The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed on Friday that there were four more attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria in the past 24 hours‚ making a total of 82 total attacks since October 17‚ POLITICO reported.   Additionally‚ Friday morning‚ a rocket was launched targeting the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Since the October 7 massacre of Israeli citizens “Iran-backed militias in Iraq have claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks that targeted bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria” CBS News reported. “The U.S. military says 78 attacks have been carried out against U.S. facilities over the past weeks.” Earlier this week‚ Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)‚ who served in the U.S. military for 23 years‚ including as a company commander in Kuwait and Iraq‚ slammed President Joe Biden for his weakness in defending U.S. troops from repeated attacks by Iran’s proxies‚ calling on Biden to be “more aggressive in pushing back.” Ernst was interviewed by Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo‚ who noted‚ “They’re coming after us. We’ve been attacked 75 times on our troops in the Middle East since October 17‚” before asking‚ “How would you assess the White House’s response to this escalation coming out of Iran. It is Iran‚ even though it’s its proxies‚ Iran is pulling the strings‚ right?” “Right‚ and there is no secret how I feel about the White House’s response to the attacks in the Middle East: I am sorely disappointed in the president and his lack of response when our troops are being targeted‚” Ernst responded. “So I think we need to be much more aggressive in pushing back. We are defending our troops. It is our right; it is our responsibility‚ to make sure these men and women can defend themselves.” Ernst had warned in late October that Biden was weak in dealing with threats against U.S. troops. She appeared on Fox News with host Harris Faulkner‚ who played a clip of South Carolina GOP Senator Lindsey Graham adding there would be harsh consequences if Iran escalated the war between Israel and Hamas as he declared‚ “If this war grows‚ it’s coming to your backyard. There won’t be two fronts; there’ll be three. If there’s an effort to unleash Hezbollah on the Jewish state to destroy it‚ my attention will be to Tehran. If these innocent hostages get slaughtered‚ I hold you‚ Iran‚ accountable‚ because you could stop it if you chose to. The idea that this happened without Iranian involvement is laughable.” Faulkner then turned to Ernst: “Is he right?” “He is absolutely correct‚ Harris‚” Ernst answered. “Iran is behind this. They fund 93% of Hamas’ activities; they fund 100% of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s activities; not to mention Hezbollah and the Houthis. This all goes right back to Iran.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “But you know what‚ who else is involved in this?” she asked rhetorically. “President Biden has been so actively appeasing Iran instead of standing up to them‚ and I’m telling you‚ if we lose more Americans‚ we need to go after Iran. It is incredibly important that we push back against them. We need to be interdicting their oil just as our sanctions call for‚ we need to refreeze that $6 billion.” “We‚ the United States of America‚ are not standing strong enough when it comes to pushing back against this terrorism‚” she said. “It’s infiltrating all around the globe. I know that President Biden gave up on the War on Terror‚ but it’s not over yet.” RELATED: As Iran’s Proxies Target U.S. Troops‚ Ernst Slams Biden For His Weakness

“The Daily Show” guest host Charlamagne Tha God begged President Joe Biden not to run for a second term‚ saying that it could be the “ultimate Christmas gift” to America. During the radio personality’s opening monologue on Wednesday‚ Charlamagne — born Lenard McKelvey — urged the president to step away from the 2024 race so he said the party can beat likely Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump. “This is Biden’s ego talking‚ okay‚” the radio host told the audience. “If you think there are other people who can beat him [Trump] step aside. I know you think you’ve got this in the bag … but the polls say otherwise.” “I want Biden stepping in to beat Trump the way I want him to defend me at a bar fight‚” he added. “I appreciate you caring‚ but I don’t like our chances.” “The point is we don’t need Biden to beat Donald Trump just like we didn’t need [Ruth Bader Ginsburg] RBG to stay on the [U.S. Supreme] court. Maybe if RBG had retired during the Obama years we’d still have Roe v. Wade … And now look‚ both of them are gone.” The radio host argued that Biden’s “not getting any younger” or any “more popular” and said the president’s also not getting a new running mate‚ i.e. Vice President Kamala Harris. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “So please Mr. President give America the ultimate Christmas gift and step aside‚” Charlamagne said at the end of the segment‚ as the comments drew loud cheers and applause from the audience. In September‚ the radio personality took a swipe at Biden for his inauthentic behavior at a Black Caucus event‚ labeling Biden the “Donkey of The Day‚” as previously reported. While most slammed Biden after the event for referring to famed rapper and actor LL Cool J as a “boy‚” Charlamagne said the part he found “egregious” was that the president also got the rapper’s name wrong‚ calling him “LL J Cool J.” “LL Cool J has been White-famous for at least 35 years‚” Charlamagne told his listeners. “There’s not too many more recognizable celebrities on the planet. It’s not like Joe Biden was speaking on somebody relatively new‚ someone he wasn’t familiar with in any way‚ shape‚ or form. It’s LL Cool J.” “This is a prime example of it doesn’t matter how many black people you are around‚ doesn’t matter how many black people you have in your administration … if it’s not authentic to him‚ then it won’t come off as authentic to anyone‚” he added. “Y’all keep trying to make this 197-year-old man sound cool simply because he’s talking to black people‚ and there’s nothing more uncool than someone trying too hard to be cool.” Related: ‘Donkey Of The Day’: Radio Host Slams Biden For Inauthentic Behavior At Black Caucus Event

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said last week that Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution law for people with HIV violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and warned that the state could face a lawsuit if it does not stop enforcing it. In a December 1 release‚ the DOJ said that Tennessee’s decades-old prostitution law subjects people with HIV to “harsher criminal penalties solely because of their HIV status‚” thereby violating the ADA. “Today’s announcement comes on World AIDS Day‚ an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic‚” the department wrote. The law in question raises prostitution from a misdemeanor to a felony “when‚ knowing that such person is infected with HIV‚ the person engages in sexual activity as a business or is an inmate in a house of prostitution or loiters in a public place for the purpose of being hired to engage in sexual activity.” Tennessee’s law‚ passed in 1991‚ also requires people who are convicted of engaging in prostitution while HIV-positive to register for life as a “violent sex offender.” This means the convicted person faces up to 15 years in prison for the felony charge rather than just six months for a misdemeanor charge. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Prosecutors in the Memphis area most frequently enforce the prostitution law‚ the DOJ said‚ singling out for particular criticism the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office and Tennessee’s Bureau of Investigation. Memphis residents have complained in recent months about prostitution and drug use encroaching on their neighborhoods. “Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution law is outdated‚ has no basis in science‚ discourages testing and further marginalizes people living with HIV‚” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. In October‚ the American Civil Liberties Union and the Transgender Law Center also filed a federal lawsuit over the law‚ which they want scrapped. “That individuals living with HIV are treated so differently can only be understood as a remnant of the profoundly prejudiced early response to the AIDS epidemic‚ and the continuing marginalization of the Black cisgender and transgender women who have borne the brunt of the Aggravated Prostitution and related registry requirements‚” the lawsuit states. Since 1991‚ there has been “significant progress” in understanding and treating HIV‚ Rebecca Bond‚ chief of the DOJ’s Disability Rights Section‚ wrote in a letter to Tennessee officials. “Beliefs and assumptions that individuals with HIV will spread it‚ or that having HIV is a death sentence‚ are now outdated and unfounded‚” Bond wrote.

Actor Keanu Reeves had his home burglarized by men in ski masks who stole one of his firearms‚ according to a report from TMZ. The LAPD responded to an anonymous call Wednesday night about a possible trespasser at Reeves’ property at around 7 p.m. Officers didn’t find anyone after conducting a search of the property. Then at around 1 a.m. that night‚ an alarm sounded on the actor’s property‚ prompting a police response once again. Several men with ski masks can be seen on security camera footage smashing a window to gain access to Reeves’ home. The actor was not home at the time of the break-in. Sources told TMZ that at least one firearm was taken from Reeves’ home. The outlet noted that LAPD was investigating if the earlier phone call tied into the actual burglary later. This wasn’t the first time the “John Wick” star’s house has been targeted by thieves. Reeves also dealt with two break-in incidents in 2014. One time a woman stripped naked and jumped into his pool when the actor was not at home. On another occasion two days prior‚ a different woman entered the actor’s home when a cleaning crew left the gate open. The unwanted intruder was found wandering around in Reeves’ library. The actor was also granted a temporary restraining order earlier this year against an alleged stalker who showed up at his house. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Security footage allegedly showed Bryan Dixon‚ 39‚ trespassing on Reeves’ $5.6 million Hollywood Hills estate six times between November 5 and January 20. Per The Daily Mail‚ Dixon allegedly entered through a side gate and fell asleep in the home’s backyard. The security footage also shows the suspect looking over walls‚ smoking in the garden‚ and walking around an outdoor terrace. Dixon returned to Reeves’ home the next day to leave a “suspicious and alarming” backpack on the property. The bag included a DNA testing kit. Apparently‚ Dixon had been trying to establish that he and Reeves were related by blood‚ the outlet noted.

I have not kept track of this officially‚ but I’m guessing that‚ of all the states in the country‚ California has been featured in the Daily Cancellation the most. This is perhaps‚ these days‚ the only good thing about California. Yes the entire state is a degenerate cesspool covered in sewage‚ but at least it provides plenty of content for the last segment of my show. And today the good news is they have done something so stupid that it graduates to the first segment.  As the Daily Mail reports this week‚ in a little over a month from now a new law will go into effect in California. Is this a law to address the homeless problem? Is it a law meant to clean up the streets‚ tamp down on the rampant crime‚ and make communities safe and livable again? No‚ of course not. Why would California’s lawmakers care about any of that? No‚ this is a law that addresses a far more pressing concern: gender-neutral toy sections. We know leftists see the toy industry like they see everything: an ideological battleground‚ another politicized arena to defeat traditional concepts of gender and usher in a new ambiguous dystopia where kids can live as amorphous‚ genderless blobs of nondescript matter. The Daily Mail has more: California retailers that refuse to have a gender-neutral section for children will be fined up to $500 under Gavin Newsom’s new bill. The ultra-woke governor signed legislation in 2021 that would require some retail stores in the Golden State to have a gender-neutral section for children. Retailers would have to do this ‘regardless of whether they have been traditionally marketed for either girls or for boys‚’ the bill said. The legislation‚ Assembly Bill No. 10584‚ will be enacted on January 1‚ 2024‚ and if retail department stores choose not to comply‚ they will have to dish out a civil penalty of $250 or $500. Department stores that are subject to the new laws will have to have a total of 500 or more employees‚ be physically located in California and sell ‘childcare items or toys’… Californian Democratic Congressman Evan Low backed the bill to the Associated Press  ‘We need to stop stigmatizing what’s acceptable for certain genders and just let kids be kids‚’ he said. ‘My hope is this bill encourages more businesses across California and the U.S. to avoid reinforcing harmful and outdated stereotypes‚’ Low said. So‚ the law will end the segregated‚ Apartheid-like conditions in toy stores in the state‚ getting rid of gender labels and allowing toys to express their true‚ gender-fluid identities. This is all meant to reduce “harmful stereotypes.” WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show You may be wondering‚ if you’re a sane person‚ how exactly does the average toy section in the average store “reinforce harmful stereotypes”? In fact‚ you may be wondering what a “harmful stereotype” even is‚ or how a stereotype can be harmful. Literally all gender stereotypes — and race stereotypes‚ and ethnic stereotypes — are grounded in truth. That’s how they became stereotypes. Which is why you have never in your life heard a stereotype about a group of people and said to yourself‚ “What? I’ve never seen anyone in that group act THAT way!” Stereotypes arise when we notice that certain groups of people tend to act certain ways‚ generally speaking. This isn’t harmful. It’s mostly neutral. It just is what it is. Fortunately‚ California state Representative Evan Low goes into more detail about this issue‚ trying to explain how and why “gendered toys” are dangerous:  Part of it is to make sure if you’re a young girl that you can find a police car‚ fire truck‚ a periodic table or a dinosaur. And then similarly‚ if you’re a boy‚ if you’re more artistic and want to play with glitter‚ why not? Why should you feel the stigma of saying‚ ‘Oh‚ this should be shamed’ and going to a different location? First of all‚ this is perhaps neither here nor there‚ but as a parent‚ I believe glitter should be shamed for both boys and girls. Glitter is a plague that has been banned from my house entirely. Glitter manufacturers should be raided by the FBI‚ forcibly shut down‚ and all of their employees thrown in federal prison. Even just one ounce of glitter will produce a mess in your house that can never be cleaned up. A glitter spill is like Chernobyl — you’ll still be dealing with the after-effects three decades later. The stuff is cursed‚ and should be banned.  Anyway‚ aside from that‚ it appears Evan Low is laboring under the impression that‚ without this law in place‚ girls were somehow physically prohibited from entering the aisles where fire trucks and dinosaurs are sold. Or maybe he thought these items were hidden down some deep labyrinthine corridor where only those with Y chromosomes were allowed to enter. But this was not the case. Without the gender-neutral toy law‚ girls were easily able to find fire trucks and police cars if they wanted them. And there was nobody stopping them‚ or standing there pointing and laughing at them and saying‚ “Why are you buying that? You’re a girl!” That literally has never happened in the history of toy purchases. This bill is‚ at the very best‚ totally unnecessary. Which ironically is something the author of the bill basically admitted back when the legislation was first passed. Watch: “Stores are already doing this‚ which is why we need a law requiring that they do it!” That appears to be the argument. Because it has to go one way or another. Either this is a law that will impose on retailers the burdensome and utterly pointless task of rearranging their stores to make the toy sections less organized and more difficult to navigate for customers‚ or it’s a law mandating something that has already happened. Either the law is cumbersome and pointless‚ or redundant and pointless. Or‚ I suppose‚ cumbersome and redundant and pointless. I think it’s likely in that third category. But there is no scenario where the law is necessary or good. That’s because‚ among other reasons‚ the binary is one of the fundamental‚ defining‚ immutable realities of human existence. With it comes the obvious physical differences between the sexes. But also‚ as we’ve alluded to‚ the differences in tendencies and interests. That’s why we’ve come to associate baby dolls with girls and toy trucks with boys. They don’t gravitate to their respective toys because we have made this association. We have made the association because they gravitate that way. Girls are natural nurturers and caretakers‚ boys are naturally builders and fighters. That’s why girls like the baby dolls and boys like the trucks and the action figures. If left to their own devices‚ almost all girls and boys will go in those separate directions. The Left doesn’t want to free boys to play with dolls or girls to play with trucks. They are already free to do that if they want to. Instead they want to engineer boys with feminine interests and girls with masculine interests. They are not actually trying to break outside of the binary at all. They’re trying instead to confuse the picture within it.  That’s because you can’t break outside of it. Which is why it’s always funny to make note of the fact that the Left inevitably ends up accidentally reinforcing the gender binary in their efforts to deconstruct it. After all‚ if you walk into a section of the store and see fire trucks and baby dolls next to each other‚ and you say‚ “Oh this must be a gender-neutral section‚” you are affirming the gender binary just by saying that. And laws requiring such arrangements are also affirming it.  This is the terrible fact the Left can’t get around‚ no matter how hard it tries. The terrible fact — which is not terrible at all‚ in my view — is the gender binary. There are two sexes‚ and those two sexes have distinct features and functions‚ and they have certain tendencies and proclivities‚ and there is literally nothing you can do to escape that fact. WATCH: “Lady Ballers” on DailyWire+ This is what happens when you try to make non-binary toy sections‚ or non-binary people for that matter. A person who identifies as non-binary will usually end up dressing in some weird‚ clashing combination of male and female clothing. This person — let’s say a woman‚ for example — will be very careful to incorporate feminine and masculine elements in the way that she dresses and comports herself. Or at least that’s what she’ll try to do. Usually she’ll still end up looking like a woman — just a woman with a goofy sense of style. But even if she succeeds in appearing like some kind of mismatched‚ jumbled Mrs Potato Head Doll — with male and female elements mixed together — still she has not escaped the binary. Because still she only has male and female elements to work with. There is no third or fourth category. You can be a woman who looks like a woman‚ or a woman who looks a little bit like a man‚ or a woman who looks like some sort of avant-garde combination‚ but no matter what you are still stuck in the binary. In fact the more you try to escape the binary‚ the more you make yourself into a reminder of it. 

Critics slammed actor and director Rob Reiner after he announced his newest project — a film called “God &; Country” — decrying the alleged clear and present “danger” presented by Christian Nationalism. Reiner shared the trailer for the film‚ which “explores right-wing religious extremism and the danger it poses to both the United States and Christianity itself‚” according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Christian Nationalism is not only a danger to our Country‚ it’s a danger to Christianity itself. Our film will be coming to theaters In February. Watch the trailer here‚” Reiner posted via X. Christian Nationalism is not only a danger to our Country‚ it’s a danger to Christianity itself. Our film will be coming to theaters In February. Watch the trailer here.pic.twitter.com/LJmu1nILNy — Rob Reiner (@robreiner) December 7‚ 2023 But critics viewed the film as proof that Reiner “doth protest too much‚” arguing that the “documentary” was just a convenient excuse for him to attack both Christians and conservatives in one fell swoop. “Is this like a funny Spinal Tap mockumentary? If so it’s brilliant‚” The Babylon Bee’s Kyle Mann posted on X. Is this like a funny Spinal Tap mockumentary? If so it's brilliant — Kyle Mann (@The_Kyle_Mann) December 8‚ 2023 Students For Life President Kristan Hawkins noted that one of the film’s “villains” was Scott Smith‚ the Virginia father who was arrested for “disrupting” a school board meeting in Loudoun County because the school had failed to address the sexual assault of his daughter. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “Showing the arrest of the dad at that school board meeting because his daughter was sexually assaulted‚ as if *HE* is the bad guy‚ is a WILD narrative choice‚” she posted. This Krista? pic.twitter.com/dgYkAfEQ8A — Megan Basham (@megbasham) December 8‚ 2023 “Avowed atheist Rob Reiner: ‘I’m looking for Christians to interview in my documentary slamming Christians.’ David French‚ Phil Vischer‚ Russell Moore: ‘Say no more‚ fam‚'” Mann added. Avowed atheist Rob Reiner: "I'm looking for Christians to interview in my documentary slamming Christians." David French‚ Phil Vischer‚ Russell Moore: "Say no more‚ fam." https://t.co/Zb3hjiPUNO — Kyle Mann (@The_Kyle_Mann) December 8‚ 2023 “It’s hilarious to me how terrified Leftists are of normal Christians who dare to take their faith outside the walls of the church‚” Joel Berry said. It’s hilarious to me how terrified Leftists are of normal Christians who dare to take their faith outside the walls of the church. https://t.co/ClDmVfShPQ — Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) December 8‚ 2023 The Federalist’s Sean Davis weighed in as well‚ saying‚ “For what shall it profit a man‚ if he shall gain the whole world‚ and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? The answer to the last question‚ at least for David French and Russell Moore‚ appears to be ‘a cameo in a Meatball fever dream masquerading as a documentary.'” For what shall it profit a man‚ if he shall gain the whole world‚ and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? The answer to the last question‚ at least for David French and Russell Moore‚ appears to be “a cameo in a Meatball fever dream masquerading… https://t.co/7ZEZHN4mc2 pic.twitter.com/CrWza9cJlI — Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 8‚ 2023

CNN announced Thursday that it will host two GOP presidential debates in January‚ with one being held at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire‚ but officials at St. Anselm and the New Hampshire Republican Party had no idea about CNN’s plans.  Hours after the close of the fourth Republican debate in Alabama‚ the network announced it will host debates in Iowa and New Hampshire days before the states’ caucuses and primary. Neil Levesque — the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Political Library at Saint Anselm — said the university was “surprised” by CNN’s announcement‚ seeing how nothing had been planned between the university‚ the Republican Party‚ and the legacy media outlet.  “We were surprised to be included on a press release by a network about a debate which we had not planned or booked‚” Levesque said in a post on X. “Such a debate announcement breached the RNC debate rules. We have and will continue to work with the Republican Party on debates.” Chris Ager‚ chairman of New Hampshire’s Republican Party‚ was also flabbergasted.  “The CNN thing came out and everybody’s like‚ ‘What the heck?’” Ager told The New York Times. “I’m still scratching my head. And I still haven’t been contacted by CNN at all.” “For a big‚ professional organization like that‚ putting out a location on this date and the location doesn’t know — something’s not quite right‚” he added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP CNN couldn’t speak to the apparent miscommunication‚ according to a spokesperson‚ who said the network is “moving forward with our plans to host a debate in New Hampshire on Jan. 21‚” which is just two days before the New Hampshire primary.  Both the Republican Party and St. Anselm College have already approved a GOP debate for January 18 hosted by ABC News. Ager said the state GOP had been working with ABC “for months” on the debate and even did a “run-through” of the facility that will be used for the event at St. Anselm.  CNN is also planning to host a Republican debate in Iowa on January 10‚ five days before the Iowa caucuses‚ but that debate has also not yet been sanctioned by the Republican Party. Current RNC rules dictate that candidates who attend an unsanctioned debate will be barred from attending future Republican gatherings‚ but the party’s debate committee was expected to meet Friday to discuss waiving that rule‚ allowing candidates more freedom to attend any debate‚ POLITICO reported.  Republican debate viewership has consistently declined since the first debate on August 23‚ which attracted over 12 million people. Former President Donald Trump‚ the Republican frontrunner‚ has skipped each of the first four GOP debates‚ leaving the stage to those who are trying to catch him as he leads by nearly 50 points in the Real Clear Politics average of national polling. 

If you’re a frequent user of social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter)‚ Instagram‚ and especially TikTok‚ you may have recently stumbled across videos or posts featuring a younger couple extolling the supposed virtues of remaining childless‚ including extra free time‚ more money‚ and lower stress levels. The men and women in these videos invariably gush about how much better their lives are without children‚ and many pointedly replace a would-be child with a dog or cat‚ professing that they are much easier and more enjoyable than a child. These videos often depict relatively normal‚ day-to-day activities like making breakfast or taking a trip to the grocery store as well as extravagant shopping sprees and exotic vacations. Welcome to the emerging “dual income‚ no kids” (otherwise known by the acronym DINK) trend. DINKs are often couples in their late 20s to mid-30s who have made the choice to not have children in order to afford a more luxurious lifestyle and‚ so they say‚ have more freedom to pursue their own personal goals. Videos of these couples have racked up tens of millions of views and‚ perhaps more disturbingly‚ millions of likes online. Here’s a common example: There are going to be a lot of “DINKs” in the future in their 50s to 80s that are going to be regretting this strategy. 🔊 pic.twitter.com/BZU2xNQrmZ — Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) December 5‚ 2023 And another: If I had to bet‚ 50-65% of DINKs (dual income no kids)‚ who are their age (guessing late 20s/early 30s)‚ change their minds. Much of DINKism is a rationalization of legit concerns about the expense of raising kids. As finances improve‚ opinions change.pic.twitter.com/dff5SI08BQ — Steve Faktor (@ideafaktory) December 4‚ 2023   The first video has racked up 2 million views and over 220‚000 likes on TikTok within days of being posted‚ while the second has garnered nearly 4 million views and 225‚000 likes. Though couples throughout history have chosen to not have children for a variety of reasons‚ it has only become a mainstream trend in the last few years. Radical feminists have argued for decades that childbearing impedes a woman’s ability to have a career or otherwise achieve self-fulfillment. Pre-pandemic‚ “childless by choice” rhetoric became popular among radical environmentalist groups‚ who argued that increasing the human population will further harm the environment and that children should not be brought into a world on the brink of a climate catastrophe. Recent polls have found that even more people are choosing to not have children. According to the U.S. Census Bureau‚ 16.5% of people over the age of 55 were childless in 2018. In that same year‚ around one in seven women in the country between 40 and 44 were childless‚ up from one in ten in 1976. A Pew survey conducted in October 2021 found that 44% of childless people younger than 50 said they are not likely to have children during their lives. That was an increase from 37% in 2018. A majority‚ 56%‚ of those who responded that they were unlikely to have children said that they didn’t want children “because they just don’t want to‚” while 43% said they had a specific reason‚ including financial and medical considerations‚ for remaining childless. Recent DINK videos seem to focus on the prospect of greater self-fulfillment as well as the greater economic freedom offered by remaining childless — likely due to ongoing inflation‚ rising home prices‚ stagnant wages‚ and the federal government’s monetary policies. The median net worth of a couple without children was nearly $400‚000 in 2022‚ according to data from a survey of consumer finances by the Federal Reserve. That median net worth is almost $150‚000 higher than that of couples with children. Couples without children also have significantly more money saved for retirement than couples with children‚ the survey showed. The DINK trend is beginning to take off just as concerns about global fertility rates are also increasing. X CEO Elon Musk has been especially vocal about the declining fertility rate‚ warning in 2022 that “population collapse” as a result of a plummeting birth rate is more dangerous to humanity than climate change. Musk even responded to one of the recent viral DINK videos with an X post that said‚ “There is an awful morality to those who deliberately have no kids: they are effectively demanding that other people’s kids take care of them in their old age. That’s messed up.” There is an awful morality to those who deliberately have no kids: they are effectively demanding that other people’s kids take care of them in their old age. That’s messed up. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5‚ 2023   The current total fertility rate (the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime) in the U.S. is 1.64 births per woman. The replacement level fertility rate for a society is 2.1 births per woman. Much of the United States’ population growth in recent years has been due to immigration as well as the fact that immigrants tend to have a higher fertility rate The Census Bureau estimates that if the United States had no new immigration and only relied on domestic births for population growth‚ the total population of the country would decline from an estimated 333 million people in 2022 to only 226 million in 2100. Only in the medium and high immigration scenarios examined by the Census Bureau is the U.S. population projected to grow by 2100. The population of the United States is also estimated to become significantly older because of declining birth rates. Whereas around 22% of the population was under 18 in 2022‚ it is expected to decline to 16.4% by 2100‚ with almost one-third of the entire population older than 65. The most popular DINK videos appear to originate from TikTok‚ and that might provide a clue into why they seem to capture such a gigantic audience. Besides the fact that TikTok is a wildly popular app‚ boasting around 150 million users in the U.S. alone as of March 2023‚ the company has been accused of promoting harmful content in the past. Since its initial rise in popularity‚ TikTok has become a haven for radical gender and race ideology‚ as extensively documented by the popular X account “Libs of TikTok.” In fact‚ by the end of 2021‚ videos on the app related to transgender ideology alone had racked up a combined 26 billion views. One study from late 2022 found that the app promoted self-harm and eating disorder-related content to users‚ according to CBS News. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP More recently‚ Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) advocated cracking down on TikTok because it allegedly promoted pro-Hamas content in the wake of the terrorist organization’s attack on Israel on October 7‚ which resulted in the deaths of 1‚200 Israelis. The “dual income‚ no kids” trend may just be a fad borne from social media algorithms and economic pressures related to the COVID-19 pandemic‚ but unlike many other fleeting online trends‚ it has the potential to cause significant long-term harm to the country as birth rates continue to fall and the population continues to age. It remains to be seen what consequences DINKs will reap in exchange for the supposedly more carefree‚ luxurious lifestyle they’ve sown.