National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett was on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream to defend President Trump’s economic policies.
“You know how people are feeling. Our polling shows it from Fox News and beyond,” Bream commented.
“The overall vibe. When can you tell Americans that things are actually gonna get better?” Bream asked.
“Well, first of all, it’s absolutely true that energy prices are high and that affects the top line, consumer price index, and PCE, something that the Fed looks at, ” Hassett said.
“If you dig down and look at what’s happening to everything else, then you are not seeing a lot of feed through from the high energy prices to everything else,” Hassett continued.
“For sure, there is a short-term disruption with energy prices, but you know, core inflation isn’t taking off,” Hassett said.
“At the Fed, they look at core, not top line, because they know that energy prices tend to bob up and down,” Hassett explained.
“Incomes, real incomes are soaring. If you look at real wage data, that the typical American family has gained about 3,000 dollars since President Trump took office after losing after inflation more than 3,000 dollars under Joe Biden,” Hassett explained.
“Even with the higher price of energy, real incomes on the rise,” Hassett said.
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to their data, inflation is now outpacing wage growth. So, if people are making more money, but things are costing more, how do you answer that question and that concern?” Bream asked.
“That’s a technical matter. It’s the personal income report that came out last week that said that it was slightly negative, but personal income includes lots of things like transfers of food stamps and things that we are, have been reducing as part of our effort to make government leaner and meaner,” Hassett said.
“The best measure right now is to look at the wage data. That’s by far the best measure and the real wage data showing big increases right now,” Hassett explained.
“86 percent of Americans tell us that gas prices are a problem for their family. That includes 51 percent, a majority of Americans who say it is a major problem for them,” Bream said.
“So, what’s a timeline on improving prices at the pump?” Bream asked.
“We have ongoing negotiations. There are already a lot more ships getting through the straits than were getting through before,” Hassett said.
“Those are the places where the refineries had to shut down because they didn’t have oil,” Hassett continued.
“As soon as the oil lands in Asia, then we expect those prices to reverse and gasoline production in the US to go up,” Hassett continued.
Watch:
WATCH: Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett defends the Trump administration’s economic record, says “core inflation isn’t taking off, real incomes are soaring.” pic.twitter.com/VM60rV8vuE
The communist military dictatorship has kept itself rich and the Cuban people poor for decades. Photo courtesy of Cuban state media.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA) as a “Cuban military-controlled financial conglomerate that steals millions in aid for the Cuban people at the behest of the regime.” The United States sanctioned GAESA on May 7, 2026, under Executive Order 14404, signed by President Trump on May 1. The State Department issued the designations while the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administered them.
Founded by Raúl Castro, GAESA is the economic arm of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and one of the country’s most powerful institutions. Despite existing within a nominally socialist state, it operates under an opaque structure resembling a capitalist corporation, with subsidiaries incorporated in Panama, Cyprus, and Liberia to bypass U.S. sanctions restrictions.
It controls an estimated 40 percent or more of the island’s economy, with gross profits representing close to 37 percent of Cuba’s GDP, total revenues 3.2 times greater than the annual Cuban state budget, and exports accounting for roughly 34 percent of the island’s total. The Food Monitor Program, in a formal complaint to the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, described GAESA as “a state within a state,” accusing it of worsening hunger and malnutrition through monopolistic control and financial opacity.
GAESA dominates Cuba’s most strategic and profitable sectors through a web of subsidiaries: tourism through Gaviota, retail and wholesale trade through CIMEX and TRD Caribe, and finance through RAFIN S.A. and Banco Financiero Internacional. It also controls remittances, logistics, port operations, including the Port of Mariel, construction, transportation, and foreign trade.
Its former chief, Gen. Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, the former son-in-law of Raúl Castro, was separately sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury, which froze his U.S.-jurisdiction assets and prohibited American persons from dealing with him.
Leaked internal accounting documents reported by the Miami Herald showed GAESA held approximately $18 billion in current assets as of March 2024, of which $14.5 billion sat in undisclosed overseas bank accounts, even as Cuba’s broader economy collapsed. The U.S. State Department stated in its May 2026 sanctions announcement that GAESA controls up to $20 billion in illicit assets funneled into hidden overseas accounts, and that GAESA’s executive president Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera is personally responsible for managing those assets internationally.
Those funds exist entirely outside the Cuban government’s budget. In 2024, Cuba’s State Comptroller was dismissed after 14 years in office. The dismissal came after she publicly admitted that she lacked access to GAESA’s financial accounts. The conglomerate is entirely exempt from government audit. “There’s the Cuban government and they have a budget,” Rubio told reporters, “and then there’s this private company that has more money than the government does.
None of the money in that company goes to build a single road, a single bridge, provide a single grain of rice to a single Cuban other than the people that are part of GAESA.” Separate leaked documents revealed that GAESA’s affiliate Almest redirected public funds and foreign loans into hotel construction even as Cuban hospitals faced a 70 percent shortage of essential medications.
GAESA’s retail arm, TRD Caribe, La Cadena de Tiendas Caribe, is the military’s primary storefront network across the island, operating exclusively in dollars or freely convertible currency (MLC). The average monthly state salary reached 6,649 Cuban pesos in 2025, approximately $18 at the informal exchange rate, against a basic food basket costing more than 37,000 pesos.
Between 80 and 90 percent of Cubans earning pesos are effectively locked out of TRD Caribe and its sister chain CIMEX, which together hold a monopoly over Cuba’s hard-currency retail sector, capturing foreign remittances and tourist money for the military. A Columbia Law School study found that between 2015 and 2022, Cuba’s consumer price index increased 24-fold while real wages fell 96 percent.
The libreta de abastecimiento, the ration book that has existed since 1962, now covers roughly ten days of food per month at best, having shed eggs, oil, meat, sugar, and rice from its quotas by 2024.
GAESA also controls the official remittance pipeline through its subsidiary Fincimex, which offers recipients cards channeling money directly into military-run stores. By 2024, more than 95 percent of remittance flow had shifted to approximately 150 informal networks offering better exchange rates outside state control, with GAESA capturing only 4.13 percent of total remittances through formal channels, down from a much larger share in 2019.
The regime’s response was to criminalize those informal networks, with the Ministry of the Interior dismantling several in 2025 to reroute flows back through GAESA-controlled channels. TRD Caribe has also partnered with foreign capital, including Italian entrepreneur Bartolomeo Savina Tito, whose subsidiary Italsav reached an agreement with Tiendas Caribe to open a network of dollar supermarkets across Cuba.
GAESA’s documented misconduct spans several categories. The U.S. Treasury’s OFAC formally identified subsidiaries Financiera CIMEX S.A. and Kave Coffee S.A. for using Panamanian incorporation to subvert U.S. trade restrictions, with foreign law firms and Swiss intermediaries serving as directors to provide legal cover. The Panama Papers linked family members of high-ranking Cuban military officials and GAESA itself to offshore companies exploiting Panama’s weak beneficial ownership controls.
Cuban economist Emilio Morales characterized GAESA’s remittance operation as money laundering in substance, noting that roughly $50 billion routed through its network since 1993 came predominantly from Cuban emigrants in the United States, with proceeds funneled into military coffers rather than the civilian economy.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, radical socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was the first mayor in over 60 years to skip the city’s annual Israel Day Parade, which was held on Sunday, despite attending other events that celebrate the city’s diverse cultural landscape.
As The Geller Report notes, “Mamdani’s hatred of the Jewish people is so consuming, it defines his mayoralty.”
Mamdani, instead, bizarrely rode around the city on a bicycle in a full suit.
Ex-mayors join Hochul, Tisch and thousands at NYC’s Israel parade – while No-Show Zo bizarrely rides bike around town in business suit and no helmet https://t.co/x1AJW7XzB8pic.twitter.com/X1QHD6fDXA
Mamdani was also seen without a bike helmet, ignoring basic safety and serving as a terrible role model for children, despite having only recently touted the importance of bike safety.
I joined NY’s Cutest on the Bergen Bike Bus that they ride to school every Wednesday, rain or shine.
We’re adding bike boulevards and more pedestrian space on Bergen and Dean Street, from Court Street to East New York Ave.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 7, 2026
Despite Mamdani’s insult, NY Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and NYPD Commish Jessica Tisch joined the parade alongside former Mayors Eric Adams and Michael Bloomberg.
The crowd started chanting “We miss you, Mike!” and “Jessie for mayor!” when they saw the pair marching behind the Police Department’s banner, flanked by a cadre of New York’s Finest.
Tisch last week stood beside her boss Mamdani at a press conference about security at the event and said, “It’s the mayor’s decision not to march, and it’s my decision to march proudly.”
Former Mayor Adams took to X to troll Mamdani ahead of the parade, noting, “This year, it means even more.”
“At a time when antisemitism is rising across our country and Jewish New Yorkers are facing hatred, intimidation, and attacks at unprecedented levels, you cannot afford silence.”
On Friday, The Gateway Pundit reported that President Trump held a meeting with advisors in the Situation Room to discuss the ongoing war with Iran, where he said he would “make a final determination” and potentially sign a deal.
The President announced a “largely negotiated” framework for a 60-day “memorandum of understanding” (MOU) last weekend. Included in the plan is a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, concessions from Iran on nuclear enrichment, and an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.
A deal was not finalized, and President Trump requested amendments to the deal during the Situation Room meeting.
Although Iranian officials have denied ever approving a deal, the chaos in the country continues to unfold, and a source claimed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has submitted his resignation letter to the Office of the Supreme Leader.
Citing a source, Iran International reported Sunday that the letter stated the president and his government had been excluded from major decision-making in Iran.
The report also said the ensuing vacuum had allowed hard-line factions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to take control of key affairs.
In the letter, Pezeshkian reportedly wrote that, under such circumstances, he is unable to govern effectively or fulfill his legal responsibilities and, for that reason, requested to step down immediately.
Pezeshkian, however, is denying the claim.
Iran International English shares, “President Masoud Pezeshkian has not resigned and continues to carry out his duties, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported, citing an informed government source, denying an IranInternational report that he had sought to step down.”
“Separately, Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy head of communications and information at the president’s office, dismissed the Iran International report in a post on X and said Pezeshkian would not step back from serving the people.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian has not resigned and continues to carry out his duties, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported, citing an informed government source, denying an Iran International report that he had sought to step down.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) May 31, 2026
Pezeshkian’s leadership has come under consistent scrutiny.
A few weeks ago, he caused tension within a country trying to create a posture of strength by suggesting, during a meeting of the Government Information Council, which was televised by Iranian media, that Iran has suffered ‘harm’ from US attacks.
When a furious customer hurled a burrito bowl into a Chipotle worker’s face and became “Chipotle Karen,” it turned a 30‑second tantrum into a symbol of how broken everyday life feels for workers and customers in today’s America.
Story Snapshot
A customer was caught on camera throwing a burrito bowl at a Chipotle employee and later pleaded guilty to assault.[2][3][4]
A judge handed down jail time but also let her work in a restaurant to reduce her sentence, drawing national attention.[1][2][3]
The worker says she was traumatized by the attack, highlighting growing dangers faced by front‑line employees.[2][4]
The viral “Chipotle Karen” framing feeds public anger at entitled behavior, but key court documents and the defendant’s side remain out of view.[1][2][3][4]
What Actually Happened In The “Chipotle Karen” Case
News outlets report that a dispute over an order at a Chipotle restaurant escalated when a woman picked up her burrito bowl and threw it directly at a worker behind the counter.[1][4] Surveillance and broadcast video clips show hot food striking the employee in the face at close range, and the incident quickly spread online as another “entitled customer” meltdown.[1][2][4] Coverage states that prosecutors charged the customer with assault, and she ultimately pleaded guilty in court.[2][3]
One broadcast report explains that the woman was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 90 days suspended, after admitting to the assault.[2][3] The judge also offered an unusual option: she could work in a restaurant setting to work off a portion of the remaining jail time.[1][2][3] The injured Chipotle worker told the court she was traumatized and described ongoing distress after having hot food thrown in her face.[2] The viral video and sentence combined to cement the “Chipotle Karen” label in public conversation.[1][2]
A customer in California threw a burrito bowl at a Chipotle employee’s face following a dispute over an order and then fled the scene. The Santa Ana Police Department is appealing to the public for information to help track down the woman suspected of the assault.
Why This Resonates With Millions Of Frustrated Workers And Customers
This story taps into a wider pattern of viral clips showing customers berating, shoving, or throwing objects at service workers, from fast‑food counters to airline gates.[1][2][4] Safety agencies and labor researchers have long warned that front‑line jobs put workers face to face with the public, where they absorb anger over prices, delays, and broader economic frustrations.[1][2] Many Americans feel that wages have not kept up with inflation, that managers cut staffing to save money, and that workers are left to manage impossible lines and short tempers.
For conservative Americans, this incident can look like the predictable outcome of permissive culture, eroded standards, and a lack of consequences for bad behavior.[1][2] For liberal Americans, it underscores how low‑paid workers—often women, immigrants, and minorities—bear the brunt of public rage while corporate leaders and political elites stay insulated.[1][2] Both sides can look at a burrito bowl thrown in a worker’s face and see a system that pushes people to the breaking point, then acts surprised when someone snaps in public.[1][2][4]
How Media Narratives And Missing Records Shape Public Judgment
The available reporting consistently frames the act as deliberate assault, reinforced by the guilty plea and sentencing coverage.[1][2][3][4] Outlets describe the incident in vivid terms, using phrases like “ballistic burrito bowl assault” and emphasizing the worker’s post‑traumatic stress.[4] Yet key primary documents—such as the full surveillance file, police reports, charging papers, and plea transcript—are not part of the public conversation provided here.[1][2][3][4] That gap means most people rely on edited clips and commentary rather than the underlying record.
A customer in California threw a burrito bowl at a Chipotle employee’s face following a dispute over an order and then fled the scene. The Santa Ana Police Department is appealing to the public for information to help track down the woman suspected of the assault.
Analysts warn that once a case goes viral with a provocative nickname like “Chipotle Karen,” the story tends to harden into a simple morality play: villain, victim, lesson learned.[4] Judges and journalists may highlight unusual sentences, such as making a defendant work in a restaurant, because they fit that narrative and drive more clicks.[1][2][3] The defendant’s own account, any context about what was said beforehand, or questions about intent rarely get equal airtime, leaving a one‑sided picture that satisfies public anger but does not fully inform it.[1][2][3][4]
What This Incident Reveals About A System People No Longer Trust
For many Americans, this episode is not just about one angry customer; it is about a culture that feels angrier, poorer, and less stable, while the people in charge seem detached from everyday reality.[1][2] Workers see that a front‑line employee can be assaulted over a bowl of food while their pay remains low and protections feel thin. Customers feel squeezed by rising prices and long waits and have little faith that either big corporations or the federal government care about their daily struggles.[1][2][4]
When a local judge’s creative sentence becomes national spectacle, it reinforces the belief that the system is better at staging teachable moments than addressing root causes like economic stress, under‑staffed workplaces, and mental health pressures.[1][2][3] Both conservatives and liberals can look at the “Chipotle Karen” clip and see proof that public life is fraying while elites focus on politics, profit, and image management. The burrito bowl may cool off, but the resentment on both sides of the counter keeps simmering.[1][2][4]
Sturgeon and Murrell in happier times – Wiki Commons
How could she not know?
Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants Scots to believe she is just a victim of her (now estranged) husband’s crimes, like everyone else.
She is ‘defiantly’ rejecting any blame Sunday for Peter Murrell’s embezzlement of Scottish National Party funds, and insisting she wouldn’t apologize ‘for his crimes’.
Needless to say, what the press calls ‘party funds’ are actually donor and (very probably) taxpayer money.
Sturgeon tells BBC: I’m serving a sentence for crime I didn’t commit – BBC News pic.twitter.com/y3o1z4Jf8X
“Sturgeon told the BBC that she felt betrayed by the actions of her husband, Peter Murrell, who last week pleaded guilty to stealing more than 400,000 pounds ($540,000) from the SNP to fund a lavish lifestyle when he was the party’s chief executive. She consistently denied having any knowledge of his crimes.
‘I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed’, she told the BBC. ‘I’m not going to apologize for somebody else’s crimes’.”
NEW: Nicola Sturgeon has hit out at the news coverage of Peter Murrell’s embezzlement from the SNP, saying it is not ‘fair’ she is being held responsible ‘for the crimes of somebody else’ after she was cleared by police pic.twitter.com/KYs05r5XzA
Sturgeon’s is facing ‘widespread disbelief’ about her previous statements that she knew nothing about Murrell’s crimes, to which she benefited.
She admitted that it was a mistake to allow her husband to remain chief executive of the SNP after she became party leader, in 2014.
“’Of course, with hindsight, I wish that I could go back and take a different decision’, she said.
Murrell’s plea capped a five-year police investigation of the SNP, which has led Scotland’s semiautonomous government for almost two decades while campaigning for the country to break away from the United Kingdom.”
There needs to be a Parliamentary Inquiry into the SNP theft scandal.
Nicola Sturgeon said previously she fully cooperated with the police. Now it turns out she “no commented” all the police questions and only gave a written statement.
“In an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program, Ms. Sturgeon said: ‘For my own sake, but for the sake of people out there, a lot of women who end up finding themselves blamed for the actions of the men in their lives, I’m not going to contribute to that kind of sense that I am responsible for somebody else’s crimes’.
‘I will take responsibility for the things I do, the decisions I make. I’m sitting here with you right now, answering questions because I believe strongly in that accountability’. But I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed and I’m not going to apologize for somebody else’s crimes.””
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill launches an “ICE tracking portal,” urging the public to film and report federal immigration agents
Fox News has gone viral after utilizing a devastating split screen regarding New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherill and the ongoing riots in Newark, which will remind some of the images from the George Floyd riots back in the Summer of 2020.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, the protests outside the ICE detention facility in Newark have spiraled into chaos.
Demonstrators have confronted law enforcement, federal officers have been targeted, journalists have faced hostility, and authorities have been forced to respond as crowds escalated near the facility.
The Gateway Pundit also revealed that independent journalist Nick Sortor, who blew the lid off years of taxpayers’ abuse at the hands of Somali fraudsters, infiltrated an Antifa camp at the Newark, New Jersey, ICE protests.
As he moved through the camp, he found tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment, food, and even riot gear. Hot meals are delivered every hour. Clearly, there is a massive, shadowy infrastructure behind the movement that is providing funding.
When one combines this with the open encouragement of Democrat politicians to bully ICE agents, it’s no wonder that Antifa is so emboldened.
During a Saturday press conference, Sherill begged the Antifa protesters to “bring the temperature down” and to protest “peacefully.”
Then, she vowed to work toward “better conditions at Delaney Hall” until it was closed for good.
But while Sherill was ranting, a Fox News producer put up a devastating split screen showing exactly what the New Jersey Governor was presiding over.
In the split screen, one can see agitators getting violent with law enforcement officers and throwing projectiles.
Smoke bombs are also deployed.
WATCH:
Kudos to the producer over at FOX split screen showing antifa throwing garbage and causing havoc while the dumb ass governor is spewing her bullshit pic.twitter.com/oQV7DSLrbM
(Note: Thank you for supporting businesses like the one presenting a sponsored message below and working with them through the links below which benefits Gateway Pundit. We appreciate your support!)
They’re tiny, invisible, and everywhere. Microplastics have quietly made their way into every corner of our environment—and every corner of the human body.
Researchers now detect them in the blood, liver, lungs, and even the brain, showing just how far these synthetic fragments can travel. Studies estimate that the average person consumes between 39,000 and 52,000 plastic particles each year through food and water, and up to 121,000 when air exposure is included.
Once inside, they don’t just pass through. They disrupt the gut barrier, trigger chronic inflammation, and alter the delicate balance of your microbiome—the ecosystem that shapes everything from digestion to immunity. Over time, that silent damage can ripple through every organ system.
A review of recent studies by Nicholas Hulscher of the McCullough Foundation, shows just how dangerous microplastics can be to our health.
Hulscher notes that studies have shown that microplastics have been linked to increasing rates of dementia and cancer, as well as harm to the reproductive, digestive and raspatory systems.
Hulscher concludes:
These findings suggest that MNPs may present a serious risk to human health. Their growing presence in both the environment and the human body, along with emerging evidence of their toxicity, raises significant concerns. Action is needed to advance technologies and pharmaceutical interventions capable of safely and effectively removing MNPs from both ecosystems and biological systems.
A NATURAL SOLUTION TO AN UNNATURAL ENEMY
The good news is that, once again, Dr. McCullough and the medical experts at The Wellness Company are leading the way, especially where big pharma has failed.
Even better, while plastic pollution may be man-made, nature offers the antidote. Certain probiotic strains can actually bind to microplastics, carry them out of your system, and help repair the gut from the inside out.
Saccharomyces boulardii – The Microplastic Catcher
This powerful probiotic yeast grabs onto microplastics the same way it traps harmful bacteria—so your body can flush them out naturally. It also helps calm inflammation in the gut and supports a healthier, stronger intestinal lining.
Bifidobacterium longum – The Barrier Builder
Think of this strain as reinforcement for your gut wall. It strengthens the “tight junctions” that keep your intestinal barrier sealed, reduces irritation, and promotes the production of beneficial fatty acids that help your gut stay balanced and resilient.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG – The Detox Specialist
This clinically studied probiotic helps your body eliminate plastics more quickly while protecting both your gut and liver from their toxic effects. It helps lower oxidative stress, supports detox pathways, and maintains the protective barrier between your gut and bloodstream.
There is a natural solution to this incredibly dangerous side-effect of modern life, but how do you get these natural solutions? That’s where The Wellness Company comes in. The same medical professionals who you have trusted since the pandemic – folks like Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Kelly Victory – have created a product called PlasDetox. PlasDetox is a complete probiotic and detox formula designed for modern life.
Each capsule combines these powerful probiotic strains — Saccharomyces boulardii, Bifidobacterium longum, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG — with detox-supporting nutrients like Chlorella, Calcium D-Glucarate, and Lycopene to:
Help bind and remove microplastics naturally*
Strengthen your gut barrier and microbiome balance*
Support liver health and phase-2 detox pathways*
Provide antioxidant protection against plastics and pollutants*
Reduce the impact of endocrine disruptors like BPA and polystyrene*
A crazed Hawaii Democrat achieved his 15 minutes of infamy last week after pulling a gun on public officials. But there were signs of trouble before, including a horrifying threat that was seemingly ignored by police.
The Honolulu Civil Beat reported that 40-year-old Kirill Basin, a candidate for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, was arrested for threatening two Maui County workers around 9:30 am on Friday, before running away and being arrested hours later.
Basin has been charged with Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree.
According to The Honolulu Civil Beat, Basin entered a Maui County government building and brandished his gun during an argument with county workers.
Police, however, were not called for an hour and a half.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier issued the following written statement after Basin’s arrest:
The Maui Police Department will not compromise public safety, and incidents of this nature are taken extremely seriously in Maui County.
I am extremely proud of the quick response and professionalism displayed by our personnel, which helped ensure a peaceful resolution.
It’s not clear at this point why Basin entered the building or who his alleged victims were. But a possible explanation has arisen.
Basin’s behavior follows another disturbing incident two days prior. Basin had to be escorted out of a town hall meeting after arguing with a council member and his staff.
Basin then confronted the council member’s executive assistant in a parking lot after the town hall, causing the police to intervene again.
But Basin’s history with the executive assistant goes back even deeper, and it’s shocking.
Two days before his arrest, police escorted him from a South Maui town hall meeting after he was involved in an argument with Council member Tom Cook and members of his staff, police said.
Shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday, Cook’s executive assistant, Jared Agtunong, filed a petition for a temporary restraining order against Basin. According to the petition, after police had escorted Basin from the town hall, he confronted Agtunong in the parking lot, requiring police to intervene once again.
That wasn’t the first time Agtunong had come into contact with Basin. According to the restraining order petition, Basin had called Agtunong and sent a series of profane and cryptic texts.
“I did not answer Basin’s phone call, but he left a message telling me that I’m a piece of trash, said I should think of my family, and insisted I call him back,” Agtunong wrote in his petition. “In additional texts sent on the same day, Basin wished me luck with prison, then at 9:00 p.m., Basin’s text said ‘you’re f**ked.’”
This all suggests that Basin has some severe mental health problems that need to be addressed.
America, though, continues to be haunted by its decision to close down insane asylums decades ago.
New Jersey’s newly minted radical Governor Mikie Sherrill is facing fierce backlash after she openly blamed federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for “inciting” violence after a masked mob of left-wing extremists launched a violent assault on police officers.
The chaotic scene unfolded Saturday night outside Delaney Hall, a regional detention facility in Newark. According to reports and Sherrill’s own admission, a mob of “masked individuals” suddenly turned a supposedly “peaceful” protest into an active war zone.
The violent agitators attacked security barriers, used those very barriers as weapons, hurled dangerous projectiles at law enforcement, and literally set tires on fire in the middle of the street.
On Saturday, Sherrill said that “people from outside the state have been interfering in the protests and escalating them. 5 of the 6 people arrested [Friday] night by state police were from outside New Jersey.”
WOW! The governor of New Jersey just revealed 5 of the 6 people arrested here outside the Newark ICE facility by NJ State Police were from OUT OF STATE
Once again: NOTHING about this is organic.
NJ GOV. SHERRILL: “We know that people from outside the state have been interfering… pic.twitter.com/Ceo8omhb2W
She added that the DHS should restore visitation rights for illegal immigrants in detention, ensure access to medical care for all detainees, and provide opportunities for them to review and address their immigration cases.
I am going to keep working for better conditions inside Delaney Hall until it is closed for good. pic.twitter.com/NgBqgssW10
— Governor Mikie Sherrill (@GovSherrillNJ) May 30, 2026
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Sherrill claimed that “a lot of peaceful protesting” had been taking place and suggested that ICE agents were the real source of the tension.
“What seems to really be inciting a lot of this are really the ICE agents,” Sherrill said. “So the ICE agents really need to stay out of there. That seems to really be inciting a lot of this right now.”
She doubled down in a lengthy X post on Sunday describing the violence — but still refused to squarely condemn the radicals behind it:
“Last night, masked individuals at Delaney Hall attacked the barrier in the protected protest area and began aggressive and dangerous actions against Newark and New Jersey State Police, including throwing projectiles, utilizing the barriers as weapons, and lighting tires on fire in the street.
These actions put both peaceful protestors and law enforcement in danger. The police were not in protective gear; they had been on location since early in the morning ensuring protestors and counter protestors had areas to exercise their rights safely. As these dangerous actions took place, additional support was needed to protect civilians and law enforcement.
My number one priority will always be public safety, and I remain dedicated to protecting constitutional rights. We simply cannot let ICE surge into our community.
I do not know why these individuals attacked or what they wanted to accomplish, but I refuse to let these dangerous actions detract from New Jersey’s dedication to ensuring public safety, keeping people safe from ICE, and that the people detained inside Delaney Hall are treated with dignity.
While NJSP and Newark PD continue to keep the area secure, I once again urge everyone who shares these goals to work together to bring the temperature down. We must focus on advocating for better conditions for the detainees, for their families, and ultimately, for the closure of Delaney Hall, as well as to protect the many peaceful protestors who continue to make this their mission.”
Last night, masked individuals at Delaney Hall attacked the barrier in the protected protest area and began aggressive and dangerous actions against Newark and New Jersey State Police, including throwing projectiles, utilizing the barriers as weapons, and lighting tires on fire…
— Governor Mikie Sherrill (@GovSherrillNJ) May 31, 2026
(@KarluskaP) 
