WASHINGTON—During a Senate Judiciary hearing Wednesday, Texas Senator Ted Cruz exposed China’s shady efforts to infiltrate the American energy sector and leave the United States dependent on Beijing for so-called green energy.
&#8220;We are witnessing right now a systematic campaign against American energy,&#8221; Cruz said at the hearing. &#8220;There is a coordinated assault by the radical Left, backed and paid for by the Chinese Communist Party, to seize control of our courts, to weaponize litigation against US energy producers all in order to undermine American energy dominance.&#8221;
Cruz in particular <a href="https://statearmor.org/who-is-energy-foundation-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">focused</a> on Energy Foundation China, a group with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The senator cited a report from State Armor, which found that &#8220;To secure U.S. dependence, the CCP has been co-opting the progressive American climate change lobby to push a transition from fossil fuels and other critical inputs…onto &#8216;green&#8217; technologies controlled by China.&#8221;
By funneling money through the foundation, the report claims, the CCP has funded many climate advocacy groups in America, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, which is well known for its litigious character.
&#8220;Their lawsuits are designed to destroy the American energy industry, which happens to perfectly coincide with the political objective of Senate Democrats to destroy the American energy industry,&#8221; Cruz said.
Cruz continued by exposing the Climate Judiciary Project, which claims to be impartial and uninvolved in litigation, but <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/climate-justice-group-deep-ties-judges-experts-involved-litigation-claims-impartiality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> trains and supports judges presiding over cases of climate litigation.
Cruz pointed out that Energy Foundation China, which is run by former CCP officials, is funding litigation groups working to flood the courts with cases against American energy companies. These cases then come before judges trained by leftist-funded climate advocacy groups.
&#8220;This three-pronged strategy — foreign funding, mass litigation, and judicial indoctrination — is a full-spectrum assault on American energy independence,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;And while China drills and digs, we sue and shut down.&#8221;
&#8220;While China prepares for energy dominance, the American Left prepares to attack our own domestic capability.&#8221;
Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) called Cruz’s claims a &#8220;conspiracy,&#8221; arguing that the oil industry’s &#8220;dark money&#8221; schemes were more concerning.
&#8220;The hearing ignores that the fossil fuel industry has, for decades, benefited from secret funding to wage war on the American consumer by making energy more expensive and dirtier,&#8221; Whitehouse said.
Whitehouse also dismissed the claim that China was indirectly providing funds to litigious groups. Energy Foundation China, he argued, seemed focused on addressing Chinese environmental concerns, not advocating for legislative change in the United States.
Whitehouse said, &#8220;Fighting Chinese pollution in China [&#8230;] is a very different thing than having a Chinese conspiracy that funds a litigation group here in the United States.&#8221;
From 2001 to 2020, the EFC has paid out nearly $1.02 billion in grants to hundreds of different organizations seeking climate reform, according to a <a href="https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/energy-foundation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> by Influence Watch. The Climate Judiciary Project paid an undisclosed amount toward its judicial education programs.
Scott Walter, the president of the Capital Research Center, was among those testifying about the role the CCP might play among American climate lobbyists and judges.
Asked about the motives of the CCP officials who founded Energy Foundation China, Walter said he was &#8220;skeptical that former Chinese communist officials are interested in doing anything that would harm their country.&#8221;

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Examines District Judges v. Trump

Ted Cruz Exposes China’s Plot To Undermine American Energy: ‘A Coordinated Assault’

China

Energy

Ted Cruz

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Wenesday blasted conservative commentator Tucker Carlson over his foreign policy stance, saying that the former Fox News host has gone &#8220;bat crap crazy&#8221; in adopting &#8220;hardcore isolationist&#8221; views.
On his podcast, &#8220;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/israel-vs-iran-whos-winning-whats-next-will-america/id1495601614?i=1000713386485">Verdict with Ted Cruz</a>,&#8221; the Texas senator previewed an interview he had with Carlson slated to drop on Carlson&#8217;s podcast on Wednesday. During the discussion, Cruz and Carlson get into a heated debate over Iran and President Donald Trump&#8217;s position on the Middle East conflict.
&#8220;I agree with Tucker on 80% of the issues &#8230; during the idiotic COVID lockdowns, Tucker&#8217;s monologue every night on Fox was the single best thing on television, which I told him at the time, and I agree with him,&#8221; Cruz said after recording the interview with Carlson. &#8220;I will say on foreign policy, Tucker has gone bat crap crazy. He&#8217;s gone off the rails. He is suddenly a hardcore isolationist.&#8221;
Cruz added that he knew going into the interview with Carlson that it would be a &#8220;rough and tumble fight&#8221; over foreign policy, especially after Israel launched an attack on Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities and military leaders last week.
&#8220;Tucker has spent the last several days attacking Donald Trump,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;He&#8217;s blasted Trump as &#8216;complicit&#8217; in this horrible attack, and he keeps saying World War III is going to happen. He&#8217;s just been over the top.&#8221;
The senator said the two-hour interview with Carlson immediately became &#8220;combative,&#8221; with Carlson &#8220;throwing haymakers.&#8221; A <a href="https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1935136085266387417">short clip</a> of the interview posted by Carlson on X shows the conservative commentator asking Cruz about the population of Iran, a question that Cruz couldn&#8217;t answer.
&#8220;How could you not know that?&#8221; Carlson asked.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t sit around memorizing population tables,&#8221; Cruz replied.
&#8220;Well, it&#8217;s kind of relevant because you&#8217;re calling for the overthrow of the government,&#8221; Carlson said.
Cruz shot back, &#8220;Why is it relevant whether it&#8217;s 90 million or 80 million or 100 million? Why is that relevant?&#8221;
Cruz added on Wednesday morning that Carlson criticized Trump throughout the interview and &#8220;spends 20 minutes&#8221; talking about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and &#8220;how he thinks the AIPAC lobby is dominating American foreign policy.&#8221;
&#8220;It was just unhinged, and I get there are conspiracy sections of the internet that are worried that AIPAC is running the world. It&#8217;s just not reality,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And [Carlson] didn&#8217;t like it when I called him out on it, and I did.&#8221;
The senator also accused Carlson of denying that Iran has attempted to assassinate President Trump, despite the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-murder-hire-and-related-charges-against-irgc-asset-and-two">charging</a> an Iranian in November who it accuses of being &#8220;tasked by the Iranian Regime with surveilling and plotting to assassinate President-Elect Donald J. Trump.&#8221;
&#8220;He just said, &#8216;That&#8217;s not true. I&#8217;ve never heard anything about it. I don&#8217;t know anything about it,&#8221; Cruz added. &#8220;Well, it happens to be a fact. It happens to be that the DOJ has indicted Iranian hitmen for attempting to murder Donald Trump.&#8221;
Earlier this week, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lays-into-kooky-tucker-carlson-over-opposition-to-israeli-strikes-on-iran?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Lays+Into+%E2%80%98Kooky%E2%80%99+Tucker+Carlson+Over+Opposition+To+Israeli+Strikes+On+Iran">called out</a> Carlson over his views on the Middle East conflict, writing on Truth Social, “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, ‘IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!’”
Later in his podcast, Cruz said that isolationism and interventionism are &#8220;both wrong&#8221; approaches to foreign policy.
&#8220;I&#8217;m a non-interventionist hawk. I am very reluctant to engage in military conflict, just like Trump is,&#8221; Cruz added. &#8220;But I also believe in peace through strength. The best way you avoid war is being strong enough that your enemies don&#8217;t want to stand up to you.&#8221;

Ted Cruz/Tucker Carlson

‘Off The Rails’: Ted Cruz Rips Tucker Carlson For Going ‘Bat Crap Crazy’ On Foreign Policy

Congress

Donald Trump

Foreign Policy

Iran

Israel

Politics

Tucker Carlson

Verdict with Ted Cruz

Leading GOP senators bluntly declared their support for Israel’s strikes targeting Iran on Thursday night, stating that Israel was helping America by attacking the anti-American terror regime that routinely chants, “Death to America.”
“Iran is the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism, has the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands, and is rushing to build not only nuclear weapons, but also missiles that can strike the United States,” Arkansas senator Tom Cotton wrote on X. “We back Israel to the hilt, all the way. And if the ayatollahs harm a single American, that will be the end of the ayatollahs.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Iran is the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism, has the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands, and is rushing to build not only nuclear weapons, but also missiles that can strike the United States. We back Israel to the hilt, all the way. 
And if the ayatollahs harm…
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1933339069406232860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Proud to stand with Israel,” he added.
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Proud to stand with Israel.
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCottonAR/status/1933313887362859140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Texas Senator Ted  Cruz echoed, “President Trump has been clear that Iran must completely dismantle their nuclear capacity. Iran has given President Trump the middle finger. Israel is acting to defend themselves, and we should stand with them.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President Trump has been clear that Iran must completely dismantle their nuclear capacity. 
Iran has given President Trump the middle finger. 
Israel is acting to defend themselves, and we should stand with them. <a href="https://t.co/SHNE5vnw6J">pic.twitter.com/SHNE5vnw6J</a>
&mdash; Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1933342444638159344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“There are two messages that are critical to be heard tonight,” Cruz told Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro. “Number one, America stands unequivocally with Israel. Period. The end. That is critically important. Israel is acting to defend herself, to defend herself against the existential threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon, but number two, and this is equally important, we have a very large number of American servicemen and women in bases in the Middle East that are in harm’s way. And I want to ask every one of your listeners, every one of your viewers, if you’re a person of faith, pray for Israel tonight. Pray for Israel, pray for Jerusalem, and pray for our servicemen and women, the Americans in harm’s way. And a message I think is critically important: I want the Ayatollah to hear: If you attack American military bases, if you kill even a single American serviceman or woman, I am absolutely confident that President Trump will respond with overwhelming force.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;America stands unequivocally with Israel.&quot;
Senator <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tedcruz</a> joins <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benshapiro</a> to discuss the breaking coverage of Israel&#39;s massive attack on Iranian nuclear capabilities. <a href="https://t.co/UCyTXJ0T0o">pic.twitter.com/UCyTXJ0T0o</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1933362460204937590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Israel is in a very real sense, doing a favor to America tonight,” Cruz declared. “The Ayatollah regularly, in front of mobs, chants, &#8216;Death to America&#8217; and &#8216;Death to Israel.&#8217; If history teaches anything, it is that if someone tells you they want to murder you, you should believe them.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) wrote, “For too long, the mullahs in Iran have publicly aspired to wipe the only democracy in the Middle East off the face of the map via any means possible: funding and arming terror groups on Israel’s borders, choking off international sea lanes, and multiple barrages of missiles and drones. Just today, Iran was found once again to be in violation of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations, which is unacceptable. Iran must never gain access to a nuclear weapon. Today, Israel has determined that it must take decisive action to defend the Israeli people. The United States Senate stands ready to work with President Trump and with our allies in Israel to restore peace in the region and, first and foremost, to defend the American people from Iranian aggression, especially our troops and civilians serving overseas. Iran should heavily consider the consequences before considering any action against Americans in the region.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For too long, the mullahs in Iran have publicly aspired to wipe the only democracy in the Middle East off the face of the map via any means possible: funding and arming terror groups on Israel’s borders, choking off international sea lanes, and multiple barrages of missiles and…
&mdash; Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1933345748911075637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham added, “In a contest for their very survival, hats off to Israel for one of the most impressive military strikes and covert operations in Israeli history — which is saying something. I very much appreciate President Trump’s strong statement in support of this Israeli operation and his urging for the Iranian Regime to make a deal to abandon their nuclear enrichment program to avoid further bloodshed. I hope and pray the ayatollah and his henchmen who are still alive will heed President Trump’s counsel. If not, America — the greatest power for good on Earth — should be all-in to help Israel finish the job. Well done to one of America’s greatest allies, Israel.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In a contest for their very survival, hats off to Israel for one of the most impressive military strikes and covert operations in Israeli history — which is saying something. 
I very much appreciate President Trump’s strong statement in support of this Israeli operation and his… <a href="https://t.co/oLAfF3UuqQ">pic.twitter.com/oLAfF3UuqQ</a>
&mdash; Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1933522205142348185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID)asserted, “ We stand with Israel tonight and pray for the safety of its people and the success of this unilateral, defensive action. I am also praying for the brave U.S. service members in the Middle East who keep America safe—Iran would be foolish to attack the United States.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We stand with Israel tonight and pray for the safety of its people and the success of this unilateral, defensive action. I am also praying for the brave U.S. service members in the Middle East who keep America safe—Iran would be foolish to attack the United States.
&mdash; Jim Risch (@SenatorRisch) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorRisch/status/1933348361891123321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote simply, “Israel IS right—and has a right—to defend itself!”
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Israel IS right—and has a right—to defend itself! <a href="https://t.co/306CJIHeGx">pic.twitter.com/306CJIHeGx</a>
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1933351802990113091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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MixCollage-13-Jun-2025-11-07-AM-3746

‘Proud To Stand With Israel’: GOP Leaders Back Israeli Strike On Iran

Tom Cotton

A big tech company refused to work with any organization denounced by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a left-wing group that has been frequently criticized for smearing conservative organizations as &#8220;hate groups.&#8221;
In an email reviewed by The Daily Wire, an employee of Bonterra Tech — which provides customer relationship management software to nonprofits — declined to work with the Ruth Institute, which promotes biblical sexual values, because the SPLC named it a hate group.
“It pains me to say that we cannot move forward with the Ruth Institute. It makes it even harder as I am aligned with the beliefs of your Organization and I think it’s absolutely RIDICULOUS that the SPLC gets to pick and choose who is a hate group,” the email said. “Doesn’t make any sense and they should be shut down. My CEO agrees that you shouldn’t be on there, she took it up to our board and they said that is one rule they will not make an exemption on. If an Organization is on the SPLC list, we cannot work with them.”
This is the latest evidence that Bonterra discriminates against conservatives. In a 2024 report to the Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/big-tech-company-that-deplatformed-conservative-group-will-comply-with-cruz-investigation">revealed</a> that Bonterra’s terms of service prohibited it from working with clients that denied “rights to the LGBTQ community,” “a woman’s right to reproductive choice,” “racial justice,” or “climate change.” At the same time EveryAction stipulated that nonprofits it worked with could not be “Not Progressive Aligned,” meaning that they “Can’t be a Republican org,” “Can’t go against LGBT+,” and “Can’t be against pro-choice.”
Bonterra also refused to renew contracts with Wisconsin Right to Life, Idaho Family Policy Center, Deaconess Pregnancy &amp; Adoptions, and Stand for Health Freedom.
Cruz believes that Bonterra weaponized its policies to deny conservatives access to its services.
“My committee’s investigation exposed what we long expected: Big Tech companies like Bonterra have used vague, broadly worded terms of service agreements as a political weapon to deny conservatives access to essential business technology,” Cruz told The Daily Wire. “Conservative companies should not be forced to choose between staying silent or potentially shutting down.”
Cruz on Tuesday is introducing the “TERMS Act,” legislation he told The Daily Wire would challenge “the unchecked power&#8221; of &#8220;Big Tech oligarchs and protect the right of free speech for every American business targeted by Big Tech censorship.”
Cruz’s proposal would mandate that online service providers “disclose their acceptable use policies, provide users with written notice before the termination of a user’s account, and publish an annual report detailing actions taken to enforce their acceptable use policies, and for other purposes,” according to a copy of the bill shared with The Daily Wire. 
The bill would mandate that acceptable use policies are publicly disclosed and easily accessible, that customers would be given advance warning of account restriction or cancellation, and post public reports of enforcement of acceptable use policies.
Republican Senators Marsha Blackburn (TN), Katie Britt (AL), Tom Cotton (AK), Mike Crapo (ID), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Jim Risch (ID), Senator Roger Marshall (KS), and Eric Schmitt (MS) are also backing the legislation.
The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded by a former employee of the notorious segregationist George Wallace, who decided opposing white supremacy was a more profitable path. As The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/left-wing-smear-factory-splc-doxxes-babylon-bee-linked-writers?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Left-Wing+%E2%80%98Smear+Factory%E2%80%99+SPLC+Doxxes+Babylon+Bee-Linked+Writers">reported</a> last year, the group doxxed employees of Not The Bee, a Babylon Bee affiliate site that publishes true stories so absurd that they seem like parodies.
“They did it because they’re left-wing activists masquerading as journalists,” Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon said at the time, calling the group a &#8220;scandal-ridden smear factory.&#8221;

Senate DCA Crash Hearing

EXCLUSIVE: Big Tech Company Used Southern Poverty Law Center To Deplatform Conservatives

Big Tech

Censorship

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

On Tuesday, the GOP-led Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) that seeks to make good on President Donald Trump&#8217;s campaign promise for getting rid of taxes on tips.
Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/20/senate-dems-attempt-pass-no-tax-on-tips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> earlier in the day that Senate Republicans were likely to block a request for unanimous consent for Cruz&#8217;s measure by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) because the GOP-controlled House is working on Trump&#8217;s &#8220;one big, beautiful bill,&#8221; which has its own <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-one-big-beautiful-bill-gets-no-tax-on-tips-and-overtime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;No Tax On Tips&#8221;</a> component.
However, that opposition did not materialize and Cruz&#8217;s <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/no_tax_on_tips_act_2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;No Tax on Tips Act&#8221;</a> passed by <a href="https://x.com/SenatePress/status/1924921893066277222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unanimous consent</a>, which is an <a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/glossary.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreement</a> that allows the upper chamber to bypass standard rules to speed up proceedings.
&#8220;President Trump made a promise to the American people that he would eliminate taxes on tips. In Congress, I formed a bipartisan, bicameral coalition to get that done, and in the Senate introduced the No Tax on Tips Act,&#8221; Cruz said in a <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruzs-no-tax-on-tips-legislation-passes-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
&#8220;Today, I went with Senator Rosen to the floor to secure Senate passage of the bill,&#8221; he added. &#8220;This legislation will have a lasting impact on millions of Americans by protecting the hard-earned dollars of blue-collar workers, the very people who are living paycheck-to-paycheck. I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this important bill and send it to the President’s desk to be signed into law.&#8221;
According to a Congress.gov <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a>, the bill, as introduced, allows workers in tip-heavy jobs to deduct up to $25,000 in reported cash tips from their taxes unless they earned over a threshold, which is $160,000 for 2025 and adjusted annually for inflation. It also expands business tax credits to cover payroll taxes on tips from beauty services such as haircare and spa treatments.
Cruz&#8217;s office says the bill &#8220;exempts &#8216;cash tips&#8217; — cash, credit and debit card charges, and checks — from federal income tax by allowing taxpayers to claim a 100% deduction at filing for tipped wages. The updated text includes guardrails to ensure only traditionally tipped employees will benefit from No Tax on Tips.&#8221;
The legislation now heads to the House, which is moving to pass through the reconciliation process a much <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/BU/BU00/20250516/118284/BILLS-119pih.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">larger bill</a> that aims to provide funding for Trump’s domestic priorities, retain tax cuts from 2017, raise the debt limit, and more.
One of the megabill&#8217;s many provisions features a deduction for &#8220;qualified&#8221; tips for individuals who work in &#8220;an occupation which traditionally and customarily received tips&#8221; from 2025 through 2028. It also contains sections dedicated to some of Trump&#8217;s other ideas, including no tax on overtime and no tax on auto loan interest.
Democrats have joined Republicans in supporting the push for &#8220;No Tax On Tips.&#8221; In fact, Vice President Kamala Harris <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-steals-trumps-no-tax-on-tips-policy-proposal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stole</a> Trump&#8217;s proposal as they competed against each other for the White House in the 2024 election.
In a speech on the Senate floor, Rosen <a href="https://x.com/SenJackyRosen/status/1924933653894701465" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that she wanted the legislation from Cruz to succeed rather than &#8220;forcing working families to choose between keeping their healthcare or keeping their tips&#8221; with the more comprehensive &#8220;one big, beautiful bill,&#8221; alluding to efforts by GOP lawmakers to rein in spending on programs such as Medicaid.

Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump

Senate Unanimously Passes ‘No Tax On Tips Act’

Taxes

U.S. Senate

A high-ranking Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official confirmed that the hotline between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and the Pentagon became inoperable during the Biden administration in March 2022.
On January 29, American Airlines Flight 5342, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, collided in midair near the airport with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that had three people on board. Multiple American figure skaters and coaches returning from a training camp were on the flight. There were no survivors.
An internal preliminary report from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/federal-aviation-administration-faa">FAA</a> said that staffing at the tower was &#8220;not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc">according to The New York Times</a>. The newspaper said the controller who was dealing with helicopters around the airport was also instructing airplanes that were landing and departing, tasks which are typically assigned to multiple people.
On Wednesday, Texas GOP Senator Ted Cruz <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/5/faa-reauthorization-one-year-later-aviation-safety-air-traffic-and-next-generation-technology_2">questioned</a> Franklin McIntosh, the FAA Deputy COO of air traffic control, about proper procedures.
“On April 25 for the first time since the January 28 mid-air collision, the army resumed flying in the national capital region,” Cruz noted. “Less than a week later, air traffic control had to command two commercial aircraft on final approach to abort their landing at DCA due to an Army Blackhawk on an apparent training mission at the Pentagon, having wandered far too close to the commercial aircraft flightpath.”
“Shortly thereafter, and just 10 days after having resumed limited flight in the national capital region, the army aviation brigade, suspended operations in the DC area,” he continued. “I’ve been told that prior to the army aviation brigade’s decision to suspend operations on May 5, the FAA was preparing to suspend the letter of agreement between the army and the FAA that gives the army the ability to operate the DC air space without having to first ask for FAA clearance for each flight. Was the FAA prepared to suspend the letter of agreement, and if so, what was concerning enough to justify such a decision?”
“We were extremely troubled by the incident that occurred, especially in light of DCA and the events that led up to the accident,” McIntosh admitted. “We were ready to deploy any option available that we could use or that we felt was necessary to bring safety measures and better behaviors from the DOD in this instance. &#8230; We were ready to do any option available to include what you just spoke to, which was removing the ability to fly.”
“Just to be clear, does that mean the FAA did actually draft an order suspending the army’s ability to fly in the DC area?” Cruz asked.
“I’m not 100% aware if we drafted an order, but we did have a discussion if that was an option that we wanted to pursue,” McIntosh replied. “I do know that the DOD came back and suspended operations on their own based on that event so we’re still working with DOD to improve that process.”
“Is it true that the hotline, the direct line between the Pentagon air traffic control and the DCA tower, has been inoperable since March 2022?” Cruz asked. When McIntosh confirmed that the hotline indeed had been inoperable, Cruz continued, ‘Who maintains that hotline?”
“I believe the DOD maintains that hotline but I think the next question would be why were we not aware of it and insist upon it being fixed? “ McIntosh replied. “We take safety responsibilities extremely seriously in the FAA and those were the questions we were asking and we were not aware, but we became aware after that event and now that we became aware of that event we are were insisting upon that line to be fixed before we resume any operations out of the Pentagon.
“While army flights were ongoing, if the hotline was not operational, how did controllers communicate?” Cruz wanted to know.
“We still have landline abilities; we can make phone calls from the helipad to the operation where the supervisor or the controller in charge can answer so we’re aware of the activity and if there was a departure clearance needed, we’d be able to relay it via that mechanism,” McIntosh answered.
“Is it also true that the air traffic control positions for local traffic and helicopters were combined early just as they were on the day of the mid-air collision?” Cruz pressed.
“Yes sir, it was,” McIntosh confirmed.
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this article.

US-AVIATION-ACCIDENT

Hotline Between Reagan National Airport, DOD Became Inoperable During Biden Admin

Air and Space

Department of Defense

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Reagan national Airport

In the wake of the release of American-Israeli Edan Alexander by the terrorist group Hamas, which still holds dozens of hostages abducted in their October 7, 2023, massacre of over 1,200 Israelis, some prominent GOP leaders were undeterred in urging that the terrorist group be eliminated.
Hamas released Alexander, apparently to curry favor with the U.S., as Israel has blocked aid into Gaza, where Hamas has routinely seized supplies intended for civilians and reportedly <a href="https://www.jns.org/hamas-steals-food-from-its-citizens-yet-israel-gets-blamed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resold them on the black market</a>.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) responded to the freeing of Alexander by writing, “Hamas terrorists brutally tortured Edan Alexander and held him hostage for 19 months. Thanks to @POTUS ’s strength and leadership, Edan on his way home. We’re glad he’s heading home but this should have never happened. We demand justice for all of those still held hostage and we stand with Israel in the fight to eliminate Hamas.”
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Hamas terrorists brutally tortured Edan Alexander and held him hostage for 19 months. Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’s strength and leadership, Edan on his way home.
We’re glad he’s heading home but this should have never happened. 
We demand justice for all of those still held hostage and… <a href="https://t.co/J7yvbuX2rf">https://t.co/J7yvbuX2rf</a>
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1922016356729258349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), a veteran who served in the war in Iraq as a platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division and led a 41-man air assault, echoed, “After more than 580 days in captivity Edan Alexander is free from Hamas terrorists. I commend President Trump for his tireless efforts to free the hostages. And we should encourage Israel to keep up the pressure to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages home.”
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After more than 580 days in captivity Edan Alexander is free from Hamas terrorists. I commend President Trump for his tireless efforts to free the hostages. And we should encourage Israel to keep up the pressure to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages home.
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1922002968200585425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) maintained a vigilant eye on Iran, for whom Hamas acts as a murderous proxy, writing, “While negotiating with Iran, the goal must be full dismantlement of their nuclear program. The Biden administration allowed them to build out their nuclear program for four years while keeping the cameras off. If they are allowed to keep any part of the program, they will be able to cheat — and the Ayatollah has cheated on every deal he&#8217;s ever signed.”
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While negotiating with Iran, the goal must be full dismantlement of their nuclear program. 
The Biden administration allowed them to build out their nuclear program for four years while keeping the cameras off. If they are allowed to keep any part of the program, they will be… <a href="https://t.co/XkLtZ1VTZT">pic.twitter.com/XkLtZ1VTZT</a>
&mdash; Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1921954233982542124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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And to dispel rumors that President Trump and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are undergoing a frostiness in their relationship, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee chimed in, “Excellent meeting w/     ⁦ @IsraeliPM. Cooperative efforts with ⁦@POTUS ⁩&amp; ⁦@IsraeliPM ⁩resulted in Edan Alexander release. Witkoff, &amp; Huckabee meet ahead of hostage release. Forget rumors. We’re all on same page.”
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Excellent meeting w/ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsraeliPM</a>⁩. Cooperative efforts with ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>⁩ &amp; ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsraeliPM</a>⁩ resulted in Edan Alexander release. Witkoff, &amp; Huckabee meet ahead of hostage release. Forget rumors. We’re all on same page. <a href="https://t.co/UrKsxtUWSS">https://t.co/UrKsxtUWSS</a>
&mdash; Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1921946025247318251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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MixCollage-12-May-2025-06-19-PM-5287

Top GOP Members Of Congress Undeterred After Hostage Release: ‘Eliminate Hamas’

Global Politics

Hamas

Mike Huckabee

Mike Johnson

World

Senator Ted Cruz praised Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for promising to restore a historic painting of Jesus comforting sailors adrift at sea back to a place of prominence in the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after the Biden administration moved it to a basement.
Cruz thanked Duffy on Friday for his commitment to moving the 81-year-old painting, “Christ On The Water,” back to its original location at the academy. In a letter to Duffy obtained by The Daily Wire, Cruz said that restoring the painting, which depicts Jesus appearing to sailors lost at sea during World War II, was an imperative step to protect America’s religious heritage. 
“Your public acknowledgment of the painting’s spiritual and historical significance was a powerful moment of moral clarity and leadership—one that resonated not only with the midshipmen in attendance, but with countless Americans who care deeply about preserving our nation’s religious and military heritage,” Cruz wrote. 
Last month, Duffy was met with a round of applause at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, after he called for the painting to be moved out of the basement. The Transportation Department&#8217;s Maritime Administration operates the academy, and gives direction over its policies and management. 
&#8220;Can we bring Jesus up from the basement?&#8221; Duffy said. &#8220;Let&#8217;s not put Jesus in the basement! Let&#8217;s get Him out! Let&#8217;s bring Him up!&#8221;
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Midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy erupted in applause when <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDuffy</a> demanded a painting of Jesus saving merchant mariners be restored.
The Biden admin put a curtain over the painting before putting it in a flood-prone basement.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s bring Him up!&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/qQvLKXKE5r">pic.twitter.com/qQvLKXKE5r</a>
— Jon Brown (@JonBrownDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonBrownDC/status/1909780255633506322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Christ On the Water&#8221; was completed in 1944 by artist Hunter Wood, who trained at the Merchant Marine Academy and was in the Coast Guard. In 1947 the painting was installed at the Merchant Marine Academy’s Wiley Hall Elliot See Room where it was displayed until 2023 when the Biden administration moved it because of a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.  
<div id="attachment_918985" style="width: 797px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-918985" class="size-full wp-image-918985" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-12-at-10.18.22-AM.png" alt="" width="787" height="605" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-12-at-10.18.22-AM.png 787w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-12-at-10.18.22-AM-300x231.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-12-at-10.18.22-AM-749x576.png 749w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-12-at-10.18.22-AM-768x590.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 787px) 100vw, 787px" />&#8220;Christ on the Water&#8221;/ US Merchant Marine Academy.</div>
“Your statement—&#8217;Can we bring Jesus up from the basement?’—was more than rhetorical. I trust it will be seen as an imperative,” Cruz wrote. “Thank you for your principled leadership, for defending our nation’s religious heritage, and for working to ensure that this government-commissioned memorial is returned to its rightful place.”
Cruz said the removal of the painting had no legal basis and was an example of the academy being &#8220;hostile to religion.&#8221;
“Its sudden concealment in 2023—done hastily in response to a single baseless complaint—did a great disservice to the Academy’s heritage and to the memory of those the painting was meant to honor. To this day, no legal rationale has been provided, and the painting is reportedly out of public view in a flood-prone basement,” Cruz said. 
In January 2023, the academy covered the painting with a sheet to avoid the perception that it was &#8220;endorsing&#8221; Christianity, following complaints about the painting.
&#8220;Our priority is to ensure the Academy is a welcoming environment for all and that it respects all religions without endorsing one over any others,&#8221; the academy said at the time. &#8220;In light of this, the Academy has chosen to cover the painting with curtains and will also install a plaque describing its history. The curtains will remain closed when official Academy meetings and events are conducted.&#8221;
Later, the academy decided to discontinue the use of the Elliot See Room for official business and moved the painting to a downstairs chapel area.
Cruz previously wrote to Academy Superintendent Joanna Nunan to argue that displaying the painting did not violate the Constitution, as Military Religious Freedom Foundation President Mikey Weinstein has argued. 
Weinstein has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKmyF-KUpTY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> to start “World War Eight” if the painting is moved back to its previous location, warning the Trump administration to “Eff around and find out.” Weinstein called Duffy a “piece of s***” and said the midshipmen who cheered Duffy were “cowards” who “made a mockery” of their oath to the Constitution.
Last week, Duffy <a href="https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/1919917774681317457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1919917774681317457%7Ctwgr%5E20725f8371ab5afe20016015fa273d316e88f5ea%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithwire.com%2F2025%2F05%2F08%2Fbring-jesus-up-sean-duffy-hangs-portrait-of-jesus-in-office-calls-for-original-to-be-rehung-after-being-sidelined-during-biden-admin%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">placed</a> a replica of the painting behind his desk at the Department of Transportation. 
“While we work on getting the piece out of the academy’s basement and back in a place of prominence, I figured there was no better place to hang a copy than right here @USDOT,” he wrote.

MixCollage-12-May-2025-10-35-AM-7052

Ted Cruz Backs Trump Official’s Attempt To ‘Bring Jesus Up From The Basement’ — Literally

Biden Administration

Christianity

Jesus Christ

Sean Duffy

President Donald Trump said on Friday that a tax increase on the highest income earners in the country would be &#8220;OK&#8221; with him, but warned that the move could be politically damaging to Republicans.
Trump made the comment after Punchbowl News <a href="https://x.com/JakeSherman/status/1920525154024558934" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Thursday that the president was pushing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to include tax increases on the rich in Trump&#8217;s &#8220;big, beautiful bill.&#8221; According to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5290814-trump-tax-hike-wealthy-gop-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>, which cited three sources, the White House would allow Trump&#8217;s marginal income tax cut to expire for the wealthiest Americans while keeping tax breaks for lower income brackets.
&#8220;The problem with even a &#8216;TINY&#8217; tax increase for the RICH, which I and all others would graciously accept in order to help the lower and middle income workers, is that the Radical Left Democrat Lunatics would go around screaming, “Read my lips,” the fabled Quote by George Bush the Elder that is said to have cost him the Election,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114477701321152097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
&#8220;NO, Ross Perot cost him the Election! In any event, Republicans should probably not do it, but I’m OK if they do!!!&#8221; he added.
Trump&#8217;s reference to former President George H.W. Bush goes back to when Bush compromised with Congressional Democrats to increase several existing taxes after famously promising on the campaign trail, &#8220;Read my lips: no new taxes.&#8221; In the 1992 election cycle, Bill Clinton <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/22/us/1992-campaign-democrats-clinton-says-bush-untrustworthy-jobs-taxes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slammed</a> Bush over the quote, saying he broke an election promise. Clinton went on to defeat Bush in the 1992 election, as independent candidate Ross Perot garnered 18.9% of the vote.
Trump&#8217;s pitch to raise taxes on the wealthy would reportedly only apply to those making more than $2.5 million a year for single filers or $5 million for joint filers. That would be substantially higher than the top tax bracket for 2024, which applied to incomes above $609,351 for single filers and $731,201 for joint filers. The tax increase on the wealthiest Americans would revert from the current 37% rate to the 39.6% rate that was in effect before Trump&#8217;s 2017 tax cuts, according to Punchbowl News.
Conservatives and Congressional Republicans, including some of Trump&#8217;s closest allies, have blasted the idea of raising taxes on the wealthy.
&#8220;That would be a tax on every small business, every job creator. And you know what? That’s what Kamala Harris campaigned on,&#8221; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) <a href="https://x.com/johnkartch/status/1920484997850402906" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a Thursday appearance on CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk Box.&#8221; &#8220;And I gotta say, the folks in the administration, they&#8217;ve decided to call themselves populists, but just being a Democrat and wanting higher taxes and more regulation, that&#8217;s not populist. That&#8217;s embracing the failed ideas of Jimmy Carter and Joe Biden.&#8221;
Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, <a href="https://x.com/GroverNorquist/status/1920246547310416325" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> on Wednesday, &#8220;President Trump ran on making all the tax rates reductions permanent. Kamala Harris ran on letting the top income tax rates reductions passed by Trump to spring back to the higher pre-Trump/Obama tax rate. All tax rate increases damage economic growth and kill jobs by disincentivizing work and investment.&#8221;
Trump media allies like Fox Business commentator Larry Kudlow and Fox News host Sean Hannity also slammed the idea in April. Kudlow <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6371372375112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it was &#8220;among the top three dumbest things I’ve ever heard,&#8221; while Hannity <a href="https://x.com/johnkartch/status/1912294066458702132" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>, &#8220;It seems to go against everything Donald Trump has ever believed in.&#8221;

Trump Takes Shock Stance On Taxing Rich, Warns GOP Against Adopting It

Economy

Executive

Republicans

Sean Hannity

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Artificial intelligence industry leaders who have openly stated a willingness to work on the emerging technology with China will testify to Congress on Thursday, likely facing a panel of U.S. senators urging them to instead pivot away from the global adversary.
At the Senate <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/5/winning-the-ai-race-strengthening-u-s-capabilities-in-computing-and-innovation_2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a> put together by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), &#8220;Winning the AI Race: Strengthening U.S. Capabilities in Computing and Innovation,&#8221; China is almost certainly going to be a central topic of discussion. When Cruz announced the hearing, he emphasized the competitive stakes in this global tech competition: &#8220;The way to beat China in the AI race is to outrace them in innovation, not saddle AI developers with European-style regulations.&#8221;
Cruz and his Senate colleagues will have the opportunity to grill industry leaders who are open to working with China, including: Brad Smith, vice chairman and president of Microsoft Corporation; Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI; and Lisa Su, CEO of semiconductor company AMD.
</div>
For decades, Microsoft has <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/about-microsofts-presence-in-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintained</a> a &#8220;presence&#8221; in China, where co-founder Bill Gates once <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2000/05/23/yes-more-trade-with-china/80438c20-4fdb-4895-99a6-61776068a636/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> there was an opportunity to tap into a &#8220;deep pool of intellectual talent.&#8221; Even after considering the risks of working on powerful technologies in China, the company kept it as a research hub.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/technology/microsoft-china-ai-lab.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> last year that, as tensions &#8220;mounted&#8221; between the United States and China &#8220;over which nations will lead the world&#8217;s technological future,&#8221; Smith and Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella &#8220;debated&#8221; what to do with an AI lab in Beijing that &#8220;became one of the most important &#8230; in the world.&#8221;
Citing people familiar with the situation, the news outlet noted &#8220;the hypothetical risks are that China could hack or otherwise infiltrate the lab, or that its researchers could leave Microsoft to join Chinese companies that work closely with the government.”
According to the report, there were discussions about shutting down the lab or relocating it. However, four sources told The New York Times that Microsoft’s leadership supported continuing operations in China. Labs in Beijing as well as Shanghai remain <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/lab/microsoft-research-asia/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed</a> on the official website for Microsoft Research Asia, as well as locations in Canada and Japan.
&#8220;We are as committed as ever to the lab and the world-class research of this team,” Peter Lee, president of Microsoft Research, said in a statement reported by the newspaper. &#8220;There has been no discussion or advocacy to close Microsoft Research Asia, and we look forward to continuing our research agenda.&#8221;
In another statement, Smith contended, &#8220;The lesson of history is that countries succeed when they learn from the world,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Guardrails and controls are critical, while engagement remains vital.&#8221;
</div>
<div>
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OpenAI’s Altman has expressed willingness to collaborate with China on AI development.
In an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEb-5gRdpBE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Sky News earlier this year, Altman said he would &#8220;like to work with China.&#8221; Asked if he believed the U.S. government would let him, Altman added, &#8220;Do I know that for sure? No. Should we try as hard as we can? Absolutely, yes. And I think that’s really important.&#8221;
Su, of AMD, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/07/amd-ceo-lisa-su-china-chips.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> to CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk on the Street&#8221; on Wednesday about U.S. restrictions on exports of advanced AI technology to China. She emphasized that &#8220;probably the most important thing is that the U.S. leads in AI today&#8221; while contending that China is an &#8220;important&#8221; market.
&#8220;There should be a balance between export controls for national security as well as ensuring that we get the widest possible adoption of our technology because that&#8217;s a good thing for U.S. jobs and the U.S. economy,&#8221; Su said.
Cruz has long been an enemy of China, which even <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/13/ted-cruz-china-sanctions/">sanctioned</a> him in 2020 over actions he took in the Senate against it. He said earlier this year that he has consistently urged President Donald Trump to keep the pressure on China.
&#8220;Everything we can do to de-link our economy from China&#8217;s economy is good for American national security and economic security,&#8221; Cruz said.
The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-energy-sec-to-visit-tn-nuclear-facility-take-part-in-ai-summit">called</a> the race for building super computing technology to power artificial intelligence this era&#8217;s Manhattan Project.
</div>
</div>

Sam Altman

AI Industry’s Ties To China Likely To Come Under Congressional Scrutiny

Artificial Intelligence

Technology

U.S.

On Monday, the GOP-led House overwhelmingly passed a bill championed by First Lady Melania Trump to protect victims of non-consensual intimate imagery, including <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-leads-colleagues-in-unveiling-landmark-bill-to-protect-victims-of-deepfake-revenge-porn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revenge porn</a> using AI-generated deepfakes.
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/146/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a>, called the &#8220;Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act,&#8221; <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> the support of 207 Republicans and 202 Democrats.
Once signed into law, the legislation would prohibit the non-consensual online publication of intimate visual depictions, including digital forgeries, imposing fines, imprisonment, and mandatory restitution for violations, particularly when intended to harm adults or exploit minors. The bill also requires online platforms hosting user-generated content to remove such depictions within 48 hours of a removal request, with the Federal Trade Commission enforcing compliance.
The Senate <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/index.php/2025/2/cruz-klobuchar-bill-to-protect-teenagers-from-deepfake-revenge-porn-unanimously-passes-the-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unanimously</a> passed the bill, authored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), in February. In the weeks that followed, Melania Trump encouraged the House to pass the bill during a roundtable discussion with Cruz, other lawmakers, survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery, and online safety advocates, according to the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/readout-from-first-lady-melania-trumps-roundtable-discussion-on-online-protection-and-the-take-it-down-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a>. During her remarks, the first lady <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yr6AvaDnXo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> about protecting young people, especially girls, from &#8220;malicious online content&#8221; such as deepfakes.
&#8220;This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said. &#8220;Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm.&#8221;
Having passed both chambers, the bill now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
&#8220;Today, the House took a critical step to combat the growing online publication of real and deepfake nonconsensual intimate images with the passage of the Take It Down Act. I want to thank First Lady Melania Trump for championing this important legislation that empowers and provides protections to victims of online sexual exploitation,&#8221; Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a statement. “It also criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate images and mandates their removal from online platforms once reported. The First Lady’s leadership has been instrumental in the bill’s passage, and we look forward to seeing this signed into law.&#8221;
Melania Trump also released a statement, mentioning her &#8220;Be Best&#8221; initiative.
&#8220;Today’s bipartisan passage of the Take It Down Act is a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I am thankful to the Members of Congress — both in the House and Senate — who voted to protect the well-being of our youth. Through this critical legislation and our continued focus with ‘Be Best,’ we are building a future where every child can thrive and achieve their full potential.&#8221;
Just two members, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Eric Burlison (R-MO), voted against it.
Before the House vote, Massie <a href="https://x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1916984817767579966" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X screenshots of a Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/08/take-it-down-act-deepfakes-ncii-flaws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> that highlighted how critics said the deepfake bill is &#8220;flawed.&#8221; The Kentucky Republican said: &#8220;Tonight we’re voting on the &#8216;TAKE IT DOWN Act,&#8217; a bill that would impose federal criminal and civil penalties for publishing unauthorized intimate pictures generated with AI. I’m voting NO because I feel this is a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences.&#8221;

First Lady Melania Trump

House Passes Melania-Backed Bill To Fight Deepfake Revenge Porn

Deepfake

Melania Trump

Online porn

Pornography

U.S. House of Representatives

A bipartisan group of senators — led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) — is discussing the most important issue of our time. The time.
They want to &#8220;lock the clock&#8221; and forever be done with the ridiculous, primitive practice of changing our clocks twice a year. And they&#8217;re discussing if the best way to do that is to make Daylight Saving Time, our current clock position, permanent.
This is the clear best way to go, and they seem to have won over President Donald Trump. After arguing for keeping Standard Time perfect just a few months ago, the president is now <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114319659315817918" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urging</a> Congress to &#8220;push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day.&#8221;
&#8220;The House and Senate should push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day. Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!! DJT&#8221; he wrote on Truth Social.
On Thursday, Cruz focused his opening remarks on addressing the time change and examining how Congress can &#8220;end this outdated and harmful practice.&#8221; Later in the hearing, Cruz said that, among his Senate colleagues, there is general agreement on ending the time change by adopting DST. Others, however, want to stick to Standard Time permanently. These misguided individuals prefer daylight early in the mornings, and want to deprive normal people of sunshine later in the evenings when people are actually awake.
The defenders of Standard Time include so-called health experts who argue that Standard Time is more aligned with our Circadian rhythm and helps our sleep cycle. Another argument for Standard Time truthers, and probably a more convincing one, is that DST forces children to go to the bus stop in the dark while Standard Time provides some daylight for the early morning treks to school. But even this argument doesn&#8217;t stand up to much scrutiny, and could be easily solved with a slight bump to school start times.
Adopting DST is easy to defend. More sunlight in the evenings is far more valuable than daylight in the mornings. The evening is when most people get a chance to be outside, while mornings are usually spent inside getting ready for work and school.
DST is pro-family, pro-community, and pro-worker. The extended period of sunlight in the evening provides precious time for hardworking men and women to get chores done around the house, or enjoy time with the kids in the great outdoors after clocking out. More sunshine in the evening also allows youth sports teams more time for practices and games, and boosts foot traffic in entertainment districts before darkness takes over.
DST is also a big boost for golf courses, which get a huge chunk of their business from late afternoon and evening tee times. President Trump, a big golfer himself, surely understands that.
Cruz acknowledged in his remarks on Thursday, “There are very real and complicated issues and countervailing arguments on both sides.&#8221;
&#8220;There is widespread agreement on locking the clock … but the reason we’re holding these hearings is because these are real arguments and they have real impacts on people,&#8221; he said.
Hopefully, the truth that Daylight Saving is better for America will be made clear in these hearings. As of now, reason appears to be on the verge of victory.

Before the time change

Will Our Leaders Finally Make Daylight Saving Permanent? We Can Only Hope.

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