A key staffer for Minneapolis’ left-leaning district attorney praised the anti-ICE agitators who invaded a church service Sunday, and suggested he was present at the incident. Jamael Lundy, the intergovernmental affairs coordinator for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, posted on Facebook that he “met up with a group of protesters and got in some good trouble highlighting that a church in the Twin Cities has a pastor that is a ICE field director.” “When Minnesotans say we want ICE out, we mean it, right?” Lundy added. His video included pictures of the incident, in which agitators interrupted a Sunday service at Cities Church, an evangelical Christian church in St. Paul. Lundy is running to represent District 65 in the Minnesota Senate. As intergovernmental affairs coordinator, Lundy serves as a liaison between Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty and the state legislature. According to the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, Moriarty’s campaign received more than $500,000 from political groups funded by Hungarian American billionaire George Soros. Critics have condemned the “soft-on-crime” approach they say Soros-backed prosecutors have adopted. Moriarty, for example, announced last year that her office will decline to prosecute most felony offenses arising from low-level traffic stops. Neither his campaign nor the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty responded to The Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time. ‘Incredibly Disturbing’ Rep. Harry Niska, the Republican leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives, condemned Lundy’s support for the agitators. “It is incredibly disturbing that a top Hennepin County staffer would encourage protesters to break the law,” Niska told The Daily Signal in a statement Tuesday. “Hennepin County residents should be very concerned that this is how top leadership in their county prosecutor’s office conducts themselves.” The Church Invasion Agitators walked directly into the middle of the sanctuary in Cities Church, a non-denominational Christian church in St. Paul, and shouted “Justice for Renee Good!” as they surrounded various members of the congregation mid-service. An ICE agent fatally shot Good on Jan. 7 while she was driving her car, right after her car appeared to make contact with him. She had been using the car for hours to obstruct traffic and frustrate ICE’s law enforcement efforts. The agitators on Sunday targeted the church because one of the pastors, David Easterwood, also works with ICE. An agitator who goes by the name “DaWokeFarmer” posted videos of the action. This is not peaceful protest. This is an invasion of a sacred space. Anti-ICE agitators disrupted Cities Church in the middle of service. Warning: the agitators on the Left are serious. The man who posted this video bragged about doing this—comparing it to Jesus flipping over… pic.twitter.com/BeeIdubpwM— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 19, 2026 DOJ Investigating Church Invasion The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is investigating the incident for potential violations of the FACE Act, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced Sunday. The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. @AGPamBondi https://t.co/uZBBv1iuuH— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 18, 2026 She also mentioned potential prosecutions under the Ku Klux Klan Act. The Civil Rights Division did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time. The post Soros-Funded DA Staffer Praises Anti-ICE Agitators Invading Church appeared first on The Daily Signal.

“AI is one of the most consequential issues, right now, in the White House,” The Daily Signal’s White House Correspondent Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell said in an interview with former White House advisor Steve Bannon. “We have four coalitions here competing for the president’s attention,” starting with the tech accelerationist coalition, Mitchell explained to Bannon during an appearance Monday on “War Room” on Real America’s Voice. She noted that the “Big Tech people,” including Elon Musk, David Sachs, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, want the president to quickly increase AI development. “Then we have three coalitions that are united against the tech accelerationists,” she said. The populist coalition is focused on protecting jobs and rebuilding the manufacturing base, and is concerned about the potential for AI to replace jobs. The national security coalition, she said, is concerned about the threat of Chinese influence in artificial intelligence. The pro-family coalition, meanwhile, “is concerned about the suicides we’re seeing, AI convincing kids online, deep-fake porn we’re seeing being created by AI that is a danger to kids.” Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell: Inside the ‘Most Controversial Issue’ in Trump Administration: AI Policy @TheElizMitchell pic.twitter.com/H9xlERb6Vc— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) January 19, 2026 Bannon called this debate over AI, “by far, the most vicious and probably most important fight I’ve seen in Washington.” “It’s galvanized everybody,” he added, but it has, thus far, flown under the public radar. “I think as we move closer to more and more people being replaced by AI, more people are going to wake up and say, ‘Hey, I’m about to lose my job because of AI, and I want the administration, I want Congress, the government to do something about this,'” Bannon said. While Big Tech is already pouring money into fighting AI regulations, Mitchell says pro-family groups are pushing back. “It’s a really big battle that’s happening here to protect kids on the pro-family side,” she said. “And I think that’s an argument the whole country will be sympathetic to, which is that we’ve seen how kids have been endangered and harmed by social media … and we’re likely to see a similar situation that’s already begun with AI.”Access the interview via the link below: Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell: Inside the ‘Most Controversial Issue’ in Trump Administration: AI Policy @TheElizMitchell pic.twitter.com/H9xlERb6Vc— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) January 19, 2026 The post Daily Signal Reporter Discusses White House’s AI Divide With Steve Bannon appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In the midst of the back and forth of Nicolás Maduro’s capture, the seizure of so-call “Ghost Fleet” oil tankers, and the banter over a possible annexation of Greenland, it’s easy to miss the significance of the Christmas U.S. missile strikes in Nigeria which hit ISIS and other jihadist groups. This would be a real tragedy, as this was a real step forward. On Christmas Day, the U.S. conducted precision airstrikes in Nigeria’s Sokoto State, targeting ISIS affiliates with Tomahawk missiles and killing multiple terrorists in coordination with Nigerian forces. These strikes, launched from a ship off the coast, followed President Donald Trump’s threats against militants attacking Christians and aimed to disrupt violent extremist groups.  While some western analysts worried about sovereignty and unintended consequences, Nigerian officials hailed the joint operation as a success against terrorism.  The Trump administration acted quickly and with firm resolve, and in the process reshaped U.S.-Nigeria ties around safety and faith. Nigeria supported this action and wanted U.S. help. Beginning with a Nigerian state visit to the White House, Trump made it clear that more needed to be done to protect persecuted Christians, and the Nigerians got the point.  The U.S. and Nigeria can and should do more together to fight jihadis in West Africa. Nigeria carries a tremendous strategic weight. It’s land mass, enormous population, and large military make it a natural anchor from West Africa to the rest of the world. The United States, long accused of ignoring Africa, truly needs a safe and steady Nigeria. A stable Nigeria does not guarantee stability in the nations around it, but an unstable Nigeria means the entire region is at risk. Large crime rings and jihadist groups are a threat to both Nigerian and U.S. aims. We cannot have Nigeria collapse like Niger and Mali.  The motivations and context of Trump’s actions are key here. The center piece is protecting Christians who were being persecuted.  The strikes followed Trump’s orders to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prepare for military and diplomatic intervention to protect Christians facing attacks. It is important to note that Nigerian officials emphasized that in executing the strikes, a clear message was sent to all terror groups—and those who fund and support them—that targeting minority groups of any faith will no longer be tolerated. This is consistent with a broader U.S. policy to combat global radical Islamic terrorism, similar to actions in Syria.  Nigerian officials expressed satisfaction and thanks to Trump, calling it a successful joint operation and highlighting the long bond between the two nations as key allies. They also pointed out the continuing joint efforts on local and regional safety. There are numerous joint U.S.-Nigeria efforts to break up crime webs and terror groups. Nigeria’s work to guard its borders and disrupt drug, arms, and kidnap rings are aided by a close relationship with U.S. Africa Command. The gains already made rest on strong and steady U.S. backup. The U.S. government should leverage these successes and find additional ways to do to allow the Nigerian government to purchase weapons, intelligence capabilities, and training from the U.S. The FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed by Trump, seeks to boost support the Nigerian military. The NDAA provides $413 million for counterinsurgency and security operations in Nigeria and other African countries. Guarding Christians and all faith groups is essential as Nigeria moves forward together with America. The U.S. move to name Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” on faith rights may have been a forcing function for renewed action.   Now, Abuja is moving to match rhetoric with action. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently ordered an expanded security surge to protect Christians and people of all faiths—using additional military and police deployments, expanded patrols and rapid response, intelligence-led operations, and tighter federal–state coordination to deny terrorists and kidnappers a safe haven. Tinubu stated, “Nigeria will not yield any community to those who threaten our people—especially in the North Central states and other affected areas.” There has been on and off harm to Christians over the last decade and the need for swift steps were clear. Nigeria’s duty, in law and in day-to-day work, to guard all faith groups is clear and must be affirmed without any waffling. Lagos appears to understand their requirements. Tinubu has been clear in his goal to root out terrorists and protect Christians. Late last year, Tinubu issued a declaration of a national security emergency to strengthen civilian protection and uphold every Nigerian’s right to worship freely. He ordered an expanded security surge in the North Central states and other affected areas—more military and police deployments, broader patrols and rapid-response coverage, intelligence-led operations against terrorist and criminal networks, and stronger federal–state coordination. This included redeploying police assigned to protecting VIPs to the North Central states (the Middle Belt). The Nigerian government  is also advancing the Forest Guards initiative to deny criminals sanctuary, and it has directed enhanced protection around places of worship. These operations remain Nigerian-led, with partner support where appropriate, including ISR. But more must be done. Rights related actions that must be taken include the following: Restate and emphasize that Nigeria’s Constitution backs faith freedom and free speech for all Nigerians; publicly describe ongoing work with faith leaders and key world partners to keep those rights real; and note the state’s wide responsibilities to all, with Christians and Muslims in jobs at all ranks. The Trump administration and their partners in Nigeria need to agree on what comes next. This should include but not be limited to a call for deeper U.S.-Nigeria work on safety and faith rights; a greater effort for more joint ops, land and property rights reforms and protections in the North Central states; and more aid for at-risk groups and plain talk on wins and gaps. Lastly, the U.S. and Nigeria should begin a public information campaign to cast this bond as a model for fighting terror and backing basic rights in the region. The FY 2026 funding bill for the Department of State, just passed by House Republicans, while noble, would restrict funding to Nigeria until measurable actions are taken to protect Christians. This would have the opposite intended effect and undermine the joint efforts by Trump and Tinubu to protect Christians and root out Islamic terrorism in West Africa. The “Country of Particular Concern” tag and the Christmas strikes marked a key shift in the relationship between the giant of the West, and the giant of Africa. It can be argued that with U.S. help and Nigerian will power, the two can see West Africa can gain a level of peace and safe worship for all not seen recently.  All political sides in both nations should be united in a call to keep this work going and make the bond even stronger. This effort must not be lost in fog of events elsewhere in the world, the momentum must be maintained.  The post Trump’s Christmas Strikes in Nigeria: A Turning Point for Security and Faith appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Donald Trump excoriated the British government in a Truth Social Post on Monday for agreeing to relinquish sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, a strategic military location, to Mauritius. The Chagos Islands contain the Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, a military base leased by the U.K. to the U.S. and used jointly by both countries. Located in the center of the Indian Ocean, the islands are considered strategically valuable. “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” Trump said in the post. Brent Sadler, a senior fellow for naval warfare and advanced technology at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal that Trump was right to oppose the Chagos deal for strategic reasons. “President Trump is keenly aware of the military and strategic implications of losing unfettered access and unencumbered by nearby Chinese presence of the base at Diego Garcia,” Sadler wrote in an email. “While a deal over Chagos which includes Diego Garcia is still a possibility, it is clear the one being proposed in London is not THAT deal,” he said. The president said that China and Russia see this as an act of “total weakness.” Trump connected the U.K.’s Chagos Island deal to his calls to acquire Greenland from Denmark. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired,” Trump wrote. Trump’s post triggered commentary by a number of British and American political figures. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent connected the Chagos issue to Trump’s desire to purchase Greenland. .@SecScottBessent: "@POTUS just believes that the U.S. needs Greenland because no-one will make a move on it then…we share a military facility on an island called Diego Garcia, and the U.K. is giving that island to Mauritius, and guess who is behind Mauritius? The Chinese!" https://t.co/mILUtwhjgo pic.twitter.com/llFbYiofOE— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 20, 2026 The U.K.’s Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called the Chagos deal “not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage.” Paying to surrender the Chagos Islands is not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage.I’ve been clear and unfortunately on this issue President Trump is right. Keir Starmer’s plan to give away the Chagos Islands is a terrible policy that weakens UK security and… https://t.co/EgNPMyzJEQ pic.twitter.com/yrBl5uFuJR— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) January 20, 2026 Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage said, “thank goodness” Trump will veto the Chagos deal. Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands.— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) January 20, 2026 While U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wasn’t mentioned in Trump’s post, it was clearly aimed at his administration. Starmer’s government signed the agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in May. The deal would allow the British government to lease the land for the Diego Garcia base for 99 years, but would cost the government tens of billions of pounds. A U.K. government spokesperson said in response to Trump, according to ABC news, that Britain “will never compromise on our national security,” and that the deal was signed “because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future.” The deal was highly criticized at the time as a surrender of British territory with little benefit. The United Nations’ International Court of Justice has called the islands an integral part of Mauritius. However, Mauritius has never owned the Chagos Islands since its independence from the U.K. in 1968, and the indigenous Chagossian people have largely been opposed to the deal. And as Sadler noted, Mauritius has deep ties with China. In a joint editorial written for the British Telegraph in early January, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts and Nile Gardiner, Heritage’s Barbara Lomas fellow, wrote about how the Chagos deal would be a huge win for the Chinese Communist Party. “The looming handover of the Chagos Islands is a massive coup for Communist China, which has long coveted a foothold in the region. There can be no doubt that Beijing will use this golden opportunity to advance its own interests at America’s and the UK’s expense,” Roberts and Gardiner wrote. They noted that “Mauritius will have full sovereignty over the Islands, and could offer China its own base on Chagos in close proximity to Diego Garcia, with endless opportunities for spying on U.S. and British military activities.” They added that Mauritius “could also sign a defense agreement with Beijing granting China access to the waters around the Chagos Islands, making the base at Diego Garcia practically impossible to operate for the United States.” The post ‘GREAT STUPIDITY’: Trump Blasts UK’s Chagos Islands Deal as Proof US Needs Greenland appeared first on The Daily Signal.

On Tuesday at The Heritage Foundation, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and former Centers for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield shed light on how health officials and President Joe Biden’s administration sought to suppress the COVID-19 lab leak theory. Miller-Meeks told the audience that the Biden administration worked backwards from their preferred conclusion rather than grapple with the “spillover” outbreak theory. “Either I was stupid, and everybody else was vastly more intelligent than I was, or people don’t want people to know, because science isn’t consensus, and I think that’s the biggest thing,” Miller-Meeks said in her opening remarks, noting that dissenting opinions on the origins of the virus should have been welcomed rather than suppressed. “Science is a hypothesis. It’s an idea. You do a study, you get a conclusion, you repeat the study to show validity, but it’s not a consensus,” Miller-Meeks added. Redfield told the audience that, “almost every public health decision we made in the first six months of the pandemic was mainly wrong.” “I was just shocked by the lack of scientific knowledge about this kind of pandemic. Very rapidly, there became a narrative that you either bought into or you were discarded,” Redfield added. Miller-Meeks, the former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health and an ophthalmologist, was on the COVID-19 subcommittee during the height of the pandemic. Republicans were in the minority, however, and heading into 2022 elections, she argued for the continuation of the committee because the committee was unable “to get answers” and “bring the witnesses they wanted to while under Democratic leadership.” Miller-Meeks led the subcommittee after Republicans took the majority in the 2022 midterms. Miller-Meeks witnessed first-hand the controversial testimony of former health advisors Anthony Fauci and Peter Daszak, who attempted to block emails from being released through Freedom of Information Act requests. Because of the subcommittee’s efforts, the congresswoman mentioned that she began to see the growing public distrust towards the government officials who handled COVID-19 under Biden. She added that this loss of trust in no small part stem from the suppression of the lab-leak theory. “Those who doubted gain of function are now conceptualizing that it was a lab leak and not natural,” Miller-Meeks said. “We still don’t have all of the Scientific papers that were put out in the public sphere and then removed [by the Biden administration]. That sphere was actually looking at genetic sequencing, the current cleavage side, and things that had not existed naturally before.” Miller-Meeks added that there was “very important information” that was “disseminated” when Republicans took back control of the House, which include China’s actions and intentions, the gain of function research, and what “the Chinese Communist Party was doing with DNA.” Redfield echoed Miller-Meek’s remarks. The former CDC director claimed that longtime government health officials suppressed information about China while cutting scientists, including himself, out of the process during the Biden administration. Redfield claimed he was “not included” in key decision-making conversations. “I didn’t know that they actually had meetings on February 1, when they had the teleconference with a group of scientists that were hand-selected, I believe, by Jerry McFerrin [and] Tony Fauci—and I wasn’t one of those scientists,” he said. “I only found that out with the Freedom of Information Act.” The post How Biden and Fauci Suppressed the Covid-19 Lab Leak Theory appeared first on The Daily Signal.