Reality star Spencer Pratt announced that he will be running for mayor of Los Angeles on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire. The Republican and former star of “The Hills” has been critical of local Democrats for their actions before and after the fires. Pratt and his wife, Heidi Montag, and his parents all lost their homes. The TV personality made the announcement while speaking at the “They Let Us Burn” rally, which was organized by residents who lost property. “All of this was preventable,” he said. “We are standing here amongst the ashes of our once beautiful town because the state and local leaders let us burn.” Pratt blamed California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom for allowing brush to grow wild without management or controlled burns. He also called out the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO Janisse Quiñones and the Los Angeles Fire Department for their poor responses, saying the LAFD’s failure could “be due to lack of budget, lack of knowledge, or simply DEI.”  Pratt said the fires changed the way he viewed the world and motivated him to strive for change. “This isn’t just a political failure, it’s a moral one.”  “The system in Los Angeles isn’t struggling; it’s fundamentally broken. It is a machine designed to protect the people at the top and the friends they exchange favors with while the rest of us drown in toxic smoke and ash,” Pratt continued. “Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles and I’m done waiting for someone to take real action. That’s why I am running for mayor.”  It’s official. I’m running for Mayor of LA. I’ve waited a whole year for someone to step up and challenge Karen Bass, but I saw no fighters. Guess I’m gonna have to do this myself. Let’s make LA camera ready again! #MayorPratt #PrattForMayor #SpencerPrattForMayor pic.twitter.com/akXG8Jd7H3 — Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) January 8, 2026 “Let me be clear, this just isn’t a campaign. This is a mission, and we are going to expose the system. We are going into every dark corner of LA politics and disinfecting the city with our light. And when we are done, LA is going to be camera-ready again,” Pratt concluded. Pratt is a first-time candidate facing more than a dozen other contenders for the nonpartisan mayoral primary in June, including current Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass, who is seeking re-election. Pratt’s campaign website describes him as “Karen Bass’ worst nightmare.”  Pratt received an endorsement from Richard Grenell, the interim head of the Kennedy Center, who also runs the group Fix California. “Transparency is what we need. Spencer has the passion and the drive to make positive change for Los Angeles,” Grenell posted on X.

The United States withdrew from dozens of left-leaning international organizations on Wednesday, including groups focused on climate and gender activism.  President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday officially pulling the United States out of 66 groups, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact. The withdrawals come after Trump, in February, directed a full review of the international organizations the United States was involved with.  “These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans — we will stop subsidizing globalist bureaucrats who act against our interests,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “The Trump Administration will always put America and Americans first.” The State Department said the organizations identified on the list were determined to be “wasteful, ineffective, and harmful” to American interests. As a result of the executive order, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States would withdraw from the Green Climate Fund, a group established by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that pushes climate activism in developing countries.  “Our nation will no longer fund radical organizations like the GCF whose goals run contrary to the fact that affordable, reliable energy is fundamental to economic growth and poverty reduction,” Bessent said.  The move to get out of the UN Climate groups was praised by critics of climate activism.  “This action is a long overdue course correction that puts American sovereignty, economic strength, and energy security back first,” said American Energy Institute CEO Jason Isaac. “Withdrawing from international organizations that undermine U.S. interests frees our nation from unelected global bureaucracies that have used climate and ESG agendas to weaken American industry and raise costs for families.” Other groups that the United States will no longer be involved in include the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Global Forum on Migration and Development, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Solar Alliance, and many more.  The review of international organizations is still ongoing, according to the White House. Under Trump, the United States has already left groups like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Human Rights Council.  “We will not continue expending resources, diplomatic capital, and the legitimizing weight of our participation in institutions that are irrelevant to or in conflict with our interests,” the State Department said. “We reject inertia and ideology in favor of prudence and purpose. We seek cooperation where it serves our people and will stand firm where it does not.”

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that under a new deal with the United States, Venezuela will be allowed to spend oil revenue only on American-made products.  Trump’s announcement comes as his administration plans to control the Venezuelan oil industry with the help of American companies. On Wednesday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the United States would sell Venezuelan crude “into the marketplace” and use the revenue as “leverage” to push the Venezuelan government toward lasting “change.” “I have just been informed that Venezuela is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products, with the money they receive from our new Oil Deal. These purchases will include, among other things, American Agricultural Products, and American Made Medicines, Medical Devices, and Equipment to improve Venezuela’s Electric Grid and Energy Facilities,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “In other words, Venezuela is committing to doing business with the United States of America as their principal partner – A wise choice, and a very good thing for the people of Venezuela, and the United States.” The comments came a day after Trump said he would take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and announced that Venezuela would turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States. It is estimated that Venezuela controls about 17% of the world’s oil reserves.  “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” Trump said.  Under Trump’s plan, American oil companies would invest billions to repair Venezuela’s oil fields and ramp up production. Trump said this process could take about 18 months and that the companies may be reimbursed by the American government.  Once production resumes, Wright said that the oil would be sold to buyers in the United States and around the world, with the revenue deposited into “accounts controlled by the U.S.” “If we control the flow of oil, the sales of that oil, and the flow of the cash that comes from those sales, we have large leverage,” he said. “But without large leverage … you don’t get change.” Trump told The New York Times on Wednesday that a portion of the oil revenue would be directed back to Venezuela.  “We will rebuild it in a very profitable way,” Trump said. “We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need.”

Late-night host and chronic Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferer Jimmy Kimmel weighed in on the chaos that erupted in Minneapolis on Wednesday after an ICE agent fatally shot a woman who federal officials say tried to plow him over with her car. The comedian held up a red T-shirt during his monologue, emblazoned with the words “Donald J. Trump Is Gonna Kill You,” and suggested that this was the “new slogan” for MAGA supporters. Kimmel went on to disparage Trump’s response to the shooting, saying, “This maniac, he’s not just killing people overseas.”  “An ICE agent today shot and killed an unarmed 37-year-old woman during an ICE operation in Minneapolis. They’re there under the guise of protecting us,” he went on. Kimmel then shared the president’s response on social media and disagreed with Trump’s assessment that the woman was acting in a “disorderly” manner and “obstructing and resisting.” “Now, I saw this video,” Kimmel said. “It didn’t look like anybody got run over to me. It looked to me like a woman got scared, tried to drive away, and they shot her.” He added that it will be “for the court to decide,” but went on to share a clip of Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey telling ICE to “get the f*ck out” of the city. “That’s the shirt I want to see,” Kimmel said, prompting someone to throw him another shirt with those words on it. “Get the f*** out of all of these cities,” the late-night host show repeated. Video from Wednesday’s fatal shooting shows ICE agents approach the woman’s car, with one agent attempting to open the driver’s side door. Another agent approached the front of the vehicle, and the woman began to drive toward him before shots were fired. The agent near the front of the vehicle appeared to be clipped by the car. Minneapolis schools are closed Thursday and Friday due to safety concerns. Leftist leaders insist killing was unjustified, while conservatives argue that her actions led to her death. “The gaslighting is off the charts and I’m having none of it. This guy was doing his job,” Vice President JD Vance posted on X on Thursday morning. “She tried to stop him from doing his job. When he approached her car, she tried to hit him.” “A tragedy? Absolutely. But a tragedy that falls on this woman and all of the radicals who teach people that immigration is the one type of law that rioters are allowed to interfere with,” he added.

Nick Reiner, who stands accused of murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, was dropped as a client by his lawyer, Alan Jackson. The attorney did not give a reason for his decision but said he still believes in his former client’s innocence. Jackson is well known for taking on high-profile cases, including those involving actor Kevin Spacey and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. He recently represented Karen Read, who was acquitted of the murder of her then-boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” Jackson told the judge during a scheduled arraignment on Wednesday, adding that he had “no choice” but to withdraw from the case. Jackson said he was making the decision with Reiner’s “understanding and consent,” as The New York Post reported. The arraignment was rescheduled for February 23. “Circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control, have dictated that sadly it’s made it impossible for us to continue our representation of Nick,” Jackson told reporters later on, adding that he could not “legally or ethically” disclose what had changed. Jackson also said he’s spent “literally every waking hour” going over the case. “Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that!” Jackson repeated. With Jackson stepping down, Reiner will be represented by public defender Kimberly Greene, the outlet noted. Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder after his parents were discovered dead in their home in December. The maximum sentence is life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.  The 32-year-old has a lengthy history of drug addiction and was allegedly behaving erratically at a party hosted by Conan O’Brien shortly before the killings.  Nick Reiner’s two siblings — Romy, 28, and Jake, 34 — issued a statement after their brother’s first court appearance: “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.” When Romy discovered the bodies of her parents, she informed police that her brother had been living in the home and was “dangerous.”