Food recalls have received a lot of attention in recent years, but the nation’s pharmaceutical supply is also at risk of contamination and other safety risks. This week, Costco became the latest major retailer to announced that a number of common medications sold over the course of several weeks last year have now been recalled. According to Fox Business: A notice shared on the retail giant’s website says the recall of Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion involves item number #1729556 with specific lot code P140082, which was sold at select locations in the Midwest and southeast. “Out of an abundance of caution, LNK has initiated a recall for the accidental release and shipment of a specific lot code that was rejected due to potential foreign material contamination,” the statement reads. The impacted over-the-counter medicine was purchased by customers between Oct. 30 and Nov. 30, 2024. Consumers are told to not use any remaining product with the lot code and to return it to Costco for a full refund. Anyone with issues or concerns is told to contact manufacturer LNK International Inc. at 1-800-426-9391 or email complaints-inquiries@lnkintl.com. The latest recall has sparked some social media discussion: Costco recalls cold and flu medication: Return or toss these items https://t.co/l2sm7JbpH4 — SIAdvance (@siadvance) January 3, 2025 #HealthNews: There’s an FDA recall on Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion sold at Costco. Do not continue to use this product if you have purchased it. Either throw it out or return it to Costco. #PoisonHelp 1-800-222-1222 #HealthierNJ https://t.co/keuoCXOklM — NJ Poison Center (@NJPoisonCenter) January 4, 2025 Recall after recallMedicines, food….And it’s not just Costco!What the HEII is going on?https://t.co/tMdqdft85A — America1st (@Marianne4Trump2) January 5, 2025 Costco is recalling a popular cold and flu medication sold at the end of 2024. https://t.co/kIQaFU162A — ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) January 4, 2025 In addition to recent food recalls, including eggs, Costco was also forced to recall another batch of medication recently, as the New York Post reported last month: Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled 8,640 boxes of Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion, a product sold at Costco. One of the key ingredients in the Kirkland product is oral phenylephrine, which is facing an FDA ban due to ineffectiveness. Last year, an outside panel of experts unanimously voted against the effectiveness of orally administered phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant, adding that no more trials were required to prove otherwise. However, the recall is unrelated to phenylephrine, but rather quality control issues. The latest recall comes amid backlash against the warehouse store chain over its continued embrace of so-called “woke” policies: RELATED REPORT: Major Wholesale Retailer Defends DEI Policies, Believes Efforts Are “Legally Appropriate” Major Wholesale Retailer Defends DEI Policies, Believes Efforts Are “Legally Appropriate” Costco, one of the largest wholesale retailers in the United States, is urging shareholders to vote against a proposal to eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program. “Shareholders request that the Board conduct an evaluation and publish a report, omitting proprietary and privileged information, on the risks of the Company maintaining its current DEI (including ‘People & Communities’) roles, policies and goals,” the proposal states. “Our Board has considered this proposal and believes that our commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary. The report requested by this proposal would not provide meaningful additional information to our shareholders, and the Board thus unanimously recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal,” Costco wrote. “Combined with our obedience to the law, service to our employees, members and suppliers has rewarded our shareholders. This is our code of ethics. Our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is not, however, only for the sake of improved financial performance but to enhance our culture and the well-being of people whose lives we influence,” it continued. In a statement to its investors, @costco's board of directors recommended that its shareholders not vote for the end of its large DEI program. Costco's support of DEI comes in contrast to several large retailers ending its discriminatory DEI programs, or rebranding them as… pic.twitter.com/aLRBLFCCKu — Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) December 28, 2024 Fox Business reports: The message was sent ahead of Costco’s annual meeting of shareholders scheduled for Jan. 23, 2025. Shareholders will vote on a proposal brought by the National Center for Public Policy Research challenging the legality of Costco’s DEI program after the Supreme Court’s ruling in SFFA v. Harvard that discriminating on the basis of race in college admissions violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The proposal cites how attorneys general of 13 states have warned Fortune 100 companies that the ruling implicated corporate DEI programs, and a number of lawsuits have been filed. Companies that have since rolled back DEI commitments and/or laid off employees from DEI departments include Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Zoom and John Deere, the proposal says, although Costco’s board says Microsoft later clarified that it had eliminated two redundant DEI roles, yet its focus on diversity and inclusion “remains unwavering.” “And yet Costco still has such a program, though it was apprehensive enough to recognize this as it recently and quietly rebranded its DEI program to ‘People and Communities,’” the National Center for Public Policy Research wrote in its shareholder proposal. “But sticking a new label on discriminatory practices does not protect Costco and its shareholders from these risks.” Costco defends DEI program as other major retailers drop controversial diversity push https://t.co/Z46UgsLCGO — FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) December 30, 2024 DEI: @costco's board of directors remains committed to its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. It is opposing its shareholder's request to conduct a risk analysis of the company's exposure to litigation from straight white/asian men who are discriminated against. pic.twitter.com/GZoLz6JFLe — @amuse (@amuse) December 29, 2024 Per CNN: Costco’s board of directors unanimously recommended that its shareholders vote against a proposal brought by a conservative think tank, the National Center for Public Policy Research, that would require Costco to evaluate and issue a report on the financial risks of maintaining its diversity and inclusion goals. The group criticized Costco for possible “illegal discrimination” against employees who are “white, Asian, male or straight.” The National Center for Public Policy Research did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment. Costco has a chief diversity officer and a supplier program that focuses on expanding with small and diverse businesses. It also donates to organizations like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund that serve minorities and underrepresented groups. Costco said its DEI efforts help the company attract and retain a wide range of employees and improve merchandise and services in stores. Costco also said its members want to interact with a diverse employee base. “Among other things, a diverse group of employees helps bring originality and creativity to our merchandise offerings, promoting the ‘treasure hunt’ that our customers value,” Costco said in its proxy statement to investors. “We believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact.” I’ve always said I do everything I can to avoid going to Target and Walmart, but now I sadly have to add Costco to that list too! Keeps Me Out Of Walmart! [from NOAH] Keeps Me Out Of Walmart! [from NOAH] Hey there, Noah here and I have a confession to make… I HATE going to Walmart. And Target. Don’t even get me started on Costco! The parking lots are a mess…. You have to stand in line to checkout for what seems like forever…. And then you have all the LGBTQP+ crap they push on you! Especially in the kids toys and kids clothing sections. You know exactly what I’m talking about…. Like this: This is what you will find in the kid’s section of @Target. We urge you to take your business elsewhere. They are indoctrinating and grooming them with LGBTQ ideology. It is highly inappropriate and disturbing. We hope there are enough parents out there that understand how… pic.twitter.com/8g1UC41zAY — Gays Against Groomers (@againstgrmrs) May 10, 2023 And this: Why did @target hire a Satanist to design pieces for their recent "Pride" clothing line? WTF"Satan loves you and respects who you are… LGBTQIA+ people are so often referred to as being a product of Satan or going against God's will, so fine. We'll hang with Satan instead." pic.twitter.com/FLsNZNzHNa — Scarlett Johnson (@scarlett4kids) May 20, 2023 But simply changing stores won’t help either… Let me just ask you a simple question: Is your hard-earned money going to the wrong people? Over 90% of the products on store shelves are controlled by the same globalist hedge funds as the big box stores. So ask yourself…does simply changing stores really make a difference? The answer is no. What if there was a better way you, your friends and family, could shop family-owned? You know I’ve got you covered… You can now partner with a direct-to-consumer company that offers over 450 high-quality, sustainable, non-toxic and effective products directly to your door.  And it’s often cheaper! Do business with companies that uphold patriotic and conservative values that your family can respect, rather than supporting these mega-corporations with your purchases! Great idea, right? It’s an America-First company… Proud supporter of Conservative and Constitutional values… A company with no debt (so they don’t answer to lenders) and no Wall St. investors (so they don’t answer to BlackRock, Vanguard or State Street)… A company that simply puts YOU first! Oh, and did I mention the products don’t have any of the toxic ingredients you’ll find on the shelves at places like Target and Walmart and Costco? Seriously, just read the ingredient labels from what is sold at those stores, they read like a Chemistry textbook! Red dye 3 and 40… Fluoride… Toxic seed oils… mRNA-injected beef… Antibiotics… Hormones… Toxic chemicals! Really bad stuff. In fact, here is a list of the top 10 most toxic ingredients commonly found in food sold at Target or Walmart that are banned in the European Union — but pushed on Americans every day and you don’t even know it: Potassium Bromate: Used in bread and baked goods to improve texture and volume. Banned in the EU due to its potential to cause cancer. Azodicarbonamide (ADA): Found in bread and baked goods as a dough conditioner. Banned in the EU due to its links to respiratory issues and cancer. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO): Used in sodas and sports drinks to keep citrus flavoring from separating. Banned in the EU because it can lead to thyroid and reproductive issues. Olestra (Olean): Used as a fat substitute in snacks like chips. Banned in the EU due to its side effects, including gastrointestinal issues and interference with the absorption of essential nutrients. rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone): Used to increase milk production in cows. Banned in the EU because it has been linked to cancer and antibiotic resistance. BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole): A preservative used in snacks and cereals. Banned in the EU because it is a possible human carcinogen. BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene): Another preservative used in snacks and cereals. Banned in the EU for similar reasons to BHA. Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine) and Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow): Artificial food colorings used in a variety of processed foods. Banned in the EU due to their links to hyperactivity in children and potential cancer risks. Red No. 40 (Allura Red): An artificial food coloring used in candies, snacks, and beverages. Banned in the EU for its links to hyperactivity in children and potential allergic reactions. Propylparaben: A preservative used in packaged foods. Banned in the EU due to its endocrine-disrupting effects and potential to cause cancer. Time to stop eating these toxins! But what can you do? That’s where I come in. The company I can introduce you to has products SO SAFE that even if a child swallowed a bunch of their cleaning products, you don’t even have to call poison control….just drink some water and they’ll be fine! How cool is that? Oh, and NONE of the toxic ingredients from the list above. And did I mention they’re often CHEAPER (by a lot) than what you pay at Target, Walmart and Costco? Yes, really. The only catch? It’s Invite-Only….you literally need to get a personal invite to get access. But the good news is I’m your ticket in! Who loves ya baby? I’ve been telling people all about this for over a year now and we’ve already crossed 200,000 invites sent out! And we’re just getting started… That’s also a lot of work and I now have a team of 200+ Patriots helping me dish these out. If you want one, just put in your request here and I’ll have one of my White Glove Concierge Patriots personally help get you all set up! REQUEST AN INVITE HERE That’s how we roll around here. Improving the lives of all the people we come into contact with, one person at a time! Better products. Better health. Better lives. America-First. Stop funding Wall St. hedge funds that hate you….. Stop funding Satanist designers and “Pride” at Target “targeting” our kids….. Enough is enough. Join me and 200,000+ of my best friends as we fight back (peacefully and patriotically, of course)! GET YOUR PRIVATE INVITE HERE Your friend, Noah

While most of the far-left Democrats on Capitol Hill are opposed to the idea of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heading up the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at least a few prominent Democrats appear to be willing to consider supporting his confirmation. A pair senators who either belong to or caucus with the Democratic Party could provide the cushion necessary in a narrowly divided chamber to secure Kennedy’s approval. According to The Hill: As preparations for confirmation hearings begin to take shape, multiple sources say Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), in particular, are at least considering voting for Kennedy, noting shared critiques on heavy corporate influence over food and a desire to promote a less chemical-laden country. Their perceived openness comes despite a fervent backlash against Kennedy’s nomination from many within the Democratic Party, where his controversial stances on vaccinations still could be a deciding factor for many who see his views as dangerous for public health. Still, some believe a number of Democrats are signaling they want to give President-elect Trump’s ally and ex-presidential rival a chance to make his case. “I think Bernie will give him a fair review,” said one source close to the senator’s office. Lawmakers are notoriously tight-lipped about their votes ahead of many Cabinet fights. The optics of backing any nominee by Trump put most Democrats in a tricky position. And Kennedy in particular makes things more complicated. Kennedy has been among the most attention-grabbing nominees Trump has announced since securing a second term in the White House about two months ago: Best comment ever. “I spent 30 years trying to get mercury out of the fish in this country, and nobody ever called me anti-fish.”-RFK JR. pic.twitter.com/yIwzeAtubF — Dr. Ben Tapper (@DrBenTapper1) November 14, 2024 The corporate media fear mongering against RFK Jr ahead of his nomination is targeting low information people. Sensational tag lines with no support. Who believes this stuff? pic.twitter.com/VzAAbUDLpv — Jefferey Jaxen (@JeffereyJaxen) January 5, 2025 Listen to RFK Jr discuss The WEF and their Great Reset You really thought it was just a conspiracy theory? pic.twitter.com/dNC9v4LxoW — illuminatibot (@iluminatibot) December 21, 2024 RFK Jr searching Donald Trump and the Oval Office for junk food day 1 on the job pic.twitter.com/7pGFXfUi8y — Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) November 15, 2024 As Punchbowl News reported last month, a number of Republican senators have expressed optimism that Kennedy will be confirmed despite pushback from both sides of the political aisle: Nevertheless, in initial meetings with pro-Trump Republican Sens. Rick Scott (Fla.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.) and Tim Scott (S.C.), Kennedy heard from a receptive audience. “Bobby’s going to get confirmed,” Mullin predicted. “I’m supportive of his nomination. He’s going to do a great job,” Johnson added. Things, however, will get harder from here for Kennedy. More skeptical GOP moderates may bristle at the former Democrat’s views on vaccinations. Kennedy continued to discuss his controversial view that a link exists between childhood vaccinations and autism. Mullin recounted how Kennedy noted the increased rates of autism in American kids and brought up that Ireland — which “has the same style of vaccination” — also has a similar rate of autism. Here’s Kennedy addressing some of his Democratic detractors directly during a recent interview:

Another group of individuals recently received the nation’s highest civilian honor, though some of those included in the White House ceremony weren’t unanimously seen as worthy of the medal. Specifically, Joe Biden’s decision to hand out a Presidential Medal of Freedom to failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and far-left billionaire George Soros sparked swift backlash on Capitol Hill. According to The Hill: In total, the outgoing commander-in-chief dished out 19 medals on Saturday. Apart from Soros and Clinton, “Vogue” editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, actor Denzel Washington, chef José Andrés, scientist Bill Nye, superstar professional soccer player Lionel Messi and NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, alongside 11 others, received the honor. “As cultural icons, defiant statements, dignified statements, humanitarians, rock stars, sports stars, you feed the hungry, you give hope to those who are hurting, and you craft the signs and sounds of our movements and our memories. You know, it’s amazing,” Biden said. But the president received backlash from GOP lawmakers in both chambers for making Soros, a long-time Democratic megadonor, and Clinton, a former presidential candidate, recipients of the medal. Many of those elected officials chose to sound off via X posts: Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom—our nation’s highest civilian honor—to Hillary Clinton and George Soros. What a joke. — Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep_Clyde) January 4, 2025 Giving Soros the Medal of Freedom is outrageous but not surprising. Democratic politicians support criminals more than cops. They want violent criminals back on the streets. If you want less crime: vote Republican. — Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) January 4, 2025 Apparently, all it takes to receive the highest civilian honor from President Biden is to donate millions to him and his family. January 20 can’t come soon enough. https://t.co/Gnjl0g1MqW — Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) January 4, 2025 Joe Biden gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton and George Soros instead of Daniel Penny. Says all you need to know. Counting down to January 20th. — Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) January 4, 2025 Prominent figures from other walks of life, including NFL legend Brett Favre, also weighed in, as Fox News reported: “What words would you use to describe the White House medals that were given out because I’m honestly speechless,” he wrote on X. Favre has been a staunch supporter of Donald Trump. He spoke at a rally for the president-elect in Wisconsin, ripping Biden after he appeared to call Trump supporters “garbage” in the final days before the election. He vowed that anything Democrats “broke” over the last four years Trump will “fix.” Soccer star legend Lionel Messi was one of 19 recipients for the award as well. But he skipped the ceremony due to a scheduling conflict, according to USA Today. Here’s some coverage of the ceremony:

Hey friends! Noah here and I want to know if you’re ready to “Make The Switch”? What does that mean? I’m glad you asked! It’s real simple folks, we’re trying to save this Country from people hell-bent on destroying it! Because pretty soon, if we don’t succeed, they are going to literally “delete” you. Think being thrown in “Facebook Jail” is bad? I bet we’ve all been there. The 24 ban. The 7 day ban. The 30 day ban. The permanent deletion. I’ve experienced them all. In fact, I once had a community of 1.5 MILLION people on Facebook, probably including much of you, in my WeLoveTrump community.   I did nothing wrong of course, but one day Mark Zuckerberg decided he didn’t think we should exist….and POOF: I was gone. Deleted. Wiped out. That’s bad, but here’s what’s coming next if we don’t build the Parallel Economy. Next time, instead of just getting thrown in Facebook Jail, you’ll be banned from the grocery store, not even allowed to go in — just like I was no longer allowed to log on to Facebook. Or…they’ll let you in to the store only to have all of your credit cards shut off by the banks. That’s coming folks, and it’s just right around the corner. Which is why I’m on my new mission. To fight back with our dollars… To support companies that are Made In America and actually LIKE Americans! Pro-American… Pro-Freedom… Pro-Liberty… And happy to do business with Conservatives! It’s absurd we even have to build this “Parallel Economy”….but we do. After credit card processors, online stores, retail stores (like Bed. Bath & Beyond) and so many other places have CANCELLED conservatives just because they don’t like us, it’s become abundantly clear that we have to create a PARALLEL Economy if we want to survive. I always figured I might have to do it all by myself starting from scratch, and then to my shock I found a company already doing it! Not only that, but they’ve been doing it for over 35 years! They’re American made, American manufactured, American warehouses, and American shipped. In fact, their founder was placed on Barack Obama’s “Most Dangerous Conservatives” list. Once I found out those details, I knew I’d found the right place! So….why haven’t you heard of them? Because they do ZERO advertising. They stay off the radar. Everything is personal invitations only. That’s how they keep out the bad actors. But now that I’m working with them, I can get you in….and we can change the world together! I can’t promise you you’re get a call immediately, but I can promise to get you in the queue! In fact, since starting this mission in February, I’ve connected with over 14,500 people who want to get in! Wow! So many people responding and saying they want to join us on that mission. And I love it! The only problem is I have a small team and after my post last night we are totally overwhelmed! I warned you all this may happen…. I kind of expected it…. And it is AWESOME! But it just means we may be a little slower to get back to you with your personal “white glove” concierge reply! We will get there, we just have a huge backlog! So please bear with me, ok? When I started this website back in 2015 I started it because I was on a mission… I wanted to get the truth out to as many people as possible. The truth that wasn’t being covered anywhere else. I started with literally 0. Zero experience… Zero money… Zero backers… Zero readers… Zero of any of you! Along the way, we’ve built a massive community of people who love America and want to see our country become great again. We now average between 4 and 6 million readers EACH MONTH! And we’re growing again, pretty quickly. More importantly, the MISSION is growing! But we’ve also faced major opposition. Oh it hasn’t been easy by any stretch of the imagination. We were DELETED from Facebook after having 1.5 million people Follow and Love our Page! Just poof….one day, gone! We’ve been censored on almost every platform out there, emails sent to Junk or just “disappeared” despite people signing up over and over. Speaking of email, we’ve had two email companies ban us because they went Far-Left. So it hasn’t always been easy… But we’re on a MISSION and mission always wins out in the end. And today I want to tell you about an expansion of that mission. From Day 1, our mission has been about getting the truth out to as many people as we possibly can. But after being deleted, banned and censored by almost everyone out there, I realized pretty quick that we need a Parallel Economy! We need to stop sending our dollars to the corporations that hate us and want to see us gone! Remember the Georgia Guidestones? They literally told us they wanted to reduce us from 8 billion people on the Earth down to only 500 million. No big deal, right? Just an elimination of 94% of all people living right now. And yet we continue to shop at their big stores and send them our money, because until now we’ve had little choice. Well, today that changes. And today my mission EXPANDS… And I’m SO excited! Allow me to introduce you to the solution. It’s time to “Make The Switch” and change where you send your dollars each month. What if I told you instead of sending your money to Jeff Bezos and Costco and Walmart, you could shop at the LAST pro-America, freedom-loving, American designer, manufacturer and shipper of all the stuff you buy each month! Oh, and what if I told you the products are BETTER and often CHEAPER? Yes, for real. And what if I told you this is the best kept secret you’ve never heard of before, but that this company has been doing this for the last 37 years? And their founder was once placed on Barack Hussein Obama’s list of the Top 10 most “Dangerous Conservatives” in America? (a list I one day hope to make myself!) All of that is real and I’m so excited to tell you about it and I hope you’ll join the MISSION with me. Here’s a quick summary of this company that I’m so excited to now be partnered up with on this mission: Sound good to anyone else? Me too! The reason you’ve never heard of them is because it’s Invite Only. I can get you in, but you can’t just go sign up. They only want people on the same mission to join and they’re happy to say “no” to the Far-Left Libs! They’ve been doing it for 37 years and it’s been working great. Oh, and did I mention the products are non-toxic and don’t have all the chemicals and crap like Red Dye 40 that all the Big Corporations put in their products to weaken you? To wear you down? To make you — and your family — sick? Because then when you get sick you’ll buy their drugs! Sorry folks, I don’t play that game and neither does my family. We’re talking the LAST all natural, grass fed, no hormone, massive Black Angus beef cattle ranch in the United States…. Sound good? We’re talking Fluoride Free Toothpaste, chemical free cleaners, Deet-free mosquito repellant! What novel concepts, right? Stop sending you money to these 11 corporations that do NOT have your best interest at heart: It’s an ILLUSION of choice. There’s only one pro-American, American made and manufactured, chemical free, toxin free, hormone free, company left….and I’m teaming up with them to FIGHT BACK! Who’s with me? Watch this: As I said, it’s Invite Only and the invite is completely free! In fact, I’ve assembled a team of patriots who will personally get you invited and signed up….if you want in. It’s called “Patriot Switch” and I think the name says it all. Folks, we don’t have many strongholds left. This is one. And I’m all in. If you’d like to find out more and get a FREE personal invite, just go here:  https://SwitchWithNoah.com Tell them Noah sent you and I promise you will get a personal call, text or email. Don’t freak out when you do. I know I tend to get concerned when I get messages from numbers I don’t recognize, but if you request a Free Invite (Link here: https://SwitchWithNoah.com) you WILL have someone from my Inner Circle reach out to you….so be ready! These are awesome people and I think you’ll love getting a chance to talk with them. And they’ll help get you all set up. Who’s with me? – Noah p.s. Since everyone gets personal attention, we will take these in the order in which they come in.  So if you are excited, ask for your invite now or you might be far down on the list.  I have a great team, but they can only do so much and they’ll work on a first-come, first-served basis. Request a free Invite here: https://SwitchWithNoah.com

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was hailed by President-elect Donald Trump as a “fantastic woman” during her visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Saturday.

Maria Bartiromo spoke with Speaker Johnson in his first interview since his re-election.  He said the House plans to be ready for President Trump to act on day 1. He said some issues are so common sense that they might get some Democrat votes. The first items on the agenda are securing the border, providing […] The post Speaker Johnson Details Plans in His 1st Interview Since Election appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) said during an interview over the weekend that dozens of illegal aliens smuggled into the U.S. by an ISIS-affiliated network have gone missing. Banks made the remarks during a Sunday CNN interview on “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper following last week’s ISIS terrorist attack in New Orlean’s French Quarter in which a recent convert to Islam murdered at least 14 people. “We have got to get down to the reality of the matter that we have had 400 ISIS smuggled people coming into our country that the Department of Homeland Security told us about last summer,” Banks said. “And 50 of them, we don’t know where they are. We don’t know who they are or where they are. And we have to take that more seriously. I know President Trump will do that.” Banks noted that during his first term in office, President Donald Trump “eradicated the ISIS caliphate” and that the terror group has only started to make a come back over the last couple of years following President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdraw from Afghanistan. WATCH: Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN): “We have had 400 ISIS smuggled people coming into our country that the Department of Homeland Security told us about last summer. And 50 of them, we don’t know where they are. We don’t know who they are or where they are.” pic.twitter.com/WdbSwqE8fS — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 5, 2025 Multiple U.S. officials confirmed to NBC News that the Department of Homeland Security that they believe the 50 illegal aliens scattered into 17 different states after illegally crossing the border. The illegal aliens were all released into the U.S. because there was not information at the time connecting them to terrorism when they were contacted by U.S. Border Patrol. Illegal aliens originating from countries were ISIS operates will rarely ever have information in any kind of database that connects them to terrorism because many of them have little-to-no infrastructure to track terrorist suspects. Also, even if the countries had the information, many of them would likely not want to share it with the United States because they view the U.S. as an enemy state.

Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) signaled during an interview over the weekend that he supports confirming two of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees in the coming weeks. Banks signaled his support for Kash Patel being confirmed as FBI Director and Pete Hegseth being confirmed as Secretary of Defense during a Sunday interview with Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union.” The remarks from Banks came in response to an ISIS terrorist murdering at least 14 people during a terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in New Orlean’s French Quarter. “In the wake of the New Orleans attack, you’re calling for the Senate to quickly confirm President Trump’s national security nominees,” Tapper said to Banks. “I want to play some sound from one of those nominees, Kash Patel, nominated to be director of the FBI. This is what he said about the agency that’s now charged with leading this terrorist investigation.” “We have seen the leadership of the FBI be more focused on the political causes of the Left, going after parents at school board meetings, instead of going after and investigating ISIS members in America,” Banks said. I mean, Jabbar in New Orleans had ISIS content on his social media account. We should have been more aware of that and planned to stop that attack from happening and going after him. And, instead, the FBI has become way too bureaucratic, way too political.” “And Kash Patel is going to be a big part of cleaning it up,” he continued. “But never forget that Donald Trump is going to be the president. He’s going to be in charge. He’s going to instruct Kash Patel. And I expect Kash Patel will help clean up the mess.” WATCH: .@SenatorBanks: “The FBI has become way too bureaucratic, way too political — and @Kash_Patel is going to be a big part of cleaning it up.” pic.twitter.com/4ykSuNAYjK — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 5, 2025 Banks added that he was also looking forward to Hegseth’s confirmation hearing. “I fully support Pete Hegseth,” he said. “He is eminently more qualified than Secretary Austin, who’s in the job, who disappeared on the job, who instructed the disastrous, deadly withdrawal of Afghanistan, and created a woke political mess at the Pentagon that Pete Hegseth is going to clean up.” “Pete is a decorated combat veteran, served in both Iraq and Afghanistan,” he continued. “He knows what’s at stake. I fully support him. He’s going to be great at the job.” WATCH: Senator Banks: I fully support @PeteHegseth. He is eminently more qualified than Secretary Austin… who disappeared on the job, who instructed the disastrous, deadly withdrawal of Afghanistan, and created a woke political mess at the Pentagon that Pete is going to clean up. pic.twitter.com/fJH3kPBih6 — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 5, 2025