The right seasoning can really elevate bland french fries, but before you reach for that Cajun spice, consider this Middle Eastern alternative.

The US is still escalating the immense military pressure by the day.

by Nicolas Hulscher, Global Research: For years, the public was told that COVID-19 mRNA injection-induced cardiac injury in children was rare. That reassurance formed the backbone of adolescent vaccination campaigns across the world. But what if the underlying safety data were never fully processed or disclosed? What if hundreds of adverse event reports submitted by […]

from 21st Century Wire: Incredibly, Donald Trump is now calling for Iran’s demilitarization, which would leave it vulnerable to repeated attacks similar to what allegedly happened to Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad— erroneously claiming Iran poses an existential threat and therefore must give up its ballistic missile program, which is its primary deterrent. […]

A lot of people started claiming yesterday that Howard Lutnick’s firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, was profiting from the Trump Tariffs. Posts like this: I think MeetKevin was actually the first to post about it and really go viral: Howard Lutnick’s family firm bought up the rights to tariff refunds for 20-30 cents on the dollar after Liberation Day last year. Today, the Supreme Court struck the tariffs down. For every $100 invested, Lutnick’s sons just made 3-5x. Welcome to Crony Corrupt America. pic.twitter.com/Wr1FkA5kZk — Meet Kevin (@realMeetKevin) February 20, 2026 Everyone piled in after that post. But you’ll notice we didn’t run with it. It seemed off to me. So I researched it and it turns out it’s not true. First I worked with Grok to get to the truth, and Grok told me it was not an accurate claim: Analysis of Claims Regarding Tariffs and Cantor Fitzgerald The claim in the X post (from @T… , likely a shortened handle for The Patriot Voice) accuses Trump’s tariffs of being a “get SUPER RICH quick scheme” for Howard Lutnick, Trump, and associates. This appears to stem from recent viral rhetoric following a February 20, 2026, Supreme Court ruling that struck down many of Trump’s tariffs as unauthorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Key Facts on the Tariffs and Court Ruling Legal Basis: Trump imposed broad tariffs using IEEPA, claiming emergency powers. Supreme Court Decision: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 (majority opinion by Chief Justice Roberts) that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs (which are a form of taxation, not mere regulation of imports). Historical Context: No prior president had interpreted IEEPA this way for tariffs. Impact: The ruling creates potential for refunds to importers who paid the duties, as the tariffs were unlawful. Response: Trump responded by quickly reimposing a 10% global tariff under different statutory authority (not IEEPA), showing the policy intent persisted despite the legal setback. On the Lutnick/Cantor Fitzgerald Angle Howard Lutnick (Trump’s Commerce Secretary and a vocal tariff supporter) previously led Cantor Fitzgerald; he transferred control to his sons (Brandon and Kyle) upon joining the administration. The Wired Report (July 2025): A report based on internal documents and letters revealed that Cantor Fitzgerald’s investment banking arm explored and pitched a product: buying “tariff refund rights” from companies that paid duties. The Pitch: They offered 20-30% of the paid amount upfront (e.g., $2-3 million for $10 million in duties), in exchange for the rights to any future government refunds if the tariffs were struck down. Scale: The firm claimed capacity for hundreds of millions and mentioned at least one ~$10 million deal in progress. Optics: This created optics of “betting against” the tariffs’ legality (profiting if invalidated), despite Lutnick’s pro-tariff role—prompting Senate scrutiny (e.g., letters from Sens. Wyden and Warren on conflicts/insider trading concerns) and accusations of a scheme. Cantor Fitzgerald’s Denials The firm has repeatedly and emphatically stated it never executed any such trades, took no risk on the tariffs’ legality/outcome, and did not profit from the Supreme Court ruling. They described reports otherwise as “completely false.” Sources indicate: An individual broker/salesman may have shopped the idea around enthusiastically (including claiming a trade was in place). The firm considered the product (a type of litigation/futures trade seen in prior tariff eras) but ultimately declined to proceed, largely due to political optics tied to Lutnick’s government role. Conclusion and Contextual Evaluation No evidence has emerged of actual executions, large-scale profits, or direct involvement by Trump/Lutnick personally in profiting from this. Claims of a coordinated “get rich quick scheme” involving Trump/Lutnick appear overstated or conspiratorial—rooted in the Wired reporting and amplified on social media—but contradicted by Cantor’s statements and lack of confirmed trades. Your point is spot-on: If the goal was a quiet scheme for financial gain via tariff invalidation and refunds, there’s little logic in immediately reimposing similar tariffs under new legal grounds. The uncertainty drove market positioning (as often happens with litigation), but that’s standard finance—not proof of corruption. The rhetoric seems more like partisan outrage over perceived conflicts than substantiated evidence of a plot. This narrative has circulated widely online post-ruling, but the core accusation doesn’t fully hold up against the denials and reimposition facts. And now just a few minutes ago, the White House Rapid Response X profile has just confirmed it. The rumor is false: Fake News. Completely false. https://t.co/sUXnhfbMKc pic.twitter.com/XuzW0g7415 — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 20, 2026 Here’s more, from Semafor: Cantor Fitzgerald is rejecting claims that it sold a product that would pay off if the Supreme Court ruled, as it did Friday, against tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, where Cantor’s founder is Commerce Secretary. Wired reported in July that Cantor was among the Wall Street firms pitching a financial product tied to the outcome of the Supreme Court case. It cited an email sent by a Cantor salesman that said the firm had “already put a trade through representing about ~$10 million” of tariff-refund rights “and anticipate[s] that number will balloon in the coming weeks.” Two Democratic senators called for an investigation and the CEO of one of the country’s largest import-logistics firms amplified the story. Cantor’s founder, Howard Lutnick, is Trump’s Commerce Secretary, and the firm is run by his two sons. The elder Lutnick announced the sale last year of his stake in the firm to them and other investors. The Supreme Court on Friday invalidated many of Trump’s tariffs, a ruling that ignited criticism of Cantor’s activities from widely followed finance accounts and the left-leaning The New Republic. The president said at a White House press conference, flanked by Lutnick, that he would reinstate the tariffs on different legal grounds. Cantor did consider the product — which has existed for years and was a humming trade on Wall Street during Trump’s first-term tariff push — but decided against it after weighing the political sensitivities, according to a senior banker familiar with the matter. A Cantor spokesman said the salesman “erroneously” believed that the firm was likely to greenlight the business, then went out looking for the other side of the trade. “Cantor Fitzgerald has never executed any transactions or taken risk on the legality of tariffs,” he said. “Any report suggesting otherwise is completely false.”

An Emerson College survey indicates that Steve Hilton, the former Fox News personality, is currently ahead in California’s 2026 gubernatorial primary race. Close behind him is former Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Meanwhile, the crowded Democratic lineup has sparked discussion about the unusual possibility that no Democrat could appear in the general election. Conducted Feb. 13–14 with 1,000 likely voters, the Emerson poll shows Hilton leading the field with 17% support. Republican Steve Hilton has just taken the lead in California governor’s race. Let’s go!!!! pic.twitter.com/qMZLUyPjMD — Pamela Hensley (@PamelaHensley22) February 18, 2026 Bianco and U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) are tied for second place, each receiving 14%. Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter placed next at 10%, while Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer earned 9%. A notable share of respondents — 21% — reported that they remain undecided. Compared to Emerson’s December survey, Hilton’s support increased by five percentage points. In that earlier poll, he was not the leading candidate. Originally from the United Kingdom, Hilton once served as director of strategy for former British Prime Minister David Cameron from 2005 through 2012. After moving to California in 2012, he became a Stanford University lecturer and helped establish the political fundraising platform Crowdpac. He later hosted the Fox News show “The Next Revolution” until 2023. Hilton formally entered the governor’s race in April 2025. His campaign has focused largely on affordability concerns, particularly housing costs and homelessness, along with efforts to challenge what he characterizes as California’s longstanding Democratic one-party control. Among Republican voters, Hilton held a narrow lead over Bianco, securing 38% compared with Bianco’s 37%. He also performed best among independent voters, receiving support from 22% of that group. Within the Democratic electorate, however, no clear frontrunner has emerged. Among Democratic respondents, Swalwell led with 24%, followed by Porter at 17% and Steyer at 15%. Spencer Kimball, who serves as executive director of Emerson College Polling, observed that the split Republican vote combined with a large number of undecided independents could play a major role in shaping the outcome of the general election, particularly because of California’s primary system. California operates under a nonpartisan blanket primary — commonly called a “jungle primary” — created through Proposition 14 in 2010. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, appear together on one ballot. The primary election will take place June 2, 2026. The two candidates receiving the most votes will move on to the November general election, irrespective of party. Because of this structure, a general election featuring two candidates from the same party can occur if voters from one party unite behind a single contender while the other party’s support is spread across multiple candidates. The Democratic side of the race remains especially crowded. Declared candidates include Swalwell, Porter, Steyer, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Each of these figures received under 5% in Emerson’s latest poll. With more than a dozen Democratic candidates competing, no individual has recently exceeded 21% support in polling. This division has enabled both Hilton and Bianco to make gains, even though Democrats maintain a substantial voter registration advantage across California. We have the world’s #1 ag industry but it’s under constant assault by Gavin Newsom and his urban elitist regime. I went to World Ag Expo in Tulare to tell our farmers: When I’m governor you’ll get the water – and everything else – you need. I will be your greatest champion! pic.twitter.com/aW89vnmrDn — Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) February 15, 2026 Prices for household necessities are going up. Why? Because Democrats are raising the sales tax—AGAIN. When I’m governor, I’ll CUT taxes instead of raising them. pic.twitter.com/sp2Z0V0FSr — Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) February 17, 2026

Stick with me on this one… A woman who looks eerily similar to Ghislaine Maxwell has been spotted in Canada. Take a look: Ghislaine Maxwell spotted in Quebec? pic.twitter.com/piN4mdQXWU — Noah Christopher (@DailyNoahNews) February 21, 2026 I’m not the only person who thinks she’s a dead wringer… Here is RT: Video appears online showing a woman in Quebec looking STRIKINGLY similar to Ghislaine Maxwell pic.twitter.com/GsCF8VQ8bh — RT (@RT_com) February 21, 2026 Let’s do a side-by-side: The details seem pretty on point: But it’s not just that the Quebec woman looks exactly like Ghislaine… It’s also that the woman in prison looks almost nothing like her. Have you seen this? The woman in prison looks nothing like Ghislaine Maxwell. Which means the photos of a dead Epstein are fake too. Likely they’re alive & well in some remote tropical location under the

Brits host Jack Whitehall says he halted Thirty Seconds To Mars frontman Jared Leto's diva moment