GOP Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Campaigns Near Charlotte, NC

Ben Shapiro’s Interview With Former President Donald Trump: Full Transcript

2024 Election

Ben Shapiro

China

Donald Trump

Doug Emhoff

Hurricane Helene

interview

Iran

Kamala Harris

Middle East

Russia

U.S. Military

U.S. Politics

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Viktor Bout, the notorious Russian weapons trafficker who was locked up in the U.S. after being convicted on terrorism charges and who was subsequently released by the Biden-Harris administration, is back to selling weapons to terrorists who are attacking U.S. forces.
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/putins-merchant-of-death-is-back-in-the-arms-business-this-time-selling-to-the-houthis-10b7f521">reported</a> that Bout, now back in Russia, is selling weapons to the Houthis, an Iranian-backed terrorist group in Yemen.
The Houthis have launched countless attacks against merchant vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden over the last year, following Hamas&#8217; October 7 terrorist attack.
They have also launched attacks against Israel and U.S. Navy warships. They&#8217;ve also shot down several U.S. surveillance drones that cost more than $30 million each.
The Houthis encountered Bout when they traveled to Moscow a couple of months ago &#8220;to negotiate the purchase of $10 million worth of automatic weapons.&#8221;
Bout claimed in an interview with Russian media that the allegation that he was selling weapons again was &#8220;baseless&#8221; — but he did not directly deny it.
The Houthis were traveling to Moscow under the guise of needing to purchase &#8220;pesticides and vehicles,&#8221; the report said.
The WSJ report said it wasn&#8217;t clear if Bout was acting on behalf of the Russian government or if he merely had its &#8220;tacit approval&#8221; to conduct the negotiation.
The Houthis bought new assault rifles and discussed other weapons they wanted, including &#8220;Kornet antitank missiles and antiaircraft weapons,&#8221; the report said.
Bout was released as part of a prisoner swap in December 2022 for WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was convicted of drug charges in Russia in August 2022.
Bout was convicted on terrorism charges back in 2011 for trying to sell tens of millions of dollars worth of missiles to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for the purpose of shooting down U.S. Military helicopters.
“Today, one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers is being held accountable for his sordid past,” said then-Attorney General Eric Holder back in November 2011. “Viktor Bout’s arms trafficking activity and support of armed conflicts have been a source of concern around the globe for decades. Today, he faces the prospect of life in prison for his efforts to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to terrorists for use in killing Americans.”
“As the evidence at trial showed, Viktor Bout was ready to sell a weapons arsenal that would be the envy of some small countries,” said then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara. “He aimed to sell those weapons to terrorists for the purpose of killing Americans. With today’s swift verdict, justice has been done and a very dangerous man will be behind bars. I would like to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents who investigated this case on three different continents and helped to bring Viktor Bout to justice.”

RUSSIA-POLITICS-VOTE

Russian Terrorist Freed By Biden-Harris Is Back To Selling Weapons To Terrorists Attacking U.S. Navy

Biden-Harris administration

Brittney Griner

Houthis

Terrorism

World

Iran, attempting to strengthen the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/houthis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Houthis</a>, their proxies in Yemen, is reportedly acting as a go-between between the Houthis and Russia in order for the Russians to send anti-ship missiles to the Houthis.
Russian Yakhont missiles, with a range of roughly 190 miles, would enable the Houthis to increase their accuracy in targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and U.S. and European warships in the area. Russia has already supplied Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, with those missiles. “The Yakhont is considered one of the world&#8217;s most advanced anti-ship missiles, designed to skim the sea&#8217;s surface to avoid detection at more than twice the speed of sound, making it difficult to intercept,” <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-brokering-talks-send-advanced-russian-missiles-yemens-houthis-sources-say-2024-09-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> noted.
“Russia is negotiating with the Houthis for the transfer of Yakhont supersonic anti-ship missiles,” an intelligence source told Reuters. “The Iranians are brokering the talks but do not want to have their signature over it.”
Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said if the Houthis acquire the Yakhont missiles it would represent a “game changer” for regional security, contending, “The P-800 is a far more capable system than the anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles the Houthis have used so far.”
“The Saudis are alarmed. We are alarmed, and other regional partners are alarmed,” a senior U.S. official warned. “The Houthis are already creating enough damage in the Red Sea, and this would enable them to do more.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
“Defeating the Houthi antishipping campaign in the Red Sea and fully reopening that vital sea lane will require more than air-defense picket ships operating in a self-defense mode. It will require the capabilities of the full joint force, with naval forces in the lead,” retired Captain Pete Pagano of the U.S. Navy <a href="https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2024/september/go-all-reopen-red-sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> this month, adding:
<blockquote>
Since October 2023, almost immediately after the Hamas attack on Israel, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers and the air wing on board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) have been taking action against Houthi missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea. These ships and aircraft have downed hundreds of missiles and drones as well as hit targets ashore in retaliatory strikes. However, the Houthi flow of missiles and drones by their chief benefactor Iran remains largely unimpeded, though there have been some success in interdicting seaborne shipments.
</blockquote>

YEMEN-SANAA-HOUTHI-PARADE

Iran Helping Houthis Get Powerful Anti-Ship Missiles From Russia: Report

Global Politics

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/telegram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telegram</a> founder and CEO Pavel Durov released a statement late this week addressing the numerous criminal charges that he faces in France after he was arrested there last month.
French authorities detained the 39-year-old Russian billionaire late last month when his private jet landed in the country as part of an investigation into alleged offenses stemming from his refusal to cooperate with law enforcement officials investigating crimes occurring on the encrypted communication platform.
Durov said in a statement that the allegations that he was not complying with law enforcement requests were &#8220;surprising&#8221; for multiple reasons, including:
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>Telegram has an official representative in the EU that accepts and replies to EU requests. Its email address has been publicly available for anyone in the EU who googles &#8220;Telegram EU address for law enforcement.&#8221;</li>
<li>The French authorities had numerous ways to reach me to request assistance. As a French citizen, I was a frequent guest at the French consulate in Dubai. A while ago, when asked, I personally helped them establish a hotline with Telegram to deal with the threat of terrorism in France.</li>
<li>If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself. Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a simplistic approach. Building technology is hard enough as it is. No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
Durov was charged with complicity in the administration of an online platform that allows organized crime groups to conduct illicit transactions; refusal to cooperate with law enforcement when he is required to by law; complicity in organized fraud, distributing hacking software, child pornography, and illicit drugs; and other crimes.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1723831707612000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0pyrv88A5nsmWM2F2Wr9As">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
He claimed that his company tries to work with governments to strike the right balance between cooperating with law enforcement entities and protecting users&#8217; privacy, but sometimes there are disagreements to the point where Telegram pulls out from a country altogether.
He claimed that authorities were &#8220;confused by where to send requests&#8221; to his company.
&#8220;But the claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day. We publish daily transparency reports. We have direct hotlines with NGOs to process urgent moderation requests faster.&#8221;
He said that the company&#8217;s rapid growth has made it harder to keep up with clamping down on criminal activity, but vowed that the company was seeking to do better.

The Second Day Of The Mobile World Congress

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Addresses Criminal Charges He Faces In France

Crime

France

Telegram

Political commentator Tim Pool told Ben Shapiro on Friday that he was unaware that the founders of a media company that licensed one of his talk shows were being paid by Russians, and was blindsided by the allegations from the Department of Justice earlier this week.
In his first interview since the DOJ indictment, Pool, the host of the popular Timcast show, reiterated on &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2042-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Ben Shapiro Show</a>&#8221; that he had very limited contact with Tenet Media, which is accused by federal prosecutors of secretly taking money from Russians and licensed one of his spin-off shows called the &#8220;Culture War&#8221; podcast. He also explained that Tenet, which was founded by conservative commentator Lauren Chen, didn&#8217;t even have exclusive rights to his show, much less editorial input on it.
&#8220;That&#8217;s the crazy thing, it&#8217;s not even an exclusive show, it&#8217;s not exclusive, we published it other places, we own all the rights for it,&#8221; Pool said. &#8220;And so now we get entrenched in whatever this is, and I&#8217;m just like, nah, I don&#8217;t have anything to do with this. I don&#8217;t know what it is Lauren Chen was doing. I&#8217;m quite perturbed by the allegations. I don&#8217;t know what will turn out to be true, but I&#8217;m pissed.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE: <a href="https://twitter.com/Timcast?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Timcast</a> first interview about the DOJ/Tenet Media indictment and his own Kamala Harris lawsuit <a href="https://t.co/wVkPj7etKw">pic.twitter.com/wVkPj7etKw</a>
— The Ben Shapiro Show (@BenShapiroShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenShapiroShow/status/1832144206552236462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Pool said that despite clips circulating on social media this week that show him harshly criticizing Ukraine, he has always hated Russia.
&#8220;Russia sucks. I&#8217;m not a fan of Russia,&#8221; Pool said. &#8220;I think Vladimir Putin is a dictator who&#8217;s used unethical and dictatorial means to maintain power for decades. And I&#8217;ve long said that.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724361346607000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZhyOQfEkxcMH_D1Ago3CQ">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
Pool said his comments criticizing Ukraine are rooted in his anger that the United States is spending resources abroad when it should be spending them on domestic problems.
Chen, a Canadian-born YouTuber and <a href="https://x.com/AGHamilton29/status/1831433336293880183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former RT employee</a>, and her husband, Liam Donovan, are not named but referenced in the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1366266/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indictment</a> as founders of Tenet Media.
The Russian defendants allegedly worked with Chen and Donovan to “mask” the “true source of funding” for the company, which the indictment revealed to be RT — a Russian state broadcaster.
Chen and Donovan were accused of “falsely portraying” to commentators such as Pool that their company was sponsored by a private investor named “Eduard Grigoriann” — a persona that turned out to be fake.
The Blaze has cut ties with Chen over the Russia allegations. Pool says he&#8217;s been contacted by the FBI, which is treating him as a victim of the scheme.

Tim Pool

Tim Pool Tells Ben Shapiro ‘Russia Sucks,’ He’s ‘Pissed’ About DOJ Claim That Tenet Was Funded By Russia

Tim Pool Tells Ben Shapiro 'Russia Sucks,' He's 'Pissed' About DOJ Claim That Tenet Was Funded By Russia

Department of Justice

The Ben Shapiro Show

The shine on Kamala Harris is wearing off fast.
People forget that the first few weeks of her 2019 campaign were not a total disaster area; it took a few weeks for the shine to wear off. 
But now it’s wearing off, so the Democrats are activating Operation Russiagate II.
The Biden-Harris administration is making noise about Russia interfering in our elections again. Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced indictments and seizures of internet domains related to Russian interference in the election. 
But here&#8217;s the thing: Various powers try to interfere in American elections. That is just reality. China has repeatedly attempted to interfere in American elections. Iran is attempting to interfere in the American election.
So it&#8217;s not a surprise that Russia will try to interfere in the American election. The difference is that when China does it, it is not a national news story. When Iran does it, it&#8217;s buried.
But when it&#8217;s Russia, the basic idea is that Russia is going to intervene in the election in such deep and nefarious ways that everyone will be deceived.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2041-member-exclusive">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h4>
This feels like the Biden-Harris administration is setting up the predicate for a crackdown on social media, for a crackdown on tech companies that allow free speech, for a crackdown on X or Right-wing media. 
The Biden administration is going to play this to the hilt. 
According to <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/news/breaking-biden-administration-to-accuse-russia-of-2024-election-interference/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mediaite</a>: 
<blockquote>The Biden administration is preparing to publicly accuse Russia of launching a sustained campaign to influence the 2024 presidential elections using on Kremlin-controlled media and online platforms to spread disinformation.
The accusation will be part of a broader set of actions expected to be announced on Wednesday, including law enforcement efforts aimed at curbing the alleged Russian operation.</blockquote>
This only makes sense in the context of 2020, when American defense and intelligence apparatus were warning people like Mark Zuckerberg they needed to shut down the Hunter Biden story because it might be Russian disinformation.
The Biden-Harris administration is setting the ground for that right now. Before the campaign ends, the Biden administration is going to make claims it&#8217;s Russian disinformation.
This is a convenient excuse to siphon off any sort of viewership of that information.
Mediaite continues, writing:
<blockquote><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/04/politics/biden-administration-accuse-russia-election-influence-efforts/">According to four sources who talked exclusively to CNN</a>, Russian state media outlet RT is a central focus of the US response, with officials viewing it as a key tool in the Kremlin’s propaganda machine with disinformation being funneled through both American and foreign voices. </blockquote>
That would not be a shock. RT obviously has a vested interest in particular points of view being elevated. But the question is: How much real impact is that going to have on the election?
The reason the media are covering this extensively is that they want to send this message: The only way Donald Trump can win is if the Russians somehow manipulate Americans into voting for him. 
But the reality is that Russia and its ability to interfere through disinformation in the American election is extremely limited.
<h4><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a></h4>
The reality is that the opposition to Harris is driven by the fact that Biden&#8217;s an unpopular president and she&#8217;s a terrible candidate. Support for President Trump is the same as it ever was. For some people, it is driven by a personal liking for Trump. For people like me, the driving force behind voting for him is that his first presidency had a lot of tremendous policy attached to it.
But we’re going to hear all about Russia and disinformation.
We’ve seen this movie before.

Attorney General Merrick Garland Hosts A Meeting Of The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force

Russiagate II: Kamala’s Revenge

Democrats

Legacy Media

Opinion

Lauren Chen is no longer with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/blazetv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blaze</a> Media after the Department of Justice (DOJ) <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-employees-indicted-covertly-funding-and-directing-us-company-published-thousands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> her of misleading other conservative influencers about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> money her company had been paying them.
Semafor <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/09/05/2024/blaze-fires-contributor-linked-to-russian-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Thursday that Chen had been fired by Blaze Media, where she had contributed videos to Blaze TV, a day after she was referenced in a federal indictment against two Russia Today (RT) employees.
“Lauren Chen was an independent contractor, whose contract has been terminated,” Blaze Media CEO Tyler Cardon said in an email. Semafor also noted Chen did not return a request for comment.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724361346607000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZhyOQfEkxcMH_D1Ago3CQ">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
The RT employees, a pair of Russian nationals, were charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOJ</a> announced on Wednesday.
Attorney General Merrick Garland <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-employees-indicted-covertly-funding-and-directing-us-company-published-thousands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the defendants were implicated in a &#8220;$10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.&#8221;
Chen, a Canadian-born YouTuber and <a href="https://x.com/AGHamilton29/status/1831433336293880183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former RT employee</a>, and her husband, Liam Donovan, are not named but referenced in the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1366266/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indictment</a> as founders of a company identified as Tenet Media.
The Russian defendants allegedly worked with Chen and Donovan to &#8220;mask&#8221; the &#8220;true source of funding&#8221; for the company, which the indictment revealed to be RT — a Russian state broadcaster.
Chen and Donovan were accused of &#8220;falsely portraying&#8221; to commentators that their company was sponsored by a private investor named &#8220;Eduard Grigoriann&#8221; — a persona that turned out to be fake.
Tenet was also not named, but as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/04/justice-department-election-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted by The Washington Post</a>, a quote from its YouTube Channel is identical to one that appears in the indictment. The company&#8217;s Tennessee roots are also a match.
<a href="http://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2xQ8bdTcpfdrPBAzczIuck">WATCH THE TRAILER FOR ‘AM I RACIST?’ — A MATT WALSH COMEDY ON DEI</a>
Similar extrapolations have been made to identify conservative influencers who may be referenced in the indictment as potential victims of deceit, some of whom have since released statements.
&#8220;These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period,&#8221; Dave Rubin <a href="https://x.com/RubinReport/status/1831478093661245681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X.
Podcast host Tim Pool also <a href="https://x.com/Timcast/status/1831473189173731589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to X about the indictment, declaring, &#8220;Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims.&#8221;

Justice Department Headquarters Building

Blaze Media Cuts Ties With Lauren Chen After DOJ Connects Her To Russian Scheme

BlazeTV

Media

Politics

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justice Department</a> under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Wednesday that Russia has been working diligently to interfere in the 2024 presidential election — and critics couldn&#8217;t help but notice that they&#8217;d seen this exact playbook run before in 2016.
Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke on the subject on Wednesday, saying that the DOJ was already working to disrupt Russia&#8217;s efforts and thwart any similar attempts from other countries like Iran and China.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia, and Iran, as well as China.&#8221;
AG Merrick Garland addresses Kremlin-led scheme to influence the U.S. election. He also warns that other countries are attempting to manipulate public opinion. <a href="https://t.co/PFHc4YdaTK">pic.twitter.com/PFHc4YdaTK</a>
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1831394584900898957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But as critics quickly pointed out, Democrats had blamed Russian interference for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton&#8217;s 2016 loss — and many speculated that perhaps they were trying to hedge their bets ahead of 2024.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-L2DitSaIUj5wz8v0bgxx">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
&#8220;Internals must look bad,&#8221; Tim Carney posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Internals must look bad. <a href="https://t.co/bpKvUxdoBN">https://t.co/bpKvUxdoBN</a>
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPCarney/status/1831335699687080291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;There is no limit to their chutzpah. They got caught with their pants down promoting a completely fabricated hoax on Russian interference to emasculate Trump&#8217;s presidency, they never apologized, there was never accountability, and now they&#8217;re planning to do it again?&#8221; David Limbaugh added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There is no limit to their chutzpah. They got caught with their pants down promoting a completely fabricated hoax on Russian interference to emasculate Trump&#8217;s presidency, they never apologized, there was never accountability, and now they&#8217;re planning to do it again? <a href="https://t.co/eLciY4kNlu">https://t.co/eLciY4kNlu</a>
— David Limbaugh (@DavidLimbaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidLimbaugh/status/1831361225529479371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This is what Democrats do when they’re losing. Yes, it’s insane and destructive how much they’re willing to lie and smear to retain power, but it’s also hilarious that their playbook only has one page, and the only person they could get to run the play is this idiot,&#8221; Sean Davis posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is what Democrats do when they’re losing. Yes, it’s insane and destructive how much they’re willing to lie and smear to retain power, but it’s also hilarious that their playbook only has one page, and the only person they could get to run the play is this idiot. <a href="https://t.co/dHWyh2VNsh">https://t.co/dHWyh2VNsh</a>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1831341791607423040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Man I hate when they try to hype up reruns,&#8221; one X post read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Man I hate when they try to hype up reruns <a href="https://t.co/ojnAPzl0Z3">https://t.co/ojnAPzl0Z3</a>
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) <a href="https://twitter.com/ComfortablySmug/status/1831346284097138762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Federalist&#8217;s Mollie Hemingway added, &#8220;BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh man.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh man. <a href="https://t.co/18Jkz1k7wk">https://t.co/18Jkz1k7wk</a>
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) <a href="https://twitter.com/MZHemingway/status/1831367068366860564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro noted, &#8220;Why it&#8217;s almost as though with Kamala&#8217;s momentum gone and her joy dissipating, it&#8217;s time once again for a round of &#8216;censor the opposition by claiming misinformation&#8217;!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Why it&#8217;s almost as though with Kamala&#8217;s momentum gone and her joy dissipating, it&#8217;s time once again for a round of &#8220;censor the opposition by claiming misinformation&#8221;! <a href="https://t.co/BvuOySIk3N">https://t.co/BvuOySIk3N</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1831358362774339973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Attorney General Garland Holds Press Conference On Health Care Fraud Action

Biden-Harris DOJ Mocked For Revamping ‘Russia!’ Narrative Ahead Of 2024 Election

Biden-Harris DOJ Mocked For Revamping 'Russia!' Narrative Ahead Of 2024 Election

Joe Biden

Trying to use the same playbook the Democrats have been accused of using in 2016, the Biden-Harris administration is expected to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/04/politics/biden-administration-accuse-russia-election-influence-efforts/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuse</a> Russia of meddling in the presidential campaign.
CNN quoted “sources familiar with the matter” who said the Biden-Harris administration would accuse RT, the Russian state media network, of using propaganda to influence the outcome of the election, as well as the Social Design Agency.
In July 2018, a federal grand jury <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/gallery/grand-jury-indicts-12-russian-officers-hacking-offenses-related-2016-election#:~:text=The%20indictment%20charges%20twelve%20Russian,Directorate%20of%20the%20Russian%20military.">indicted</a> 12 Russian military intelligence officers for their alleged roles in interfering with the 2016 United States elections. They were involved in a “computer hacking conspiracy involving gaining unauthorized access into the computers of U.S. persons and entities involved in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, stealing documents from those computers, and staging releases of the stolen documents to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,” the FBI <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber/russian-interference-in-2016-u-s-elections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>.
In May 2023, Special Counsel John Durham issued his <a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/durhamreport.pdf">report</a> on the hoax allegedly involving members of the Clinton campaign accusing the Trump campaign of colluding with Russia. Durham’s report “accused FBI leaders of displaying a ‘serious lack of analytical rigor’ and relying significantly on ‘investigative leads provided or funded (directly or indirectly) by Trump’s political opponents,’ referring to staffers and allies of Hillary Clinton, then the Democratic presidential nominee, whose campaign funded the Steele dossier through its law firm Perkins Coie,” National Review <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/fbi-lacked-any-actual-evidence-of-collusion-between-trump-campaign-russia-when-crossfire-hurricane-launched-durham-finds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>.
Meanwhile, Iran has been targeting the American electorate. On August 19, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/joint-odni-fbi-and-cisa-statement-on-iranian-election-influence-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> accusing Iran of hacking into the 2024 Trump campaign. They stated:
<blockquote>
We have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle, specifically involving influence operations targeting the American public and cyber operations targeting presidential campaigns. This includes the recently reported activities to compromise former President Trump’s campaign, which the IC attributes to Iran.
</blockquote>
In early August, a Pakistani national with what FBI Director Christopher Wray called “close ties to Iran” was arrested and charged with orchestrating a scheme to reportedly <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistani-iran-murder-plot-u-s-officials/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assassinate</a> former President Trump as well as other government officials.
According to court documents, in April 2024, Asif Merchant, 46, who revealed he has a wife and children in both Iran and Pakistan, came to the U.S. after spending time in Iran. He contacted someone about his alleged scheme; that person, who became a confidential source (CS), then contacted the FBI. In early June in New York, Merchant met the CS and outlined his alleged plot to commit a series of assassinations in the U.S.
In late July, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said during a press briefing that U.S. intelligence has &#8220;observed Tehran working to influence the presidential election&#8221; because they want to prevent being held accountable by the U.S.
Iran is meddling in U.S. elections by using “vast webs of online personas and propaganda mills to spread disinformation” on social media where they are conducting campaigns that reflect their desire that Trump loses, the official said.
Ryan Saavedra contributed to this article.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-is-working-to-ruin-trumps-presidential-campaign-u-s-intelligence-assessment">Iran Is Working To Ruin Trump&#8217;s Presidential Campaign: U.S. Intelligence Assessment</a>

President Biden Joins Vice President Harris On The Campaign Trail In Pittsburgh

Biden-Harris Prep Recycled Accusation Ahead Of 2024 Election: Russia, Russia, Russia!

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was formally <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> in France this week for a wide range of alleged crimes stemming from his refusal to cooperate with law enforcement officials investigating crimes occurring on the encrypted communication platform.
French authorities detained the 39-year-old Russian billionaire over the weekend when his private jet landed in the country as part of an investigation into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/france-releases-info-on-potential-charges-facing-telegram-ceo-pavel-durov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12 potential offenses</a>, including refusal to cooperate with law enforcement, complicity in operating an online platform that enables organized crime, and complicity in a wide range of crimes.
Durov was indicted on six charges Wednesday afternoon and was subsequently released from prison after posting a €5 million bail. He is banned from leaving France and must check in at a police station twice a week.
The charges he now faces includes complicity in the administration of an online platform that allows organized crime groups to conduct illicit transactions; refusal to cooperate with law enforcement when he is required to by law; complicity in organized fraud, distributing hacking software, child pornography, and illicit drugs; and other crimes.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said that Telegram had &#8220;an almost complete absence of response&#8221; to official inquires initiated by France&#8217;s judicial system.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-L2DitSaIUj5wz8v0bgxx">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
Free speech advocates have voiced their strong opposition to Durov&#8217;s arrest online, warning that other top tech executives could be arrested in the future for similar reasons.
Telegram, which has been around for more than 10 years, has more than 900 million users worldwide and has long been used by criminals and terrorist groups to communicate.
Why France decided to open a criminal investigation into the platform <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/france-charges-telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-released-bail/">several months ago</a>, when it likely could have done so years ago, is unclear.
The Russian military uses Telegram on the battlefield in Ukraine to communicate between soldiers and units, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/world/europe/telegram-russia-ukraine-war.html">The New York Times</a>.
“To date, Telegram has become perhaps the main means of units’ command and control” a pro-war collective of Russian military analysts said on the platform after Durov was arrested, adding that the Russian military now needed to create its own secure channels of communication.

Telegram Chief Executive Officer Pavel Durov

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Charged With Numerous Crimes In France

Social Media

Technology

True to form, the Democratic Party’s 2024 foreign policy platform is as full of historical revisionism as one would predict.
Its contents range from artful dodging to outright untruths. Most importantly, the platform is divorced from the actual Biden-Harris foreign policy record of the last four years.
The most blatant omissions are on Afghanistan, found in a section absurdly titled “Leading with Diplomacy and American Values.” The platform gives a single cursory mention to the withdrawal, stating that the White House “ended America’s longest war” and led the “largest resettlement effort since the Vietnam War.” That’s certainly one way to describe a humiliating retreat that left Americans trapped behind enemy lines, killed 13 military heroes, ignored clear intelligence warnings, and unleashed a historic humanitarian disaster. A subsequent section touts the Biden-Harris administration as a “strong advocate for the rights and opportunities of women and girls.” Did they already forget about the millions of women and girls they relegated to Taliban rule?
The platform’s discussion of Iran is Orwellian, touting the administration’s &#8220;aggressive diplomacy&#8221; to &#8220;defend against Iran.&#8221; In other words: relentless appeasement, unchecked attacks on troops and diplomats, ransom payments, and billions in sanctions relief for the leading state sponsor of terrorism. No U.S. presidency has done more to enrich and embolden the regime, and it’s not even close.
Then comes Russia. The platform argues Democrats have successfully helped Kyiv “defend its territory.” Don&#8217;t they know Russia murdered its way through Ukraine under its watch? We all remember how Biden and Harris set the stage for Putin’s invasion with the “minor incursion” gaffe, repeated weapons delays, desperate diplomacy, and their refusal to sanction the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
The Middle East section does its best to be all things to all people, paying rhetorical lip service to Israel while nodding to Palestinian grievances. Most incredibly, the platform touts Democrats’ supposed defense of Israel at the United Nations. Is that what they meant by restoring funding for UNRWA’s terrorism, legitimizing the anti-Semitic Human Rights Council, and letting anti-Israel resolutions pass in the Security Council?
To no surprise, the platform also avoids a clear stance on deterring the Chinese Communist Party. Instead, it discusses the need to “manage” our “most consequential strategic competitor,” avert “a costly spiral to conflict,” and “identify new areas where the United States and China may be able to work together.” Forget a theory of victory — we all know this is a euphemism for accommodation and appeasing the CCP. And to remove any wonder as to whether Democrats view the PRC as America’s top security threat, the platform also clarifies that “there is nothing more important than addressing the climate crisis.”
Is it even worth discussing its absurd border claims? The platform outrageously claims the White House took “decisive action to secure our border” and “decreased illegal border crossings.” Even progressives know this is a farce. Biden and Kamala willfully abetted illegal immigration and fueled border chaos.
Regarding Latin America, the platform argues the Biden-Harris Administration “strengthened ties with key allies across the Hemisphere.” But their only new friends seem to be Left-wing authoritarians like the FARC (delisted as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Blinken State Department) and Maduro, who has enjoyed sweeping sanctions relief, freed relatives, and political cover for his sham election.
The platform also boasts of “historic investments” in military capacity – quite a claim from a White House that sought to cut the Pentagon’s buying power. The Biden-Harris Administration has made our military budget its smallest since World War II. And lest we forget, Kamala has even acknowledged that she “unequivocally agree[s]” with the goal of reducing the defense budget.
Americans should be outraged at these distortions, which neglect the war and chaos that have spread across nearly every theater under Biden and Harris. Our national security is clearly weaker under their leadership. Americans know we are less safe and that Kamala would only accelerate the foreign policy failures of the Biden presidency.
* * *
Morgan Ortagus is the Founder of POLARIS National Security and host of &#8220;The Morgan Ortagus Show&#8221; on SiriusXM. During the Trump Administration, she served at the Department of State as the Spokeswoman for the United States of America.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Day One Of The 2024 Democratic National Convention

The Democrat Foreign Policy Platform: Don’t Believe Your Own Eyes

Afghanistan

Biden Administration

Democratic National Committee

Democratic National Convention

Democratic Party

An American teacher who has been imprisoned in Russia for three years told his family he “feels like” his “soul is dead” after being excluded from last week’s prisoner swap.
“I cannot believe this,” Marc Fogel said on a Saturday call to his family, a recording of which was obtained by The Daily Wire. “I just don’t even want to get out of bed. I am shocked and sickened and out of breath and energy.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Marc Fogel, an American teacher imprisoned in Russia for the last three years, said he &#8220;feels like&#8221; his &#8220;soul is dead&#8221; after he was excluded from last week&#8217;s prisoner swap.
We obtained a recording of his call with his family, reacting to the news that he won&#8217;t be going home: <a href="https://t.co/3JHlbJHHXN">pic.twitter.com/3JHlbJHHXN</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1820912489078350085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The 63-year-old was given a 14-year prison sentence for possessing medical marijuana in 2021. An employee of Anglo-American School of Moscow, Fogel spent 27 years teaching overseas, and was planning to retire the year he was arrested. An American doctor prescribed the marijuana after Fogel had surgeries on his back, shoulder, and knee.
Fogel told his family he felt “like a second-class citizen” as the Biden-Harris administration prioritized the release of high-profile prisoners like WNBA player Brittney Griner in and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the latter of whom was included in the August swamp.
“I think that teachers have just been shat upon,” Fogel said. “It’s hard to have any faith,” Fogel said.
Fogel’s family echoed this point in a statement following the swap.
“Marc is not rich, a celebrity, or connected to powerful patrons &#8230; This fight has been met &#8230; with stonewalling, double standards and — today — abandoning Marc to die in prison.”
On Friday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan dismissed the Fogel family’s comments on the Today Show, saying it was “not a responsible statement.”
Sullivan, who said he “personally worked on” Fogel’s case, said former Marine Paul Whelan, who was also released on Thursday, “is not powerful or politically connected.”
But Free Marc Fogel spokesperson Vicki Iseman told The Daily Wire that Whelan had multiple governments pushing for his release, since he is also a citizen of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada.
At one point in the call, Fogel asks if it is true non-U.S. citizens were released in the deal.
“I hate to tell you this, but yes,” Iseman responded.
Human rights advocate and United States resident Vladimir Kara-Murza was among those released as part of the multi-country swap along with Russian opposition figures, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/01/world/who-are-detainees-russia-us-prisoner-swap-intl/index.html">CNN reported.</a>
The Fogel family has been lobbying the Biden-Harris administration to give Marc “wrongfully detained” status, which would allow for the government to provide financial support for Fogel’s medical care and other needs. Griner, Whalen, and Gershkovich all received the “wrongfully detained” designation.
The State Department has resisted pressure to give Fogel the designation without explanation, saying they are pushing for his release on humanitarian grounds.
Russia has never released an American prisoner on humanitarian grounds, and formally denied the State Department’s request, Iseman said.
“I think we knew this administration is just not going to be there for you,” Isemand told Fogel. “I don’t know why, but regardless of that, there will be a new administration.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Malphine Fogel, whose son has been in a Russian prison for 3 years, says she was devastated that he was excluded from the prisoner exchange. She also says she never even heard from Biden.
Trump met with her before his rally in Butler, PA and promised to free her son if he wins. <a href="https://t.co/iEgxOPQIjA">pic.twitter.com/iEgxOPQIjA</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1819503952917844310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
The Fogel family has intensified their efforts to secure Marc’s release in recent months, as the latter’s deteriorating health has repeatedly landed him in the jail’s hospital.
Fogel’s 95-year-old mother, Malphine, last month met with former President Donald Trump, who told her he would do everything he could to free her son if elected in November.
Malphine was scheduled to appear <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-trump-rally-vip-recounts-heroism-amid-assassination-attempt-chaos">on stage</a> with Trump at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally where a would-be assassin fired at Trump. Fogel was standing about 25 feet away from Trump when the shots rang out.
Malphine Fogel told The Daily Wire last week that it was “gut-wrenching” to see her son not included in the swap. 
Iseman told Fogel to have hope during the call, reminding him of Trump’s promise of support.
“We’ve gone too far for you not to hang in there,” Malphine said. “We have to do the best we can and you have to do your part.”
“I love you mom,” Fogel responded.
The State Department declined to comment on this story.

Cover images-39

‘My Soul Is Dead’: American Teacher Speaks From Russian Prison After Exclusion From Prisoner Swap

Evan Gershkovich

Jake Sullivan

Prisoners

Menu