Free Republic

Chicago’s radical and deeply unpopular Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson is urging his residents to “rise up” and take to the streets to oppose the legal enforcement of federal immigration laws even as the nation braces for a series of protests in big cities across the nation this weekend. With the threat of mass riots during the so-called “No Kings” protests, Johnson is dangerously egging the protests on in his cash-strapped city. On Wednesday, when asked about the coming protests, Johnson praised the “No Kings” plans and said he hoped his constituents would join the demonstrations.

The Democrat mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, Donna Deegan, via the City of Jacksonville’s Office of General Counsel, advised the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office not to enforce immigration law. “The Office of General Counsel of the, that was appointed by the Democratic mayor, sent a letter to the sheriff or email to the sheriff today telling him, do not enforce the state illegal immigration law and do not enforce the local illegal immigration law that we’ve been on this show talking about,” Jacksonville City Council President-Elect Kevin Carrico revealed when speaking to Florida’s Voice.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to sign the Abraham Accords in a previously unplanned meeting on Wednesday, one day after lifting all sanctions on the Middle Eastern country. The two leaders met on the sidelines of a Gulf Cooperation Council gathering in Riyadh, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan phoning into the conversation. Syria currently doesn’t recognize Israel’s statehood, and the Abraham Accords were just one of Trump’s requests to Syria in an effort to normalize relations. Trump also told the Syrian leader to make all foreign terrorists leave Syria, deport Palestinian terrorists, help...

Christian evangelist Franklin Graham is urging Americans to pray for President Donald Trump ahead of the commander-in-chief’s trip to the Middle East. “Pray for President @realDonaldTrump as he travels to the Middle East for meetings,” Graham wrote on Monday morning. “There will be much pressure put on him relating to Israel, Gaza, and the Palestinians.” “Pray for God’s protection, and may God give him wisdom,” he added. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previewed Trump’s four-day trip to the Middle East on Friday, telling reporters that Trump plans to “reemphasize his continued vision for a proud, prosperous, and successful Middle...

In a wide-ranging and unapologetically pro-growth address Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent laid out the Trump administration’s economic vision for the next four years, calling on global investors to align with what he described as a “new Golden Age” for American enterprise. Speaking before an audience of business leaders, financiers, and policymakers at the Milken Institute’s annual Global Conference, Bessent delivered what amounted to a comprehensive blueprint for the administration’s domestic agenda—one built around three interlocking pillars: strategic tariffs, aggressive tax incentives, and sweeping deregulation. “Our goal is not simply to grow the economy,” Bessent said. “It’s to re-anchor global...

She’s cracking. Gov. Kathy Hochul sounded off Wednesday about the “outrageous” price of eggs — jokingly telling New Yorkers to make chocolate cake with applesauce instead. The unprompted recipe suggestion came as Hochul, during a news conference in Midtown, slammed President Trump’s tariffs for driving up prices on everything from avocados to children’s toys. “And I’m done talking about the price of eggs — just give up eating them,” she said, drawing laughter. “It’s just outrageous, outrageous.” “You can make a really good chocolate cake with applesauce,” she added. “I digress, it’s also vegan.”

(AFP) — Developing countries should strike swift trade deals with the United States at the “earliest possible” opportunity, the president of the World Bank told AFP Friday, after a busy week with global financial leaders in Washington. Ajay Banga was interviewed by AFP at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s Spring Meetings, which have been held this year under a cloud of uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s stop-start tariff rollout. The Bank has been advising developing countries to get a deal done quickly with the United States, and to then focus attention on cutting trade barriers and boosting regional...

Megyn Kelly is urging Americans to have patience with President Trump as backlash over his far-reaching “reciprocal” tariffs continues to grow. “He’s asking everybody to be a little patient. I think given the guy’s success in the first term, economically, we should give it to him,” Kelly told the Daily Mail. “He’s earned the right to our patience, and I’m prepared to provide it,” the host of SiriusXM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show” declared. Trump’s sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports went into effect over the weekend, and even steeper levies began Wednesday, hitting US allies and adversaries alike, with China...

Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.), the maverick Democrat who has praised President Trump at times, on Thursday condemned the Trump administration’s decision to bar transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military and called for a reversal of the policy. “I am unapologetically pro-military — I believe in a strong, lethal military. But I am also unapologetically pro the LGBTQ community,” Fetterman said in a video posted to X. “I am calling on President Trump to rescind this executive order — to allow and honor the inherent dignity of our service members regardless of what their race is, what their gender...

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) has reportedly told his colleagues to oppose the idea of term limits, which aligns with his past public statements. A report from Axios said two sources indicated McConnell told Senate Republicans that “imposing term limits on the Senate leader is a bad idea during a Wednesday meeting about the direction of the conference”: McConnell was one of several senators who spoke during an hour-and-a-half conference meeting, which was called by conservative Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.). McConnell spoke against imposing term limits for the top GOP position, calling it a bad idea, according to...

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on the US to give Ukraine “what they need as fast as possible” a day after President Biden ruled out the possibility of sending F-16 fighter jets to the war-torn nation. “This is not the moment to delay any support for Ukraine. This is the moment to double down on our support. Give them what they need, whether it’s the tanks or the long-range artillery fires. They need to kick Putin out of the whole of the territory,” Johnson told Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier Tuesday during an interview on “Special Report.” Biden,...

Former Vice President Mike Pence is offering his support for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in his bid for Speaker, urging Republicans to rally around the former minority leader after the House on Tuesday failed to secure a Speaker on its first ballot for the first time in 100 years. Pence joins his former boss, ex-President Trump, in calling for GOP lawmakers to cast their ballots for McCarthy. “Urging Every Republican in @HouseGOP to support my friend, Kevin McCarthy as the next Speaker of the House,” Pence tweeted on Wednesday. “@GOPLeader’s Leadership & Vision led to The New Republican Majority &...

During a press conference at Broward Health Medical Center in Ft. Lauderdale, DeSantis noted what workers at the Jackson Health System in Miami are doing, which is noting which patients with COVID-19 are there because of the pandemic and which ones are there for other reasons but happen to test positive while they are there. "I think that’s an important distinction to make when you have a variant like omicron which is much more widespread," DeSantis said. "You are going to have people who get into a car accident and go into the emergency room. They’re swabbing everybody, and you’re...

Dr. Anthony Fauci suggested on Sunday that fully vaccinated Americans who received a coronavirus booster shot should still do more, wearing masks and undergoing a coronavirus test before gatherings in congregate settings, despite the fact that public health officials originally pitched vaccines as the avenue to return to a state of pre-pandemic normalcy. “Well, we got to do better. I mean, we are doing better,” Fauci said during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union when asked if the state of testing is currently “acceptable” in America.

An unvaccinated Virginia man who thought he was “invincible” to COVID-19 is rallying anti-vaxxers to get their shots from his hospital bed, where he is laid up with a dire case of the virus. Travis Campbell, 43, has been in the hospital for more than a week with COVID-19 complications, and his wife and two of their children have also fallen ill, according to NBC News. Campbell is now hooked up to multiple breathing apparatuses and fighting through his grim condition to post videos to Facebook urging people to get inoculated. “I made it through another whole night, and I’m...

Pence urges young conservatives to get COVID-19 vaccine Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday urged young conservatives to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the country grapples with rising case counts amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. "Now let me say this about the vaccine: I got the shot. My family got the shot. And I want to encourage anyone here who hasn’t gotten the shot who’s eligible to go get it. And if you’re not sure about it, go ask your doctor and get the very best advice you can," Pence told the Young America Foundation's...

Twice failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is urging Americans to encourage their friends and family members to get vaccinated “today” as Democrat politicians toughen their rhetoric toward unvaccinated individuals. “The vaccines are protecting millions of people from COVID-19. Encourage a friend or family member to get vaccinated today,” Clinton said, linking to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) comparing cases of the Chinese coronavirus among vaccinated individuals and unvaccinated individuals:

President Biden on Tuesday called for patience after leaving Americans confused about whether to continue wearing masks amid CDC guidance that vaccinated people have no reason to continue wearing the COVID-19 shields. Biden has been erratic in his embrace of the CDC’s pivot, drawing ridicule from critics who say Democrats hypocritically accused them of not following science during the pandemic.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the US economy urgently needs more relief from Congress as COVID-19 cases surge. Democratic and Republican leaders are wrangling over details for stimulus legislation ahead of a Friday government funding deadline. “The case for fiscal policy right now is very, very strong and I think that’s widely understood,” Powell said following a Federal Reserve meeting, the New York Times reports.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it’s unknown how long flights from other countries will continue operating, so Americans abroad who wish to return should do so immediately. Pompeo warned that the window to bring Americans home from abroad could be closing. Pompeo said more than 26,000 U.S. citizens from more than 50 countries have been repatriated back to the U.S. The top diplomat said the repatriation task force remains committed to bringing all Americans home. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is urging Americans who are still abroad and wish to return to the United States to do so “immediately,”...