Free Republic

The US strikes Venezuela, 'Maduro captured and flown out'. 'Large-scale strike', an extraordinary nighttime operation. Lens on Maduro's last interview before capture. 'To Americans, I've always said, Venezuela a brother nation'. Maduro - If they want oil, we're ready for US investment...Stunning American military operation. A nation's sitting leader plucked from office. Multiple explosions rang out in Caracas. Low-flying aircraft swept through Venezuela's capital city. The US attack lasted less than 30 minutes. At least 7 blasts sent people rushing into the streets. Venezuelan Govt: US hit civilian and military installations. Smoke seen rising from hangar of a military base...

The word “Fascist” seems to get thrown around these days and utilized more often to shut down discussion than to encourage it. There are even groups out there calling themselves “anti-fascist” while simultaneously supporting a party and leaders that seek to eliminate freedom and impose increasing centralized federal power. However, as the great poet warrior Inigo Montoya once observed “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” So, what is fascism? Lieutenant Colonel James MacMillan established the definition as a political system based on a very powerful leader, state control of social...

The US will lose its measles elimination status in three weeks if cases continue to surge amid ongoing outbreaks in South Carolina, Utah, Arizona, Texas and other states, Health department staff members enter the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic carrying doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas.

Due to a software error, over 300,000 Californians will need to replace their REAL IDs, the California Department of Motor Vehicles said this week. According to the department, a review of its data systems identified that some legal immigrants were issued REAL IDs that do not expire at the same time as their authorization to remain in the country. About 325,000 individuals will be notified in the coming weeks and months about the actions they need to take to obtain a REAL ID or a non-REAL ID driver’s license, if eligible. The department will expedite the process and waive any...

The United States will run the country of Venezuela until a replacement for dictator Nicolás Maduro can be found and sworn in, President Donald Trump announced at a press conference today. The Trump administration plans to send American oil companies down to take over the lucrative Venezuelan oil business, according to the president. And the U.S. military stands ready for a second and bigger attack on Venezuela should that be necessary, Trump promised. Maduro “will never again be able to” terrorize Americans, Trump promised. The captured dictator and his wife face charges in New York for their role in fueling...

The Bail Project has poured more than $90 million into bailing suspects out of jail, including individuals who later killed people while free on bail. The organization says its mission is to provide "free bail assistance" and "reunite families." In multiple instances, however, defendants bailed out by the organization later killed someone, at times shortly after being released from jail. In total, the organization claimed in a 2024 report that it has provided $91 million in "bail assistance" to defendants. Donnie Allen allegedly murdered 27-year-old Benjamin McComas at a Cleveland rail station around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, according...

The president curbed illegal immigration, boosted the economy, enacted tax reform, targeted gender ideology, and resolved international conflicts.WASHINGTON—Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has rapidly reshaped America’s domestic and international priorities.In the first year of his second term, his administration enacted sweeping tax reform, deported millions of illegal immigrants, imposed tariffs to balance trade relations, brokered several peace deals, overhauled U.S. foreign policy, and ordered the federal government to recognize only two sexes—male and female—among other measures.Here is a look at key actions Trump has taken so far.Border SecurityOne of Trump’s first acts was to...

The Libertarian Party of New York issued a statement following the inauguration of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, expressing concerns about his policy agenda and reasserting its support for voluntary solutions and limited government. In a January 1 release, the party said it continued to have reservations about Mamdani’s stated policies, specifically citing rent freezes, free public busing, universal childcare, and municipal grocery stores. Mamdani, who was inaugurated that same day, has previously voiced his support for a more aggressive city government and stated in his Thursday speech that his administration would “replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with...

Just a few months ago, Larissa Laramee would have encouraged Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to run for president. She admired the man who helped lead the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024 — and who once taught her social studies. But Laramee’s feelings have changed as a years-long welfare fraud probe in Minnesota becomes a national maelstrom. Prosecutors say scammers stole brazenly from safety net programs, taking hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding — potentially billions — for services they never provided while Walz led the state. “I like him as a person. He’s fantastic,” said Laramee, 40, who...

By pumping and selling Venezuelan oil we'll be able to: -Reimburse the US oil companies raped by Chavez when he nationalized their industry. -Reimburse the US the cost of the operation and future management. -Bring down the national debt. -Build an even bigger ballroom.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday proposed appointing First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine's new defense minister, praising his abilities in developing the drones and digitization needed for the country's defense. Fedorov also served as minister of digital transformation and his appointment must be ​approved by parliament. He is to replace Denys Shmyhal. "Mykhailo is deeply engaged in the 'drone line' initiative and works very effectively ⁠on the digitalization of state services and processes," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. "Together with all our military personnel, military ​command, national weapons manufacturers and Ukraine's partners, we must implement changes...

International leaders reacted swiftly on Saturday morning as President Trump confirmed U.S. military strikes in Venezuela and announced the capture of the country's leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife. Many U.S. adversaries, including some of Venezuela's nearest neighbors, condemned the strikes, while other governments around the world called for deescalation and voiced concern for their citizens in the Latin American nation. Latin American reaction Colombia, which shares a border with Venezuela, called for urgent deescalation. It said it had "implemented steps to protect the civilian population, preserve stability on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, and promptly address any potential humanitarian or migration...

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a South Florida Democrat with a sizable Venezuelan population in her district, bucked her party Saturday to praise President Donald Trump’s capture of socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro. Wasserman Schultz said the U.S. military operation removing Maduro from power is “welcome news” for the millions of Venezuelans living in exile, though she argued Congress should have been informed. Conversely, a chorus of congressional Democrats immediately slammed the successful military operation as illegal and contrary to American interests. “The capture of the brutal, illegitimate ruler of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who oppressed Venezuela’s people is welcome news for my...

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that California's ban on openly carrying guns in most parts of the state is unconstitutional. A panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided 2-1 with a gun owner in ruling ‍that the state's prohibition against open carry in counties with more than 200,000 people violated the ‍Constitution's Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. About 95% of California residents live ⁠in counties of that size. The state has had some of the nation's strictest gun control laws. U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke said the Democrat-led state's law could...

President Donald Trump said during a Saturday press conference that the United States would “run” Venezuela until a “judicious” transition could take place in the country. Trump announced in a Saturday morning post to Truth Social that U.S. military forces carried out a law enforcement operation capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas early Saturday morning. During his press conference later that day, Trump said that the United States would also seek to repair the infrastructure of Venezuela’s oil industry. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and...

Amid the shadows of ancient empires and modern turmoil, the story of Iran and Israel is one of profound paradox. Once bound by mutual respect and strategic alliance, their paths diverged dramatically with the rise of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Now, as winds of change sweep through Iran, whispers of hope for a brighter future emerge. This article explores the historical ties between Iran and Israel during the Pahlavi era, the bold steps taken by leaders like Prince Reza Pahlavi, and the exciting vision of a free Iran post-Islamic Republic—a free Iran that could stand as an unbreakable partner...

'We need to control the platforms, all the social platforms,' Cato Networks co-founder Shlomo Kramer saidIsraeli billionaire tech entrepreneur and Cato Networks co-founder Shlomo Kramer argued on Monday’s episode of CNBC’s "Money Movers" that governments must restrict freedom of speech in the age of AI.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump Monday at his Mar-a-Lago estate, weeks after a top Israeli defense official warned the world is soon to face its first cyber-based war. This meeting between Trump and Netanyahu comes amid growing debate within some conservative circles over the scope of American backing for Israel and...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJohn the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John 1:29–31Though John grew up in the hill country of Judea near Jerusalem and Jesus grew up in Nazareth, it is very likely that their families...

Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, has sent her resignation letter to the governor. The letter was sent Saturday. Republicans had been making plans to impeach her ever since her Dec. 19 conviction. Dugan wrote that over the past decade she handled thousands of cases with “a commitment to treat all persons with dignity and respect, to act justly, deliberately and consistently, and to maintain a courtroom with the decorum and safety the public deserves.” But she said the case against her is too big of a...