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Tens of Billions Lost: Inside the Expanding Web of Dem Government Fraud From Minnesota to California

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As federal agents carried out sweeping raids across Minnesota this week, a broader and more troubling picture is coming into focus—one that stretches far beyond a single investigation or a single state.

What investigators are uncovering is not isolated abuse. It is systemic. And it is costing American taxpayers many billions.

Minnesota Raids: A Fraud Network Under Investigation

Federal authorities executed more than 20 search warrants across Minnesota, targeting businesses tied to misuse of public funds, including daycare centers and autism service providers. Officials say the investigation is part of a much larger probe into fraud across multiple taxpayer-funded programs.

The scale is staggering. Prosecutors have suggested that as much as $9 billion may be tied to fraudulent activity in Minnesota programs alone. The investigation spans at least 14 different state and federal benefit programs.

Earlier cases tied to similar schemes have already led to dozens of convictions, including major pandemic-era fraud operations.

Youtuber and independent journalist Nick Shirley posts videos demonstrating empty facilities collecting millions of taxpayer dollars.

In one of the most widely cited scandals, the so-called “Feeding Our Future” case alone involved hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent claims tied to food programs intended for children. More recent investigations have expanded beyond food programs into childcare subsidies, autism treatment billing, housing stabilization services, and Medicaid-funded care programs.

And the numbers continue to climb. Authorities are now examining what some investigators have described as “industrial-scale” fraud, involving coordinated networks, shell businesses, and false billing for services that were never provided.

How the Schemes Worked

Across multiple cases, a pattern has emerged. Businesses were created or repurposed to bill government programs. Claims were submitted for services that were exaggerated, or entirely fictitious. In many cases, facilities billed for more clients than they were licensed to serve.

Money flowed quickly, often before verification systems could catch up. Democratic leaders, from the governor to the office drones, turned a purposefully blind eye to the fraud, taking their share in campaign donations.

In certain cases, authorities have alleged that entire childcare centers operated with little or no actual activity, while Medicaid programs were billed for thousands of services that never occurred. Funds were then redirected for personal use, or moved through complex financial laundering channels.

The result was not just waste, but ‘organized’ exploitation of public systems.

California: A Different Program, the Same M.O.

The issue is not confined to Minnesota. Across the country, similar patterns are emerging in other government-funded systems.

In California, authorities recently charged 21 individuals in a $267 million hospice fraud scheme, alleging that operators enrolled healthy individuals into end-of-life care programs without their knowledge and billed the government for services that were never needed.

The alleged scheme included identity theft, fraudulent enrollment in Medi-Cal, billing for non-existent hospice care, and networks of shell companies used to process claims.

In the wake of Trump Administration crack-downs on Dem fraud, state officials have moved to shut down or revoke licenses for hundreds of suspicious hospice providers, particularly in regions where the number of providers far exceed demand.

California fraudsters have begun to see federal incursions into their operations.

Despite recently launched enforcement efforts, authorities acknowledge that fraud in healthcare programs remains so widespread, it will be difficult to fully eliminate.

A Nationwide Pattern

What connects these cases is not geography—it is structure. Government programs that distribute large amounts of money rely on self-reported billing, and operate with delayed verification systems are inherently vulnerable. And when oversight lags behind funding, bad actors move quickly.

National estimates suggest that fraud across government healthcare and pandemic-related programs has reached into the hundreds of billions of dollars, with tens of billions lost annually across Medicaid, Medicare, and related systems.

Minnesota and California are not exceptions. They are examples.

The Question Moving Forward

The raids in Minnesota are ongoing. The investigations in California continue. More charges are expected in both regions.

But the deeper question is no longer whether fraud exists. It is how long it has been allowed to scale—and how many other programs remain vulnerable.

Because what investigators are now uncovering is not just isolated wrongdoing, it is a system that, in many cases, appears to have been tested, exploited, and expanded over time. Until those structural vulnerabilities are addressed, the risk remains the same: The next case may already be underway.

The Myth of the “Mandatory” Government Shutdown

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Government Shutdowns Aren’t Inevitable — They’re a Choice (for now)

by James Thompson, J.D.

As Congress battles over federal spending—particularly funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—Americans are once again warned that failure to pass a budget will “shut down the government.”

That phrase is repeated as though it were constitutional doctrine. It isn’t.

A government shutdown is not an unavoidable command of the Constitution. It is the product of executive interpretation—one that has never been definitively tested in court. And perhaps it’s time we reconsider it.

The Constitution Does Not Require Administrative Paralysis

Article I of the Constitution states that no money shall be drawn from the Treasury except through appropriations made by law. That is a vital check on executive power.

But it does not say that if Congress fails to pass a budget on time, the executive branch must cease functioning.

The modern shutdown framework largely stems from interpretations of the Antideficiency Act, reinforced by opinions issued in the 1980s by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) within the Department of Justice.

Those opinions concluded that agencies must halt “non-essential” activities during a funding lapse.

But OLC memos are not Supreme Court rulings.
And the issue has never been squarely resolved by the Supreme Court of the United States.

What we call a “shutdown” today is not a constitutional inevitability. It is a policy practice built on executive guidance.

Even During Shutdowns, the Government Doesn’t Actually Shut Down

Consider ICE and DHS—the very agencies at the center of today’s negotiations.

When appropriations lapse, immigration enforcement continues. Border Patrol continues. National security functions continue. Law enforcement continues. Why? Because those functions are deemed “excepted” for the safety of human life and protection of property.

In other words, the most critical sovereign functions of government continue regardless of funding disputes.

What shuts down are regulatory offices, administrative processing, parks, and large swaths of civilian bureaucracy. The government contracts. It does not collapse.

Shutdowns Are Political Leverage

Let’s be candid: shutdowns create pressure. They generate headlines. They force urgency. They create a bludgeon that Democrats use (leveraged by a complicit media) to force political concessions from Republicans.

But urgency is not the same thing as legal necessity. Congress has already authorized DHS. It has already authorized ICE. These agencies do not cease to exist when legislators miss a deadline.

The real question is whether a temporary lapse in appropriations requires the executive branch to halt lawful operations—or whether government could continue at prior funding levels until Congress resolves its dispute.

There is nothing in the Constitution that demands administrative paralysis.

What a Shutdown Really Means for Americans

If funding lapses:

  • ICE enforcement continues.
  • Border security continues.
  • Military operations continue.
  • Mandatory spending programs continue.

What stops are many administrative functions that directly affect citizens and businesses—permits, processing, federal contracts, and civil services.

Federal employees are furloughed. Contractors lose income. The public absorbs the disruption. All because lawmakers failed to agree.

Time to Rethink the Assumption

The idea that “government must shut down” has hardened into political folklore. But it rests on executive interpretation—not constitutional command.

One could imagine alternative frameworks:

  • Automatic continuing resolutions at prior-year levels
  • Spending caps triggered without halting operations
  • Tiered funding that preserves continuity

Other democracies manage budget impasses without deliberately suspending visible governance.

Perhaps we should ask why ours cannot. Budget negotiations—especially those involving ICE and border enforcement—are serious matters. Congress absolutely controls the purse.

But the American people should not be collateral damage in a political standoff. A shutdown is not destiny. It is a choice. And choices can be reconsidered.

Of course, in the event of a shutdown, it would be an excellent opportunity for the president to permanently furlough 80% of the non-military federal employees and finally DRAIN THE SWAMP!

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

Sponsored by BasicInfo123 — simple bite-sized guides for life, money, civics, and more—because some stuff school just didn’t cover.

YOU’RE FIRED! It’s Time to Pull the Plug and Drain the Swamp

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By James Thompson.

Washington, D.C. has long been home to a bloated and entrenched bureaucracy, dominated by career Democrats who have turned federal agencies into their own political strongholds. For decades, the Democratic Party has enjoyed near-total loyalty from the vast majority of federal employees, with their paychecks consistently recycled back into Democrat campaign coffers. Polling has shown that very few Republicans are employed in the federal government, cementing the perception that Washington’s bureaucracy is not neutral, but rather an arm of the Democrat machine.

This is the “swamp” that President Donald Trump warned the American people about when he first ran for the White House. And he was right. The swamp has spent decades growing unchecked, protecting its own interests, and working against the very principles of accountability and limited government that our republic was founded upon.

Now, with President Trump back in office and the Democrats once again showing their true colors by shutting down the government—refusing to pass the continuing resolution despite it being forwarded more than a dozen times—the opportunity is clearer than ever. The Democrats’ reckless obstruction proves that their priorities are not with the American people, but with defending their entrenched power in Washington.

For President Trump, this shutdown is not a crisis—it is an opportunity. A chance to finally deliver on his signature promise to drain the swamp.

Unlike past presidents, Trump has the political courage and public mandate to take bold action. He now has both the justification and the authority to slash the size of government, shut down unnecessary agencies, and cut loose the hundreds of thousands of federal employees who are not only failing to pull their weight but who actively work against the values of freedom, limited government, and constitutional integrity.

Massive cuts to the federal bureaucracy would not only restore balance and accountability, but they would also break the stranglehold that one political party has on Washington’s administrative state. Why should hardworking American taxpayers continue funding federal employees who openly funnel money, power, and influence to the Democratic Party—employees who serve the Party’s agenda rather than the people’s?

For decades, the swamp has been a hidden fourth branch of government—unelected, unaccountable, and overwhelmingly partisan. It is a system that has been weaponized against conservatives, against reform, and against the will of the voters. President Trump has this once-in-a-generation opportunity to put an end to this corruption.

Now is the time for President Trump to pull the plug to drain the swamp. By making swift and massive cuts to the federal workforce, he can finally dismantle the Democrat machine that has strangled Washington for decades. Doing so will not only fulfill his campaign promise, but will also restore the government to what it was always meant to be: a servant of the people, not a master.

If President Trump acts decisively now, while the government is shut down and he alone wields the power to ax the federal agencies and workforce, history will remember him as the man who broke the back of the bureaucratic elite and restored power to the American people.

DRAIN THE SWAMP!

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

Sponsored by BasicInfo123 — simple bite-sized guides for life, money, civics, and more—because some stuff school just didn’t cover.

Let’s Be Honest: Young Black Men are Trapped in the Blue City Crossfire

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By James Thompson

America’s homicide crisis is escalating (despite Democrat attempts to skew crime numbers), and young Black men remain trapped in a grossly outsized cycle of violence and victimization that far exceeds their share of the general population.

Black American men ages 15–34 account for just 5% of the U.S. population, yet they suffer homicide rates more than six times the national average.

In 2023, federal data show Black Americans were killed at a rate of 21.3 per 100,000, compared to just 3.2 per 100,000 for White Americans. Firearm homicides alone hit nearly 27.5 per 100,000 Black residents—a staggering figure that dwarfs those of every other racial group.

Why?

The tragedy is not just in the numbers, but in the lived reality. In Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and scores of other Democrat-run “Blue Cities,” shootings are measured in dozens per weekend. The overwhelming majority of both offenders and victims are young Black men. And despite public perception, the violence is overwhelmingly intraracial (Balck-on-Black): about 63% of violent crimes against Black victims are committed by other Black offenders, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. Contrary to what many legacy media outlets claim, very few are committed by police.

A Cycle Rooted in Poverty and Family Instability

Researchers point to a web of interconnected drivers: segregated, under-resourced neighborhoods, failing public schools, and high rates of single-parent households. In 2023, nearly half of Black children lived with a single parent, compared to about one in five White children. Critics argue that decades of welfare policy discouraged family stability, and that “marriage penalties” in tax and welfare benefit systems risk making poor families worse off if they legally wed.

The result is a generation of boys too often raised without consistent male role models, in neighborhoods where crime networks wield more influence than families, schools or churches. As one Chicago pastor put it recently: “We’re asking young men to build a life on quicksand.”

Violence Beyond the Black Community

The violence does not remain contained. The shocking murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s light rail a few days ago drew national headlines and underscored broader anxieties about crime crossing racial lines. Hispanic and Asian communities in urban centers are also reporting rising victimization rates, though the overall pattern remains heavily concentrated within racial groups themselves.

What Works—and What Doesn’t

While political debates rage over policing, incarceration, and gun laws, researchers have quietly identified interventions that consistently save lives.

  • Focused deterrence strategies, such as the Group Violence Intervention model, have cut homicides sharply in cities that apply them with fidelity. These programs zero in on the small networks responsible for the majority of shootings, pairing swift enforcement with real offers of services and escape routes.
  • Youth interventions like Chicago’s Becoming a Man program have shown remarkable results, reducing violent-crime arrests by more than a third through cognitive-behavioral therapy and mentoring.
  • High-dosage tutoring and strong schools in disadvantaged areas attack the root of intergenerational poverty by raising achievement and keeping at-risk youth connected to opportunity.
  • Mobility programs that help families move into safer, higher-opportunity neighborhoods when children are young have lasting effects, producing higher adult earnings and more stable families.

These approaches stand in contrast to broad “tough on crime” sweeps that often criminalize entire communities while missing the small, tightly connected groups who actually drive the violence.

A National Responsibility

The cost of inaction is measured in human lives and lost futures. Every weekend, headlines announce the toll: “12 shot, 3 killed overnight” in many cities. Each figure represents not just a victim, but a family torn apart, a neighborhood further traumatized, and a society that has failed to deliver equal safety and opportunity.

If America is serious about addressing its most urgent public safety crisis, it must confront the uncomfortable truth: a small share of the population, disproportionately young Black men, bear the brunt of the nation’s violence epidemic–as perpetrators and victims.

Breaking that cycle will require more than policing alone. It demands rebuilding families, repairing schools, reforming welfare policies, and investing in proven strategies that offer young men a path to middle-class stability rather than early graves.

Until then, the “normal” American life—safe streets, good schools, stable families—will remain out of reach for too many of those who need it most.

President Donald Trump is launching a sweeping policing of troubled cities with federal assets in the hope of reducing crime and saving lives. His foray into Washington, D.C. with a federal presence has yielded fantastic results, sparing the lives of many young Black American men. However, Democrats are boisterously against such efforts, screaming in the streets that they are happy with the status quo in their war-torn cities, and that Trump is a fascist dictator to seek peace and safety in our cities. We expect to see the effort expanded to many Blue Cities in the next few months, and when Trump succeeds, we will see what can be done for the young Black men and their families who live to make a change.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

Sponsored by BasicInfo123 — simple bite-sized guides for life, money, civics, and more—because some stuff school just didn’t cover.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Passes Congress in Landmark Victory

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In a stunning and historic move, Congress has just passed President Donald J. Trump’s long-awaited Big Beautiful Bill, delivering a major legislative win for his administration and a decisive step toward fulfilling key promises of his second term. The bill, touted by President Trump as “the most beautiful piece of legislation our nation has ever seen,” passed both chambers after weeks of intense debate and negotiation.

What’s in the Bill?

The Big Beautiful Bill is sweeping in scope. Among its most significant provisions:

  • Border Security and Immigration Reform: The bill allocates record funding for the completion of the southern border wall, bolsters border patrol forces, and implements stricter measures to prevent illegal immigration while streamlining legal immigration for merit-based applicants.
  • Tax Relief: It introduces further tax cuts aimed at middle-class families and small businesses, building on the success of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
  • Energy Independence: The bill rolls back excessive regulations on domestic energy production, supporting American oil, gas, and coal industries while expanding incentives for clean nuclear and next-generation technologies.
  • Restoration of Law and Order: It provides significant funding for law enforcement and first responders, with provisions aimed at reducing violent crime in major cities.

A Hard-Fought Victory

Passage of the bill was far from certain. Democrats mounted fierce opposition, criticizing the bill as being too focused on Trump’s campaign priorities. Yet in the end, a coalition of Republicans and moderate Democrats, responding to public pressure for action on border security, inflation relief, and national security, propelled the bill across the finish line.

Speaker of the House, who had initially wavered, ultimately praised the final product: “This is a bill that puts Americans first. It strengthens our economy, secures our borders, and supports our communities.”

Senate Majority Leader echoed the sentiment: “We’ve delivered on what the American people asked for: safety, prosperity, and common-sense governance.”

Trump’s Reaction

President Trump, speaking from the White House Rose Garden moments after the vote, hailed the legislation as “a win for all Americans” and “proof that when we put America First, nothing can stop us.”

He added: “This Big Beautiful Bill is going to make our country stronger, safer, richer, and greater than ever before. I want to thank Congress for working together, despite differences, to do what’s right for our people.”

The Road Ahead

The Big Beautiful Bill now heads to President Trump’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law within days. Implementation will begin immediately, with federal agencies already preparing to roll out new programs and allocate funding according to the bill’s provisions.

Critics, including progressive lawmakers and left-wing media outlets, have vowed legal challenges to portions of the bill, particularly those related to immigration enforcement and energy policy. However, the Trump administration appears confident that the law will withstand scrutiny.

For now, the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill marks a pivotal moment in the Trump presidency—one that supporters are calling a defining achievement and a major step in delivering on the promises that brought him to the White House once again.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

$4.7 trillion in untraceable Treasury payments

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Nearly one-third of Treasury payments a year lack proper identification codes, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified to Congress

By Deirdre Heavey

Earlier this year, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovered $4.7 trillion in untraceable Treasury Department payments. 

Prior to the discovery, Treasury Account Symbol (TAS) identification codes were optional for $4.7 trillion in Treasury Department payments, so they were often left blank and were untraceable. The field is now required to increase “insight into where the money is actually going,” the Treasury Department and DOGE announced in February. 

“Of the 1.5 billion payments that we send out every year, they are required to have a TAS, a Treasury Account Symbol. We discovered that more than one third of those payments did not have a TAS number,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government earlier this month. 

Fox News Digital asked Republican senators on Capitol Hill to respond to the approximately 500,000 in untraceable payments made by the Treasury Department each year. 

“I’m not surprised at all, unfortunately,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, said before adding, “They were leaving complete fields undone when they were filling out their financials, so this is a common theme. I’m not surprised.”

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, called for an investigation into where those payments actually went. 

“There’s so much waste. There’s so much fraud, There’s so much abuse in our government,” Schmitt told Fox News Digital. “I’m glad there was a laser-like focus on it. We ought to make many of those reforms permanent, but there probably ought to be some investigations here about where this money actually went. I mean this is taxpayer money. People work hard.”

Donald Trump and Elon Musk

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have worked to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).  (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

After DOGE and the Treasury Department uncovered $4.7 trillion in untraceable funds, Marshall and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida introduced a bill in March requiring the Treasury Department to track all payments. 

The Locating Every Disbursement in Government Expenditure Records (LEDGER) Act seeks to increase transparency in how the Treasury Department spends taxpayer money. 

“When you hear about this story that they didn’t know where the money was going, it makes you mad because this is somebody’s money, this is taxpayers’ money when we have almost $37 trillion in debt, so this makes no sense at all,” Scott said. 

Elon Musk in "tech" shirt

Elon Musk shows off his t-shirt reading “Tech Support” while speaking at the first cabinet meeting hosted by President Donald Trump, at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2025. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

The Congressional Budget projects that interest payments on America’s national debt will total $952 billion in fiscal year 2025. That’s $102 billion more than the United States’ defense budget at $850 billion. 

“We paid out more last year on our debt, $36 trillion in debt, with $950 billion in interest going to bondholders all over the world, including in China. That $950 billion didn’t go to build a bridge or an F-35. We paid more on the interest on debt than we did to fund our military,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. 

“That is an inflection point that when most countries hit, you look at history, that’s when great powers start to decline. So we have to get those savings.”

Gas Prices Plunge as Trump’s Return Spurs Energy Boom, Economic Ripple Effects

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May 15, 2025 — Washington, D.C.

In a dramatic shift from trends seen in recent years, gasoline and oil prices are tumbling across the United States, with some regions now reporting prices at nearly half of what they were on the day President Joe Biden left office. The reversal comes on the heels of former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House for a second term, ushering in sweeping changes to energy policy and geopolitical strategy.

From Boom to Bust and Back Again

During Trump’s first term (2017–2021), the United States experienced a surge in domestic energy production. The administration’s aggressive deregulatory approach and expanded drilling incentives led to historically low gasoline prices, with the national average often hovering around $2 per gallon. The U.S. briefly became a net exporter of oil and natural gas, and the term “American energy independence” became a political catchphrase.

That dynamic shifted sharply under President Biden. Prioritizing climate change mitigation, the Biden administration curtailed domestic fossil fuel production through executive orders, leasing restrictions, and support for renewable alternatives. While supporters applauded the environmental emphasis, critics pointed to rapidly rising energy costs, supply chain disruptions, and surging inflation as direct consequences.

By mid-2022, average U.S. gasoline prices had climbed above $5 per gallon in some states, driven by both policy decisions and global factors such as the war in Ukraine. These price hikes strained household budgets and increased the cost of transporting goods—one of several drivers behind persistent inflation.

A New Energy Landscape in 2025

Since taking office in January 2025, President Trump has rapidly reversed many of his predecessor’s energy policies. Executive orders reopened federal lands to oil and gas drilling, streamlined permitting processes, and greenlit major pipeline projects previously stalled or canceled.

The response from the energy sector was swift. U.S. oil output surged to record levels by May, and gasoline prices began dropping accordingly. As of this week, the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline stands at $2.39—down from $4.71 five months ago. In some Southern and Midwestern states, prices have dropped below $2 per gallon.

Economists note that this decline is not only easing pressure on consumers but also helping to lower transportation and manufacturing costs across industries. “Energy is the lifeblood of the economy,” said Dr. Laura Chen, an economist at the Heritage Foundation. “When fuel costs fall, virtually every sector benefits—especially food, shipping, and retail.”

Geopolitical Impacts: Strength at Home and Abroad

Trump’s assertive diplomacy is also being felt on the international stage. In a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this week, President Trump secured a new multi-nation agreement to increase oil output and stabilize prices. The deal includes cooperation from Gulf states and a tentative framework for easing tensions in the Red Sea corridor.

Analysts say the agreement not only boosts global supply but also undermines adversarial regimes that rely heavily on high oil revenues to fund aggression.

“Russia, Iran, and others use oil money to prop up their economies and fund military campaigns,” said former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. “When energy prices fall, their ability to project power shrinks. This is economic deterrence in action.”

The economic and strategic benefits of lower oil prices are expected to continue in the months ahead. Inflation, which had remained stubborn through 2024, has already begun to decline, with the Consumer Price Index showing a 0.4% decrease in April—the first monthly drop in over two years.

The Road Ahead

While critics warn of environmental consequences and question the long-term viability of fossil fuel reliance, Trump supporters argue that renewed energy production is key to restoring economic stability and global strength.

“America is back in control of its energy future,” said the White House Press Secretary in a briefing Tuesday. “We’re putting American jobs, American security, and American families first.”

As oil rigs come back online and gas stations reflect lower prices, the political and economic narrative surrounding U.S. energy policy is once again shifting—with major implications for inflation, international stability, and everyday life.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

Trump confirms ‘comprehensive’ trade deal with UK

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By Danielle Wallace , Bradford Betz

President Donald Trump on Thursday morning confirmed a new “full and comprehensive” trade deal with the United Kingdom. 

“The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social on Thursday. “Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!

“This should be a very big and exciting day for the United States of America and the United Kingdom,” Trump added. “The Golden Age of America is coming!” 

Trump wrote Wednesday that a deal would be announced during a news conference from the Oval Office,but he did not specify which nation the agreement was with at the time. 

“Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!” Trump wrote.

president trump

President Donald Trump on Wednesday teased the announcement of a new trade deal that is expected to be between the United States and Britain on Thursday, according to the New York Times. (REUTERS/Leah Millis / Reuters)

The New York Times, citing three people familiar with the plans, first reported that Trump was expected to announce a trade deal with the U.K. 

As of April 5, the U.S. has imposed a 10% reciprocal tariff on imports from the U.K. The Trump administration’s 25% global tariff on cars took effect on April 3, impacting all imported vehicles, even from traditional U.S. allies, including the U.K. A 25% tariff on U.S. imports of steel, aluminum and derivative products took effect on March 12. 

Prior to April 2025, most U.K. goods exported to the U.S. were subject to standard, relatively low tariffs, mostly ranging from 0 to 2.5%, with higher rates only for specific products like steel, aluminum, and some vehicles. The U.K., meanwhile, imposed tariffs on U.S. imports based on the World Trade Organization’s “Most Favored Nation” or MFN rules. 

The U.K.’s average MFN applied tariff rate was 3.8% in 2023, according to the most recent data available. The UK has some high tariffs that affect U.S. exports, such as rates of up to 25% for some fish and seafood products, 10% for trucks, 10% for passenger vehicles, and up to 6.5% for certain mineral or chemical fertilizers.

The U.S. goods trade surplus with the U.K. was $11.9 billion in 2024 – a 17.4%, or $1.8 billion, increase over 2023.

The deal announced Thursday is the second for Britain in a week after it clinched a free trade pact with India.

Trump signs executive orders at the White House

President Donald Trump speaks to the media after signing executive orders in the Oval Office. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

A U.K. official said on Tuesday that Britain and the U.S. had made good progress on a trade deal that would likely include lower tariff quotas on steel and autos.

The news of a U.S.-U.K. trade deal comes as U.S. and Chinese officials prepare to hold talks in Switzerland on Saturday, which could mark the first step in resolving a potentially damaging trade war between the world’s top two economies.

Donald Trump at 100 days celebration

The April jobs report, which was released just following President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, came in better than expected with 177,000 new payrolls. (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Trump’s trade war has shaken up financial markets and raised fears of a recession, with central bankers and business executives wrestling with often chaotic policymaking that is rippling through world supply chains and a whole host of industries.

The International Monetary Fund last month slashed its growth forecasts for the United States, China and most countries, citing the impact of U.S. tariffs and warning that rising trade tensions would further slow growth.

Reuters contributed to this report. 

Dems Oppose Americans on Every Issue

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Out of Step: How the Democratic Party always chooses what hurts Americans

By James Thompson | April 18, 2025

In today’s hyper-partisan political climate, Americans of all stripes are seeking leaders who stand for common-sense values, personal freedom, and public safety. Yet again and again, the Democratic Party finds itself not just outside the mainstream, but in open opposition to it. On issue after issue, from border security to gender ideology, Democrats continue to champion extreme or minority viewpoints that alienate the average American.

What issues? Below are twenty-one areas where Democratic policies consistently conflict with the will of the people.

1. Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports
While the majority of Americans believe biological males should not compete in women’s sports, the Democratic Party insists on pushing for full inclusion regardless of fairness or safety concerns. Even as female athletes speak out, they are dismissed or silenced by party leaders who equate disagreement with discrimination.

2. Drag Performances in Schools
Events featuring drag performers reading to children in schools and libraries have drawn nationwide backlash, yet Democratic politicians double down in support. Parents who voice concern are labeled intolerant, even as they advocate for age-appropriate environments.

3. School Choice
Despite overwhelming support across racial and socioeconomic lines for school choice and charter programs, Democrats have opposed these initiatives, often bowing to pressure from powerful teachers’ unions that fear losing influence over the public education system.

4. Gun Rights
While gun control remains a Democratic priority, most Americans continue to support the constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense and enforcement of constitutional rights. Instead of addressing crime at its roots, Democrats target law-abiding gun owners with restrictions that have little effect on actual violence. In fact, most gun violence is committed by those who support the Democratic Party–so perhaps the best answer is to limit their access to weapons.

5. Border Security
Vast swaths of the country support strong border enforcement. But Democrats have pushed back against nearly every effort to secure our borders—from opposing the border wall to undercutting ICE and defunding enforcement programs. They clearly want illegal aliens to flood our nation, most likely because a permanent underclass tends to keep their policies alive.

6. Sanctuary Cities
Democratic-run cities have declared themselves “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants, openly flouting federal law. These policies have been directly linked to increased crime, yet the party continues to protect even criminal non-citizens from deportation.

7. Welfare for Illegal Immigrants
At a time when many American citizens struggle to access housing and healthcare, Democrats fight to expand welfare, education, and even housing benefits for those in the country illegally.

8. Voter ID Laws
Over 75% of Americans support requiring photo ID to vote. Democrats oppose such laws, claiming voter suppression, yet they cannot explain why something required for everyday life—banking, flying, buying alcohol—should be off-limits at the ballot box. They clearly believe that illegal votes are keeping them in office, and fight vigorously to keep them voting.

9. Radical Education Curricula
From critical race theory to gender ideology, Democratic-backed curricula have left many parents shocked at what their children are being taught by public schools. Rather than engaging parents, Democrats brand them as domestic threats, sicking the FBI on them as terrorists, when they push back.

10. Anti-Israel Sentiment
Support for Israel used to be bipartisan, but Democratic voices have grown increasingly critical—even sympathetic to terror groups like Hamas. While Israel defends its citizens, Democrats focus on condemning its military responses to attacks across its border. Large liberal universities are no longer subtle in their support of terror groups, and allow their Jewish students to be threatened and attacked daily

11. Defunding the Police
Major Democratic cities embraced defund-the-police rhetoric, only to experience spikes in violent crime. Despite public backlash, party activists and politicians continue to call for police abolition.

12. Abortion Funding
Even Americans who support abortion rights usually oppose using taxpayer dollars to fund it–especially late-term abortion. Democrats have pushed to remove long-standing restrictions like the Hyde Amendment, placing the burden on all taxpayers to fund abortions.

13. Court Packing
Rather than respecting the judiciary’s independence, Democrats propose expanding the Supreme Court when rulings don’t go their way—a move that most Americans view as a blatant power grab.

14. Anti-Free Speech Legislation
Democrats increasingly advocate for laws that criminalize what they term “hate speech,” raising alarms about First Amendment violations. Americans overwhelmingly value free speech, even when it’s offensive. This movement is nothing more than an attempt to silence any opinions that oppose Democrats’ neo-Marxist views and positions.

15. Transgender Policies in Schools
Mandating gender-neutral bathrooms, pronoun use, and juvenile transitions without parental consent has become a cornerstone of Democratic policy in schools—deeply concerning to parents whose rights are being stripped by the party at every turn.

16. Soft-on-Crime Policies
From eliminating cash bail to downgrading felonies, Democrats have supported criminal justice reforms that result in dangerous offenders being released back onto the streets, sometimes multiple times a week.

17. Immigration Enforcement
Democrats have fought to limit deportations and dismantle immigration enforcement, portraying even criminal deportees as ‘victims.’ This has led to numerous tragedies that could have been prevented through lawful enforcement. Yet, the party speaks out only for illegals, including criminals, gang members, and assassins, remaining silent about their victims.

18. Favoring Illegal Criminals Over Victims
Too often, Democrats appear more concerned with the treatment of illegal aliens who commit crimes than with the justice owed to their victims. Families devastated by crimes committed by illegal immigrants are left with no answers while Democratic politicians grandstand on protecting offenders.

19. Economic Nationalism
Democrats have uniformly rejected tariffs and other economic policies that aim to strengthen American industry, after they facilitated the death of American industry. Their policies left the U.S. overly dependent on foreign manufacturing, including steel, pharmaceutical, rare earth metals, and microcircuits, and vulnerable to global instability.

20. Attacks on Parental Rights
From education to healthcare, Democrats increasingly push policies that erode the role of parents in making decisions for their children, replacing them with state or bureaucratic oversight. Their ‘Great Society’ policies of the 1960s destroyed the American black family, and now they are trying to use the same tactics to destroy all traditional families ala Marxist techniques.

21. Rejection of Moderation
Polling shows even Democratic voters wish their party would adopt more moderate stances on these unpopular, and anti-American policies. Yet the leadership seems intent on appeasing radical activists rather than governing from the center.

Americans want safe neighborhoods, a good economy, fair elections, strong borders, and the freedom to raise their families according to their traditional American values. The Democratic Party, once the self-proclaimed voice of working-class Americans, has been exposed as the party of fringe ideologies, bureaucratic overreach, and misplaced priorities. Until the party realigns with the mainstream, it will continue to lose the trust of those it claims to represent.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

America’s Debt Crisis: How Interest on the National Debt Is Devouring Our Budget

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By James Thompson | April 15, 2025

Why is President Trump enlisting the help of the world’s smartest people to cut fraud, waste abuse, corruption, and overspending? With Democrats taking to the streets in violence chanting “HANDS OFF,” we should take a moment to observe the issues related to spending and debt.

The United States is facing a mounting financial crisis—not from a war, a natural disaster, or a market collapse—but from the very thing that’s supposed to sustain it: the national budget. With the national debt now surpassing $34 trillion, the country is paying more in interest on its debt each year than on critical public services such as defense, education, or infrastructure.

To understand the severity of this situation, imagine a typical American family making $75,000 a year. Now imagine they’ve accumulated over $430,000 in credit card debt—more than five times their annual income. Each year, they must pay nearly $10,000 just in interest to avoid default. That $10,000 doesn’t reduce the principal; it simply keeps the creditors at bay.

This is America’s reality on a much larger scale.

The Interest Bill Is Surging

In fiscal year 2024, the federal government spent over $870 billion just on interest payments. According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), interest on the debt will soon surpass $1 trillion per year—making it the single largest line item in the federal budget by the early 2030s, ahead of defense and Medicare.

These payments don’t improve roads, build schools, or provide health care. They’re simply the cost of past borrowing. And just like a family stuck in a cycle of making minimum payments on their credit card debt each month, the nation is increasingly unable to afford anything beyond its debt obligations.

What Got Us Here?

The national debt has grown as the federal government has spent more that it takes in–year after year, for decades. Major drivers include:

  • Uncontrolled spending on entitlements and social programs, without corresponding revenue increases.
  • Wars and defense expenditures funded through borrowing rather than tax hikes.
  • Emergency responses, such as COVID-19 stimulus packages, that were initially necessary in the short term, but piled on out of habit thereafter, adding trillions to the debt.

And now, with interest rates significantly higher than they were before Biden inflation hit so hard, those debts are now much more expensive to maintain.

Why It Matters

Paying so much of the federal budget on interest reduces the government’s ability to invest in the future. It’s the equivalent of a family cutting their food, health care, and college savings just to make minimum payments on their cards. Where did all of the borrowed money go? Frivolous spending–usually pork belly projects to purchase your vote for politicians bringing home the bacon. Over time, this creates:

  • Reduced government flexibility in responding to emergencies.
  • Less public investment in innovation, infrastructure, and education.
  • Higher borrowing costs as investors demand more interest to lend to a financially strained nation.
  • Risk of fiscal crisis, where the government either defaults or must resort to drastic spending cuts and tax increases.

The Family Analogy: A Closer Look

Let’s revisit the metaphor.

U.S. GovernmentTypical American Family
Revenue: ~$4.9 trillion/yearIncome: $75,000/year
Debt: $34+ trillionCredit card debt: $430,000+
Annual interest: ~$870 billionAnnual interest: ~$10,000
Surplus/Deficit: ~$1.7 trillionSpending exceeds income by 35%

Just like a family in this situation would need to drastically cut spending, increase income, or both—so too must the federal government consider its fiscal trajectory.

What Can Be Done?

Fixing the debt crisis isn’t easy, but experts propose several paths forward:

  • Entitlement reform: Restructuring Social Security and Medicare to remain solvent without bankrupting the budget.
  • Spending caps and balanced budget amendments: Forcing fiscal discipline through legislation.
  • Tax reform: Closing loopholes and broadening the tax base without necessarily raising rates.
  • Economic growth: Encouraging policies that increase productivity and GDP, thereby improving the debt-to-GDP ratio.

However, all of these require political courage and bipartisan cooperation—both in short supply.

The Bottom Line

The U.S. isn’t broke . . . yet—but it’s acting like a maxed-out household living off borrowed money and barely keeping up with the interest payments. Without a course correction, Americans will soon see more of their tax dollars go toward paying for yesterday’s decisions rather than building tomorrow’s prosperity, or even funding today’s necessitites.

In the end, just as no family can indefinitely survive by paying interest on an ever-growing credit card balance, neither can a nation. Unlike the family that spent its future money on drunken foolishness, the government can’t file for bankruptcy protection.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

Prices and Inflation Already Down Under Trump

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From Inflation Surge to Economic Shift: Analyzing the Transition from Biden to Trump

By James Thompson, Financial Correspondent
April 15, 2025

The United States experienced significant inflationary pressures during President Joe Biden’s tenure, with the annual inflation rate peaking at 9.1% in June 2022—the highest in over four decades. This surge was attributed to expansive fiscal policies, including the $780 billion so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” which was nothing more than a money grab for Democrat party climate change and healthcare groups. The boondoggle did nothing to curb inflation, of course, and in fact, flooded the money supply, causing soaring inflation.

In addition to this problem, Biden and the Democrats passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which injected way too much liquidity into the economy. This influx of funds, coupled with supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, strained the supply-demand balance, leading to price surges.​ Additionally, energy policies emphasizing a transition to ‘renewable’ sources and away from solid sources led to reduced investments in traditional energy sectors, contributing to decreased domestic oil production, and influencing fuel prices, and by extension, transportation and goods costs.​ Pretty much every policy implemented by Biden and the Democrats lit a torch to the American economy, burning it nearly to the ground.

Upon assuming office on January 20, President Donald Trump implemented a series of policies aimed at curbing inflation and reducing consumer prices. Notably, he signed executive orders to expand domestic fossil fuel production by lifting restrictions on drilling in Alaska and offshore areas, promoting the “Drill, Baby, Drill” initiative. In the first few weeks of his second term, President Trump signed scores of Executive Orders aimed at eliminating or reducing the economic roadblocks inserted by Biden. These measures are largely aimed to increase energy supply, thus lowering fuel costs. ​

As a direct result of President Trump’s economic polices, already in March 2025, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by only 2.4% year-over-year, down from just 2.8% in February, marking the lowest rate since September 2021. This rapid decline is largely attributed to a significant drop in fuel prices, following the administration’s energy policies.

Initial indicators suggest a significant cooling in inflation, but the depth and long-term effects of Biden’s destructive policies remain uncertain. The interplay between domestic initiatives and global economic dynamics will be crucial in determining the sustained trajectory of inflation and overall economic health.​

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

The Rise of 80-20 Issues: How One-Sided Politics is Reshaping America’s Future

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By James Thompson

In today’s hyper-polarized political landscape, the divide between parties isn’t just a matter of opinion—it’s often a matter of math. Increasingly, a number of political issues have become what analysts call “80-20 issues,” meaning approximately 80% of the public, or one party, supports a position while the other party opposes or only weakly supports it. These disparities are not only deepening the divide between left and right—they’re reshaping the political map and defining a new battleground of ideas, accountability, and truth.

These issues often have overwhelming public support or clear practical benefits, yet face resistance largely rooted in ideology, special interests, or identity politics. The result is a political gridlock in which one side is perceived as fighting for common sense reform, while the other is seen as obstructing progress—even when doing so goes against the will of their own constituents.

The 80-20 Issues: A Brief Overview

While the full list evolves with current events, here is a summary of approximately 20 major 80-20 issues that reflect the growing one-sidedness in American politics:

  1. Border security and enforcement – Supported by a wide swath of Americans, yet increasingly blocked by Democratic leadership. Trump shut down the border to illegal crossings, and Biden opened it widely, allowing tens of millions of unvetted, military aged men to enter. He claimed it would require an act of congress to close it. Now Trump has closed the border. Democrats have flooded the courts to keep brutal gang enforcers on our streets.
  2. Parental rights in education – Parents want a say in their children’s curricula, but progressive policies often aim to minimize parental input.
  3. School choice – Strong bipartisan support nationally, but consistently opposed by teachers’ unions and their Democratic allies.
  4. Government waste and fraud reform (DOGE) – Broadly favored by Americans, yet Democrats have fought transparency and trimming of bureaucracy.
  5. Voter ID laws – Supported by around 75-80% of Americans, but still mischaracterized by many on the left as discriminatory.
  6. Energy independence – A majority favor policies that promote U.S. oil and gas alongside renewables, while progressive Democrats push for abrupt transitions.
  7. Police funding and public safety – Most Americans want effective, well-funded police forces. “Defund the police” rhetoric persists on the left.
  8. Free speech on college campuses – Conservatives and moderates favor open dialogue, while left-wing administrators often suppress dissenting views.
  9. Biological gender recognition in sports – Common-sense legislation on gender divisions in athletics is supported by majorities, yet dismissed as “anti-trans” by leftist activists.
  10. Term limits for Congress – Supported overwhelmingly by Americans, yet opposed by career politicians, especially those entrenched in Democratic power.
  11. Criminal justice for violent offenders – The public demands tougher sentencing for repeat violent criminals, while many progressive DAs release them to our streets with minimal consequences.
  12. Opposition to child gender transition surgeries – Widely seen as harmful by the public, but aggressively supported by the radical left.
  13. Protection of religious freedoms – Often trampled in favor of progressive causes. Christians are violently endangered by leftist groups, and the trend is global.
  14. Election integrity – From ballot chain-of-custody to mail-in vote security, the public supports safeguards; most Democrats oppose these measures, claiming minorities aren’t bright enough to comply with voting requirements.
  15. Transparency in public schools – Parents want to know what’s being taught, but teachers’ unions and Democratic boards frequently resist disclosure.
  16. Opposition to ESG mandates – Most Americans are wary of politicizing investments, while Democrats push ESG as a corporate and social standard.
  17. Gun rights for law-abiding citizens – While supporting background checks, the public largely supports the right to bear arms, while Democrat politicians oppose the constitutional right, and Democratic states increasingly pass restrictive laws.
  18. Merit-based college admissions – Supported by a majority of Americans, yet affirmative action and equity quotas persist in left-leaning institutions.
  19. Balanced federal budget – A growing national concern, but federal Democrats continue pushing massive spending bills with no offset.
  20. Free speech online and elsewhere – Many fear government collusion with social media companies to suppress dissenting voices—an effort exposed in the Twitter Files, with most censorship aligning with Democratic interests.

Fringe Support and Controversial Alignments

While these core issues dominate headlines, fringe developments further expose the Democratic Party’s vulnerability to radical influences. Take for example:

  • The Mangione Assassination: Some Democratic circles have shown sympathy for David Mangione, the man who murdered a private sector CEO over corporate policies—a shocking alignment with vigilante justice under the guise of activism. Approximately half of the Democratic party says violence, and even assassination, is a valid form of political activity.
  • Support for Hamas: Factions within the Democratic Party, particularly in activist and academic spheres, have expressed explicit support for Hamas—a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. OUr universities have become petri dishes for anti-Israel and Jewish hatred. This stance alienates the broader American public and Jewish community and contradicts U.S. foreign policy and humanitarian values.
  • Opposition to Cleaning Up Government Waste: Perhaps most baffling is the resistance from Democratic lawmakers and party members to anti-corruption initiatives, such as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Measures that root out fraud, waste, corruption and abuse—often bipartisan goals—have been dismissed as partisan attacks simply because they originated under Trump-era initiatives or figures like Elon Musk.

The Consequences

These issues create a political dynamic in which one party claims the mantle of reason, reform, and accountability—while the other increasingly appears captured by special interests, radical ideology, or a desire to oppose for opposition’s sake.

This 80-20 split isn’t just a political talking point; it’s a warning sign. When one party begins to routinely resist overwhelmingly supported policies, the result is disillusionment, voter apathy, and the rise of independent or populist alternatives. We are seeing it in daily polling, moving further toward traditional, conservative values–especially among young men, and anyone who hasn’t been indoctrinated by the university experience

Whether America can recalibrate remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the 80-20 issues aren’t going away. In fact, they may be the key fault lines that determine the nation’s future political alignment—and its willingness to restore common sense in the halls of power. For those on the Left who are wondering why their power and influence have eroded so quickly–this is it.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

DOGE Initiative Slashes Government Waste: Musk’s Efforts Draw Both Praise and Protests

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In a bold campaign to eliminate corruption, waste, fraud, and inefficiency in the federal government, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has partnered with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly-formed task force authorized by President Trump. The initiative, which uses a combination of blockchain transparency tools, AI audit systems, and private-sector accountability standards, has already exposed hundreds of billions in redundant or fraudulent government spending.

Supporters call the results nothing short of revolutionary.

Within the first 60 days of DOGE operations, the agency uncovered a $3.2 billion surplus in unused COVID-era relief funds being funneled through inactive non-profits, uncovered fraudulent contracting schemes in the Department of Transportation, hundreds of billions slated for DEI and “green” propaganda efforts, and flagged over 14,000 cases of ghost employees across federal agencies. Whistleblowers inside DOGE say this is just the beginning.

“Elon Musk has brought the same disruptive innovation that transformed the auto, space, and social media industries to a government that desperately needed accountability,” said DOGE Deputy Director Maria Kent. “The American taxpayer is finally seeing where their money is going—and where it shouldn’t be.”

Yet despite the clear-cut wins for the American taxpayers, DOGE’s mission has been met with organized resistance, primarily from progressive politicians, the left, and activist groups, financed by anti-American globalists like George Soros. Demonstrators have taken to the streets of major U.S. cities, accusing Musk and the Trump administration of using the initiative as a front for authoritarian control, though no evidence of civil liberties violations or overreach has been substantiated.

Some of the criticism has reached extremes. Protesters in San Francisco, Chicago, and Berlin have vandalized Tesla vehicles and set fire to Tesla dealerships in symbolic opposition to Musk’s role in DOGE. Chants likening Musk to Nazis and other authoritarian figures have echoed through university campuses and protest sites, with critics framing the crackdown on corruption as an assault on “social progress.”

The White House has pushed back sharply against the false allegations.

“Calling anti-corruption efforts ‘fascist’ is Orwellian,” said the Press Secretary. “Elon Musk and DOGE are not targeting the poor, the vulnerable, or any individual Americans. They are targeting waste, fraud, and abuse that both Republicans and Democrats should be against. If you’re protesting this, you’re either misinformed—or benefiting from the corruption.”

Data from independent watchdogs supports DOGE’s effectiveness. The non-partisan Civic Budget Institute estimates that DOGE’s work could lead to trillions in savings over the next three years. Already, federal contracts are being restructured with performance clauses and transparency requirements modeled after DOGE protocols.

Still, many leftist critics, including mainstream television news programs, remain unmoved.

Democratic Senator Alicia Moreno (D-NY) called DOGE “a weaponization of technology to push right-wing ideology under the guise of efficiency.” When pressed on which specific programs were being unfairly targeted, she declined to name any, stating instead that the initiative “sends a chilling message.”

Some analysts see the backlash not as a policy disagreement, but as a reaction to Musk himself—a polarizing figure who challenges traditional political and institutional boundaries.

“Elon Musk is an avatar of post-partisan disruption,” said Dr. Leo Hammond, a political science professor at Stanford. “He’s neither left nor right in a conventional sense, and that terrifies people who are invested in the current structure, especially if that structure is bloated and inefficient.”

For now, DOGE appears to be expanding with rapidity. Reports suggest upcoming audits of the Department of Education, the military, Medicare billing systems, and federal environmental grant programs. According to Musk, the DOGE model may eventually be exported to state governments and even foreign allies.

“If we can send rockets to Mars,” Musk tweeted, “we can figure out where the $6 trillion in annual spending actually goes.”

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

‘Buy Low, Sell High’: Market Volatility Creates a Golden Opportunity for Long-Term Investors

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By James Thompson, Financial Correspondent
April 4, 2025

Recent market turbulence triggered by President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on countries deemed to have long exploited the United States economically has sent shockwaves through Wall Street. Stock averages have taken a noticeable dip, with major indices like the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 posting sharp losses in recent sessions. But while some investors may view the volatility with concern, seasoned market watchers and long-term investors see something very different: opportunity.

A Predictable Reaction to a Bold Policy Shift

The tariffs, part of a broader strategy to renegotiate longstanding trade imbalances, have rattled short-term confidence. Markets typically dislike uncertainty, and the threat of an escalating trade war can understandably spook traders and institutional investors. However, for those with a longer time horizon, the current downturn could represent a classic “buy low” moment.

“This is not the first time we’ve seen markets react strongly to geopolitical and economic maneuvers,” said Linda Caldwell, Chief Investment Officer at RiverRock Capital. “But if you look at the historical data, the market has always bounced back — and often to new highs — once the dust settles.”

A Time-Tested Strategy

The old adage “buy low, sell high” may sound simplistic, but it has been the foundation of countless fortunes. Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time, famously advised investors to “be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” In times like these, when fear is high and prices are low, value investors start paying close attention.

With many stocks currently trading well below their recent highs, this could be an ideal moment for investors to enter the market or increase their positions. Sectors particularly affected by tariff news — such as manufacturing, agriculture, and international shipping — may offer deeply discounted shares with strong fundamentals.

Historical Precedent: Recovery Is the Rule, Not the Exception

Looking back, markets have repeatedly demonstrated resilience in the face of political and economic disruptions. After the 2008 financial crisis, for example, markets eventually soared to all-time highs, rewarding investors who held their nerve and stayed invested.

Similarly, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, stocks plunged amid global uncertainty. Yet by late 2021, markets had not only recovered but were hitting new records. The message is clear: short-term dips can lead to long-term gains.

A Balanced Approach

Of course, investing always carries risk. No one can perfectly time the market, and there is always a chance that stock prices may decline further before recovering. However, for those with a diversified portfolio and a medium- to long-term outlook, the odds are heavily in favor of recovery and growth.

Financial advisors recommend that individual investors focus on quality companies with strong balance sheets and consistent earnings. Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and index funds also provide an easy way to gain broad market exposure with reduced risk.

The Bottom Line

While the headlines may be alarming, and the market fluctuations unsettling, the current downturn may be one of the best investing opportunities in recent memory. Investors willing to act now — with discipline and strategy — could reap significant rewards in the months and years to come.

As always, it’s wise to consult with a financial advisor to craft a strategy that aligns with your personal risk tolerance, goals, and timeline. But for many, this moment of unease may be the exact time to lean in — not retreat.

Disclosure: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results.

James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

The Human Cost of the Southern Border Crisis: Trafficking, Exploitation, and the U.S. Demand

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The U.S.–Mexico border continues to be a focal point in the ongoing crises of human and drug trafficking, as transnational criminal organizations exploit vulnerable populations and fuel dangerous markets within the United States. While political debates often center around national security, the most devastating costs are borne by the individuals who are trafficked—many of whom suffer unspeakable abuse both during their journey and after arriving in the United States.

A Dangerous Journey: The Human Toll of Trafficking

Every year, thousands of migrants, including women and children, are smuggled across the southern U.S. border. Many do not arrive willingly. Instead, they fall victim to sophisticated trafficking networks that promise safety and opportunity but deliver exploitation, violence, and enslavement.

Sexual exploitation is one of the most pervasive and horrifying realities for trafficked women and girls. Victims are often raped repeatedly during the journey by smugglers—known as coyotes—or sold into sex trafficking rings operating in both Mexico and the U.S. Some are forced to take contraceptives before the journey because rape is expected. Once in the U.S., many are forced into prostitution under threats to their families back home.

Children are not spared. Unaccompanied minors are particularly vulnerable to forced labor, abuse in detention centers, or being handed over to traffickers posing as relatives. Some are recruited into gangs or compelled to work under exploitative conditions in agriculture, construction, or illicit economies.

For many, the border is just the beginning of a longer cycle of abuse.

A Market for Misery: What Happens After Arrival

Once trafficked individuals arrive in the U.S., they often vanish into underground networks. Some end up in illegal massage parlors, domestic servitude, or sweatshops, where they work under threats of deportation, violence, or harm to loved ones. Many don’t speak English and are unaware of their rights, making them easy to control.

In states with large migrant labor forces, such as California, Texas, and Florida, trafficked people are often exploited in farms, factories, and restaurants. Their wages are withheld, identification documents confiscated, and movements monitored.

Psychological trauma is pervasive. Victims frequently suffer from PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse—often a result of forced drug use or attempts to cope with ongoing abuse. Without support systems, many are retraumatized and trapped in cycles of poverty and exploitation.

The Drug Trade: A Parallel Tragedy

Alongside human trafficking, drug trafficking surges across the southern border. Fentanyl—up to 50 times stronger than heroin—has become the leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., often smuggled in small, hard-to-detect quantities through legal border crossings by mules or hidden in vehicles.

The same cartels trafficking people are deeply involved in narcotics. Sometimes, the two crises intersect: human mules—including minors—are forced to carry drugs into the U.S., often without knowledge of what they’re transporting. If caught, they face criminal charges. If successful, they remain indebted to the cartels, who continue to exploit them.

Who’s Buying? The U.S. Demand for Illicit Goods and Labor

The trafficking crisis is not just a foreign issue—it’s fed by American demand.

The sex trade thrives in every major U.S. city, from New York to Los Angeles. Online platforms, underground brothels, and illegal massage parlors generate billions in profit annually. Many of the women involved are not there by choice.

The drug epidemic is also homegrown. From prescription opioid dependency to street fentanyl, the demand for narcotics keeps traffickers in business. U.S. consumers spent over $150 billion on illegal drugs in a recent year, fueling the cartels’ operations.

And in sectors where cheap labor is in demand—agriculture, hospitality, food service—undocumented and trafficked workers are routinely employed. Many businesses turn a blind eye to exploitation or benefit from labor arrangements that wouldn’t hold up under scrutiny.

The Hidden Cost: A Broken System and Broken Lives

The systems meant to protect trafficked individuals often fail them. Shelters and legal services are underfunded, and immigration proceedings can take years. Some survivors are deported, returning to the same dangerous conditions they fled. Others remain in hiding, unable to access medical care or education, fearful of law enforcement and immigration authorities.

Efforts to address the crisis—such as increased border enforcement, stricter immigration policies, and anti-trafficking laws—have been uneven and politically charged. Without a coordinated approach that includes disrupting trafficking networks, reducing U.S. demand, and supporting survivors, the cycle will continue.

More Than a Border Crisis

What’s unfolding at the southern U.S. border is not just a geopolitical issue—it’s a humanitarian catastrophe.

Behind every statistic is a human being: a young girl forced into sex work, a teenager carrying fentanyl across the desert, a father trapped in debt bondage on a farm. And behind every act of trafficking is a buyer—someone in the U.S. willing to pay for cheap drugs, sex, or labor, regardless of the cost to another person’s life.

Until both supply and demand are addressed, the crisis will persist—hidden in plain sight, leaving shattered lives on both sides of the border. This is why President Donald Trump has been so determined to close the border to illicit traffickers, and the sooner all Americans realize the problems that accompany an open border, the quicker all of the victims will receive relief.

If you or someone you know is a victim of trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733.

By James Thompson. James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

RFK Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary in Historic Senate Vote

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Washington, D.C. – February 13, 2025 – In a move that has sent shockwaves through both political and public health circles, the U.S. Senate has confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The controversial environmental lawyer and longtime critic of government health policies was confirmed in a razor-thin 51-49 vote, marking one of the most contentious cabinet confirmations in recent history.

A Divisive Nomination

Kennedy, an outspoken advocate on vaccine safety, environmental health, and corporate accountability, faced intense scrutiny throughout the confirmation process. His nomination by President Trump was met with strong resistance from democrats, as well as some members of the medical and scientific communities, many of whom criticized his past statements on vaccines and public health agencies. However, his supporters praised his willingness to challenge entrenched institutions and prioritize individual medical freedoms.

“The Department of Health and Human Services must be led by someone who understands the concerns of everyday Americans and is not beholden to Big Pharma,” Kennedy said in his post-confirmation remarks. “I am committed to transparency, accountability, and restoring trust in our public health institutions.”

A Contentious Senate Battle

The confirmation hearings were marked by heated exchanges, particularly over Kennedy’s views on vaccine mandates, pandemic policies, and the role of pharmaceutical companies in shaping federal health regulations. Democratic Senators largely opposed his nomination, railing against Kennedy up until the final vote, arguing that his leadership could undermine public trust in vaccines and weaken the department’s pandemic preparedness.

Meanwhile, Republicans and some independent lawmakers rallied behind Kennedy, citing his advocacy for medical choice and corporate accountability.

What This Means for HHS

Kennedy’s appointment signals a dramatic shift in the leadership of one of the most powerful federal agencies, responsible for overseeing the CDC, FDA, and NIH, among others. His tenure is expected to bring sweeping changes to vaccine policies, public health funding, and regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical companies.

Public health officials have expressed concerns about the potential implications of his leadership. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, cautioned that Kennedy’s policies could “roll back decades of progress in disease prevention and public health initiatives.”

On the other hand, Kennedy’s supporters view his appointment as a necessary disruption to a system they argue has grown too cozy with corporate interests. “This is a win for medical freedom and government accountability,” said Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), a vocal advocate of Kennedy’s nomination.

What Comes Next?

As he takes the helm at HHS, Kennedy faces the immediate challenge of balancing his reformist agenda with the practical realities of leading a vast federal bureaucracy. His positions on vaccine policy, pharmaceutical regulation, and environmental health will likely be tested in the coming months, as lawmakers, health professionals, and advocacy groups watch closely.

For now, RFK Jr.’s confirmation marks a turning point in U.S. health policy—one that promises to be as controversial as the man himself.

By James Thompson. James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.

Trump Saves TikTok Day Before He’s Sworn In

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ART OF THE DEAL – TikTok begins restoring service after Trump vows Day 1 executive order / makes pro-America promise

TikTok CEO thanks Trump for ‘commitment’ to keeping app available as ban looms

TikTok said it was in the process of restoring operations in the U.S. Sunday, after President-elect Trump promised to issue an executive order to extend TikTok operations on Inauguration Day. 

Some U.S. users reported being able to regain access to the app following Saturday’s blackout. 

Trump wrote on TRUTH Social that he is “asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” 

“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security,” the president-elect continued. “The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”

“Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations,” Trump said.

Trump is expected to be sworn in around noon ET Monday at the U.S. Capitol, officially taking office as the 47th president. 

His Sunday post did not clarify how soon the extension would take effect or specify how long it would last. 

As for the proposed national security deal, Trump said he would like “the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture.” 

“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to [stay] up. Without U.S. approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.” 

TikTok’s account on X dedicated to releasing policy updates posted a statement later Sunday saying: “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service.” 

“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive,” the statement said. “It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.” 

Apple and Google’s app stores no longer had the TikTok app available as of 10:50 p.m. EST Saturday. President Biden signed a bipartisan law last spring mandating that TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, sell the platform by Sunday or else the platform would be banned in the United States.

The following pop-up message appeared for users who tried to access the TikTok app earlier Sunday: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.” 

“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!” the message added. 

Earlier Sunday, Trump issued a two-word message on TRUTH Social: “SAVE TIKTOK!”

Instead of utilizing the nine-month grace period to sell TikTok to an approved buyer, ByteDance, as well as TikTok, sued. 

The law was upheld Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court, which pointed to national security risks due to the app’s connection to China. 

Trump previously indicated that he must “review” the ban before choosing a course of action and that he’d “most likely” grant TikTok a 90-day extension from the Jan. 19 deadline. 

Under the law, the sitting president can extend the deadline by 90 days if a sale is in progress. ByteDance has previously rebuffed the idea of selling TikTok. 

In a video posted on Friday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew praised Trump for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”

Alexandra Koch, Bradford Betz, Landon Mion and Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

UAP Recovery Video Shows ‘egg-shaped’ Object

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NewsNation has obtained exclusive footage capturing an egg-shaped craft, recorded during a UAP retrieval operation.

The egg resembles the UAP encountered by U.S. Navy fighters off the east coast of the U.S. in 2015, suggesting a connection between these unidentified objects.

NewsNation was told that the video was sent to the organization responsible for monitoring UAPs, and until now it has never been shown to the public, making a U.S. Air Force veteran’s mission even more critical.

Whistleblower Jake Barber believes he was involved in the recovery of alien technology while working for a long-rumored secret UFO retrieval program.

  • Jake Barber believes he saw nonhuman tech
  • Exclusive footage shows egg-shaped craft
  • Craft resembles UAP encountered by Navy 

When asked to describe the object, Barber told NewsNation’s Ross Coulthart. “I saw an egg, a white egg.”

“Just visually looking at the object on the ground, you could tell that it was extraordinary and anomalous,” Barber said. “It was not human.”

He added: “It’s inconsistent with anything I’d ever seen before. I can also tell you that the reaction by my team, we all knew we were dealing with something extraordinary.”

Former Navy rear admiral supports UFO whistleblower claims

Other whistleblowers, including Lue Elizondo and David Grusch, have alleged a secret government UFO program exists but Barber says he knows it’s true because he’s part of it.

NewsNation has also obtained exclusive, never-before-seen video of one of these alleged UFO crash retrievals. That video and the full interviews aired in Saturday’s special report, “Hunting UFOs: The Crash Retrieval Whistleblower.”

In June 2023, NewsNation was the first television network to present an interview with Grusch. The account has led to multiple Congressional hearings.

For a full analysis of UAPs, we highly recommend the book Worlds Without Number>

By Ross Coulthart; Updated: Jan 18, 2025 / 08:57 PM CST

Meta Fact-checkers May Close Doors

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Fact-checkers said Meta’s decision will have significant impact on their business operations

Mark Zuckerberg reveals pressure brought by Biden Administration to curtail free speech, and that “fact-checking” led to false narratives prevailing

In a move that will help restore free speech to social media, a network of fact-checkers is set to lose a major source of revenue and may even close shop after Facebook parent company Meta announced it would terminate their contracts and move towards a system closer to X’s Community Notes.

“We don’t have much time left. At this rate, we are done in a few months,” claims Check Your Fact managing editor, Jesse Stiller.

“We were blindsided by this. This was totally unexpected and out of left field for us. We weren’t aware this decision was being considered until Mark dropped the video overnight. We have no idea what the future looks like for the website going forward,” he added.

On January 7, 2025, Meta revealed that it would end its fact-checking program and lift some content moderation policies to “restore free expression” across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

Prior to the announcement, Meta repeatedly stressed they were committed to supporting a long-term independent fact-checking industry to address “misinformation” online.

In an April 2022 blog post, Meta claimed it had built the “largest global fact-checking network of any platform” and contributed more than $100 million to fact-checking programs since 2016.

Meta did not reply when asked how much money it had given to third-party fact-checkers before announcing the end of the program in early January 2025.

According to the company’s website, Meta began prioritizing “additional support and resources” for fact-checkers in early 2020 to combat health “misinformation.”

As part of this initiative, Meta launched a $1 million emergency grant program in partnership with the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) to tackle information about the COVID-19 pandemic

IFCN created the CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, in which nearly 100 fact-checking organizations in more than 70 countries produced over 11,000 fact-checks about COVID-19 across 40 languages. Seven fact-checking organization projects specifically focused on vaccine “misinformation.”

In August, Zuckerberg admitted that the Biden White House had pressured Meta to censor some health information during the pandemic.

Zuckerberg told podcast host Joe Rogan in January that members of the Biden administration would “scream” and “curse” at his employees, demanding they take down information, especially during the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine program.

Meta later gave the IFCN a $1 million “Climate Misinformation Grant.” The grant, in part, provided funding to organizations working to combat “climate misinformation” and supported collaborative partnerships between fact-checkers and “climate experts.”

The company also provided funding for fact-checkers to “increase their capacity to promote reliable information” ahead of the 2022 elections in various countries, including the U.S., Australia, France and India.

In the United States, Meta worked with the following third-party fact-checkers: AFP – Hub, Check Your Fact, Factcheck.org, Lead Stories, PolitiFact, Science Feedback, Reuters Fact Check, TelevisaUnivision, The Dispatch and USA Today.

All 10 of these partners are expected to lose their funding. It is unclear when or if Meta’s changes will affect overseas fact-checkers.

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, claimed that these fact-checkers failed to remain neutral.

“We went to independent, third-party fact-checkers,” Kaplan said. “It has become clear there is too much political bias in what they choose to fact-check because, basically, they get to fact-check whatever they see on the platform.”

Since the pivot away from third-party fact-checking, several of these fact-checking organizations with financial ties to the tech conglomerate have issued statements critical of Zuckerberg and Meta’s claims of political bias.

Previously, these groups were often paid for each published fact-check using Meta’s platforms and tools.

For example, PolitiFact, according to its financial disclosures, earned over five percent of its 2024 revenue from the partnership.

PolitiFact said that the organization, one of the original participants in Meta’s third-party fact-checking program, will be affected by the company’s decision to discontinue it.

They also pointed Fox News Digital to comments made by PolitiFact parent Poynter Institute President Neil Brown, who called Meta’s decision a “disappointing cop-out” that “perpetuates a misunderstanding of its own program.”

“Facts are not censorship. Fact-checkers never censored anything. And Meta always held the cards. It’s time to quit invoking inflammatory and false language in describing the role of journalists and fact-checking,” Brown said.

Lead Stories, a Facebook fact-checker employing several former CNN alumni, told The New York Times that it is now doing a large chunk of its work for TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance. Meta was previously the fact-checker’s primary client.

The company was shocked by Zuckerberg’s announcement, considering Lead Stories signed a new yearlong contract with Meta just three weeks ago. Lead Stories admitted that it would see a drop in revenue after severing ties with Meta—a reality that will result in a “staffing reduction,” according to co-founder Alan Duke.

“Cutting fact-checkers from social platforms is like disbanding your fire department,” he told CNN in early January.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Kristin Roberts, the chief content officer of Gannet Media (USA Today’s parent company), said, “Fact-based journalism is what USA Today does best.”

“We are the nation’s trusted news source because we provide unbiased and essential content for all people. Truth and facts serve everyone — not the right or the left — and that’s what we will continue to deliver,” she continued.

The company did not provide information on its financial relationship with Meta.

TelevisaUnivision, Lead Stories, Factcheck.org, AFP – Hub, The Dispatch and Science Feedback did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Reuters declined to comment.

By Nikolas Lanum, Fox News

Pam Bondi Appears Before Senate Committee for Attorney General Confirmation

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In a highly anticipated hearing, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, seeking confirmation for her new role. Bondi, a staunch conservative known for her vigorous advocacy on issues such as consumer protection and public safety, addressed the committee with clarity and conviction, emphasizing her commitment to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of American citizens.

Bondi’s stellar track record as Florida’s Attorney General showcased her dedication to fighting against human trafficking, opioid addiction, and fraud. She articulated her vision for a nation where law enforcement is supported and empowered, promising to lead the Department of Justice with integrity and a focus on restoring public trust in the legal system. Committee members noted her extensive experience and her ability to navigate complex legal matters, which they believe will serve her well in this new capacity.

Throughout her testimony, Bondi faced some tough questions from committee members, particularly regarding her stance on controversial issues such as immigration enforcement and criminal justice reform. However, her responses reflected a balanced approach rooted in conservative principles, emphasizing the importance of maintaining law and order while also considering the underlying social issues that contribute to crime.

Supporters of Bondi have rallied behind her nomination, highlighting her unwavering commitment to conservative values and her proven leadership skills. As the Senate prepares to vote on her confirmation, many believe that Bondi’s appointment would mark a significant step toward a more robust and principled Department of Justice, one that prioritizes the safety and security of American families.

The confirmation process will closely be watched, as Bondi’s appointment could signal a shift towards a more aggressive stance on crime and a renewed focus on protecting the rights of victims.

Legal Career

Pam Bondi’s legal career has equipped her with a wealth of experience and a robust skill set that are critical for her role as Attorney General. Serving as Florida’s Attorney General from 2011 to 2019, Bondi handled a wide range of legal issues, including consumer protection, public safety, and criminal justice. Her tenure was marked by significant initiatives against human trafficking and the opioid crisis, demonstrating her ability to tackle pressing societal issues head-on.

Bondi’s experience in the courtroom, both as a prosecutor and in civil litigation, has honed her legal acumen and understanding of the judicial system. This background allows her to navigate complex legal frameworks and advocate effectively for the law. Additionally, her leadership in high-profile cases has provided her with the skills necessary to manage large teams and coordinate across various governmental agencies.

Moreover, Bondi’s strong communication skills and ability to engage with the public have been vital in building trust and transparency within her office. Her commitment to educating citizens about their rights and promoting community safety further illustrates her readiness to lead the Department of Justice.

Overall, Bondi’s extensive legal background, combined with her passion for public service, positions her as a capable candidate for the role of Attorney General, ready to address the challenges facing the nation.

New Challenges

As Pam Bondi steps into her role as U.S. Attorney General, she is likely to encounter several significant challenges. One primary challenge will be navigating the complex political landscape, particularly in a divided Congress. She will need to build bipartisan support for her initiatives while remaining true to her conservative principles, which can be a delicate balancing act.

Another significant challenge will be addressing the ongoing issues of crime and public safety, especially in light of rising concerns over violent crime and drug-related offenses. Bondi must develop effective strategies that not only enforce the law but also foster community trust and cooperation, which is essential for successful law enforcement.

Additionally, Bondi will face scrutiny over her policies concerning immigration and criminal justice reform. Critics may challenge her approaches, demanding transparency and accountability, which could lead to contentious debates. Ensuring that her policies are both effective and fair while managing public expectations will be crucial.

Lastly, the ongoing opioid crisis and its ramifications will require her immediate attention. She will need to implement comprehensive solutions that involve collaboration with states and local authorities, balancing enforcement with treatment and prevention efforts.

Overall, while Bondi’s experience positions her well for the role, these challenges will require her to navigate a complex and often contentious environment.

Watch the full confirmation hearing:

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