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Political analysts and observers were aghast on Thursday after a new report suggested President Donald Trump's family had engaged in a dubious deal. The Financial Times reported that Trump's sons, Don Jr. and Eric, had taken a stake in a Kazakh mining company that had recently been awarded a $1.6 billion loan from the U.S. government. The brothers reportedly bought into the company last August for an undisclosed amount. The report added that there is "no indication" that the Trumps knew the company was in talks with their father's administration, or that they influenced the decision to grant the loan. Even so, analysts and observers expressed their outrage on social media. "Not surprising. This family is beyond anything in the history of the U.S. Outright shameful," Martin Pelletier, portfolio manager at TriVest Wealth, posted on X. "Trump Cartel’s corruption is so vast and grotesque and shamelessly out in the open that it has an almost paralyzing effect on the senses, made worse by the fact that there’s no systemic pushback, no 'opposition party' or elite resistance or even the hint of accountability," Marm Ames, a radio host, posted on X. "A serious country would put these scoundrels in prison for life," podcaster Kyle Kulinski posted on X. "Just a coincidence," Martina Navratilova, a former professional tennis champion, posted on X.

President Donald Trump took a jab at The New York Times and CNN during a press conference at the White House on Thursday. The president had a meltdown over some of the important reporting around the Iran war and his administration when he pointed to The Times, a news organization Trump has had a contentious relationship throughout his political career. He has frequently attacked the newspaper on social media, called it "fake news" and referred to the publication as an "enemy of the American people.""And yet in I read in The New York Times, I see it on the stupid CNN, which I only watch because you have to watch a little bit of the enemy, so I watch it for a very short period," Trump said. "But you have to, you have to be smart. And if you see CNN, you'd think they're winning the war," he added. "If you read The New York Times, it's actually seditious, in my opinion. You read The New York Times you actually think they're winning the war. I read some of these columnists and — but it all starts at the top. It's a terrible thing." The Times has extensively investigated Trump's business dealings, finances and conduct both during his first and second term as president, publishing numerous investigative reports that Trump has disputed and denied. He filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the publication in September 2025, which a judge later dismissed. Trump: "If you read the New York Times -- it's actually seditious, in my opinion -- you'd think they're winning the war" pic.twitter.com/Fkg1QFPkFJ— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 30, 2026

Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s ability to grill Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during her five minutes of questioning during a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing was hampered by his raising his voice and loudly talking over her on Thursday afternoon.The Massachusetts Democrat got under Hegseth’s skin when she cited a Financial Times report that the Pentagon chief’s stockbroker attempted to make a “multimillion-dollar investment” in defense stocks before the invasion of Iran.After pressing him about growing concerns about insiders at the Pentagon possibly being involved in massive purchases on the stock market related to the war, which he dismissed out of hand, she brought up his personal finances.“I'm also concerned about recent reporting on your own financial dealings with regard to profiting from the war in Iran,” she began. “The Financial Times reported that your broker tried to buy hundreds of shares in a BlackRock fund invested in defense companies just before the war began. The law clearly prohibits the secretary —.”"That entire story is false!” Hegseth shouted. “[It] has been from the beginning and was made up out of whole cloth. And anybody that looks at it sees how it was worded from the beginning to make it look like I was involved in something I had nothing to do and never have.”As Warren tried to speak, he continued to talk over her, insisting, “So any insinuation that I've ever profited other than serving this nation, what I give, what you give, what others give. I'm not looking for money. I don't do it for money. I don't do it for profit. I don't do it for stocks. And that's part of the reason why I'm able to be effective in this job, because no one owns me.”“No one owns this department, no one owns this president. And we can execute for the American people. And we do,” he added.“So, I'd like to hear you say, did you, through your broker at Morgan Stanley or otherwise, seek to invest in any defense-related funds right before Trump started the Iran war?” she finally asked.“I'll give it to you as a big fat negative,” Hegseth shot back. - YouTube youtu.be

Podcaster Joe Rogan expressed the view that President Donald Trump's war with Iran would be to blame if a nuclear weapon were used on New York City.During a discussion with comedian Ari Shaffir on Thursday, Rogan lamented Israel's bombardment of Gaza following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack."They've destroyed Gaza," he explained. "Gaza's just a wasteland now. I mean, someone posted a recent video of Gaza, like what it looked like now.""It's crazy. It looks like they dropped a nuke. They just did it slowly instead of dropping one nuke," he continued. "But guess what? Those kids that live in Gaza, they didn't do October 7th. They didn't do it."Rogan speculated that a similar scenario could take place in New York City."It's like what we did to Iran. What if Iran nukes New York City?" he asked. "Those kids that live in the Bronx, they had nothing to do with what happened in Iran, and so, like, is that okay?""Like what are we talking about, this is it's [expletive] nuts," he added. "We gotta start figuring out a peace thing, and then that's all that's all gone now," Shaffir remarked. "It's all gone," Rogan agreed.

Another Republican has decided to drop out of a key race — even before voting starts — as former Republican Party of Minnesota Chair and Minnesota Senate Minority Leader David Hann announced on Wednesday that he had suspended his campaign for Senate. The Republican primary in Minnesota was slated for Aug.11. Hann did not give a reason for dropping out of the race. Hann had reportedly entered the primary "when Republicans were struggling to attract high-profile candidates," according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. "Even as I share today that I am suspending my campaign, I have hope that Minnesotans will elect common sense, conservative leadership in November," Hann said. "I encourage Republicans — and all Minnesotans — to stay involved and active. If I have learned anything over the course of my career in public service in this great state, it's that Minnesota is worth fighting for, and Anne and I plan to do just that going forward." Even as I share today that I am suspending my campaign, I have hope that Minnesotans will elect common sense, conservative leadership in November. pic.twitter.com/hkJfOyA1Ga— David Hann (@davidhann) April 29, 2026

The internet was in disbelief on Wednesday after Amazon unveiled a new AI "podcast" feature for products. The dystopian new experience for customers launched this week and allows customers "to ask AI hosts questions via text or voice while listening to an audio summary of a product," Amazon announced in a news release. Business Insider correspondent Katie Notopoulos described the new chat experience, sharing an example where the AI "hosts" discussed a diaper rash cream in great detail, describing the items and ingredients, just like a call-in shopping show. "Finally, the AI feature we all wanted and needed: Amazon now creates an AI 'podcast' about products where two AI 'hosts' discuss the product and take your questions as if it’s a call-in show," Notopoulos wrote on X.People weren't shy to share their thoughts on the new feature. "Is this hell?" Communications expert Amanda Wells wrote on X."Somehow the 30 second wait of 'your question is next' is the most insulting part of this," politics writer Ben Dreyfuss wrote on X."The illiterate deserve to shop on Amazon too," Cole Boyer, founder of Tuesday, a social-style MLS app, wrote on X."Like QVC only worse because it's not real!" Writer Emil Caillaux posted on X."What next, next time I order an uber I get a podcast there too," software engineer Aadi wrote on X.Finally, the AI feature we all wanted and needed: Amazon now creates an AI “podcast” about products where two AI “hosts” discuss the product and take your questions as if it’s a call-in show. pic.twitter.com/iSFMYrZeI3— Katie Notopoulos (@katienotopoulos) April 29, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got in a fiery exchange during a congressional hearing on Wednesday with a lawmaker who accused him of lying about the number of military service members injured since the Iran war started. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY), a West Point graduate and Iraq war combat veteran, spoke to Hegseth at the House Armed Services Committee hearing about the wounded soldiers and what they described from the attack on March 1 at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait that left six Americans dead and more than 30 wounded. "Before the war started, there was clear intelligence that was high on Iran's target list," Ryan said. "Internal analysis that said the site was indefensible from aerial attack and should not be used. Yet you sent our soldiers from 103rd sustainment command there anyway. Is that true or false? True or false? Straightforward question."Hegseth got defensive with Ryan over the question. "Are you going to give me a chance to answer or just play 'gotcha?'" Hegseth said. Ryan continued and pressed Hegseth to respond to him. "Let's talk about what defenses they had prior to the attack," Ryan said. "Officers on the ground knew our troops were vulnerable. In fact, they requested additional force protection. Did they receive it?"Hegseth said the soldiers did have additional security resources — Ryan said they did not. "In fact, when asked to describe the base's defense, one survivor who's come forward from the unit said, 'I mean, I would put it in the none category from a drone defense capability. None,'" Ryan said. "So let's be clear. No counter-drone capabilities, no counter-rocket systems, no counter-mortar or counter-artillery, not even the basic overhead protection that you and I had 20 years ago in Iraq. And now six of our soldiers are dead," Ryan said. "The next day, you downplayed the attack. You said it was a squirter that squeaked through fortified defenses. But since then, thankfully, brave survivors have come forward to set the record straight. One of our surviving soldiers told CBS, 'painting a picture that one squeaked through is a falsehood.' Another said the unit was, 'unprepared to provide any defense for itself. It was not a fortified position.' Another survivor said the building's protection was about as weak as one gets. Secretary Hegseth, that is obviously in direct contradiction to what you said from the Pentagon podium the next day. So are you saying that these soldiers, our soldiers who survived this horrific attack, are lying?"Hegseth claimed the Pentagon had set a "maximum defensive posture," and Ryan pushed back, interjecting. "Can I speak or are you just going to monologue falsehoods all over the place?" Hegseth said. "It's not a falsehood," Ryan said. The two got into a heated back-and-forth over the questions. "I'm reclaiming my time," Ryan said. "Stop! Stop! I'm reclaiming my time on the behalf of these survivors.""Just because you yelled doesn't make you right," Hegseth quipped. Ryan demanded Hegseth to resign — just as he had said a year ago. "I'm not playing games," Ryan said. "I want to finish. With one more quote from a survivor of the attack and this on the record. Telling the truth is important and we're not going to learn from these mistakes if we pretend these mistakes didn't happen, Secretary Hegseth, those soldiers told the truth. Those soldiers are braver than you are. They are asking for accountability. They deserve accountability. And I'm asking for the same, starting with you."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got defensive when questioned by a Democratic lawmaker about his close adviser Timothy Parlatore.Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) asked the Pentagon chief about Parlatore's role at the Department of Defense, and he expressed surprise multiple times when Hegseth was unable to answer some of his questions about President Donald Trump's one-time personal attorney. "I'm not privy to every professional position he has held," Hegseth said when asked about his time working on the president's legal team."I will help you out, he did," Crow said. "You appointed him as your senior advisor, correct?"Hegseth told the congressman that Parlatore served in the Navy Reserves but conceded he was an adviser to him, and Crow confronted him with evidence when the defense secretary evaded his question about whether they traveled together."He travels with you, doesn't he?" Crow said. "There is public Instagram that shows this, just say yes."Hegseth also evaded a question about whether Parlatore worked at the Pentagon."He sits in meetings with you and advises you, doesn't he?" Crow said, and Hegseth agreed that he sometimes did. "He maintains a desk and an office in the Pentagon, does he not? You don't know?""I'd have to check," Hegseth said. "It's a big Pentagon."Hegseth agreed that he had commissioned Parlatore as a commander in the Navy Reserve in March 2025 and was proud to do so, but he was less willing to say whether his adviser had gone through a Senate confirmation process."I will tell you what I'm getting to," Crow said. "He didn't maintain a security clearance when you appointed him as a special advisor, is that right? You don't know?"Hegseth said anyone with access to sensitive material would obtain appropriate clearance, but Crow pressed for more details."So when you appointed him as special advisor, he had security clearance?" Crow said. "I'm asking a simple question, did he have —"Hegseth interrupted Crow. "No, you are playing a 'gotcha; game like you do on TV and everywhere else," Hegseth said."Clearly you are concerned about my line of questioning," Crow fired back. "You know where it is going, don't you? I think you do. Does he represent foreign governments? He has a private law practice, does he not? You don't know? Someone who sits in meetings, you don't know? Does he currently represent any senior officers who are under consideration by promotion from you or your office?"Hegseth said only he made those decisions, and Crow again asked whether Parlatore represented any senior officers under consideration for promotion."No, I'm the one who makes decisions," Hegseth said. "He doesn't represent anyone. He's a legal advisor and always has been. He's a legal adviser to me on reserve duty and he always has been, and he does a fantastic job." - YouTube www.youtube.com