Republican lawmakers emerged victorious over their Democrat counterparts in the 2025 Congressional baseball game -- marking their fifth consecutive win.

On April 2, 2025, “Liberation Day,” President Donald J. Trump presented the world with his list of tariffs to be applied to virtually all nations. This was the climax of a process that he had begun a couple of weeks before. He aimed to reduce the annual trade deficit that the United States has endured […] The post Does Anything Good Come From International Trade? appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis minced no words when speaking about the rights of citizens if they were surrounded by a mob while in their car. DeSantis spoke to Dave Rubin of the Rubin Report regarding the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, and Florida’s policy regarding civil unrest. “In terms of the unrest, Florida’s policy is very simple: You have every right to exercise your First Amendment rights to protest and demonstrate,” DeSantis explained. “The minute you cross that line, you are going to be met with serious pushback, and you will be held accountable. We do not tolerate rioting; we do not tolerate civil unrest; we do not tolerate looting; we do not tolerate attacks on law enforcement.” “And so I know they’re planning stuff for all over the country; they tried to do a little protest in Florida, and they actually just held signs, which is fine, but that’s as far as it goes here,” he continued. “I think the problem in places like California is the authorities at both the local and state level; they’re effectively siding with the people that are causing the unrest. And part of it is because California is the Shangri-La of sanctuary states. They give you drivers’ licenses if you’re an illegal; you get in-state tuition; they pay for your healthcare; they will try to stymie ICE and protect you from having immigration law enforced, And so they’ve been doing this over a number of years and I think have developed a sense of entitlement that somehow, federal laws don’t apply to them because they don’t like them. So you’ve had the mayor, the governor, empower that element, not just now, but for many years …” Asked what Florida’s policy was when demonstrators crossed the line, DeSantis replied: The Hamas demonstration, when that was in vogue, they tried to do that in the city of Miami and the Miami PD got them off the street in 13 minutes. They tried to do it in central Florida on a state road and our state highway patrol. they were able to dispatch them in 11 minutes. And so, yes, there is zero tolerance. You have no right to commandeer streets. First of all it’s just wrong. Second of all, that has huge impacts on people’s quality of life. You may have a parent needing to go pick up a child from daycare, from a camp, or from a school. You may have somebody who has a medical issue they need to get, and what, you’re going to clog all the roads? So we have an absolutely zero tolerance policy for that and we also have a policy that if you’re driving on one of those streets, and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have a right to flee for your safety. And so if you drive off, and you hit one of these people, that’s their fault for impinging on you. You don’t have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets. You have a right to defend yourself in Florida. Florida is not playing with its rules on mobs surrounding your car. Take notes, Cali. Governor @RonDeSantis on @RubinReport Watch NOW here: https://t.co/HGUYTG8ECc pic.twitter.com/65h1a5LbAi — The Rubin Report (@RubinReportShow) June 12, 2025

President Donald Trump said an Israeli strike on Iran is within the realm of possibility as tensions rise between the United States and Iran over a nuclear deal. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump said that he doesn’t believe an Israeli strike is imminent, but “looks like it’s something that could very well happen.” “Whether it’s going in or not going in, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I’d prefer the more friendly path.” NEW: Trump says an Israeli strike on Iran is “something that could very well happen.” pic.twitter.com/WicHnlXuzi — Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) June 12, 2025 NEW: Trump says an Israeli strike on Iran is “something that could very well happen.” pic.twitter.com/WicHnlXuzi — Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) June 12, 2025 Israeli officials told Axios that the IDF has been on “high alert in recent days for possible escalation with Iran.” Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is still set to meet with Iranian officials for the sixth round of nuclear talks on Sunday in Oman, a source told The Daily Wire. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SANCTIONS SHADOW BANKING NETWORK FUNDING IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM Trump also explained why he ordered some American personnel to evacuate the Middle East, saying it was because of a “chance of massive conflict.” “We have a lot of American people in this area, and I said ‘we have to tell them to get out because something that could happen soon, and I don’t want to be the one who didn’t give any warning, and missiles are flying into their buildings.’ It’s possible, so I had to do it.” He added that the order has the potential to save many lives if a violent conflict arises. Trump also said that Iran is going to have to “give us some things that they’re not willing to give us right now,” likely referring to Iran refusing to budge on giving up its enrichment capabilities, which the Trump administration has demanded. Trump says the reason behind evacuating some personnel and dependents from the Middle East is because there is a “chance of massive conflict.” “We got to tell them to get out because something could happen soon.” pic.twitter.com/Xgt44NmqtL — Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) June 12, 2025 While previous rounds of talks have been described as productive by American officials, Trump told the New York Post this week that he is getting “less confident” about getting Iran to make an acceptable deal. TERRORIST WHO KILLED ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS WAS INFLUENCED BY A FOREIGN-LINKED LEFTIST ORG “They seem to be delaying, and I think that’s a shame, but I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago,” he said. “Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made.” Trump has expressed his preference to resolve Iran’s nuclear challenges with diplomacy, but has threatened to use military force if a deal cannot be made. In March, during an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Trump said Iran can be handled militarily or through negotiating a deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday morning said an agreement could “ensure the continued peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” which relies on the “continuation of Iran’s enrichment program, under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency  and the effective termination of sanctions.” TRUMP TO WORLD: STOP BUYING IRANIAN OIL — OR ELSE  For the first time in 20 years, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had breached its non-proliferation obligations. The resolution declaring Iran in violation was submitted by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, and passed with support from 19 countries. Eleven nations abstained, while only Russia, China, and Burkina Faso voted against it, according to Reuters. A February report from the International Atomic Energy Agency found that Iran’s uranium stockpile is enriched to 60 percent purity — close to the 90 percent level considered weapon-grade. The total enriched uranium stockpile now stands at approximately 8,294 kilograms, vastly exceeding the deal’s cap of 300 kilograms. Iran can currently produce enough weapons-grade fissile material to make a nuclear weapon in a week or two, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed in July 2024, adding that Iran had not yet produced a weapon to utilize the material.

Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) became increasingly unhinged during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, attacking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directly and demanding that he “Get the hell out!” Hegseth was on Capitol Hill for a budget hearing, but Carbajal used the opportunity to insult Hegseth repeatedly before telling him that he was “unfit to lead” and should resign. WATCH: ? REP. CARBAJAL to HEGSETH: “You’re not worthy of my attention or my questions. You’re an embarrassment to this country. You’re unfit to lead… You should just get the hell out.” pic.twitter.com/1NgrqyWWru — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 12, 2025 “I have called for your resignation. I didn’t think you were qualified before your confirmation, and you have done nothing to inspire confidence in your ability to lead competently,” Carbajal began. He later asked Hegseth whether allegiance or deference to President Donald Trump’s wishes was a requirement for serving in his administration. The Defense Secretary did not answer the question at all until Carbajal pressed the point — and when he did address it, he dismissed the question as “silly.” That was when Carbajal’s apparently limited patience ran out. Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%! “I’m not going to waste my time anymore. You’re not worthy of my attention or my questions,” Carbajal unloaded on Hegseth. “You’re an embarrassment to this country. You’re unfit to lead and there’s been bipartisan members of Congress that have called for your resignation. You should just get the hell out and let somebody competently lead this department.” The California congressman’s outburst ultimately resulted in one member walking out — asking on the way out whether there was any “decorum” in hearings anymore — and a stern rebuke from Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI). “I would urge everybody to remember and maintain decorum suitable for this chamber for further comments,” he said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously ruled that disabled veterans were entitled to retroactive compensation. The case, Soto v. United States, began as a class action lawsuit led by Simon Soto, who served in the Marines for six years until he was medically retired. Soto served for part of this time in Mortuary Affairs, where he was “assigned to ‘search for, recover, and process the remains’ of war casualties.’” He struggled to return to civil life and was later diagnosed with a 100% disability rating for post-traumatic stress disorder by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), signifying “[t]otal occupational and social impairment.” Soto applied for “combat-related special compensation,” which is intended to offset the portion of retirement pay veterans are required to waive in order to receive disability benefits from the VA. Originally available only to veterans with 20 or more years of service, Congress extended special compensation to all veterans in 2008. Soto applied for CRSC in 2016, and was found eligible. The government gave him retroactive compensation for his waived retirement pay, but capped it at six years, citing the Barring Act, which “subjects most claims to a six-year limitations period.” But the Barring Act also said that if “another law” allows the government to adjudicate settlements with the government, the six-year ceiling is not applicable. Soto filed a class action lawsuit with other veterans whose compensation was limited under the Barring Act. They argued that the combat-related special compensation falls under the Barring Act’s loophole for superseding laws. The government argued that the statute establishing combat-related special compensation lacked the “specific language” needed to establish this. A district court ruled in favor of Soto, and a federal circuit ruled in favor of the government, sending the case to the Supreme Court. Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the opinion of the court, which emphasized that Congress isn’t limited by specific language arguments. “As this Court has repeatedly explained, Congress “need not state its intent in any particular way,” and “[w]e have never required that Congress use magic words.” The Court ruled that there is sufficient basis for “another law” in the combat-related special compensation statute, ultimately deciding that Soto and his fellow veterans, whom they described as a “group of exceptionally deserving claimants”, can receive full disability compensation for their service.

A lawyer who defended many of the peaceful pro-life protesters targeted by the Biden administration praised the House Judiciary Committee for voting to repeal the decades-old statute used to put them behind bars.  Steve Crampton, a lawyer with the Thomas More Society, told The Daily Wire that it was “very encouraging” that the Judiciary Committee passed a bill on Tuesday from Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE Act, first passed in 1994, is a law that makes obstructing access to an abortion facility a federal crime and ostensibly provides the same protections for churches and pregnancy centers.   In reality, Crampton noted, the law has been used to go after peaceful pro-life demonstrators, while attacks on churches and crisis pregnancy centers are often ignored. Data obtained by Roy show that 97% of all FACE Act prosecutions since 1994 have been against pro-lifers. “You have ample law under state law and elsewhere to prosecute truly violent undertakings,” Crampton told The Daily Wire. “All the FACE Act adds is the physical obstruction component, which is targeted at peaceful civil disobedience acts that have historically been really cherished and celebrated in our country, rather than singled out for harsh federal prosecutions.” Throughout multiple federal trials, Crampton defended peaceful pro-life protesters, such as Paul Vaughn in Tennessee and Lauren Handy in Washington, D.C., who were convicted under both FACE and conspiracy against rights charges during the Biden administration. Both faced over a decade in prison. Handy was sentenced to over four years in prison, while Vaughn was sentenced to home detention.  In January, President Donald Trump pardoned the pro-life protesters, freeing Handy and others from federal prison. Trump’s Justice Department also issued a memo saying FACE would only be prosecuted in cases of extreme violence.  Crampton said he was disappointed to see California Republican Rep. Tom McClintock voice opposition to repealing FACE during Tuesday’s hearing, as he argued that the law was neutral but abused by the Biden administration. Crampton said the law was inherently content-based, noting that you could only be charged under FACE if your intent was to prevent abortion and not just obstruction in general. He also said that the bias of the law “screams through the statistics” of the prosecutions.  Vaughn, a Christian father of 11 whose Tennessee home was raided by armed FBI agents, told The Daily Wire he was happy to see the repeal advance.  “The reality is it’s never done anything other than provide a federal hammer to be used against the pro-life community,” he said. “There’s not a law that it covers, that is not already a state law, or is not an infraction that it covers, it’s not covered under a state law.” Vaughn says he would also like to see reforms brought to the conspiracy against rights provision from the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act, which Biden’s Justice Department paired with FACE in their cases against the pro-lifer protesters. That meant that Vaughn and others — like 89-year-old communist concentration camp survivor Eva Edl — faced over 10 years in prison.  Crampton agreed, noting that he would like to see the provision heavily revised to ensure First Amendment protections or even done away with altogether. He thinks that FACE should be dealt with first because state attorneys general still bring FACE prosecutions under the law even if the Trump administration is not active.  FACE “remains a very, very powerful weapon in the hands of these left-wing attorneys general,” Crampton told The Daily Wire, adding that “protecting fundamental First Amendment rights ought to be of the highest priority in our national debate” and that pro-life advocates should “keep charging forward.”  A full vote on the repeal has not yet been scheduled for the House, and the legislation would likely have an uphill battle in the Senate. Republican Senators such as Mike Lee of Utah and Josh Hawley of Missouri have been very outspoken about the weaponization of the FACE Act.

President Trump is correct to reinstate the travel ban on nations like Iran. It’s a necessary step to safeguard national security. However, the greatest threat from Tehran isn’t simply attempting entry — it is already entrenched within our borders. Sympathizers of the Islamic Republic have established footholds in the United States, holding green cards, naturalized citizenship, or residing under visas granted through academia, government-funded programs, or employment in critical sectors. While most Iranian-Americans actively oppose the regime, a concerning minority continue promoting Tehran’s dangerous agenda — some openly, others clandestinely. Over the past two decades — including during the Obama-era diplomatic thaw with Tehran — many Iranian nationals, including some with regime-linked backgrounds, obtained legal residency or advanced academic placements in the U.S. While most pose no threat, this period coincided with a wave of regime-aligned individuals quietly embedding into American institutions under minimal scrutiny. These assertions aren’t speculative — they are substantiated by documented public records. Recent intelligence reports indicate that the Islamic Republic of Iran has gone far beyond covert propaganda. Tehran has been linked to a plot to assassinate President Trump and has actively funded and promoted antisemitic agitation across the U.S. — including pro-Hamas encampments on university campuses and coordinated protests following October 7. At recent riots in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, individuals have been seen wearing Hamas and other Islamic terrorist group headbands while waving the Mexican flag — a manufactured coalition of chaos that Tehran helps engineer. These developments are not spontaneous. They reflect a deliberate, externally supported campaign to destabilize American cities, stoke antisemitism, and erode democratic norms. In 20241, Iranian regime-aligned elections were held on U.S. soil, with polling sites reportedly coordinated by pro-regime organizations embedded in American communities. While such activity is typically framed as cultural engagement, it represented an organized effort by a hostile foreign regime to normalize its legitimacy abroad. Participation and promotion of such events by green card holders and dual citizens raise questions about foreign influence that deserve closer examination — not dismissal. Moreover, the situation intensifies when considering documented overlaps between participants in these regime-linked elections and anti-Israel or pro-Hamas activities across America. National security reporting, including coverage by Dexter Van Zile, identified individuals in Massachusetts who took part in the elections and were later seen at pro-Hamas demonstrations — a group the U.S. classifies as a terrorist organization. This alignment is unlikely to be accidental; it points to a strategic nexus of anti-American propaganda shaped or inspired by Tehran. Alarmingly, this infiltration extends beyond propaganda. In 2024, a Massachusetts-based engineer holding U.S. permanent residency was federally indicted for illegally exporting drone components to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force — a designated terrorist entity. Those parts were directly implicated in lethal attacks against American military personnel overseas. Notably, this individual maintained active ties with the Omid Islamic Center, a Shi’a congregation in the greater Boston area — a congregation previously reported to have hosted organizers of Iran’s U.S.-based regime elections. These connections reinforce a broader pattern of deliberate influence networks operating on U.S. soil. Yet, these publicly known cases represent only a fraction of the potential threat. Concerns are rising among U.S. intelligence and national security professionals regarding a subset of Iranian nationals or dual citizens occupying sensitive roles in critical American industries. These positions often involve access to intellectual property, infrastructure systems, or federally funded research. While most Iranian-Americans are loyal contributors to U.S. progress, a smaller group continues to travel frequently to Iran, raising red flags given Tehran’s well-documented practice of coercing travelers — including asylum seekers — into espionage by threatening their families. These tactics pose serious counterintelligence risks and may be used to collect intelligence or monitor dissident communities within the United States. If the travel ban genuinely aims to fortify U.S. security, it must be complemented by rigorous internal review. DHS, State Department, and USCIS must urgently reassess past approvals granted to Iranian nationals for indicators of regime affiliation, including: Participation in regime-sponsored activities. Travel to or affiliation with sanctioned Iranian institutions. Associations with organizations known as regime front groups. Individuals with dual nationality who actively propagate Tehran’s anti-American rhetoric, or who regularly return to Iran after asylum claims, must face immediate scrutiny, visa re-evaluation, and potential revocation. This policy isn’t about collective punishment or discrimination — it’s purely about national security. America holds a clear right and fundamental responsibility to ensure those benefiting from its protection are not covertly serving a hostile, terrorist-sponsoring regime. Each visa, security clearance, and federal grant should withstand thorough verification when national security is demonstrably at stake. Critics will invariably label this as xenophobic, but nothing could be further from reality. This isn’t about ethnicity or nationality; it’s about allegiance and ideology. Indeed, millions of Iranian-Americans stand firmly against Tehran’s regime, many actively advocating for democracy in Iran. Their voices deserve amplification. Protecting our society from embedded sympathizers of an oppressive regime protects the genuine opposition and strengthens U.S. national security. For decades, Tehran has adeptly exploited America’s open society — mosques, student groups, cultural centers — to embed its agents. This soft-power infiltration has succeeded primarily because our security policies failed to adapt accordingly. President Trump’s renewed travel ban sets a clear, necessary boundary. Now, the boundary must extend inward, addressing those already here. The U.S. government’s next logical steps must include immediate investigation, rigorous vetting, and decisive action against those who serve the Islamic Republic—regardless of residency or citizenship status. America’s right and obligation to self-defense includes countering subversive threats posed by the agents of a regime openly committed to America’s destruction. Defending our homeland means identifying and removing those who embed themselves in our institutions to undermine our democracy and security from within. * * * Dr. Aidin Panahi is an Iranian-American research professor, energy expert, and political activist. He is the cofounder of the “From Boston to Iran” initiative and his analyses on security and policy issues have appeared in outlets including The Jerusalem Post, Washington Times, the Jerusalem Strategic Tribune, Middle East Forum, Homeland Security Today, and Visegrád24. X: @Aidin_FreeIran The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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