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J6 Rioters, ‘Big Lie’ Supporter Hegseth Will Have Votes to Be SecDef Says GOP Leader: Report

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Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News weekend co-host who has promoted Donald Trump’s “Big Lie,” enthusiastically covered the “Save America” rally (video below) that lead up to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol—widely regarded as an insurrection or “self-coup d’état“—and voiced support for the rioters, may now have the votes needed to be confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Defense. According to a report from CBS News, Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune has indicated there will be sufficient support for Hegseth’s nomination.

“Senate Majority Leader John Thune has privately told President-elect Donald Trump that he believes Pete Hegseth will have the votes to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense, according to three sources,” CBS News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs revealed Sunday. “When asked for comment, a spokesman for Thune would only tell CBS News, ‘Two things we don’t discuss publicly: Whip counts and private conversations with the president.'”

Hegseth’s nomination, announced nearly two months ago, was initially met with consternation and bewilderment by some on the right and strong objections by many on the left.

“Shortly after the news broke” that Trump had nominated Hegseth, “two Republican senators messaged Rolling Stone their dismay over Trump’s announcement, with each doubting Hegseth’s confirmability and basic qualifications for the high-stakes job,” Rolling Stone reported in November. “’That makes no sense!’ one of them said. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski couldn’t help but say, ‘Wow,’ when quizzed about Trump’s latest selection to fill the highest ranks of his new administration, with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) replying, ‘Who?’”

RELATED: How Hegseth and Allies Are Waging War Against the US Military to Secure His Confirmation

“It wasn’t just Republican senators who were stunned by the news. ‘WHAT. THE. REAL. FUCK,’ a former Fox News colleague of Hegseth’s exclaimed to Rolling Stone,” the magazine also reported.

Calling it “alarming,” Rolling Stone also reported that “Hegseth is uncomfortably close to extremist movements. By his own accounting, Hegseth was ‘deemed an extremist‘ and removed from a National Guard regiment tasked with protecting Joe Biden’s inauguration because of troubling tattoos. Hegseth claims the problematic ink in question is the giant Jerusalem cross tattooed on his pec, which he’s said is ‘just a Christian symbol.’ But extremism analysts have also pointed to a bicep tat reading ‘Deus Vult’ — or ‘God wills it’ — a battle cry of the medieval crusaders that has recently been appropriated by white nationalists. (The crusaders also used the Jerusalem cross, specifically, in their heraldry.)”

In November, just after his nomination as SecDef was announced, The Associated Press reported: “Since Jan. 6, Hegseth, like many Trump supporters, has minimized both the riot’s seriousness and the role of people with military training. Amid the widespread condemnation the day after the assault, Hegseth took a different approach. On a panel on Fox News, Hegseth portrayed the crowd as patriots, saying they ‘love freedom’ and were ‘people who love our country’ who had ‘been re-awoken to the reality of what the left has done’ to their country.”

Hegseth—who has no experience in managing a literal army of employees or a massive budget, and has no experience in government—is expected to face strong questioning about his alleged sexual assault of a staffer for the California Federation of Republican Women during his confirmation hearing, now expected to be scheduled for January 14.

He will likely face questions about his alleged financial mismanagement of veterans’ organizations, reports of alleged alcohol abuse and “aggressive drunkenness,” and about the various tattoos he has proudly displayed, along with others he has, that appear to reflect ties to Christian nationalism and support for the use of military efforts during the Crusades to achieve religious objectives.

Hegseth’s stated opposition to women in combat, to diversity efforts within the U.S. military, to LGBTQ service members, and to the Geneva Conventions, are all expected to become part of his confirmation hearing.

RELATED: ‘Marxist’ Agenda: Hegseth Says Gay Troops ‘Erode Standards’ in ‘Social Engineering’ Push

Additionally, Hegseth may have to fend off questions about a damning 2018 email his mother wrote to him that read in part, “On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself.”

“I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth,” she also said, according to The New York Times. Last month, however, Penelope Hegseth urged “female Senators” to overlook what she referred to as “media reports” and confirm her son.

The 44-year old, a devout Christian, has been married three times and has seven children. He served in the Army National Guard from 2003-2014, and again from 2019-2021.

While studying at Princeton, Hegseth wrote and/or published controversial opinion pieces in the student newspaper, The Princeton Tory.

“By advocating government support of the traditional family unit, a return of the acceptability of the ‘homemaker’ vocation, freedom from oppressive government oversight, moral responsibility, and the revival of religious faith, conservatives provide a working blueprint for a free and prosperous future,” Hegseth wrote, according to a report in the Princeton Alumni Weekly.

Last month, CNN reported that Hegseth “justified the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack and spread baseless conspiracy theories claiming the initial break-in was a false flag operation carried out by leftist groups disguised as Trump supporters.”

“In comments made immediately after the riot and in the days and weeks leading up to it, Hegseth also amplified false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, a narrative that fueled the violence at the Capitol that day,” CNN also noted.

Six months after Joe Biden was sworn in as President, live and on-air, Hegseth would not say Donald Trump had lost the 2020 election.

On the morning of January 6, 2021, Hegseth stood in front of the D.C. stage where numerous Trump allies and later Trump himself would stand and falsely tell the nation the election had been stolen, and excitedly report, “the chants that are coming time and time again, are, ‘stop the steal, stop the steal,’ and we saw it coming out of Georgia, uh, that 70% of Republicans who believe that the election in November was not legitimate, that it was stolen, that may have had an effect on Georgia, but no doubt it has an effect on the hearts of of this city right now, of Americans.”

“I have friends who’ve texted me who are not very political saying, ‘I’m coming to Washington, D.C. today, ’cause I can’t handle what’s happening in my country.’ I think it’s not an understatement to say, we’re in a constitutional tinder box right now with people on both sides believing there’s legitimacy and illegitimacy, based on things they feel in their heart and love of their country,” Hegseth excitedly continued. “Donald Trump will articulate a lot of that today from the stage. He’ll have thousands of supporters here and dozens of senators and congressmen on the House of Representatives objecting with that long debate that will go on and on, will the um will the the rally go on longer, longer?”

Watch the video of Hegseth from January 6, 2021 below or at this link.

RELATED: Hegseth Successfully Gaslights on Women in ‘Combat’

 

Image via Reuters

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‘Parade of Incompetence’: Trump Security Adviser Set Up Numerous Signal Chats on Key Crises

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April 2, 2025

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Less than two weeks ago there was SignalGate, the Trump administration’s national security scandal that potentially endangered the lives of U.S. service members, and risked exposing military plans, by using an insecure channel to discuss, map out, and announce progress of an attack in Yemen. Then there was the Trump administration’s passwords scandal, where passwords, email addresses, and phone numbers of top Trump national security officials were easily found online. And just yesterday, GmailGate, the Trump administration’s use of the even less-secure commercial email app, to conduct government business.

All three crises involved President Donald Trump’s national security team, including White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, who admitted to setting up the insecure Signal chat.

On Wednesday afternoon, Politico reported that Waltz’s team actually had set up 20 or more different Signal group chats, for national security crises.

“National security adviser Mike Waltz’s team regularly set up chats on Signal to coordinate official work on issues including Ukraine, China, Gaza, Middle East policy, Africa and Europe, according to four people who have been personally added to Signal chats,” according to Politico. “Two of the people said they were in or have direct knowledge of at least 20 such chats. All four said they saw instances of sensitive information being discussed.”

READ MORE: ‘Significant Political Rift’: Trump Faces Possible Defeat in First Tariff Test

“Waltz built the entire NSC communications process on Signal,” said one of the four sources.

Experts have warned that the use of Signal in certain circumstances may violate national security regulations, as well as federal law surrounding retention of government communications.

The use of Signal on personal cell phones is also problematic because those mobile devices can easily be compromised, experts say. CISA, the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, has recommended the use of Signal instead of less secure platforms, but not for classified or sensitive communications.

“None of the four individuals said they were aware of whether any classified information was shared, but all said that posts in group chats did include sensitive details of national security work,” Politico noted.

Additionally, on Sunday, The Wall Street Journal reported more concerning national security lapses.

“Two U.S. officials also said that Waltz has created and hosted multiple other sensitive national-security conversations on Signal with cabinet members, including separate threads on how to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine as well as military operations. They declined to address if any classified information was posted in those chats,” the Journal reported. It was not clear if these were among the 20 or more chats Politico reported on Wednesday.

RELATED: ‘Just Plain Dumb’: Trump’s Smuggled Fentanyl Tariff Mocked

“In under 10 days, we’ve heard about journalists added to unclassified chats and sensitive data being shot around on personal emails,” lamented U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “And now we’re hearing there’s dozens more chats. It’s a never-ending parade of sloppy, reckless incompetence.”

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), also responding to the latest news from Politico, wrote: “President Trump must put our troops and national security first. Waltz must step down. If he won’t, President Trump should fire him.”

Democratic congressional candidate Cait Conley is a former National Security Council official who “spent nearly 20 years in the military, including a stint working on counterterrorism for the National Security Council under former President Biden,” The New York Times has reported. She also worked at CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

“This is not an Administration that’s serious about protecting America. Every person on those (20!) group chats should have known better,” Conley observed.

“The national security advisor continues to put our country at risk by using chats to discuss sensitive issues, allowing our adversaries to potentially intercept these messages,” commented former Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary and former Special Assistant to the President Sabrina Singh. “This is not putting America First – it’s the opposite.”

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), a former Air Force JAG officer, wrote: “National Security Adviser Waltz should resign for repeatedly playing fast and loose with OpSec. Signal should not be used to discuss sensitive information. The Pentagon warned against using Signal even for unclassified information.”

MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend snarked, “Amateur hour at the OK Corral and that’s even offensive to the amateurs.”

“This is Trump’s CLOWN CAR CABINET!,” charged CNN commentator Maria Cardona. “Incompetent, unqualified, unserious. AND these massive national security blunders, put US all is SERIOUS danger! They need to go!!”

READ MORE: ‘Paralyzed’: Johnson Mocked for Shutting House Down After ‘Brutal’ Defeat

Image via Reuters 

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‘Significant Political Rift’: Trump Faces Possible Defeat in First Tariff Test

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9 hours ago

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April 2, 2025

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President Donald Trump’s midnight rant attacking four top Republican Senators appeared to reveal the President’s first big tariff test—on “Liberation Day” Wednesday, the day he is unveiling what is expected to be a highly unpopular global tariffs package—is off course, and may ultimately fail.

Democrats have proposed legislation to block Trump’s tariffs on Canada, one of America’s largest and oldest trading and military partners, by declaring Trump’s stated “national emergency” to have ended.

It appears Trump may lose this battle, at least in the Senate.

In his overnight tirade, Trump attacked four GOP Senators by name: Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, who, reports suggest, will join with Democrats to support the legislation to block his Canadian tariffs.

RELATED: ‘Just Plain Dumb’: Trump’s Smuggled Fentanyl Tariff Mocked

Last year, even before Trump won the election, McConnell was a staunch “no” on tariffs.

“I’m not a fan of tariffs. They raise prices for American consumers. I’m more of a free trade kind of Republican that remembers how many jobs were created by the exports that we engage in,” the then-Senate Minority Leader told reporters.

McConnell is again a staunch no on tariffs, at least for Canada.

“I’m with you,” McConnell reportedly told U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who is sponsoring the legislation, CNN’s Haley Talbot reported.

“Kaine says rock solid GOP with him are Collins Murkowski Rand Paul and McConnell,” she added — the four Trump targeted.

It gets worse for Trump.

On Monday afternoon, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) warned that Trump’s tariffs could cause farmers in his state “irreparable” harm.

“Anyone who says there may be a little bit of pain before we get things right need[s] to talk to my farmers who are one crop away from bankruptcy,” Tillis told CNN’s Manu Raju, as HuffPost reported.

READ MORE: ‘Paralyzed’: Johnson Mocked for Shutting House Down After ‘Brutal’ Defeat

“They don’t have time. So we’ve got to be crisp on this implementation,” he added. “Otherwise, we could do damage that is irreparable to farmers.”

While Tillis has not yet indicated how he will vote, there may be other Republicans supporting the Democrats’ legislation.

“At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Kaine said other Republicans are also reaching out to him to get information on the resolution, indicating the number of GOP supporters may grow,” Politico reports. “Kaine also said Trump’s announcement about a new wave of tariffs, which is expected to take place prior to the Senate resolution vote, ‘could increase pressure for more [Republicans] to join.'”

Politico earlier on Wednesday reported that GOP Senators “Chuck Grassley — one of many farm-state Republicans concerned about the Canadian tariffs — and John Cornyn were noncommittal Tuesday about how they might vote.”

Should things go south for Trump, Vice President JD Vance will be on hand to cast a vote if the resolution is a tie.

Importantly, Politico observes, “the GOP dissent on the Hill represents a significant political rift in the party about the sweeping economic consequences of his sometimes-unpredictable trade policies.”

House Democrats are also launching a concurrent resolution to declare that the national emergency with Canada is over, Punchbowl News reports. That version is believed to face stiffer odds. Should both pass, Trump has said he will not sign them into law.

Some are also mocking Trump, after the White House moved the announcement event time of his global tariff package from 3 PM to 4 PM — just after the stock markets close.

See the social media post above or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Trying to Understand’: Senator Who Backed RFK Jr. Now on Defense After Massive HHS Firing

 

Image via Reuters 

 

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‘Humiliation’: Musk to Step Back From White House Role, Trump Reportedly Tells Aides

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April 2, 2025

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Just months ago, a Trump White House advisor suggested that Elon Musk—a special government employee bound by law to step down after a limited tenure—was likely to overstay his term. Now, after a resounding defeat in Wisconsin’s state Supreme Court race, where voters overwhelmingly chose a Democrat—despite Musk injecting millions of dollars, his outsized persona, and million-dollar checks to voters—it seems the Tesla billionaire may have overstayed his welcome.

“President Donald Trump has told his inner circle, including members of his Cabinet, that Elon Musk will be stepping back in the coming weeks from his current role as governing partner, ubiquitous cheerleader and Washington hatchet man,” Politico reports in an exclusive. “The president remains pleased with Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency initiative but both men have decided in recent days that it will soon be time for Musk to return to his businesses and take on a supporting role, according to three Trump insiders who were granted anonymity to describe the evolving relationship.”

Politico also reports that “Musk’s looming retreat” comes as Trump’s allies — insiders and outsiders — increasingly are squawking at his “unpredictability, and increasingly view the billionaire as a political liability.”

READ MORE: ‘Just Plain Dumb’: Trump’s Smuggled Fentanyl Tariff Mocked

That “dynamic that was thrown into stark relief Tuesday when a conservative judge Musk vocally supported lost his bid for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat by 10 points.”

The Politico report comes on “Liberation Day,” as Trump is calling Wednesday — the day he will announce his highly-controversial and some say, harmful, global tariffs.

Last week, Trump had already begun setting the stage for a smooth and face-saving exit, and on Monday he told reporters that “at some point Elon’s going to want to go back to his company.” (See video below.)

But Musk is unlikely to vanish from the scene entirely, according to Politico.

“They’re feeling the pressure,” U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) commented, in response to the Politico report. “Keep up the fight to Fire Elon Musk.”

Iconic tech and business journalist Kara Swisher remarked, “Trump does not like a loser. The cheesehead antic was repellent to voters, and now to Elon’s BFF.”

READ MORE: ‘Paralyzed’: Johnson Mocked for Shutting House Down After ‘Brutal’ Defeat

Eoin Higgins, author of the book, “Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left,” noted that “the dismantling of the agencies is in motion and will continue, but this is still a humiliation—all that money and power only to find out that people just don’t like you and you’re so unpopular you’re dragging everyone else down with you.”

Attorney, academic, and author Alberto Alemanno writes that “Musk’s political adventure is over (for now). He’s become a political liability and we can now ALL stop amplifying his omniscient takes.”

Chris Griswold, policy director at the conservative think tank American Compass, snarked, “When they do Liberation Day, they really do Liberation Day.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Trying to Understand’: Senator Who Backed RFK Jr. Now on Defense After Massive HHS Firing

 

Image via Reuters

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