The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as chairman of the Federal Reserve on Wednesday in a 54-45 vote. Warsh will officially take over the position on Friday after Jerome Powell’s term as Fed chair concludes.  The confirmation comes after Powell has faced months of pressure from President Donald Trump, as Powell has been hesitant to lower interest rates. Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the only senator to cross party lines and vote for President Trump’s pick to lead the central bank. While Warsh takes over as Fed chair, Powell will remain on the board as a governor. Powell’s term as Fed governor continues until 2028.  Warsh’s confirmation didn’t come easy. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) blocked Warsh’s path through the Senate Banking Committee for months, refusing to move any Fed nominees while the Department of Justice was criminally investigating Powell over the $2.5 billion renovation of the Federal Reserve building. The DOJ ultimately dropped the investigation, causing Tillis to drop his hold.  Warsh takes the helm of the central bank after previously serving as a Fed governor from 2006 to 2011, an appointment made by President George W. Bush. He became the youngest Fed governor in history at 35 and became well known as an inflation hawk. “We have the largest, most robust economy in the world. We have the deepest, most liquid financial markets. And the dollar is the world’s reserve currency, bestowing key advantages upon us. But, none of this is our birthright. It must be earned, and re-earned,” Warsh said in a 2010 speech. Warsh left the Fed in 2011 to join UPS’s board and take positions at the Hoover Institution and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Warsh inherits a Federal Reserve being pulled in multiple directions. President Trump continues to call for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but inflation is still on the rise amid tensions with Iran. After April’s hotter-than-expected inflation report, chances of a rate cut in 2026 declined. Warsh criticized the central bank’s hesitancy to cut rates, but many people still view him as a hawk on inflation. In December, the chief economist of Deutsche Bank said that “although Warsh has argued for lower rates recently, we do not view him as structurally dovish.” Warsh told Congress he plans on shrinking the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet, which holds more than $6 trillion in U.S. government bonds and mortgage-backed securities. Warsh argues that trimming the balance sheet will give the Fed room to lower interest rates. He also plans to keep the Fed focused on its core mandate of maximizing employment and keeping inflation at 2%. Warsh says the central bank has drifted from that core mission and believes that decisions on which assets the central bank buys are better left to the Treasury Department. 

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has survived bruising political fights before, but the most expensive U.S. House primary in American history may pose the greatest threat yet to his political career. The Kentucky Republican has been a thorn in President Donald Trump’s side for much of his second term, emerging as a vocal critic of the administration’s handling of the Epstein files, Iran, and the president’s signature “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Now, Trump is backing a primary challenger in a campaign to end Massie’s congressional career. In January, Trump — widely seen as the GOP’s kingmaker — endorsed Captain Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL and farmer opposing Massie in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District. “The incredible people of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, who want desperately to get rid of Thomas Massie, the Worst ‘Republican’ Congressman we have had in many years, gave us a mandate to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “The person that will help us do the job, and do it right, is Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, Fifth Generation Kentucky Farmer, and American Hero, Captain Ed Gallrein, a true Patriot.” Axios reported that more than $25 million has poured into the contest, including a wave of outside spending from deep-pocketed third-party groups, making it the most expensive House primary in American history. Conventional political wisdom suggests Massie enters Tuesday’s primary with significant structural advantages. The libertarian-minded fiscal hawk has deep roots in the district, riding the Tea Party wave into Congress in 2012 and remaining politically untouchable ever since. Yet, Massie’s tendency to break with Trump and Republican leadership has angered the White House and may be alienating segments of the MAGA faithful. A new Quantus Insights survey shows Gallrein leading Massie 53%-45% among likely Republican primary voters, marking the first public poll to show the Trump-backed challenger ahead.   “Massie retains a substantial base, but the topline suggests that a meaningful share of the Republican primary electorate is already prepared to move in another direction,” the polling firm said, pointing to Massie’s durable appeal as a fiscal conservative skeptical of leadership. “Gallrein’s support reflects the power of Trump’s endorsement, the weight of national conservative attention, and the ability of a challenger to consolidate voters who believe the district needs a different representative,” the polling analysis added.  The same pollster in April showed Massie ahead 47%-38%, a double-digit swing toward Gallrein in one month. Prediction markets moved on the news. Kalshi now gives Gallrein a 50% chance of winning Tuesday’s primary, up from 33% on Tuesday.  The fresh polling wasn’t the only setback for the Kentucky Republican. On Wednesday, a former girlfriend accused Massie of offering her $5,000 to withdraw a wrongful termination complaint against Congresswoman Victoria Spartz (R-IN), according to Axios. “It’s sad that a week before this election, people are making false and unsubstantiated allegations about me in an obvious attempt to influence the outcome of this election,” Massie said. “All of the claims of inappropriate conduct are false. I’ve never offered anyone money in exchange for their silence. I report all of my farm income, including cash, to the IRS.” On the campaign trail, Massie acknowledged the tightening race.   “The race is within the margin of error,” Massie told a local news outlet on Tuesday. “I think it’s going to be close. I really do. I feel like I’m going to win. I feel like the enthusiasm is on the ground here.” At a Monday campaign event in Boone County, signs of a fractured Republican base were on full display. “I support the president more than any other time… Give me a reason to vote for you this time,” one female voter told Massie.  Massie responded in part, “First of all, I’m not running against Donald Trump.” Another male voter fired back, “I don’t understand why you vote against Trump.” Other voters, including Cathy Beil, appreciate Massie’s independence from the president.  “He’s a man of his word, and he’s not afraid to stand up for what his constituents want from him,” Beil told WHAS11. “Thomas Massie inspires confidence without being a con man, and that’s why Donald Trump hates him,” another Massie supporter said.  Trump’s relationship with Massie has been a roller-coaster ride. In March 2020, Trump called Massie a “third rate Grandstander” and urged the GOP to kick him out of the party. Two years later, Trump endorsed Massie in his Republican primary, referring to him as a “Conservative Warrior” and a “first-rate Defender of the Constitution,” The Daily Wire previously reported. But during Trump’s second term, Massie has regularly criticized the administration’s foreign and domestic policies. Massie also condemned the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, arguing that the operation was only “about oil and regime change.” “This is not what we voted for,” he said. Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District primary is set for Tuesday, May 19. 

In a defiant and far-reaching address before the World Jewish Congress this week in Geneva, Switzerland, Mathias Döpfner, the billionaire CEO and architect of the Axel Springer media empire, issued a provocative rallying cry for the West, declaring that the defense of Israel is inseparable from the survival of democracy itself. Döpfner, whose company recently expanded its global footprint with the $766 million acquisition of the Telegraph Media Group, used the platform to reject the stigmatization of pro-Israel sentiment. “Zionism is not a dirty word,” Döpfner told the assembly. “Whether Jew or non-Jew, anyone for whom democracy, freedom, and humanity truly matter, must be a Zionist today.” The media mogul, who oversees outlets including Politico, Business Insider, and Bild, framed his support not through a religious lens, but a civilizational one. “I’m a goy,” he said, using the Hebrew word for non-Jew. “And I’m a Zionist. With all my heart, out of conviction, and with passion,” he stated. He characterized Israel as a “bridgehead of Western values in the Middle East” and a “lens of self-assured successful defense of the values of enlightenment.” Döpfner’s speech comes at a time of heightened tension across Europe, where he noted a disturbing trend of rising antisemitism, particularly within certain political movements. He specifically targeted activists who equate Zionism with prejudice. “In England, members of the Green Party… say, ‘Zionism is racism.’ There must be a misunderstanding here,” Döpfner argued. “It is not Zionism that is racism. It is anti-Zionism that is racism.” Beyond rhetorical support, the CEO proposed a radical policy shift for European nations to counter demographic imbalances and bolster cultural diversity. Pointing to the fact that the Jewish population in the E.U. and U.K. sits at roughly 0.2% — ten times less than the 2.2% seen in the United States — Döpfner called for “preferential immigration and citizenship for Jewish families.” “If the idea of a multicultural society is to be taken seriously, then there is an urgent need for greater diversity in Europe,” Döpfner said, noting the growing influence of Christian and Muslim demographics. “To put claims of tolerance to the test, it is important to make Jewish culture more visible. Europe must become more Jewish.” The speech solidifies Döpfner’s reputation as a leader who blends corporate power with unapologetic ideological conviction. Under his 22% ownership stake, Axel Springer has increasingly positioned itself as a bulwark for Transatlantic alliances. Concluding his remarks, Döpfner urged a global shift in perspective among those who value open societies. “Anyone who cares about an open society, about our way of life, should proudly declare it. We shall all be Zionists,” he said. “We need this statement and its consequences not only in Britain, but in every democratic country.” This is an absolute must-watch One of the most influential figures in the world of digital media, Mathias Döpfner, CEO of the digital media giant Axel Springer, which owns sites like Politico and Bild, gave a powerful speech about Zionism: “I am a Goy, and I am a Zionist. We… pic.twitter.com/uaHgja6CeH — Mor Edge Insight (@MorEdge_Insight) May 13, 2026

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined the rest of the Democrats in skipping a Wednesday on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic — but he also took it a step further, walking by while the hearing was going on and appearing to mock it. Not one of the Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee — to include Gallego — attended the hearing, where CIA whistleblower James Erdman III testified that Dr. Anthony Fauci had intentionally worked to cover up information regarding the pandemic’s origins. But while most Democrats on the committee stayed away from the hearing entirely, Fox News Congressional Correspondent Bill Melugin reported that Gallego — accompanied by at least one staffer — walked by while the hearing was still ongoing. “Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who is on this committee, just walked by the hearing room and saw all the media cameras and said something along the lines of, ‘Wow, what’s going on here?’ A staffer walking with him replied ‘I don’t know.’ Unclear if they were trolling or not,” Melugin said in an X post. He later relayed the story to Fox News host Harris Faulkner, saying, “Senator Ruben Gallego, Democrat from Arizona, actually walked by us about 15 minutes ago. He saw the media cameras here, and we couldn’t tell if he was joking or trolling or not, but he said, ‘Hey, what’s going on here?’ And his staffer said, ‘I don’t know,’ and they walked past us. He is on that committee. He’s not in the room.” Fox’s Bill Melugin just exposed the stunning no-show by Senate Democrats at the CIA whistleblower hearing on Covid. Not a SINGLE Democrat was in the room — even though several sit on the Homeland Security Committee. MELUGIN: “There are no Senate Democrats inside of that hearing… pic.twitter.com/dERE0QpHWY — Overton (@overton_news) May 13, 2026 Gallego has been under increased scrutiny of late because of his close ties to disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) — who resigned after several accusations of sexual misconduct, harassment, and even rape — and has claimed that the former California congressman had succeeded in hiding his “double life” even when the two were roommates. At the hearing Gallego and the other Democrats missed, Erdman laid out the complex web of experts — most of whom were previously linked to Fauci — who had worked to control what information was eventually revealed to the American people. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) called out the federal agencies that had a part in handling the information, saying they had essentially given “the big middle finger” to the American people by not being more transparent at the time.

On podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen’s show, Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman called Spencer Pratt a “mini Donald Trump” representing “fascism.” Pratt, an independent candidate for L.A. mayor who grew up around Democrats, who’s angry that Democrat policies have derailed his life, and who stands for family, God, city, and country is a fascist, apparently. This is what we’re dealing with. The “fascist” label is the Left’s go-to attack because it’s the only attack they have left. They can’t defend their policies or win an argument on the merits, so they hurl emotionally loaded slurs with the same masculine and triumphant energy as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz trying to load a gun. It’s pathetic, and it reveals one of two things: they’re either completely ignorant of history, or they’re counting on you to be. What is this “fascism” Democrats speak of so incessantly? We heard about it in history books as kids: Benito Mussolini was a fascist, Adolf Hitler was a fascist, and they’re two of the most evil villains in history. So how did we get to the point where Democrats call every Republican they see with this emotionally and historically charged language? Modern-day liberals fail to realize that fascism originated as a distinctly left-wing ideology born directly out of socialism in the early 20th century. The term comes from the Italian “fasci,” meaning a bundle of sticks stronger together than individually. It symbolized the supremacy of the collective over the individual. Mussolini, fascism’s founder and its most important historical figure, was a Marxist for most of his life and editor of a major socialist newspaper. He broke with international communism over exactly one thing: he believed true socialism had to be achieved nationally, not globally. That’s where “national socialism” came from in Nazi Germany, too. A term that a lot of Democrats seem increasingly enamored with. Mussolini and philosopher Giovanni Gentile framed fascism as the practical, workable form of socialism that subordinated the individual entirely to the state. Hitler followed the same blueprint, naming his party the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. They weren’t ideological opposites of communism. They just rejected its internationalism in favor of a hyper-nationalist version of collectivism. They championed a powerful centralized state that glorified the collective (because it’s just so warm), the leader (because only they know what’s best for you), and the nation (because the individual on its own is just too successful and greedy). They imposed heavy regulation on private business, rejected classical liberal individualism and free markets, and built universal welfare programs run by the state, all in service of one idea: that the “good” of the collective must override private rights. Sound familiar? (Remember, they’re trying to tell you that these fascist ideals are the marks of a conservative.) Take today’s progressive Democrats: Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kamala Harris, and the Squad demand single-payer “Medicare for All,” handing the state control over one-fifth of the economy. Their Green New Deal and Joe Biden’s industrial policy (Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS Act) poured hundreds of billions into directing private industry toward government-chosen goals. That’s the exact corporatist model Mussolini and Hitler used: businesses stayed “private” on paper, but served the collective state agenda. Add COVID, climate, and DEI mandates, government-tech collusion to suppress speech, and identity politics that elevate group grievance over individual rights, and you have the same anti-individual, top-down collectivism fascism always demanded. In typical leftist fashion, post World War II — or World War Eleven if you’re Ilhan Omar — the Left quietly rebranded fascism as “right-wing” to smear conservatives and bury its own ideological DNA. A lie then. A lie now. Fascism bears literally no resemblance to American conservatism. None. Conservatism traces back to the Founding: rights come from God or nature, not government. The state exists to protect those pre-existing rights, not to engineer society or dictate economic outcomes. Conservatives believe in private property, free enterprise, federalism, and a government small enough to stay out of your life. Fascism is “right-wing” only in the narrow European sense when placed next to full communism. By any American standard of limited government and individual freedom, it is radically left-wing, and it always has been. The real intellectual lineage of Mussolini and Hitler runs straight through 20th-century socialism and into the modern Democratic Left. The policies differ in scale and packaging. The philosophy does not. So the next time a Democrat calls a Republican a fascist, don’t get angry. Laugh! Laugh loudly and often, until they’re finally embarrassed enough to open a history book. They’ve been counting on your ignorance for decades.  Time to prove them wrong.