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Do DSA Elites Rank America Worse Than Mao’s 70-Million Body Count?

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Do DSA Elites Rank America Worse Than Mao’s 70-Million Body Count?

This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal senior contributor Victor Davis Hanson.

We’re hearing more and more from the Democratic Socialists of America about all of the sins of America and very little of the good things we’ve done to ourselves and to the world at large on our 250th birthday. 

What is it, the nature of this DSA, Democratic Socialists of America, and the diversity, equity, inclusion criticism that we were racist, sexist, nativist, cruel, ruthless, etc., etc.  

But my question is, compared to what? 

Mao Zedong? He killed 70 million people.

He was the greatest mass murderer in history, and that government is still communist in an unbroken chain from [Chinese leader] Xi [Jinping] all the way back to Mao. Do we ever talk about that or the million people who are in concentration camps in China? 

Compared to historically to the Aztecs? 

We’re told the Aztecs were great people. They had an empire, but they crushed over a million people to create their empire. Some years, they sacrificed up to 10,000, maybe 15,000 a year of conquered tribes of fellow Indigenous people. 

Do we remember Shaka Zulu, the 19th-century creator of the Zulu nation?

He was responsible for a genocide in crushing his enemies that probably cost over a million lives. 

Do we really think that the Native Americans were living in paradise until Europeans came? The story of Native Americans was conquest, enslavement, butchery of rival tribes. 

So, what is going on? 

We have a tradition in the West of self-criticism. That’s what makes us different. Rationalism, self-criticism, improvement. But when that goes to an extreme, it ventures from self-criticism and self-reflection to nihilism, and it’s quite destructive. 

So, let’s just take a look at where the United States is compared to the rest. 

Look at immigration. Why do a million people, or 2 million people, 10,000 a day under Joe Biden, from very poor countries, most of them from what we would call the former Third World that were victims of socialism, why do they risk their lives coming here every year? 

Why do all these critics of the United States … [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez], why did her parents want to come here? Why did [Rep.] Ilhan Omar’s father want to come here? Why did [Rep.] Rashida Tlaib’s father want to come here? Why did [New York City Mayor] Zohran Mamdani’s parents want to come? Was it so bad? 

Can’t they ever acknowledge that they came here because they had greater security, they had greater freedom, they had greater economic opportunity? And if they had criticisms, it was never enough that they wanted to go back to the places that they praised, but only from a distance and in the abstract. 

The truth is that the poor in the United States are better off than most of the middle classes in every other country. 

We saw that in the World Cup when middle- and upper-middle-class Europeans came over, and unlike … to watch the games, and unlike most tourists, they didn’t just stick on the coasts. They went to places in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, the South, and the Midwest. 

And they found two things.

One, Americans were amazingly friendly and open, upbeat, not downers and drab, and everything’s terrible, which they expected from their experiences in Europe. 

And more importantly, they were affluent. They had big homes. They had air conditioning. the poor had appurtenances. Everybody has a cell phone. Nobody worries about the cost, apparently. 

There’s also then the hypocrisy of a lot of our critics.

And let me just give you an example of a few of them. 

Hasan Piker is a child of very, very wealthy Turkish immigrants that became U.S. citizens. He grew up for much of his life in Turkey. He gave a talk the other day in a Mao suit to Democratic Socialists of America. Think about that. He put on the uniform, so to speak, of the greatest mass murderer in history, and then he denounced capitalism. 

But he didn’t denounce capitalism in his own life because his parents are multimillionaires. He is a multimillionaire, and he drives a, what? $120,000 Porsche. Isn’t that a luxury of the bourgeoisie? 

And then there’s Zohran Mamdani, of course. His family, as I pointed out numerous times, was the elite of the elite of the elite in Uganda, a community of expatriates, Indians, from India that control 60% of the wealth, and they’re only 1% of the population. 

And he grew up in privilege here. He had a very nice home. He has a family estate on Lake Victoria, of all places. 

Ro Khanna, the congressman from California, he always is pointing out the evils of Republicans, and as he looks at the drift of the Democratic Party, he puts his finger in the wind, and he says socialism is the answer. Ro Khanna does. 

But he’s a multimillionaire. His father-in-law is one of the wealthiest members of the Indian American community, probably worth $500 or $600 million. His own children have been deeded golf courses. His wife drives a $190,000 Range Rover, and he’s lecturing us about our shortfalls? 

And then, of course, we come to [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom. He wants to get in on the socialist craze, so he said the other day, as is his wont, moving his arms around and being very slick and glib, that capitalism fails. It didn’t work. 

It worked for you, Gavin. You have a $9 million home. 

You are the, basically, the quote-unquote, “protégé” of the Gordon Getty oil for- fortune, who backed all of your business opportunities. 

Graham Platner, the now-disgraced madman who thought he was going to be senator with a Nazi tattoo. He criticized capitalism. He said that, you know, he was drifting towards socialism, very critical of America. 

But he really wasn’t a small-business person. He was a construct. His mother and father, who were very wealthy, one owned an upscale restaurant, the other was a well-known, often corporate real estate lawyer. They set him up in business, and they were his only client, and they allowed him to have land to use. 

So, what I’m getting at is most of this criticism of America is not coming from the so-called poor. It’s not coming from the lower middle classes. It’s coming from elites in urban enclaves who have done very well with capitalism, and they feel that by mouthing these socialist and communist platitudes, it’s a way to get power within the Democratic Party first, and then within the United States second. 

And remember one thing, this is not new. Most of the violent socialist communist movements in history, whether we look at the anarchist of the late 19th century, or whether we look at the Bolsheviks of 1905 all the way up to the Russian Revolution of 1917, or we look at the revolutions of 1848 in Europe, especially the Reign of Terror, 1792 and 1793, when a bunch of very wealthy, this should sound familiar, socialists hijacked the French Revolution and turned it into a Stalinist-like murder spree. 

They all had one thing in common. They were very, very wealthy, and they hated the very system that had enriched them, and they wanted to try out a whole series of nihilist projects on whom? On the middle class and the poor, with the proviso that none of their ideology would ever apply to themselves. 

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 15:10

BLM Is Back And Protesting The Police Shooting Of Another Violent Career Criminal

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BLM Is Back And Protesting The Police Shooting Of Another Violent Career Criminal

They are far less active across the US in 2026, but not truly gone.  Is it exasperating, or, is it entertaining?  It depends on how you look at it.  Yes, the Black Lives Matter movement is back, and big surprise, they’re angry over the police shooting of another violent minority criminal.  But, is he black?

Not according to his extensive offender detail record, in which his race is listed as “White” and his ethnicity is listed as “Latino”.  Yet another in a long line of imprisoned minority perpetrators falsely identified as white on their rap sheet in order to artificially reduce official crime stats.  That said, it’s nice to know that BLM is finally admitting that all lives matter. 

Corey Durrell Ruiz, 38, recently released from prison, was approached by police while riding a bicycle after allegedly attempting to enter (break into) random vehicles in Madison, Wisconsin.  He was also suspected of a previous bike theft.  

When officers attempted to detain Ruiz, he ran.  He was tackled off the bike, but produced a fixed blade knife and stabbed one of the officers.  The wounded officer fired three shots, killing the suspect.  

Generally speaking, pulling any weapon during an arrest and trying to use it against an LEO is legal justification for the use of deadly force in return.  It is unlikely that the officers involved will face charges in court.  Not to be overlooked, Corey Ruiz has a long criminal history of up to 40 separate misdemeanors and felonies dating back to 2007. 

This includes an extensive history of attacking police officers, and yes, this does matter because it shows a consistent pattern of violence.  A world without Corey Ruiz is, objectively, a better world.

 

The Black Lives Matter movement and the mainstream media have immediately seized on the shooting in an effort to exploit it for political purposes.  The local Democrat run government is already bending the knee to protesters as they hijack press briefings with inane fatiguery.  BLM mobs are stalking Madison looking for chances to create chaos.  Wisconsin’s leftist governor is calling for “accountability” in the shooting.

It’s fascinating that the family of Corey Ruiz has appeared on camera to demand transparency, given that Ruiz was listed as homeless at the time of the encounter with police.  Multiple reports indicate mental health and substance abuse issues, and apparently no one from Ruiz’s family was willing to give him a place to stay.  They are, though, readily available to soak up the media spotlight and feed the activist fervor in the wake of his death. 

News outlets are circulating photos of Ruiz from 2014; a common tactic used by the media to make the suspect look younger and elicit greater empathy from gullible portions of the public.

  

Concert attendees in Madison got a taste of the old BLM mob mentality when protesters stormed the venue and demanded a platform for their grievances.  As much as they would like this to become a “George Floyd moment”, however, times have changed and BLM has exhausted much of the public support they had in 2020. 

The shooting is a clear case of officer self defense based on eye witness accounts and the available video footage.  Police body cams are liable to give more detailed insight into the incident, but the evidence against Ruiz is already damning.  

Leftist groups and Democrats seem to be angling for more Kenosha-style riots, perhaps as a means to create disruption during an election year.  But the American populace is tired of the theatrics.  If the protests don’t fade due to lack of interest and riots do take place, few people are going to shed a tear if the National Guard drops the hammer on them.  

Ultimately, Ruiz is one of many repeat offenders who had no chance of reform; a member of the 1% of people who cause the vast majority of societal grief for the other 99%.  He should have stayed locked up for the safety of the community at large, and if he had been he would still be alive today.  Maybe, though, that’s not what the Democrats and BLM really want.  

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 14:35

Homebuyer Demand Remains Strong In High-Risk Areas: Report

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Homebuyer Demand Remains Strong In High-Risk Areas: Report

Authored by Mary Prenon via The Epoch Times,

While nearly one in four homes across the United States are located in areas susceptible to severe weather conditions, many homebuyers are still seeking out properties in these high-risk regions, a July Realtor.com report found.

An aerial view shows empty lots and new homes under construction in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 5, 2026. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

The organization’s data show that 23.1 percent of America’s homes – with an estimated $11.2 trillion in value – are currently situated in areas prone to natural disasters.

The report indicates that, despite the likelihood of flooding, wildfires, or extreme windstorms in some areas, homebuyer demand remains strong, often driven by lower list prices than in nearby lower-risk areas.

“Price is still the biggest motivator for a lot of home shoppers, even in places where climate risk is well known,” Realtor.com economist Jiayi Xu said in the report.

“But that doesn’t mean the risk disappears. It shows up later, in insurance premiums, HOA fees, and financing, often after the sale is already done.”

Homeowners in these high-risk locations are already paying a premium to protect their properties against possible damage, a median of $192 per month in homeowner association (HOA) fees, which is 53.6 percent more than homeowners in lower-risk areas, according to the report.

Realtor.com found that Delaware, South Carolina, and Oregon lead the nation for the widest gaps between HOA fees in high- and low-risk areas. In Oregon, for example, the median HOA fee in high-risk areas is $423, compared with $114 in lower-risk areas.

In California, where certain regions have suffered from devastating wildfires over the years, many homebuyers are still not deterred from purchasing in those areas.

According to the report, listings in high-risk Santa Clara County are priced at 78 percent of the per-square-foot price of homes without severe risk. These properties also command 48 percent more views per listing.

Los Angeles County homes in higher-risk areas also offer discounts, with homes there priced at 75 percent of those in lower-risk areas and accounting for 23 percent more views.

“When disaster strikes, shoppers retrench, but the effect is short-lived,” the report states. “Following the January 2025 LA wildfires, buyer interest in high-risk homes dropped 10%, yet fully recovered within one month.”

However, in other markets such as Anne Arundel County, Maryland, homebuyers are willing to pay 44 percent more per square foot to live in areas deemed at high risk for weather damage because waterfront access often outweighs the risk.

A similar situation in Llano County, Texas, shows homebuyers paying almost double for a home in a higher-risk area so they can live near a river.

The report said other areas of the country that have been continuously hit by flooding include Oklahoma, Idaho, Mississippi, and Alabama.

“Buyers are not seeking risk – but in markets where affordability has long been an issue, price is the dominant signal, and high-risk homes happen to offer the discount that makes ownership possible,” the report states.

A May 2026 Pew Research Center report found that 71 percent of U.S. homeowners said their home insurance premiums had increased. Among those homeowners, many cited rising repair and rebuilding costs and more frequent extreme weather events as major reasons for the increases.

In an April report, Insurance.com, an online comparison service and digital agency, stated that Florida’s high hurricane risk has made it difficult for residents to obtain home insurance.

It also noted that many carriers in the state had gone out of business, leaving just the state insurance option, Citizens Insurance, which can cost homeowners about $7,000 a year and even more in coastal areas.

Obtaining insurance in California is also difficult, the report noted, due to wildfires. As a result, some major carriers, including State Farm and Allstate, have stopped issuing new policies.

For those who still choose to purchase homes in high-risk weather zones, Insurance.com recommends ensuring they have adequate replacement cost coverage in the event of a natural disaster.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 14:00

Trump Pursues Diplomatic Off-Ramp As Omani Delegation Arrives In Tehran: Report

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Trump Pursues Diplomatic Off-Ramp As Omani Delegation Arrives In Tehran: Report

Summary

  • Why Trump Reportedly Ordered Military Not To Strike In Overnight
  • US Pauses Iran Bombing Campaign As Saudi-Houthi Red Sea Front Erupts

Why Trump Reportedly Ordered Military Not To Strike In Overnight

Axios reports that President Trump called off new U.S. military strikes on Iran Friday night, signaling a potential diplomatic offramp after nearly two weeks of tit-for-tat attacks.

People familiar with the decision told the outlet that the pause coincided with the arrival of Omani officials in Tehran for negotiations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Here’s what those sources are saying:

  • Trump’s order to hold fire was given several hours after an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran Friday for talks on a new arrangement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Two regional sources with knowledge of the negotiations said progress has been made in the talks and that an agreement between Oman and Iran could be reached over the weekend.

More color: 

  • Trump’s decision reflects both his willingness to provide more space for diplomacy and a recognition that — short of a return to major combat operations — the current level of U.S. strikes has reached the limit of its effectiveness.
  • If Trump orders a return to strikes, the U.S. military can mobilize on relatively short notice.
  • The U.S. military is still preparing plans for a possible return to major combat operations, but Trump hasn’t given orders to move in that direction, the sources said.

Why the Trump administration is likely finding the offramp (again) … 

•Gas Prices Nearing Levels That Could Push Trump Towards Iran Talks, Says JPM Commodities Expert

JPMorgan’s head of Global Commodities Research and Strategy, Natasha Kaneva, told clients: “In the previous round of escalations, negotiations were initiated once US gasoline prices reached $4.20 and became materially more urgent as prices neared $4.50. Oil may be a global commodity, but political tolerance for high energy prices remains overwhelmingly domestic.”

US Pauses Iran Bombing Campaign As Saudi-Houthi Red Sea Front Erupts 

Brent crude surged 27% over two weeks to settle at $96.78 a barrel on Friday, briefly breaching $100 this past week as traders priced in a higher war-risk premium into energy markets amid simultaneous chokepoint threats to the Strait of Hormuz and the southern Red Sea.

Meanwhile, the US appeared to pause its 13-day campaign of daily overnight strikes against Iran. While there was no indication that the operational halt would extend into next week, the pause certainly reinforces the diplomatic signals highlighted in our US-Iran wrap on Friday.

However, there was an escalation overnight with Saudi-led strikes on Iran-backed Houthi targets in Hodeida. This comes after the terror group attacked multiple Saudi-linked tankers in the southern Red Sea area.

Houthis escalate with attacks against Saudi Arabia: 

Saudi Arabian oil refinery reportedly hit by Houthi missile: 

The confrontation threatens to open a second major front in the Gulf conflict. With traffic through Hormuz largely paralyzed, sustained Houthi attacks on Yanbu or ships entering Bab al-Mandab Strait could disrupt millions of barrels of Saudi exports, raise shipping costs, and further tighten physical markets.

Hormuz Traffic

Bab al-Mandab Strait Traffic

Commodity desks from JPMorgan, RBC, Goldman Sachs and others warned this past week that spreading “strait chaos” across the Gulf and widening disruptions to regional energy flows could drive further upside in crude if the conflict persists. Brent has returned to the $90s after briefly trading above $100 a barrel.

Here’s what top commodity desks are saying:

•Goldman Warns Brent Could Top $120 If Gulf Chokepoint Crisis Deepens

•RBC Commodities Chief Warns “War Entering Dangerous Phase” As Chokepoint Chaos Risks Oil Above 2008 Peak

•Gas Prices Nearing Levels That Could Push Trump Towards Iran Talks, Says JPM Commodities Expert

And then there’s this:

•Nine Potential Commodity Wildcards As “Once-A-Decade” Shocks Become New Normal

Red Sea disruption already materialized on Friday when a Hong Kong-flagged supertanker decided to turn away before reaching Bab el-Mandeb and to instead transit around the Cape of Good Hope, reinforcing longer freight times, higher rates, and more disruptions:

•Oil Tanker Makes Red Sea U-Turn After Houthi Threats, Reroutes Around Africa In Costly Transit

There is good news because US-allied Gulf countries are either planning or already developing new pipeline and port projects to bypass the Hormuz chokepoint entirely, which in the long run will erode Tehran’s leverage on the critical waterway:

•Seven Pipeline Projects That Could Break Iran’s Grip On Hormuz Chokepoint

Here are the latest overnight developments, courtesy of Bloomberg:

US Strikes & Pause

• Iran reported no US strikes overnight on Saturday, marking an apparent break after nearly two weeks of consecutive nightly US attacks.

• US strikes had progressively expanded in scope over two weeks, targeting bridges and infrastructure deeper inside Iran, following a collapsed ceasefire and renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz.

• Trump said on Friday he has not yet made a decision on whether to conduct major strikes against Iran, while noting US-Iran talks are continuing through VP Vance, Secretary Rubio, and others.

• Trump had previously told Axios he was considering a “massive attack” on Iran, saying the country “hasn’t received enough pain yet” and is not ready to make a deal.

Strait of Hormuz

• Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday they stopped four ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours after firing warning shots.

• The US and UK are planning a high-level international conference in London next week focused on forming a coalition to protect maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to two European diplomats and other sources.

• An LPG tanker with 28 Indian crew members was attacked in Iranian territorial waters on Friday; India’s embassy confirmed the crew is safe.

Regional Escalation

• Houthis claimed to have struck Saudi Arabia with missiles on Saturday morning, targeting southern Saudi provinces; Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings before lifting them for Jazan.

• Bahrain and Kuwait secretly sent warplanes to strike drone- and missile-storage depots inside Iran earlier this month, according to people familiar with the matter, their first such direct retaliation against Tehran.

Diplomacy & Sanctions

• China urged Iran and the US to return to implementing their ceasefire memorandum, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressing deep concern over renewed escalation at an SCO meeting in Kyrgyzstan on Friday.

• Pakistan is exploring a path toward resuming stalled US-Iran talks following a push initiated by China, according to three Pakistani sources cited by Reuters; obstacles to talks remain high.

• The US Treasury imposed new sanctions on Friday on the network of Iranian financier Babak Zanjani, targeting four individuals and nine entities linked to sanctions evasion and digital asset exchanges.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 13:35

Meltdown? The Real Reason Why The Media Hates Elon Musk

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Meltdown? The Real Reason Why The Media Hates Elon Musk

Some would say that Elon Musk is an enigma; a billionaire entrepreneur with a focus on green tech and environmental impact who used to support Democrat fixtures like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, only to become one of the progressive establishment’s biggest opponents.  What happened?

As Musk readily admits, the progressive movement changed and he did not.  One could argue that the progressive movement didn’t change, it just pulled the mask off and revealed the monstrous face underneath.  Either way, anyone who saw that ugly face during the despotic insanity of the pandemic era and refused to adapt and embrace it was deemed an “enemy of democracy”. 

Musk got a real good look and was clearly repulsed. 

After 2022 when Musk declared his total separation from the Democrats as the “party of division and hate”, the leftist media descended like so many flying monkey’s from a wicked witch’s castle.  The attacks have been relentless.  When Musk made a move to purchase Twitter and fundamentally disrupt the political left’s dominance of the social media landscape, they shrieked with rage and spit venom.  It was glorious.  

In a recent interview with The Economist the venom was on full display, but the tactics of media disinformation agents and provocateurs have become tired, repetitious, tedious.  You could see Musk’s exasperation with the exercise.  He’s heard all these leading questions and biased insinuations a thousand times before. 

Online and Swiss-owned far-left outlet Gizmodo published a hatchet job article covering the interview and described Musk as “melting down” over “normal questions”.  This kind of gaslighting from the left is standard, and the projection is palpable.  Gizmodo’s reaction is the true meltdown; they simply can’t handle the idea of the media being exposed for their dishonesty.   

The most dishonest of people with the most nefarious of intentions often make accusations by disguising them as “questions”.  The front page headline for this very Economist interview was:  “Should You Be Afraid Of Elon Musk?”  

Musk has been directly and indirectly accused of promoting racism, fascism, sexism, and even genocide.  Through DOGE and the much needed shutdown of the corrupt USAID institution, he is now accused of “killing millions” by withholding humanitarian funding. 

The real agenda is embedded in this line of questioning.  The global elites and the far-left present a false narrative of consensus – The notion that they represent the majority and the “majority” is very angry with Elon for his trespasses against the liberal order.  Perhaps more than Twitter, they are specifically sensitive about the closure of USAID. 

Why?  Not because they care about poor little starving children with AIDS in Africa.  It is questionable how many US dollars were actually going into these humanitarian projects versus the amount of dollars going into the hungry pockets of Democrat politicians and leftist NGOs.  The reality that the media doesn’t want to address is that USAID was a central funding hub for the spread of woke ideology and propaganda around the globe. 

Without endless cash supplied by USAID fraud, the multicultural and intersectional vision of the far-left is greatly hindered.  Just look at how quickly, for example, Pride and transgender activist movements dissipated once federal funding through organizations like USAID dried up.  

What about mass immigration?  Do Americans really need to be funding shelters and services for migrants traveling through Mexico seeking to enter the US illegally?  Because this is what USAID was doing.    

DOGE dislodged an organization that was a cancer on the entire world, including the US.  This is what the media is truly upset about.  And it should be noted that the US is not responsible for the well-being of the entire world.  If people in third world countries can’t survive without US subsidies, maybe they should learn how.

But Musk’s most egregious crime was the leave the liberal plantation.  Leftists are radical collectivists and they see each individuals personal success as a platform to serve the interests of the greater movement.  Any individual who walks away from the collective and takes his platform with him is viewed as a traitor, but also a thief. 

Progressives see Musk as their property.  They see everything he builds as their property.  They believe that Musk owes them. 

The assertion by Economist editor Zanny Minton Beddoes that her outlet and her comrades are “traditional liberals” promoting limited government and individual liberty is perhaps the most laughable claim a journalist has uttered in recent memory.  The Economist is a globalist news platform, and was partially owned by the Rothschild family for decades, right up until March of this year when they sold their share. 

The Economist aggressively promoted anti-freedom policies during the Biden Administration including mandatory vaccinations during Covid.  They also supported, in theory, the idea of vaccine passports, which would have resulted in the most oppressive shift away from personal liberty in modern history.  They consistently attacked people who opposed the mandates for “spreading misinformation” and defended the concept of government pressure on the public. 

Of course, none of the mandates enforced by liberal governments proved to make any difference in the spread of covid, and the Infection Fatality Rate remain relatively static at an average of 0.23%.  All that hysteria and tyranny over a virus that 99.8% of the population would easily survive. 

Traditional liberalism in the media is long dead.  It does not exist.  It has been replaced by woke authoritarianism.  

This is why, as Musk notes, no one trusts the media and most people hate them.  In 2025 over 70% of US adults said they have low trust or no trust in the mainstream media.  These companies might have incredible amounts of money behind them, but it’s all irrelevant without the public trust.   

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 13:25

‘Largest Group Of TDS Sufferers Ever Put Together’: Trump Delivers Remarks At Correspondents’ Dinner

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‘Largest Group Of TDS Sufferers Ever Put Together’: Trump Delivers Remarks At Correspondents’ Dinner

Authored by Emel Akan via The Epoch Times,

President Donald Trump attended the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington on July 24.

The event that was originally held on April 25 was abruptly canceled due to an assassination attempt against him.

“I am delighted to be here,” Trump said as he began his speech, which lasted an hour.

“Amazing people, a lot of people that I like. Some I don’t like at all, but I respect most of them. I must say that you do a great job, amazing job, and it’s an honor. As I said three months ago, the show must go on.”

Trump continued his speech with jokes and said, “This place is really the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together.”

The rescheduled gala took place at the Waldorf Astoria.

During his speech, Trump said he is the most transparent president in history and took several jabs at the media, joking that many media organizations would be “broke” once he leaves the White House.

“When I’m gone, you’re all going to be broke. Your business model is going to be finished,” the president said.

He took direct aim at CNN’s Kaitlin Collins (and ‘Fake Tapper’):

“I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins… I thought she had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney.”

CNN released a statement during Trump’s speech defending its reporters, writing in part:

“Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting without government interference is fully protected by the U.S. Constitution.”

He also joked that, in order to save the media, he would announce a fourth presidential run.

“That’s why tonight, to show just how much I care about the press,” Trump said, “I’m pleased to announce my intention – and this is somewhat of a scoop – my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States.”

He then put on a “Trump 2028” hat, drawing laughs from the audience.

This was his first time attending the dinner as president, except for the April event, which was canceled after a shooting occurred just outside the main ballroom.

Trump joked about the dinner itself, saying it was “far worse” than he expected.

At the same time, he acknowledged that he and the reporters who attended the April dinner “went through a period of trauma” that created a unique bond between them. He said he would attend next year’s dinner.

Throughout the speech, Trump occasionally praised the media, saying he respected most reporters and liked some of them. However, he also said that much of the coverage of his administration and policies had been unfair.

The president also criticized his opponents, targeting individual journalists before shifting to Democrats and other public figures.

Trump rebutted the longstanding claim that he decided to run for president after former President Barack Obama mocked him at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

He said Obama’s remarks were not a factor in his decision to enter the race in 2016.

“I just decided that I wanted to make America great again. This had nothing to do with that dinner,” he said.

After Trump’s remarks, mentalist Oz Pearlman took the stage and performed mind-reading tricks for the audience, concluding the event.

‘We Will Not Be Intimidated’

White House Correspondents’ Association outgoing President Weijia Jiang delivered the opening address at the dinner.

“Whatever may divide us, we stand together against political violence,” she said.

“An assassination attempt on our president is an attack on democracy itself,” she added, drawing applause from the crowd.

“Tonight, our message is this: We are back. We will not be intimidated.”

The dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel on April 25 was interrupted when gunshots were fired outside the ballroom. Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from California, allegedly got past security with a shotgun and shot at a Secret Service officer who was wearing a bulletproof vest. Security officers quickly responded and arrested Allen. The officer was not injured, and no one else was hurt.

The Secret Service immediately evacuated Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several Cabinet members from the venue.

Allen is charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at the event. He also faces one count of transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He has pleaded not guilty.

At the event, the White House Correspondents’ Association presented special awards to Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales and to the staff of the Washington Hilton to honor their exceptional service during the shooting. The association plans to return to Hilton for next year’s dinner.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is a black-tie gala attended by media personalities, business leaders, celebrities, lawmakers, and Cabinet officials to celebrate the Fourth Estate and White House reporters.

The association said the logistical challenges in organizing a second dinner led it to scale back the event, resulting in a smaller gathering with a reduced guest list. The Washington Hilton’s ballroom can hold 3,000 people, while the Waldorf Astoria only fits 700.

While most of Trump’s Cabinet attended the rescheduled event, the first lady, Vance, and Rubio were not among the guests due to prior commitments, a White House official told The Epoch Times.

According to the White House, the following Trump administration officials attended the dinner: acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Small Business Administration chief Kelly Loeffler, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

As part of the enhanced security measures, each guest was required to present a unique QR code and a government-issued photo ID to get through the ticketing.

The guests then went through layers of security to access the ballroom.

The White House Correspondents’ Association was founded in 1914 to protect press freedom and preserve journalists’ access to the White House. It held its first dinner in 1921, and the first president to attend was Calvin Coolidge in 1924.

Watch the full speech below:

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 11:40

“Hell Of A Great Day For Starship”: SpaceX Tests Megarocket In First Time Since IPO

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“Hell Of A Great Day For Starship”: SpaceX Tests Megarocket In First Time Since IPO

SpaceX launched Starship on its 13th test flight on Friday evening, the first since the company’s massive IPO, successfully deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites while demonstrating further progress with its largest rocket.

“Deployment of 20 @Starlink V3 satellites complete. Today’s test will provide critical data as we prepare to expand our Starlink constellation,” SpaceX announced on X.

The Super Heavy booster separated about two minutes after liftoff but suffered engine relight failures before a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

Starship’s upper stage performed better, completing a soft landing in the Indian Ocean and remaining intact. This gave engineers their first detailed view of an undamaged heat shield after reentry.

“This is the softest splashdown we have ever had with the Starship there in the Indian Ocean,” Dan Huot, communications manager at SpaceX, said on a livestream, adding, “I’m a little over the moon right now. Wow. Lucky number 13. Hell of a great day for Starship.” 

In a statement after the test flight, SpaceX said the booster landing “attempted to relight its engines for the landing burn,” but only a subset successfully ignited before the “hard splashdown,” adding that the upper stage of the rocket made a “soft splashdown” in the Indian Ocean. It noted that Starship came “to rest intact in the Indian Ocean and providing critical views of an intact heatshield for the first time.”

Latest coverage:

SpaceX stock and bonds:

When will SpaceX hit bottom?

The test advances SpaceX’s plans to expand Starlink, develop orbital data centers and support NASA missions to the moon.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 11:05

US Sanctions UK-Based Senior Muslim Brotherhood Leader Over Alleged Hamas Support

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US Sanctions UK-Based Senior Muslim Brotherhood Leader Over Alleged Hamas Support

The United States has sanctioned a senior UK-based Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) official alongside six other individuals and entities that it said provided material support to terrorist group Hamas.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on July 23 that the action exposes MB affiliates and “Hamas-directed front organizations that use charitable facades and underground networks to disguise and move funds in support of terrorism.”

As Evgenia Filimianova reports via The Epoch Times, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Mahmoud al-Abyari as one of the sanctioned individuals, describing him as the UK-based secretary general of the Muslim Brotherhood General Secretariat.

OFAC said al-Abyari helped raise funds for two organizations it had previously sanctioned over alleged Hamas ties—Filistin Vakfi and Hayat Yolu—and worked with MB groups to provide financial support to Hamas.

Two charities were also named, including Indonesia-based Tujah Bulah Global and Gaza-based Madad Palestine Charitable Society.

A Turkey-based money exchange rounded out the list. Treasury said El-Kahira for General Trading transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to Hamas and separately provided underground banking services to organized crime groups in Sweden.

OFAC also designated three men connected to the firm: the owner, Khuldun Khamis Zakaria Alden, and shareholders Zaid Issam Ahmed Al-Jebouri and Abdullah Issam Ahmad Al-Jebouri.

“The Trump Administration will relentlessly pursue terrorists and those who finance them,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“Whether operating under the guise of charities, businesses, or underground financial networks, those who enable Hamas will be exposed, sanctioned, and held accountable.”

The measures build on designations announced in January and March that targeted Hamas financial facilitators, operatives, and MB-linked charities.

Pigott said on July 23 that Washington is “committed to dismantling the financial infrastructure that sustains Hamas and the MB.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during a press briefing at the White House on May 28, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The sanctions freeze any property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities that are in the United States or under the control of U.S. persons. The measures also expose foreign financial institutions to potential secondary sanctions if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions on behalf of sanctioned persons.

Different Approach

The latest U.S. action highlights a policy difference between Washington and London.

The Treasury designated the Egyptian, Jordanian, and Lebanese branches of the MB as specially designated global terrorists in January 2026 for providing material support to Hamas.

The MB has been designated a terrorist organization by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. Jordan outlawed the movement in 2025.

The UK has not proscribed the organization. The UK produced a review of the MB in 2015, which concluded that membership of, association with, or influence by the MB should be regarded as “a possible indicator of extremism.”

It said, however, that these factors alone were not sufficient to justify legal action. Downing Street also found that parts of the movement had used or supported violence in some countries, but stopped short of recommending a ban.

Former UK Commissioner for Countering Extremism Robin Simcox said the United States has taken a more robust approach than London toward MB networks operating in the UK.

Speaking during a Foundation for Defense of Democracies program on July 17, Simcox said, “This is a UK problem first and foremost, and we are not dealing with it in anything like the seriousness that the United States is, and that’s a major problem.”

Simcox said the British government, police, and security services have not considered the MB a sufficiently high priority compared with other terrorist threats.

He described that approach as “a massive strategic mistake” and said he hopes the latest U.S. measures will encourage the UK to revisit the issue.

The Epoch Times reached out to the UK Home Office for comment but didn’t receive a response by publication time.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 09:55

Ukraine’s Drone Campaign Against The ‘Russian Amazon’ Is Driven By Political Motives

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Ukraine’s Drone Campaign Against The ‘Russian Amazon’ Is Driven By Political Motives

Authored by Andrew Korybko,

The goal is to create a growing class of malcontents by inflicting major harm to small business owners who might then shift the electoral odds against the ruling party ahead of September’s next elections and later possibly form the core of a future protest movement that could be exploited from abroad.

Ukraine’s US-assisted long-range drone campaign against Russia has recently begun targeting the country’s online retailer Wildberries, which is essentially the “Russian Amazon”, with recent strikes either totally destroying or greatly damaging several of its logistics centers. The Financial Times cited Russia’s edition of Forbes to report that these attacks might have already destroyed 150-275 billion rubles’ worth of inventory thus far, equivalent to around $2-3.5 billion, or more than Wildberries’ net profit last year.

They also importantly cited Alexander Kolyandr, a director at Eurasia Group, who told them that “The loss of the goods will put thousands of traders out of business, resulting in unpaid taxes, defaulted loans and the like.” Therein lies the political motive behind Ukraine’s drone campaign against the “Russian Amazon”. Zelensky announced a 40-day influence operation against Russia late last month with the objective of coercing it into a ceasefire without any concessions from Ukraine or its Western patrons.

It’ll formally end in early August, so nearly six weeks before the next Duma elections in late September, the first since the special operation began as the last ones were in 2021. His influence operation will likely be extended, however, even if only informally. With this political context in mind as well as the explicitly stated goal that he aims to achieve, it’s clear that Zelensky authorized his forces to do whatever they can to maximally inconvenience average Russians for the purpose of turning them against Putin.

This explains the prior spree of strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, which led to a spike in fuel costs that Ukraine expected would raise prices across the board due to higher transport costs for slashing average Russians’ disposable income, and the Wildberries campaign is the next phase. Harming small businesses more directly affects average Russians, both buyers and of course sellers, and the particular intent appears to be to create a new and growing class of malcontents within the country.

If taken to its extreme, and it’s possible that more logistics centers will be targeted and at least damaged since 18 of the 20 largest in Russia are reportedly within range of Ukrainian drones, this could have long-term socio-political and economic consequences for Russia. The state, which is already under financial strain due to the combination of sanctions, attacks against its energy infrastructure, and the recent large-scale destruction of small business’ taxable inventory, might thus be pressured to bail them out.

Inadequate support for struggling small business owners could shift the electoral odds against the ruling party in what would then be spun as a symbolic setback to Putin, create the earlier mentioned class of malcontents, and thus possibly rekindle long-dormant protest potential that could be exploited from abroad. The consequences could therefore cascade in the worst-case, which admittedly isn’t likely since the state still has time to avert it, so it’s premature to expect this yet it also shouldn’t be ruled out either.

The larger trend is that Ukraine’s spree of strikes against Russia is gradually evolving from showmanship into strategy, assisted as it’s been by the US, which provides targeting intelligence and overall guidance to its proxy. “Trump 2.0’s Escalation Strategy Against Russia Is Starting To Take Shape”, and it’s centered on a “war of attrition” that’s now setting its sights on largely civilian targets like Wildberries, the aim of which is to advance political goals that are in any case unlikely to get Putin to declare a ceasefire.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 09:20

US Pauses Iran Bombing Campaign As Saudi-Houthi Red Sea Front Erupts

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US Pauses Iran Bombing Campaign As Saudi-Houthi Red Sea Front Erupts

Brent crude surged 27% over two weeks to settle at $96.78 a barrel on Friday, briefly breaching $100 this past week as traders priced in a higher war-risk premium into energy markets amid simultaneous chokepoint threats to the Strait of Hormuz and the southern Red Sea.

Meanwhile, the US appeared to pause its 13-day campaign of daily overnight strikes against Iran. While there was no indication that the operational halt would extend into next week, the pause certainly reinforces the diplomatic signals highlighted in our US-Iran wrap on Friday.

However, there was an escalation overnight with Saudi-led strikes on Iran-backed Houthi targets in Hodeida. This comes after the terror group attacked multiple Saudi-linked tankers in the southern Red Sea area.

Houthis escalate with attacks against Saudi Arabia: 

Saudi Arabian oil refinery reportedly hit by Houthi missile: 

The confrontation threatens to open a second major front in the Gulf conflict. With traffic through Hormuz largely paralyzed, sustained Houthi attacks on Yanbu or ships entering Bab al-Mandab Strait could disrupt millions of barrels of Saudi exports, raise shipping costs, and further tighten physical markets.

Hormuz Traffic

Bab al-Mandab Strait Traffic

Commodity desks from JPMorgan, RBC, Goldman Sachs and others warned this past week that spreading “strait chaos” across the Gulf and widening disruptions to regional energy flows could drive further upside in crude if the conflict persists. Brent has returned to the $90s after briefly trading above $100 a barrel.

Here’s what top commodity desks are saying:

•Goldman Warns Brent Could Top $120 If Gulf Chokepoint Crisis Deepens

•RBC Commodities Chief Warns “War Entering Dangerous Phase” As Chokepoint Chaos Risks Oil Above 2008 Peak

•Gas Prices Nearing Levels That Could Push Trump Towards Iran Talks, Says JPM Commodities Expert

And then there’s this:

•Nine Potential Commodity Wildcards As “Once-A-Decade” Shocks Become New Normal

Red Sea disruption already materialized on Friday when a Hong Kong-flagged supertanker decided to turn away before reaching Bab el-Mandeb and to instead transit around the Cape of Good Hope, reinforcing longer freight times, higher rates, and more disruptions:

•Oil Tanker Makes Red Sea U-Turn After Houthi Threats, Reroutes Around Africa In Costly Transit

There is good news because US-allied Gulf countries are either planning or already developing new pipeline and port projects to bypass the Hormuz chokepoint entirely, which in the long run will erode Tehran’s leverage on the critical waterway:

•Seven Pipeline Projects That Could Break Iran’s Grip On Hormuz Chokepoint

Here are the latest overnight developments, courtesy of Bloomberg:

US Strikes & Pause

• Iran reported no US strikes overnight on Saturday, marking an apparent break after nearly two weeks of consecutive nightly US attacks.

• US strikes had progressively expanded in scope over two weeks, targeting bridges and infrastructure deeper inside Iran, following a collapsed ceasefire and renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz.

• Trump said on Friday he has not yet made a decision on whether to conduct major strikes against Iran, while noting US-Iran talks are continuing through VP Vance, Secretary Rubio, and others.

• Trump had previously told Axios he was considering a “massive attack” on Iran, saying the country “hasn’t received enough pain yet” and is not ready to make a deal.

Strait of Hormuz

• Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday they stopped four ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours after firing warning shots.

• The US and UK are planning a high-level international conference in London next week focused on forming a coalition to protect maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to two European diplomats and other sources.

• An LPG tanker with 28 Indian crew members was attacked in Iranian territorial waters on Friday; India’s embassy confirmed the crew is safe.

Regional Escalation

• Houthis claimed to have struck Saudi Arabia with missiles on Saturday morning, targeting southern Saudi provinces; Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings before lifting them for Jazan.

• Bahrain and Kuwait secretly sent warplanes to strike drone- and missile-storage depots inside Iran earlier this month, according to people familiar with the matter, their first such direct retaliation against Tehran.

Diplomacy & Sanctions

• China urged Iran and the US to return to implementing their ceasefire memorandum, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressing deep concern over renewed escalation at an SCO meeting in Kyrgyzstan on Friday.

• Pakistan is exploring a path toward resuming stalled US-Iran talks following a push initiated by China, according to three Pakistani sources cited by Reuters; obstacles to talks remain high.

• The US Treasury imposed new sanctions on Friday on the network of Iranian financier Babak Zanjani, targeting four individuals and nine entities linked to sanctions evasion and digital asset exchanges.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/25/2026 – 08:45

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