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China Buys 1 Million Tons of US Soybeans Ahead of Xi Visit, Sources Say

China has bought around 1 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans this ‌week, four traders told Reuters, as the world's top oilseed buyer ​steps up purchases ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington later this month.

 

The purchases take China's total U.S. ⁠soybean buying to nearly half of the 25 million tons the White ​House said Beijing had committed to annually through 2028.

While China's purchases of U.S. ⁠soybeans could help bolster trade and diplomatic ties with Washington, the buying also coincides with tightening global oilseed supplies amid dwindling inventories in top exporter Brazil.

"There have been more purchases made ‌by Sinograin in the past few days," said one Asia-based trader. "They ​have been buying before Xi's ‌visit to U.S."

State buyers Sinograin and COFCO did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The U.S. ‌Department of Agriculture on Wednesday reported 340,000 tons of U.S. soybean sales to China and another 100,000 tons to unknown destinations.

China still has a ⁠10% additional tariff on all U.S. ‌goods, including agricultural products after ⁠a tit-for-tat tariff war last year. A cut to the tariff on soybeans could draw ⁠private Chinese crushers ⁠back to U.S. supplies after tariffs largely shut them out of the market.

After a meeting between the ‌two countries' leaders in May, Washington said China had agreed to buy $17 billion worth of non-soy U.S. agricultural goods annually through 2028, while maintaining its commitment to purchase ‌25 million ​metric tons of U.S. soybeans ‌each year over the same period.

In late July, U.S. President Donald Trump said Xi would visit Washington on September 24. China has ​not confirmed the visit date or the volume of any planned purchases of U.S. soybeans or other agricultural goods.

 

NYPD Commissioner Strikes Back at Mamdani During 9/11 Event in Moment We've Been Waiting For

Whenever I see NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch 

 

at an event alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, I always get the distinct impression that she's grinning and bearing it, as though she'd rather be anywhere else than near the man who has willfully and deliberately made such a mockery of the suffering his city went through during and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

That certainly seemed to be the case last Friday when Mamdani signed two 9/11-related executive orders at City Hall, and then promptly asked Tisch, who is Jewish, to pass the ceremonial pen on to his chief legal counsel, Ramzi Kassem. 

The attorney, as RedState previously reported, "spent years representing detainees at Guantánamo Bay" - including Saudi al-Qaeda member Ahmed al-Darbi, who is the brother-in-law of one of the 9/11 terrorists, Khalid al-Mihdhar.

For those who missed the moment, watch:

The New York Post noted in the aftermath of the executive order signings that "Tisch awkwardly handed it to Mamdani’s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who just snuck into the press conference, before she hurried out of the Blue Room — the first official to exit the press conference."

And who could blame her after such a repugnant display from the same mayor who has insisted on attending official remembrance ceremonies on Friday, the 25th anniversary of the attacks, despite pleas from some family members to stay away?

On Wednesday, however, Tisch had the opportunity to give a speech at an NYPD 9/11 memorial event and, with Mamdani in attendance - sitting nearby - she made the following statement:

Preserving that history also means preserving its moral clarity. The men who attacked this city were terrorists. The men and women who ran into the towers to save innocent lives were heroes. 25 years cannot be allowed to blur that distinction and shame on those who do.

Watch:

She didn't have to say Mamdani's name, nor Kassem's, to conclude that she had them in mind when she firmly stated those words.

Just to emphasize the importance of her taking a stand on this issue, let's take a look back at what Kassem had to say about the 9/11 terrorists just three days after the attacks:

"The resentment these terrorists felt towards the United States was rooted in political realities shaped by our country's policies. Our government has supported dictatorial and repressive regimes across the Middle East and elsewhere for years, in total disregard of the aspirations and better interests of the indigenous populations of those regions. This oppressive political reality is lived by millions, and only an infinitesimal few decide to go to the horrible extremes we had the misfortune of witnessing last week. It is to these populations' credit that they didn't dehumanize us the way we have dehumanized them. Thousands of Palestinians across the West Bank lit candles, grieving in solidarity with Americans, despite the fact that they suffer on daily basis from violence not unlike what we have had to endure, because our government arms the government that occupies their land."

At the time Mamdani appointed Kassem to be chief legal counsel, he proclaimed that "I will turn to Ramzi for his remarkable experience and his commitment to defending those too often abandoned by our legal system," which apparently includes admitted terrorist co-conspirators and terrorist group sympathizers.

Mamdani has also consistently tried to portray Muslims as the real victims of the 9/11 attacks. Case in point: the speech he gave in 2025 as a mayoral nominee about "Islamophobia" after 9/11 and how his purported "auntie" was supposedly too afraid to take the subway "because she did not feel safe in her hijab."

 

Not surprisingly, his story fell apart quickly after scrutiny, with Mamdani having to clarify that the alleged woman in question wasn't actually his aunt. Incredibly but not surprisingly, he accused those who caught him in the lie of... you guessed it, Islamophobia.

Mamdani has also infamously been anti-police to the extent he repeatedly called for defunding the NYPD... until he began his run for mayor.

I cannot imagine what it must feel like to be a New Yorker who doesn't support him but who has to endure his empty platitudes, moral preening, and insulting twists on the facts about American history and Islamic terrorism -- especially on a somber week like this one.

My hat is off to Commissioner Tisch for finally "going there" - in her own way - in defense of her city and its heroes, all while Mamdani sat stone-faced just a few feet away.  If he's ultimately going to be just a one-term mayor, we need more of this speaking out, not less. Enough is enough.

 

Caitlyn Jenner Just Floated a Move That Would End the WNBA’s Gender Charade

The WNBA might be looking at a former Olympic decathlon gold medalist joining one of its rosters. One would assume they'd be thrilled by such an athletic pedigree stepping into the league.

Maybe not so much.

Caitlyn Jenner,

 

who won gold in a sport that determines "the world's greatest athlete" in 1976, told Enes Kanter Freedom that maybe she ought to enter the 2027 WNBA draft herself — as a “real trans person.”

There's very little that's "real" when it comes to a trans person, but you have to admire the shade she's throwing at a league that boasts a 'W' in its acronym but couldn't tell you what it means.

Jenner revealed the conversation with Freedom on "Planet Tyrus," with Fox News personality and professional wrestler Tyrus. (He, too, works in kayfabe.)

"Enes and I have talked on the phone quite a few times, and I even told him one time — this is a couple of weeks ago — ‘Enes, I’m like a real trans person. Maybe I should sign up for the 2027 WNBA draft,’" the former Wheaties model said.

Earlier in the interview, Tyrus offered advice to the WNBA on how it could have avoided the gender controversy in the first place.

"All the WNBA had to say was, ‘You can’t play in our league because you are a man. This is a woman’s league.’ That’s it, it’s over. News cycle’s done," he said.

Or, alternately, they could have just taken the comments made by Sophie Cunningham that set off the firestorm in the first place — the perfectly reasonable comments — and said, 'Yeah, we agree. We'd like to protect women and girls.'

"I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men," Cunningham said in an ESPN profile in late July.

'We do too,' should have been the response from soon-to-be ex-Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

Instead, league brass held a meeting to figure out what defines a "woman" for the purposes of competing in a women's league and, like Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, were left befuddled.

Jenner previously offered the WNBA advice on how to address who is eligible to play in the league. Freedom and Royce White pushed the issue by mocking the league's rules and announcing they'd enter the draft.

"They’re showing the hypocrisy of what’s going on out there in the WNBA," Jenner said of Freedom and White. "The WNBA had their meetings on this issue and Cathy (Engelbert), the head, says, ‘We talked about the trans issue but we just haven’t come up with a conclusion at this point. We will continue the conversation.’"

"Cathy, XX, you’re in. XY, you’re out. It’s that simple."

Jenner, at the age of 76, could probably average a double-double in points and rebounds if given the chance. At the very least, Jenner would have a higher field goal percentage than Angel Reese.

That's only if the league decides to be inclusive enough to allow a "real trans person" in the door.

 

Victor Davis Hanson Has a Theory About What Happened to Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene

Victor Davis Hanson, 

 

a military classicist, historian, and fellow at the Hoover Institution, offered some insight into why Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and others, who initially appeared to be allies of the MAGA movement, so quickly became saboteurs. 

According to Hanson, it may simply be that when these commentators and politicians spoke with President Trump, they believed themselves capable of guiding the MAGA movement more broadly. In other words, like most people who get a taste for power, they believed they could single-handedly commandeer the movement for their own ends. When the president made clear that wasn’t going to happen, they showed their true colors.

“I think they felt that because they had been very intimate with [Trump] — in the sense that they had been at Mar-a-Lago, or they were on Air Force One — that they insidiously began to think that they could tell him things, and they forgot that he is the president of the United States, and that they represent maybe one-one thousandth of the people he contacts,” Hanson told Miranda Divine of "Pod Force One."

“This is a man who’s talking to the most powerful people in the world, and we’re not that important, but [Greene and Carlson] felt — I don’t know how else to explain why Tucker said he called him and said, ‘Don’t do this with Iran,’ or ‘Don’t do this,’ or ‘Don’t do that,’” he added.

“Why would a president listen to somebody just because he was on Air Force One, and why would Tucker, who’s a very intelligent person, think that he had that entree to affect a policy that would change decades just because he had been on Air Force One or had known Trump?”

“I think they misinterpret informality and magnanimity as sort of an allowance for them to have a greater role than they otherwise should or would,” Hanson argued.

“And when they start to exit that role, then they get a snap back from him, and then they get very angry, as if, ‘Well, wait a minute, I was at Mar-a-Lago, I was on Air Force One, I talk’ – and they don’t understand he’s the president of the United States, and that’s the difference.”

“He calls people and he asks how you are and what can he do for you, but you can’t mistake that genuine interest, intimacy and niceness and kindness with the fact that he’s not president of the United States,” he explained.  “So, you don’t go to the next step and say, ‘Hey, Mr. President,’ you don’t say, ‘Hey, Don,’ or ‘Hey, this,’ and you wouldn’t assume that you had control.”

The larger question is whether those same forces can be kept in check once President Trump leaves office. MAGA is already looking toward its next generation of leaders, and not all of the possible heirs see the movement, or figures such as Tucker Carlson, the same way. Vice President JD Vance, for example, has said Carlson remains a close friend despite their political disagreements, including Carlson’s criticism of President Trump. 

Trump has held together a broad coalition without letting every commentator, donor, or elected official grab the steering wheel. He kept the tent big, but he also kept its loudest would-be saboteurs from ripping it apart. The danger is that, once he is gone, those internal fractures could widen into the kind of open civil war now consuming the Democrat Party as DSA-backed candidates challenge its establishment wing. Whether anyone can preserve MAGA’s coalition with Trump’s same authority may be the movement’s defining test after Trump.

 

Fetterman's Ex-Staffers Melt Down Over His Video Message at GOP Midterm Convention

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has made enemies on both sides of the river. He’s a dead man politically. It’s over. Unless something drastically changes, he’ll lose handily to a Democrat primary challenger. As for the GOP, well, their reaction to his video at the midterm convention was likely the death knell. NBC News decided to get his former staffers on the record, and they trashed their former boss (via NBC News):

The appearance comes as Fetterman has built a close bipartisan relationship with McCormick. The two even launched a joint fundraising committee together, which triggered a wave of Democratic criticism of Fetterman, who has toyed with leaving the party but has vowed not to.

Former Fetterman aides who spoke with NBC News on Wednesday said the Democratic senator’s decision to appear at an event — nicknamed “Trumpapalooza” — to boost Republicans ahead of the critical midterm elections was beyond the pale. One former aide to the senator described the appearance as “pathetic” and said McCormick is “working him like dog.”

It’s not shocking that they’re ex-staffers. Fetterman is pro-Israel, which is anathema to his party’s base, and this vow to never attack Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) has also likely ruffled feathers. 

 

“He is a troll so this kind of behavior makes sense, but to see it executed at this scale is really stunning,” Trè Easton, a former legislative aide to Fetterman, said. “Also in what world is bear-hugging Trump, who is sitting at 27% approval in the state, smart for anyone? Obviously dumb for a Democrat to do it. But even if he’s thinking of going independent or fully switching, I just don’t think it rebounds to his benefit long term.”

One former top Fetterman aide, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the relationship, told NBC News last month that the senator has referred to McCormick as “his mentor” and seeks his approval. This person said the pair often text one another and have dinner back in Pennsylvania. Both live in the Pittsburgh area.

Look, with Fetterman, take it or leave it; it’s what it is. 

 

AG Paxton pledges to 'fight to preserve the American dream' at GOP Midterm Convention

Texas Republican Senate candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks on stage on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention at the American Airlines Center on September 09, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.

Texas Attorney General and United States Senate hopeful Ken Paxton reiterated his ongoing commitment to putting more money into the pockets of working-class Americans, during his speech at the GOP Midterm Convention hosted by the Republican National Committee (RNC) in Dallas, Texas.

Paxton (R-Texas.) kicked off his speech at the midterm convention on Wednesday by thanking President Donald Trump and pledging his dedication to the “American Dream” through tax relief, Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) policies and reduced living costs.

The attorney general went on to offer a glimpse into his childhood, sharing that he grew up with his family in a trailer at an Air Force base, an experience he said instilled in him a deep understanding of what it means to serve his country.

“We didn’t have much but I learned more about service to my country in that trailer than I did in any classroom,” Paxton said. “And that’s why this is so personal to me.”

 

Using his humble upbringing as an example for the middle-class he has built his Senate campaign around, Paxton emphasized his commitment to “protecting” these individuals, who he says often worry “that they will never get ahead,” due to high costs of living.

That’s why, he said, he unveiled the Protecting the Texas Promise Plan, which he explained “put thousands of dollars back in your pockets” and helped Texans whose goals are to “buy a home, raise a family and live a healthy life.”

Paxton also touted his plan to help Texans achieve homeownership through a $50,000 down payment tax deduction, alongside a $25,000 deduction for medical expenses, emphasizing that “no family should go bankrupt just for getting sick.”

 

During his speech, the Senate hopeful pledged to “make Trump accounts permanent” while highlighting the positive effects of MAHA.

Paxton further utilized his stage time to celebrate his past achievements as Texas Attorney General, particularly during the Biden Administration.

“When the corrupt Biden administration came for us, I took them to court 107 times. And I won,” he stated, earning a cheer from the crowd. “That’s why President Trump said I was the most effective attorney general in the county”

 

Closing out his speech, Paxton cited his Senate challenger James Talarico (D-Texas.) who he said is running to “destroy” the American dream.

Ken Paxton Just ENDED James Talarico’s Political Career Live On Stage at the RNC Convention.

"This guy is obsessed with transitions. He wants to transition your kids. He wants to transition Texas off of oil and gas"

"How about we transition him and his crazy ideas right out… pic.twitter.com/Al6N76O4Ue

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 9, 2026

Talarico, a former middle school teacher and Texas House Representative, has pledged to bring “his fight against corruption to Washington and win power back for working people,” according to his campaign site.

 

“I will fight to preserve the American dream—James Talarico? Running to destroy it,” Paxton declared and concluded his speech by saying, “If we lose Texas we will lose the common-sense revolution.”

Elected on November 4, 2014, Paxton was reelected to second and third terms in 2018 and 2022, cementing his role as the state’s 51^st AG. He is known for establishing the Human Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crime (HTTOC) division to combat human trafficking in Texas, according to his campaign site.

 

Trump Headlines RNC Primetime in Dallas as VP JD Vance Keynotes

The Republican National Committee turned Dallas into a primetime political stage this week. What started as an unusual midterm experiment quickly became a full‑blown GOP showcase — President Donald Trump anchoring both nights and Vice President JD Vance delivering a marquee keynote. This is not your typical off‑year meet‑and‑greet; it’s a national audition for turnout, fundraising and messaging going into the midterms.

Trump and Vance Headline a Primetime GOP Midterm Convention

The big news is simple: President Trump is set to headline both nights of the RNC’s two‑night primetime event while Vice President JD Vance commands a prime‑time keynote slot. The RNC billed the gathering as a “primetime showcase” for Trump’s record and GOP candidates. That’s bold and smart on paper. Live speeches draw viewers, own the narrative, and force national reporters to focus on Republican themes instead of letting Democrats set the news cycle. If you want to rally the base, you bring the base’s favorite star to center stage — and the RNC did just that.

 

Big Money, Big Donor Signals — and Real Risks

But this Dallas spectacle wasn’t just about applause lines. Behind the lights were high‑dollar donor receptions, steep photo fees and closed‑door fundraisers tied to Vance‑aligned networks like Rockbridge. The party is mobilizing cash — and cash buys ads, get‑out‑the‑vote programs and field operations. Still, there’s a tradeoff. Some vulnerable GOP candidates are cautious about showing up. In a few swing districts, the last thing a nominee needs is to be painted as a rubber stamp for every line in a national speech. The RNC is betting the fundraiser energy will outweigh any local fallout.

Why This Matters for Midterm Turnout and Messaging

Make no mistake: this is a test. The RNC is trying to convert spectacle into ballots and dollars. A primetime convention can energize volunteers and donors, but it only works if the message translates to local races and voter mobilization. Democrats are already trying to turn the show into a liability, staging counterprogramming and messaging that frames the event as self‑indulgent. Republicans must do more than headline acts and photo ops. Turn the applause into door knocks, phone banks, and targeted ads that help candidates win tight races.

Bottom line: Turn spectacle into votes

The Dallas midterm convention is a clever, risky play. It puts President Trump and Vice President Vance front and center and opens the GOP’s fundraising floodgates. If the RNC and campaigns harness the energy for local turnout and tight race messaging, Republicans could see real results. If it stays a cable spectacle and donor dinner circuit, it will be a flashy show with little ticket‑sales impact on Election Day. Republicans here have one clear job: convert the primetime spotlight into votes — not just applause.

 

Miliband’s Ban Backfires: Israel Expels UK Diplomats

This Guy is British?😂

 The diplomatic slap between Israel and Britain is no garden-variety tiff. This week Israel ordered Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem to close within 30 days, gave British diplomats in Ramallah and at a Gaza coordination center seven days to leave, and banned a list of British politicians from entry. The move is a clear, escalatory reply to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s decision to ban trade and services tied to West Bank settlements — and it should be a wake-up call for anyone who thinks moral posturing has no cost.

What Israel Ordered — The Nuts and Bolts

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the package, saying Britain’s settlement measures were “morally distorted” and meddling in Israel’s affairs. The orders are precise: the British consulate in East Jerusalem must shut in 30 days and lose accreditation; British staff at the U.S.-led Gaza coordination mission in Kiryat Gat and diplomats in Ramallah must leave in seven days; Britain is barred from training Palestinian Authority security forces; and a dozen Britons, including Jeremy Corbyn, MP, and Diane Abbott, MP, were put on a no-entry list.

Why Britain Pushed This—and the Political Theater

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband framed the settlement trade ban as a stand against “settler terrorists” and settler-driven displacement. Prime Minister Andy Burnham backed him. It is easy to applaud standing up to injustice in speeches. It is harder to live with the fallout when policy choices cost real diplomatic access and ruin platforms used to deliver aid and gather facts on the ground.

Practical Consequences — Not Just Symbolism

The East Jerusalem consulate is not the embassy in Tel Aviv; it is Britain’s operational link to Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Closing it removes Britain’s boots-on-the-ground monitoring and aid coordination. Losing access to the Gaza mission and Palestinian security training makes Britain less useful, not more righteous. This is diplomatic self-sabotage with a neat moral bow on top.

Who Wins and Who Loses

Israel argues it is defending sovereignty and pushing back against what it calls election interference. Britain says it is defending rights and the two-state idea. The real losers are ordinary people in Gaza and the West Bank who rely on aid and stable coordination. The UK government traded diplomatic leverage for headlines. That trade will matter when humanitarian logjams and security gaps open up — and then Britain will find, to its surprise, that influence is not the same as applause.

For a country that prides itself on global reach, this episode reads like a foreign-policy misstep dressed as moral clarity. Britain provoked a proportional — and effective — response from Jerusalem. If London wanted change in the West Bank, it should have been ready to follow through on strategy, not just soundbites. Instead of virtue signaling, the U.K. should pick a clear toolset: diplomacy, targeted pressure, or quiet influence. You cannot do all three at once and expect no consequences.

 

Uncovering the Candidate: What’s Behind This Controversial Ad?

Texas vote for Ken Paxton.

 

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Trump Unveils New Canadian Import Bans, Giving Ottawa 3 Weeks to Respond

President Donald Trump is escalating the trade war with Canada by ordering a ban on Canadian dairy products, most alcoholic beverages, and motorcycles, with the restrictions set to take effect in three weeks.

The new measures, reported by Axios and confirmed by other outlets, came Tuesday after Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of U.S. goods, marking another sharp escalation in an 18-month trade dispute between the two longtime trading partners.

The three-week delay creates a potentially important window for negotiations before the new U.S. restrictions take effect.

The administration's latest move also goes beyond tariffs, reflecting the broader trade strategy described by Axios in a report Tuesday as Trump considers using outright import bans as a new weapon against foreign countries. Trump has separately threatened to block Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier from selling jets in the United States.

Trump also moved Tuesday to restrict Canadian products from large, long-term U.S. government contracts, directing the General Services Administration to declare them ineligible until Canada allows what the administration calls "full and fair reciprocity" for American products.

The latest confrontation follows the collapse of U.S.-Canada trade talks in August.

On Aug. 22, the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian imports, targeting products including dairy, alcoholic beverages, lumber, furniture, and other goods. Canada responded Tuesday with tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on about $20 billion of American products, including steel, aluminum, cheese, appliances, clothing, cosmetics, and farm equipment.

The Canadian measures cover roughly 6% of the $333.6 billion in goods the United States exported to Canada last year, according to the Associated Press.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Canada would accelerate efforts to reduce its economic dependence on the United States.

"We have everything we need to pivot and prosper," Carney said in a video message, according to Reuters, while acknowledging that shifting trade patterns would carry economic costs.

The alcohol fight is particularly significant. Canada exported about $1.36 billion worth of alcoholic beverages in 2023, with roughly 90% going to the United States, according to Canada's Trade Commissioner Service — equivalent to about $1.0 billion in U.S. dollars at the exchange rate used for the conversion.

 

More recent trade data show U.S. imports from Canada in the broader category of beverages, spirits and vinegar reached about $1.56 billion in 2025.

The broader trade relationship dwarfs those individual categories. U.S. goods imports from Canada totaled $381.9 billion in 2025, while U.S. goods exports to Canada totaled $333.6 billion, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Canada's exports to the United States were worth about $407 billion in 2025, according to Reuters, underscoring Ottawa's continued dependence on the American market despite its efforts to diversify.

More than 70% of Canadian exports still go to the United States, according to the Associated Press.

The new restrictions therefore arrive at a pivotal moment: Washington has set a three-week clock on the dairy, alcohol and motorcycle bans while Ottawa is moving ahead with its retaliatory tariffs and pursuing alternative trading relationships.

U.S. and Canadian officials remain in contact despite the breakdown in formal negotiations, according to the Associated Press, but neither side has indicated that a new round of formal talks is imminent.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

 

Pritzker Announces Latest Political Stunt, and Not Even the Left Wing Media Is Fooled

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) wants to run for president in 2028. 

Pretty much everyone knows it, and for anyone who doesn't, just take a look at the cheap, sometimes callous stunts he's tried to pull while challenging President Donald Trump at every turn ever since the POTUS was sworn in for his second term, which included providing "safe harbor" for the Texas Democrat lawmakers who fled their state amid a heated redistricting battle in the summer of 2025.

Pritzker tried to present himself as a hero, a beacon of "democracy" in advising those Democrats and railing against a Trump-backed mid-decade redrawing of lines in the Lone Star State. But he left out the part about how his state was one of the most wildly gerrymandered in the country by design, something even left-wing talk show host Stephen Colbert had to call out at the time:

More recently, Pritzker was seen in a video doing something called "Governor-maxxing," which - yes - is about as cringe as it sounds.

 

But on Tuesday, the governor, who also happens to be running for reelection, announced the launch of a new PAC he says is aimed at helping House Democrats in districts he feels have been "overlooked" ahead of the 2026 midterms:

The group, Ready for the Fight PAC, will soon run ads targeting Brandon Herrera, a hard-line Republican and YouTuber running in a red-leaning Texas border district, according to a news release. It will also target Representative Max Miller, a Republican from Ohio whose ex-wife accused him of domestic violence and child abuse. It will add other races to its list at a later date, a spokeswoman said.

“With everything we care about on the line, Democrats cannot retreat to a handful of battleground races,” a spokeswoman for the group, Jordan Abudayyeh, wrote in the news release on Tuesday. Mr. Pritzker is using millions of dollars from his personal fortune to fund the group, and also plans to raise money from other donors, Ms. Abudayyeh said.

Except even the Democrat apologists in the mainstream media couldn't help but notice how this conveniently would also elevate his profile nationally even more just a few months out from when candidates typically start formally declaring their intentions to run for president:

Pritzker, who just wrapped up a statewide bus tour for his gubernatorial campaign — complete with images of him speaking alongside a U.S. flag rather than an Illinois flag — is expected to win a third term in November in deep-blue Illinois. He is also widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender. Creating a PAC that invests in candidates beyond his home state can help build relationships, generate goodwill and accumulate political capital that could prove valuable in a future White House bid.

Additionally, it was also noted that other Democrat governors who have been considering presidential runs had started similar PACs:

Others who have created PACs to help candidates in other states include California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his Campaign for Democracy PAC, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and his In This Together PAC and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her Fight Like Hell PAC.

Democrats are nothing if not a predictable lot. But in Pritzker's case, the stunt is especially noteworthy considering everything he's said about "billionaires in politics," a point made by his GOP opponent, former state Sen. Darren Bailey, in July:

Bingo.

 

The Best of Times, the Wokest of Times: Steak 'n Shake Fattens Coffers As Nike 'Sacrifices' It All

Call it a tale of two companies. 

Nowhere has the “go woke, go broke” mantra been more pronounced than in the contrasting strategies presented by MAHA-friendly Steak ’n Shake and the insufferably virtue-signaling Nike.

The difference between the scrappy burger joint and the tone-deaf sportswear giant not only offers an interesting case study in how to succeed at business, but also the perfect allegory for the present ideological rift between right-wing populists and left-wing elitists.

SHAKING UP THE FAST-FOOD INDUSTRY

Founded originally in 1934, Steak ’n Shake has long languished in fast-food mediocrity, in terms of its business model if not its food. 

A recent YouGov survey of the most famous dining brands ranked the Indiana-based chain, with around 400 restaurants, No. 67 for name recognition, just ahead of top rival Shake Shack. It fared slightly better in terms of popularity but still was unable to break the top 50. 

However, a viral marketing campaign, accompanied by a major menu revamp, could change all of that. 

“Since 2025, the Indianapolis-based chain has mounted an audacious turnaround strategy that embraces President Trump’s brand of patriotism, and the Make America Healthy Again movement championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,” noted the Wall Street Journal.

The makeover, led by leading investor and Maxim magazine owner Sardar Biglari, included hiring Michael Boes in April as its “chief MAHA officer.” 

Boes previously served as senior adviser to Admiral Brian Christine, the Trump administration’s assistant secretary for health under RFK Jr. 

According to a press release, Boes worked with USDA officials on the newly revised food pyramid. 

“Appointing a Chief MAHA Officer is a sign of our continued commitment to make Steak 'n Shake the great differentiator in fast food,” Biglari said. 

“Michael is ideally suited for such a role, with his deep understanding of nutrition and his experience at the highest level of health policymaking," he added. "To put it simply, good-tasting food should also be good for you.

 

Under Boes’ stewardship, changes have included using grass-fed beef and replacing its vegetable oil with beef tallow, replacing high-fructose corn syrup with sugar cane, removing the microwaves from its kitchens, and even accepting Bitcoin as a favored form of payment.

The Journal noted that the strategy was yielding measurable results, according to recent filings from Biglari Holdings that showed same-store sales up 14 percent in the first half of 2026 and average restaurant visits growing by 6 percent after facing a decline in 2024.

The chain still faces challenges, including the increased costs that come with its focus on quality, as well as continuing to reverse the declines that saddled it with about $220 million in long-term debt. 

But better food and the brand loyalty it stands to cultivate from its anti-woke marketing make it an auspicious investment opportunity.

“For decades, Steak ’n Shake subsisted in the middle of the U.S. fast-food pack,” the Journal wrote. “The ingredient revamp helps it stand out without relying solely on discounts.” 

JUST STOP IT

Meanwhile, the news of Nike’s deindexing from the S&P 100 closes a loop more than five years in the making. 

The company has lost nearly 80 percent of its value since its 2021 peak. And so it’s worth taking a moment to reflect just how all of this started. 

 

It was not by Nike making a simple miscalculation in the interest of broadening its customer base — the fatal flaw that would go on to befall Bud Light and others in the fog of “Woke 1.”

Nike was the trailblazer, the intended prototype for a new type of marketing that leftists hoped would yield greater returns through its “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything” campaign. 

The campaign prominently featured divisive, anti-American muck-flinger Colin Kaepernick, a failed NFL quarterback who had been let go the previous year after six middling seasons. 

Benched by 49ers coach Chip Kelly in late 2016 for performance reasons, Kaepernick might have used the opportunity to reflect on how to reclaim his role. Instead, he used it to reflect on the many ways he, as a mixed-race person, had been oppressed during his privileged upbringing by affluent, white parents in the California suburbs. 

Eventually, Kaepernick’s anthem-kneeling became too great a distraction for the NFL. But with the 30th anniversary of its iconic “Just Do It” ad campaign approaching, Nike saw an opportunity. Rather than read the room with the recent election of Donald Trump, it opted to become the official Asian-sweatshop-produced uniform for the anti-MAGA resistance.

Branding and design studio TC Creatives echoed the consensus view of so-called marketing experts who hoped the athletic apparel company could astroturf its way into major gains by insulting the right-wing segment of its demographic.

“Nike’s decision to feature Kaepernick is met by both praise and aversion across the country,” TC Creatives said in a Sept. 4, 2018 blog post. “Since the advertisement launched yesterday (Labor Day 2018), Nike has received $43 million in media coverage. Its share price has also dropped 3%, costing the company $3.75 billion in market cap. Is Nike sacrificing everything?”

The so-called experts resoundingly concluded that it was a stroke of genius.

“This is something many companies try to do, some failing miserably ... However, Nike seems to continuously hit the mark, giving a masterclass in brand values,” TC Creatives wrote.

Nike’s strategy succeeded until November 2021, as it continued a meteoric ascent, topping off at around $178 per share before a precipitous decline. 

It currently trades around $38 — the lowest Nike’s stock has dipped since 2014 — marking a plunge, to date, of around $200 billion in overall value.

While some will see a “buy low” opportunity, Forbes noted that “[t]he S&P 100 removal adds something different to the discussion. The issue is less about shoes or quarterly earnings than about ownership, expectations, and what happens to a former market favorite after years of disappointment.” 

In fairness to Nike and its new CEO, Elliott Hill, a longtime Nike veteran brought in to right the ship after its disastrous four-year tumble, the decline is attributable to a multitude of factors, including a focus on direct shipping over retail shopping, new competition, a slowdown of international sales and, of course, Bidenomics. 

Yet, the constant throughout has been Nike’s insistence on aggressively alienating customers whose values do not align, even as newcomers to the industry like lululemon surpass it in emphasizing product quality. 

The comparison between Nike and Steak ’N Shake is hardly perfect. Nike is still a $60 billion corporation while Steak ’N Shake sits around $400 million. One examined the long-term impacts, while the other is a success story yet to be written. 

But what is clear is that while Nike deemed its customers expendable, forcing them to meet it at its radical leftist dividing line, Steak ’n Shake’s strategy is focused on making improvements that will benefit customers of all stripes — much like the MAGA movement it is modeled after.

 

That Time a Dem Senator Knew She Was Cooked Over These Remarks on Illegals and Healthcare

It's an old clip, but still good, especially since the lie about Democrats not wanting to give illegal aliens healthcare, or worse, that they're not receiving federal health care benefits, is considered gospel in liberal circles. Of course, they do. What do you think attracts these hordes of illegals like a magnet? This Fox News interview with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) occurred last October, but she knew she stepped on a landmine when she dropped this line about the issue.

Her facial expression says it all — she knew she messed up. The outgoing New Hampshire senator tossed out the line ‘I’ve never heard anyone from my party say they support giving illegal aliens taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits’ without any pushback. This isn’t CNN, lady. We have the clips.

Fox News’ Lawrence Jones knew he had the kill shot.

“Glad you said that,” he said. “I actually have some tape.” He then cut to the 2020 Democratic debate, where, lo and behold, Shaheen’s party was all gung-ho about giving taxpayer-funded healthcare to illegal aliens.

The Democrats don't want to deport these people, so, yeah, they want to give them federal benefits as well. 

Luckily, voters see through the ruse. 

 

This Clip Perfectly Captures the Insanity of the Lindsay Clancy Jury

We knew the deliberations were probably a circus. Now we have multiple jurors sounding off on what happened in the room, with the female jurors especially ripping into the male juror they claim ignored the evidence. It’s a two-ton tale of bulls**t, which was capped off by one saying that this person — wait for it—“had the hardest time getting off the fact that Lindsay viciously killed her children.”

Female juror in the Lindsay Clancy trial BLASTS the lone male holdout that led to a mistrial:

“He had the hardest time getting over the fact that Lindsay viciously killed her children.” pic.twitter.com/rHswqTuMNU

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 9, 2026

This just aired on CBS Boston:

A female 4th juror comes forward and says the other jurors were pushing to acquit on *DAY 1*

She changed from guilty to not guilty pic.twitter.com/SUVAAVUdsE

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 9, 2026

Lindsay Clancy jurors giggle over how “entertaining” & “compassionate” Kevin Reddington was.

“Just his whole demeanor was funny…”

Totally insane. There was zero chance of a guilty verdict because the female jurors were in love with Clancy’s attorney. pic.twitter.com/zwpyAKgHYw

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 8, 2026

Omg. Lindsay Clancy juror spills that female nurses on the jury used their titles & experience, outside of the material evidence presented, to try and coerce the holdout into a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity.

What a sham. That man is a hero. pic.twitter.com/6Y40tmXmTO

— johnny maga (@johnnymaga) September 8, 2026

"According to one frustrated juror, quote, 'he had the hardest time getting over the fact that Lindsay viciously killed her children.'" https://t.co/WfUlUTsiXx pic.twitter.com/lzq5zqxSqF

— Breaking Point USA (@nixonist) September 8, 2026

Female juror in the Lindsay Clancy trial BLASTS the lone male holdout that led to a mistrial:

“He had the hardest time getting over the fact that Lindsay viciously killed her children.” pic.twitter.com/rHswqTuMNU

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 9, 2026

Recommended

This just aired on CBS Boston:

A female 4th juror comes forward and says the other jurors were pushing to acquit on *DAY 1*

She changed from guilty to not guilty pic.twitter.com/SUVAAVUdsE

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 9, 2026

Lindsay Clancy jurors giggle over how “entertaining” & “compassionate” Kevin Reddington was.

“Just his whole demeanor was funny…”

Totally insane. There was zero chance of a guilty verdict because the female jurors were in love with Clancy’s attorney. pic.twitter.com/zwpyAKgHYw

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 8, 2026

Omg. Lindsay Clancy juror spills that female nurses on the jury used their titles & experience, outside of the material evidence presented, to try and coerce the holdout into a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity.

What a sham. That man is a hero. pic.twitter.com/6Y40tmXmTO

— johnny maga (@johnnymaga) September 8, 2026

"According to one frustrated juror, quote, 'he had the hardest time getting over the fact that Lindsay viciously killed her children.'" https://t.co/WfUlUTsiXx pic.twitter.com/lzq5zqxSqF

— Breaking Point USA (@nixonist) September 8, 2026

Oh gee, you mean the reason why y’all are in the room, plus the admission by the Clancy defense team that she did kill her kids. 

Lindsay Clancy is on trial for three counts of murder, strangling her kids with exercise bands in January 2023. She then slashed her wrists and jumped out of a window, sustaining injuries that have left her paralyzed. She’s been in a mental institution ever since.

This lone juror is a patriot. Lines must be drawn, and child murder is one of them. There is no rationalization here. Lock her up, but dear god, what a bunch of dingbats, and some of them worked in the healthcare industry. They called Clancy's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, “entertaining” and “compassionate.” 

The Lindsay Clancy jury was packed with teachers and nurses who thought the hero holdout was "very arrogant" and "completely disregarded" their expertise.

"He had the hardest time getting off the fact that Lindsay viscously killed her children." pic.twitter.com/dLfbPnpk3f

 

Calif. gubernatorial race: Becerra agrees to debate Hilton in televised general election debate broadcast

In a major development for the California gubernatorial race, Democrat candidate Xavier Becerra has finally agreed to face off against Republican opponent Steve Hilton in a televised general election debate broadcast live by CNN. Becerra and Steve Hilton have shared a debate stage before, but only during multi-candidate primary debates.

The prime-time event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30^th, at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time (PT), emanating from CNN’s studios in Burbank, California.

Moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, the one-hour televised debate will air across network platforms, giving California voters their first head-to-head forum between the two general election contenders who advanced from the June primary to succeed outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.).

The agreement marks a major turning point in the campaign narrative following months of political sparring over debate terms, platforms and schedules. Hilton, a conservative commentator and former Fox News host, had spent weeks publicly pressuring the Democrat frontrunner to commit to televised debates.

 

Becerra, who served as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under former President Joe Biden and previously as California Attorney General, ultimately agreed to the debate format after the left-wing network confirmed both candidates met the strict eligibility criteria, including fundraising thresholds over $1 million and sustained polling support of at least 15%.

Meanwhile, with the November general election approaching, the scheduled broadcast offers both campaigns a stage to compare their platforms before a statewide television audience.

Hilton has focused his platform on economic affordability, reducing state bureaucracy, tackling the Golden State’s homelessness crisis, public safety and community security, in addition to reversing safety-net expansions for illegal aliens. Conversely, Becerra has merely leaned on his decades of federal and state governance experience, emphasizing “healthcare access for all” while defending California’s left-wing social policies.

 

Highest cost of living. Highest taxes. Highest unemployment rate.

But Becerra’s machine keeps raising taxes and spending more of your money. ENOUGH!

Time to cut the bloat and bureaucracy, and make our state CALIFORDABLE. pic.twitter.com/Mj0dII4fV1

— Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) September 8, 2026

 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Pen Handoff to Ramzi Kassem Sparks Outrage

 Mayor Zohran Mamdani meant to sign two executive orders at City Hall — one to create a citywide Day of Remembrance for 9/11 and another to tighten how the city prepares for emergencies. Instead, one small, ceremonial gesture turned the moment into a scandal. The video of the mayor passing the commemorative pen down the line and having Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch hand it to Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem has many New Yorkers feeling angry, hurt, and rightly suspicious.

The pen handoff that set off the uproar

It took seconds. Mayor Zohran Mamdani handed the pen to Commissioner Tisch and quietly said, “Can you pass this?” Tisch moved it along to Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem, who accepted it and then left. That quick exchange exploded into headlines because Kassem once represented a Guantánamo detainee whose case has ties to 9/11 reporting. People watching saw a symbolic moment that should have honored victims instead spotlight someone linked, by past legal work, to the other side of that tragedy.

 

 Why this mattered to families and veterans

This wasn’t just politics — it was personal. Families of those lost on 9/11 and first responders who remember that day saw the gesture as tone-deaf at best and insulting at worst. Retired first responders and several Republican council members called the move deliberate and disrespectful. When you sign a remembrance order for 9/11 and then hand the pen to someone whose prior work touched the very people who harmed Americans, you don’t get to claim ignorance; you get questions about judgment.

City Hall’s defense — and why it doesn’t soothe the outrage

The mayor’s office says Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem and his team drafted the executive orders, which explains why he was present. That’s a reasonable administrative detail — counsel who write orders often stand nearby. But optics aren’t rules of procedure. The explanation may be true, but it doesn’t undo the pain the image caused. In politics, optics are policy too, and this one looked like a deliberate signal to some, whether or not that was intended.

What should happen next

Mayor Zohran Mamdani should own the mistake and meet the families he offended. An apology and a clear statement explaining why Kassem was present — plus a private meeting with 9/11 families and first-responder leaders — would be the minimum step toward repair. New Yorkers deserve leaders who show basic respect on days reserved for remembrance. A ceremonial pen may be small, but symbols matter. If City Hall wants unity, it should start by proving it understands that.

Eastern Germany's AfD Victory Signals A Major Shift in Political Power

 

On September 6, 2026, voters in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt handed the Alternative for Germany a stunning victory, delivering roughly 43.8 percent of the vote in what pundits are calling a true electoral landslide. The result was not a whisper of discontent but a roar from communities that feel ignored by Berlin’s elites, and it was measured and decisive — a clear rebuke to the political class.

The immediate reaction from the establishment was predictably panicked: Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his coalition found themselves on the defensive as centrist parties watched support evaporate overnight. Longtime gatekeepers of German politics are suddenly confronting voters who are done with platitudes and want tangible changes on migration, security, and economic stewardship.

This surge has a simple, familiar anatomy: when mainstream parties prioritize globalist priorities over local security and prosperity, voters look for alternatives that promise to put nation and people first. Commentators across Europe are calling it a test of the so-called firewall that once reliably kept extremist movements out of government, and the breakdown of that firewall should terrify every career politician who thought their majority was permanent.

 

The AfD stopped short of an outright majority, but the scale of its triumph means it will be the kingmaker of regional politics and cannot be written off as a protest vote. Even if coalitions and parliamentary rules complicate immediate power grabs, the political reality is plain: parties that ignored the voters’ concerns now must negotiate with them or be forced from office at the next ballot.

For conservatives who value national sovereignty and secure borders, this is a hopeful moment — not because any single party is a perfect answer, but because citizens have begun reclaiming political power from a detached elite. Europe’s reaction has been visceral, and the transatlantic lesson is clear: silence from the Right only allows the Left and globalists to reshape societies without consent, so grassroots engagement and principled leadership matter now more than ever.

Hardworking Americans should watch this closely and learn the lesson Saxony-Anhalt just taught Berlin: when governments ignore basic responsibilities to their people, voters will choose change. If conservatives at home want to preserve liberty and the rule of law, it’s time to stop outsourcing our future to technocrats and start building movements that answer to real communities and real needs.