Israel’s Ben Gvir Calls for the Killing of Palestinian Authority Officials If UN Backs Palestinian State

Headline USA Editor
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Israel’s Ben Gvir Calls for the Killing of Palestinian Authority Officials If UN Backs Palestinian State

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has called for the assassination of Palestinian Authority officials and for PA President Mahmoud Abbas to be placed in solitary confinement if the UN advances the recognition of a Palestinian state.

“A ‘Palestinian’ state of the ‘invented people’ who call themselves ‘Palestinian’ must never be established, because the aspiration of those seeking to establish such a state is to build it on the ruins of the State of Israel,” Ben Gvir said at a meeting of his Jewish Power party, according to The Times of Israel.

“If they accelerate recognition of a Palestinian terror state… orders must be given for targeted killings of senior Palestinian Authority officials — who are terrorists in every respect — as well as an order for the arrest of [Mahmoud Abbas]. There is a solitary confinement cell ready for him in Ketziot Prison,” he added.

As the minister of national security, Ben Gvir oversees Israeli prisons, where at least 98 Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, according to new data, due to torture, food deprivation, medical neglect, and other Israeli abuses.

Ben Gvir’s call for the killing of PA officials came ahead of a UN Security Council resolution that would authorize the deployment of an “International Stabilization Force” to Gaza. Some states initially objected to the resolution because it made no mention of a Palestinian state, prompting the US to add an amendment that says once the PA “faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

The US issued a joint statement with several Arab states on Friday that said the US resolution “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” But the Israeli government has made clear that it’s very opposed to the establishment of the Palestinian state, and the US plan for Gaza doesn’t address the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the continued expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the territory.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

FBI Director’s Girlfriend Receiving Taxpayer-Funded Protection

Ken Silva
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FBI Director’s Girlfriend Receiving Taxpayer-Funded Protection

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) FBI Director Kashyap Patel’s girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, is being protected by agents on the bureau’s Nashville SWAT team, according to MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC.

“Patel’s country music performer girlfriend currently enjoys the protection of an FBI security detail to shield her from potential threats, prompting concerns that the arrangement may delay law enforcement from responding to other incidents,” MS NOW reported Monday, citing two anonymous sources.

“People familiar with FBI security protocols said they were unaware of any instance in which the girlfriends of top FBI officials received government-staffed security details. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray’s wife Helen received a security detail; she lived with Wray in their home in Atlanta.”

MS Now’s sources said the arrangement risks delaying the FBI Nashville office’s response to mass shootings or terror attacks. The FBI did not respond to the publication’s request for comment.

The Monday report is the latest PR blow for Patel, who has been under heavy criticism for using the FBI’s gulfstream jet for personal reasons during the government shutdown, when agents weren’t getting paid. Patel’s trips included seeing Wilkins sing the National Anthem at a wrestling match in Pennsylvania last week, and visiting a hunting resort called Boondoggle Ranch in Texas a week later.

FBI spokesman Ben Williamson attempted to downplay his boss’s use of the FBI jet, posting on Twitter/X that Patel is forced to use a government plane even when flying for personal reasons. Williamson also said Patel pays a reimbursement in advance for his flights, as per government rules.

However, Patel is only required to pay the equivalent of commercial fare for his flights. The cost of operating FBI jets is exponentially more than that. For example, a Government Accountability Office report found in 2013 that then-Attorney General Eric Holder paid $420.90 for a flight that cost the taxpayers $15,894.

Republicans, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, frequently railed against former FBI Director Chris Wray’s use of the FBI jet. So did Patel himself.

“I want to ground Chris Wray’s private jet travel that he pays for with taxpayer dollars to hop around the country,” Patel said in 2023.

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

Italy to Tap Undeclared Gold to Plug Budget Hole

Money Metals News Service
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Italy to Tap Undeclared Gold to Plug Budget Hole

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) The Italian government needs money and wants to tap private gold holdings to get it.

Many Italians own undocumented gold. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has come up with a scheme to entice people to declare their gold holdings, have them appraised, and then pay a 12.5 percent tax on their value.

Many Italian families own gold with no proof of origin. As the Financial Times explained, much of it was inherited from parents and grandparents who accumulated it to shield themselves from the relentless devaluation of the lira.

So, why would anybody admit to owning gold that the government doesn’t know about if they’re going to then pay tax for it?

Under the current law, it is prohibitive to sell undocumented gold through legal channels because the government levies a 26 percent tax on the total value of the sale if the owner lacks any documentation to prove the original purchase price. Government officials hope that the opportunity to pay a lower tax by declaring the gold now will incentivize people to declare their gold today, since they would then only have to pay the 26 percent capital gains tax on the profit from the sale instead of the entire amount.

One official who backs the idea said the program would “encourage the monetization of gold held by Italians.”

“You can reduce the tax burden for a future sale with this revaluation,” Sergio Finulli, a chartered accountant at Milan-based Sofiae, told the Times. “It makes sense. People have to think about it — and the cost.”

Some officials have estimated the scheme could raise as much as €2 billion.

However, others doubt many people will line up for the program.

Why would you?

If Italians want to sell their gold outside of official channels, they will undoubtedly be able to find a buyer. After all, gold is money, and everybody understands its intrinsic value. Nobody in their right mind is going to declare gold and pay a tax when they can easily just sell it in the grey market and avoid taxation altogether.

It remains unclear exactly how much undocumented gold Italians hold, but they have a longstanding love affair with the yellow metal. In his 2018 book “Oro,” former Bank of Italy Deputy Governor Salvatore Rossi wrote, “Gold is like the family silverware, it’s like grandpa’s precious watch, it’s the last resort in times of crisis, any crisis that undermines international confidence in the country.”

The country’s central bank ranks third in total gold reserves with 2,452 tonnes. With the price of gold surging, the country is enjoying a windfall from its gold holdings.

While it remains unclear whether the Italian government can help fill its budget hole by monetizing undeclared gold, the scheme underscores an important point. Gold is a fantastic store of wealth and an economic security blanket in times of financial stress. The government wants to target undeclared gold as a revenue source for the same reason that people held on to it in the first place. In a world of ever-devaluing fiat money, gold holds its value, preserves wealth, and is available as a financial backstop in times of trouble.

People would be wise to keep their secret gold stashes secret. They never know when they might need it, and there is no reason to think they won’t be able to sell even if they want to avoid taxes through official channels.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Debt Black Hole Putting Increasing Stress on American Consumers

Money Metals News Service
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Debt Black Hole Putting Increasing Stress on American Consumers

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) A giant Debt Black Hole dominates the U.S. economy, and Americans are feeling the stress.

In the third quarter, LegalShield’s Consumer Stress Legal Index (CSLI) hit the highest level since March 2020, the onset of pandemic-era government lockdowns of the economy.

The CSLI ticked up to 71.2 in September, climbing from 68.3 in July and August. It was the seventh straight month without any easing in the index. According to LegalShield, the index signals “continued financial strain among American households.”

The index is up 26.3 percent from its December 2021 post-COVID low of 56.4.

LegalShield bases its Consumer Stress Index on “a dataset of over 35 million consumer requests for legal assistance dating to 2002. The index examines findings from approximately 150,000 calls received monthly from U.S. consumers seeking legal help.”

The CSLI was pushed higher by a 17 percent surge in bankruptcy inquiries. Since July, the Bankruptcy Index has increased from 34.7 to 37.7.

Bankruptcy inquiries historically lead filings by about two quarters. The subindex is now 13.9 percent higher than a year ago, continuing its upward trend since the initial Fed interest rate hike in March 2022.

“If current trends continue, actual bankruptcy filings are likely to rise in early 2026. While a recent Federal Reserve rate cut offers modest relief, elevated debt levels and ongoing delinquencies suggest that consumer stress will likely remain high heading into the holiday season.”

A LegalShield spokesperson said the surge in bankruptcy inquiries indicates families are hitting “crisis mode” heading into the holiday season.

“The question now is whether this consumer legal stress translates into a pullback in spending in the final quarter of 2025.”

A Kansas City attorney who provides services for LegalShield said that the increase in non-mortgage debt is straining Americans, and many are at the breaking point.

“People are drowning in this economic state we’re in – so much to pay for with prices constantly increasing and credit cards with exorbitant interest rates, everyday Americans are running out of options. Bankruptcy is their last lifeline.”

LegalShield’s Bankruptcy Index has served as a good predictor of actual bankruptcies.

As inflation surged in the wake of the monetary malfeasance of the pandemic era, Americans blew through their savings. Then they turned to credit cards. It wasn’t that people were buying more. They were just paying more, trying to keep up with surging price inflation. Once they blew through their savings, consumers were forced to finance life using Visa and Mastercard. Consumer debt surged from $4.15 trillion in 2020 to over $5 trillion today.

Now they are struggling to pay the bills.

We’re also seeing this consumer stress in a slowing of credit card spending. It appears many consumers have maxed out the plastic.

The growth of revolving debt – primarily reflecting credit card balances –  has been slowing all year. It contracted in May and June, after a one-off surge in April, before suddenly surging once again in July. But in August, revolving debt contracted by 5.5 percent.

KPMG recently reported that the slowing growth of revolving credit likely reflects a drop in borrowing and spending by the bottom 80 percent of U.S. households “that are increasingly stressed.”

“The top 20 percent now account for nearly two-thirds of all consumption. The top 3.3 percent have increased spending the most. Spending has stagnated, adjusting for inflation, among the bottom 80 percent.”

The double whammy of rising debt and interest rates exacerbates the debt problem. The average annual percentage rate (APR) currently stands at 19.98 percent, with some companies still charging rates as high as 28 percent. The average is only slightly down from the record high of 20.79 percent set last August, despite Fed rate cuts.

The New York Fed reported that overall delinquency rates remained “elevated” in the third quarter, with 4.5 percent of all debt in some stage of delinquency. Credit card and student loan delinquencies have increased at the fastest rate.

Overall debt flow into serious delinquency was 3.03 percent in the third quarter, up from 1.68 percent year-on-year.

Credit card delinquencies are rising, even among consumers with strong credit scores. According to VantageScore, there was a 47 percent year-on-year increase in late payments by people in the prime segment.

None of this bodes well for an economy that depends on consumers buying stuff to keep limping along. It also underscores the impact the Debt Black hole is having on the economy. Not only are consumers levered to the hilt, but governments and corporations are also buried in record levels of debt.

This is precisely why the Federal Reserve is cutting rates despite persistent, sticky price inflation.

In a sane world, the central bank would be keeping monetary policy tight to rein in the inflation it created during the Great Recession and the pandemic.

But we don’t live in a sane world. We live in a world with a Debt Black hole that requires even more easy money — inflation be damned.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

US Bombs Another Boat in Latin America as It Continues Military Buildup

Headline USA Editor
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US Bombs Another Boat in Latin America as It Continues Military Buildup

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Since early September, the US military has launched 21 such strikes, blowing up 22 boats, including 11 in the Caribbean and 11 in the Eastern Pacific. According to numbers released by the Trump administration, at least 82 people have been killed in the bombing campaign. The strikes are clearly illegal under US and international law, prompting close US allies to distance themselves from the campaign.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford has recently arrived in the Caribbean amid reports that President Trump has been reviewing options to bomb Venezuela, though it remains unclear if he will start a war with the country. Much of the current US military buildup and leaks about potential US military action are part of a psychological campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but the risk of war is still high as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other US officials seek regime change.

The latest strike came after US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a new military campaign in the region, dubbed “Operation Southern Spear,” though it was unclear if the name just gives a label to the current bombing campaign or if it means there will be further US escalations.

The US military is also working to revive old bases in Puerto Rico and potentially Ecuador, depending on how Ecuadorians vote in a referendum on Sunday to lift a ban on foreign military bases. US troops have begun jungle warfare training in Panama for the first time in decades.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

 

Thomas Crooks Had an Account w/ Same Name as Ex-FBI Agent Who Investigated Las Vegas Shooting

Ken Silva
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Thomas Crooks Had an Account w/ Same Name as Ex-FBI Agent Who Investigated Las Vegas Shooting

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) On Friday, conservative journalist Tucker Carlson reported on a trove of previously unpublicized internet activity by alleged would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks. Among numerous other revelations, Carlson revealed that Crooks used a PayPal account with the alias “Rod Swanson”—the same name as a former FBI agent who went on to investigate the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

The New York Post was the first to notice that the Crooks PayPal account may have been named after the former FBI agent, Swanson, who was the chief of investigations for the state of Nevada during the 2017 Las Vegas incident—the deadliest mass shooting in history. Like with Crooks and his alleged July 13, 2024, assassination attempt, the FBI never revealed a motive for Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock.

Columnist Miranda Devine also reported Monday that Swanson served on former FBI Director Robert Mueller’s security detail and as a firearms instructor in Pennsylvania. Devine contacted Swanson, who said he was surprised at Crooks using his name, and that Crooks’s activity must have put him on law enforcement’s radar.

“No matter how ridiculous the allegation, no matter if it’s COVID or not, somebody is going to knock on somebody’s door,” Swanson reportedly said. “If they investigated that kid there’s a record of it and there’s an assessment that some leader made that this was not a threat or it rose to a level and they did something else.”

Additionally, the Post reported Monday that Crooks used “they/them” pronouns on the account DeviantArt, which is known for hosting sexually charged “furry” content. Crooks, who didn’t appear trans in the most recent pictures of him, may have been trolling by using the “they/them” pronouns. Screenshots of his DeviantArt account released by independent journalist Breanna Morello are far from furry porn—depicting graphically violent scenes instead.

Watch the full Carlson investigation here:

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

Trump Approves of Releasing the Epstein Files

Headline USA Editor
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Trump Approves of Releasing the Epstein Files

(Headline USA) President Donald Trump said House Republicans should vote to release the files in the Jeffrey Epstein case after previously fighting the proposal.

“We have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party,” Trump wrote on social media late Sunday after landing at Joint Base Andrews following a weekend in Florida.

Trump’s statement followed a fierce fight within the GOP over the files, including an increasingly nasty split with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had long been one of his fiercest supporters.

The president’s shift is a rare example of Trump backtracking because of opposition within the GOP. In his return to office and in his second term as president, Trump has largely consolidated power in the Republican Party.

“I DON’T CARE!” Trump wrote in his social media post. “All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT.”

Lawmakers who support the bill have been predicting a big win in the House this week with a “deluge of Republicans” voting for it, bucking the GOP leadership and the president.

In his opposition to the proposal, Trump even reached out to two of the Republican lawmakers who signed it. One, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, met last week with administration officials in the White House Situation Room to discuss it.

The bill would force the Justice Department to release all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison. Information about Epstein’s victims or ongoing federal investigations would be allowed to be redacted.

“There could be 100 or more” votes from Republicans, said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., among the lawmakers discussing the legislation on Sunday news show appearances. “I’m hoping to get a veto-proof majority on this legislation when it comes up for a vote.”

Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced a discharge petition in July to force a vote on their bill. That is a rarely successful tool that allows a majority of members to bypass House leadership and force a floor vote.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had panned the discharge petition effort and sent members home early for their August recess when the GOP’s legislative agenda was upended in the clamoring for an Epstein vote. Democrats also contend the seating of Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., was stalled to delay her becoming the 218th member to sign the petition and gain the threshold needed to force a vote. She became the 218th signature moments after taking the oath of office last week.

Massie said Johnson, Trump and others who have been critical of his efforts would be “taking a big loss this week.”

“I’m not tired of winning yet, but we are winning,” Massie said.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

 

Epstein Guided Dem Lawmaker’s Questions During Anti-Trump Hearing

Luis Cornelio
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Epstein Guided Dem Lawmaker’s Questions During Anti-Trump Hearing

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Newly released files revealed that Jeffrey Epstein was actively feeding questions to Stacey Plaskett, the Democrat delegate representing the U.S. Virgin Islands in Congress, during a hearing meant to destroy President Donald Trump. 

Plaskett has long faced scrutiny for her ties to the late sex offender, but the 2019 texts expose a high level of coordination unknown to Americans. At the time, Epstein was an influential figure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The messages, released Wednesday by the very House Oversight Committee Plaskett sits on, show that Epstein was coaching her in real time as he watched a February 2019 hearing with Michael Cohen.

During the hearing, Epstein texted: “Cohen brought up RONA – keeper of the secrets,” referring to Trump’s longtime assistant Rhona Graff. 

“RONA??” Plaskett asked.  

“Quick I’m up next is that an acronym,” she added, openly relying on Epstein’s guidance for her questioning.  

Epstein then clarified: “That’s his assistant.” 

Video from the hearing showed that Plaskett was glued to her phone while watching her surroundings as Epstein texted her. 

Within minutes of Epstein’s message, Plaskett brought on Graff, asking Cohen to expand his earlier remarks. 

“Mr. Weisselberg, other individuals, Ms. Rona. Who are those individuals? Are they with the Trump Organization? And are there other people we should be meeting with?” Plaskett asked, copying Epstein’s prompt. 

Cohen then identified Graff, and Plaskett immediately followed up. 

“Would she be able to corroborate many of these statements that you’ve made here?” Plaskett asked to which Cohen replied affirmatively. 

Epstein promptly texted his approval: “Good work.” 

At first, Plaskett dodged questions about communications, directing reporters to her chief of staff on Thursday. 

A day later, her office released a carefully crafted statement: 

“During the hearing, Congresswoman Plaskett received texts from staff, constituents and the public at large offering advice, support and in some cases partisan vitriol, including from Epstein. As a former prosecutor she welcomes information that helps her get at the truth and took on the GOP that was trying to bury the truth. The congresswoman has previously made clear her long record combating sexual assault and human trafficking, her disgust over Epstein’s deviant behavior and her support for his victims.” 

The statement made no mention of the fact that Plaskett was texting Epstein hours before the hearing began. 

Before 8:00 a.m. ET, Epstein told her that Cohen would discuss Trump’s college grades. Then at 10:00 a.m., Epstein sent her a “Great outfit” text. Twenty-two minutes later, he added: “You look great.” 

Plaskett replied, “Thanks.” 

While Epstein was still alive, Plaskett visited his New York mansion to request that he contribute to her political campaigns. Epstein and his colleagues paid her campaigns $30,000, according to a lawsuit against her, which has since been dismissed.

The lawsuit further cited Plaskett’s past as an attorney with Epstein’s longtime law firm, Kellerhals Ferguson Kroblin PLLC, as well as her stint as attorney for the USVI’s Economic Development Corporation when it approved over $300 million in tax breaks for Epstein’s companies.

“Plaskett was the attorney on the EDC responsible for, upon information and belief, recommending that the EDC provides these benefits to Epstein and his companies and enterprise,” the lawsuit said.

“These tax breaks amounted to $300 million in direct benefits to Epstein and his companies and enterprise.”

In response, her office distanced herself from Epstein, noting that she wasn’t working for the EDC when Epstein received the $300 million tax break, nor was she working for Epstein’s preferred law firm when he bought his private island, Little St. James.

“Rep. Plaskett was not with the [EDC] at the time that Jeffrey Epstein was granted his [EDC] benefits. In 2016, Rep. Plaskett was not with [Kellerhals Ferguson Kroblin PLLC]. She was already a Member of Congress and did not engage in outside employment,” her office said in December 2023.

Dem Lawmaker Allegedly Caught Watching ‘Porn’ Aboard Plane

Luis Cornelio
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Dem Lawmaker Allegedly Caught Watching ‘Porn’ Aboard Plane

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A Democratic lawmaker was caught viewing sexually suggestive content on social media while aboard an airplane on Friday. 

Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., blamed the incident on the social company X’s algorithm, claiming the content appeared in the “For You” section, which serves random posts. 

“This was nothing more than scrolling through Twitter, and, unfortunately, Elon Musk has ruined the Twitter algorithm to give people content that they don’t ask for or subscribe to,” a Sherman spokesperson said in remarks to Fox News. 

The scandal erupted after a passenger took photos of Sherman holding an iPad displaying the X platform. 

Several images showed women in sexually suggestive poses on the iPad, though no explicit pornography was visible. 

“Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today? His district deserves better representation than this!!” the passenger wrote on X. 

The post has since gone viral, garnering nearly 15 million views. 

Liberals Attack Trump’s Granddaughter Kai over a Game

Luis Cornelio
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Liberals Attack Trump’s Granddaughter Kai over a Game

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The New York Times and other anti-Trump activists have found a new target in Kai Trump, the teenage granddaughter of the president, after she received a spot in the LPGA’s Annika tournament. 

The Times chose Thursday to highlight a manufactured controversy for the invitation, despite the long-standing and understood purpose of sponsor-invitations: to spotlight emerging players and bring new attention to women’s golf. 

Indeed, The Times accused the golf association of inviting Kai “because of her last name and massive social media following,” adding that there was “no belief by those who handed her a golden ticket that she could compete against the actual best women’s golfers in the world.” 

The outlet then went further, scolding the teenager by suggesting she should have declined the invitation, lecturing that “just because you can does not mean you should.” 

Several other outlets echoed The Times’s framing.

To their point, young Kai did finish last in Sunday’s tournament—shooting an 83, which is 13 over par.

However, others noted how the high schooler put an unprecedented spotlight on an otherwise obscure sport.

Tournament host Annika Sorenstam’s husband, Mike McGee, called out the targeted attacks during their SiriusXM show. 

“For anybody that says (Trump) doesn’t deserve to be there, I think it’s crazy,” he said. “The idea is to highlight women’s golf, and she’s going to do it to a diverse crowd of millions more people that would tune in (who) otherwise wouldn’t tune in.” 

Sorenstam also defended the decision, explaining that a brand sponsor selected Kai.  

“I’m excited to have [Trump], too, and like you [McGee] said, this is a sponsor’s invite,” Sorenstam said on the show. “The sponsor gets to choose who they want to pick that would add to the tournament in different ways.” 

The LPGA also welcomed Kai’s participation, with top officer Ricki Lasky saying that sponsor invitations are “an important way to spotlight emerging talent and bring new attention to our tournaments and the LPGA.” 

Kai, Eric Trump’s oldest daughter, has played golf through most of her teenage years and has already committed to the University of Miami’s women’s golf program for next year. 

 

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