Ben-Gvir Resigns From Government Over ‘Reckless’ Hostage Deal

 Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir,  announced at a press conference Thursday evening that if a hostage deal is approved, his party will resign from the government, although he will not actively topple the government.

“The emerging deal is a reckless deal. It includes the release of hundreds of murderous terrorists, the return of thousands of terrorists to the northern Gaza Strip, withdrawal from the Philadelphi Route, and a ceasefire, which in effect would erase the achievements of the war. Not only that, it does not lead to the release of all the hostages, it seals the fate of the remaining hostages who are not included in the deal, and it will lead to the end of the war while Hamas has not been defeated, with a significant ability to rebuild itself,” Ben-Gvir declared.

“When we see the celebrations of Hamas supporter Ayman Odeh, the dancing in Gaza, and the celebrations in the villages of Judea and Samaria – we understand who is the side that has capitulated in this deal. Therefore, if this reckless deal is approved and implemented, the Otzma Yehudit party will not be part of the government and will resign from it,” said the minister.

He added, “I also call on my colleagues in the Religious Zionist Party and on the ideological Knesset members of Likud to act similarly, and together with us, to prevent this capitulation deal from being carried out.”

According to him, “If the war against Hamas is resumed with the aim of achieving a decisive victory and implementing the war objectives that have not been achieved, we will return to the government.

Ben-Gvir emphasized, “We also are willing to pay heavy prices for the release of the hostages. We are ready to do whatever it takes to bring them home, provided that the price does not include one that is much heavier. The current deal increases Hamas’s appetite and motivation to carry out another massacre like October 7th, thereby repeatedly defeating Israel – not to mention the number of terror attacks that could spill, God forbid, much Jewish blood.

“To release the hostages, all humanitarian aid to Gaza must be stopped completely. Not ‘controlling the aid mechanisms,’ not reducing it, but stopping it entirely. Stopping the transfer of fuel, electricity, and water. Only then will Hamas release our hostages without jeopardizing the security of the State of Israel, alongside a powerful military campaign. Only then will we defeat this murderous terrorist organization.”

He stressed that his party would not topple the government. “Even at this hour, I still call on the Prime Minister to come to his senses, to avoid this terrible deal, and to take these steps that will lead to Hamas’s defeat and the release of our hostages without capitulating to it. If he does not do this, as stated, Otzma Yehudit under my leadership will not topple Netanyahu, and will not act together with the left and its goals against the government, but it will not be able to be part of a government that approves a deal that gives Hamas a huge prize, and could bring upon us the disaster of the next October 7th – and will resign from it.”

The leader of the opposition, Yair Lapid, responded to the speech, saying: “I tell Benjamin Netanyahu, do not be afraid, accept whatever safety net you need to make the hostage deal happen. This is more important than any disagreement we’ve ever had.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet again tonight with the head of the Religious Zionist Party, Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The two are discussing Smotrich’s demands following Israel’s potential entry into the hostage deal, which includes a ceasefire. The minister is also demanding the renewal of the war after the deal is completed, as well as a significant change in its management, including halting humanitarian aid.

Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli announced this evening that he would resign from the government if Israel is required to withdraw from the Philadelphi Route as part of the deal. This  demand comes in the wake of the agreement with Hamas which stipulates that Israel would withdraw from the route in the second phase of the deal.

Hamas Leader Khalil al-Haya Praises October 7th Attacks, Vows Future Violence

 Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya delivered a live speech from Qatar, broadcast by Al Jazeera, where he openly expressed pride in the October 7th attacks. 

The massacre, which resulted in the deaths of civilians, was praised by al-Haya, who described the event as a significant victory for Hamas and vowed to repeat such actions in the future.

 His speech, translated through subtitles generated using AI, shocked many as it highlighted the militant group’s commitment to violent resistance and attacks against Israel.

Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization, has long been condemned for its brutal tactics and genocidal rhetoric. 

Al-Haya’s words have intensified calls for the eradication of Hamas, as many see the group as a dangerous force driven by an extremist ideology. Critics argue that until Hamas is completely dismantled, peace in the region will remain elusive, with the group continuing to incite violence and sow instability.

V

The “starving and freezing Palestinian children” Scream for more war

 

It turns out the “starving and freezing Palestinian children” want more war https://t.co/pUXhd9LAay

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) January 16, 2025

Both Biden and Trump take credit for hostage release deal

 By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump are both taking credit for the hostage release and ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday evening.

Biden took credit for the agreement’s framework and said, “The elements of this deal are what I laid out in detail this past May, which was embraced by countries around the world and endorsed overwhelmingly by the UN Security Council.”

He added, “This was one of the toughest negotiations I’ve ever experienced. We’ve reached this point because of the pressure that Israel put on Hamas, backed by the United States.”

Among the accomplishments Biden listed was that “Hamas’s long-time leader Sinwar was killed.” However, if Biden’s plan had been implemented last spring, the IDF likely would not have had the opportunity to kill Sinwar on October 16th.

Trump, who warned that there would be “hell to pay” if a hostage release deal wasn’t in place by his inauguration on January 20th, also seemed to take a victory lap on the news of an agreement.

“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote on social media. “I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”

Trump added that Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, would “continue “to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”

Witkoff’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was considered crucial in encouraging the premier to send a delegation to Qatar for further negotiations.

Two Arab officials told Times of Israel that Witkoff did more to sway Netanyahu in a single meeting than President Biden had done all year.

BOMBSHELL UNDERCOVER VIDEO: ‘Keep it between us’: Watch as Deep Stater plots resistance to President Trump, and then GETS FIRED!

 

A Deep Stater in the Washington federal government complex who boasted about secret meetings with retired military members to “protect” the American people from President-elect Donald Trump, in fact, orchestrating a resistance, has been fired.

Confirmation comes from O’Keefe Media Group with had released an undercover video of Jamie Mannina, an “adviser” to the Department of Defense, who revealed the skullduggery that was going on.

The CFR published a general bio of Mannina:

Jamie Mannina is an experienced national security expert who has worked on many of the most challenging national security policy issues facing the U.S, government. Mannina served as a staffer to Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate, as a diplomat in the U.S. Department of State, and as a manager in the U.S. intelligence community. Currently, he serves at the Joint Staff at the Department of Defense. Areas of expertise include China and Russia, cybersecurity and counterintelligence, nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, and the full range of strategic stability issues affecting national security. Most notably, his work directly supported the negotiation, ratification, and implementation of the U.S.-Russia New START Treaty under President Obama. He has studied at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute, Harvard University, and National Taiwan University. Mannina earned a BA in political science from Le Moyne College and an MA in international relations from George Washington University

Mannina explained he works, now worked, at a “top consulting firm” for the Pentagon, after time in the FBI.

“During the meeting with an undercover journalist, Mannina revealed that he had a ‘huge, huge meeting with military leaders in a very secure room called the Tank,’” reported the Gateway Pundit.

“So we have a Tank meeting with all of the top, top leaders of the United States’ Military tomorrow on my topic that I prepared,” he said, explaining he’s “a little worried,” and he’ll try to do what he can with retired generals to “stop the Trump administration.”

Mannina was recorded explaining  the information was “sensitive” and would have to be kept “between us.”

See the video:

Pam Bondi takes down DemonRats One by One!

WOW. Pam Bondi EVISERATES Adam Schiff (D) over California’s record-breaking crime rates.

Pam Bondi absolutely OBLITERATED Senator Blumenthal.3 

Pam Bondi : "Senator Hirono, I wish you had met with me... you were the only one who refused to meet with me."  

Rabbi Geldzhaler in Antwerp supports a Get Refuser!

OUTRAGE IN ANTWERP 

Outrage over Rabbi Geldtzhaler who supports a recalcitrant get

The ultra-Orthodox community in Antwerp is in turmoil following the actions of Rabbi Leiser Galadzler, who provided support to a notorious divorce refusenik.

After fleeing to Mexico to avoid facing the court, the objector returned to Antwerp and needed a registered residential address to file lawsuits against his wife, while refusing to give her a divorce. 

Rabbi Galadzler gave him an apartment, despite the continued abuse of the Get Refuser and the fact that he does not financially support his wife and children. 

The rabbi bizarrely explained his support saying that his actions would make the Get Refuser  cooperate with a fair agreement and give the get, but weeks have passed since then, and the refusal continues to stand by his refusal and disrespect and mock the court.

According to many in the community, Rabbi Galadzler is motivated by economic motives, since the objector paid rent for the apartment. Critics claim that the rabbi harmed his values for the sake of financial gain, while empowering an abuser at the expense of an innocent woman and her children.

This is not the first time that Rabbi Galadzler has provoked outrage in Antwerp. He is already notorious for stealing money from unsuspecting people through questionable investments, which intensifies the criticism against him now.

The community demands accountability, while the aguna Tzvia bat Tova continues to suffer abuse and manipulation by her husband. The prayers for her liberation and for justice are increasing day by day.

Exploring Tel Arad: An Ancient Canaanite and Israelite City

 

On His Way Out of Office Blinken Blames Israel for Undermining the PA, Threatens UNSC Resolution

 

The only truly dangerous part in Blinken’s scheme which he elaborated on Tuesday at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., came when he said, “These arrangements would be enshrined in a UN Security Council Resolution.”

He was talking about arrangements to impose PA rule over the Gaza Strip after the war.

Trump’s Envoy Who Squeezed Netanyahu for Hamas Concessions Involved in Qatari Business

 

by David Israel JP 

According to a Saturday, January 11 press release, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “held a discussion to assess the situation regarding the hostages and the missing with the defense minister, the heads of the security establishment, and with the American negotiators of both the incoming and outgoing administrations. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Prime Minister directed the Mossad Director, the Shin Bet Director, Maj.-Gen. (Res) Nitzan Alon, and his Foreign Policy Adviser, Dr. Ophir Falk, to depart for Doha in order to continue advancing a deal to release our hostages.”

The incoming administration was represented by President-elect Donald J. Trump’s golfing buddy Steve Witkoff, who had just been appointed special envoy to the Middle East.

Two Arab officials told The Times of Israel that during the meeting, Witkoff pressed Netanyahu to agree to critical compromises needed for a deal. According to the officials, Trump’s envoy achieved more in one discussion to influence the prime minister than outgoing President Joe Biden had managed throughout the year.

Before arriving in Israel, Witkoff spent a week in Doha, Qatar, as part of the negotiations, with the aim of reaching a hostage deal before next Monday’s inauguration.

Witkoff started his career as a real estate lawyer before becoming a billionaire investor and developer in the industry. In November 2024, The Wall Street Journal described him, citing his peers in the real estate world, as “smart, personable, and a talented negotiator with a common touch.”

Last week was far from being Witkoff’s first contact with the Qataris.

In August 2023, the Qatar Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund, purchased from Witkoff the 610-room Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan for roughly $623 million, equating to approximately $1.02 million per room, according to public records.

Witkoff acquired the Park Lane Hotel in November 2013 for approximately $660 million. According to CoStar, the property’s transaction history shows that several foreign companies have owned stakes in the Manhattan hotel over the years.

In 2016, United Arab Emirates-based Al Waseet International FZ sold a 41% share of the hotel to Shanghai-based Greenland Group for an undisclosed amount. Later, in December 2018, Hong Kong-based Jynwel Capital Limited sold a partial stake in the property for $140 million to the UAE’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala Development Company.

Witkoff’s recent sale of the Park Lane Hotel to the Qatar Investment Authority reflects an approximate 17.5% discount compared to its 2013 purchase price, not accounting for inflation.

Last May, Witkoff participated in a panel at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, where he discussed the future of cities alongside Khalid Ahmed Al-Obaidli, president of Qatar’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority, and others.

During his remarks, Witkoff expressed optimism about investment opportunities in Qatar, citing what he described as a “solid government.” He also noted a “strong compact between government and private business” in the Gulf kingdom.

Last November, Jewish Insider noted that Witkoff’s previous financial dealings with Qatar, a country that has sought to influence him through its lobbying efforts, have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

In his statement announcing the appointment, Trump remarked that Witkoff, whom he has known for decades, “will be an unrelenting voice for peace and make us all proud.”

Jewish Insider quoted Ben Baird, the director of advocacy for the Middle East Forum, who commented on Witkoff’s appointment: “One can’t help but wonder if there aren’t some geopolitics at play here. It’s not a sure bet how people like Witkoff are going to enact policies. They’re not always going to benefit Qatar, and especially when you have competing interests involved, I still think they’ll do what’s best for American interests.”

As to Israel’s interests, this is not good news, with Netanyahu’s complete capitulation over the absurd number of terrorists with blood on their hands being released, as well as his acceptance of a partial list of hostages to be freed alongside the IDF’s withdrawal from large swaths of Gaza.

It turns out that when Trump warned there would be “hell to pay” in Gaza – he didn’t mean Hamas would be making the payment.

The "Pathetic Coward" Biden lifts Cuba terrorism designation, drawing bipartisan outrage

 

 Retiring President Biden lifted Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism Tuesday, less than a week before leaving office — outraging both Democrats and Republicans who believe more stringent sanctions should remain in effect.

Biden, 82, made the decision in deference to the Catholic Church’s talks with the island’s Communist authorities on releasing political prisoners, the White House said.

“We view this as an opportune moment to do so, given the important dialogue that is taking place between Cuba and the Catholic Church with respect to political prisoners,” a Biden administration official told reporters.

“We believe that the number of people to be released will be significant.”

The official added that “we determined that there is a sufficient basis for the president to certify to Congress that Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding six-month period, which is what the statutory requirement is for this decision.”

Unbelievable! Biden's official Says with a Straight Face that Israel should have offered Hamas a state immediately after October 7

 

Unbelievable that these were Biden's officials: He suggests that Israel 🇮🇱 should have offered H×mas a state immediately after October 7 👇

January 20th can't come soon enough...pic.twitter.com/Yvekbkj845

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) January 13, 2025

Biden frees Al-Qaeda terrorist who knew before 9/11’ What would happen

 

By Daniel Greenfield, Frontpage Magazine

“I am studying airplanes!” Abd al Salam al Hilah told Osama bin Laden’s top Italian operative in the summer of 2000. “We are focusing on the air alone… It will leave them stunned… Remember, the danger at the airports. If it comes off, it will be reported in all the world’s papers.”

Al-Hilah has now boarded another plane that takes him from Guantanamo Bay to Oman.

In New Orleans, Biden wept his crocodile tears, told families of the victims about how much he had suffered when his wife died in a car accident, and then went right back to freeing terrorists.

The terrorists include Al-Hilah, an Al Qaeda facilitator, who knew about major terrorist attacks ahead of time, and conducted conversations with an Imam in Italy soliciting forged documents “for the brothers who have to go to America,” warning to, “never utter their real names.”

The Gitmo evaluation stated that Al-Hilal “had foreknowledge of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 2000 attack on the UK Embassy in Sanaa…the 2000 attack on the USS Cole, a planned attack on the US or British Embassy in Sanaa that was to occur in October 2002, and probably the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack.”

The USS Cole bombing killed 17 sailors and injured 37 in the worst attack on a Navy vessel in nearly 40 years. The Gitmo report noted that Al-Hilal facilitated the travel plans of the Al Qaeda terrorists.

Now with the blood of 17 Americans on his hands, along with many others from other preventable terrorist attacks, including possibly 9/11, Democrats made Al-Hilal a free man.

And he is not alone.

Accompanying him to freedom is Suhayl Abdul Anam al Sharabi, an Osama bin Laden bodyguard, who was listed in the Gitmo evaluations, as one of the airplane hijackers from the original expanded version of the 9/11 plot that would have also hijacked planes in Southeast Asia that was later aborted.

WATCH 10 Second Recap of Pete Hegseth's Senate confirmation hearing.

 

"Code Pink" Secretly Funded By China

 *House GOP Investigates Code Pink Being Secretly Funded by China Amid Protests of Pro-Israel Nominee Pete Hegseth*

Code Pink, a left-wing activist group known for its anti-Israel stance, made headlines today for protesting Pete Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing. 

Hegseth, a strong supporter of Israel and a Fox News contributor, has drawn ire from the organization for his pro-Israel advocacy.

At the same time, Code Pink is under investigation by the House Committee on Natural Resources for alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

 Led by Chairman Bruce Westerman, the committee is scrutinizing the organization’s funding sources, particularly $1.4 million in donations since 2017 from groups connected to Neville Roy Singham, a Shanghai-based socialist reportedly linked to CCP propaganda operations.

'Price we're paying for the deal is unbearable. Disaster'

 

Adv. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, founder of the Shurat HaDin organization, which fights terrorism in the legal arena, spoke to Dudu Saada.

"Five hundred families of terror victims have asked us to represent them in a multi-billion shekel lawsuit against Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, by deducting the money transferred to them – the Palestinian Authority's budget is 12 billion shekels. There is a precedent of such a lawsuit, when families of victims in the Second Intifada fought in the courts for twenty years, and won,” says Darshan-Leitner.

“Finance Minister in Naftali Bennett's government Avigdor Liberman, along with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, refused to transfer the money for fear of collapsing the Palestinian Authority. On one of my flights, I sat next to Gantz and we talked, and he said to me, 'Nitsana, you're right, but it's complicated, we'll talk about it when we get back to Israel...' Then the government fell and he was saved from making a decision. Bezalel Smotrich was appointed Finance Minister and the first thing he did when he took office was to pay 130 million shekels to the victims of terror,” she added.

On the hostage deal, Darshan-Leitner says: "Hamas is on the verge of collapse. We see that if the IDF is not in Gaza, Hamas finds a way to reestablish themselves very quickly. We entered this war not only to rescue the hostages, but to eradicate Hamas, and it will not happen if we pour new prisoners into it and withdraw from Gaza. If we leave the Philadelphi Route and allow the return of a million Palestinian residents to the northern Gaza Strip, we will lose all our achievements, and this is not what our dear soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the soil of Gaza fought for."

"We cannot achieve a complete victory this way. We should have eradicated Hamas a long time ago. Every day we pay with the blood of our soldiers because we don't stay there continuously. If the Chief of Staff can't do it, let him leave and someone else can do the job. It is inconceivable that Israel will have a terrorist organization on its border, that continues to fire missiles and murder IDF soldiers, and continues to pose a threat to the country. We have to put an end to this,” concludes Darshan-Leitner.

Hostages' families against deal: 'I feel neglected, no one is representing me'

 

Several of the hostages’ families reported from outside the Prime Minister's office that they were not permitted to enter a meeting of hostage families with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Eli Shtivi, father of hostage Idan, who was murdered on October 7th, said: "We were in the PM’s office, and specifically Ruby Chen (father of Itai Chen, who fell in battle on 7.10 and whose body was kidnapped) and myself were not allowed in."

"We are in a situation where we will be receiving thirty-three hostages, and we do not know what will happen to the others. We are going to abandon seventy hostages. I feel neglected; all the families who are not participating this time in this round feel neglected. It is a disgrace. No one is representing us."

Chaim, father of Inbar Hayman who was murdered by Hamas in captivity, said: "I do not need to be represented; I am the only one responsible for my daughter. I am the one the Prime Minister should be meeting. Other representatives cannot speak on behalf of my daughter."

"We were not allowed to enter. There are five representatives who do not represent most of the families. There are hostages here who are worth more and others who are worth less."

Ruby Chen, father of Itai whose body was abducted to the Gaza Strip, said: "The Prime Minister has not included my son and other hostages. For most families, this deal is unacceptable. There should be a deal when we know that all the hostages will be released."

"When Yoni Netanyahu (late brother of PM Benjamin Netanyahu) went to rescue Jews in Entebbe (in 1976), he rescued everyone – he did not say he would return to rescue the others. My son is a hero and saved many people – he does not deserve to remain in Gaza."

At the same time, representatives of the hostages’ families participated in a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, including Eli Albag - the father of Liri Albag, Sharon Sharabi – brother of Yossi Hy"d and Eli Sharabi, Lishay Miran Lavi – wife of Omri Miran, and Malchi Shem Tov – father of Omer Shem Tov.

Iran Find Israeli Explosives Planted In their Nuclear Centrifuges .....

 

Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Israel of embedding explosives in nuclear centrifuge equipment acquired by Tehran. The discovery was made by Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Zarif said in a preview of an online interview for the Hozour (Presence) program.

Although Zarif provided limited details, he linked the alleged incident to the broader security challenges faced by Iran under Western sanctions. These sanctions, he explained, force Iran and its allies to rely on third-party intermediaries for procurement, creating vulnerabilities that can be exploited by adversaries like Israel.

“Our colleagues had purchased a centrifuge platform for the Atomic Energy Organization, and it was discovered that explosives had been embedded inside it, which they managed to detect,” Zarif said. The timeline of the alleged incident remains unclear.

The accusations come against the backdrop of previous incidents involving Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In April 2021, an explosion caused a power outage at Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility. Iran labeled the event as an act of “nuclear terrorism,” hinting at Israeli involvement, although Israel neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. Israel has a history of cyberattacks and targeted assassinations aimed at disrupting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which Tehran insists are for peaceful purposes.

Zarif linked the centrifuge incident to what he described as a coordinated campaign by Israel to exploit vulnerabilities in equipment procured indirectly due to sanctions. He pointed to a series of explosions in September 2024, which involved communication devices used by Hezbollah in Lebanon. The blasts reportedly killed 32 people and injured over 3,000.

“The issue with the pagers in Lebanon turned out to be a multi-year process, meticulously orchestrated by the Zionists,” Zarif said.

Mossad operatives purportedly spent a decade embedding explosives into the pager devices distributed via fake companies and intermediaries.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has suspended the use of communication devices pending inspections, while the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization has banned electronic devices, including mobile phones, on commercial flights.

Zarif admitted that sanctions have not only imposed financial hardships but also created significant security risks for Iran.

“Instead of being able to order equipment directly from the manufacturer, sanctions force you to rely on multiple intermediaries for such purchases. If the Zionist regime infiltrates even one of the intermediaries, they can do anything and embed anything they want, which is exactly what happened,” he said.

Defying the DemonRats Speaker Johnson Orders US Capitol Flags Raised to Full Height for Trump’s Inauguration

 House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ordered that flags at the U.S. Capitol be raised to their full height on Inauguration Day, pausing a 30-day flag-lowering order following the death of former President Jimmy Carter.

The Republican leader’s decision means that President-elect Donald Trump will not take the oath of office for his second term under a half-staff flag, a prospect that he had previously complained about.

It mirrors actions taken in recent days by some Republican governors who have announced that flags in their states would be raised on Inauguration Day to mark Trump’s second term.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee did so on Tuesday, noting in social media posts that U.S. flags across their states would be relowered on Jan. 21 in honor of Carter. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar notice on Monday.

The 30-day flag-lowering period, set into motion with President Joe Biden’s order, affects flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at U.S. embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels. It runs through Jan. 28, which encompasses Trump’s inauguration and first week in office. In line with Biden’s order, governors throughout the country issued their own orders to govern flags in their respective states.

The incoming president has expressed consternation that flags would still be lowered when he takes the oath, and it’s possible that he could order the overall reversal of Biden’s decision once he’s installed as president on Jan. 20.

“Democrats are all ‘giddy’” about the notion that flags will be lowered on Inauguration Day, Trump wrote Jan. 3 on social media.

“Nobody wants to see this,” Trump wrote. He added that “no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Trump has already taken action over the flags that he can control: at his home in Florida. In the days following Carter’s burial, a large U.S. flag at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club was observed flying at its full height, despite an order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that mirrors Biden’s.

As of Tuesday, DeSantis had not made alterations to the flag order in his own state.

The U.S. flag code lays out parameters for lowering the U.S. flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at U.S. embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels.

Democrats’ hopes of derailing Trump nominees fading fast

 Democrats’ hopes of defeating any of President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees appear to be fizzling as Senate committees prepare for the first week of hearings.

Senate Democrats have yet to reveal more evidence to back up the allegations against Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to head the Pentagon, and a recently completed FBI background check isn’t moving the needle on the former Fox News host.

Only Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the ranking Democrat on the panel, have been able to review the report thus far, and it hasn’t yet caused any serious political reverberations.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a key moderate swing vote, noted Monday that it’s Senate protocol on some committees for only the chair and ranking member to review a nominee’s background check.

But she said it would be “helpful” if other members of the Armed Services panel could also review the closely held report.

“Given the many questions that have been raised, I would think it would be helpful for the entire committee to be able to read it,” she said.

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Trump’s choice to serve as director of national intelligence (DNI) who had been considered among the heaviest lifts to get confirmed, is winning more Republican support after backing away from her past opposition to expanded surveillance authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The lull in attention on the nominees over the winter holiday break, combined with the sheer deluge of confirmation proceedings in a short time frame, is giving Trump’s picks a lot of momentum after the embarrassing setback suffered by the president-elect’s first choice for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). 

All of Trump’s pending nominees now appear to have good chances of winning confirmation thanks to the comfortable 53-seat Republican majority in the Senate.

Any one of them would have to lose the support of at least four Republican senators to fail on the Senate floor.

“We’re going to have to have the hearings, but I think my impression is most of my colleagues are predisposed to let the president have his team, absent some extraordinary circumstances,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said.

Pam Bondi, Trump’s new nominee to lead the Justice Department, and Kash Patel, his candidate to head the FBI, have also both consolidated significant Republican support and appear to be cruising toward confirmation.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Monday he expects Bondi to have enough Republican support to advance out of committee.

He said he would wait to review Patel’s “paperwork” before scheduling a hearing.

Democrats, however, are expressing deep concerns about Patel. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said “Republicans are going to rue the day they put somebody like Kash Patel on the FBI.”

“We’re talking about dysfunction and chaos — Democrats being hunted by a radical who only believes that conservatives like him and Donald Trump should be populating the Department of Justice and FBI,” he said.

Senate Democrats could raise procedural objections to slow the progress of Trump’s most controversial nominees, but they are beginning to acknowledge they’re unlikely to score any knockout blow, barring a disastrous performance at a confirmation hearing.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Trump’s choice to head the State Department, is likely to win support from both sides of the aisle, while Sen. Martin Heinrich’s (D-N.M.) objections to the timing of Doug Burgum’s hearing to serve as secretary of Interior haven’t sparked much public outrage.

Rubio is expected to be confirmed on Trump’s first day of office; Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, predicted he would get a strong bipartisan vote.

Shaheen noted Republicans allowed the Senate to confirm Avril Haines as director of national intelligence on the same day President Biden was sworn into office.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) would like to get other nominees confirmed on Trump’s first day in office, if possible. One candidate for such a quick timeline is former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe has been tapped by Trump to head the CIA, and his confirmation hearing is slated for Wednesday.

Democrats might have a better chance of persuading a Republican to flip on one of the committees handling a particular nominee, which would leave that nominee stuck.

On the Senate Armed Services Committee, for example, a single Republican vote against Hegseth would block his path to advancing out of the committee, because Republicans hold a one-seat majority on it.

The key vote there will be Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who appeared to be shifting toward supporting Hegseth after meeting with him twice.

She discussed her conversations with Hegseth as “encouraging” and pledged to “support Pete through this process” but stopped short of promising to vote for him.

A single Republican defection would also be a problem on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which has jurisdiction over Gabbard’s nomination; Republicans have a narrow 11-10 majority on that panel.

Gabbard assured Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) that she had changed her view of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a provision defense hawks say is critical to intercepting foreign threats.

“Tulsi Gabbard has assured me in our conversations that she supports Section 702 as recently amended and that she will follow the law and support its reauthorization as DNI,” Cotton said in a statement released by his office.

The Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Scott Bessent, Trump’s choice to head the Treasury Department, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been tapped to lead the Health and Human Services Department, also has a one-seat Republican margin.

If a nominee is bottled up in committee by an adverse vote, Thune could still try to bring the candidate to the floor for a vote by offering a motion or resolution to discharge the nominee under Senate Rule XVII. But it takes 60 votes on the Senate floor to override the committee vote and advance the individual, which would require significant support from Democrats.

Senate Republicans have more breathing room on the Senate Judiciary Committee and other panels, where they have two-seat majorities.  

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ranking member of the Judiciary panel, which has jurisdiction over Bondi and Patel, hasn’t seen any sign that any Republican on his panel would vote against Bondi. But he said they want to dig deeper into her record.

“I have not received any signals one way or the other,” he said of possible Republican defectors on Bondi.

“Privately, they say they want investigations,” he added.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Armed Services Committee, vented her frustration Monday with the lack of a fuller investigation by her panel into Hegseth’s background and past allegations of sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement — charges Hegseth has vigorously denied.

“We need to be able to talk to all the people in Hegseth’s background who are raising serious concerns about his fitness to serve,” she said.

Listen to this "Innocent" Gazan Woman

 

A Gazan woman is asked what she thinks about Hamas.

"Hamas is no problem as a leadership or anything, as long as they wipe the Jews off the map.

Oops, I meant Israel.

Eh, what's the difference".

This is what Hamas and UNRWA created in Gaza while the world watched.

🎥 2006 pic.twitter.com/WiaD7UdjpR

— Yehuda Teitelbaum (@chalavyishmael) January 13, 2025

Biden's Handlers Scream at Reporters to leave Room as Biden Sits like a Dummy and Makes faces

 

Biden sits and makes faces at the press as his handlers SCREAM at them to leave the room following his wildfires briefing.

Former Labour MP Ivor Caplin, who criticized Elon Musk on British TV last week for his remarks about Keir Starmer, has been arrested following a sting operation by citizen pedophile hunters.

 

What a creep https://t.co/FrDy6Cjmby

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 11, 2025

Pocahontas Scams 5.6 million of her followers

 

BREAKING NOW 🚨 Elizabeth Warren was just caught by 𝕏 scamming her 5.6 million followers

LET’S MAKE THIS VIRAL ON 𝕏 pic.twitter.com/ytQFJMLWyS

— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) January 12, 2025

Biden like Obama Stabs Israel On The Way Out The Door

 

BREAKING 🚨

Biden Administration Restricts AI Chip Exports to Israel While Exempting 20 “Trusted” Countries

The Biden administration has announced new export controls on advanced AI chips, imposing restrictions on key allies like Israel and Singapore. Meanwhile, Twenty trusted… pic.twitter.com/tB9vVVx8nA

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 13, 2025

Listen to the "Meshiginar" Jim Acosta Say That the Government Should Silence Americans

 

Jim Acosta says the Government should be censoring information and silencing Americans.