Last week, a cadre of left-wing politicians encouraged members of the U. S. military to disobey orders issued by Trump, implying that the president was ordering members of the military and intelligence community to engage in illegal activities. Six congressional Democrats, who previously served in the military, effectively called for the military to perform a mutiny, urging them to “refuse illegal orders.” It was indicative of the dangerously dishonest and arguably treasonous rhetoric being spread by Democrats to damage the Trump administration. In what could be described as a radical and dangerous propaganda commercial, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) actively encouraged troops and intelligence officers to “refuse illegal orders.” “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the group of Democrats said. “The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.” “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law,” Slotkin says at one point in the video. Yet, during an interview with Martha Raddatz “To my knowledge, I am not aware of things that are illegal,” Slotkin said. “But certainly there are some legal gymnastics that are going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela.” But “legal gymnastics” is not what Slotkin and her band of Democratic deceivers mentioned in the video. All of them, very specifically, cited “illegal orders,” yet now have changed the story. This is dangerous and must not be allowed to stand. It was a shameful statement by six dishonest, deceptive, manipulative, and agenda-driven officials meant to deceive the public and influence public opinion. PEDOPHILES AND MURDERERS AMONG THIS WEEK’S ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ICE ARRESTS It should also be noted that absolutely none of the other things the Democrats said in the video were true either. No military or intelligence community was being pitted “against American citizens.” The senators and representatives falsely claimed the president was issuing illegal orders without any proof. They called for the U. S. military to disobey the commander in chief solely because they did not like his political platform. This is dangerous and illegal, and the Democrats who encouraged this mutiny legitimately deserve to face accountability. Being critical of the president’s platform is to be expected. However, making false claims that the president is issuing illegal orders is a violation of a different magnitude.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/3896555/slotkin-caught-lying-democrats-exposed-sabotaging-trump-administration/
Tag: administration
Recall alert! Check your cabinets and garages for these 6 products
Mid-November has brought a flurry of recall alerts across the U. S., with food products, household items and automotive manufacturers issuing urgent notices. From contamination concerns to manufacturing defects, these recalls highlight how quickly everyday items can become unexpected safety risks. As families prepare for the holiday season in the coming weeks, understanding what’s been pulled from shelves-and why-has never been more important. Here are six of the latest recalls across food, consumer goods and automobiles that made headlines this week and how to spot these risky items to stay safe. 6 food and product recalls between Nov. 17 and Nov. 23 Milk pans sold in 6 states recalled due to potential lead contamination Shata Traders Inc. is recalling milk pans sold in six states, including New Jersey, due to potential lead contamination, according to the U. S. Food and Drug Administration. The recall covers 24-centimeter milk pans sold under the brand Majestic Chef Pan. The products were distributed in six states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts. The Brooklyn-based company initiated the recall after testing found levels of lead harmful to human consumption. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this recall. Consumers who bought the milk pans should immediately stop using them and return them to their place of purchase for a full refund. Anyone with questions and concerns about the recall should call (718) 369-7000 and ask for Mahboob Rahman. For more information about the recall, you can read the FDA notice. Little Partners recalling more than 9K Grow N’ Stow Folding Learning Towers due to fall risk Little Partners is recalling 9, 780 Grow N’ Stow Folding Learning Towers because the platform inside the learning tower can collapse, posing a fall risk for young children, according to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The products have the “model number LP01711 and date codes, in YYYYMM format, from 202409 to 202501,” according to the CPSC. The company has received 14 reports of the folding towers collapsing, with one reported injury of a child who suffered bruises. The learning towers were sold at Walmart stores nationwide, and at online retailers, such as Walmart. com, Amazon. com, Littlepartners. com, Etsy. com, Wayfair. com, Goodbyegear. com, Buybuybaby. com and Bedbathandbeyond. com, from December 2024 through September 2025. The products retailed at around $100 each. Consumers should stop using the learning towers and keep them away from children. They should also throw away the old crossbar and contact Little Partners for a free repair kit that includes a new crossbar and instructions on how to install it. For more information on this recall, you can check the CPSC notice here. Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Cheese recalled due to life-threatening health risk An Oregon-based cheesemaker is recalling 16 6-ounce units of its Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Cheese due to listeria contamination, according to the FDA. Face Rock Creamery initiated the recall after testing found listeria in the processing area where the cheese was packaged. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recalled 6-ounce Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar has a UPC code of 8 512222 00547 8 and was sold between Nov. 10-13, 2025, at the creamery’s flagship store in Bandon, Ore. Those with questions about this recall should call 541-347-3223 between 9 a. m. 4 p. m. PT, Monday-Friday, or send an email to info@facerockcreamery. com. For more information about this recall, you can check out the FDA notice. Dessert company recalls Lava Buns distributed to 33 states due to life-threatening allergen A New York-based manufacturer of Asian desserts recalled 2, 243 cases of two varieties of desserts called Lava Buns due to an undeclared milk allergen, according to the FDA. The FDA said that the milk in the product came from unsalted butter, which was not listed on the label. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recalled products were shipped to Asian grocery stores between April 2, 2025, and Nov. 14, 2025, in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The following products were subject to the recall: Prime Food brand Lava Bun with Salted Egg Yolk with UPC #97903705873 24-ounce item #PD4188. This product is packaged in an orange pouch approximately 10. 25 inches wide by 11. 25 inches high. The lot code range is 25092-25318. The expiration range is July 2026-March 2027. Prime Food brand Lava Bun with Green Tea Flavor UPC #97803705883 24-ounce item #PD4198. This product is packaged in a bright lime green pouch approximately 10. 25 inches wide by 11. 25 inches high. The lot code range is 25092-25318; the expiration range is July 2026-March 2027. Consumers who bought these products should return them uneaten to their place of purchase for a full refund. Those with questions may contact Prime Food Processing LLC at 718-963-2323, Monday through Friday from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. ET. For more information about this recall, check out the FDA notice. 250K Kias recalled due to fire, fuel tank melting hazards More than 250, 000 Kias have been recalled due to fire risks and issues that can cause the fuel tanks in the vehicles to melt, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank,” the NHTSA notice stated. The recall covers 250, 547 units of certain 2021-2024 model year Kia K5 vehicles. The affected vehicles were “equipped with a 1. 6L Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection engine.” Owners can bring their vehicles to their dealers for inspection and if necessary, a check valve replacement at no cost. The fuel tank could also be replaced at no cost if necessary. Notifications about the recall will be sent out in January. Ford recalls 230K Broncos due to instrument panel display failures Ford is recalling 230, 000 Bronco SUVs in the U. S. because the instrument panel displays have issues that affect visuals such as warning lights or vehicle speed, according to the NHTSA. The recall affects 2025 and 2026 model year Bronco and Bronco Sport vehicles. No accidents or injuries have been reported to date Ford will fix the problem with a software update that will be done over-the-air or at dealers at no cost to the owner. Owners will be notified about the recall by Dec. 8, 2025.
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/business/2025/11/check-your-cabinets-garages-and-refrigerators-for-these-6-recalls.html
‘One big thieving cabal’: Democrats warned to brace for a bigger threat than Trump
New Republic Deputy Editor Jason Linkins says Democrats must brace themselves for a much bigger enemy than Jeffrey Epstein if they want to truly show the public they are taking on U. S. corruption. “The time to pummel these crooks is nigh, and they needn’t be precious about it,” Linkins said. “Think of it like this: Trumpism is the culmination of a crooked scheme that began nearly a half-century ago, in which the rich and powerful looted our wealth and tore up the civic fabric of this nation. Yes, like the Epstein affair suggests, it really is one big thieving cabal of plutocratic reprobates that has done us dirty. There is an opportunity now for Democrats with guts to crush these scumbags, and take back what they stole.” Linkins said a massive partywide attack on the root of corruption must also include deep scrutiny inside the Democratic Party itself if the public is to be convinced that Democrats are serious about this. “Conservatives have darkly warned their liberal counterparts: ‘Be careful what you wish for; what if this implicates a bunch of crusty old Democrats?’ To which I say, ‘Don’t threaten me with a good time,’” Linkins said. “As I’ve watched the Epstein story unravel across the media through the shouting of lawmakers and the flood of tawdry emails dumped in the press I’ve not been able to ignore how it’s all one big pile of rot at the center of polite society.” Linkins said he is “less worried about whether some Democratic Party luminary catches an Epstein stray and more concerned about whether Democrats bungle the opportunity to attack these corrupt arrangements and the presidential administration that has made them its North Star.” The iron for this, said Linkins, is “particularly hot” right now with the American public. “A fresh Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday found that Trump’s approval ratings had hit startling new lows, with respondents particularly “unhappy about his handling of the high cost of living and the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.” Epstein and the economy are the “twin albatrosses around Trump’s neck,” said Linkins, but the question remains whether Democrats “will have the stomach and the sense to exploit both avenues to Trump’s ruin.” “It may not seem like a problem, but Democrats seem pathologically averse to multitasking, which explains why they’re making the salience of grocery prices their priority to the exclusion of all other matters,” Linkins said. “So monomaniacal is this approach that at various times over the past year, Democratic lawmakers have called other concerns “distractions”-up to and including Trump’s rampaging paramilitary forces.” Abandoning the moment would be a travesty considering mounting public disgust and anger. According to the most recent NPR/PBS News Marist poll, Democrats have attained a 14-point lead over the GOP on the generic congressional ballot.
https://www.alternet.org/trump-corruption-epstein-scandal/
Justice Department says it reverses Michael Gates’ firing, will accept his resignation
The U. S. Department of Justice said it “rescinds and will remove” records that its former deputy assistant U. S. attorney general, Michael Gates, was terminated and will instead accept his voluntary resignation. The Justice Department, in a letter to Gates dated Friday, Nov. 21, said it will update Gates’ personnel file to note that he voluntarily resigned from his position in its Civil Rights Division. Gates, the former Huntington Beach city attorney, announced on social media on Sunday, Nov. 9, that he had resigned his position in the Trump administration and was returning home to work for the city once more. He said he was “very conflicted” about leaving because the job was “the honor of a lifetime,” but the months felt like years as he missed his family and their events. But the Justice Department had said Gates was terminated from his position “for cause,” personnel records obtained through a records request showed. A Justice Department source did confirm the validity of the letter Gates received on Friday accepting his resignation. There was no further information about the change of decision. “Please accept this letter as formal notification that the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has accepted your voluntary resignation from the position of Deputy Assistant Attorney General, effective November, 9, 2025. Accordingly, the Division rescinds and will remove from your personnel record any previous reference to your termination.” Gates had maintained that he was fired, but rather was planning to resign from the Justice Department. “They were angry I resigned, and I know this because it was well known throughout the office for months that anybody resigning would make them look bad,” Gates said in an interview last week. “When other people resigned, they were so mad. I’ve seen it with my own eyes because they thought it would make them look bad.” Gates could not immediately be reached for comment Friday evening. But in a Facebook post, Gates called the letter “total vindication.” “DOJ just sent a letter completely reversing now recognizing my resignation!” he posted. Earlier Friday, the Huntington Beach City Council met in closed session for 90 minutes, discussing the rehiring of Gates to work in the city attorney’s office. At its regular meeting on Tuesday, the council called for a special meeting to address “anticipated litigation” in two emails from Gates’ attorney, Benjamin G. Chew, regarding Gates’ employment with the city. In the resignation letter Gates had posted to social media earlier this month, it indicated his last day with the Justice Department would be Nov. 22. The Justice Department’s letter on Friday said his resignation is effective Nov. 9. Gates was elected as Huntington Beach’s city attorney in 2014 and won reelection twice more. He had said he would run for his old post again next year. But in the meantime, Gates said he has accepted the city’s offer to be “chief assistant city attorney” starting Nov. 24. He had been one of the more outspoken elected officials in Huntington Beach and the county, leading his office to fight the state on multiple local control issues, including challenging the state’s sanctuary law, fighting for the city’s voter ID law, and preventing California from mandating the coastal city to build more housing. He announced in February that he was leaving his post as Huntington Beach’s city attorney to head to the Justice Department in Washington, D. C. In his resignation letter, Gates said: “My decision to resign was not made easily but, in light of many circumstances, and after my experiences working at the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D. C., this year, I believe this is the best decision for me and my family.” Staff writer Claire Wang contributed to this report.
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/11/21/justice-department-says-it-reverses-michael-gates-firing-will-accept-his-resignation/
DeSantis, Democrats, environmentalists join forces to oppose new Gulf drilling
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. In a rare display of political alignment, Florida’s top Republicans, Democrats, environmental groups, and even some of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in the state are loudly rejecting the administration’s new plan to expand offshore drilling near Florida’s coast. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has long insisted Florida’s beaches and military testing zones remain off-limits, renewed his warnings this week, urging Trump to stick with the protections he signed in 2020. DeSantis, Democrats, environmentalists join forces to oppose new Gulf drilling “Now what the Interior Department is proposing to do is really to go back off that policy,” said DeSantis, Friday. “I think that would weaken protections we worked really hard to establish offshore.” The Interior Department’s proposal would open new waters for oil and gas development, aiming to boost domestic production and lower prices. But in Florida, where drilling in state waters is already barred by the state constitution, the idea has landed with a thud. Military, Environment, and Bipartisan Pushback Opposition is emerging from every corner of the state’s political landscape. U. S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, a Republican whose district includes major military installations, warned new rigs could jeopardize critical national security operations in the Eastern Gulf. “The right hand is not talking to the left hand,” Patronis said. ”The Department of the Interior is hard charging to try to drive down gas prices. So they’re trying to do everything they can to throw it and see what sticks to the wall.” State Trump administration announces plan for new oil drilling off Florida Matthew Daly and Matthew Brown Patronis argues drilling could disrupt hypersonic missile testing and other weapons development within the Gulf Test and Training Range. He’s circulated a letter to the White House, signed by most of Florida’s GOP delegation, reminding federal leaders that military testing and energy exploration “are not compatible.” It comes as environmental groups say the risks extend far beyond defense. “Floridians don’t want their treasure trashed,” said JP Brooker with Ocean Conservancy. He warns that drilling puts fisheries, sea turtles, beaches, and billions in tourism revenue at risk. “It’s a political no-brainer,” said Brooker. “The ocean in Florida is like corn. It’s like corn in Iowa, right? It’s something that you have to care about and care about supporting, regardless of your political background, if you want to have a chance of getting elected.” Democrats Also Sound the Alarm Democrats, too, say the plan is unnecessary and dangerous. “Big oil does not need any more help right now,” said U. S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Thursday evening. “They are doing fine and they hold over 2, 000 active leases in the Gulf already.” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried called the proposal a “nonstarter,” pointing to memories of the Deepwater Horizon disaster just 15 years ago. National Politics Biden permanently bans offshore drilling in 625 million acres of ocean David Goldman, Ella Nilsen and Matt Egan, CNN “Florida has a long history of bipartisan support against drilling off our coastlines,” she said in a statement. “Our state’s fragile ecosystem and economy would be irreparably harmed if this proposal were to move forward.” A History of Avoiding Drilling Near Florida The bipartisan resistance echoes earlier victories for drilling opponents: In 2018, voters approved a constitutional amendment banning drilling in state waters. That same year, then-Gov. Rick Scott secured a pledge from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke that Florida would be protected: “We are not drilling off the coast of Florida.” In 2020, Trump signed a memorandum extending the federal offshore drilling moratorium until 2032.
https://www.wptv.com/news/state/desantis-democrats-environmentalists-join-forces-to-oppose-new-gulf-drilling
Rubio casts doubt on pro-Russian Ukraine peace plan, touts ‘realistic ideas’ to end war
Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to deny that the US had decided to push a Moscow-friendly peace plan on Ukraine, becoming the first Trump administration official to publicly temper expectations on a reported deal that would gut Kyiv’s defense force and give up land to Russia. “Ending a complex and deadly war such as the one in Ukraine requires an extensive exchange of serious and realistic ideas. And achieving a durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions,” he wrote in a cryptic post to X on Thursday night. “That is why we are and will continue to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict.” The comment came after Axios on Tuesday reported a deal had been reached, citing Putin henchman Kirill Dmitriev, who claimed he worked on the plan with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. On Wednesday, The Post revealed details of the 28-point framework, which called for Ukraine to shrink its Army to 2. 5 times smaller than it is now; force Kyiv to turn over long-range missiles “or any kind that can reach Moscow or St. Petersburg”; and ban any international brigades within Ukraine which has long been considered the best way to ensure a halt to Russia’s assault would remain in place, according to sources familiar with the details. Financial Times also reported the deal would include the entirety of Ukraine’s Donbas region including portions of the territory that Russia has been unable to capture in more than 11 years of war there. Politico later reported that a senior White House official said the proposed framework could be agreed to “as soon as this week,” despite including terms experts say were unreasonable to expect of Ukraine, amounting to the near-abandonment of its sovereignty. “Giving up the remainder of the Donbas would enable the Russians to make a run on Kyiv as the territory is flat and reducing the size of the Ukrainianian military, giving up weapons and no international security force would make that an even more likely outcome,” said the Atlantic Council’s Alex Plitsas. “If the plan as described is accurate, it would put $200 billion in US military assistance and aid to Ukraine at risk. Any peace plan needs to protect US taxpayer investments and this proposal is deeply unserious,” he added. While Ukrainian officials confirmed the plan was presented to Kyiv, Rubio’s comments appear to convey that the deal was not set in stone. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/world-news/rubio-shares-unease-over-reports-of-pro-russian-ukraine-peace-deal/
Trump urges Treasury Secretary Bessent to take Federal Reserve job
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) For the second time in two days, President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would like to appoint Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to chair the Federal Reserve. Yet Bessent keeps saying he doesn’t want the job, Trump added, in comments to the U. S.-Saudi Investment Forum. “We’re thinking about him for the Fed, but he wants no part of it, he likes being secretary of the Treasury,” Trump said. “I think we’ll leave him so let’s cross your name off right, officially, right?” Trump has been sharply critical of the current Fed chair, Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May, for not cutting interest rates quickly enough. Trump’s pick as a replacement will almost certainly push for rapid interest rate cuts and likely institute wide-ranging changes in how the Fed operates. Bessent earlier this year published extensive criticisms of the Fed’s groundbreaking efforts to shore up financial markets and the economy after the 2008-2009 Great Recession and during the pandemic. Bessent is heading up the Trump administration’s search for a new Fed chair. Yet despite his protestations, he is also widely seen as a leading potential replacement for Powell. “He’s a top-tier candidate right now,” Stephen Moore, a senior economic adviser to Trump in his first term, said. Trump “wants to shake things up, so I think he wants an outsider.” Two of the five candidates Bessent has named are current Fed officials: Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman. The other three would fit the outsider criteria: Kevin Hassett, currently a top White House economic official; Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor who has been highly critical of the Fed; and Rick Rieder, a senior managing director at asset manager BlackRock. Late Tuesday, in an interview By mid-December, “the president will meet the final three candidates and hopefully have an answer before Christmas,” Bessent said. Associated Press Writer Fatima Hussein contributed to this report.
https://www.redbluffdailynews.com/2025/11/19/federal-reserve-bessent/
Trump nominates new CFPB director, but White House says agency is still closing
By KEN SWEET, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) President Trump nominated Stuart Levenbach as the next director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, using a legal maneuver to keep his budget director Russell Vought as acting director of the bureau while the Trump administration continues on its plan to shut down the consumer financial protection agency. Levenbach is currently an associate director inside the Office of Management and Budget, handling issues related to natural resources, energy, science and water issues. Levenbach’s resume shows significant experience dealing with science and natural resources issues, acting as chief of staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during Trump’s first term. Levenbach’s nomination is not meant to go through to confirmation, an administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Under the Vacancies Act, Vought can only act as acting director for 210 days, but now that Trump has nominated someone to the position, that clock has been suspended until the Senate approves or denies Levenbach’s confirmation as director. Vought is Levenbach’s boss. The CFPB has been nonfunctional much of the year. Many of its employees have been ordered not to work, and the only major work the bureau is doing is unwinding the regulations and rules it put into place during Trump’s first term and during the Biden administration. While in the acting director role, Vought has signaled that he wishes to dismantle, or vastly diminish, the bureau. The latest blow to the bureau came earlier this month, when the White House said it does not plan to withdraw any funds from the Federal Reserve, which is where the bureau gets its funding, to fund the bureau past Dec. 31. The White House and the Justice Department used a legal interpretation of the law that created the bureau, the Dodd-Frank Act, that the Fed must be profitable in order to fund the CFPB’s operations. Several judges have rejected this argument when it was brought up by companies, but it’s never been the position of the government until this year that the CFPB requires the Fed to be profitable to have operating funds. “Donald Trump’s sending the Senate a new nominee to lead the CFPB looks like nothing more than a front for Russ Vought to stay on as Acting Director indefinitely as he tries to illegally close down the agency,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, in a statement. The bureau was created after the 2008 financial crisis as part of the Dodd-Frank Act, a law passed to overhaul the financial system and require banks to hold more capital to avoid another financial crisis. The CFPB was created to be a independent advocate for consumers to help them avoid bad actors in the financial system.
https://www.dailybreeze.com/2025/11/19/trump-cfpb-nomination/
El Salvador Quietly Became the 5th Largest Bitcoin Holder
El Salvador has added $100 million worth of Bitcoin to its national reserves over the past week, purchasing 1, 098 BTC amid declining market conditions. The Central American nation now holds 7, 474 Bitcoin valued at approximately $688 million, according to the country’s Bitcoin office. President Nayib Bukele shared details of the recent acquisition on social media, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to building cryptocurrency reserves. The government has implemented a daily purchasing strategy designed to accumulate digital assets gradually while minimizing exposure to price volatility. Strategic Accumulation Through Daily Purchases El Salvador adds one Bitcoin to its reserves each day as part of its long-term investment strategy. This approach allows the government to reduce its average acquisition cost through consistent buying during market downturns. Stacy Herbert, director of El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office, explained that the initiative aims to provide citizens with greater financial autonomy. The government wants to reduce dependence on traditional banking systems and encourage cryptocurrency adoption among its population. Most Salvadorans currently use the U. S. dollar for everyday transactions. El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021. However, public acceptance has progressed slowly. Many citizens remain hesitant about cryptocurrency use despite government incentives and educational programs. The International Monetary Fund has expressed concern about El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings. The organization warned about potential financial risks associated with maintaining large cryptocurrency reserves. Nevertheless, President Bukele has dismissed these warnings and continued the accumulation strategy. Government Stays Steady While Market Declines Bitcoin prices fell below $90,000 this week, dropping nearly 5% in a single trading session. The decline triggered widespread selling among retail investors who had entered the market within recent months. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $90,635, suggesting a 5. 21% decline in the last 24 hours. Market data shows approximately 148, 000 BTC changed hands during the selloff, marking the largest short-term transfer since April 2025. Many inexperienced investors sold their holdings at substantial losses to avoid further depreciation. El Salvador maintained its purchasing schedule throughout the downturn. The government’s steady approach contrasts sharply with the panic-driven decisions of individual traders. The Czech National Bank recently announced its first Bitcoin acquisition, signaling growing institutional interest in digital assets. However, government purchases alone cannot prevent retail investor panic from affecting market prices. El Salvador currently ranks as the fifth-largest government holder of Bitcoin globally. The United States, China, the United Kingdom, and the European Union hold larger reserves. Despite having a relatively small economy, El Salvador has distinguished itself through aggressive cryptocurrency accumulation.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/bitcoin/el-salvador-quietly-became-the-5th-largest-bitcoin-holder/
Kristi Noem hands out $10K bonuses to many TSA officers who worked during shutdown
WASHINGTON Kristi Noem, the secretary of Homeland Security, announced Nov. 13 that Transportation Security Administration workers who provided “exemplary” service during the shutdown would receive $10,000 bonuses. “Their unsung patriotism deserves recognition,” Noem said in recognizing two TSA officers Reiko Walker, who worked double shifts, and Ashley Richardson, who canceled a move at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Funding for the bonuses comes from $13. 2 billion Noem said Trump saved in cost-cutting since taking office. About 13, 000 air traffic controllers and 50, 000 TSA officers continued working during the shutdown as essential personnel. But many were absent as they searched for other income during the temporary halt in paychecks. Trump has proposed $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers with perfect attendance. The federal government continues to resume operations several days after the end of the longest shutdown in history, but advocates warn of potential continued delays getting back pay out the door, airline flights back on schedule and food benefits. President Donald Trump signed legislation Nov. 12 that ended the 43-day shutdown. For the record book, the White House clocked the shutdown at 42 days, 22 hours and 25 minutes. As the government gets back on its feet, workers expect to get back pay within the next few days, airlines are repositioning crews and planes after flight cancellations and states are scrambling to distribute food benefits heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. DOT Duffy calls air controllers ‘patriots’ who should get bonuses at White House Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy repeated Trump’s pledge to give air traffic controllers with perfect attendance during the shutdown each a $10,000 bonus and said they should get it from the president personally at the White House. About 13, 000 controllers and 50, 000 Transportation Security Administration officers kept working temporarily without paychecks during the shutdown to keep passengers flying. The controllers will get back pay and received paychecks Nov. 14 with 70% of their pay, he said. The number of controllers eligible for bonuses is still being calculated, Duffy said. “Depending on how many we have, they should come to the White House and he should present them with their checks,” Duffy said. “They are patriots. We are grateful to them for the work that they have done.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said nearly 20, 000 flights were delayed during the shutdown due to short staffing. Vance calls out Senate Democrats over shutdown Vice President JD Vance says Democrats made a “huge political mistake” when they made demands to reopen the government that a group of moderates eventually caved on. “They caused a lot of stress for our troops, they made our air traffic controllers not get paid, and they caused a lot of flight cancellations. They had a lot of people thinking they were not going to get their food benefits, all for literally nothing,” Vance said “We could have struck this exact deal 45 days ago.” Most House and Senate Democrats voted against the GOP-backed bill to reopen the government. It passed with the support of six Democrats in the House and seven Democrats and an independent who caucuses with the party in the Senate. The White House Office of Management and Budget quickly put out guidance following the end of the shutdown that directs federal agencies to open, and furloughed workers to return “in a prompt and orderly manner” starting Nov. 13. OMB Director Russell Vought sent out the letter to department and agency heads Nov. 12 saying “employees we were on furlough due to the absence of appropriations should be directed to return to work on November 13.” An estimated 750, 000 workers were furloughed during the shutdown.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/kristi-noem-hands-10k-bonuses-171532957.html