Israel &amp; Hamas close in on a peace deal two years after the heinous October terrorist attack, President Donald Trump deploys the National Guard to Chicago as chaos intensifies, and violent text messages from a Democratic candidate in Virginia lead to calls for his ouster — but only from one side.
It’s Tuesday, October 7, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Two Years After October 7 Terror Attack</h2>
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Topline: Israel’s two-year war in Gaza may be nearing an end after a U.S.-backed peace proposal won widespread backing across the Middle East.
Negotiators are meeting in Egypt this week to hammer out the details of the peace framework presented by President Trump. Already, there are splits. Hamas has agreed to release all hostages, but it hasn’t agreed to the three-day timeline, nor has it agreed to demilitarize or swear off any future involvement in Gaza’s governance.
President Trump is optimistic, however. He’s seemingly viewed Hamas’ willingness to have a discussion as a win.
A look back: In 2023, Saudi Arabia was on the verge of joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing relations with Israel. To Hamas, that would have been a disaster – it needs Israel isolated. At the same time, Israel was roiled by judicial reform – there were massive protests in the streets. Israeli society seemed to be torn apart.
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Hamas sensed weakness, and it needed to break up Arab-Israeli relations, so it attacked. As an Iranian proxy, it received help from Iran and its massive network of terror groups. Hezbollah in Lebanon had tens of thousands of rockets and missiles. In Israel, Hamas was viewed as a threat, but the threat from Hezbollah was considered potentially existential.
The Houthis in Yemen threatened Israel and international shipping. Then there was Iran itself. Tehran is the largest state-sponsor of terrorism in the world, and prior to October 7, it had used its web of terror groups to surround Israel.
October 7, two years later: That web now has serious holes. Israel is in a much stronger position in the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made that point in an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ben-interviews-netanyahu?elementPosition=3&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">interview</a> with The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro on Monday:
<blockquote>Two years later, we&#8217;ve smashed the Iran axis, smashed most of its proxies. Hamas is not finished yet, but we&#8217;ll get there. Hezbollah, Syria is gone. Smashed also Iran&#8217;s nuclear and ballistic missile program – still there, but rolled it really back with President Trump&#8217;s help. And the Houthis, who are threatening the entire world and maritime shipping. So, Israel emerged from this horrible day as the strongest power in the Middle East.</blockquote>
Israel&#8217;s support slipping: Support for Israel is fading in the West. Canada, the U.K., and France have all recently recognized the nonexistent state of Palestine, which Trump has described as a reward for terrorism.
Polling in the United States suggests some bad trends for Israel. According to a Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/06/jewish-americans-israel-poll-gaza/">poll</a> conducted last month, support among American Jews has taken some hits. The share who believe the United States supports Israel too much has risen to 32%—a 10-point increase since 2020 and a 21-point increase since 2013. Within the Democratic Party, support for the Palestinian cause has become something of a litmus test among progressives. Meanwhile, some voices on the Republican side question whether strong backing for Israel aligns with an “America First” philosophy.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Cracks Down On Chicago</h2>
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Topline: Violent assaults against federal immigration authorities continue in Illinois, and the Trump administration has responded by sending hundreds of Texas National Guard troops to Chicago. 
Much of Trump’s effort to activate National Guard troops to protect federal immigration enforcement is in legal limbo. 
Homeland Security officials told The Daily Wire that they&#8217;re not going to let up on the mass deportation effort amid the ongoing assaults against immigration officers. 
Since Trump has taken office, there has been a 1,000% increase in assaults on ICE agents. Around Chicago in particular, leftist agitators have made a number of egregious assaults on the ICE detention center in Broadview, Illinois, and on ICE and Border Patrol agents who have been deployed to assist in these efforts.
Illinois against ICE: The state of Illinois has sued over the deployment of National Guard troops to the state. It says that the move by the Trump administration is unconstitutional and an invasion.
Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson is creating “ICE-free zones” in city buildings where he says that ICE and Border Patrol cannot go. He has also called on local businesses to participate, as well, to shield illegal aliens who are roaming the streets.
At the same time, there are more places for illegal aliens to run and hide, ICE and federal law enforcement sources tell The Daily Wire.
ICE ambushed: Over the weekend, several vehicles allegedly rammed into and boxed in federal immigration agents in Chicago during a protest confrontation.
A U.S. citizen woman, who authorities say was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and previously accused of doxxing agents, was shot by Border Patrol after agents said they were boxed in.
Trump administration officials have characterized the incident as part of a broader pattern, arguing that National Guard deployments may be necessary in cities where local enforcement is perceived as unwilling to protect federal agents.
Deportation operation: The Trump administration&#8217;s operations, and the surrounding areas of Chicago, have already yielded 1,000 arrests since early September. In the case of “ICE-free zones,” officials may pursue Chicago and Mayor Johnson for violations of federal law in harboring illegal aliens.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Democrat Text Message Scandal Roiling Virginia</h2>
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Topline: A political firestorm is raging in Virginia over text messages that show Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones fantasizing about killing a GOP colleague. 
The controversy centers on messages sent in August 2022 from then-former Delegate Jay Jones to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. In those messages, first obtained by National Review, Jones fantasized about murdering then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, a Republican:
<blockquote>Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.
Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.</blockquote>
When Coyner asked Jones to stop and suggested his remarks weren’t acceptable, Jones continued, even referencing Gilbert’s children. Coyner said, “You were talking about hoping Jennifer Gilbert’s children would die,” and Jones didn’t deny it. Instead, he replied, “I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.” 
Then he said, “Do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil and they’re breeding little fascists? Yes.”
He also fantasized about attending the funerals of other Republican lawmakers, saying he would “piss on their graves” and “send them out awash in something.”
Jones has now apologized, saying, “Reading back those words made him sick to his stomach.” He insists he’s staying in the race and has blamed “Trump-controlled media” for turning the text messages into a story.
Republicans react: There’s been a chorus of voices demanding that Jones exit the race. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for governor, and Attorney General Jason Miyares, Jones’ opponent, say the texts are disqualifying. President Trump also said he needs to go. And Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin described the comments as “demented.” 
Democrats react: But while some Democrats are condemning the remarks, we’re not yet hearing any calls for Jones to drop out. Jones’ running mate, Abigail Spanberger, said she spoke “frankly” with him and expressed her “disgust,” but won&#8217;t call for him to quit. 
Political fallout: Coming in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, political analysts are saying Jones&#8217; messages are likely to be a significant liability. Early voting has increased by 20% this week, according to state data. Internal GOP tracking shows the race tightening to a dead heat, with undecideds – about 39% of voters who barely know Jones – swinging hard against him.
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Morning Brief: Remembering October 7, Troops To Chicago, & A Democrat Scandal Roils Virginia

Morning Brief: 10-7 Anniversary, Troops To Chicago, And Democrat Scandal Roils Virginia

Benjamin Netanyahu

Border Patrol

Chicago

Donald Trump

Illinois

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Israel

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

United States

Virginia

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told The Daily Wire&#8217;s Ben Shapiro on Monday that he thinks the world is &#8220;close to the end of the war,&#8221; praising the United States for bringing the world to the negotiating table for peace.
Netanyahu sat down with Shapiro in Israel ahead of the two-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack, and said Israel still has &#8220;things to do to complete the victory&#8221; against Hamas. Shapiro, who called President Donald Trump &#8220;the most pro-Israel president in the history of the United States,&#8221; said it&#8217;s &#8220;pretty incredible&#8221; that Trump has been able to broker a peace deal that has support around the world.
Netanyahu said Israel gives Trump full credit for his ability to turn the tables against Hamas.
&#8220;Right now the liberty of the world, the security of the world, is dependent on the strength of the United States,&#8221; Netanyahu said. &#8220;What President Trump has done, in a very short time, is bring America back to the driver seat in world affairs. That&#8217;s very important, because we all depend on America&#8217;s strength and America&#8217;s resolve.&#8221;
Netanyahu stressed the importance of Israel&#8217;s partnership with the United States, while noting that Israel is &#8220;the junior partner&#8221; and &#8220;nobody should mistake that.&#8221;
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But while acknowledging the imbalance at this point in the relationship, Netanyahu argued that there are benefits for the United States as well.
“‘America First’ doesn’t mean America alone, because all countries need allies. Superpowers need allies,” the prime minister said. “The problem that you&#8217;ve had over the years, the United States, is that you didn&#8217;t have these allies pulling their weight. Israel is an ally, it&#8217;s a fighting ally that pulls its weight.”
Netanyahu put forward the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran earlier this year as an example. The “12-Day War” that ended on June 25 saw numerous Israeli strikes on Iranian military positions, the destruction of Iran’s air defense, and a severe setback to Tehran’s nuclear program. The United States delivered the final blow on Tehran’s nuclear program with a combined B-2 bombing run and Tomahawk missiles launched from a submarine against sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Israel, with U.S. backing, has defeated “your enemies who were trying to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads to attack your cities. That&#8217;s what Iran was doing,” said Netanyahu.
Iran has long expressed hostility toward the United States, with its leaders <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranian-president-sworn-with-chants-death-america-israel-2024-07-30/">leading</a> chants of “Death to America” and <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/16/iran-accuses-biden-of-inciting-chaos-terror-amid-protests">calling</a> the United States the “Great Satan.”
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“We just knocked out Iran &#8230; with President Trump&#8217;s very judicious and pointed assistance. It didn&#8217;t start World War 3. It didn&#8217;t require, you know, thousands of Americans to die or to go to Tehran,” Netanyahu continued. “We had exactly the right alliance in which we shared the labor, and we achieved this neutralization of Iran.”
Aside from its direct military action against U.S. opponents, Israel also provides significant boosts to American weaponry and intelligence. Iron Dome, the anti-ballistic missile Arrow defense system, and the Trophy system designed to protect tanks are all defensive systems developed by Israel and shared with the United States, the prime minister said.
Netanyahu added that Israel has also shared offensive capabilities with the United States as well, though he said he couldn&#8217;t give all the details. “We share it with America, but I can&#8217;t share it with you,” joked Netanyahu.
“The most advanced offensive weapons on the planet – things that none of the superpowers have – developed by Israel, shared with America. That&#8217;s very important because, you know, you have to be strong. Everybody understands that,” he added. “That&#8217;s what President Trump says, and he says it correctly: peace through strength. You’ve got to be strong in order to get the peace.”
Netanyahu said that the October 7 anniversary is a time to reflect on what&#8217;s been accomplished in the past two years.
&#8220;We can all acknowledge, and in some ways also celebrate the fact, that we rose from the ashes,&#8221; Netanyahu said. &#8220;From the pit of despair, we&#8217;ve become again the dominant power in the Middle East, perhaps stronger than we were before. That&#8217;s something that we can give thanks for.&#8221;

Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu

Bibi Netanyahu: ‘The Security Of The World Is Dependent On The Strength Of The United States’

Ben Shapiro

Global Politics

World

The United States will help Ukraine locate key Russian energy infrastructure as the Trump administration weighs sending Ukraine weapons capable of reaching those targets.
President Donald Trump has approved intelligence sharing by the War Department and American intelligence agencies with Ukraine. The president is weighing taking U.S. assistance a step further, providing Ukraine with Tomahawk and Barracuda cruise missiles as well as other long-range weaponry, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/u-s-to-provide-ukraine-with-intelligence-for-missile-strikes-deep-inside-russia-ca7b2276">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
The move marks a first in U.S. policy toward Ukraine. The United States has never before aided Ukraine in targeting energy infrastructure deep inside Russia’s territory. The intelligence and potential long-range weapons could be used to strike refineries, pipelines, and other key structures aimed at crippling Moscow’s main source of income: oil and gas production.
The administration is pushing allies to step up aid to Ukraine, as well, requesting North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries provide similar support as the Trump administration seeks to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently met with Trump in New York and requested that the United States supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. Zelensky also said that Ukraine had Trump’s backing to target Russian energy infrastructure in retaliation for strikes on its own.
“If they attack our energy, President Trump support that we can answer on energy,” Zelensky <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/26/zelensky-ask-trump-tomahawk-missile-strike-russia">said</a> last week.
Trump last week announced a fresh perspective from the administration on the war. In a lengthy <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115255130298104593">post</a> on Truth Social, the president said that he now believes that with the proper assistance, Ukraine can “fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”
“With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” the president wrote. “Why not? Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win.&#8221;
“This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger,’” he said.
Trump has reached out to Putin several times to compel negotiations to end the war with Ukraine. As Moscow has continued to stonewall or slowwalk talks, Trump has grown increasingly frustrated. In July, the president, during a cabinet meeting, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/08/trump-putin-bullshit-sanctions-ukraine">described</a> dealing with Putin in stark terms: “We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He&#8217;s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
After a tense meeting with Zelensky at the White House in February, Washington’s relationship with Kyiv has steadily improved as Zelensky has agreed to many of the White House’s requests in its pursuit of a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump

Trump Admin To Give Ukraine Intel On Russia’s Energy Weak Spots

Trump Admin To Give Ukraine Intel On Russia's Energy Weak Spots

Energy

Putin

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Volodymyr Zelensky

The legacy coffee brand Maxwell House is changing their name for the first time in 133 years to reflect the changing landscape of homeownership, they just <a href="https://news.kraftheinzcompany.com/press-releases-details/2025/For-the-First-Time-in-133-Years-Maxwell-House-Rebrands-as-Maxwell-Apartment/default.aspx">announced</a>.
The coffee retailer is rebranding to Maxwell Apartment, they said, for a 12 month ‘lease’ offer.
A press release detailing that change mentioned that almost one third of Americans are renting smaller apartments rather than purchasing full sized homes. 
“Two-thirds of American adults drink coffee every day, which can add up quickly, especially these days,” Holly Ramsden, Head of Coffee, North America at the Kraft Heinz Company, said in a statement. 
“Maxwell House believes no one should have to go without great tasting coffee and Maxwell Apartment delivers the same delicious taste people know and love, at a value that celebrates all our fans are doing to make smart choices in their lives.”
The announcement further stated that the brand would continue selling “great tasting, affordable coffee” because we’re living during “a time where value matters now more than ever.”
This promotion is being touted as a way for consumers to stock up on coffee and save money on cafe runs, which they claim could lead to $1,000 in savings per year. 
Social media users mocked the marketing ploy, pointing out how the brand was <a href="https://tnmuseum.org/junior-curators/posts/maxwell-house-coffee-and-nashville">named after</a> the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville where it first gained popularity, not after an actual residence. 
“I can’t believe this isn’t a [Babylon Bee] article,&#8221; one person <a href="https://x.com/AfterDinnerCo/status/1973521682943058384">wrote</a> on X, echoing what many others were saying. 
Others pointed out that this is the latest in a string of questionable marketing decisions from major brands, including Cracker Barrel’s major misstep over the summer. 
“NOW we know where the marketing team that gave us the new logo and decor for Cracker Barrel went,” one person <a href="https://x.com/JM4LISD/status/1973474700627194331">observed</a>.
“‘Hey Americans! We know most of you can&#8217;t afford homes, so we thought our coffee should be rebranded to reflect your misfortune!’ Like salt in a wound,” another comment <a href="https://x.com/MightySpoonman/status/1973522856098275786">said</a>.

Maxwell House

Maxwell House Coffee Is Rebranding For The Weirdest Reason

Business

Food

Real estate

President Donald Trump meets with congressional leaders in hopes of avoiding a government shutdown, anti-ICE protests in Portland take a riotous turn, and an audit in Maryland turns up some disturbing findings.
It’s Tuesday, September 30, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Seeks Deals For Washington And Jerusalem</h2>
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Topline: The White House buzzed Monday as President Trump sought deals at home and abroad. The president hosted Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and congressional leaders as he pushed to simultaneously end the war in Gaza and avert a government shutdown.
What Washington is watching: At midnight, fiscal year 2025 for the federal government will come to a close. As of now, the 2026 budget has not been passed by Congress. If leaders can’t reach an agreement in the next 24 hours, a shutdown will commence, with large swaths of the federal government closing their doors, and only essential services will remain open.
Republicans have proposed a continuing resolution, a temporary stopgap measure to keep the lights on while lawmakers finalize the budget. The House passed that measure 217-212 earlier this month, but it has stalled in the Senate. While Republicans have a slim majority there, the Senate filibuster requires them to win over at least seven Democrats, and Democrats are not budging.
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What Republicans want: Republicans want to pass a clean resolution to keep funding levels the same across the board and worry about policy debates later. Their measure would maintain federal spending levels set under President Joe Biden, while offering some additional funding for personal security for lawmakers, judges, and other federal officials.
What Democrats want: Democrats say they will only pass the stopgap if it includes billions of dollars in new funding for Obamacare subsidies and Medicaid, some of which were cut under Trump’s &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill.&#8221; They also want the deal to include measures that would prevent the White House from blocking congressionally appropriated funds. Democrats know that Republicans are unlikely to give in to those demands and are daring them to allow a shutdown.
Step back: Government shutdowns can feel like a &#8216;boy who cried wolf&#8217; scenario, as the two sides often reach a last-minute deal. But there’s a real chance a shutdown happens this time. Remember, when Democrats ultimately failed to stop Trump’s &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill&#8221; during the summer, the party’s far-Left base was furious and hasn’t let them live it down. So they’re facing pressure to push back this time.
What Jerusalem is watching: Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday —  the two met privately before a joint press conference in which Trump formally released a 20-point ceasefire plan to end the war in Gaza.
That plan offered some concessions — for example, it offered Palestinians the right to remain in Gaza after the war, amnesty for Hamas members who turn in their weapons, and a vague acknowledgment of the potential for the creation of a Palestinian state in the future, assuming certain conditions. 
It includes many things that Israelis will also appreciate. For example, it requires Hamas to “not have any role in the governance of Gaza … in any form.” It calls for all military and terror infrastructure to be destroyed and never rebuilt, and it demands all remaining hostages be released within 72 hours.
Netanyahu offered support for the proposal, saying it “achieves our war aims.” He added that if Hamas accepted, Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza and place them “in the security perimeter for the foreseeable future.” However, “if Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President,” Netanyahu said, “or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.”
Worth consideration: Hamas has already rejected a number of the points included, but Trump said that because so many of the terror group&#8217;s leaders have been killed, they’re dealing with “new people.” He also said that if they rejected this final offer, the United States would support Israel in eliminating the group. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Portland Rioters Escalate</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-978541" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The Trump administration has deployed troops to Portland as part of a nationwide crackdown on violent protests surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.
In response to riots in Portland around an ICE facility, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested that Trump deploy troops to the area to stop the clashes. Across the country, these protests have turned violent at ICE facilities.
Trump wants to stop these violent protests, and the president is doing this in Portland and in Broadview, Illinois. Though the situation is lesser known, in Broadview, ICE has made arrests, including of armed rioters. One reportedly carried what looked like an explosive device that law enforcement is still investigating.
The president said the effort is part of a nationwide effort to crack down on crime and &#8220;Antifa,&#8221; which the president described as a &#8220;domestic terrorist organization.&#8221;
Paging Des Moines: The superintendent of Des Moines public schools was arrested by ICE last week on multiple charges, including immigration infractions. Dr. Ian Roberts has a standing deportation order from an immigration judge from last year, in addition to a 2020 arrest on a firearms charge.
When ICE attempted to pull Roberts over, he drove away. ICE said he tried to escape; agents later found his car abandoned in nearby woods, and they found Roberts a distance away. Roberts had $3000 in cash on him at the time. He had a switchblade for hunting and a loaded firearm.
Illegal immigrants are barred from having firearms. The ATF has launched an investigation into how he was able to obtain firearms, given his legal status. That, in addition to the pressing questions as to how he became the superintendent in Des Moines, given his illegal status in the United States.
According to the school district, he underwent background checks conducted by a third party. A third party also recruited him for the position. 
According to his LinkedIn profile, Roberts previously held school leadership positions in several other municipalities, including D.C. and Maryland. He has had a track record in the United States since arriving in 1999 under a student visa, which he has long since overstayed.
<h2>Maryland Placed Foster Children With Sex Offenders And A Convicted Murderer</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-978539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Maryland auditors have excoriated the state’s Social Services Administration for placing foster children with known sex offenders and failing to act on reports of abuse. One state lawmaker is calling the findings “abhorrent” and demanding someone be fired immediately.
According to a government report, in as many as half of the cases, Maryland&#8217;s Social Services faked the verifications that background checks had been done on foster parents, either through incompetence or malfeasance. The shoddy work last year resulted in 10 children living with seven different registered sex offender adults in foster homes.
In 2023, a branch of Maryland’s Department of Human Services reviewed a group foster home but failed to note that it was employing a man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor. Three months later, the man transported three children in his care to abuse them, prosecutors said.
In another case, the government was paying a convicted murderer to offer “one-on-one care” to foster children in hotel rooms. At a rate of $1,300 per night per child, the department funded this placement instead of utilizing foster homes that offered safer and more cost-effective care.
Repeat offender: This wasn’t the first time that many of these issues had been raised, and still, the agency made almost no effort to change. After the registered sex offender allegedly abused kids in his care, the Social Services Administration “could not document any corrective action as a result of this incident to ensure the criminal background checks were in fact obtained,” the audit found.
What were they thinking? It seems that, basically, they didn’t want to do the work and just wanted the data to look good, even if the kids were suffering. One of the Social Services Administration’s responsibilities was to ensure that foster children attended school. It publicly claimed that virtually all of them were. However, when auditors examined their database, they found no evidence that 38% of them were. 
Auditors stated that the agency made numerous excuses that appeared to be false. There were 17,000 allegations of abuse or neglect of foster kids, and county agencies are required to investigate them immediately. If they don’t, the state agency is required by law to report it to the legislature. Neither one happened. The state made excuses for some investigations being delayed by months, citing a “natural disaster,” even though no one could say what natural disaster occurred in that part of Maryland in 2024.
Social Services responds: The agency acknowledged that “our regulations for privately-certified foster parents lacked a ‘crimes of violence’ prohibition required by … the Social Security Act, and we are updating this regulation.”
It said after the cases of children living with sex offenders were identified, “we took action.”
“In one case, we contacted law enforcement who conducted a safety check and confirmed the children were safe. In another case, we contacted the Office of Parole and Probation and found that while an identified individual was on the registry, there were no restrictions prohibiting their presence around children,” the agency said. “For the remaining cases, law enforcement and probation officers determined there was insufficient information to warrant a welfare check.”

MRN 9.30.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Trump’s Peace Push, Portland Riots, & Maryland’s Foster Care Fumble

Foster Care

Maryland

Portland

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk warned Israel&#8217;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a growing wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment in the United States, adding that advocating for Israel was one of his &#8220;greatest joys&#8221; in life.
Kirk’s final letter to Netanyahu, published on Monday by the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/29/us-news/charlie-kirk-wrote-of-his-deep-love-for-israel-in-letter-to-netanyahu-about-how-to-counter-rising-opposition-to-the-jewish-state-in-the-us/">New York Post</a>, expressed frustration over what Kirk saw as a massive failing by Israel to fight for its own interests in the public square. Kirk urged the prime minister to consider a “communications reset” and build an approach to public relations modeled off the Trump administration’s.
&#8220;The purpose of this letter is to lay out our concerns and outline potential remedies,&#8221; Kirk wrote. &#8220;Everything written here is from a place of deep love for Israel and the Jewish people.&#8221;
“I know you’ve got a 7 front war and my kvetching pales in comparison. But I’m trying to convey to you that Israel is losing support even in conservative circles,&#8221; Kirk wrote. &#8220;This should be a 5 alarm fire.”
The late conservative commentator gave the prime minister a series of recommendations on how to approach the information war raging across social media and driving anti-Israel bias even among the “conservative MAGA community.” He also warned that the wave of antisemitic content on social media was bleeding into college campuses, where Kirk could often be found advocating for conservatism. 
“Israel is getting CRUSHED on social media and you are losing younger generations of Americans, even among MAGA conservatives. In my opinion, you are losing the information war which will eventually translate into less political and military support from America,” said Kirk. “The Holy Land is so important to my life, and it pains me to see support for Israel slip away.”
Some of Kirk’s recommendations included hiring an aggressive public relations team, mentioning White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House official Stephen Miller as examples of people who know how to fight. Kirk also urged Netanyahu to task his government with creating a “one stop shop” for rapid response to counter the most pressing questions of the day about Israel’s conduct in war, its treatment of minorities, its use of U.S. aid, and other issues pressed by anti-Israel voices.
Throughout the letter, Kirk expressed his support and joy for defending Israel and the Holy Land. But he also vented significant frustration. Kirk repeatedly expressed that he was taking on the responsibility that should rightfully be shouldered by the Israeli government. Kirk could play a supporting role, but “pro Israel surrogates like me should not be in charge of fact checking every piece of anti-Israel information that pours into social media,” he wrote.
Kirk suggested that Netanyahu even launch an “Israel Truth Network (ITN)” to begin to counter rampant anti-Israel stories going viral across social media platforms such as X and TikTok. The pundit suggested a number of concrete ideas, such as getting normal Israelis to go on camera and talk about what they love about their country, or capture video of Israeli planes dropping warnings ahead of airstrikes to save civilian lives.
Kirk suggested that Israel create public relations material out of Israeli efforts to help the United States recover from natural disasters. The project would show the world that Israel is on the side of “humanity.”
Kirk offered his private number to Netanyahu to discuss the letter further, as well as any way Kirk’s team could assist the prime minister in putting into action any of the suggestions listed in the letter. 
Though Kirk was always clear about his support for Israel, his views have come under new scrutiny after he was assassinated. The letter offers additional clarity to his views, putting an end to any effort to rewrite the history of his views on the issue.

Charlie Kirk

‘5 Alarm Fire’: Charlie Kirk Warned Bibi Of PR Crisis In Letter, Said He Had ‘Deep Love’ For Israel

‘5 Alarm Fire’: Charlie Kirk’s Final Letter To Netanyahu Warned Of Israel’s Collapsing Support In US

Drugmaker Bristol Myers Squibb is set to release a new schizophrenia treatment in the United Kingdom for the same price it’s listed for in the United States, a decision that will certainly please those in the White House who have fought to get Americans the same prices offered overseas.
The announcement, made by Bristol on Monday, follows a push from President Donald Trump for U.S. drugmakers to lower prescription drugs for Americans to the greatest extent possible. Bristol’s approach to the United Kingdom market aligns with the White House’s strategy to secure lower drug prices in the United States.
The pharmaceutical company has never before brought its price for a drug to parity across the United States and the United Kingdom. Adam Lenkowsky, chief commercialization officer at Bristol, said that the drug company is prepared to pull its drug, Cobenfy, from the European nation&#8217;s market if the relevant government authorities do not agree to the price listed in the United States, at $1,850 a month.
“Our intention is to work with NICE and NHS to make this medicine available, but we are prepared to make the difficult decision to walk away if they cannot better recognize the value our medicine brings to patients and society,” Lenkowsky said in a statement.
“We agree with the Trump Administration that other countries need to pay their fair share,” he added.
Cobenfy has not yet been approved for sale in the United Kingdom. Bristol plans to file for approval in the coming weeks and expects to receive approval sometime next year, according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0913ee5f-1631-4e1b-8bd8-99ce2c9dd64f">Financial Times</a>.
Last year, the research group RAND <a href="https://www.rand.org/news/press/2024/02/01.html">found</a> that Americans pay significantly more for prescription drugs than other countries. The research pegged the inflated price at 2.78 times what is charged in other countries.
The Trump administration is determined to end that trend, and has pointed to drug manufacturers.
“The United States has less than five percent of the world’s population and yet funds around three quarters of global pharmaceutical profits,” a May 12 White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/delivering-most-favored-nation-prescription-drug-pricing-to-american-patients/">executive order</a> on drug prices says. “This egregious imbalance is orchestrated through a purposeful scheme in which drug manufacturers deeply discount their products to access foreign markets, and subsidize that decrease through enormously high prices in the United States.”
The order aims to pressure drugmakers to push for parity between prices for its drugs in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The president last week said that other countries have treated Americans unfairly when it comes to drug prices.
“For years, we&#8217;ve been paying for a pill $100 and they&#8217;re paying $10,” the president said on Fox News last week. Trump suggested he intends to pressure other countries into raising drug prices to offset the costs of making new drugs for Americans.
“The drug companies agree that I&#8217;m right, and the countries, if they don’t agree, I’ll use tariffs to get them to agree,” Trump said. “We&#8217;re going to be reducing drug costs over the next year, year and a half by not 50% or 60%, by 1,000% … You&#8217;re talking about a monumental change in health care that&#8217;s going to affect Medicare, Medicaid, even Social Security.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;For years, we&#8217;ve been paying sometimes for a pill, $100, and [other countries] are paying $10&#8230; We&#8217;re going to be reducing drug costs over the next year, year and a half&#8230; You&#8217;re talking about a monumental change in healthcare.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Pxnj8vU1hc">pic.twitter.com/Pxnj8vU1hc</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1968758480476528710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2025</a></blockquote>

UK Hosts President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump For State Visit – Day Three

Trump Push Pays Off: Pharma Giant Says Brits Must Pay Same Price As Americans For New Drug

Big Pharma

Health

Pharmaceuticals

United Kingdom

The FBI broadens its investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination, New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani scores a major endorsement, and the White House threatens Brazil after its Supreme Court sentences the “Trump of the Tropics.”
It’s Tuesday, September 16, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2 style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;">FBI Probes Larger Plot In Kirk Assassination</h2>
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Topline: As conservatives rally following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the FBI says it’s investigating radical left-wing groups for potential ties to the killer. 
Among those being investigated is the far-left pro-transgender group Armed Queers Salt Lake City. It deleted its Instagram account shortly after the shooting, but a membership form online listed its core principles, which included “the armed and militant protection of queer and trans communities,” “trans liberation,” and an “organized revolutionary movement.”
The Bureau is also investigating a number of social media accounts that seemingly displayed foreknowledge of the assassination. In one instance, a leftist X user wrote a week before Kirk’s killing: “it’d be funny if someone like Charlie Kirk got shot on September 10th.” According to FBI Director Kash Patel, suspected assassin Tyler Robinson told at least one person beforehand what he planned on doing.
What they’re saying: White House Deputy Chief Stephen Miller vowed to channel his “righteous anger” to go after “networks” of leftists in a special edition of The Charlie Kirk Show hosted by Vice President JD Vance on Monday.
“It is a vast domestic terror movement, and with God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have&#8230; throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy these networks&#8230; and we will do it in Charlie’s name,” Miller <a href="https://x.com/avaricum777/status/1967627688711250054">said</a>.
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Establishment Dems Begin To Fall In Line With Mamdani</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-972677 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has endorsed far-left NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a sign that the Democratic Party establishment is moving behind the 33-year-old radical.
Hochul notably kept her distance from him during the New York City mayoral primary – Mamdani is an open democratic socialist and has some extremely far-left ideas, including the establishment of <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/05/us-news/socialist-nyc-mayoral-candidates-city-run-supermarket-plan-under-fire/">government-run grocery stores</a>. But Hochul’s flip could draw other prominent Democratic leaders into Mamdani’s camp.
Hochul said in an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/opinion/hochul-endorsement-mamdani.html">op-ed</a> in The New York Times that she’s backing Mamdani because of his focus on “affordability” and resisting President Donald Trump.
Step back: Mamdani is favored to be New York City’s next mayor, barring some major shakeup – so Hochul will likely have to work with him. She is also running for re-election in 2026, but is so disliked by folks in the NYC suburbs and most of upstate New York that some politicos <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/14/us-news/ny-gov-kathy-hochul-expected-to-endorse-zohran-mamdani-this-week-sources/">believe</a> she’s trying to lean harder on the urban vote, where Mamdani has strong support.
Trump weighs in: On the heels of Hochul’s endorsement, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115207991871277413">labeled</a> Mamdani the “‘Liddle’ Communist” and described his frontrunner status as a “rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City.”
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Lengthy Prison Sentence For Jair Bolsonaro Strains U.S.-Brazil Relations</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-972679 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Of-The-Tropics-Convicted-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Of-The-Tropics-Convicted-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Of-The-Tropics-Convicted-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Of-The-Tropics-Convicted-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Of-The-Tropics-Convicted-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Of-The-Tropics-Convicted.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: After a two-week public trial, Brazil’s five Supreme Court justices sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after he was found guilty of an attempted coup. The Trump administration is now threatening severe consequences.
Expert opines: Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for Latin America at The Heritage Foundation: “This is a case which has a lot of question marks around it, and particularly with this sentencing, which is dramatic, over 25 years, for this person who just a few years ago was occupying the top office in Brazil, is very controversial at the moment. So a lot of Congress in Brazil and others are exploring very actively the need to take action to bypass this sentencing.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in response to the ruling that the United States would “respond accordingly to this witch hunt.”
Martinez-Fernandez: “There&#8217;s a disconnect, I think, that a lot of people see, and this administration certainly sees, between the pursuit of justice and the political priorities that we see the supreme court in Brazil pursuing … and that’s what the administration is really seeking to counter, leveraging the United States&#8217; economic heft and influence in that country. But, it&#8217;s clearly going to be a very significant challenge here.”

Morning Brief: Kirk Probe Expands, Hochul Backs Socialist Mamdani & U.S. Rips Bolsonaro Sentence

Morning Brief: FBI’s Kirk Probe Widens, Hochul Backs Mamdani, U.S. Rips Bolsonaro Prison Sentence

Brazil

Jair Bolsonaro

Kathy Hochul

Marco Rubio

New York City

Zohran Mamdani

The women of “The View” are known for delusional takes, but when it came to discussing the assassination of Charlie Kirk, they displayed a remarkable amount of restraint and introspection, for once.
Panelist Whoopi Goldberg began by calling the shooting “beyond devastating.”
“Our hearts, of course, go out to the family of Charlie Kirk,” she added, praising “politicians from both sides of the aisle” who spoke out “against the violence” and “urged Americans to come together” in the wake of the tragedy.
“Isn’t a fundamental part of being an American is that we’re able to express our opinions to each other without fear and this kind of horror happening?” Goldberg went on. “It seems to be something we’ve been seeing more and more of. It’s not even Left or Right. It’s just people being taken out because of their beliefs or their thoughts.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Some of what The View had to say about Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassination:
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: I hope it doesn&#8217;t have a chilling effect whether you&#8217;re left or right on your ability to speak your mind. I know the one thing we all agree about on this table, we all share our… <a href="https://t.co/i7eNIuMfx7">pic.twitter.com/i7eNIuMfx7</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1966168993850446087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Regardless of your politics, we’ve got to get to a place in this country where we see people we disagree with not as our enemies, but as fellow Americans with different viewpoints that we need to engage,” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin chimed in.
She said Kirk was an “incredibly influential young activist on the Right” and that his death “is going to hit young Republicans really hard because he made them feel like when they were the lone conservative voice on campus, one of the only Republicans, that it was okay to speak up and say their viewpoints.”
Sarah Haines said, &#8220;He&#8217;d talk to people openly, who disagreed. So the irony of being violently killed while saying those words of what we need more of in this country, I know all of us agree on that part. There&#8217;s never a place for political violence.&#8221;
The tone of all the panelists was somber as they discussed the assassination.
“I can’t believe that someone would kill another person because they were speaking their beliefs. This is antithetical to who we are as Americans. The First Amendment is the First Amendment for a reason. We should be able to voice whatever opinions we have,” Sunny Hostin chimed in.
Goldberg ended the segment with instructions for viewers going forward. 
“All the things we’ve seen — the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the aggressiveness when they went after Paul Pelosi, the couple in Minnesota — this is not the way we do it,” she said. “We say this every time, but, somehow, it’s not resonating, and I hope that young Republicans never forget that they have voice. They have a voice. We all have voices. We should never ever be afraid. It’s beyond, beyond. And Charlie Kirk’s assassin is still at large.”

Whoopi Goldberg

‘The View’ Reacts To Charlie Kirk Assassination: ‘Antithetical To Who We Are As Americans’

'The View' Reacts To Charlie Kirk Assassination: 'Antithetical To Who We Are As Americans'

assassination

Entertainment

Television

The View

The transgender-identifying comic book creator who celebrated Charlie Kirk’s death on social media will no longer be producing work for DC Comics, the entertainment company has announced.
The mature readers comic series “Red Hood,” a Batman spinoff project, was written by Gretchen Felker-Martin and had artwork by Jeff Spokes. The first book launched on the same day Kirk was murdered, September 10. 
Felker-Martin’s account on Bluesky is currently suspended, but other users took screenshots to capture his vile reactions. When reports first came in that Kirk was shot, the comic book creator <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/soupytoasterson.bsky.social/post/3lyk4wfhtgk2r">wrote</a>, “Thoughts and prayers you Nazi b****.”
“Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie Kirk,” a follow-up post said.
“The job market is grim, but there’s a silver lining: Gavin Newsom needs a new co-host for his podcast,” Felker-Martin wrote in a third post, referencing a time Kirk and Newsom filmed a podcast episode together.
This prompted DC to cancel the next two planned installments of “Red Hood” and offer retailers reimbursement for any unsold copies of the first issue.
In a statement to io9, DC said it places “the highest value on our creators and community and affirm the right to peaceful, individual expression of personal viewpoints. Posts or public comments that can be viewed as promoting hostility or violence are inconsistent with DC’s standards of conduct,” per <a href="https://gizmodo.com/dc-ends-red-hood-comic-after-writers-charlie-kirk-comments-2000657517">Gizmodo</a>.
This isn’t the first time the trans-identifying man celebrated violence. Referring to anti-trans activist J.K. Rowling, Felker-Martin previously <a href="https://www.them.us/story/bluesky-moderation-suspension-jk-rowling-jessie-earl">wrote</a> on Bluesky, “I hope someone splits her skull,&#8221; earning himself a temporary suspension for violation of policies.
In 2022, Felker-Martin made <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/22/writer-gretchen-felker-martin-under-fire-for-killing-j-k-rowling-in-novel/">headlines</a> for releasing the novel “Manhunt,” which included a storyline about burning Rowling alive. He described the book as a, “depraved psychosexual horrorshow.”
Other media personalities were also penalized for their reactions to Kirk’s assassination. Middle Tennessee State University terminated an employee following what the university president described as “inappropriate and callous” comments made on social media.
In a statement released late Wednesday night, MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee confirmed that the employee was let go.
“This employee has been fired effective immediately,” McPhee stated. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the Kirk family.”
MSNBC also severed ties with Matt Dowd for his reaction to the tragedy.
“Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions,” Dowd said during an appearance on “Katy Tur Reports” just after the shooting. “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place.”
Dowd added, “We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration. So we have no idea about this.”
MSNBC apologized for his remarks, with network president Rebecca Kutler calling the comments “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable” in a statement posted to social media.
“We apologize for his statements, as has he,” Kutler wrote. “There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”

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After scrapping their logo redesign due to public outcry, Cracker Barrel is now also backtracking on their planned restaurant renovations, too.
The company made the announcement via social media.
“You’ve shared your voices in recent weeks not just on our logo, but also on our restaurants,” a <a href="https://x.com/CrackerBarrel/status/1965424119660323068">statement</a> posted to X said. “We’re continuing to listen. Today, we’re suspending our remodels. If your restaurant hasn’t been remodeled, you don’t need to worry, it won’t be. With our recent announcement that our ‘Old Timer’ logo will remain, along with our bigger focus in the kitchen and on your plate, we hope that today’s step reinforces that we hear you.”
This caving to public outcry came not long after the company decided to scrap their pricey, much maligned logo overhaul and reinstate their “Old Timer” mascot back to his place beside the barrel. This decision was made after company stock prices plummeted and social media buzzed with criticism.
The company’s board, led by CEO Julie Felss Masino, ignored warning signs and criticism for months ahead of the announcement that they were ditching the old logo and giving stores a more modern look. Cracker Barrel previously abandoned the new logo in late August.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain,” the company said in a statement, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cracker-barrel-caves-old-country-store-to-bring-back-old-logo-after-blowback?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Cracker+Barrel+Caves%3A+%E2%80%98Old+Country+Store%E2%80%99+To+Bring+Back+Old+Logo+After+Blowback">reported</a>.
“At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon,” the statement concluded.
The logo reversal came just hours after President Trump suggested it. “Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” the president shared on Truth Social at the time.
“They got a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity. Have a major News Conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again. Remember, in just a short period of time I made the United States of America the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. One year ago, it was ‘DEAD.’ Good luck!” the president said.

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Cracker Barrel Caves Again, Scraps Plans For Restaurant Remodels

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The city of Austin just introduced a new logo, and based on the response so far, they may have really jumped the Cracker Barrel with this one.
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax unveiled the newly designed logo for the city at a press conference on Thursday morning. “For the first time in Austin’s history, we will have a logo to represent the city services and unify us as one organization, one Austin,” the city employee said, <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/austin-unveils-new-city-brand-logo-redesign/">per</a> local NBC affiliate KXAN.
The entire project, including payments for brand vendors and a public awareness campaign, cost taxpayers more than $1.1 million.
The original logos for Austin had many symbolic elements, while the new one is incredibly simplified by comparison. This led to a lot of negative comments online from people who believe the redesign is a downgrade.
“Austin drops $1.1M taxpayer dollars on a logo redesign while claiming &#8216;efficiency&#8217; – peak bureaucratic delusion. Residents rightly call it insane…” one commenter on X wrote.
“This rebranding circus started in 2018 under previous leadership, proving establishment politicians always prioritize optics over substance. That million could&#8217;ve repaired roads, bolstered emergency services, or provided tax relief. Instead, Austinites get abstract squiggles representing &#8216;movement&#8217; while their infrastructure crumbles. Classic government waste: invent problems to justify self-serving spending sprees.”
Another commenter said, “It&#8217;s okay, but it looks like a corporate logo. The drawback for me is that it looks like a box of girl scout cookies. It does not make me think of Austin or Texas and they could have drawn from a number of things that would exemplify this specific city.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It&#8217;s okay, but it looks like a corporate logo. The drawback for me is that it looks like a box of girl scout cookies. It does not make me think of Austin or Texas and they could have drawn from a number of things that would exemplify this specific city. <a href="https://t.co/jw9LGpucKL">pic.twitter.com/jw9LGpucKL</a>
— Jack Salmon (@seamonkey10) <a href="https://twitter.com/seamonkey10/status/1963845599691731438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I’m starting to think these expensive rebrands are actually some form of money laundering,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/1963783932203454662">wrote</a>, referencing the viral Cracker Barrel rebrand fiasco.
Broadnax said during the press conference that he was “glad to champion” the redesign because “there is a very real business need for a unified brand.”
He also mentioned that Austin has more than 300 logos used in different departments, which is why the single unified logo was created.
“We want our community members to be able to identify members of our team as city of Austin employees and trust the services we provide, whether they see the brand on a website, a utility bill, a street sign, or the side of a vehicle, they’ll know exactly who it’s from and what it stands for,” Broadnax said.
“Austinites told us that they value and appreciate their interaction with city staff, but they also want a modern government that reflects the community’s values and is consistent, connected, and responsive across departments and services, and that’s what this brand does.”

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City Of Austin Mocked Over $1.1M Rebrand, New Logo: ‘Looks Like A Box Of Girl Scout Cookies’

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