Following groundbreaking developments regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, a Wednesday briefing from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered more details about President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and reaffirmed the Trump administration is “wholeheartedly committed to a peace deal.” Leavitt began the briefing with the latest updates from the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts with Russia and Ukraine. First, Leavitt addressed Trump’s recent announcement of “productive” separate phone calls Wednesday with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  “I, myself, just spoke to the president about these calls, and he told me to tell all of you, they were very good calls,” Leavitt said. “They were very positive, and the administration is wholeheartedly committed to a peace deal to end once and for all the Russia-Ukraine war.” Leavitt also discussed the release of Marc Fogel, a schoolteacher held in Russia since 2021. Fogel was brought to the White House on Tuesday evening to meet with the president on his return to the United States.  “Thanks to the great leadership of President Trump, the strong and tough leadership of President Trump, Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained by Russia, was returned to American soil and met with the president here at the White House last night,” the press secretary said. “Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the rest of President Trump’s incredible national security team helped to negotiate the exchange that secured Marc Fogel’s release,” Leavitt added. “This event shows a good-faith effort from Russia, and it’s a sign, as I just said, that we are moving in the right direction to end this brutal war.” In response to Trump’s latest diplomatic efforts, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told The Daily Signal, “The Trump administration’s return to a sane, America First foreign policy reverses Joe Biden’s sleepwalk toward open war with nuclear-armed Russia and will finally bring about a negotiated peace to end the killing in Ukraine.” Just over an hour prior to Wednesday’s briefing, Trump posted on Truth Social about a “lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.” Trump claimed the two leaders “discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the power of the dollar, and various other subjects.” The most pressing issue for the two leaders is putting an end to the Ukraine war, which is set to enter its fourth year in two weeks’ time. Putin invoked Trump’s “very strong campaign motto of ‘COMMON SENSE,’” according to Trump’s post, when discussing the need to end hostilities in Ukraine.  “We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s nations,” Trump added, planting the seed of a potential Trump-Putin summit to come. With negotiations in early stages, however, Leavitt did not have more information on later meetings or summits between the two men. Trump went on in the Truth Social post to say that the U.S. and Russian negotiators will ramp up their work to end the war “immediately” while looping in Zelenskyy. “I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations, which, I feel strongly, will be successful,” the president added. Leavitt later clarified in the briefing that, though unmentioned in the Truth Social post, General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has been and will remain “a critical part of his team and its effort.” “He’s played a tremendous role in getting the negotiations to this point and he’s very much still part of the Trump administration,” Leavitt added. Like Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to see an end to the war. In Brussels, Hegseth recently suggested that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders and extending Ukraine NATO membership were unrealistic negotiating demands. Leavitt demurred on questions about a nuclearized or NATO Ukraine, hinting that the president could be discussing this more shortly and that “Secretary Rubio and also Vice President JD Vance will be meeting directly with President Zelenskyy in Munich on Friday.” “President Trump and his administration are proceeding prudently to end the war in Ukraine by being realistic about what is achievable and avoiding security commitments that don’t make sense for the U.S.,” Will Ruger, president of the American Institute for Economic Research and a former Trump nominee to serve as the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan, told The Daily Signal. “Closing the door to Ukraine joining NATO as part of a settlement is good for the U.S.” Leavitt said she was unaware of whether or not Fogel’s release was part of the opening of negotiations to settle the war in Ukraine. Fogel was serving a 14-year prison sentence for allegedly bringing 17 grams marijuana into the country illegally for chronic pain. Late last year, the U.S. government designated Fogel as a “wrongfully detained” individual.  “What I can say is that this was a very good deal for the United States of America and for the rest of the world,” Leavitt said. In return for Fogel, the U.S. was prepared to return Alexander Vinnik, a nonviolent crypto criminal, to Russia. Leavitt told reporters Vinnik and the Russians agreed to forfeit “more than $100 million that he obtained in that illegal crime.” As for Fogel, the press secretary said he “kissed the American soil when he returned to the United States of America. It was a great deal and a great day for our country.” Leavitt also said that she was unaware of any preconditions set by Trump or his national security team before negotiating an end to the Ukraine war. “I was just talking with the president and our national security team. I wasn’t made aware of any conditions,” though she added, “That doesn’t mean they don’t exist.” The post Trump Administration ‘Committed to a Peace Deal’ in Ukraine, Says Leavitt appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Remnants of #Bidenomics Look to Be Comin' In a Little Hawt...

James O'Keefe: Some Government Workers Just Not Doing Much

Having decided in recent days to collectively settle on a new narrative of painting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as a constitutional crisis and defend faceless, unelected bureaucrats as heroes, the liberal media Borg were handed a brutal reality check Wednesday with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made clear this disinformation campaign wouldn’t be tolerated. Leavitt had this to say about the liberal media’s “fear-mongering” and claims the administration would ignore (far-left) federal judges yielding “radical injunctions” thwarting DOGE and ignoring the will of the people: WELCOME TO LEAVITTOWN, liberal media!@PressSec goes nuclear over their "constitutional crisis" nonsense: “Now before I take questions I would like to address an extremely dishonest narrative that we’ve seen emerging over the past few days. Many outlets in this room have been… pic.twitter.com/Rrb4vZMLhQ — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 Thankfully, the thin-skinned liberal media reporters largely behaved themselves when it came to this issue. Sitting in the new media seat and thus kicking off the briefing’s Q&A? Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski: Rumble CEO @chrispavlovski gets today's "new media" seat at the White House Press Briefing: “Rumble was a victim of censorship at the hands of multiple foreign governments. It is clear there are still many countries who oppose free speech and even target American companies. Can… pic.twitter.com/MGb0vzME3w — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 After a questions from Bloomberg’s Jordan Fabian about inflation and tariffs, CBS’s Jennifer Jacobs respectfully asked about whether DOGE has found any evidence of government waste, fraud, and abuse. Leavitt brought the receipts, including “$57,000 for climate change in Sri Lanka”: CBS's @JenniferJJacobs: “On DOGE and the fraud claims, Elon Musk in the Oval yesterday gave us some information on that. We are just wondering if there's some proof, evidence — is the White House willing to share evidence of those fraud claims or can Elon Musk come to the… pic.twitter.com/D1aB3zqEN8 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 Jacobs followed up on whether the examples in Leavitt’s lengthy answer are “fraud,” “waste, or...just contrary to the President’s policies.” Leavitt calmly responded that she “would argue that all of these things are fraudulent, they are wasteful, and they are an abuse of the American taxpayers dollar” and “not what the American government should be spending money on,” but “anybody in here” was free to insist they’re worthwhile. Our friend Mary Margaret Olohan at the Daily Wire asked Leavitt to elaborate on the administration’s view of judges standing in the way of Trump’s agenda: @realDailyWire’s @MaryMargOlohan: “More on the judges. Does the White House believe the courts have the authority to issue these nationwide injunctions?”@PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “We believe that the injunctions issued by these judges have no basis in the law and have no… pic.twitter.com/4SmqiBqHvj — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 A few minutes later, Real Clear Politics’s Philip Wegmann brought up the other dominant news story, Russia and Ukraine (click the tweet to see the whole thread, including follow-ups): .@PhilipWegmann: “Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has said after the war that he wants NATO membership or nuclear weapons. We heard Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth say that NATO membership was unrealistic. What’s the President’s view on the other option, on a nuclear Ukraine?”… pic.twitter.com/6x42lkPq9u — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 CNN’s Kaitlan Collins — who peddled fear-morn on her primetime show Monday night insisting America’s on the verge of a “constitution crisis” — chose instead to ask about Russia vs. Ukraine and then pitch a small fit about the White House keeping the Associated Press from press pool events (attended by wire services, one print, one radio, and one TV reporter) because the outlet refuses to comply with the Gulf of Mexico’s name change to the Gulf of America: CNN’s @KaitlanCollins: “And final thing for you, which White House official made the decision to bar the AP reporter from the Oval Office and the Diplomatic Reception Room last night?”@PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “Well, first of all, let me just set the record straight. It is a… pic.twitter.com/IuJmXQhbKT — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 In her second question, Collins fretted this was “retaliatory in nature” against the AP and has created “ a precedent that the White House will retaliate against reporters who don’t use the language you guys believe reporters should use.” Leavitt replied to the arrogant former conservative reporter-turned-corporate liberal darling that she “was upfront in my briefing on day one if we feel there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room we are going to hold those lies accountable.” After calling on his fiancé Monica Luisi of TPUSA and hearing her question about declassifying documents on the MLK Jr., JFK, and RJK assassinations, One America News’s Daniel Baldwin shared this stunner about wasteful spending in New York City: .@OANN’s @Baldwin_Daniel_: “I wanted to ask about the $59 million that FEMA sent to New York City migrant hotels. Secretary Kristi Noem just put out a statement, saying that she had clawed back the whole payment that FEMA activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels. She… pic.twitter.com/8slR1pvqv1 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 The briefing concluded with Gateway Pundit’s Jordan Conradson, who started with a question that, if asked by a progressive, would have been seen as eyeroll-inducing. Instead, he seemed to have been wanting to make a point about the left’s unhinged nature, which Leavitt diagnosed as the liberal media trying to sow division inside the administration: Gateway Pundit’s @ConradsonJordan: “Does @ElonMusk have power of the presidency?”@PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “Absolutely not. That’s ridiculous question.” Conradson: “Right. I ask that question — I ask that question because the Democrats have been hurling insults, calling him… pic.twitter.com/xytE0xPXGe — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 12, 2025 To see the relevant transcript from the February 12 briefing (including foreign policy questions from Fox’s Jacqui Heinrich and the New York Post on bellyaching from the city’s far-left comptroller), click here.

Throughout former President Joe Biden's administration, the Department of Justice repeatedly bailed out and subsidized pharmaceutical companies like Moderna through various agencies, establishing a sort of "corporate welfare of the worst kind." But in the dawn of President Donald Trump's new administration, some are hopeful that this objectionable precedent will be uprooted by a new Cabinet and a Congress of change agents.'I've long opposed Big Pharma's entrenched power and cozy relationships with the government.'On the Hill, there is certainly an expressed appetite for reform. Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas have been at the forefront of countering the Biden administration's "cronyism" and combatting corruption. "Joe Biden's Justice Department wanted to put hardworking American families on the hook for Moderna's patent violations," Lee told Blaze News. "For the sake of America's taxpayers and entrepreneurs, the Trump administration should reject his predecessor's cronyism and let Big Pharma pay for its own mistakes."Like Lee, Cruz shared concerns about the pharmaceutical industry's "cozy relationships" with the government and pointed to various pieces of legislation he has worked on to prevent further corruption. "I've long opposed Big Pharma's entrenched power and cozy relationships with the government," Cruz told Blaze News. "I was an original co-sponsor of the Right to Try legislation signed by President Trump, and I have long advanced the Results Act, which requires the FDA to grant expedited review if another developed country has approved medicine."Cruz also expressed optimism about Trump's incoming Cabinet, specifically pointing to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Notably, the Senate advanced Kennedy's nomination on Wednesday, teeing him up for a confirmation vote later this week. "When RFK comes in as HHS secretary, I look forward to his leadership to combat corruption, expand consumer choice, and increase transparency."Both Cruz and Lee sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would likely address bipartisan concerns about Big Pharma bailouts in the future. "I wouldn't be surprised if this issue came up in front of the Judiciary Committee," a senior Republican aide told Blaze News. "There are both Democrats and Republicans in Congress concerned with the implications of this case." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A church in Illinois has caused a stir after putting up a sign about illegal immigration and open borders. Liberals are having a meltdown over the sign, even vilifying the black pastor as a "white supremacist." The New Hope Community Church is located in Palatine, Illinois, roughly 30 miles northwest of Chicago. 'People are getting triggered by the word "immigration."'On Feb. 5, the church featured a new sign that read: "Heaven Has Strict Immigration Laws. Hell Has Open Borders."Pastor James Pittman noted that there was no controversy about the sign for the first "six days it was up" until "someone got wind of it." Local news outlets ran stories about the sign and then CNN reportedly requested an interview. Pittman told WLS-TV, "Immigration is a topic in the communities, so what we've been doing on our sign for quite some time is take what's going on in the community and turn it towards heaven."Pittman said he is open to having conversations about the sign's message."The immigration we were talking about is very clear in the sign: heaven and hell. And our message is very clear, the scriptures are clear, not everybody makes it to heaven," Pittman stated.Pittman addressed the alleged controversy in a 14-minute video.The New Hope Community Church issued a statement on its official Facebook page that read: We want to be clear concerning this sign. We did not mention nor intended this sign to be about US immigration policy. We understand that immigration is a hot topic today and wanted to use that to turn people's attention heavenward. We did not mention any country or any people group. We do not believe that all go to heaven and wanted the community to examine their relationship with Almighty God. People are getting triggered by the word 'immigration.' We took a stand on 'immigration' to heaven, not to the United States. Are we not free to use the word immigration on a church post?However, some in the Palatine community are up in arms about the church's sign."Part of why we moved to Palatine was the diversity being able to show our kids that, and everyone should have opportunity, and love each other, and seeing something like this is really upsetting," said Palatine resident Katharine Huddleston.Lisa Beth Szczupaj — president of the Palatine Elementary District 15 school board — told the Daily Herald, "It is unfortunate that a couple of phrases that some adults feel to be clever are posted in the face of many innocent schoolchildren having to ask parents, friends, and adults what they mean and why. Pulling kids into the edginess and politics of the moment is absolutely inappropriate and causes real fear for our school-age children.”Resident Theresa Greinig added, "I couldn't quite believe that that was a message going out in my community." Greinig told WLS that she is mobilizing the community to create "signs of positivity" to place around the New Hope Community Church.Some critics have allegedly called Pittman a "white supremacist." Pastor Pittman is black.Comments on the church's official Yelp business page were disabled after it was inundated with likely fake negative reviews this week. "This business recently received increased public attention, which often means people come to this page to post their views on the news," Yelp stated on the New Hope Community Church's page. "While we don’t take a stand one way or the other when it comes to this incident, we’ve temporarily disabled the posting of content to this page as we work to investigate whether the content you see here reflects actual consumer experiences rather than the recent events," the statement continued. "Please note that we apply this same policy regardless of the business and regardless of the topic at issue."Before the comments were turned off, several detractors slammed the church's Yelp page with one-star reviews in the past week. A Yelp user claimed, "The church sign on display promotes so much hate. I'm sad for our diverse community of Palatine to have read such ignorant messages."Another user wrote, "Do NOT. And I repeat, do not go here. This is not your normal warm, welcoming, compassionate church. These people are bigots and racists against Latinos. Starting from the pastor and down to all the parishioners. Look for another church and give your donations there. Do not even step foot in there if you're undocumented or LGBTQ+. You've been warned."A commenter said, "Not a good church! Don't come here. They do not welcome immigrants or minorities. Do yourself a favor and find a better church!"Another added, "Church that promotes hate and racism. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place."One review read, "DO NOT RECOMMEND. Racist, discriminatory, unwelcoming church. Not sure what type of 'God' you praise ... but God stated to love thy neighbor and your message is NOT it. SHAME ON YOU."The church had received a total of 14 negative reviews in the past decade, nine of which were posted in the past week after the church made headlines with its sensitive sign. A majority of the recent one-star reviews were made by Yelp reviewers who were not from Illinois, including four from liberal California and one from Washington, D.C. Despite the backlash, Pittman declared that he is sticking to his faith and doesn't plan on changing the sign anytime soon."We push one man and one man only here and that's Jesus Christ," Pittman proclaimed.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

When Christian apologist and Central Canada director for Apologetics Canada, Wesley Huff, was just a child, he woke up from a nap to find his legs were paralyzed and couldn’t move. Huff was ill with the flu, and his body’s immune system reacted by attacking the nerve endings at the base of his spine instead of the flu itself. “The paralysis itself was instantaneous, and they said, ‘Sorry, this is just what it’s going to be, you’re never going to be able to walk,’” Huff tells Allie Beth Stuckey of “Relatable.” However, after installing a ramp at his family home and preparing for a life of paralysis, everything changed again. “There wasn’t one instance that I could necessarily point to where someone prayed over me, and that’s what felt different. I think it was much more organic than that, in that I literally woke up and couldn’t feel my legs, and then I woke up, and I could feel my legs,” he explains. Now, Huff, a firm believer in the word of God, has skyrocketed to viral fame after a conversation between him and atheist Billy Carson ended in Carson sending Huff a cease and desist letter. “Billy was really not happy with the way that he had been debunked,” Huff tells Stuckey. “He had been pretty careful to not put himself in a situation where he could be called on the silly things that he was saying.” Carson sent Huff a cease and desist letter, but Huff notes that it was “pretty baseless.” “I promptly that day made a video where I screenshotted it, put it online, and basically said, ‘Losing a debate is not legal grounds to litigate, but I will comply with all of your terms and conditions if you decide to run it back, and we do this thing in person again,’” Huff explains. This exchange caught the attention of Joe Rogan, who has had Carson on his podcast before. “One thing led to another in a way that I could never have predicted, and Joe Rogan eventually did reach out on Christmas Eve by Instagram DM and simply said, ‘Can you be here by December 30?’” Huff tells Stuckey. “The one part that stood out to me,” Stuckey says, “that Billy Carson claimed, ‘Oh, the crucifixion didn’t really happen, Gospel of Barnabas,’ and that was one question that Joe Rogan asked you, like, ‘Isn’t it possible if we believe that the resurrection happened, isn’t it possible that he just didn’t die and that he almost died, but then he woke up and that he walked around and everyone thought he rose from the dead?’” “I referenced a JAMA article to Rogan,” Huff explains, “the Journal of the American Medical Association, where there was an investigation done by medical professionals and historians on looking at the description in the Gospels about coming up with a conclusion as to how Jesus may have died medically, and the conclusion was undoubtedly, ‘Well, he did die, so there’s no qualms about that.’”Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

The White House will reopen for public tours, according to a statement from first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday. The tours will begin on February 25, according to the first lady's statement on social media.'This opportunity is unique among nations around the globe — a tradition we are honored to continue for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come each year.' "The President and I are excited to reopen the White House to those interested in the extraordinary story of this iconic and beautiful landmark," read her post. "There is much to learn about the American Presidency, the First Families who have lived here, and our Nation’s rich history from a firsthand experience at the White House," she added. "This opportunity is unique among nations around the globe — a tradition we are honored to continue for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come each year."The statement said that the public tours could be requested through members of Congress and would be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be requested up to three months in advance. Tours of the White House were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic but were reopened in 2022. Former first lady Jill Biden also updated the public tour with virtual elements as well as other more engaging components. The White House receives about 10,000 visitors per week, according to a press release from 2024. The tours include the Vermeil Room, the Library, the China Room, the Blue Room, and the State Dining Room. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

President Trump is driving the long-overdue transformation of the federal government at an impressive pace. Congress must keep up. Once it does, the states will be next to restore the vertical balance of power in 2026. Arizona will need a governor who understands this mission and vision. That’s why I’m running for governor in 2026. From day one, President Trump and his team aggressively tackled the worst aspects of Washington’s bloated and corrupt government. He assembled a top-tier team of more than 1,000 experts to audit the reckless spending and financial mismanagement. He also appointed highly qualified leaders to fill his Cabinet and key executive positions, ensuring a strong and capable administration. In two years, states will need America First leaders who are ready to restore sovereignty and put their citizens first. What did the team of auditor geeks uncover? Billions of dollars in unauthorized payments, including duplicate transactions funding woke, anti-American programs worldwide. These findings expose the systemic erosion of our economy, culture, and freedom. That’s why the left is freaking out. Leftists cry “fascism” when the Trump administration is actually dismantling the corrupt connection between government and private-sector subsidies. They accuse the DOGE of abusing its power simply for exposing the financial trail of bureaucratic corruption. Democrats are in shock. They can’t believe American voters rejected their radical agenda — open borders, releasing violent criminals onto the streets, enabling rampant retail theft, using tax dollars to fund unrestricted abortions, inviting drag queens into kindergartens, and allowing male athletes to compete against women. Their disbelief is the clearest sign yet that the American people have had enough. To the few Democrats left, America is a systemically racist and misogynistic nation. As they regroup and elect radicals to lead their party, Democrats continue to protest what they see as the unfairness of President Trump and his supporters' efforts to dismantle the woke and weaponized national government. If Congress follows Trump’s lead and prioritizes massive spending cuts, America will enter a new era of prosperity. It could be a golden age. Why worry about the “debt ceiling” when Congress has ignored it for years to enable runaway spending? Why fret over the “cost” of returning money to the American taxpayer? After all, it’s their money. The most important thing that Congress can do to deliver on Trump’s mandate is to slash federal spending. No more lip service about trimming around the edges. If Congress won’t attack the structural deficit of more than $2 trillion per year, the markets will impose discipline. And that won’t be pleasant. In his second inaugural address, President Trump warned that out-of-control spending was fueling inflation. He was right. Now is the time to address it. If Congress reins in spending, it will also reduce the size and power of the national government. By the 2026 elections, the economy will be stronger, the federal government will be shrinking, and states will continue to regain their authority. This will mark the rebirth of federalism and the restoration of vertical separation of powers. Republicans will expand their majorities in the House and Senate, empowering states to govern with greater authority and sovereignty. The United States must return to a federal system of government, not the centralized bureaucracy it has become. That is why, in two years, states will need America First leaders who are ready to restore sovereignty and put their citizens first.

The DOGE case pushes the judicial power too far, and tempts a dangerous response.