Author name: Kyle Stevenson

Bombshell Declassified Documents Released: Ukraine Worried About Biden Family Corruption
News

Bombshell Declassified Documents Released: Ukraine Worried About Biden Family Corruption

/

Newly declassified intelligence memos reveal that then–Vice President Joe Biden’s team intervened in February 2016 to block the CIA from distributing a report to policymakers about how senior Ukrainian officials viewed his son’s business dealings.

The move, described by a senior CIA official as “extremely rare and unusual,” came directly from Biden’s national security advisor, according to documents reviewed by Just the News.

“I just spoke with VP/NSA and he would strongly prefer the report not/not be disseminated,” Biden’s Presidential Daily Brief briefer told the CIA.

The report in question summarized Ukrainian officials’ private reactions to Biden’s December 2015 visit to Kyiv, during which he met with then–President Petro Poroshenko.

At the time, Biden was overseeing U.S. policy toward Ukraine following the Maidan Revolution and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

The CIA report shows Ukrainian officials were frustrated with Biden’s visit, saying he failed to engage in substantive discussions with Poroshenko and other leaders.

NEW YORK, USA – Sep 20, 2016: US Vice President Joe Biden during a meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in New York

Those same officials “privately mused” about U.S. media attention on Hunter Biden’s business ties in the country.

“These officials viewed the alleged ties of the U.S. Vice President’s family to corruption in Ukraine as evidence of a double-standard within the United States Government towards matters of corruption and political power,” the intelligence summary stated.

The CIA memo noted that Ukrainian officials “expressed bewilderment and disappointment” over the visit, expecting the vice president to address policy matters that were instead avoided.

It was during that December 2015 trip that Biden pressured Poroshenko to dismiss his prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, threatening to withhold a $1 billion U.S. loan guarantee if the demand was not met.

At the time, Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy firm where Hunter Biden had joined the board in May 2014.

Internal correspondence shows that then–U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt had warned Biden’s team that the U.S. viewed Burisma as corrupt.

Pyatt later told successor Marie Yovanovitch that Hunter Biden’s position “undercut the anti-corruption message the VP and we were advancing in Ukraine,” aligning with Ukrainian perceptions cited by the CIA.

Despite public claims that Shokin was corrupt, both the State Department and the European Union had assessed that his reform progress was sufficient to justify continuing financial support to Ukraine.

Just the News reported in 2023 that Biden “called an audible” aboard Air Force Two en route to Kyiv, deciding unilaterally to demand Shokin’s removal.

The newly released memos came to light after a CIA database review initiated in late 2024.

Officials who reviewed the report confirmed that it met dissemination standards at the time before Biden’s office intervened.

“Such information would have been useful to those dealing with U.S.-Ukraine policy,” one senior CIA official told Just the News, noting that the feedback represented the genuine views of high-ranking Ukrainian figures.

The same official emphasized that it was “extremely rare and unusual” for a political office outside the intelligence community to intervene in a dissemination decision.

He added that standard procedure leaves such judgments to the intelligence community, without outside political influence.

The documents do not clarify how Biden’s office became aware of the CIA report prior to its intervention.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, confirmed by the Senate in January, said the agency’s current focus includes addressing prior instances of politicization.

“Mr. President, the CIA is being restructured at your direction to focus on our core mission and to eliminate the political – the well-documented politicization that has taken place in the intelligence community from bad actors in the past to focus on our core mission and to Make America Safe Again,” Ratcliffe said during an April Cabinet meeting.

According to a senior CIA official, Ratcliffe considered Biden’s 2016 intervention part of the politicization he has sought to address and authorized the release of the document to ensure transparency within the agency.

The disclosure marks one of several recent efforts by intelligence leadership to reveal internal findings from prior administrations.

Mark Halperin Rips Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries for Weak Shutdown Leadership
News

Mark Halperin Rips Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries for Weak Shutdown Leadership

/

Political analyst and journalist Mark Halperin sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, describing the two Democratic leaders as ineffective and dismissed even within their own party amid the ongoing government shutdown, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

During his Friday broadcast of The Morning Meeting, Halperin named Schumer and Jeffries his “losers of the week” following their unsuccessful meeting with President Donald Trump earlier in the week.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Florida, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, at The Ben West Palm in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on February 20, 2023.

The two Democratic leaders met with the President at the White House on Monday in an attempt to negotiate a short-term spending bill to avoid a shutdown but failed to reach an agreement.

Halperin said the pair have lost credibility not only with the public but with fellow Democrats and even members of the press who traditionally defend their party.

“Never in my career have I seen two leaders so dismissed, not just by the media, which normally loves Democrats, but privately by Democratic members of the House and Senate,” Halperin said.

“People are just rolling their eyes and throwing their hands up and saying, ‘There’s nothing we can do. We’re not going to depose them now, but they are not leading us,’ in the view of Democrats saying that ‘they’re not leading through this confrontation.’”

Halperin continued, “I’ve never seen the senior Democrats in both chambers — or Republicans — I’ve never seen attitude like this.”

His remarks come as the budget standoff continues, with President Trump maintaining that his administration will not sign a deal that fails to address government spending and immigration priorities.

Schumer and Jeffries, meanwhile, have been attempting to frame the shutdown as Republican-led, though Halperin’s comments reflect frustration from within their own ranks over how the situation has been handled.

According to The Daily Caller, Halperin’s assessment signals growing discontent among Democrats who see little strategic direction from their leadership. The media’s muted defense of the party during the crisis, he added, further indicates that confidence in Schumer and Jeffries has eroded.

The exchange between the White House and Democratic leadership this week failed to produce progress on a continuing resolution, leaving federal agencies partially shuttered as negotiations remain stalled.

While previous shutdowns often resulted in significant political backlash for Republicans, early polling and commentary suggest Democrats may not escape blame this time.

Halperin’s blunt criticism highlights a broader divide inside the Democratic Party as rank-and-file members grow frustrated with what they perceive as ineffective leadership and outdated political tactics.

Vandalizing a Church with “F**k Israel” Graffiti is Protected Speech According to CAIR
News

Vandalizing a Church with “F**k Israel” Graffiti is Protected Speech According to CAIR

/

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on Texas prosecutors to drop hate crime charges against three individuals accused of vandalizing a church in Euless, Texas, arguing that the incident constituted political expression protected under the First Amendment.

The vandalism took place in 2024, several months after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel.

The non-denominational church at the center of the case had raised an Israeli flag following the attack.

Church surveillance cameras later captured three people spray-painting the phrase “F**k Israel” and placing pro-Palestinian stickers on the building’s exterior walls.

The suspects, identified as Raqunaq Alam, Asfsheen Khan, and Julia Venzor, were charged with felony criminal mischief.

Prosecutors later upgraded the charges to a third-degree felony hate crime, asserting that the vandalism targeted a house of worship.

In September, Alam was tried and convicted of criminal mischief but acquitted of the hate crime enhancement.

He received a sentence of five years’ probation, a $10,000 fine, and an order to pay $1,700 in restitution to the church. Tarrant County Judge Biran Bolton also imposed an additional 180 days in jail, calling the graffiti “disgusting,” according to The Guardian.

Co-defendant Julia Venzor entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors in exchange for her testimony against Alam and Khan.

As part of the deal, she was sentenced to five years of probation.

Khan’s trial is scheduled to take place in the fall.

Before the trials began, CAIR-Texas issued a public statement urging prosecutors to remove the hate crime enhancements, calling them excessive and inconsistent with the law’s intent.

“Although we strongly condemn the vandalism of this church and believe that those responsible should be held accountable for this crime, Texas prosecutors are going beyond the law attempting to criminalize political speech by conflating criticism of the Israeli government with religious hatred,” said Mustafaa Carroll, Executive Director of CAIR-Texas DFW.

“Our state’s hate crime laws were meant to protect vulnerable communities, not shield foreign governments from critique. We can and should condemn the vandalism of a house of worship without criminalizing speech.”

Defense attorney Alison Grinter-Allen echoed CAIR’s position during the legal proceedings, describing the graffiti as a form of expression.

“Graffiti is the language of folks who are unheard,” Grinter-Allen said.

Texas law allows for hate crime enhancements when a criminal act is determined to target a person or group based on race, religion, national origin, or another protected characteristic.

Prosecutors in Tarrant County argued that the defacement of a church met that definition because the building was a place of worship, regardless of whether the vandals were motivated by anti-Israel sentiment or opposition to the church’s display of an Israeli flag.

The case has drawn national attention, particularly given CAIR’s argument that criticism of Israel is being mischaracterized as religious bias.

Civil liberties groups have also raised questions about the line between protected political expression and criminal conduct when it involves defacing property.

Church officials have not commented publicly since the conclusion of Alam’s trial but had previously condemned the act of vandalism and expressed relief that no physical harm occurred.

Khan’s upcoming trial is expected to further test how Texas courts interpret the state’s hate crime statute in cases where political and religious motives appear to overlap.

The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office has not indicated whether it intends to continue pursuing the hate crime enhancement for Khan.

FBI Agent Suspended After Refusing to ‘Perp Walk’ James Comey
News

FBI Agent Suspended After Refusing to ‘Perp Walk’ James Comey

/

An FBI agent has been relieved of duty after refusing to participate in a proposed “perp walk” for former FBI Director James Comey, who was indicted last month on federal charges of lying to Congress and obstruction of justice.

Comey was formally charged on September 25 with making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation.

The indictment stems from his September 30, 2020, testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where prosecutors allege he made false statements regarding the FBI’s handling of classified information and obstructed inquiries related to the agency’s “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation.

That probe, launched in 2016, examined alleged Russian interference in the election and led to the now-discredited “Russia collusion” claims involving President Donald Trump.

Following the indictment, Comey was issued a summons to appear before a federal court in Northern Virginia for arraignment on October 9.

His attorneys notified prosecutors that he intends to appear voluntarily.

According to a report from CBS News, senior officials within the FBI discussed whether to stage an arrest rather than permit Comey to self-surrender.

The network, citing multiple sources familiar with internal deliberations, reported that some officials considered having agents execute the arrest “in full kit,” equipped with Kevlar vests and jackets clearly marked “FBI.”

The plan mirrored tactics used in several high-profile arrests during recent years, including pre-dawn raids on individuals connected to the events of January 6, 2021, and on former Trump administration officials such as Peter Navarro and Roger Stone.

Those operations drew widespread criticism for the use of heavily armed tactical teams to apprehend defendants charged with non-violent or procedural offenses.

The CBS News report stated that FBI Supervisory Special Agent Chris Ray, assigned to the violent crimes division of the bureau’s Washington Field Office, was instructed to organize the Comey operation.

However, Ray declined to comply with the directive, reportedly believing the proposed show of force was “inappropriate and highly unusual for a white-collar defendant like Comey.”

A source familiar with the matter told the network that Ray was subsequently suspended for insubordination after refusing to assemble the tactical arrest team.

The source added that Ray’s suspension followed his internal objections to what he viewed as a politicized use of the FBI’s operational capabilities.

Despite the refusal, senior leadership within the bureau has continued preparations for a potential arrest before Comey’s scheduled court appearance.

According to CBS News, other supervisors have also voiced concerns about the optics and necessity of the plan, but the agency is expected to find personnel willing to carry out the order.

Comey’s indictment marks a rare prosecution of a former FBI director.

His testimony before Congress in 2020 had focused on the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane probe and the handling of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications targeting members of President Trump’s campaign.

The Justice Department’s inspector general later identified “significant inaccuracies and omissions” in those filings, though no charges had been brought against Comey until last month.

As of this week, it remains unclear whether the bureau will proceed with a formal arrest or permit Comey to appear voluntarily for his October 9 arraignment.

The Department of Justice has not commented on the internal dispute, and the FBI has not responded publicly to reports of Ray’s suspension.

The case has drawn attention across political circles given Comey’s prominent role in the FBI’s leadership during the 2016 election and his involvement in the investigations that shaped subsequent political controversies.

The outcome of the internal standoff within the FBI—and how the agency handles Comey’s court appearance—remains to be seen as the arraignment date approaches.

Portland’s Federal Funding in the Crosshairs Over Antifa Chaos, Journalist Arrest
News

Portland’s Federal Funding in the Crosshairs Over Antifa Chaos, Journalist Arrest

/

President Donald Trump has directed his administration to examine whether federal funds can be withdrawn from Portland, Oregon, following violent protests in the city.

The directive came after the arrest of conservative influencer Nick Sortor on charges of second-degree disorderly conduct during demonstrations near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the president’s order during a Friday press briefing, citing growing concerns over unrest in the city and what she described as tolerance for lawlessness by local officials.

“This incident is part of a troubling trend in Portland, where left-wing mobs believe they get to decide who can visit and live in their city. It is not their city, it is the American people’s city, and President Trump is going to restore that,” Leavitt told reporters.

She added that the president has instructed his staff to begin reviewing federal aid directed to Portland.

“I just spoke with the President about this, and he has directed his team here at the White House to begin reviewing aid that can potentially be cut in Portland. We will not fund states that allow anarchy. There will also be an additional surge of federal resources to Portland immediately, including enhanced CBP and ICE resources. Law and order will prevail, and President Trump will make sure of it,” Leavitt said.

The administration has already deployed 200 Oregon National Guard soldiers to Portland in response to the demonstrations, although a federal judge is currently reviewing the legality of that deployment.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson pushed back against the White House:

“Let me be clear: Portland is not a military target. We will use every legal and constitutional tool at our disposal to protect our residents, uphold our values, and defend the rights of every Portlander,” Wilson said in a statement.

Wilson’s office also criticized the administration’s threat to withhold funding, claiming no formal notice had been delivered to the city.

“The federal government should be focused on partnering with us to expand housing, create jobs, and bolster social services – not siphon vital funding from our economy during a government shutdown that is already hurting cities like ours across the nation,” Wilson added.

The move against Portland comes as the Trump administration is reviewing funding to several Democratic-led cities and states during the third day of a government shutdown.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought confirmed that $2.1 billion earmarked for Chicago’s Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project had been put on hold.

“It’s because the administration is concerned that the Biden administration was handing out taxpayer dollars to pay for this construction based on DEI,” Leavitt said.

“DOT is reviewing the race-based contracting on unconstitutional grounds, and in the meantime, the Department of Transportation funds for these projects are on hold.”

Earlier in the week, Vought announced that $18 billion in funding for several New York infrastructure projects had also been paused over similar concerns.

An additional $8 billion for environmental initiatives across 16 Democrat-led states was either paused or canceled outright.

On Thursday, President Trump and Vought met to evaluate which federal agencies could face additional layoffs if the shutdown continues.

“Discussions continue between the Office of Management and Budget and Cabinet agencies across the board, and they are actively identifying where these cuts and these layoffs have to be made as this government shutdown hopefully does not continue,” Leavitt told reporters.

The president’s directive on Portland signals an escalation in the administration’s approach to cities experiencing unrest and resistance to federal intervention.

With funding reviews underway and additional deployments announced, the White House has indicated that federal action in Portland will expand in the coming days.

Joy Reid Launches Profane Attack On Vice President J.D. Vance: ‘F**k You!’
News

Joy Reid Launches Profane Attack On Vice President J.D. Vance: ‘F**k You!’

/

Former MSNBC host Joy Reid unleashed a profanity-laced attack on Vice President J.D. Vance this week after the vice president suggested she should show gratitude for her opportunities in the United States, as reported by The New York Post.

The exchange began Thursday morning when Vance posted on X in response to past remarks Reid made in an interview about her mother’s migration from Guyana to the United States. Reid had described her mother’s experience by saying, “My mother got the rude awakening like, ‘Oh, it’s racist here.’ She was like, ‘They didn’t tell me this was the land of opportunity, but not for me.’”

Commenting on the clip, Vance wrote:

“Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It’s been overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most. Yet she oozes with contempt. My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you’d be a much happier person if you showed a little gratitude.”

His post drew over 3 million views.

Hours later, Reid responded during an interview published on writer Tommy Christopher’s Substack. “J.D. Vance, since you’re paying attention to me: F**k you!” Reid said. She went on to call Vance a “racist a**hole” and dismissed his comments as an attack on her background.

Reid argued she was speaking for “every black woman” offended by Vance’s rhetoric, pointing to a November 2024 campaign speech in which he criticized then-candidate Kamala Harris. “I say that on behalf of every black woman who heard you call Kamala Devi Harris ‘the trash,’” Reid said.

She ended her comments by adding, “Like, f**k you forever!” in reference to Vance, who is currently first in the line of presidential succession.

Reid also pushed back against what she characterized as a dismissal of black immigrants’ achievements.

Joy-Ann Reid speaks during the MLK Day Convocation organized by the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship at Tennessee State University Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Cp17592

“You, because you are a racist a**hole, believe that black people are given opportunity by white people,” Reid said. She added that her mother, who earned a PhD and became a college professor, achieved success through her own efforts.

She further claimed that conservatives such as Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September at Utah Valley University, would argue that her mother’s success came at the expense of others.

Reid was dismissed from MSNBC in February after more than a decade at the network. Since then, she has continued to comment on politics through interviews and digital media outlets.

White House Memo Reveals Democrats’ Plan to Spend 0 Billion on Illegals
News

White House Memo Reveals Democrats’ Plan to Spend $200 Billion on Illegals

/

A newly released White House memorandum has outlined the financial impact of provisions contained in the Democrats’ proposed continuing resolution (CR), revealing that the plan would repeal major healthcare reforms signed into law by President Donald Trump.

The memo concludes that if enacted, the proposal would direct nearly $200 billion over the next decade toward healthcare for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens, while eliminating multiple safeguards designed to prioritize American citizens.

The reforms at issue were enacted under the Working Families Tax Cut Act (WFTCA), which was signed into law by President Trump.

The law redirected taxpayer resources by closing loopholes and strengthening eligibility requirements to ensure healthcare benefits were reserved for American citizens. Among its key provisions, the law:

  • Ended Medicaid and Medicare funding for most non-citizens.
  • Blocked the use of emergency Medicaid expansions that reimbursed hospitals at higher rates for treating illegal immigrants than for caring for American seniors and children.
  • Repealed an Affordable Care Act subsidy rule that provided benefits to immigrants earning below the poverty line, while poor American citizens were ineligible.
  • Shut down a California program that used federal funds to provide Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants.
  • Expanded Health Savings Accounts to approximately 10 million Americans.

According to the White House memo, the Democrats’ proposal would reverse those reforms.

The projected costs include:

  • $91.4 billion to restore Affordable Care Act subsidies for non-citizens.
  • $34.6 billion to reopen California’s Medicaid program for illegal immigrants.
  • $28.2 billion in emergency care reimbursements for non-citizens.
  • $27.3 billion in subsidies under the repealed Affordable Care Act “special rule.”
  • $6.2 billion in new Medicaid expenditures for non-citizens.
  • $5.1 billion in Medicare costs for non-citizens.

In total, the plan would spend $192.8 billion over the next 10 years on healthcare for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens, nearly equal to the funding required for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the same time period.

The memo also states that the Democrat plan would repeal anti-fraud measures and remove work requirements for able-bodied adults, while canceling a $50 billion Trump-era investment in rural healthcare infrastructure.

White House officials have pointed to the proposal as the central reason for the current government shutdown.

Vice President J.D. Vance emphasized that the issue is not a matter of political spin but of legislative text.

“It’s not something that we made up. It’s not a talking point. It is in the text of the bill that they initially gave to us to reopen the government,” Vance said.

The memo further details the effects of the Democrats’ proposal, stating:

  • Non-citizens granted asylum or parole under Biden administration policies would again become eligible for Medicaid.
  • Medicaid reimbursements for emergency care to illegal immigrants would be greater than for American citizens who are elderly, disabled, or children.
  • California’s loophole allowing federal funds to cover Medicaid benefits for illegal immigrants would be reinstated.
  • A special Affordable Care Act subsidy program for non-citizens, previously repealed, would be restored.
  • Ten million American citizens would lose expanded Health Savings Accounts created under the WFTCA.

The White House framed the memo as a direct rebuttal to claims from Democratic leaders that Republicans were spreading misinformation about the contents of the CR.

Officials noted that the financial impact and eligibility expansions are clearly written in the legislation.

The continuing standoff in Congress has kept the government closed as negotiations continue.

The White House says it will continue to push for the preservation of Trump-era reforms, citing both the cost to taxpayers and the potential impact on American citizens if the safeguards are repealed.

Democrat Senator Van Hollen Cries ‘Political Persecution’ After Comey Indictment
News

Democrat Senator Van Hollen Cries ‘Political Persecution’ After Comey Indictment

/

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) criticized the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey during an appearance on MSNBC’s Katy Tur Reports on Friday, calling the case politically motivated and harmful to the justice system.

Comey was indicted earlier this week on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

The charges stem from testimony in which prosecutors allege he denied authorizing anyone to act as an anonymous source regarding an FBI investigation connected to Hillary Clinton.

The indictment alleges he in fact directed his longtime associate Daniel Richman to provide information to reporters.

Van Hollen, speaking with anchor Katy Tur, argued the case represented an abuse of executive power.

“What we’re talking about here is a gross corruption of the judicial process,” he said.

“The president effectively ordering his Department of Justice to bring charges against Comey over the objections of people in the Department of Justice initially, including the Eastern District of Virginia attorney who was, by the way, a Trump supporter, who said that there were inadequate grounds for bringing these charges, as did many others.”

Van Hollen described the prosecution as politically driven.

“And so, what we see here is a political prosecution, political persecution. We are in very, very dangerous territory here. And this, of course, comes on the heels of the president’s effort to use government power to crack down on free speech,” he said.

Tur asked whether Van Hollen still had confidence in the Justice Department.

He responded that he did not.

“Oh, I do not have faith in this Justice Department,” he said.

“You’ve got an attorney general, Attorney General Bondi, who is a rubber stamp for the president rather than exercising independent legal judgment. She is just an instrument of the President of the United States. And unlike in other administrations, the president of the United States is directing the Justice Department through his social media directly.”

Van Hollen’s remarks reflect ongoing divisions in Washington over the prosecution of former senior officials tied to FBI and Justice Department actions during and after the 2016 election.

While federal prosecutors maintain the charges against Comey are based on sworn testimony and documented evidence, many Democrats have characterized the indictment as politically motivated.

Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 until his dismissal in 2017, has been a central figure in numerous controversies.

His oversight of the Clinton email investigation, his role in approving surveillance under the Crossfire Hurricane probe, and his memos documenting conversations with President Trump have all drawn scrutiny.

The current charges add another chapter to his contentious post-government career.

The Justice Department has not issued public comment beyond the indictment itself, and Comey has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case is expected to move forward in federal court in the coming months.

Gaza Flotilla Implodes as Muslim Activists Revolt Over LGBTQ+ Presence
Woke

Gaza Flotilla Implodes as Muslim Activists Revolt Over LGBTQ+ Presence

/

A convoy of pro-Palestinian activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza has fractured after disputes broke out between Muslim participants and LGBTQ+ campaigners on board.

Reports indicate that the clashes over ideology and identity have left the flotilla’s leadership in disarray, with several prominent figures resigning their roles.

According to the Daily Mail, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg stepped down from a leadership position due to disagreements among the flotilla organizers, though she has remained on board as a participant.

Thunberg, 22, has been involved in various protest movements but reportedly reduced her role after internal disputes erupted within the convoy.

The flotilla, made up of around 20 vessels carrying some 350 activists, began its journey on September 1 from Barcelona.

The ships displayed Palestinian flags and were loaded with supplies meant to be delivered to Gaza.

Two weeks later, the convoy docked in Tunisia to pick up additional participants and humanitarian goods before continuing its voyage.

The mission aims to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver aid directly to Palestinians.

However, political and ideological differences among the participants have overshadowed the effort.

In addition to reports of alleged drone activity targeting the boats, divisions have surfaced over the involvement of LGBTQ+ activists in the flotilla.

Khaled Boujemaa, the Tunisian coordinator for the convoy, publicly withdrew from the mission after learning that queer activists were participating.

“They lied to us about the identity of some of the participants on the front lines of the flotilla; I accuse the organizers of having kept this aspect hidden from us,” Boujemaa said.

His frustration reportedly centered on the involvement of Saif Ayadi, described as a “communist queer militant,” who joined the flotilla during its stop in Tunisia.

The controversy deepened when Mariem Meftah, another prominent activist with the flotilla, used social media to voice opposition to LGBTQ+ groups taking part in the mission.

Meftah argued that their presence undermined what she described as the Muslim community’s values.

“Everyone’s sexual orientation is a private matter… But being a ‘queer’ activist means touching on society’s values and taking a path that risks placing my children and loved ones in a situation we reject,” she wrote, according to a translation.

The fallout highlights the difficulties in uniting ideologically diverse groups under the same political banner.

The flotilla was intended to send a symbolic message against Israel’s restrictions on Gaza, but instead it has become embroiled in disputes among its own participants.

While the convoy remains at sea with its stated mission of delivering aid, the resignations and public disagreements have cast doubt on the ability of the movement to maintain cohesion.


Scroll to Top