WASHINGTON — First Lady Melania Trump will meet with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel and his wife, Aviva Siegel, on Wednesday at the White House.
The first lady will have a private, sit-down conversation with the Siegels in the White House&#8217;s Blue Room, where they will discuss how Hamas forcibly took the Siegels from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023, and held them hostage — Aviva Siegel for 51 days, and Keith Siegel for 484 days.
Aviva Siegel was released during the first hostage deal in November 2023. Hamas released her husband on February 1, 2025, during a ceasefire that was brokered by President Donald Trump before he even took office, following his wife&#8217;s meetings with both the president and first lady.
One of these meetings was included in the first lady&#8217;s new film, &#8220;Melania,&#8221; showing Melania Trump and Aviva Siegel sharing an emotional moment in Manhattan as they discuss the plight of Siegel&#8217;s husband. Melania Trump hugs Siegel as she weeps into her shoulder, and the first lady promises to pray for Keith Siegel, who was still in Hamas captivity at the time.
One of the final title cards in &#8220;Melania&#8221; states that the first lady &#8220;played a key role in securing the release of Keith Siegel after 484 days as a hostage in Gaza, just 12 days after the inauguration.&#8221;
&#8220;I will always use my influence and power to fight for those in need,&#8221; the first lady says in the documentary film.
Keith Siegel, 66, is a dual Israel-U.S. citizen who moved from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to Israel in 1980. He is a father of four and a grandfather of five. He is an occupational therapist by trade and reportedly learned Arabic to communicate with the Gazans who worked in his kibbutz prior to Gazan civilians and Hamas massacring his neighbors.
<div id="attachment_1038181" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/melania-trump-to-meet-with-hamas-hostage-she-helped-bring-home/palestinian-israel-conflict-hostage" rel="attachment wp-att-1038181"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038181" class="wp-image-1038181 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196440906-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196440906-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196440906-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196440906-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196440906.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Hamas fighters escort American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel on a stage before handing him over to a Red Cross team in Gaza City on February 1, 2025, as part of the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange.  (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
He is a vegetarian with a particular love for classic American breakfast pancakes, a rarity in Israel. After his release, a Keith Siegel’s Pancake House <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-847923">pop-up opened</a> in Tel Aviv, selling the same pancakes his family had made him known for while they campaigned for his freedom. During that time, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum compiled a cookbook featuring his pancake recipe, which he made for his family every Saturday morning.
His daughter later said she received hundreds of photos each weekend from people around Israel cooking her father’s pancakes. The proceeds from the pancake house went to helping the family get back on their feet.
Siegel opened up about the horrific conditions of his captivity last year in an interview with Lesley Stahl, claiming he witnessed Hamas terrorists sexually assaulting female hostages in front of him.
“I witnessed a young woman who was being tortured by the terrorists. I mean literal, you know, torture, not just in the figurative sense,” he said. “I saw sexual assault with female hostages.”
He was initially held with his wife, but following her release, Siegel said conditions became worse, and he was often beaten and starved.
In the interview, Siegel quickly put interviewer Lesley Stahl in her place after she asked if Hamas actually starved Siegel, or if the terrorists simply didn’t have food themselves.
“No, I think they starved me and they — they would often eat in front of me and not offer me food,” Siegel said.
Siegel also said that Hamas shaved all the men’s heads and genitals as a way to humiliate them.
“I think they thought it was maybe, it amused them or, you know, humiliating. I felt humiliated,” Siegel said.
<div id="attachment_1038183" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/melania-trump-to-meet-with-hamas-hostage-she-helped-bring-home/palestinian-israel-conflict-gaza-hostage" rel="attachment wp-att-1038183"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038183" class="wp-image-1038183 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196449012-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196449012-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196449012-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196449012-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2196449012.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Hamas secures an area before handing over an Israeli-American hostage to a Red Cross team in Gaza City on February 1, 2025. (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Siegel was kept in a suffocating tunnel 33 feet underground and says he was given very little food and water.
Siegel’s ribs were reportedly broken when he was taken captive, and his condition deteriorated so badly that former hostage Emily Damari said she offered to switch places with him so he could be released sooner, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-839135">The Jerusalem Post reported</a>.
Hamas also used him for propaganda. He appeared in an April 2024 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obQ7vpgWHiU">video</a> speaking Hebrew and looking frail before beginning to cry.
Due to being a hostage, he was unable to say goodbye to his mother, Gladys, who passed away in December 2024 in North Carolina. The family chose to shield her from the news of her son’s captivity before she died, according to the American Jewish Committee.
Two weeks after he was released, Siegel recorded a video message praising Trump for helping secure his freedom.
&#8220;President Trump, you are the reason I am home alive,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You are the reason I was reunited with my beloved wife, four children, and five grandchildren. Thank you for your continued fight against terror and for your bold leadership that has brought me and many others back home to our families, to safety and to security.&#8221;
Siegel, his wife, and other hostages met with Trump in the Oval Office in March 2025, where they <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-844850">thanked him</a> for their freedom.

Amazon MGM’s “Melania” World Premiere

Melania Trump To Meet With Hamas Hostage She Helped Bring Home

General

Hamas

Melania Trump

October 7

U.S.

A major medical association said Tuesday that it does not support transgender surgeries on those under the age of 19, drawing praise from the Trump administration.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) <a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/health-policy/positions/2026-gender-surgery-children-adolescents.pdf">released</a> a position statement saying that the available evidence did not support genital procedures or removing the breasts of young girls who identify as boys. The society also said there was “insufficient” support for placing kids on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
“In light of recent publications reporting very low/low certainty of evidence regarding mental health outcomes, along with emerging concerns about potential long-term harms and the irreversible nature of surgical interventions in a developmentally vulnerable population, ASPS concludes there is insufficient evidence demonstrating a favorable risk-benefit ratio for the pathway of gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents,” the society said in its position statement. “ASPS recommends that surgeons delay gender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery until a patient is at least 19 years old.”
The position statement, in part, cited a review from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which found there was no support for transgender procedures on minors.
“These reviews have not resolved earlier uncertainties regarding treatment benefit; in some areas they have contributed to a clearer understanding of potential harms, while also highlighting limitations of the available evidence, including gaps in documenting long-term physical, psychological, and psychosocial outcomes,” the position statement said.
The Trump administration has fought hard to shield kids from transgender procedures and has looked to cut off all government funding for hospitals that perform the procedures.
“We commend the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for standing up to the overmedicalization lobby and defending sound science,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “By taking this stand, they are helping protect future generations of American children from irreversible harm.”
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, the chair of Do No Harm, praised the society for its statement, saying that it was the first major medical society to disavow the procedures for kids.
“High praise to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for taking an important step toward ending the unscientific and harmful practice of sex-rejecting procedures on minors,” he said. “The ASPS’s thoughtful, scientific, and well-reasoned statement today is a model for other medical organizations—namely the Endocrine Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and others—to follow and disavow their previous support for experimental and unscientific interventions. This fight is not over, and we will continue to protect American children by exposing any organization that spreads gender lies.”
Over two dozen states have passed laws protecting kids from transgender surgeries and life-altering cross-sex hormones. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons said it believes that “the regulation of medical care is best achieved through professional self-regulation, rather than criminal law or punitive legislative approaches.”

Democratic Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Delivers Address To Jewish Community In New York

‘This Fight Is Not Over’: Major Medical Org Rejects Transgender Surgeries For Kids

Department of Health and Human Services

Medical

Plastic Surgery

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Social Issues

transgender surgery

Trump Administration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an illegal immigrant accused of fraud who was just one week away from graduating the New Orleans Police Department academy, <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2018762909602721977?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News.
Larry Temah, 46, who hails from Cameroon, was hired by the New Orleans Police Department in June, the agency&#8217;s superintendent, Anne Kirkpatrick, said following his arrest last month.
The Department of Homeland Security slammed the department for not only hiring Temah, but also for arming him.
“This illegal alien from Cameroon, Larry Temah, is not only breaking the law with every step he takes in this country illegally, but the New Orleans Police Department hired him and issued him a firearm &#8211; what kind of law enforcement department gives criminal illegal aliens guns and badges?&#8221; the agency said in a statement to Fox News.
&#8220;It’s a FELONY for illegal aliens to even possess a firearm. Sanctuary cities like New Orleans ignore ICE detainers and are protecting illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens,&#8221; the agency said.
Temah entered the United States in 2015 using a visitor&#8217;s visa, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News. After marrying an American citizen in 2016, he was granted conditional residency.
The federal government denied his application for permanent status in 2022, citing fraud. Temah failed to show for three separate hearings in immigration court, resulting in a judge issuing a deportation order.
Temah, however, didn&#8217;t comply with that order to leave the country, forcing ICE to hunt him down.
Kirkpatrick said last month that the police department had no information to suggest Temah was in the country illegally during his hiring process.
&#8220;There was nothing in the [personnel] packet that would have given us reason to believe that this person did not have legal status,&#8221; she said. &#8220;There is some question that may have developed later.&#8221;
Temah applied to become an officer in June 2025, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-detains-new-orleans-police-recruit-after-immigration-judge-signed-removal-order-following-his-hiring" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News. He also had a valid driver&#8217;s license and Social Security number, and passed the E-Verify check, which ensures workers are in the country legally and eligible to work.
Kirkpatrick said they learned of his deportation order on Dec. 5, which was after he applied for the role with the department.
&#8220;The order of removal occurred after we had already hired him,&#8221; she said.
She said that the NOPD had conducted standard criminal background checks, including a search through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, and found no criminal history.
Temah&#8217;s case isn&#8217;t the first involving ICE arresting an illegal immigrant cop.
In October, federal authorities nabbed Radule Bojovic, an illegal immigrant from Montenegro, who was working as a police officer for the Hanover Police Department in Illinois.
Bojovic overstayed a tourist visa that required him to leave the United States on March 31, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/16/governor-jb-pritzkers-illinois-illegal-alien-working-sworn-police-office-badge-gun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time of his arrest. A judge later granted Bojovic a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-releases-illegal-immigrant-cop-from-ice-custody" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2,500 immigration bond</a> and he has since <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-cop-previously-nabbed-by-ice-returns-to-work-for-illinois-police-department">returned</a> to work with the Hanover Police Department.
The department hired Bojovic in January 2025 since he had a federal work permit and passed all background checks, they previously said.

Super Bowl LIX – Previews

New Orleans Police Recruit Turns Out To Be Illegal Immigrant Fraudster

illegal immigrant

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Kristi Noem

New Orleans

Svedka Vodka will make history on Sunday when it debuts the first ever Super Bowl commercial that’s made mostly from AI generated video.
Despite not having any living actors, a spokesperson for the brand Sazerac (owner of Svedka) insisted that the overall messaging is very “pro-human.”
“We always knew we were signing up for risk because a vodka ad in the Super Bowl is polarizing to a certain degree,” Sara Saunders, chief marketing officer at Sazerac, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/svedka-super-bowl-ad-ai-watch-1236493612/">told</a> The Hollywood Reporter. “So the rest of it was ‘we might as well create conversation.&#8217;”
Saunders said the message of the ad was really about reducing tech usage and meeting people the old fashioned way, like through dancing. This is shown through an AI-generated robot short circuiting after drinking Svedka.
“The entire idea of the campaign is that the robots have returned to remind the humans to be more human,” Saunders said. “Our message is ultimately pro-human.”
Though AI is recognized for having the ability to cut costs dramatically, which could be impactful considering how much it costs to run a Super Bowl commercial in the first place, the marketing exec insisted money wasn’t the driving force behind the AI ad.
“For us it&#8217;s never been an efficiency play, it’s been a storytelling play; that’s why we’ve always had strong hands on the keyboard,” she told THR.
The outlet noted that other Super Bowl commercials, including the “Jurassic Park” themed ad, will use AI elements, but noted that Svedka will be the first and only ad that’s almost completely created with AI.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Shake Your Bots Off - SVEDKA Big Game Commercial 2026" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pkeWRI2yJGM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The ad is currently available on YouTube. In it, Svedka’s robot character that was popularized over a decade ago is seen dancing with a new robot friend at a human party.
“After 12 years in sleep mode, I’m back online. And also apparently on advertising’s biggest stage,” the YouTube description says.
“My agenda is simple: More fun. More dancing. More human connection. More cocktails. Leave your texts on read. Mute your notifications. Stretch out your tech neck. The future isn’t going anywhere (I know, I&#8217;ve been there). Neither is your phone.”
“It’s hard to worry about tomorrow when you’re getting ‘super freaky’ on the dance floor. Join me,” it concludes. “Shake your bots off with SVEDKA.”
Comments on the video have been turned off.

Svedka Vodka

Svedka Vodka Insists AI-Generated Super Bowl Commercial Has ‘Pro-Human’ Message

Svedka Vodka Insists AI-Generated Super Bowl Commercial Has 'Pro-Human' Message

advertising

Alcohol

Artificial Intelligence

Media

Super Bowl

Moltbook Website Homepage Displayed On Smartphone Screen

Did AI Social Network Moltbook Need Humans After All?

Big Tech

Social Media

Technology

Every federal immigration officer on the ground in Minneapolis will now have a body camera following two recent fatal shootings of anti-ICE agitators.
The decision comes after President Donald Trump replaced Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino with his border czar, Tom Homan, who took command of immigration operations in Minneapolis last week.
Homan&#8217;s arrival was sparked by the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent and came just weeks after an ICE agent fired fatal shots at Renee Good after she appeared to hit him with her car. It has also led to a more targeted approach for arrests, with agents prioritizing the worst criminals first.
The officer who shot Good recorded the interaction on his phone.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
I just spoke with <a href="https://twitter.com/RealTomHoman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealTomHoman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEDirector?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEDirector</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBPCommissioner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBPCommissioner</a>. Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis.
As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide. We will rapidly acquire and deploy body…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2018435428932538861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the latest policy change following a conversation with Homan, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, she said in an X post on Monday.
&#8220;Effective immediately, we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis,&#8221; Noem said.
She added that the program &#8220;will be expanded nationwide&#8221; &#8220;as funding is available.&#8221;
&#8220;We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;The most transparent administration in American history—thank you @POTUS Trump. Make America Safe Again,&#8221; she added.
When Daily Wire White House reporter Mary Margaret Olohan asked the president about Noem&#8217;s announcement, he didn&#8217;t appear to have prior knowledge of the decision.
Still, he said he supports it.
&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t my decision; I leave it to her. They generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can&#8217;t lie about what&#8217;s happening,&#8221; Trump said during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office on Monday.
&#8220;If she wants to do the camera thing, that&#8217;s ok with me,&#8221; Trump said.
Body-worn cameras for federal immigration agents have become a centerpiece of Congress&#8217; latest battle to fund the Department of Homeland Security since the recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
Just days before Pretti was shot, footage originally published by The News Movement showed him kicking in the taillight of a vehicle driven by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.
The video also showed Pretti spitting on an officer and raising his middle finger to the vehicle before one agent gets out of the vehicle and quickly wrestles him to the ground.
The agents eventually let him go, and he was reportedly left with a broken rib. Pretti appeared to have a gun in his waistband as he walked away.
“A week before Alex was gunned down in the street — despite posing no threat to anyone — he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents,” attorney Steve Schleicher, who represents Pretti’s family, told the <a href="https://www.startribune.com/bystander-video-reveals-confrontation-between-alex-pretti-and-federal-agents-11-days-before-killing/601572009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minnesota Star Tribune</a> after reviewing the footage.

US-IMMIGRATION-ICE-SHOOTING

Trump Admin ‘Deploying Body Cameras To Every’ Federal Immigration Agent In Minneapolis

Border Patrol

Executive

Minneapolis

Tom Homan

Actor John Lithgow is confused about how “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling could believe in biological reality.
The 80-year-old celebrity said as much while speaking at Rotterdam Film Festival over the weekend while discussing some of the backlash he’s gotten for playing the role of Dumbledore in the TV reboot of Rowling’s best-selling series.
“I take the subject extremely seriously,” Lithgow said of the trans debate. “[Rowling] has created this amazing canon for young people and it has jumped into the consciousness of the society. It’s about good versus evil, kindness versus cruelty. I find her views ironic and inexplicable. I’ve never met her, she’s not really involved in this production at all. But the people who are, are remarkable.”
“It upsets me when people are opposed to me having anything to do with this,” he said of the haters who totally wrote off Rowling and all her work. “But in ‘Potter’ canon you see no trace of transphobic sensitivity. She’s written this mediation of kindness and acceptance. And Dumbledore is a beautiful role.”
Lithgow described accepting the role as a “hard decision.”
“It made me uncomfortable and unhappy that people insisted I walk away from the job. I chose not to do that,” the actor went on. “I’m the oldest person in this entire room, just turned 80. And yet I signed a contract – I will be playing Dumbledore for the next eight years! I absolutely have to keep at it. I felt: ‘Wow! That means I will live to be 88.’ I have that in writing.”
The topic was front and center as Lithgow was at the film festival promoting his latest project, “Jimpa,” which follows the main character Hannah (Olivia Colman) and her “nonbinary teenager” Frances as they reconnect with Hannah’s gay father, Jim (Lithgow).
The role of Frances is played by director Sophie Hyde’s real-life daughter, Aud Mason-Hyde, who also identifies as “trans and non-binary,” per <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/global/john-lithgow-dumbledore-harry-potter-jk-rowlings-jimpa-1236648292/">Variety</a>.
Rowling has been one of the few celebrities brave enough to take a stand against the radical trans agenda, even in the face of massive backlash, boycotts, and vitriol from her peers.
Leftist fans have been furious with the British author since she started speaking out on the topic of biological sex being real in 2020. Most members of the original “Harry Potter” movie cast have denounced her and sided with the trans activists.
Most recently, Rowling and actress Emma Watson got into a public feud, which culminated in Rowling <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shes-ignorant-of-how-ignorant-she-is-j-k-rowling-slams-emma-watson-over-transgender-views?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98She%E2%80%99s+Ignorant+Of+How+Ignorant+She+Is%E2%80%99%3A+J.K.+Rowling+Slams+Emma+Watson+Over+Transgender+Views" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> Watson “has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is.”

John Lithgow

John Lithgow Describes JK Rowling’s Belief In Biological Reality As ‘Inexplicable’

Celebrities

Entertainment

Harry Potter

JK Rowling

Television

Transgender

As ex-CNN host Don Lemon livestreamed the storming of a Minnesota church last month, he documented several instances where he appeared to be covering the anti-ICE protesters&#8217; tracks as he accompanied them from start to finish.
Lemon&#8217;s livestream opened with him standing near the group of activists, who he said were &#8220;gearing up for resistance and protest.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
INTENT: The opening to Don Lemon’s insane livestream is an admission of foreknowledge that the group he was in contact with was going to storm a church, based on his prior communications with its leader. <a href="https://t.co/g0GVHB4871">pic.twitter.com/g0GVHB4871</a>
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/2013219366574145723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
The group gathered in a parking lot to practice anti-ICE chants.
At that point in his video, Lemon asserted that the operation was &#8220;secret,&#8221; adding, &#8220;[I] can&#8217;t tell you what is going to happen, but you&#8217;re going to watch it live unfold here on the Don Lemon Show.&#8221;
He continued to conceal the group&#8217;s plans, saying that he &#8220;turned our camera off of them because they&#8217;re giving some critical information here.&#8221;
Lemon could also be seen thanking the members of the group, including its ringleader, Nekima Levy Armstrong, who was also later arrested for her alleged role in carrying out the disruption.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨Pam Bondi just announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong, the alleged organizer of last weekend&#8217;s Anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul Church.
Here&#8217;s Don Lemon giving her an awkward kiss before it went down.
Could Don be next? <a href="https://t.co/8qiNyrN3Q1">pic.twitter.com/8qiNyrN3Q1</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2014361821537272139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;How are you? Good to see you,&#8221; Lemon said to Armstrong as he leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
&#8220;We&#8217;re on, we&#8217;re not saying what it is, what&#8217;s going on, but thank you,&#8221; he said.
Lemon was seen entering the church and could be heard sitting in on the service.
The agitators then began their interruption.
He also acknowledged seeing the terror inflicted upon worshippers inside the church.
&#8220;I&#8217;m looking at a young man who&#8217;s in the corner. He&#8217;s frightened. He&#8217;s scared, he&#8217;s crying. People are leaving church,&#8221; he said.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/sJY801wVGQMO36wJ5eGDxQVokwToLzr32?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=ad2da589-22a5-4b28-93de-01ab31664461&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Don%20Lemon%20Stands%20Outside%20Minnesota%20Church&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fb6639645-345f-4255-93b9-9e952fd9e01d.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Outside, Lemon showed a father hugging his distraught child.
&#8220;You have to make people uncomfortable in these times. If you see how uncomfortable &#8230; and how harsh people are being treated on the streets, you have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That is what this country is about,&#8221; he later said.
He then asked Armstrong for help tracking down the pastor.
“Who is the person that we should talk to? Is there a pastor or something?” Lemon asked as Armstrong pointed toward the pastor, whom she said “might have run away.&#8221;
Lemon was also seen confronting the pastor, asserting, &#8220;Listen, we live in a — there&#8217;s a Constitution and the First Amendment to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest.&#8221;
&#8220;Don&#8217;t you think that Jesus would be understanding and love these folks?&#8221; Lemon asked the pastor.
The pastor eventually asks him to &#8220;leave.&#8221;
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Lemon was also seen lecturing a worshipper, who accused the group of &#8220;trespassing.&#8221;
He then attempted to challenge another with &#8220;facts,&#8221; asking questions like, &#8220;Did you know that undocumented people and immigrants commit far less crime than American citizens?&#8221;
When the parishioner said &#8220;we&#8217;re done here,&#8221; Lemon continued to push him: &#8220;You won&#8217;t listen, I&#8217;m giving you the facts.&#8221;
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/LsTMRuPylh561O01LJPBpLPc02oxeZ6ELY?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=ef0dc23d-f4a8-4856-b2d7-f2799f3a5cc2&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Don%20Lemon%20Lectures%20Churchgoer&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F151cb151-ac22-4a0b-acdd-1e7d57ad8004.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Lemon was seen standing outside the church, where he continued to push anti-ICE beliefs on the parishioners as they fled.
&#8220;I imagine it&#8217;s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here &#8230; but that&#8217;s what protesting is about,&#8221; Lemon said.
The man hit back at Lemon, who said the ex-CNN anchor was posing &#8220;as a journalist.&#8221;
After departing the church, Lemon acknowledged allegedly taking part in keeping the group&#8217;s plans under wraps.
&#8220;What I said was going to happen happened. We could not tell you, you know, what it was,&#8221; he said.
Federal authorities arrested Lemon Thursday evening in Los Angeles. He faces charges of conspiracy to violate the right of religious freedom at a house of worship and violations of the FACE Act, a law that, in part, prohibits the disruption of worship services, which the Biden administration infamously weaponized against peaceful anti-abortion protesters.
He has since been released from custody, but continues to fight the charges.
Lemon claimed he was covering the protest as an independent journalist, asserting that his actions are protected by the First Amendment.
During his livestream, he also told multiple parishioners that &#8220;I&#8217;m not part of the group.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m just here photographing, I&#8217;m a journalist,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;We&#8217;re here just chronicling and reporting. We&#8217;re not part of the activist, but we&#8217;re here just reporting on them,&#8221; he said at another point.

Untitled design – 2026-02-02T105537.376

All The Times Don Lemon Made The Case Against Himself In His Livestream

Department of Justice

Don Lemon

FACE Act

Minnesota

Country star Jelly Roll responded to questions about current political controversies by saying he’d prefer to stay out of it &#8212; for now.
The 41-year-old celeb made the remarks at the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony, where he took home three trophies.
When asked about the topic of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the red carpet, Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, managed not to answer the question directly. “So I can tell you that people shouldn’t care to hear my opinion,” DeFord said. “You know, I’m a dumb redneck. I haven’t watched enough.” 
He went on to describe himself as “disconnected” from current events.
“I grew up in a house of, like, insane pandemonium. Like, I didn’t even know politics were f*cking real until I was in my mid-20s in jail. Like, that’s how disconnected &#8230; when you grew up in a drug addict household,” he went on. “You think we, like, had common calls about what’s happening in rural politics? Like, we’re just trying to find a way to survive, man.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="JELLY ROLL Backstage Interview | 2026 GRAMMYs" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CB-G_6vTQ4k?start=486&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
DeFord did promise he’d “have a lot to say about” ICE on social media in the coming days and told fans they would get his thoughts “loud and clear.”
The “Need a Favor” singer also spoke openly about his Christian faith during his Grammys acceptance speech. 
&#8220;They&#8217;re going to try to kick me off here, so just let me try to get this out. First of all, Jesus, I hear you, and I&#8217;m listening. Lord, I am listening, Lord. Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you,” Jelly Roll said while becoming emotional. “I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn&#8217;t for you and Jesus. I thank you for that.”
“There was a time in my life, y&#8217;all, that I was broken. That&#8217;s why I wrote this album. I didn&#8217;t think I had a chance, y&#8217;all,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There was days that I thought the darkest things. I was a horrible human.&#8221;
&#8220;There was a moment in my life that all I had was a Bible this big, and a radio the same size, and a six-by-eight-foot cell,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And I believe that those two things could change my life. I believe that music had the power to change my life, and God had the power to change my life.&#8221;
While Jelly Roll didn’t take a stance on ICE, there were several celebrities at the Grammys who did, opting to wear “ICE OUT” buttons with their outfits. Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Bieber sported the buttons, as did Billie Eilish, Kehlani, Samara Joy, Joni Mitchell, and Jack Antonoff.
Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny devoted his Grammys acceptance speech to protest ICE enforcing immigration laws.

Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll Breaks Rank, Doesn’t Criticize ICE At Grammys

Jelly Roll Breaks Rank, Doesn't Criticize ICE At Grammys

Grammy Awards

Grammys

Music

Nashville Democratic Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell blasted the city&#8217;s electric service over the weekend just days after praising its efforts to restore power to residents left in the cold.
O&#8217;Connell said that he met with Nashville Electric Service (NES) leaders on Sunday and told them that the agency&#8217;s response and messaging around widespread power outages has been &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221; Tens of thousands of Nashville residents have gone nine days without power following a massive ice storm that ripped down trees and power lines across the city. At least four deaths have been <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2026/01/30/victims-suspected-winter-storm-related-deaths-across-nashville-identified/">linked</a> to the storm and ensuing power outage in Nashville.
&#8220;What I learned today is that NES is unequipped to communicate about a crisis,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell <a href="https://x.com/peytonTVkennedy/status/2018298760242033103">said</a> after the meeting. &#8220;Nashvillians can&#8217;t get the last week back—nights huddled under blankets, unplanned shelter or hotel stays, the uncertainty and fear of not knowing what&#8217;s happening and how long it will take to simply return home. And that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so troubling that details NES leadership shared about their internal outlook—that they hadn&#8217;t previously shared with us—would&#8217;ve had a huge impact on the public guidance we gave from the beginning of the crisis. That is unacceptable.&#8221;
The mayor&#8217;s statement following the meeting marked a change in tune from when O&#8217;Connell defended the Nashville Electric Service last week as residents grew frustrated with the agency&#8217;s response.
&#8220;Let’s be clear about what this is — it is a historic ice storm. This is the largest single outage in NES history. We do not have these kinds of weather events all the time,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell said at a press conference last Tuesday.
On Thursday, O&#8217;Connell suggested that the Nashville Electric Service&#8217;s response was a &#8220;success.&#8221;
&#8220;The fact that this is their largest ever number of line crews out with line workers and vegetation support ever, I think that&#8217;s a sign of their success,&#8221; he <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-mayor-freddie-oconnell-nes-power-outages-changes-tune-says-he-is-not-satisfied-tennessee-winter-storm">said</a>, according to Fox 17 Nashville. Later during Thursday&#8217;s briefing, O&#8217;Connell said he was &#8220;not satisfied&#8221; with the power restoration efforts.
The Nashville Electric Service is led by a CEO, but it also has a five-member board that is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Two of the current NES board members have been <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/02/02/nashville-ice-storm-recovery-nes-criticism/">appointed</a> by O&#8217;Connell. The Daily Wire reached out to the mayor&#8217;s office and asked if O&#8217;Connell met with NES leaders before the storm hit on January 24 to discuss the city&#8217;s response.
The Nashville Electric Service has faced increased criticism as over 20,000 homes and businesses remain without power in the Music City on Monday. The agency deployed only 200 linemen at the beginning of the storm to repair downed lines, far below the total number of linemen that would eventually be needed. NES officials said over 1,000 linemen are now working on restoring power in the city.
&#8220;Progress has been made with power restored to 80% of our customers who had outages,&#8221; NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin <a href="https://x.com/NESpower/status/2017753965769732192">said</a> on Saturday. &#8220;By Tuesday, 90% will be restored, and by Sunday, February 8, 99% of our customers will have power back.&#8221;
She added that extensive damage in some areas means it will take the electric service more time to get power restored.
Broyles-Aplin&#8217;s past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-electric-ceo-touted-tree-hugging-over-aggressive-trimming-months-before-massive-ice-storm">comments</a> on tree maintenance have also come under scrutiny. Last August, the NES leader stressed the importance of saving Nashville&#8217;s tree &#8220;canopy&#8221; and avoiding aggressive trimming practices. Some Nashville tree service professionals argued that the Nashville Electric Service doesn&#8217;t do enough to keep trees away from power lines.
Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-senator-declares-war-on-woke-nashville-power-company-after-week-long-outage?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Tennessee+Senator+Declares+War+On+%E2%80%98Woke%E2%80%99+Nashville+Power+Company+After+Week-Long+Outage">ripped</a> the electric service for spending time focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
&#8220;The Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI-related training sessions by the end of 2024. They should’ve been using those resources to trim trees and bury utilities. This is what happens when companies put woke politics over the needs of the people they serve,&#8221; Blackburn said on Sunday.
Last week, the Tennessee Star <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/politics/letter-from-nashville-electric-service-ceo-shows-utility-company-held-102-dei-training-sessions-by-end-of-2024/tpappert/2026/01/29/">highlighted</a> a 2024 NES &#8220;community investment&#8221; <a href="https://www.nespower.com/-/media/project/nes/common/pdfs/annual-reports/2024/nes-esg-2024-report-interactive.pdf">report</a>, which stated, &#8220;To foster a culture of civility and belonging within our organization with the hopes of extending that dynamic beyond our walls, NES’ Human Relations Department implemented Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, &amp; Belonging (DEIAB) trainings, hosting a total of 102 sessions in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 for both organization-wide education and nuanced resources for leadership positions.&#8221;
Blackburn argued that while linemen are working hard to restore power to Nashville residents, leaders are botching the response.
&#8220;The linemen who are on the ground making repairs and working in the frigid temperatures to restore power are the unsung heroes of the response to this horrible winter storm,&#8221; Blackburn said. &#8220;So grateful for these men and women.&#8221;

Freddie O’Connell

Nashville’s Dem Mayor Slams Electric Service He Just Praised As City Hits 9 Days Without Power

Nashville

Severe Weather

Tennessee

Winter storm

Movie industry insiders projected an abysmal opening weekend for “Melania,” a film about the first lady, but were quickly proven wrong when it was projected to rake in at least $8 million, if not more.
While liberals gloated over screenshots of supposedly empty theaters, the movie has outperformed expectations, especially in the South and South-central part of the country, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-melania-opening-weekend-1236490092/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. About three quarters of the audience was women aged 55 and older. 
The outlet noted that Amazon MGM paid $40 million for licensing rights and spent an estimated $35 million on marketing. At the premiere in Washington, D.C., on Thursday night, Melania told the press that success to her didn’t depend on box office numbers anyway.
“I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may [not] like it, and that’s their choice,” the first lady told CNN outside the premiere.
“We achieved what we want to achieve,” Melania later added. “For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”
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As predicted, legacy media critics absolutely trashed the film, giving it an overall rating of 11% on Rotten Tomatoes &#8212; but that’s a vast departure from what audiences are saying. With a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 99% and a Cinemascore of &#8220;A,&#8221; many viewers praised the glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of Melania in the 20 days leading up to her husband Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
“An inside look at inaugural preparations, done in style,” one verified reviewer wrote. “Also getting to know our First Lady in a more personal way. The lady who is smart, elegant, stylish, beautiful &amp; someone who loves this country &amp; appreciates all that it offers.”
“Wow. Thought I may like it for the fashion take on it. But it was so much more. Absolutely loved it. Regardless if you like her or not- this documentary was really, really good,” another moviegoer agreed.
“Melania” is directed by Brett Ratner, who is best known for the “Rush Hour” franchise.
The first lady previously mentioned the inspiration for the documentary while accepting Fox Nation’s “Patriot of the Year” award.
“A first of its kind, capturing the 20 days of my life before the inauguration, 20 intense days of transformation from private citizen to first lady, balancing my business, my philanthropy, fostering the future, building my East Wing team and the White House staff, and, of course, caring for my family,” she said at the time.
“Melania” began screening in theaters nationwide on Friday.

Box Office Triumph: ‘Melania’ Doc Smashes Predictions, Heads To $8M+ Opening Weekend

Box Office Triumph: 'Melania' Doc Smashes Predictions, Heads To $8M+ Opening Weekend

Documentaries

Hollywood

Movies

Following high-profile accidents at the hands of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. from &#8220;sanctuary&#8221; states, Florida is taking action to restrict driver&#8217;s license tests to only English and bar any translation support.
On Friday, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) announced the new measure, which is clearly being implemented as another safeguard for Florida residents.
Starting February 6, all tests statewide &#8220;will be administered exclusively in English,&#8221; the department said in a press release. &#8220;This change applies to all driver license classifications, including exams administered orally.&#8221;
<div>
Previously, exams for most non-commercial driver&#8217;s license classifications were offered in multiple languages, and Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) and Commercial Driver&#8217;s License (CDL) knowledge exams were available in English and Spanish.
&#8220;FLHSMV has updated its driver license testing system statewide,&#8221; the department added. &#8220;Language translation services will no longer be permitted for knowledge or skills examinations, and any printed exams in languages other than English will be removed for use.&#8221;
</div>
The change follows a devastating crash in Florida that occurred over the summer. Harjinder Singh, an illegal who entered the U.S. through California, was charged with three counts of homicide after he <a href="https://www.flhsmv.gov/2025/08/16/illegal-u-turn-truck-driver-arrested-for-vehicular-homicide/">recklessly</a> attempted to execute an illegal U-turn on the Florida turnpike, resulting in the deaths of three Americans.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Singh entered the U.S. illegally into California, a sanctuary state, back in 2018. He was quickly arrested and processed for expedited removal, but after claiming he feared returning to India, he was released on bond. Then, Singh somehow obtained a Commercial Driver’s License in California.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Illegal alien issued CDL by California. Doesn’t even speak English. Sanctuary policies are deadly.
Must hold the illegal alien accountable but also the other actors involved including the company. <a href="https://t.co/GRCOkGJLI3">https://t.co/GRCOkGJLI3</a>
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1957434978016387420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Commercial Driver&#8217;s Licenses for illegals or people with improper status have been the target of scrutiny for months, due to devastating crashes &#8212; like the one involving Singh &#8212; that have killed Americans. 
The Daily Wire’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-california-license-accused-of-killing-newlyweds-in-tragic-collision?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Trucker+With+California+License+Accused+Of+Killing+Newlyweds+In+Tragic+Collision">Jennie Taer</a> reported in December, for example, that a newlywed couple was tragically killed in a collision allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver with a California license.
<div>
&#8220;FLHSMV remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior,&#8221; the department said. 
</div>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-bill-takes-aim-at-democrat-states-giving-truck-licenses-to-illegal-aliens">Republican Bill Takes Aim At Democrat States Giving Truck Licenses To Illegal Aliens</a>

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