Flotsam and Jetsam - Donald Trump Was an FBI Snitch on Epstein

In what should, but won't be, the final blow to the Epstein saga, PJM's Matt Margolis has a BOMBSHELL: President Trump Was an FBI Informant Against Epstein. "House Speaker Mike Johnson made a stunning revelation Thursday in response to questions from CNN’s Manu Raju about President Donald Trump’s use of the term “hoax” to describe the ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein files. In defending the president, Johnson disclosed that Trump had once acted as an FBI informant against Jeffrey Epstein—a fact that has never before been publicly acknowledged by a sitting congressional leader.“ What Trump is referring to is the hoax that the Democrats are using to try to attack him,” Johnson said. “He has never said or suggested or implied—I’ve talked to him about this many times, many times. He is horrified. It’s been misrepresented. He’s not saying that what Epstein did is a hoax. It’s a terrible, unspeakable evil. He believes that himself.”"

From Fox, Trump to rename Pentagon, restoring historic ‘Department of War’ in latest military move. At Althouse, "Trump’s opponents complain about the aggressive connotations of the new name." ""But the United States is protected by the most lethal and vigilant fighting force ever assembled, no matter what it’s called. The new name could prompt more focused debate about how to use it." Writes the Editorial Board of The Washington Post, in "In defense of the War Department/Euphemisms such as 'defense' and 'security' have a tendency for bureaucratic mission-creep."" Driscoll at Insty, TROLL LEVEL: POTUS DJT. President Trump warns that Chicago is ‘about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR’ in incendiary Truth Social post. . . Streiff at RedState thinks JD Vance Gives the Best Reason Ever Why Military Strikes Against Drug Runners Are Legitimate. JD Vance @JDVance "Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military." Brian Krassenstein @krassenstein, "Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime." Twitchy, Vice President Vance Just BURIED Brian Krassenstein Over Defending Venezuelan Narco Terrorist Strike.

Hat Hair characterizes a Politico piece, Worst Family in USA Wants Their Uncle to Resign From His Job. Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius "Is that the same family that lobotomized RFK Jr.'s aunt because she liked boys? Or is it the family that left Mary Jo to die in the back of a sunken car? Or is it the family with the fun parties that occasionally result in criminal rape trials? Or is it the family whose founding patriarch was a Nazi sympathizer? Which one?" From Twitchy, Jessica Tarlov Melts Down on 'The Five' Because People Now Can't Get the COVID Vaccine. John Reese - Person of Interest @Rickisback_ON_X, "She consistently makes things up and just lies. She needs to go." In other words, she faithfully represents the bulk of liberals. Althouse, "Robert F Kennedy Jr is expected to announce a potential link between pregnant women’s use of the over-the-counter pain medication Tylenol and autism in an upcoming report...." Reuters, cited by MSN reports Campbell's to eliminate synthetic food colors by 2026, warns of tariff hit. Will they turn the tomato soup gray? Francis Menton, the Manhattan Contrarian diagnoses The CDC: Riddled With Metastatic Woke Cancer.

Dave Mastio at the KC Stare explains how Dismal new job numbers might be a sign of Trump’s successes, not failures. A lot of government jobs lost, and immigrants deported or self-deported are going to depress job numbers, but are good for the economy in the long term. From Althouse, "As a Black woman in economics... I know that part of what’s going on with [Lisa] Cook has to do with the ongoing mistreatment Black women in economics face." ""Back in 2017, Governor Cook and I authored an an op-ed in the New York Times titled 'It Was a Mistake for Me to Choose this Field.'" Yep, it probably was. Stephan Moore at Hat Hair thinks Trump's Share-the-Wealth Retirement Plan Will Help All Americans. A video at Hat Hair suggests Democrats are Itching for a Government Shutdown.

Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius is "Looking for black people in this video. Not finding them. See, in DC the worst crime is in predominantly black neighborhoods. 41% of the DC population is black. So where are all the black people in this "protest"? I'll tell you why there are so few: DC's black population is the primary beneficiary of Trump's incredibly effective crackdown on DC crime. These "protesters" are all white Democrat self-appointed "elites" who live in crime-free Northwest DC (or the DC suburbs) in their $2mm+ homes. . ." Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "BREAKING: Anti-Trump "free DC" protestors were just spotted loading INTO BUSES to travel out of the city because they don't live there. The left said these "mass protests" were "sporadic," but they were PAID and mass-transported in. WHO'S FUNDING IT? They aren't DC residents!" Driscoll at Insty, THE REAL CRIME IS NOTICING: "A deranged career criminal murders innocent woman for no reason. What does the Mayor (Vi Lyles) think? From her post on Twitter (X), "The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutska’s life is now public. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Iryna’s family." The murder isn’t the real crime. The real crime is noticing the murder. . . . Do not visit Charlotte. Do not invest money in Charlotte." @instapundit @instapundit "That’s a lie of course. You totally can arrest your way out if you don’t turn around and let them go right away." Quote, Right Angle News Network @Rightanglenews, "BREAKING - In a statement on the Charlotte light rail incident, Democrat Mayor Vi Lyles insists the city cannot “arrest our way out of issues” like this, failing to mention the victim, Iryna Zarutska, even once and showing more concern for the perpetrator’s homeless status."

John Sexton at Hat Hair is amused as President Trump and Rosie O'Donnell Trade Insults. I think it's fun for both of them. Driscoll cites ROGER KIMBALL IN THE LONDON TELEGRAPH: Trump’s 11 life-changing lessons are wiser than the Left will ever admit. "Did you snicker when you saw the names “Aristotle” and “Donald Trump” juxtaposed? Aristotle is one of the greatest philosophers in history, and his Ethics, along with his Politics, may lay claim to be among the greatest repositories of practical wisdom in the Western tradition. And Donald Trump? Well, he is a conspicuously successful businessman, a devoted father, and a celebrated media personality. He is also, for the second time, President of the United States of America."

Ben Smith at LI sees the Biden Autopen Scandal Widens: Family Pardons, DOJ Objections, "Biden’s final days in office may go down not just as chaotic but as one of the most brazen scandals in presidential history." At NYPo, Biden White House lawyers, DOJ were befuddled by autopen clemencies, emails show: ‘He doesn’t review the warrants.’ Hat Hair's Dave Strom reports Biden Justice Department Officials' 'Scathing" Criticism of Pardon Process. Matt Margolis wonders, Was Joe Biden Worse Than Jeffrey Epstein? Between Jan. 2021 and Dec. 2024, more than 470,000 unaccompanied children crossed into America under Biden's watch. Tens of thousands simply vanished into the shadows, handed over to unvetted sponsors through what can only be described as a bureaucratic assembly line designed to move bodies as quickly as possible, consequences be damned. . . .Authorities sadly found that 27 children died from murder, suicide, or drug overdoses. But the living children may have suffered even worse fates. "We found children who have been raped," says John Fabbricatore, senior advisor at the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement. The team has uncovered cases of debt bondage, where children work as virtual slaves to pay off trafficking debts. They've found minors "treated like sexual slaves," and discovered children in homes where sponsors are heroin dealers, leading to overdose deaths."

Bonchie at RedState sees Zohran Mamdani's CNN Interview Was So Moronic That Even Abby Phillip Couldn't Let It Slide. Thomas Hern @ThomasMHern, "Abby Phillip actually did her job while interviewing socialist NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani. "Why is the government a better solution for a lack of grocery stores, food deserts, than just working with the private sector?" "Kansas City, where they had a government run grocery store, and it's been there for years, but it's on the verge of closing because it doesn't work. They've been riddled with crime. They've dealt with a lack of inventory. Frankly the government, is not that good at being in the business of grocery stores."" At Althouse, "Mamdani has privately lamented that the trappings of being the Democratic nominee, with its chauffeured SUVs and security..." "Writes David Freedlander, in "Trump Bump/The president has jumped into the mayoral race. But is he helping Cuomo or Mamdani" (New York Magazine)." From NYPo, Billionaire Zohran Mamdani donor bankrolling national ‘woke math’ movement. 2+2 is whatever the party needs it to be. The Victory Girls believe Mamdani’s Democrat Socialist Party Will Boot Members If They Don’t Boycott Israel.

Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed argues John Roberts Invites Leftist Bullying Campaigns Against SCOTUS By Playing Politics On The Bench. Josh Blackmun at the Volokh Conspiracy has a lawerly explanation of how As The Lower Courts Revolt Against Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Kavanaugh Rises To The Moment. Varad Mehta @varadmehta, ""Democratic presidents can let a million illegals stay in the country forever but Republican presidents can't do anything to remove them" is how you get Article III erased from the constitutional order. We're going to find out if John Roberts is okay with that outcome." Quote The Associated Press @AP "BREAKING: A federal judge blocks the Trump administration's ending of legal protections for 1.1 million Venezuelans and Haitians."

Bill Glahn at Power Line hears of Mandatory detention for illegal immigrants. "This seems significant. From Politico, Immigration appeals court expands mandatory detention for millions. “Millions”? Politico reports, The ruling upends a decades-long understanding of federal law and could subject millions of immigrants to mandatory detention. And by “immigrants,” Politico is referring to illegal aliens brought before Immigration Court." Capt. Ed at Hat Hair adds The days of absconding for long enough to run out the clock on enforcement are over. That’s what voters elected Trump to change, and he’s making good on his promise. Twitchy sees ICE Turns Spectator Cover on 'Trump's Drug War' Into Awesome Recruiting Ad. Kim "Katie" USA @KimKatieUSA, "This is the woman who called ICE on Hyundai. She’s a national hero."

Matt Taibbi On Bari Weiss, CBS, and Legacy Media's Tears, "The mainstream press seems to believe it's a perpetual entitlement program. . . .Journalism is dying because of a succession of factual disasters, but the major cross-industry problem is a universal belief that audience is owed. From the Nation episodes to the insane New York Times staff-led purges, modern journalists think your eyeballs belong to them. They see worrying about commercial success as demeaning and are often happier if their work isn’t widely read, because they believe America’s audience is a Great Moron. ..." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "British Refugees Travel To North Korea In Search Of Freedom"

AP reports Google facing $425.7 million in damages for nearly a decade of improper smartphone snooping in the US. At Ace's Pixie Misa says "Okay, yeah. Nail their hides to the wall on this one."

Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius "The issue with this guy is not the "whiteface." The issue is that while wearing it, he spit at genuine black men and called them "boy." See, he thought if he went to a NASCAR race he would find a whole bunch of white racists, and finding none, he had to invent one himself. Making HIM the true racist. That's the issue." Quote kira @kirawontmiss, "Druski is currently receiving backlash for doing “white face”" Eyal Yakoby @EYakoby, "You know how everyone says that you’re not allowed to criticize Israel? It turns out, at American universities, you’re not allowed to criticize Qatar. Every accusation is a confession."

JD Tuccille at Reason reasons As Public School Enrollment Drops, Alternative Options Gain Traction Private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling add students despite dwindling numbers of kids. Newt Gingrich explains How Education Fraud is Crippling America "For more than 40 years, Americans have spent innumerable tax dollars on education in big city schools – and got frighteningly bad results. . . . In Maryland, there were a reported 6,126 so-called ghost students in 2019. These are students who are registered but cannot be found. That year, the taxpayers paid $15,000 per ghost student. The school systems were getting $92.9 million for students who were not even in the classrooms."

Hat Hair's John Sexton reports Imane Khelif Appeals Mandatory Sex Testing, Will Miss Another Competition. Wes Smith predicts ‘Transableism’ Comes After Transgenderism. I always thought it would necrophilia, a truly victimless crime.

The Wombat has posted FMJRA 2.0: Cramming For The Draft at the usual time and place.