FBI Tainted Evidence in Trump Attempted Assassination Case, Ryan Routh’s Attorneys Say

Ken Silva
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FBI Tainted Evidence in Trump Attempted Assassination Case, Ryan Routh’s Attorneys Say

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) On Feb. 25, defense attorneys for alleged would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh visited the FBI to inspect the physical evidence against their client, including the rifle Routh was allegedly going to use against the President.

But according to the defense attorneys, the FBI disassembled Routh’s rifle after recovering it near Trump’s Florida golf course last September.

“The scope, black tape, brackets, and paper/plastic tubing were all removed from the rifle. Defense counsel does not know the exact circumstances surrounding the removal of these items from the scope, as those items were apparently boxed separately from the rifle and not made available for our evidence view,” defense attorneys Kristy Militello and Renee Sihvola said in a Friday court filing.

The defense attorneys said that the FBI has “irreparably harmed” their case by disassembling the rifle.

“For example, it is now impossible for the defense to test whether the scope was attached in a wildly inaccurate or useless fashion, as it was taken off the rifle prior to any accuracy testing or location preservation by the government,” they said.

Militello and Sihvola said they don’t have any proof the FBI acted in bad faith, which is why they’re not calling for the entire case to be tossed against their client. However, they asked for the opportunity to inspect and test the rifle to discover “any additional information” that may be useful and helpful to the defense. Alternatively, they asked for Judge Aileen Cannon to exclude the FBI’s expert evidence about the rifle altogether.

“Live fire testing would be insightful to potential defects in the rifle, accuracy of the rifle, and the capabilities/distance of the rifle,” the defense attorneys said.

The defense attorneys added that they want to make sure the rifle is functional, and also to see if it was capable of striking a target at a distance.

“It may have been impossible for the defendant to commit the alleged crime if the firearm was defective, inaccurate, or had a limited range,” they said.

“Unlike the government’s prior testing, which disassembled the rifle and made testing of it in its original condition impossible, the defense testing will not further destroy the evidence,” they said.

The Justice Department has yet to respond to the defense attorneys’ request.

Along with the issue of evidence spoliation, the defense also had until Friday to file any notices that Routh had an alibi to address the allegations against him. The defense attorneys didn’t file anything to that effect, so presumably Routh is not going to claim to have an alibi.

Prosecutors have accused Routh, 58, of Hawaii, of stalking Trump for a month before he built a sniper’s nest near the Trump International golf course in West Palm Beach.

Federal prosecutors charged Routh with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.

Routh’s trial is set for September.

The FBI also tainted evidence in the other assassination attempt against Trump last July. In that incident, the FBI hosed down the rooftop used by gunman Thomas Crooks immediately after the incident, and released Crooks’s body for cremation before members of Congress could examine it. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., later revealed that bullet fragments were still in Crooks’s body when it was cremated.

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

IDF Soldier to CBS: We Violated International Law in Gaza

Headline USA Editor
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IDF Soldier to CBS: We Violated International Law in Gaza

(Kyle Anzalone, Libertarian Institute) An Israeli soldier speaking with CBS News said the IDF has committed war crimes in Gaza. Among other offenses, the soldiers said Palestinians were regularly deployed as human shields.

“We’ve burned down buildings for no reasons, which is violating the international law, of course… And we used human shields as protection,” the unnamed soldier told the outlet. “They were Palestinian. We sent them in first to see if the building was clear and check for booby traps… They were trembling and shaking.”

Since October 7, 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry has recorded over 50,000 Palestinians killed during the Israeli onslaught. More than 15,000 of the dead are children.

Israeli forces have used Palestinians as human shields throughout the operation in the Gaza Strip. However, the dominant narrative in the Western press is that Hamas is responsible for the deaths of most civilians in Gaza, as it is said to use the Palestinian population as human shields.

In August, Haaretz reported that the use of Palestinians as human shields had occurred all over Gaza, with the knowledge of senior officers, up to the Office of the Chief of Staff.

The unnamed IDF soldier added that he and other lower-ranking men expressed concern to their commanders about using civilians as human shields, but the officers ordered the practice to continue. “We talked to our commander, and we asked him to stop doing it,” the soldier explained to CBS, adding that using human shields was official policy.

Multiple Palestinians have been murdered while serving as human shields for the Israeli military. In one case, IDF soldiers strapped a bomb to an 80-year-old man with mobility issues and forced him to inspect a building for eight hours. After he had finished, the soldiers ordered him and his wife to evacuate the area on foot, sending the couple in the direction of another IDF unit, who shot and killed them.

The unnamed IDF soldier told CBS that taking part in war crimes had caused him serious psychological distress. “I’m morally wounded,” said the soldier. “It’s f****d up, you know, to use citizens as your human shield like a dog.”

This article originally appeared at The Libertarian Institute.

Luxury Brand Manager Exposed as Woman in Viral MAGA Hat Attack

Luis Cornelio
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Luxury Brand Manager Exposed as Woman in Viral MAGA Hat Attack

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The unhinged New York woman who attempted to snatch a MAGA hat from a young man at a train stop last week has been identified as Alberta Testanero, the creative director for several luxury brands—according to the New York Post. 

Testanero is a 55-year-old Italian American infamous for her disgust of President Donald Trump and all Republicans who voted for him and proudly wear popular MAGA hats. 

She gained viral notoriety after scolding a young man wearing a red MAGA hat and then aggressively chasing him down the train station—only to trip and fall on her face. The exchange was widely shared on social media, with critics mocking Testanero. 

Testanero, who called the young man a “racist” for supporting Trump, harbors so much loathing for anyone who disagrees with her political views that she and a former co-worker had a falling out. 

“She and I stopped being friends a while ago, as she became extremely liberal and very agitated,” the former colleague told the Post. “I see nothing has changed, but now she’s gotten into the extreme, doing things like this.” 

The coworker noted that Testanero was infamous for bumping heads with Republicans and often attacked individuals she deemed “racist,” according to the Post. 

On her online pages, Testanero boasted of her adherance to the “highest standards” in her profession—which she seemingly threw out the window when she erratically attacked the MAGA hat-wearing man. 

“An experienced team leader, I have a keen understanding of the relationship between corporate strategy and creative vision,” Testanero claimed in her now deleted LinkedIn. “No matter how large or small, I approach every project with enthusiasm always furthering brand vision and maintaining the highest standards.” 

During her aggressive outburst on the train, Testanero claimed only “uneducated” people wear MAGA hats.  

Headline USA reached out to a consulting firm associated with Testanero and was told she had never worked for the company. Attempts to contact her via a tied phone number resulted in two voicemails. Both her X and Facebook have been closed. 

Coach, one of the companies Testanero allegedly worked for, directed Headline USA to its customer service line. PR firm Supervision Agency, which credited Testanero in one of its Instagram stories, did did not respond to email requests for comment. 

The Sasamani Foundation, which had listed Testanero as a board member and creative director, did not respond to inquiries about her role or whether her actions could affect the foundation’s funding. The foundation has not clarified whether it receives federal funds.

Satanic Freak Arrested for Hitting Catholic During Failed ‘Black Mass’

Luis Cornelio
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Satanic Freak Arrested for Hitting Catholic During Failed ‘Black Mass’

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The leader of a satanist group and three other individuals were arrested on a variety of charges—including disorderly conduct—after a brawl broke out inside the Kansas Statehouse on Friday during an attempt to hold a so-called black mass. 

Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart, along with 30 fellow satanists, had converged inside and outside the statehouse to demand the separation of church and state and protest what he claimed was the Kansas government’s favoritism toward Christians. 

Inside the statehouse, tensions grew as Catholics attempted to shut down Stewart’s mass. Stewart assaulted counterprotester Marcus Schroeder during a scuffle.  

Stewart’s mass allegedly violated Kansas Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly’s ban on demonstrations inside the statehouse on Friday 

Catholic Arena shared a video on X that captured Schroeder approaching Stewart to retrieve a piece of paper that Stewart was reading from. In response, Stewart punched Schroeder at least twice directly in the face.

Kansas Highway Patrol troopers, who protect the statehouse, were swift to act, rushing in and detaining Stewart, but not before throwing him to the ground to stop his visible aggression. 

“I’m not resisting! I’m not resisting! I’m not resisting!” Stewart exclaimed while seemingly hindering the officers’ efforts to detain him. 

Stewart was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and holding an unlawful assembly but was released on a $1,000 bond, according to CBS News.  

Two other individuals—Jocelyn Frazee, 32, and Sean Anderson, 50—attempted to continue the black mass but were also arrested for unlawful assembly. 

Despite being the victim of the aggression, Schroeder was also arrested for disorderly conduct. 

“He was trying to give a satanic chant. I tried to take his paper out of his hand and he punched me twice in the face,” Schroeder said, according to the Kansas Reflector. 

According to Schroeder’s friend, Karla Delgado, the incident escalated after her 4-year-old daughter was knocked to the ground, prompting Schroeder to act. 

Delgado claimed she was inside the statehouse to deliver a complaint to the governor’s office about Stewart’s unlawful assembly. She said she approached Stewart as Highway Patrol troopers delayed his arrest for the unlawful gathering. 

“When we saw that nobody was doing anything — I guess just in the moment of it — it was like, ‘He’s not supposed to be allowed to do this,’ so we tried to stop him,” she explained. 

Trump Says He Will Continue Bombing Yemen for a ‘Long Time’

Headline USA Editor
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Trump Says He Will Continue Bombing Yemen for a ‘Long Time’

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump on Wednesday claimed that the US’s daily airstrikes on Yemen have been “very successful” and vowed the bombing campaign would continue for a “long time.”

The US started bombing Yemen again on March 15 in response to the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, announcing they would reimpose a blockade on Israeli shipping due to Israeli ceasefire violations in Gaza.

Since the Trump administration launched the bombing campaign, the Houthis have restarted attacks on US warships and resumed firing missiles at Israel, operations they ceased when the Gaza ceasefire went into effect on January 19. Despite this, President Trump claims the Houthis want “peace.”

“The Houthis are looking to do something. They want to know, ‘How do we stop? How do we stop? How can we have peace?’ The Houthis want peace because they’re getting the hell knocked out of them,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

“They want us to stop so badly… They’ve got to say, ‘No mas.’ But I can only say that the attacks every day, every night… have been very successful beyond our wildest expectations… We’re going to do it for a long time. We can keep it going for a long time,” the president said.

The Houthis’ message has been that they will meet “escalation with escalation” and that their attacks won’t stop unless there is a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli blockade on aid and all other goods entering the Palestinian territory.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that the American aggression will only increase the Yemenis’ steadfastness and resilience, and that the confrontations over the last few days were only the beginning of what will be a gradual expansion of defensive operations in the coming days,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Thursday when announcing new attacks on US warships and on Israel.

Trump also claimed that the Houthis are being “hit harder than they have ever been.” But from 2015 to 2022, the Houthis faced a brutal US-backed Saudi-UAE war against them, which involved a heavy bombing campaign, a blockade, and a ground campaign. Trump supported the war during his first term in office and vetoed a War Powers Resolution passed by Congress that would have ended US involvement in the conflict.

Trump said that President Biden should have attacked the Houthis, disregarding the fact that the Biden administration launched a bombing campaign on Yemen from January 2024 to January 2025. The message from the Trump administration has been that Biden didn’t hit Yemen hard enough, and Trump’s bombing campaign has been far more intense.

The Trump administration’s bombing campaign has taken a heavy toll on civilians, with at least 25 killed in just the first week, according to the Yemen Data Project. The leaked Signal chat that caused controversy this week revealed that top US officials celebrated the flattening of a residential building in Yemen, where National Security Advisor Mike Waltz claimed the Houthis’ “top missile guy” was located.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

 

Inflation Ticks up in Latest Data

Headline USA Editor
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Inflation Ticks up in Latest Data

(Casey Harper, The Center Square) Newly released federal inflation data showed prices rose faster than expected in February, contradicting federal data from earlier this month.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, a key marker of inflation, which showed a modest increase of 0.3% in February, albeit more than experts expected.

More consumer spending on goods and services in February helped drive up the PCE.

“Core PCE inflation came in a little above the already high expectations in Feb,” Harvard economist Jason Furman wrote on X. “The pattern is the opposite of what you want to see–the shorter the window the higher the annualized rate (and still high at 12 months).”

Furman said that price increases could be partially attributed to companies bracing for President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which are expected to begin in earnest April 2.

“The issue in recent months has been in both core goods inflation (which could have some tariff, and tariff anticipation effects), but also in core services (which has much less passthrough from tariffs, although still some),” Furman continued.

The PCE data came in hotter than other federal inflation data, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics data released earlier this month which showed annual inflation slightly decreased.

The BLS data reported that a decline in energy costs had driven down overall consumer inflation.

“February PCE Price Index: inflation improvement has stalled out,” economist Joseph Brusuelas wrote on X. “The notion of stubborn and sticky inflation is the primary narrative here in advance of the greater trade shock that will show up in the hard data in coming months. The second round effects are going to be key here going forward.”

CBO: Mounting Debt Could Slow Growth, Pose ‘Significant Risks’

Headline USA Editor
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CBO: Mounting Debt Could Slow Growth, Pose ‘Significant Risks’

(Brett Rowland, The Center Square) The Congressional Budget Office’s newest projects underscore the nation’s unsustainable spending plans as Republicans look to extend President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

The CBO said U.S. debt held by the public is on track to reach its highest level ever in 2029 before reaching 156% of gross domestic product in 2055. Gross domestic product is a measurement of economic output.

“Mounting debt would slow economic growth, push up interest payments to foreign holders of U.S. debt, and pose significant risks to the fiscal and economic outlook; it could also cause lawmakers to feel constrained in their policy choices,” the CBO report noted.

Economists have debated when debt-to-GDP becomes problematic for nations, and the CBO report notes the lack of consensus.

“CBO cannot reliably quantify the probability of a fiscal crisis. In the agency’s assessment, no tipping point can be identified at which the debt-to-GDP ratio would become so high that it would make a crisis likely or imminent, nor is there a specific tipping point beyond which interest costs would become so high in relation to GDP that they were unsustainable,” according to the report.

An analysis of the CBO report by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found debt would hit $138 trillion by 2055 in nominal dollars. If Congress extends the tax rates set to expire in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the debt would be even higher without corresponding expense cuts.

“CBO’s long-term projections are incredibly troubling, but reality could prove even more unsustainable,” according to the CRFB analysis. “If policymakers extend provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it could boost debt by $40 trillion over 30 years, to above 200% of GDP.”

Michael Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, said the report was dire.

“Today’s CBO report shows debt rising rapidly over the next three decades, and serves as a timely warning for this year’s tax policy debate,” he said. “Over the next 30 years, debt will grow to a staggering 156% of GDP. Annual interest costs will exceed $1 trillion next year, and total a stunning $76 trillion over the next three decades.”

Peterson noted that the CBO report also shows the depletion of Social Security’s retirement fund is eight years away, a milestone that could result in immediate, automatic cuts for all beneficiaries if Congress doesn’t intervene.

Peterson said lawmakers should heed the warnings in the CBO report.

“Given the severity of our fiscal condition, policymakers should use this year’s budget reconciliation and tax deadlines to improve our debt outlook,” he said. “At the very least, they should pledge to do no fiscal harm.”

Congress’s own research service, the Government Accountability Office, has for years warned presidents and lawmakers that the nation remains on an unsustainable fiscal path. The GAO repeated those warnings earlier this year.

A GAO report in January warned that unchecked spending could push public debt to 219% of GDP by 2051 and create a significant economic and national security risk.

“We project that public debt will reach an unprecedented level by 2027,” said Gene Dodaro, U.S. Comptroller General and head of the GAO. “We’re calling on Congress and the Administration to act now to develop and implement a strategy to address this acute challenge. Inaction could result in great difficulties for many Americans and impede policymakers’ flexibility to respond to future economic recessions or unexpected events.”

‘Woke Seeds’ Found at the USDA

Maire Clayton
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‘Woke Seeds’ Found at the USDA

(Maire Clayton, Headline USA) Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins took to social media Wednesday to share what her team found from former President Joe Biden’s administration: “woke seeds.”

In the roughly one minute video, Rollins showed packs of tomato seeds with the words “growing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at USDA.”

“Behind the door at USDA, we found a whole box of the seeds,” she began. “And listen, we love seeds here at USDA, but check these out. These are specific tomato seeds that are for growing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at USDA.”

President Donald Trump and his administration have been continuously trying to crackdown on eliminating government waste from the prior administration.

“This is why we are completely working to realign under President Trump’s vision our entire government about returning power to the people, about ensuring that we’re putting Americans first, and that we really are going to make America great again, and no longer will we spend tax dollars on diversity, equity, inclusion at USDA,” Rollins added while showing off the seeds.

Rollins appeared on Hugh Hewitt’s Friday podcast and continued to blast the seeds.

“So what in the world, how are we using taxpayer dollars to brand? I guess they thought tomatoes were racist. You know, they kind of think everything’s racist,” she said.

The Department of Government Efficiency claimed Wednesday it found millions of dollars in loans that were being given to children.

“One case of fraud was with the Small Business Administration, where they were handing out loans—$330 million worth of loans—to people under the age of 11,” billionaire Elon Musk claimed. “I think the youngest, Kelly, was a 9-month-old who got a $100,000 loan.”

RFK Jr. Teasingly Shames Obese Governor in Joint Press Conference

Luis Cornelio
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RFK Jr. Teasingly Shames Obese Governor in Joint Press Conference

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey better hit the treadmill—at least according to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 

Kennedy jokingly called out Morrisey’s weight during a joint live press conference Friday on health efforts in West Virginia. Kennedy, 70, is known for his fit physique and passion for wellness.

“I said to Gov. Morrisey —the first time I saw him—I said, ‘You look like you ate Governor Morrisey,’” Kennedy recalled, referring to their first meeting while working on the presidential transition in Mar-a-Lago. 

“There was a lot of talk about getting healthy again,” Kennedy added. “And I’m very happy that he’s invited me to be his personal trainer. I’m going to put him on a really rigorous regimen, and we’re going to put him on a carnivore diet.” 

RFK Jr. then asked the crowd if they supported “a public weigh-in once a month” and jokingly promised that once Morrisey lost 30 pounds, he would return to West Virginia for “a celebration and a public weigh-in with him.” 

“You’re welcome, Denise!” Kennedy quipped, referring to West Virginia First Lady Denise Morrisey. 

In response, Morrisey joked back: “That may be a little more than I bargained for.” 

Kennedy was in West Virginia to highlight the Trump administration’s support for state legislation banning harmful food dyes from school lunches. 

“West Virginia is leading the nation in passing a bill to clean up our food supply and submitting a waiver to remove soda from SNAP. I commend the 24 states pushing MAHA bills to clean up our food system, improve school lunches, submit waivers to SNAP, and promote patient choice,” Kennedy said in a press statement. 

RFK Jr. went viral during the 2024 presidential election after releasing a video of himself lifting weights, proudly showing off his physique. 

Venezuelan Man in Viral Video Gets Deported, Nearly Lynched by Fellow Illegals

Luis Cornelio
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Venezuelan Man in Viral Video Gets Deported, Nearly Lynched by Fellow Illegals

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Remember the Venezuelan illegal alien who went viral on TikTok for posting videos on how to exploit U.S. taxpayer-funded benefits? He was deported back to Venezuela and required special security after fellow deportees attempted to lynch him. 

The illegal alien, TikTok influencer Leonel Moreno, has been widely cited as a factor in why the public’s sentiment toward Venezuelan asylum seekers turned sour.

For years, the U.S. government bent over backward to shield Venezuelans under the assumption nearly all of them were victims fleeing socialism—until now. 

Moreno entered the U.S. during the height of the Biden administration’s open border chaos and was subsequently paroled into the country, where he launched a social media campaign aimed at educating other illegal aliens on how to take advantage of the generosity of American taxpayers. 

Operating under the handle “Leito Official,” Moreno encouraged would-be illegals to enter the U.S. and occupy Americans’ homes. He released several videos boasting about the cash assistance available to him.

@leitooficial_26

In one clip, Moreno thanked “Daddy Biden” for providing him with food stamps. He advised illegals to purchase clothes from American stores and then return them after use. He also mocked working Americans who pay rent and maintain nine-to-five jobs.  

His social media career ended in March 2024 when ICE agents busted him after he failed to appear for a mandatory check-in, according to the New York Post. An immigration judge ordered his deportation to Venezuela—a country that, at the time, had not accepted the return of its nationals. 

Enter President Donald Trump. 

Under Trump’s directives, Venezuela began accepting deportations of individuals. Moreno was among those deportees.  

Venezuelan Minister of Interior Diosdado Cabello stated that Moreno required special protection after some deportees tried to beat him.  

“Many people were upset with this gentleman because his social media campaign made Venezuelans be targeted as criminals throughout the world,” Cabello said in Spanish at a press conference.  

“Many of them were upset. From the beginning, we had to provide him with special protection because of the anger among the other passengers,” Cabello added.

Moreno’s case—along with other high-profile criminal incidents—triggered the Trump administration to halt Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans. 

Other cases that fueled similar sentiments include the vicious murder of Laken Riley by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan man, admitted during the Biden administration, and the rape and killing of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, allegedly committed by Venezuelan nationals Johan José Martínez-Rangel and Franklin José Peña Ramos. 

Martínez-Rangel and Peña Ramos entered the U.S. illegally between March 14 and May 28. Weeks later, Nungaray’s body was discovered in a Texas ditch. 

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