WND

“I have been stealing the money.”

That purported comment from Volodymr Zelensky begins a hilarious parody video of the infamous meeting between the Ukrainian president and U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I’m sorry, what’s that now?” responds Trump in the spoof.

“I must to speak honestly,” says Zelensky. “I steal many of USAID dollars to Ukraine. Millions. Some dollars for some oligarchs, also some for American bureaucrats also.”

Trump replies, “Well, we know that, but, why are you telling me this?”

“Because, Mr. Trump, if you end war, we cannot steal any more money. We must continue war,” says Zelensky.

The overdubbed video is the work of YouTube parody videomeister “Mr Reagan,” and the clip has already received more than 4 million views in a single day over various social media.

At times, the spoof gets somewhat prurient, but it does correlate to real life as Trump is shown telling Zelensky, “You’re not going to convince me to keep the war going. You don’t have the cards.”

Zelensky: “I not play cards.”

Trump: “No, I know you’re not literally playing cards. It’s a metaphor. It’s like I’m playing 4-D chess and you’re paling checkers.”

Zelensky: “No, I not play checkers. There is no checkerboard. You see?”

Trump: “OK, let’s try this. I am in the driver’s seat. OK? Do you understand that expression?”

Zelensky: “No, but we are not in car.”

Trump: “No, you’re right, you’re right. We’re not in a car. That’s true.”

Zelensky: “Listen, Mr. Trump, I am actor/comedian. I crave attention. Since start of war, I get worshiped by presidents. I am worshiped by Hollywood. If war ends, no more attention. No more worship. With all due respect, Mr. Trump, this was must last forever.”

Trump: “I tell you what. If you agree to end this war, we will do a remake of ‘Friends,’ and you can play Ukrainian Chandler Bing. … OK, so let’s sign the thing and then I’ll go show you the room where Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky did it.”

There’s even an allusion to the mysterious cocaine that was found in the White House during Joe Biden’s administration.

“That was yours?” Trump asks Zelensky.

“We thought that baggie belonged to Hunter. You know, I think the Secret Service probably still has it somewhere.”

Is the news we hear every day actually broadcasting messages from God? The answer is an absolute yes! Find out how!

Follow Joe on X @JoeKovacsNews

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem led federal raids by ICE agents in northern Virginia Tuesday morning, despite the fact the operation had been leaked by Vanity Fair congressional reporter Pablo Manriquez who gave advice on eluding capture.

Thank you, @FoxNews! pic.twitter.com/dcZXy5QqMr

— Pablo Manríquez (@PabloReports) March 3, 2025

“We will not be deterred by leaks. If you come to this country and break our laws, we will hunt you down,” Noem said on X.

“Successful enforcement operation this morning – getting MS-13 members, 18th Street gang members and perpetrators of sexual crimes off our streets.”

We will not be deterred by leaks. If you come to this country and break our laws, we will hunt you down.

Successful enforcement operation this morning—getting MS-13 members, 18th Street gang members and perpetrators of sexual crimes off our streets. pic.twitter.com/67iqcFJw6x

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 4, 2025

She later noted the raids were successful: “Northern Virginia is safer this morning after a successful operation getting criminal aliens and gang members off our streets. Thank you to our brave enforcement officers.”

Northern Virginia is safer this morning after a successful operation getting criminal aliens and gang members off our streets.

Thank you to our brave enforcement officers. pic.twitter.com/UYRkwLPHTO

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 4, 2025

Is the news we hear every day actually broadcasting messages from God? The answer is an absolute yes! Find out how!

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is bringing “consequences” during raids in Virginia on Tuesday.@ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott covered the raids at the scene. https://t.co/lHEambRroD pic.twitter.com/wQBXW0vrPR

— ABC News (@ABC) March 4, 2025

In the wake of the operation, Noem was mocked by Aaron Fritschner, the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., who represents the Arlington neighborhood where one raid occurred.

“Secretary Noem wore a flak jacket to give herself added protection from the ongoing free weapons fire in the dangerous war zone of Arlington, Virginia,” Fritschner said, adding, “Known dog-killer appears on the loose in Northern Virginia, keep your pets safe folks.”

Secretary Noem wore a flak jacket to give herself added protection from the ongoing free weapons fire in the dangerous war zone of Arlington, Virginia https://t.co/BV2kR5Vwqs pic.twitter.com/wjoIFlRpF0

— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) March 4, 2025

Follow Joe on X @JoeKovacsNews

The Supreme Court has signaled it likely will end Mexico’s demands, through the American court system, that multiple gunmakers in the U.S. pay it billions and billions of dollars.

It demanded, in a lawsuit brought in the state of Massachusetts, that seven major U.S. gun manufacturers and a gun wholesaler be held responsible financially for the horrific death toll from the drug cartel warfare that has engulfed parts of Mexico now for a generation.

A report at Scotusblog, which monitors, reports on, and analyzes Supreme Court actions, said the justices on Tuesday “signaled” they were likely to end Mexico’s claims.

“A majority of the court appeared to agree with the gun makers that the Mexican government’s suit is barred by a 2005 law intended to shield the gun industry from lawsuits in U.S. courts for the misuse of guns by others,” the report said.

Mexican officials had demanded not just billions of dollars but “an end to the marketing and trafficking of illegal guns to Mexico.”

Those officials have made claims that American gun makers “deliberately” designed guns knowing that military-style machines will be appealing to drug cartel members. Then, the officials claimed, gunmakers sell their weapons to gun dealers, who sell them to gun buyers, who act as “strawmen” for delivery of guns in Mexico.

It ended up at the Supreme Court after the 1st Circuit noted Mexico’s claims that gunmakers “aided and abetted illegal sales.”

Lawyer Noel Francisco told the justices on behalf of the gunmakers that “when Congress enacted the law at the center of the case, the Protecting Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, it intended to ‘prohibit lawsuits just like this one”” the report explained.

A representative for the Mexican government claimed that the lawsuit should be allowed to go forward.

At issue is whether gun makers helped cartels violate U.S. gun laws and whether the resulting injuries were the responsibility of the gunmakers.

The report said Justice Neil Gorsuch pointed out that for a violation to have occurred, the gun makers had to have intended to do that.

“Other justices questioned whether Mexico had provided enough details in its complaint for its case to move forward,” the report noted.

Even leftists on the panel, including Ketanji Jackson and Elena Kagan, expressed doubts about the legitimacy of Mexico’s case.

It was left to Justice Samuel Alito to cite the elephant in the room, President Donald Trump’s insistence that Mexico do more to prevent the flow of illegal drugs into America, a dispute that has triggered tariffs already.

In this case, he said, Mexico alleges that U.S. gun manufacturers are contributing to illegal conduct in Mexico. But he noted there are “Americans who think that Mexican government officials are contributing to a lot of illegal conduct” in the United States.

Then, he wondered, should a U.S. state sue Mexico in a U.S. court for “aiding and abetting illegal conduct within the state’s borders” that causes harm?

A report at Courthouse News suggested that “Mexico received little sympathy from the Supreme Court” in the dispute.

Defendants include Smith & Wesson Brands, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Beretta U.S.A. Corp, Glock, Sturm, Ruger & Company and Colt’s Manufacturing Company.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith dismantled the idea to “The View” co-host Joy Behar’s suggestion that President Donald Trump did not win any “mandate” in the 2024 election.

Behar suggested that Trump did not win any “mandate” because he narrowly won the popular vote by about 1% and since the Republican Party holds a slim majority in the House of Representatives and Senate. The co-host pointed out that Trump’s popular vote win is “the smallest ever,” making his victory hardly a landslide.

“What kind of mandate is this really?” Behar asked Smith.

Smith argued there is, in fact, a mandate since Trump won all seven swing states, made major inroads with racial minorities and blue collar workers, and became the first Republican candidate to win the popular vote in 20 years.

“Well it is a mandate and I’m gonna explain why,” Smith said. “And I don’t mind the question but let me be very clear, I’m no supporter of Trump. I’m a supporter of truth and the facts, and here’s the facts. The man won every swing state, he increased voter turnout in his favor from the standpoint of blacks, Latinos, and young voters. He increased his numbers in that regard from 2020. 89% of the counties shifted to the right. That’s a mandate.”

“WE can sit up there and play around all we want to,” Smith continued. “In 2020, Trump didn’t the popular vote, he didn’t win the Electoral College vote. As a matter of fact, the Republicans haven’t won the popular vote if I remember correctly since 2004. But they did this year.”

WATCH:

Smith said Trump’s victory is a result of Americans voting against the Democrats’ agenda, and argued the party needs to find new messaging if they ever want to defeat the president.

Public polling found Trump had a significant lead over both former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris on the economy and immigration, which were ultimately the two leading issues among voters in the last election.

Biden dropped out of the race on July 21 as Democrats staged a coup against his candidacy over concerns regarding his mental health and ability to serve a second term. Concerns over his cognitive state were raised after his disastrous debate performance against Trump held on June 27.

The former president then endorsed Harris to run, though she ended up losing the popular vote and all seven swing states to Trump. The president also made major inroads with black, Latino and blue collar workers largely due to the economy and immigration.

Trump became the first Republican nominee to win Hispanic men in a presidential election, earning 55% of support among that voter block in an NBC News exit poll. Harris underperformed among all Hispanics by only receiving 52% of support in exit polls, while President Joe Biden garnered 61% in 2020, according to Politico.

The president made history by becoming the first Republican to win Starr County, Texas, since 1892 with over 57% of the vote. The overwhelmingly Democratic bastion is a border county with a 97% Hispanic population.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Many years ago, my then-teenage daughter was on a church choir tour in Philadelphia. My wife asked her by phone how it was going. Our daughter replied that everything had been going great, and they were hoping to visit the nation’s second-largest shopping mall. But no. Instead, they had to go see “some stupid bell with a crack in it.” She told me later she just said this because she wanted to get a rise out of her dad – that would be me.

Feelings of patriotism ebb and flow. Is patriotism making a comeback? Fox News.com reports on one man who thinks so: “Country singer Craig Morgan believes that President Donald Trump’s administration has already brought about a surge of patriotism in America.”

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines patriotism as, “Love of one’s country; the passion which aims to serve one’s country, either in defending it from invasion, or protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions in vigor and purity.”

The Liberty Bell is clearly a great icon of America. How fitting, then, that the only thing written on it, other than the manufacturer’s name, is a Bible verse: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof.” This comes from Leviticus 25, verse 4, in the King James Version.

The National Park Service (NPC) says: “This verse refers to the ‘Jubilee,’ or the instructions to the Israelites to return property and free slaves every 50 years. Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly Isaac Norris chose this inscription for the State House bell in 1751, possibly to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges, which granted religious liberties and political self-government to the people of Pennsylvania.”

The Liberty Bell, recognized worldwide as the symbol of America’s national independence, has also become the symbol around the globe for mankind’s deepest longing – freedom. America’s national freedom, born on July 4th, 1776, and first publicly proclaimed on July 8, 1776, was given birth by a courageous band of colonists assembled in Philadelphia, who wrote our nation’s birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence. It declared independence from Great Britain, but dependence upon Almighty God.

In the early 19th century, the bell in Philadelphia became a focal point for the anti-slavery movement. The NPC observes: “The Anti-Slavery Record, an abolitionist publication, first referred to the bell as the Liberty Bell in 1835.”

Of course, the real Liberty Bell can be seen in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, there is a noteworthy replica of the bell on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.

This “Liberty Bell” replica was the brainchild and creation of one of my mentors, Dr. Peter Lillback, the founder and president emeritus of Providence Forum. Dr. Lillback donated the organization he founded to Coral Ridge Ministries, and today I have the privilege to serve as its executive director.

More than two decades ago, Lillback decided to make an exact replica of the bell to honor the 300th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 “Charter of Liberties.”

Lillback contacted the foundry in England that had made the original bell in 1751 to honor the 50th anniversary of Penn’s historic document on liberty of conscience. The company was still in business! And they were able to make an exact replica.

The wooden yoke at the top of the bell came from wood from the last known Liberty Tree, the one in Annapolis, Maryland (but that’s another story). Dr. Lillback and Providence Forum exhibited the bell at various conferences and events.

Finally, when the Museum of the Bible was opening, about 10 years ago, Dr. Lillback gave the bell on permanent loan so that millions could see it. Because it was so big, they had to use a crane to lower the replica into place.

Penn’s ground-breaking Charter was premised on the point of “Almighty God being the only Lord of Conscience, Father of Lights and Spirits. …” It goes on to say that no one “who shall confess and acknowledge One Almighty God, the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the World; and profess Him or themselves obliged to live quietly under the Civil Government, shall be in any Case molested or prejudiced.” Nor should they be compelled as to where and how they worship.

This was revolutionary at the time. No wonder this milestone gave birth to such a key symbol in world history. William Penn’s gift to the world was the freedom to worship God according to the dictates of one’s own conscience.

Of course, Rev. Roger Williams who founded Rhode Island came up with similar freedoms almost a century earlier, on a smaller scale.

But in our age of religious diversity and political pluralism, we can easily overlook the liberty recognized by such American pioneers as William Penn. How little we know today that is symbolized by “some stupid bell with a crack in it.”

In Germany, the party usually described as far-right – Alternative for Germany (AfD) – doubled its share of the vote in the recent elections, from 9% in 2021 to 20.2%. It’s now the nation’s second-largest party.

The ruling socialist party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz came in third with just 16%, its worst showing since the end of World War II.

The centrist-conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had a plurality with 28.8%. Its leader, Friedrich Mertz, has announced he will form a coalition with the socialists rather than AfD, which shows how much Europe’s conservative parties really care about policy.

Germany’s principal problems are immigration and Islam. The tragedy was set into motion by Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel. In 2015, Ms. Merkel took in 1.2 million refugees from Syria to satisfy a misguided humanitarian impulse and bolster an economy short of workers.

Today, Germany accepts half of all European asylum-seekers – 300,000 in 2023. Last year, the number of migrants seeking government benefits increased by 169%.

Although they didn’t aid Germany’s sagging economy, migrants have made jihad a part of daily life in the Federal Republic.

The past few months have brought high-profile migrant attacks in Munich, Magdeburg and Aschaffenburg. A December car-ramming at a Christmas market in Magdeburg left 10 dead and 34 injured. (The assailant probably couldn’t find a Hanukkah market.)

This brought to mind the 2016 Bastille Day attack in Nice, France, where a jihadi drove a truck into a crowd, killing 86 and injuring 434.

America can relate. In New Orleans on New Year’s Day, a man driving while Quran-impaired killed 14 and injured 35.

Knife attacks have become daily occurrences in Germany, with 14,000 reported from 2021 through 2023.

Though they represent 2.5% of the population, migrants committed 13.1% of all sexual assaults in 2021.

As author Douglas Murray pointed out in “The Strange Death of Europe,” the continent is committing suicide by a combination of unchecked immigration and abandonment of its Judeo-Christian heritage.

The 2004 European Union Constitution does not mention Christianity for a continent known as Christendom for more than 1,000 years.

Nature abhors a vacuum, whether political or religious. Every two weeks, another church closes in France and another mosque opens. There are now more than 2,500 mosques in Charles Martel’s land.

Mr. Murray notes that from 2001 to 2011, the number of Britons identifying as Christians fell from 72% to 59%.

The official number of Muslims in England and Wales rose from 1.5 million to 2.7 million in that period. Illegal immigration puts the number much higher, and London has had a Muslim mayor since 2016.

If immigration isn’t enough, Europe is committing demographic suicide. The German fertility rate is 1.35 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1. It’s 1.2 in Italy and 1.62 in France. In 2017, the fertility rate for Muslim women in Britain and France was 2.9. The cradle is as much a symbol of jihad as the sword.

In a 2024 article for the Jewish News Syndicate, Joseph Puder charges: “The streets of major Western European cities are occupied territories” run by “radical Muslim gangs who harbor a hatred for Western culture and believe Islam is the answer for all and bear a visceral and violent hatred for Israel and Jews.”

The type of antisemitic outrages symbolized by Kristallnacht during the Third Reich are now regular occurrences from London to Berlin. This summer, thousands of Muslims marched through London shouting, “Jews, the Army of Muhammad is coming to kill you too.” The British government, which arrests Christians for witnessing in public, ignored this.

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who is also called far right, has said: “Above all, we need to recover awareness of who we are. As Western people, we have a duty to keep this promise and seek the answer to the problems of the future by having faith in our values: a synthesis born out of the meeting of Greek philosophy, Roman law and Christian humanism.”

Europe’s “far-right” parties should take Ms. Meloni’s advice.

Alternative for Germany has some dubious support, but at least it’s sounding the alarm.

Sometimes, you have to take your allies where you find them. As Winston Churchill said during World War II, “If Hitler invaded hell, I would make at least a favorable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.”

This column was first published at the Washington Times.

The corrupt FBI has once again refused to release crucial records related to the 2016 murder of Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffer Seth Rich.

Attorney Ty Clevenger, who has been battling for years to obtain these documents, reported that the FBI is stonewalling yet again, refusing to comply with his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Rich was murdered in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2016, shortly before WikiLeaks released the infamous Clinton emails.

On Monday, Clevenger took to X to reveal that the FBI will not be releasing Seth Rich-related records as expected on March 10th. Instead, the corrupt bureau plans to provide only a Vaughn index—a limited document listing withheld files and the reasons for their concealment.

In February 2024, Clevenger demanded that the FBI hand over the Seth Rich documents they continue to conceal from the public.

The FBI’s refusal follows a pattern of obfuscation. For years, the agency denied even possessing Seth Rich’s laptop—until Clevenger’s legal efforts forced the FBI to admit they had it all along. Yet, the agency still refuses to disclose any metadata from Seth Rich’s electronic devices.

Even more damning, Clevenger has already uncovered proof that the FBI improperly withheld pages from the CrowdStrike report related to the alleged 2016 DNC hack—an event that conveniently became a political weapon against President Donald Trump.

The fact that the FBI continues to suppress these documents suggests there is more to the story than they are willing to admit.

Here is Ty Clevenger’s full statement from X on Monday.

Attorney Ty Clevenger: The DOJ told me this afternoon that we will not be getting any Seth Rich records on March 10. The FBI only intends to produce a “Vaughn index,” which gives a brief description of what they are withholding and why.

That means that the feds are not even willing to produce the metadata from Seth’s electronic devices. I’m not thrilled about this, but we’re playing the long game.

In the same case, I can already prove that the FBI improperly withheld pages from the CrowdStrike reports about the 2016 DNC “hack” that was published by Wikileaks so this probably won’t play well with the court.

More importantly, Kash Patel and AG Pam Bondi will learn about this, and I suspect some heads will roll. That’s long overdue, because the FOIA office at FBI is systemically corrupt. The bureaucrats can run, but they can’t hide.

2/4 …the metadata from Seth’s electronic devices. I’m not thrilled about this, but we’re playing the long game. In the same case, I can already prove that the @FBI improperly withheld pages from the @CrowdStrike reports about the 2016 @DNC “hack” that was published by…

— Ty Clevenger (@Ty_Clevenger) March 3, 2025

3/4 …so this probably won’t play well with the court. More importantly, @Kash_Patel and @AGPamBondi will learn about this, and I suspect some heads will roll. That’s long overdue, because the FOIA office at @FBI is systemically corrupt. The bureaucrats can run, but they can’t…

— Ty Clevenger (@Ty_Clevenger) March 3, 2025

This article originally appeared on The Gateway Pundit.com.

The Heritage Foundation is launching an advertisement on Tuesday praising some of President Donald Trump’s accomplishments since he returned to the White House.

The ad — first obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation — is launching just hours ahead of Trump’s Tuesday evening address to a joint session of Congress, praises Trump’s for “doing what he said he would do,” and also shows an image of Trump’s face imposed on Mount Rushmore. The Heritage Foundation’s video also claims that Trump has “done more across more areas of American policy, culture and life,” than any other modern U.S. president.

“President Trump has undeniably disrupted the status quo,” Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, told the DCNF. “In just his first six weeks in office, he has achieved more for the American people than some presidents accomplish in their entire tenure. His unwavering dedication to securing the border, eradicating woke ideologies from our institutions, and safeguarding American interests abroad has been nothing short of remarkable. Heritage is excited to see the president fulfilling his promises, and we are eager to see him showcase these significant accomplishments in tonight’s Joint Address to Congress. This moment marks the renewal of the American Dream, where hard work, patriotism, and a commitment to the values that make this nation great once again take center stage.”

“For the first time in four years, people feel like Washington listened to them,” one narrator said in the video.

The Heritage Foundation says it spent $10,000 on the advertisement campaign. The group previously launched several other videos promoting Trump’s agenda and presidential cabinet, including publishing an advertisement in January in support of Trump nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump has introduced a host of executive actions since returning to the Oval Office on Jan. 20, including spearheading a massive effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government and at K-12 schools and universities across the U.S.

“No modern president has done more across more areas of American policy, culture and life than Trump,” a narrator stated in the video. “And they’re just getting started.”

Multiple polls published in recent weeks showing greater approval ratings for Trump’s leadership as president during his current administration compared to polling from his first administration. Notably, a CBS News poll published Feb. 9 found that Trump notched the highest approval rating of either of his presidential terms, with 53% of voters approving of his leadership so far.

The Trump administration has also been leading a sweeping effort to cut out any wasteful spending across all federal government agencies, which has faced massive opposition from Democrats.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Dominick Dunlap began taking female hormones at age 26 after just one visit to a gender clinic to have a “more feminine appearance.” Less than two years later, he was dead.

Despite having a family history of blood clotting disorders, a gender clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania put Dominick on estrogen after just one visit, his mother, Natalie Dunlap, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

“My son was crying out for help, and the people he reached out to failed him. They failed him due to an agenda that is destroying the lives and families of too many,” Natalie said.

The Beaver County coroner’s report listed the cause of death as pulmonary embolism, noting he was on hormonal therapy. When given the report, Natalie was told the embolism seemed to be caused by the cross sex hormone therapy.

“[The coroner] said that there was no other reason to indicate that it wasn’t from the hormone therapy,” Natalie told the DCNF.

Blood clots are a well-established risk of estrogen therapy in women, particularly for those with clotting disorders. The impacts of estrogen therapy on men is not widely understood, evidence suggests the risk of developing blood clots from estrogen use may be higher when used as part of a transgender medical regimen.

According to the National Library of Medicine, a 2018 medical review titled “Cardiovascular health in transgender people” found men taking estrogen had a “significantly increased risk for venous thromboembolism.”

“There is strong evidence that estrogen therapy for trans women increases their risk for venous thromboembolism over 5 fold,” the review states.

This finding was echoed in a scientific statement published in 2021 by the American Heart Association which noted a consistent elevated risk of thrombosis for “transgender” men taking estrogen.

“Data consistently demonstrate elevated risk for venous thromboembolism among people who are transgender receiving estrogen-based hormone therapy,” the statement said.

For Dominick’s family, the risks of blood clots associated with cross-sex hormone therapy appear to have led to unthinkable tragedy.

Sudden Gender Confusion

Natalie describes Dominick as an easygoing, funny and smart kid, who had a special talent for quickly solving a Rubik’s Cube.

“His claim to fame was he could solve a Rubik’s Cube in 35 seconds. Probably did it faster than that, like, behind his back, with his eyes shut. That was his big thing,” Natalie told the DCNF.

Dominick had successfully begun his life as an independent young adult and was working as a machine operator. He had even bought his own home. He was loved and cherished by his family.

During the Covid-19 lock downs, Dominick became increasingly isolated and began spending a lot of time online. Natalie believes he may have been on the autism spectrum, which made it more difficult for him to make friends.

“It was difficult for Dominick to make friends. He was lonely and isolated at home,” Natalie told the DCNF.

Dominick spent a lot of time online playing role-playing video games. One day in a chat group someone asked for his name and pronouns. After spending several months engaged with this online chat group, in the spring of 2021 Dominick began painting his fingernails and told his mother that he was transgender.

“He said they talked about it for a couple months, and he decided that he was transgender,” Natalie told the DCNF.

“I said to him, that’s not really how that works. You don’t just decide within three months, when you’re 26 years old, that you’re transgender.”

Dominick had never shown any signs of being gender dysphoric and had previously expressed aspirations of becoming a father.

“There was no reason for me to think that there was ever a gender confusion for him,” said Natalie.

Natalie tried to help and support Dominick, who had previously battled depression, suggesting he see a therapist.

Dominick continued joining family activities and Natalie hoped the idea that he was transgender was just a phase he’d work through.

In May 2022, more than a year after he had initially claimed to be transgender, Dominick told Natalie he was starting feminizing hormone therapy after just one visit to the Central Outreach Wellness Center in Pittsburgh.

The medical records from his initial appointment at the clinic, which the DCNF reviewed, state Dominick had “seen a therapist for depression in the past, but has not addressed gender identity in therapy.” The clinic provided referrals to transgender affirming therapists if Dominick felt therapy was needed.

However, Natalie told the DCNF that Dominick started taking cross sex hormones’ days after the initial appointment, without attending therapy to address his gender confusion.

“There was no therapy involved,” said Natalie. “It was one appointment and then estrogen was going to be started.”

The DCNF reached out to the Central Outreach Wellness Center about its policy on giving feminizing hormones to patients with a family history of a clotting disorder but did not receive a response.

Family History Of Blood Clotting Disorders

Dominick’s medical records from the Central Outreach Wellness Center, obtained by the DCNF, show that in May 2022 he was put on “feminizing hormone therapy,” a pharmaceutical regimen intended to make males look more feminine by raising their estrogen levels while reducing the impact of testosterone in their bodies. Major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society, advise doctors to prescribe gender-dysphoric patients with large doses of their lesser sex hormone.

Estrogen is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of gender dysphoria and is used off-label by gender medical practitioners.

Endocrinologist Dr. Michael Laidlaw, who has testified on the harms of gender medicine in legal cases across the country, told the DCNF that estrogen use in males “for the treatment of gender dysphoria is experimental because of the very high doses used.”

“There have been no FDA trials for safety or efficacy at these high doses for males with gender dysphoria. It is also experimental as used in combination with spironolactone,” Laidlaw told the DCNF.

Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone that takes three major forms during a woman’s life: estrone, estradiol and estriol. Estradiol, the most potent form of estrogen, is prevalent during a woman’s reproductive years. The maximum recommended oral estradiol dosage for women wanting to relieve menopause symptoms is 2 mg a day. The FDA notes that a “minimal effective dose” should be used for longer maintenance therapy when treating menopause.

“The lowest dose and regimen that will control symptoms should be chosen and medication should be discontinued as promptly as possible,” states the FDA.

Higher doses of estradiol are only recommended by the FDA when palliatively treating cancer. For example, 1 to 2 mg of estradiol three times a day is recommended for the palliative care of patients with androgen-dependent carcinoma of the prostate.

Medical records from the Pittsburgh gender clinic show Dominick was initially put on a daily 2 mg dose of oral estradiol, a synthetic version of estrogen, which was later increased to 8 mg a day — a dose higher than what is recommended for the palliative treatment of prostate cancer.

Dominick was also started on a 100 mg of Spironolactone, an anti-androgen drug that decreases the effect of testosterone. He was put on Progesterone, another female sex hormone, in February 2023.

Knowing their family history of blood clotting disorders, Natalie said she told Dominick he should not take the medication.

“I have a blood clotting disorder which is elevated with estrogen,” said Natalie, who had developed a blood clot when she was pregnant with Dominick.

“You can’t take this medication because of blood clots,” Natalie recalls telling her son.

Dominick started the estrogen therapy despite Natalie’s advice.

“It was quite sad because it really made no sense on why he was doing this, other than I personally think he was just looking for a group of people,” Natalie told the DCNF.

“He didn’t really have connections of friends and when you start putting the pieces together it’s kind of like ‘Oh, he checked that box. He checked that box.’ I feel like the battle, along with the possibility of him being on the spectrum, was just this perfect storm for people to suck him in and take advantage of him.”

‘Increased Risk’

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) acknowledged the potential risks of feminizing hormone therapy in their clinical gender medicine guidance called the Standards of Care version 8 (SOC 8), which is routinely used by medical associations, governments and insurance companies in the U.S. and abroad to create policy driven by gender ideology.

In the SOC 8, WPATH acknowledges the risks of thrombosis associated with estrogen therapy, noting those with a family history of blood clots might benefit from being on an anticoagulant and that there is “limited data to guide treatment decisions.”

“[Transgender and gender diverse] people seeking feminizing treatment with a history of thromboembolic events, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, should undergo evaluation and treatment prior to the initiation of hormone therapy. This is because estrogen therapy is strongly associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, a potentially life-threatening complication,” the SOC 8 says.

“In patients with nonmodifiable risk factors, such as a known history of thrombophilia, a past history of thrombosis, or a strong family history of thromboembolism, treatment with transdermal estrogen concomitant with anticoagulants may decrease the risk of thromboembolism. However, there are limited data to guide treatment decisions,” states the SOC 8.

Dominick’s medical records do not indicate he had been on any anticoagulants.

Trying ‘To Feel Better’

A note in Dominick’s medical record written in February 2023 states his goal for taking feminizing hormones was “[t]o feel better about myself.”

The feminizing therapy do not appear to have relieved Dominick’s insecurities.

Over the 18 months he was on feminizing hormone therapy, Dominick’s depression medication was increased, he gained almost 30 pounds, and was struggling in his personal life.

“There was some depression in there, which [to me, was like] you would think would be a red flag,” said Natalie.

“But that’s not the case. They just kept upping the progression of estrogen.”

Dominick’s medical records show he visited the Pittsburgh gender clinic in late August 2023, four months before his death, with a complaint of increased migraines and “severe, sharp pressure” behind his left eye. Migraines can indicate an increased risk of having a thrombotic event.

Notes from the medical record state a clinician from the gender clinic discussed with Dominick the “increased risk of VTE [venous thromboembolism] associated with estradiol use with migraines” as well as the “urgent” signs and symptoms that would require a visit to the emergency department. Notes from his August appointment, however, do not mention his family history of blood clots. Blood work taken during that appointment shows Dominick’s estradiol levels were extremely high, nearly 11 times higher than his baseline level and almost 450% higher than the normal range for an adult male. A month later, his estradiol dosage was increased from 6 mg to 8 mg a day.

Throughout his gender confusion, Natalie continued to love and support her son while affirming his male identity. The Central Outreach Wellness Center referred to Dominick as “Victoria” in medical records but Natalie would not affirm his gender confusion by using his female name.

“Our kind of compromise was, which is sad, I wasn’t going to call him by his new name, I just wouldn’t say a name at all we would just talk,” said Natalie.

“I just basically said to him I love you with all of my heart. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you but I can’t lie to you,” she said.

In October 2023, Dominick decided he would move back home with Natalie in the new year. Natalie saw it as a chance to get Dominick the help he needed and get off of hormone therapy.

That chance never materialized.

‘Dominick Deserved Better’

Ten days before his death, Dominick visited the gender clinic again. This time with intense chest pains and shortness of breath, both symptoms of a pulmonary embolism. His medical records show that he told the clinic about his family history of a clotting disorders.

The medical records state: “Reports a sharp pain to the right thoracic/subscapular region that occurs when taking a deep breath for the past 1-2 weeks. Seems to radiate ‘straight through to the front of chest.’ Rates pain ‘3/10’ now. Seems to worsen as the day progresses. Last night it was most constant rates ‘8/10.’ Tried Ibuprofen but didn’t seem to be effective. Does report mild dyspnea, feels ‘out of breath a lost easier,’ but does note some weight gain.”

“[Patient] does report both parents have a history of blood clots, but [patient] is unsure of origin.”

The clinic notes they discussed the risks of a pulmonary embolism associated with estradiol and recommended Dominick urgently visit the Emergency Department (ER) for imaging and a d-dimer test, which is used to detect a blood clot. The medical records state Dominick declined to go to the ER via emergency transport. Natalie told the DCNF she was unaware of him having gone to the ER that evening. His medical records noted his plan was to “Continue feminizing hormone therapy” and remain on his high dose of estrogen.

Dominick died alone in his home on the evening of Dec. 6, 2023. The coroners’ report notes the primary cause of death as “Pulmonary Embolism,” noting this finding was supported by the presence of a “Blood clot occluding the right main bronchi” and the patient being “On hormonal treatment.”

“He passed away by himself at home which was, is very hard for all of us,” said Natalie.

Dominick’s body was discovered by his father and grandfather, Natalie’s dad, who tried to revive him.

“He [Dominick] had already passed away, and my dad, of course, just starts trying to resuscitate him, which is the saddest thing. It was just so sad. He was just so devastated,” Natalie said.

“He just kept saying ‘Natalie, I kept trying. I kept trying. I kept trying,’ which makes me feel so sad.”

Natalie and her family were left with a void that will never be filled.

“There will be no Mother’s Day cards, no seat filled … at his sisters’ weddings, or phone calls to even say hello. There will be no surprise reunion video for me, like those seen on social media, of my son walking through the door where I get to run and put my arms around him crying happily. We are forced to move on without him and deal with the emptiness and loss of his smile, sense of humor, laugh, and amazing hugs. I will not allow them to take away the wonderful memories that we all have of Dominick while he was with us,” Natalie told the DCNF.

“Dominick deserved better. He needed the people that he met during that time in his life to take the time to learn more about him and to treat him with the proper intentions.”

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