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Navy Identifies Fallen Squadron Commander Lost in Arabian Sea Helicopter Crash

The U.S. Navy has confirmed the loss of Commander Gabriel Edwards, the commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, who perished after his MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter went down in the Arabian Sea during an emergency landing on July 1.

Edwards’ name is now etched into the long, proud roll call of American warriors who gave everything while serving aboard one of our nation’s front-line carriers.

The crash occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and while three other sailors aboard the helicopter were rescued, Edwards never returned.

The Navy mounted a massive search-and-rescue operation, covering an incredible 14,000 square miles of ocean, but after 102 grueling hours, the effort was called off when no trace of the commander could be found.

“Commander Gabe Edwards was the epitome of selfless leadership, who dedicated himself to service and sacrifice for the last 20 years,” said Capt. Matthew Lewis, commander of Carrier Air Wing 7.

“Our deepest gratitude and sympathy go out to his family.” It is statements like these, though simple, that remind Americans that our best and brightest still serve not for fame or politics, but for country.

At the time of the incident, HSC-5 was embarked aboard the USS George H.W. Bush, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier deployed in support of military operations in the ever-volatile Middle East.

Navy Ends Search For Missing Sailor After Arabian Sea Helicopter Crash
A MH-60S Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 flies by the USS Donald Cook in the Middle East on June 18, 2025. Navy photo.

The deployment, like many in recent years, has tested both the endurance and resolve of America’s naval aviators as threats from Iran-backed militants and rogue elements persist across the region.

The circumstances surrounding the downing are still under investigation, though Navy officials have stated the event does not appear to have been caused by hostile action.

That’s cold comfort to those on board the Bush and back home who understand the risks these men and women face daily, often in unforgiving conditions far from the comforts of home.

Edwards’ career reads like a textbook example of American grit and excellence in military aviation. Receiving his “Wings of Gold” in 2008, he went on to fly with multiple squadrons, including HSC-22, HSC-84, HSC-85, and Naval Special Warfare Group 4.

His work as an air-to-ground fires officer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller placed him directly at the intersection of the Navy’s rotary and special operations communities — a demanding arena where leadership, precision, and composure mean everything.

Rising through the ranks, Edwards took command of HSC-5 in July 2025. His leadership quickly earned him the respect of those under his command and recognition at the highest levels.

By the time of his passing, he had been selected for promotion to captain, a testament to the Navy’s confidence in his potential to lead even further.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao announced on Tuesday that Commander Edwards will receive his promotion posthumously, honoring his outstanding career and sacrifice.

“For 20 years, Commander Edwards served our nation with courage and integrity,” Cao wrote. “In recognition of his extraordinary service and sacrifice, I have directed that Commander Edwards be posthumously promoted to his selected rank of captain.”

That promotion speaks volumes — not as a bureaucratic gesture, but as a reflection of the kind of warrior Edwards was.

He logged more than 2,000 flight hours and earned an array of decorations, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. His record is the kind America should celebrate, the type that reflects the steel backbone of the nation’s fighting force.

Navy Aviator Missing After Sea Hawk Goes Down in Arabian Sea Emergency Landing
A crew member was missing after a Navy MH-60S helicopter crashed in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday. Navy photo by Seaman Apprentice Lucas Krug.

Tragically, Edwards leaves behind his wife, Rebecca, their two children, and a large extended family. In a heartfelt statement, Rebecca Edwards expressed gratitude to all who joined in the effort to bring her husband home.

“Gabe has dedicated his life to serving his country with honor, courage, and commitment,” she said. “He led with humility, integrity, and compassion, always putting his people before himself.” Her words reminded Americans that behind every uniform is a family that shoulders the same burden of sacrifice.

This tragedy also renews calls among veteran leaders and active-duty personnel for continued focus on aviation safety and readiness across the War Department.

The Navy’s helicopter community, while among the most capable in the world, has faced multiple challenges from aging equipment to overextended deployment cycles.

Under President Trump’s revitalization agenda and War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s push to rebuild America’s military strength, such issues are being met head-on with a priority on readiness and modernization.

Commander Edwards’ loss is a heavy one, but his life speaks to what the American military still represents: duty, loyalty, and the willingness to serve in the face of danger.

In a time when the media often fixates on political theater and social division, his story cuts through the noise — a reminder that heroes still take flight every day under the Stars and Stripes.

For those still serving at sea or in the air, the legacy of Commander Gabriel Edwards will live on as a standard of leadership and valor. He embodied the very core of what it means to wear the uniform — the kind of man our enemies fear and our nation should forever honor.

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New Sexual Misconduct Allegation Shatters Graham Platner’s Already Collapsing Campaign

Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing another allegation of sexual misconduct as his campaign confronts mounting political pressure and a key deadline that could determine whether he remains on the ballot for November’s general election, as reported by Fox News.

The latest allegation was reported by The Washington Post, which cited Platner’s former girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield.

According to the report, Fifield alleged that during their relationship, Platner removed condoms during sexual encounters after she had told him they should be used.

“He would pull condoms off,” Fifield told The Washington Post. “He would do it in a sneaky way. He wouldn’t tell me.”

The newspaper reported that Fifield, 41, had previously accused Platner of physical misconduct during their relationship.

According to prior allegations, she said he sometimes grabbed her forcefully enough to leave marks and on one occasion twisted her arm behind her back, pushed her into a bedroom, and held the door closed until she “calmed down.”

Supporters of Platner had previously dismissed those allegations, according to the report, characterizing Fifield, a former employee of The Heritage Foundation, as a conservative political operative.

Fifield also told The Washington Post that she confronted Platner about the alleged conduct.

“I confronted him both during and after [sex] because he knew that I was not on birth control and how dangerous that was,” she told the newspaper.

She also alleged that Platner responded playfully after the encounters.

“He would act, like, cute about it, like ‘Oh sneaky me,'” she said, according to the report.

In a statement provided to The Washington Post, Platner’s campaign reportedly described Fifield’s latest allegations as “categorically false and politically motivated.”

The new accusation follows another allegation published approximately one day earlier.

Politico reported that Jenny Racicot, 41, accused Platner of assaulting her in 2021 while they were involved in an on-again, off-again relationship in Washington, D.C.

According to Politico, Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home while intoxicated and assaulted her after she repeatedly told him to stop.

“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told the publication. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”

Platner publicly denied Racicot’s allegations in a video released after Politico published its report.

The candidate also said his campaign was evaluating its next steps as the race approaches an important filing deadline.

Under Maine election law, Platner must withdraw from the race by 5 p.m. on July 13 if Democratic Party officials are to select a replacement nominee before the November election.

The allegations have prompted several prominent Democrats to withdraw their support.

Among those calling for Platner to step aside are Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., both of whom had previously backed his campaign.

“Now more than ever, we need leaders in Washington who reflect our values. There can be no tolerance for sexual assault,” Warren said in a statement.

“Working families are counting on Democrats to win the Senate election in Maine to unrig our economy and hold Donald Trump accountable. With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race.”

Sanders also urged Platner to withdraw.

“I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders said in a statement. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”

Platner is seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Fox News Digital reported that it contacted the Platner campaign for additional comment.

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Army Unleashes Driverless Mine-Laying Beast in Battlefield Tests

The U.S. Army is taking warfare innovation to the next level, putting muscle behind technology that keeps warfighters out of harm’s way while leveling up battlefield lethality.

The latest proof came at Camp Grayling, Michigan, where soldiers successfully tested a driverless version of the Army’s Volcano mine dispenser — an engineering marvel that can cover 32 acres with nearly a thousand mines without a single soldier in the truck.

This new Autonomous Volcano system connects a decades-old concept with cutting-edge automation. It pairs the M139 Volcano dispenser, used for years in mine-laying operations, with the Army’s driverless Palletized Load System truck.

The result is a fully autonomous field-layer able to map, record, and deploy mines without putting soldiers in the blast zone.

During the demonstration, soldiers from the 4th Engineering Battalion remotely launched inert canisters during the first live-fire test.

What followed was a major leap forward: the system autonomously laid two separate minefields on its own, proving that artificial intelligence and autonomous control can combine with battle-tested Army equipment to deliver precision mine-laying on command.

Army officials described the test as another sign that modernization, not bureaucracy, is taking the lead.

Col. Vinson Morris, who oversees the Army’s project manager for close combat systems, said in a release, “Autonomous Volcano leverages low-cost modernization to turn a legacy platform into a high-yield autonomous asset — securing asymmetric overmatch and closing a critical area-denial gap.”

In plain terms, the tech keeps American warfighters safer while ensuring adversaries can’t move freely.

The system doesn’t just fire and forget. Every mine’s position is automatically logged into the Army’s digital battlefield map, ensuring friendly forces and battlefield commanders have precise awareness. That’s the kind of integration troops need on a modern, fast-changing battlefield.

The project is part of a broader collaborative effort between the United States and the United Kingdom, with defense technology firm Forterra handling the integration of the Volcano mine dispenser onto the automated vehicle. The partnership demonstrates how allied forces are developing tools that can dominate modern land warfare without repeating the manpower-heavy mistakes of the past.

This isn’t the first autonomous system the War Department has tested in recent years. Engineers have been experimenting with drones to drop grappling hooks, uncrewed vehicles to resupply mortar teams, and unmanned boats to gather information. The goal is simple but powerful — let the machines do the high-risk jobs so that soldiers can stay alive to fight another day.

Throughout the test at Camp Grayling, the system moved independently across rough Michigan terrain, executed deployment sequences, and communicated with Army command nodes.

Military observers said it performed well under simulated battlefield stress, a strong indicator that this technology won’t just stay in the testing phase for long.

The Army plans to run another round of live, realistic battlefield tests this month to refine the system, assess performance under combat conditions, and evaluate how quickly it can coordinate with human forces in a fast-moving war zone. If results match expectations, this tech could begin rolling out to combat units within the decade.

This push aligns perfectly with President Trump’s renewed emphasis on national defense strength and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s direct-call modernization program.

The approach rejects the red tape and lukewarm “innovation” of previous administrations and goes for practical battlefield advantage that saves soldiers’ lives and wins wars.

From a strategic standpoint, the Autonomous Volcano fits right into the Pentagon’s vision of future warfare — fast, autonomous, and integrated. It’s not just fancy tech; it’s a force multiplier designed to outpace China, counter Russia’s mine warfare tactics, and dominate any potential flashpoint before it can spiral.

Critics may clutch their pearls over “automation in warfare,” but the logic is simple. Machines don’t fatigue, panic, or bleed — and when they can do dangerous mine-laying work instead of a human being, that’s not automation gone awry, that’s progress.

As we see global instability heating up in regions from Eastern Europe to the Pacific, the ability to quickly seal off avenues of enemy advance is priceless. A system that can deploy hundreds of mines in minutes, precisely mapped and ready to defend, could be decisive in any major conflict.

For all the talk in Washington about “modernizing responsibly,” the Army’s engineers are actually delivering the goods. The Autonomous Volcano proves that America’s military edge lies not in endless studies or diversity task forces, but in hard tech tested by warriors for warriors.

This is battlefield innovation the right way — with steel, circuitry, and no apologies.

News

Bernie Sanders Abandons Platner as Rape Allegation Sends Progressive Star Crashing Down [WATCH]

The far left’s chosen candidate for Senate in Maine is seeing his campaign shatter in real time.

Graham Platner, once hailed by progressives as the next big anti-establishment hope, is now being cast aside by those same Democrats he relied on for legitimacy.

The latest blow arrived when Sen. Bernie Sanders finally broke his silence and urged Platner to leave the race after a bombshell rape allegation surfaced, turning an already messy situation into a full-blown political disaster.

Platner was already reeling from months of controversy before this latest accusation took hold.

His campaign had become a running tally of scandals ranging from Nazi-linked tattoos to crude Reddit posts and explicit text messages sent to women other than his wife.

Now, with serious allegations from a Maine resident named Jenny Racicot, even his most loyal progressive allies are sprinting for the exits.

Sanders, who once shared the stage with Platner multiple times, waited nearly a full day before weighing in after the news broke.

When he finally spoke, he called for Platner to “step aside,” signaling the official end of the honeymoon between the Vermont socialist and his fellow traveler in Maine.

For the once-rising leftist campaign, those three words might as well have been a funeral bell.

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The desertion did not stop there.

Within hours, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Chris Van Hollen, and Rep. Ro Khanna joined the chorus urging Platner to drop out.

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Van Hollen, who had previously defended Platner as a misunderstood combat veteran battling personal demons, decided that this time the controversies were too much.

“These allegations are serious and cannot be ignored. Graham Platner should step aside,” he said in a blunt statement.

Platner’s refusal to bow out immediately has baffled his dwindling support network.

Under Maine law, Democrats have only until July 13 to select a replacement if he exits.

That leaves the state party scrambling with a crucial Senate seat at stake and no clear backup plan in place.

The growing panic within the Democratic ranks shows just how badly the left misjudged the candidate they built their populist dreams around.

The unraveling is especially embarrassing for the left’s leading stars who built Platner up as a crusader against corporate greed and the “billionaire class.”

He attracted early endorsements from progressive heavyweights who now pretend not to know him.

Even Sen. Chuck Schumer and the official Democratic campaign arm, which reluctantly backed Platner after his primary victory, are now demanding he suspend his campaign.

For conservatives, the irony is hard to miss. Democrats who spent years preaching that women’s allegations must always be believed are suddenly tangled in excuses and contradictions.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse once brushed off accusations from a former girlfriend of Platner as “a lot of nothing.”

Now, he has reversed his stance and distanced himself from the candidate.

As commentator Josh Barro pointed out, Whitehouse may owe that woman an apology after dismissing her story as politically motivated.

Meanwhile, Republicans are watching the Democratic meltdown with open amusement.

Sen. Tim Scott, chair of the GOP Senate campaign committee, captured the mood perfectly by joking that the Democrats’ choice in Maine now comes down to “an alleged rapist with a Nazi tattoo or someone who shares his values.”

It is a brutal but accurate summary of what the progressive wing has backed itself into.

Even before this scandal, Platner’s background had all the warning signs.

His online posts revealed someone enamored with communism and resentful toward law enforcement, the military, and even certain racial groups.

Democrats defended him by saying he had changed, attributing his past behavior to trauma and PTSD after combat service.

Yet the moral gymnastics could not withstand this latest revelation.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut remains almost alone in sticking with Platner, though his silence has grown conspicuously longer as each day passes.

Murphy had previously claimed Platner had “more character” than sitting Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a statement that has aged about as well as year-old milk.

Now Democratic operatives are openly discussing a “civil war” within their own ranks.

The progressive movement that tried to make Platner a symbol of its populist fight against party elites has fractured in spectacular fashion.

If he refuses to quit, Maine could become a lost cause for Democrats this November, a devastating blow given how close they were to unseating Collins.

Platner continues to tell aides he has not decided whether to quit, though his prospects look slimmer by the hour.

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Reports suggest he is considering “taking time to reflect” before making a decision, a public relations phrase that usually signals a political obituary. In the meantime, his campaign coffers are drying up as donors flee.

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The broader implications go beyond one Senate race.

Democrats who propped up Platner’s candidacy despite months of red flags now face questions about how seriously they take their own moral standards.

For a party that insists it champions women, this scandal leaves a stain that will not be easily washed away.

President Trump’s allies in Congress are already hammering Democrats for hypocrisy, pointing out that the same people who lectured America about “believing survivors” are now tripping over themselves to explain away their own blind spots.

One thing is certain, the Platner saga has ripped the mask off the progressive movement’s moral posturing.

What was once presented as a grassroots revolution for justice and equality now looks like a cynical power grab plagued by the same rot they claim to oppose.

And as Sanders himself finally admits defeat in his protege’s fall from grace, Democrats in Maine and beyond are left picking up the pieces of a movement that has imploded under its own hypocrisy.

News

Skyscraper in Manhattan Teeters as Structural Columns Fail and Evacuations Spread Across City Block [WATCH]

A Manhattan skyscraper near the edge of collapse has forced the evacuation of multiple nearby buildings after support columns began to buckle.

Emergency crews have rushed to the scene in a desperate attempt to stabilize the structure before it gives way and sends debris raining down through midtown.

Residents and workers were told to vacate the area as engineers scrambled to assess the level of danger facing the surrounding block.

City authorities confirmed late Tuesday that the structure had suffered severe internal damage affecting key load-bearing points.

Firefighters and building inspectors reported hearing creaks and cracks inside the building as it shifted unnervingly throughout the morning.

“Since arriving on scene, we have witnessed additional movement in one of the compromised columns,” officials told reporters as barricades went up around several streets.

The building sits in one of the most heavily trafficked parts of Manhattan, making the situation even more precarious.

With New York City’s aging infrastructure and permissive construction oversight, questions are being raised about how long bureaucrats have turned a blind eye to unsafe conditions.

As cranes were brought in and nearby offices cleared, the city that never sleeps seemed frozen in place watching its skyline tremble.

Witnesses described panic spreading as alarms sounded and emergency vehicles surrounded the area.

Commuters ducked through crosswalks as officers shouted instructions and herded pedestrians away.

One resident said, “It looked like the building was breathing, moving back and forth like something alive. Everyone just started running.”

Officials have not released the name of the developer or engineering firm responsible for maintaining the structure, but sources within the department of buildings said there were prior citations related to structural integrity.

That revelation will undoubtedly provoke political backlash as critics point to years of city corruption and crony contracting practices that put people at risk.

Governor and city leadership vowed to “do everything possible” to prevent collapse, though many critics on social media were quick to note that this was the same leadership more focused on climate virtue signaling and diversity quotas than actual public safety.

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Conservatives online contrasted the swift response of first responders with the sluggishness of bureaucrats who have spent billions on pet projects but ignored routine inspections.

The New York Fire Department deployed high-capacity water trucks and specialized stabilization units to the scene, often used for partial collapses.

Rescue crews stayed on standby, prepared for debris fallout should the building give way.

Authorities cordoned off several nearby streets and rail entries, impacting midtown transit and sending afternoon commuters into chaos.

Experts say the early signs point to severe foundational distress rather than a single cracked column.

That would mean deeper issues that could implicate city oversight and the private management firm responsible for upkeep.

Investigators will examine potential water damage, erosion, or improper renovations carried out over the years, which might have weakened the skeleton of the skyscraper.

New Yorkers accustomed to constant noise and motion now found themselves listening anxiously for the sound of grinding metal or shifting concrete.

The threat of collapse loomed as workers inside neighboring towers peered cautiously through windows.

Some were instructed to shelter in place while others were led out through emergency stairwells under escort.

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For much of the afternoon, the scene resembled a disaster movie more than a weekday downtown.

While Democrats at city hall quickly called for the creation of new “building equity task forces,” most residents simply wanted someone competent to fix the problem before lives were lost.

The narrative has become predictable: after every large-scale city failure, officials promise future studies, more committees, and new regulations that only feed the same bureaucratic machine responsible for the breakdown in the first place.

By sunset, engineers were still installing support braces and trying to relieve pressure on the columns in danger of giving way.

The fate of the skyscraper remains uncertain, with estimates suggesting it could either stabilize or crumble overnight.

Emergency personnel have ordered nearby residents to remain evacuated until structural readings confirm the building is safe.

As Americans watched the tense scene unfold on live television, many could not help but view it as a metaphor for New York City itself.

The massive structure, once a proud symbol of progress and success, now hung in precarious balance, undermined by years of neglect and mismanagement.

The collapse may still be prevented, but the cracks in confidence will be much harder to repair.

News

Disgraced Democrat Andrew Gillum Busted Again in Alabama Drug Arrest [WATCH]

Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum was arrested in Alabama last week on multiple drug-related charges, according to online jail records, as reported by Trending Politics News.

Gillum was taken into custody Thursday night by officers with the Daphne Police Department and booked into the Baldwin County Jail.

Booking records list charges of possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.

As of the latest information available, the Daphne Police Department has not released additional details explaining the circumstances that led to the arrest or the events preceding it.

The arrest marks another legal issue for Gillum, who was once one of the Democratic Party’s highest-profile political figures in Florida.

Gillum served as mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 through 2018 before launching a campaign for governor. After winning the Democratic nomination, he faced Republican Ron DeSantis in the 2018 general election.

The race was one of the closest gubernatorial contests in Florida history, with Gillum losing by approximately 30,000 votes.

Following the election, Gillum remained a nationally recognized political figure before a series of legal and personal controversies interrupted his public career.

In March 2020, Gillum was found by emergency responders inside a room at the Mondrian Hotel in Miami Beach’s South Beach neighborhood, along with another man who appeared to be suffering from a possible overdose.

According to police reports released after the incident, officers responding to the hotel recovered several prescription pill bottles and removed three small bags of methamphetamine from the room.

Authorities ultimately did not file criminal charges against Gillum or the other individual because investigators determined there was insufficient evidence directly linking either man to the drugs, which were not found on either person’s body.

Following that incident, Gillum announced he would step away from public life and seek treatment.

Gillum later faced federal charges in a separate case connected to his political activities. That prosecution concluded without a full conviction.

His latest arrest returns the former gubernatorial nominee to court as he faces a new criminal case in Alabama.

Court records currently list three charges stemming from Thursday night’s arrest: possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.

Officials have not released additional information regarding the evidence supporting those charges or whether Gillum has entered a plea.

The Daphne Police Department has not announced whether additional charges are possible, and investigators have not disclosed further details about the arrest.

Gillum’s legal status and future court appearances are expected to be determined through the Alabama court system as the case proceeds.

The arrest comes nearly eight years after Gillum’s statewide campaign for governor and several years after his withdrawal from public life following previous legal and personal controversies.

Authorities have not released additional statements regarding the ongoing investigation.

News

DNA Ties Trans Lover of Tyler Robinson to Evidence in Charlie Kirk Murder Case [WATCH]

New forensic testimony presented Monday during the preliminary hearing of Tyler Robinson revealed that DNA recovered from two items collected at Utah Valley University following the killing of Charlie Kirk included a profile identified as belonging to Lance Twiggs, as reported by The Post Millennial.

The testimony came during the second day of Robinson’s preliminary hearing, where prosecutors are presenting evidence in an effort to establish probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.

Jennifer Faumina, a sergeant with the Utah Department of Public Safety who was assigned to the State Bureau of Investigation at the time of the shooting, testified about the results of DNA testing conducted on evidence recovered from the campus.

Reading directly from a laboratory report, Faumina described the findings related to one of the items introduced during the hearing.

“Male DNA was obtained from item 7-1. Item 7-1 was interpreted as originating from two individuals, one of whom is Twiggs.”

She later testified regarding another piece of evidence.

“Male DNA was obtained from item eight sub one. Item eight sub one was interpreted as originating from two individuals, one of whom is Twiggs.”

According to the testimony, item 7-1 and item 8-1 were identified as a screwdriver and a towel that investigators said had been wrapped around a rifle recovered during the investigation.

The evidence was presented as prosecutors continued outlining the physical evidence they contend connects individuals and items recovered from the scene following the shooting of Charlie Kirk.

The screwdriver was recovered by Officer Chris Bagley, who was serving with the Utah Valley University Police Department at the time of the investigation.

According to testimony presented in court, Bagley located the screwdriver on the roof of the university’s Losee Center while searching the area after the shooting.

Bagley also testified about another observation made during the search of the rooftop.

According to his description, the roof was covered in gravel, where investigators located what he referred to as a “sniper pad.”

He testified that the area contained an impression consistent with a person having lain in a prone position.

The forensic testimony regarding the DNA evidence was one portion of a broader presentation by prosecutors, who are introducing physical evidence, witness testimony, and investigative findings during the preliminary hearing.

The hearing is intended to determine whether prosecutors have presented sufficient evidence for Robinson to stand trial. Robinson has not entered a plea.

The DNA testimony focused specifically on the laboratory analysis of evidence recovered from the university campus.

Prosecutors have continued introducing additional evidence as part of their case, while the defense has the opportunity to challenge the state’s witnesses and evidence through cross-examination.

The court has not yet ruled on whether the case will proceed to trial. Additional testimony and evidence are expected to be presented before the preliminary hearing concludes.

The investigation into Charlie Kirk’s killing has remained the focus of multiple days of court proceedings, with prosecutors continuing to detail evidence collected by local, state, and federal investigators during the course of the case.

News

New Footage Reveals Disturbing Timeline Before Assassination of Charlie Kirk [WATCH]

Previously unreleased surveillance footage was presented in court on Tuesday during the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in 2025, as reported by The New York Post.

The videos, introduced by prosecutors in a Utah courtroom, were accompanied by testimony from former Utah state investigator David Hull, who described Robinson’s alleged movements on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, the day Kirk was fatally shot.

According to Hull, the surveillance recordings show Robinson arriving on campus, leaving, returning later in different clothing, and eventually climbing to the roof of a campus building before the shooting.

Prosecutors also introduced an FBI report stating that DNA samples likely matching Robinson and Lance Twiggs were recovered from evidence collected near the scene.

According to the report, the DNA was found on a towel wrapped around a firearm discovered near the campus and on a screwdriver recovered from the rooftop where investigators allege the shots were fired.

Hull testified that Robinson, who lived approximately three hours from the university, spent time walking around campus, made contact with Turning Point USA representatives, and stopped for lunch at Chick-fil-A before returning later in the day.

During his testimony, Hull described one of the surveillance recordings shown in court.

“This is Mr. Robinson returning to the campus on foot. … You can see he is wearing the same clothing as in the previous video. … It’s a maroon colored t-shirt … and then Converse shoes.”

Another surveillance video showed an individual wearing different clothing. When prosecutors asked Hull why he believed the person shown was still Robinson, he pointed to several similarities visible in the footage.

“The shoes are the same. And the images that we have are, from my viewing and seeing Mr. Robinson on the video, it’s the same person. … He is wearing different clothing, and he also is walking with a gait or a limp in this video.”

Law enforcement sources previously told ABC News that investigators believe the limp may have resulted from Robinson allegedly concealing a rifle beneath his clothing.

District Judge Tony Graf overruled defense objections and permitted the surveillance videos to be shown during the hearing.

The evidence was presented on the second day of the preliminary hearing, where prosecutors are seeking to establish probable cause for Robinson to stand trial. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

Prosecutors told the court they intend to introduce numerous additional pieces of evidence, including a recorded interview involving Lance Twiggs, whom investigators allege received text messages in which Robinson confessed to the shooting.

Defense attorneys sought to prevent both the surveillance footage and videos of Kirk’s death from being shown in court, arguing that the material could prejudice future jurors and violate the rights of the victim’s family.

The defense also asked the court to limit media camera access during the proceedings.

Judge Graf allowed cameras to remain in the courtroom but prohibited the broadcast of certain graphic evidence.

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, attended the hearing on Tuesday after entering the courthouse through a private entrance, according to reports.

Monday marked her first time in the courtroom with the man accused of killing her husband. According to reports, she left the courtroom before video evidence of the shooting was shown.

Robinson was observed taking notes during portions of the hearing while consulting with his attorneys.

Several members of Kirk’s family also attended the proceedings, including his parents, Robert and Kathryn Kirk.

Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk sat beside her mother-in-law during the hearing. Donald Trump Jr., Bettina Anderson, and Jack Posobiec were also present in the courtroom.

Before the hearing began, Kirk’s family released a public statement addressing the ongoing legal proceedings.

“We remain deeply grateful for the support, prayers, and kindness we have received. This outpouring has sustained us during the darkest days of our lives,” the statement read.

“Out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask for continued privacy as we navigate this process and immense grief,” the family concluded.

The preliminary hearing is continuing as prosecutors seek to convince the court there is sufficient evidence to move the case toward trial. Robinson faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is tried and convicted.

News

Dana Perino Blows the Lid Off Why Democrats Really Ditched Graham Platner [WATCH]

Dana Perino has never been afraid to tell the truth that the mainstream media tiptoes around, and on Tuesday’s episode of The Five she once again dropped a truth bomb that scorched Democrat spin masters from coast to coast.

The veteran White House press secretary for George W. Bush called out exactly why Democrats suddenly turned on senatorial candidate Graham Platner after months of defending him, and surprise, it was not about moral outrage, it was about raw panic in their poll numbers.

Platner’s campaign was already circling the drain after Politico reported a sexual assault allegation early in the week.

Even though Platner called the accusation “categorically untrue,” it appears Democrat leadership finally found a reason to toss him under the bus.

Their timing, however, raises some hard questions that Perino did not hesitate to ask.

She pointed straight to The New York Times and its handling of the allegation. According to Perino, the accuser had provided five sources who could corroborate her claims.

The paper contacted only two, who backed up her character, and then decided to walk away from the story before it exploded elsewhere.

“They didn’t call the other three, the other three who had the contemporaneous notes from when she had detailed it,” Perino said.

Perino likened the Times’ lack of follow through to a classic “catch and kill” move, the tactic used when powerful interests want a damaging story buried under a rug instead of front page headlines.

Coming from someone who has been inside that media machine and seen it operate, it sounded less like speculation and more like a warning shot aimed at the political establishment.

Then she dropped the question Democrats would rather avoid altogether.

“So when did the Democrats actually start to care?” Perino asked with a raised brow.

Her answer was refreshingly blunt.

“It’s because the recent polling shows that Graham Platner was going to lose to Susan Collins,” she explained.

Only when the data turned against him did the moral grandstanding kick in.

The timing could not be worse for Democrats. Platner has refused to leave the race unless his terms are met.

Reports suggest he is demanding the right to pick his replacement, which Perino quickly dismissed with the firmness of someone who knows how power actually works.

“Sir, you are not in a position to have conditions,” she said, cutting straight through his delusional sense of leverage.

Perino then raised another political nightmare scenario for Democrats.

What if party leaders try to repeat their 2024 stunt and switch candidates at the last minute?

“If they pull a Biden switcheroo, the Democratic brand is just so damaged in the state,” she warned.

And when voters are given the choice between Republican steadiness and Democrat chaos, the contrast becomes almost irresistible.

“What is the knock against Susan Collins? She’s so steady. There’s no drama. Maybe the state will be looking for that,” Perino added.

That sentiment likely resonates with voters exhausted by constant left wing melodrama.

For months Democrats have squabbled among themselves about whether Platner represented a fresh progressive outsider or an unpredictable liability.

Perino pointed out that even Sen. Elizabeth Warren could not resist calling Platner her “kind of man,” while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez smartly avoided endorsing him altogether.

The irony would be delicious if it were not so indicative of the party’s dysfunction.

The bigger disaster is the brewing civil war between the Democrat base and their establishment consultants.

The grassroots crowd wanted Platner or someone with similar progressive credentials.

Party elites, spooked by electability concerns, preferred a safe technocrat like Gov. Janet Mills.

According to Perino, that civil war never ended.

“The problem for the base is that they have consultants who are idiots and they are reckless and they are careless and they don’t care about women,” she said.

“They don’t care about anything. But what they want is the power. And the only reason this is all coming at this moment is because they knew they were going to lose.”

WATCH:

That quote alone might echo for weeks.

It is a brutal assessment of a political party that pretends to champion women’s rights while weaponizing accusations only when polling dictates it.

It is political opportunism in its purest form.

Platner’s implosion now joins the long list of Democrat scandals that have nothing to do with principle and everything to do with optics.

If the polls had shown him cruising to victory against Collins, there is no doubt he would still be the golden boy of the party while the same liberal journalists who now claim moral outrage would be defending him on cable panels.

But once the polls flipped, so did the sanctimonious talking points.

Perino’s breakdown exposed not just a single candidate’s collapse but a pattern that defines modern Democrat behavior.

When the votes look secure, they moralize. When the numbers drop, they purge.

And after a year of confusion, backroom deals, and leadership chaos, voters are beginning to crave something simple, accountable, and calm.

That is why, as Perino stressed, Collins’ steadiness might just turn into the Democrats’ latest nightmare.

For the Democrat establishment, it is yet another painful reminder that their biggest problem is not the opposition party. It is their own reflection.

News

CENTCOM Unleashes Massive Retaliation on Iran After Shipping Assaults as Regime Threatens ‘Crushing Response’ [WATCH]

The U.S. military carried out strikes against more than 80 targets in Iran on Tuesday after Iranian forces allegedly targeted three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

As Red State reported, U.S. officials said the operation was conducted in response to attacks on commercial shipping that they said violated a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran.

According to the administration, the military response was significantly larger than previous U.S. strikes conducted on June 27, following an earlier incident involving commercial vessels.

CENTCOM said the latest operation focused on degrading Iran’s ability to threaten international maritime traffic through one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.

According to a CENTCOM statement, U.S. forces targeted multiple categories of military infrastructure.

“U.S. forces struck Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

The military action came after U.S. officials accused Iran of attacking three commercial ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Administration officials described those actions as a violation of the existing memorandum of understanding between the two countries.

In addition to the military operation, the Treasury Department announced that sanctions on Iranian oil sales had been reimposed. Administration officials said the sanctions were intended to increase economic pressure on Tehran.

The developments occurred as Iran continued public mourning ceremonies following the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The latest exchange has raised new questions about the durability of the ceasefire arrangement between the United States and Iran.

Iran responded by condemning the strikes.

According to reports, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters described the U.S. military action as a “blatant act of aggression” and warned that Tehran would respond.

The military command also vowed to deliver a “crushing response” and said Iran would not allow the United States to interfere with its handling of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important waterways because a significant share of global energy shipments passes through the narrow channel connecting the Persian Gulf with international shipping lanes.

Military analysts continue to closely monitor developments in the region as both countries exchange warnings and military actions.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson also commented after CENTCOM released video of the strikes.

“CENTCOM has released video of our strikes tonight. It’s over for now. We targeted over 80 locations and more than 60 IRGC small boats.”

“We hit them HARD tonight, but all targets were military installations or equipment.”

“Bridge and Power Day is standing by, Iran. I think I’d quit shooting at oil tankers. We’re chomping at the bit over here.”

Neither the United States nor Iran has announced additional military operations following Tuesday’s exchange, although officials in both countries have continued to issue public statements regarding the confrontation.

The latest military action follows weeks of heightened tensions involving commercial shipping, sanctions, and military operations in the Persian Gulf region.

Whether the conflict escalates further or returns to diplomatic negotiations remains uncertain as both governments continue to respond to developments in the Strait of Hormuz.


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