New details emerge on Hegseth's unusual mass gathering of top brass  —  The defense secretary is expected to lecture about the “warrior ethos” for less than an hour, according to multiple people familiar with the event.  But top generals are bracing for possible firings or demotions.  —  just now

The Comey indictment is so weak even some in right-wing media aren't buying it  —  Fox contributor Andrew McCarthy: “It seems to be premised on something that is not true”  —  Prominent right-wing media figures reacted to the Department of Justice's indictment of former FBI Director James Comey …

ICE agents point guns at bystanders during violent arrest in Maryland  —  If you want to support The Handbasket's 100% independent journalism, subscribe now.  You can also become a premium subscriber or leave a tip.  —  Video  —  For about nine minutes Wednesday morning …

Musk, Bannon and Thiel named in new Epstein estate documents … These new files are notable in that they suggest all three powerful men had a relationship with Epstein after his controversial plea deal that forced him to register as a sex offender.  Many people have argued …

Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts detained by ICE agents  —  This is a developing story and will be updated.  —  The superintendent of the largest school district in Iowa has been detained by federal immigration officials.  Superintendent Ian Roberts of Des Moines Public Schools …

‘They will pay a huge price for this’: Shutdown-ready Trump expects Democrats to blink … POLITICO reported Wednesday that the Office of Management and Budget is instructing federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans for mass firings during a government shutdown …

Sinclair Ends ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’  Boycott, Says Its ABC Stations Will Resume Airing Show Immediately  —  TV station group says about the reversal that ‘it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content’

Daily Caller Opinion Column ‘Explicitly’ Calls for Violence  —  The column, by editor at large Geoffrey Ingersoll, calls for “blood in the streets” in response to violence against conservatives.  —  The Daily Caller, a prominent conservative online publication, published an opinion column …

Kristi Noem Fast-Tracked Millions in Disaster Aid to Florida Tourist Attraction After Campaign Donor Intervened  —  The DHS chief has been widely criticized for slowing down FEMA's response after natural disasters.  Texts and emails obtained by ProPublica point to an effective way to get help faster …

Trump's Eruption of Rage at Texas ICE Shooting Hints at a Darker Story  —  After the news broke that a man sprayed sniper fire at an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas, President Trump exploded in an extended Truth Social rant.  But sprinkled in among the usual lies …

Trump Expands Tariffs Beyond Supreme Court's Reach  —  The president's tariffs on foreign drugs and furniture rely on national security laws outside the scope of current lawsuits.  —  The fate of many of President Trump's tariffs hangs in the balance at the Supreme Court, but he is rapidly building out a backup plan.

NFL ‘Flatly Refused’ to Meet Taylor Swift's Demands About Super Bowl Performance, Source Says … Industry insiders claimed that Swift made some demands to perform for the halftime show.  However, the NFL refused to meet her terms, and the deal has thus fallen through.

Gabbard Ends Intelligence Report on Future Threats to U.S.  —  Some issues in the document, which is issued every four years, had become politically inconvenient, former officials said.  —  Every four years U.S. intelligence officials have published Global Trends, a public document that predicts …

Alarms raised as over 1K detainees ‘disappear’ from Trump's ‘Alligator Alcatraz’  —  Immigrant rights activists in Florida are expressing alarm as they have found themselves “unable to locate” more than 1,000 detainees who have been “administratively disappeared” from the state's immigrant internment camp known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Heritage Foundation Uses Bogus Stat to Push a Trans Terrorism Classification  —  By inflating numbers and narrowing definitions, Heritage promotes a false link between transgender identity and violence in its push for the FBI to create a new terrorism category.