If the morally-confused Pope Leo XIV continues to assume the role of a partisan podcaster, he will very quickly lose his moral authority.

And that’s exactly what Leo is doing.

We all expect a pope to talk about and pray for peace in times of war, express a desire for unity in times of political divisiveness, and to always appeal to the best in humanity. That’s not what this pope has done. Instead, apparently under the sway of Barry Obama’s hatchet man and former campaign manager, David Axelrod, Leo is recklessly engaging in a left-wing campaign to damage President Trump’s and the Republican Party’s standing with Catholics, and, by extension, his own standing as a credible spiritual leader.

Thus far, after only a short time as pope, Leo has already: repeatedly attacked Trump’s positions on immigration; blasted Trump’s approach towards the weaklings in Europe and the useless United Nations; and blistered what he describes as Trump’s “diplomacy based on force.”

Leo ripped Trump’s deft handling of Venezuela, and when it comes to the war with Iran, Leo has assumed the role of an MSNBC commenter, including declaring Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s civilization as “truly unacceptable.”

Good grief, Leo even went so far as to get sarcastic. When asked about a statement Trump posted on Truth Social responding to his onslaught of criticism, Leo did his best smug Jake Tapper impression and told reporters, “It’s ironic — the name of the site itself. Say no more.”

Man alive.

Leo is already the most divisive pope of my lifetime.

He might be giving Democrats the vapors, but he’s undermining his credibility as a spiritual leader — which is his primary job.

First, there is Leo’s political hypocrisy. We see Muslims all around the world engaging in terrible misdeeds including the persecution of Christians, and Leo’s only response has either been silence or whataboutism. If you are going to assume the role of a daily podcaster and want to be seen as an honest moral broker, you have to call out all the ills of the world, not just Trump’s.

For example, why hasn’t Pope Podcaster said something about Democrats covering up sexual assault allegations against Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) for over a decade?

So far, Pope Leo has said nothing about the corporate media covering up those same allegations.

Hey, if you’re going to podcast, you gotta podcast.

Above all, Leo is just plain morally wrong when it comes to bashing Trump. To begin with, no reasonable or moral person is okay with the suicidal mullahs of Iran obtaining nukes, and that’s the only choice here. Instead of grasping that piece of moral clarity, Leo’s criticism of the war makes him sound, at best, naïve. At worst, he sounds like every other leftist looking for any excuse to attack Trump.

Leo is so eager to blister Trump, he failed to understand (or pretended to fail) that Trump’s comments about ending Iran’s civilization were in pursuit of a PEACE deal. Leo also failed to see that Trump’s gambit resulted in a two-week ceasefire that might lead to the end of the war.

Where is Leo’s criticism of the Iranian regime’s daily promise to destroy America and Israel? Google failed to find one.

What’s more, why does Leo side with Europe over the U.S? Does Leo not see any responsibility on Europe’s part for this rift? Leo doesn’t bother to explain why it’s only America’s fault. Instead, he merely spouts the kind of shallow, anti-American, anti-Trump talking points that make Rachel Maddow swoon.

Why does Leo side with a United Nations that is so determined to annihilate Israel that terrorist countries are allowed to sit on the Human Rights Council? Again, all we get from Leo are the same partisan, empty-headed pro-U.N. talking points we hear from the empty-headed partisans who infest CNN.

I’m a Catholic. I’ll always be a Catholic. I was the rare conservative Catholic who found a lot to like in Pope Francis.

Leo is no Francis.

Whereas Francis mixed a touching and relentless humanity in his reign, Leo comes off as a cold and calculating talking head; a bloodless bureaucrat in a tall hat.

Francis was sincere in his desire to save souls, the primary job of the Catholic Church.

Leo seems sincere only in his desire to earn the good opinion of the New York Times and Hillary Clinton.

It’s a grotesque and un-Christian dereliction of duty.

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If the morally-confused Pope Leo XIV continues to assume the role of a partisan podcaster, he will very quickly lose his moral authority.

And that’s exactly what Leo is doing.

We all expect a pope to talk about and pray for peace in times of war, express a desire for unity in times of political divisiveness, and to always appeal to the best in humanity. That’s not what this pope has done. Instead, apparently under the sway of Barry Obama’s hatchet man and former campaign manager, David Axelrod, Leo is recklessly engaging in a left-wing campaign to damage President Trump’s and the Republican Party’s standing with Catholics, and, by extension, his own standing as a credible spiritual leader.

Thus far, after only a short time as pope, Leo has already: repeatedly attacked Trump’s positions on immigration; blasted Trump’s approach towards the weaklings in Europe and the useless United Nations; and blistered what he describes as Trump’s “diplomacy based on force.”

Leo ripped Trump’s deft handling of Venezuela, and when it comes to the war with Iran, Leo has assumed the role of an MSNBC commenter, including declaring Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s civilization as “truly unacceptable.”

See that guy above? His name is Akos, and I’ve been seeing him around ever since I moved to Hungary. Big man with a big heart, loves Orban. There he was last night at the Fidesz Party’s election gathering, bathed in orange light (orange is the party color), waiting for the first election results to come in.

The thing is, Magyar is not a figure of the political Left, which remains unpopular in Hungary. What he basically offered voters is “Orban, but without the corruption.” On the key issues that infuriate Brussels about Orban’s Hungary — his hardline on migrants and asylum seekers, and his adamant desire to keep Hungary out of the Ukraine war — there’s no difference between Orban and Magyar, except that Magyar might even be tougher than Orban on migration. When he takes power, Magyar is going to have to either disappoint his allies in the EU establishment, or disappoint millions of his voters. Personally, I expect him to be the cat’s paw of Brussels. For Hungary’s sake, I hope I’m wrong.

But — and I can’t say this strongly enough — Hungarians do not support the EU’s policies toward Ukraine, and they all still back Orban’s hardline on keeping borders strong. Had Peter Magyar openly taken the EU line on either issue, he would probably not be the incoming prime minister. In fact, Magyar got to the right of Orban on migration, promising to cut off work visas for foreigners, that had been approved by Fidesz.

The EU loves to promote itself as “defending democracy,” but it’s very important for Americans to understand that “democracy” is when voters choose candidates with the EU stamp of approval. I can tell you for certain that the Orban government was prepared, in the event that they won, for “Euromaidan” style mass protests — a color revolution organized by the EU.

Mossad head David Barnea addressed the campaign against Iran, intelligence operations in the heart of Tehran, and the continuation of activities in Iran.

Barnea delivered his remarks at a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, warning that threats to the existence of the Jewish people are not a thing of the past.

He opened with a stark warning against international complacency: “The naïve are mistaken in thinking the Holocaust is a thing of the past-that in today’s reality genocide cannot occur, that calls for destruction cannot exist, and that hatred threatening a people’s existence cannot arise. The Iranian threat has steadily intensified before our eyes, and before the eyes of the world, almost unchecked.”

https://6f9968217906fce4d9effc3d9fa93b95.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-45/html/container.html

He emphasized that Israel repeatedly warned about the nuclear threat and ballistic missile stockpiles endangering its citizens, until ultimately “we took our fate into our own hands and went to two necessary wars.”

Barnea detailed operational achievements of the most recent conflict, crediting intelligence and operational cooperation: “In ‘Rising Lion’, the IDF, with the assistance of the Mossad, led an unprecedented attack that dealt a severe blow to the Iranian regime. The Mossad once again operated in the heart of Tehran. We provided precise intelligence to the Air Force and struck missiles threatening Israeli civilians.”

He also referred to the strategic alliance with the United States, which he called “the strongest power in the world,” noting that historic cooperation during forty days of fighting helped thwart the enemy’s central objective-the destruction of the State of Israel.

https://6f9968217906fce4d9effc3d9fa93b95.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-45/html/container.html

During his speech, Barnea responded to critics who argued that the operation did not achieve all its objectives immediately after the strikes ended. “We did not think this mission would be completed the moment the fighting subsided,” he clarified. “But we certainly planned for our campaign to continue and to be expressed in the period following the strikes in Tehran. Our commitment will be fulfilled only when this extremist regime is replaced. That regime, which seeks our destruction, must pass from the world.”

He concluded with a firm message linking his professional duty to the moral imperative of Holocaust Remembrance Day: “This is our mission. We will not stand idly by in the face of another existential threat. With a clear command-never again.”

• To read the article in Hebrew

President Donald Trump said Saturday the U.S. military has begun clearing the Strait of Hormuz, declaring Iran’s naval and air capabilities have been wiped out.

“Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft apparatus is nonexistent, Radar is dead,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

He added Iran’s missile and drone infrastructure has been “largely obliterated,” along with the weapons themselves, and said the country’s longtime leaders “are no longer with us.”

Trump also said Iran’s ability to threaten shipping has been neutralized.

“The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may ‘bunk’ into one of their sea mines,” he wrote, adding that “all 28 of their mine dropper boats are also lying at the bottom of the sea.”

“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to Countries all over the World,” Trump said, listing China, Japan, South Korea, France, and Germany.

Fears of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in recent weeks have effectively shut down traffic through the strait, a key passage for global oil supplies, disrupting energy markets.

Gasoline prices in the U.S. have surged despite most of the oil flowing through the waterway being bound for other countries.

Trump also said empty oil tankers from multiple nations are now heading to the United States “to LOAD UP with Oil.”

Creepy Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell is going down in flames.

Swalwell is currently running as a Democrat in California’s gubernatorial race.

As TGP reported earlier on Friday, The San Francisco Chronicle published a story about a woman who claimed that Democrat Eric Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice.

The woman, who worked as a staffer in Swalwell’s office for two years, told The San Francisco Chronicle that Swalwell began pursuing her just weeks after she was hired at the age of 21 in 2019.

“A woman who worked for nearly two years for Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading candidate for California governor, said she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss and alleged he twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Swalwell denied the allegations.

“These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor,” he said.

37-Year Dental Hygienist: The “Bedtime Mineral” That Reversed My Gum Disease

Have you ever wondered why the world keeps repeating the same mistakes when it comes to war and conflict?

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The United States Postal Service is suspending employer pension contributions for workers beginning Friday, citing a looming cash shortfall, the agency announced Thursday.

The move, which affects the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), comes just weeks after the Postal Service warned Congress it could run out of cash in under a year without significant reforms, including changes to pension funding and stamp prices.

USPS emphasized that the pause will have no immediate impact on current or future retirees.

“There will not be any immediate detrimental impact to our current or future retirees if normal FERS cost payments are temporarily withheld,” Postal Service Chief Financial Officer Luke Grossmann said.

USPS has previously reported mounting losses over the years, totaling $118 billion since 2007, as volumes of its most profitable product, first-class mail, fell to their lowest levels since the late 1960s.

The financial strain was further exacerbated by global tariffs, high inflation and recent spikes in gasoline prices, along with growing competition from private carriers such as Amazon, which now delivers many of its own packages.

USPS said it typically sends the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees federal retirement accounts, about $200 million every two weeks to cover pension costs.

By suspending the payments, the agency expects to free up roughly $2.5 billion in the current fiscal year.

Internal reports reveal that President Trump personally called Prime Minister Netanyahu to request a reduction in strikes on Lebanon.

Internal reports reveal that President Trump personally called Prime Minister Netanyahu to request a reduction in strikes on Lebanon to protect the success of upcoming peace talks with Iran.

While the public narrative has focused on military dominance, a different story has been unfolding behind the scenes in Washington and Jerusalem. President Donald Trump reportedly reached out to Prime Minister Netanyahu in a direct phone call, asking him to “calm down” the strikes in Lebanon. This request was driven by a growing realization within the White House that the continued destruction of Beirut could jeopardize the high stakes peace negotiations with Iran scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad. Although the Trump administration maintains that Lebanon is not formally part of the Iran ceasefire, officials became concerned that the humanitarian and political costs of the war were becoming a liability for the President’s regional strategy.

The Diplomatic Pivot

Initially, the Trump administration gave Israel a relatively free hand in the north, with Vice President J.D. Vance and others clarifying that Hezbollah was not covered by the Iran truce. However, as the IDF continued to level the Dahiyeh district and the death toll rose, the political calculus changed. Trump’s inner circle feared that the images of destruction would not only derail the Islamabad summit but also cause domestic political damage within the United States. In response to the President’s direct pressure, Netanyahu’s tone shifted almost instantly, leading to the dramatic announcement of a new diplomatic track with the Lebanese government.

Israel has reportedly agreed to be a “helping partner” in Trump’s broader diplomatic efforts, recognizing that the U.S. wants a bridge to peace that prevents the Iranian talks from being sabotaged by the Lebanon front. Vice President Vance hinted at this shift, suggesting that the Israelis offered to exercise some restraint to ensure the U.S. negotiations succeed. This does not mean a total cessation of hostilities, but rather a tactical adjustment to align with Washington’s goals. As a result, the upcoming talks in Washington between Ambassador Yehiel Leiter and Lebanese representatives will be watched closely as a test of whether this American pressured restraint can lead to a breakthrough without sacrificing Israel’s security goals.

the success of upcoming peace talks with Iran.

While the public narrative has focused on military dominance, a different story has been unfolding behind the scenes in Washington and Jerusalem. President Donald Trump reportedly reached out to Prime Minister Netanyahu in a direct phone call, asking him to “calm down” the strikes in Lebanon. This request was driven by a growing realization within the White House that the continued destruction of Beirut could jeopardize the high stakes peace negotiations with Iran scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad. Although the Trump administration maintains that Lebanon is not formally part of the Iran ceasefire, officials became concerned that the humanitarian and political costs of the war were becoming a liability for the President’s regional strategy.

The Diplomatic Pivot

Initially, the Trump administration gave Israel a relatively free hand in the north, with Vice President J.D. Vance and others clarifying that Hezbollah was not covered by the Iran truce. However, as the IDF continued to level the Dahiyeh district and the death toll rose, the political calculus changed. Trump’s inner circle feared that the images of destruction would not only derail the Islamabad summit but also cause domestic political damage within the United States. In response to the President’s direct pressure, Netanyahu’s tone shifted almost instantly, leading to the dramatic announcement of a new diplomatic track with the Lebanese government.

Israel has reportedly agreed to be a “helping partner” in Trump’s broader diplomatic efforts, recognizing that the U.S. wants a bridge to peace that prevents the Iranian talks from being sabotaged by the Lebanon front. Vice President Vance hinted at this shift, suggesting that the Israelis offered to exercise some restraint to ensure the U.S. negotiations succeed. This does not mean a total cessation of hostilities, but rather a tactical adjustment to align with Washington’s goals. As a result, the upcoming talks in Washington between Ambassador Yehiel Leiter and Lebanese representatives will be watched closely as a test of whether this American pressured restraint can lead to a breakthrough without sacrificing Israel’s security goals.

The Pope is condemning President Trump on Iran. This from a man leading an organization that has (at various rimes) supported the impoverishment of Communism, letting horrific violent criminals escape the death penalty, pacifism towards depraved dictators, opening up the borders to anyone and everyone, and turning the other way for as long as they could get away with it when priests routinely molested young boys. I sure will listen to what the Pope has to say when he decides to moralize against America for finally fighting back after 47 years of relentless attacks by the # 1 sponsor of world terrorism.

And by the way, Pope Leo, the Iranian regime wants you beheaded and incinerated too. You might want to consider the benefit to Catholics of a world with a real America still in it.

*******

Speaking of uptight totalitarians, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has said that “everyone,” including Trump supporters, are “scared” right now — of President Trump.

Since when are leftist totalitarians frightened of anything or anyone?

What are you scared of, Ms. Warren? Freedom? Why does freedom scare you?

Why does unseating dictators who trample on rights and impair commerce and prosperity frighten you?

Why do tax cuts and deregulation frighten you?

Why does arresting and prosecuting violent people, and refusing to let violent felons into the country, terrify you?

Oh, that’s right. You’re one of those dictators. You’re afraid you might lose some of your unjustified power and unearned millions.

And where are the Trump supporters afraid of him? Name one. I interact with Trump supporters all the time. The great majority are happy with him. Some want him to go further. Their only fear is that he won’t go far enough, and monsters like you will ultimately prevail. Who are the Trump supporters afraid of Trump? Name one.

This woman, and her kind, are insane. Or lying psychopaths. My money is on the latter theory.

Michael J. Hurd, Daily Dose of Reason

“You are the heirs of this land’s patriotic and honorable commanders — from Aryobarzan, Bahram Chobin, and Surena, to Babak Khorramdin, Yaqub Laith, and Maziar, to Jahanbani, Khosrowdad, and Rahimi.

How can you remain silent and inactive in the face of foreign criminal agents affiliated with the Islamic Republic parading and boasting in Iran’s streets — from Hashd al-Shaabi and Lebanese Hezbollah to Afghan and Pakistani terrorists?

The Islamic Republic and its terrorist, repressive IRGC have, before your very eyes, slaughtered tens of thousands of the purest and bravest children of this country, and each day send more to their deaths. These occupiers of Iran’s soil, with their destructive and apocalyptic madness, have brought the country to the brink of annihilation.

How have you closed your eyes to these realities and withdrawn from your role in defending the homeland and its people? How will history and future generations of Iran judge you?

Remember your national and patriotic oath and commitment. Take to the field. Defend the honor and credibility of Iran’s national army against the Islamic Republic and its foreign mercenaries.

And to you, the great nation of Iran: With a resounding voice, demand the national role of the army. Ask them to fulfill their duty to the homeland and the nation. Before it is too late, stand alongside the nation and save Iran.

Long live Iran, Reza Pahlavi