Month: March 2026

The Country Music Hall of Fame just honored bluegrass pioneers who shaped authentic American roots music alongside modern stars, reminding us that true country music celebrates traditional values and multi-generational family legacies instead of chasing corporate pop trends.

Hall of Fame Honors Traditional Roots Alongside Modern Success

The Country Music Hall of Fame revealed its 2026 inductee class during a March 20 press conference in Nashville, selecting Tim McGraw for the Modern Era category, songwriter Paul Overstreet for the Non-Performer category, and The Stanley Brothers for the Veterans Era. Hall member Marty Stuart hosted the announcement in the rotunda, introducing each honoree one by one. McGraw delivered tearful remarks thanking his family and wife Faith Hill, while Overstreet expressed emotional gratitude for recognition of his songwriting legacy. Stanley family members Ralph Stanley II, Lisa Stanley Marshall, and Jeanie Stanley accepted on behalf of the pioneering bluegrass duo.

Stanley Brothers Finally Receive Deserved Recognition

Ralph and Carter Stanley formed the Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946 in Virginia, creating a distinctive minor-key Primitive Baptist sound that influenced Bill Monroe’s bluegrass while establishing their own legacy. The brothers signed with Columbia Records, prompting Monroe’s label switch, and Monroe himself praised Carter as the finest natural lead singer in country music. After Carter’s death in 1966, Ralph continued performing for over five decades, mentoring future stars Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley, earning Grammy Awards, and gaining renewed fame through the 2000 film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” This recognition represents a long-overdue acknowledgment of traditional mountain music that shaped American cultural identity.

Bluegrass Pioneers’ Global Impact Beyond Genre Boundaries

Family representatives emphasized the Stanley Brothers’ worldwide influence extending far beyond bluegrass circles. Jeanie Stanley noted that Bill Monroe called Carter the finest lead singer and highlighted how their music influenced artists like Bob Dylan and Elton John. Ralph Stanley II remarked that he quickly learned the profound impact his father and uncle had across multiple generations and musical genres. The Stanleys’ devotion to authentic mountain music and traditional values resonated globally, proving that staying true to roots matters more than chasing commercial trends. Their induction validates family legacy preservation and the importance of honoring those who remained faithful to traditional American musical heritage.

Songwriter Overstreet and Superstar McGraw Complete Diverse Class

Paul Overstreet earned induction for penning iconic hits including “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “Deeper Than the Holler,” and “When You Say Nothing at All,” songs celebrating lasting love and traditional values. Tim McGraw, with over twenty number-one hits since his 1990s debut and acting roles in “Friday Night Lights” and “1883,” represents modern country’s commercial success while maintaining connections to traditional themes. McGraw’s emotional speech thanked the women in his life, particularly his wife, emphasizing family values that resonate with traditional audiences. The Hall’s rotating categories ensure balanced representation across eras, though some fans questioned whether alternatives like Dwight Yoakam deserved consideration ahead of McGraw.

Hall’s Evolution Embraces Traditional Music Foundations

This announcement follows the 2025 class honoring Tony Brown, June Carter Cash, and Kenny Chesney, demonstrating the Hall’s commitment to diverse country music legacies. The Veterans Era category requires pre-1980 prominence, the Modern Era demands twenty-plus years of national recognition, and the Non-Performer category honors songwriters and musicians who shaped the industry behind the scenes. The Stanley Brothers’ selection reinforces growing recognition of bluegrass foundations within mainstream country institutions, validating decades of advocacy from family members and fans who understood their cultural significance. This approach honors authentic American musical traditions while acknowledging contemporary success, creating a complete picture of country music’s evolution from mountain roots to modern stages.

Sources:

Ralph Stanley / The Stanley Brothers Named New Hall of Fame Inductees – Saving Country Music

Finally! The Stanley Brothers in the Country Music Hall of Fame – Bluegrass Today

Country Music Hall of Fame Names 2026 Class Of Honorees – Country Rebel

Tim McGraw Leads New Country Music Hall of Fame Class – American Songwriter

“If you get away with this, Morgan, it’ll betray every guy that died in any war we ever had,” said John T. Booker, a former Vietnam War special forces operative. Even from his first big starring role in Good Guys Wear Black (1978), Chuck Norris was concerned about the US military and our veterans.

Bruce Lee was crucial to the development of martial arts in the United States because he made the first martial arts movies that were specifically targeted at an international audience. This is why he chose Chuck Norris to appear as his opponent in Way of the Dragon. Bruce was a U.S. citizen, but Chuck Norris was the first homegrown American martial arts star.

Although he made Breaker! Breaker! after Way of the Dragon, his breakout role was in Good Guys Wear Black. The film contains many of the themes that would run through the rest of his career. First and foremost, the film was distinctly American, and Booker was a maverick. Even the title broke a long-standing convention. For decades, in the old Westerns, the good guys wore white hats and the bad guys wore black hats.

Rather than wearing a karate uniform, Chuck wore jeans, a suit, or a military uniform. Instead of only fighting with his hands and feet, he also used guns and explosives.

Another key element is that Chuck’s character opposed the Vietnam War but still did his duty, serving and fighting. He was portrayed as a patriot who supported POW/MIAs and veterans while personally opposing the war. Chuck was a strong supporter of Ronald Reagan, and when asked about the themes in his movies, Chuck told reporters, “Kids need heroes. Call it square if you want, but I’m a flag-waver, so I push a lot of Americanism in my movies.”

Norris was a veteran, having served in the United States Air Force as an Air Policeman from 1958 to 1962. His younger brother, Wieland Clyde Norris, a private in the 101st Airborne Division, was killed in June 1970 in Vietnam during the defense of Firebase Ripcord. Norris dedicated the Missing in Action films to his younger brother and was a consistent supporter of POW/MIA causes. He also served as a spokesperson for the Veterans Administration National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans.

Norris led USO tours, visiting troops in Iraq and beyond. He was made an honorary Marine, though the U.S. Marine Corps later joked about it in a tweet, saying it was the other way around: “Chuck Norris didn’t join the Marine Corps; the Marine Corps applied to him.”

He set a personal goal of meeting every Marine deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, shaking each one’s hand. By his own account, Norris shook hands with 37,000 U.S. troops in 2006 alone. He also visited the Task Force 399th Combat Support Hospital at Al Asad Air Base in 2007, signing autographs for wounded Marines.

Troops renamed military vehicles “Truck Norris,” and his image appeared throughout the country. Norris himself wrote about arriving in Iraq to find troops holding a sign reading, “Chuck Norris is here. We can now go home.”

During the 1980s, he promoted home exercise and fitness programs while supporting multiple programs for youth centered on fitness, karate, and providing a solid moral compass for children. His animated cartoon show, Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos, helped bring his message to a new generation of kids.

In the 1990s, he launched the Kickstart Kids program, a martial arts, character, and anti-drug program for children. His TV show, Walker, Texas Ranger (1993 to 2001), emphasized themes of morality, patriotism, and vigilante justice. After Norris rededicated his life as a Christian in the mid-1990s, later episodes of the show featured increased Christian symbolism and a greater emphasis on family issues. The show ran in over 100 countries.

Viewers wrote to CBS specifically to praise episodes in which Christianity was portrayed positively and the gospel was presented directly, with one noting it was “more blatantly gospel-centered than Touched by an Angel.”

The media mistakenly reported that Chuck Norris died on March 19 at age 86, but they all fell for the ruse. Chuck Norris didn’t die; he launched a surprise attack on death.

The post Veteran, Patriot, and Christian Chuck Norris Fought for Our Troops and POW/MIAs appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Senate Leader Chuck Schumer had an awkward moment on the Senate floor during debate over the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security on Saturday.

In a now-viral video clip from the proceedings, Schumer stated, “We must fund ICE!” before quickly correcting himself and saying, “We must fund TSA NOW!”

WATCH:

LMFAO! Chuck Schumer suffers EMBARRASSING slip-up while trying to play “tough guy” on the Senate floor

“We must fund ICE!—we must fund TSA NOW!”

Great idea! Fund ICE! pic.twitter.com/NRh0Iw6rVh

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 21, 2026

The remark was widely mocked on social media.

“Great idea! Fund ICE!” reporter Eric Daugherty wrote in a post on X, along with the clip.

Democrats have repeatedly blocked clean DHS funding bills because they are demanding changes to ICE operations and immigration enforcement, while blaming Republicans for not caving.

The shutdown, now in its sixth week, has left thousands of TSA officers working without pay, caused severe staffing shortages, and created long security lines and flight delays at airports nationwide during spring break travel season.

Nearly 400 TSA officers have resigned because they were unable to provide for their families.

The situation is so dire that Elon Musk has now personally offered to pay TSA staffers.

“I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country,” Musk wrote in a post on his platform X.

I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 21, 2026

The timing of the clip follows President Donald Trump’s Truth Social announcement that he would deploy ICE agents to airports for security duties and immediate arrests of illegal immigrants if Democrats refuse to fund the agency.

The post SCHUMER’S BLUNDER GOES VIRAL: ‘We Must Fund ICE!’ Dem Leader Blurts Out the Words He’s Been Blocking All Along (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps General Ali Mohammad Naeini was killed in an airstrike shortly after publicly declaring that Iran would continue building missiles and fighting until the enemy was exhausted, marking another significant loss for Tehran’s military leadership during three weeks of sustained U.S.-Israel operations.

Strikes Target Senior Iranian Leadership

Naeini served as spokesman for the Revolutionary Guard and was among several high-ranking Iranian officials reportedly eliminated in recent airstrikes. Iranian state television confirmed his death hours after he dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that Iran could no longer produce missiles. The general had also issued warnings about a coming surprise in the conflict and threatened Iranians supporting opposition figure Prince Reza Pahlavi and those celebrating the traditional festival of Chaharshanbe Suri. Intelligence sources indicate the strikes have achieved remarkable precision, with some operations targeting individual apartments based on actionable information.

The general’s final public statements reflected the regime’s position that the Iranian people expect continued conflict until threats against the country cease. However, his rapid elimination following these declarations demonstrates the effectiveness of current military operations against Iran’s command structure. The Revolutionary Guard confirmed the death through official channels, with independent verification coming from international news outlets monitoring the situation.

Operation Epic Fury Continues

The military campaign designated Operation Epic Fury launched on February 28 with dual objectives: dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons program and destabilizing the terroristic regime. The operation followed weeks of massive civilian uprisings across Iran, during which the regime reportedly killed tens of thousands of its own citizens attempting to protest government policies. The sustained airstrikes have systematically eliminated multiple layers of Iranian military leadership over the past three weeks, with intelligence cooperation between American and Israeli forces proving decisive in targeting high-value individuals.

Strategic Implications

The elimination of Revolutionary Guard leadership represents a significant degradation of Iran’s military command capabilities. Each successful strike removes experienced commanders who coordinate Iran’s regional terrorist activities and weapons programs. The precision of these operations suggests extensive intelligence penetration of Iranian security structures, making it increasingly difficult for remaining leadership to operate safely. The continuing effectiveness of the campaign raises questions about the regime’s long-term ability to maintain control while facing both external military pressure and internal civilian resistance that sparked the current crisis.

Elon Musk’s single decision to restrict Starlink in Ukraine exposed a terrifying vulnerability: no military can afford to let one man control its battlefield communications.

Starlink’s Battlefield Breakthrough in Ukraine

Ukraine requested Starlink terminals during the early 2022 Battle of Kyiv. SpaceX activated them swiftly, turning the network into the military’s essential backbone across all frontlines. Drones, artillery spotting, and command posts relied on its low-latency links amid destroyed ground infrastructure. This non-military system proved decisive in hybrid warfare, where mobility trumps fixed assets. Common sense demands self-reliance; outsourcing critical comms to a private firm invites disaster, as events soon revealed.

DoD Steps In with Starshield Contracts

U.S. Department of Defense awarded SpaceX a one-year Starshield contract in 2023. This militarized variant delivers encrypted, anti-jam systems to Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard units. Tests on vessels and bases achieved gigabit speeds. Elon Musk clarified in September 2023: Starlink stays civilian, while Starshield falls under U.S. government ownership and control. DoD secures capabilities without building from scratch, aligning with conservative fiscal prudence—leverage private innovation for national defense.

Geopolitical Rush for Sovereign Alternatives

Nations worldwide pursue their own low-Earth orbit constellations to counter Starlink dominance. China plans 13,000 satellites for military redundancy. Russia’s past Gonets LEO efforts failed on scalability, but Ukraine’s dependence spurred renewed pushes. Fears center on foreign control, jamming risks, and service denial—like Musk’s 2026 Ukraine terminal restrictions. Sovereign networks ensure command in conflicts, echoing American values of independence over reliance on unaccountable entities.

Why the world’s militaries are scrambling to create their own Starlink https://t.co/r7VK24tQBt in @newscientist pic.twitter.com/FKPEoeUuVO

— HealthIT Policy (@HITpol) March 12, 2026

Technical Edge Driving the Arms Race

Starlink’s low-Earth orbit delivers 20-50ms latency and global coverage, shattering geostationary satellites’ high delays. Launched in 2019 with 60 satellites, it scaled to 900 by 2020. Gen2 expansions target 30,000 satellites by 2026, powered by Starship’s 50-plus per launch capacity. Laser links in V2 Mini sats boost resilience. FCC partial approvals in 2022 evolved to full Gen2 authorization in January 2026, enabling military-grade scalability amid U.S.-China tensions.

Future Milestones and Expert Warnings

Over 500 Gen2 satellites orbited by Q2 2024, with gigabit viability by mid-2026 via V-band upgrades. Starship aims for 100 flights yearly. Analyst James Altucher flags March 26, 2026, as a pivot for infrastructure scale. Experts like SkyLinker predict 2026-2027 hegemony, forcing militaries to adapt. Limited data on rivals underscores urgency: LEO shifts warfare comms permanently, demanding sovereign control to safeguard operations.

Sources:

https://www.rsinc.com/starlink-roadmap-2026-when-is-gigabit-speed-arriving.php

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/09/3234791/0/en/March-26-2026-Predicted-as-a-New-Potential-Key-Date-in-Starlink-s-Evolution-According-to-New-Video-Presentation.html

https://www.basenor.com/blogs/news/starlink-mobile-targets-25m-users-by-end-of-2026-the-numbers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_in_the_Russo-Ukrainian_war

https://news.satnews.com/2026/01/09/fcc-authorizes-deployment-of-second-generation-starlink-constellation/

https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/p/starlinks-economic-and-military-potential

https://www.skylinker.io/p/starlink-in-2025-2026-the-road-to-hegemony-eng

https://www.compuserve.com/tech/story/0022/20260207/9649923.htm

Politics

Tulsi Toes the Line

In Washington, power always trumps principles.

What does Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard actually believe when it comes to Iran? It depends on which version of Gabbard you ask.

Earlier in her political career, when Gabbard served as the vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee in the mid-2010s, she backed then-President Barack Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action despite repeatedly warning that she viewed Iran as the “world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.” Gabbard also spoke openly of the important relationships shared between the United States and Israel, a relationship that has animated Washington’s long-running tensions with the Iranian regime.

The JCPOA was Obama’s attempt, alongside Western allies, to wrangle the Islamic Republic’s nuclear threat. By most international monitoring accounts, it succeeded in delaying Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon through strict limits and inspections. Though Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and establishment elements of the American right castigated the deal, Iran did not develop a nuclear weapon while the deal remained in force.

By 2016, Gabbard could see clearly where the Democratic Party was headed, and it was moving distinctly away from her. Hillary Clinton dominated the path to the party’s nomination, while Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) ran a long-shot insurgent campaign that threatened to redraw the philosophical map of left-wing politics for years. With her views becoming increasingly antiwar, especially regarding regime change in the Middle East, the former congresswoman from Hawaii stepped down from the DNC and endorsed Sanders for the nomination. 

Though Sanders fell to Clinton, and Clinton to Trump, something had changed in Gabbard, and it all had to do with the Middle East. She had grown weary of ideological rhetoric that always pushed America toward a never-ending cycle of cynical, war-first agitprop, and she had a plan to do something about it. After Trump killed Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani, she spoke out in stark disapproval, characterizing the assassination as an “act of war” without congressional approval.

By 2019, Gabbard had her eyes on the Oval Office. During her peak anti-war phase, Gabbard launched an anti-interventionist campaign and suffered the consequences. She was accused of being a favorite of Moscow and had more than 25 yard signs in New Hampshire defaced with hammer and sickle symbols suggesting she was working for the Russians. 

Gabbard spoke eloquently about the direct link between U.S. regime-change wars in the Middle East and a strengthened, defiant Iran. Though she never polled higher than a few percentage points in the early-round states, she used her platform to call for troops to withdraw from Middle East conflicts. On X, you can still view a Gabbard campaign post that promoted a T-shirt that stated “No War With Iran.” Though she failed to gain serious traction in the primary field, she made a mark on the discussion about American war powers before exiting the race and endorsing Joe Biden for the presidency. 

Though she had aligned with the Democratic establishment by backing Biden, Gabbard was already on the way out of the party writ large. Over the course of Biden’s single term in office, Gabbard’s antiwar stance began to resonate with MAGA voters tired of war and key right-wing influences, including the podcaster Joe Rogan, who welcomed her into the fold. By the time the 2024 presidential cycle rolled around, Gabbard was viewed as a serious, dedicated voice for the anti-interventionist cause.

Through these shifts, Gabbard managed to navigate a tight line between principle and political opportunity, cementing her reputation as a controversial but dedicated voice on restrained U.S. foreign policy. When Trump won reelection, Gabbard was appointed as the Director of National Intelligence. It was seen as a major victory for the anti-interventionist wing of the new Republican movement that had helped push Trump across the finish line. Little did they know what would come next. 

The Iran War started as many American wars have started in the 21st century: without a clear endgame. Something about nuclear bombs, something about 47 years, something about protecting Israel, and most recently, something about an “imminent threat.” All the code words were there, and the Boomer pundits on Fox News were eager to deliver them. 

The war, no matter how you characterize it, has put Gabbard and key staff members in a politically and operationally difficult position. Joe Kent, who served as a top aide and acting chief of staff to Gabbard in her role at DNI, recently resigned in protest of the war in Iran. The next day, Gabbard appeared before a Senate hearing to explain the administration’s position on the war. 

Gabbard told senators that the Iranian regime “appears to be intact but largely degraded.” When asked whether the Islamic Republic posed an “imminent threat” to the U.S., Gabbard sidestepped a direct answer, stating that only Trump “can determine what is and is not an imminent threat.” When pressed on whether Iran was “weeks away” from achieving a nuclear weapon, as has been suggested by Trump and his most vocal supporters, Gabbard squirmed her way out of a definitive answer, claiming instead that it would be a “disservice” to the American people to give a “yes or no” answer to the question.

Her performance was puzzling. Not just to long-time supporters, but also to senators seeking firm answers in a rapidly evolving war landscape. Especially on the topic of Iran posing an “imminent threat” to the U.S., Gabbard refused to answer confidently. She deflected responsibility to Trump, who had appointed her under the premise of making such assessments.

In a hearing with the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) perhaps summarized Gabbard’s underwhelming performance most succinctly when he asked, point blank, why Gabbard was appointed to gather intelligence in defense of the American people if only the president can decide what qualifies as an imminent threat. The truth is that Gabbard is not unlike many of the politicians and administrative cogs who run Washington. They are not there because they hold hard and fast principles—they are there to satisfy ambitions for power, fame, and legacy.

Gabbard’s arc from independent war skeptic to simply another Republican Party apparatchik is not dissimilar to that of Vice President J.D. Vance, who has also spent the last few weeks quietly making excuses for a war that goes against the non-interventionist promises that he and Gabbard and Trump made on the campaign trail. Maturity in Washington often means recognizing that political survival comes first. Many officials will say whatever is necessary to maintain status and influence within a system that rewards loyalty over principle, leaving idealistic supporters disappointed and disillusioned.

So, why is Tulsi toeing the line? What other option does she have? Back to X? Back to the podcast circuit to be fawned over by people with no real power? Tulsi is exactly where she has always wanted to be, at the seat of power, and she’ll do anything to hold onto the whip as long as she can.

The post Tulsi Toes the Line appeared first on The American Conservative.

WATCH: Sen. Richard Blumenthal BLATANTLY Lies — Claims Non-Citizen Voting Is “As Rare As Being Struck by Lightning”

In yet another example of Democrats downplaying serious election integrity concerns, Sen. Richard Blumenthal made a stunning claim on MSNOW Friday, insisting that non-citizen voting is “rare to the point of nonexistence”—even going so far as to compare it to being “struck by lightning.”

That statement is not just misleading—it directly contradicts available data.

Blumenthal’s comments came during a broader defense of Democrat opposition to election integrity measures, including provisions in the SAVE America Act that would require proof of citizenship to vote.

Rather than address the substance of those concerns, Blumenthal dismissed the issue entirely, telling viewers that non-citizen voting is essentially nonexistent and not a serious concern.

But the facts tell a very different story.

According to an analysis by Just Facts, cited by the Cato Institute, which builds on established academic methodologies, between 10% and 27% of non-citizen adults in the United States are illegally registered to vote.

With more than 19 million adult non-citizens recorded in the U.S. Census, that translates to roughly 2 million to 5 million illegal registrations nationwide. These numbers are large enough to influence major elections, including congressional races and even presidential outcomes.

This is not a new concern. A 2014 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Electoral Studies found similarly troubling trends. Researchers estimated that roughly one-quarter of non-citizens were registered to vote and that 6.4% reported actually voting.

Among those who voted, 81.8% said they supported Barack Obama. The authors concluded that illegal non-citizen votes likely affected key election outcomes, including Electoral College results and a pivotal Senate race that enabled Democrats to pass Obamacare.

The methodology behind those findings combined self-reported survey data with verified voter registration records, producing a best estimate that 25.1% of non-citizens were illegally registered to vote.

That estimate aligns closely with more recent analyses, reinforcing the conclusion that the issue is neither rare nor nonexistent.

Blumenthal’s “lightning strike” comparison collapses under even basic scrutiny.

The broader issue is not just one misleading statement. It reflects a consistent pattern among Democrats: dismiss concerns about election integrity while opposing safeguards designed to address them.

The SAVE America Act focuses specifically on ensuring that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections, a principle that has long been foundational to the American system.

Blumenthal’s argument depends on the assumption that the problem does not exist.

But when millions of potential illegal registrations are at stake, that assumption becomes impossible to defend.

At a minimum, this debate requires honesty.

If Democrats truly believe non-citizen voting is nonexistent, they should be willing to support verification measures that confirm it. Instead, they continue to block those efforts while insisting there is nothing to investigate.

The Patriot Perspective has recently switched its main platform from Rumble to YouTube, and we would greatly appreciate it if our old subscribers would subscribe to us there. [HERE]

The post Sen. Richard Blumenthal BLATANTLY Lies: Claims Non-Citizen Voting Is “As Rare As Being Struck by Lightning” — Data Shows MILLIONS May Be Registered appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A new investigative report has exposed how a corrections officer told the FBI that massive bags of documents were being shredded at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan in the days after Jeffrey Epstein’s death there on August 10, 2019.

The Miami Herald published the bombshell story on Friday, after analyzing thousands of pages from the Epstein files.

An inmate identified as Steven Lopez was directed to haul multiple bags of shredded material, described as “bales,” to a dumpster at the jail’s rear gate on August 15 and again on August 16.

Lopez told a veteran corrections officer, Michael Kearins, “They are shredding everything back there,” according to the report.

Kearins, who said he had “never seen this amount of bags of shredded documents coming out to be put in the dumpster,” contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center on August 16 at 6:28 p.m. to report the unusual shredding.

In a follow-up memo dated August 19, he wrote that the shredding appeared inappropriate and urged an investigation: “I believe that this conduct may be inappropriate for an investigative team to be shredding paperwork related to the investigation, and you may want to investigate why BOP employees are destroying records.”

The Herald reports:

An inmate at the jail was ordered to take the bags of shredded material to MCC’s rear gate and throw them in a dumpster on Thursday, Aug. 15, and again on Friday, Aug. 16, days after Epstein’s Aug. 10 death, records show. The sheer volume of material seemed unusual, the inmate noted.

“They are shredding everything,” the inmate told one of the guards, adding that he was asked to give the officials, whom he did not recognize, a hand with the shredding.

“Make sure you get that box too,” one of the men allegedly told him.

The inmate wasn’t the only one who found it out of the ordinary. A corrections officer at the detention facility called the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center that same night, a Friday, at 6:28 p.m. to report that he had “never seen this amount of bags of shredded documents coming out to be put in the dumpster at the rear gate of MCC.”

A back gate corrections officer was also troubled by what he witnessed as the inmate brought down “bales” of shredded paper, according to a memo he wrote to investigators three days later, on Monday, Aug. 19.

“I believe that this conduct may be inappropriate for [an] investigative team to be shredding paperwork related to the investigation and you may want to investigate why BOP employees are destroying records,” the correctional officer wrote on Aug. 19 around 11 a.m.

“Can we take a look at the Dumpster ASAP to see if the paper is still there? Possible they didn’t dump it yet,” replied one of the federal agents whose name is redacted in the memo.

But it was already too late. The trash was picked up that very morning.

The timing coincided with federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York requesting institutional count slips for dates prior to Epstein’s death.

Those records were later reported missing, the Herald noted.

The shredding occurred while an “After Action Review” team from the Federal Bureau of Prisons was at the facility examining the circumstances of the death.

Two guards on duty the night Epstein died, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, were later indicted on charges of falsifying counts and failing to perform required checks. Those charges were dropped in a deferred prosecution agreement in December 2021.

The new reporting also notes that the U.S. Attorney’s Office opened multiple probes into aspects of the case, including potential obstruction.

An Office of Inspector General investigation interviewed Lopez and others, but the matter was closed without further apparent action. An anonymous letter later sent to a federal judge suggested possible interference with the reporting of the destruction of records.

Epstein, who was facing sex-trafficking charges, was found unresponsive in his cell and his death was officially ruled a suicide by hanging by New York City Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, hired by Epstein’s brother, has long contended the injuries were more consistent with homicide.

The post ‘They Are Shredding Everything’: Prison Officer Alerts FBI After Massive Bags of Documents Shredded at Epstein’s Jail Days After His Death appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Federal prosecutors are investigating Colombia’s Marxist President Gustavo Petro over his alleged ties to drug traffickers.

According to multiple media reports, the probes are being led by U.S. attorney’s offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations.

Prosecutors are examining whether Petro met with traffickers and whether his presidential campaign received funding connected to illicit networks.

The investigations are ongoing and remain in early stages. It is unclear at what stages the investigations are at and whether charges will follow.

Breaking News: The U.S. Justice Department is said to be pursuing criminal investigations of President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, a onetime President Trump foe. https://t.co/eOWoDCWUBm

— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 20, 2026

The development comes amid a strained relationship between Petro and President Trump.

Trump has repeatedly attacked Petro over his failure to cooperate with his crackdown on drug trafficking and suggested he needs to “watch his ass.”

Petro, meanwhile, has described the Trump administration as a “clan of pedophiles.”

“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy,” he said back in December.

“To keep Epstein’s list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen and threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil.”

The post DOJ Opens Investigation into Colombia’s Marxist President Over His Ties to Drug Trafficking appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Nicholas Brendon, best known for playing fan-favorite Xander Harris on the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at the age of 54.

Brendon passed away in his sleep on Friday from natural causes, according to his family.

In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Brendon’s family said, “We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes. Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years.”

“In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art,” the statement continued. “Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans. He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”

The statement concluded, “While it’s no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing. Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart. Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.”

Brendon starred opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar as the loyal, wisecracking Xander throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s entire run from 1997 to 2003.

The actor later appeared in movies and shows, including Criminal Minds.

In recent years, Brendon has been open about his battles with addiction, depression, and health issues, including heart problems and a congenital heart defect, which was diagnosed in 2022.

Brendon had been hospitalized multiple times for cardiac incidents in the past, but was reportedly managing his conditions with treatment.

The Gateway Pundit was unable to find any public information confirming whether Brendon received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The post ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Star Nicholas Brendon Dead at 54 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.