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Michelle Obama Claims Barack Is Uncomfortable With Presidential Center Dedicated to Himself and Nobody Believes It [WATCH]

Former First Lady Michelle Obama said during a recent interview that former President Barack Obama was uncomfortable with the amount of attention placed on him at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

The remarks came during an interview with People magazine following the June 19 opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center.

The facility serves as a museum, library, conference center, and supports initiatives of the Obama Foundation.

Discussing the project, Michelle Obama said her husband preferred that the center place less emphasis on him personally.

“He’s completely uncomfortable with this thing being about him.”

She said the former president had expressed a desire to reduce the amount of attention devoted to him throughout the center.

“He was just telling me, I think there should be a little less of me here.”

According to Michelle Obama, she asked what he thought should receive greater emphasis instead.

She recalled that Barack Obama suggested Mahatma Gandhi.

“When she asked who it should focus more on, she claimed, Barack said Gandhi.”

Michelle Obama responded by explaining why she believed the center should remain focused on the former president.

“I was like, ‘No, no. Gandhi will have his own museum. I think people coming here want to hear about you.'”

Barack Obama was seated beside his wife during the interview and smiled and laughed as she described their exchange.

The comments circulated widely after video clips from the interview were shared on X, generating discussion and reactions from users on the platform.

Several social media users questioned Michelle Obama’s characterization of the former president’s views.

One X user wrote, “Yes, clearly when I hear the name Obama the first word that comes to mind is humility……..I mean it is oozing out of every single, tiny pore…….These two are an affront to Americans every time they utter a word.”

Another user posted, “Correction: Her husband is uncomfortable with anything NOT being about him.”

A third user wrote, “What a joke.”

Additional responses continued the discussion.

“That’s hilarious. The Obama’s have never missed an opportunity to make things about them.”

Another post stated, “Standing on the highest stage they can find, holding the biggest microphone, hooked to the loudest sound system in the world to repeatedly pronounce just how humble they are.”

The Barack Obama Presidential Center officially opened on June 19 in Chicago.

The campus includes museum exhibits, a presidential library, public gathering spaces, and facilities supporting the Obama Foundation’s educational and civic engagement programs.

The interview with People magazine focused in part on the opening of the center and the couple’s reflections on the project.

Michelle Obama said Barack Obama would have preferred less emphasis on himself, while explaining that she believed visitors would expect the center to tell his story.

Following publication of the interview, excerpts and video from the conversation spread across social media, where supporters and critics alike discussed the former first lady’s remarks and the purpose of a presidential center dedicated to the Obama administration.

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Supreme Court Upholds Trump Immigration Authority Despite Liberal Meltdown [WATCH]

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration has the authority to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for certain Haitian and Syrian nationals, a decision that prompted criticism from immigration advocates and praise from the White House, as reported by Fox News.

In a 6-3 decision in Mullin v. Doe, the Supreme Court determined that the Department of Homeland Security acted within its authority in ending TPS protections for designated countries, reversing lower court rulings that had blocked the administration’s action.

The decision allows the administration to move forward with ending legal protections that have allowed many Haitian migrants to remain and work in the United States since Haiti’s 2010 earthquake.

TPS protections for many Syrians have also been in place since the country’s civil war led to the designation in 2012.

Immigration attorney Allen Orr, who represented Haitian nationals in the case, criticized the ruling during an appearance on “MS NOW Reports,” arguing that ending TPS would have significant consequences for industries that rely on workers currently protected under the program.

“There are going to be a lot of jobs that are left open, and a lot of people in the home healthcare industry who are not going to receive any service, because their providers are going to be removed from the United States,” Orr said. “There are a lot of people who are going to die and suffer because of this. So I wish this court was more of a court of equity rather than what they say they were a court of policy right now.”

Orr also challenged arguments that TPS should end simply because it was created as a temporary designation.

“The concept that people keep repeating — that the problem is its ‘temporary’ status, and it’s been longer than temporary — well, change the word. Don’t put people’s lives in danger because you feel that label arbitrarily moves something,” Orr said.

He argued that individuals currently protected by TPS have legal authorization to work and have undergone government screening.

“As I said before, there are a million-plus TPS individuals who are here legally, working. They’re authorized, they’ve been vetted. There are none of the other concerns you might have with people who come in undocumented. They’re supporting our economy. And when you remove those individuals, you draw down all of those work areas. All those jobs they’re doing, all of these companies that were relying on these TPS workers to work tomorrow are going to have to make decisions about them leaving today.”

The White House defended the Supreme Court’s decision.

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson described the ruling as a victory for the administration.

“Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what President Trump has always maintained: temporary protected status is, by definition, temporary. It was never intended to be a pathway to permanent status or legal residency, and it is committed to the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Trump Administration continues to lawfully end the egregious abuses to our immigration system that have hurt Americans for years,” Jackson said.

President Donald Trump first sought to revoke TPS protections for Haitian nationals during his first term in 2017 after the protections had been established following Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010.

Court challenges prevented that effort from taking effect during his first administration. In 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ended the designation.

The Supreme Court’s opinion also addressed claims raised by challengers regarding the administration’s motivations.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote that a racial explanation for the policy change was unlikely to succeed because, according to the opinion, the respondents themselves suggested that the administration may oppose TPS as a matter of policy rather than because of any particular national or ethnic group.

The ruling represents another significant development in the administration’s immigration agenda and is expected to affect thousands of individuals currently protected under Temporary Protected Status while continuing the broader legal and political debate over the future of the program.

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President Trump Takes On Germany In Bold Fight To Cut Drug Prices For Americans [WATCH]

The Trump administration has launched an investigation into Germany’s pharmaceutical pricing policies, arguing that the country’s pricing system may contribute to higher prescription drug costs for American consumers while affecting U.S. pharmaceutical innovation, as reported by Fox News.

The investigation was announced June 18 by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer through a Section 301 inquiry into what the administration describes as Germany’s “persistent underpayment for innovative pharmaceutical products.”

The review is expected to continue through the fall, with a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 22.

According to the administration, the investigation will examine whether Germany’s pharmaceutical pricing practices unfairly disadvantage U.S. companies and contribute to higher drug prices in the United States.

The move follows broader efforts by the Trump administration to address prescription drug costs and what it characterizes as imbalances in international pharmaceutical pricing.

Administration officials contend that Germany, along with several other European countries, requires pharmaceutical companies to sell medications at prices below those paid by American consumers.

They argue that this pricing structure shifts a greater share of research and development costs onto U.S. purchasers.

The administration points to pricing data indicating that Americans pay significantly more for certain medications than consumers in Germany.

According to the figures cited by the administration, Americans pay four times more than Germans for the most expensive drugs developed in the United States.

Administration officials also argue that developing new medicines requires substantial investment.

They cite estimates that bringing a new pharmaceutical product to market costs an average of approximately $2.7 billion, with research expenses ultimately recovered through sales.

The administration maintains that if foreign governments negotiate substantially lower prices for medicines developed by American companies, those costs are more heavily borne by U.S. consumers and the domestic market.

The Section 301 investigation will examine Germany’s pharmaceutical reimbursement system and determine whether it constitutes an unreasonable or discriminatory practice affecting U.S. commerce.

If the investigation concludes that Germany’s policies violate U.S. trade standards, the administration could impose tariffs or pursue other trade remedies.

German officials have expressed concern about the investigation, warning that it could co

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Army Officer Sentenced to 12 Years for Secretly Killing Unborn Child

A U.S. Army officer who betrayed his uniform, his oath, and the most sacred trust between soldiers has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars after admitting to secretly giving an abortion drug to a pregnant soldier under his command.

Capt. Brandon Jones-Adams, 34, pleaded guilty to intentionally killing an unborn child, domestic violence, fraternization, and conduct unbecoming of an officer in a court-martial held at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

The verdict and sentence confirm what many feared — that moral decay is creeping into corners of the U.S. military that were once defined by honor and discipline.

According to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, Jones-Adams administered the abortion pill Mifepristone to a junior enlisted soldier with whom he was romantically involved. The soldier was pregnant with their child when Jones-Adams secretly slipped her the drug, causing the abortion without her consent.

Lt. Col. Tyler Heimann, Circuit Chief of the Sixth Circuit Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, condemned the officer’s actions in a statement.

“Capt. Jones-Adams’ actions were deliberate, calculated, and malicious. By committing these crimes, he inflicted profound harm on his victim and betrayed the trust placed in him as an Army officer.”

That word — betrayal — cuts deep in the ranks. Soldiers are taught from day one that trust and loyalty are the backbone of the service. For an officer to violate that foundation so cruelly not only destroys lives but tarnishes the uniform itself.

The court found that under the plea deal, Jones-Adams faced a sentencing range from four to twelve years. The judge chose the maximum penalty, sending a strong message that the U.S. Army still draws the line on moral corruption and criminal abuse.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, stripped of all pay and allowances, and dismissed from the service — the officer’s version of a dishonorable discharge.

Jones-Adams served with the 23rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, Multi-Domain Command Pacific. The irony of someone entrusted with leadership and discipline committing such a vile, cowardly act is not lost on the men and women who continue to serve honorably.

The convicted officer will carry out his sentence at the Northwestern Joint Correctional Facility, where, for the next 12 years, he will have time to reflect on what he destroyed — not just a life, but a legacy of responsibility and integrity that his rank demanded.

This case raises a grim question often ignored by the politically correct elite: how many moral boundaries have to be crossed before the military brass stops prioritizing social experiments and gets back to teaching right from wrong? When honor becomes optional and personal accountability fades, incidents like this become inevitable.

The Army deserves credit for applying full justice in this case. Too often, high-ranking officers walk away unscathed while enlisted troops face the full hammer of punishment.

Here, the message is clear: wearing bars or brass does not protect someone from the consequences of evil acts.

Still, it’s hard not to see this as part of a broader cultural rot. When the institution itself is steered toward moral relativism and away from faith, family, and duty — the very things that build soldiers with character — the results are predictable. A military that ignores virtue produces leaders without conscience.

There was a time when the U.S. Army stood as an example of courage and righteousness, reflecting the values of a strong nation under God.

Patriots like War Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump have called for restoring those values and rebuilding a culture where leadership is about service, not self. Cases like this prove that mission is as urgent as ever.

As this story fades from the headlines, one fact remains: a young soldier lost her child at the hands of the man she trusted most.

No sentence can undo that loss. But the Army’s willingness to hold even an officer accountable is a small but significant reminder — justice, though delayed, is still possible in uniform.

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Army Plans ‘Heavy’ Infantry Vehicle to Power the Battlefield of the Future

The Army is dusting off its tool kit and designing what it calls the “ISV-Heavy” — a tougher, battery-laden version of the Infantry Squad Vehicle that seems less like a war machine and more like a rolling power plant.

It’s the latest move in the Pentagon’s obsession with electrified equipment, a risky trend that may leave troops lugging lithium instead of lead on battlefields that demand grit, not gadgets.

While the average infantryman would prefer armor and firepower, the ISV-Heavy’s main mission isn’t to fight — it’s to generate electricity.

According to new contracting requirements, the vehicle will serve as a mobile generator that keeps drones, radios, computers, and even directed energy systems alive in the field.

Instead of armor plating, this “Heavy” rides into the next fight carrying circuits, cables, and batteries.

Jesse D. Tolleson Jr., principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology, told senators last week that the new variant was designed specifically for “power generation at the mobile brigade combat team level.” In other words, the Army admits it doesn’t have enough juice for its high-tech toys.

The ISV-Heavy is meant to fill that “critical capability gap,” as Tolleson put it during a Senate budget hearing. Translated: it’s a battery truck.

The current concept reads like something straight out of Silicon Valley rather than the War Department.

The Army’s planning documents describe a vehicle capable of producing 60 kilowatts of continuous high-voltage DC power — the same output as a commercial charging station you’d find outside a big-box store. It’s supposed to keep up to 100 laptops running or power ten refrigerators in the field. Good news if the next war is fought at an EV dealership.

There’s also a “Sustained Silent Operations” mode, allowing it to run off a 60-kilowatt-hour battery with minimal noise, heat, or electromagnetic signature. Stealthy? Perhaps.

But soldiers still question whether this science-project-on-wheels can handle the brutal conditions of real combat. After all, it’s built on the same soft-skinned frame as the original ISV, which has struggled to live up to expectations.

The original Infantry Squad Vehicle, first fielded in 2019, quickly faced criticism. A 2021 Army report called the buggy “not operationally effective” for combat against a near-peer enemy — bureaucratic speak for “this thing won’t survive a firefight.” The Army’s solution wasn’t to make it tougher, but to change its mission.

By 2023, commanders officially redefined the ISV’s role away from direct combat, turning it into a glorified troop taxi meant to move quickly between objectives, not smash through them.

Now, with about 1,000 ISVs scattered among elite units like the 82nd Airborne, 101st Airborne, 25th Infantry Division, and the 75th Rangers, the Army seems intent on doubling down. The ISV-Heavy is supposed to complement its lighter sibling, giving infantry units a “mobile power node” as they operate in dispersed formations.

The Pentagon’s theory is that speed, mobility, and remote power will make American troops nimbler and deadlier. Reality says that surviving in modern warfare still takes hardened steel and overwhelming firepower.

Even so, the Army’s electrification experiment is spreading. National Guard units in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Idaho are now transitioning from Strykers and Abrams tanks to lighter ISV configurations as part of the new Mobile Brigade Combat Team structure.

That’s quite the downgrade from 70-ton armor to an open-top “buggy” that would lose a bar fight with a roadside ditch.

Of course, real-world tests haven’t been in battle but in disaster zones. The 101st Airborne deployed over 100 ISVs in 2025 after Hurricane Helene hit the Southeast, navigating through debris and broken roads.

The vehicles proved handy for relief work, but relief efforts aren’t firefights. Using disaster recovery as a model for combat readiness might make sense in a conference room, not on a battlefield.

To its credit, the Army says General Motors has improved reliability issues since those early failures. It also commissioned three companies to deliver autonomous ISVs that could one day move troops and gear without a driver.

This tech-heavy direction might excite corporate contractors, but many veterans remember how the most complex projects tend to stall or break down when the shooting starts.

Army leaders claim their thinking comes from watching modern warfare unfold in Ukraine, where speed and small-unit agility have defined fights against drones, artillery, and missiles.

They may be right — but faster movement only matters when the gear that carries your troops can survive enemy fire. So far, the ISV is a long way from meeting that mark.

The deeper question isn’t just how much power a vehicle can generate, but whether the nation’s fighters are being equipped for power projection or power management.

Soldiers don’t win wars by charging phones. They win by having the strongest, most reliable tools of war at their fingertips.

If the ISV-Heavy is just another overcomplicated gadget to please Washington’s green-energy establishment, it may drain more than batteries when the next real war arrives.

The bottom line: while the War Department tinkers with electric grid experiments in camo paint, America’s infantry deserves machines built to endure the fight, not power the campsite. When push comes to shove, firepower beats voltage every time.

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Hundreds of Rabbis Slam NYC Mayor Mamdani Over Anti-Jewish AIPAC Remarks [WATCH]

More than 700 rabbis have signed a letter calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to apologize for comments he made about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), arguing that his remarks contribute to concerns about antisemitism at a time when incidents targeting Jewish Americans remain a national issue, as reported by Fox News.

The controversy stems from comments Mamdani made during a June 18 campaign rally ahead of New York City’s Democratic primary elections.

During the event, he referred to AIPAC as “monsters” who use “millions in dark money to accomplish a single goal — to preserve their power, so that they can turn us against one another.”

The remarks prompted criticism from Jewish leaders and organizations, including a letter signed by hundreds of rabbis representing congregations with a range of perspectives on Israel, American politics, and the war in Gaza.

The letter states, “By casting pro-Israel civic participation as monstrous, conspiratorial and anti-democratic, Mr. Mamdani has put a target on the backs of American Jews and their allies.”

The rabbis also wrote, “Mr. Mamdani’s words matter because they were spoken by the leader of the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel. They matter because antisemitism in America is rising.”

The letter described the comments as “beneath the office he holds” and concluded by urging the mayor to apologize, retract the remarks, and affirm that “Jews and pro-Israel Americans are full participants in our democracy.”

It added, “We can debate policy. We can argue about money in politics. We can disagree passionately about Israel and the Middle East. But no elected leader should demonize Jews or those who stand with the Jewish state. Criticizing Israeli policy is not antisemitic. Treating millions of Zionist Jews as morally suspect, politically illegitimate, or less deserving of equal participation in public life is.”

Mamdani addressed the criticism during an appearance on Monday after signing an executive order. In response to questions about the controversy, he defended his remarks.

“We’re talking about a status quo where children are being killed on a daily basis,” Mamdani said.

“And when I am speaking about AIPAC, I’m speaking about an organization that has been supportive of the status quo, that has fought any attempt to actually deliver safety to people, not just in Palestine, but frankly, through much of the region. And it is a status quo for immorality. It is one that I will not accept,” he added.

Mamdani also responded to questions about his use of the word “monsters,” saying he was referencing the writings of Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci.

“I used the term to describe all those who are preventing the birth of a new world. Not solely AIPAC, but frankly, super PACs at large, who are spending millions of dollars in deceptive and misleading ads that are blanketing the airwaves,” he said.

His office also pointed to remarks he delivered during a May event addressing antisemitism and public safety.

“Jewish New Yorkers have worked to cultivate a city that is safe and open to all,” Mamdani said at that event. “You should be accorded the same security and the same peace of mind.”

He also said New York City would invest $26 million annually to expand hate crime prevention efforts, adding that responding to antisemitism alone is insufficient and that deterrence should also be a priority.

The mayor’s comments also drew criticism from several national Jewish leaders.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., wrote on X, “Swap ‘AIPAC’ for ‘Jews’ and it’s the oldest antisemitic conspiracy theory in the books. That’s not criticizing a lobby. That’s laundering antisemitism from your podium as Mayor of a city with more than a million Jews. This bulls— is dangerous.”

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt also criticized the remarks.

“This is the kind of bigoted conspiracy mongering that you expect from unhinged streamers or white supremacists. It’s not the language that we should expect from the mayor whose jurisdiction suffers from the highest levels of antisemitism of any city in America,” Greenblatt wrote.

The exchange has intensified debate over political rhetoric, public criticism of pro-Israel advocacy organizations, and concerns surrounding antisemitism as Jewish leaders continue calling for Mamdani to retract his remarks.

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Lockheed Martin Lands Massive $35 Billion Deal to Supercharge THAAD Missile Production

Lockheed Martin just secured a jaw-dropping $35 billion contract that will turbocharge America’s top-tier missile interceptor program—and the timing couldn’t be more crucial.

As the nation’s warfighters prepare for an era of renewed great-power competition, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is handing Lockheed Martin the reins to quadruple production of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD.

The seven-year deal represents one of the largest and most consequential investments in missile defense in decades.

Under the contract, Lockheed will ramp up THAAD interceptor production from 96 to a staggering 400 units per year. That’s no small feat, but one that will headline America’s strategic efforts to refill critical war stockpiles and maintain deterrence in an increasingly dangerous world.

After the conflict in Iran and other engagements abroad, the United States saw its precision weapons and air-defense reserves drained at a concerning rate.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been warning that munitions inventories are stretched thin, and unless companies like Lockheed ramp up production, the U.S. could face what experts call a “window of vulnerability.” This new deal is meant to slam that window shut.

A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies backed up those fears, noting that it will take at least three years for American munitions levels to recover to where they were before the Iran war. That timeline leaves a critical gap that adversaries like China could exploit.

Pentagon to Quadruple THAAD Seeker Production with BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. (Lockheed Martin)

The new THAAD contract aims to close that gap by speeding up deliveries and ensuring that U.S. missile defense networks remain ready for any scenario, from the Middle East to the Western Pacific.

What makes this contract unique isn’t just its massive price tag—it’s also one of the first major projects under the Pentagon’s new Acquisition Transformation Strategy, a sweeping reform meant to fast-track weapons development and break through bureaucratic gridlock. Translation: the War Department wants results, and it wants them fast.

“This new approach propels our efforts to strengthen the defense industrial base, expand production and deliver capabilities to the American warfighter at unprecedented speed and scale,” said Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

The message from industry and government alike is clear—America’s war machine is back in business.

To make the expanded production possible, Lockheed has already broken ground on new facilities across the South. Earlier this year, the company began construction on a Munitions Production Center in Troy, Alabama, and a Munitions Acceleration Center in Camden, Arkansas.

Both sites are part of a broader $9 million long-term investment program running through 2030, aimed at modernizing the domestic weapons manufacturing base.

THAAD Stays Put in Korea as Pentagon Pushes Back on Withdrawal Rumors
U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile launchers point skyward at Naval Support Facility Deveselu, Romania, Sept. 1, 2019.

The sprawling production effort will span facilities in Dallas, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; Troy, Alabama; and Camden, Arkansas.

Lockheed will deliver THAAD missile rounds under fixed-price contracts, ensuring taxpayers have cost certainty while giving the company incentives to meet or exceed production schedules. Work will take place from 2026 through 2032, according to the Pentagon’s announcement.

At the time of award, over $842 million in fiscal year 2026 procurement funds were already obligated, signaling that this isn’t a pie-in-the-sky promise—it’s happening.

For Lockheed, the deal cements its dominance in the field of missile defense manufacturing and ensures steady work for thousands of skilled American workers in critical industries.

The award also builds on a string of recent contracts. Earlier this year, Lockheed inked additional agreements with the War Department to bolster production of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).

Both systems play key roles in U.S. force posture and rapid-strike capabilities, especially as adversaries like China and Russia pour billions into their own missile arsenals.

To America’s men and women in uniform, these contracts are more than corporate deals—they’re a signal that Washington is finally serious about rebuilding military readiness.

Army Builds New Missile Defense MOS to Merge Patriot and THAAD Expertise
A soldier conducts maintenance on an MIM-104 Patriot missile system in the Middle East. (U.S. Army)

Years of budget politics and underinvestment left the industrial base brittle. Under new leadership and with Trump-era-style prioritization of American strength and self-reliance, the tide appears to be turning.

As Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has emphasized, restoring the capacity to outproduce America’s rivals is essential to keeping peace through strength.

This contract proves that the War Department is listening and acting decisively. With $35 billion fueling renewed production, the message is unmistakable: America’s arsenal isn’t shrinking—it’s expanding aggressively.

In a world where enemies are watching every move, ramping up THAAD production sends the right message—that the United States has both the will and the means to meet any threat head-on. The warfighter deserves nothing less.

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AOC Melts Down Over Trump Immigration Wins, Cries ‘Betrayal’ After Supreme Court Ruling [WATCH]

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., criticized President Donald Trump after the Supreme Court issued two rulings that favored the administration’s immigration policies, including a decision allowing the administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian migrants, as reported by Fox News.

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration may end TPS protections that have allowed many Haitians to remain and work in the United States since Haiti’s 2010 earthquake and many Syrians since the country’s civil war prompted a TPS designation in 2012.

The decisions represented two significant immigration victories for the administration, affecting both TPS and asylum-related policies.

Speaking with Fox News Digital, Ocasio-Cortez argued that the TPS ruling affects individuals whom she believes many Trump supporters did not expect would be targeted under the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.

“I think it’s really sad because these decisions are targeting exactly the kind of people that Republican voters said that they did not want targeted in the Trump administration’s immigration policy,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

The New York congresswoman contended that the ruling departs from what she described as President Trump’s earlier campaign commitments.

She said the decision represented “a reversal of President Trump’s promise to only go after, quote unquote, criminals and rapists.”

Ocasio-Cortez also identified the types of workers she believes will be affected by the Supreme Court’s decision.

“This decision to overturn TPS targets nurses, it targets health care workers, it targets domestic workers, cleaners, people who work in restaurants,” she said, calling it “a real betrayal of President Trump’s promise.”

She further argued that ending TPS protections would have broader economic consequences, saying it would increase prices, make it more difficult to find workers, and disrupt established communities.

House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., also criticized the administration following the court’s asylum ruling. Aguilar said the president has repeatedly challenged a legal process that has existed under U.S. law for decades.

“People are fleeing terrible conditions, and they have a lawful right to declare asylum,” Aguilar said.

The White House defended the Supreme Court’s decisions and the administration’s immigration policies.

“Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be temporary,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said Thursday.

“It was never meant to be a pathway to permanent status or citizenship…our asylum system, for years, has been abused and exploited by bad actors…this ruling is a step in the right direction towards clearing up our asylum system and making sure that people can’t enter our country who shouldn’t be here — and that people who are here, who shouldn’t be here, should be deported.”

When asked what congressional Democrats planned to do next regarding TPS, Aguilar pointed to legislation that Democrats advanced through the House using a discharge petition.

“Democrats led legislation in order to bring certainty to that. It’s sitting over in the Senate,” Aguilar said. “We forced a discharge petition, and were successful because we believe in governing.”

Aguilar appeared to be referring to House-passed legislation intended to extend TPS protections for Haitians.

Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., said he had not yet reviewed the court’s full opinions but expressed concern about the outcome.

“I had not yet read the full decisions but was beyond the point of being surprised by almost any decision that comes out of court,” Figures said.

Figures defended maintaining TPS protections for Haiti, citing the country’s ongoing challenges.

“There’s not a country that I think TPS is designed at its core that’s more deserving of that than the situations we currently see in Haiti,” Figures said.

The Supreme Court’s rulings mark another major development in the administration’s immigration agenda and are expected to influence ongoing debates over asylum policy, Temporary Protected Status, and congressional efforts to address immigration through legislation.

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Venezuela Quakes Leaves Almost 600 Dead, Thousands Missing as Trump Sends Massive U.S. Relief Force [WATCH]

The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela this week has risen to at least 589, while authorities say at least 2,980 people have been injured and thousands remain missing as search and rescue efforts continue across the affected region, as reported by Fox News.

The back-to-back earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck approximately 120 miles west of Caracas on Wednesday night.

Officials expect the number of fatalities to increase as emergency crews continue searching collapsed buildings and damaged communities.

The coastal region of La Guaira, located north of Caracas, sustained some of the most extensive damage.

The area is home to Venezuela’s principal airport, which was closed after suffering earthquake damage, complicating efforts to deliver emergency personnel and humanitarian supplies into the region.

Venezuelan state television has aired footage showing rescue crews pulling survivors from collapsed structures. According to The Associated Press, one rescue involved a woman trapped beneath a concrete slab, with only one foot visible before emergency workers were able to free her.

Rescue crews also continued searching damaged buildings throughout the affected areas as emergency responders worked to locate additional survivors.

The Trump administration has activated a government-wide humanitarian response to the disaster, pledging $150 million in assistance and deploying U.S. Navy warships to support rescue and relief operations.

U.S. Southern Command announced that U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard arrived in Caracas on Thursday to oversee Department of War support for Venezuela’s earthquake response.

According to SOUTHCOM, Jarrard is coordinating with Venezuelan officials and international partners to facilitate emergency operations following a formal request for assistance from Venezuela’s interim government, led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

“Maj. Gen. Jarrard is serving as the senior U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) official on the ground and is working closely with partners to plan, coordinate, and direct the U.S. military’s unparalleled logistical and operational capabilities to support the rapid, life-saving movement of response personnel, equipment, and humanitarian assistance into affected areas,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement.

The command also outlined how U.S. military assets are expected to assist rescue efforts.

“Assigned U.S. military forces will utilize fixed and rotor wing aircraft to provide specialized mobility services and assist U.S. Government personnel, search and rescue teams, and partners assessing damage and delivering critical life-saving assistance,” SOUTHCOM added.

As rescue operations continue, authorities are concentrating additional resources in La Guaira, where damage has been particularly severe.

Retired schoolteacher Juan Alberto Mendaño described finding a woman trapped beneath debris while moving through the damaged area.

“May God rescue her as quickly as possible,” Mendaño reportedly said.

“When we heard the scream, there was nothing we could do.”

Venezuelan officials have begun shifting rescue teams from other parts of the country into La Guaira to strengthen ongoing search operations.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez also appealed to private businesses to make heavy construction equipment available to assist emergency crews clearing debris and searching collapsed buildings.

“We hope to rescue as many living people as possible,” Rodríguez added, referring to La Guaira as a “disaster zone.”

Hospitals across the affected region have also been impacted by the earthquakes.

Some patients were moved outside damaged medical facilities as authorities evaluated buildings for structural safety while continuing to treat those injured during the disaster.

Search-and-rescue teams remain active throughout northern Venezuela as authorities continue accounting for missing residents.

Emergency officials have warned that casualty figures are expected to change as crews gain access to additional damaged structures and isolated communities.

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Fire Erupts Aboard USS Indianapolis, Seven Sailors Hurt During Mayport Blaze

A fire broke out Wednesday morning aboard the Littoral Combat Ship USS Indianapolis while the vessel was moored at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, leaving seven sailors injured though none seriously.

avy officials confirmed that all affected personnel were treated at local hospitals and later cleared to return to duty by afternoon.

The incident began around 11:30 a.m. when smoke was reported coming from a compartment within the ship. Navy Fire and Emergency Services, along with the ship’s crew, acted immediately to contain and extinguish what was described as a “localized fire.”

Their swift response prevented wider damage, though the full scope of the impact to the ship remains under assessment.

This latest fire adds to a troubling pattern aboard U.S. Navy vessels this year. In March, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford suffered a blaze overseas in Souda Bay, Crete, resulting in one sailor’s medical evacuation.

Just months earlier, reports confirmed separate fires aboard the USS Higgins, USS Zumwalt, and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Navy’s series of onboard fires has raised questions within naval circles and defense oversight committees about maintenance cycles, crew workload, and equipment vulnerabilities.

The War Department has been working to investigate causes ranging from electrical issues to maintenance shortfalls, all while keeping surface fleet readiness at the forefront.

The USS Indianapolis, a Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship commissioned in 2019, represents one of the Navy’s modern designs intended for agility in littoral, near-shore operations.

As the latest vessel to bear the historic name, it continues a lineage tied to one of the most storied and tragic names in U.S. naval history—the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis that was lost during World War II after delivering parts for the “Little Boy” atomic bomb.

That loss led to one of the Navy’s most infamous stories of survival, with hundreds of sailors lost to exposure and shark attacks after the ship was sunk in 1945.

The legacy of the name “Indianapolis” remains both a tribute and a reminder of the price sailors pay in service to America’s maritime security.

While modern Indianapolis returned from an 18-month forward deployment last November, she recently participated in a two-day force protection exercise at her homeport. Wednesday’s fire occurred while the ship was pier-side, which allowed rapid coordination between shore facilities and her crew.

Fire teams at Mayport have earned a reputation for readiness, showing once again why constant training matters.

Every sailor aboard responded according to protocol, a testament to the effectiveness of the Navy’s long-standing emphasis on damage control readiness—a skill forged through hard lessons from past shipboard disasters.

Still, repeated fire incidents aboard naval vessels present a concern. With the Navy balancing an aging fleet, experimental ship classes, and expanding operational demands worldwide, many veterans are urging a return to aggressive shipyard overhauls and tighter maintenance checks before crews set sail again.

Analysts note that quick-response actions like those taken aboard the Indianapolis showcase the professionalism of American sailors.

However, they also caution that repeated lapses, even minor ones, create openings for potentially catastrophic failures under combat conditions.

President Trump’s call for a restored “peace through strength” Navy and War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s push for tougher oversight of fleet preparedness echo this sentiment across defense circles.

The fire investigation will now determine what ignited the blaze, whether mechanical, electrical, or human error contributed, and what safety measures can prevent future outbreaks.

The Navy’s internal safety command will review every step, from detection to response timing, while damage control training across the fleet will likely tighten further.

At a time when America faces renewed maritime competition from China and Russia, ensuring every vessel remains fight-ready is more than bureaucratic talk—it’s national defense.

The sailors aboard USS Indianapolis proved their grit and composure when it mattered, delivering once more the clear message that American warfighters, from the decks of destroyers to littoral combat ships, remain ready to respond when duty calls.


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