Trump reveals his new secret weapon

Trump reveals his new secret weapon

WILKO MARTÍNEZ-CACHERO

US President Donald Trump has revealed details of a mystery weapon he has coined 'The Discombobulator,' that was used in the capture of Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro.

In an interview with the New York Post he revealed the tool's name just days after he gave hints about the sonic weapon that 'nobody else' had.  

Trump has suggested that the debilitating device could be used against America's enemies after proving successful in the January 3 capture of Maduro.

'I'm not allowed to talk about it,' Trump told the New York Post from the Oval Office. 'I would love to.'

He offered that the weapon 'made [enemy] equipment not work' and lauded its effectiveness.

'They never got their rockets off,' Trump said. 'They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off.'

He added: 'We came in, they pressed buttons and nothing worked. They were all set for us.'

Venezuelan officials said more than 83 people, including 47 soldiers, were killed during the successful capture mission.

Earlier this week, Trump demurred while lavishing the strength of the US military during an interview with NewsNation anchor Katie Pavlich on Tuesday.

He said that only the US military has access to the sonic weapons by noting, 'It's something I don't wanna… nobody else has it.'

When Trump was asked if Americans should be 'afraid' of the secret weapon, he responded: 'Well, yeah.'

'But we have weapons nobody else knows about.' Trump added. 'I say it's probably good not to talk about it, but we have some amazing weapons.'

An account previously shared by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on January 10 also claimed that a 'very intense sound wave' disabled Venezuelan forces and Cuban bodyguards on the night of Maduro's arrest.

'Stop what you are doing and read this…' Leavitt wrote on X, alongside five emojis of the American flag.

The 'absolutely chilling' testimony was attributed to an unnamed 'Venezuelan security guard loyal to Nicolás Maduro.' 

He claimed that his own weapons were rendered useless by the American military's new weapon.

'Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,' the account said.

It added: 'We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.'

The guard supposedly said that he had 'never seen anything like it.'

'We couldn't even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was,' he added.

The soldier's remarks reposted by Leavitt described the capture mission as a 'massacre.'

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured and then taken by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima warship.

The former Venezuelan leader is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn awaiting trial on federal charges. 

Why the Auto 'Kill Switch' Vote Should Alarm Everyone

Why the Auto 'Kill Switch' Vote Should Alarm Everyone

PNW STAFF

There are moments in Washington when a single vote reveals far more than lawmakers intend. Last week's House decision to preserve a Biden-era mandate allowing for the development of government-enabled automobile "kill switch" technology was one of those moments. 

In a bipartisan 164-268 vote, 57 Republicans joined nearly all Democrats to defeat an amendment by Rep. Thomas Massie that would have rolled back a requirement quietly embedded in federal law. The result should unsettle anyone who still believes personal liberty includes the simple freedom to drive without government supervision.

At issue is a provision from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop standards that would allow vehicles to "passively monitor" drivers and prevent or limit operation if impairment is detected. Supporters frame it as a public safety measure aimed at reducing drunk driving. But beneath the benevolent language lies a far more troubling reality: this technology opens the door for federal control over when, where, and whether Americans can operate their own vehicles.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis did not mince words, likening the idea to George Orwell's 1984. He's right. A car that can decide--based on opaque algorithms and federal standards--that you are "unfit" to drive is not a neutral safety feature. It is an enforcement mechanism. And enforcement mechanisms, once built, are rarely confined to their original purpose.

Rep. Massie's warning cuts to the heart of the problem. When your car shuts down because it doesn't approve of your driving, how do you appeal your sentence? There is no judge, no jury, no due process. You are effectively convicted on the roadside by software. In an era where Americans have watched social media accounts frozen, bank access restricted, and speech throttled in the name of "safety," it is not paranoid to ask how such power could be abused.

Proponents insist this is about impaired driving--nothing more. But even NHTSA admits the technology cannot reliably distinguish between drunk driving, drowsiness, distraction, or even medical issues. A tired nurse driving home after a double shift, a diabetic experiencing low blood sugar, or a mother distracted by a crying child could all trigger the same automated response. The machine does not know intent, context, or circumstance. It only knows compliance.

More troubling still is the precedent. If the federal government can require kill switch technology for impairment, what stops it from expanding the definition of "unsafe driving"? Speeding. Outstanding fines. Missed child support payments. Noncompliance with emissions rules. Emergency powers during a climate crisis or public health event. The infrastructure for control, once normalized, can be repurposed with a simple regulatory tweak.

The conservative backlash to this vote was swift for a reason. Limited government is not an abstract slogan--it is a safeguard against concentrated power. The same Republicans who campaign on individual freedom cannot credibly defend a system that allows bureaucrats and algorithms to immobilize private property without due process. That 57 House Republicans sided with Democrats on this issue raises uncomfortable questions about how deeply the administrative state has embedded itself across party lines.

Defenders of the mandate argue that NHTSA has not yet issued a final rule, suggesting concerns are premature. But this is precisely the moment when resistance matters most. Once standards are finalized and manufacturers comply, rolling back the system becomes exponentially harder. We have seen this pattern before: temporary measures become permanent, emergency powers become routine, and "common sense" regulations metastasize into tools of control.

There is also a cultural cost. Driving has long symbolized independence in America--the freedom to go where you want, when you want, without asking permission. Turning vehicles into rolling surveillance and enforcement platforms fundamentally changes that relationship. It conditions citizens to accept that movement itself is contingent on government approval.

This debate is not about whether drunk driving is wrong--it is. It is about whether we are willing to surrender liberty for the promise of perfect safety, administered by fallible technology and distant agencies. History suggests that trade rarely ends in favor of the citizen.

Rep. Massie's amendment failed, but the fight should not end there. Americans across the political spectrum should demand clear limits, explicit prohibitions on government control, and ultimately the repeal of any mandate that places a federal hand on the ignition switch. Because once the government can turn your car off, it has already gone too far.

Israeli official said to slam Witkoff: ‘He’s become a lobbyist for Qatari interests’

After Netanyahu meeting, Israeli official said to slam Witkoff as ‘lobbyist for Qatari interests’

Times of Israel is liveblogging Sunday

After the Saturday meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, an Israeli official reportedly voices sharp criticism of Witkoff.

According to the Ynet news site, there has been anger in Jerusalem as the White House envoy pressures Israel to open the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt this week, even if Hamas fails to return the remains of Ran Gvili, the last hostage held by the Palestinian terror group.

“We hope Ran Gvili is returned this week and we can go forward,” the unnamed Israeli official is quoted as saying by the outlet, going on to attack Witkoff.

“Witkoff pushed for placing our big rival Turkey on the border. The clock is ticking backwards to the confrontation with Turkey, which will be a tangible danger to our security,” the official is quoted as saying.

“Witkoff has become a lobbyist for Qatari interests,” the official charges.

Massive US military buildup near Iran raises fears of looming confrontation

Massive US military buildup near Iran raises fears of looming confrontation

ynet Global

The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln is nearing the region with Tomahawk-armed destroyers, joined by fighter jets, refueling aircraft, supply ships and a command vessel as Washington reinforces its military posture amid rising tensions with Iran

A massive aircraft carrier, fighter squadrons and Tomahawk-armed destroyers, and this is only the beginning. While protests in Iran have subsided, the United States is continuing a significant military buildup, preparing for the possibility of action against the ayatollahs’ regime.

US President Donald Trump has said that “maybe we won’t need to use the forces,” but following his directive, American forces are continuing to reinforce their presence in the Middle East.

The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, which had been operating in the South China Sea, changed course more than a week ago toward the Middle East and is expected to arrive in the region in the coming days. Its carrier strike group includes Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, each equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Iran.

According to a report by Global Defense News, which is based on open sources, the Lincoln’s escort ships include the destroyers Spruance, Frank E. Petersen Jr., Michael Murphy, Bulkeley, Roosevelt, Oscar Austin and Paul Ignatius. These vessels are equipped with the Aegis combat system, providing air and missile defense against aerial threats, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. 

The destroyers are also armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles with ranges of approximately 1,500 to 2,500 kilometers, enabling strikes against strategic targets deep within Iranian territory from distant maritime positions. During the US operation “Midnight Hammer,” carried out before the end of the War of the Lion’s Rise, American forces launched 30 Tomahawk missiles from submarines alongside strikes by B-2 bombers against Iranian nuclear sites.

The air wing aboard the Lincoln includes nine squadrons, among them F-35C stealth fighters, F/A-18E Super Hornet multirole strike aircraft, EA-18G Growlers for electronic warfare and jamming, Seahawk naval helicopters for search and rescue, and Osprey aircraft for logistical support and resupply.

In addition, the US Air Force has deployed about a dozen F-15E fighter jets to bases in the region, though it has not disclosed their exact locations.

Previously, under US Central Command, squadrons of F-35A, F-15E, F-16 and A-10 aircraft were already deployed in the area, along with P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and MQ-9 Reaper drones. KC-135 and KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft that have also landed in the region are extending operational range and allowing sustained long-duration missions. In the Persian Gulf, the destroyers Mitscher and McFaul are already operating alongside the supply and replenishment ships Carl Brashear and Henry J. Kaiser, providing logistical support and restocking capabilities. This ensures that naval and air forces can maintain a forward presence and remain deployed for extended periods without returning to port.

The command ship Mount Whitney is also in the region, providing integrated command and control capabilities and coordinating operations among naval, air and ground forces. Also present is the vessel Lewis B. Puller, which effectively serves as a floating sea base, along with Coast Guard ships Canberra, Tulsa and Santa Barbara, supporting sustained operations and the protection of maritime routes.

The reinforcement package includes the nuclear-powered submarine South Dakota, which contributes intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and conventional strike capabilities beneath the surface, as well as the submarine Georgia, which is also armed with Tomahawk missiles.

Beyond the military assets already deployed, a US official quoted by Reuters said that Washington is also examining the possibility of reinforcing its air defense systems in the Middle East.

Russia–US Talks Could Add to ‘Total Breakdown’ of Ukraine

Russia–US Talks Could Add to ‘Total Breakdown’ of Ukraine

Sputnik

The recent Putin–Witkoff meeting in Moscow to discuss the Ukraine conflict shows that “European and Ukrainian attempts to derail US-Russian relations has failed,” former Swedish Army officer and politician Mikael Valtersson told Sputnik.

He recalled that “better relations” between Russia and the US were restored after the Putin-Trump summit in Anchorage, Alaska, which followed Donald Trump abandoning Joe Biden’s policy of America being “the main supporter of Ukraine.”

Valtersson pointed out the US’ desire “to have normal or even close economic relations with Russia,” which he says may be of great significance to the Kremlin

“Russia wants to achieve the goals for the special military operationpreferably by political and diplomatic means, but if that isn't possible, by military means. To achieve this, good relations with the US is important.”

The ex-Swedish officer believes that the best thing for Russia would be “a total breakdown of US–European/Ukrainian relations, but even US neutrality in the conflict is a good thing.”

“If the US keeps being a mediator in the conflict and avoids giving Ukraine any economic support, it's good enough for Russia. The longer the conflict continues on the ground in Ukraine with today's limited US support for Ukraine, the weaker the Ukrainian position grows, and a final resolution of the conflict will be ever more detrimental for Kiev.”

According to Valtersson, both Ukraine and Europe will soon have to “accept the reality or face an even darker future in a couple of years.”

Brussels and Kiev must come to terms with the fact of “a growing rift between the US and Europe and a future of much closer economic cooperation between the US and Russia,” something that “would be a total turnover of international geopolitics,” Valtersson summed up.