THE NEWS

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is threatening legal action against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as it reportedly considers releasing potentially damaging files just weeks before he faces voters in California’s wide-open gubernatorial race.Lawyers for Swalwell sent a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, warning the bureau would violate federal privacy law if it moves ahead with releasing records regarding the congressman’s decade-old relationship with a suspected Chinese spy named Christine “Fang Fang” Fang. “[Y]our attempt to release the file is a transparent attempt to smear him and undermine his campaign for Governor of California,” Swalwell’s attorneys, Sean Hecker and Norm Eisen, said in a recent letter to Patel obtained by The Associated Press. “Your actions threaten to expose you, others at the FBI, and the FBI itself to significant legal liability. Indeed, disclosure of the investigative file would violate federal law in several respects.”The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.ADAM SCHIFF MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACEThe letter comes as The Washington Post first reported that Patel is weighing the release of investigative records related to Swalwell’s past relationship with Fang, who is accused of cultivating ties with Swalwell and other California Democrats for espionage purposes. The suspected Chinese spy operative helped fundraise for Swalwell’s 2014 House re-election campaign and placed at least one intern in his office. Swalwell cut off ties with Fang in 2015 after the FBI alerted him to the suspected Chinese influence campaign.The Justice Department did not pursue criminal charges at the time and Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing. A probe launched by the House Ethics Committee also concluded in 2023 without accusing Swalwell of any violations.SWALWELL GOVERNOR BID HIT WITH RESIDENCY QUESTIONS AFTER COURT FILING ALLEGES HE DOESN’T LIVE IN CALIFORNIASwalwell’s lawyers also accused Patel of potentially violating long-maintained DOJ policy that prohibits law enforcement from taking any public investigatory action against political candidates in the two months prior to an election. Early voting for California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary begins in early May. Swalwell is vying to be among the top two vote-getters that advance to the general election after jumping into the race in late 2025.”It’s not lost on me that we’re 34 days until Californians start voting,” Swalwell told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Monday. “We’ve consistently been in the lead in this governor’s race. And the president wants a Western White House.”Swalwell is a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and served as an impeachment manager during the president’s second impeachment in 2021, following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.The California Democrat has also been criminally referred to the DOJ for alleged mortgage fraud.Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has also blasted Patel for reportedly advocating for the release of the so-called “Fang Fang” files. “What the hell does that have to do with law enforcement?” Raskin said Saturday. “This is plain weaponization of the FBI for partisan political purposes.”

I have seen what violence does to a community.For over 20 years, I have pastored on the South Side of Chicago at my New Beginnings Church. I remember the first time I saw a dead body in the street, a pair of Air Jordans sticking out from beneath a white sheet. I have officiated at funerals for young men and women who should have had decades ahead of them. I have watched mothers bury their children and then walk back to the same block where the murder happened because they had nowhere else to go. I know what violence costs, not as a statistic or a public policy debate, but as a wound that never fully heals.Even the name of my block is a homage to violence, notoriously named O Block after a gunned-down gangster.AMONG RICHMOND’S GHOSTS, I DISCOVERED GRACE — AND A DEEPER FAITH IN FREEDOMSo when people ask me what the solution to violence is, I know they want a quick solution, an easy fix of sorts. They want politicians’ lies that something will be done, a momentary salve that numbs the pain of knowing that nothing will truly be done. The honest answer is never simple.The solution is opportunity.That is it. When there is opportunity, violence goes down. When there is opportunity, people are busy bettering themselves. When there is opportunity, people are aiming for the future instead of living in the past—a graveyard of grievances. When there is opportunity, people pick up the computer instead of the gun. When there is opportunity, people deposit hard-earned cash instead of withdrawing government dependency funds. Most of all, when there is opportunity, people walk with purpose, a smile on their face instead of hanging out on the corner or on porches.All the pity we have received since the 1960s is killing us and continues to do so. All those press conferences held by mayors and police chiefs have done nothing, absolutely nothing. All of the government interference in our lives has left us deadened and divorced from the American pipeline of opportunity.GOV SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: HERE’S HOW WE CAN DELIVER CONSERVATIVE WELFARE REFORMThat is why the only solution is opportunity.And it is why I seek to rename O Block as Opportunity Block. There is nothing more self-defeating than romancing violence. It’s a weak man’s game. Anyone can worship the devil, but to truly follow God? Like the pursuit of faith, the pursuit of opportunity is one of the hardest things one can do and yet the most rewarding.As Shelby Steele says, “Opportunity follows struggle. It follows effort. It follows hard work. It doesn’t come before.” Opportunity is the embrace of freedom. Opportunity is the belief in oneself. Opportunity is the belief in America and her principles. Most of all, opportunity is the belief that hard work has its rewards.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONMy words here are not just talk. I have been walking across America to raise $25 million to finish our Leadership and Economic Opportunity Center. When complete, it will do nothing but provide opportunity pipelines through teaching trades, math and reading, financial literacy, and the Bible. We seek to make our youth whole — many of them come from broken homes and violence, but we will not allow them to use these tragedies as excuses.The path of opportunity is often merciless. It requires sacrifice. It requires leaps of faith into the unknown. It requires the strength to look past doubters and keep pressing forward. And most of all, the pursuit of opportunity requires the wholesale embrace of American values and principles, and it is this embrace that separates them from the world of violence and government dependency.If they succeed down this path of opportunity, they will likely achieve a standard of living that their family has never known. They will likely marry and stay married. They will have faith in God, for they know where they escaped from. And they will have children who will carry on the pursuit of opportunity. It will become tradition.When opportunity enters a neighborhood, violence leaves. When opportunity enters a neighborhood, the strong rise over the weak. When opportunity enters a neighborhood, the boards come off the windows of shuttered businesses. When opportunity enters a neighborhood, the language changes from bad faith to future plans. I’m betting my whole life on this. I know it is the truth, and you do too.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM COREY BROOKS

Tiger Woods mugshot 2026
It’s been revealed in arrest records that Tiger Woods was in possession of Hydrocodone pills, which were seized by police, when he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a rollover car crash last week. 
As The Gateway Pundit reported, Woods, 50, was involved in a rollover car accident on Friday afternoon in Jupiter, Florida, and subsequently arrested and charged with a DUI.
Despite blowing a 0.00 on a breathalyzer test, he refused to submit a urinalysis test and was arrested in accordance with state law, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said in a press conference.
Woods swerved and crashed into a “pressure cleaner truck” while attempting to pass at a high speed in his Landrover and rolled his car, according to the Sheriff. He also exhibited “signs of impairment,” police said.
He was taken into the Martin County Jail in Florida on Friday and released later that night.
Now, it’s being reported that he had two white pills, identified as the opiate and controlled substance, Hydrocodone, in his pocket during the crash.
Per Fox:

Police seized two hydrocodone pills from Tiger Woods, whose eyes were ‘bloodshot and glassy’ after wreck, arrest affidavit reveals

BREAKING: Police seized two hydrocodone pills from Tiger Woods, whose eyes were ‘bloodshot and glassy’ after wreck, arrest affidavit reveals pic.twitter.com/6XWLlJSfLP
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 31, 2026

Woods reportedly claims, however, that he was using his cellphone and was distracted during the accident.
According to the document, Woods was sweating profusely when officers arrived at the scene of the crash and exhibited “lethargic and slow” movements, TMZ reports.
His eyes were described as “bloodshot and glassy” with his pupils “extremely dilated.”
He also told officers, “I take a few,” when asked if he’s on any prescription medication.
More from TMZ:
During a search of Woods’ person, the deputy stated they located two white pills inside his left pants pocket with the marks “M367” — revealed to be hydrocodone, an opioid medication used to treat severe pain.
According to the report, Woods had a gnarly case of the hiccups throughout the investigation.
As for what caused the crash, Woods claimed he was busy looking at his cell phone and changing the radio station … and didn’t realize the car in front of him had slowed down until it was too late.
The damage to the truck and pressure washer trailer is estimated to be $5,000 … with the rear left fender and wheel of the trailer getting wrecked.
The post NEW: Police Seized Hydrocodone Pills from Tiger Woods During DUI Arrest After Flipping Car Per Arrest Affidavit appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

This headline on social media was the best – An absolute ocean of freedom-loving Iranians against the Islamic republic marched in Washington DC. A huge crowd assembled on Sunday in … Read more
The post An absolute Ocean of Freedom-Loving Iranians Against the Islamic Republic Marched in Washington DC. on Sunday appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

China & Pakistan Issue 5-Point Peace Framework As Trump Signals Potential ‘Off-Ramp’ Even If Hormuz Remains Closed

Summary

China, Pakistan issue broad five-point framework for peace (document below)

WarSec Hegseth saw “upcoming days will be decisive”, strikes will continues without any deal

President Trump signals off-ramp, tells world “go get your own oil”, says Iran ‘decimated’

Isfahan, home to much of Iran’s enriched uranium and a sprawling ‘missile city’ – was pounded hard overnight by US 2,000-pound bunker buster bombs.

*  *  *

China-Pakistan Issue 5-Point Peace Framework

China and Pakistan on Tuesday issued a five-point initiative for restoring peace in the Gulf and Middle East, after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing. These countries have taken the lead, with Islamabad playing host to shuttle diplomacy – after earlier Egypt and Turkey also sent their top diplomats for a Sunday summit. In short, it is broken down according these five points and headings, laying out a broad path for Iran war ceasefire and permanent truce:

I. Immediate Cessation of Hostilities: China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading.

II. Start of peace talks as soon as possible.

III. Security of nonmilitary targets.

IV. Security of shipping lanes.

V. Primacy of the United Nations Charter.

Notably, there’s nothing in here about ‘denuclearization’ of Iran or anything touching on what might be US-Israeli strategic aims, but instead it is quite ambiguous and broad as a proposed starting point. This comes as the US has signaled it could be open to an offramp or peace deal even if the Hormuz Strait remains under Iran’s de facto control. Here is the document issued by Pakistan’s official Ministry of Foreign Affairs accounts on social media:

Secretary of War Hegseth Says ‘Upcoming Days Will Be Decisive’, ‘Damaging Iran Military Morale’

WarSec Hegseth’s comments were not quite a “Mission Accomplished” but definitely a reflection on the courage and completion of “systematically destroy” Iran’s military capabilities. Hegseth said he visited US troops involved in operations against Iran over the weekend, describing a campaign that is intensifying as American firepower ramps up while Iran’s capabilities decline.

He stressed that “upcoming days will be decisive,” acknowledging Iran is still expected to launch missiles but adding, “we will shoot down” incoming threats. According to Hegseth, sustained US strikes are not only degrading military assets but also “damaging Iran military morale” and triggering “widespread Iran military desertions.” And another key line:

“We would much prefer to get a deal. If Iran was willing to relinquish material they have and ambitions they have, open the strait, great. That’s the goal. We don’t want to have to do more militarily than we have to.”

He went further, claiming “regime change has occurred in Iran,” while warning that if Tehran refuses to make a deal, Washington will press ahead. “If Iran isn’t willing to make deal, US will continue,” he said, adding that strikes will persist “with more intensity” in the absence of an agreement.

Hegseth on Iran:
If Iran is wise, it will cut a deal. Trump doesn’t bluff, and he does not back down.
The new Iranian regime should understand that by now. Regime change has occurred. This new regime should be wiser than the last.
Trump is willing to make a deal, and the terms… pic.twitter.com/FPqJluewKW
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 31, 2026
*  *  *

Off-Ramp Imminent? Trump Tells World “Go Get Your Own Oil” Via Strait After ‘Decimating’ Iran

There’s been a lot of speculation that the White House is preparing to find a ‘mission accomplished’ declaration moment, as ‘any offramp will do’ as a way to avoid a costly potential quagmire of introducing ground troops, and we may be seeing the start of one.

After comments apparently leaked to The Wall Street Journal overnight that Trump is willing to leave Iran with the Strait unopened, the President has clarified his thinking in his out loud voice this morning.

President Trump has posted on social media this morning, clearly signaling he is further down the road towards an off-ramp:

All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you:

Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and

Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.

You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.

Iran has been, essentially, decimated.

The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!

President DJT

The reaction was a drop in the price of oil…

…and stocks rising…

Nothing dramatic in either – as traders remain nervous of Trump-Talk still – but nevertheless, as Goldman’s Rich Privorotsky noted overnight (in a seemingly precognitive comment before Trump’s tweet), this is shaping up like an off-ramp:

After ~5 weeks of conflict “President Trump told aides he’s willing to end the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed” (WSJ).

Politically messy (especially in GCC…less so domestically), but probably the least bad short-term pathway (can argue LT worse).

There’s a press conference at 8am EST from the Defense Department.

Overnight saw meaningful escalation… Iran struck a heavily laden oil tanker in Dubai port… a very explicit signal around control of shipping.

Likely in response to US actions around nuclear facilities in Isfahan

(Trump on his Truth Social posted uncaptioned video of large explosion 5 hours ago).

BREAKING 🚨: US dropped 2000 lb bomb over #Tehran#Trump and #netanyahu destroying #Iran#IranWar‌ #ısrael pic.twitter.com/7CbrsHtqGu
— Pak-China Today (@PakChinaToday) March 31, 2026
The most bullish near term outcome would be a “mission accomplished” style announcement…

i.e. nuclear capabilities set back materially (say 10–20 years), allowing the US to step away.

No edge here, frankly could be anything but will be watching.  

…

The key shift then remains the Strait.

If the US pauses while Iran maintains some level of disruption, the pressure flips… China, Korea, Japan, India, Europe and the GCC all become directly incentivized to force flows back online.

Even partial restrictions (e.g. US/Israeli vessels) are manageable…so a unilateral victory could actually restart flows and shift pressure to ROW to get strait moving. 

2,000-pound Bunker Buster Bombs Hit Isfahan Hard Overnight

Videos and reporting from the region has made clear that the central Iranian city of Isfahan has been hit very hard in the latest US-Israeli strikes. A major ammunition depot and other “military-linked” sites were attacked using 2,000-lb bunker busters. Isfahan is the Islamic Republic’s third-most populous city and is believe to host majority of the nation’s highly enriched uranium as well as a sprawling “missile city”.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a “high volume of bunker busters, or penetrator munitions, was used for the strike” at a large ammunition depot, creating immense fireballs.

US forces have now hit more than 11,000 targets over the monthlong war, focusing heavily on degrading Iran’s missile, drone, as well as nuclear power and development sites.

CBC has written, “The attacks were testament to the intensity of the month-long war the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested in an interview that Israel has achieved more than half of its war aims.”

The heavy overnight explosions were widely recorded, being viewed for miles around:

🚨🇮🇷BREAKING: Citizens from Isfahan are reporting HEAVY EXPLOSIONS a short time ago.
What’s going on there?! pic.twitter.com/h7dPxdLQet
— Eli Afriat 🇮🇱 (@EliAfriatISR) March 30, 2026
“Isfahan is home to one of three sites earlier attacked by the U.S. military last year. NASA fire-tracking satellites suggest explosions happened in a mountainous region on the city’s southern edge,” the report described further, noting that Iran has yet to confirm the attack. President Trump previously warned on Truth Social, “Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business’. He continued: “we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched’.”

As for the ordinance used, “bunker buster” refers to a class of bombs engineered to drive deep beneath the surface – particularly through rock, soil, or reinforced concrete – before detonating. The technology was honed and widely used by the US during the Persian Gulf War of 1991.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/31/2026 – 10:00

No THAC0 Tuesday

By Michael Every of Rabobank
No TACO And No THAC0
The Global Daily yesterday noted lots of reasons to worry about this Gulf War 3 – today there are far more. However, as made clear since the start of this crisis, there is no way to say, “This is silly,” or to ‘go home’ and return to ‘normality’. Everyone in the war except the US *is* at home.
Israel is targeting Iran’s leaders and PM Netanyahu says the country is only “over halfway” to its war goals, with no timeline for ending the conflict. Key Gulf states are urging Trump to intensify the war, even as Trump may bill them for it. Iran’s parliament just passed a bill imposing tolls on Hormuz, seizing that key waterway, and is pressing Yemen’s Houthis to renew attacks on Red Sea shipping, which would massively exacerbate this crisis – Bloomberg warns of $140 oil if so; a disavowed report just said Egypt, who wants the war to end, warned the Houthis it would then attack them. The Iranian ambassador refused to leave Lebanon when ordered to by its government; and Iran just struck Israel’s oil refinery in Haifa, and a fully laden oil Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai. In short, the Middle East has its own agency.
The implications for the US in this war are also far beyond oil prices and the mid-terms: Trump’s ‘reverse perestroika’ and 21st century US hegemony may pivot on who wins. If the US wins, it de facto controls Middle East energy and can build a new architecture there. Yet financial press op-eds arguing for a ‘blueprint for Chinese global leadership’ could be right if the US loses – in which case everyone clinging to the flotsam and jetsam of the ‘rules-based order’ loses too.
Only if one starts with that strategic geopolitical imperative is Trump’s potential willingness to climb the escalatory ladder predictable, as is that there can’t be the ‘TACO’ markets want. That thinking underlines our geopolitical base case this war is largely over in 2-3 weeks, on favourable terms to the US – which is what Secretary of State Rubio just told the G7 too: but only after things get much worse first. If they get worse and stay there, so will the economic projections.
Notably, Trump has now warned the faction of the Iranian leadership he’s dealing with –reportedly led by parliamentary speaker Ghalibaf– that if it won’t strike a deal soon that includes reopening Hormuz, the US will destroy Iran’s electricity network and energy before leaving. Yet Trump is also reportedly telling aides that he’s willing to leave Hormuz in the hands of a smashed regime. Either outcome would leave Iran, the Middle East, and probably the global energy system in structural chaos. Meanwhile, thousands of US army paratroopers and marines are close to positions around Iran, offering the US other strategic options: but to what end? Tehran? A uranium hunt? It seems logical. A bridgehead in Hormuz via its smaller islands? Perhaps so. The obvious, but dangerous, target of Kharg island and its oil facilities?
A key complaint, after no TACO, is that the US isn’t clear in its objectives: in the last 24 hours we’ve seen conflicting messages from Bessent, Trump, and Rubio over what the US is trying to do re: Hormuz. Yet here one has to raise another geostrategic point: why does the US have to say exactly what it intends to do? Voters and traders want to know, but the ‘fog of war’ is a critical advantage and Trump is a past master at misdirection. Yes, perhaps there isn’t a US plan, and markets would be wise to price in that uncertainty; but nobody in power is going to tell a journalist or analyst what their war plans are, just what they *want* them to hear and then tell others. For any D&D players reading, there is no THAC0 in war. (But those decision-makers may front-run their actions in markets, so keep your eyes open for those loaded dice.)
In energy, Brent was down at $111 this morning in Asia despite the Kuwaiti oil tanker being hit, with WTI at $102 and 1-month TTF gas at €54.8, while jet fuel in Singapore is at a new high of $233.5, showing more pressure there. European and African oil markets are getting tighter as Asia buys more to fill its supply gaps. Expect that to continue ahead.
In related news, the IMF warned the UK faces one of the biggest energy shocks; Brussels says Europeans should consider traveling less to avoid energy shortages; and a report has it that EU member states’ national fuel price measures are threatening to worsen the energy crisis; China is looking to restart US energy imports as it sees its position in aluminium and EVs strengthened; and Australia’s PM has stated that fuel rationing will only kick in at an “extraordinary” supply hit, without specifying what that is.
Re: uncertainty, Gulf War 3 is exponentially accelerating the evolution/devolution of the global system which was already ongoing.
Spain has closed its airspace to the US military over the war, widening a rift with it. Rubio has just stated that after this is all over, NATO must be “re-examined” – and he’s the US good cop. Don’t think comfortable plans for accelerated European military spending by 2035 will hold up if the US were to make as radical a move vs NATO (and/or Greenland) as it did vs Iran once the Middle East dust has settled. That’s for an EU where, as Politico notes, ‘Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda.’
In the US, there is a rush to shift to new defence systems, so cheap drones are not fought with million-dollar missiles. That will entail a major military-industrial structural shake-up, with lessons learned from Ukraine, whose prowess Germany’s Rheinmetall CEO was recently mocking.
The USTR says he now sees only a limited role for the WTO after its recent meeting in Cameroon failed to see any reforms: Politico notes, ‘As the WTO flounders, the world’s middle powers go their own way.’ The US is also pressuring the EU to join its AI chips ‘club’, as the EU is pushing the US to join it in a common 50% steel tariff vs. China. Does the dust eventually settle with EU-US cooperation or separation – and if so at what cost to both?
Meanwhile, in Australia the RBA minutes’ key line was: “it was not possible to predict the future path for the cash rate target with any confidence, given the high degree of uncertainty around the breadth and duration of the current conflict in the Middle East.” It added that the direct effect of oil prices remaining around $100 would on its own lift headline CPI to around 5% in Q2, 0.75% higher than expected in February, and sustained higher oil prices would boost inflation more broadly over time. A majority agreed further tightening in policy would likely be required in the near term, but a minority was already worrying about the ‘stag’ part of stagflation.
The RBA is right about the Middle East – and let’s repeat that one then has to look at that complex region through a broad geopolitical lens, not a narrow “because markets/elections” one that said this war wasn’t going to happen. Oh – and that today saw half a million young Aussie workers get up to 42% pay increase due to changes to minimum wage rates.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/31/2026 – 09:55

By Wayne Allyn Root
This past weekend shall forever more be known as “Moron Weekend.”
First, Charles Barkley- he’s known as “the round mound of rebound” from his NBA days. Charles is now vying for the title of “the male Kamala Harris.”
Dumb-as-a-doorknob Charles said, “Immigrants built this country.” Charles really thinks the legal immigrants of a hundred years ago are the same as the illegal alien invaders of today.
Charles, allow me to explain the huge difference. It’s as wide as the Grand Canyon.
Immigrants did build this country. They did make America great. Except they were all LEGAL immigrants, who came through Ellis Island, and were fully investigated and interrogated for their criminal records, potential terrorism, and turned away if pregnant, or diseased.
None of those immigrants allowed into America ever got a dime of welfare. They had to work, or starve.
They were NOT today’s illegal immigrants breaking illegally into our country- many of them with terrible, criminal records, MS-13 gangbangers, terrorists, drug traffickers, pedophiles, rapists, many with mental illness, and many others diseased.
Few of today’s illegal immigrants have any talent, skills, or education. They’ve come here to live off US taxpayers from cradle to grave.
And the diseases they bring are even worse than their crimes. Just days ago in Chicago, one illegal alien murdered a young, innocent female college student, while another illegal alien ran over and killed two young females while driving drunk.
But the story gets much worse.
Both illegal alien murderers are diseased. One has full-blown AIDS, the other has Tuberculosis. American taxpayers are now paying for expensive medical care for both- and three nice, young American women are dead. You’d have to be a clueless moron or a suicide bomber to let immigrants like this into our great country.
Sorry, Charles, but you’re a round mound of dumb ass.
You’re as dumb as a doorknob if you can’t see the difference between skilled immigrants, with no criminal record, who came to this nation legally, with background checks…versus illegal aliens with murder and rape on their resume, with no skills, from terrorist nations.
If you can’t see the difference, you’re so dumb you could be the Democrat Party’s next candidate for President in 2028.
Now to the “No Kings” protests over the weekend. I don’t know how to explain this to the morons who protested, but if Trump were really a king, they would have never been allowed to protest. Or they’d all be in prison for years to come- exactly like the J6ers.
If Trump were really a king, he couldn’t have his fantastic, pro-American, MAGA agenda stopped by small-minded, unelected, communist judges.
These are people who couldn’t get elected dog catcher, who think because they wear a black robe, they have more power than the President of the United States- elected by 77 million voters.
It seems to me it’s the commie insurrectionist judges who think they’re kings.
If Trump were really a king, he would have total cooperation from his own GOP Senate. Instead, they do nothing, pass nothing, and go home on vacation.
Sadly, Trump is the farthest thing from a king.
A few more things I need to explain to these “No Kings” morons- all of them together with the combined brainpower lower than my dog Bubba…
First, liberal morons called Trump a “Nazi,” now they claim he’s being controlled by Israel. Get your story straight. Trump must be the world’s first Jew-loving, Jewish-owned Nazi.
Leftist morons think Trump is a king, but they said nothing when Obama illegally used the IRS to persecute his political opponents- like me. So, who’s the real king?
Biden’s DOJ hunted down J6 peaceful protesters and put them in deplorable prison conditions and solitary confinement for years without trial. So, who’s the real king?
Biden’s DOJ attempted to arrest PTA moms for disagreeing on the school curriculum. Then Biden’s DOJ arrested grandmothers and put them in prison for a decade for praying in front of abortion clinics. So, who’s the real king?
Obama took credit for deporting 3 million illegals, and liberals never said one word. Trump has deported about 600,000 illegals, five times less than Obama, but it’s led to nationwide protests, riots, and violence.
Obama was also the one who first put illegal alien children in cages. How come none of you said a word?
Biden lost track of 300,000 illegal alien children. Most were raped, sexually assaulted, trafficked into a life of prostitution and porn, or murdered. Why didn’t you protest? You never said a word.
NEW RULE: If you like illegal aliens so much, why don’t you agree to adopt them?
Every Democrat should adopt a military-age male illegal alien- especially the ones from Muslim terrorist nations. If you want them here so badly, you live with them next to your daughter’s bedroom.
NEW RULE: If you like illegal aliens so much, why don’t you agree to pay the bill?
Let’s bill every Democrat voter for their food, housing, health insurance, medical bills, education, lawyers, police, court, and prison costs. “You broke it, now you pay for it.” If you want them here and vote Democrat, from now on, their bill is yours.
What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?
Lastly, the communists at “No Kings” rallies this past weekend threatened an economic boycott on May 1st. They’re so dumb, they don’t realize they have very little effect on the U.S. economy.
Blue-collar and middle-class America is overwhelmingly for Trump. Now throw in 40 million small business owners- who are overwhelmingly for Trump. These groups are the economic engines of America. They do most of the spending, create most of the jobs, and pay most of the taxes.
So, good luck to the delusional “No Kings” communist morons. Democrats have virtually no effect on the U.S. economy. 82% of US counties voted for Trump. So, you’ll only damage your own blue cities and states.
From Charles Barkley aka, “the round mound of dumb ass,” to the typical “No Kings” liberal protesters, we have Exhibit A for ignorant, delusional, and “dumb as doorknobs.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wayne Allyn Root is a CEO, businessman, best-selling author, and national conservative TV and radio host, who has interviewed President Trump 16 times. Watch Wayne’s TV show “America’s Top Ten Countdown” on Real America’s Voice TV Saturdays at Noon ET/9 AM PT, and his 2-hour daily video podcast “WAR Zone Live presented by The Gateway Pundit” daily from 6 PM to 8 PM ET at TheGatewayPundit.com. His website is ROOTforAmerica.com. Read Wayne’s latest fun book, “How Democrats Have Made America Great.” It’s 140 blank pages. The joke is on Democrats!
The post WAYNE ROOT: Charles Barkley and the “No Kings” Protesters: Exhibit A for Ignorant, Delusional and “Dumb as a Doorknob.” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Negative Equity Leaves 30% Of Car-Buyers Underwater On Trade‑Ins

Authored by Andrew Moran via The Epoch Times,

Almost one-third of American car buyers with a trade-in owe more than the vehicle is worth, new industry data show.

About 30.5 percent of buyers trading in a car toward a new vehicle maintained negative equity, according to a JD Power report released on March 26.

This is up 4.2 percentage points from a year ago and has been steadily rising since 2022, “as consumers who purchased during the peak of inventory shortages 4 years ago return to market,” says Thomas King, president of OEM solutions at JD Power.

“Regarding total consumer spending on new vehicles, the elevated transaction prices in March aren’t enough to offset the inflated sales pace a year ago,” King said. “Consumers are on track to spend $49.4 billion on new vehicles this month, 13.9 percent lower than a year ago.”

Growing auto debt has become a significant challenge in the current car climate, with many motorists enduring the consequences of their pandemic-era financial decisions.

Edmunds, a subsidiary of CarMax, reported in January that the average amount owed on underwater trade-ins during the fourth quarter was a record $7,214. Additionally, 27 percent carried $10,000 or more in negative equity—also an all-time high.

If a buyer trades in a vehicle with negative equity, the remaining balance is typically folded into the financing for their next car. That rollover effect, according to Edmunds data, has pushed the average monthly payment for these borrowers to an all‑time high of $916.

Many underwater trade-ins can be traced back to pandemic‑era loans. At the time, chip shortages slashed inventories and wiped out incentives. Buyers paid close to or above the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)—the sticker price automakers recommend a dealer charge for a new car—and had limited ability to choose cheaper models.

Since leasing was limited, many drivers opted to purchase these vehicles with loans, incurring different financial costs. Years later, the loan balances surpassed the cars’ value.

The auto market—and the typical depreciation—has since stabilized. However, because these loans were originated during a period of elevated prices, they have matured into a market where vehicle values have normalized. That mismatch has widened the gap between purchase prices and current trade‑in values.

But a new threat has emerged in the U.S. auto market: ultra-long car loans.

The Seven-Year Loan

Kelley Blue Book figures reveal that car prices have accelerated over the past year. The average new-vehicle transaction price was firmly above $49,000—hovering near record levels—in February.

“Sales are no longer swinging wildly month to month, but growth is also harder to come by,” Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, said in a March 25 note. “Affordability remains the central challenge for the industry, and that is limiting the market’s ability to expand beyond the mid-15-million range.”

Borrowing costs also remain elevated, with the average auto loan interest rate close to 7 percent.

Current conditions have forced car buyers to take on seven-year loans. An estimated 41 percent of new-car purchases involving negative equity are financed with 84-month loans.

It is unclear whether these numbers will lead to significant pressure on consumers. So far, the data indicate that buyers are not falling behind.

TransUnion says about 1.5 percent of auto loans are 60 days past due. The New York Fed reports that the share of loans in serious delinquency—90 days or more—stands at nearly 3 percent.

In total, Americans owe $1.7 trillion in auto loan debt, soaring 56 percent in the past decade.

While lenders take into account a wide array of factors to price interest rates—credit risk, consumer-loan dynamics, and funding costs—they also loosely track yields on Treasury securities, particularly the five-year government bond.

The five-year Treasury yield has spiked over the past month amid the war in Iran, reaching around 4 percent from its pre-conflict level of 3.5 percent.

In addition to high car prices and borrowing costs, drivers are also contending with increasing pain at the pump. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is close to $4, according to the American Automobile Association.

Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/31/2026 – 09:35

PHOENIX – Robert Kraft, the visionary who bought the flailing New England Patriots in the 1990s and turned them into an NFL dynasty, was imagining the NFL’s future when he spoke with reporters on Monday.Kraft, who definitely gets it, would like to see a future NFL that plays 18 regular-season games, plays only two preseason games, includes two bye weeks and, oh yeah, has every single team playing one of its games internationally.So there it is … the NFL’s dream scenario for the 2030s.”I like it long term for the growth and development of the league because, to keep our league healthy and grow revenue, I think preseason games have not been what it used to be when we owned the team,” Kraft told New England area reporters during a break in the NFL annual meeting. “And changing to 18 games and having that real content and being mindful of player safety, I’d personally like to see us have a second bye week.”But then, it would allow us to also grow the game internationally. Every team in the league would play a game overseas … I think it would be a lot more exciting for the fans to have an extra game rather than the way our preseason games stack up.”This is not a daydream. It’s a league that craves growth and money building a penthouse over its already lofty perch atop American sports.And we know this because commissioner Roger Goodell has leaked a somewhat similar vision of Kraft’s outline in drubs and drabs the last couple of years — usually before offering a requisite amount of temperance to lower expectations.”We’re not there yet,” Goodell said before Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara. “There’s more work to be done.”NFL owners are apparently doing some of that work at the current meetings. And so the topic is leaking out into the media.Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon wants an 18-game regular season and made that point clear in speaking with local Indianapolis area reporters as well as during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”She has complained in the past that 17 games doesn’t give teams financial certainty from year to year, because some years teams play eight home games and some years they play nine and some years one of those home games goes overseas to an international venue.”I think, as long as the players want it – which I think they would, because it would mean more revenue and, ultimately, a better product – I think it’s reasonable and something we would work toward,” Irsay-Gordon told the Indianapolis Star.Adding an 18th game would have to be collectively bargained with the NFL Players’ Association. And the NFLPA has over the last several years been vehemently opposed to the addition of an 18th game.But the same NFLPA has never been vehemently opposed to more money and benefits for players. And it’s never uttered any complaint when the idea of expanded rosters, meaning more jobs for more players, has been floated.So, do you smell a negotiation in the works?Speaking hypothetically, one agent told OutKick a negotiation might start with the idea that the NFL wants one more game. And then the players would get the extra bye week, expanded rosters, a higher minimum salary, greater post-retirement benefits and more off time during the offseason.Beyond the extra game, placing 18 of them overseas – twice as many as planned for 2026 – sounds easier than it actually is.”We’re early in that process,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said. “We’re expanding each year, we’re learning each year. We’re going into new markets and making sure every move we make, every new market we go into has to be successful.”Obviously, a lot has to be worked through to get to a stage that you described. I think the work we’re doing is making sure we have the foundation ready should that opportunity exist.”

Strait of Hormuz
President Trump on Tuesday suggested that he will withdraw troops from the Middle East and force Europe, Asia, and the Gulf nations to deal with Iran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after they refused his calls for help. 
President Trump previously asked NATO and Asia for help securing the Strait, but they refused.
“The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump said in a statement on Monday, offering to supply oil from the United States if the countries cannot “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”
He added. “Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”
This comes amid reporting that Trump is ready to end the war regardless of security in the waterway.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told aides he may end the war with Iran without reopening the Strait as his timeline for the war of four to six weeks approaches its end.
His plan would then be to leave it for Europe and the Gulf states, who are heavily dependent on the flow of oil through the Strait, unlike the US, to deal with it.
On Tuesday, Trump appeared to move in this direction, posting the following message on Truth Social:
All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!

Trump further went off on France for being “VERY UNHELPFUL” in the war:
The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the “Butcher of Iran,” who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!! President DJT
Meanwhile,
Meanwhile, Trump says Iran is “agreeing with us” on his 15-point plan and that some oil is being allowed to flow through the Strait, but is still leveling threats to decimate Iran if a deal falls through.
“It’s really a new regime. It’s a group of people, people that we’ve never dealt with before, that are acting very reasonable. It is truly regime change,” he told reporters on Sunday.
On Monday, Trump threatened to escalate the war by targeting Iran’s energy and water infrastructure “if, for any reason, a deal is not shortly reached.”
President Trump Pauses Iranian Energy Plant Destruction, Announces New Deadline

This is a developing story. 
The post JUST IN: President Trump Tells Europe and Gulf States to Fix the Strait of Hormuz Themselves Amid Reports That He is Willing to End War Without Reopening Strait – “You’ll Have to Start Learning How to Fight for Yourself. Go Get Your Own Oil!” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.