Month: July 2026

Politics

Fauci and Graham: Trump’s Disaster Men

The former infectious disease maven and the late senator each found ways to engineer catastrophes for Trump.

Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images

It was a strange coincidence that Anthony Fauci pleaded the Fifth at nearly the same time memorial services for Lindsey Graham were concluding.

While the buck stops with the commander-in-chief, Fauci gave advice publicly and privately that derailed President Donald Trump’s first term. Graham’s public and private counsel may yet derail Trump’s second term.

At a minimum, in neither case did things work out exactly as hoped.

There are key differences, of course. Trump and Graham arrived at a place of genuine mutual affection after their famously contentious start. You didn’t need to read Fauci’s diaries to know that he always viewed Trump with contempt, even if he concealed it a bit early in 2020 to maintain his influence. Once Fauci could see that Trump was going to lose to Joe Biden, thanks in no small part to the good doctor’s own handiwork, he let the mask slip.

Despite the early 2020s conventional wisdom that Trump was too libertine in the face of the pandemic, the well-known germaphobe’s first instinct was in fact to defer to the experts. He elevated Fauci from a not exactly obscure bureaucrat to a national celebrity, the ostensible source of all wisdom on Covid-19. (Fauci was admittedly good on television, a trait the president admires.)

And when fellow Republicans such as Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp and Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis favored far less stringent business closures, Trump wasn’t exactly encouraging.

After a few weeks, though, Trump realized that the experts didn’t know a whole lot more about how to stop the spread than he did. And he watched as the lockdowns they prescribed destroyed the strong economy that had been at the center of his case for another term. The president was still slow to change course completely, and he never fired Fauci, but he began to proclaim that everything would be back to normal soon. (Remember his fervent hope for an Easter 2020 reopening?)

Trump’s erratic Covid messaging and comments about bleach have to be judged in the context of his original desire to follow the science, until it became clear that it was a road to nowhere (or at least to a Biden presidency, which turned out to be much the same thing).

Something similar happened with Iran. Trump was convinced the war would be short: 15 weeks to stop the spread of nuclear-armed Islamofascism. The Iranian regime would either be toppled as easily as Nicolas Maduro had been in Venezuela, or else cowed by American military might into total submission.

Instead, what followed was a protracted conflict, marked by fruitless off-and-on negotiations, depleted munitions, and the economically ruinous dueling blockades of the Strait of Hormuz. This last development, of course, fueled inflation—delivering almost exactly the opposite of what Trump promised in 2024 (notwithstanding his deep-seated antipathy toward Tehran).

And, unlike Covid, this was entirely a choice. (Even the dubious narrative that Iran has been at war with us for 47 years implies that the U.S. was able to decline participation for nearly half a century.)

Both situations took Trump away from what he is best at—being a hype man for prosperity or a critic of his political opponents’ mistakes—and redirected him toward reassuring the public in a crisis, which is not really his skillset.

Here too Trump seemed to at least partially recognize his error in trusting the hawks’ judgment—Graham “never saw a war that he didn’t like,” the president said both in interviews and his eulogy at the South Carolina senator’s funeral—and tried to project optimism that it would all be over soon.

But Graham did a much better job of influencing Trump than Fauci ever did, reinforcing the president’s most hawkish instincts at every turn. The senator, in addition to being good on television, was a skilled reader of people. Fauci navigated bureaucracy and played office politics. Graham was an actual politician. 

“I talked to Trump this morning,” Graham said, according to a Wall Street Journal report on a documentary about the lawmaker’s longstanding Iran war advocacy. “He’s jacked. He said, ‘Best thing I have ever done.’ He loves blowing stuff up.”

The documentary, based on the Journal’s description, is as revealing as Fauci’s diaries. “Look what we’ve done here. I almost cried,” Graham said after Iran was bombed. “How long have we been pushing this?” Some of Graham’s goals reportedly went too far even for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Graham, to his credit, doesn’t seem to have had the same discrepancies between his public and private views of the war that Fauci did in his pandemic counsel. 

But neither man’s project has gone exactly as planned—or redounded to Trump’s benefit.

The post Fauci and Graham: Trump’s Disaster Men appeared first on The American Conservative.

Politics

Understanding Section 219

Whatever its supporters say, the NDAA provision would massively expand defense ties between the U.S. and Israel.

Two weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed its version of a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2027. This “must-pass” legislation, which sets policy and authorizes annual funding for the military, is usually a relatively uncontroversial affair. This year’s NDAA process, however, has seen intense criticism directed at one particular part of the bill. 

This is Section 219, a provision intended to consolidate and expand the defense relationship between the United States and Israel. More specifically, it mandates the creation of a single executive agent tasked with “synchronizing cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel to expand and accelerate bilateral defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation.” These efforts will cover broad areas, including the integration of Israeli technologies into U.S. weapon systems and supply chains, cooperative research, development, and acquisition programs, licensing agreements and manufacturing partnerships with Israeli arms companies, and joint exercises and information sharing with the Israeli government.

The sweeping scope of this provision has led some media outlets and political commentators to describe it as “merging” the U.S. and Israeli defense industrial bases, which could—as this magazine observed earlier this month—give Israel additional leverage over our defense and foreign policy. In the House itself, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and six other Republicans defied their party to vote against the NDAA and Section 219, which Massie denounced as “a betrayal of our sovereignty.” (All but six Democrats also voted nay, though many appear to have done so more out of opposition to the Iran War than Section 219 specifically.)

These concerns have increased the pressure on the Senate, which has yet to pass its own version of an NDAA for 2027 (a vote to advance it earlier this month failed due to near-unified Democratic opposition). The Senate’s bill contains a provision—Section 1217—that, though worded differently, is fairly similar to the House’s Section 219. Although historically Senate Republicans have been strongly pro-Israel, the controversy over this provision has already led at least one GOP Senator to oppose defense industrial integration. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) told Drop Site News last Thursday, “I don’t think we should integrate our military with anybody, not even the Bahamas.”

But Democratic leadership has not come out against this provision, nor have they attacked the broader expansion of U.S.-Israel defense industrial ties. Both House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have preferred to frame their opposition to the NDAA around the Iran War and avoided talking about Israel in this context, even as their voters increasingly question the U.S. relationship with Israel.

The American Conservative reached out to the offices of Jeffries and Schumer to inquire whether they would ask Democratic lawmakers to oppose the inclusion of Section 219/1217 in a final NDAA. Neither returned requests for comment.

The refusal of Democratic leaders to take a definite stance on this issue has frustrated critics such as Glenn Greenwald, who suggested in a post on X that House Democrats coordinated with the GOP to ensure the passage of the NDAA earlier this month. “When something [Democrats] pretend to oppose ‘must pass,’ (like the NDAA)” Greenwald wrote, “they ensure there are just enough Dem votes for it to pass, even if it’s just by one vote. Then they tell all other Dems: feel free to vote NO so our followers think we really oppose it, and we almost sunk it.”

One of the other unique aspects of this debate has been the relative absence of specific defenses of Section 219 by supporters. When pressed, they have tended to respond with broad denials and pivoted to accusing critics of anti-semitism. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) insisted, despite the provision’s direction regarding cooperation and integration, that “we are not merging anything,” while Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) accused those who used the term “merger” of “stoking Jew hatred.”

And when defenders have addressed the provision with any specificity, they have described it as merely a reification of the status quo. It just formalizes “something we’re already doing,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said recently. “I mean, that’s something that already exists.” Even Democrats who voted against the NDAA as a whole—such as Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee and one of the most powerful House Democrats on defense matters—said the provision would only apply to a handful of discrete programs, such as Iron Dome or David’s Sling, which the U.S. already coproduces with Israel. “We would have three, four, maybe five or six programs that we were co-developing with the IDF,” Smith explained in a recent appearance on Breaking Points. 

But such assurances do not provide the full story. As detailed above, the text of Section 219 directs the Pentagon to create a new position with a broad mandate that transcends specific programs. This mandate encompasses R&D, acquisition, production, information-sharing, and joint exercises. It includes cooperation in a vast array of areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, cyber, and directed energies. The provision even leaves open the door for work with “other Department of Defense entities, as appropriate,” which could cover essentially any cooperative program imaginable.

“These categories cover all the most important tech from which the most important weapon systems will come,” the influential conservative commentator and activist Steve Bannon said in a recent conversation with this author. Bannon added that “Section 219 is the equivalent of China’s Made in China 2025 strategy… AGI, quantum computing, advanced chip design, biotech. The top sectors get you to the singularity, to Homo sapiens 2.0. They’ve laid out every crucial massive segment, not a weapons program.” 

Perhaps most revealing are the words of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself. In a recent Fox News interview, Rachel Campos-Duffy asked Netanyahu whether, if direct financial aid from the U.S. were to end, “Israel [would] be compensated by the proposal to have a merging of some sort between our Pentagon and your military.”

“Yeah,” Netanyahu responded. “I’m calling it from aid to partnership.” Netanyahu has also recently proposed the creation of a new joint U.S.-Israel fund of roughly $16 billion that would go toward research and development of new weapons systems, according to reporting by the Times of Israel.

The Israeli government and its allies here can read public opinion polls just like anyone else. They recognize that the window is closing, and that the next occupant of the White House may seek to put more daylight between the two countries. 

Hence the importance of Section 219: by creating a statutory mandate for expanded defense cooperation, it will make a future unwinding of this relationship much more difficult to accomplish. Whether or not this effort succeeds will come down to the willingness of lawmakers—Democrats and Republicans alike—to take a stand.

The post Understanding Section 219 appeared first on The American Conservative.

An old tweet from Texas Senate Democratic Nominee James Talarico has come to light, where he idolized the mass murderer Dr. Anthony Fauci with an action figure on Christmas morning.

It’s almost satanic. This, of course, is the same guy who says he loves trans children and thinks God is nonbinary. Talarico has even said he “hates Christianity.”

“I got the coolest action figure for Christmas!” Talarico wrote on X on Christmas in 2021. “Thank you to all the health care superheroes working today. Let’s help by getting vaxxed and boosted!”

I got the coolest action figure for Christmas!

Thank you to all the health care superheroes working today. Let’s help by getting vaxxed and boosted! pic.twitter.com/tVWUrE5lyV

— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) December 25, 2021

The post resurfaced after Fauci refused to answer questions before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, invoking his Fifth Amendment right more than 100 times as Senate Republicans grilled him over the COVID pandemic and his many lies over the years.

After years of spreading COVID and vaccine disinformation, he couldn’t answer for any of it despite having a sweeping preemptive pardon from Biden.

Senator Rand Paul announced that the committee will vote next week to hold Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer questions and suggested that his invocation of the Fifth Amendment was unlawful.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) nuked the trans-kid-loving man-child on X, writing, “Do you think James Talarico still plays with his Fauci action figure?”

Do you think James Talarico still plays with his Fauci action figure? https://t.co/ZdTxxzoktN

— Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) July 29, 2026

Senator Ted Cruz also trolled Talarico, writing on X,

James Talarico called Fauci a superhero.

Today, Fauci took the Fifth 111 times.

Apparently accountability was sold separately.

James Talarico called Fauci a superhero.

Today, Fauci took the Fifth 111 times.

Apparently accountability was sold separately. https://t.co/Mm4UYgaNPy

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 29, 2026

The post BACKFIRE: James Talarico’s Fauci Action Figure Tweet Resurfaces After Damning Fauci Senate Hearing – “Let’s Help by Getting Vaxxed and Boosted!” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Republicans in the senate grilled Dr. Anthony Fauci this week, so leftists like Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNOW had to step up and defend him.

It’s all so predictable. You always know what the left is going to do because it’s always a knee-jerk reaction to whatever Trump or Republicans are saying or doing.

In the case of O’Donnell over on MSNOW, he was determined to go farther than anyone else on the left. Virtue signaling is very important to him.

From the TV Insider:

Lawrence O’Donnell jumped to Anthony Fauci‘s defense amid the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Senate hearing about his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights while being grilled by Rand Paul, a Republican senator from Kentucky, and O’Donnell supported his decision on the July 29 episode of The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell.

“Republican senators disgraced themselves today, attacking the man who saved lives, possibly millions of lives, during the COVID-19 outbreak,” O’Donnell began. “The man who helped speed the development of a vaccine because of the research that he had led and supported on exactly that kind of virus for years before the outbreak of the pandemic, of the anticipation of exactly the kind of pandemic that hit the world in 2020.”

He continued, “That’s why the vaccine that has saved so many of our lives reached us so quickly and not one senator in that room today did one thing to save a single life during the COVID-19 pandemic. But they lined up to get their COVID-19 shots as soon as they could and they neer thanked Dr. Fauci for helping to speed the development of that vaccine.”

In this clip, he says “He has done more in service to this country then every senator in that room and the entire current United States Senate combined.”

Watch the clip:

Lawrence O’Donnell on Fauci:

“He has done more in service to this country then every senator in that room and the entire current United States Senate combined.”

Just utterly delusional

There literally isn’t a single thing that Fauci wasn’t caught lying about. pic.twitter.com/NdmCZx3Z28

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 30, 2026

Could he be any more pathetic?

His devotion to Fauci is so over-the-top it seems fake.

The post SO MUCH CRINGE: Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNOW Offers Over-The-Top Defense of Fauci (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The area where Kamala Harris’ new California mansion sits is reportedly whiter than an albino in a snow storm.

What happened to diversity being our greatest strength? Isn’t that what Democrats always say?

Shouldn’t Kamala Harris want to live in a more diverse area? There probably aren’t any homeless people in her new neighborhood either. It’s an absolute outrage. Doesn’t this make her a racist?

The New York Post reports:

Kamala Harris’ new $8M mansion is in a neighborhood with virtually no black residents

Despite a career-long commitment to combating racial disparities in housing and touting the importance of living among Black people, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ new California mansion is situated in a neighborhood with virtually no racial diversity.

Harris’ new 4,000-square-foot property, which reports indicate she acquired for $8.15 million, is located in the exclusive seaside community of Point Dume and includes ocean views, multiple wine fridges, private golf greens and enough parking to accommodate five vehicles.

Point Dume is situated entirely within Census tract 8004.08, which the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey estimated was just 0.2% Black and roughly 94% White as of 2019.

Harris’ choice of neighborhood may surprise longtime observers given past comments she has made about the importance of living among other Black Americans.

“When you’re at (a historically Black college or university), and especially one with the size and with the history of Howard University — and also in the context of also being in D.C., which was known forever as being ‘Chocolate City’ — it just becomes about you understanding that there is a whole world of people who are like you,” Harris told a Washington Post reporter in 2019, reflecting on her experience growing up in primarily White social circles then attending a historically Black college in a predominantly African American city.

It looks like a pretty nice house.

Kamala Harris’ new $8M mansion is in a neighborhood with virtually no black residents https://t.co/gLYzsqXXxv pic.twitter.com/kKZL6VxA5g

— New York Post (@nypost) July 30, 2026

How much do you want to bet that it’s a gated community, too?

Typical liberal Democrat. One set of rules for them, a completely different set of rules for everyone else.

The post REPORT: Kamala Harris’ New California Mansion is in an Area With No Black People appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The socialists have completely taken over the Democrat party. Schumer is too afraid to oppose ABOLISHING THE SENATE… despite being IN the senate. pic.twitter.com/1FgmzvctGs

— Victor Nieves (@ItsVictorNieves) July 30, 2026

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has now shown that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are in control of the Democrat party.

When asked about the DSA plan to abolish the Senate, Schumer dodged the question and said that all Democrats are united against Trump.

Party leadership, like Schumer, is now so afraid of the DSA that they won’t even speak out against proposals to abolish the very body that they are members of.

The Gateway Pundit reported,

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was caught off guard when asked about the Democratic Socialists of America’s plans to abolish the Senate on Wednesday.

Instead of answering the question, Schumer ignored it and claimed that the party is united in “working to defeat Trump.”

Earlier this week, Fox’s Shannon Bream went through the DSA’s Workers Deserve More Platform with Megan Romer, National Co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America.

“Just give me sort of a true or false on these,” Bream said before listing the radical policies, including abolishing the Senate, replacing the President and Supreme Court with Congressionally appointed leaders, abolishing ICE, abolishing borders and granting mass amnesty, defunding the Pentagon, abolishing prisons, and government ownership of business.

The post Victor Reacts: The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Now Control the Democrat Party (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) got confronted by a left-wing protester while delivering a “major anti-corruption announcement” at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on Thursday. 

Schumer was railing against Trump, saying he’s turned the Presidency into “the single most profitable scam of his–” when he was interrupted.

“Please sit down. Please sit down,” Schumer said, trying to wrangle the disruption in.

But the man continued shouting at Schumer, slamming him for his “diabolical record” and asking him, “How dare you talk about corruption?”

“What can be more corrupt than backing genocide? This is part of the same con with you and Trump playing off of each other. ‘Oh, he’s worse.’ ‘Oh, he’s worse.’ You were put on notice in November of 2023 by the Center for Constitutional Rights and other legal and human rights organizations. Notice on potential legal liability for aiding, abetting, inciting, or conspiring to commit genocide through congressional acts and demand,” the man said.

“You were put on notice, and you backed it, and you backed a genocide to the hilt for years on end. How dare you call up to talk about corruption? How dare you talk about corruption?”

Schumer tried to stop him again, chiming in, “Thank you for your diatribe. Now let’s continue. Let’s continue and let— the people didn’t come to hear you.”

But he still kept going, yelling at Schumer, “You should be questioned about your diabolical record. It’s amazing that you can show your genocidal face in public, Mr. Senator, Mr. Senator!”

As other attendees and staff began to drag him out of the room, the man screamed, “Shame on public citizens for not allowing questions to this genocidal maniac. Shame! Corruption! What could be more corrupt than not allowing questions?”

WATCH:

More from Fox:

Forty Senate Democrats voted to halt arms sales and military bulldozers to Israel as an act of protest against Trump’s war in Iran in April.

The two resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., combined would have blocked nearly $500 million in arms and equipment sales to Israel. One resolution would have halted the sale of roughly $295 million in Caterpillar bulldozers, while the other would have stopped the sale of nearly $152 million worth of 1,000-pound bombs.

Meanwhile, despite the disruption, Schumer did get his point across: to announce the push for legislation to create a new anti-corruption agency.

“This bill is the biggest, boldest and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions,” Schumer said.

The post WATCH: “Please Sit Down!” – Schumer’s Anti Trump Speech Interrupted by Liberal Heckler Screaming, “How Dare You Talk About Corruption… Genocidal Maniac. Shame!” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Liberal Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared on Michelle Obama’s “IMO” podcast this week in an episode titled, “Move Through the Hard Times with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.”

Ketanji Jackson discussed her life before serving on the Supreme Court, motherhood and other topics.

At one point, Ketanji Jackson stressed the importance of impartiality.

“There are lots of limits on what judges can do, and I try to be very, very mindful and scrupulous with respect to that because, as you say, our obligation is to be unbiased in our approach,” said Jackson.

“And, so, you have to then navigate all the sources that could make for an appearance of partiality, which you want to avoid,” Jackson added.

The irony.

Michelle Obama chimed in and agreed and asked Justice Jackson if she consumes the news.

“You also have to watch your exposure to things, so that there isn’t a bias,” said Obama. “What does that mean for you in terms of reading the paper and listening to the news? And how do get your information and what do you have to be careful about? And how are you dealing with the potential conflicts so that you do stay above board?”

Ketanji Jackson said her legal team screens invitations to make sure there are no ethical conflict.

“When I get invitations to do things, I always have them screened by the legal office, the public information office, just to make sure that there are no ethical conflicts, that this is not a fundraiser, you know,” Ketanji Jackson told Michelle Obama.

WATCH:

Ketanji Jackson was mocked for her claims on Michelle Obama’s podcast.

“Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson says SCOTUS must avoid even the appearance of political bias… while appearing on Michelle Obama’s podcast,” House GOP Chairwoman Lisa McClain said.

“Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown discusses the importance of being neutral while she is sitting on Michelle Obama’s podcast set!” TPUSA Faith contributor John Amanchukwu said.

“Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson can’t be real. She says it is important to be neutral as a Supreme Court justice……..while she is literally on MAJOR leftist Michelle Obama’s podcast. Make it make sense,” podcaster DeVory Darkins said.

The post Liberal Justice Ketanji Jackson Mocked For Discussing the Importance of Impartiality… While Appearing on Michelle Obama’s Podcast (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs said on Thursday that for a second consecutive election, she will not participate in a debate. 

Hobbs previously refused to participate in her primary and general election debates in 2022 before she stole the election from Trump-endorsed Kari Lake.

In a statement, Hobbs’ campaign manager Nicole DeMont told 12 News, “We respectfully decline debate invitations in this campaign because face-to-face engagement with Arizonans is more effective than a stage designed for short soundbites and political theater.”

DeMont went on to say that Hobbs has done “more than 100 open-press events”; therefore, she’s exempt from the tradition of defending her candidacy on the debate stage.

Hobbs’ team issued a similar statement amid the controversy during the last election cycle, blaming the circumstances surrounding the debate, when she refused to square off against Kari Lake.

“Debating a conspiracy theorist like Kari Lake – whose entire campaign platform is to cause enormous chaos and make Arizona the subject of national ridicule – would only lead to constant interruptions, pointless distractions, and childish name-calling,” the Hobbs campaign said last year.

“Arizonans deserve so much better than Kari Lake, and that’s why we’re confident Katie Hobbs will be elected our next governor.”

Drew Sexton, a Senior Advisor to Andy Biggs, slammed Hobbs in a statement to The Gateway Pundit, highlighting her past corruption scandals and noting that Biggs will still participate in the scheduled debate.

Sexton responded, writing,

“The independent and persuadable voters up for grabs in Arizona deserve to hear from statewide candidates in a traditional debate setting, one that was held in every Arizona gubernatorial race since 1954 until Katie Hobbs ran for the position in 2022.

Every other statewide Democrat in 2022 and 2024 decided to debate in the general election, but Katie Hobbs thinks the rules don’t apply to her. That may be why she’s also under criminal investigation for corruption and why she’s already been publicly rejected by her first choice for Lt. Governor.

Whatever her reason is, it won’t stop Andy Biggs from campaigning across the state and participating in the Clean Elections Debate on October 6th to ask for the votes of every Arizonan of every background.

Katie Hobbs can avoid the debate stage but she won’t get to avoid voters in November.”

Of course, the real reason Hobbs won’t debate is that, aside from being plagued by scandals, she has no real ideas to run on.

Just last week, Hobbs got blasted after she attempted to steal credit for the State Republicans’ no-tax-on-tips budget proposal, originally inspired by Trump’s no-tax-on-tips policy at the federal level.

“Here in Arizona, we eliminated taxes on tips so that service workers like the guys here at Chili Pepper in Yuma can keep every dollar they earn through tips. As families struggle with high costs because of Washington’s misguided policies, I’m working to put more money in Arizonans’ pockets, and we did just that with my fourth bipartisan balanced budget that cut taxes for hardworking families,” Hobbs claimed in a video statement.

Conveniently, she didn’t mention that the Republican State Legislature passed the provision as part of the 2026 budget, which sought to mirror Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

WATCH:

MORE:

Democrat Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs Ratioed on X After Taking Credit for Trump’s No Tax on Tips Rule (VIDEO)

The post OF COURSE! Katie Hobbs to Skip Arizona Gubernatorial Debate Against Trump-Endorsed Andy Biggs – Biggs Campaign Responds! appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A Rhode Island man whose remarkable survival at birth was officially recognized as a miracle by Pope Leo XIV has been arrested in Virginia in connection with a double shooting.

Tyquan Johnson, 19, was captured Wednesday morning at a residence in Newport News, Virginia, by members of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Johnson was wanted on charges of felony assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in a compact area following a July 19 shooting in Newport’s Park Holm neighborhood, according to the Newport RI Police Department.

Two men, ages 22 and 25, were found with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to their lower extremities. Both were treated and released. Investigators identified Johnson as a suspect; he fled the state. A second individual remains wanted for questioning. Police described both as armed and dangerous.

Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Johnson on July 23 and warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. Authorities believed he had fled Rhode Island for Virginia and contacted the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force.

Johnson was ultimately tracked to a residence on Chestnut Avenue in Newport News and taken into custody approximately ten days after the shooting, according to local reports.

The arrest warrant listing Johnson’s name, January 14, 2007 date of birth, and last known Virginia address immediately raised eyebrows.

Those details matched the young man whose premature birth at the former Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket had been investigated for years and ultimately approved as a miracle by Pope Leo XIV in June 2025.

Born via emergency cesarean after his mother’s complications, the newborn showed no detectable heartbeat and no improvement after roughly 65 minutes of resuscitation efforts.

Doctors expected catastrophic neurological damage or death. The attending physician, a Spanish native, prayed for the intercession of 19th-century Spanish priest Salvador Valera Parra. Moments later, the infant’s heart restarted without further medical intervention.

He recovered fully, speaking at 18 months and walking at age 2 with no apparent lasting effects from the prolonged oxygen deprivation.

The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints reviewed the case extensively. Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, approved the miracle, advancing Valera Parra’s cause toward sainthood.

The Diocese of Providence called it a powerful reminder of the efficacy of prayer. Johnson himself, interviewed last year after the declaration, said the recognition strengthened his faith and that he felt destined for a second chance at life. He had expressed interest in “paying it forward” and possibly joining the military.

Less than a year later, that same young man is facing serious gun charges after allegedly opening fire on two people in Newport and fleeing across state lines.

The post Rhode Island Man Whose Birth Was Declared a Catholic Miracle by Pope Leo XIV Wanted in Violent Double Shooting appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.