When President Trump boycotted the U.N. climate summit, many Americans who aren’t buying the elites' climate fearmongering were pleased, hopeful that Trump’s move might weaken the globalist plans.

But after the global elites appeared to use the president’s absence to push extreme climate policies, some are wondering if the president could have made a mistake.

“We’ve got Trump in the White House, and of course he actually boycotted the summit. We reached out to the State Department. They told us they deliberately chose not to send anybody. So there was no U.S. delegation for the first time in 30 years of these, and that made for a very interesting situation,” journalist Alex Newman tells Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck.

“And you know, a lot of Americans thought that was great. Hooray. And a lot of the climate skeptics also thought so. But some of the globalists at the U.N. conference also said, ‘Hey, this is a great opportunity, because the United States is still involved in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, but they’re not here to obstruct passage of an ambitious deal,’” Newman explains.

“‘So let’s do some great stuff, and then when Trump is gone in three and a half years, we’ll impose that on Americans,’” he adds.

And the agreement they passed without Trump’s presence included “mention of a carbon budget.”

“They claim that four-fifths of the CO2 that humans can be allowed to emit has already been emitted,” Newman tells Glenn.

“I think the strategy for these people, Glenn, is ‘Hey, we’ve got Trump for three and a half more years. Let’s just keep our heads down. We know that he doesn’t believe us. We know that the American people don’t believe us. So let’s just not talk about it too loudly,’” he adds.

“So was this a mistake by not showing up?” Glenn asks.

“I don’t know,” Newman answers. “I know some of the people down at the U.N. summit thought this was a good opportunity for them, but you know, Trump’s not done.”

“I’ve spoken with people at EPA; I’ve spoke with people at the State Department, who have said that they are seriously considering the possibility of withdrawing from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change,” he continues.

“We have to,” Glenn interjects.

“Yeah, that seems like a no-brainer. … In fact, before he went into the White House, he said one of the top priorities for the MAGA movement and the United States needs to be to decisively crush this climate hysteria hoax,” Newman says, adding, “So he’s really serious about it.”

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President Donald Trump responded with a scathing statement to a report that the 2024 failed Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was considering dropping out of his re-election campaign. Walz later confirmed he was dropping out.

Walz has been dogged by accusations of obstruction in the investigation into government relief and welfare fraud in the Somali community in Minnesota. He has denied any involvement and claimed that his administration has tried to investigate the schemes.

'I feel certain the facts will come out, and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of 'SLIMEBALLS.' ... NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!'

The president mocked Walz and named other Democrats he believes are also guilty of crimes, including Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

"Minnesota’s Corrupt Governor will possibly leave office before his Term is up but, in any event, will not be running again because he was caught, REDHANDED, along with Ilhan Omar, and others of his Somali friends, stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

"I feel certain the facts will come out, and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of 'SLIMEBALLS.' Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota," he added.

He went on to accuse California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, all Democrats, of more dishonesty and incompetency.

"NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!" he added.

Walz said Monday that he would be unable to put all his effort into a re-election campaign that would have meant a third term, if he had won.

RELATED: Tim Walz tries to dunk on Trump and gets pantsed on social media

"Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can't spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences," he wrote. "So I've decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work."

One poll found that Walz had a disapproval rating of 48%, and over 69% of respondents said that he needed to do more to stop fraud in Minnesota.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested murderers, rapists, and other violent offenders over the first weekend of the new year, according to a press release exclusively obtained by Blaze News.

The Department of Homeland Security recently announced “a historic 120% increase in manpower,” stating that it has added over 12,000 new ICE officers and agents following a successful recruitment campaign that received over 220,000 applications.

“With these new patriots on the team, we will be able to accomplish what many say was impossible and fulfill President Trump’s promise to make America safe again,” the DHS stated.

A DHS press release highlighted 15 “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens arrested by ICE over the first weekend of the new year.

'Over the weekend, ICE arrested murderers, stalkers, rapists, and gang members.'

Jose Cano-Cruz, a Mexican national, was previously convicted of homicide and aggravated stalking in Muscogee County, Georgia.

RELATED: Leftist radicals doxx ICE agents with ‘WANTED’ flyers in Pennsylvania

Jose Cano-Cruz. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Waheed Allah Mohammad, an Afghan national, was convicted of attempted murder and first-degree assault in Monroe County, New York. A 2009 NPR report stated that the then 22-year-old admitted to stabbing his 19-year-old sister, whom he reportedly described as a “bad Muslim girl” for trying to leave her family to start a new life in New York City.

Waheed Allah Mohammad. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE agents nabbed Carlos Danilo Barrera, a known Florencia 13 gang member from El Salvador. He was previously convicted of second-degree murder in Los Angeles, California.

Carlos Danilo Barrera. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Federal immigration officials detained Ruben Pulido-Cortes. The Mexican national was convicted of rape in Queens, New York.

Ruben Pulido-Cortes. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Leonel Rodriguez-Garcia, from Mexico, was also picked up by ICE agents over the weekend. He was convicted of kidnapping in Kern County, California.

Leonel Rodriguez-Garcia. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Uriel Segovia-Leon, a Mexican national, was convicted of battery resulting in serious bodily injury in Lake County, Indiana.

Uriel Segovia-Leon. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Federal agents arrested Duane Alando Spence from Jamaica. His criminal history includes a conviction for aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm in Miami, Florida.

Duane Alando Spence. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Patricio Hernandez-Gomez, a Mexican national, was convicted of first-degree unlawful imprisonment in Perry County, Kentucky. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

Patricio Hernandez-Gomez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE arrested Mexican national Yessenia Monserrat Monje-Orozco. Her criminal history includes convictions for possession of prohibited ammo and a controlled substance, as well as vehicle theft in San Luis Obispo, California.

Yessenia Monserrat Monje-Orozco. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Thinh Troung Nguyen, a Vietnamese national, was previously convicted of armed robbery in Lexington, Oklahoma.

Thinh Troung Nguyen. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Federal agents arrested Esteban Reyes-Cortes, an illegal alien criminal from Mexico. He was convicted in Tallahassee, Florida, for battery and disorderly conduct and in Decatur, Georgia, for entering an automobile with intent to commit theft.

Esteban Reyes-Cortes. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Jose Antonio Poblete-Velasquez, from Chile, was convicted of burglary in Ventura, California. According to the Irvine Police Department, officers observed Poblete-Velasquez and an accomplice distract an elderly shopper at a grocery store to steal her wallet and phone. Police were surveilling the Chilean national following reports of a separate incident where credit cards from a stolen wallet were used to make several fraudulent purchases.

Jose Antonio Poblete-Velasquez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Immigration agents captured Luis Alberto Medel-Miranda, a Mexican national who was previously convicted for driving while impaired in Rockingham County, North Carolina.

Luis Alberto Medel-Miranda. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Kevin Ruiz-Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Honduras, was convicted of criminal possession of a weapon in Bronx, New York.

Kevin Ruiz-Gonzalez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE also nabbed Harvy Gomez-Alaniz, from Nicaragua. He was previously convicted of evading arrest or detention in San Antonio, Texas.

RELATED: Making a list and checking it twice: ICE’s year-end roundup of the most heinous illegal alien invaders

Harvy Gomez-Alaniz. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

“The first year of the Trump administration marked record-breaking progress in removing criminal illegal aliens, and DHS will be doubling down on those accomplishments in 2026 with our more than 12,000 new officers and agents,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated. “Over the weekend, ICE arrested murderers, stalkers, rapists, and gang members."

President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem "unleashed ICE to get criminal illegal aliens off our streets and out of our country," McLaughlin added.

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The Department of Homeland Security has publicly called out Hilton Hotels over what DHS says was an organized act of obstruction against immigration enforcement.

The agency posted screenshots showing the well-known hotel chain had "maliciously" canceled reservations for DHS officials at a Minneapolis-area location.

'Why is Hilton Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and impede DHS law enforcement from their mission to enforce our nation’s immigration laws?'

"NO ROOM AT THE INN!" reads a statement from DHS on social media.

"[Hilton Hotels] has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement. When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations. This is UNACCEPTABLE," the agency continued.

"Why is Hilton Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and impede DHS law enforcement from their mission to enforce our nation’s immigration laws?" the statement concluded.

One of the screenshots of the email responses included a statement from the hotel specifically citing the presence of ICE agents as the reason for the cancellation.

"We have noticed an influx of gov reservations made today that have been made for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation," the email read, according to the screenshot.

In an email statement to Blaze News, a spokesperson for the hotel chain responded to the accusations.

"Hilton Hotels serve as welcoming places for all," the statement reads.

"This hotel is independently owned and operated, and the actions referenced are not reflective of Hilton values," the spokesperson added. "We are investigating this matter with this individual hotel and can confirm that Hilton works with governments, law enforcement, and community leaders around the world to ensure our properties are open and inviting to everyone."

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Some on social media responded by saying they would cancel their Hilton reservations and avoid the chain.

In a second statement emailed to Blaze News, a spokesperson for Hilton said the independently owned hotel apologized for the incident.

"We have been in direct contact with the hotel, and they have apologized for the actions of their team, which was not in keeping with their policies," said the spokesperson. "They have taken immediate action to resolve this matter. Hilton’s position is clear: Our properties are open to everyone and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination."

Everpeak Hospitality, the owners of the Hampton Inn hotel, also posted a statement.

"Everpeak Hospitality has moved swiftly to address this matter as it was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all," the statement reads.

"We are in touch with the impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated," the statement continued. "We do not discriminate against any individuals or agencies and apologize to those impacted. We are committed to welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards, applicable laws, and our role as a professional hospitality provider."

Editor’s note: This article has been edited after publication to include a statement from Everpeak Hospitality as well as a second statement from Hilton Hotels.

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Art created by artificial intelligence is an attempt to reduce a society's sense of humanity, according to one Hollywood director.

This sort of treatment of art is "always a prelude to fascism," the director also warned.

'That is always the prelude to fascism.'

No ifs, ands, or bots

While accepting an honor from Variety at its 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro continued his recent onslaught against the use of artificial intelligence for art.

"Be kind, be involved, and believe in your art," del Toro said, emphasizing that when art is minimalized, bad times are ahead.

"In a time where people tell you art is not important, that is always the prelude to fascism. Always. When they tell you it doesn't matter, when they tell you a f**king app can do art, you say, 'Well, if it's that easy and if it's that unimportant, why the f**k do they want it so bad?'"

The director answered his own question, warning that the reduction of art to a line of code removes a certain degree of humanity.

"The answer is because they think they can debase everything that makes us a little better, a little more human. And that, in my book and in my life, includes monsters."

RELATED: Guillermo del Toro stops awards show music to drop 'F**k AI' bomb

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Monster high

Del Toro's tirade came on the heels of similar remarks last month at the 2025 Gotham Film Awards, where he made a point of announcing that his widely praised "Frankenstein" was "willfully made by humans for humans."

After praising the movie's "designers, builders, makeup, [and] wardrobe" teams, the director paused and added, "F**k AI."

The 61-year-old — one of the most prominent Hollywood power players to speak out against the dangers of AI — also hinted at why he prefers to work in the horror/fantasy genre: "Sometimes the world gets so complicated, you can only explain it with the power of monsters."

"We are in a time like that right now," he added.

RELATED: The Oscars will leave TV — and may never come back

'Death' wish

Despite his anti-AI stance, del Toro is far from a techno-phobe.

In 2023, he praised Japanese video game auteur Hideo Kojima's "paradoxical creation" and his ability to "break the barrier between cinema and games."

Del Toro appears as the character Deadman in Kojima's 2019 game "Death Stranding," as well as its 2025 sequel.

When the White House unveiled the Presidential Walk of Fame, which features a portrait of former President Joe Biden replaced with the image of an autopen, one reporter was especially excited to see it.

“Every time I walk by it, I laugh to myself because I helped the president decide whether or not he should hang that photo of the autopen in Joe Biden’s spot,” Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese told BlazeTV host John Doyle at AmFest.

“I interviewed the president in August. I sat down with him for an hour in the Oval Office, and in the middle of the interview, he says, ‘Have you seen the work I’m doing in the Rose Garden?’ I’m like, ‘No, Mr. President, I haven’t,’” she continues.

That’s when the president decided to show her.

“I walk out to the Rose Garden with him, and he’s showing me everything, and we walk back inside and he has assistants on hand, and he says to them, you know, ‘Go show Reagan the portraits; get Reagan the portraits,’” she tells Doyle.

“So in walk his assistants, and they have these giant gold frames, and it’s George Washington, it’s Abraham Lincoln, it’s Ronald Reagan, who I told the president I’m named after. And I say, ‘Mr. President, are you going to hang Joe Biden’s portrait?’ And he was like, ‘All right, show her,’” she explains.

The president then had his assistants show her the photo of the autopen.

“He’s like, ‘I want to hang this photo in the place of Joe Biden’s portrait. Do you think I should do it?’ And I was like, ‘I think it would be very you, sir. I think you have to do it,’” she recalls.

“And he was like, ‘I think I will,’” she adds.

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A Florida man wearing a lace bra, a G-string thong, and fake breasts was caught trespassing at a construction site, according to police. However, authorities said the bizarre situation escalated when a deputy discovered something alarming under his prosthetic silicone breasts.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd began his Monday morning briefing by stating: "Now occasionally I bring you stuff that you just can't believe, that you'll never get over, that may even scar you for life."

'Can you imagine? He's mad at us for trying to find out why he's wearing lace bras with guns and G-strings or G-somethings.'

According to the affidavit provided to Blaze News by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, a deputy encountered 39-year-old Matthew Zaccarino of Altamonte Springs at a construction zone around 1:19 a.m. Dec. 14.

The affidavit states Zaccarino's vehicle was parked on private property with signs posted that read: "No Trespassing."

A deputy made contact with Zaccarino, "who was standing next to the vehicle's open passenger-side door and putting on female clothing (bra and panties)," the affidavit said.

Judd added, "We see this dude wearing a red lace bra, with prosthetic silicone breasts. Then we noticed he's wearing a G-string — showing off the boys. You know what I mean?"

Judd said the deputy believed the situation was "highly unusual."

Zaccarino told the deputy he was on his way to a "costume party," according to Judd.

However, when the deputy pressed him about the costume party, Zaccarino couldn't answer the question, Judd said.

The affidavit states that Zaccarino was "unable to provide a location, direction, or identify individuals who would be present" at the supposed party.

The affidavit also states the deputy issued several lawful commands for the suspect to stop moving, but he "refused to comply, removed his bra and silicone breast prosthesis, and began reaching inside the vehicle."

At that time, the officer handcuffed the suspect.

Sheriff Judd stressed that these kinds of strange encounters can be extremely dangerous for officers.

RELATED: WATCH: Florida man says he 'teleported' into stolen BMW, blames 'X-Men,' thanks cop for rescuing him from 'aliens'

See on Instagram

According to the affidavit, the deputy was looking down at the bra and breast prosthesis and noticed a "loaded H&K 9mm firearm under the items" on the passenger-side floorboard near where Zaccarino was standing.

"Such loitering and prowling occurred under circumstances that warranted justifiable and reasonable alarm for the safety of people or property in the vicinity," the deputy wrote in the affidavit.

Zaccarino then clammed up and refused to talk to law enforcement, according to Judd.

"Can you imagine? He's mad at us for trying to find out why he's wearing lace bras with guns and G-strings or G-somethings," Judd stated.

"Oooh, it was ugly. It was so ugly," Judd remarked.

Zaccarino was arrested and charged with armed trespass, resisting without violence, and loitering and prowling.

According to Polk County Sheriff's Office jail records, Zaccarino was released on a $6,250 bond.

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Hot on the heels of a highly publicized dinner with Donald and Melania Trump, Elon Musk will continue his work with the federal government through a new agreement that will affect the daily workflows of Department of War employees.

Last July, Musk's xAI entered a $200 million contract with the Pentagon to adopt advanced AI capabilities for sectors like national defense. Now, both the DOW and xAI are shedding light on some of the details surrounding their partnership in other areas.

'xAI will make available a family of government-optimized foundation models.'

In late December, the DOW announced its internal AI platform would be expanded to include xAI for "frontier-grade" capabilities.

"This initiative will soon embed xAI's frontier AI systems, based on the Grok family of models, directly into GenAI.mil. Targeted for initial deployment in early 2026," a press release stated.

This will enable the "secure handling" of "Controlled Unclassified Information" in the daily workflows of government employees, who will also gain access to "global insights" on X, which will allegedly provide a "decisive information advantage."

However, there is no indication what those insights include.

RELATED: DOGE didn’t die — it moved to the states

Photo by Didem Mente/Anadolu via Getty Images

The xAI company announced in its own statement that it would be providing access to its AI models, "agentic tools, research platform, and API," unlocking real-time insights.

The systems can be embedded into the daily work of the DOW's some 3 million military and civilian employees, "from the Pentagon to the tactical edge."

"xAI will make available a family of government-optimized foundation models to support classified operational workloads," the press release added.

The DOW has also entered into contracts with other advanced technology companies like EdgeRunner AI and Palmer Luckey's Anduril.

RELATED: Gavin Newsom ridicules Elon Musk over his trans-identifying son — and Musk responds

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The expanded partnership between the DOW and Musk came just days after xAI announced a new artificial voice generation application.

The Grok Voice Agent API operates essentially as a search engine optimizer that acts as a voice for a chatbot. The company released a series of sample voices, which "speak dozens of languages, call tools, and search realtime data."

The product is currently being rolled out in Teslas to relay vehicle status, search directions, and control navigation.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. is moving away from funneling foreign aid funds through non-governmental organizations after criticism of fraud and incompetence.

Rubio explained that the U.S. government has used NGOs to try to accomplish foreign policy goals but that many have become far too costly and inefficient. The first benefactor of the new policy is the government of Kenya, which will receive foreign aid funds directly instead.

'That is the model that we are breaking. We are not doing this any more. We are not going to spend billions of dollars funding the NGO industrial complex while close and important partners like Kenya either have no role to play ...'

"The United States has spent billions of dollars over the years in helping with health strategies all across the world," explained Rubio in a speech last month.

"What we learned over time, especially after coming here, is that oftentimes — and I am oversimplifying it, but this is an accurate description — what would happen is we would go to a country and say, 'We're going to help you with your health care needs.' Then we would drive over to Northern Virginia somewhere, find an NGO, one of these organizations, give them all the money, tell them: 'Go to this country and do their health care program for them,'" he added.

"That NGO would then take some percentage of that money for their overhead and administrative costs, and by the time it got down to it ... only a percentage of the overall money ever actually reached the patients and the people on the ground that we were trying to help because of these costs," Rubio said.

"This makes no sense," he said.

The compact reached with Kenya includes the Kenyan government's agreement to increase spending on health care by $850 million over the next five years.

"So why are we hiring American and international NGOs to go into other countries and run health care systems that are parallel and sometimes in conflict with the health care systems of the host country?" Rubio continued.

RELATED: Flyer posted on Antifa-affiliated website appears to call for laser attacks on police helicopters

"If we're trying to help countries, help the country. Don't help the NGO to go in and find a new line of business," he added. "So that is the model that we are breaking. We are not doing this any more. We are not going to spend billions of dollars funding the NGO industrial complex while close and important partners like Kenya either have no role to play or have very little influence over how health care money is being spent."

He concluded, "Bottom line is if you want to help a country, work with that country."

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While almost all Republicans can agree that the United States needs to halt illegal immigration, more public figures have been raising the alarm about legal immigration through the "broken" visa system as well.

Early Monday morning, President Trump reposted on Truth Social a clip of an interview with Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) talking about immigration reform.

'We need to restructure our legal immigration system to only allow people who love America, share American values, want to add value and assimilate to America, and don't want any free stuff.'

The interviewer asked Fine what legal changes need to be made in Congress.

RELATED: Trump DOJ slams door on welfare for illegal aliens, ends Clinton-era loophole draining taxpayer dollars

Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"I think immediately we need to stop it all — all legal immigration of any kind, because clearly it's out of control. People coming here on tourist visas protesting the country; people claiming that they're refugees but then scamming the system and going on vacation to the countries they supposedly fled from; people coming and taking American jobs," Fine said.

He continued, "We need to restructure our legal immigration system to only allow people who love America, share American values, want to add value and assimilate to America, and don't want any free stuff."

Fine then referred to Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy's Pausing All Admissions Until Security Ensured Act, which was introduced in mid-November.

The bill seeks to freeze all legal immigration until certain conditions are met, effectively forcing an open-ended moratorium on legal immigration.

When the bill was introduced, Roy said, "The problem isn’t just illegal immigration; it’s also legal immigration. While the Biden administration opened our borders and allowed millions to flood into our country, they also rubber-stamped millions more arriving through convoluted legal schemes, completely overwhelming the system."

A White House spokesperson declined to give further comment when contacted by Blaze News.

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Protests have rocked Iran since late December, and some American leaders, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), have voiced support for the cause.

On an appearance on Fox News on Sunday night, Graham donned a black baseball cap that read: "Make Iran Great Again."

'I pray and hope that 2026 will be the year that we make Iran great again.'

As he put on the hat, Graham said, "I pray and hope that 2026 will be the year that we make Iran great again."

Last Friday, President Trump warned Iranian leaders that there will be hell to pay if any protesters are killed: "If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

RELATED: Trump says if Iran 'kills peaceful protesters,' the US 'will come to their rescue'

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Protests have reportedly broken out in more than 220 locations in 26 of the 31 provinces in Iran. According to the Associated Press, more than 20 people have been killed, and nearly 1,000 people have been arrested.

The protests began springing up in December 2025, supposedly in response to mounting economic pressures, including the collapse of the Iranian currency, a new policy that raised the price of gas, and inflation rates as high as 40%.

On Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly warned that "rioters must be put in their place," but the protests have shown little sign of slowing down in the first week of 2026.

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A Utah school board member announced she will not seek another term, citing pervasive corruption, and urged parents to immediately remove their children from the state’s public schools.

Christina Boggess was elected to the Utah State Board of Education in 2022 to represent District 8, which encompasses parts of Taylorsville, Kearns, and West Jordan. She announced on Friday that she plans to leave public office at the end of her term in January 2027.

'Real change is not coming. The system is not broken — it is working exactly as the corrupt intend it to work.'

Boggess explained her reasoning behind the decision in a post on X.

“Today I declare, without apology or hesitation, that I will not seek re-election to the Utah State Board of Education. I am done lending my name, my vote, and my silence to a broken, corrupt, and morally bankrupt system that no longer serves the children or families of this state,” Boggess wrote.

She claimed there is “corruption” within the local board of education and the broader education system, adding that “nearly every decision is now driven by not-so-hidden agendas, political cowardice, financial kickbacks, and raw personal ambition — not by what is best for students.”

“I ran for this office to fight for you — your children, your values, your right to be heard. Instead, I have been forced to watch as even the loudest ‘conservative’ voices fold, trade their votes for favor and money, or abandon every promise they made on the campaign trail,” Boggess continued.

“The Republican Party platform means nothing inside those walls. The Word of the Lord means even less.”

RELATED: Universities treated free speech as expendable in 2025

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

“Your concerns — about pornography in libraries, radical gender ideology in classrooms, the erosion of academic excellence, and the assault on parental rights — are mocked, ignored, or drowned out by the shrill demands of special interests and the timid silence of those who fear losing their seat more than losing their soul,” she added.

Boggess shared a final urgent message with parents.

"Get your children out of Utah's government schools as quickly as possible," she declared. “Real change is not coming. The system is not broken — it is working exactly as the corrupt intend it to work. Your children’s minds, hearts, and futures are not safe inside it."

RELATED: School credit 'recovery' plans are apparently being misused for racial equity — and disadvantaging students even more

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Boggess had previously criticized the board for refusing to sign a letter from the Trump administration that stated it would not support diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or training, KUTV reported.

During an August meeting, Boggess shared a message highlighting her Christian faith and expressing concerns about the threats of communism in America.

“What God sees in comparison to the standard He sets, I think, should horrify everyone. And I don’t know what causes some to be so fearful to walk as Jesus did and lead the way He led,” Boggess stated during the meeting. “It is odd to me that even those with a clear biblical understanding that Satan is the father of lies, that governments are corrupt, and that Satan is the ruler of this world, will also assert that publicly questioning the government narrative, their practices, and universal truth is somehow un-Christian.”

The Utah State Board of Education told Blaze News, “Member Boggess’ comments reflect her individual opinion and are not the official position of the Board. The USBE stands by the work done by our dedicated staff who work tirelessly to accomplish the Board’s mission of academic and organizational excellence in Utah education for an elevated, educated citizenry.”

The superintendent of public instruction did not respond to a request for comment.

Editor’s note: This article has been edited after publication to add a statement from the Utah State Board of Education.

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A United States Postal Service worker in Florida late last month allegedly believed a kid on an electric scooter was making off with a package he had just delivered — and let's just say the postal worker's decision-making after that point was not the smartest.

Citing a Florida Highway Patrol report, the Pensacola News Journal said 41-year-old William White Jr. dropped off a package on Kingfisher Way in Escambia County on Dec. 27.

'It's not a normal porch pirate running up snatching packages that you just dropped off.'

The FHP report said a "child, whose family owns that residence, saw the package was meant for a different address," the News Journal added.

With that, the child — a 10-year-old, according to WALA-TV — grabbed the package and put it on his electric scooter to deliver it to the correct address, the FHP said, according to the News Journal.

But when White saw the child with the package, he believed the kid was stealing it, the paper said.

"White then purposely drove the USPS vehicle towards the child and ran over the scooter," the FHP report said, according to the News Journal. "The child was able to get into the nearby yard prior to the scooter being hit."

White then grabbed the scooter from underneath the USPS vehicle, placed it on the truck, and then drove off after yelling at the child, the paper said, citing the FHP report.

One of the child's family members followed White to confront him, leading to White throwing the scooter into a nearby yard on Blue Jay Way, the FHP said, according to the News Journal.

Troopers said the child suffered an ankle injury in the incident and was taken to the Studer Family Children's Hospital in Pensacola, WEAR-TV reported.

RELATED: Atlanta police make arrest in connection with homeowner who cops say shot 2 teenage porch pirates

White was interviewed and arrested on New Year's Eve after he returned to work, officials told WALA.

He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, petit theft, and criminal mischief, the News Journal said.

Jail records indicate White was released later on New Year's Eve; his bond totaled $5,500, and his next court date is Jan. 23.

Florida Highway Patrol Captain Jason King told WEAR, "This isn't just an oops crash with a 10-year-old. This is an intentional act by a United States postal worker trying to run over a 10-year-old."

King added to WEAR that "it's amazing what a small conversation would do in a situation instead of jumping straight to use of force. Putting your hands on somebody, or just really escalating way past where it should have been. It's a 10-year-old on a scooter. It's not a normal porch pirate running up snatching packages that you just dropped off."

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Nicolas Maduro pled "not guilty" during his first appearance in a United States court on Monday.

Just days after being captured from his home in Caracas, Venezuela, Maduro appeared in a New York City court for the first time alongside his wife, Cilia Flores. During the hearing, Maduro maintained that he is a "decent man" who is innocent of the charges levied against him by the United States.

'They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.'

"I am innocent," Maduro said. "I am not guilty.”

Flores' attorney also claimed that she sustained "significant injuries during her abduction" over the weekend, with journalists present in the courthouse reporting that she was seen wearing bandages on her head during the hearing.

RELATED: Maduro captured following 'large scale strike' in Venezuela, Trump says

Photo by Donald Trump's Truth Social Account/Anadolu via Getty Images

Following his capture, the United States indicted Maduro in the Southern District of New York on charges of "Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States."

"They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," Attorney General Pam Bondi said of Maduro and his wife. "On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers."

The operation that captured both Maduro and Flores took place in the dead of night on Saturday, and they were both then transported to New York by American officials. The operation left Americans and Venezuelans with questions as to who would govern Venezuela while Maduro — whose presidency is not recognized by many countries, including the U.S. — faces legal battles in the United States.

RELATED: 'We're going to run it': Trump reveals Venezuela's fate following Maduro's capture

Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images

Just hours after the capture, President Donald Trump told reporters that "we're going to run" Venezuela.

"We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind," Trump said Saturday. "We've had decades of that. We're not going to let that happen."

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New York City's newly sworn-in Democratic Socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has already started taking steps to advance his radical agenda by selecting an anti-private-property extremist to lead the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants.

Mamdani announced on January 2 that Cea Weaver would join his team, noting that she had previously led Housing Justice for All, a coalition of groups representing tenants and homeless New Yorkers, and its sister organization, the New York State Tenant Bloc.

'Private property including any kind of ESPECIALLY homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy.'

Mamdani credited Weaver for helping to pass "landmark legislation that closed loopholes landlords used to raise rents and push apartments out of stabilization."

"Now she'll work with us to hold landlords accountable and ensure New York City tenants are living in safe, clean homes," Mamdani wrote.

Following Weaver's appointment, an undated video resurfaced on social media of the activist discussing her goal to eliminate private property ownership.

"I think the reality is, is that for centuries we've really treated property as an individualized good and not a collective good," Weaver stated in the video. "And transitioning to treating it as a collective good and towards a model of shared equity will require that we think about it differently. And it will mean that families, especially white families but some [people of color] families who are homeowners as well, are going to have a different relationship to property than the one that we currently have."

RELATED: 'Money hungry Jews': Mamdani appointee abruptly quits after her anti-Semitic online posts resurface

Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon reacted to the resurfaced video of Weaver.

“I don’t think so,” Dhillon wrote. “We have federal housing laws that trump any collective Marxist fantasies.”

Weaver once urged Americans to "elect more communists" in a 2017 post on her now-deactivated X account, the New York Post reported.

She also called to "seize private property."

"Private property including any kind of ESPECIALLY homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy," Weaver reportedly wrote in 2019.

RELATED: Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses NYC Mayor Mamdani of anti-Semitism after his first day in office

Zohran Mamdani. Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Weaver has previously expressed support for freezing rent, writing in a January 2025 post on Bluesky, "There are lots of things the mayor CANT [sic] do on housing, but freezing the rent is one of the only things they can unilaterally do for 2.4 million New York renters. Policy plans are great, so is a rent freeze."

According to New York City's Tenant Protection Cabinet, 65% of the city's residents are renters.

Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul's office did not respond to a request for comment.

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If it seems like the Democratic Party is divided — that’s because it is. Specifically Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck believes that “there are at least two different kinds of Democrats.”

“Democrats that, you know, might vote for Schumer and ... don’t believe that there’s, you know, this great change coming, and they want the same kind of America that we want. There’s that Democrat, and then there’s the socialist, the revolutionary Democrat,” Glenn explains.

“Democrats became progressive in the early 20th century. And when they became progressives, they did it because the Democrats did not want a revolution. They believed in socialism, they believed in communism. Remember, this is before communism had been tried and failed over and over and over again,” he says.

The progressives had been making the case that “science was going to be able to control society,” and thus, “it would have all the answers.”

“Socialists were like, ‘Yeah, it is the right way, so let’s do it now.’ Progressives said, ‘No, we’ll get to your socialist utopia, but we’ll do it one step at a time.’ You can relate to this because how many times do we have to be Charlie Brown and our own side is Lucy with the football,” Glenn says.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking about as you were laying that out,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere chimes in.

“And what was the response from our side?” Glenn asks.

“Our side always said, ‘Look, we just need to win that next election. If we win that next election, we’ll move the ball down. Don’t worry, I’ll hold the ball right here so you can kick it. We just have to win that next election first,’” Burguiere answers.

“And when that was over, what did we do? We hired the world’s largest wrecking ball, Donald Trump. We’re like, ‘We’re done with that. We don’t believe you anymore,’” Glenn says.

After Trump’s first term, the Democrats then ran Joe Biden, who Glenn explains “allows all the chaos to happen.”

“The socialists want all of this chaos. They want all of this control. But so do the Democrats, the new kind of Democrat. They want control. They just want global control. They’re much more fascistic,” he says.

“What do socialists want? They want to control schools. Socialist communists. They want to control schools but so do the authoritarians. They want to control schools. They want a communist system where all the means of production are owned by the people through the state,” he continues.

While these two separate factions begin to look more and more alike, the Democrats still “need the illusion of America.”

“They want the Fed. Do you think the socialists want the Fed? No. The socialists don’t want the WEF. They don’t want just a restructured social order. They want a completely restructured social order. The Democrats, the authoritarian, they want friends in the media. They want friends in tech. Do you think the socialists want friends in the media?” Glenn asks.

“They’ll drag those people out in the streets and beat them to death so fast. And they’ll do the same with the people in tech,” he continues. “OK, that’s what will happen. That’s the difference. You have revolutionaries and then you have politicians.”

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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."

RELATED: Pentagon says court-martial possible for Sen. Mark Kelly after Trump calls him a 'traitor' for 'seditious' video

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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U.S. Secret Service personnel captured a 26-year-old man who allegedly attacked the Cincinnati home of Vice President JD Vance early Monday morning.

Hamilton County Justice Center records indicate that the suspect, William DeFoor, has been charged with criminal trespass, criminal damaging or endangering, obstructing official business, and felony vandalism.

Vance expressed gratitude to the U.S. Secret Service and the Cincinnati police and noted, "As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows."

'We try to protect our kids as much as possible.'

The vice president indicated that he and his family were not home at the time of the "attack" as they had already returned to the national capital. While the Vance family was in Cincinnati last week, they reportedly left on Sunday afternoon.

Two law enforcement officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity indicated that the Secret Service heard a commotion at the house around midnight and found that an individual had not only vandalized a Secret Service vehicle parked in the driveway but had smashed a window and was attempting to steal into the house.

RELATED: 'Something historic': CNN analyst GOBSMACKED by how Vance polls against Nikki Haley, others

Photo by Oliver Contreras-Pool/Getty Images

According to an arrest report obtained by WLWT-TV, the suspect — who has since been taken into custody by the Cincinnati Police Department — was spotted both by a USSS agent as well as on security footage damaging four windows along with the vehicle.

USSS spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that the suspect was detained shortly after midnight.

Court documents indicate that DeFoor pleaded guilty in April 2025 to two counts of vandalism after he inflicted over $2,000 worth of damage to a Ohio interior design company, reported WXIX-TV. DeFoor was sentenced to two years of treatment at a mental health facility and ordered to pay $5,550 in restitution.

There has been an outpouring of support for the vice president in the wake of the incident. While many have signaled relief the Vance family is OK, others have questioned how a miscreant could get so close to their home in the first place.

In the wake of the incident, Vance emphasized that "we try to protect our kids as much as possible from the realities of this life of public service," and he intimated that the news media shouldn't circulate images of his home with holes in the window.

This is hardly the first time that a maladjusted individual has descended on one of Vance's residences.

In April, a mob of liberals rallied outside the vice president's Washington, D.C., residence, vilifying him and calling him a "fascist" as well as "America's Himmler," referring to the architect of Nazi Germany's so-called "final solution," Heinrich Himmler.

One month earlier, another mob of liberals assembled outside Vance's Cincinnati home to protest actions taken by the Trump administration.

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With everything on the line, a Catholic priest's blessing may have changed the outcome of the NFL playoffs on Sunday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium for "Sunday Night Football" with the season on the line. The game would decide who topped the AFC North and the final playoff spot.

'The Catholic community in Pittsburgh is very strong.'

A perfect, dramatic ending was set up for the last game of the season, after the Steelers went ahead 26-24 with a late touchdown. After blocking their opponent's extra point, the Ravens converted a pivotal fourth-down play to get into position for a 44-yard game-winning field goal.

However, kicker Tyler Loop pushed the ball right, and the Ravens lost in dramatic fashion.

Just after the game, NBC commentators Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth decided to sprinkle some Catholic lore on the ending and revealed that a priest may have been involved in the missed field goal.

At 6:15 p.m. local time, Tirico revealed, a priest was seen "spreading holy water" in the Steelers' defending end zone, where the kick was missed.

"The Catholic community in Pittsburgh is very strong ... and down at that end zone, Tyler Loop misses the ... field goal ... and allows the Steelers to win," Tirico explained.

"So it's not Tyler Loop's fault," Collinsworth laughed.

RELATED: Pope Leo calls out gambling addiction and 'demographic crisis' in Vatican meeting

The priest in question has since been named by local outlets as Father Maximilian Maxwell. Maxwell currently serves as the prior of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. According to WJCL, the Steelers have held their training camp at the college since 1966.

At the same time, Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia, was quick to claim Fr. Maxwell as one of its own and proudly boasted on the school's Facebook page.

"Check out former Benedictine Military School theology teacher Fr. Maximilian Maxwell blessing the Pittsburgh Steelers' football field with holy water before the game Sunday night!" the school wrote.

Following the dramatic ending, Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward was asked about the potential blessed outcome.

"I'm not gonna ask questions," Heyward said, per WJCL. "The good Lord made a good decision tonight. I'm thankful, and we keep moving on."

RELATED: New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan resigns; pope appoints his replacement

Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

On the other side of the ball, Ravens players still kept their faith, particularly Loop, who said he will be leaning on his religion to get him through the tough moment.

"I had written down a little prayer before the game. ... Faith is a big part of my life and right now I'm reading the book of Romans, and in Romans 8 it says God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."

Loop continued, "Ultimately, I'm here to love on the guys around me. I'm here to try and have their back ... reminding myself that 'hey, God's got my back even when stuff sucks.'"

Ravens running back Derrick Henry told reporters that he advised Loop to keep his faith and trust in God's plan.

"I just told him the story after this is gonna be great for him because God put him in this position to use him as an example," Henry revealed.

The Steelers will host the Houston Texans in Pittsburgh on January 12.

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Investigators in Arizona said a homeowner and his family member confronted an individual after 1 a.m. Friday after discovering knife damage on two of their vehicles, InMaricopa.com reported.

With that, the person reportedly advanced toward the homeowner while holding a knife, the outlet said.

'I love it! That’s justice!!! He definitely found out!'

Unfortunately for the person reportedly holding the knife, the homeowner was holding a gun — and used it.

When Maricopa Police officers arrived at the scene on West Thornberry Lane in Homestead, they found an individual shot in the leg, the outlet said.

That person was taken to a hospital and was awaiting surgery as of Friday morning, police told InMaricopa.com.

RELATED: Armed male allegedly stalking his ex forces entry into her Florida home. But victim's husband is there — and also has a gun.

Image source: Maricopa (Ariz.) Police

Turns out that officers later found other cars in the area with similar knife damage, police added to the outlet.

The homeowner who pulled trigger is not being charged with a crime, as it appears he was acting in self-defense, the outlet noted.

However, the wounded person is facing charges, InMaricopa.com said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.

Commenters reacting to the outlet's story on Facebook appeared solidly behind the homeowner's actions.

• "F'd around and found out," one commenter said.
• "Lucky it was only his leg shot. Just saying. Good for the homeowner!" another user noted.
• "I mean, torturing my horse would get death — so why wouldn't touching my vastly improved horse replacement that, at one time, took years of my life to pay for and develop into a usable vehicle?" another commenter quipped.
• "I love it! That’s justice!!! He definitely found out!" another user declared.
• "Sounds like the criminal deserved it — but will probably still sue homeowner for his injuries," another commenter predicted.

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