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Friday, December 5, 2025

Senate Holds Hearing on Drug Boat Shooting

Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley—commander of Joint Special Operations at the time of the incident—gave testimony before the Senate on Thursday. Military Times: A Navy admiral told lawmakers Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth but grave questions and concerns remain as Congress scrutinizes an attack that killed two survivors of an initial strike on an alleged drug boat in international waters near Venezuela. Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley “was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, as he exited a classified briefing…. Cotton said it was “gratifying” that the U.S. military was taking “the battle” to cartels. Other lawmakers, including a handful of Republicans, worry that the campaign is pushing against the bounds of laws that govern armed conflict (Military Times).

US Carries Out Another Strike on Drug Vessel

The administration is not swayed. The announcement came through U.S. Southern command: On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. #OpSouthernSpear (Southern Command). New York Post: The US military carried out another strike on a suspected drug vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization, killing four narco-terrorists and marking the 22nd strike under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (New York Post).

FBI Arrests Suspect in January 6 Pipe Bombing Plot

The bombs, you’ll remember, were placed in front of the headquarters of the DNC and the RNC (the Democrat National Committee and the Republican National Committee). New York Sun: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a man in Virginia who officials believe planted pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on the night before January 6, 2021, according to reports from several news outlets. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday identified the suspect as Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old man from Woodbridge, Virginia. She stated that he was charged with use of an explosive device but that “there could be more charges to come.” Ms. Bondi said that his arrest was not a result of a “new tip” or a “new witness” but “just good diligent police work and prosecutorial work.” … The FBI determined that the bombs were viable and could have caused “serious injury or death” had they detonated. On the morning of January 6, Vice President Kamala Harris came within 20 feet of the device placed outside the DNC, according to a Department of Homeland Security report (New York Sun).

Supreme Court Allows Texas Redistricting Plan to Stand

A big win in the high stakes redistricting wars. Susie Moore of Red State: good news for Republicans on the congressional redistricting front Thursday evening, as the Supreme Court has now granted Texas’ application to stay a divided three-judge district court panel ruling that enjoined the use of the newly drawn map. Following the panel decision in mid-November, Texas appealed directly to the Supreme Court (as is permitted in redistricting cases), and the court swiftly issued an administrative (temporary) stay of the lower court decision. On Thursday, in a 6-3 ruling, the court formally stayed the panel decision pending its appeal on the merits. The practical effect of this is that the new congressional map for Texas will be in effect for the upcoming midterms (Red State). From the Supreme Court’s decision: The District Court improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections (Supreme Court).

Ilhan Omar on Defense as She’s Surrounded by Somali Fraud

What did Ilhan Omar know and when did she know it? That’s the question from Ed Morrissey, who sums up the state of investigations: The massive fraud in Omar’s congressional district, conducted within her Somali ex-pat power base, continues to collapse in federal court. US Attorney Joe Thompson has already won several convictions in the first trial, which then generated a new case of juror tampering and attempted bribery that has yet to be adjudicated. In the meantime, Thompson has opened a second trial of more suspected conspirators in the Feeding Our Future fraud, in which suspicions that federal funds got sent to the terror group al-Shabaab form part of the context around the case…. The second trial has brought the fraud closer to Omar’s orbit however, and the New York Post’s Chadwick Moore has asked the eternal political-scandal question – what did Omar know about the massive fraud, and when did she know it?: “US Rep. Ilhan Omar’s close ties to the $1 billion welfare scam in her Minnesota congressional district are being uncovered. Omar (D-Minn.) held parties at one of the key restaurants named in the fraud, knew one of its now-convicted owners, and one of her own staffers has also been convicted — both for stealing millions. Omar even introduced the bill that led to $250 million in fraud. Yet she claims to have been completely unaware of it” (Hot Air). Omar’s response: “I think what happened, um, is that, you know, when you have these, kind of, new programs that are, um, designed to, uh, help people you are often times relying on third parties to be able to facilitate, and I just think that a lot of the COVID programs…were set up so quickly that a lot of the guardrails did not get created,” Omar said (Townhall).

Russia Threatens European Union

What precipitated the comments was a controversial loan proposal. Jeff Charles at Townhall: The European Commission proposed a “Reparations Loan” to Ukraine on Wednesday. Part of the funding would come from European financial institutions that hold frozen Russian funds. It would allocate about 90 billion Euros to Ukraine to aid in its effort to repel Moscow’s invasion…. Medvedev doubled down on the messaging, saying that the loan would constitute “theft” that would justify retaliation. The Kremlin suggested that such a move could prompt Russia to seize Ukrainian-linked property, companies, or infrastructure in territory it occupies (Townhall). This follows an earlier threat reported by Reuters: President Vladimir Putin warned European powers on Tuesday that if they started a war with Russia then Moscow was ready to fight and that the defeat of European powers would be so absolute that there would be no one left to even negotiate a peace deal (Reuters).

China Increasingly Aggressive Towards Taiwan

New York Times reports: Lai Ching-te, the president of Taiwan, said Wednesday that China was accelerating its military intimidation campaign toward the island. “We can see that China’s military drills targeted at Taiwan are becoming increasingly frequent and intense,” Mr. Lai said in a recorded video interview that was broadcast at the DealBook Summit in New York. “At the same time, China’s united-front influence campaigns against Taiwan are also becoming more serious.” … Last week, Mr. Lai announced a $40 billion military spending goal to deter China from an invasion of Taiwan. The move is politically important for Mr. Lai, who has come under pressure from President Trump to increase Taiwan’s military spending to at least 5 percent of its gross domestic product. Mr. Lai has promised to reach that goal by 2030 — its current level is about 2.45 percent (New York Times).

Giving Honor Where Honor Is Due, 1: President Issues Proclamation Honoring Fallen National Guardswoman

With guidance that flags be flown half staff yesterday. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died on November 26—the day before Thanksgiving, shot point blank by Afghan refugee. From the president’s proclamation: I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, December 4, 2025 (Rapid Response). Bob Hoge at Red State: Beckstrom, known to her friends as Becky, enlisted in the Guard in 2023 and hoped to one day become an FBI agent. She was known as a positive force with a smile for everyone in her community, Summersville, a city of just under 3,500. Her ex-boyfriend’s mother, Eva Carr, said Beckstrom was like a daughter to her and that “She was the sweetest girl. She was hard not to love. You loved her the minute you met her.” May she rest in peace (RedState).

Giving Honor Where Honor Is Due, 2: President Trump Signs Legislation Quadrupling Pension for Medal of Honor Recipients

A small thank you from a grateful nation for those who demonstrate “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” Stars and Stripes reports: Recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration bestowed in the United States, will see their pensions increase nearly fourfold under legislation signed by President Donald Trump this week. The bill, which passed the House in February and was unanimously approved in the Senate last month, increases the base rate for the pension from $1,489.73 to $5,625 per month. Pensions for surviving spouses will see the same increase. Annually, the pension for Medal of Honor recipients will grow from nearly $18,000 to $67,500…. “We cannot truly ever repay them,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in a floor speech last month. “There is no sum, there is no medal, there are no words that can measure up to their sacrifice, but there are ways that we can continue to honor them by ensuring that they are cared for, respected and supported” (Stars and Stripes).

10.

Newsom For President? What’s Not to Like?

The California governor wants to be your next president. Victor Davis Hanson summarizes Gavin’s achievements: Count the reasons. California’s astronomical gas prices and taxes remain the highest in the continental U.S. Ditto the state’s trifecta of the highest electricity rates, the costliest home prices, and the fourth-highest home insurance costs. California has the largest unfunded liability debt in the nation, approaching $270 billion. The budget deficit each year usually ranges from $15 to $70 billion. Such profligate spending and deficits explain why the state also has the highest income taxes and state sales tax rates in the nation. Just 1% of California households pay 50% of the state income tax. And the fleeced are leaving in droves…. California has a lot of other firsts among the 50 states: The largest population of illegal aliens. The largest number of homeless people. The largest number of people fleeing a state. The largest number (11 million) and percentage (27%) of foreign-born residents. The largest number of people living in poverty. The highest food prices in the continental U.S. (American Greatness).

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