Here are 7 of the best annual flowers to grow in any zone, including my top favorites to plant in our garden every year! This guide will cover key growing tips, benefits, uses, and our go-to varieties of each one. Every flower on this list is low-maintenance, easy to grow from seed, and does well in containers. They all make excellent companion flowers in a vegetable garden – attracting pollinators, birds, and other beneficial insects. Plus, flowers bring a delightful pop of color, beauty, and whimsy to any garden space! If you don’t want to start from seed, you should be able to find most of these flowers at your local nursery in the spring too. This post was originally published in February 2020 but significantly updated since. Our old front yard garden, bursting with flowers in spring Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Looking for flower seeds? Don’t miss the Homestead and Chill Prized Pollinator Pack – our very own flower seed collection that we curated with High Mowing Organic Seeds! What Are Annual Flowers? Annual flowers complete their entire life cycle – from seed to flower and back to seed – in one growing season. The original plants won’t continue to grow or come back the following year, though some may self-seed to produce new plants (aka volunteers). Therefore, annual flowers must be replanted each spring in most climates.  All the flowers on this list are most commonly grown as annuals, though a few can persist as short-lived perennials in warmer, frost-free zones (9-11) including nasturtiums and calendula. Starting Annual Flowers from Seed Each flower on this list can either be started from seed indoors, or directly sown outside in spring once the risk of frost has passed. We start most of our annual flowers indoors to get a jump start on the growing season, which means more blooms and color in the garden sooner! To start indoors, sow flower seeds in containers of fluffy seed-starting mix about 5 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date in your zone. Use a seedling heat mat to help encourage quick germination, keep the soil evenly damp but not soggy, and provide ample bright light (e.g. a grow light) to prevent them from getting leggy. See our complete guide on starting seeds indoors for more detailed tips. You can transplant seedlings outside once the risk of frost has passed, but be sure to harden off indoor seedlings first to prevent transplant shock! I like to tuck annual flowers into almost every corner of our DIY raised garden beds, and between vegetable plants where there is space. Our current garden. As you can see, I tuck flowers amongst the veggies in every nook and cranny possible! (While trying to maintain decent spacing to prevent too much competition) 1) Calendula ~ Calendula officinalis Cheerful and daisy-like, calendula is one of the best all-around annual flowers to grow. It’s beautiful, boasts a long blooming season, and has SO many wonderful uses. Calendula is especially renown for its ability to soothe skin issues. Calendula is sometimes referred to as “pot marigold” but don’t accidentally confuse it with true marigolds, such as french marigolds. Marigolds are on this list too, but are distinctly different and not nearly as medicinal in nature. Some of our favorite calendula varieties include: Resina, Pacific Beauty, Strawberry Blonde, Pink Surprise, Oopsy Daisy and Zeolights. Benefits of Calendula Calendula flowers attract bees and butterflies while repelling pest insects. Calendula is a highly medicinal and edible herb with many wonderful uses beyond the garden – including in the kitchen, natural medicine, and skin care products. We make homemade calendula oil and calendula salve that can help heal rashes, burns, psoriasis, eczema and more. It’s a star ingredient in our organic skincare line for a reason! According to the Chestnut School of Herbs, calendula tea can ease reflux, sore throats, heartburn, and IBS. I also like to use calendula petals as a garnish to add a beautiful pop of color to a variety of dishes such as salads, beverages, spring rolls, or flower-infused ice cubes. Volunteer calendula happily growing in the gravel in our old backyard garden Tips on Growing Calendula Direct sow calendula seeds outdoors in spring after the last frost, or start seeds indoors up to 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. (We start our calendula indoors.) In places with mild winters, calendula can be grown year-round! Once planted outside, calendula are fast-growing and will often self-seed (especially if you don’t harvest the flowers). That means they’ll come back as volunteers year after year. Calendula is not picky about soil type, and actually thrives in poor or sandy soil. Some of our volunteer calendula plants grow happily in gravel! Calendula is drought-tolerant and grows best in full sun, though partial shade can be beneficial in places with exceptionally hot summer weather. Expect prolific blooms from calendula in spring through fall. Pro Tip: Don’t be shy about harvesting the flowers. The more you pick, the more they’ll bloom! RELATED: Learn even more about how to grow and use calendula here, including tips on how to harvest, dry, and use the flowers for natural skincare and more. The “calendula farm” at our new homestead, where we grow all the calendula and chamomile for our shop products. 2) Sunflowers ~ Helianthus Who doesn’t love sunflowers? Birds, bees… I know I do! These big cheery flowers always bring a smile to my face. Sunflowers come in a wide array of sizes, shapes, and colors. Personally, I’m a sucker for multi-headed or branching sunflower varieties, which offer an extended season of beautiful blooms and even more seeds per plant. We love these sunflower varieties: Goldy Double, Autumn Beauty, Evening Colors, Rouge Royal, Lemon Queen, Mammoth, Snack Seed and Velvet Queen. Or, check out this awesome variety pack of over 15 different sunflower types. Benefits of Sunflowers With their wide open flower structure, sunflowers provide ample easily-accessible pollen that bees go bananas for. Pro Tip: avoid pollen-less sunflower varieties if you want to feed the bees! Sunflower seeds are great source of food and nourishment for wild birds. Our chickens also love pecking at spent sunflower heads near the end of summer.  Wildlife aside, certain sunflower varieties produce big meaty seeds that are ideal for human consumption too, like these “Snack Seed” or Mammoth varieties. You can also grill and eat whole sunflowers heads! Tips on Growing Sunflowers True to their name, sunflowers prefer to be planted in full sun. Fun Fact: did you know the face of a sunflower moves throughout the day to follow the path of the sun? It is called heliotropism. So keep that in mind when you choose your planting location – they may turn their backs on you!  Sunflowers often grow best when directly sowed outside, though you can start seeds indoors too. To avoid getting too large or root-bound (which can stunt them), I like to start my sunflowers indoors only 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting. Sunflowers vigorous roots may stunt the growth of nearby plants including beans, potatoes, rhubarb and onions. However, we always plant sunflowers in our raised garden beds amongst our veggies and haven’t had issues – minus them casting some unwanted shade at times. Some sunflowers may require staking for support, especially in windy conditions or before they’re well-established. Most sunflower varieties are drought tolerant, so don’t overdo the water! Sunflower seeds are ready for harvest when the plant foliage dies back, flower petals fade away, and the seeds look plump. Seed-save from spent dry flowers at the end of the season.  This impressive branching sunflower showed as a volunteer! RELATED: All the flowers on this list are also easy to save seed from, making them both affordable and sustainable! Learn how to save annual flower seeds here. 3) Zinnia Zinnia flowers are gorgeous pouf balls of vibrant color. They’re another all-around favorite in our garden! Some zinnias grow on smaller, compact plants while others can reach several feet in height. They come in various shades of pink, red, purple, yellow, and even lime green.  My favorite zinnia varieties include Giant Coral, Giant Yellow, Benary’s Giant (various colors), Aurora, Queen Lime, Giant Purple and Ballerina. For smaller spaces, try these adorable dwarf Thumbolina or Zinderella zinnia (shown in the feature photo at the top of this article!) Giant Yellow zinnia in our old front yard garden Benefits of Zinnia in the Garden Zinnia are an absolute favorite source of nectar for monarch butterflies. Bees, bumblebees, and hummingbirds enjoy their nectar and pollen too. Zinnia’s tall erect stems make them excellent cut flowers. We usually have several vases full of zinnias throughout our house in summer! PRO TIP: For long-lasting cut flowers, wait to cut zinnias until the flowers are fully open and the stems are firm (they shouldn’t easily wiggle on top when you jiggle them from below). If cut too young, zinnias will quickly wilt in a bouquet or vase. You’re coming inside with me, my pretties Grew a whole bed of zinnia’s for the first time… zero regrets. Tips on Growing Zinnia Some resources suggest only direct-sowing zinnia seeds outside, saying that they don’t tolerate transplanting well. However, we always start our zinnias from seed indoors without issue! Just be sure to transplant them out when they’re still fairly small (after being properly hardened off) so they don’t become root bound or stunted. Zinnias like full sun but will tolerate a little shade (though they may bloom less). Plant zinnias in well-draining soil that is rich with compost or other organic matter. One bummer about growing zinnias is their susceptibility to powdery mildew, which is rampant here. Thankfully, some varieties are naturally resistant so we try to plant those. See our top tips on managing powdery mildew here. 4) Cosmos I’ve become slightly obsessed with cosmos lately, planting more and more each season. These dainty daisy-like flowers sit atop long slender stems. They look so whimsical (especially blowing in the wind) and give off a classic cottage garden vibe. While the most common cosmos varieties come in hues of pink and purple, they can be found in shades of yellow, orange, red, and even chocolate too! We love Blush Cupcake cosmos, Sensation Blend, Candy Stripe, Double Click Rose, and the stunning Seashell varieties. Cupcake cosmos Benefits of Cosmos Cosmos attract a wide variety of pollinators including birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. I always see native bees, bumblebees, and birds enjoying ours! On the other hand, cosmos seem to have little-to-no pest issues. Definitely a bonus. The flower petals are edible and can be used as a playful garnish in drinks, salads, and more. Cosmos boast a long blooming season and can be used as cut flowers.  PRO TIP: Their thin flat petals make cosmos my favorite flowers to dry for pressed flower crafts! I pick and press them all summer to save for fall and winter crafts. Don’t miss our beginner’s guide on how to press flowers. Tips on Growing Cosmos Cosmos sprout readily and are easy to direct-sow outdoors. (That means they also re-seed as volunteers easily!) Simply scatter seeds on bare soil in springtime after the danger of frost has passed. We usually start our cosmos indoors to get a jump start on the spring season. Cosmos are known to survive in even the poorest soil conditions, as long as it has good drainage. This makes them a perfect “filler” in any oddball place, with little-to-no effort required! They also grow easily in containers. Cosmos are drought-tolerant and prefer warm, dry weather and plenty of sunshine. In extremely hot climates, choose a location with partial shade. Depending on the variety and height, cosmos plants may need staking or other support to prevent the plants from flopping over. PRO TIP: Deadhead cosmos regularly to promote even more new blooms! Learn exactly when and how to deadhead flowers here, including example photos for cosmos. Regularly removing fading flower heads also reduces seed spread, if that’s a concern. 5) Bachelor Buttons Also known as cornflower, stunning blue Bachelor Buttons have become one of my favorite annual flowers over the last few years. Classic Bachelor Buttons are bright blue (a magnificent and unique addition to the garden color palette) though they also come in lavender, light pink, and other shades of purple-blue. A few of our favorite varieties include Blue Boy, Polka dot mix (blue, pink, white and lavender), and dark purple Black Magic Benefits of Bachelor Buttons Birds and bees absolutely love cornflower. Our native Lesser goldfinches simply can’t stay off of them – and we’re happy to share! The tall erect stems make beautiful cut flowers, and also retain their gorgeous color when dried. I love to press them too! Bachelor button flowers are edible and make an absolutely beautiful garnish. I like to pluck the petals off to add flecks of blue to mocktails, salads, and spring rolls. They readily re-seed, so that means you’ll have free plants for years to come! I simply remove the ones I don’t want, but often leave many to grow – and the volunteer bachelor buttons are usually the first to flower in our garden in spring! A female Lesser Goldfinch enjoying a snack of Bachelor Buttons seeds. Tips on Growing Bachelor Buttons Bachelors buttons (cornflowers) are easy to start from seed – either indoors about a month before your last spring frost, or directly outside after. They aren’t picky about soil conditions as long as it’s well-draining. Cornflowers are drought-tolerant so they will not thrive in swampy, soggy conditions. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering. Plant bachelors buttons in a location that receives full sun, though they’ll tolerate partial shade. Many Bachelor Buttons varieties grow quite tall. In my experience, I usually need a stake, small cage, or other support to prevent the plants from toppling or breaking by mid-summer. 6) Marigolds ~ Tagetes Marigolds are probably one of the easiest annual flowers to grow. And while they may not be total show-stoppers like some sunflowers or zinnia, what they lack in beauty they more than make up for in utility. Don’t get me wrong! I think marigolds are very pretty, and definitely enjoy the bright pops of orange and red blooms sprinkled throughout our garden.  My all-time favorite marigold variety is Tangerine Gem followed by French Blend, Naughty Marietta French, Red French, Crackerjack & Red Gem Benefits of Marigolds Marigolds are popular companion flowers, often planted among vegetables in garden beds or close nearby. They attract beneficial insects like butterflies, ladybugs, hover flies and parasitic wasps. Furthermore, their pungent aroma can deter pest insects such as aphids, mosquitoes, and Mexican bean beetles. Classic French marigolds in particular are known to repel root knot nematodes, a soil-dwelling parasite that feeds on the healthy root system of plants. To take advantage of that benefit, be sure to leave the marigold roots to decompose in the soil – using a “no till” method to cut the plant out (rather than yanking it out) at the end of the season.   Chickens love to eat marigolds. Our girls love the greens, and often help us “prune” unruly marigold plants that hang over the side of the garden bed. When chickens are fed bright orange marigold flowers, it can naturally dye their egg yolks a deeper orange color! Rich in antioxidants, marigold flowers are also edible for humans – bringing a beautiful pop of color to salads, teas, desserts and more.  Companion planting French marigolds, tomatoes, basil, and eggplant Tips on Growing Marigolds Like the other easy annual flowers on this list, you can either sow marigold seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost, or directly outside thereafter. Marigolds prefer full sun and warm temperatures to bloom most prolifically.  However, we have grown them in partial-shade – no problem! Deadheading spent blooms will also encourage more. They’re not picky about their soil type, and are suitable for containers. Maintain the soil evenly damp but not soggy. If bushy marigold plants start to crowd their neighbors, don’t be afraid give them a good pruning! They don’t mind, and the greens are a great addition to compost. Once they’re established in your garden, marigolds will likely self-seed and return as volunteers. RELATED: Come learn even more about companion planting – including what veggies and flowers grow best together, and a printable companion planting chart! More poufy marigolds tucked below our tomato plants – the perfect companion plants. 7) Nasturtium ~ Tropaeolum Last but not least, nasturtiums are another annual companion flower that I can’t imagine our garden without. They’re edible, attract pollinators, and oh-so-pretty! Their lush cascading greenery dotted with colorful flowers creates an incredibly beautiful and dramatic effect.  Hummingbird Aloha Mix, Tall Trailing Mix, Peach Melba, Alaska Mix, and Dwarf Jewel are a handful of our go-to nasturtium varieties. Benefits of Nasturtiums Bees and hummingbirds enjoy nasturtium flowers immensely. Nasturtiums double as a “trap crop”, attracting pest insects including aphids and cabbage worms to their foliage rather than your veggies. Ours usually look great despite the pest pressure – but if your plants become heavily infested, I suggest removing leaves or sections of the plant to prevent pest colonization in your garden.  Nasturtiums are edible. Both the flowers and tender leaves have a peppery, zesty flavor – reminiscent of arugula. Try adding both to salads! Our chickens absolutely love eating nasturtium greens too. Nasturtiums started growing under our artichoke plants and took over once the artichokes died back for the season… but I didn’t mind! Tips on Growing Nasturtiums Nasturtium generally prefers to be directly-sown, though starting indoors is possible too. Plant once, and they’ll be back! Nasturtiums are another notorious self-seeding volunteer, but one we welcome with open arms.  Nasturtiums are the most shade-tolerant annual flower on this list. They will grow just about anywhere, but flower the most when they receive at least 6 hours of sun. On the other hand, they may look a bit haggard in full sun with extreme heat, so opt for a location with afternoon shade in the hottest climates. Some nasturtium varieties grow into compact bushes, while others sprawl a bit more. Vining nasturtiums can be trained up arches and trellises, or allowed to spill over the side of a raised bed for a beautiful cascade effect. We grow a little of each! Plant in well-draining soil and provide low to moderate water.   Nasturtiums growing as ground cover in a shady corner of our old yard Other Pollinator Flowers Now of course, there is a whole plethora of other amazing flowers you could grow too! Some of our favorites include lavender, echinacea, salvia, yarrow, scabiosa, flowering herbs like oregano, bee balm, sage, anise hyssop and more!   I love all of them just as much as the easy annual flowers included on this list. However, they may not be quite as quick and simple to start from seed, may be more particular about climate and care, or are commonly grown as perennials. To see a full list of our favorite flowers, check out: The Top 23 Plants for Pollinators: Attract Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds. Bachelor buttons on the left, zinnia on the right, sunnies and marigolds in the distance. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed learning about what we consider the best easy annual flowers to grow, and found some new varieties to try yourself! Did I miss any of your favorite annual flowers? Let me know in the comments below! Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. The post 7 Best Easy Annual Flowers to Grow In Any Zone (With Photos) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

This Post is for Paid Supporters Reclaim your digital freedom. Get the latest on censorship and surveillance, and learn how to fight back. SUBSCRIBE Already a supporter? Sign In. (If you’re already logged in but still seeing this, refresh this page to show the post.) The post The Gospel of the Anxious Generation appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A newly released report from the House Judiciary Committee reveals a coordinated effort by European Union regulators to pressure major technology companies into enforcing censorship standards that extend far beyond Europe’s borders. The findings, drawn from thousands of internal documents and communications, detail a long-running strategy to influence global content moderation policies through regulatory coercion and the threat of punishment under Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The Committee’s latest publication, “The EU Censorship Files, Part II,” coincides with a scheduled February 4 hearing titled “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation: Part II.” We obtained a copy of the report for you here.  According to the materials, European officials have been meeting privately with social media companies since at least 2015 to “adapt their terms and conditions” to align with EU political priorities, including restricting certain kinds of lawful political expression in the United States. Internal records from TikTok, then-Twitter, and other firms show that the Commission’s so-called “voluntary” DSA election guidelines were in fact treated as mandatory conditions for doing business in Europe. Behind closed doors, companies admit the Commission calls the shots — platforms have “no real choice” but to comply. Companies were told to intensify content moderation ahead of elections and report compliance measures to EU officials. Internal Commission guidance acknowledged that platforms were not formally bound to follow the election guidelines word for word. At the same time, the documents make clear that deviation was only acceptable if companies could demonstrate that any alternative approach achieved outcomes at least as effective as the Commission’s preferred mitigation measures. Because the Commission retained authority to judge whether those alternatives were sufficient, the discretion functioned more as a compliance test than a genuine choice. Platforms faced a narrow path: adopt the guidance as written or persuade the regulator that their substitute controls met an undefined but regulator-determined standard. In Romania, declassified national intelligence documents cited in the report call into question claims of Russian interference that had prompted a court to overturn the 2024 presidential election results. TikTok told the European Commission that it had found “no evidence” of any coordinated network tied to the candidate in question, contradicting assertions made by Romanian authorities. TikTok told the EU it found “no evidence” of a Russian campaign backing Calin Georgescu and reported this to authorities. Despite this, the report shows EU regulators continued to use “inauthentic coordination” claims as justification for tightening their election-related moderation directives. The documents also indicate that after meetings with EU officials, TikTok began suppressing lawful conservative statements on topics such as gender identity. One moderation log highlighted a directive to label posts claiming that “there are only two genders” as “harmful misinformation.” Internal documents show TikTok, after the meetings, censored statements like “there are only two genders.” Beyond domestic European elections, EU Vice President Věra Jourová traveled to California ahead of the 2024 US election to discuss the enforcement of these rules with US-based technology companies. Notes from meetings with US-based technology companies show that European officials were asked whether their engagement was limited to elections within the European Union. The response recorded in the documents was brief: “We are interested in both.” The remark indicates that discussions with platforms were not confined to European electoral processes, but extended more broadly to content moderation policies with global reach. Ahead of the 2024 US election, EU VP Vera Jourova flew to California to discuss content moderation, making clear both EU and US elections were on the agenda. According to the Committee, the censorship campaign has operated continuously through dozens of “disinformation” meetings between 2022 and 2024. The pressure reached its peak once the DSA took effect, with the Commission instructing firms to conduct “continuous review of community guidelines.” Internal records depict a process in which the Commission determines the scope of discussion, channels platforms toward a shared mitigation framework, and evaluates compliance, leaving companies with limited practical discretion. This influence has not been limited to electoral content. Earlier emails reveal EU officials urging companies to police discussion of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly campaigns for children in the United States. In 2020, senior EU figures, including President Ursula von der Leyen and Jourová, asked companies to remove or demote posts questioning official pandemic narratives. As early as 2020, EU leaders told platforms to change their rules and remove content that questioned official COVID-19 and vaccine narratives. By 2024, TikTok had rewritten its Community Guidelines to comply with the Digital Services Act, introducing new global rules banning “marginalizing speech” and “civic harm misinformation.” In 2024, TikTok updated its global rules to comply with the EU’s censorship law, now even censoring true, legal speech in the US, including vague terms like “marginalizing speech.” These categories reach far beyond European law, effectively applying EU speech restrictions worldwide. The Committee contends that this change means because of Europe’s censorship law, TikTok censors true information in the United States. The House Judiciary Committee argues that the European Union has exported its censorship framework internationally by exploiting tech companies’ global moderation systems. Internal platform documentation confirms that once adopted, Community Standards are enforced globally rather than on a country-by-country basis, meaning policy changes made to satisfy European regulators affect users everywhere. The hearing on February 4 will examine how these foreign regulatory pressures have shaped US online speech, and whether legislative safeguards are needed to protect Americans’ First Amendment rights from overseas influence. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post House Report: EU Pushed Tech Giants to Police US Speech appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

The SAVE Act Is Popular, and Democrats Are Terrified of It

Commie Mamdani: I, Like, See Dead People, Yo

You might not want to rely on investment advice from the weekly financial and investment magazine Barron’s, judging by its bad market call regarding the expected opening week take of the Melania Trump documentary, which opened on Friday: “The Melania Movie Looks Like a Box-Office Flop. What It Means for Amazon.” Reporter George Glover tried to project what Melania's expected box office failure might mean for Amazon.com, which paid to distribute and market the doc from director Brett Ratner. But the purported failure chain fell apart when Melania’s opening week busted box-office expectations (which ranged from $3-$5 million) by raking in an estimated $8.1 million, a huge opening for a non-concert documentary, attracting older conservative women despite wicked reviews. When it comes to the streaming wars, investors have tended to see Amazon.com as an afterthought. The company’s new documentary about Melania Trump looks unlikely to change that. Melania, which captures the first lady’s life in the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, is expected to bring in $2 million to $5 million across 1,500 locations domestically this weekend, according to data from Boxoffice Pro. At first glance, that’s a solid-enough opening weekend for a documentary—but it pales in comparison to what Amazon has spent on Melania. The online retailer bid $40 million to distribute the film and plans to pour another $35 million into marketing the movie, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. One mistake by Barron’s: Assuming that low attendance figures from the blue-city bubble could be reliably extrapolated nationwide. But social-media users have made sure to point out how many opening weekend tickets have gone unsold. Empire 25 in New York City, one of AMC Entertainment flagship movie theaters, has sold 11 seats for its first screening, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, for instance. Glover's wrap-up hinted that the anticipated box-office failure (oops!) lay in trying to appeal to controversial conservative audiences. Still, if Amazon wants to compete with big dogs like Walt Disney and Netflix in the streaming wars, Jeff Bezos’ tech conglomerate might want to continue its push into live sports, which attract bigger audiences with less social-media pushback.

Finally back from a week-long unexplained absence, ABC co-host Joy Behar returned to The View as crazy as ever. Delivering her first public comments about the arrest of disgraced form CNN host Don Lemon, on Tuesday, Behar defended not only Lemon but the rioters who stormed the Cities Church in St. Paul Minnesota. She claimed they had a right to protest in the church and ludicrously equated Lemon being in the church to General Dwight D. Eisenhower bringing in journalists to document concentration camps and the Holocaust. Behar began her comments by suggesting that Lemon and the mob of leftist extremists somehow had a right to storm a church, disrupt the service, refuse to leave when asked, and obstruct parishioners who tried to leave. “So, I mean, all I can say is it’s in the Constitution, the right to protest; and he wasn't even there protesting. He was there as a journalist,” she argued. “And I think they want to use him as some kind of a, you know, an example to intimidate other journalists.” Further proving how detached from reality she was, Behar sought to tie a parallel between Lemon storming Cities Church to Eisenhower bringing in journalists to document the Dachau concentration camp: But, you know, I was reading something the other day about World War II. When the Americans liberated Dachau, after World War II during the Holocaust – after the Holocaust, Dwight D. Eisenhower said take pictures of these concentration camps because years will go by and people will not believe this happened. So, this administration does not really like somebody like Don Lemon who has a camera, who a position - like we do in a way - to speak to the people and tell them what really is going on. So, you know, God bless Dwight D. Eisenhower and Don Lemon.   Joy Behar equates Don Lemon going into that St. Paul church to Eisenhower bringing in journalists to witness concentration camps: JOY BEHAR: So, i mean, all I can say is its in the Constitution, the right to protest; and he wasn't even there protesting. He was there as a… pic.twitter.com/ZMKoLS2980 — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 3, 2026   Behar never explained what she thought was happening inside the church that warranted her making that analogy. Stepping up to once again defend her “dearest friend,” co-host Sunny Hostin insisted that what Lemon did was “perfectly normal” and compared it to journalists embedding themselves with law enforcement: HOSTIN: And I think people need to remember that journalists embed themselves in protests, embed themselves with the government, embed themselves - HAINES: In campaigns. HOSTIN: - in campaigns, embed themselves in police activity all the time. That is the practice of journalism. So, the fact that he was at a protest embedded in it is perfectly normal. It is not a crime to be a journalist. Attempting to have it both ways, Behar built off Hostin by arguing that even if Lemon was protesting by busting into the church, it was a protected act. “No, but even if he was protesting, it is guaranteed by the Constitution,” she said.   Sunny Hostin claims it's "perfectly normal" for journalists to take part in a protest like Lemon did. Behar defends the rioters busting into the church: "No, but even if he was protesting, it is guaranteed by the Constitution." Faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin claims Lemon… pic.twitter.com/ApVVzJGHSk — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 3, 2026   Useless “Republican” Alyssa Farah Griffin even backed up Behar. “But under freedom of the press though, under the First Amendment he has a right to be there covering it,” she added. “If you go to the ACLU, they will send you the Constitution. If you haven't read it lately, it's really interesting. You'd be surprised at all the things that should be happening but are not,” moderator Whoopi Goldberg pompously declared. All of them were wrong. The First Amendment’s right to free speech did not supersede the amendment’s right to freely practice one’s religion. Of course, they also refused to actually examine the law Lemon and the rioters allegedly broke, which - in part - made it a crime to disrupt a religious service. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View February 3, 2026 11:17:08 a.m. Eastern (…) JOY BEHAR: I know Don very well. And I wasn’t here. So, I mean, all I can say is it’s in the Constitution, the right to protest; and he wasn't even there protesting. He was there as a journalist. SUNNY HOSTIN: Correct. BEHAR: And I think they want to use him as some kind of a, you know, an example to intimidate other journalists. SARA HAINES: To scare people. HOSTIN: Other journalists. BEHAR: But, you know, I was reading something the other day about World War II. When the Americans liberated Dachau, after World War II during the Holocaust – after the Holocaust, Dwight D. Eisenhower said take pictures of these concentration camps because years will go by and people will not believe this happened. So, this administration does not really like somebody like Don Lemon who has a camera, who a position - like we do in a way - to speak to the people and tell them what really is going on. So, you know, God bless Dwight D. Eisenhower and Don Lemon. And I would just like to add that I think they've made him more popular than ever. HOSTIN: Yes. BEHAR: He now will triple his viewership on his podcast. Good for you. (…) 11:18:43 a.m. Eastern HOSTIN: And I think people need to remember that journalists embed themselves in protests, embed themselves with the government, embed themselves - HAINES: In campaigns. HOSTIN: - in campaigns, embed themselves in police activity all the time. That is the practice of journalism. So, the fact that he was at a protest embedded in it is perfectly normal. It is not a crime to be a journalist. BEHAR: No, but even if he was protesting, it is guaranteed by the Constitution. HOSTIN: But he was not protesting, he was embedded. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: But under freedom of the press though, under the First Amendment he has a right to be there covering it. GOLDBERG: If you go to the ACLU, they will send you the Constitution. If you haven't read it lately, it's really interesting. You'd be surprised at all the things that should be happening but are not.

With ICE-Nazi analogies flying all over the late night comedy shows, it was inevitable that NBC’s Saturday Night Live would join the trend, and they did this past weekend during its 1,000th episode in both the cold open and Weekend Update segments. During the cold open, Pete Davidson portrayed border czar Tom Homan, who told an assembled group of ICE agents, “Now, I'm sure a lot of you are wondering why Greg Bovino, the last guy, was dismissed. I want to stress that it wasn't because he did a bad job. Or publicly lied about the shooting of an American citizen. Or even, uh-oh, dressed like a Nazi. It was that he was filmed doing these things. And the president no like-y that.” That then led to Fake Homan asking the crowd some questions, which they would also get wrong. For instance, Davidson began, “Now, who can tell me why we're here in Minneapolis?”   SNL had Pete Davidson play Tom Homan (who doesn't look much like Homan) and continue the ICE-are-Nazis line, "Now I'm sure a lot of you are wondering why Greg Bovino, the last guy, was dismissed. I want to stress that it wasn't because he did a bad job. Or publicly lied about the… pic.twitter.com/YWES23GWnz — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 3, 2026   Kenan Thompson’s ICE agent simply said, “Pass,” which led Davidson to try the same question again. This time James Austin Johnson answered, “This could be wrong, but army?” Davidson replied, “Close. That's close. We're here to detain and deport illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.” Andrew Dismukes declared, “That is literally the first I'm hearing of that.” Later, Davidson told the agents, “It's not just about doing the mission. It's about doing it the right way. A lot of the bad press we're getting is coming from the aggressive tactics we're using.” That led Thompson to add, “And the Nazi coat,” to which Davidson agreed while also asking, “Yes, the Nazi coat, very good. So, let's talk about use of force. When do we want to use force?” Ben Marshall replied, “Right away,” and after Davidson urged them to “think of the opposite,” Dismukes tried, “preemptively.” Davidson tried again, “Also no. It's kind of a trick question, because we actually don't want to use force. Remember, the job ultimately is about keeping America safe from what?” Johnson answered, “This could be wrong, but Don Lemon?” Don Lemon was not arrested by ICE, but facts aside, the Nazi analogies kept coming on Weekend Update. Co-anchor Colin Jost began by putting up two pictures: one of Bovino and another of a Sean Penn character who has been described as a “pocket Nazi.” Jost declared, “Meanwhile, President Trump is changing things up in Minnesota to calm the recent violence against his poll numbers. Border patrol official Gregory Bovino, who was incredible in One Battle After Another, has been removed from overseeing the Minneapolis ICE operation, and hopefully he was removed ICE-style through the broken window of his car.” Jost also quipped, “Bovino was replaced by border czar Tom Homan, seen here just thinking about Bad Bunny's halftime show. Call me crazy, but I don't see this guy calming things down. This feels like trying to quit cocaine by taking up crack.”   SNL had Pete Davidson play Tom Homan (who doesn't look much like Homan) and continue the ICE-are-Nazis line, "Now I'm sure a lot of you are wondering why Greg Bovino, the last guy, was dismissed. I want to stress that it wasn't because he did a bad job. Or publicly lied about the… pic.twitter.com/YWES23GWnz — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 3, 2026   Co-anchor Michael Che also got in on the ICE bashing, “Tom Homan called on local leaders in Minneapolis to work with ICE agents to tone down the dangerous rhetoric, because all that rhetoric just distracts agents from their main aim: anyone filming.” Later, Jost got in one last Nazi mention, complete with a reference to Jeffrey Epstein, “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz compared the Trump administration's immigration crackdown to the Nazi occupation described in The Diary of Anne Frank, but remember this administration has always ignored the stories told by young girls.” In more SNL lowlights, Ashley Padilla portrayed a Trump-supporting mother who claimed to have seen the light and told her liberal children she no longer supports him, “The things that are happening—no one could have seen coming. I feel like—the way they talk about guns is different for different people. They made me feel worried about trans people. But now I'm realizing I don't really get what the problem is. I'm starting to wonder if drag queens are actually hilarious.” Why aren’t you laughing? Here is a transcript for the January 31 show: NBC Saturday Night Live 1/31/2026 11:30 PM ET PETE DAVIDSON/TOM HOMAN: All right, everyone. All right. Thank you. All right. All right, everyone, settle down. My name is Tom Homan. Now, I'm sure a lot of you are wondering why Greg Bovino, the last guy, was dismissed. I want to stress that it wasn't because he did a bad job. Or publicly lied about the shooting of an American citizen. Or even, uh-oh, dressed like a Nazi. It was that he was filmed doing these things. And the president no like-y that. So I'm here now, and we need to tighten up. That starts with remembering the mission objective. Now, who can tell me why we're here in Minneapolis? KENAN THOMPSON/ICE AGENT 1: Pass. DAVIDSON: Nope, can't pass. Come on, guys. What are we doing in Minneapolis? JAMES AUSTIN JOHNSON/ICE AGENT 2: This could be wrong, but army? DAVIDSON: Close. That's close. We're here to detain and deport illegal immigrants who have committed crimes. ANDREW DISMUKES/ICE AGENT 3: That is literally the first I'm hearing of that. DAVIDSON: Well, it shouldn't be. Just so I know what were you told you should be doing? MIKEY DAY/ICE AGENT 4: Um – wild n’ out. DAVIDSON: You know, forget everything you were told before. We're not here to intimidate, racially profile, or violate anyone's rights. So again, what are we looking for? THOMPSON: Epstein files? DAVIDSON: Nope! Nope! We actually just released those to distract from this. You know, which is ironic, because we did this to distract from those. So, anyway, guys. It's not just about doing the mission. It's about doing it the right way. A lot of the bad press we're getting is coming from the aggressive tactics we're using. THOMPSON: And the Nazi coat. DAVIDSON: Yes, the Nazi coat, very good. So, let's talk about use of force. When do we want to use force? BEN MARSHALL/ICE AGENT 5: Right away? DAVIDSON: No. Think of the opposite. DISMUKES: Right. Preemptively. DAVIDSON: Also no. It's kind of a trick question, because we actually don't want to use force. Remember, the job ultimately is about keeping America safe from what? JOHNSON: This could be wrong, but Don Lemon? … COLIN JOST: Meanwhile, President Trump is changing things up in Minnesota to calm the recent violence against his poll numbers. Border patrol official Gregory Bovino, who was incredible in One Battle After Another, has been removed from overseeing the Minneapolis ICE operation, and hopefully he was removed ICE-style through the broken window of his car. Bovino was replaced by border czar Tom Homan, seen here just thinking about Bad Bunny's halftime show. Call me crazy, but I don't see this guy calming things down. This feels like trying to quit cocaine by taking up crack. MICHALE CHE: Tom Homan called on local leaders in Minneapolis to work with ICE agents to tone down the dangerous rhetoric, because all that rhetoric just distracts agents from their main aim: anyone filming. … JOST: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz compared the Trump administration's immigration crackdown to the Nazi occupation described The Diary of Anne Frank, but remember this administration has always ignored the stories told by young girls. 

Cellphone videos caught the moment when an all-out brawl erupted between an adult male with a MAGA hat and over a dozen apparent high school students at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest Monday afternoon in Texas.The Buda Police Department said a Hays County Sheriff’s Office school resource officer at Moe and Gene Johnson High School in Buda indicated that students were conducting a “walkout” protest on RM967. Buda is about 20 minutes southwest of Austin.'Hey, you want another a**-beating, come on out!'Law enforcement personnel responded to the area to provide safety and security for pedestrians and motorists, police said.But police added that Buda officers were dispatched to the intersection of RM967 and FM1626 for a fight in progress just before 3 p.m.Arriving officers were notified that a female juvenile on the sidewalk and an adult male in a vehicle were engaged in a verbal argument, police said, adding that the argument escalated into a physical altercation involving multiple people.You can view a clip of the brawl in KXAN-TV's video report about the altercation; it shows what appears to be at least a dozen apparent high school students punching and kicking the adult male, knocking him to the ground, and even putting him in a headlock until he's able to get up and retreat to his vehicle. There is no audio.Both primary parties involved were identified, the situation remains under investigation, and no arrests have been made at this time, police said.A Hays Consolidated Independent School District spokesperson told KXAN-TV that the district is aware of the video of the fight but said police are handling the investigation since the incident happened off campus.RELATED: Minnesota police FINALLY fight back: Cops hit violent anti-ICE mob with tear gas, arrests outside hotel supposedly housing feds Image source: Buda (Texas) Police DepartmentBuda Police on Tuesday told Blaze News they expect to make an arrest or arrests but have no timeline for when that will happen. Blaze News asked police if the adult male involved in the fight is a teacher — due to numerous social media posts indicating he is — but police replied, "Not that we’re aware of."One crucial element police confirmed to Blaze News is that the adult male involved in the fight did indeed have a red MAGA hat on his person during the altercation.There are a handful of videos of the fight apart from the clip included in KXAN's video report — and they are linked in comments under the police department's Facebook post about the brawl.As police noted, the adult male was in a vehicle when he verbally argued with the juvenile female — and then things got physical. Indeed one clip recorded from a distance shows what appears to be the adult male on the street swinging at a female as they move from the street to the sidewalk and to the grass.A second clip recorded very close to the fight shows what appears to be the adult male holding a MAGA hat while swinging at a female and pushing her backward as she fights back; she momentarily grabs the MAGA hat before she falls to the grass.A third clip includes what the KXAN video shows — except with audio. Those fighting and watching the brawl are heard yelling, "What the f**k?" and "Get him!" and "F**k ICE! You're a bitch!" and "F**kin' kill yourself!" Once the adult male is back in his vehicle — and his MAGA hat is back in his possession — one individual from the crowd is heard yelling at him, "Hey, you want another ass-beating, come on out!" The adult male eventually puts the MAGA hat on his head.What isn't clear is why the adult male got out of his vehicle in the first place.When Blaze News asked police if the adult male indicated why he left his vehicle and physically fought the juvenile female, police replied that it's still under investigation.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

77-year-old William Stevenson, the ex-husband of former first lady Jill Biden, was taken into custody Monday and charged in the death of his second wife.A grand jury indictment filed in Delaware said that Stevenson is facing a first-degree murder charge after 64-year-old Linda Stevenson was found dead on Dec. 28 in their home in New Castle County.William Stevenson had previously said of Linda, 'She's the greatest thing in my life.'William Stevenson was married to Jill Tracy Jacobs for five years beginning in 1970, until she met then-Sen. Joe Biden in March 1975. Stevenson says she had an affair with Biden and a civil divorce was granted to the couple two months later. She and Biden were married in 1977.Stevenson then met and married his second wife, Linda, and was married to her for nearly four decades until her death.Police said they were called to the home on a report of a domestic dispute and found Linda Stevenson unresponsive in the living room. They were unable to revive her, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.Her body was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science, which has not yet released a determination of cause of death.William Stevenson failed to post a $500,000 bail and is being held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.Police said Stevenson's arrest was the result of a "extensive weeks-long investigation" into his wife's death.Stevenson had been a supporter of former President Barack Obama but later became a fan of President Donald Trump. In 2023 he called Trump "a president that I love and respect" and accused the "Biden crime family" of unfairly targeting Trump.RELATED: Jill Biden mocked for comparing Hispanics to tacos at 'Latinx Incluxion' conference Stevenson also grew critical of Jill Biden as Joe Biden's mental diminishment became more obvious."I just don’t understand why she is so adamant about defending him and keeping him in the race since it appears that he’s struggling," he said. "It appears that he’s struggling with everybody these days."William Stevenson had previously said of Linda, "She's the greatest thing in my life."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!