Watch Trey Gowdy’s and Fox News’s version of the news about the ‘Maryland man,’ ‘mistakenly’ sent to an El Salvador prison. Part of the Exchange on The Story “I think what they ought to do is probably follow the judge’s order and the Supreme Court decision, which used the word facilitate,”  Gowdy told Martha MacCallum […] The post Trey Gowdy-Fox Version of the Maryland Man: “Obey” the Judges appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

President Donald Trump will meet with Japan on Wednesday to negotiate over tariffs and American military support. The meeting comes after Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on countries worldwide, including a 24% tariff on Japanese goods. That tariff was later paused after Trump hit China with a 125% tariff and lowered reciprocal tariffs for all other countries across the board to 10% for 90 days to allow for negotiations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will attend Trump’s meeting with Japan. “Japan is coming in today to negotiate Tariffs, the cost of military support, and ‘TRADE FAIRNESS.’ I will attend the meeting, along with Treasury & Commerce Secretaries,” Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social. “Hopefully something can be worked out which is good (GREAT!) for Japan and the USA!” Japan has also been impacted by a 25% tariff on auto imports imposed by Trump, which the country hopes to see ended.  Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa said that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba “has a strong desire to help the U.S. achieve its goals in a win-win way, through investments rather than tariffs,” according to The Wall Street Journal.  At the same time, Ishiba recently told Japan’s parliament that he doesn’t want to rush negotiations.   “I’m not of the view that we should make big concessions for the sake of wrapping up negotiations quickly,” he said. “In negotiating with the United States, we need to understand what’s behind Trump’s argument both in terms of the logic and the emotional elements behind his views.” Trump has defended tariffs, saying it has brought in billions of dollars in revenue to the United States.  “The United States is taking in RECORD NUMBERS in Tariffs, with the cost of almost all products going down, including gasoline, groceries, and just about everything else,” he posted on Truth Social Wednesday. “Likewise, INFLATION is down.” National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on Sunday that 130 nations have reached out to negotiate trade with Trump after the “Liberation Day” tariffs were announced.  “If you come to the table and negotiate with us and treat us the same way we treat you, then we will get your rate really low,” he said. “So, right now, 130 countries, 130 countries have responded, and we’re negotiating with them, and they have got their rate down to 10%.”

On Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump blasted Harvard University for hiring “Leftist dopes” and “birdbrains” to teach at the institution while declaring they teach “Hate and Stupidity.” Writing on Truth Social, Trump began by asserting, “Everyone knows that Harvard has ‘lost its way.’” He then noted that the university had hired two former hard-left mayors of New York and Chicago, Bill de Blasio and Lori Lightfoot, to teach about government, writing, “They hired, from New York (Bill D) and Chicago (Lori L), at ridiculously high salaries/fees, two of the WORST and MOST INCOMPETENT mayors in the history of our Country, to ‘teach’ municipal management and government. These two Radical Left fools left behind two cities that will take years to recover from their incompetence and evil.” “Harvard has been hiring almost all woke, Radical Left, idiots and ‘birdbrains’ who are only capable of teaching FAILURE to students and so-called ‘future leaders,’” he continued, then turned to former Harvard President Claudine Gay, who resigned after she had been harshly criticized for insisting that calls for genocide against Jews might not have violated Harvard’s codes of conduct because it depended on the “context” and had also been accused of plagiarism. Trump wrote: Look just to the recent past at their plagiarizing President, who so greatly embarrassed Harvard before the United States Congress. When it got so bad that they just couldn’t take it anymore, they moved this grossly inept woman into another position, teaching, rather than firing her ON THE SPOT. Since then much else has been found out about her, but she remains in place. “Many others, like these Leftist dopes, are teaching at Harvard, and because of that, Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” he stated. “Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” On Monday, the Trump administration’s Department of Education announced it would freeze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value to Harvard University after the university said it would not comply with the Trump administration’s demand that the university claimed would “invade university freedoms.” Last Friday, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services sent a letter to Harvard in which they stated, “By August 2025, the University must adopt and implement merit-based hiring policies, and cease all preferences based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin …” adding that the same attitude must prevail in admissions policies. The correspondence also declared that by the same date, the university must “prevent admitting students hostile to the American values and institutions inscribed in the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence, including students supportive of terrorism and anti-Semitism.” The university “shall commission an external party … to audit the student body, faculty and leadership for viewpoint diversity” by August 2025, the letter continued, in order to ensure that the leftist perspective that dominates the university should be contrasted with other viewpoints. Alan Garber, the president of Harvard University, responded with a statement in which he said, “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” contending, “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights” and claiming the administration’s demands violated “Harvard’s First Amendment rights … threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.”

The man suspected of setting the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion on fire while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping was motivated by his hatred for Israel, a 911 call reveals. After 38-year-old Cody Balmer set fire to the mansion in the early hours of Sunday morning, he called the police to tell them he would not take part in [Shapiro’s] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” Penn Live reported. Balmer added that he wanted to “stop having my friends killed” and that “our people have been put through too much by that monster.” Police reportedly say Balmer appeared to be reading from a script, based on his intonation and cadence. “You all know where to find me. I’m not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done,” Balmer said. Balmer targeted Shapiro “based upon perceived injustices to the people of Palestine” and because of Shapiro’s faith, according to a warrant for his devices signed Tuesday by Corporal Benjamin Forsythe of the Pennsylvania State Police, Penn Live reported. The warrant reportedly does not cite the evidence that Shapiro was targeted for being Jewish. Balmer’s storage unit in Swatara Township reportedly had stickers of South American Marxist revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara inside a toolbox. Police documents reveal that Balmer admitted to harboring “hatred towards” Shapiro and planned on beating him with a hammer if he encountered the governor during the attack, where he allegedly threw two Molotov cocktails into the Harrisburg home. The attack, which did significant damage to the governor’s mansion, led to police waking and escorting Shapiro’s family from the home. The attack took place hours after the Shapiro family finished their Passover Seder meal. Balmer has been charged with eight crimes, including attempted homicide, aggravated arson, burglary, reckless endangerment, terrorism, and multiple counts of aggravated assault. He faces over 100 years in prison. Balmer turned himself in to the police shortly after his ex-girlfriend alerted authorities that he was responsible. Balmer admitted to the attack and told police that he knew people could be harmed, according to a police affidavit. “He advised on the date in question he removed gasoline from a lawn mower and poured it into Heineken Bottles he found at his residence,” the police affidavit says. “Balmer advised he walked for approximately one hour from his residence to the Governor’s Residence to throw his homemade Molotov cocktails into the residence.”  Balmer’s mother told the media that her son was “mentally ill and he went off his medication.” Police were dispatched to Balmer’s home in January 2023 to respond to a report of domestic violence. When police arrived, Balmer told them he attempted suicide with a “bottle full of pills” and got into a fight with his wife and 13-year-old son, according to an affidavit from the Penbrook police department. Balmer’s wife said he hit the boy and punched her in the face and bit her hand, CNN reported. His wife added that another 10-year-old son was elbowed in the chest multiple times, and had his already-broken leg stepped on.  Balmer was reportedly charged with three counts of simple assault at the time, but it is unclear whether he entered a plea. The case is ongoing.

CBS News host Gayle King took issue with those who referred to her eight minutes in space — with an all-female, celebrity-heavy “crew” — as “a ride,” arguing that it was sexist and “disrespectful” to do so. King responded to critics in an interview with Extra after her Blue Origin space flight — alongside performer Katy Perry and Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sanchez, among others — returned to earth, also hitting back at those who complained about the expense of such a “frivolous” trip. WATCH: Gayle King responds to criticism of her Blue Origin space flight, says people calling it "a ride" is "disrespectful." Full interview ?: https://t.co/VIwjEycANG pic.twitter.com/c1Bn6Jntaq — ExtraTV (@extratv) April 15, 2025 “I think it’s good that we can really address it,” King said. “Because I was one of those people before I went on this flight and before I became educated on space. ‘Why are we spending so much money on space when there’s so much to do on Earth?’ I was one of those people.” King said that part of what had changed her mind was learning that Blue Origin intended “to figure out a way to harness the waste here and figure out a way to put it in space to make the planet Earth a better place.” “So I wish people would do more due diligence. And then my question is, have y’all been to space? Go to space or go to Blue Origin and see what they do … and then come back and say, ‘This is a terrible thing,'” King continued, arguing that if there were more demand for commercial space flights, the cost of such a flight would eventually come down. King went on to complain about the underlying sexist tone of those referring to the eight-minute space flight as “a ride,” saying, “You never see a man, a male astronaut, who’s going up in space and they say, ‘Oh, he took a ride.’ … It’s always referred to as a flight or a journey, so I feel that’s a little disrespectful to what the mission was and the work that Blue Origin does.” The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh hit back at King, mocking her for referring to herself as “an astronaut” and saying, “Gayle King thinks she’s an astronaut because she took a 10 minute ride on her friend’s boyfriend’s rocket ship.” Gayle King thinks she’s an astronaut because she took a 10 minute ride on her friend’s boyfriend’s rocket ship pic.twitter.com/cmEDkvIei0 — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 16, 2025 “Astronauts were stranded in space for 9 months. When they were rescued, they just said thank you and went back to work,” conservative pundit Stephen L. Miller pointed out. Astronauts were stranded in space for 9 months. When they were rescued, they just said thank you and went back to work. https://t.co/B6JhoSRDwC — Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 15, 2025 Katy Perry was also mocked for overblowing the importance of the trip. “Katy Perry out here acting like she was just stranded in space by Joe Biden for nearly a year,” one commented after video circulated of the pop star kissing the ground. Katy Perry out here acting like she was just stranded in space by Joe Biden for nearly a year pic.twitter.com/28DAPJhjCN — Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 14, 2025

At a time when the Pentagon is finally waking up to the physical collapse of our armed forces, Texas has a unique opportunity to lead. In March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sounded the alarm with a directive: Military standards have dangerously eroded. “Our adversaries are not growing weaker,” he wrote. “Our tasks are not growing less challenging.” He ordered a department-wide review of physical fitness, grooming, and readiness standards and recently stated, “For too long, we’ve allowed standards to slip within the ranks for men and women serving in combat MOSs. This is unacceptable and over.” He also welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the Pentagon, pledging to ensure our warfighters are “healthy and fit to fight.” These moves reflect a growing recognition of the military’s readiness crisis — and that rebuilding a warrior culture requires action, not speeches. Texas is answering that call. The Texas Military Forces Health and Readiness Act (House Bill 4993) is a no-compromise legislative initiative to restore physical readiness, health, and resilience in the Texas Military Forces. It aligns with the Department of Defense’s renewed focus on standards and provides a battle-ready model that other states — and even the federal government — can adopt. The Current Readiness Crisis And Systemic Failures Brandon Bell/Getty Images The National Guard plays an increasingly vital dual role: it must respond to domestic crises and be ready to “fight tonight” in peer-level combat operations. Hegseth has emphasized the need to “match threats to capabilities.” But for states like Texas — where the Guard is expected to conduct disaster operations, support border security, and remain deployable worldwide — this mission cannot be met under current conditions. This isn’t just about pushups. America’s military readiness crisis is real, and it’s gutting our combat capability across the force. Military readiness isn’t a slogan — it’s the bedrock of deterrence and victory. Yet today, 68% of U.S. service members are overweight or obese, according to a 2023 report by the American Security Project. Fitness-related health costs and lost duty time exceed $1.35 billion annually, directly sabotaging operational effectiveness. That’s bad enough for active-duty forces — but for the National Guard, the situation is catastrophic. If active-duty service members with full access to resources are struggling, the situation for part-time National Guard forces is even more dire. In Texas, part-time Guardsmen train a fraction of the time compared to Active Duty. They are spread across vast distances, often without access to adequate training facilities, wellness programs, or basic fitness infrastructure. Unlike the Active Duty, the Guard operates with persistent disparities in funding, support services, and oversight. Wellness programs go underutilized, accountability is virtually nonexistent, and time for physical training is painfully limited. The result? A force on the edge of collapse — unfit, underprepared, and unable to meet the demands of today’s missions. This isn’t just a training problem. It’s a strategic liability. The Army’s Food Scandal: A Symptom Of The Larger Collapse Adding insult to injury is the military’s broken nutrition system. A January 2025 Military.com investigation found that the Army diverted over $151 million in food allowance payments from junior enlisted soldiers, with only 30% of those funds actually going toward meals. At Fort Cavazos in Texas, only $11.7 million of $42.5 million collected went to feed troops. Other bases relied on vending machines stocked with sugary snacks, or served meals of toast and lima beans — or no meals at all. This isn’t just a logistical failure. It’s a betrayal of the trust and conditions necessary for building a capable, professional fighting force. For the National Guard, already starved of resources and time, this neglect is lethal. This is not a military prepared to win wars — it’s a hollow shell. Brandon Bell/Getty Images HB 4993: A Texas-Size Fix HB 4993 is a Texas-sized solution to this national crisis. It creates a comprehensive, accountable system to rebuild readiness: Statewide Fitness Access: State-funded gym memberships and access to certified civilian trainers ensure Guardsmen across Texas can train consistently, regardless of location. Integrated Digital Platform: Service members get real-time fitness tracking, customized plans, injury prevention, and mental health tools in a secure app. Comprehensive Wellness Services: The bill funds rehabilitation, nutrition counseling, mental health support, and family-based fitness programs, because force readiness starts at home. Performance-Based Culture: Structured incentives, advancement pathways, and public recognition will restore the warrior ethos and reward excellence. Transparency and Accountability: Quarterly reports to the Legislature, corrective action plans, and unit-level oversight. If readiness falters, the system adapts — now, not later. Minimal Cost, Maximum Return: This initiative delivers a high-impact return at a fraction of the $1.35 billion national fitness-related losses. This is a high-impact, low-cost readiness reform that delivers immediate and lasting results — saving lives, taxpayer dollars, and national security.  Reinforcing National Readiness Priorities For too long, the physical and mental health of our service members has been allowed to rot — not because of funding shortages, but because of cowardice, complacency, and a lack of standards. HB 4993 rejects that failure. It embodies the resolve to act decisively and reforge a professional force worthy of the missions it’s expected to carry out. This is the moment for Texas to lead. HB 4993 supports the national call to “Make America Healthy Again” and hands other states a clear, scalable playbook. The health, fitness, and discipline of our military are not internal HR concerns — they are national security imperatives. Readiness isn’t negotiable. It’s the prerequisite for effective deterrence, mission success, and survival in a world of growing threats. Texas is doing its part. Now the Texas Legislature must rise to the occasion — and show the nation what readiness, resolve, and responsibility really look like. * * * Ammon Blair is a Senior Fellow for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s ‘Secure & Sovereign Texas’ Initiative. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire. 

“Witness the northern lights in person” is a popular bucket-list item for a reason. This gorgeous phenomenon is so breathtaking, even those who see it in person struggle to believe their own eyes. But have you ever thought about what the northern lights look like in places besides Earth? Lucky for us all, a video from the International Space Station was shared on social media, and it’s giving us a view of this natural phenomenon that’s unlike any other. NASA Astronaut Don Pettit is who we have to thank for this incredible footage. He frequently shares his views from space, but his videos of the northern l,ights are especially popular. According to reports, he was preparing to dock with a spacecraft when he got this priceless footage. Check out his perspective in the video below! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Don Pettit (@astro_pettit) “How fortunate we are to live in an age when we can witness magic like this!” someone wisely points out in reply to Don’s video, another person adding, “Amazing! So jealous you don’t have clouds to contend with!” NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Shares a Breathtaking Video of the Northern Lights, as Seen from the International Space Station That isn’t the only stunning footage Don managed to capture. In the video below, we see the lights from an entirely different angle. This one gives us a better view of Earth as a whole in the distance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Don Pettit (@astro_pettit) “I thought this was a boat cutting through a bioluminescent bay for a second,” someone admits in the comments, another pointing out, “I bet this is incredible to see in person.” Seeing both the northern lights and Earth from this perspective never ceases to amaze. It’s a great reminder that the universe is far more vast and beautiful than we could ever imagine! You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post International Space Station Captures Footage Stunning Natural Phenomenon Like You’ve Never Seen It Before! appeared first on InspireMore.

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