Category: Trump administration
‘We’re hot on their trail’: Trump zeros in on leakers after IT contractor allegedly spills Venezuela secrets to reporter
The Trump administration revealed that a government contractor leaked information about the military operation in Venezuela earlier this month.
‘There could be some others, and we’ll let you know about that. We’re hot on their trail.’
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the FBI searched the home of one of its reporters, claiming the raid was part of an investigation into Aurelio Perez-Lugones.
Perez-Lugones is a Maryland resident who was working as a systems engineer and information technology specialist for a government contracting company when federal authorities arrested him. He has maintained Top Secret security clearance since at least 2000, according to a January 9 affidavit.
Federal prosecutors accused Perez-Lugones of printing screenshots of a Top Secret report, as well as writing classified information on a notepad and taking the sheets of paper home. When authorities searched his home last week, they allegedly found multiple documents that were marked as Secret, including a document found in his lunch box.
The criminal complaint claimed the documents were related to “national defense.” However it did not specify any details, such as whether the information pertained to the United States’ recent operation in Venezuela.
FBI Director Kash Patel shared a statement on Wednesday about the recent arrest of the leaker and that individual’s ties to the Washington Post.
Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
“This morning the @FBI and partners executed a search warrant of an individual at the Washington Post who was found to allegedly be obtaining and reporting classified, sensitive military information from a government contractor — endangering our warfighters and compromising America’s national security,” Patel wrote.
During an interview with Fox News, Attorney General Pam Bondi described the leaker as an IT contractor who had been working with the Department of War and allegedly leaked information related to “a foreign adversary.”
“The great men and women of the FBI executed a search warrant at the direction of Kash Patel and my office on the reporter’s home, seizing the devices that contained classified material regarding our foreign adversaries,” Bondi stated.
RELATED: Online sleuths spot numerous signs that a US strike on Iran is imminent
Attorney General Pam Bondi. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
President Donald Trump also addressed news about the alleged leak, describing the suspect as the “leaker on Venezuela.”
“A very bad leaker. So there could be some others, and we’ll let you know about that. We’re hot on their trail,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday, adding that the alleged leaker would “probably be in jail for a long time.”
Trump officials have confirmed that the suspected leaker is in custody.
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Trump threatens Insurrection Act after ambushed ICE agent shoots illegal alien: ‘Put an end to the travesty’
Despite their vilification by Democrat officials and an 8,000% increase in death threats, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue in Minneapolis and other dangerous sanctuary jurisdictions to make arrests — 70% of which are reportedly of criminal illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the United States.
When attempting to make one such arrest on Wednesday evening, a federal law enforcement officer was savagely attacked not only by the illegal alien he was pursuing but by a pair of onlookers who apparently felt compelled to frustrate the administration of justice.
‘Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence.’
The incident resulted in an apparent defensive shooting, which radicals seized upon as yet another excuse to attack police, engage in wanton destruction, and altogether ramp up what the Department of Justice is now referring to as an “insurrection.”
The shooting
The Department of Homeland Security indicated that around 6:50 p.m. local time, federal agents attempted to arrest an illegal alien from Venezuela. The suspect peeled away in his vehicle and fled the scene but ultimately crashed into a parked car.
While the suspect proceeded to take off running, an agent, who has been identified as an ICE officer by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino, caught up with the Venezuelan in the 600 block of 24th Avenue North.
When the ICE officer attempted once again to make the arrest, “the subject began to resist and violently assault the officer,” said the DHS.
Seeing the two men struggling on the ground, two individuals exited a nearby apartment and allegedly began attacking the officer with a shovel and a broom handle, enabling the illegal alien to break free.
The Venezuelan allegedly proceeded to use one of the two improvised hitting implements to strike the outnumbered officer.
RELATED: Blocking ICE with ‘micro-intifada’: Good’s group taught de-arrest, cop-car chaos before her death
Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Image
“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life,” said the DHS.
The two alleged attackers and the Venezuelan — who sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg — reportedly barricaded themselves in the apartment but were ultimately flushed out. The illegal alien and the officer were taken to the hospital, and the two suspected attackers were placed in custody.
Minneapolis police were ultimately joined at the scene by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the FBI.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that a broom and a snow shovel were found at the scene of the struggle and indicated “at least one person may have assaulted federal law enforcement.”
The Minneapolis reflex
O’Hara indicated that in the wake of the struggle and shooting, a mob assembled and began “engaging in unlawful acts.”
In addition to pelting law enforcement officers with incendiary devices, ice, rocks, and other projectiles, rioters ransacked and vandalized federal vehicles, videos showed.
Mayor Jacob Frey (D) wasted no time in fanning the flames, referring to ICE during a press conference on Wednesday night as an invading force that’s supposedly rounding up American citizens.
“I’ve seen conduct from ICE that is disgusting and is intolerable,” said Frey.
After demonizing ICE and championing anti-ICE protests, Frey suggested that radicals “taking the bait” weren’t helping.
Gov. Tim Walz (D) also responded with mixed signals, characterizing federal agents as villains and recommending resistance but also suggesting that Minnesotans should remain peaceful.
“You’re angry. I’m angry. Angry is not a strong enough word,” Walz said in a video address on Wednesday night. “You are not powerless, you are not helpless, and you are certainly not alone. All across Minnesota people are learning about opportunities, not just to resist, but to help people who are in danger.”
The Justice Department evidently saw the signal through the noise and accused the two Minnesota Democratic Party leaders of incitement.
“ICE operates in thousands of counties without incident. Men and women doing their jobs, protecting us from criminal aliens,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It’s disgusting.”
“Walz and Frey,” continued Blanche. “I’m focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It’s a promise.”
President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday morning to invoke the Insurrection Act “if the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job.”
Trump noted that many presidents have utilized the Insurrection Act of 1807 and that it would “quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great state.”
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Trump Admin Designates Three Muslim Brotherhood Branches as Terrorist Organizations
The Trump administration on Tuesday designated three of the Muslim Brotherhood’s largest branches in the Middle East as terrorist groups, unveiling long-awaited sanctions aimed at financially crippling the global Islamist organization responsible for fomenting violence against the United States and its allies.
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Supreme Court’s Conservative Majority Signals Support for State Laws Barring Biological Men From Competing in Women’s Sports
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Tuesday signaled it is likely to uphold state laws barring transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, showing little desire to strike down restrictions adopted by multiple states in recent years.
The post Supreme Court’s Conservative Majority Signals Support for State Laws Barring Biological Men From Competing in Women’s Sports appeared first on .
Washington National Opera to leave Kennedy Center amid Trump takeover
The Kennedy Center on Friday confirmed the Washington National Opera (WNO) will leave the renowned venue. “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship,” a Kennedy Center spokesperson told NewsNation. “We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and…
Iran Kills Dozens of Anti-Regime Protesters, Defying Trump’s Warnings
The Iranian regime has killed at least 38 people, including 8 children, since a wave of popular protests erupted across the country, defying President Donald Trump’s repeated warnings that the United States will use military force if the Islamic Republic murders civilians.
The post Iran Kills Dozens of Anti-Regime Protesters, Defying Trump’s Warnings appeared first on .
‘Reckoning day’ for Newsom: Trump DOT yanks $160 million over illegal trucker licenses
As the Trump administration continues to meet resistance from blue-state governors across the nation, California is now reaping what it sowed by illegally issuing trucker licenses to foreigners.
On Wednesday, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that it was “reckoning day” for the state of California and its Democrat governor, Gavin Newsom.
‘Gavin refused. So now I am pulling nearly $160 MILLION from California.’
In a social media post, Duffy explained the Trump administration’s “demands”: “Follow the rules. Revoke the unlawfully-issued licenses to dangerous foreign drivers. Fix the system so this never happens again.”
Duffy’s post comes after months of demanding that California revoke commercial driver’s licenses illegally issued to foreigners. Duffy provided a short video showing that Newsom had many opportunities to comply with federal law.
RELATED: Illegal alien truckers with California licenses accused of hauling $7M in cocaine across state lines
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images
However, “Gavin refused,” Duffy said. “So now I am pulling nearly $160 MILLION from California. Under @POTUS, federal dollars won’t fund this CHARADE.”
The funding will be withheld from California beginning in fiscal year 2027.
California agreed in November to revoke every illegally issued license within 60 days. As of the January 5, 2026, deadline, California has failed to follow through on this agreement, leading to the major withholding of federal funding.
At least 17,000 licenses were expected to be revoked on Monday, per the original agreement.
According to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit reviewed by Fox News, more than 20,000 active non-domiciled CDLs were issued in violation of federal rules. The FMCSA reportedly described the situation in California as a “systemic collapse” of the commercial licensing program.
“Federal regulations are clear: states must correct safety deficiencies on a schedule mutually agreed upon by the agency, and California failed to meet its commitment to rescind these unlawfully issued licenses by January 5,” FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said, according to Fox News.
“We will not accept a corrective plan that knowingly leaves thousands of drivers holding noncompliant licenses behind the wheel of 80,000-pound trucks in open defiance of federal safety regulations,” Barrs added.
California DMV spokesperson Eva Spiegel responded to the loss of federal funding in a statement: “We strongly disagree with the federal government’s decision to withhold vital transportation funding from California — their action jeopardizes public safety because these funds are critical for maintaining and improving the roadways we all rely on every day.”
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It’s Time to Rename January After Donald Trump
Historians may quibble over the sequencing, but no serious person can deny that Donald Trump will be remembered—alongside George Washington and Abraham Lincoln—as one of America’s greatest presidents. Some might argue it’s too early to start naming things after Trump while he’s still alive and in office, but those people are fools.
The post It’s Time to Rename January After Donald Trump appeared first on .
‘Reckless and seditious’: Hegseth issues brutal demotion of Democrat senator over ‘illegal orders’ video
The Department of War is ramping up its efforts to punish Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over his involvement in what President Donald Trump and his administration have described as a “seditious” video.
At Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s direction, the department is set to cut Kelly’s military retirement pay for an alleged “pattern of reckless misconduct,” namely the video of Democrat lawmakers calling for servicemen to disobey “illegal orders” from the president. The DOW also issued a letter of censure to Kelly, which “outlines the totality of Captain (for now) Kelly’s reckless misconduct.”
‘Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from accountability.’
“Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly — and five other members of Congress — released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline,” Hegseth said in a post on X. “As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice.”
“And the Department of War — and the American people — expect justice.”
RELATED: ‘Ridiculous charade’: Bill O’Reilly torches Democrat senator over ‘seditious’ political stunt
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Hegseth justified the response by arguing that Kelly’s prominence as a senator does not give him special privileges, citing specific articles Kelly may have violated.
“Captain Kelly’s status as a sitting United States Senator does not exempt him from accountability, and further violations could result in further action,” Hegseth said. “These actions are based on Captain Kelly’s public statements from June through December 2025 in which he characterized lawful military operations as illegal and counseled members of the Armed Forces to refuse lawful orders.”
“This conduct was seditious in nature and violated Articles 133 and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, to which Captain Kelly remains subject as a retired officer receiving pay.”
Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Kelly fired back at Hegseth, calling him unqualified and accusing him of targeting lawmakers for simply opposing the administration.
“Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out,” Kelly said in a post on X. “I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that.”
“Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way,” Kelly added. “It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.”
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