Category: Politics
BONGINO ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE: FBI Deputy Director to Leave in January, Trump Says ‘He Did a Great Job’ [WATCH]
![BONGINO ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE: FBI Deputy Director to Leave in January, Trump Says ‘He Did a Great Job’ [WATCH]](https://hannity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2249306792-300x200.jpg "AG Bondi and FBI Director Patel Hold Press Conference On Jan. 6 Pipe Bomber")
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is heading for the exit.
California city mayor pro tem calls for end of Pride Month observation, and outrage ensues
LGBTQ activists are outraged after the mayor pro tem of a California desert city called for the local government to stop observing Pride Month.
Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Joe Pradetto suggested during a Dec. 16 council meeting that the city should reconsider hanging banners in support of Pride Month. Pradetto said the city should stay out of the private lives of its residents.
‘We must agree to a non-aggression pact. We can’t use the power of the state to punish those who disagree with us.’
He also said that some of the residents expressed concern that the banners showed preference by the city in favor of some residents against others.
The Palm Springs Pride group released a statement condemning the proposal.
“Discrimination is division. The city must unequivocally reject this harmful proposal and reinforce its commitment to being a truly open, diverse, and welcoming home for everyone,” they wrote in a statement.
On Tuesday, the city council voted against the proposal and will keep hanging banners.
In a comment emailed to Blaze News, Pradetto clarified that he had nothing against the LGBTQ community.
“America is divided, and it breaks my heart. Our current strategy of progressive identity politics is failing, and doubling down will only make it worse,” he wrote in part.
“When politics becomes about identity rather than policy, compromise becomes impossible,” Pradetto added. “The temperature rises. I can’t fix that throughout the nation, but I can start in my own city. That is why I proposed policy changes to focus on our similarities, rather than our differences, and remove group-specific banners from City Hall.”
RELATED: LGBTQ activists complain companies are caving to Pride Month backlash: ‘Scared to death’
He went on to say that the policies threatened the values of a pluralistic society.
“In a pluralistic society, you are safe to express who you are and what you believe in the public square. But we must agree to a non-aggression pact. We can’t use the power of the state to punish those who disagree with us,” Pradetto wrote.
“Although my proposal failed, I hope it encourages other officials to look at their policies because our current trajectory will divide us and render state power not as a governing structure but a blunt tool against those who disagree with you,” he concluded.
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Trump touts his economic record in live prime-time speech to the nation: ‘I inherited a mess’
President Donald Trump made a national address where he blamed the former administration for the affordability crisis and touted his economic progress.
The president highlighted many of the statistics that showed improvement from former President Joe Biden’s term compared to his second term.
‘One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead. … Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.’
“When I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years … which caused prices to be higher than ever before, making life unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans,” the president said.
“Over the past 11 months, we have brought more positive change to Washington than any administration in American history. There has never been anything like it,” he continued.
He said that he successfully negotiated $18 trillion of investments into the country and went on the attack against Democrats.
“Under the Biden administration, car prices rose 22%, and in many states 30% or more,” Trump said. “Gasoline rose 30 to 50%. Hotel rates rose 37%. Airfares rose 31%. Now, under our leadership, they are all coming down and coming down fast.”
The president also cited statistics on his successes concerning border enforcement.
“Drugs brought in by ocean and by sea are now down 94%. We have broken the grip of sinister woke radicals in our schools. … I’ve restored American strength, settled eight wars in 10 months, destroyed the Iran nuclear threat, and ended the war in Gaza, bringing, for the first time in 3,000 years, peace to the Middle East,” he continued.
He looked ahead to the country celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the World Cup, and the Olympics.
“One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead,” he stated. “Our country was ready to fail. Totally fail. Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world. And that’s said by every single leader I’ve spoken to over the last five months.”
The president also announced what he called a “warrior dividend” of $1,776 — garnered from his tariffs — to be sent to members of the military in time for Christmas.
“Tonight, after 11 months, our border is secure, inflation is stopped, wages are up, prices are down, our nation is strong, America is respected, and our country is back, stronger than ever before,” he added. “We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen.”
RELATED: Karoline Leavitt berates CNN’s Kaitlan Collins over inflation and the economy
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tried to pre-emptively undermine the president’s message on social media.
“He can say whatever he wants on camera, but this is the reality for America: Prices are higher, unemployment is rising, the holidays are more expensive than ever, and his tariffs are taxing people to no end,” he posted.
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Trump suggests Dan Bongino will leave the FBI: ‘He wants to go back to his show’
President Donald Trump suggested that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino might be stepping down from the bureau and returning to host his political show.
The president was responding to questions from reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, Maryland, on Wednesday when he made the comments.
‘I gave up everything for this. … I stare at these four walls all day in DC by myself.’
Bongino had reportedly made plans to leave the bureau next year, according to eight sources who spoke to MS NOW.
“Dan did a great job,” said Trump. “I think he wants to go back to his show.”
Bongino had worked as a police officer and a Secret Service agent before he hosted a conservative show.
He was dismissive when approached by MS NOW for comment. “Print whatever you’d like,” he replied. “No one believes you anyway. Thanks.”
Bongino fueled speculation about his position at the bureau in July when he published a bizarre statement about what he had seen during his time there.
“The Director and I are committed to stamping out public corruption and the political weaponization of both law enforcement and intelligence operations,” he wrote on social media. “But what I have learned in the course of our properly predicated and necessary investigations into these aforementioned matters, has shocked me down to my core. We cannot run a Republic like this. I’ll never be the same after learning what I’ve learned.”
He added that they would investigate these matters according to the law.
RELATED: Bongino and Bondi clash over botched handling of Epstein files
He had also previously said that the job was very hard on his family life because of the long hours.
“I gave up everything for this,” he said. “I’m in there at 7:30 in the morning. … I stare at these four walls all day in D.C. by myself, divorced from my wife — not divorced, but I mean separated, divorced — and it’s hard. I mean, we love each other, and it’s hard to be apart.”
Bongino was a vehement supporter of Trump and his policies on “The Dan Bongino Show.”
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Liberal protesters dump ice into harbor on anniversary of Boston Tea Party to protest deportations
While many were celebrating the 252nd anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, liberal demonstrators tried to usurp the moment to protest the administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
Rather than dump tea into the harbor, the protesters from Boston Indivisible tossed ice into the harbor, symbolizing their opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
‘This is a symbolic measure saying we want ICE to leave our communities alone.’
The group claimed that about 1,000 people joined their protest on Tuesday evening. They tried to equate the colonists’ struggle against government oppression with the plight of illegal aliens who ignore immigration law.
“This is not left or right. This is not progressive or conservative. It’s being American,” said Martha Laposata of the group.
Group members said that they used environmentally safe ice that was approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
“Anybody who understands the nature of our country should be doing something. This is not the time to sit home and watch TV,” said Mary Sweeney.
Video from the event showed protesters chanting, “No Kings! No Tariffs! No ICE!” as they tossed the ice into the harbor.
RELATED: VIDEO: Leotarded liberals protest ICE facility with ’80s-themed aerobics class
“This is a symbolic measure saying we want ICE to leave our communities alone,” said Alex Rikleen, a candidate for the U.S. Senate who lists his pronouns in his profile.
The protesters said they hoped the demonstration would encourage others to speak out against the mass deportation policies implemented by President Donald Trump.
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Public library board voted to keep pro-transgender book — so the county dissolved the entire board
A North Carolina county government has chosen to disband its public library board after the group refused to take down a book that advocated for the transgender agenda.
The controversy involved the “Call Me Max” book that tells the story of a girl asking teachers to refer to her by her chosen identity rather than the biological reality.
‘Planting this lie in a child’s mind at a young age can lead them down a harmful path of social and medical transitioning. Public libraries should never expose children to books that cause them to question their gender or include other inappropriate sexual content.’
The board in Randolph County had reviewed the book and found that it fit within the county’s guidelines in October. Dozens of people attended that hearing to voice their opinion about the book.
The nine-member library board was then disbanded by the Randolph County Board of Commissioners by a vote of 3-2.
The North Carolina Values Coalition had previously described the picture book as an attempt to “groom children towards transgenderism at very young ages” and actively opposed its inclusion.
The group applauded the decision to dissolve the board.
“‘Call Me Max,’ recommended for 5- [to] 9-year-olds, teaches children that their parents may be wrong about their gender and that their gender is actually whatever they feel it is,” read the statement from their spokesperson to Blaze News.
“Planting this lie in a child’s mind at a young age can lead them down a harmful path of social and medical transitioning,” the statement continued. “Public libraries should never expose children to books that cause them to question their gender or include other inappropriate sexual content.”
The author of the book, a transgender-identifying individual named Kyle Lukoff, said that the actions of the county board were alarming.
RELATED: Trans reporter tries to defend Chelsea Clinton and proves she’s pushing ‘porn’ for children
“Policies can be helpful, but this is ultimately a question of power,” Lukoff said. “If there are people in power who believe trans people don’t belong in their communities or the world at large, they will twist those policies to make it a reality.”
While disbanding a public library board is unusual, it is within the power of the county organization.
Voters of Randolph County supported President Donald Trump by an overwhelming margin — nearly four to one.
The commissioners have not indicated when they will reconstitute the library board.
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