Police Search Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Zorro Ranch’ for 1st Time Ever

Luis Cornelio
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Police Search Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Zorro Ranch’ for 1st Time Ever

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) New Mexico law enforcement conducted a “search” of the 30,000-square-foot mansion once owned by late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for more than two decades. 

The mansion, located on the so-called Zorro Ranch property, was searched as part of New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s effort to reopen a previously closed investigation into alleged criminal activity at the site. 

The probe comes amid the Trump administration’s release of the Epstein files and after several victims said they were abused at the ranch. According to a report by The Albuquerque Journal, former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas revealed recently that prosecutors from the Southern District of New York pressured his office to cease its probe into sex trafficking at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in September 2019, the month after Epstein was found dead in a prison cell.

Epstein bought the property in 1993 through a company named Zorro Trust, later renamed Cypress Inc. There are rumors he conducted science experiments there, and that dead bodies may even be buried on the land—though solid evidence of that hasn’t been produced.

It is not immediately clear what investigators were looking for. Cypress Inc. sold the property in 2023, according to New Mexico outlet KRQE. 

In a statement, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Justice said the “search” was tied to its Feb. 19 probe of “allegations of illegal activity at Epstein’s ranch” prior to his 2019 death. 

“We urge the public to please stay away from the area and ground any drone activity to avoid interfering with the ongoing law enforcement operation,” the department said. 

The search does not appear to have been conducted under a warrant and was likely carried out voluntarily, with the NMDOJ thanking the ranch’s new owners “for granting access.” 

The property is currently owned by Don Huffines, a Dallas real estate millionaire and former Texas state legislator who is now running for Texas comptroller. 

The investigation is running parallel to a separate effort in the New Mexico legislature, which voted unanimously to create a bipartisan four-member commission to examine allegations tied to the ranch. 

The NMDOJ has also published an online form where potential witnesses can submit “credible information” to investigators. 

“If you have information that may assist this investigation, we encourage you to submit a tip using the form below,” the page states. “Investigators may follow up with individuals who provide information if additional details are needed.” 

Texodus: At least 12 Texas Members of Congress Won’t be Returning

Headline USA Editor
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Texodus: At least 12 Texas Members of Congress Won’t be Returning

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) Twelve members of Texas’ congressional delegation elected in 2024 won’t be returning to office next year. Eleven are incumbents; one is deceased. The number is expected to grow depending on the outcome of upcoming elections. 

They represent nearly one-third of the Texas congressional delegation. Texas has the second largest delegation in the country of 38, behind California’s 52.

The 12 members are from Republican or Democratic strongholds whose new seats under redistricting aren’t expected to flip. However, several Democrats ran in new districts because of redistricting, upending several races. 

In 2024, Houston’s former Democratic mayor Sylvester Turner won CD 18, a Democratic stronghold, filling an open seat vacated by deceased U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Turner was sworn into office in January 2025 and died two months later. The seat remained vacant until a special election was held last November. 

Former Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee won the seat in a crowded race and ran for reelection in the March primary. He won more votes than Al Green, who is seeking reelection in CD 18 after serving for years in CD 9, which was redistricted to a Republican stronghold. Menefee and Green are heading to a runoff. If Green loses, he will join Democratic Reps. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, and Lloyd Doggett of Austin, who were the first casualties of redistricting.

Last year, Veasey and Doggett announced they weren’t running for reelection because of redistricting. Two Democrats hoping to replace Veasey in a new CD 33 are former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and incumbent U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson. They head to a runoff in a Democratic stronghold. If Johnson loses, she joins the Democratic redistricting casualty list.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Greg Casar won his primary race in a new CD 37 to replace Doggett, also in a Democratic stronghold, The Center Square reported.

Three incumbents ran for another office, Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, Chip Roy, R-Fredericksburg, and Wesley Hunt, R-Houston. Crockett and Hunt lost their primary races for U.S. Senate. Roy is heading to a runoff for state attorney general. Their congressional seats remain Democratic and Republican strongholds, respectively.

President Donald Trump has said he will soon make an endorsement in the U.S. Senate race. Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, has issued conflicting statements about dropping out, The Center Square reported. 

Four incumbent Republicans announced they were retiring: U.S. Reps. Morgan Luttrell of Magnolia, Jodey Arrington of Lubbock, Troy Nehls of Richmond and Michael McCaul of Austin. Their seats remain Republican strongholds. 

Two incumbent Republicans were forced out after tumultuous primary races: disgraced U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales and Dan Crenshaw. Gonzales’ seat along the southwest border leans Republican; Crenshaw’s northern Houston suburb seat remains solidly Republican. 

Gonzales was forced to end his reelection bid by U.S. House leadership after he admitted to having an affair with a staffer who later killed herself. This was after he denied the affair for months, said he wasn’t resigning and falsely accused the woman’s husband of bribing him, The Center Square reported. When Gonzales announced he was dropping his reelection bid, he issued no apology and expressed no remorse.

Crenshaw was ousted by state Rep. Steve Toth, a grandfather and owner of a pool cleaning company. Toth, considered one of the most conservative members of the state House, won after voters expressed disgust with Crenshaw for his profanity laced outbursts against constituents and the media using official House social media accounts. He also faced criticism for allegations of insider trading and support for red flag laws, which he denies.

Even after he lost, Crenshaw continued to blame voters. “A large part of this election was about the power of clickbait. Memes became truth. Too many people are not discerning through the clickbait,” he told the Texas Tribune.

The last time a large number of Texas’ congressional delegation didn’t return to Congress was eight years ago. Ten members elected in 2016 didn’t run for reelection or lost in 2018.

Former Republican incumbents U.S. Reps. John Culberson of Houston and Pete Sessions of Dallas lost their re-elections in 2018. Former incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert (Beto) O’Rourke, D-El Paso, challenged U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and lost.

Former incumbents U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Fort Worth, Gene Green, D-Houston, Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, Sam Johnson, R-Plano, Ted Poe, R-Atascocita, and Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, didn’t seek re-election in 2018.

Barton, a member of the Tea Party and Freedom caucuses, described himself as “a constant defender of conservative ideals and values.” He wasn’t forced to resign; he only announced he wasn’t running for reelection after nude photos he took of himself along with sexually explicit texts were leaked. He acknowledged he sent them to women with whom he was having extramarital affairs.

Former incumbent U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, who also claimed to be a conservative, resigned after it was reported that he used taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit and created a hostile work environment for female employees. 

Citing ‘Inappropriate’ Relationship, Ohio State President Resigns

Headline USA Editor
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Citing ‘Inappropriate’ Relationship, Ohio State President Resigns

(David Beasley, The Center Square) The president of Ohio State University abruptly resigned over the weekend after revealing an “inappropriate” relationship with a woman trying to get public resources for a personal business, the university announced.

Ted Carter Jr. had been president for two years.

“For personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role as president of The Ohio State University,” Carter said in a statement Monday. “I disclosed to the Board of Trustees that I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership.”

Carter, 66, was chosen for the post in 2023 and took his position Jan. 1, 2024. He came to Columbus after four years as president of the University of Nebraska and five years as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Retired vice admiral in the Navy, Carter is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Southern Watch and Allied Force. Multiple awards were presented him during his time in the Navy, including the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal twice, Legion of Merit three times, Distinguished Flying Cross with valor, and a Bronze Star.

The woman was not named in a statement by the university announcing Carter’s resignation. Trustees met Saturday and accepted his resignation Sunday.

“I have enjoyed a strong working relationship with the Board of Trustees, and I’m grateful for their support and guidance,” Carter said in a statement. “ It has been an honor to serve as this university’s 17th president, and we wish the university ongoing success.”

The Ohio State Board of Trustees held an executive session on Saturday “to consult with legal counsel on pending or imminent litigation and to discuss personnel matters regarding the appointment, employment and compensation of public officials.”

There was no public action taken Saturday, the board said.

The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication getting comment from the offices of Gov. Mark DeWine and Attorney General David Yost,

The university praised Carter for developing a strategic plan, increasing the school’s national rankings, adding new scholarship programs and increasing research funding.

The accomplishments have “elevated Ohio State’s position as a national leader,” the university said.

“I believe we have made much progress during my time at Ohio State, and I’m sorry I’m not able to remain your president longer,” Carter said.

With an enrollment of around 67,000, Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the United States, according to its website.

Trump Says He Will Make a ‘Mutual’ Decision With Netanyahu on When To End Iran War

Headline USA Editor
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Trump Says He Will Make a ‘Mutual’ Decision With Netanyahu on When To End Iran War

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Donald Trump said on Sunday that any decision to end the war with Iran would be a “mutual” one made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The president made the comments in a phone call with The Times of Israel, where he claimed that the US and Israel have “destroyed” Iran.

“Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it… We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel,” Trump said.

When asked if he alone would decide when the war is over or if Netanyahu would have a say, the president said, “I think it’s mutual… a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account.”

After the US and Israel first launched the war on February 28, Trump suggested it could last four weeks, but the timeline has repeatedly shifted, and there are signs that the US is preparing for a long, open-ended conflict.

The US-Israeli bombing campaign, which has killed more than 1,200 civilians, and the Israeli strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have not stopped the Iranian military’s response or fractured the government in any way, as Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been chosen as the new leader.

In his interview with the Times of Israel, Trump also praised Netanyahu and reiterated his call for Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon him. “Bibi Netanyahu should be given that pardon immediately. I think [Herzog is] doing a terrible thing by not giving it. We want Bibi to be focused on the war, not on a ridiculous pardon,” Trump said.

“Bibi’s done a great job. He’s been a wartime prime minister. We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel. Would have destroyed Israel if I wasn’t around,” the president added.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.  

Black Rain Falls on Tehran After US-Israeli Strikes Blow Up Oil Infrastructure

Headline USA Editor
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Black Rain Falls on Tehran After US-Israeli Strikes Blow Up Oil Infrastructure

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Black smoke filled the skies, and water mixed with oil rained down on the Iranian capital of Tehran on Sunday, following a US-Israeli strike that blew up oil facilities, marking a new escalation of the bombing campaign.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it struck “several fuel storage complexes” around the city, and according to Al Jazeera, a total of four facilities were hit. Iran’s oil distribution company said at least four of its employees were killed in the attacks.

Footage from the aftermath of the strikes shows large fireballs and black smoke pouring from the sites that were hit. The lingering black smoke blotted out the sun, confusing Tehran residents who thought it was still night when they woke up.

Iranian authorities urged residents to stay inside, warning of the spread of toxic chemicals. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said that “significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbons, sulfur and nitrogen oxides” were released into the air by the US-Israeli strikes.

Frederik Pleitgen, a CNN reporter in Tehran, posted several videos showing that oil is raining from the sky. “I want to show you something because the rain that’s coming down seems to be saturated or filled with oil, you can see that it’s completely black. Everything on the ground is black as well,” he said in one video.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that by “targeting fuel depots, the aggressors are releasing hazardous materials and toxic substances into the air, poisoning civilians, devastating the environment, and endangering lives on a massive scale.”

So far, the United States’s and Israel’s bombing campaign has killed more than 1,300 people in Iran, according to Iranian government figures. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, or HRANA, a US-based and US-funded NGO that’s very critical of the Iranian government, said on Saturday night that it has confirmed the killing of at least 1,205 civilians, including 194 children.

 

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.  

 

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Shot and Killed in a Traffic Stop

Headline USA Editor
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Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Shot and Killed in a Traffic Stop

(Headline USA) A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was shot and killed by a man he had pulled over in a traffic stop Sunday night, authorities said.

Cpl. Tim O’Connor was killed as he approached the car when the driver fired from inside the vehicle, the state’s acting police commissioner, Lt. Col. George Bivens, said at an early Monday morning news conference at Paoli Hospital in Chester County.

The shooter — identified by police as Jesse Nathan Elks, 32, from nearby Honey Brook — then got out of the car, walked a short distance away and shot and killed himself with a pistol, Bivens said.

O’Connor was a 15-year veteran of the state police who was married and had a young daughter, authorities said.

“Anybody you talk to tells you what a great guy he was,” Bivens said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said at the news conference that he told O’Connor’s wife, Casey, and parents that there were many questions about the shooting, “but the one thing that we absolutely know for certain is that their son, their husband, was a hero and he died protecting others.”

“That is a noble calling and that is something we are profoundly grateful for,” Shapiro said.

O’Connor, 40, joined the state police in 2010, state police said. He became the 105th member of the Pennsylvania State Police to be killed in the line of duty, the agency said.

O’Connor had been on patrol shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday night when a call came in for an erratic driver. O’Connor was dispatched and reported minutes later that he had pulled over the car at an intersection in West Caln Township, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Philadelphia, Bivens said.

“That is the last we heard from Corporal O’Connor,” Bivens said.

He didn’t respond to ensuing radio calls and troopers dispatched to the scene to check on him “found a very bad situation,” Bivens said.

Police and Chester County authorities were investigating, Bivens said.

Chester County’s district attorney, Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe, said investigators will look into Elks’ background and motives.

Shapiro ordered U.S. and state flags to fly at half-staff to honor O’Connor.

 

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

Men Who Brought Explosives to NYC Protest Cited Islamic State as Inspiration, Complaint Says

Headline USA Editor
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Men Who Brought Explosives to NYC Protest Cited Islamic State as Inspiration, Complaint Says

(Headline USA) Two men who brought explosives to a far-right protest outside New York City’s mayoral mansion said they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, a court complaint said.

Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi were being held without bail after a court appearance Monday on charges that include attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction. Their lawyers didn’t argue for bail but could do so later.

The homemade devices, which did not explode, were hurled Saturday during raucous counterprotests against an anti-Islam demonstration led by Jake Lang, a far-right provocateur and critic of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat and the first Muslim to hold the office.

“Balat and Kayumi sought to incite fear and mass suffering through this alleged attempted terror attack in the backyard of an elected city official,” James Barnacle, who runs the FBI’s New York office, said at a news conference after the brief court session.

The defendants said nothing in court, but Kayumi smirked and looked over at Balat as the judge read part of the complaint alleging they acted in support of the Islamic State group. Balat stared ahead at the defense table.

According to the complaint, Kayumi blurted out, as he was being arrested Saturday, that “ISIS” was the reason for his conduct. Balat, 18, later told authorities that he had pledged allegiance to the extremists, and Kayumi, 19, asserted that he was affiliated with the group, the complaint said.

Officers asked Balat whether he was aiming to accomplish something akin to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and wounded hundreds more.

“No, even bigger,” Balat replied, according to the complaint.

Emir Balat’s lawyer, Mehdi Essmidi, said outside court that his client is a Philadelphia-area high school senior with “complicated stuff going on” in his personal life. “There’s a lot to figure out,” the attorney added.

Asked whether he believed Balat was a terrorist, the lawyer said: “I believe he’s 18 and he doesn’t have any idea what he’s doing.”

Kayumi’s lawyer, Michael Arthus, pointed in court to the extensive publicity surrounding the case and asked that prosecutors avoid saying anything that could prejudice potential jurors.

No one answered the door at a home listed as belonging to one of Kayumi’s relatives in Newtown, Pennsylvania. At a home where neighbors said Balat lives in nearby Langhorne, a young man declined to comment when a reporter knocked on the door.

Essmidi said he didn’t believe the two young men had known each other for long. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said neither defendant had a criminal history.

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on social media that authorities “will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation.”

Tisch said there are no indications that the attack was connected to the ongoing war in Iran.

An automated license plate reader captured the defendants entering New York City from New Jersey less than an hour before the noontime attack, according to the complaint. Kayumi’s mother filed a missing person report saying she last saw him around 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

The men’s vehicle — registered to one of Balat’s relatives — was discovered Sunday a few blocks from where they were arrested. A search of the car turned up a fuse, a metal can and a list of chemical ingredients and components that could be used to build explosives, the complaint said.

Lang’s sparsely attended protest Saturday drew a far larger group of counterdemonstrators. Amid the faceoff, Balat tossed a jar-sized device that contained the explosive TATP into the crowd, the complaint said. The object also contained a fuse, plus an exterior layer of duct-taped nuts and bolts, the complaint said.

The device extinguished itself steps from police officers. According to the complaint, Balat then ran down the block and collected a second, similar device — which has yet to be tested for explosives — from Kayumi. Balat dropped it near some police officers and tried to run away, the complaint said. Police tackled Balat and soon arrested him and Kayumi.

“Violence that is meant to chill free speech, violence that is meant to keep us from assembling peaceably, will be met with swift justice,” Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said at a news conference Monday.

The scene had grown chaotic even before the devices were thrown. Police said one person involved in the anti-Islam demonstration, Ian McGinnis, 21, was arrested after he pepper-sprayed counterprotesters.

McGinnis, of Philadelphia, was released without bond after pleading not guilty Sunday to assault and aggravated harassment in a New York court, records show. His attorney, Steven Metcalf, said Monday that McGinnis was defending himself from counterprotesters.

Three others were arrested but released without charge.

Lang, who’s running for U.S. Senate in Florida, was charged with assaulting an officer and other offenses during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was later freed from prison as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping act of clemency.

While Mamdani spoke to reporters Monday morning at the mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion, Lang heckled from outside the gates.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

Trump: Iran War is ‘Pretty Much’ Finished

Ken Silva
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Trump: Iran War is ‘Pretty Much’ Finished

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) President Donald Trump reportedly said Monday that the U.S./Israel war in Iran is almost finished—a statement comes amidst indications that Iran is ready for a long fight.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force,” Trump told CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang, adding that the U.S. is far ahead of its four- to-five-week timeline.

Trump also told Jiang that he has “no message” for the newly minted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who officially succeeded his father earlier Monday.

Additionally, the president said he’s mulling about “taking over” the Straight of Hormuz.

“They’ve shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it’s going to be the end of that country,” he reportedly added.

The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and 11 in Israel, according to officials. Another person died in Israel of an asthma attack on her way to a shelter. Israel reported its first soldier deaths on Sunday, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting Hezbollah.

The younger Khamenei’s appointment has marked a new sign of defiance by Iran’s embattled leadership after more than a week of heavy U.S. and Israeli bombardment, suggesting that Tehran is not close to giving up on what it considers a fight for the country’s existence.

Indeed, around the same time Trump’s comments were reported, an Iranian general reportedly said his military is ready for a 10-year war.

Meanwhile, numerous military pundits have warned that America’s stockpile of missile interceptors is rapidly depleting—perhaps another incentive for Trump to declare an early victory.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

Multiple Gunshots Fired Near Rihanna’s LA Home and a Woman is Taken into Custody

Headline USA Editor
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Multiple Gunshots Fired Near Rihanna’s LA Home and a Woman is Taken into Custody

(Headline USA) Los Angeles police took a woman into custody after she fired gunshots outside Rihanna ‘s gated home, according to authorities and news reports on Monday.

No one was injured, police said. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the singer was at home when the shooting happened Sunday afternoon.

Police received a call about shots fired around 1:15 p.m. in the Beverly Hills area, Officer Charles Miller said Monday. A 35-year-old woman was later taken into custody “without further incident” and investigators recovered a weapon, according to a police statement. The suspect has been booked on suspicion of attempted murder and is in jail on $10 million bail. The district attorney had not yet announced charges. 

Miller did not say who lived in the home. Multiple local news outlets reported that it belongs to Rihanna. Public records show the property is owned by a trust run by Evan Jehle, who is a member of the advisory board for Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation.

Emails seeking comment were left with Rihanna’s publicist and manager.

KABC-TV showed video of what appeared to be five bullet holes in the front gate of the home.

“Shooting just occurred. Ten gunshots fired from the vehicle,” a police dispatcher told responding officers on audio obtained by KABC. The gunfire came from across the street, police said.

It was not known if the woman under arrest had any connection to Rihanna.

In 2018, a man was accused of breaking into a different home of Rihanna’s in the Hollywood Hills and spending 12 hours there. The man pleaded no contest to felony counts of stalking and vandalism and a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest in 2019. He was sentenced to probation.

A nine-time Grammy Award winner, Rihanna has 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “We Found Love,” “Work,” “Umbrella” and “Disturbia.” She founded the makeup brand Fenty Beauty in 2017.

She and A$AP Rocky announced the birth of their third child, a girl named Rocki Irish Mayers, in September.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

Feds Alert that Iran May be Activating ‘Sleeper Cells’

Ken Silva
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Feds Alert that Iran May be Activating ‘Sleeper Cells’

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) ABC News reported Monday that Iran is broadcasting an encrypted transmission that may serve as “an operational trigger” for “sleeper assets” outside the country. However, shortwave radio experts are reporting the opposite—that U.S./Israeli agencies may be contacting agents within Iran.

Citing a federal government alert sent to law enforcement around the country, ABC reported that encoded transmissions, which was intercepted, appeared to be destined for “clandestine recipients.”

According to ABC, the transmissions could “be intended to activate or provide instructions to prepositioned sleeper assets operating outside the originating country.”

“While the exact contents of these transmissions cannot currently be determined, the sudden appearance of a new station with international rebroadcast characteristics warrants heightened situational awareness,” the alert reportedly said.

However, the opposite may also be true. The Atlantic ran a story Monday about a shortwave-radio frequency, broadcasted in Farsi, that starts with “Tavajjoh! Tavajjoh!” (Attention! Attention!) before listing a string of seemingly random numbers.

“But we don’t know where the broadcast originates,” reported The Atlantic, which talked to amateur shortwave trackers for its story.

“We do have indications that Iran’s government is jamming the signal, using techniques that the trackers have documented in the past. That suggests an even more intriguing potential twist: Perhaps Iran isn’t sending messages to agents abroad, but an adversary is sending messages to agents in Iran,” The Atlantic added.

The broadcast reportedly stopped late last week.

Warnings of “sleeper cells” come on the heels of a Pakistani man being convicted Friday of attempting to hire two undercover FBI agents as “hitmen” to assassinate U.S. politicians, including possibly Trump. However, Merchant’s actions can hardly be called an assassination attempt. Rather, the available evidence suggests that Merchant was the target of a highly controlled FBI sting operation, and that he never posed a threat to Trump.

U.S. intelligence also determined that the defendant in that case, Asif Merchant, does not have any known Iranian intelligence contacts in the U.S.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

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