Yet another example of why American parents are increasingly pulling their kids out of public institutions and turning to home schooling.  Parents at an elementary school in Kansas are upset after students were reportedly told that they were not allowed to list President Donald Trump, late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and even Jesus Christ as their role models for an assignment. 

The incident at Marshall Elementary School in Eureka, Kansas occurred in October and only recently came to light because students were originally instructed not to tell their parents about what happened.  The American Center for Law & Justice, described as “a politically conservative, Christian-based legal organization,” has filed a formal civil rights complaint with the school.

The complaint accuses the district and Marshall Elementary School of religious discrimination, political or viewpoint discrimination, violation of free speech rights and retaliation.  Students say a school guidance counselor, Kacey Countryman, gave sixth-graders an assignment called “Find Your Voice” as part of their “Leader In Me” program.  They were asked to identify their role models, but conservative role models were apparently not allowed.  

“When a student identified Charlie Kirk as a role model, the guidance counselor got very uncomfortable and refused to allow this name to be written on the board, yelling that he was ‘not a hero,’ and that he was not a role model,” the complaint says.  When a student chose Trump as their role model, the guidance counselor reportedly had the same response.

Another parent says their child picked Jesus and was also denied.

Unreal. Sixth grade students at a Kansas public school were told they could not name Charlie Kirk as a role model for an assignment.

The assignment was called “Find Your Voice,” in which the students were asked to identify their role models.

“When a student identified Charlie… pic.twitter.com/S3yS39qBlW

— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) January 16, 2026

The complaint notes that “When a student selected President Donald J. Trump as a role model, the guidance counselor reiterated her prohibition even more angrily, stating that students could not write political or religious figures on the board, and in fact excluded political and religious topics altogether.”

Reports note that children picking secular and potentially controversial figures did not receive the same backlash from the counselor.

The ACLJ has investigated a number of similar incidents in the past involving public school officials, including a recent controversy involving a Hawaiian school teacher who was punished by the district for allowing her students to talk about the assassination of Charlie Kirk during a Constitution Day discussion on free speech. 

Adminstrators placed a disciplinary memo in her file threatening future sanctions and told her she must immediately “shut down” any spontaneous student discussions on undefined “controversial issues.”

These kinds of censorious policies run completely contrary to the spirit of the First Amendment and basic civics once taught in US schools in previous generations.  The common conservative accusation that public schools have become poisonous indoctrination centers for the political left is proved correct weekly by similar stories of students being silenced for normal speech.  

The crackdown accelerated during the Biden Administration, along with the invasion of woke political propaganda into many taxpayer funded schools.  The agenda is clear:  Children are being bullied and extorted into abandoning conservative ideals.  They are forced to embrace progressive talking points as a way to keep peace in their academic lives.

There is no doubt that the rise of woke insanity in American society directly coincides with the decline of parental rights and participation in educational institutions.  School officials believe their job is not to simply teach basic academic mastery; they think their job is to program the next generation with far-left software.  Activist teachers and administrators believe their mission is to “correct” the principles instilled in children by their parents, and condition students to join the liberal hive mind.   

Authored by Nate Kostar via CoinTelegraph.com,

Newrez plans to treat eligible cryptocurrency holdings as qualifying assets in its mortgage underwriting process, a move that could broaden access to home loans for crypto holders.

The change is expected to take effect in February across the lender’s non-agency products, covering home purchases, refinancings and investment properties.

While borrowers can already use assets such as stocks and bonds in underwriting, crypto holders have typically been required to sell their positions.

At launch, Newrez said it will recognize Bitcoin, Ether, spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) backed by those assets, and US dollar-backed stablecoins.

The crypto assets must be held with US-regulated crypto exchanges or fintech platforms, brokerages or nationally chartered banks, the company said.

Under the policy, cryptocurrency holdings considered in underwriting may have valuations adjusted to reflect market volatility, while borrowers would still be required to cover closing costs and make mortgage payments in US dollars.

Newrez chief commercial officer Leslie Gillin said about 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors own cryptocurrency, adding that the policy is aimed at broadening access to homeownership among younger buyers.

US regulators weigh crypto’s role in mortgage underwriting

The move by Newrez follows policy discussions in the US over whether digital assets should be considered in mortgage risk assessments.

In June 2025, the US Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) instructed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop proposals examining how to consider cryptocurrencies as assets in single-family mortgage risk assessments without conversion to US dollars. 

Less than two months later, Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced the 21st Century Mortgage Act, which would codify the FHFA directive.

Lummis said the bill addresses housing affordability challenges for younger Americans, adding that “the American dream of homeownership is not a reality for many young people” and that the legislation reflects the growing number who hold digital assets.

The bill was read twice in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, where it has not advanced further.

Although limited in scope, a market already exists for crypto-backed home financing, allowing borrowers to use BTC or ETH as collateral. 

Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, co-founder of Ledn, told Cointelegraph in June that some Bitcoin holders have used their assets to finance real estate purchases without liquidating them.

Update (Sunday Afternoon):

The Space Weather Prediction Center issued an alert on X, saying the Earth-directed coronal mass ejection first identified on Saturday is now producing one of the largest solar radiation storms in more than two decades.

“An S4 severe solar radiation storm is now in progress – this is the largest solar radiation storm in over 20 years. The last time S4 levels were observed was in October, 2003. Potential effects are mainly limited to space launch, aviation, and satellite operations,” SWPC said.

Here’s what a S4 severe solar radiation storm can disrupt:

Satellites and spacecraft

• Permanent or temporary damage to satellite electronics

• Single event upsets causing glitches, reboots, or loss of attitude control

• Degradation of solar panels, shortening satellite lifespan

• Increased drag on low Earth orbit satellites due to atmospheric heating

Aviation

• High radiation exposure for passengers and crew on polar routes

• Airlines may reroute transpolar flights, increasing fuel costs and delays

• Potential disruption to avionics that rely on satellite navigation

GPS and navigation

• Reduced GPS accuracy, especially at high latitudes

• Timing errors affecting precision systems such as financial networks, telecom syncing, and military operations

Communications

• Intermittent HF radio blackouts used by aviation, maritime, and military operators

• Loss of long-range radio communications in polar regions

An S4 solar radiation storm is a serious threat to satellites, aviation, GPS, and the infrastructure that supports the modern world.

*   *.  * 

The Space Weather Prediction Center issued an alert Sunday afternoon after a powerful X1.9 solar flare erupted on the Sun, with the space weather event expected to produce an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME).

Stefan Burns, a geophysicist and space weather forecaster, wrote on X that the X1.9 flare is “insane” and will produce a “huge coronal mass ejection.”

Major X1.9 solar flare detected at 18:08 UTC (Jan 18) around AR 4341. Earth directed CME likely. More to follow. https://t.co/aqK4Q6XdAY pic.twitter.com/CJUq1SAsQt

— SolarHam (@SolarHam) January 18, 2026

“A huge coronal mass ejection has been launched toward Earth at high velocity. We will have a BIG solar storm impact in 2 to 3 days. Expect at least G3 geomagnetic storming. Early forecasts are liable to revision as more data comes in,” Burns said.

This 1.9 X-flare that just exploded on the Sun IS INSANE. A huge coronal mass ejection has been launched out towards Earth at high-velocity, we’ll have a BIG solar storm impact in 2-3 days, expect G3 geomagnetic storming minimum (early forecast liable to revision with more data). pic.twitter.com/v7uDX1JdIW

— Stefan Burns (@StefanBurnsGeo) January 18, 2026

Space Weather News’ Ben Davidson streamed a live analysis on YouTube earlier about the X-class solar flare and what to expect…

The X-class flare can disrupt radio and navigation immediately. The larger risk comes from the expected CME in the coming days, which can trigger geomagnetic storms that affect power grids, satellites, aviation, and the modern economy built on chips and data centers.

Gold and silver prices, according to Brandon Smith of Alt-Market.com, are signaling stress under the surface of the economy. From shrinking physical inventories to record central bank buying, precious metals warn that the underlying issues aren’t resolved…

In early 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic hysteria I noted that the covid panic seemed to perfectly coincide with the Federal Reserve’s acceleration of interest rates and asset dumping. This trend, I argued, was a precursor to a Catch-22 scenario I have been warning about for some time.

Since the crash of 2008, the central bank has used stimulus measures and near-zero interest rates to protect “too big to fail” corporations while keeping debt afloat globally. Doing this required the digital printing of tens of trillions of fiat dollars and, inevitably, a sharp devaluation in the greenback.

I predicted that this would lead to stagflationary conditions (which finally hit in 2022), and the conundrum of inflation vs. deflation.

The Federal Reserve could continue to keep rates low and ignore inflationary pressures to avoid a collapse of debt.

Or, they could significantly raise interest rates, let the debt system take its medicine and tumble in price and squelch the effects of inflation by suppressing consumer demand.

Either choice could cause an economic crisis.

Maybe it’s understandable that the Fed decided not to choose.

Instead, they raised rates but not enough to reverse stagflation. They took the middle road and refused to allow the economy to take its much-needed medicine, postponing a reckoning for badly-priced malinvestments.

Essentially, kicking the can down the road for the next administration to deal with.

Consequences of the Fed’s too-little-too-late strategy

This means we are still stuck with the massive price increases we incurred during the Biden Administration.

Granted, the rate of inflation has slowed. But the cost of living is significantly higher than just five years ago. (Remember, above-zero inflation doesn’t mean prices fall – it means they keep rising, but more slowly.)

In 2020 I wrote an article titled Physical Gold Will Soon Break Free from the Paper Market in Spectacular Fashion, predicting skyrocketing precious metals values once this Catch-22 situation became apparent to investors. I predicted that buyers would increasingly drop financial derivatives (futures etc.) in favor of physical delivery of gold and silver, causing physical prices to go parabolic.

This is now happening.

Since I wrote that article, the price of gold per ounce jumped over 200%. Silver prices have exploded by 400%.

• Global inventories of physical metals have plunged

• London vaults are reportedly down 30% since 2022

• Refiners report 10-14 week delays for new bullion bars (vs. normal 2-4 weeks)

• Physical redemptions of commodities contracts have accelerated to historically unprecedented levels

Via Clive Thompson on LinkedIn. Thompson adds: “This marks a dramatic behavioral shift: historically less than 1% of COMEX contracts resulted in physical delivery, but in 2025, some months delivery notices reached 100%.”

Silver is sitting at an all time high of $90 an ounce as I write this. Gold is closing in on $4700 per ounce.

(Maybe large banks like JP Morgan are deliberately backing away from market manipulation for some reason?) Global central bank gold buying has reached historic levels every year since 2022, surpassing even the levels we saw in the wake of the Great Financial Crisis.

All that is background – what does it mean?

The economic singularity

It seems to me that we are witnessing an economic singularity – a moment of great change.

Or, at the very least, the warning signs of an imminent change.

Precious metals prices are trying to tell us something.

The problem is, that message is mostly being ignored, even by more conservative platforms. Not enough people are talking about what’s happening with precious metals and what it means for the economy as a whole.

Here’s what I think…

First, the rush to physical assets suggests that banking institutions, governments and the wealthiest 1% of investors are scrambling to hedge in preparation for a true crisis. (I’m specifying institutions and the very wealthy because a single COMEX gold delivery contract represents 100 oz. of gold, nearly half a million dollars at today’s prices – well outside the typical American family’s means.)

As I noted in 2020, when the banks start rushing to buy physical gold and silver, then the rest of us should do the same. They are likely acting to counteract losses in other assets. Or they are forecasting some kind of geopolitical earthquake that will send prices exploding.

It’s not hard to see the potential for geopolitical conflict right now. European governments have become increasingly hostile to the U.S. over tariffs. They keep trying to start World War III with Russia and so on.

Second, there are the domestic problems caused by protests against immigration enforcement. The deportation issue is merely a convenient excuse for wider conflict between the left and the right. )If ICE agents went home tomorrow and stopped their arrests, the left would find something else to riot about.)

Just as we witnessed in 2020, domestic chaos is a tool for political extortion. In the meantime, civil instability helps fuel the rise in metals.

Third, there are the tensions with Russia and China, who are not happy with the capture of communist dictator Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela’s oil exports have been vital to China’s industrial capacity. Though Venezuela’s supplies only made up around 4.5% of China’s imports, a loss of 4% or more in a volatile global market is unwelcome to say the least.

Venezuela has served as a launching point for military assets in the western hemisphere (including surveillance systems to watch the U.S.). Chinese and Russian weapons failed miserably against U.S. operations, which might lead to escalation going forward.

The larger effects of Maduro’s removal can’t be quantified yet, but they will be consequential.

Most Venezuelans seem overjoyed by their liberation from Maduro. The question is, can we avoid a long-term quagmire? Our military excels at blowing up enemies with precision, but we have a miserable track record at long-term military occupation.

Fourth, let’s not forget the protests in Iran and the potential for regime change there. I have no personal stake in terms of what happens in the Middle East. I think the U.S. should stay out of the mess as much as possible, but I have no illusions that Trump is going to quietly sit back and just watch. He’s proven to be a man of action.

I have to admit, his decisions on foreign policy have been surprisingly effective and welcomed by the populations involved – in most cases at least. That said, when geopolitical conditions shift so quickly, this inevitably sends shockwaves through the global economy. Even when the action is morally correct and strategically necessary, the consequences are unpredictable.

Finally, the Fed appears intent on cutting interest rates without ever addressing the original stagflationary problem. Consumer spending never went down. Debt accumulation, at the federal and the household level, continues to grow. Prices are still high on most goods compared to 2020. The U.S. has to suffer through at least a short-term deflationary period in order to correct for stagflation, and the banks have done everything in their power to avoid this.

In other words, if the Fed continues to cut rates then inflation will a comeback in 2026.

Here’s what happens next

I believe all the right factors are in play for a continued gold and silver run.

I would not be surprised to see silver close to the $200 per ounce mark by 2027. The combination of demand for all the various industrial uses of silver combined with the multi-year supply deficit, on top of the U.S. decision to declare silver a critical mineral – adding in China’s attempts to ban silver exporting PLUS the insatiable demand for silver as an investment? This is a combination of forces all but guaranteed to send price higher. And they aren’t any more “transitory” than the Covid-era inflation spike. I predict these forces will drive the gold/silver ratio to levels last seen during the spike of 2011 (35:1), which would put the price closer to $131 per ounce today.

I’m not seeing any indication that global pressures are going to slow down anytime soon. In fact, I think precious metals are telling us that things are about to get much more chaotic.

Today, maybe more than ever, owning physical gold and silver is a declaration of financial liberty. Of independence from the fiscal chaos of the Federal Reserve and federal government debt.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos for 2026 is scheduled for this week (Jan. 19-23), focusing on the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”. Day one, which has kicked off Monday, isn’t much of a display of “dialogue” as some key officials are absent, amid Europe’s ongoing spat with President Trump over the future fate of Greenland.

Among a record number of 400 top political leaders, including over 60 heads of state and government – as well as hundreds of CEO’s – conspicuously absent are officials from Denmark, who have decided not to attend this year in protest over the Greenland crisis.

“We can confirm that the Danish government will not be represented in Davos this week… Danish government representatives were invited this year, and any decisions on attendance are a matter for the government concerned,” the official statement said.

Trump has repeatedly declared that Greenland should become part of the United States, calling it a matter of national security as China and Russia make inroads in the Arctic region, and also questioning Denmark’s right to oversee the autonomous resource-rich territory.

Over the weekend Trump took things well past just rhetoric, threatening on Saturday to slap a 10% additional tariff on EU countries, starting on Feb 1, unless there’s a deal for America to purchase Greenland.

Eight nations have responded by issuing a firm joint statement saying they stand behind Denmark and the people of Greenland, writing, “Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”

These eight include Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland – all which also happen to be NATO members.

Europeans have warned that the Greenland issue threatens to unravel the north Atlantic military alliance, especially if Washington were to unilaterally move on Greenland. And more:

• DENMARK FOREIGN MINISTER: YOU CAN’T THREATEN YOUR WAY TO OWNERSHIP OF GREENLAND
• DENMARK FOREIGN MINISTER: IT’S EUROPE THAT WILL RESPOND TO THE TARIFF THREAT, NOT DENMARK

Denmark and a handful of European countries have sent a troop contingency there, while at the same time the White House hasn’t appeared to actually send in military forces. NBC newly reports that Trump hasn’t said whether he would use force or not to seize Greenland:

As tensions escalate over President Donald Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland, he was guarded Monday in how far he’ll go to take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

Asked if he would use force to seize Greenland, the president said, “No comment,” in a brief telephone interview with NBC News.

Previously US officials have said that given Greenland doesn’t have a standing army, or much other defense to speak of, the US wouldn’t have to move on it militarily.

EXCLUSIVE: Trump wants a signing ceremony for his Board of Peace in Davos on Thursday. It is unclear which countries will sign. Many invitees want the US to rewrite the terms, sources tell @AlbertoNardelli and me.

The Board of Peace has had a rough landing: it’s been criticised…

— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) January 19, 2026

There’s still an idea floating around D.C. that the US could just purchase it, and that every Greenlander could receive millions of dollars, and reject Denmark’s historic claims on it.

As for Davos, while Denmark will be absent in protest, Kremlin officials will be there. There are plans for Russian officials to meet with US envoys, at a moment Ukraine peace talks have largely stalled.

Update (1408ET):

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that former CNN host Don Lemon has been put “on notice” by the Justice Department and could face charges under federal civil-rights laws, including the Ku Klux Klan Act, for his role in storming a church service in Minnesota. Lemon allegedly joined a far-left mob that was on the hunt for a pro-ICE pastor at a St. Paul church. 

“The Klan Act is one of the most important federal civil rights statutes. Its a law that makes it illegal to terrorize and violate the civil rights of citizens. Whenever people conspire to do this, the Klan Act can be used,” Dhillon told Johnson. 

Dhillon continued, “Everyone in the protest community needs to know that the fullest force of the federal government is going to come down and prevent this from happening and put people away for a long time.”

“There is zero tolerance for this kind of illegal behavior and we will not stand for it,” she emphasized. 

Johnson wrote on X, “DOJ confirms Don Lemon has zero ‘journalism’ protections against FACE Act violations. Lemon was fully aware of the violations and may face KKK Act conspiracy charges.”

DOJ Confirms Don Lemon Has ZERO ‘Journalism’ Protections Against FACE Act Violations, Lemon Was FULLY Aware Of Violations and May Face KKK Act Conspiracy Charges pic.twitter.com/NtILXYO7UR

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 19, 2026

Lemon faces being charged with the KKK Act on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

*   *   * 

Washed-up former CNN host Don Lemon has been put on notice by the U.S. Department of Justice over claims that he joined a far-left group of anti-ICE protesters who stormed a Sunday church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service,” Harmeet Dhillon, the DoJ’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, wrote on X.

“You [Lemon] are on notice!” Dhillon wrote. In a separate post, she said that the FBI has been “activated” and accused the left-wing mob of “desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

She also said, “The DoJ’s Civil Rights division is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. @AGPamBondi https://t.co/uZBBv1iuuH

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 18, 2026

Dozens of left-wing activists, some potentially paid agitators and others who admitted they were from out of town, stormed the Cities Church sanctuary on Sunday after believing that one of the pastors was the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office.

Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote: “I just spoke to the pastor in Minnesota whose church was targeted. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law. If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes and ensure that the rule of law prevails.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned: “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.”

Baptist minister Paul Chappell condemned Lemon and the left-wing activists:

We condemn the actions of Don Lemon and the group of activists who stormed Cities Church today in St. Paul, Minnesota, in clear violation of the FACE Act. Christians everywhere should demand that the Department of Justice arrest those who participated. We must protect religious liberty in this country.

We condemn the actions of Don Lemon and the group of activists who stormed Cities Church today in St. Paul, Minnesota, in clear violation of the FACE Act. Christians everywhere should demand that the Department of Justice arrest those who participated. We must protect religious… pic.twitter.com/YlkjJC3YCv

— Paul Chappell (@PaulChappell) January 19, 2026

Left-wing violence in Democrat-run blue cities in America is absolutely alarming. The president last week threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order in Minneapolis after dark-money funded nonprofits and militant left-wing groups mounted pressure campaigns to impede federal deportation operations of criminal illegal aliens.

Meanwhile, left-wing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has demanded the troops “get the f*** out of Minneapolis.” The mayor did admit in a television interview about a network of nonprofits operating a pressure campaign against the federal government.

POLITICAL VIOLENCE: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey refuses to reveal the identities of the NGOs he’s working with to organize protests in his city. The DOJ is investigating the groups with funding and directives from Soros and CCP-linked NGOs. pic.twitter.com/C9cWgIZ5VN

— @amuse (@amuse) January 8, 2026

Trump has sent 3,000 ICE agents to the sanctuary city, with 1,500 troops on standby if social unrest worsens.

What’s important to understand is that if temperatures hadn’t been averaging around 10F, the Democratic Party and its billionaire-funded NGO network would have unleashed riots and chaos if temperatures had been just a bit warmer. This is a warning that Democrats are preparing to unleash chaos come spring, whether protests, riots, and whatever else, as we’ve warned – this is part of a color-revolution operation. This is highly organized and structured.

Related:

• NYC Socialists Prepare Mass Mobilization Of 4,000 Anti-ICE Army

Why a left-wing mob and a former CNN host are roaming a sanctuary city hunting for a church pastor sounds like something that would only happen under Marxist regimes in third-world countries.

Lemon, in damage control mode, calls everything that happened “fake news” … 

NEW: Don Lemon blames the organizer of the group who stormed the MN church after the DOJ launched an investigation into the incident.

Lemon, who uploaded a video of himself defending the mob from inside the church, says he was simply engaged in “an act of journalism.”

“Why… pic.twitter.com/t0Fi2SGLiZ

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2026

Let’s not forget that even the deep state publication The Atlantic had to admit an uncomfortable truth for Democrats: “Left-Wing Terrorism Is on the Rise.”

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The Nobel Foundation said Sunday reiterated its prestigious Nobel Peace Prize cannot be passed on to another person after a Venezuelan opposition leader gifted the prize that she won to President Donald Trump last week.

During a meeting at the White House on Jan. 15, the leader, Maria Corina Machado, gave her Peace Prize medal to Trump, which the president accepted.

However, the Nobel Foundation weighed in on the matter on Sunday, asserting that the prize can’t be transferred.

“One of the core missions of the Nobel Foundation is to safeguard the dignity of the Nobel Prizes and their administration. The Foundation upholds Alfred Nobel’s will and its stipulations,” it said in a statement, referring to the Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite who started the foundation in the late 19th century.

The will of Nobel had said that the prizes should be given to people who “have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind,” the statement said, adding that his will also “specifies who has the right to award each respective prize.”

“A prize can therefore not, even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed,” the foundation said.

After the prize was awarded to Machado last year, she said she would give it to Trump. She also backed the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan socialist leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, although Trump has said that he would not support installing Machado as the leader of Venezuela and instead suggested that Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, be in charge of the country.

In a social media post on Jan. 15, Trump wrote that “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!”

Machado last week said the gift was in recognition of what she called his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people. The White House later posted a photo of Trump and Machado with the president holding up a large, gold-colored frame displaying the medal.

Text of the statement that she wrote said: “To President Donald J. Trump In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace through Strength.” She labeled the gesture as a “Personal Symbol of Gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan People.”

Trump had openly campaigned for the prize before Machado was awarded it, saying that he was snubbed after having ended wars around the world, including in the Middle East, and is seeking to end more armed conflicts.

Asked on Wednesday if he wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump told the Reuters news agency: “No, I didn’t say that. She won the Nobel Peace Prize.”

In October 2025, Trump said that Machado had called him, telling him she was “accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it.“

After his capture, Maduro and his wife appeared in a federal courtroom in New York and pleaded not guilty to a range of charges, including drug trafficking. The Trump administration said that he was heavily involved in the smuggling of narcotics, namely cocaine, sourced from neighboring Colombia to other countries, including the United States.

The U.S. military under the Trump administration, meanwhile, has seized roughly a half-dozen oil tankers that officials say were trying to evade U.S. sanctions, including a vessel that was flying a Russian flag.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Authored by James Howard Kunstler,

Monsters Of The Deep

“Timing, not haste, drives what will happen next.”

– Thomas Sowell

Minneapolis, the sucking chest wound on America’s body politic, gets a break this week from Gawda’mighty, who is turning the heat down to subzero so that ICE-Watch nose-rings can hole-up in their Soros-paid motels, play League of Legends with their DoorDashed Chick-fil-A nuggets, and rest up for the next inning of their motley revolution. ICE itself might even have to lay off its daily round-up of rapists, cut-throats, and child-molesters, to wait out the cold-snap.

Meanwhile, things elsewhere roughen up a little.

For instance: Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum (WEF) holds its annual jamboree of vampire squids. Klaus Schwab is out, by the way. He skulked off in a malodorous cloud of embezzlement and sexual irregularities, to be replaced by Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the hedge fund that owns everything in the USA and wants more.

Larry Fink is living proof of the banality of evil, an early pioneer of mortgage-backed securities, which nearly blew up the global banking system in 2008-09, after which he pioneered the wholesale purchasing of foreclosed houses by hedge funds. Neat trick. Cornered the market on all the inventory, so, now, nobody under age-fifty in America can afford to buy a house — but you can rent one from BlackRock!

Larry Fink of BlackRock and the World Economic Forum

Larry Fink landed as interim head of the WEF largely because BlackRock has been espousing Klaus Schwab’s ideas about “Stakeholder Capitalism,” which allows global corporations to pretend that they have beneficent “societal purpose” while they go about ass-raping the common folk of Western Civ. Climate change and green new deals top that agenda, along with diversity, equity, and inclusion and additional bullshit about “environment, social, and governance factors” (ESG) in its global strategies portfolio — meaning, mandates for exactly the kind of policies that are destroying Europe’s economies, de-industrialization foremost.

Among the invited speakers at Davos this year: one US President Donald Trump. He is going to kill them with kindness, a tongue-bath of Trumpian compliments — you are the greatest. . . beautiful leaders like the world has never seen before — while he artfully inserts a stiletto in the WEF’s liver. You might not even know that the org is a walking corpse until a few weeks after the Davos meeting shuts down. But Mr. Trump is going to terminate its influence and send a message that the era of globalist shenanigans is over.

The president can point to two demonstration projects.

First, the USA’s acquisition of Greenland one way or another, either ownership or some leasing agreement or revised treaty arrangement. You can be sure that the EU does not like that — big bully America picking on cuddly little Denmark, “the world’s happiest country.” But since they are happily oblivious to Greenland’s strategic importance (vis-a-vis China’s nefarious ambitions there) it is up to America to prepare the game-board. The art of the deal, of course, is making it fait accompli before the targeted property-owner has even entered the discussion. How that works will be a painful discovery for the walking dead Davosanistas.

The second demo will be how the recent arrest of Nicolás Maduro leads to revelations of the globalist conspiracy to interfere in elections here, there, and everywhere. Señor Maduro sold his Smartmatic system to all comers, and you can bet that the plea bargain talks are already underway in Brooklyn (if not already concluded). Yes, it is our old friend, the Kraken, which is a related species of giant squid to the vampire variety convened in Davos.

The Kraken breeches…

This election fraud business is really consequential. It redounds to the criminality of the Democratic Party that had the impudence to jam an enfeebled marionette, “Joe Biden,” into the Oval Office, allowing a treasonous cabal of nihilists to nearly wreck the country. The massive evidence of that crime was clumsily suppressed by the cabal and its allies in the news business.

But it is surfacing again, now with Señor Maduro’s imprimatur, and it will turn into a force five storm off the coast of Florida as grand juries in Fort Pierce and Fort Lauderdale were empaneled a week ago to consider the myriad lawless operations mounted against Mr. Trump since 2015, including election fraud. The lawless are going to be rounded up, from Raffensperger in Georgia, to Katie Hobbs in Arizona, to Jocelyn Benson in Michigan, to Jena Griswold in Colorado, to dozens of other officials who were in on the big vote switcheroo of Nov. 3, 2020.

And when the revelations finally come, it will be too much for the foot-dragging villains in the US Senate to continue resisting — they will have to pass the SAVE Act or some legislation like it that requires voter ID, one election day, and paper ballots counted by humans, not machines.

It remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party goes extinct because of its exposed, widespread criminality, or because it simply can’t win an election without massive ballot fraud.

Washed-up former CNN host Don Lemon has been put on notice by the U.S. Department of Justice over claims that he joined a far-left group of anti-ICE protesters who stormed a Sunday church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service,” Harmeet Dhillon, the DoJ’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, wrote on X.

“You [Lemon] are on notice!” Dhillon wrote. In a separate post, she said that the FBI has been “activated” and accused the left-wing mob of “desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

She also said, “The DoJ’s Civil Rights division is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. @AGPamBondi https://t.co/uZBBv1iuuH

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 18, 2026

Dozens of left-wing activists, some potentially paid agitators and others who admitted they were from out of town, stormed the Cities Church sanctuary on Sunday after believing that one of the pastors was the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office.

Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote: “I just spoke to the pastor in Minnesota whose church was targeted. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law. If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes and ensure that the rule of law prevails.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned: “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.”

Baptist minister Paul Chappell condemned Lemon and the left-wing activists:

We condemn the actions of Don Lemon and the group of activists who stormed Cities Church today in St. Paul, Minnesota, in clear violation of the FACE Act. Christians everywhere should demand that the Department of Justice arrest those who participated. We must protect religious liberty in this country.

We condemn the actions of Don Lemon and the group of activists who stormed Cities Church today in St. Paul, Minnesota, in clear violation of the FACE Act. Christians everywhere should demand that the Department of Justice arrest those who participated. We must protect religious… pic.twitter.com/YlkjJC3YCv

— Paul Chappell (@PaulChappell) January 19, 2026

Left-wing violence in Democrat-run blue cities in America is absolutely alarming. The president last week threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order in Minneapolis after dark-money funded nonprofits and militant left-wing groups mounted pressure campaigns to impede federal deportation operations of criminal illegal aliens.

Meanwhile, left-wing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has demanded the troops “get the f*** out of Minneapolis.” The mayor did admit in a television interview about a network of nonprofits operating a pressure campaign against the federal government.

POLITICAL VIOLENCE: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey refuses to reveal the identities of the NGOs he’s working with to organize protests in his city. The DOJ is investigating the groups with funding and directives from Soros and CCP-linked NGOs. pic.twitter.com/C9cWgIZ5VN

— @amuse (@amuse) January 8, 2026

Trump has sent 3,000 ICE agents to the sanctuary city, with 1,500 troops on standby if social unrest worsens.

What’s important to understand is that if temperatures hadn’t been averaging around 10F, the Democratic Party and its billionaire-funded NGO network would have unleashed riots and chaos if temperatures had been just a bit warmer. This is a warning that Democrats are preparing to unleash chaos come spring, whether protests, riots, and whatever else, as we’ve warned – this is part of a color-revolution operation. This is highly organized and structured.

Related:

• NYC Socialists Prepare Mass Mobilization Of 4,000 Anti-ICE Army

Why a left-wing mob and a former CNN host are roaming a sanctuary city hunting for a church pastor sounds like something that would only happen under Marxist regimes in third-world countries.

Lemon, in damage control mode, calls everything that happened “fake news” … 

NEW: Don Lemon blames the organizer of the group who stormed the MN church after the DOJ launched an investigation into the incident.

Lemon, who uploaded a video of himself defending the mob from inside the church, says he was simply engaged in “an act of journalism.”

“Why… pic.twitter.com/t0Fi2SGLiZ

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2026

Let’s not forget that even the deep state publication The Atlantic had to admit an uncomfortable truth for Democrats: “Left-Wing Terrorism Is on the Rise.”

Submitted by Tight Spreads

The DOE has been flooding their sites with white-papers and latest Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap (FS&T Roadmap) are not just a scientific plan, but an industrial policy designed to transition fusion from the laboratory to the commercial market by the mid-2030s. The DOE has prioritized its actions to align with the aggressive “fast-track” development cycles of nuclear fission and fusion companies:

Near-Term (Next 2-3 Years): Digitalization & Infrastructure Prep

• AI-Fusion Convergence: Launch the AI-Fusion Digital Convergence Platform to use machine learning to speed up materials discovery and predict plasma behavior.

• Infrastructure Start: Build small-to-medium test facilities and complete the design for large-scale “First-of-a-Kind” (FOAK) facilities.

• Regulatory Frameworks: Finalize licensing and safety standards to give investors, consumers, and citizens alike certainty on how these plants will be regulated.

Mid-Term (3-5 Years): Prototype Integration

• Pilot Plant Construction: Support the private sector in constructing the first fusion pilot plants (FPPs).

• Fuel & Materials Testing: Delivery of integration platforms for testing tritium fuel cycles and materials under intense radiation.

• Supply Chain Seeding: Support domestic manufacturing for high-heat components and superconducting magnets.

Long-Term (5-10 Years): Grid Delivery & Scale-Up

• Commercial Operation: The first fleet of pilot plants begins delivering power to the grid.

• Commercial Maturity: Expand public infrastructure to support a global market, focusing on lowering the levelized cost of energy to make fusion competitive with other generation technologies today.

The Six Core Technical Challenge Areas

These are the gaps the DOE is prioritizing through its public research budget to ensure relevant companies succeed.

1. Structural Materials: Developing metals that won’t become brittle or weak after years of intense neutron bombardment. Metals such as Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic (RAFM) steels can withstand intense neutron damage without swelling or becoming brittle.

2. Plasma-Facing Components (PFCs): Creating “first walls” that can survive heat fluxes equivalent to the surface of the sun.

3. Confinement Systems: Optimizing magnets and lasers to hold the superheated fuel stable for long periods. Relevant companies: BRKR, COHR

4. Fuel Cycle & Tritium Processing: Establishing a closed loop fuel system to breed, recover, and recycle tritium fuel, as it is extremely scarce in nature. Relevant companies: OKLO, ASPI, BWXT

5. Blankets: Engineering the wrapper around the reactor that captures heat for electricity and breeds the fuel.

6. Plant Engineering & Integration: Linking a fusion reactor to standard turbines and maintenance via robotics. Relevant companies: NVDA, IBM

The Future of Energy: Understanding the Mechanics of Fusion

To grasp the next frontier of the energy transition, we need to distinguish between the nuclear power we use today and the “holy grail” of energy: Nuclear Fusion. Nuclear fusion is the process of combining two light atomic nuclei to form a single, heavier nucleus. This process releases a massive amount of energy as it typically uses two hydrogen isotopes for fuel: Deuterium and Tritium (D-T fuel). Nuclear Fission is the splitting of heavy atoms, such as the current method of commercial nuclear power plants with Uranium.

What is Plasma?

We are typically taught that there are three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Plasma is the fourth state, and it is the most common form of matter in the visible universe. Plasma is created when a gas is heated to such extreme temperatures that the electrons are stripped away from their parent atoms. This results in an “ionized” gas—a hot, soup-like mixture of free-moving positively charged nuclei (ions) and negatively charged electrons. It is highly conductive and can be manipulated and shaped by magnetic fields. This characteristic is the lynchpin of modern fusion reactor design.

Plasma in a fusion fusion reactor:

Plasma’s Significance in a Fusion Reactor

In a fusion reactor, plasma is not just a byproduct; it is the reaction medium itself. It plays three critical roles toward enabling fusion energy:

• The Coulomb Barrier: Atomic nuclei are positively charged and naturally repel one another. To overcome this “Coulomb Barrier,” the fuel is heated into a plasma state, providing the extreme kinetic energy necessary for the nuclei to collide and fuse.

• Magnetic Confinement: Because no physical material can withstand fusion temperatures (upwards of 150 million degrees Celsius), the plasma must be suspended in mid-air. Scientists use the plasma’s electromagnetic properties to hold it in place using powerful superconducting magnets.

• Self-Sufficiency: The ultimate goal is to achieve a burning plasma. This is a self-sufficient state where the heat generated by the fusion reactions themselves maintains the required temperature, eliminating the need for external heating.

Plasma as a medium in a Tokamak Fusion Reactor:

The Role of Materials in Fusion Architectures

Structural materials form the physical vessel and internal supports of a fusion plant. Materials must withstand unprecedented neutron flux, high thermal loads, and corrosive environments while maintaining the precise vacuum required for plasma stability.

Materials that are prioritized include Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic (RAFM) steels and vanadium alloys. These are engineered to minimize long-lived radioactive waste, ensuring that the structural “backbone” of either machine doesn’t remain hazardous for centuries after the plant is decommissioned. Easily produced RAFM steels and vanadium alloys strategically provide supply chain independence, dual-use applications in defense and aerospace, and enable closed fuel cycles to enhance commercial viability.

Plasma-Facing Components (PFCs) & Interactions

PFCs are the “first wall” materials that directly interact with the 100-million-degree plasma. They must exhaust extreme heat without contaminating the reaction. Tungsten, a critical material for PFCs, is a key focus of domestic mineral security.

Layers of a fusion reactor:

Magnetic and Inertial Confinement Fusion

The DOE’s FS&T Roadmap follows a dual-track approach pursuing two distinct methods to contain fusion: Magnetic Confinement Fusion & Inertial Confinement Fusion.

Magnetic Confinement Fusion: This method utilizes High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnets to create powerful magnetic “bottles.” These magnets suspend and stabilize the superheated plasma, preventing it from touching the reactor walls. There are two primary magnetic confinement architectures: Tokamaks and Stellarators:

• Tokamaks: These are doughnut-shaped devices that use a combination of external magnets and an internal electrical current flowing through the plasma to maintain stability.

• Stellarators: These use a complex, twisted ring of external coils to confine the plasma without needing an internal current. While more stable than Tokamaks, the geometry of a Stellarator is very intricate.

Companies that produce HTS magnets that make compact fusion possible:

• Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ: BRKR): Known for scientific instruments, BRKR additionally serves as a critical industrial partner to the DOE through its subsidiary Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies (BEST). BEST is known for its the stewardship of HTS magnet technology engineering. In the pursuit of next-generation energy solutions, BRKR has been a critical supplier of advanced Niobium-Tin and High-Temperature Superconductor (HTS) conductors for several high-stakes DOE initiatives: fusion energy, accelerator upgrades, and NMR proving grounds (relevant for testing the accuracy of isotope purities).

Inertial Confinement Fusion: This approach takes a “pulsed” path, using high-energy lasers to rapidly compress tiny fuel pellets. This intense compression triggers a series of micro-explosions that ignite the plasma, creating a steady stream of energy production similar to the internal combustion of an engine.

Inertial fusion requires pulsed lasers of incredible power and precision. The companies that build the optical components and high-power diodes are the primary enablers:

• Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR): A critical business in this sector. Their LEAP excimer laser platform is actually used by REBCO manufacturers to deposit the superconducting layers onto the tape. Furthermore, they provide high-power diode lasers essential for pumping the large-scale lasers used in fusion experiments.
• Syntec Optics (NASDAQ: OPTX): A U.S.-based manufacturer of precision optics. They provide the specialized lenses and mirrors required for high-energy laser systems.

Inertial Confinement Fusion:

The race for fusion is one of the key drivers for the U.S. massive push to securitize a domestic rare earth and advanced materials supply chain. A primary driver is the production of HTS magnets, which rely on Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO). These specialized materials allow for more compact and efficient fusion reactors, but their utility extends far beyond energy; REBCO technology is also essential for next-generation MRI machines and high-speed maglev rail systems.

The Fuel Cycle & Tritium Breeding

The DOE is pursuing a “closed-loop” fuel cycle where fusion and fast reactors breed their own tritium fuel using lithium-containing blankets. Because tritium is rare and radioactive, the FS&T Roadmap emphasizes advanced accountancy and Direct Internal Recycling to minimize inventory. The DOE is prioritizing Tritium as a vital material for the U.S. nuclear stockpile, critical for national defense and nonproliferation. Establishing a domestic supply of light isotopes—specifically Lithium-6, Tritium, and Deuterium for fusion breeding and fuel—ensures that the U.S. does not depend on international sources for its most critical nuclear assets.

Companies that are produce light isotopes and/or have breeder reactor capabilities include:

ASP Isotopes (ASPI): ASPI hopes to contribute to Li-6 supply in 2026/2027, as mentioned in their shareholder letter from September of 2025:

“There is a considerable amount of customer demand for HALEU, as well as Lithium-6 and Lithium-7. We expect to have the first Lithium-6 plant operational during 2026, subject to the timely receipt of all required permits and licenses.”

BWXT & The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): As of late 2025, TVA has emerged as the primary “Tritium Hub.” Leveraging their experience producing Tritium for the nuclear stockpile at Watts Bar, TVA is exploring the use of the BWRX-300 SMR to host Tritium-Producing Burnable Absorber Rods. By replacing standard neutron absorbers with lithium-based rods, these SMRs can “harvest” Tritium as a byproduct of normal electricity generation.

Oklo (Aurora Powerhouse and Atomic Alchemy): While Oklo’s primary Aurora powerhouse is a fast fission reactor capable of breeding tritium, its radioisotope pilot facility and VIPR technology have capabilities inclusive of producing specialized the “light isotopes” used in the breeder blanket and fuel. As of early 2026, Oklo’s subsidiary, Atomic Alchemy, has transitioned into active execution under a DOE Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to fast track their radioisotope business and production.

TerraPower (Natrium): As a similar reactor design to the Aurora Powerhouse, the Natrium reactor is an ideal candidate for isotope production. Fast reactors can irradiate lithium targets, potentially producing Tritium at a much higher rate than traditional light-water reactors.

Holtec (SMR-300): Holtec has positioned its SMR as a multipurpose tool. Their recent filings suggest that their reactors at the Palisades site could be configured with specialized “target” assemblies to produce various isotopes, including Tritium, for both commercial fusion and medical use.

Blanket Science and Technology

The blanket of a reactor in the latest FS&T Roadmap has been reimagined as the “Energy Engine” of the fusion power plant. While the plasma provides the environment for the reaction, the blanket is the critical interface where that reaction is converted into tangible products: usable heat for the electrical grid and essential fuel for the reactor’s continued operation. This massive component surrounds the fusion core and serves three non-negotiable functions:

1. It facilitates energy conversion by capturing high-energy neutrons—which carry approximately 80% of the fusion energy—and converting their kinetic energy into thermal heat.

2. It enables tritium breeding by using those same neutrons to strike lithium-6 atoms, transmuting them into Tritium.

3. It acts as a radiation shield, protecting delicate superconducting magnets and exterior plant components from intense neutron flux to ensure structural longevity.

One of the most significant strategic shifts in the 2025 Roadmap is the explicit move to leverage advanced fission R&D to accelerate these fusion milestones. The molten salts used in fusion blankets are nearly identical to the coolants required for Generation-IV Fission Molten Salt Reactors. By aligning these technologies, the DOE is creating a unified domestic supply chain where purification systems, high-temperature pumps, and specialized alloys developed for advanced fission can be utilized directly in the fusion sector.

Plant Engineering & Systems Integration

This challenge focuses on the Balance of Plant (BOP)—the turbines, heat exchangers, and robotic maintenance systems that turn a “fusion engine” into a grid-ready power plant. The priority is reliability, availability, maintainability, and inspectability. Here, the AI-fusion digital convergence becomes the primary tool. AI-enabled “Digital Twins” will manage the plant’s complex systems in real-time, just as they optimize hyperscale data centers today. This creates a massive opportunity for the AI ecosystem; companies like NVIDIA and IBM are already leading efforts (such as Stellar-AI) to provide the supercomputing clusters needed for these simulations.

Many often focus on the “Fusion Core,” but the Balance of Plant is where 50% of the capital cost lives. This is the traditional engineering—turbines, heat exchangers, and cooling systems—that turns heat into electricity. Standard steam turbines may not be efficient enough. This requires innovations such as Supercritical CO2 turbines which are developed by only a handful of agencies and almost exclusively by Oklo commercially. These turbines are smaller and more efficient than steam, and are being prioritized to keep the plant footprint small.

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Read more at the TightSpreads substack