Monday, August 11, 2025

Good morning, and welcome to RedState’s “Morning Minute” — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day. 

TOP O’ THE MORNIN’

Red-Hot at RedState 

Democrats Learn What Consequences Are, and They Aren’t Happy About It

As the saying goes, if you take a shot at the king, you’d best not miss. Democrats missed. 

Trump Moves Obama and Bush Portraits to a Hidden Stairwell in the White House: ‘Firmly Out of View’

Considering Obama’s role in what CIA Director John Ratcliffe has described as “the greatest scandal of a lifetime,” the former President should be thrilled his portrait is hanging anywhere in the White House.

The Other Shoe Drops in DC, As Trump Readies the National Guard

Republicans did not invent or propagate the violent crime problem in the nation’s capital. That’s on the Democrat politicians who have run the city for decades on end. 

Trending Across Townhall Media

Gun Store’s Closure Has Ripple Effect on 2A Community

In states like Illinois, though, the government is artificially suppressing the market even more through red tape, regulations, and numerous infringements on our right to keep and bear arms; all aimed at not only reducing the number of FFLs, but the number of Illinois residents lawfully keeping and bearing arms.

Sermo Confusus – the Disease Sweeping the Democratic Party

Floundering and incoherent verbal hysterics by Democratic leaders aren’t going to do much to make the case why these states shouldn’t, especially when they’re recommending that blue states do it, too.  

The Left Won’t Like What Trump Just Did to Obama’s Portrait

The portrait relocation sends exactly the right message about presidential accountability.

The Awesome Power of Just Doing Things

Establish favorable facts on the ground and put W’s on the scoreboard by unleashing the power that comes when you Just Do It.

FAKE NEWS: CNN Claims Trump Moved Obama, Bush Portraits to ‘Hidden’ Stairwell … Yeah, Not So Much

But let this be a lesson to everyone when they read a headline from CNN. 

Ninety-nine percent of the time, it’s pure horse manure.

WHAT’S ON TAP?

Today on Capitol Hill…

With the critters out on recess, you’d expect things to be a mite quiet on/around the Hill today, but D.C. proper is getting a Law and Order shot in the arm with the deployment of FBI agents and National Guard troops to patrol the streets and take a bite out of the crime that’s been plaguing the capital city. 

As for the critters themselves, a group of House Republicans is on retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 

White House What’s Up

President Donald Trump, as noted above, is making a push to get a handle on crime and clean up D.C. On Monday, he’s teased a big announcement for Monday morning at 10:00 AM regarding efforts to make the capital safer.

Vice President JD Vance sat for an interview with “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo and shared his insights on a variety of topics, including redistricting, Russia-Ukraine peace talks, and Gaza.

READ MORE: Watch: VP Vance Talks Redistricting and Trump’s Pursuit of Peace

Full Court Press…

On Friday, we brought you the news of a notable ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, vacating a contempt order issued by District Court Judge James Boasberg against the administration in relation to those flights of alleged Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador pursuant to the Alien Enemies Act. As has been noted, a rehearing en banc may well be sought, and the full court may not rule as favorably for the administration. Our friend Shipwreckedcrew has a thorough analysis of the Friday ruling and the en banc likelihood over on his Substack. Perhaps I’m being overly optimistic, but I’m going to stick my neck out on this and predict that Friday’s ruling stands. (If I’m wrong, I promise I’ll own it right here!) 

Speaking of the D.C. Circuit, they ruled against the administration on its motion for a stay pending appeal in the companion cases of CREW v. OMB and Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (regarding FOIA/transparency re: OMB’s apportionment of funds), denying the requested stay. 

COMING ATTRACTIONS

President Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska. Will Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky be invited to join them? 

MORNING MUSING

I can’t say that I really miss Eric Holder. I wasn’t fond of his tenure as Attorney General and, to be quite honest, I rarely think of him these days — and when I do, it’s to remember his role in the “Fast and Furious” scandal and his being held in contempt of Congress. But apparently, he’s making the rounds again — these days, to bemoan Republican redistricting efforts. 

You see, as Holder spins tells it, “There is no question that gerrymandering is a threat to our democracy.” And his solution to that is to “protect our democracy now” in order to “save it,” which means “taking the reasonable steps that have been proposed in California” — as a “temporary way” of responding to the Republicans’ moves. Oh, sure, okay, Eric. 

Yeah, you know, he’s no more genuine or persuasive now than he ever was. And I believe we’ve long since established that when Democrats speak of “our democracy,” what they really mean is “the Democrat Party.” In the Democrats’ world, “It’s fine — noble, even — when we do it, but it’s an existential crisis when the Republicans do it.”   

I’m left to wonder: If the complete eradication of gerrymandering (of any sort) were proposed, and House seats/congressional districts were determined purely along county lines, or even a straight grid, would Democrats be on board with that? (For a closer look at algorithmically drawn boundaries based on optimal compactness — one that would still account for neighborhoods and doesn’t bisect people’s houses — here’s one example from WaPo a decade or so ago. I don’t know, I think I’d be okay with this.) 

LIGHTER FARE 

Roo zoomies!

Enjoying the “Morning Minute”? You can ensure you receive it in your Inbox every weekday by signing up for our newsletter here. 

Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has introduced legislation directing the Department of Commerce to assess national security risks posed by high-wattage internet-connected devices and applications operated by companies under the control of foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party.

On Friday Scott announced the introduction of the Preventing Remote Operations by Threatening Entities on Critical Technology for the Grid (PROTECT the Grid) Act, a bill aimed at investigating potential vulnerabilities in the U.S. electric grid from certain internet-connected appliances and devices linked to foreign adversaries.

The legislation directs the Department of Commerce, in coordination with other federal officials, to submit a report to Congress within 270 days assessing the risks posed by high-wattage Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and associated applications controlled by foreign entities. Such devices include smart ovens, laundry machines, electric vehicle chargers, water heaters, and air conditioners with the capacity to consume or control more than 500 watts of power.

According to the bill, applications developed by companies operating under the jurisdiction or influence of foreign adversaries could be used to manipulate power demand on a large scale, potentially destabilizing the U.S. electric grid. The legislation cites research from Princeton University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, warning of “MaDIoT” attacks, which could use coordinated demand manipulation through IoT devices to potentially trigger blackouts or cause grid damage.

The measure also codifies Executive Order 13873, signed in 2019, which authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to restrict or ban the use of technology or services from foreign companies deemed a threat to national security.

Scott said in a statement that the bill seeks to “secure our grid” and “stop a foreign dictatorship from holding American citizens hostage through their own appliances.”

The Coalition for a Prosperous America has endorsed the bill. Its president, Jon Toomey, stated that the legislation is “a critical step toward ensuring Americans know who controls the technology in their homes — and who may be accessing their data.”

The PROTECT the Grid Act follows a series of Scott’s legislative efforts addressing Chinese influence and foreign adversary activities, including measures targeting intelligence gathering, market exploitation, and technology security.

Rosie O’Donnell has predicted that ABC might cancel The View, a show she previously hosted, to appease President Trump.

O’Donnell issued her prediction in a TikTok video posted Thursday.

“You know what I just read today? ABC is ‘reviewing the liberal bias’ on ‘The View,’” said O’Donnell. “The show with five women speaking their own opinions. That’s the threat now. They say they’re not canceling it, they’re just ‘reviewing the bias,’ which is code for — we’re gonna cancel it, we’re just trying to soften you up first.”

“Because it’s not enough to run the country into the ground, you have to control what people SEE, what they HEAR, what they think,” O’Donnell added. “And ‘The View?’ Well, that’s a little too much woman, a little too much truth — a little too much Joy Behar saying, ‘I don’t think the insurrection was a tourist visit, Karen.’ Apparently, the truth is dangerous now. They say they want ‘balance,’ but what they mean is silence. Silence anything that doesn’t praise the orange messiah and his golden escalator of lies.”

As Breitbart News reported, Disney and ABC executives allegedly told the hosts this year to tone down the Trump-bashing:

While The View hosts have never shied away from bashing Trump and Republicans in general, executives within the company have reportedly grown weary with the show’s over-emphasis on politics, feeling that it has strayed from its original inception as a talk show for women. According to the Daily Beast, two sources confirmed that Disney CEO Bob Iger and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic recently held a meeting with The View hosts and executive producer Brian Teta asking them to shift the conversation away from politics.

“Karamehmedovic highlighted episodes with celebrity guests that he said were highly rated, one source said, and encouraged them to lean into such coverage moving forward,” noted the outlet.

While Iger and Karamehmedovic did not go far to demand a change, the suggestion still upset the hosts, with Ana Navarro reportedly telling them that their audience tunes into the show for political perspectives.

“This is what our audience wants. Isn’t it gonna look kind of bad if we’re all of a sudden not talking about politics?” Ana Navarro reportedly told the two executives.

O’Donnell said the cancelation would be less about correcting bias and more about obedience.

“This isn’t about bias, this is about obedience. This is about removing any program that doesn’t align with Trumpism — soft fascism in full lashes with commercial breaks,” O’Donnell said. “First they came for journalists, then educators, then the librarians, now it’s Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg. It would be funny if it weren’t so terrifying, because when the only voices left on TV are nodding along to conspiracy theories about wind turbines causing autism, we are not in a democracy anymore. We are in a dictatorship with good lighting.”

“What they’re really trying to do is shut us up. All of us. And we’ve seen what happens when women are silenced,” she added.

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube,Tubi, or Fawesome TV. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.

A 28-year-old man who brutally beat two elderly pro-life protesters will face no jail time after a judge claimed that the video evidence could be “interpreted in more than one way.” If that sounds familiar, it’s the same excuse the Cincinnati Police Chief used to deflect from the brutal beating of a woman in late July. 

SEE: Cincinnati’s DEI-Loving Police Chief Makes Jaw-Dropping Comments About Brutal Attack

Regardless, when you watch the video of this specific attack, there is no ambiguity. This was a vicious assault meant to cause serious bodily harm, and could arguably have risen to the level of attempted murder, though the prosecutors didn’t go down that road. 

In 2023, Richard Schaefer, 84, and Mark Crosby, 73, were standing outside the abortion mill when Patrick Brice charged and tackled one of the men to the ground, leaving him incapacitated. When the other man ran over to see what was happening, Brice punched him in the face, sending him to the ground, before punching him again. A kick to the head was the final act of violence before the attacker walked off. 

A warning that the following surveillance video, while it’s zoomed out, is still graphic and difficult to watch. 

In the end, Brice was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault, and prosecutors requested a decade in prison. Judge Yvette Bryant of the Baltimore Circuit refused, though, instead giving the attacker no jail time, claiming that she had no proof he intended to cause bodily harm. 

Completely justified outrage ensued after the news broke. There is simply no way to watch the video of the attack and come to the conclusion that Brice didn’t mean to harm anyone. 

America’s justice system is broken, and in this case, the result can’t be blamed on a left-wing prosecutor. A judge, who is supposed to be a neutral arbitrator, decided to give a violent assailant no jail time by arbitrarily deciding to ignore overwhelming video evidence. Brice is now back on the street, having suffered no real consequences. That simply incentivizes more attacks against pro-life and other right-leaning individuals. Judge Bryant should be ashamed of herself, but that would assume she can feel such emotions. 

I hope the victims sue Brice into oblivion, though he probably doesn’t have much money to offer. Either way, they need to ruin him and ensure his wages are garnished from now until his death. 

Editor’s Note: Radical leftist judges are doing everything they can to hamstring President Trump’s agenda to make America great again.

Help us hold these corrupt judges accountable for their unconstitutional rulings. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

When I showed up for Army Basic Training at Ft Dix, New Jersey, on a spring morning in the early ’80s, I had a couple of advantages over a lot of the other recruits, and I knew it. I was a big, tough kid from a rural background, had self-confidence to spare, and wasn’t afraid of anything. Then I encountered Army drill sergeants, and a tactic that we later learned was called the “shark attack.” In this tactic, a group of drill sergeants pick a recruit and swarm him, shouting at the top of their lungs, at nose-to-nose range, frequently bumping the bridge of your nose with the brim of their campaign hat. 

We knew it was coming. We expected it. But even for a big, tough, confident rural kid, it was a real eye-opener, and yeah, it made your pulse race a little faster. That was the point: To teach you how to deal with intimidation, with fear. It was a harsh practice, but it worked. Boy howdy, did it work.

Then, the Army dropped this practice. It seems that Basic Training was to be a kinder, gentler place, not a place that built warriors.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is now bringing that and other classic practices back – he’s going to let drill sergeants be drill sergeants again, and let them build warriors.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  may bring back the practice of several Army drill sergeants swarming and screaming at recruits during basic training in what is known as a “shark attack.”

The practice, used at the beginning of training to establish dominance, was largely ended five years ago. But Hegseth is now looking into having the Army bring it back, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson confirmed to reporters Thursday.

“I can confirm that he’s going to be looking at basic training and making sure that the standards are where they should be,” Wilson said. “We want our warfighters to be strong, and that starts in basic training, and we want to make sure we really, again, go back to basics. And ‘shark attacks’ are going to be something that he is looking at reinstating.”

Basic training should be stressful. Recruits should be made to feel fear and stress. None of what they experience in any basic training company will come anywhere near the fear and stress they will see if they are ever in combat, but it’s the best preparation we can give them. They need to learn to deal with fear, with intimidation, with nerve-shredding stress, and to pick up, ruck up, grab a weapon and get on with the mission, because that’s the job.

Secretary Hegseth went on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” to give more details:

Secretary Hegseth said in part:

Drill sergeants will be drill sergeants with knife hands who ensure, who maintain good order and discipline and train up great recruits who will make great formations,” he said. “Just like we need military officers with that same rigorous discipline and background. So, we’re going back to the basics, and it’s bearing fruit.

That’s good news, news that will appeal to America’s veterans, who remember our own experiences – and how they shaped us.

Read More: OPINION: Why Pete Hegseth Is a Great Choice for Secretary of Defense

US Army Set to Expand Basic Training to ‘Rebuild the Force,’ but Details Are Scant on How

This is what’s needed. This is what works. This is how you build a military force that can accomplish its primary mission: To close with and destroy the enemy by fire, maneuver, and shock effect. If swarming recruits and tossing their bunks builds a tougher force, then that’s what needs to be done. The military is like no other organization; it’s all about the mission, it’s about protecting the liberty and property of the American people. Anything that helps in that mission is good. Anything that hinders that mission is bad. There can be no exceptions.

In the late 5th/early 6th century BC, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus wrote of battle:

Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.

We need to build a force of fighters, and more, of warriors. This is a step in that direction.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America’s military.

Help us report on Trump and Hegesth’s successes as they make our military great again. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

A federal judge has ordered a halt on any new construction at migrant detention facility Alligator Alcatraz over environmental concerns, but the facility will be able to continue to operate as it currently exists.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams, appointed by former President Barack Obama, issued the ruling on Thursday, which makes clear that no new construction should be added to the facility for the next two weeks over concerns that any additions will harm the surrounding environment. It should be noted that the facility in the Florida Everglades is not necessarily new, as officials transformed the existing Miami-Dade Collier Training Facility — which has a convenient runway for easy deportations — into an area to house, process, and deport criminal illegal aliens.

The facility, which has about 158,000 square feet of housing — as well as air conditioning, a 24/7 medical facility and pharmacy, legal services, clergy, and more — has housed some of the worst of the worst migrants, including a Cuban migrant arrested for slitting the throat of an elderly woman in Key Largo, Florida.

According to NBC News, “Williams later clarified that this ruling halts activities including ‘at the very least, filling, paving, installation of additional infrastructure’ and also said no additional lighting fixtures should be added.”

More via Politico:

The decision came after Williams heard arguments from expert witnesses theorizing that newly created pavement in the area would have consequences on America’s largest wetlands. The airstrip housing the detention center is surrounded by the federally protected Big Cypress National Preserve, a fragile ecosystem home to endangered species like the Florida bonneted bat and the Florida panther

…

The hearing involves just one of several lawsuits that have been filed against “Alligator Alcatraz.” Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida argue that the state and federal government failed to follow federal environmental law when it quickly built a tented detention facility at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.

The judge reportedly added that “evidence is sufficient to support the plaintiffs’ claims.” However, Florida’s Emergency Management Division heading up the facility — under the leadership of Director Kevin Guthrie — has pushed back.

“Can I stand here and say not one feature of this site will change in any iota? How could I even say that?” Guthrie’s lawyer Jesse Panuccio stated.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week that at least 600 detainees have been deported from the facility. Florida is also looking to turn Camp Blanding in the north of the state into a second migrant detention facility as Alligator Alcatraz continues to grow.

President Donald Trump said Thursday he has instructed his administration to start work on a new census that excludes illegal migrants from the count.

In a social media post, Trump said those living in the U.S. without legal status should not be included.

“I have instructed our Department of Commerce to immediately begin work on a new and highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024. People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump said on Truth Social.

The United States typically conducts a census once every decade. The government last counted residents of the United States and its five territories in 2020, when households could respond online for the first time.

The count historically includes foreign-born residents of the United States, including lawful permanent residents, students, refugees and asylum seekers and people who entered the country without permission.

The consequence of the push by Trump to exclude illegal aliens – and just who can vote – has already been highlighted as it addresses the left’s strategy for decades to inflate their power in Congress.

“The U.S. Census Bureau collects data from all foreign born who participate in its censuses and surveys, regardless of legal status. Thus, unauthorized migrants are implicitly included in the Census Bureau estimates of the total foreign-born population,” its website says, per a report in USA Today.

Trump’s move would address past instances of demographic change driven by illegal migrants and their families.

RELATED: Democrats Would Rather DESTROY Medicaid for Americans than Get Illegals Off It

“Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born minor children will redistribute five seats in 2020, with Ohio, Michigan, Alabama, Minnesota, and West Virginia each losing one seat in 2020 that they otherwise would have had. California and Texas will each have two additional seats, and New York will have one additional seat,” according to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies.

As recently as 2020 there was an estimated 11 to 22 million illegal aliens living in the U.S. The Census that year estimated that at current legal and illegal immigration levels, by 2060, about one-in-six residents will have been born outside the country.

The next U.S. Census will be conducted in 2030.

Follow Simon Kent on Twitter: Follow @SunSimonKent or e-mail to: skent@breitbart.com

I’ve been paying attention to presidential politics since the Watergate era, and I’ve never seen anything quite like this. Donald Trump’s first term in office was great, but it was clouded by COVID, by Democrats still having their hands on some of the levers of power, by phony impeachments, and let’s be honest, by President Trump’s appointments of swamp creatures in key positions. 

Things couldn’t be more different now. The GOP is resurgent and, for once, organized. President Trump has put together a team of non-swamp creatures, and he’s racking up wins at a pace hitherto undreamt of. We are now 200 days into Trump 2, This Time It’s Personal, and the White House has just put out a press release documenting the 100-200 days wins, which include:

PROMISE MADE: “We’re going to have very large tax cuts for workers and … No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime.” (10/12/2024)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law, delivering the largest tax cut in history for working- and middle-class Americans — including No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security — along with unprecedented tax relief for small businesses, farmers, workers, and families.

 PROMISE MADE: “We will close the border. We will stop the invasion of illegals into our country.” (10/12/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The U.S. reached a new monthly immigration low for illegal crossings at the southern border — including multiple months in a row with ZERO illegal immigrants released into the country’s interior. Border wall construction has resumed, with new border barrier projects underway in El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley.

 PROMISE MADE: “We get all these bad deals. We changed a lot of them… but still plenty of them out there — a lot of unfair deals. If China or any other country makes us pay a tariff… we will make them pay a reciprocal tariff.” (3/9/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump reached eight historic trade deals with major U.S. trading partners covering more than half of global GDP and tariff revenues have totaled $150+ billion — keeping his promise to liberate the country from decades of failed, anti-American trade policy.

 PROMISE MADE: “A vote for President Donald J. Trump is a vote for prosperity.” (9/13/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump’s America First economic policy has created a windfall in the stock market, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching new record highs several times over the course of the second hundred days — while inflation has moderated, business is booming, the economy is growing, and egg prices fell 67% from their peak.

 PROMISE MADE: “I’ll insist that every NATO nation must spend at least 3%.” (8/26/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump secured an agreement from NATO member nations to raise their defense spending to 5% of their GDP — a remarkable foreign policy feat long thought impossible.

 PROMISE MADE: “To reduce costs for both manufacturers and consumers, I will remove ten old regulations for every new regulation.” (10/10/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The Washington Examiner: “Trump killing federal regulations at 10-1 rate, tops first term’s 4-1 cut”

PROMISE MADE: “I will defend religious liberty.” (1/19/25)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The Trump Administration directed all federal agencies to protect religious expression in the workplace.

PROMISE MADE: “We are not going to allow child sexual mutilation.” (11/18/23)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: Stanford Medicine ended sex-change surgeries for minors, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles closed its “Center for Transyouth Health and Development and Gender-Affirming Care,” UChicago suspended so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors, Rush Medical Center halted so-called “gender-affirming care” for new patients under 18, the University of Pennsylvania Health System all stopped so-called “gender-affirming care” for patients under 19, Kaiser Permanente paused sex-change surgeries for patients under 19 across all its hospitals and surgical centers, and Yale New Haven Health and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center announced they are ending their so-called “gender-affirming care services.”

PROMISE MADE: “We will keep men out of women’s sports.” (5/26/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee banned men from competing in women’s sports.

 PROMISE MADE: “We will make America safe again.” (11/4/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: After deporting tens of thousands of criminal illegal immigrants,  the U.S. is on track to see the lowest murder rate on record.

 PROMISE MADE: “We will stop the Biden-Harris war on American energy … American energy is such a big deal. We will drill, baby, drill.” (8/3/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The Trump administration announced it is opening 13 million acres in Alaska to mining and drilling and terminated Biden-era preferential treatment for unreliable, foreign-controlled wind energy.

 PROMISE MADE: “We’re going to go back to a merit system.” (8/29/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The Trump Administration rolled out new merit-based federal hiring plans.

 PROMISE MADE: “We’re going to get your gas prices down.” (1/16/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: Breitbart: “Promises Made, Promises Kept: Memorial Day Set For Lowest Gas Prices in Over 20 Years”

PROMISE MADE: “We will build a great Iron Dome over our country… a state-of-the-art missile defense shield that will be entirely built in America and create jobs, jobs, jobs.” (6/15/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump announced a draft architecture and implementation plan for a Golden Dome missile defense system to protect our homeland from 21st Century threats — and secured funding for it in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

PROMISE MADE: “325,000 children are missing or dead. They came through the border… 325,000 children went through her stupid open border, and now they’re either missing, dead, or slaves. If you want to end this disaster, you must get out and vote.” (11/1/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: After the Biden Administration lost track of 325,000 migrant children, the Trump Administration has already located more than 13,000 of them — fulfilling President Trump’s promise to do everything possible to save child victims of human trafficking.

PROMISE MADE: “We’re going to be way ahead on AI.” (12/12/24)

• ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The White House unveiled America’s AI Action Plan in order to secure U.S. AI dominance and usher in a new golden age of human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security for the American people.

PROMISE MADE: “I will also stop Joe Biden’s crusade to crush crypto. We’re going to stop it. I will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of Bitcoin will be made in the USA.” (5/26/24)

✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins and helping to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in cryptocurrency, and unveiled a framework for achieving U.S. digital asset dominance — keeping President Trump’s promise to ensure the future of crypto is American.

The administration is taking steps to ensure the integrity and value of our elections. A new census will only count American citizens and legal residents, eliminating the Democrats’ favorite tactic of importing hordes of illegal aliens to pad census counts for Congressional apportionments. The Trump Administration Justice Department is looking into state voter rolls to make sure that states are following all relevant federal statutes. President Trump and his team are negotiating some of the best trade deals the United States has ever seen, and between that, the easing of regulation, and the tariffs, manufacturing is flooding back into the United States. 

Read More: Trump Orders a New Census Prepared, and Democrats Are Already Flipping Out

Blue-State University Finds Out Trump’s Not Playing; Tolerance of Antisemitism Will Cost Them Dearly

I’ve only seen the country turn around this quickly once before, and I have to say, not even The Gipper got quite this much done, this fast.

A year ago, the United States had a president who was asleep at the switch, while unnamed, unknown staffers were feeding orders into the autopen. A year ago, we had a vice president who was a cackling incompetent with the political instincts of a traffic cone. A year ago, we had an administration devoted to the surgical mutilation of children, boys in girls’ sports teams and in their locker rooms; to higher taxes, ever-more regulatory burden, expensive, unreliable green energy schemes, and a military that was being used as a jobs program for the neurotic. We’ll want to keep this momentum up, and the midterms are coming – go vote! 

What a difference a year makes. What a difference a president makes. What a difference one man can make. And we’re 200 days in – I have a feeling we ain’t seen nothing yet.

Editor’s Note: The Democrat Party has never been less popular as voters reject its globalist agenda.

Help us continue exposing Democrats’ plans to lead America down a dangerous path. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

First Lady Melania Trump scored another scalp after Democrat veteran strategist James Carville was forced to take down a podcast in which he alleges she’s connected to Jeffrey Epstein and to issue an apology to her.

In a post on X on Thursday, Trump shared a screenshot of an apology from Carville for comments he made on his “Politics War Room” podcast with Al Hunt in a video titled, “The Epstein Connection: Trump and Melania.”

READ MORE: Melania Appears to Send a Message to Haters Amid WSJ Trump-Epstein Drama

READ: Spoiler Alert: The Wall Street Journal’s Damning Trump-Epstein Scoop Is… a Birthday Letter

“In last week’s podcast, we spoke with Judd Legum,” a message on the shared screenshot read. “After the episode, we received a letter from Melania Trump’s lawyer. He took issue with our title of one of those YouTube videos from that episode and a couple of comments I made about the First Lady.”

“We took a look at what they complained about, and we took down the video and edited out those comments from the episode,” the message added. “I also take back these statements and apologize.”

Unfortunately, with the clip and comments removed, we can’t report exactly what Carville said. However, some people shared comments on X about what was reportedly said.

“Carville told the audience of his podcast that Donald and Melania met via Jeffrey Epstein, which is a total LIE,” one person wrote.

Another person shared a clip of Carville’s comments from one of the shows:

“To me, a key figure in this is Melania. I think that is at the bottom of what they don’t want to get out, cause it was all modeling agencies.”

Melania included a second post on X about the Daily Beast recently retracting their article alleging some kind of link between the First Lady and Epstein.

“Daily Beast Apologies and Retracts Article Alleging a Melania Trump-Jeffrey Epstein Link,” the post read.

MORE: New: Trump Blasts WSJ Epstein ‘Scoop,’ Lawsuit Incoming

Russia Collusion Fail, Round Two: WSJ Blows It

It comes after Melania recently appeared to hit back against haters following the Wall Street Journal’s alleged scoop about President Donald Trump and his relationship with Epstein, RedState reported.

In a post on X by the official account for Melania, the First Lady appeared to do several things. Number 1. Throw her support behind her husband, whom she writes about in loving terms. 2. Push back against those on the left who think Epstein was the person who introduced President Trump and Melania. And 3. Make it crystal clear that she has no time for their hate as a #1 New York Times Bestseller.

“#1 New York Times Bestseller, “Melania” || How I Met Donald Trump,” Melania’s post read, referencing a chapter in her bestselling memoir titled “Melania” that was released in 2024. The post also includes a link to her website.

It went on:

The post included a screenshot of two pages in Chapter 5, starting with her retelling the story about the night she met Trump on a Friday night in September 1998, pointing out she didn’t even want to go out that evening when a friend invited her to join her, but decided it was silly to stay home.

The timing of the post wasn’t missed by many, considering it came within 24 hours of the “exclusive” WSJ report involving Trump and Epstein.

As my colleague Joe Cunningham reported, the “scoop” involved a “bawdy” birthday card allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein back in 2003 for his 50th birthday. Trump has labeled that story as fake news.

Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.

Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.

On the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, under the leadership of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing federal voting laws and protecting ballot access for all Americans.

In a video posted Wednesday on X, Dhillon stated the DOJ is “not just marking history” but actively “enforcing the law.” The post highlighted several current initiatives, including:

• Investigating violations of federal voting laws.
• Ensuring all 50 states maintain accurate voter rolls.
• Challenging efforts to suppress or dilute the vote.
• Suing jurisdictions where ineligible voters remain on the rolls.
• Reviewing redistricting plans for evidence of racial gerrymandering.

“Our constitutional duty is to protect the right to vote for all Americans,” Dhillon said. “Today, under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, this Civil Rights Division is continuing to protect equal and transparent ballot access with vigilance and resolve.”

Dhillon noted that the Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed into law on August 6, removed barriers to voting, outlawed poll taxes and literacy tests, and “gave the federal government the tools to stop discriminatory barriers at the ballot box.”

Specific actions mentioned in the video include suing jurisdictions such as North Carolina for failing to properly verify voter eligibility before registration and notifying Texas of grave concerns about congressional districts allegedly drawn with racial motivations.

“Our job is to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat,” Dhillon stated. “On this anniversary, we honor the Voting Rights Act not just by remembering it, but by enforcing it for all Americans.”

The announcement comes amid ongoing national disputes over redistricting and election law enforcement. In recent weeks, Democrats and Republicans have clashed over proposed district maps in several states. In Texas, Democrats fled the state to block a GOP-backed map that could shift up to five congressional seats toward Republicans, prompting Republican officials to issue arrest warrants for the absent lawmakers.

Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) recently described Texas’s proposed redistricting as a “legal insurrection,” signaling potential similar moves in her own state. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) celebrated the Texas Democrats’ walkout, commending their “courage, conviction, and character.”

Defending Democrat-led redistricting in states like Illinois, Oregon, and New Mexico, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) argued on NPR’s Morning Edition that such efforts differ from Republican actions in Texas, stating that “there [are] criteria that goes into how the lines are to be drawn. You can’t do it in a discriminatory fashion.” He added that “folks are watching for” whether Republicans will uphold longstanding voting rights protections.

Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is proposing to scrap his state’s nominally independent redistricting process in favor of a partisan gerrymander, following the example set by Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-IL). Newsom has criticized Texas’s redistricting push — which the DOJ claims is needed to correct unconstitutional district lines — while simultaneously proposing to redraw California’s maps to eliminate the few remaining Republican-held seats.