Hospitality workers across the country say they’re seeing bigger tax refunds this year, but many told The Daily Wire they had never heard of President Trump’s “No Tax On Tips” policy. “Really? No, I did not know that,” one person said. Another reacted with disbelief: “What? Oh my gosh.” The Daily Wire asked one waitress at Pearl Dive Oyster Bar, “Was your refund better than last year’s?” She said she received a refund this year, whereas last year, she had to pay taxes. When we asked her why she believed her tax situation suddenly changed, the waitress guessed that she must have made more money at her old job. We followed up by asking her if she thought it could be because her tips weren’t taxed this year, and the waitress said she had never heard of the policy. “Is that a good thing for us?” she asked. “Well, if you got more money back,” we responded. “I guess that’s one good thing he did,” she added of President Trump. Bartenders and servers told me their tax refunds were better than last year but they had no idea why… Republicans have a messaging problem pic.twitter.com/XgqMzHhcfQ — Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) April 18, 2026 One bartender said he thought his tax situation changed because he claimed his son as a dependent. “Why do you think you got so much back? Really? Because my son—I claim him—so, you know, it just boosted the profit,” he said, before adding, “Other than that, I wouldn’t have gotten too much at all.” However, after hearing about “No Tax on Tips,” he laughed and said, “Oh yes, I would definitely say that was it.” Another worker said, “I’m not sure why it was better, but it was better.” Her coworker answered for her, saying it was because tips weren’t taxed up to $25,000 this year, and neither was overtime. 2025 was a historic high for tax refunds, with the average refund being $3,274 — which is 11% higher than last year. Trump touted the policy in Las Vegas on Thursday. “Las Vegas is the home of the largest concentration of tipped workers anywhere in the country, and thanks to our tax cuts, this week, thousands of Nevada waiters, casino dealers, bartenders, caddies, and valets received the biggest tax refunds of their entire lives.” Originating in Las Vegas, the policy—along with “no tax on Social Security” and “no tax on overtime”—was a frontrunner on the campaign trail. Yet, the majority of hospitality workers The Daily Wire interviewed in Washington, D.C., had not heard of the flagship proposal. The issue is not new. A lack of awareness about current events is a trend The Daily Wire has observed firsthand. When the outlet interviewed Kamala Harris supporters at her book tour in Nashville, Tennessee, many couldn’t name her “best policy.” A viral spring break video also highlighted how little some teenagers knew about foreign affairs, with several saying they had never heard of Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah—let alone claims that the U.S. had killed him. Daily Wire host Matt Walsh commented, “I actually don’t mind the fact that a bunch of 18- and 19-year-old kids are totally ignorant about world affairs… but the problem is that these kids can vote… raise the voting age to 25.”

President Donald Trump on Saturday signed a sweeping executive order aimed at fast-tracking access to psychedelic-based treatments for veterans suffering from PTSD, depression, and other severe mental health conditions. On paper, the order directs agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs to accelerate clinical trials, cut bureaucratic delays, and expand “right to try” access for patients who have exhausted traditional treatment options. But the real-world impact is far more immediate, and far more personal. For millions of Americans, this isn’t an abstract policy debate, it’s about whether treatments that show real promise are stuck in years of red tape while people continue to struggle, relapse, or fall through the cracks of a mental health system that often relies on trial-and-error prescriptions. Trump framed the move as a long-overdue shift toward urgency. “These treatments are currently in the advanced stages of clinical trials to ensure that they’re both safe and effective,” Trump said. “But usually with things like this, nothing ever happens … we’re changing that.” The executive order builds on a growing body of research suggesting psychedelic therapies, particularly compounds like ibogaine, can deliver dramatic results where conventional treatments fail. Trump pointed to a Stanford study in which special operations veterans saw an 80 to 90 percent reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms within a month. At the signing ceremony, one veteran put it more bluntly. “This treatment saved my life,” he told the president. “Helped me get off opiates … sleep for the first time in over 10 years.” “And you have no doubt?” Trump asked. “Zero,” he answered. “To me, that’s the best research of all,” Trump said. More than 14 million Americans suffer from serious mental illness, according to the White House fact sheet accompanying the order, and for many, existing medications and therapies simply don’t work. Even when they do, they often come with significant side effects or require years of adjustments. Among veterans, the crisis is even more acute, with more than 6,000 suicides per year for over two decades, a statistic that has remained stubbornly high despite billions in federal spending. The order attempts to break that cycle by not just funding research, but forcing the system to move faster. It directs the FDA to prioritize psychedelic drugs already designated as “breakthrough therapies,” a classification reserved for treatments that show substantial improvement over existing options. It also pushes regulators to shorten review timelines that can typically stretch close to a year, and in some cases, much longer. At the same time, the administration is expanding access before full approval. By opening a clearer pathway under federal right-to-try laws, patients with treatment-resistant conditions may be able to access these therapies under medical supervision rather than waiting years for final regulatory clearance. That shift could prove significant not just for veterans, but for civilians facing similar conditions; first responders, trauma survivors, and millions of Americans dealing with depression, addiction, and anxiety disorders. Health agencies are also being pushed to coordinate more aggressively. The order mandates increased data sharing between federal departments, expanded clinical trial participation, and at least $50 million in federal support for state-level research efforts. States like Texas have already invested heavily in ibogaine research, and the federal government is now stepping in to match those efforts. Even skeptics in the medical field say the evidence is becoming harder to ignore. “One single administration can change behavior toward a therapeutic effect,” a researcher at the signing said. “We have a tool that could allow the body to heal itself, if we know how to properly use it.” That’s the gamble behind the order: that accelerating access doesn’t just help veterans, but could reshape how the country approaches mental health treatment altogether, moving away from long-term symptom management and toward therapies that may offer more lasting change. For everyday Americans, the implications are straightforward. If these treatments continue to show results, they won’t remain confined to niche trials; they could become part of mainstream medicine, available through doctors rather than years-long waitlists or costly alternatives abroad. If these therapies work — and early data suggest they might — the question is no longer whether they should exist, but how quickly people can access them. Trump’s answer, at least for now, is simple: faster.

President Donald Trump on Friday evening hinted at what’s to come when the War Department releases files relating to UFOs and phenomena of unknown origin. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Trump said: “As you remember, I recently directed the Secretary of War — how good is Pete Hegseth doing, by the way — to begin releasing government files relating to UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena.” The president then remarked on how excited the crowd became, saying, “I figured this was a good crowd because I know you people are really into that. I don’t know if I am.” “So, I’m pleased to report today — I thought I’d save it for this crowd because you’re a little out there — that this process is well underway and we’ve found many very interesting documents, I must say,” Trump continued. “And the first releases will begin very, very soon.” .@POTUS: I recently directed @SecWar to begin releasing government files relating to UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena. I am pleased to report this process is well underway. We’ve found many very interesting documents — and the first releases will begin very, very soon.

With an April 30 deadline now looming, Capitol Hill is locked in a high-stakes standoff over the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). What began in 2008 as a tool to close intelligence gaps has transformed into a digital-age lightning rod, pitting the urgent demands of national security against a growing, bipartisan demand for Fourth Amendment privacy. On Friday, the House and Senate passed a 10-day extension of the program via unanimous consent after broader reauthorization efforts collapsed amid GOP divisions. This temporary measure, which moves the expiration date from April 20 to April 30, grants lawmakers a narrow window to negotiate as the Trump administration continues its push for a renewal without a warrant requirement. At the heart of the “warrant debate” is whether the FBI should be required to get a judge’s permission before searching a database of intercepted foreign communications for information belonging to Americans. The Trump administration initially sought a “clean” 18-month extension of the law, which would exclude warrant reforms entirely. This bid, along with a separate five-year proposal that included FBI limits but no warrant requirement, unraveled in the House due to opposition from Democrats and GOP hardliners. The intelligence community’s defense relies on several pillars: Proven Results: In 2023, Section 702 provided 97% of the FBI’s raw technical reporting on cyber threats and assisted in military operations. Operational Speed: Gen. Josh Rudd (NSA/Cyber Command) and the White House argue a warrant requirement acts as a “de facto ban,” slowing investigations into fast-moving threats from actors like Iran. Compliance: Officials point to a 90% drop in U.S. person queries between 2021 and 2022, with a FISA Court-calculated compliance rate of over 98%. Conversely, a coalition of “privacy hawks” argues the system allows for “backdoor” searches. This debate has taken on a civil rights dimension, particularly regarding ethnic profiling. Statistics from the FBI’s 2023 transparency report indicate that while queries have dropped, “U.S. person” queries still numbered 119,383 in 2022. Additionally, AAPI organizations have highlighted that the lack of safeguards disproportionately affects minority communities; for instance, historical data has shown that Asian Americans are roughly twice as likely to be charged under the Economic Espionage Act than those of other backgrounds, fueling fears that FISA tools could amplify such disparities. The current fight is more complex than the 2024 renewal. Three major “wildcards” are shaping the April 30 deadline: The Data Broker Loophole: Lawmakers are pushing the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, which would stop agencies from simply buying sensitive data — like location history — from private brokers to bypass the warrant process. Transatlantic Trade: The European Union has repeatedly threatened to curtail data flows, citing Section 702 as a violation of EU privacy standards. The $1.3 billion fine levied against Meta in 2023 highlighted how U.S. surveillance laws could directly threaten $1.3 trillion in annual bilateral trade. The “Spy” Provision: Critics are still fighting to repeal a 2024 expansion that widened the definition of “electronic communication service providers,” which some fear could force a broader range of U.S. businesses to assist in state surveillance. The Trump administration has already notified Congress that the FISA Court renewed program certifications for another year, but without Congressional authorization, tech companies may still challenge their obligation to comply. As the clock ticks toward April 30, Republican leaders must now decide whether to revise legislation to satisfy the House Freedom Caucus or lean on holdouts to align with the White House’s wishes.

Woke Hollywood is dead, or so we thought. The new trailer for “Ladies First” is proof that La La Land won’t give up the woke ghost. Sacha Baron Cohen, who traded his subversive “Borat” shtick for the anti-Trump Resistance, stars as a chauvinist who suffers a blow to the head and wakes up in a new reality. Forget the patriarchy. The matriarchy now runs things in this May 22 Netflix original. The laugh-free trailer is bad enough, but the sight of Borat leaning into feminist clichés is worse. And it’s far from alone. That “woke mind virus” is on the comeback trail. Rob Youngson/Netflix – copyright 2026 Netflix, Inc. The proof that woke was on the run felt substantial. Real. Refreshing. Comedians were suddenly able to speak their minds without fear of reprisal. Comedy roasts made a shocking comeback, and Netflix couldn’t wait to line up rebel comics like Tony Hinchcliffe, Tim Dillon, Ricky Gervais and Shane Gillis for new projects. Disney, the unofficial woke standard bearer, dialed down the messaging machine. The Disney+ series “Win or Lose” ditched a trans character. Big-budget releases like “Moana 2” and “Inside Out 2” left the lectures on the cutting room floor — and scored huge box office numbers along the way. More recently, Disney-owned Pixar chief Pete Docter said his company removed LGBTQ content from 2025’s “Elio” because “We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy.” Lesson learned. Or was it? Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney/Pixar That “Ladies First” trailer feels like it came from a 2020 time capsule. So does “Starfleet Academy.” The latest “Star Trek” TV show got roundly mocked on social media and by YouTube cutups like Nerdrotic and The Critical Drinker, who combined have millions of followers. The show featured a charcuterie board full of woke, from the barefoot captain curling up in her chair like a Portland librarian to a gay, cross-dressing Klingon. Mainstream critics, who lean aggressively to the Left, praised the show while audiences stayed away in droves. The show’s second season was set in motion immediately, but the cancellation news came nearly as fast. Hulu just dropped a new mini-season of “Malcolm in the Middle,” the early 2000s hit about a quirky, dysfunctional clan. The streamer knew it had a nostalgia-fueled hit on its hands, which may be why the creators gave the clan Kelly, a “non-binary” child. Just a coincidence? Hardly. Executive producer Tracy Katsy told Deadline.com the reason for the inclusion angle. “Three out of four of our kids are queer, and without making it a thing and without making an issue, I think it’s really nice to have a character that, that’s just a facet of their personality as opposed to the entire story.” Theo Wargo/Getty Images The diversity measure came with the de facto lecture sequence, too, along with the Mary Sue-style characterization. Kelly uses “they/them” and is depicted as academically gifted, level-headed, and notably the only sibling without a police record. No flaws, please. That’s another woke byproduct, removing flaws from characters meant to promote diversity and inclusion. The show also made Stevie (Craig Lamar Traylor), who displayed heterosexual characteristics in the original series, a gay man in an interracial relationship. The new action comedy “Normal” also squeezes a “non-binary” character into the story, played by Jess McLeod. The character, dubbed Alex, is given little backstory or depth, but Alex still plays a sizable role in the film’s second half. This year’s “Frankenstein” reinvention, dubbed “The Bride!” featured a cavalcade of woke talking points. The titular creature inspired a wave of rebellious women fighting back against early 20th century oppression, and Jessie Buckley’s Bride literally shouts, “Me too” … twice. And, yes, “The Bride!” may be one of 2026’s biggest box office busts with a pathetic $12 million domestic haul. Woke isn’t just about forced, clumsy inclusion. It coaxes screenwriters to lecture viewers from a hard-Left perspective. No nuance or balance, please. There’s a PowerPoint-style message to share. It’s why shows like “Matlock” and “The Pitt” have spent serious screen time pushing an aggressive, anti-ICE narrative in recent weeks. “The Pitt” also promotes an unabashed, pro-abortion agenda. The HBO Max series featured an episode with a 17-year-old pregnant teen (Abby Ryder Fortson) seeking an abortion, but she didn’t have her parents’ consent. John Wells Productions. Max. R. Scott Gemmill Productions. Sky Studios. Warner Bros. Television. HBO Max. The baby in question is more than 11 weeks along, just beyond Pennsylvania’s cutoff for a legal abortion. Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) stepped in, offering to fudge the facts to secure the abortion in question. The doctors agreed that the teen deserves to have a life, as they framed it, ignoring the positive impacts of motherhood or potentially giving up the innocent baby for adoption. The creative team behind “The Pitt” is leaning into the show’s ratings success, weaponizing the saga to advance leftist talking points as needed. It’s another familiar woke pattern — Hollywood finds success with an apolitical show or film, and later leverages that appeal to insert woke talking points. One glaring example? Even a far-Left site like TheMarySue.com cringed when the once-mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe included a clunky, “girl power” moment during the epic “Avengers: Endgame” battle. The MCU saga went woke thereafter and has yet to recover, financially speaking. Despite these stark examples, woke isn’t the cultural force in Hollywood that it was just a few short years ago. Some savvy studio types realized that its cultural tentacles remain a financial risk, to put it bluntly. Others are like Hiroo Onoda, the Japanese soldier who kept fighting World War II for nearly 29 years after hostilities ceased. That means it could take a few more high-profile failures for Hollywood to finally learn its lesson. * * * Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at HollywoodInToto.com.