Month: March 2026

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a brutal smackdown to disgruntled ex-National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent’s resignation letter, exposing his claims as nothing but a string of dangerous lies and Democrat-style propaganda.

Kent, who had reportedly been sidelined as a “known leaker” and cut out of President Trump’s sensitive intelligence briefings months ago according to Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, announced his resignation effective immediately in protest of the Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian terror regime.

The White House was having none of it.

Leavitt issued a fiery statement that directly torched Kent’s core assertion that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,” calling it the same false narrative pushed by Democrats and the liberal media.

Here is the full statement from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt:

“There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”

This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.

As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first.

This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors. President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum.

Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.

The Iranian regime is evil. It proudly killed Americans, waged war against our country, and openly threatened us all the way up to the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

Iran was aggressively expanding their short-range ballistic missiles to combine with their naval assets to give themselves immunity – meaning they would have a degree of a capabilities that would give them immunity to hold us and the rest of the world hostage.

The regime aimed to use those ballistic missiles as a shield to continue achieving their ultimate goal – nuclear weapons.

The President, through his top negotiators, gave the regime every single possible opportunity to abandon this unacceptable course by permanently giving up their nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief, free nuclear fuel, and potential economic partnerships with our country.

But they would not say yes to peace because obtaining nuclear weapons was their fundamental goal.

President Trump ultimately made the determination that a joint attack with Israel would greatly reduce the risk to American lives that would come from a first strike by the terrorist Iranian regime and address this imminent threat to America’s national security interests.

All of this led to President Trump arriving at the determination that this military operation was necessary for U.S. national security, which is why he launched the massively successful Operation Epic Fury.

The Commander-in-Chief determines what does and does not constitute a threat, because he is the one constitutionally empowered to do so – and because the American people went to the ballot box and entrusted him and him alone to make such final judgments.

And finally, the absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision based on the influence of others, even foreign countries, is both insulting and laughable. President Trump has been remarkably consistent and has said for DECADES that Iran can NEVER possess a nuclear weapon.

As someone who actually witnesses President Trump’s decision-making process on a daily basis, I can attest to the fact that he is always looking to do what’s in the best interest of the United States of America — period.

America First.”

There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”

This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.

As President Trump has clearly and… https://t.co/AC8M5L8lye

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 17, 2026

The post White House Issues Brutal Smackdown of Joe Kent’s Resignation Letter, Torches His “Lies” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Joe Kent, the outgoing Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), stunned Washington on Tuesday by announcing his resignation in a public protest against the ongoing war in Iran.

Kent took aim at Trump’s administration’s foreign policy, claiming Iran poses “no imminent threat” and blaming the conflict on “pressure from Israel” and its “powerful American lobby.”

He also said that the Trump administration had been misled into war by a “misinformation campaign.”

In a post on X, Kent, a veteran and Gold Star husband, claimed he could no longer support the war in good conscience.

“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.

It has been an honor serving under @POTUS and @DNIGabbard and leading the professionals at NCTC.

May God bless America.”

The accompanying letter to President Trump was even worse.

Kent claimed Trump “understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars” until “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media” supposedly tricked him into this conflict.

Kent said in his letter:

“As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.

I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards. It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation.”

After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr

— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026

When asked about Kent’s resignation during an Oval Office meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, President Trump didn’t hold back.

“I always thought he was weak on security. Very weak on security.”

Trump added that Kent’s statement confirmed his concerns:

“When I read his statement, I realized that it’s a good thing he’s out because he said Iran was not a threat.”

But Trump didn’t stop there.

Shortly after, he posted a screenshot on Truth Social that may have just obliterated Kent’s credibility.

President Trump posted a brutal screenshot of Kent’s own words from January 8, 2020, right after Trump took out terrorist mastermind Qasem Soleimani. In that old tweet, Kent demanded:

“@realDonaldTrump We should not sit and wait for the next attack, wipe Iran’s ballistic capability out and get our troops out of Iraq – they are only targets now. No US WIA/KIA is a tribute to the professionalism of our military and intel professionals not Iranian restraint.”

That single post directly contradicts Kent’s current claim. In 2020, Kent was calling for Trump to “wipe out” Iranian capabilities. Today, he claims Iran is “no threat.” What changed?

The Gateway Pundit dug through Joe Kent’s entire X history on Iran, and the flip-flopping is staggering.

On April 20, 2024, Kent warned that “Iran is poised to attack” and blamed the “DC war machine” for leaving US troops vulnerable.

“Iran is poised to attack, Biden & the DC war machine has given them plenty of options to harm us by leaving our troops deployed in small bases in Iraq, Syria & Jordan. Biden also gave Iran the funding for its proxies to attack us & Israel. The solution isn’t billions more in foreign aid & adding more U.S. troops to the region, it’s cutting off Iran’s access to funding, depriving them of targets.”

Iran is poised to attack, Biden & the DC war machine has given them plenty of options to harm us by leaving our troops deployed in small bases in Iraq, Syria & Jordan.

Biden also gave Iran the funding for its proxies to attack us & Israel.

The solution isn’t billions more in…

— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) April 12, 2024

September 25, 2024: He acknowledged that “Iran has been after Trump since January of 2020” and called it a persistent threat.

“Iran has been after Trump since January of 2020 after he ordered the targeted killing of the terrorist Qasem Soleimani. This isn’t a new threat. The secret service consistently failing to secure Trump is new. We need to figure out exactly why these failures keep happening.”

Iran has been after Trump since January of 2020 after he ordered the targeted killing of the terrorist Qasem Soleimani.

This isn’t a new threat.

The secret service consistently failing to secure Trump is new.

We need to figure out exactly why these failures keep happening. https://t.co/UprKS9SGLW

— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) September 25, 2024

In 2022, Kent also released a statement on “Support for Israel and Opposition to Antisemitism.”

Kent said in a statement:

One of the best things that President Trump did for the security of the United States and of Israel was terminating President Obama’s Iran Deal.

I support working with Israel to apply maximum pressure against Iran’s government and its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, and to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Expanding Peace in the Middle East I will support efforts to recognize and expand the normalization efforts between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, to ensure peace and bolster the coalition that stands in opposition to Iran.

I also support a sustainable, two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian Authority that is negotiated directly between these parties without undue international influence that pressures Israel to make compromises that are not in its national interests.

Kent repeatedly acknowledged Iran as a serious and active threat until his abrupt resignation narrative flipped the script.

It seems President Trump was right. Kent was either overwhelmed by the job or simply didn’t have the stomach for the tough decisions required to keep America safe.

The post President Trump Just ENDED Joe Kent’s Entire Career With One Brutal Screenshot of an Old Tweet appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A new Ipsos poll commissioned by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft shows that 2024 Trump voters support the decision to go to war in Iran but oppose an American invasion of the country and would favor quickly ending the conflict.

The poll, conducted on March 12–14 among 804 people who reported voting for Trump in the 2024 election, found that President Donald Trump still has significant support among his voters for the war in Iran. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they supported the decision to go to war, with 40 percent strongly supporting the decision. Twenty-three percent opposed it. In addition, 19 percent of respondents reported that their support for the war has increased in the past three weeks, while only 10 percent reported that it decreased.

Support for the war is heavily concentrated among the oldest Trump voters. Respondents over the age of 50 support the war by a margin of 86 percent to 14 percent, for a net approval rating of +72. In contrast, support for the war among respondents ages 18–29 polled at 54 percent, with 46 percent opposed.

But Trump 2024 voters are broadly skeptical of putting boots on the ground. When asked “Would you support or oppose sending U.S. ground troops into Iran?” respondents opposed the measure 58–41 percent.

Respondents were also asked, “Would you support or oppose a decision by President Trump to declare victory in Iran and quickly end this war?” Seventy-nine percent expressed support for such a measure, while only 19 percent said they would oppose it.

Respondents also seem apprehensive about the potential economic costs of the conflict. Fifty-five percent said they were worried about rising gas prices, while 45 percent reported no such fears. Such anxieties were strongest among young Trump voters: Seventy-four percent of respondents ages 18-29 said they were worried about rising gas prices, with concern steadily decreasing among older respondents to just 43 percent of those 65 years of age or older.

The involvement of Israel in the administration’s decision to go to war with Iran has become an issue of significant controversy, but the polled voters didn’t seem concerned about Israel’s influence on the conflict. In response to the question “Do you believe that Israel’s role in this war has been positive, negative, or neutral?” a majority of respondents, 57 percent, said they believed the country’s influence was positive, compared to 29 percent who believed it was neutral and 13 percent who said Israel’s role has been negative. 

The poll’s results aligned with reports that opposition to Israel is strongest among younger generations: Twenty-seven percent of voters ages 18–29 stated they believed Israel’s role has been negative in the war, a proportion that decreased to just 6 percent of those above the age of 65. Yet even the youngest Trump voters were still more pro-Israel than anti-Israel: Forty percent of respondents ages 18–29 said that Israel’s influence has been positive.

The post Poll: Trump Voters Back War but Favor Quick Exit appeared first on The American Conservative.

This was first reported in October 2024 exclusively at The Gateway Pundit – by Jim Hoft and Patty McMurray

In 2025, unsealed court documents completely redefined what we were told to believe about the 2020 US presidential election.

The election was billed by the Democrat Party, Joe Biden, the mainstream media, and former CISA Chief Chris Krebs as the ‘most secure election’ in US history.

Chris Krebs, the former CISA Director, testified before Congress on December 16, 2020, after he was fired by Donald Trump.

Recently, unsealed court documents first reported by The Gateway Pundit in October 2024, completely redefined what we were told to believe about the 2020 US presidential election.

The election was billed by the Democrat Party, Joe Biden, the mainstream media, and former CISA Chief Chris Krebs as the most secure election in US history.

Chris Krebs, the former CISA Director fired by Donald Trump, testified before Congress on December 16, 2020, after he was fired.

Krebs was called to testify before the US Senate Homeland Security Governmental Affairs Committee.

Krebs famously announced that day, “The 2020 election was the most secure in US history.”

WATCH:

But was 2020 really the most secure election in US history?

We now know definitively that Chris Krebs was lying when he made this announcement during congressional testimony in December 2020.

Today, nearly six years after the 2020 election, we have proof of a successful breach by one of America’s major enemies on our election infrastructure prior to Election Day and during early voting.

CISA officials released a report on October 30, 2020, JUST DAYS BEFORE the 2020 presidential election.

The report was never made public, and it omitted critical facts about a successful breach of a state’s election database days before the 2020 election.

Here is the CISA report, which was hidden for several years and discovered after investigative reporter Yehuda Miller obtained the information through a FOIA request earlier this year.

According to the CISA report from October 22, 2020:

SUBJECT: FBI Liaison Alert System (FLASH) – Indicators of Compromise Pertaining to Iranian Interference in the 2020 Presidential Election – TLP: WHITE

On 22 October 2020, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) published a joint Cybersecurity Advisory (Alert AA20-296B) warning that Iranian advanced persistent threat (APT) actors are likely intent on influencing and interfering with the US elections to sow discord among voters and undermine public confidence in the US electoral process.

APT actors are creating fictitious media sites and spoofing legitimate media sites to spread anti-American propaganda and misinformation about voter suppression.

The attached FLASH contains a list of indicators of compromise (IOCs) and additional threat information pertaining to a threat group, assessed to be located in Iran, conducting operations aimed at influencing and interfering in the 2020 US Presidential Election.

The October 22 alert referenced above can be found at the following URL: https://uscert.cisa.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-296b

Here is the report released on October 30, 2020, days before the US presidential election.

Thanks to Yehuda Miller for the FOIAed document.

We now know that this CISA report was completely dishonest and omitted critical facts.

We also know that Krebs and CISA lied about the security of the 2020 election in their Cyber Risk Summary, which was released after the election in 2021.

We know this for a fact because Krebs, Chris Wray, and CISA COMPLETELY OMITTED the fact that the Iranian regime successfully breached one state’s voter roll database and used the names, Social Security, and Driver’s License numbers to fill out UOCAVA or overseas ballot registrations!

This tiny fact was omitted from Kreb’s report, and Chris Wray and DOJ Chief Bill Barr ignored it!

They all lied and hid this from the American public for FOUR YEARS!

As Patty McMurray and Jim Hoft at The Gateway Pundit reported on Wednesday, Iranian Hackers Broke Into the State’s Voter Roll Database – Used Names, SS, and Driver’s License # numbers to Fill Out UOCAVA Registrations – Shared Video of Their Actions Online!

BOMBSHELL: Iranian Hackers Broke Into State’s Voter Roll Database – Used Names, SS and Driver’s License #’s to Fill Out UOCAVA Registrations – Shared Video of Their Actions Online!

The Iranians interfered with the 2020 presidential election, and they were successful in their efforts to access the voter information from one state election website, Alaska.

The two Iranians were indicted for, among other things, computer intrusion, voter intimidation, and interstate threat offenses for their alleged participation in a multi-faceted campaign aimed at influencing and interfering with the United States 2020 Presidential Election.

The Iranian hacker’s group allegedly loaded a shocking video at the time that revealed how easily stolen voter registration data could be used to inject fake voters into the UOCAVA (non-military) registration website and then turned into voters.

The Southern District of New York recently released this sealed indictment from October 20, 2021, and it is explosive!

From the October 2021 indictment (this was hidden from the American public until one month ago!):

In or about September and October 2020, SEYYED MOHAMMAD HOSEIN MUSA KAZEMI, a/k/a ~’Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazem,” a/k/a “Hosein Zamani,” the defendant, compromised a server located abroad (the “Overseas Server”) in order to send out the Voter Threat Emails.

The first phase of the Voter Intimidation and Influence Campaign occurred in or about September and October 2020, when the members of the conspiracy conducted reconnaissance on, and attempted to compromise, approximately eleven state voter websites, including state voter registration websites and state voter information websites.

These efforts resulted in the successful exploitation of misconfigured computers of a particular U.S. state (“State-1”), Alaska, and the resulting unauthorized downloading of voter information for more than 100,000 (State-1)  voters.

In their sealed indictment, US Attorney Damian Williams downplays the significance of the US elections video shared by the Iranian hackers. The video shows what appears to be files of voter data stolen from multiple states, including Alaska.

WATCH:

In their indictment, the government appears to downplay the serious threat the video reveals to our nation’s election security.

The Gateway Pundit has confirmed with an anonymous source that the names, social security numbers, and driver’s license numbers of Alaska citizens in the video are legitimate.

For four years, Chris Wray, Bill Barr, Chris Krebs, and CISA hid this information from the American public.

PASS THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!

The post Chris Wray and Chris Krebs Lied to the American Public for 6 Years — They Knew Iranians Breached US Election System in 2020, Stole 100,000 Identities, and Then POSTED VIDEO ONLINE of the Stolen Data Being Used to Create UOCAVA Ballots — And Hid This From American People! appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard swiftly crushed the narrative pushed by outgoing National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, making it crystal clear that President Trump acted lawfully, decisively, and with full intelligence backing when he ordered strikes against Iran.

Kent, who abruptly resigned on Tuesday, claimed in a public letter that Iran posed “no imminent threat” to the United States and suggested the war was driven by outside influence from Israel rather than American interests.

In a statement posted after Kent’s resignation went public, Gabbard made it crystal clear where she stands.

“Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief.

As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions.

After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion.”

Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the…

— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) March 17, 2026

That statement directly undercuts Kent’s central claim and reaffirms the chain of command that Democrats and the media often try to blur when it’s politically convenient.

Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA officer, resigned Tuesday in protest of the administration’s military action against Iran. In his letter, he claimed:

• Iran posed “no imminent threat” to the United States
• The war was driven by “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby”
• Trump had strayed from his original America First doctrine

President Trump didn’t mince words when asked about Kent’s departure.

“I always thought he was weak on security. Very weak on security,” Trump said, adding that Kent’s claim about Iran not being a threat proved “it’s a good thing he’s out.”

That blunt response aligns with the White House’s broader position: the Iran strike was not optional—it was necessary.

Officials have repeatedly pointed to intelligence suggesting Iran was preparing aggressive actions, including expanding missile capabilities and threatening U.S. forces and allies in the region.

The post DNI Tulsi Gabbard SHUTS DOWN Joe Kent’s Resignation Letter Claims — Backs President Trump’s Decisive Strike on Iran to Protect America First appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Senator Ted Cruz ignited a sectarian firestorm within conservative ranks by endorsing an article that brands traditional Catholics as parasitic foreigners infiltrating the Republican Party to undermine evangelical dominance and American support for Israel.

The Catalyst for Conservative Civil War

Cruz’s mid-March 2026 endorsement of the “Insurrection Barbie” Substack article arrived like a theological grenade lobbed into conservative circles. The piece attacked traditional Catholics as Latin Mass hardliners pushing integralism, a pre-Vatican II theology advocating Catholic influence over government. The author painted these believers as foreign infiltrators conspiring to replace evangelical Protestants atop the Republican power structure. Cruz amplified this message to his millions of followers, lending senatorial credibility to what many traditional Catholics viewed as naked religious bigotry wrapped in political anxiety.

The timing proved particularly incendiary. Just days earlier, Cruz had told CBN News that “Christ is King,” a phrase beloved by traditional Catholics, functioned as antisemitic code when deployed by far-right groups. The senator characterized it as essentially saying “screw you, Jew” to Jewish Americans. This dual assault on traditional Catholic expression and theology struck many observers as a coordinated effort to police religious boundaries within conservatism, determining which Christians qualify for full participation in Republican politics.

Dispensationalism Versus Ancient Tradition

Cruz’s theological commitments illuminate this conflict. As a Baptist adhering to dispensationalism, a 19th-century Protestant framework emphasizing Israel’s covenantal primacy in God’s plan, Cruz operates from fundamentally different premises than traditional Catholics. Dispensationalists view modern Israel as central to biblical prophecy and end-times theology. Traditional Catholics, conversely, affirm Christ’s kingship over all nations without assigning special political status to any modern state. This theological chasm translates directly into foreign policy debates, particularly regarding unconditional support for Israel.

The article Cruz promoted specifically targeted Catholic Answers, a mainstream apologetics organization, alongside the Society of St. Pius X, a traditionalist group in canonical irregularity with Rome. Lumping these disparate entities together revealed either theological illiteracy or deliberate conflation designed to paint all traditional expression as extremist. The piece warned that Catholic integralism posed existential danger to evangelical political supremacy, framing doctrinal differences as a demographic replacement conspiracy. This language mirrors nativist fears while applying them to fellow Christians rather than immigrants.

BREAKING

Senator Ted Cruz has been heavily criticised online after sharing a deranged anti Catholic conspiracy theory

The post shared by Cruz claims that Catholics are causing harm to the Republican Party and, worryingly, calls for a ‘Theological Counter-Attack’ pic.twitter.com/0muckAJj8U

— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) March 16, 2026

Youth Exodus Fueling Evangelical Panic

Beneath the theological veneer lies demographic anxiety. Evangelical leaders increasingly acknowledge losing young believers to Catholicism and Orthodoxy. These converts often cite intellectual rigor, historical continuity, liturgical beauty, and clear moral teaching as attractions absent in contemporary evangelical worship. The “Return to Tradition” YouTube channel, which produced a nearly hour-long critique of Cruz’s endorsement, represents this movement’s media-savvy edge. Traditional Catholic podcasters and influencers attract substantial audiences among disillusioned evangelical youth seeking rootedness amid cultural chaos.

The article Cruz shared inadvertently confirmed this trend by acknowledging evangelical youth defections. Rather than examining why young Protestants find traditional Catholicism compelling, the piece blamed Catholic “recruitment” tactics and conspiracy. This response mirrors political strategies that attribute electoral losses to fraud rather than persuasion failures. Conservative coalitions function when constituent groups respect theological differences while cooperating politically. Cruz’s endorsement threatens that detente by demanding evangelical theological conformity as the price of Republican membership.

Political Calculations in an Election Year

Cruz faces reelection pressures in 2026, navigating Texas’s complex religious landscape where Catholics represent substantial voting blocs. His willingness to alienate traditional Catholics suggests calculation that evangelical voters matter more to his coalition, or that signaling unconditional support for Israel trumps interfaith comity. The move also positions Cruz against figures like JD Vance, whose Catholic faith and nationalist critiques of neoconservative foreign policy represent an emerging challenge to establishment Republican orthodoxy on Israel and interventionism.

The backlash reveals how social media platforms amplify sectarian conflicts that once simmered quietly. Substack allows fringe voices to reach audiences previously gatekept by traditional media. YouTube and X enable rapid mobilization of countervailing perspectives. Cruz’s endorsement might have passed unnoticed in previous eras, but now generates immediate, organized pushback from traditional Catholics wielding the same digital tools. The WM Review blog invoked Cardinal Billot and Pope Leo XIII to frame the controversy as exposing authentic Catholic teaching versus modernist distortions, turning Cruz’s attack into a teaching moment about integralism’s historical legitimacy.

Fractures That May Not Heal

Cruz issued no retraction or clarification after the backlash intensified. His silence constitutes doubling down by default, signaling that the theological line he drew remains firm. This approach might satisfy his evangelical base but alienates traditional Catholics who previously voted Republican based on shared social conservatism regarding life, marriage, and religious liberty. When a prominent senator endorses labeling fellow Christians as foreign parasites, those Christians reasonably question whether the GOP welcomes them at all.

The controversy tests whether American conservatism can accommodate theological diversity or demands Protestant supremacy. Traditional Catholics bring intellectual heft, countercultural commitment, and growing numbers to conservative causes. Driving them away over foreign policy disagreements or fear of lost evangelical dominance weakens the coalition precisely when cultural battles require maximum unity. Cruz’s choice to amplify anti-Catholic rhetoric rather than build bridges suggests Republican leadership prioritizes certain theological commitments over political prudence, even when those commitments alienate natural allies who share nearly identical policy preferences on life, family, and freedom.

Sources:

Ted Cruz claims saying ‘Christ is King’ is antisemitic, sparks backlash. Is he Christian?

Ted Cruz, Cardinal Billot, and the True Church

A shooting at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico on Tuesday resulted in one person dead and another injured.

According to KTSM, Holloman Air Force Base was placed on lockdown shortly after 5:00 p.m. for an active shooter incident.

The lockdown was later lifted, and military officials confirmed the scene was safe.

Details regarding the shooter and the victim have been withheld from the public at this time.

Per KTSM:

One person is dead and another hurt after a shooting Tuesday afternoon, March 17 at Holloman Air Force Base.

At around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the base was placed on lockdown following reports of an active shooter, according to a news release by Holloman AFB. The base is more than 10 miles southwest of Alamogordo.

One person is dead, and one was injured. The person hurt has been transported for medical treatment.

It is unclear if those involved in the shooting were military members.

The lockdown was later lifted when security forces personnel “confirmed that the scene was safe.”

LOOK:

NATIVE AIR air ambulance took off from Holloman AFB, NM bound for El Paso, TX. Suspect is reportedly down. https://t.co/uTD8KxKmY9 pic.twitter.com/kTFylbwAre

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) March 18, 2026

Holloman Air Force Base is home to the 49th Wing and is known for training pilots to fly the F-16 and MQ-9 Reaper.

The post Holloman Air Force Base Goes on Lockdown After Shooter Opens Fire Leaving 1 Dead, Another Injured appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Well, well, well.

Looks like all those people mocked for wearing tinfoil hats were right about deep state — again.

Despite the fervent complaints from the left that the deep state doesn’t exist, President Donald Trump and his administration are painfully aware that it does.

And Trump has a very good reason to be furious with the deep state, especially if a new, bombshell whistleblower report contains even a kernel of truth.

In a New York Post exclusive, an FBI agent who was a part of then-special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into claims that Trump and members of his campaign colluded with Russia to affect the 2016 election came out with some damning allegations directed at how that investigation unfolded.

The New York Post dug up details on these December 2020 allegations after GOP Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel Sunday, referencing some of these disturbing claims.

Grassley said that the allegations confirm “long-standing concerns that political bias rotted the decision-making process within the Mueller team.”

And “rot” might be an understatement.

From the outset, if this agent’s claims are true, it was clear that this wasn’t an unbiased investigation interested in the truth, so much as it was a biased witch hunt interested in taking down Trump.

After all, how can anyone expect a fair investigation when agents were drinking on the job and plastering anti-Trump cartoons on the walls? That’s not exactly befitting of an arbiter of justice. And yet, somehow, it gets worse.

Not only was this investigation biased from the get-go, it also tried to cover up this fact by ordering people to doctor records.

In one glaring example of this, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe spoke of Trump “in a derogatory manner” while on record for an official interview. The agent claimed that Justice Department prosecutors tried to pressure a female FBI agent to “change the tone of the [document] to reflect that McCabe spoke about [Trump] without the negative connotation.”

The female FBI agent refused to do so, and left the agency shortly after her time with the Mueller probe was over.

Compounding matters, some of these anti-Trump witch hunters held a flagrant disregard for security protocol.

The FBI agent alleged that Zainad Ahmad, the prosecutor for the Mueller probe and a protege of former Barack Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch, was constantly breaking security protocols.

“For example, she brought classified documents to a meeting at WFO [Washington Field Office] without adherence to FBI security policy by bringing her classified notebook to the meeting without a proper carrying bag,” the agent alleged. “What was worse, she came to WFO from her residence, meaning she kept her notebook at the residence.”

The security protocol issue should infuriate you, as an American, regardless of whether you love or detest Trump. If the FBI can be this biased, destructive, and flippant when it comes to investigating Trump, the FBI can be this biased, destructive, and flippant when it comes to anyone.

(Almost as infuriating as the fact that Mueller’s probe cost taxpayers over $30 million, according to the New York Post, and produced zilch.)

If even a fraction of these allegations holds water, it’s a devastating blow to the Mueller probe, which was an investigation that was sold to the American public as the gold standard of independence and professionalism.

Instead, what’s being described sounds less like a sober search for truth and more like a politically charged operation marred by bias, corner-cutting, and questionable judgment.

The credibility of any investigation hinges on the integrity of the people conducting it, and once that perception is compromised, the findings themselves — no matter how thoroughly documented — become suspect in the eyes of the public.

And that’s why this shouldn’t be dismissed as just another partisan food fight.

Whether you supported Trump or vehemently opposed him, the idea that federal law enforcement could be influenced by political animus, or worse, attempt to sanitize records to fit a preferred narrative, should set off alarm bells. The justice system isn’t supposed to operate on vibes or vendettas; it’s supposed to be grounded in facts, fairness, and fidelity to the law.

If Americans begin to believe those principles are optional, depending on who’s being investigated, trust in the system collapses.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about Trump, Mueller, or one high-profile investigation. It’s about whether the institutions tasked with upholding the law can be trusted to do so without fear or favor.

If they can’t — or even if it appears that they can’t — then every future investigation, prosecution, and conviction carries an asterisk. And once that doubt takes hold, it’s not easily undone.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post Bombshell Whistleblower Report: Mueller’s Anti-Trump Witch Hunters Drank on the Job, Tried to Doctor Records, Violated Security Rules appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Ben Bankas is the right wing comedian who has quickly made a name for himself by standing out from the crowd. If you’re not familiar with his work, you should be. You can see a bunch of clips of his act here.

Bankas was recently interviewed on the Triggernometry Podcast and he talked about his act, the differences between the right and the left, free speech, his career and more.

Who knows, perhaps his success will inspire more conservative minded people to get into the business. Like all forms of entertainment, comedy needs more political balance.

From Triggernometry:

What did we talk about?

”In a way, the more angry people get at the joke, the better. These people have all their problems, and still they choose to be mad about my comedy. You’re welcome – I gave you a break from your own life.”

The role of the comic is an odd one. They’re tasked to distract us from ‘the real world’ as often as they are to hold a mirror up to it. It’s a role that requires tact, consideration, and an artful touch. At least, it does to most – not to Ben. To Ben, funny’s funny, and it’s no more complicated than that.

”A lot of comedy is about making people laugh, but also making them say ‘It’s not the right time!’. I don’t belive in that idea. I don’t believe in censoring myself. If it’s on a stage and people have paid for it, it is the right time.”

Some have accused Ben of going ‘too far’, of ‘punching down’. Looking at the comments of his videos, you don’t have to scroll far before you find someone wagging their finger. Ben finds it amusing; if these people saw his act in person, their hair would whiten.

”My [most shocking] jokes …. I don’t post those. Those are just for the audience. Those are for the people in the room.”

It’s hard to imagine Ben going much darker than what he lets see the light. Occasionally, it’s cost him.

Earlier this year, Ben was embroiled in controversy over his dicey ICE material. The ongoing raids are a sore spot for Americans. They horrify the left, embarrass the right, and alienate the middle ground. It’s not hard to understand why; whether you think the actions are just or not, the footage is disturbing, and there are enough scandalous stories to give the average person pause for thought.

In this clip, he talks about how the left needs to loosen up on jokes.

“The left needs to loosen up. Stop dying on the hill of what the other side is allowed to joke about.”

In this clip, comedian @BenBankas argues that people should be able to laugh freely, even at jokes they disagree with, and says the left needs to loosen up and stop policing… pic.twitter.com/9N5M9yZEcK

— TRIGGERnometry (@triggerpod) March 17, 2026

Here, he talks about his shows in Minneapolis getting canceled over a Renee Good joke.

“If you’re not woke, you shouldn’t be allowed to perform, you shouldn’t be allowed to be platformed, even when the shows are sold out. That’s wrong.”

In this clip, comedian @BenBankas discusses the backlash he faced after a controversial joke and argues that political activism… pic.twitter.com/Rliigy0Ldl

— TRIGGERnometry (@triggerpod) March 16, 2026

You can watch the whole thing below, if you like.

Dark Humour for Dark Times: Ben Bankas pic.twitter.com/ZuhQPAyeVE

— TRIGGERnometry (@triggerpod) March 16, 2026

This guy is going places.

The post Right Leaning Comic Ben Bankas Talks Jokes, Free Speech and More in Fascinating and Funny Interview (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani could not take a break from his radical leftist worldview to honor Irish people and Irish Americans for even one day. During his St. Patrick’s Day remarks, he brought up the ‘genocide’ in Palestine.

Leftists are incapable of dropping their political agenda, they just can’t do it. It’s why the left wing President of Ireland just tried to make the story of St. Patrick all about migrants.

They feel a constant need to push their talking points, no matter the time or place.

FOX News reports:

Mamdani references Palestinian ‘genocide’ during St Patrick’s Day event

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani referenced the “genocide” of Palestinians during a St. Patrick’s Day event Tuesday at Gracie Mansion.

Mamdani made the remarks at a breakfast honoring Irish New Yorkers, where he praised former Irish President Mary Robinson for her record on human rights and her support for Palestinians.

“I say this as over the past few years, as we’ve witnessed a genocide unfold before our eyes, there has been deafening silence from so many,” Mamdani said. “For those who have long cared about universal human rights and the extension of them to Palestinians, silence, however, is nothing new – for Palestinians are so often left to weep alone. Yet former President Robinson has never been silent.”

Mamdani tied Irish history to broader themes of solidarity, calling it “no coincidence” and asking, “Who can better understand those who weep than those who have been made to weep for so long?”

“The story of the Irish, both in Ireland and in New York City, is at one time a story of oppression, of subjugation, and of discrimination,” the mayor told attendees.

Here’s a clip.

Zohran Mamdani starts talking about Palestinians during a St. Patrick’s Day event pic.twitter.com/wcemq8HdTa

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 17, 2026

For the left, it’s all agenda, all the time. They never ever take a day off.

We can’t just let St. Patrick’s Day be all about the Irish, can we?

The post Zohran Mamdani Uses NYC St. Patrick’s Day Event to Talk About ‘Genocide’ in Palestine (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.