Defense Says Jan. 5/6 Pipe Bombs Weren’t Viable; Grandma Pleads for Suspect’s Release

Ken Silva
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Defense Says Jan. 5/6 Pipe Bombs Weren’t Viable; Grandma Pleads for Suspect’s Release

(James Rogers and Ken Silva, Headline USA) WASHINGTON, DC—The grandmother of the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC headquarters the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill protests has asked a judge to release him from pretrial detention.

The grandmother, Loretta Cole Darnell, told District Court Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh on Tuesday that she’d make sure the suspect, Brian Cole Jr., would behave himself under her custody. He’d also be under the care of his grandpa, a former Government Services Administration employee who owns a gun in the home.

“Your loyalty would lie with the court would you be able to report a family member? Because I couldn’t,” Judge Sharbaugh pressed the grandmother during a detention hearing in Washington DC.

“Yes, I would … I want to make sure he doesn’t do anything wrong,” she insisted.

Cole was arrested on the morning of Dec. 4 at his Woodbridge, Virginia, house in what law enforcement officials described as a major breakthrough in their nearly five-year-old investigation. During a search of Cole’s home and car after his arrest, prosecutors say, investigators found shopping bags of bomb-making components. He at first denied having manufactured or placed the pipe bombs, but later confessed during an hour-long interview.

At Tuesday’s detention hearing, prosecutors urged the judge to keep Cole confined as he awaits trial. They said he’s a danger to the community, given his interest in explosives. Cole allegedly wiped his phone of data 934 times, showing that he has a pattern of hiding and destroying evidence, they added.

Cole’s attorneys begged to differ. They said he’s autistic and has OCD, and that the devices he allegedly built were duds. The defense lawyers said they have an expert witness who will testify that the so-called bombs “cannot explode and are not viable.”

Judge Sharbaugh said he’d make a decision within a day or so.

Meanwhile, Cole’s attorneys have filed arguments that he should still be presumed innocent, despite his purported confession.

Pipe Bomb Case History

As Headline USA revealed in March 2024, the FBI had a suspect identified by Jan. 10, 2021 in the pipe bomb case, but didn’t make an arrest at the time.

FBI records released in September revealed that agents didn’t interview the woman who discovered a pipe bomb near the RNC around 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 6 until days later. That woman, former counterterrorism analyst and then-Commerce Department worker Karlin Younger, said she found the bomb while doing laundry.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Kamala Harris continues to be tight-lipped on the subject, despite the fact that her motorcade drove past the DNC pipe bomb on Jan. 6. Harris left the Capitol at 11:21 a.m. arrived to the DNC at 11:25 a.m., but the nearby pipe bomb wasn’t discovered until 1:07 p.m. by a plainclothes Capitol Police officer.

The bizarre circumstances have driven many to suspect that it may have been a false-flag attempt overseen by the feds themselves to divert law enforcement from the Capitol right as the Jan. 6 protest was turning violent.

Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., has said that it may be impossible to successfully prosecute the pipe bomber.

“Here’s what a good criminal defense attorney’s going to say: If you identified the individual who’s believed to place the bomb, then hours go by, and you had a search by the Secret Service at the DNC and the dog didn’t find the explosive—so clearly, the device [the defense attorney’s] client might have left there wasn’t the device that was determined to be the pipe bomb, because it wasn’t picked up by the bomb-sniffing dog,” Griffith argued in March 2024.

James Rogers is a correspondent for Headline USA. Follow him at https://x.com/ChronoScopeFilm.

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

New Details Emerge On Venezuelan Strike

Headline USA Editor
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New Details Emerge On Venezuelan Strike

(Sarah Roderick-Fitch, The Center Square) New details are emerging surrounding the U.S. strike on a suspected drug loading site in Venezuela, with multiple reports claiming a CIA drone carried it out.

President Donald Trump confirmed the strike Monday, describing the targeted site as an “implementation area,” to which he added “is no longer around.”

The president wouldn’t comment on whether the attack was carried out by the CIA, adding that he knows who it was, but would not disclose whether it was the intelligence agency or a military strike.

However, CNN reported the strike involved a drone launched by the CIA, citing “sources familiar with the matter.”

The outlet claims the strike “targeted a remote dock on the Venezuelan coast that the US government believed was being used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store drugs and move them onto boats for shipping.”

The explosion would mark the first known land strike the U.S. has made against Venezuela since the Trump administration began ramping up counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean.

Although a majority of the target strikes have occurred in the Caribbean, the U.S. Southern Command confirmed the Joint Task Force Southern Spear “conducted a lethal kinetic strike” on a marine vessel “operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in the international waters” in the eastern Pacific Monday.

The command says intelligence “confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” killing “two male narco-terrorists.”

The latest strikes come as the president confirmed Monday to reporters that he recently spoke with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, adding that not much came out of the conversation.

The administration has increased its military presence in the region, deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the area in support of ongoing operations. Dozens of boats suspected of trafficking drugs have been struck off the coast of the South American country.

Colorado Marijuana Sales Hit $1B as Trump Shifts Policy

Headline USA Editor
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Colorado Marijuana Sales Hit $1B as Trump Shifts Policy

(Elyse S. Apel, The Center Square) In 2025, Coloradans spent upwards of $1 billion on legal marijuana. That generated almost $200 million in tax and fee revenue for the state, according to monthly data published by the Colorado Department of Revenue.

By the end of the year, the department anticipates Colorado will surpass $1 billion in tax and fee revenue on marijuana sales.

“Colorado’s world-class marijuana industry drives out criminals and cartels and is supporting Colorado businesses and jobs while driving revenue for school construction,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis posted on x.com. “This important milestone is one that our state can continue to build on.”

Colorado has long been on the forefront of the legalization of marijuana. In 2012, it was the first state in the United States to approve the sale of licensed recreational marijuana.

Since then, the state has brought in more than $3 billion dollars in tax and fee revenue from marijuana, while marijuana sales have topped nearly $18 billion.

Heralded as a major revenue source for the state, its tax revenue has been used over the years to help fund infrastructure projects and public schools.

Currently, the state’s sales tax sits at 2.9%, the state retail marijuana sales tax at 15%, and the state retail marijuana excise tax at 15%.

Federal policy has been slowly changing to reflect the legalization of marijuana in the majority of states. Just earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. This signals a significant shift in the federal government’s stance on marijuana.

“Decades of federal drug control policy have neglected marijuana’s medical uses,” the order said. “The federal government’s long delay in recognizing the medical use of marijuana does not serve the Americans who report health benefits from the medical use of marijuana to ease chronic pain and other various medically recognized ailments.”

Polis applauded this decision, calling it “long overdue.”

“It’s far past time for the federal government to catch up to Colorado and many other states and get rid of arcane federal policies on cannabis that aren’t based in reality and hurt Colorado small businesses and public safety,” he said. “For years Colorado has been a national leader in smart and safe cannabis policy that has virtually eliminated illegal markets, ensured safe use, and generated over a billion dollars for education. Colorado’s cannabis industry is the gold standard ensuring that products are safe and regulated.”

Not everyone is happy with Trump’s order though, as concerns especially grow about high-potency THC products.

“The Trump administration has declared a literal war on drugs, saying that fentanyl is a ‘weapon of mass destruction,’ while at the same time potentially making marijuana more accessible by loosening federal restrictions,” Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, posted in response to the order on x.com. “Colorado, which legalized marijuana in 2012, has become a case study of the consequences: an increase in traffic deaths, mental health concerns, and emergency room visits, workplace safety issues, and a growth in the black market.”

Complete data on Colorado marijuana sales from the year will be available in February.

Another ISIS Sympathizer Charged in Texas

Headline USA Editor
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Another ISIS Sympathizer Charged in Texas

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) Another alleged ISIS sympathizer has been charged with an international terrorism offense in Texas, again in the Dallas area, by way of New York City.

John Michael Garza, Jr., 21, of Midlothian, Texas, was charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

This was after he brought bomb-making materials to a meeting last week and gave them to someone he thought was an ISIS “brother,” according to the charges. At the meeting, he described how to mix the bomb components and surround them with nails, authorities allege. He also offered to send an instructional video explaining how to build a bomb, according to the complaint. One photo released from the investigation shows a masked man wearing gloves preparing to assemble bomb materials.

In reality, Garza met with an undercover FBI agent and was arrested by law enforcement after he left the meeting, authorities said. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould brought the terrorism charges against him and his office is prosecuting the case.

Garza appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge on Dec. 23. A probable cause and detention hearing is scheduled for Dec. 30.

“The increasing threats of harm and destruction in our country made by those aligned with violent ideologies must be stopped,” U.S. Attorney Raybould said. “An alleged ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism. This operation is but one example highlighting the necessity of vigilant observation and swift action to halt what could have been a devastating outcome.”

The arrest stems from an investigation launched in October after an undercover NYPD investigator found a social media account, later determined to be Garza’s, that followed several pro-ISIS accounts and wrote a comment on a pro-ISIS post, authorities said.

The FBI’s Dallas Field Office led the investigation in concert with the NYPD; the FBI’s New York Field Office and Dallas, Midlothian and Euless police departments provided assistance.

Throughout November and December, Garza and investigators exchanged messages, including Garza sharing how he ascribed to the ISIS ideology, authorities said. He also sent multiple official ISIS media releases, according to the complaint.

Garza also sent an undercover officer small sums of cryptocurrency in November and December, believing he was supporting ISIS causes, including buying firearms and other materials, according to the complaint.

“Threats of terrorism and extremist violence against our nation are still very real,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “The NYPD remains committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks at their source – before they can reach their murderous ends. And any person who puts American lives at risk will face justice and be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

If convicted, Garza faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

Garza’s arrest comes after an Afghan national was arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety officers after he threatened to blow up a building in Fort Worth in a 9/11 style terrorist attack, The Center Square reported.

It also comes after the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security this month released an updated report highlighting terrorism threats to Americans. It cites more than 60 cases in at least 25 states, including Texas, of individuals linked to or inspired by foreign terrorist organizations. They include those who’ve provided material support to ISIS, Hezbollah and al Queda, who received military level training from Hezbollah and al Queda, and who claimed to commit attacks because they were inspired by foreign terrorist organizations.

Garza’s arrest also comes nearly one year after an ISIS supporter from Houston killed 15 people, injuring more than 50, on New Year’s Day. Inspired by ISIS, he drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans determined to kill as many people as possible, authorities said.

In response, Gov. Greg Abbott surged antiterrorism resources in Texas in January. He also directed Texas DPS to launch criminal investigations into Islamic groups with alleged ties to terrorism, The Center Square reported.

Zelensky Says He’s Holding Talks With Trump on Potential US Troop Deployment to Ukraine

Headline USA Editor
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Zelensky Says He’s Holding Talks With Trump on Potential US Troop Deployment to Ukraine

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he’s held talks with President Trump on the possibility of the US deploying troops to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader made the comment when asked if the US plans to deploy troops as part of a security guarantee for a potential future peace deal with Russia. “To be honest, this can only be confirmed by the President of the United States of America. These are US troops, and therefore, it is America that makes such decisions,” Zelensky said, according to Ukrinform.

“Of course, we are discussing this both with President Trump and with representatives of the Coalition [of the Willing],” he added, referring to a group of European countries led by the UK and France that are pushing for a deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine as part of a peace deal, an idea Russia has repeatedly rejected.

Zelensky also said that he would like to see US troops deployed to Ukrainian territory as part of the security guarantee. Also on Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed that the US has already agreed to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of its security guarantees.

US officials have said the US has offered NATO “Article 5-style” security guarantees to Ukraine, but have not said that the US is willing to send troops. According to Zelensky, the US has agreed to provide a 15-year security guarantee.

Either a NATO-style security guarantee or a NATO troop deployment would almost certainly be rejected by Moscow, and the fact that the ideas are on the table makes a peace deal extremely unlikely. After holding talks with Zelensky in Florida on Sunday, President Trump said the issue of “land” is also not settled as Ukraine is refusing to cede the territory it still controls in the Donbas, a key Russian demand.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

US To Fund $8.6 Billion Boeing Contract for Israeli F-15 Fighter Jets

Headline USA Editor
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US To Fund $8.6 Billion Boeing Contract for Israeli F-15 Fighter Jets

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) The US Department of War announced on Monday that Boeing has been awarded a contract worth up to $8.6 billion to sell Israel new F-15 fighter jets as part of a deal funded by US military aid.

The Israeli Defense Ministry announced the initial deal in November 2024 and said it would be funded by US aid that was included in a massive foreign assistance bill President Biden signed into law earlier that year. At the time, the F-15 deal was valued at $5.2 billion and included 25 new F-15s.

The updated contract with Boeing has a ceiling of up to $8.6 billion since it includes an option to purchase an additional 25 F-15s. The Pentagon said in its announcement that the work on the fighter jets will be “performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by December 31, 2035.”

The US has continued to provide Israel with massive amounts of weapons despite its genocidal campaign in Gaza, which, according to several studies, has likely killed more than 100,000 Palestinians, including tens of thousands of women and children. US military aid and direct military intervention have also supported Israel’s wars in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and the occupation of the West Bank.

According to Brown University’s Costs of War Project, in the two years following the October 7 attack, the US government spent at least $21.7 billion on military aid to Israel and another $9.65 billion to $12.07 billion on US military operations in the region in support of Israel.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

US Improperly Tracked Over Half of US Military Aid for Israel

Headline USA Editor
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US Improperly Tracked Over Half of US Military Aid for Israel

(Kyle Anzalone, Libertarian Institute) As Israel conducted a brutal onslaught in Gaza over the past two years, the Department of War did not adequately monitor most of the arms sent to Tel Aviv. 

“Before October 2023, the DoD conducted enhanced end‑use monitoring (EEUM) of defense articles the US Government provided to Israel,” a report released by the Pentagon’s Inspector General explained. “However, after October 2023, the DoD only partially complied with the requirements for conducting EEUM of defense articles provided to Israel.”

Prior to the Hamas attack in southern Israel, about 70% of weapons sent to Israel were properly monitored by the Department of War. After Israel began its genocidal military campaign, oversight dropped to 44% according to the IG. The report audited $13.4 billion in security assistance that Washington gave to Tel Aviv from October 2023 to April 2024. 

The IG warned that the lack of oversight meant the Pentagon could “not ensure accountability of sensitive US defense articles provided to Israel.

After the October 7, 2023, attack, the US rushed additional military aid to Israel. The arms fueled Israel’s onslaught in Gaza that has likely killed over 100,000 Palestinians and destroyed most of the Strip. 

The Department of War has also failed to properly track billions of dollars in weapons the US sent to Ukraine. Weapons from Ukraine turned up in the hands of African militants and European criminals. 

This article originally appeared at The Libertarian Institute.

Meta Buys Startup Manus in Latest Move to Advance iIts Artificial Intelligence Efforts

Headline USA Editor
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Meta Buys Startup Manus in Latest Move to Advance iIts Artificial Intelligence Efforts

(Headline USA) Meta is buying artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the owner of Facebook and Instagram continues an aggressive push to amp up AI offerings across its platforms.

The California tech giant declined to disclose financial details of the acquisition. But The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta closed the deal at more than $2 billion.

Manus, a Singapore-based platform with some Chinese roots, launched its first “general-purpose” AI agent earlier this year. The platform offers paid subscriptions for customers to use this technology for research, coding and other tasks.

“Manus is already serving the daily needs of millions of users and businesses worldwide,” Meta said in a Monday announcement, adding that it plans to scale this service — as Manus will “deliver general-purpose agents across our consumer and business products, including in Meta AI.”

Xiao Hong, CEO of Manus, added that joining Meta will allow the platform to “build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made.” Manus confirmed that it would continue to sell and operate subscriptions through its own app and website.

The platform has grown rapidly over the past year. Earlier this month, Manus announced that it had crossed the $100 million mark in annual recurring revenue, just eight months after launching.

Some of Manus’ initial financial backers reportedly included China’s Tencent Holdings, ZhenFund and HSG. And the company that first launched the platform — Butterfly Effect, which also operates under the name monica.im, which was founded in China before moving to Singapore.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that there would be “no continuing Chinese ownership interests in Manus AI” following its transaction, and that the platform would also discontinue its services and operations in China. Manus reiterated that it would continue to operate in Singapore, where most of its employees are based.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pushing to revive its commercial AI efforts as the company faces tough competition from rivals such as Google and OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. In June, the company made a $14.3 billion investment in AI data company Scale and recruited its CEO Alexandr Wang to help lead a team developing “superintelligence” at the tech giant.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

 

Idaho Company Recalls Nearly 3,000 Pounds of Ground Beef for E. Coli Risk

Headline USA Editor
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Idaho Company Recalls Nearly 3,000 Pounds of Ground Beef for E. Coli Risk

(Headline USA)  An Idaho-based company is recalling nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef that may have been contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

The recall involves 16-ounce vacuum-sealed packages labeled “Forward Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef.” Affected packages were produced Dec. 16 and have a label telling customers to use or freeze the meat by Jan. 13. The affected beef also bears the establishment number “EST 2083” on the side of its packaging.

The meat was produced by Heyburn, Idaho-based Mountain West Food Group and was shipped to distributors in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania and Washington.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which announced the recall Saturday, didn’t say which retailers may have sold the meat. The USDA and Mountain West Food Group didn’t respond to messages left Tuesday by The Associated Press.

The USDA said there have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the meat. The issue was discovered in a sample of beef during routine testing.

The USDA said the type of E. coli found can cause illness within 28 days of exposure. Most infected people develop diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. Infection is usually diagnosed with a stool sample.

The USDA said customers who have purchased the affected products should either throw them away or return them to the place they were bought. The agency also advises all customers to consume ground beef only if it has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press. 

Judicial Watch Demands Secret Service Records of Trump Dinner’s Disruption

Luis Cornelio
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Judicial Watch Demands Secret Service Records of Trump Dinner’s Disruption

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Judicial Watch said Friday it is adding the Secret Service to a growing list of federal agencies it is suing over a Freedom of Information Act request concerning Code Pink’s disruption of a dinner attended by President Donald Trump. 

The disruption occurred on Sept. 9, 2025, during a Trump-hosted dinner at a Washington, D.C. restaurant. Also present were Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. 

Video of the incident went viral across social media, showing Code Pink activists repeatedly shouting at Trump while he defiantly approached them. 

“Trump is the Hitler of our time! Free D.C.! Free Palestine,” Code Pink activists shouted. “What do you want your legacy to be?” 

The video then cuts to what appear to be members of the Secret Service pushing the hecklers out. 

@cbsnews

Activists from the feminist organization Code Pink crashed President Trump’s dinner in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, confronting him in front of members of his Cabinet and other diners present at a restaurant. “Free D.C., Free Palestine,” the protesters shouted as the president watched, before signaling to have them escorted out. No one was arrested. #washingtondc

♬ original sound – cbsnews

It remains unclear whether Code Pink was present at the restaurant as disguised guests or whether they were simply dining at the establishment separately. 

“The Secret Service has a tarnished record when it comes to protecting President Donald Trump, and the American people deserve accountability from the agencies that are entrusted with the duty of guarding their president,” Judicial Watch wrote in a press statement. 

The group said the lawsuit followed the Secret Service’s failure to respond to its FOIA request. 

The FOIA lawsuit comes a little over a year after Trump survived two assassination attempts, including one in Butler, Pa., where Thomas Crooks narrowly missed Trump’s head with a rifle. 

The group is specifically seeking all internal communications among Secret Service officials “regarding the presence of Code Pink protestors appearing at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab restaurant in Washington, D.C. on the evening of September 9, 2025, while President Trump and other administration officials dined there.” 

It is also seeking all emails exchanged between Secret Service officials and any account ending in @codepink.org. 

Judicial Watch is also suing the DOJ, DHS, ICE, USCIS, CPA and TSA. 

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