President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the federal government should “take over” Washington, D.C., to crack down on crime and address widespread homelessness.

Trump told reporters on board Air Force One that federal authorities should bring law and order to the nation’s capital and wrest control away from local Democrat leaders who he said aren’t doing their jobs. He is reportedly set to sign an executive order in the coming days to demand D.C. authorities take steps to clean up homeless encampments and address crime. 

“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said, per the White House pool. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless.” 

“And I think we should take over Washington, D.C. We could save people from getting killed,” Trump added. “They have a great police department there. Somehow they’re not utilized properly. We should govern D.C. The federal government should take over the governance of D.C. and run it really, really properly.”

Trump said that he liked Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser but that local authorities are “not doing the job.” 

“Too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns, there’s magnificent lawns and there’s tents,” he said. “It’s a sad thing, homeless people all over the place, we’ve got to take care of the homeless.”

He said that with foreign leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keith Starmer visiting, there shouldn’t be so many homeless camps around the city. 

“You can’t have tents all over your beautiful, your once magnificent houses and lawns, you just can’t do it,” he said. 

The comments echoed his remarks on the campaign trail when he promised to revitalize the city. 

“We will take over the horribly run capital of our nation in Washington, D.C., and clean it up, renovate it and rebuild our capital city so there is no longer a nightmare of murder and crime,” Trump said last year. 

Trump’s pending executive order related to D.C. would reportedly involve pushing for harsher punishments for violent gun crimes and petty crimes like public urination. It would also enhance protections for national monuments and federal parks. 

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduced a bill earlier this month that would end “home rule” established decades ago for District residents to control their own local affairs, and bring the district under the management of Congress. The lawmakers cited violent crime and the city council’s push to allow non-citizen voting as reasons for the legislation.

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the federal government should “take over” Washington, D.C., to crack down on crime and address widespread homelessness.

Trump told reporters on board Air Force One that federal authorities should bring law and order to the nation’s capital and wrest control away from local Democrat leaders who he said aren’t doing their jobs. He is reportedly set to sign an executive order in the coming days to demand D.C. authorities take steps to clean up homeless encampments and address crime. 

“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said, per the White House pool. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless.” 

“And I think we should take over Washington, D.C. We could save people from getting killed,” Trump added. “They have a great police department there. Somehow they’re not utilized properly. We should govern D.C. The federal government should take over the governance of D.C. and run it really, really properly.”

Trump said that he liked Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser but that local authorities are “not doing the job.” 

“Too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns, there’s magnificent lawns and there’s tents,” he said. “It’s a sad thing, homeless people all over the place, we’ve got to take care of the homeless.”

He said that with foreign leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keith Starmer visiting, there shouldn’t be so many homeless camps around the city. 

“You can’t have tents all over your beautiful, your once magnificent houses and lawns, you just can’t do it,” he said. 

The comments echoed his remarks on the campaign trail when he promised to revitalize the city. 

“We will take over the horribly run capital of our nation in Washington, D.C., and clean it up, renovate it and rebuild our capital city so there is no longer a nightmare of murder and crime,” Trump said last year. 

Trump’s pending executive order related to D.C. would reportedly involve pushing for harsher punishments for violent gun crimes and petty crimes like public urination. It would also enhance protections for national monuments and federal parks. 

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduced a bill earlier this month that would end “home rule” established decades ago for District residents to control their own local affairs, and bring the district under the management of Congress. The lawmakers cited violent crime and the city council’s push to allow non-citizen voting as reasons for the legislation.

“}]] 

The post ‘Law And Order’: Trump Says Feds Should ‘Take Over’ Washington D.C. appeared first on Spin Politico.

Israel received the bodies of four Hamas hostages today after the terror group paraded them on stage in front of cheering crowds in a propaganda spectacle.

At Hamas’s ceremony in Khan Yunis, large crowds, including children, wearing logos associated with terror groups, gathered as upbeat music played. They awaited the handover of the bodies of hostages Shiri Bibas, her young children, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz, an elderly man

The coffins each had a picture of the hostages with a sticker that said “date of arrest October 7 2023.”

On the stage was a picture of the four fallen hostages with an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depicted as a vampire with the text “This War Criminal Netanyahu & His Nazi Army Killed Them with Missiles from Zionist Warplanes.” There was also a missile with a sign in English reading “They were killed by USA bombs.”

During the ceremony, a man speaking in English called President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans out of the strip “bullsh**.”

2:27 AM in DC. I’m up studying the propaganda of Hamas as it stages manages a cruel spectacle of returning the murdered children and wife of the Bibas family. “And to Trump, the unleashed bull…” the MC breaks out in English, “with his bullshit plan…” It’s terrorism theater. pic.twitter.com/XV6ifBjA1H

— Asra Nomani (@AsraNomani) February 20, 2025

The coffins were carried by four masked men, each wearing a headband symbolizing a different Palestinian terrorist organization including Hamas, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Brigade. Fatah is chaired by Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, which controls the Palestinian areas of Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

Hamas threatened to keep the bodies after the Red Cross initially refused to take part in the handover ceremony, according to Israel’s Channel 12. Red Cross representatives eventually gave in, and signed documents on stage to receive the bodies.

The coffins were then transported to the Israeli Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip where they underwent an evaluation by a bomb squad to ensure the terrorists did not booby trap them, as they had done to other bodies on October 7.

The IDF wrapped the coffins in Israeli flags and the Military Rabbinate chief, Brigadier-General Rabbi Eyal Krim, recited Psalm 83.

Soldiers can be seen fighting back tears as they carry the coffins to vehicles to be transported to Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification. Once the bodies are identified, families will be given final confirmation of their loved ones so they can proceed with the burials. The causes of death are also expected to be investigated.

The Lifshitz family received final confirmation that Oded’s body had been identified only hours after he arrived for identification.

“503 agonizing days of uncertainty have come to an end,” the family said in a statement. “We had hoped and prayed so much for a different outcome. Now we can mourn the husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who has been missing from us since October 7. Our family’s healing process will begin now and will not end until the last hostage is returned.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum plans to not broadcast any propaganda spectacle during its gathering Thursday in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, and many Israeli media outlets have also chosen to not broadcast any Hamas propaganda spectacle after speaking with officials and the families of hostages.

The Hostage forum announced it will hold a ceremony tonight in Hostage Square to call for the return of all 69 hostages still in Hamas captivity.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the hearts of Israelis “lie in tatters.”

“Agony. Pain. There are no words,” Herzog said in a statement. “Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters. On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely.”

UN Human rights chief Volker Turk called Hamas’s spectacle “abhorrent,” and said it flies in the face of international law.

“Under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families,” Volker Turk said in a statement.

Turk came under fire earlier in December following a report from UN Watch that found he has condemned Israel far more than any country with 58 condemnations, which is more than all non-democratic countries combined. The report found that his statements on Hamas were usually tied into anti-Israel statements and hardly refer to the name Hamas directly, instead referring to the terror group as ‘Palestinian armed groups.’

Lifshitz, 84, was a journalist and peace activist who helped found Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was known for transporting sick Gazans to Israeli hospitals.

His wife, Yocheved Lifshitz, who was also taken hostage but released in the November 2023 deal, said her husband “fought for the Palestinians his whole life; they betrayed him and took him into hell.”

The news of the death of 32-year-old Shiri and her two young children has sparked international outrage. Kfir was nine months old when he was kidnapped and Ariel was 4. Footage of Shiri’s terrified face while holding the two redheaded boys went viral after October 7, making the family a symbol of the horror terrorists inflicted on Israeli civilians during the attack.

In November 2023, Hamas forced Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, to record a video announcing the deaths of his wife and kids. Yarden, who was released earlier this month, has reportedly clung to hope that his family is alive.

Hamas also released the names of the final six living hostages set to be released from Gaza on Saturday. The list includes Israeli citizens Omer Shem Tov, 22, Omer Wenkert, 23, Eliya Cohen, 27, and Tal Shoham, 30, all of whom were captured by terrorists on October 7. Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, and Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, 39, who have both been hostages in Gaza for about a decade, will also be released.

So far, 19 of 33 hostages have been released during the first phase of the ceasefire, along with five Thai hostages who were released as part of a separate deal. Seventy-three hostages remain in captivity, all but three of whom were abducted on October 7.

The fate of those not slated for the first phase has yet to be negotiated. According to the ceasefire agreement, negotiations for phase two were set to begin on February 3, the 16th day, but discussions have not yet commenced.

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

Israel received the bodies of four Hamas hostages today after the terror group paraded them on stage in front of cheering crowds in a propaganda spectacle.

At Hamas’s ceremony in Khan Yunis, large crowds, including children, wearing logos associated with terror groups, gathered as upbeat music played. They awaited the handover of the bodies of hostages Shiri Bibas, her young children, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz, an elderly man

The coffins each had a picture of the hostages with a sticker that said “date of arrest October 7 2023.”

On the stage was a picture of the four fallen hostages with an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depicted as a vampire with the text “This War Criminal Netanyahu & His Nazi Army Killed Them with Missiles from Zionist Warplanes.” There was also a missile with a sign in English reading “They were killed by USA bombs.”

During the ceremony, a man speaking in English called President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans out of the strip “bullsh**.”

2:27 AM in DC. I’m up studying the propaganda of Hamas as it stages manages a cruel spectacle of returning the murdered children and wife of the Bibas family. “And to Trump, the unleashed bull…” the MC breaks out in English, “with his bullshit plan…” It’s terrorism theater. pic.twitter.com/XV6ifBjA1H

— Asra Nomani (@AsraNomani) February 20, 2025

The coffins were carried by four masked men, each wearing a headband symbolizing a different Palestinian terrorist organization including Hamas, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Brigade. Fatah is chaired by Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, which controls the Palestinian areas of Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

Hamas threatened to keep the bodies after the Red Cross initially refused to take part in the handover ceremony, according to Israel’s Channel 12. Red Cross representatives eventually gave in, and signed documents on stage to receive the bodies.

The coffins were then transported to the Israeli Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip where they underwent an evaluation by a bomb squad to ensure the terrorists did not booby trap them, as they had done to other bodies on October 7.

The IDF wrapped the coffins in Israeli flags and the Military Rabbinate chief, Brigadier-General Rabbi Eyal Krim, recited Psalm 83.

Soldiers can be seen fighting back tears as they carry the coffins to vehicles to be transported to Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification. Once the bodies are identified, families will be given final confirmation of their loved ones so they can proceed with the burials. The causes of death are also expected to be investigated.

The Lifshitz family received final confirmation that Oded’s body had been identified only hours after he arrived for identification.

“503 agonizing days of uncertainty have come to an end,” the family said in a statement. “We had hoped and prayed so much for a different outcome. Now we can mourn the husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who has been missing from us since October 7. Our family’s healing process will begin now and will not end until the last hostage is returned.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum plans to not broadcast any propaganda spectacle during its gathering Thursday in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, and many Israeli media outlets have also chosen to not broadcast any Hamas propaganda spectacle after speaking with officials and the families of hostages.

The Hostage forum announced it will hold a ceremony tonight in Hostage Square to call for the return of all 69 hostages still in Hamas captivity.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the hearts of Israelis “lie in tatters.”

“Agony. Pain. There are no words,” Herzog said in a statement. “Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters. On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely.”

UN Human rights chief Volker Turk called Hamas’s spectacle “abhorrent,” and said it flies in the face of international law.

“Under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families,” Volker Turk said in a statement.

Turk came under fire earlier in December following a report from UN Watch that found he has condemned Israel far more than any country with 58 condemnations, which is more than all non-democratic countries combined. The report found that his statements on Hamas were usually tied into anti-Israel statements and hardly refer to the name Hamas directly, instead referring to the terror group as ‘Palestinian armed groups.’

Lifshitz, 84, was a journalist and peace activist who helped found Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was known for transporting sick Gazans to Israeli hospitals.

His wife, Yocheved Lifshitz, who was also taken hostage but released in the November 2023 deal, said her husband “fought for the Palestinians his whole life; they betrayed him and took him into hell.”

The news of the death of 32-year-old Shiri and her two young children has sparked international outrage. Kfir was nine months old when he was kidnapped and Ariel was 4. Footage of Shiri’s terrified face while holding the two redheaded boys went viral after October 7, making the family a symbol of the horror terrorists inflicted on Israeli civilians during the attack.

In November 2023, Hamas forced Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, to record a video announcing the deaths of his wife and kids. Yarden, who was released earlier this month, has reportedly clung to hope that his family is alive.

Hamas also released the names of the final six living hostages set to be released from Gaza on Saturday. The list includes Israeli citizens Omer Shem Tov, 22, Omer Wenkert, 23, Eliya Cohen, 27, and Tal Shoham, 30, all of whom were captured by terrorists on October 7. Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, and Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, 39, who have both been hostages in Gaza for about a decade, will also be released.

So far, 19 of 33 hostages have been released during the first phase of the ceasefire, along with five Thai hostages who were released as part of a separate deal. Seventy-three hostages remain in captivity, all but three of whom were abducted on October 7.

The fate of those not slated for the first phase has yet to be negotiated. According to the ceasefire agreement, negotiations for phase two were set to begin on February 3, the 16th day, but discussions have not yet commenced.

“}]] 

The post Israel Receives Bodies Of Four Hostages After Hamas Parades Them By Cheering Crowds appeared first on Spin Politico.

The American education crisis has become a national emergency that demands immediate correction.

According to the new National Report Card, a staggering 72% of eighth-grade students who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math exam failed to score at the proficient level. In 2019 and before COVID school shutdowns, eighth graders’ math proficiency levels were already at an unacceptable 66% — 6% lower than where they are now.

This report card underscores the need for a seismic shift toward academic excellence over DEI-driven policies, wasteful spending, and misaligned priorities. It also demands that Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon’s leadership serve as the turning point in reclaiming global math leadership through strategies like those employed by Singapore.

Fortunately, the Senate has a chance to make this vision a reality by confirming McMahon — a remarkably successful entrepreneur with a proven track record of delivering a high-quality product. This time, her mission is even more critical: ensuring American families have every opportunity to access the world-class education they deserve.

McMahon acknowledged during her Senate confirmation hearing that the state of American education falls far short of being world-class, stating, “We have failed in our mission” and emphasized that “we are not delivering the high-quality education our children need.”

Unlike corrupt bureaucrats who spend billions on DEI initiatives at the expense of true student achievement, McMahon embodies the spirit of American exceptionalism and is focused on restoring the once-high standards for U.S. educational institutions. Today, plummeting student achievement demonstrated by recent NRC scores has embarrassingly reduced the U.S. to 34th place in global rankings, lagging significantly behind top-performing countries such as Singapore and China.

The U.S. education system is in desperate need of an examination of conscience, which I elaborated on in my testimony before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The previous administration created a dumpster fire by spending over one billion dollars prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives over core subject areas like math.

Much to students’ detriment, identity politics have permeated classrooms across America. Agenda-driven “educators” are brainwashing our nation’s children with gender ideology. Schools have kept parents in the dark about their child transitioning to a different gender. Boys have been allowed to compete in girl’s sports. Schools remain unsafe. DEI initiatives have pitted students, educators, and administrators against each other and placed race above merit at the sacrifice of standards in excellence. Foreign funding from the Chinese Communist Party and the Qatar Foundation threatens U.S. national security, seeks to soften attitudes towards Chinese state-directed communism and antisemitism, and spreads hate among students in schools.

If confirmed as Education Secretary, McMahon will prioritize answering to students and parents over teachers’ unions and education progressive activists—a stark departure from the Biden administration’s approach over the past four years.

Conversely, Singapore’s fundamentally different approach to education — particularly in math — yields measurable success, as reflected in the nation’s consistently best-in-the-world test scores.

McMahon’s leadership at the Department of Education could serve as a model for both federal and state policies, particularly by mirroring Singapore’s approach. In Singapore, the government actively resists identity politics, instead prioritizing national unity and meritocracy. Unlike the U.S., Singaporean schools prioritize academics and character development over social activism. Singapore’s Ministry of Education has made it clear that progressive gender ideology has no place in the curriculum. Parental authority is upheld, and schools are discouraged from withholding information about a child’s gender transition. Likewise, school sports remain sex-based, with no widespread movement to allow men to compete in women’s competitions. Instead of DEI-style initiatives that have led to division in the U.S., Singapore promotes diversity through racial harmony. Lastly, the country remains vigilant about foreign influence, particularly from China and the Middle East, by strictly regulating foreign funding in education.

Moreover, Singapore’s Ministry of Education developed the world-renowned Singapore Math curriculum, which focuses on deep conceptual understanding through a concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach. This method emphasizes mastery of fewer topics, ensuring a strong foundation for advanced math. In contrast, the failing U.S. Common Core prioritizes multiple problem-solving strategies over mastery, often leading to confusion and a lack of deep understanding. With its broad scope and fast pace, Common Core leaves students without a solid math foundation, while Singapore Math’s structured approach leads to long-term success, as seen in Singapore’s top global rankings.

If confirmed, McMahon should draw inspiration from Singapore’s success in math education to restore U.S. leadership and reignite American exceptionalism in education. Singapore’s approach prioritizes student learning without any indoctrination and an innovative math curriculum. With achievement gaps still unacceptable six years post-COVID, it’s time for an outside-the-box leader like McMahon to close them.

* * *

Nicole Neily is the President & Founder of Parents Defending Education.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

The American education crisis has become a national emergency that demands immediate correction.

According to the new National Report Card, a staggering 72% of eighth-grade students who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math exam failed to score at the proficient level. In 2019 and before COVID school shutdowns, eighth graders’ math proficiency levels were already at an unacceptable 66% — 6% lower than where they are now.

This report card underscores the need for a seismic shift toward academic excellence over DEI-driven policies, wasteful spending, and misaligned priorities. It also demands that Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon’s leadership serve as the turning point in reclaiming global math leadership through strategies like those employed by Singapore.

Fortunately, the Senate has a chance to make this vision a reality by confirming McMahon — a remarkably successful entrepreneur with a proven track record of delivering a high-quality product. This time, her mission is even more critical: ensuring American families have every opportunity to access the world-class education they deserve.

McMahon acknowledged during her Senate confirmation hearing that the state of American education falls far short of being world-class, stating, “We have failed in our mission” and emphasized that “we are not delivering the high-quality education our children need.”

Unlike corrupt bureaucrats who spend billions on DEI initiatives at the expense of true student achievement, McMahon embodies the spirit of American exceptionalism and is focused on restoring the once-high standards for U.S. educational institutions. Today, plummeting student achievement demonstrated by recent NRC scores has embarrassingly reduced the U.S. to 34th place in global rankings, lagging significantly behind top-performing countries such as Singapore and China.

The U.S. education system is in desperate need of an examination of conscience, which I elaborated on in my testimony before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The previous administration created a dumpster fire by spending over one billion dollars prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives over core subject areas like math.

Much to students’ detriment, identity politics have permeated classrooms across America. Agenda-driven “educators” are brainwashing our nation’s children with gender ideology. Schools have kept parents in the dark about their child transitioning to a different gender. Boys have been allowed to compete in girl’s sports. Schools remain unsafe. DEI initiatives have pitted students, educators, and administrators against each other and placed race above merit at the sacrifice of standards in excellence. Foreign funding from the Chinese Communist Party and the Qatar Foundation threatens U.S. national security, seeks to soften attitudes towards Chinese state-directed communism and antisemitism, and spreads hate among students in schools.

If confirmed as Education Secretary, McMahon will prioritize answering to students and parents over teachers’ unions and education progressive activists—a stark departure from the Biden administration’s approach over the past four years.

Conversely, Singapore’s fundamentally different approach to education — particularly in math — yields measurable success, as reflected in the nation’s consistently best-in-the-world test scores.

McMahon’s leadership at the Department of Education could serve as a model for both federal and state policies, particularly by mirroring Singapore’s approach. In Singapore, the government actively resists identity politics, instead prioritizing national unity and meritocracy. Unlike the U.S., Singaporean schools prioritize academics and character development over social activism. Singapore’s Ministry of Education has made it clear that progressive gender ideology has no place in the curriculum. Parental authority is upheld, and schools are discouraged from withholding information about a child’s gender transition. Likewise, school sports remain sex-based, with no widespread movement to allow men to compete in women’s competitions. Instead of DEI-style initiatives that have led to division in the U.S., Singapore promotes diversity through racial harmony. Lastly, the country remains vigilant about foreign influence, particularly from China and the Middle East, by strictly regulating foreign funding in education.

Moreover, Singapore’s Ministry of Education developed the world-renowned Singapore Math curriculum, which focuses on deep conceptual understanding through a concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach. This method emphasizes mastery of fewer topics, ensuring a strong foundation for advanced math. In contrast, the failing U.S. Common Core prioritizes multiple problem-solving strategies over mastery, often leading to confusion and a lack of deep understanding. With its broad scope and fast pace, Common Core leaves students without a solid math foundation, while Singapore Math’s structured approach leads to long-term success, as seen in Singapore’s top global rankings.

If confirmed, McMahon should draw inspiration from Singapore’s success in math education to restore U.S. leadership and reignite American exceptionalism in education. Singapore’s approach prioritizes student learning without any indoctrination and an innovative math curriculum. With achievement gaps still unacceptable six years post-COVID, it’s time for an outside-the-box leader like McMahon to close them.

* * *

Nicole Neily is the President & Founder of Parents Defending Education.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

“}]] 

The post Simple Math: How Linda McMahon Can Help American Students Regain Their Math Mojo appeared first on Spin Politico.

The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that it has formally designated several drug cartels and gangs as official Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) which expands the administration’s ability to combat the organizations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the designation — which was made in consultation with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — came after a sufficient factual basis was established under the Immigration and Nationality Act to classify the entities as FTOs.

The FTO and SDGT designations were applied to the following criminal enterprises: Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, Carteles Unidos, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo, and La Nueva Familia Michoacana.

FTOs are designated by the State Department under the Immigration and Nationality Act while SDGTs are designated by the Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224.

FTOs focus on organizations and there are criminal penalties for being involved with the organization. SDGTs on the other hand focus on the terrorist organizations, individuals, and their financial backers. SDGTs result in sanctions and asset seizures.

The designations come after news broke this week that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is flying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico as part of Trump’s efforts to revamp the war against transnational drug cartels.

The unarmed drones are currently only conducting spy missions against the cartels. The CIA can arm the drones and use them against foreign enemies, which it has often done when fighting Islamic terrorists in the Middle East and Africa.

The designations of the cartels as terrorist organizations could lay the groundwork for using the drones to kill top cartel leaders and destroy manufacturing sites.

The CIA said in a statement that “countering drug cartels in Mexico and regionally is a priority for CIA as a part of the Trump Administration’s broader efforts to end the grave threat from narco-trafficking. Director [John] Ratcliffe is determined to put CIA’s unique expertise to work against this multifaceted challenge.”

Mexican officials, powerless to counter the vastly larger and more powerful U.S. government, have downplayed the CIA drones flying over Mexico, claiming that they do “not violate national airspace,” according to Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not resist the notion of drones flying over Mexican airspace to fight the cartels.

“The important thing here, I think, in the declaration, which is what we have always proposed, is that they share information with the Government of Mexico,” she said.

Trump’s top goals for the agency revolve around trade wars, undermining communist China, and destroying the drug cartels.

The president was asked the day after he was sworn into office if he would consider “sending U.S. special forces into Mexico” to take out the cartels.

“Could happen,” Trump said with a large grin on his face. “Stranger things have happened.”

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that it has formally designated several drug cartels and gangs as official Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) which expands the administration’s ability to combat the organizations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the designation — which was made in consultation with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — came after a sufficient factual basis was established under the Immigration and Nationality Act to classify the entities as FTOs.

The FTO and SDGT designations were applied to the following criminal enterprises: Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, Carteles Unidos, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo, and La Nueva Familia Michoacana.

FTOs are designated by the State Department under the Immigration and Nationality Act while SDGTs are designated by the Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224.

FTOs focus on organizations and there are criminal penalties for being involved with the organization. SDGTs on the other hand focus on the terrorist organizations, individuals, and their financial backers. SDGTs result in sanctions and asset seizures.

The designations come after news broke this week that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is flying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico as part of Trump’s efforts to revamp the war against transnational drug cartels.

The unarmed drones are currently only conducting spy missions against the cartels. The CIA can arm the drones and use them against foreign enemies, which it has often done when fighting Islamic terrorists in the Middle East and Africa.

The designations of the cartels as terrorist organizations could lay the groundwork for using the drones to kill top cartel leaders and destroy manufacturing sites.

The CIA said in a statement that “countering drug cartels in Mexico and regionally is a priority for CIA as a part of the Trump Administration’s broader efforts to end the grave threat from narco-trafficking. Director [John] Ratcliffe is determined to put CIA’s unique expertise to work against this multifaceted challenge.”

Mexican officials, powerless to counter the vastly larger and more powerful U.S. government, have downplayed the CIA drones flying over Mexico, claiming that they do “not violate national airspace,” according to Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not resist the notion of drones flying over Mexican airspace to fight the cartels.

“The important thing here, I think, in the declaration, which is what we have always proposed, is that they share information with the Government of Mexico,” she said.

Trump’s top goals for the agency revolve around trade wars, undermining communist China, and destroying the drug cartels.

The president was asked the day after he was sworn into office if he would consider “sending U.S. special forces into Mexico” to take out the cartels.

“Could happen,” Trump said with a large grin on his face. “Stranger things have happened.”

“}]] 

The post Trump Admin Formally Designates 8 Cartels, Gangs As Terrorist Organizations appeared first on Spin Politico.

Law enforcement officials say that they stopped a mass casualty attack in Texas this week on a high school in Houston.

“FBI Houston received information yesterday that two underage teenagers from the Houston area were plotting a mass casualty attack at a local school,” the local FBI field office said in a statement on Wednesday night.

The two suspects, identified as a 15-year-old and 16-year-old, were quickly located and arrested after the threat was made on social media.

#BREAKING FBI Houston received information yesterday that two underage teenagers from the Houston area were plotting a mass casualty attack at a local school. Our Threat Mitigation Team immediately responded to help @houstonpolice & @MCTXSheriff identify and arrest them. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/FjzPJpGQ0e

— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) February 20, 2025

Fox News reporter Brooke Taylor said that Chief Baimbridge with Spring Branch ISD indicated that the two suspects were girls.

They allegedly were “going to place pipe bombs across Memorial High School and shoot up the students,” Taylor wrote. “The 16 girl student who attends the school was found at the school about 30 minutes after the threat.”

The threats were transmitted over social media and were “extremely detailed,” Taylor added, “which is why police believe it to be so credible.”

Fox 26 Houston reported one of the students was from Willis High School while the other was from Spring Branch ISD.

“The safety and security of our schools and community remain our highest priority,” the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “We understand the concerns this situation may cause for students, parents, and faculty, and we are taking every necessary precaution.”

“Additional security measures have been implemented, and we continue to work closely with school officials and our law enforcement partners to ensure a safe environment,” the statement added. “We encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. If you see something, say something. This investigation is in the early stages, and we are reviewing all available evidence. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

UPDATE: I just spoke to Chief Baimbridge with Spring Branch ISD. He tells me two teenage girls, 15 & 16 years old, were going to place pipe bombs across Memorial High School and shoot up the students. The 16 girl student who attends the school was found at the school about 30…

— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) February 20, 2025

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

Law enforcement officials say that they stopped a mass casualty attack in Texas this week on a high school in Houston.

“FBI Houston received information yesterday that two underage teenagers from the Houston area were plotting a mass casualty attack at a local school,” the local FBI field office said in a statement on Wednesday night.

The two suspects, identified as a 15-year-old and 16-year-old, were quickly located and arrested after the threat was made on social media.

#BREAKING FBI Houston received information yesterday that two underage teenagers from the Houston area were plotting a mass casualty attack at a local school. Our Threat Mitigation Team immediately responded to help @houstonpolice & @MCTXSheriff identify and arrest them. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/FjzPJpGQ0e

— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) February 20, 2025

Fox News reporter Brooke Taylor said that Chief Baimbridge with Spring Branch ISD indicated that the two suspects were girls.

They allegedly were “going to place pipe bombs across Memorial High School and shoot up the students,” Taylor wrote. “The 16 girl student who attends the school was found at the school about 30 minutes after the threat.”

The threats were transmitted over social media and were “extremely detailed,” Taylor added, “which is why police believe it to be so credible.”

Fox 26 Houston reported one of the students was from Willis High School while the other was from Spring Branch ISD.

“The safety and security of our schools and community remain our highest priority,” the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “We understand the concerns this situation may cause for students, parents, and faculty, and we are taking every necessary precaution.”

“Additional security measures have been implemented, and we continue to work closely with school officials and our law enforcement partners to ensure a safe environment,” the statement added. “We encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. If you see something, say something. This investigation is in the early stages, and we are reviewing all available evidence. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

UPDATE: I just spoke to Chief Baimbridge with Spring Branch ISD. He tells me two teenage girls, 15 & 16 years old, were going to place pipe bombs across Memorial High School and shoot up the students. The 16 girl student who attends the school was found at the school about 30…

— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) February 20, 2025

“}]] 

The post Two Teen Girls Arrested For Plotting Mass Casualty Attack On High School: Report appeared first on Spin Politico.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump touted how his administration was “just getting started” after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) overseen by Elon Musk “saved” what he said were tens of billions of dollars.

Trump spoke about DOGE’s progress so far and other topics during an evening appearance at the FII Priority Summit, a Saudi Arabia-backed event that draws a mix of global tech executives and financiers, taking place in Miami.

“In less than a single month, the Department of Government Efficiency has already saved over 55 — this is just a short period of time — $55 billion, and we’re just getting started,” Trump said of his effort to cut wasteful spending.

Trump said the endeavor will help decrease waste, lower inflation as well as interest rates and payments, and boost the stock market. “We will rapidly grow our economy by dramatically shrinking the federal government,” he added.

“In less than a single month, @DOGE has already saved over $55 billion — and we’re just getting started,” says President Trump.

“We will rapidly grow our economy by dramatically shrinking the federal government.” pic.twitter.com/OUYPnfUxfg

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

In a question-and-answer session during his appearance, Trump shared how the best advice that he ever received in life came from his father, the late Fred Trump, who like his son worked as a real estate developer in New York City.

“You have to love what you do — and if you love what you do, you’re going to have a happy life,” Trump said, adding that people who have admiration for whatever they undertake gives them a “good chance” of finding success in their career.

President Trump says the best advice he has ever received came from his father: “You have to love what you do — and if you love what you do, you’re going to have a happy life.” pic.twitter.com/iEKPVLx75L

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

Trump also spoke about the various tax cuts he wants out of Congress after he endorsed a House budget reconciliation plan over a Senate version that would not leave that aspect of his domestic agenda to be relegated to a future bill.

“We’re going to dramatically cut taxes for families and for workers and for companies, including no tax on tips, and hopefully no tax on Social Security, and no tax on overtime,” Trump said of proposals that stem back to his campaign.

Trump went on to discuss “100% expensing for new factory construction in the United States and anything else that you’re going to buy with capital” as well as his aim to “substantially cut taxes” for domestic producers of oil and gas.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I’ll be working with the Republican Congress to pass the largest tax cuts in American history… We’re going to dramatically cut taxes for families and workers including no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, and no tax on overtime… The new Trump tax cuts… pic.twitter.com/QHU5VE2bmQ

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump touted how his administration was “just getting started” after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) overseen by Elon Musk “saved” what he said were tens of billions of dollars.

Trump spoke about DOGE’s progress so far and other topics during an evening appearance at the FII Priority Summit, a Saudi Arabia-backed event that draws a mix of global tech executives and financiers, taking place in Miami.

“In less than a single month, the Department of Government Efficiency has already saved over 55 — this is just a short period of time — $55 billion, and we’re just getting started,” Trump said of his effort to cut wasteful spending.

Trump said the endeavor will help decrease waste, lower inflation as well as interest rates and payments, and boost the stock market. “We will rapidly grow our economy by dramatically shrinking the federal government,” he added.

“In less than a single month, @DOGE has already saved over $55 billion — and we’re just getting started,” says President Trump.

“We will rapidly grow our economy by dramatically shrinking the federal government.” pic.twitter.com/OUYPnfUxfg

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

In a question-and-answer session during his appearance, Trump shared how the best advice that he ever received in life came from his father, the late Fred Trump, who like his son worked as a real estate developer in New York City.

“You have to love what you do — and if you love what you do, you’re going to have a happy life,” Trump said, adding that people who have admiration for whatever they undertake gives them a “good chance” of finding success in their career.

President Trump says the best advice he has ever received came from his father: “You have to love what you do — and if you love what you do, you’re going to have a happy life.” pic.twitter.com/iEKPVLx75L

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

Trump also spoke about the various tax cuts he wants out of Congress after he endorsed a House budget reconciliation plan over a Senate version that would not leave that aspect of his domestic agenda to be relegated to a future bill.

“We’re going to dramatically cut taxes for families and for workers and for companies, including no tax on tips, and hopefully no tax on Social Security, and no tax on overtime,” Trump said of proposals that stem back to his campaign.

Trump went on to discuss “100% expensing for new factory construction in the United States and anything else that you’re going to buy with capital” as well as his aim to “substantially cut taxes” for domestic producers of oil and gas.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I’ll be working with the Republican Congress to pass the largest tax cuts in American history… We’re going to dramatically cut taxes for families and workers including no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, and no tax on overtime… The new Trump tax cuts… pic.twitter.com/QHU5VE2bmQ

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

“}]] 

The post ‘Just Getting Started’: Trump Dishes On DOGE, Life Advice, And Tax Cuts appeared first on Spin Politico.

Former NATO Deputy Supreme Commander General Sir Richard Shirreff warned this week that the U.S. and European leaders are asleep at the wheel when it comes to confronting Russia in Ukraine.

Shirreff told the BBC that he believes that remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia were “Cloud Cuckoo Land.”

“I think that it shows a failure to understand what Russia is about,” he said. “What Russia is about is removing Ukraine from the map as a sovereign state, incorporating Ukraine, either physically annexing it in terms of the Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine, or installing a puppet government in Kiev so that Ukraine becomes a sort of client state, rather like Belarus.”

He said that any negotiator who believes that Russia will accept peace terms that Ukraine is comfortable with “is deluding themselves.”

Shirreff said that President Donald Trump’s intense criticism of Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, means that “Pax Americana is finished.”

“America has effectively abdicated its leadership of the free world,” he said. “Because with leadership comes responsibilities, and it has made it very clear that it is not going to be the security guarantor for Europe.”

He said that it was up to Europe and Canada to forge a new security alliance without the U.S. to guarantee their own safety.

Shirreff warned that if Russia senses that NATO is weakening that it may invade all the Baltic states in an attempt to rebuild the Russian empire.

“We through our failure to spend more on defense, our willingness to freeload off American largesse for the last umpteen decades, have now got to dig deep,” he said. “Because now we’ve got to replace the capabilities that America brought to the alliance. Now, that is one massive ask. Of course, it is.”

He said the only way to stop Russian aggression on the continent was to build a “strong NATO deterrent presence from the Baltic to the Black Sea, incorporating Ukraine as a NATO member.”

“That requires every NATO member—including America—to lean in and, as a start, put together a strategy to support the Ukrainians in defeating Russia,” he added. “Because that’s the only way Russia is going to be stopped. Anything less than that, which is what we’re seeing now in spades, is merely starting the unraveling of European security, which could so easily end in catastrophe.”

WATCH:

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

Former NATO Deputy Supreme Commander General Sir Richard Shirreff warned this week that the U.S. and European leaders are asleep at the wheel when it comes to confronting Russia in Ukraine.

Shirreff told the BBC that he believes that remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia were “Cloud Cuckoo Land.”

“I think that it shows a failure to understand what Russia is about,” he said. “What Russia is about is removing Ukraine from the map as a sovereign state, incorporating Ukraine, either physically annexing it in terms of the Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine, or installing a puppet government in Kiev so that Ukraine becomes a sort of client state, rather like Belarus.”

He said that any negotiator who believes that Russia will accept peace terms that Ukraine is comfortable with “is deluding themselves.”

Shirreff said that President Donald Trump’s intense criticism of Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, means that “Pax Americana is finished.”

“America has effectively abdicated its leadership of the free world,” he said. “Because with leadership comes responsibilities, and it has made it very clear that it is not going to be the security guarantor for Europe.”

He said that it was up to Europe and Canada to forge a new security alliance without the U.S. to guarantee their own safety.

Shirreff warned that if Russia senses that NATO is weakening that it may invade all the Baltic states in an attempt to rebuild the Russian empire.

“We through our failure to spend more on defense, our willingness to freeload off American largesse for the last umpteen decades, have now got to dig deep,” he said. “Because now we’ve got to replace the capabilities that America brought to the alliance. Now, that is one massive ask. Of course, it is.”

He said the only way to stop Russian aggression on the continent was to build a “strong NATO deterrent presence from the Baltic to the Black Sea, incorporating Ukraine as a NATO member.”

“That requires every NATO member—including America—to lean in and, as a start, put together a strategy to support the Ukrainians in defeating Russia,” he added. “Because that’s the only way Russia is going to be stopped. Anything less than that, which is what we’re seeing now in spades, is merely starting the unraveling of European security, which could so easily end in catastrophe.”

WATCH:

“}]] 

The post Ex-NATO Commander Warns ‘Pax Americana Is Finished’ If U.S., Europe Don’t Work Together On Russia appeared first on Spin Politico.

Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian pushed back this week on claims from the political Left that President Donald Trump’s cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will impact air travel safety.

The comments from Bastian come after one of Delta’s planes was involved in an accident in Toronto this week during landing. The plane’s rear landing gear snapped upon impact, causing the plane’s wing to clip the ground and the jetliner to flip over.

Bastian appeared on “CBS Mornings” on Wednesday to address the recent plane crash at Toronto-Pearson International Airport, where a Delta flight from Minneapolis overturned while landing at the Canadian airport.

“Do those cuts worry you and do you think that impacts safety?” CBS News host Gayle King asked Bastian on “CBS Mornings.” “Do these cuts affect you?”

“The cuts do not affect us, Gayle,” Bastian responded. “I’ve been in close communication with the Secretary of Transportation. I understand that the cuts at this time are something that are raising questions, but the reality is there’s over 50,000 people that work at the FAA. And the cuts, I understand, were 300 people, and they were in non-critical safety functions.”

“The Trump administration has committed to investing deeply in terms of improving the overall technologies that are used in the air traffic control systems and modernizing the skies,” he continued. “They’ve committed to hiring additional controllers and investigators, and safety investigators. So no, I’m not concerned with that at all.”

WATCH:

CBS’s Gayle King tries to blame Trump for the plane crashes, is debunked by Delta’s CEO pic.twitter.com/P9m5SxYKOQ

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 19, 2025

Bastian said that the crew responded appropriately to the accident, which pilots continuously train to be prepared for.

“This is what we train for,” Bastian insisted. “We train for this continuously.”

He added that despite the accident last month in Washington, D.C., and some smaller crashes since then, flying remains “the safest form of transportation, period.”

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian pushed back this week on claims from the political Left that President Donald Trump’s cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will impact air travel safety.

The comments from Bastian come after one of Delta’s planes was involved in an accident in Toronto this week during landing. The plane’s rear landing gear snapped upon impact, causing the plane’s wing to clip the ground and the jetliner to flip over.

Bastian appeared on “CBS Mornings” on Wednesday to address the recent plane crash at Toronto-Pearson International Airport, where a Delta flight from Minneapolis overturned while landing at the Canadian airport.

“Do those cuts worry you and do you think that impacts safety?” CBS News host Gayle King asked Bastian on “CBS Mornings.” “Do these cuts affect you?”

“The cuts do not affect us, Gayle,” Bastian responded. “I’ve been in close communication with the Secretary of Transportation. I understand that the cuts at this time are something that are raising questions, but the reality is there’s over 50,000 people that work at the FAA. And the cuts, I understand, were 300 people, and they were in non-critical safety functions.”

“The Trump administration has committed to investing deeply in terms of improving the overall technologies that are used in the air traffic control systems and modernizing the skies,” he continued. “They’ve committed to hiring additional controllers and investigators, and safety investigators. So no, I’m not concerned with that at all.”

WATCH:

CBS’s Gayle King tries to blame Trump for the plane crashes, is debunked by Delta’s CEO pic.twitter.com/P9m5SxYKOQ

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 19, 2025

Bastian said that the crew responded appropriately to the accident, which pilots continuously train to be prepared for.

“This is what we train for,” Bastian insisted. “We train for this continuously.”

He added that despite the accident last month in Washington, D.C., and some smaller crashes since then, flying remains “the safest form of transportation, period.”

“}]] 

The post Delta’s CEO Pushes Back On Claims That Cuts To FAA Will Impact Safety Of Air Travel appeared first on Spin Politico.

According to The New York Times, about 6,000 employees of the IRS will be laid off on Thursday.

“I.R.S. managers on Wednesday began asking employees to report to the office in the coming days and bring with them their government-issued equipment, according to messages viewed by The New York Times,” The Times reported.

One mail obtained by the Times stated, “Under an executive order, I.R.S. has been directed to terminate probationary employees who were not deemed critical to filing season. We don’t have many details that we are permitted to share, but this is all tied to compliance with the executive order.”

In August 2022, Senate Democrats passed the Biden administration’s $740 billion “Inflation Reduction Act.” “The IRS initially received $79.4 billion from the IRA. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 rescinded $1.4 billion, and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 rescinded an additional $20.2 billion,” the U.S. Treasury Inspector General For Tax Administration reported.

Asked if the rumored 87,000 new IRS agents would “scare the heck out of millions of Americans,” leftist Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) answered, “Millions of Americans aren’t going to be impacted by that other than getting better service from the IRS having their telephone answer getting the questions they need in order to comply with our tax lawsT. he auditing is going to be focused on those of high income, the large corporations, etc.” He added, “I think this is a fair situation. The IRS desperately needs help, and this bill gives them the help they need.”

IRS commissioner Charles P. Rettig told Congress that the additional $80 billion would not increase audits of households earning less than $400,000, the New York Times reported.

After a DOGE staffer visited the IRS on February 13, President Trump said, “I think that the Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else, just about everybody is going to be looked at.”

An email from the Trump administration to senior executives at the IRS stated, “Consistent with the goals and directives of the Trump administration to eliminate waste, reduce spending, and increase efficiency, GSA [General Services Administration] has taken the first steps in a government-wide initiative to eliminate non-essential consulting contracts,” The Hill reported.

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

According to The New York Times, about 6,000 employees of the IRS will be laid off on Thursday.

“I.R.S. managers on Wednesday began asking employees to report to the office in the coming days and bring with them their government-issued equipment, according to messages viewed by The New York Times,” The Times reported.

One mail obtained by the Times stated, “Under an executive order, I.R.S. has been directed to terminate probationary employees who were not deemed critical to filing season. We don’t have many details that we are permitted to share, but this is all tied to compliance with the executive order.”

In August 2022, Senate Democrats passed the Biden administration’s $740 billion “Inflation Reduction Act.” “The IRS initially received $79.4 billion from the IRA. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 rescinded $1.4 billion, and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 rescinded an additional $20.2 billion,” the U.S. Treasury Inspector General For Tax Administration reported.

Asked if the rumored 87,000 new IRS agents would “scare the heck out of millions of Americans,” leftist Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) answered, “Millions of Americans aren’t going to be impacted by that other than getting better service from the IRS having their telephone answer getting the questions they need in order to comply with our tax lawsT. he auditing is going to be focused on those of high income, the large corporations, etc.” He added, “I think this is a fair situation. The IRS desperately needs help, and this bill gives them the help they need.”

IRS commissioner Charles P. Rettig told Congress that the additional $80 billion would not increase audits of households earning less than $400,000, the New York Times reported.

After a DOGE staffer visited the IRS on February 13, President Trump said, “I think that the Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else, just about everybody is going to be looked at.”

An email from the Trump administration to senior executives at the IRS stated, “Consistent with the goals and directives of the Trump administration to eliminate waste, reduce spending, and increase efficiency, GSA [General Services Administration] has taken the first steps in a government-wide initiative to eliminate non-essential consulting contracts,” The Hill reported.

“}]] 

The post Trump Cutting Roughly 6,000 Jobs At IRS: Report appeared first on Spin Politico.

Seven Chilean men have been charged in the multi-million dollar heists of professional athletes like Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and Cincinnati Bengals star QB Joe Burrows.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Florida federal court on Tuesday, the men have been charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property in the burglaries of NBA and NFL players across the country, the Associated Press reported.

If convicted, each of the seven suspects faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, the AP noted.

While the complaint doesn’t name each of the professional athletes who were burglarized, it does list the burglaries of professional players that were previously reported including the thefts at the homes of Mahomes, Kelce, and Burrows, the outlet noted.

The suspects were members of a South American Theft Group (SATG), the complaint noted.

Federal prosecutors in Tampa on Tuesday charged seven purported members of a South American theft group that allegedly targeted the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and other professional athletes around the country.https://t.co/zXyTxG2FY1

— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 19, 2025

“In many circumstances, professional sports teams will publicize their schedules and locations of their games, making it easy for the SATG to know when a particular athlete on a particular professional sports team will be away from his residence,” the complaint added.

The suspects named in the complaint are Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38; Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27, Fox News noted.

In December, the Cincinnati Bengals QB became the next athlete to have his home broken into while he was on a road trip with his team.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to WLWT that Burrows’ $7.5 million Ohio home was burglarized and ransacked during Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Cowboys in Texas.

The NFL previously issued a security alert to players and teams following burglaries of the homes of the Kansas City Chiefs stars in October.

In a memo obtained by the Associated Press at the time, the league said homes of professional athletes have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”

The memo labeled the transnational crime rings “well-organized, sophisticated,” and urged the players to safeguard valuables and avoid publicly sharing check-ins on social media or any information about their homes and any luxury items they might own, NBC News noted.

Officials noted that the homes were specifically being targeted when players were at their games.

Related: NFL Star QB’s Home Broken Into While He’s Playing Monday Night Football Game

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

Seven Chilean men have been charged in the multi-million dollar heists of professional athletes like Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and Cincinnati Bengals star QB Joe Burrows.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Florida federal court on Tuesday, the men have been charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property in the burglaries of NBA and NFL players across the country, the Associated Press reported.

If convicted, each of the seven suspects faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, the AP noted.

While the complaint doesn’t name each of the professional athletes who were burglarized, it does list the burglaries of professional players that were previously reported including the thefts at the homes of Mahomes, Kelce, and Burrows, the outlet noted.

The suspects were members of a South American Theft Group (SATG), the complaint noted.

Federal prosecutors in Tampa on Tuesday charged seven purported members of a South American theft group that allegedly targeted the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and other professional athletes around the country.https://t.co/zXyTxG2FY1

— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 19, 2025

“In many circumstances, professional sports teams will publicize their schedules and locations of their games, making it easy for the SATG to know when a particular athlete on a particular professional sports team will be away from his residence,” the complaint added.

The suspects named in the complaint are Jordan Quiroga Sanchez, 22; Bastian Orellano Morales, 23; Sergio Ortega Cabello, 38; Pablo Zuniga Cartes, 24; Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, 20; Alexander Huiaguil Chavez, 24; and Bastian Jimenez Freraut, 27, Fox News noted.

In December, the Cincinnati Bengals QB became the next athlete to have his home broken into while he was on a road trip with his team.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to WLWT that Burrows’ $7.5 million Ohio home was burglarized and ransacked during Cincinnati’s 27-20 win over the Cowboys in Texas.

The NFL previously issued a security alert to players and teams following burglaries of the homes of the Kansas City Chiefs stars in October.

In a memo obtained by the Associated Press at the time, the league said homes of professional athletes have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”

The memo labeled the transnational crime rings “well-organized, sophisticated,” and urged the players to safeguard valuables and avoid publicly sharing check-ins on social media or any information about their homes and any luxury items they might own, NBC News noted.

Officials noted that the homes were specifically being targeted when players were at their games.

Related: NFL Star QB’s Home Broken Into While He’s Playing Monday Night Football Game

“}]] 

The post Seven Foreign Nationals Charged For String Of Athlete Mansion Heists That Hit Maholmes, Kelce appeared first on Spin Politico.