Actor Eric Braeden, a German immigrant known for his role in The Young and The Restless, has attacked President-elect Donald J. Trump for his response to the California wildfires. Braeden, who has had to evacuate his house as multiple fires burn thousands of acres and structures in the Golden State, told CNN the disaster is “the price we pay for living in this beautiful area.”
“California’s a fantastic state. It’s one of the most productive states in the nation—not according to the orange idiot who will take over on the 25th of January or whatever, but it is truly one of the most productive states ever in the United States,” said the 83-year-old, getting the date of Trump’s January 20 inauguration wrong.
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“To be very frank with you, I think everyone is really trying to do their damn best, OK?” Braedan said of the management of the wildfires. “And some idiot—the orange idiot—went on television… and claimed all kinds of things about [California Governor Gavin] Newsom and California and the water distribution. All nonsense,” he added.
Trump has long argued that massive quantities of water could be diverted to areas of California prone to wildfires, but he says Newsom has blocked the proposed infrastructure changes to protect fish living in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.
State and local officials are also facing backlash for cutting fire budgets, reallocating fire spending to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring, and giving away fire equipment to Ukraine.
Eric Braedon: The orange idiot went on television.. and claimed all kinds of things about Newsom and California and the water distribution. All nonsense.. What some of these characters are now disseminating on one particular network and on some podcasts is outrageous and very… pic.twitter.com/wqQesL3KwV
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A 21-year-old man was arrested near Seattle’s Space Needle on New Year’s Eve while carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple rounds of ammunition.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers, bystanders, and the 21-year-old suspect.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: December 31, 2025, near the Pacific Science Center, close to the Space Needle in Seattle.
🎯IMPACT: The suspect was booked into King County Jail, issued a one-year trespass warning, and the case was referred to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office for review.
IN FULL
A 21-year-old man was arrested while carrying a shotgun, handgun, and several rounds of ammunition near the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, during New Year’s Eve celebrations. According to the Seattle Police Department (SPD), bystanders became concerned when the man was seen sitting on a bench near the Pacific Science Center, gripping what appeared to be a partially concealed shotgun.
Law enforcement arrived at the scene around 7:20 PM on December 31 as New Year’s Eve revelers began to gather in the high-traffic area for the city’s fireworks show ringing in 2026. Seattle police were able to approach and detain the armed man without incident.
Witnesses described him as wearing all black clothing and a red hat with “WAR” printed on it. Alongside the shotgun, police discovered he was also carrying a handgun and had a valid concealed pistol license. Additionally, detectives from the Criminal Intelligence Unit and the Arson Bomb Squad searched the suspect’s nearby vehicle. No additional weapons or explosives were found, and the vehicle was deemed safe.
NEW: Seattle police arrested a 21-year-old man carrying a shotgun, a handgun & multiple rounds of ammunition near the Space Needle as crowds gathered for the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Witnesses reported seeing a man seated on a bench holding a partially concealed shotgun. pic.twitter.com/yDKqBlTQ2f
However, the man was booked into the King County Jail on suspicion of unlawful use of weapons. Meanwhile, the Emergency Services Unit, responsible for campus security at the Seattle Center, issued the man a one-year trespass warning. The case was referred to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office for potential charges.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nearly 7,000 Minnesota borrowers were suspended by the Small Business Administration (SBA) over suspected pandemic-era loan fraud.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, citizen journalist Nick Shirley, and Somali-linked networks operating daycare centers in Minnesota.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Minnesota, with actions announced on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
💬KEY QUOTE: “After years, the American people will finally begin to see the criminals who stole from law-abiding taxpayers held accountable, and this is just the first state.” – Kelly Loeffler
🎯IMPACT: 6,900 borrowers were banned from SBA programs, with $400 million in loans under scrutiny, and cases referred to federal law enforcement for potential prosecution.
IN FULL
Small Business Administration Administrator (SBA) Kelly Loeffler said Thursday that 6,900 Minnesota borrowers have been suspended from SBA programs over suspected fraud involving pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. The loans, valued at roughly $400 million, were associated primarily with daycare centers investigators say were tied to Somali-connected networks.
Under the action, the affected borrowers are barred from all current and future SBA lending, including disaster assistance. Loeffler said the agency is escalating enforcement efforts after years of investigations into Covid-era relief abuse. “We will also refer every case, where appropriate, to federal law enforcement for prosecution and repayment,” she said. “After years, the American people will finally begin to see the criminals who stole from law-abiding taxpayers held accountable, and this is just the first state.”
The announcement followed reporting by citizen journalist Nick Shirley, who documented numerous daycare and autism centers that appeared to be empty, minimally staffed, or otherwise inconsistent with the scale of federal funding they received. His findings helped renew public attention on long-running allegations that some facilities were used as fronts to siphon governmentaid.
Minnesota has faced sustained scrutiny over fraud during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly under programs administered at the state level. Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson has warned that suspected fraud across Minnesota Medicaid and related programs could ultimately exceed $9 billion. The broader scandal first gained national attention with the Feeding Our Future case, in which a nonprofit and dozens of defendants were charged with stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the Federal Child Nutrition Program.
The latest revelations have intensified political fallout. Minnesota Republicans have called for the resignations of senior state officials, including Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, arguing that weak oversight allowed large-scale fraud to continue unchecked. At the federal level, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has summoned Minnesota officials to testify about how the alleged schemes operated and why warnings were missed.
Some lawmakers have also focused on the role of Somali-linked networks identified in multiple federal indictments and investigations, prompting heated debate over immigration, enforcement, and accountability. Federal authorities have already secured convictions in several high-profile cases involving pandemic relief and welfare fraud.
Amid mounting concerns, the Department of Health and Human Services has frozen certain federal childcare payments nationwide while reviewing suspected abuse.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States executed a large-scale strike against Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, President Nicolas Maduro, and U.S. forces.
📍WHEN & WHERE: January 3, 2026, Venezuela.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have been captured and removed from Venezuela.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump announced on January 3, 2026, that the United States has conducted a significant military operation in Venezuela. The operation is said to have led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” President Trump announced on his Truth Social platform. He added that the operation was “done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” and that details would follow at an 11 AM news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The raid builds on months of U.S. strikes against cartel boats near Venezuela, alongside the seizure of sanctioned oil tankers linked to the Maduro regime. U.S. law enforcement believes the Marxist dictator is also the leader of the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), responsible for smuggling large quantities of deadly narcotics into the U.S.
This story is developing…
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The leftist media is attempting to use a several-year-old stunt pulled by Nick Shirley to highlight former President Joe Biden’s illegal immigration crisis as a means to discredit the independent journalist’s reporting on allegations of widespread daycare subsidy fraud in Minnesota and other Democrat-controlled states.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Independent journalist Nick Shirley, The Daily Beast, freelance journalist Jack Revell, and fraud claims tied to Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The Daily Beast smear was published on January 2, 2026, while the Minnesota social services fraud scandal began
💬KEY QUOTE: “The stunt aligns with Shirley’s history of Mr. Beast-style shock content, but is deeply problematic for the self-described ‘100% independent journalist’ as it contravenes several professional ethical codes.” — Jack Revell of The Daily Beast
🎯IMPACT: The haphazard effort to discredit Shirley suggests the fraud allegations pose a significant threat to the Democrat Party.
IN FULL
The leftist media is attempting to use a several-year-old stunt pulled by Nick Shirley to highlight former President Joe Biden’s illegalimmigrationcrisis as a means to discredit the independent journalist’s reporting on allegations of widespread daycare subsidy fraud in Minnesota and other Democrat-controlled states. In a new story for The Daily Beast website, Australian freelance journalist and “night reporter,” Jack Revell—who appears to be a psychedelic drug enthusiast—pearl clutches, claiming the nearly two-year-old illegal immigration stunt is “deeply problematic” and “contravenes several professional ethical codes.” Notably, Revell does not detail what “professional ethical codes” were contravened.
In May of 2024, Shirley—as part of an effort to promote awareness about the former Biden government’s illegal immigration crisis—paid a group of migrant workers $20 to demonstrate in support of Biden just outside the White House perimeter fence in Washington, D.C. As part of his investigation, Shirley reveals how, because of economic conditions, physical ailments, and other hurdles, many of the illegal immigrantsallowed into the United States by the former Biden government—ostensibly to work—are unable and instead living in deteriorating conditions on the streets of major cities like Washington, D.C.
Unlike much of the corporate news, Shirley’s migrant video relays firsthand accounts from illegal immigrant laborers without a media filter. And bizarrely, unlike what Revell and The Daily Beast—who evidently didn’t actually watch the entire YouTube video, which runs just over 15 minutes—Shirley actually spends a great deal of time focusing on the living conditions of the illegal immigrants who are unable to find or unwilling to work.
Such an omission, however, shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the leftist and corporate media are more interested discrediting and covering up allegations of social services fraud instates like Minnesota now that it has become politically dangerous for the Democrat Party—despite even The New York Times initially acknowledging the problem of widespread fraud tied to the state’s Somali immigrant community in late November 2025. Currently, federal prosecutors estimate that over $9 billion in taxpayer dollars—around half of the federal funding provided to the 14 social programs in Minnesota, which are believed to have been targeted by criminal schemes—may have been stolen through fraud.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado expressed strong support for President Trump’s strategy to pressure Nicolás Maduro’s regime and highlighted the importance of U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s fight for democracy.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: María Corina Machado, President Donald Trump, Nicolás Maduro, and international allies, including the United States.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Machado recently spoke on CBS’s “Face the Nation” after receiving her Nobel Peace Prize in Norway, marking her first public appearance in nearly a year.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We, the Venezuelan people, are very grateful to him and to his administration, because I believe he is a champion of freedom in this hemisphere.” – María Corina Machado
🎯IMPACT: Machado’s statements underscore the growing pressure on Maduro’s regime and the pivotal role of U.S. foreign policy in Venezuela’s path toward democracy.
IN FULL
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praised President Donald J. Trump’s approach toward Venezuela, calling him a “champion of freedom in this hemisphere” and crediting his administration with intensifying pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government. Machado said the Trump administration has finally taken steps the Venezuelan opposition has long requested, including expanded sanctions, seizures of Venezuelan oil, and military actions aimed at disrupting illegal activities tied to the regime.
“We, the Venezuelan people, are very grateful to him and to his administration, because I believe he is a champion of freedom in this hemisphere,” she said.
Machado added that those measures signal that Venezuela is now being treated as a U.S. national security priority. “We have been asking this for years, so it’s finally happening,” she said, adding that the Maduro regime’s “days are numbered.”
Machado recently escaped Venezuela to travel to Norway, where she accepted a Nobel Peace Prize. She dedicated the award to President Trump, arguing that sustained international pressure is essential to ending Maduro’s rule. While acknowledging the hardships caused by sanctions, she defended the policy, saying, “What we want to do is to save lives, but Maduro was the one who declared a war on the Venezuelan people.”
She called on democratic nations to work together to shut down the regime’s illicit revenue streams and raise the cost of Maduro remaining in power. Machado said growing cracks within the government are already visible, particularly within the armed forces and police. “The wide majority of the military want change,” she said, pointing to recent cases of service members refusing orders or reaching out to opposition figures.
Her comments come as the Trump administration has increased both economic and military pressure on Venezuela. In recent days, the United States announced new sanctions targeting Venezuelan and Iranian individuals and entities accused of supporting weapons and technology transfers tied to Caracas. U.S. officials have said the sanctions are designed to weaken the Maduro government’s international networks and limit its ability to fund security operations.
The administration has also acknowledged direct military action linked to Venezuela. Trump recently revealed that U.S. forces struck a facility on Venezuelan territory allegedly used to load narcotics shipments, marking a significant escalation in operations tied to counter-drug efforts. Separately, the U.S. military has continued maritime operations in the Caribbean, sinking vessels accused of working with drug cartels amid what officials describe as expanding Venezuela-related security missions.
Asked about the possibility of U.S. troops entering Venezuela, Machado said she supports “more and more pressure” to force Maduro out but does not expect American ground forces to be deployed. She emphasized that international allies, particularly the United States, will play a critical role in rebuilding democratic institutions after a transition.
“The day Maduro goes,” Machado said, “you will see tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants coming back home.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Mayor Katie Wilson (D) condemned independent journalists investigating allegations of fraud in Somali-run daycares, labeling them as “extremist influencers” and accusing them of harassment.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, independent journalists, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and Mike Davis.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The controversy centers on Somali daycare providers in Seattle, Washington, and allegations of fraud that have been exposed in recent investigations.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Asking questions/citizen journalism are NOT HATE CRIMES in America — they are protected speech, and if Seattle tries to chill that speech, [DOJ Civil Rights Division] will step in to protect it and set them straight!” – Harmeet Dhillon
🎯IMPACT: The situation has sparked national attention, with federal officials warning against threats to First Amendment rights and independent journalists continuing to uncover questionable practices.
IN FULL
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson (D) has condemned independent journalists investigating allegations of fraud in Somali-run daycares, describing them as “extremist influencers” engaged in harassment. “I stand with the Somali childcare providers who have experienced targeted harassment, and condemn the surveillance campaign promoted by extremist influencers,” Wilson—a self-described socialist—wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) late Thursday.
The far-left socialist mayor encouraged individuals who believe they are victims of hate crimes to contact Washington’s Hate Crimes and Bias Incident Hotline. She further asserted, “In Seattle, we believe in solidarity, and our city will not tolerate anyone who is trying to intimidate, harass, or film Somali childcare providers. Such behavior is unacceptable and puts children and families at risk.”
Her comments follow investigations by independent journalists Nick Shirley, as well as Cam Higby and Jonathan Choe, the latter of whom reported on local Seattle Somali daycare facilities receiving government subsidies despite discrepancies suggesting potential fraudulent activity. One case involved a daycare listed as receiving over $210,000 in taxpayer funds, but when questioned, the occupant of what appears to actually be a residential property denied operating any childcare business.
Additional reports highlighted daycares with no children present and threats to journalists attempting to verify the legality of their operations.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, responded to Wilson’s accusations, warning, “Asking questions/citizen journalism are NOT HATE CRIMES in America — they are protected speech, and if Seattle tries to chill that speech, [DOJ Civil Rights Division] will step in to protect it and set them straight!” Dhillon also criticized Washington Attorney General Nick Brown (D) for similar comments, emphasizing that state officials cannot infringe on First Amendment rights.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal agents have arrested 500 illegal immigrants and investigated 1,000 immigration-fraud cases in Minnesota over the past two months, according to Homeland Security.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Homeland Security, ICE, Somali nationals, and Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Investigations have escalated in Minnesota over the past two months, with updates provided on December 30, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “These suspected perpetrators are really trying to cover their tracks,” said Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary.
🎯IMPACT: Federal funding to Minnesota’s childcare program has been cut off, and stricter documentation is now required for daycare providers nationwide.
IN FULL
Federal immigration enforcement agents have already arrested an estimated 500 illegal immigrants and investigated over 1,000 cases of immigration fraud in Minnesota over the past two months, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. According to DHS, nearly 100 individuals were also arrested and federally charged over defrauding the government, with most of them being Somali nationals.
McLaughlin revealed that “hundreds” of federal investigators were on the ground in Minnesota over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, investigating a number of daycare centers, assisted living facilities, and “other organizations that take taxpayer dollars.” She continued, “These suspected perpetrators are really trying to cover their tracks.” The fraudulent businesses, McLaughlin notes, have taken steps to disguise their criminal operations as legitimate enterprises.
The federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota predates the viral video posted by YouTuber Nick Shirley on December 26, claiming to have found over $110 million in alleged childcare fraud. Federal prosecutors earlier in December estimated the total cost of fraud in the state could easily top $9 billion. “The fraud is not small. It isn’t isolated. The magnitude cannot be overstated. What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It’s staggering industrial-scale fraud. It’s swamping Minnesota and calling into question everything we know about our state,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said at the time.
Despite federal efforts, however, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have faced resistance from Minnesota state officials, including Governor Tim Walz (D-MN). The state’s sanctuary laws place limitations on cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and Minneapolis recently enacted provisions barring city employees from working with ICE officers. Late last month, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons slammed the Democrat-enacted sanctuary policies, stating: “If sanctuary cities would change their policies, and turn these violent criminal aliens over to us … instead of releasing them into the public, we would not have to go out to the communities and do this.”
The National Pulse previously reported that state government whistleblowers accuse Gov. Walz of having uncovered evidence of the Somali immigrant community-connected fraud involving the Feeding Our Future nonprofit in 2019. However, they contend the Walz administration backed down from investigating the group after intense pushback from Feeding Our Future’s leaders, who accused state officials of discrimination against Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal authorities stopped an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack planned for New Year’s Eve in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Christian Sturdivant, 18, a U.S. citizen, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack was planned for New Year’s Eve at a grocery store and fast food restaurant in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
💬KEY QUOTE: “He was preparing for Jihad and innocent people were going to die.” – Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
🎯IMPACT: The attack was thwarted, preventing a potential national tragedy.
IN FULL
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday announced that federal law enforcement prevented an Islamic State (ISIS) inspired terrorist attack against New Year’s Eve revelers in Mint Hill, North Carolina. According to DOJ officials, Christian Sturdivant, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen, allegedly intended to carry out the attack using knives and hammers in the Charlotte suburb, after becoming radicalized online.
“He was preparing for Jihad and innocent people were going to die,” said Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, during a press conference. Sturdivant reportedly intended to target Jews, Christians, and LGBTQ individuals, and aimed to become a “martyr” in the attack.
Additional details released by the DOJ indicate that Sturdivant first came to law enforcement’s attention in January 2022, at the age of 14, when he communicated with an overseas ISIS member who instructed him to attack people with a hammer. His family stopped him at the time, and he underwent psychological care without facing charges. Authorities later discovered he had resumed social media activity and began reading ISIS propaganda, creating TikTok videos, and pledging allegiance to ISIS.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and law enforcement agencies intervened after Sturdivant shared detailed plans with undercover agents, including locations for the attack and requests for firearms. A search of his residence revealed hammers, knives, and notes outlining his plans. Sturdivant was arrested on New Year’s Eve as he was being discharged from a medical facility.
“Without the swift action of the FBI, joint terrorism task force, New York City Police Department, the Mint Hill Police Department, and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, we could be announcing a national tragedy,” said James Barnacle, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Charlotte.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Will Smith has been sued by a former touring musician who accused him of “deliberately grooming” him and retaliating after an alleged “hotel intrusion” was reported.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Actor and musician Will Smith, violinist Brian King Joseph, and Smith’s management team.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The events reportedly occurred on or around March 20 in Las Vegas; the lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court earlier this week.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up. So, tell me, why did you lie and make this up?” – Alleged statement from Smith’s representative, according to the lawsuit.
🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit accuses Smith of misconduct and retaliation, raising significant questions about his conduct and management practices.
IN FULL
Violinist Brian King Joseph has sued actor and musician Will Smith in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging inappropriate conduct and retaliation during Smith’s most recent album tour. Joseph, who first joined the tour in December 2024, claims he worked closely with the actor and musician and that Smith told him they shared a “special connection,” which the lawsuit characterizes as “deliberately grooming and priming” him for exploitation.
The complaint centers on an alleged incident that occurred on or around March 20, 2025, during a tour stop in Las Vegas. Joseph says that when he returned to his hotel room late at night, he noticed signs suggesting someone had entered without permission. According to the lawsuit, items found in the room included wipes, a beer bottle, an earring, HIV medication, and a handwritten note that read: “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us [drawn heart], Stone F.”
Joseph reported the situation to hotel security, police, and representatives for Smith—describing it as a “hotel intrusion.” He alleges that after making the report, he was removed from the tour. The lawsuit quotes a representative of Smith as saying, “Everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up. So, tell me, why did you lie and make this up?”
Although he was told the tour was “moving in a different direction,” Joseph says another violinist was hired soon after to replace him. The filing does not specify the amount of damages being sought.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL and GOP challenger to Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), raised $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, his campaign announced.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ed Gallrein, Rep. Thomas Massie, President Donald J. Trump, and campaign spokesman Lance Trover.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The fundraising announcement came in December 2025, with the GOP primary for Kentucky’s fourth congressional district scheduled for May 19, 2026.
💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump endorsed Ed because he knows Ed is fighting to put America First and will partner with him to unleash our economy, lower taxes, and stop the woke agenda.” – Lance Trover, Gallrein campaign spokesman
🎯IMPACT: Gallrein’s early fundraising success positions him as a serious challenger to Massie, with Trump’s endorsement amplifying his campaign.
IN FULL
Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL who served for three decades—including on SEAL Team Six—and is mounting a primary challenge against Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY), has raised $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, his campaign has announced. The campaign attributes this significant fundraising milestone to the overwhelming support Gallrein has received since entering the race in October.
“This fundraising number reflects the overwhelming support Ed’s campaign has received right out of the gate,” Gallrein campaign spokesman Lance Trover said, emphasizing that President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement has been pivotal. “President Trump endorsed Ed because he knows Ed is fighting to put America First and will partner with him to unleash our economy, lower taxes, and stop the woke agenda,” Tover added.
Gallrein launched his campaign to challenge Massie in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District. According to Gallrein’s campaign, nearly all the money they’ve raised thus far is from contributions for the primary cycle, not the general election, suggesting growing Republican support for ousting Massie, who has held the seat since November 2012. Republican voters and other supporters of President Trump have become increasingly frustrated with Massie, who has too often sided with Congressional Democrats to block the White House’s America First agenda.
During the first year of President Trump’s second term, Massie voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill, which provides significant working-class tax relief and needed funding for immigration enforcement. Before the 2024 election, Massie emerged as an unlikely ally of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who was ousted by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) after breaking an agreement with House conservatives over spending bills.
President Trump is publicly backing Gallrein’s primary campaign, calling him a “winner,” and writing on Truth Social before the primary bid, “I hope Ed gets into the Race against Massie… CAPTAIN ED GALLREIN IS A WINNER WHO WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.” The Kentucky Republican primary is slated for May 2026.
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