Conservative Blogger
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Axios: Trump Holds Situation Room Meeting on Iran
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President Donald Trump held a Situation Room meeting Saturday morning to address rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, according to Axios, citing U.S. officials. The meeting comes as the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is set to expire within days, with no confirmed timeline for the next round of negotiations. Iran signaled a renewed threat to the key shipping corridor Saturday and carried out attacks on vessels in the region. The move followed Trump’s recent suggestion that a deal to end the conflict could be imminent. One senior U.S. official told Axios that absent progress, hostilities could restart in the near term. Top administration officials attended the meeting, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Also present were White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, according to the report. The White House declined to comment. Diplomatic efforts have continued through intermediaries. Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir recently hosted talks in Tehran aimed at bridging differences between the two sides, and Trump has spoken directly with both Munir and Iranian officials, Axios reported. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it has received updated U.S. proposals and is reviewing them, though no response has been issued. A source familiar with the negotiations told Axios that tensions flared again after both sides made headway on key issues, including uranium enrichment and Iran’s nuclear stockpile. Speaking Saturday at the White House, Trump accused Iran of testing limits, saying the country "got a little cute" and warning that Tehran "can’t blackmail us." He added that discussions remain active and said he expects to know soon whether the talks will move forward. © 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved. |
Ilhan Omar's New Magic Filing Trick: $30M Disappears Faster Than Her Principles
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In a stunning performance that would have any stage magician green with envy, the amazing sudden wealth of Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05) has evaporated, like dandelion fluff on a windy summer's day. The Squad member claims that the $30 million in wealth supposedly in the hands of her and her husband was just a mistake in accounting records.
Uh huh. Now, from (let's be fair) between $8 million and $30 million, to somewhere between $18,004 (seems oddly specific) and $95,000, that's quite a mistake. Any accountant making a mistake that grand should be discharged. Also, are we to believe that Ilhan Omar and her venture capitalist husband never saw the initial report, which was horrendously in error? Are we really supposed to believe that? Imagine your accountant coming to you with paperwork showing your net worth at $30 million - wouldn't you stop and say, "Hey, wait just a doggone minute here, I'm not that rich!" Sorry, Ms. Omar, but my horse squeeze detector is off the scale right now. Read More: Trump Slams Omar, Tlaib As 'Lunatics' Screaming at SOTU Remember, her husband is still facing serious questions about his business and his business associates.
Here's the onion:
Uh huh. Now, even a rabid leftie like Ilhan Omar is entitled to due process, which in her case would seem to be a Congressional investigation into her sudden wealth - and its even more sudden evaporation. Now, the world of venture capital and high finance isn't a world I've ever moved in, not when I have to take a look at our bank balances before dropping $200 worth of diesel fuel into my pickup. But this sure smells fishy to me. This whole thing, an "accounting error" that amounted to tens of millions, the fact that wasn't noticed by Rep. Omar and her husband, who had to know they weren't really that rich, and now the sudden resolution? I'm not buying it. |
Another Day, Another Journalist Steps on a Rake in an Attempt to Take Out FBI Director Kash Patel
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We watched on Thursday as the entertainment zine "Variety," and CNN international anchor Christiane Amanpour,
crashed and burned in their attempts to own Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
However, legacy media is committed to its mission to take out the Trump administration cabinet, especially the ones they really cannot stand: like Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. The end result of these quixotic campaigns is the media beclowning themselves, as "The Atlantic" has now done. On Friday night, The Atlantic released an anonymously sourced hit piece on Patel titled, "The FBI Director Is MIA: Kash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences." The article begins with an anecdotal story about Patel supposedly losing access to his computer, and freaking out so much that he assumed he had been fired. It rambles on with "people familiar with the matter" sourcing, peppered with quotes from people who actually matter: like White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Fridays are usually the day when politicians and government departments and agencies throw out the news and information that's forgettable or that they don't want anyone to notice. Director Patel, and people who actually work alongside him, did notice this naked attempt at teardown, and quickly pushed back. Benjamin Williamson, Assistant Director of the FBI Office of Public Affairs wrote to the fauxnalist who authored the hit piece:
Patel posted an image of this correspondence with the message, "see you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court."
You would think between the embarrassment (to The Atlantic) over Signalgate, and their made up "suckers and losers" mess, that The Atlantic would quit while they were behind. But apparently not. Litigator Jesse R. Binnall even corresponded with The Atlantic before the hit piece dropped, giving detailed accounting on exactly what the article got wrong. Binnall warned that should they move forward to publish the article without correcting the record, they would be subject to legal action.
Williamson's colleague Erica Knight wrote a detailed breakdown on just how this nonsense came about. According to Knight, every other D.C. publication were privy to these rumors and allegations. Some had had them pitched directly to them, and gave it a hard pass. But The Atlantic? They said, "Hold my beer."
Knight ended with an affirmation of what Patel said: "lawsuit is being filed." Read More: Hot Takes: Stolen Valor Is Alleged After 'Journalist' Takes Her Hegseth Derangement Syndrome Too Far The sad reality: The Atlantic has money to burn and lawyers on speed dial willing to do their bidding. Their only care is how much mileage they can get out of their fake scandals and false narratives, especially when it comes to furthering their Trump Derangement Syndrome. Clint Brown, Patel's "Sherpa" during his FBI confirmation process, responded on X to the article's author, and in so many words said exactly what is stated above.
If this was such a bombshell as the author claimed, then Journalism 101 dictates at least two credible sources to corroborate your claims, especially when that type of verification is readily available. It appears the FBI Office of Public Affairs, and people like Clint Brown, were more than willing to share credible information with The Atlantic for the story. But pushing out an email for comment from a high-ranking government official just two hours before publication is clearly an attempt at ambush. The Atlantic wasn't looking for anything credible, they were simply trying to get another notch on their belt. As my colleague Brad Slager aptly put it: "Emotionally rushing hit pieces out eclipses the use of pragmatic thought." Obviously. Like Hegseth, Patel not only laughs in their faces, it's a clear indicator that he's doing his job.
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The Enigma of JD Vance
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The sitting vice president is hard to figure out. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
said the other day that nearly 80 million people specifically voted for Donald Trump, and thus it was incumbent on Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act and other legislation that the president supports. Tuberville was right about Trump: many, if not most, of those who voted in 2024 for Donald Trump did so because of the man. Whereas some people vote based on party, independent of the candidate, Donald Trump is the main draw for many voters. Whether it be his colorful ways, supportive family, fighting style, blunt presentation, reliability with friends and allies, little dance, or other features, there is simply nobody like Donald Trump. The stock market is reaching highs, the Iranians are assessing massive damage, tariff revenue is enormous, the armed services reached their recruiting goals five months early, etc. The U.S. and the world are different and, for many, better due to the actions of Donald Trump. So what happens after Trump? The basic thinking is that JD Vance is the heir apparent of MAGA and the obvious choice to run in 2028. Some people whisper that Vance will take the family over country route and not actually run. There are other Republicans who might have an eye on the prize, though Marco Rubio
has consistently said that he will not run if Vance chooses to do so. So what about JD Vance? Nobody can be a Trump II. Fine. But is JD Vance a good fit for the tens of millions who supported Donald Trump, the man and his policies? Before the vice president left for Pakistan recently in order to talk to the Iranians, he gave a quick interview on the tarmac in Hungary. There had been an open point on Lebanon and the ceasefire. Iran claimed that the two were intertwined as the Iranians are desperate to save their decades-long, hundreds of billions of dollars investment in the Shiite terror group, Hezbollah. The U.S. said that Israel stopping its military campaign in southern Lebanon was never included in the 15-point ceasefire document. What struck me was a comment that Vance made on the subject. In the interview, he said that the issue of a Lebanese ceasefire was one of misunderstanding, but he went on to say that the negotiations should not fall over Lebanon, “which has nothing to do with them [the Iranians].” My “uh-oh” sensor went off. Now I appreciate that it is hard to give a cogent interview while halfway on one’s way home, but the question is whether JD Vance really meant what he said. Lebanon is everything to Iran. I recently saw an interview with Ayatollah Khomeini on an Air France flight back to Iran. He was asked what he felt returning to his homeland. His answer: “Nothing.” His only goal was to spread Shia Islamic teachings and terror, and if Tehran was a good place to set up his office, so be it. Lebanon has been the graveyard of dozens of IRGC generals and officials. Not surprisingly, when the beepers exploded, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon was seriously injured. Why would he have a beeper meant for Hezbollah operatives? More recently, at a TPUSA event last week, JD Vance spoke. Ben Shapiro
noted that his response to the young audience was troubling. Essentially, he stated that okay, you may not like our being friends with Israel, but there are so many other things that you do like, such as beating up Iran, raising wages, etc., that you should judge us on the whole and join us going forward. I have seen at other TPUSA events with Vance and other Republican stars where they skirt the Groyper arguments against Israel (“attacking Christianity!” “making a genocide!” “the USS Liberty!”) and say, yeah, let’s talk about other stuff that you like. All of the calumnies thrown at Israel by the Groyper-Tucker Carlson wing of the party are lies. There have been no Israeli attacks on Christian sites, with the Christian population of Israel the only one growing in the Middle East. There was no genocide in Gaza, with the population growing and over 80 percent of those killed identified by Hamas as their operatives. The Liberty attack was a mistake; Israel apologized and paid reparations. Hey, did we hear anything from these clowns about the Muslim Kuwaiti pilot who whacked three American F-15Es at the start of the current war? Do you know how not anti-Christian Israel is? After the Kotel or Western Wall was closed to prayers for the duration of the shooting war, it finally opened after the ceasefire took hold. Several family members went to the Old City to pray at “the Wall.” They were not allowed to enter the Old City. Why? Because it was the Saturday on which local Christians have their Fire Ceremony, so access to the Old City was denied to non-Christians. My wife tried to get in at several points, but the walled city was blocked off to all but Christians and residents of the Old City. Now, does that sound like anti-Christian bigotry? I remember similar events from the past and being rerouted due to a Christian march in the Armenian Quarter. What I just wrote, Vance should have cited. He should have fought back against the strong Groyper, Jew-hating movement infesting TPUSA and younger Republicans. But he chose to punt: Okay, you may not like our Middle East policies, but how ‘bout them tax cuts? The GOP has a Jew-hating problem imported from the Left/Muslim nexus. It’s no coincidence that Tucker Carlson has high praise for Qatar, Islam, and Muslim cities being superior to Western cities. Vance said that Theo Von was the go-to podcaster. A doorknob is more knowledgeable than Von. Von asked Joe Rogan how much longer Israel will “let us stay alive.” And this is Vance’s guy? So is JD Vance the real deal? Nobody is going to be Donald Trump, and there is no point trying to compare any potential 2028 candidate with a model that they made one copy of and then destroyed the mold. We should be grateful for Donald Trump’s forceful leadership in an age of wet noodles, but we must realize that just as George H. W. Bush was no Ronald Reagan, the next president will not tell a rally that he is going to bomb the s**t out of America’s enemies. Vance may not run, or he may be bested by someone else in the party. But if Vance is the nominee and he can’t get his head around Israel as a good country and not a genocider or starver of the millions, then he will lose some of the MAGA base. The U.S.-Israel relationship is based on respect, and I have heard only praise from Pete Hegseth and Adm. Brad Cooper regarding Israel’s full participation in the war against Iran. While the Gulf states do little, Israel dropped 18,000 munitions prior to the ceasefire. Where is the praise of a true ally while the Europeans hide in the sand? Where is the counter to Groyper anti-Israel lies? Silence here is not golden. One can’t expect a guy who grew up in the Rust Belt to have the knowledge and experience with Jews that a New York real estate developer has. Donald Trump grew up among Jews, and he learned respect from his father, who did not take rent from Holocaust survivors who could not afford it. I don’t believe for a minute that JD Vance is an antisemite, and even if he won’t divorce himself from Tucker Carlson’s hatred, I know that he is a friend of Israel and the Jewish people. I don’t think he fully understands the region, and I hope that he is a quick learner. |
This Radio Chatter From the Iranian Attack on an Oil Tanker Is Crazy
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Accounts on social media have managed to find audio from the Indian oil tanker that was targeted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The captain of the Indian vessel pleaded with the Iranians to stop firing upon their ship, and attempted to remind them that they were the ones who granted clearance to the vessel in the first place. The attack on the Indian vessel led to their government summoning Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, to demand answers for why their ship was subject to strikes despite receiving clearance. — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 18, 2026
Another radio message from the Iranians appears to have been relayed to all ships in the region, warning them that they are not permitted to pass through the Strait.
Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. |
11th scientist death emerges in string of missing, dead officials with access to US secrets
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The 2022 death of Amy Eskridge, a Huntsville, Alabama–based researcher, has now resurfaced online as the 11th case in a growing list of scientists who have died or disappeared under unusual circumstances. Her death has drawn renewed attention after at least 10 other recent cases involving individuals tied to U.S. military, nuclear and aerospace research have prompted questions about whether any pattern exists. President Donald Trump said Thursday he had "just left a meeting" on the issue and vowed answers within days, calling the situation "pretty serious." "I hope it’s random, but we’re going to know in the next week and a half," Trump told reporters. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X Friday that the White House's investigation will leave "no stone unturned." "In light of the recent and legitimate questions about these troubling cases and President Trump’s commitment to the truth, the White House is actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all of the cases together and identify any potential commonalities that may exist," Leavitt said. "No stone will be unturned in this effort, and the White House will provide updates when we have them."  An F-1 engine used on NASA’s Saturn V rocket is displayed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., a hub for aerospace and defense research where Amy Eskridge lived and worked. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images) While officials have not confirmed any connection between the cases, the overlap in timing and the individuals’ ties to advanced research fields has fueled growing public attention and speculation. Eskridge died June 11, 2022, in Huntsville, Alabama, at the age of 34, according to obituary records. Her death has been reported as a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though limited official details have been publicly released. Eskridge co-founded the Institute for Exotic Science and described her work as focused on experimental propulsion concepts, including what she referred to as "antigravity" research. "We discovered antigravity, and our lives went to (expletive) and people started sabotaging us," she said in a 2020 interview with Youtuber Jeremy Rys. "It’s harassment, threats. It’s awful. "If you stick your neck out in public, at least someone notices if your head gets chopped off," Eskridge added. "If you stick your neck out in private, they will bury you. They will burn down your house while you’re sleeping in your bed, and it won’t even make the news." In the same interview, she described what she characterized as escalating pressure surrounding her work. "I have to publish because it’s only going to get worse until I publish," she said, adding that the situation was "getting more and more aggressive."  Melissa Casias is another of the 11 scientists whose deaths or disappearances are now being scrutinized. (Sierra Casias)  Michael David Hicks is another of the scientists who went missing or died under mysterious circumstances. (Fox News) In presentations and interviews, Eskridge also suggested that researchers working on unconventional technologies could face pressure to move their work out of the public domain, describing what she saw as a pattern in which scientists who reported breakthroughs would "disappear" from public work or stop publishing. Eskridge’s death is being cited alongside cases involving retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland, NASA scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, contractor Steven Garcia, astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Nuno Loureiro, NASA engineer Frank Maiwald, Los Alamos–linked employees Melissa Casias and Anthony Chavez, NASA researcher Michael David Hicks and pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas. The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) told Fox News Digital it is investigating the deaths and disappearances. "NNSA is aware of reports related to employees of our labs, plants and sites and is looking into the matter," a statement from the department said. At the same time, there is no publicly available evidence linking Eskridge’s death to those cases, and authorities have not indicated any connection between her work and the circumstances of her death. Her case has also become the subject of speculation in online and alternative technology communities, where some commentators have raised questions about the circumstances surrounding her death. Those claims, however, remain unverified and are not supported by official findings. |
Mamdani’s Tax Scheme Crumbles as New Yorkers Demand Real Solutions
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| Muslim |
Zohran Mamdani’s grandiose tax plan is collapsing under its own hubris, and patriotic New Yorkers are finally seeing the smoke and mirrors for what they are: political theater dressed up as fiscal policy. What was sold as a bold raid on “the rich” has run headlong into reality — resistance from Albany, skepticism from the City Council, and sober budget analysts who say the numbers don’t add up.
The centerpieces of Mamdani’s proposal — a 2 percentage-point income surcharge on New Yorkers making over $1 million and a massive corporate tax hike — sounded good at rallies but require state approval and complex legal gymnastics to implement. Those aren’t local talking points; they’re concrete policy moves that experts and legal memos have repeatedly warned would be difficult to execute and easy to game.
Worse for Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul and other state leaders have publicly cooled on his plan, leaving the mayor’s signature promises stranded without the Albany support he needs. You don’t need to be a bureaucrat to understand the lesson: you can’t unilaterally tax your way out of a budget shortfall when the state holds the pen on the law.
Back in the city, the City Council has pushed back with a competing savings plan and blunt calls to avoid new property levies, forcing Mamdani into the uncomfortable position of defending threats to homeowners he promised to protect. Independent budget analysts and the city’s own fiscal office have flagged that his numbers rely on Albany saying yes and on optimistic revenue estimates that haven’t materialized.
Conservative analysts have been vindicated in warning that such tax fantasies would do real harm — driving businesses and high earners out of the city, hollowing out the tax base, and saddling working families with higher costs in the long run. Critics from across the spectrum note the revenue projections are shaky and that threatening property-tax hikes as a bargaining chip only reveals weak leadership, not competence.
Hardworking New Yorkers deserve more than sermonizing and stunt politics; they deserve fiscal discipline, accountable leadership, and policies that grow opportunity instead of punishing success. If Mamdani truly cares about the city, he’ll stop playing populist games, work with Albany and the Council on real reforms, and stop waving a wrecking ball at the very people whose jobs and investments keep New York alive.
New Developments in Charlie Kirk Murder Case Spark National Outrage
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A massive update in the Tyler Robinson case has the nation watching as prosecutors continue to move aggressively after the September 10, 2025, killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Robinson was arrested days after the shooting and has been charged with aggravated murder and related offenses; state authorities have signaled they will seek the death penalty given the circumstances of the attack. Americans deserve the truth, and law-and-order conservatives will insist on a full, transparent prosecution that delivers justice for a brutal, political killing. |
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Trump Says He Trusts Iran to Honor Deal
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President Donald Trump said Friday that he trusts Iran to follow through on its commitments, signaling a notable vote of confidence even as tensions between the two countries have persisted. Asked by ABC News whether he believes the Iranians can be relied upon to honor their obligations, Trump answered yes. He did not elaborate. The president also suggested that Iran may be reaching a point of fatigue, hinting that such a shift could influence its behavior on the global stage. "I think they've had it. I think they've had enough," Trump said. "That can happen to anybody. "Even people like you and I can say, 'I've had enough.'" Iran said Friday it had fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, but Trump said the American blockade on Iranian ships and ports "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
posted on X that the crucial waterway, through which about 20% of the world's oil is shipped, was now fully open to commercial vessels, as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold. The president's expression of trust stands out against the backdrop of years of strained relations between Washington and Tehran. Trump has previously taken a hard-line stance on Iran, often criticizing its leadership and policies while emphasizing economic pressure and deterrence measures. Direct talks between the U.S. and Iran last weekend were inconclusive, as the two nations could not agree about Iran's nuclear program and other points. Trump suggested a second round of talks could happen this weekend. "The Iranians want to meet," he said in a brief telephone interview with Axios. "They want to make a deal. "I think a meeting will probably take place over the weekend." On his negotiating team, Trump said: "Steve [Witkoff] and Jared [Kushner] will be going out, and maybe JD [Vance]. Haven't spoken to JD about that yet," ABC News reported. The president said talks would take place only in Islamabad. "I'm not interested in going to countries that didn't help," he said. |
Brandon Gill, Angel Moms Just Level Hank Johnson for 'Disgusting' Claim During Sanctuary City Hearing
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There are some stories out there to write about where little input from the writer is needed for the point to be made, because the subjects of the stories tell it so much better themselves. This is one of those stories. The only thing I'm going to do is set the stage. On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing, where the subject to be discussed was "The Human Toll of Sanctuary Policies: Stories from Victims and Families." There were four witnesses. The Democrat witness was attorney Antonio Romanucci, whose law firm, Romanucci & Blandin LLC, is representing the family of Renee Good. After expressing condolences to the other witnesses, Romanucci described Ms. Good as someone whose death was "collateral damage" from ICE "rounding up black and brown people [and] terrorizing them." SEE ALSO: This New Video Proves Once and for All That Renee Nicole Good Was No Innocent Bystander The other three witnesses were Angel Moms who had children who were victimized by criminal illegal immigrants as a result of sanctuary city policies. Laura Wilkerson's son, Joshua, was murdered by an illegal immigrant. Jen Heiling lost her son, Brady, in a car accident that also claimed the life of his girlfriend, Hallie Helgeson. Mrs. Heiling said they were killed by an intoxicated illegal immigrant who was a repeat traffic offender. Patricia Fox is the mother of Carissa Aspnes, who was riding on the back of a friend's motorcycle when a car driven by an illegal immigrant crossed over several lanes of Denver traffic, causing the motorcycle to hit it and causing Carissa to be thrown into a concrete barrier. Fortunately, Carissa survived but is now "minimally conscious, nonverbal," and has to be fed through a feeding tube. She requires 24-7 care. Gallingly, Democrat Rep. Hank "Guam" Johnson (GA-04) characterized the hearing as a theatrical production whose sole purpose was to stir up "bias and prejudice against immigrants who are people of color," and even suggested it should be about other topics. He also complained about the seating order for the witnesses:
Not surprisingly, it did not go well for Johnson, with GOP Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26) being the first to go off:
But it was the Angel Moms who delivered the most powerful response to Johnson:
Ms. Fox pointed out to Johnson that she is, in fact, a woman of color who "woke up brown every day" but correctly pointed out that the hearing had nothing to do with race. After also going off on Johnson about trying to change the topic of the hearing, Fox invited the Democrats on the committee to come help feed her daughter and get her out of bed, and then try to lecture her on what they should be talking about. Mrs. Wilkerson added that no one should get "sanctuary" from the law, including illegal immigrants, and said it was astonishing they even had to be there "begging you to obey the laws that y'all made." The Angel Moms start talking at around the 7:45 mark in the video below. Watch: The opening statements of the Angel Moms, which I linked above, are also powerful, and I encourage everyone to read them. |
Oil Plummets on News of Iran/US Strait of Hormuz Agreement
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Our modern economy runs on oil, and that's a fact. Not only is energy at the heart of everything we do, but petroleum provides an enormous range of raw materials that we use in, well, almost everything, from smartphones to jet airliners. So, when world events cause some uncertainty in oil markets, the global economy takes a big hit as crude prices shoot skyward. Fortunately, the reverse applies as well. With the new (very new) agreement between the United States and Iran, in which Iran has agreed to stop threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, on Friday morning, global crude oil prices dropped off a cliff. As of this writing, Brent crude is down 12 percent, and WTI crude is down 13 percent. On that agreement, Oilprice.com's Michael Kern writes:
Here is a snapshot taken midday Friday of the 1-day price marker for WTI crude: Stock markets have also reacted positively to the deal.
So, what does all this mean? Read More: Trump Cheers Strait of Hormuz Reopening During Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire — but There’s a Big Catch Oil Prices Surge Then Plunge Amid Optimism Over U.S.-Israel War With Iran Nearing End Cheaper oil is generally good for the global economy. But it's probably too early to see a dramatic drop in the most visible part of this market: Gasoline and diesel prices. Motor fuel prices always lag behind crude future market trends when the price is headed down, although they sure seem to shoot up quickly when there's a price shock. Gasoline prices are still higher than before the start of Operation Epic Fury, although we should point out that even after the operation started, gasoline prices never reached the Biden-era high. And, of course, the price of gasoline and diesel affects the price of everything else. It's a bit early to get too happy about all this, but right now, the trends are all moving in the right direction. |
The Despicable Democrat Tactic Being Deployed in a GOP House Primary in Missouri
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There’s a Republican primary underway in Missouri, and if you want a case study in how modern political hit jobs work, look no further than what’s being done to my colleague, radio talk show host turned candidate Chris Stigall. Stigall is now running for Congress, and instead of a debate over ideas, records, or vision, his opponent has chosen a different route. A slickly produced video built on selectively edited clips, designed to make it sound like Stigall is saying things he never actually said. You’ve seen this before. You know exactly how it works. Before we go any further, watch the video they’re pushing: Now that you’ve seen it, let’s talk about what’s actually happening. Because this is not a good-faith critique. This is narrative construction through omission. And if it feels familiar, it should. This is the exact same playbook used against Donald Trump with the Charlottesville “very fine people” hoax. Take a real quote, strip away the surrounding context, remove the clarifying language, and repeat the edited version until it becomes “truth” to people who never saw the original. Now let’s break down the six key examples being used against Stigall. First: “I don’t want Trump to be the nominee.” Clean. Damaging. Totally misleading. In the full exchange, Stigall is responding to a caller and describing a portion of his audience that feels that way. He literally says the caller “articulated exactly” what many listeners are thinking. That’s not a declaration. That’s a radio host doing his job. Second, the claim: “We’re going to have an indicted nominee running against Joe Biden.” The video presents this as Stigall predicting doom. In reality, he’s carefully walking through competing views inside the Republican base. He even says he’s trying not to upset supporters of different candidates and acknowledges he could be wrong. It’s analysis, not advocacy. Third, the quote: “A lot of you are over it… tired of defending him.” In isolation, it sounds like he’s dismissing Trump supporters. In context, it’s the opposite. He’s acknowledging fatigue and then immediately pivoting to defend Trump’s enduring bond with working-class voters, arguing that no one should underestimate him. The second half, naturally, is cut out. Fourth, the line: “Let’s go with a proven leader that’s not being threatened with jail.” That’s being used to suggest Stigall is backing Trump’s rivals. But he explicitly says he is not endorsing anyone. He’s describing what many Republican voters are thinking and even says he respects that perspective. That’s not an endorsement. That’s an observation. Fifth, the supposed smoking gun: “I will not support Donald Trump.” That clip sounds devastating until you realize it’s his position from 2016. Stigall is recounting his past support for Ted Cruz and his skepticism of Trump before Trump became president. He’s using it to illustrate how his views evolved and how the base saw something he didn’t at the time. It’s reflection, not a current position. And sixth, the swipe about “Trump people who misbehave and act like jacka**es on social media.” The video frames this as an attack on Trump supporters. In reality, Stigall is doing something refreshingly honest. He calls out bad behavior while also defending Trump supporters from being labeled as cultists. He explicitly says he leans Trump and is not anti-DeSantis. It’s balance. It’s nuance. And it’s exactly what gets cut. That’s the pattern. Six examples. Same tactic every time. The words are real. The meaning is fabricated. Every clip is surgically edited to remove the part where Stigall explains himself, adds context, or acknowledges competing viewpoints. What remains is a caricature designed to mislead. And here’s the part that should bother you, no matter where you stand politically. If his opponent had a stronger argument, they’d make it. If they had a better vision, they’d present it. Instead, they’re relying on the same dishonest editing tricks that have eroded trust in media and politics for years. This is manipulation. Chris Stigall built his career by talking with his audience, not at them. He respects them enough to acknowledge disagreement, to explore complexity, and to say out loud what many are thinking. That’s how he established credibility. But credibility is hard to attack directly. So instead, they manufacture something easier to knock down. We’ve seen how this ends when it goes unchallenged. We lived through years of selectively edited clips shaping national narratives while the full truth sat ignored, just one click away. Now it’s happening in a Republican primary. And the question is simple. Are voters going to fall for it again, or are they going to demand the full context before making up their minds? Because once you see the trick, you can’t unsee it. |
Look at Scott Jennings' Face When Kamala Harris Former Comms Director Said This on CNN About Iran
It’s wild stuff. Democrats believed they had Trump cornered on this Iran issue. By that, I mean they thought Tehran had won and began celebrating. Some are already doing it, and they look foolish. President Trump has once again made the current Democratic talking points outdated because he moves too quickly. We’re not bombing them; we’re negotiating a deal. Tehran reportedly agreed to hand over all its enriched uranium, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is effective.
Iran’s nuclear ambitions are gone. Their navy has been destroyed. And their political and military leadership has been irreparably crippled—everyone is dead, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
And yet, Ashley Entienne,
the former communications director for Kamala Harris, went on a tirade that left Scott Jennings stunned. The body language from Jennings was hilarious, but good on him for pressing Etienne on her conspiracy theory peddling:
Talking points. Blind hatred. Conspiracy theories. And rooting against America. That’s about all the Left has left right now. pic.twitter.com/PwvE5EOAcW
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) April 17, 2026
First, enough about the gas prices. They will drop soon, and we faced even higher prices at the pump under Joe Biden, who also burdened us with a genuine inflation and cost-of-living crisis. Second, this skepticism about deals is unbelievable. The reason we don't have a deal is that we’re dealing with terrorists, and this is what happens. I also couldn’t care less about how our allies feel—the Eurotrash are finally sending their navies to the Strait of Hormuz after we did all the work.
Also, that last bit about gas prices in Virginia. Does she not know that the Old Dominion is woke now.
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