Embattled Democrat <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-dem-candidate-aftyn-behn-i-dont-want-children-i-want-power">Aftyn Behn</a>, currently vying for a House seat in Tennessee&#8217;s 7th Congressional District, attempted to do some damage control after an audio recording of her saying that she &#8220;hates&#8221; everything about Nashville went viral — and her defense may have made the situation worse.
Behn, appearing on the Breaking Points podcast, fielded a question about her comment and claimed that she couldn&#8217;t possibly hate country music because she was &#8220;conceived after a George Strait concert.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Democrat Aftyn Behn bizarrely tries to walk back her comments saying she &#8220;hates&#8221; Nashville and country music.
&#8220;I do not hate country music, I was conceived after a George Strait concert.&#8221; 🤡 <a href="https://t.co/jqhixHhOq6">pic.twitter.com/jqhixHhOq6</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1993066504309661889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of the hosts began by repeating her previous comment for context: &#8220;Apparently you said, &#8216;I hate the city, I hate the Tennessee bachelorettes, I hate pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all the things that make Nashville &#8230; I hate it.'&#8221;
&#8220;The bachelorette part is a little bit fair,&#8221; one of the others joked. &#8220;So we won&#8217;t make you weigh in on that, Aftyn.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s so fair,&#8221; another agreed.
&#8220;But what would you like to say about this clip that&#8217;s floating around?&#8221;
&#8220;So, I&#8217;m going to say something I haven&#8217;t said,&#8221; Behn replied. &#8220;And I think it&#8217;s funny, I hope my parents don&#8217;t kill me, but I do not hate country music. I was conceived after a George Strait concert, so &#8230; I feel personally attacked.&#8221;
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Behn also raised eyebrows with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-dem-candidate-aftyn-behn-i-dont-want-children-i-want-power">another audio clip</a> in which she could be heard describing a recurring dream that she had discussed with her therapist.
&#8220;My therapist always asks me to transcribe my dreams when they happen, and the recurring dream I’ve had is standing up in a cafeteria full of women — I don’t know why I was there or whatever — and saying, ‘I don’t want children. I want power!’ And just screaming it at the top of my lungs,&#8221; she recalled.

Aftyn Behn

Embattled Tennessee Dem Aftyn Behn Offers ‘Proof’ She Doesn’t Hate Nashville

Embattled Tennessee Dem Aftyn Behn Offers 'Proof' She Doesn't Hate Nashville

country musie

Democrats

Media

Nashville

Politics

Tennessee

In the aftermath of the deadly 2023 shooting at Tennessee&#8217;s Covenant School, in which a transgender-identifying shooter killed six at the Christian school, Democrat Aftyn Behn said that her sympathies were with the transgender community.
Behn, now running to represent the Nashville area in Congress, said the aftermath of the shooting was &#8220;incredibly upsetting&#8221; for her family — because of the anger directed at the &#8220;trans communities.&#8221;
&#8220;So, for those of you who don&#8217;t know, my partner has a trans son, and the month of April and the final week of March was incredibly upsetting for us,&#8221; Behn said in a July 31, 2023, candidate forum, just months after the massacre. “In the wake of the Covenant shooting, and the disclosure that the Covenant shooter was trans, I was pulled into a chat with other trans organizers and activists across the state that were fearful of their lives.&#8221;
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Behn said the shooting inspired her to run for office to fight &#8220;every day&#8221; for &#8220;protections for trans kids and our trans communities.&#8221; She said she was specifically inspired to fight back against The Daily Wire, and specifically Daily Wire host Matt Walsh, because the company is based in Nashville.
&#8220;Every legislative session, I promise to carry a &#8216;trans bill of rights&#8217; so that we can push back against the far-right narrative that is being emanated by Matt Walsh and The Daily Wire, who have set up their home in Nashville,&#8221; Behn said. &#8220;I promise to do that, and I promise to fight for the trans community.&#8221;
WATCH: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: This is how Democrat Aftyn Behn responded to the Covenant shooting, when a trans-identifying woman killed six at the Christian school.
It inspired Behn’s first run for office…so she could fight to protect “trans communities” and against Daily Wire and <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattWalshBlog</a>. <a href="https://t.co/th13e1v6dW">pic.twitter.com/th13e1v6dW</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1992975426193326512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Behn, who is running against Republican Matt Van Epps in a special election next Tuesday, has indeed fought for far-left positions since she was elected that year, especially on transgender issues. For example, Behn opposed a parental rights law that would make schools notify parents about their child&#8217;s &#8220;trans identity.&#8221; She called it an attack on &#8220;vulnerable kids&#8221; who are &#8220;just trying to make it out of middle school alive.&#8221;
The Democrat is also on record opposing a law that would protect minors from drag shows. Behn insisted the law &#8220;isn&#8217;t about protecting kids&#8221; but about &#8220;spreading fear and division.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-creating-a-new-terrorism-category-for-transgender-violence-matters">Why Creating A New Terrorism Category For Transgender Violence Matters</a>
Behn and Van Epps are fighting for the congressional seat vacated by House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green earlier this year. Democrats are loading money into the district, in hopes of flipping a reliably Republican district. Her leftist views, many of which she&#8217;s been forced to run away from, are emerging as a serious impediment.
Even on MS NOW, the liberal network formerly known as MSNBC, Behn was called out this weekend for her past policy positions, including that the Nashville police department should be disbanded and that burning down a police station is justified. She declined to back away from either statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Holy crap, the Democrat nominee for Tennessee’s 7th district — parts of Nashville, Franklin &amp; beyond, my congressional district — called for shutting down Nashville’s police department &amp; burning down police stations. Go vote for Matt Van Epps on Monday: <a href="https://t.co/lNaR30e91N">pic.twitter.com/lNaR30e91N</a>
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1992775554785738883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script>
Behn has also taken heat for trashing Nashville, which she supposedly wants to represent in Congress.
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">said</a> in an unearthed podcast clip posted this past week.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">Music City Fumble: Dem Candidate Said She Hates City She Wants To Represent In Congress</a>

Aftyn Behn // Covenant School shooting

Democrat Aftyn Behn Said Covenant Shooting Made Her ‘Fearful’ For ‘Trans Communities’

Congress

Defund The Police

House GOP

Matt Walsh

The Covenant School

The Daily Wire

Transgender

A Democratic candidate running for a congressional seat that represents part of Nashville once said she hated the city and the country music culture long associated with it.
Aftyn Behn, a leftist candidate running for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, attacked Nashville back in a 2020 podcast appearance where she laid into some of Music City’s distinctive features. Behn, currently a Democrat state representative, is running against Republican Matt Van Epps for the congressional seat vacated by House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green earlier this year. 
&#8220;I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an &#8216;it&#8217; city to the rest of the country. But I hate it,&#8221; she said in an unearthed podcast clip posted on Thursday. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 Aftyn Behn&#8211; the Democrat nominee for the upcoming TN07 special election&#8211; says that she despises Nashville, the city that she&#8217;s running to represent in Congress:
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the… <a href="https://t.co/L9lmo1YkkJ">pic.twitter.com/L9lmo1YkkJ</a>
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1991281873486557233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The district, which stretches from the Tennessee-Kentucky border down to Alabama, includes part of Nashville. In 2024, Green won the district with nearly 60% of the vote. A special election is scheduled for December 2, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and Democrats are hoping for low Republican turnout. Both Republicans and Democrats are <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/millions-pour-tennessee-special-election-ahead-december-vote-rcna244846">spending</a> millions on the race. 
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In response to the viral clip, Behn said Republicans were only sharing the footage because they were panicked that she might win the race, and she denied hating Nashville. 
“NO, I DO NOT HATE THE CITY I REPRESENT,&#8221; Behn <a href="https://x.com/aftynfortn/status/1991669057473425651">wrote</a> on X. &#8220;The national GOP&#8217;s new attack? That I ‘hate Nashville.’ I’ve cried in the Country Music Hall of Fame no less than 10 times. They’re panicking because we’re close to winning. Eyes on the prize, y’all. Let’s go.&#8221;
In a video posted to social media, she said she didn&#8217;t hate the city, though she acknowledged that bachelorette parties and pedal taverns occasionally make her “mad.”
During early voting on Thursday, one local Democrat named Tim Ford <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/i-hate-this-city-democratic-candidate-aftyn-behn-at-center-of-controversial-clip">told</a> a local Fox affiliate that he wished he could take back his vote after he heard Behn’s remarks. 
&#8220;I want to go get my vote back and keep it,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;Really surprised someone would even talk like that about Nashville,&#8221; Ford added. &#8220;I think she should apologize as many times as she can.&#8221;
State Republican lawmakers criticized Behn for her remarks. 
“[Behn] wants to be elected by a city she hates,” Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson <a href="https://x.com/SenJohnson/status/1991624794098561193">said</a>. “The choice couldn’t be more clear — [Van Epps] stands with [Trump] and is committed to helping Nashville continue to thrive. Aftyn is not. Early voting ends Nov. 26th!”
Behn has also characterized the Volunteer State and its legislature as “racist,” writing in a 2020 op-ed that “our problem with racism in this state is wild and untamed” and that “racism is in the air we breathe.”
President Donald Trump, who endorsed Van Epps during a competitive Republican primary, has called Behn &#8220;a left-wing lunatic.&#8221;

MixCollage-21-Nov-2025-10-35-AM-9496

Music City Fumble: Dem Candidate Said She Hates City She Wants To Represent In Congress

Elections

Mark Green

A church on Nashville&#8217;s west side has sat for years with no purpose. CreatiVets, an organization for wounded veterans, saw the church&#8217;s potential, but it came with a hefty Nashville real estate price tag of $3.35 million.
Thankfully, Gary Sinise saw the potential too. The actor best known for his role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, donated $1 million to CreatiVets this spring to help buy the church for veterans to have a place to go to immerse themselves in songwriting, music, and other artistic avenues.
&#8220;Quite often our veterans don&#8217;t want any help. But through art and theatre as well, acting out what they are going through can be very, very beneficial,&#8221; Sinise told the Associated Press.
The Gary Sinise Foundation has given to CreatiVets the last two years but nothing compared to the million-dollar gift, according to CreatiVets Co-Founder and Executive Director Richard Casper. Casper, who started CreatiVets in 2013, called Sinise&#8217;s donation a catalyst for the non-profit&#8217;s mission.
&#8220;It will accelerate the opening of our Nashville art and music center, expand access to life-saving songwriting and visual arts programs, and help us drive down the waitlist of veterans seeking creative healing,&#8221; he said.
Two other donors who remained anonymous each gave $1 million toward the purchase of the church, which was finalized in July. Other influential people, including Grammy Award-winning artist Amy Grant, also donated toward the effort. Grant and Sinise toured the property in person in the spring and wanted to make CreatiVets&#8217; vision a reality.
Part of the CreatiVets&#8217; new home will be a performance center dedicated to Sinise&#8217;s late son, Mac, who died in 2024 after a battle with cancer. Casper said Mac loved music and was very involved with helping veterans through his father&#8217;s foundation.
The Academy Award-nominated actor started his foundation in 2011 to help military veterans, first responders, and their families. The foundation supports programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, and build. Programs like CreatiVets.
Casper said the funding so far for the new location has been a blessing. To restore the church that&#8217;s been left untouched since at least 2017, the non-profit needs at least $1.9 million for basic renovations. After that is completed, they&#8217;ll need additional support for office supplies.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-998757 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/IMG_7874-768x576.jpeg" alt="" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/IMG_7874-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/IMG_7874-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/IMG_7874-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/IMG_7874-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div>
At CreatiVets&#8217; current location in the 12 South area of Nashville, veterans can only use the space to its full potential after working hours because it shares space with another business. Casper has fought for the empty church as a new space for more than a year. His goal of providing a 24-hour oasis for veterans keeps him moving through any setback he faces. A new space is needed to play music and have access to other machinery, sometimes noisy, round-the-clock.
The plan is to have the new CreatiVets music center open by next fall.
If you want to donate to CreatiVets, you can visit their website <a href="https://creativets.org/">here</a>.
The organization is hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. You can buy tickets to &#8220;Stars and Scars to Scripts&#8221; featuring performances by Vince Gill, Charles Esten, Kalsey Kulyk, and Jay Demarcus <a href="https://www.tpac.org/events/detail/creativets-15043">here</a>.

CreatiVets/Gary Sinise

Gary Sinise Donates $1 Million To Turn Abandoned Church Into Creative Space For Wounded Veterans

Gary Sinise

News

Veterans

Veterans Day

NASHVILLE — Banana Taffy, Dragon Drink, Hawaiian Fruit Punch. Those aren’t smoothies or soft drinks. Those are a sampling of the variety of vapes that continue to enter the United States illegally from China in 2025.
Cases of the brightly-colored devices lined the booths at this year’s Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. Some vape devices featured LED screens. Some were stackable, allowing up to three flavors, enabling the user to concoct their own mixture of candy-like vape flavors. Other vapes were stylized as designer purses. One wholesaler employee pitched a pastel vape device that doubled as a fidget toy.
And as of 2020, all of them were illegal.
<div id="attachment_966933" style="width: 453px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966933" class="wp-image-966933 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg" alt="" width="443" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg 443w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-231x300.jpg 231w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-768x999.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-1181x1536.jpg 1181w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6.jpg 1516w" sizes=" (max-width: 443px) 100vw, 443px" />A promotional flyer for the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee.</div>
While American manufacturers like JUUL only sell vapes in menthol and tobacco flavors — the only legal flavors in the United States — wholesalers skirt Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations by importing vape products from China. These unregulated Chinese vapes are flooding the United States, despite warning letters and threats of seizure by the FDA. At the Alternative Products Expo, wholesalers promoted their illegal, Chinese vape products completely out in the open.
The Chinese company <a href="https://www.kangvapecig.com/">Kangvape</a> prominently displayed its TC8000 vape. The booth stocked the flavors Cool Mint, Miami Mint, Pineapple Coconut, Vintage, Virginia Tobacco, and Watermelon Ice. A flyer advertised an additional 23 flavors, including Rainbow Paradise.
Kangvape also sold its Speedy Beast vape in 20 flavors — none of which included tobacco or menthol. Instead, the Speedy Beast boasted the exotic-sounding Blue Laffi Taffi, Ruby Delight, and Tropical Starburst.
These are being openly hawked with no concern for past threats of action. The FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nfv-llc-dba-nfdvapes-and-nic-fix-doctor-673307-12122023">cited</a> the Rainbow Paradise flavor of the TC8000 in a warning letter from December 2023. Another FDA warning letter from April 2024 <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/highfi-vape-682420-04302024">noted</a> the illegal Kangvape Onee Stick. 
<div id="attachment_966947" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966947" class="wp-image-966947 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg" alt="" width="419" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg 419w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-218x300.jpg 218w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-768x1055.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1118x1536.jpg 1118w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1490x2048.jpg 1490w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4.jpg 1496w" sizes=" (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" />ZColors by ZLAB is another Chinese vape company that sells its products in the United States.</div>
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said cracking down on illegal vapes is a “top priority” for the agency, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-priority-fda-to-crack-down-on-illegal-chinese-vapes">reported</a>.
“Eighty-five percent of the vaping products sold in the vape stores are illegal according to the FDA’s list,” Makary said. “We don’t even know what’s in some of these vaping products.”
There are only 39 vape products that have been authorized by the FDA.
An FDA spokesman says a federal task force is facilitating actions against illegal products.
“FDA has taken numerous actions against unauthorized new tobacco products from international firms, including e-cigarettes that are most popular with youth,” the spokesman told The Daily Wire.
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The FDA reports that it has seized millions of dollars’ worth of illegal products. In January, the agency seized $7 million worth of vape products, including the brand Geek Bar, which an FDA press release <a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/more-7-million-worth-illegal-e-cigarettes-seized-federal-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> “may appeal to youth.”
The seizures haven’t scared Kangvape. The company sold dozens of boxes of Geek Bar vapes at the Expo, featuring flavors ranging from Banana Taffy Freeze to Blue Razz Ice.
Federal action appears to have had little impact on Chinese vapes in general. The Expo featured wholesalers that have received FDA warning letters and seemingly ignored them.
One such wholesaler, Safa Goods, was a sponsor of the Expo. Its name appeared on Expo nametags, as did advertisements for two other illegal vape brands, Beri Crush and Raz LTX.
The warning letter to Safa, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/safa-goods-llc-665079-10052023">sent</a> in October 2023, cited the illegal vape product EB Design BC5000 Blue Razz Ice. Safa’s booth didn’t advertise the EB vapes. But it did sell the illegal vape Raz LTX 25K, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/vapejuicecom-709722-05302025">cited</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
The Raz LTX 25K is a <a href="https://mipod.com/blogs/mipodblog/what-happened-to-raz-dc25000-vapes?srsltid=AfmBOor8Y9qvgdp0D6RivbJ6vGd7lvXcRpp2AeXAOV_R7DvF28cbEUfl">rebrand</a> of the Raz DC25000, which has also been cited in multiple FDA warning letters. Safa’s Expo booth sold the flavor Mango Loco, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/thesmokeplugcom-709720-05302025">named</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
<div id="attachment_967009" style="width: 452px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-967009" class="wp-image-967009 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg" alt="" width="442" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg 442w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-230x300.jpg 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-768x1000.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1179x1536.jpg 1179w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1572x2048.jpg 1572w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7.jpg 1612w" sizes=" (max-width: 442px) 100vw, 442px" />Safa Goods, a U.S. company that distributes Chinese vape products, was a sponsor of the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville.</div>
Safa also sold dozens of flavors aside from menthol and tobacco in additional brands.
The company is the subject of a New York lawsuit <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-sues-nations-largest-vape-distributors-fueling-youth">suing</a> multiple vape distributors “for illegally distributing, marketing, and selling flavored disposable vapes.”
A primary concern with these vapes, with flavors more fit for a candy store than a tobacco shop, is that they appeal to children. Illegal e-cigarettes often attract children and teens through bright colors and fruit- and candy-based flavors, according to Makary.
The FDA spokesman said the agency works with “federal partners to combat these attempted illegal imports and enhance enforcement activities,” especially against vape products “that may be appealing to youth.”
An FDA seizure in 2023 included the illegal brand Lost Mary. Expo wholesaler Strictly E-Cig’s 2025 product catalog advertised 30 flavors of Lost Mary vapes, with names such as Dragon Drink, Rocket Popsicle, and Scary Berry. The Lost Mary products are available for purchase online.
Another wholesaler, Sol Trading, leaned into pastel colors and “cutie, fruity flavors” to market its UT Bar vape, which one employee pitched as both a vape and a fidget toy.
The UT Bar combines two flavors into one vape. The flavor combinations included B-Pop and Watermelon, Citrus Ice and Sour Fab, Cool Mint and Icy Mint, and Raspberry and White Peach.
Multiple sellers advertised flavor combinations at the Expo. Chinese-based company Ziip Lab sold its Z-Land vape, which allows the user to stack up to three vape pods for more than 125,000 flavor combinations, according to a handout from the booth.
The flyer advertised stacking flavors such as Berry Mix and Guava, as well as Blueberry, Green Apple, and Orange. Z-Land comes in a total of 51 flavors, including Milk, Rainbow Rain, and Skittle Ice Fruits.
Another wholesaler, Unishow, sold GeakNexx vapes at the Expo. Unishow <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/128992/download?attachment">received</a> an FDA warning letter in 2019 for selling illegal products. The GeakNexx vapes came in about a dozen illicit flavors, including Blue Oat Donut, Frozen Fcuking Fab, and Strawberry Banana.
The Alternative Products Expo, Kangvape, Safa Goods, Strictly E-Cig, Unishow, and Ziip Lab did not respond to requests for comment.
The illegal vapes didn’t stop with the wholesalers. The Alternative Products Expo itself advertised a giveaway of $50,000 worth of illegal vape products, including the disposable Geek Bar Pulse and the Raz DC25000, and the Raz TN9000. The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/denverelectroniccigarettescom-708988-05162025">Geek Bar Pulse</a>, Raz DC25000, and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nepa-wholesale-inc-710957-06262025">Raz TN9000</a> have been cited in FDA warning letters.
The Expo promoted the illegal vapes giveaway with a large sign and a locked case of vapes just inside the entrance to the convention center. It also marketed the giveaway online and in the official show book.
The advertised flavors included Blue Razz Ice, Fire and Ice, and Miami Mint. An additional flavor, Strawberry Burst, did not contain nicotine.
The Expo was not only for vapes, but also “the full spectrum of alternative products,” including CBD-based products, mushrooms, and Kratom, another drug that’s become dangerously popular with America’s teenagers.
Many of these vapes are smuggled into the United States. A previous Daily Wire investigation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-flooding-america-with-illegal-vapes-and-more-than-90-fly-under-the-radar">found</a> that over 90% of imported Chinese vape products in 2024 were not included in U.S. import data. The companies often disguise their products by labeling them as battery chargers and flashlights.
“[What] we have been doing is laughable,” Makary said. “We’re going to start confiscating and seizing. We’re going to take this seriously.”

IMG_6982

From Banana Taffy To Dragon Drink: The Illegal Chinese Vapes Flooding The U.S. Market

Drugs

Investigation

Vape

The FBI arrested a 22-year-old on Thursday for threatening to kill Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) earlier this year. 
The Justice Department accused Penelope Convertino, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, of leaving a voice mail message at Blackburn’s Nashville office threatening to shoot the senator on May 30. Convertino has been charged with making a threat to murder a federal official with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere. 
“Our public officials should be able to do their jobs without receiving vile death threats,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/murfreesboro-woman-charged-threat-murder-united-states-senator-marsha-blackburn">said</a> Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Threatening public officials with deadly violence cannot and will not be tolerated. We will not hesitate to hold those who make these kinds of violent threats accountable for their crimes.”
According to the Justice Department, Convertino’s voice mail said: “My name is mother**ker and I’m gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. I’m gonna shoot her with a gun. I’m gonna blow up her head on national TV,” Convertino said, according to the Justice Department. “She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead f**king body.”
If convicted, Convertino could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 
Blackburn, who is running for governor of Tennessee, expressed gratitude to federal investigators. 
“Threats against the life of any public official are unacceptable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” she <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/murfreesboro/woman-charged-alleged-threat-blackburn/">told</a> local outlet WKRN. “I am grateful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee for taking this threat seriously and for their swift action. My focus remains on serving the people of Tennessee, and I will not be intimidated or deterred by those who seek to silence me.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Republican Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) criticized the FBI, <a href="https://x.com/timburchett/status/1961433462079889900">saying</a> it took far too long to make an arrest in the case.
“Someone threatens [Blackburn’s] life and it takes the [FBI] 3 months to arrest the dirtbag?! That’s a problem,” he posted on X. 
Blackburn, who was re-elected to a second Senate term in 2024, will face off against Republican Rep. John Rose in the August 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary.

Senate Lawmakers Return To Work On Capitol Hill After Weekend

FBI Nabs Suspect Over Chilling Threat To Assassinate Sen. Marsha Blackburn

Crime

Department of Justice

Marsha Blackburn

They say you should never meet your heroes, but that statement should come with an overarching disclaimer: “&#8230;*unless your hero happens to be Ben Shapiro.”
Few idols measure up in real life and almost none of them exceed your expectations, but the one glaring exception to this rule is the Daily Wire co-founder himself. Shapiro is just as impressive in real life as he is breaking down news headlines on his daily show, and now you and a friend have a chance to find that out firsthand.
Along with the release of his new book, “<a href="http://www.dailywire.com/ben">Lions and Scavengers</a>,” on September 2, Shapiro is hosting a contest for loyal fans featuring a grand prize that comes with eternal bragging rights. One lucky winner and a friend will have a chance to visit Daily Wire headquarters in Nashville to experience a live taping of “The Ben Shapiro Show” and meet the man himself. 
Entering this contest couldn’t be simpler. All it takes is pre-ordering “Lions and Scavengers” and registering that purchase at <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/ben">this link</a>. Everyone who registers will also receive the first two chapters of the book immediately.
Even if you don’t win the top prize, the runner-up gifts are pretty sweet. Ten runners-up will score a limited edition hooded sweatshirt. And five lucky winners will receive something even rarer: a personal phone call from Ben himself.
The best news of all is that everyone who pre-orders “Lions and Scavengers” will receive the book itself, which cuts through the noise to ask a question that might just define the future of America: Will we rise as noble Lions, or pick at the scraps as destructive Scavengers?
The New York Times best-selling author doesn’t just present these as provocative metaphors. Instead, he holds a mirror up to the modern West and forces us to face reality. 
Lions are brave, principled, and willing to do the hard work of building and preserving civilization. Scavengers tear it down, feeding on resentment, envy, and complaints. It’s a high-stakes choice, and Shapiro doesn’t shy away from saying exactly where he thinks our country is headed if we don’t choose the right path. 
With his trademark “facts don’t care about your feelings” clarity and unapologetic willingness to buck the status quo, Shapiro makes the case that inequality in a free society isn’t a sign of oppression, but is rather the natural result of differences in talent and work ethic. And while Scavengers complain, Lions try harder.
This isn’t just a book drop – it’s a moment to decide which side of the battle you’re on. The Lions are prowling. The Scavengers are circling. Where do you fall?  
<a href="http://www.dailywire.com/ben">Pre-order “Lions and Scavengers” now!</a>

Lions and Scavengers sweepstakes

Lion Or Scavenger? Win A Trip To Nashville To Meet Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro

Books

Daily Wire

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — “Everybody needs to be reading more history.” 
While not a typical applause line, it was a favorite of the crowd of twenty and thirty-somethings listening to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti speak at the National Young Republican Convention. Skrmetti, fresh off a landmark victory at the Supreme Court, implored the crowd to take seriously their duty to know how America works and leave it better off for future generations. 
“You’re the ones who are coming into this, and you’ve got the future ahead of you, we run the country, and we need to do it wisely,” Skrmetti told the crowd of sharply-dressed attendees in the ballroom of the Sheraton Music City Hotel last weekend. “That means everybody needs to be reading more history. You’ve got to have the perspective of knowing how things have worked in the past.”
Skrmetti, who loves American history and has four young children, praised the Founding Fathers for their sacrifices to build the United States. 
“America is not just a short-term thing where we get what we can get and then run for the hills,” he said. “It is literally created to secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity, and we have to have the multi-generational perspective and be looking not just to get short-term wins, but to strengthen our country.”
This year’s convention was attended by more than 1,000 Republicans between the ages of 18 and 40 from all 50 states. It was the largest convention in decades, and the second largest ever, according to organizers. 
Speakers and participants included a variety of Tennessee political staples, such as Governor Bill Lee and Reps. John Rose and Tim Burchett, in addition to sports commentator Clay Travis and conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings. 
From Thursday to Sunday, attendees milled about the convention space, which featured booths from diverse organizations such as Trump Mobile, PETA, and WinRed. Multiple attendees told The Daily Wire they were there to meet like-minded people. 
Kellie Lynch, a Republican from New York, said that she thought the most significant issues facing young people were the economy, the cost of living, and the rise of artificial intelligence. While much has been made of the gender divide in voting patterns, Lynch said that the GOP did a “great job” reaching out to women. She thought media bias played a major role in some women’s perception of Republicans. 
<div id="attachment_957525" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-957525" class="size-full wp-image-957525" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/IMG_6866-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/IMG_6866-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/IMG_6866-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/IMG_6866-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/IMG_6866-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/IMG_6866-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Booths at the Young Republican convention/ Photo: Catherine Maxwell.</div>
Another attendee, Kyle Mason, an investment property specialist from Texas, said he believed President Donald Trump’s embrace of masculinity was key to the reason many younger men were starting to vote Republican. In his spare time, Mason volunteers with Republican political efforts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 
After his panel appearance, Skrmetti told The Daily Wire that he had a lot of older mentors who helped him be involved in civic action, and he now wants to play that role for others. Asked about some young people who see politics as hopelessly corrupt, Skrmetti pointed out that America was founded by men who were skeptical of the government. 
“Cynical people are a critical part of America, and we need them, but we need them not to sit on the sidelines and gripe. We need them to take their cynicism and put it to work on behalf of all the American people,” he said. 
He added that one way to expose corruption and push for change was on the internet, which he said really opened up the national conversation for input from anyone. 
Skrmetti’s sentiment was present in other speeches, including by Governor Lee, who noted that he would probably float into “political obscurity” once his term in office was over.
“You’re the future of America, you have an obligation and a responsibility to wake up every day and ask yourself those questions so you’ll be engaging in the things that matter and that change the lives of the people around you,” Lee said. 
<div id="attachment_957531" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-957531" class="size-full wp-image-957531" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-scaled.jpg" alt="Young Republicans National Convention Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, TN. " width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/YRNC_250731_131724_1243-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Lee speaks at convention: Photo by: Jonathan Williams | NationalPhotography.us via YRNC.</div>
The National Young Republicans now have chapters in almost every state, with a Delaware chapter being chartered over the weekend, Chair Hayden Padgett told The Daily Wire. The last state needing a chapter is Wyoming. 
Padgett said that the purpose of the Young Republicans was twofold: to build community and to aid in political campaigns.
During the 2024 election cycle, which he described as “wild” in the “best way,” Padgett said a contingent of Young Republicans knocked on the doors of 3% of Montana voters in support of Tim Sheehy, who successfully defeated incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Tester. 
His pitch to young people was that Republican policies would help them achieve the American dream of starting a family, owning a business, and buying a home. Padgett was re-elected as chair of the Young Republicans after a contentious challenge from New York State Young Republicans Chair Peter Giunta.
“If you want to have a better life, if you want to have a family, if you want to have the ability to actually achieve the American dream, we are putting in the policies, and have been for 150 years, whatever it is, that actually make that possible,” Padgett said. “So come join that.”

YRNC_250731_122447_0999

‘America Is Not A Short-Term Thing’: Lawmakers Urge Young Republicans Take Up The Fight

American History

Bill Lee

Republicans

Scott Jennings

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Monday that the state would be partnering with Elon Musk’s Boring Company to build an underground tunnel connecting the Nashville airport to the city’s downtown.
The project will be called the “Music City Loop” and will connect Nashville International Airport to the heart of the city’s entertainment district via an underground tunnel. Using electric vehicles, the trip will take about eight minutes, <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/7/28/gov--lee--the-boring-company-unveil-transformative-underground-music-city-loop-project.html">according</a> to the Boring Company.
During a press conference at the airport, Lee said that the project would be 100% privately funded with “no cost to taxpayers.” He said that it was brought to Nashville because it is the “most dynamic city in the country” and that it would lead to less congestion on the roads.
“Tennessee continues to lead the nation in finding innovative solutions to infrastructure challenges,” Lee said. “By leveraging the innovation of private sector companies like The Boring Company, we’re exploring possibilities we couldn’t achieve on our own as a state. This partnership represents the kind of forward-thinking, fiscally responsible approach that will define the future of transportation in Tennessee.”
The loop will be built under state-owned roads, and construction is projected to begin in the fall of 2026, pending approvals.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy was also present at the announcement, saying that he was “thrilled about this project.”
Duffy said that the project would help reduce congestion on the roads, which has become worse in recent years as Tennessee has seen an influx of new residents. He said that the congestion was a “product of your own success” because people were attracted to the politics of Tennessee.
Boring Company President Steve Davis said at a press conference that the rock below Tennessee was really difficult to drill through, but that his engineers would be able to figure it out. He also said that the company would start consideration of potential places to expand the tunnel.
The decision to bring a tunnel to Nashville was celebrated by Tennessee GOP Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.
&#8220;As Nashville International Airport continues to set passenger records and our city experiences an economic boom, the Boring Company&#8217;s investment in the Music City Loop will help ease growing pains and address transportation challenges at zero cost to Tennessee taxpayers,&#8221; Blackburn said. &#8220;The Boring Company could not have picked a better new home for this state-of-the-art tunneling technology than Nashville, and I look forward to seeing the tremendous impact this investment will have on our city and its residents.”

Milken Institute’s Global Conference Held In Beverly Hills

Elon Musk’s Boring Company Announces Major Tunnel Project In Red State

Economy

Elon Musk

U.S.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A Vanderbilt University administrator was caught on camera admitting that the school is actively pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in violation of President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive action cracking down on colleges pushing the leftist DEI agenda.
G.L. Black, the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, said last month that the school remains &#8220;thoughtful around DEI work&#8221; and its &#8220;focus on belonging and building communities and sustaining communities and access and resources,&#8221; according to a video obtained by The Daily Wire.
&#8220;All the things that I would say are components of DEI work are part of what we do,&#8221; Black added. &#8220;Even if we don&#8217;t label everything as DEI work.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Footage obtained by The Daily Wire shows the <a href="https://twitter.com/VanderbiltU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VanderbiltU</a> Vice Provost for Student Affairs admitting that the university continues to push DEI, &#8220;even if we don&#8217;t label everything as DEI work.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/MZbv8enIgf">pic.twitter.com/MZbv8enIgf</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1948423032411688999?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Along with being nationally recognized for its pre-law and business programs, Vanderbilt — located in Nashville, Tennessee — is also a leading medical school, <a href="https://news.vumc.org/2024/03/11/school-of-medicine-in-top-10-in-nih-funding-survey-2/#:~:text=Vanderbilt%20University%20School%20of%20Medicine,of%20the%20last%2010%20years.">receiving</a> hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Last year, Vanderbilt ranked 10th in the country in total research support from the NIH.
After taking office in January, President Trump signed multiple executive orders targeting DEI practices in the federal government and at federally funded colleges and universities. In one executive <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/">order</a>, Trump blasted DEI policies, saying they &#8220;undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system.&#8221;
Vanderbilt told The Daily Wire that it remains &#8220;fully compliant with all applicable federal and state laws&#8221; and added that it is &#8220;aware of recent covert recordings by external groups on university campuses nationwide.&#8221;
&#8220;Any comments by individual employees that suggest otherwise do not reflect university policy and are being reviewed through appropriate channels,&#8221; the university said.
Vice Provost Black did not return a request to comment from The Daily Wire.
After publication of this article, Vanderbilt released a statement saying that it hired the law firm Baker Donelson, which &#8220;will be tasked with reviewing the specific circumstances related to the recordings and identifying steps the university can take to ensure all employees fully understand the university’s policies and consistently act in accordance.&#8221;
&#8220;The university will review the findings and recommendations of the report and take any appropriate follow-up actions,&#8221; the statement added. &#8220;As part of our protocol, staff involved will step back from regular responsibilities to allow the review to unfold.&#8221;
The Education Department told The Daily Wire that Vanderbilt is already under investigation &#8220;for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.&#8221; That <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/office-civil-rights-initiates-title-vi-investigations-institutions-of-higher-education-0">investigation</a>, which was announced in March, also targets 44 other universities nationwide. The Education Department alleges that Vanderbilt&#8217;s PhD Project, which focuses on providing networking opportunities for PhD students, “limits eligibility based on the race of the participants.”
&#8220;We expect all academic institutions that receive taxpayer support to abide by federal law and will continue to vigorously hold violators accountable,&#8221; the Education Department added.
Another Vanderbilt employee was recently caught on camera saying that the university&#8217;s DEI agenda has remained unchanged, even if the name has changed, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/watch-dei-efforts-were-rebranded-2-red-state-colleges-skirt-trump-orders-staffers-admit">reported</a>. She said the new names for DEI help &#8220;clue people in.&#8221;
&#8220;At one point, you know, everybody, like different universities, were under investigation for their, like, DEI practices and stuff like that. So, that&#8217;s why I think the naming has changed,&#8221; said Ivie Carmouche, an academic coach at the university&#8217;s Center for Student Wellbeing.
&#8220;We&#8217;re in the Center for Student Wellbeing — like I said, we have things that clue people in and let people know that this is a safe space for everybody,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Belonging and Communities is like as close to that DEI work you can probably get. Previously, they were the Center for Social Justice and Identities.&#8221;
Yet another Vanderbilt employee was recently caught discussing the school&#8217;s DEI policies and ripping Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn.
&#8220;We have this one, gosh I think she&#8217;s a representative or something like that, and I just heard that she may run for governor. And I&#8217;m going, oh God, help us,&#8221; said Janet Roberts, Vanderbilt&#8217;s Peabody Facilities Manager. &#8220;She&#8217;s ridiculous.&#8221;
&#8220;We are heavily supported by federal funding &#8230; we&#8217;re not advertising diversity and inclusion lectures,&#8221; Roberts added. &#8220;We&#8217;re flying under the radar.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨BUSTED: <a href="https://twitter.com/VanderbiltU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VanderbiltU</a>&#39;s Janet Roberts was CAUGHT ON CAMERA disparaging Sen. Marsha Blackburn and hiding the school&#39;s DEI practices. 
&quot;God help us&#8230;[<a href="https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarshaBlackburn</a>&#39;s] ridiculous&quot;
&quot;We are heavily supported by federal funding&#8230;[so] we&#39;re not advertising diversity and… <a href="https://t.co/CIxV6FCrwe">pic.twitter.com/CIxV6FCrwe</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1948057680871886969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Blackburn on Wednesday wrote to Vanderbilt University Chancellor Dr. Daniel Diermeier to express her &#8220;concern regarding reports that Vanderbilt University is concealing its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs instead of fully complying with President Trump’s executive action to end wasteful DEI programs in educational institutions,&#8221; The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-blackburn-warns-tennessee-universities-against-hiding-dei-programs-behind-coded-language">reported</a>.
&#8220;Renaming woke DEI programs to circumvent compliance and public scrutiny degrades the educational experience of your students and the trust placed in institutions of higher education like Vanderbilt,&#8221; Blackburn added. &#8220;As a beneficiary of federal funding, Vanderbilt has a responsibility to align with the President’s executive order and return to a focus on providing quality education to your students. Instead of rebranding harmful, woke DEI initiatives, woke DEI initiatives, Vanderbilt should focus on the important work of research and workforce development that the institution does so well.&#8221;
Administrators at two other Tennessee universities, the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/watch-dei-efforts-were-rebranded-2-red-state-colleges-skirt-trump-orders-staffers-admit">University of Tennessee</a> and <a href="https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2025/07/16/belmont-university-is-hiding-illegal-aliens-on-campus-n2659728">Belmont University</a>, were recently caught on camera discussing their respective institutions&#8217; DEI goals.
This article has been updated to include an additional statement from Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Vanderbilt Administrator Caught Saying DEI Remains ‘Part Of What We Do’

Department of Education

Trump Administration

Universities

Vanderbilt University

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slammed Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell in a Friday morning press conference in the southern city, accusing him of “risking people’s lives” after he doxxed ICE agents.
Noem showcased some of the criminal illegal aliens, including rapists and murders, captured in the Nashville area before warning that left-wing politicians have sided with illegal aliens and in some cases, even endangered federal law enforcement.
“One of the open border politicians is right here in this state and right here in this city, and I’m specifically calling out the mayor of Nashville,” Noem charged.
“Freddie O’Connell has gone after our ICE individuals and agents who work with HSI,” she said, referring to Homeland Security Investigations. “He’s openly doxxed them, revealed them to the public, and encouraged people to go against them and their efforts to clean up the streets of Nashville.”
“What the mayor is doing to this city is shameful. What he needs to do is participate with us and make sure that he is helping us enforce the rule of law,” Noem said of the Democrat mayor, also accusing him of playing politics and “risking people’s lives.”
Noem’s statements came after O’Connell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashvilles-democrat-mayor-doxxes-ice-agents">doxxed the names</a> of ICE agents involved in raids in Nashville, which The Daily Wire revealed resulted in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-dems-rage-over-nashville-ice-raids-that-targeted-rapists-and-gang-members?author=Spencer+Lindquist+and+Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Dems+Rage+Over+Nashville+ICE+Raids+That+Targeted+Rapists+And+Gang+Members">capture</a> of 196 illegal aliens, 96 of whom had criminal histories or pending criminal charges beyond illegally entering the country.
The city’s mayor said that the doxxing was done by accident, but one DHS official charged that there was &#8220;zero chance it was a mistake.&#8221;
The DHS Secretary also told The Daily Wire that she blames the rhetoric of liberal politicians and leftist organizations for the rise in assaults against ICE officers.
“It’s the rhetoric of elected officials, of leaders, of leftist organizations and the media. When they don’t tell the truth, there’s consequences to that,” Noem said. “When they don’t talk about the facts of what’s happening out on our streets and what the American people need, then it gets distorted and the information is used in a way that can undermine what the rule of law is.”
A small group of leftist protesters gathered outside of the Homeland Security Investigations building where Noem held her press conference.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
A meager crowd of leftist demonstrators showed up to protest DHS Sec. Noem’s Nashville press conference, where she showcased some of the murderers and rapists captured by ICE.
I’m here for <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> <a href="https://t.co/y9Ncv809mI">pic.twitter.com/y9Ncv809mI</a>
— Spencer Lindquist 🇺🇸 (@SpencerLndqst) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst/status/1946239336871031267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Noem also told The Daily Wire at a Thursday night press conference that it will refer those who dox ICE agents to the Department of Justice for prosecution.
“We will detain these individuals if the law allows and it&#8217;s up to the Department of Justice if they decide to prosecute … doxxing very much exposes them and their families up to dangerous situations,” Noem said. “We’ve had many of our ICE officers, CBP officers who’ve been victimized, their families have been threatened and attacked.”
“Any elected official, anybody who does this on purpose and causes harm or brings harm to them and their families  … they will be referred to them and the Department of Justice has indicated that they will prosecute them where it is appropriate,” she went on to say.

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UFC Fight Night in Nashville on Saturday lived up to the hype and then some. Multiple knockouts, submissions, and hard-fought decisions defined the event.   
The Fight Night, sponsored in part by <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/">Jeremy’s Razors</a>, drew MMA celebrities, including Joe Pyfer, who will be featured in a compelling new DailyWire+ documentary — “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/clips/journey-to-ufc-joe-pyfer-official-teaser">Journey to the UFC</a>” — that will be released on July 25. Three-time Bellator Lightweight champion Michael Chandler was also in attendance for the UFC Fight Night and was repping his new Daily Wire “<a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/make-america-tennessee-hat?srsltid=AfmBOooieUAXdyML4WkCwF9Gl5Nmh6iSqmM2ecLY58VrCbZ63Z7ANimS">Make America Tennessee</a>” hat. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="UFC Fight Night - Nashville" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/00byvUflit0?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>
Daily Wire host Michael Knowles also rolled up to the much-anticipated Fight Night in Nashville. Two knockouts kicked off the Fight Night. Quite literally. In the women’s strawweight division, Fatima Kline caught Melissa Martinez with a nasty headkick KO. Kline was awarded a “Performance of the Night” bonus for her victory. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WHAT A START 🤯
Fatima Kline with the head kick TKO at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a>! <a href="https://t.co/znnkWS3pcS">pic.twitter.com/znnkWS3pcS</a>
&mdash; UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1944166327696199992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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That was followed by a perfectly timed flying knee from Mike Davis that led to a flurry of strikes ending Mitch Ramirez’s night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
AS ADVERTISED 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/MikeDavisMMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikeDavisMMA</a> delivers a TKO win at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a>! <a href="https://t.co/NpzhwS45zl">pic.twitter.com/NpzhwS45zl</a>
&mdash; UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1944172797875696071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tuco Tokkos came out with a major upset victory over Junior Tafa by way of a crafty arm-triangle choke. The win was Tokkos’ first career UFC victory. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tuco Tokkos consigue la victoria por sumisión ante Junior Tafa 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a> <a href="https://t.co/QCsgAb1xd4">pic.twitter.com/QCsgAb1xd4</a>
&mdash; UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) <a href="https://twitter.com/UFCEspanol/status/1944208850027975114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Vitor Petrino got his first victory in the heavyweight division, forcing Austen Lane to tap with a modified rear naked choke
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Vitor Petrino gets the rear naked choke submission win at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a> 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/oX9lk1j9VU">pic.twitter.com/oX9lk1j9VU</a>
&mdash; ESPN MMA (@espnmma) <a href="https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1944214854908215366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In the “Fight of the Night,” Morgan Charriere caught Nate Landweh with a crisp right hand and followed up with a wild flurry of haymakers, which led to a brutal KO of Landweh in the third and final round.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
MORGAN CHARRIÈRE FINISHES NATE LANDWEHR WITH A FLURRY 😱 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a> <a href="https://t.co/cXtlZiAkDt">pic.twitter.com/cXtlZiAkDt</a>
&mdash; ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1944222579000005071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Later in the night, Steve Garcia beat Calvin Kattar by unanimous decision, and Gabriel Bonfim defeated Stephen Thompson by split decision, leading to the main event between Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis and undefeated Tallison “Xicao” Teixeira. 
It took just 35 seconds into the fight for Lewis to land a nasty left hook that dropped Teixeira. Lewis pounced with a thunderous ground and pound before a merciful ref stoppage.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
ANOTHER KNOCKOUT FOR DERRICK LEWIS 😳
Derrick Lewis gets his 16th career KO win at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a> against Tallison Teixeira in just 35 seconds. <a href="https://t.co/PeGDX9RNCb">pic.twitter.com/PeGDX9RNCb</a>
&mdash; Monster Energy (@MonsterEnergy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MonsterEnergy/status/1944384271206294011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Lewis credited the “Tennessee crowd” for pumping him up for the fight. “I got in the mood,” he <a href="https://www.ufc.com/news/main-card-results-highlights-winner-interviews-ufc-fight-night-lewis-vs-teixeira-nashville?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=tweets&amp;utm_campaign=UFC+Nashville">said</a>. The KO put “The Black Beast” at 16 knockouts for his UFC career, the most in UFC history. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
THE KNOCKOUT KING 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/Thebeast_ufc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheBeast_UFC</a> added another KO to his UFC record at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCNashville?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCNashville</a>! <a href="https://t.co/ntOq2spROH">pic.twitter.com/ntOq2spROH</a>
&mdash; UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1944396646697382220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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UFC Fight Night: Lewis v Teixeira

UFC Recap: Thrilling Fight Night Ends With Explosive Knockout

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