Senator James Lankford, who conducts an annual water report, might want to send some of his reports to the DOGEs Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk. Their Department of Government Efficiency might not be thrilled about these expenditures, which are undoubtedly payoffs: We funded Drag shows in Ecuador. We paid a Swedish scientist to conduct a […] The post You Pay to Spread the “Earth Seed” Religion & Ecuador Drag Shows appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

CNN wrote in an article on Saturday that Pentagon officials are holding informal discussions about how the Department of Defense would respond if Donald Trump issues orders to deploy active-duty troops domestically and fire large swaths of apolitical staffers, defense officials told CNN. They suggest a military junta is a possibility. They want to keep […] The post Report: DoD’s Military Junta If Trump Fires People, Uses the Guard to Deport appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

President-elect Donald Trump reportedly told House Republicans on Wednesday that he backs House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). During a closed meeting on Capitol Hill, Trump said he is with Johnson “all the way,” according to journalists posting to X ahead of GOP leadership elections later in the day. Trump added, per POLITICO’s Olivia Beavers, “Mike you’re going to have a tremendous year. Tremendous two years.” He also told everyone: “Get it all done. Unify.” Johnson is running to retain the speaker’s gavel, as the Republicans are projected to maintain a majority in the House via the 2024 election. The GOP-led House first elected Johnson to be the speaker in October 2023 after then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was cast out of the role. Johnson grappled with a Democrat-led Senate and President Joe Biden, but the GOP will control the upper chamber and White House in the next session. “Everybody knows the coattails were enormous,” Trump told House Republicans on Wednesday, Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman reported on X. “Not only did he win back the majority of the Senate, a 53-seat majority, which is something we can really work with, but he also got us the majority as well,” Trump added. He continued: “Everybody knows that, and so we owe him a great debt of gratitude. He’s a singular figure in American history.” Sherman noted Trump also praised House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN). Trump emphasized: “All of you just stick together.” Trump selected House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as U.N. ambassador. Members will vote to pick her successor as the No. 3 House Republican later in the day. POLITICO reported on Tuesday that the conservative House Freedom Caucus had backed off a plan to put up a challenger against Johnson in the race for speaker. Instead, the outlet noted, they decided to pursue an internal vote on Johnson’s speakership through a secret ballot process in lieu of a voice vote. MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+ It was not immediately clear whether Trump throwing his support behind Johnson would cause House Republicans to rally behind Johnson. A full House election on the speakership is expected in January. Multiple votes are possible if a majority cannot be reached. In his letter to fellow GOP lawmakers seeking their report, Johnson listed a number of policy priorities in line with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda. “The mandate that has been delivered shows that a majority of Americans are eager for secure borders, lower costs, peace through strength, and a return to common sense,” he said. “With unified Republican government, if we meet this historic moment together, the next two years can result in the most consequential Congress of the modern era,” Johnson added.

President-elect Donald Trump has made a number of appointments over several days as he prepares for his team’s transition into the White House in January, but one position he has yet to fill is that of White House Press Secretary. While typically Trump’s fans and critics simply respond to his choices after they are announced, a number of conservatives have flooded X to make suggestions as well — and when it comes to a potential press secretary, many of them are on the same page in asking for CNN Republican commentator Scott Jennings. “Scott Jennings is just toying with the libs at this point. Make this dude press secretary and don’t think another second about it,” RedState’s Bonchie posted. Scott Jennings is just toying with the libs at this point. Make this dude press secretary and don’t think another second about it. pic.twitter.com/Cft8fbRDPd — Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) November 8, 2024 “Scott Jennings should 100% be press secretary,” Jenna Ellis agreed. Scott Jennings should 100% be press secretary. https://t.co/fjGfJN7SlM — Jenna Ellis ? (@realJennaEllis) November 12, 2024 “I’m thinking Scott Jennings would make a great press secretary. Who’s with me?” another posted. I'm thinking Scott Jennings would make a great press secretary. Who's with me? Here is some of his best work. ?? pic.twitter.com/2L6s2JhPHA — Patriot Lady (@angelwoman501) November 12, 2024 Guy Benson posted a clip of Jennings defending Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary, decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth, and referred to the CNN pundit as the “should-be Press Sec.” Should-be Press Sec goes to bat for nominated SecDef: https://t.co/Ig8mv8IpCY — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 13, 2024 “Scott Jennings = strong candidate for White House press secretary or communications director. He has been excellent throughout this campaign, arguing effectively as the lone GOP voice on a hostile, biased CNN panel, while keeping his cool and class. Bravo Zulu!” Real Clear Investigations’ Paul Sperry said. MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+ Scott Jennings = strong candidate for White House press secretary or communications director. He has been excellent throughout this campaign, arguing effectively as the lone GOP voice on a hostile, biased CNN panel, while keeping his cool and class. Bravo Zulu! @scottjenningsky https://t.co/fOd6flW2Gb — Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) November 6, 2024 “I wish I could buy stock in Scott Jennings because there’s not really anyone else like him right now: 1. He debates 5 on 1 basically all the time. He never complains about being ganged up on; 2. He doesn’t lose his cool or resort to cheap shots. He debates aggressively and stays on point; 3. He seems like he’s having the time of his life. He knows when he’s won and deploys The Office Jim Stares at the Camera face to signal to the viewers that it’s over; 4. He’s not a partisan talking point bot. He has his own interesting things to say; 5. He protects and promotes his own brand on Twitter. Most people don’t watch cable news so he clips his hits and posts them online. Lots of other talking heads come off as exasperated, tired, grumpy, highly partisan, and boring. CNN has a good thing on its hands with the Scott Versus The World dynamic,” another explained just what made Jennings so good at what he does — which would likely translate to success in what will likely be a combative briefing room. I wish I could buy stock in Scott Jennings because there’s not really anyone else like him right now: 1. He debates 5 on 1 basically all the time. He never complains about being ganged up on. 2. He doesn’t lose his cool or resort to cheap shots. He debates aggressively and… https://t.co/azVodofF5D — Jarvis (@jarvis_best) November 8, 2024 Jennings certainly has the resume to make himself a contender. The Kentucky native is a veteran of the White House under former President George W. Bush, where he served as a special assistant to the president after working on both his 2000 and 2004 campaigns. He has also previously advised current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), managing his 2002 reelection campaign. He is a founding partner for RunSwitch Public Relations.

President-elect Donald Trump met with President Joe Biden at the White House Wednesday, a strikingly cordial reunion between the longtime political rivals.  “Well, Mr. President-elect, and former President, Donald, congratulations,” Biden said in the Oval Office, noting that he was “looking forward to … a smooth transition.” “So, welcome,” Biden added. “Welcome back.” Trump was similarly cordial in his response. “Politics is tough, and in many cases, it’s not a very nice world. But it is a nice world today, and I appreciate it very much,” Trump said. “A transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get.” WATCH: President Donald J. Trump and President Biden meet in the Oval Office pic.twitter.com/ZD9xPt4nyo — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 13, 2024 After Trump finished speaking, members of the media — who were only allowed in the Oval Office for these brief opening moments — began shouting questions at the two presidents, who shared a knowing smirk amid the cacophony. Trump arrived at the White House after a triumphant meeting with House Republicans, where he touted Republicans’ electoral victories and threw his support behind House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Wednesday’s meeting comes at the end of an often-fiery relationship between the two presidents. Biden successfully campaigned against Trump in 2020 by repeatedly calling him a threat to democracy. Biden’s successor, Vice President Kamala Harris, picked up and intensified in the final days of her presidential campaign, calling Trump and his supporters “fascists.” Biden, who repeatedly claimed that he was the only candidate capable of defeating Trump, withdrew from the presidential race over the summer after a disastrous debate performance against Trump highlighted the president’s age and faltering mental state. Trump handily defeated Harris at the box office, sweeping all seven swing states and 312 electoral votes. Though it is tradition for outgoing presidents to meet with their successors in the White House, today’s meeting was unique. Not since Grover Cleveland’s 1892 defeat of Benjamin Harrison has an outgoing president handed power over to a former president. While Trump and Biden kept with tradition, their First Ladies did not. Melania Trump declined Jill Biden’s invitation to the traditional First Ladies’ tea, reportedly a response to the Biden administration’s raid on Mar-a-Lago. 

Darius Rucker is a legendary artist. Before he became the hit country singer that he is today, he played a key role in the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. That means his music career spans decades. It only makes sense that, in that time, Rucker has experienced his fair share of awkward performances. It just so happens that one of them took place over the weekend. In case you weren’t aware, Rucker is the singer of the country hit Wagon Wheel. Fans from all walks of life love this song, but the folks at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) feel a particularly special connection to it. That’s because, in the song, Rucker mentions Johnson City — that’s where the university is located! In turn, the school started to play the song at each of their football games. They also share fun videos featuring the song, like the one below! EASTw/ @ETSUFootball and @ETSUAthletics pic.twitter.com/NUaIjcdmD1— ETSU (@etsu) October 31, 2024 You can imagine, then, how excited students were to find out that Rucker himself was going to visit during this weekend’s game! To top it off, they were told he was going to perform Wagon Wheel for them. While Rucker did, in fact, show up… he didn’t exactly perform his hit song. You can see what happened instead in the video below. Darius Rucker Surprises East Tennessee State University Students in More Ways Than One @ravenmitchell Darius Rucker at the ETSU football game #dariusrucker #football #wagonwheel ♬ Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker It seems there was a miscommunication. While the university expected the country star to sing, the ETSY athletic director, Richard Sander, says Rucker’s management team didn’t want that. So, instead, Rucker simply made an appearance on the field as Wagon Wheel played over the speakers. To make up for it, Rucker shared some news online, as seen in the image below. Twitter What a thoughtful way to give back to the football players at ETSU! Best of all, as awkward as the performance may have been for Rucker, the fans still had a blast. In fact, one fan admits they didn’t even know Rucker was meant to sing that night. It goes to show that a seasoned performer can make the best out of even the most awkward situations! This story’s featured image is by Jason Kempin / Getty Images. The post Darius Rucker Makes The Best Of A Bad Situation After “Awkward” Performance appeared first on InspireMore.