Free Republic

President Donald Trump gifted Elon Musk a key to the White House for leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during his send-off press conference in the Oval Office on Friday. Friday marks the end of Musk’s special government employee tenure, which is capped at 130 days. Trump lauded Musk for the work that DOGE has done in exposing waste, fraud, and abuse. “Today, it’s about a man named Elon, and he’s one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced. He stepped forward to put his very great talents into the service of our nation,...

While the Qatari government's giving President Donald Trump a luxurious, state-of-the-art jet has grabbed headlines, it's actually quite common for foreign governments to send things as special gifts to build relations and curry favor. The Babylon Bee has obtained the following list of other gifts world leaders have given to America: Israel — Weather control machine: Finally, someone other than the Jews will be in control of the global climate. Mexico — A giant wooden horse: It sounds like there are people inside of it speaking Spanish, but that's probably nothing. Poland — A submarine with a screen door:...

Zelensky denies owing $100B (or the $500B Trump claimed), saying all aid was grants. But is that true? Let’s break it down. Lend-lease and military aid Biden signed a lend-lease law in May 2022, like in WWII. But it was never used and expired in Sept 2023; instead, the US gave weapons for free, per Ukrainian media. ⚔️ Grants, not loans? Since Feb 2022, the US approved $175B for Ukraine’s war effort: ✅ $120B went directly to Ukraine as grants, as per CSIS 🎁 ✅ $55B went to US industries, Pentagon and global aid groups 🏭 But what about loans?...

The former special counsel who brought two criminal cases against President Donald Trump received $140,000 in free legal services from a prominent Washington law firm last month. Covington & Burling provided Jack Smith with the gift of pro-bono legal assistance, Politico first reported citing a disclosure he filed last month in connection with him leaving the Justice Department. It’s unclear why Smith sought outside lawyers, but Trump had repeatedly ripped Smith and his team, vowing to fire them and strongly suggesting they should be criminally prosecuted. “They ought to throw Deranged Jack Smith and his Thug Prosecutors in jail,” Trump...

Chicago cops blocked city inspectors from entering a curious “Gift Room” filled with designer bags, Hugo Boss cufflinks, a personalized Mont Blanc pen and other ritzy goodies that were accepted by Mayor Brandon Johnson, according to a bombshell report. The trove of pricey giveaways are part of an “unwritten arrangement” that dates back 35 years, in which mayors can just write down gifts they received in a logbook and store some of them on the fifth floor of City Hall instead of reporting them to the Board of Ethics, according to the Office of Inspector General. But the new report...

A stone-faced Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court Friday during his historic arraignment on bombshell federal corruption charges. Hizzoner — who is the first sitting New York City mayor to be criminally indicted — stared blankly ahead as the judge fired off the slew of conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery allegations he is facing. “I am not guilty, your honor,” Adams told the judge.

If you must exchange Christmas gifts this year, let it be something old and sturdy. Let’s give the landfills a break.The current minimalism fad might be the only sane response to having so much cheap junk in our lives. When considering Christmas gifts to buy or receive, many weary shoppers find that the most appealing present seems to be nothing at all. It’s a weariness induced by material overload of items that just don’t work.Writing on his Substack, author Walter Kirn bemoans living in “Generation Junk.” In painful detail, to which so many of us can relate, Kirn describes the...

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Ghana on Monday. She praised the “democratic principles” of President Nana Akufo-Addo and pledged $139 million in assistance for the coming fiscal year, plus a share of various regional initiatives, including economic support and counter-terrorism programs. The extensive package of U.S. assistance promised to Ghana included heavy funding for “conflict prevention and stabilization,” U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) money for economic development in poverty-stricken northern Ghana, debt restructuring, fellowships for young Ghanaians to find work with the Ministry of Finance, and increased funding to combat forced labor and human trafficking.

The CIA put four bottles of "vintage wine" and a basket containing wine and cognac given by undisclosed foreign parties to "official use," while destroying other items like wristwatches given as gifts to agency employees. Because the CIA is a clandestine intelligence service, many of the details about gifts given to CIA employees from foreign dignitaries and sources are kept secret. But a foreign gift disclosure document released by the State Department Thursday shows gifts many CIA employees received were destroyed, including watches ranging in value from $500 to $10,000. Gift-giving is a major part of foreign relations, a sign...

Fur coats purportedly given to widows of soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine as compensation for their deaths were taken back after the women were filmed expressing their gratitude for them, it has been reported. A video clip widely viewed on Russian social media shows a group of women holding up the garments in the town of Makiivka, in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine. "Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts…for taking care of us," said one woman before the group said "thank you" in unison. The man filming the women was reportedly Yevgeny Skripnik, an...

The Wise Men brought gifts to God incarnate. Do I give the best of the time, talents, and treasure entrusted to me... or just what is left over after sacrificing at the altars of the world?The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world (CCC 528). Who were the wise men who came to find the “new king of the Jews”? They were men of the East (Matt 2:1), learned in reading the stars and ancient prophecy. They were not among God’s chosen people. They were gentiles. They came to...

MUNCIE, IN — IRS agents kicked off a new holiday tradition this week as they began nationwide canvassing of taxpayers' homes, sliding down their chimneys in search of undeclared gifts worth $600 or more. Terrence Poole, Special Agent in Charge of Joy-Quashing, explained the agency's actions, saying, "We understand that people get caught up in the spirit of the season and all that. But we want to be a constant reminder that celebrating the birth of the Savior of the universe is not more important than giving an account to the government for every single thing you have." The Jackson...

I am thinking of ordering Highlights magazine for my grandchild. She is 3 going on 4 and I know I loved it as a kid.The excitment of getting her own mail and then looking thru it would be fun and educational. Is it too woke these days?

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

The Russians are “regrouping” so rapidly in the Kharkiv region that Ukrainian troops barely have time to captured all the weapons and equipments during the offensive in Kharkiv region but they manage to captured so many weapons abandon by Russian Army. Several photo appeared in the public domain indicating that during the offensive in the Kharkiv Region, the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took as a trophy the enemy command and staff vehicle R-149МА1, which is an element of the automated control system of the Russian military, known under the designations “Sozvezdie” and “ESU TK”. It seems that...

House Oversight Committee Democrats have launched an investigation into the gifts former President Trump received while he was in office, claiming he failed to account for thousands of dollars’ worth of gifts he received from foreign officials. According to the committee, the former president appears to have flouted laws that require turning over any gift deemed to be worth more than $415 — a longstanding practice based on the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which places limits on what the president can receive from foreign governments.

A government watchdog is demanding the US Attorney probing Hunter Biden in Delaware investigate tens of millions in anonymous donations from China to the University of Pennsylvania, where an academic center is named for his father, President Biden. The Ivy League college raked in a total of $54.6 million from 2014 through June 2019 in donations from China, including $23.1 million in anonymous gifts starting in 2016, according to public records.

President Joe Biden tried to distance himself from supply chain disruptions this Christmas, telling Americans on Wednesday he was not responsible for any problems. “I can’t promise that every person will get every gift they want on time,” Biden said. “Only Santa Claus can keep that promise.” Biden argued that shortages for some goods around Christmas were normal, citing the Cabbage Patch Kids doll shortage in the 1980s and also the shortage of Beanie Babies in past years. The president downplayed reports of reduced supplies of goods for Americans shopping for the holidays. “Here’s the deal. For the vast majority...

A damning new report claims that Hunter Biden helped expand Chinese influence in America in a $10 million a year agreement and an $80,000 diamond. In her new book, Laptop from Hell, New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, describes Hunter Biden's business dealings with a Chinese-linked energy consortium, called CEFC.

In C. S. Lewis’s book, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," he describes a beautiful place (Narnia) under the spell of an evil character (the White Witch) – who symbolizes the Devil. Lewis writes of her that it was she who has made it "always winter, but never Christmas.""Always winter, but never Christmas" – what a great phrase to describe this world, without the loving, powerful, and positive influence of Jesus Christ.Could you imagine life in such an intolerable state where we had to endure the brutal conditions of the winter season – but never having Christmas to look...