President Donald Trump traveled Monday to Arlington National Cemetery to join several Gold Star families in paying respects to the fallen, specifically the 13 service members killed exactly three years ago in the Biden-Harris administration's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. The once and possibly future commander in chief's effort to keep alive the memories of American service members killed under his successor's watch provoked a complete meltdown at Esquire magazine. The Hearst publication's lead political blogger, Charles P. Pierce, asked in a feverish piece Monday, "How the hell was this allowed to happen[?]" 'Donald Trump carried the weight for a few hours with me.' The cemetery, where just last year the Biden-Harris administration trampled graves and toppled the Jewish American-designed Reconciliation Memorial, is open to members of the public, so it's unclear who exactly Pierce figured would prevent Trump's entry. Nevertheless, Pierce took offense on behalf of the nation, Gold Star families, and those who alternatively watched without objection as Trump joined two service members wounded in the Abbey Gate bombing in laying wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, writing: Arlington is profaned by his presence on just an average day. But to allow itself to be used for the purpose propping up one of the Republican Party's most noxious half-truths — as promulgated by its most noxious elements personified by its most noxious candidate — is an insult to the over 400 Medal of Honor awardees buried there. Pierce added, "It will be argued that the former president* was invited to the Monday ceremony by some family members of the slain soldiers, and that's good as far as it goes, which isn't very far because, as sure as Mar-a-Lago's in hock, they will get nothing in return from this appearance." The leftist blogger's insinuation that the Gold Star families invited Trump in hopes of something monetary "in return" suggests he wasn't listening when Gold Star family members articulated precisely what they actually wanted: a little time and recognition for their fallen loved ones. Last month, family members of several of the service members killed in the Afghanistan withdrawal took the stage at the Republican National Convention. Holding back tears, Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, said, "Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice. Donald Trump sent six hours in Bedminster with us. He allowed us to grieve. He allowed us to remember our heroes." "Donald Trump knew all of our children's names. He knew their stories," continued Shamblin. "And he spoke to us in a way that made us feel understood — like he knew our kids. ... Donald Trump carried the weight for a few hours with me and for the first time since Nicole's death, I felt I wasn't alone in my grief." Alicia Lopez, the mother of Cpl. Hunter Lopez, told the crowd, "In the nearly three years since Hunter's been gone, there has been silence. Silence from that empty space at the dinner table where Hunter would have joined his brothers and sister and us for family gatherings. And there has been a deafening silence from the Biden and Harris administration." "Despite our pleas for answers and accountability, they have pushed us away and tried to silence us," said Lopez. Neither Kamala Harris — who once boasted about signing off on the Afghanistan exit strategy — nor President Joe Biden, now slouching into the second week of yet another vacation, were present in Arlington on Monday, although they both issued commemorative statements from afar. Pierce spared them any critique over their absences, instead calling Trump's presence "obscene." "If the families found a kind of peace in his presence on Monday, I respect that and I hope it brings them solace. But as a citizen of the United States, and therefore someone with a stake in places like Arlington, I choose to look upon his presence there as obscene," wrote the blogger. When attempting to make his point, Pierce once again insinuated that Trump called troops "suckers and losers" — a Democratic smear that is wholly unsubstantiated. Snopes indicated that there is no audio or video evidence that Trump ever said fallen soldiers were "suckers" and "losers." There is also no "documentation, such as transcripts or presidential notes" to support the anonymous allegations that Trump critic Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic advanced in a September 2020 article. The blogger also managed to squeeze in an attack on the late Rush Limbaugh, suggesting that Trump had somehow "devalued" the Congressional Medal of Honor by conferring to him the Presidential Medal of Freedom — an entirely different award established by President Harry Truman to honor civilian service. Although his decades of public service on the radio would undoubtedly qualify him for the award, Limbaugh also raised tens of millions of dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through his show's annual radiothon and millions more for various other charities prior to his death. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Last week, RFK Jr. dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Donald Trump. In a powerful speech during which he announced his withdrawal from the race, he reflected on leaving the Democratic Party to run as an independent, as the party his family had long been part of “had departed so dramatically from the core values” it once believed in. With evident pain, Kennedy painted an accurate picture of what the Democratic Party has become — “the party of war, censorship, corruption, Big Pharma, Big Tech, big [agriculture], and big money.” Believing he no longer had a “realistic path to electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control,” the independent candidate suspended his campaign. “Our polling consistently showed that by staying on the ballot in the battleground states, I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats with whom I disagree on the most existential issues — censorship, war, and chronic disease,” he announced before “[throwing his] support to President Trump.” Yesterday, RFK Jr. spoke with Glenn Beck to explain his decision to support Trump in the election. - YouTube www.youtube.com “What scares you about the Kamala Harris victory that would move you to endorse Donald Trump?” Glenn asked. “Our polling consistently showed that about 57% to 60% of our voters would vote for Trump if I left,” he said, adding that it was “odd that President Trump and the Republican Party never really attacked [him].” Kennedy went on to explain that unlike the Democratic Party from which he came, the GOP didn’t try to keep him off the ballots; it didn’t hire private investigators to “dig up every piece of dirt” in his past; and it didn’t orchestrate a smear campaign against him. “Democrats had this entire organization that was designed to destroy me, to character-assassinate me, and to keep me off the ballot,” he told Glenn. When it became clear to him that he would be barred from the debate stage and that mainstream media outlets, which he called “Democratic Party organs” in his withdrawal speech, would continue to stonewall him, he knew that he “did not have a clear path to the White House,” as he literally “could not talk to most Americans.” Further, following the assassination attempt, he and Donald Trump began meeting to discuss a number of issues. RFK Jr. claimed he was “surprised” to find that he and Trump had a lot in common. “He wants to end the Ukraine war immediately; he wants to protect children's health; he wants to end the censorship, and those are the three principal reasons that I got in the race,” Kennedy explained. To hear his thoughts on stepping into a potential role in Trump’s administration, watch the clip above. Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

An Alabama high school quarterback died suddenly after suffering from a traumatic brain injury during the season-opening game on Friday night, according to multiple reports. John T. Morgan Academy’s first game of the 2024 season was held on Friday against visiting Southern Academy in Selma, Alabama.'My son was an exceptional athlete. But the thing he loved the most was to talk about Jesus.'Caden Tellier, a 16-year-old junior, was the quarterback for John T. Morgan Academy. During the third quarter of the game, Tellier suffered an injury from a freak accident. The Alabama Independent School Association executive director Michael McLendon said those in the crowd watching the game "likely did not witness anything unusual" in the heartbreaking last play that he described as "routine."McLendon said, "While we may not know the full story for some time, initial reports are that Caden likely suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his brain following a routine play in which he was tackled and made contact with the ground."Tellier was taken off the field and airlifted to the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital in critical condition. McLendon told CNN that it could be "quite some time before we have more information about the injury and overall incident."Caden's parents — Arsella Slagel Tellier and Jamie Tellier — revealed that their son had passed away in a Facebook post shared on Saturday. Our boy, Caden Tellier has met Jesus face to face. We appreciate all of your prayers and we covet them for the hard days ahead. Everyone who knows Caden has known kindness, generosity, and love, and true to his nature, he is giving of himself one more time. Lives have been touched by the way he lived and now lives will be saved through his passing. We will walk out these next few days alongside him in his earthly body knowing that his spirit is rejoicing in heaven.The grieving parents provided an update on social media on Tuesday morning, where they thanked the medical staff who cared for Caden. The heartbroken parents also revealed that Caden was an organ donor and "his final wish to give the gift of organ donation" was realized. "Caden is still fighting hard in his earthly body as he prepares for this final act of generosity to bring new life to others," the parents said. "We continue to pray for those whose lives will be forever changed by his gifts."The parents added, "Our hope is that God will be glorified through our story. His love will be evident, and that Caden’s impact will touch the lives of many."Caden's father, Jamie Tellier, said, "I could tell you a lot about who my son was, who my son is. My son was an exceptional athlete. But the thing he loved the most was to talk about Jesus."The parents were "overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and generosity from our friends, community, and even those who have never met us in person."'His legacy will live on and we thank God that we had the opportunity to love him and be loved by him.'Dr. Bryan Oliver — the headmaster of John T. Morgan Academy — said in a statement on social media: It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Caden Tellier has gone to be with his Lord and Savior. Caden loved the Lord with all his heart and was a shining light every day he graced the halls of Morgan Academy. He was a student, a friend, an athlete, and most important, a Christ follower. There are no words to describe how we feel as a school community and family. We will come together and support Jamie, Arsella and Lyla with our whole hearts. We offer our deepest sympathy to the Tellier’s extended family as well. I want to thank all the schools and individuals that have reached out during this difficult time. Caden will never be forgotten for who he was and what he means to Morgan Academy.Oliver stated that the school would cancel all athletic activities for the next week because of the sudden death tragedy.Nearby Hooper Academy quoted the Psalms 147:3 Bible verse in a Facebook post: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."“Hooper Academy extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the family of Caden Tellier, a standout student-athlete at Morgan Academy who tragically lost his life after an injury Friday night," the school stated. "The AISA is truly a family, and we will stand in the gap in prayer for his friends, loved ones, and the entire student body of MAS in the days and weeks to come." Auburn University football coach Hugh Freeze said at a press conference on Monday, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Caden Tellier over at Morgan Academy in Selma, and Coach (Jacob) Webb as they deal with the tragic loss of one of their teammates and a son. I just can’t imagine the difficulty that they’re going through. So our thoughts and prayers are with them."Tellier threw a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown in the first half before his injury, according to the Selma Times-Journal. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help cover medical and funeral expenses for the family. At the time of publication the crowdfunding campaign had raised more than $100,000. "Caden is best known for his kindness, generosity, and love," the GoFundMe listing read. "True to his nature, he is giving of himself one more time to save the lives of others through the donation of his organs. His legacy will live on and we thank God that we had the opportunity to love him and be loved by him.Alabama High School Athletic Association medical director James Robinson said football is "still safe." Robinson told AL.com, "If you look at the data from the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, you will see that death rates remain at a fairly stable level. In 2023, there were 16 deaths at all levels. Ten were medically related, three were traumatic and three were not football-related or unknown. At the high school level, four were medically related and three were related to traumatic head injuries. This is out of 4.2 million participants at all levels."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Partisan politics, “apocalyptic failure,” the inability to adapt to changing threats, the recent assassination attempt on a former president, and a growing list of mistakes and near-misses leave the U.S. Secret Service poorly positioned to protect America’s top leaders, a panel of experts told a U.S. House hearing on Aug. 26. The hearing, chaired by U.S. Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), featured a scathing and sobering assessment of the Secret Service — just six weeks removed from the attempt on former President Donald J. Trump’s life in Butler Township, Pennsylvania. “I don’t think they have any idea what’s coming at them,” said Erik Prince, a witness and the founder of the private security firm Blackwater. The litany of problems that day was wide and deep, Prince charged. “There was catastrophic failure across the entire enterprise.” The shocking reality that an armed 20-year-old could slip onto a rooftop 130 yards from the podium where Trump was speaking and fire eight rounds before being killed is bad enough, but Prince said emerging threats go even farther than what happened in Butler Township, Pa., on July 13. “When you see the steep change of the ability to deliver precision fires at extended ranges, the lessons being learned on the on the battlefield of Ukraine, the ability for small units to deliver devastating precision fire onto any target,” Prince said, “whether it’s the White House, whether it’s a motorcade, whether it’s a president outside or even inside somewhere, is significant.” Prince said had the shooter aimed at Trump's center mass rather than his head, the former president would likely be dead. A trained terrorist would not have missed, he added. “The Secret Service was nearly defeated by a 20-year-old, and we all — including Donald Trump — literally dodged a bullet that day,” Prince said. - YouTube www.youtube.com Trump was speaking to an evening campaign rally in the July heat of western Pennsylvania when would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on the crowd with his AR-15-style rifle. Trump was shot in the ear, volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed, and David Dutch and James Copenhaver were seriously wounded. 'As a former Navy SEAL sniper, it’s evident to me that many basic security measures were completely dropped.' After Crooks fired his eighth shot, a Butler County SWAT operator shot and struck the stock of his AR-15, putting an end to the shooting rampage. As Crooks tried to reposition himself, a Secret Service counter-sniper killed him with a rifle shot from about 170 yards away. Mills set a serious tone for the hearing, laying out two ways he sees to judge the failures of July 13. “You will see at this stage where I think that criminal gross negligence and purposeful intent will be indistinguishable,” said Mills, a former State Department counter-sniper and decorated U.S. Army combat veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mills said the list of July 13 questions includes: why the high vantage points were not covered; why there was not a compatible communication system including all law enforcement; where was the over-watch coverage of the venue; why the Secret Service didn't use a surveillance drone when one was offered; why the Secret Service skipped a morning briefing conducted by local law enforcement; and why the Secret Service did not account for the Kubota equipment dealer located 400 yards from where Trump was facing. Two members of a U.S. Secret Service counter-sniper team leave the Butler Farm Show Inc. grounds just before 6:30 p.m. July 13. Butler Township Police Department bodycam via Judicial Watch “I think that it’s easy to see why an independent investigation is needed,” Mills said. “I think we understand that if this was to have been conducted correctly, then July 14 we would have had immediate subpoena to get the security plans, comms plans, the motorcade operational plan, the actual counter-sniper range-fan data cards — and started questioning the individuals independently to do corroboration fact/fiction boards to see what’s going on.” Former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino, now a popular radio host and podcaster, described July 13 as an “apocalyptic failure,” especially in terms of communication between local and federal law enforcement. “This isn’t like the Secret Service million-dollar radio system that uses NSA-level encryption magically broke down that day,” Bongino said. “They literally handed them a radio they didn’t take." 'There’s simply no excuse.' “This is why, when Congressman Mills says, you know, borderline criminal negligence, you should take that seriously,” he said. “What could possibly, possibly be your excuse to say, ‘You know what, I don’t really need to communicate with the law enforcement guys out there on the scene’?” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) disclosed in July that pre-programmed radios set up for the Secret Service by Butler County Emergency Services were never used on July 13. The Secret Service didn’t even pick them up after being reminded, witnesses said. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) introduced legislation requiring all Secret Service records related to July 13 be surrendered so they can be released. Crane suggested the pace of information release thus far has been too slow. “That’s a month and half with frustratingly few answers and even less accountability for those who had a duty to protect President Trump,” Crane said. “Many of the excuses that we’ve heard from those in leadership sound like hollow and pathetic attempts to gaslight the American people.” Crane enlisted in the U.S. Navy after 9/11 and eventually became a member of SEAL Team 3. He went on five wartime combat deployments — three to Iraq. “As a former Navy SEAL sniper, it’s evident to me that many basic security measures were completely dropped, making President Trump extremely vulnerable,” Crane said. “There’s simply no excuse.” Ben Shaffer, an operator with Washington Regional SWAT who worked the Trump event, said the lack of drone coverage over the venue and failure to include the water tower in a secure zone “left many danger areas exposed and severely, and I say that again, severely, impacted the ability to secure the venue and the event itself.” Shaffer, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said a lack of time to properly prepare for the event and lack of local-federal communication were also problems at the Butler site. “The lack of coordination between tactical element leaders in the Secret Service left ground elements in the dark and prevented necessary time to prepare for specific venue considerations and needs prior to that event,” Shaffer said. “All over-watch, sniper, [and] counter-sniper positions should have had direct communication with each other that day at that entire rally. “There’s no question there were critical failures during the Butler event,” he said. “It’s important that we learn how and why the security failure occurred so that we can better provide safety and security to those high-ranking officials and the general public in the future. I truly believe Americans deserve that.” Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

While Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” might call NBC a “giant corporation that’s feeding the masses the opiate of fake news,” even its hosts can’t ignore Kamala’s refusal to sit down for an interview sans teleprompter. “No news conferences for Harris, no sit-down interviews,” one host says. “Let’s call it the ‘Harris honeymoon’ right? When does the ‘Harris honeymoon’ end, because at one point she’s going to have to sit down, she’s going to have to do a serious interview, she’s going to have to go unscripted, maybe even a full news conference,” he adds. Another host points out that when confronted by reporters on her economic plan, “She didn’t really make a lot of sense.” “She just kept saying over and over again, ‘It would be a return on investment, it would be a return on investment, it would be a return on investment.’ She said it four times over 30, 60 seconds, and it just wasn’t very strong,” the host continues. When Kamala finally does sit down for a serious, unscripted interview, it’ll be so important that it could easily be used against her. “She could make one wrong move and that’s the entire news cycle,” she adds. The panel of three then turned to Chuck Todd, who said that all Americans really have from Kamala “is her last campaign.” “This is something that I wouldn’t want if I was the Harris campaign,” Todd explains. “The way everything gets weaponized on social media, there’s a reason why unfortunately you see fewer and fewer elected officials sitting down with truly, sort of, dispassionate media.” “They won’t do it because the fear is not the questions we ask, the fear is the one bad answer they get that gets weaponized and used over and over again,” he adds. Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard told Glenn Beck, the co-founder of Blaze Media, what former President Donald Trump must do to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris in debate. Gabbard was a guest on Beck's radio show when she made the comments Tuesday, a day after endorsing Trump, who brought her on to his team to help him get ready for the debate. 'This really will be an opportunity, for Donald Trump to expose that to the American people.' Beck asked Gabbard to give her thoughts on the upcoming debate after she "wiped the floor" with Harris during their debate in the Democratic primary contest in 2019. "Donald Trump is not a politician. I think that's what people really, really love about him. It wouldn't surprise you to know, Glenn, he wouldn't do debate prep like a typical politician would. But it's been great to be able to spend some time with him and his team," said Gabbard. Gabbard went on to predict how the Democratic presidential candidate might design her attacks during the debate to paper over her lack of experience. "Really for me if there's anything that I can help with at all, it is just the fact that I shared a stage with Kamala Harris. I know how she thinks and how she is going to try to lay some traps, try to bait Donald Trump into walking into the narrative that she is gonna try to push for the American people," she explained. "And, quite frankly, how she's going to try to hide her record," Gabbard continued. "That to me, is the biggest thing. She says one thing, that is directly opposite to what her record shows. And this really will be an opportunity for Donald Trump to expose that to the American people." Gabbard went on to claim that Harris was trying to change the rules of the debate in order to gain advantage. "That points to her weakness that the American people need to see. She's demanding that the debate be seated and that she be allowed to bring in notes into the debate," Gabbard explained. "Why does she need notes? If she knows the issues, if she knows her stand on the most important policies and the challenges the American people are facing today, why does she need notes?" she asked rhetorically. She answered that Harris needs notes because she "needs somebody else to tell her what to say." Gabbard served as Hawaii's representative in the U.S. House from 2013 until 2021. Here's part of the interview with Gabbard: — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, a U.S. Marine who was severely wounded in the suicide bombing during the Afghanistan withdrawal, was one of the veterans who was with former President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to mark the third anniversary of the attack. The ISIS-K bomber killed 13 U.S. service members, wounded dozens of others, and killed over 100 Afghans. Service members who were at Abbey Gate, including Vargas-Andrews, say the attack was preventable but that the rules of engagement were not clear and their superiors did not give the order to engage the bomber. Vargas-Andrews posted on Instagram why it was important that Trump showed up at an event to honor the fallen 13. Vargas-Andrews sustained heavy injuries that included losing his right arm and left leg."Regardless of how you feel about [Trump] , it doesn't matter. He's still the one who showed up today at Arlington National Cemetery and took the time to partake in a ceremonious memorial commemorating the 13 Americans murdered that day in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is still the only one that showed up to take the time and talk with those families and friends there, myself included," he said.Vargas-Andrews made the post as the media reported on some others who have offered sharp criticisms ... on Trump visiting Arlington National cemetery."I'm grateful to be alive," Vargas-Andrews further explained. "A part of my heart will always be broken for what happened during that short time in Kabul, Afghanistan. My heart breaks for the entire generation of [Global War On Terror] Veterans and their families and friends affected by the Evacuation and the 20 years prior. But I don't regret what I've been through. I never will."Vargas-Andrews made the post as the media reported on some others who have offered sharp criticisms, including profanity-laden rants, on Trump visiting Arlington National Cemetery."But on this day, a f****** treasonous traitor who tried to overthrow the government on January 6th, 2021. A convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist, liable for fraud, degenerate, misogynistic pig, lying grifter who pushed bibles and now pushing books about b***s*** and were allowed to go to Arlington National Cemetery on this special day and lay a wreath. What the f***? And who in the f*** allowed this m*****f*** to do that s*** and defecate on our fallen soldiers that are buried there?" Brad Berkwitt, a Navy veteran, said in a video that went viral on X and was reported on in Newsweek."You f****** MAGAt m*****f***ing veterans that are okay with this treasonous traitor, as I said, you all f****** service means nothing because the oath that I took and the f****** oath that you took you s****ed on," he continued, in what Newsweek described as an "impassioned critique."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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