U.S. Army RAISES Enlistment Age to 42, DROPS Marijuana Restrictions

Group of soldiers in military uniforms standing in formation during a ceremony, showcasing teamwork and discipline in a gymnasium setting.

Group of soldiers in military uniforms standing in formation during a ceremony, showcasing teamwork and discipline in a gymnasium setting.
Credit: Lt. Col. Bradford Leighton

The U.S. Army has officially raised its maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42 and scrapped key restrictions tied to marijuana-related offenses.

According to newly updated Army regulations, Americans in their late 30s and early 40s can now enlist across active duty, the National Guard, and reserves.

At the same time, recruits with a single marijuana or drug paraphernalia conviction will no longer need a waiver to join, eliminating a major barrier that previously required a lengthy approval process.

The changes will take effect on April 20, 2026.

Army Times reported:

The announcement comes as the Army continues efforts to widen its recruiting pool after falling short of its Regular Army enlistment goals in 2022 and 2023 before rebounding in 2024.

The upper limit of the Army’s previous allowable enlistment age was 35, but waivers were sometimes granted for older enlistees.

The Air Force and Navy allow recruits over 40, while the Marine Corps caps enlistment at 28 but allows hopefuls who are 29 or over to request waivers.

The average age of Army recruits is currently higher than previous years, with new recruits entering the service with an average enlistment age of 22.7, according to Army data.

[…]

The change comes as more states legalize cannabis, even though its use remains prohibited for service members.

Applicants with more serious drug-related offenses will still need waivers.

This isn’t the first time the Army has pushed enlistment age limits this high.

During major operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army previously increased the age limit to 42 to meet high personnel demands. It was lowered back to 35 in 2016.

The post U.S. Army RAISES Enlistment Age to 42, DROPS Marijuana Restrictions appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Missouri Highway Shut Down After Semi-Truck Collides with Vehicle, Catches Fire – Indian Driver Can’t Speak English (VIDEO)

Truck fire on highway with flames and smoke, emergency responders assessing the scene.

Truck fire on highway with flames and smoke, emergency responders assessing the scene.

Highway 44 westbound in Laclede County, Missouri, was shut down on March 17 after a semi-truck collided with a vehicle and caught fire.

“The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop I reported that a westbound I-44 was shut down at the 116-mile marker for a tractor-trailer fire,” KRCG reported last week.

A witness caught the aftermath of the accident after emergency responders arrived to the scene.

The semi-truck was completely engulfed in flames as the driver looked on in disbelief.

“Holy crap! What happened? Could you not see because of the sun?” a witness who goes by the TikTok username Sweetpeach 432.

The Indian driver could not communicate with the witness. It is unclear where the driver obtained his CDL.

“I couldn’t see either! It might blow up. Do you think we should get further back?” the witness said to the Punjab driver. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I don’t understand how you did it! You hit somebody else! I didn’t realize that!” she said.

The witness also walked over to a driver who was allegedly involved in the accident with the semi-truck.

Video

@sweetpeach432 I witnessed a very scary moment this morning on the way home. Thankfully everyone is okay. #fyp #interstate44 #semitruck #fire #carwreck ♬ original sound – Pjohnson432

Per the Lebanon Fire Department:

Yesterday at 1:53 PM, City of Lebanon Fire Department crews responded mutual aid to a semi-tractor fire at the westbound 115 mile marker, assisting Conway VFD.

Ladder 3 arrived on scene and assisted with fire suppression efforts. The semi, which was carrying a food product, was well involved in fire upon arrival. Flying embers from the incident ignited a small grass fire nearby, which was quickly extinguished by additional Conway VFD units.

Conway VFD was also assisted by Lebanon Rural Fire Protection District. Additional agencies on scene included Missouri State Highway Patrol, Laclede County Sheriff’s Office, MoDOT, and Mercy EMS.

“We appreciate the strong interagency cooperation that helps keep our community safe.”

The post Missouri Highway Shut Down After Semi-Truck Collides with Vehicle, Catches Fire – Indian Driver Can’t Speak English (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Social Media Lies About ICE Spike Amid Airport Arrests

Police officers arresting an individual in a busy airport terminal, with other travelers in the background.

Police officers arresting an individual in a busy airport terminal, with other travelers in the background.
Photo courtesy of Houston Public Media.

With various ICE watch organizations around the country following ICE agents, often intervening in or impeding arrests, many videos have been appearing on social media claiming various abuses by ICE.

In most cases, critical information is omitted, such as existing orders of deportation, warrants, or sometimes even the fact that the person is not a citizen is omitted in the videos. However, the person posting the video claims ICE had no warrant and made the arrests for no reason, which, after some research, generally turns out to be false.

Many of the videos show ICE agents wrestling with or chasing illegal aliens as evidence of how cruel or violent ICE is. However, if the illegal aliens complied, there would be no need to wrestle, and the only reason ICE chases someone is that they are trying to escape. The same is true in cases where the windows of cars are smashed. For a window to be smashed, it has to be closed, which means that at the point when the window is smashed, the person of interest has refused to open the window and cannot have provided proper ID.

In some of these cases, it turns out later that the detainee was a citizen, and the posts claim ICE is harassing or attacking citizens, when in reality, if the person had just shown ID, they would have been free to drive away minutes later with no incident.

Several videos show a person shouting, “I have papers” or “I’m a citizen,” while officers struggle to put them in handcuffs. The comments on these videos suggest that viewers believe everything written in the post, such as, “Look at what ICE did to an immigrant with legal papers,” or “If they can do this to a citizen, they can do this to anyone.”

But a verbal claim of “I have papers” or “I am a citizen” is not proof of status. Once an arrest begins, according to protocol and for officer safety, officers must complete the arrest by placing the individual in handcuffs before checking ID.

Furthermore, when a person matches the description of someone with an outstanding warrant, biometric verification may be required to confirm their identity. As a result, the detainee may be taken to an office for an identity check. Citizens or legally documented individuals with no outstanding warrants will be released.

Assuming the person is found to be undocumented, they will not simply be released. If they are not already in immigration court proceedings, ICE will issue a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge, and the detainee may apply for release on bond while the case is processed.

But none of these facts, the warrants, the orders of deportation, or the reasonable suspicion, would necessarily be apparent to anyone filming the video or commenting on it. Furthermore, there are often ICE watchers in these videos demanding that officers show their ID, give their names, produce a warrant, or explain why the individual is being arrested. Officers, however, are not required to show anything or provide any information to bystanders. That information is provided to the arrestee and their attorney.

The officers’ refusal to engage with bystanders is then taken as proof that they had no warrant or no cause for the arrest, and the comments almost always reflect this assumption. It is frightening how often the comments call for killing ICE officers, hunting them down, or holding them accountable. But accountable for what? Enforcing the law is legal, and due process, a term often invoked by critics, is not violated by refusing to provide information to bystanders.

Ever since President Trump deployed ICE agents to airports, the volume of these angry, out-of-context videos has increased dramatically. Airports are large, crowded public spaces, and everyone has a phone.

A video going viral now claims to show a woman being violently assaulted by President Trump’s “Nazi” ICE agents at San Francisco Airport. The video and those commenting on it focus on the fact that the woman and her daughter are crying. As always, they ignore the fact that she is resisting arrest.

However, there is much more to the story.

The woman is Angelina Lopez Jimenez, and her daughter is Wendy. They are illegal aliens from Guatemala. Jimenez had a final order of removal dating back to 2019.

She was being escorted by immigration officials to the international terminal at the airport to board a deportation flight when she tried to escape.

The officers had to chase her, take her down, and she then became combative. What was caught on video was officers wrestling with the woman.

Both she and her daughter were shouting and crying, and liberals are blaming ICE rather than blaming the mother, who put her daughter in this situation by violating U.S. immigration law. Bystanders can be heard shouting threats and obscenities at the officers. Comments on the video claim she was arrested for no reason, and everyone on the thread seems to believe this without looking into the actual case.

Liberals love shouting “due process, due process.” Well, Jimenez got due process, and that process ended in deportation.

The post Social Media Lies About ICE Spike Amid Airport Arrests appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

This Is What Happens When Testosterone Drops – And Most Men Ignore It

A man reflects on his struggles in three scenes, showcasing moments of vulnerability, contemplation, and emotional turmoil.

(Note: Thank you for supporting businesses like those presenting a sponsored message below and ordering through the links below, which benefits Gateway Pundit. We appreciate your support!)

A man reflects on his struggles in three scenes, showcasing moments of vulnerability, contemplation, and emotional turmoil.

Most men assume it’s just age.

Low energy.
No motivation.
Weight creeping up.
Drive disappearing.

But what many don’t realize is that these symptoms are often linked to declining testosterone — something that naturally drops as men get older.

And it’s happening earlier than most think.

Some men start noticing changes as early as their late 30s or 40s — including fatigue, brain fog, low libido, and mood swings.

That’s where hormone optimization comes in.

Instead of guessing, new telehealth platforms are helping men test, diagnose, and treat hormone imbalances without ever stepping into a clinic.

Programs like Male Excel focus on restoring testosterone and thyroid levels — with treatment plans customized to each individual and managed by licensed providers.

For many, the reported changes include:

  • More consistent energy

  • Better focus and mental clarity

  • Improved physical performance

  • Increased confidence and drive

Some even say they feel like a completely different version of themselves within months.

If you’re feeling off, this is where most men start →

The post This Is What Happens When Testosterone Drops – And Most Men Ignore It appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Markwayne Mullin Sworn In as New DHS Head

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was sworn in Tuesday as secretary of Homeland Security. Mullin. The former mixed martial arts champion and plumbing business owner succeeds Kristi Noem, who left the department to lead Trump’s newly announced Shield of the Americas security initiative after a series of scandals.

Mullin takes over DHS amid agency turmoil and a partial shutdown that has left many of its employees working without pay. In brief remarks, he vowed to protect all Americans “the same” regardless of politics and said “failure’s not an option.”

His nomination advanced only with Democratic support after opposition from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). The Democratic Senators John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico joined with the rest of the chamber’s Republicans to approve Mullin’s elevation to DHS head.

At Mullin’s swearing-in ceremony, President Donald Trump praised the new DHS secretary as a “man who’s going to do a phenomenal job for a country.”

The post Markwayne Mullin Sworn In as New DHS Head appeared first on The American Conservative.

President Trump Shares a Message About Democrats’ Forgiveness of Crime and Tina Peters

Police officer apprehending a woman in a red jacket during an arrest in a public area with trees and parked cars in the background.

Police officer apprehending a woman in a red jacket during an arrest in a public area with trees and parked cars in the background.

There is a big difference between how Democrats address real crimes in America and how they relentlessly attacked Tina Peters.  President Trump shared the following about Democrat Crime and Tina … Read more

The post President Trump Shares a Message About Democrats’ Forgiveness of Crime and Tina Peters appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Transgender Illegal Alien Who Raped 14-Year-Old Boy in NYC Bodega Bathroom Gets Sweetheart Plea Deal, May Walk Free on April 27 Unless ICE Deports

Close-up image of a woman with long black hair and distinctive features, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

Close-up image of a woman with long black hair and distinctive features, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

In a case that highlights the danger and absurdity of sanctuary city and soft-on-crime policies in New York City, a 31-year-old transgender illegal alien from Colombia pleaded guilty Tuesday to raping a 14-year-old boy in a Manhattan bodega bathroom but will serve no additional jail time.

Nicol Alexandra Contreras-Suarez, a biological male who dresses up as a woman, has pleaded guilty to second-degree rape in Manhattan Supreme Court for the sexual assault of the boy inside the restroom of a bodega across the street from Thomas Jefferson Park in East Harlem last year.

According to the New York Post, Contreras-Suarez followed the 14-year-old victim into the bodega bathroom and raped him.

The boy was able to leave the bathroom afterward and flag down bystanders, who alerted police.

Contreras-Suarez was arrested the next day.

However, under the plea deal struck by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Contreras-Suarez was promised a sentence of just six months in jail, time he has already served while awaiting trial.

The illegal alien rapist is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27, at which point he could be released unless federal immigration authorities take him into custody for deportation.

A spokesperson for the Manhattan DA’s Office confirmed the resolution was reached “in close consultation with the victim’s family” to spare the teenager from having to testify before a grand jury or at a full trial, according to the Post report.

The office added in a statement, “We expect the defendant to remain detained and be deported following sentencing, due to the felony conviction.”

ICE has a detainer in place for Contreras-Suarez and did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment on the plea outcome.

Contreras-Suarez illegally entered the United States in March 2023 and was released into the country by Customs and Border Protection, according to a Department of Homeland Security press release.

He later racked up warrants in Massachusetts for armed robbery, prostitution, and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Due to sanctuary policies in Massachusetts, the sexual predator was released and went on to commit the New York rape.

“This creep should’ve never been released into our country,” said then-DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a press release last summer. “Thanks to the failed sanctuary policies and Biden’s open-border agenda, this serial criminal was freed to prey on innocent American children – but that ends now. ICE will not allow predators like Contreras-Suarez to terrorize American citizens.”

ICE lodged a formal immigration detainer with Manhattan Central Booking in February 2025, shortly after the bodega rape.

Contreras-Suarez has been held at Rikers Island pending the outcome of the case.

The Gateway Pundit will continue to provide updates on this case, including what happens at the April 27 sentencing and any action by ICE.

The post Transgender Illegal Alien Who Raped 14-Year-Old Boy in NYC Bodega Bathroom Gets Sweetheart Plea Deal, May Walk Free on April 27 Unless ICE Deports appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

UNHINGED: Former Minnesota Governor and WWE Fighter Jesse Ventura Goes Full Conspiracy Theorist — Implies President Trump’s Assassination Attempt Was ‘FAKE’

Piers Morgan interviews a guest with a beard, discussing current events against a city skyline backdrop.

Piers Morgan and a guest discuss current events against a city skyline backdrop in a televised interview.

Former Minnesota Governor and ex-professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is now openly suggesting that President Donald Trump somehow faked the assassination attempt that nearly took his life in Butler, Pennsylvania just so he could look like a hero.

In a disgusting display of disrespect toward the victims of the Butler, Pennsylvania tragedy, Ventura appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored to suggest that the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump was nothing more than a scripted wrestling “blade job.”

In pro wrestling, a blade job (also known as “blading,” “juicing,” or “getting color”) is the intentional act of a wrestler cutting themselves, usually on the forehead, to provoke bleeding during a match.

During the heated exchange, Morgan rightfully pushed back, noting that Trump stood up and shouted “Fight!” after being struck. Ventura’s response was pure, unadulterated derangement.

Piers Morgan:
When he got shot, Jesse—to be fair to Trump—when he got shot, he got back up and said, “Fight, fight, fight.”

Jesse Ventura:
Oh yeah, right, right, right. You ever hear of a blade job? Anyway—

Piers Morgan:
A blade job? What, you think he was fake?

Jesse Ventura:
Anyway, I don’t know. Where’s his scar today?

Piers Morgan:
Somebody died literally sitting behind him.

Jesse Ventura:
I don’t know. You know—come on, Piers. You’re going to tell me this guy’s a big hero now? I thought that day he was. That’s what you’re going to tell me?

Piers Morgan:
That day he was.

Jesse Ventura:
Really?

Piers Morgan:
Yeah.

Jesse Ventura:
Really?

Piers Morgan:
Yeah, he was.

Jesse Ventura:
Yeah, well, then he accomplished what he wanted out of you guys.

Piers Morgan:
No, I think you can be heroic on one day, and you can be less heroic on others. But if you ask me—was he heroic? Sure. When he got shot? Yeah. And I think those who try to pretend he wasn’t actually shot or anything—it’s ridiculous.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, computer models and forensic evidence have proven just how close the assassin’s bullet came to ending the life of President Trump.

WATCH:

More from Daily Mail:

In the same interview, Ventura bemoaned Trump’s spot in the WWE Hall of Fame – claiming that the President ‘never earned it’ and accused him of helping to cover up a sexual harassment and assault allegation against former company boss Vince McMahon.

‘When I was referring to putting a wrestler in the White House, I was talking about me, not him,’ he said. ‘I was the former governor of Minnesota. I’m the only real former wrestler.

‘I don’t include him. He’s only in the Hall of Fame because he stopped an investigation against Vince McMahon, sexual stuff.’

Ventura is referring to a complaint filed against McMahon by former WWE employee Janel Grant accusing him of sexual assault and sex trafficking. This led to McMahon leaving his role with the company.

The post UNHINGED: Former Minnesota Governor and WWE Fighter Jesse Ventura Goes Full Conspiracy Theorist — Implies President Trump’s Assassination Attempt Was ‘FAKE’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

California Court SMACKS DOWN Corrupt AG Rob Bonta’s Attempt to Block Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Massive 650,000 Ballot Investigation

Portraits of two professionals, one in a suit smiling confidently and the other in a sheriff's uniform with a friendly expression, representing leadership and authority.

Portraits of two professionals, one in a suit smiling confidently and the other in a sheriff's uniform with a friendly expression, representing leadership and authority.
Democrat Rob Bonta (L); Republican Chad Bianco (R)

A state appellate court has flat-out rejected Democrat Attorney General Rob Bonta’s emergency writ to halt Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s bombshell investigation into 45,000 extra votes mysteriously counted in the November 2025 special election.

This is the latest chapter in Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s fearless fight against the Sacramento swamp.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican currently in a tight 2026 gubernatorial race with fellow Republican Steve Hilton, moved to seize approximately 650,000 ballots and initiate a recount after a citizens’ group reported significant discrepancies, according to CalMatters.

Sheriff Chad Bianco revealed that a team of 10 investigators had already begun counting ballots before being ordered to halt their work, as part of an ongoing election investigation, The Sun reported.

According to Bianco, the team’s initial progress suggested that counting the approximately 611,000 ballots would take about five days to complete. However, the effort was paused before a full review could be conducted.

The investigation was launched following a complaint filed by a citizen-led election watchdog group. The Riverside Election Integrity Team alleges a discrepancy of roughly 45,000 votes between the number of ballots received and those officially counted in Riverside County during the November election tied to Proposition 50.

AG Bonta’s office had demanded the sheriff’s department pause everything, claiming “grave concerns” and whining that Bianco hadn’t identified a specific crime.

Bonta tried to claim that Bianco, a veteran law enforcement officer, had no “legal authority” to act as an election monitor. He called the investigation a “fishing expedition” and a “threat to democracy.”

In a fiery statement posted to X, Sheriff Bianco didn’t mince words about Bonta’s attempts to obstruct justice:

Sheriff Chad Bianco:
“Hello, California. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco—and your next governor. Well, well, well, the political corruption in California just gets bigger and bigger. Our embarrassment to law enforcement, Attorney General Rob Bonta, has just filed an emergency writ with the Court of Appeals to stop ballots from being counted in Riverside County.

For those not aware, we are conducting an investigation into an alleged and potential 45,000 extra votes counted than the number of ballots cast in the November 2025 special election.

So we are all clear—this isn’t about counting yes and no votes. This is simply counting the total ballots and comparing that total with the number of votes reported by the Dominion machines. Plain and simple, common sense.

Not only did a superior court judge approve a warrant to obtain the ballots, but also issued a separate order to count them. Why in the world would Rob Bonta want that count stopped unless he was afraid of what that count would uncover?

We have an extremely politically biased appeals court, so this is going to be interesting. What’s it going to be—let law enforcement count the ballots as part of a lawful investigation, or halt the investigation and sweep it under the rug? All California voters should be demanding transparency, not legal maneuvers and cover-ups. Stay tuned.”

WATCH:

The 4th District Court of Appeal saw right through the political theater. In a short, sharp ruling, the three-judge panel struck down Bonta’s request, effectively telling the AG that if he has a problem, he needs to take it up with the local Riverside court that authorized the warrants in the first place.

The Sun reported:

According to online court records, a three-judge panel in the Fourth Appellate District rejected Bonta’s petition to suspend the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s probe of whether a gap exists between ballots received by the county and ballots counted in November’s Proposition 50 special election.

No reason was given for the ruling, a copy of which wasn’t immediately available Tuesday evening.

In an emailed statement, Bonta’s office said: “The facts have not changed. The Riverside County Sheriff continues to directly defy the Attorney General’s instructions, in violation of the California Constitution and state law.”

It added: “The Court of Appeal’s decision was based solely on where we filed the case and is not a ruling on the underlying merits of the petition. We are evaluating next steps to ensure a swift and appropriate resolution to this matter.”

During a Los Angeles County campaign event Tuesday evening, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco addressed the court’s ruling and said his investigators’ counting should resume Wednesday, March 25.

He called Bonta “a failed attorney general” and said “today, the court of appeals threw out his writ with zero merit.”

WATCH:

The post California Court SMACKS DOWN Corrupt AG Rob Bonta’s Attempt to Block Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Massive 650,000 Ballot Investigation appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.