Beyond the Headlines: Why Gold Still Matters in a Debt-Soaked, Dollar-Weary World

Money Metals News Service
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Beyond the Headlines: Why Gold Still Matters in a Debt-Soaked, Dollar-Weary World

(Money Metals News Service) In the latest Money Metals Midweek Memo, host Mike Maharrey delivered a powerful reminder to investors: stop reacting to the 30-second news cycle and start thinking long-term.

With financial markets whipsawing on every tweet and press release, Maharrey urged listeners to step back, take a breath, and consider the big picture — particularly on the issues of debt, inflation, and de-dollarization.

From Ferris Bueller to Federal Reserve Policy

Quoting the iconic line from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it” — Maharrey reflected on the rapid acceleration of the information age. He contrasted today’s instant news culture with the slower, more deliberate pace of past decades, when news was limited to evening broadcasts or morning papers.

“People can’t think strategically anymore,” he warned. “They just react to the latest thing they saw on X.”

Whiplash Headlines and Reactionary Investing

Maharrey illustrated the perils of short-term thinking with a recent market event: Donald Trump’s announcement of a temporary U.S.–China trade truce.

Within a day, stock markets soared, gold prices dropped by over $100, and major analysts like J.P. Morgan retracted U.S. recession predictions.

Yet, by Tuesday, optimism had already replaced Friday’s recession panic.

“Do you really think tariffs are the only reason we’re heading toward a recession?” Maharrey asked. “This is a debt-riddled bubble economy waiting for a pin.”

Debt: A System Under Pressure

The national debt recently surpassed $36 trillion, and despite an April budget surplus, the FY2025 deficit sits at $1.05 trillion — 22.8% higher than the same period in FY2024. Government spending hit $591.77 billion in April, up 4.4% year-over-year, and total FY2025 spending is up 8.9%.

Maharrey dismantled social media claims that tariffs had “fixed the deficit,” reminding listeners that April typically shows a surplus due to Tax Day. “We don’t have a revenue problem,” he emphasized. “We have a spending problem.”

On the consumer side, 11.5% of credit card balances are now 90+ days delinquent, the highest in five years. The aggregate delinquency rate has risen to 3.6%, even as credit card interest rates remain near record highs. Corporate debt distress is also mounting, with bankruptcy filings returning to pandemic-era levels.

Inflation: Not Dead, Just Delayed

Despite cooling CPI numbers — both headline and core CPI rose just 0.2% in the latest report — Maharrey cautioned that inflation is far from over. “The CPI might look tame, but that still annualizes to 2.4% — nearly half a point above target.”

The real issue, Maharrey explained, is monetary expansion. During the pandemic, the Fed injected nearly $5 trillion through quantitative easing — on top of $4 trillion during the 2008 financial crisis. Add in two decades of artificially low interest rates, and you get what Maharrey called “monetary malfeasance.”

“Increasing the money supply is inflation,” he said. “The CPI is just one symptom.”

Even as the Fed keeps talking tough, Maharrey pointed out that the money supply has been rising again for nearly a year, suggesting that more inflation is baked into the system — whether it’s visible in CPI today or not.

De-Dollarization: A Slow-Moving Earthquake

Maharrey’s third major theme was de-dollarization — the gradual erosion of the dollar’s global dominance.

“No, we’re not waking up tomorrow to a world without the dollar,” he said. “But make no mistake: it’s happening.”

Central banks, especially in Asia, are buying gold and reducing dollar reserves. The trend, Maharrey warned, threatens the foundation of the U.S. government’s borrowing power.

“The only reason the U.S. can borrow and spend at these levels is because the world demands dollars. If that demand drops, those dollars come back home — and that means more inflation.”

He cited analysts from VanEck, who noted that gold’s rise amid relative dollar strength and no major crisis is an unprecedented signal. They argue this is driven by loss of trust in the dollar following U.S. financial sanctions on Russia and decades of monetary manipulation.

Even a modest shift away from the dollar, Maharrey explained, could spiral into a “death spiral” of dollar devaluation, forcing higher domestic inflation and potentially triggering a full-blown currency crisis.

Bond Bear Market Looming? Jim Grant Thinks So

Referencing a recent interview with Jim Grant, Maharrey reiterated Grant’s forecast of a secular bear market in bonds — a long-term shift that could span decades. If correct, this trend would push average interest rates significantly higher, crippling the U.S. government’s ability to service its debt.

Interest payments on the national debt are already surpassing spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and national defense, and are second only to Social Security. With over $1 trillion in annual interest costs, even a modest rise in average rates could be catastrophic.

Final Thoughts: Think Long-Term, Buy Gold Strategically

Maharrey closed with a strong warning against knee-jerk reactions to headlines — especially when it comes to precious metals investing. “Sell-offs are buying opportunities,” he said. “This gold bull run still has legs.”

He encouraged listeners to think like central banks: diversify with real money. For those who can’t afford a full ounce of gold, Money Metals offers monthly savings plans starting at $100/month.

Call 1-800-800-1865 to speak with a Money Metals specialist or visit MoneyMetals.com to buy online.

Animal-Abusing Immigrant Congressman Launches Rogue Impeachment Campaign

Jose Nino
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Animal-Abusing Immigrant Congressman Launches Rogue Impeachment Campaign

(José Niño, Headline USA) Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., is launching a renegade effort to impeach President Donald Trump that not even his fellow Democrats support. The Indian immigrant’s actions have online sleuths digging up his controversial history of anti-white rhetoric and animal abuse.

On Monday, Harrison H. Smith, the host of “American Journal” on Infowars, resurfaced a clip of Thanedar’s interview with World is One News (WION), which took place on August 11, 2023. In the video, Thanedar speaks positively about the fact that America is undergoing a massive population demographics shift, and becoming less white as a result.

 

In the interview, Thanedar noted: “America is becoming more diverse… Our diversity is our strength. We are seeing that diversity in academia, we have seen that in businesses, and now we are seeing that in politics.”

Thanedar has a notable track record of supporting legislation that expands legal immigration pathways for the H-1B visa program, while also supporting amnesty and other protections for so-called “Dreamers.”   He also co-sponsored the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2023, which would streamline the issuance of green cards and H-1B visas while reducing backlogs. 

Unpopular Impeachment Drive

Toward the end of April, Thanedar made headlines by introducing seven articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. The resolution cited multiple alleged offenses including obstruction of justice, abuse of executive power, usurpation of appropriations power, abuse of trade powers, violation of First Amendment rights, creation of an unlawful office (the Department of Government Efficiency or “DOGE”), bribery, and corruption. 

However, not even Thanedar’s fellow Democrats support his impeachment effort. They said the focus should not be on impeachment but on Republican efforts to cut spending on important programs that Americans rely on, such as Medicaid and nutrition assistance.

“There’s no support for an impeachment resolution. There have been no hearings on compiling a record for which impeachment can be based. And this is just a procedure that’s meaningless at this point,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., recently said. ”The sponsor is out of sync with the mood and the trajectory of House Democrats.”

Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said Democratic leadership would vote to sideline any effort to bring Thanedar’s impeachment articles to a full vote, calling impeachment “not the right approach we should be taking.”

Animal Abuse Allegations

Earlier this month, Thanedar also faced renewed backlash over animal cruelty allegations dating back to 2010 related to his former pharmaceutical testing company. 

Critics accused him of abandoning over 100 dogs (primarily beagles) and dozens of monkeys at a New Jersey laboratory after his company, AniClin Preclinical Services, abruptly closed following the bankruptcy of its parent firm, Azopharma, according to a report by The Times of India.

Per reports, animal welfare advocates found 118 beagles confined within the deserted premises. Former employees reportedly scaled fences to feed the animals until two rescue organizations stepped in. The beagles were eventually rescued and placed in shelters for adoption, while a California-based animal rights group, Defense of Animals, rescued 55 long-tailed macaque monkeys from the site. 

Thanedar defended himself against these allegations, stating: “These attacks are completely false and have been repeatedly litigated. When the lab was closed all of the animals were given to happy homes. In my long business career, I am proud to report that no animal was hurt or died under my watch.”

Who is Thanedar? 

Born on February 22, 1955, in Belgaum, Karnataka, India. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Karnatak University and a master’s degree from the University of Mumbai. 

In 1979, he came to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Akron, which he completed in 1982. He later became a U.S. citizen in 1988. 

Before entering politics, Thanedar built a career as a businessman and scientist. He set up pharmaceutical companies that employed hundreds of people. His business accomplishments earned him recognition as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 1997, 2007, and 2016.

Thanedar’s political career began unsuccessfully in 2018, when he ran in the Democratic primary for governor of Michigan but was unsuccessful. He then won election to the Michigan House of Representatives, serving from 2021 to 2023 in Michigan’s third district. 

His national political career launched in 2022 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Michigan’s 13th congressional district. He took office in January 2023 and was re-elected in 2024.

Thanedar was initially affiliated with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, including as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). 

However, he renounced his DSA membership in 2023 after the October 7, 2023 attack, when the DSA released a statement supporting the Palestinian people without condemning Hamas or the attack itself.

The viral clip of Thandar’s pro-diversity comments may fade, but the conversation about who gets to define America’s future is just heating up. Several primary opponents are reportedly looking to unseat him in his Detroit-area congressional district.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

Ben & Jerry’s Cofounder Hauled Out Like a Dog after Disrupting RFK Jr. Hearing

Luis Cornelio
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Ben & Jerry’s Cofounder Hauled Out Like a Dog after Disrupting RFK Jr. Hearing

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen was dragged out of a congressional hearing Tuesday after screaming at lawmakers in a protest targeting HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 

Footage of the meltdown quickly went viral on social media. 

Kennedy, testifying about President Donald Trump’s budget savings at HHS, had been calmly answering questions from lawmakers before the chaos erupted. 

“RFK kills people with AIDS,” a heckler suddenly screamed. Security quickly moved to kick her out of the hearing room. 

A second protester tried to cause chaos but was swiftly hauled out by police. Then came Cohen. 

“Congress pays for bombs that kill kids in Gaza!” he shouted, interrupting the hearing and prompting the committee chair to summon law enforcement. 

“The audience is reminded the disruptions will not be permitted while the committee conducts its business,” the chairman said, before summoning police. “The Capitol Police are asked to remove the individuals from the hearing room.” 

The disruption briefly paused the hearing, prompting Kennedy to glance at the committee chair and laugh. 

On social media, several conservative commentators scolded Cohen’s stunt.  

“If he is concerned about Americans’ health, he should look no further than Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. A pint of Ben & Jerry’s Milk & Cookies ice cream has 1130 calories, 97 grams of sugar, 117 grams of carbs, and 67 grams of total fat,” wrote journalist Collin Rugg on X. 

“Buffoon,” he added. 

User TrashDiscourse added, referring to Ben & Jerry’s, “They just continue to destroy their company.” 

Cohen didn’t apologize. Instead, he doubled down on X: “I told Congress they’re killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the US. This was the authorities’ response.” 

Ex-NYC Mayor de Blasio Agrees to Pay $330K for Misusing Public Funds on Failed White House Bid

Headline USA Editor
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Ex-NYC Mayor de Blasio Agrees to Pay $330K for Misusing Public Funds on Failed White House Bid

(Headline USA)  Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has agreed to pay a $329,794 fine to settle an ethics board’s complaint that he misspent public funds on his security detail during his brief, failed run for U.S. president.

The deal, announced Wednesday by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board, is the costliest repayment order in the ethics board’s history. 

But it allows de Blasio to avoid an even steeper penalty of $475,000 that was previously imposed, a reduction the board said came in light of the former mayor’s “financial situation.”

In exchange, de Blasio agreed to drop his appeal of the board’s finding. And for the first time, he admitted that he received written warning that his out-of-state security expenses could not legally be covered by city taxpayers.

“In contradiction of the written guidance I received from the Board, I did not reimburse the City for these expenses,” de Blasio wrote in the settlement, adding: “I made a mistake and I deeply regret it.”

The payments concern the $319,794.20 in travel-related expenses — including airfare, lodging, meals — that de Blasio’s security detail incurred while accompanying him on trips across the country during his presidential campaign in 2019. He will also pay a $10,000 fine.

The campaign elicited a mix of mockery and grousing by city residents, who accused the Democrat of abandoning his duties as second-term mayor for the national spotlight. It was suspended within four months.

Under the agreement, de Blasio must pay $100,000 immediately, followed by quarterly installments of nearly $15,000 for the next four years. If he misses a payment, he will be deemed in default and ordered to pay the full $475,000.

The funds will eventually make their way back into the city treasury, according to a spokesperson for the Conflicts of Interest Board.

An attorney for de Blasio, Andrew G. Celli Jr., declined to comment on the settlement.

De Blasio had previously argued that forcing him to cover the cost of his security detail’s travel violated his First Amendment rights by creating an “unequal burden” between wealthy candidates and career public servants.

Since leaving office in 2021, de Blasio has worked as a lecturer at multiple universities, most recently the University of Michigan, and delivered paid speeches in Italy.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

 

$3.8 Trillion Bill Codifying Trump Tax Cuts Passes House Committee

Headline USA Editor
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$3.8 Trillion Bill Codifying Trump Tax Cuts Passes House Committee

(Thérèse Boudreaux, The Center Square) After 17 hours of debate, lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee voted along party lines to advance Republicans’ $3.8 trillion tax cut bill, a significant step forward in codifying President Donald Trump’s campaign priorities through the budget reconciliation process.

Under the Republican budget reconciliation blueprint, Ways and Means tax writers could budget $4.5 trillion in lost revenue over the next decade, provided that they also find $2 trillion in cuts and assume $2.6 trillion in economic growth.

The committee’s original 389-page bill, which permanently extended key portions of the expiring 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, fell well within that range at the cost of roughly $3.8 trillion. Multiple amendments from Democrats were shot down during the markup, and the bill passed Wednesday morning, 26-19, without any significant changes. 

“It’s sad that every single committee Democrat voted for the largest tax hike in American history and against additional tax relief for families, farmers, and small businesses,” committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said in a statement following the vote. “Ways and Means Republicans will continue to work closely with President Trump and our House colleagues to get the One, Big, Beautiful Bill that delivers on the President’s agenda to his desk as soon as possible.”

The bill raises the debt ceiling by $4 trillion and makes permanent the higher standard deduction for nearly all tax filers, the doubled child tax credit, the paid family leave tax credit, and the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction.

It also includes some short term tax provisions lasting four years, including boosting the standard deduction for individuals from $15,000 to $16,000 and from $30,000 to $32,000 for joint filers. The maximum child tax credit would also increase by $500 to $2,500, and the QBI would go from 20% to 23% until fiscal year 2028.

Trump’s major campaign promises to end taxes on tips and overtime pay are temporarily fulfilled by the bill, which would implement those policies, plus a $4,000 increase in tax deductions for eligible seniors, for the next four years.

American manufacturers would also benefit from the legislation, which would allow them to deduct 100% of facility improvement or construction costs. But the bill would deal a blow to large universities by increasing taxes on endowments, as well as hiking taxes on many private foundations.

Those taxes, as well as the repeal or phaseout of $560 billion in renewable energy subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act, would help partially offset the cost of the tax cut extension. Republicans are also using an accounting tactic called current policy baseline to assume that permanently extending tax cuts from the original TCJA will cost nothing.

But organizations like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget have warned that Republicans’ tax wish list would still add trillions to the national debt and up to $5.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. 

Ways and Means Democrats echoed CRFB’s concerns throughout the long markup and blasted the cuts to renewable energy subsidies. They particularly focused on how financing the tax cut extension also relies on other House committees reducing spending on Medicaid and SNAP.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., called the bill “an insult to every hard-working American.”

“This bill sends a clear message: you’ll pay more, and you’ll receive fewer services just so that billionaires can pocket another tax cut that they really don’t need,” Sanchez said during the markup.

Even though the bill passed the committee, House Republicans still need to achieve consensus on state and local tax deductions. The legislation raises the state and local tax, or SALT, deduction cap from $10,000 to $30,000 for most single and joint filers, but multiple Republicans from New York have said the number is too low.

These lawmakers pledged to oppose the final megabill, which the House Budget Committee will craft Friday by assimilating all marked up committee bills, if the SALT cap doesn’t change.

Even if the megabill passes the House floor, Senate Republicans have indicated they want to change other parts of it, especially provisions repealing Inflation Reduction Act subsidies that many Republican states have already taken advantage of.

As The Center Square reported, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has said he will oppose the final product unless more spending cuts are included.

Newsom Calls for Ending New Medi-Cal Enrollments for Adult Illegal Immigrants

Headline USA Editor
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Newsom Calls for Ending New Medi-Cal Enrollments for Adult Illegal Immigrants

(Dave Mason, The Center Square) California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday called for an end to new enrollments of adult illegal immigrants in Medi-Cal to save more than $5 billion.

The proposal by the governor, who’s viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, is a reversal of his pledge to provide universal health care to everyone including low-income adults regardless of their immigration status.

Under Newsom’s new proposal, no illegal immigrants 19 and older could enroll in Medi-Cal starting in January 2026, which means they couldn’t get coverage for medical expenses such as doctor’s visits and prescriptions. Coverage would continue for emergency and pregnancy care, which are paid for with federal funds.

The 1.6 million illegal immigrants already signed up wouldn’t lose their coverage under Newsom’s plan, and their children could still enroll, according to CalMatters and other media.

Newsom also said Wednesday that he wants to start charging those already enrolled who have “unsatisfactory immigration status” a $100 monthly premium starting in 2027. The premium would be charged to those who are ineligible for federal Medicaid because of their immigration status. Newsom’s office said that would include “people with lawful status and the undocumented.”

Medi-Cal, which is California’s name for Medicaid, is the state taxpayer-funded health insurance for low-income patients and those with disabilities.

The governor’s plan wouldn’t go into effect unless the Legislature approved the changes in the California budget. Lawmakers in the Democratic supermajority in the Assembly and Senate have objected to making major cuts to coverage for illegal immigrants. But Republican legislators have said the expense of covering illegal immigrants is too costly to sustain.

Newsom cited his reasons for the Medi-Cal changes as the program’s higher-than-anticipated cost for covering illegal immigrants and economic uncertainty because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The changes would save California $5.4 billion by 2028-29, according to the Governor’s Office.

Critics of the Democratic governor have noted an expected deficit of $10 billion or more in the state’s budget matches estimated costs of expanding eligibility of Medi-Cal to all income-qualifying illegal immigrants.

The budget deficit is now expected to be $16 billion, according to the Governor’s Office.

Newsom is blaming the deficit on Trump’s tariffs. He and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a motion Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for Northern California for a preliminary injunction to freeze the tariffs. The motion is part of a lawsuit against the Trump administration that the state filed in April.

DC Judge Releases the ‘Suicidal’ Man Recently Shot by Secret Service Near the White House

Ken Silva
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DC Judge Releases the ‘Suicidal’ Man Recently Shot by Secret Service Near the White House

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The Justice Department has reached a plea agreement with Andrew Dawson, the “suicidal” man shot by Secret Service guards near the White House in March.

The agreement, which was signed Friday and docketed on Tuesday, has Dawson pleading guilty to carrying a pistol without a license, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He was initially also charged with possessing an unregistered firearm and ammo, and with carrying a rifle. According to charging papers, law enforcement found a BB gun and a “cell phone handgun” on his person when they searched him after the shooting.

Dawson is set to be sentenced on July 28. But in the meantime, he’s out of jail. Judge Errol Arthur released him from custody Tuesday.

According to the DOJ, Dawson drove from Indiana to Washington D.C. on March 9 with the intent to commit “suicide by cop”—meaning he sought to provoke officers into killing him. Law enforcement had been alerted earlier that day of a “suicidal” individual traveling from Indiana to Washington, D.C., and a “be on the lookout order (BOLO) was issued for him by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homeland Security Division.

The shooting occurred near 17th and F Streets, just outside the White House. Dawson was taken to a nearby hospital afterwards, and was sent to DC jail after he was discharged.

It is unclear whether Dawson had any intent to harm any White House officials or Secret Service agents. The U.S. government has not provided many details about the incident.

According to charging papers against Dawson, CCTV didn’t capture the shooting “due to the camera angle.” And while there was apparently law enforcement bodycam footage of the incident, the presiding DC judge granted the DOJ’s request for a protective order to prevent that footage from going public.

Dawson’s criminal record shows an arrest in 2018 for marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia.

At the time of the incident, President Donald Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He returned safely to the White House on Sunday evening, hours after the shooting.

The March shooting at the White House follows similar incidents in recent years.

In 2020, Trump was abruptly escorted from a briefing after a shooting broke out near the White House.

In 2016, the USSS shot a man who approached a White House checkpoint with a gun.

In 2011, Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez fired several rounds at the White House and later pleaded to “one count of injury to a dwelling and placing lives in jeopardy within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, as well as one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence,” according to the FBI. He was sentenced to 25 years.

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

Trump Meets With Syria’s Al-Qaeda Leader-Turned President, Praises His ‘Strong Past’

Headline USA Editor
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Trump Meets With Syria’s Al-Qaeda Leader-Turned President, Praises His ‘Strong Past’

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) On Wednesday, President Trump met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the founder of al-Qaeda in Syria, who became the country’s de facto leader after his rebranded group of jihadists, known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took power in Damascus in December 2024.

Trump said he had a “very good” meeting with Sharaa, who was previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. “Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said on Air Force One.

The president met with Sharaa in Saudi Arabia with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before heading to Qatar. The meeting came a day after President Trump announced that he would lift sanctions on Syria.

US sanctions on Syria were imposed to aid in the regime change effort against former President Bashar al-Assad and have had a devastating impact on the civilian population. Sanctions imposed under the first Trump administration in 2019, known as the Caesar Act, were designed specifically to prevent the country’s reconstruction.

Since Assad was ousted on December 8, there have been growing calls in Washington for the sanctions on Syria to be lifted, even though the country is now led by a former al-Qaeda leader. As part of the deal for sanctions relief and potential normalization, the US wants Syria to normalize ties with Israel and crack down on Palestinian resistance groups.

It remains unclear if Israel will go for a normalization deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials celebrated the regime change and even took credit for it, but have used the alleged threat of the HTS-led government as a pretext to invade and occupy more territory in southern Syria.

According to the White House, during the meeting with Trump, Sharaa “recognized the significant opportunity presented by the Iranians leaving Syria, as well as shared US-Syrian interests in countering terrorism.”

Sharaa said he was committed to the 1974 Syria-Israel disengagement agreement, which Israel broke by invading southern Syria. He also said he hoped that “Syria would serve as a critical link in facilitating trade between east and west, and invited American companies to invest in Syrian oil and gas.”

Sharaa got his start with al-Qaeda in Iraq, where he fought an insurgency against US troops before being imprisoned from 2006 to 2011. In 2012, he travelled to Syria and formed al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the country, the al-Nusra Front.

In 2016, Sharaa claimed the al-Nusra Front was cutting ties with al-Qaeda. At the time, he thanked the “commanders of al-Qaeda for having understood the need to break ties.”

In 2017, Julani merged his group with several other Islamist factions to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the US State Department designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2018, and it remains on that list.

While Sharaa now presents himself as a moderate, HTS-affiliated forces have been responsible for the massacre of thousands of Alawites and other minorities since he took power, mainly in the western coastal areas of Syria. Over the weekend, at least 11 Alawite civilians were killed, including two who were reportedly beheaded.

David Hogg Setting the Record for Shortest DNC Leadership Role

Luis Cornelio
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David Hogg Setting the Record for Shortest DNC Leadership Role

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) David Hogg, the liberal social media influencer, may soon set a record at the Democratic National Committee for the shortest stint as vice chair in modern party history. 

A DNC panel voted Monday to affirm that Hogg and a colleague were not properly elected roughly three months after they were tapped for the roles.  

Hogg’s imminent ouster followed internal clashes over his opposition to incumbent Democrats, though the DNC claims it stemmed from a technical error in the February election.  

The panel agreed with a Hogg challenger that the February election failed to meet DEI standards and disadvantaged three women of color. However, Hogg suggested the vote is tied to his outspoken criticism of party leadership.  

“While this vote was based on how the DNC conducted its officers’ elections, which I had nothing to do with, it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote,” he said.  

“I ran to be DNC Vice Chair to help make the Democratic Party better, not to defend an indefensible status quo that has caused voters in almost every demographic group to move away from us,” Hogg continued. 

The DNC panel also voided the election of Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. 

The vote came weeks after Hogg controversially declared that Democrats had lost the support of young men who “just want to get laid and have fun.” 

“Young people should be able to focus on what young people should be focused on, which is how to get laid and how to go and have fun,” he claimed on a Friday appearance on the Real Time with Bill Mahor show. 

Christine Pelosi, a member of the panel and daughter of Nancy Pelosi, told reporters the decision had nothing to do with Hogg’s controversial behavior. 

“This is about a violation of parliamentary procedure that was raised in a challenge filed back in February by another candidate for Vice Chair,” Pelosi claimed on X.  

“I think I speak for all of us on the Committee when I say I hope both of these talented individuals put their names on the ballot again,” she said. “We’ll move fast to get this resolved. I have total faith in our DNC members to review this issue and vote their conscience.” 

WATCH: Footage Reveals 1st Public Glimpse Inside Epstein’s Private Island Mansion 

Luis Cornelio
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WATCH: Footage Reveals 1st Public Glimpse Inside Epstein’s Private Island Mansion 

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Journalist James O’Keefe has released alleged footage from inside Jeffrey Epstein’s former mansion, revealing unsettling details—including a disturbing image hung in a room where girls were presumably abused.

The video purports to show the main residence on Little St. James, a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Epstein owned the property from 1998 until he died in 2019. 

O’Keefe said the footage revealed “the first on-site images from within the now-infamous compound since his arrest in 2019 and subsequent death.” 

An undisclosed source filmed it after Epstein’s 2019 arrest but before authorities secured the premises. 

The footage showed a small white kitchen with steel appliances and a disturbing photo of a nude toddler hanging on one of the walls. 

The photo “begs the question why did Jeffrey Epstein choose to place this image inside of a kitchen, where visitors would eat, cook and entertain?” O’Keefe asked. 

The release came days after O’Keefe published an undercover interview with former royal adviser John Bryan, who accused Prince Andrew of “f***ing underage girls.” 

“I knew he [Prince Andrew] saw him [Jeffrey Epstein],” Bryan reportedly told undercover reporters. “But he lied to me that he was such a close friend.” Bryan clarified that Andrew had lied about his sexual abuse of minors. 

O’Keefe said the kitchen video was “a part of a larger series that will include more materials related to Epstein’s residences, associates, and previously unreleased evidence.” 

O’Keefe’s media company addressed potential doubts about the footage’s authenticity, affirming the “interior scenes align with elements faintly visible through windows in earlier drone footage shots.” 

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