Free Republic

In a candid discussion, Harris acknowledged he used to defend Biden’s mental acuity by separating the president’s communication struggles from his decision-making abilities. “It’s at least intelligible to say, ‘Okay, he’s not a good communicator. He was never a good communicator, he’s only getting worse,’” Harris said. “You can’t reliably stick him in front of a microphone and trust that something good is gonna come out of his mouth.” Harris once accepted the idea that while Biden fumbled public speaking engagements, he was still competent when it came to deliberating important issues in private. “The truth is… when you sit...

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a fiscal hawk who has openly criticized House Republicans' reconciliation bill, predicted Sunday that there are enough in his flock to stop the process "until the president gets serious about spending reduction and reducing the deficit." The big picture: Pushing President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" through the House was far from a painless process, but the fiscal package now heads to the Senate, where the chamber is likely to make changes. Johnson, who has not held back in his criticism of the bill championed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), characterized the GOP-only legislation as "the...

It is painful but also amusing to watch high-ranking Democrats and media personalities struggle to find culprits for their loss in 2024. Everybody but the Biden family agrees that the fault is Joe Biden’s for insisting that he possessed sufficient mental acuity and physical strength to seek and serve a second term. But did staffers hide the truth from the world? Did Democratic VIPs on Capitol Hill and elsewhere owe it to the country to say openly that they couldn’t support Mr. Biden’s re-election effort? The answer to both questions is yes, and some key figures in the administration had...

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is under scrutiny following her initial refusal to condemn the recent murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. The victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum on May 21. When approached by reporters for comment, Omar declined, stating, "I'm going to go for now." Later that day, Omar posted on social media expressing that she was "appalled" by the shooting and extended thoughts and prayers to the victims' families. However, critics argue that her response lacked a direct condemnation of the attack. White House Press Secretary...

Dear FRiends, We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. This means no spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers. And because we are not a 501C, we have preserved our God-given, constitutionally protected right to free speech without government intervention. If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today: Click here: to donate by Credit CardOr here: to donate by PayPalOr by mail to: Free Republic, LLC...

Prominent British anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has been charged with harassment causing fear of violence to two men around the time of the nationwide riots last year, prosecutors said on Wednesday. "We have authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 42, with harassment causing fear of violence against two men," a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said in a statement. Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, is currently in prison over a separate contempt of court issue but is due to be released next week after winning a bid on Tuesday to trim the 18-month sentence. The CPS said the...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday criticized the United States and the international community for remaining silent after Russia unleashed what Ukrainian officials describing as the largest aerial assault on the country since the war began. Russian forces launched a massive overnight barrage Saturday as 367 drones and missiles targeted more than 30 cities and villages across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv. At least 12 people were killed, according to officials, including three children in the northern region of Zhytomyr.

A man convicted of raping and killing a woman near a central Florida bar has been scheduled for execution in Florida under a death warrant signed Friday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, the seventh this year. Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, is set to die by lethal injection June 24 at Florida State Prison near the city of Starke. Gudinas was convicted in 1995 and sentenced to death for the murder of Michelle McGrath. ...

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that there were “enough” Republican senators who would not vote for the so-called “big, beautiful” spending bill without significant changes. Host Jake Tapper said, “How determined are you to be that guy if it actually means telling President Trump you are going to vote against the bill and you’re going to try to get other Republican senators to join you, unless there are major, major changes?” Johnson said, “Well, in 2010, I sprang out of the Tea Party movement and as I did parades I would shout, this...

"It actually (found itself – ed.) in the epicenter of repelling a massive attack by enemy drones. We simultaneously conducted an anti-aircraft battle and ensured the safety of the president's helicopter in the air," said the commander of the air defense division, Yuri Dashkin. The events took place during Vladimir Putin's trip to the Kursk region earlier this week. According to Dashkin, the president was on board the helicopter during the drone attack.

Ex-Obama aide and “Pod Save America” co-host Jon Lovett admitted on Jon Stewart’s “The Weekly Show” podcast that he withheld his concerns about President Joe Biden’s physical decline during the 2024 campaign. Lovett told Stewart and his fellow “Pod Save America” host Jon Favreau that he didn’t want to publicly voice his concern over Biden’s declining health because he wanted him “to f—— win.” “I remember feeling I want to talk about this as a huge liability. To talk about this is something Joe Biden can overcome, but I’m not going to go so far as to say, ‘I think...

Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon is a Donald Trump fan, even though he doesn’t necessarily like the man. But he appreciates that Trump is taking a “wrecking ball” to the “broken government.” Lydon often voices his support for Trump, but in a interview with The Telegraph, he also says that one does not have to like Trump as a person to support what the president is doing in the White House. The punker told the paper that he “instinctively” hates all politicians. But he still has a soft spot for Trump, whom he calls the “the Orange Bad Man”...

The Talk ShowsMay 25th, 2025 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:FACE THE NATION (CBS): Margaret Brennan anchors: Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-LA); Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.); Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa); Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.); Deceased Sen. John McCain’s (RINO-AZ) widow Cindy McCain and son Jack McCain. FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Anchor Shannon Bream: Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-LA); Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.); Alex Thompson, co-author of “Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again in 2025”. Sunday special: Gary Sinise. Panel:...

Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered some shocking data points about American foreign aid spending before the Trump administration reformed the system. During testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, the top diplomat revealed that the White House discovered a foreign aid regime that was distracted and inefficient. Only 12 cents of every dollar spent by USAID reached recipients. ... while a mere 12 cents went to recipients, the other 88 cents was pocketed by third parties. ... Rubio noted that the United States is still giving “more humanitarian support than the next 10 countries combined” even after...

Israel will strike Iran’s nuclear facilities within days.This sobering conclusion emerges from the convergence of alarming intelligence assessments, failed diplomatic efforts, and lessons from this week’s Middle East Forum (MEF) war game simulation. The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency now warns that Tehran can produce sufficient weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear device in “probably less than one week.” From Jerusalem’s perspective, this shrinking timeline leaves virtually no margin for error.The fifth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Rome has crystallized the impossibility of a negotiated solution. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s departure mid-meeting on Friday—officially due to his “flight schedule,” while technical...

Russia has modernized its ballistic missiles used to strike Ukraine, making it more difficult for the Patriot missile defense systems to intercept them, according to the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuriy Ihnat. “We and our partners have information that the enemy’s missiles flying a ballistic trajectory - specifically the Iskander-M - have been improved and modernized,” Ihnat said during a national telethon. He revealed that each missile can now release radar decoys during its final approach to the target, confusing defensive systems. “It is about shooting down radar traps that each missile can release during the approach to...

Michael Mann was named the Ivy League school's inaugural vice provost for climate science last year

In deep blue Washington state, where state leaders say men in women’s sports is just fine and dandy, one tiny school district is defying that policy. In early May, the Quilcene School Board passed a resolution requiring that student-athletes participate in the gender of their birth, according to the Seattle Times. The 3-2 vote bucks state law and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association rule book. ... However, it is in keeping with the Trump administration’s definition of Title IX, which says women’s sports are only open to those born female. Chris Reykdal, Washington state superintendent of public instruction, has said...

The Justice Department’s (DOJ) reported probe into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City, is drawing accusations of political interference. The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., has launched an investigation into the former governor over his testimony last year concerning his nursing home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to multiple reports. The move, which The Hill has reached out to confirm, comes after the Trump administration had bribery charges dropped against sitting Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent in the same race. The...

Los Angeles’ deputy mayor for public safety has pleaded guilty to calling in a fake, anti-Israel bomb threat to himself in October. Brian Williams, who was charged by federal prosecutors Thursday, faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Mayor Karen Bass announced in December that Williams had been put on administrative leave, meaning he likely has been collecting his $245,143 combined salary and benefits without any official duties. As deputy mayor for public safety, Williams would have overseen the city’s fire and police response during the devastating January wildfires. The Department of Justice reports that during an online government...