience that builds wealth. That’s why it often seems that the rich get richer: they know what they’re doing, and oftentimes they have a head start. While the American Dream provides endless opportunities, that means little to those who don’t know how to take advantage of them. But Trump Accounts make it as easy as it’s ever going to get to <a href="https://time.com/7358662/trump-accounts-babies-kids-investment-businesses/">break the curse of generational poverty</a> and shrink economic disparities.
Hard-working Americans — parents, grandparents, employers, and even outside donors like Michael and Susan Dell — can contribute to these accounts over the years so kids can watch their money grow with them. Major financial firms have committed to <a href="https://people.com/jpmorgan-chase-bank-of-america-match-employees-trump-accounts-11894873">matching contributions</a> for employees’ children, and some philanthropic investments provide additional seed funds for those who otherwise might be left out. 
Even just that sense of security in knowing there’s money in the bank can pave the way for children to pursue greater opportunities as they unfold before them. By the end of President Trump’s term, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/bessent-says-500000-have-signed-up-trump-accounts-more-donations-coming-2026-01-28/">25 million American children</a> could have investment accounts growing in their name — if only parents and families simply take advantage of this opportunity.
As a mother, I’m perpetually thinking about the long game: Am I teaching my kids the skills they’ll need as they grow? Am I instilling values that lead to success? Am I doing everything I can to set them up for happiness and prosperity? But it isn’t just parents who should be thinking about these things. The whole nation should consider what we are doing now to build a better future for those coming after us.
At the very least, every American child now has equal access to a seeded investment portfolio, regardless of race, creed, or economic status, thus creating unprecedented possibilities for tens of millions of Americans through generations to come. The clichés are real — the best time to start was yesterday, but the second-best time is now, because now is when their future starts.
***
Jillian Anderson King is a former Washington Redskins Cheerleader Ambassador and ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelor in Paradise contestant. She’s a Mombassador for Moms for America, an ambassador for Turning Point and Turning Point Faith, and a proud Christian Conservative mother and wife. Jillian is also the founder of The Kings Firm, a strategic communications firm.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

A Mother’s Case For The Return Of The American Dream

A Mother's Case For The Return Of The American Dream

Children

Family Values

finance

Funding

Mothers

Trump Accounts

President Trump said this month that his Department of Justice is looking into the finances of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) &#8212; but scrutiny of the congresswoman&#8217;s finances didn&#8217;t begin under this administration. According to prior reporting, a review involving federal authorities dates back to 2024 under President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/us/politics/ilhan-omar-investigation-finances.html">reports</a> that people familiar with the matter said the investigation was opened to examine her finances, campaign spending, and interactions with a foreign citizen.
The inquiry reportedly began with the United States Attorney&#8217;s Office in Washington in June 2024, though it received little public attention until Trump raised the issue on Truth Social.
The president said, along with the U.S. Attorney’s office, &#8220;The DOJ and Congress are looking at Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who left Somalia with nothing, and is now reportedly worth more than $44 million dollars. Time will tell all.” 
Omar has denied any wrongdoing. Earlier this month, she dismissed the allegations, saying, “They have been doing this sort of weird ethics investigation. Nothing has yielded anything because I have been as transparent as I can be.” 
On Monday, the congresswoman said, “Sorry, Trump your support is collapsing and you’re panicking. Right on cue, you’re deflecting from your failures with lies and conspiracy theories about me. Years of &#8216;investigations&#8217; have found nothing. Get your goons out of Minnesota.”
Also on Monday, political commentator Benny Johnson raised questions about Omar’s reported net worth. Johnson pointed to a winery linked to Omar, claiming its valuation rose sharply between 2023 and 2024. In <a href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2023/10060937.pdf">2023</a>, Omar’s financial disclosures stated that the winery was valued between $15,000 and $50,000 &#8212; but in <a href="https://disclosures-clerk.house.gov/public_disc/financial-pdfs/2024/10068415.pdf">2024</a>, she listed the asset as valued between $1 million and $5 million. Her disclosures show the winery listed under ESTCRU LLC and that it&#8217;s located in Santa Rosa, California.
Another dramatic increase came from Rose Lake Capital LLC, which is a venture capital firm. In 2023, Omar valued the asset between $1,000 and $15,000, and in 2024, the asset was valued between $5 million and $25 million. Congressional financial disclosures do not require members to disclose exact valuations, but do require them to select the correct value range for the asset.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) said, “This needs to be investigated. She was right at the center of the Somali fraudster operation called Feeding Our Future. The $250 million fraud case, the largest pandemic fraud case in the country.”
He added, “I don’t know what she’s doing, but I suspect it’s not legal.&#8221; 
Alongside the winery, Republicans want to know how Omar and her husband’s net worth could have increased by potentially $30 million in just one year, based on her financial disclosures.
The House Oversight Committee is probing Omar’s skyrocketing net worth. House Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said staff lawyers will be looking into Omar and her husband.
Comer said, “There are a lot of questions as to how her husband accumulated so much wealth over the past two years. It’s not possible. It’s not. I&#8217;m a money guy. It’s not possible.” He added, “We’re going to get answers, whether it’s through the Ethics Committee or the Oversight Committee.”

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