In so many geopolitical aspects, US President Donald J. Trump has been way ahead of the curve.

Case in point: the (lack of) fairness in the defense efforts by the Western powers.

Since his first mandate, Trump has railed against NATO allies (and Europe in general) for freeloading on the US’ military infrastructure, forcefully calling on them to dramatically step up their defense spending.

Trump was called all sorts of bad names by European Globalists, by Democrats, Rinos, and Neocons.

But now, years later, we get to see German Chancellor Friedrich Merz openly admitting the Trump criticism that Europe ‘was doing too little to fund its own defense and security’.

BBC reported:

“’We know we have to do more on our own and we have been free-riders in the past’, he told the BBC’s Today Program, ‘they’re asking us to do more and we are doing more’.”

“Merz told Nick Robinson, in his first UK broadcast interview as chancellor, that he had now met Trump three times and they were on good speaking terms: ‘I think President Trump is on the same page; we are trying to bring this war to an end’.

‘We are on the phone once a week; we are coordinating our efforts. One issue is the war in Ukraine, and the second is our trade debates and tariffs’.”

Merz has been a ‘supporter of Ukraine’ since before he won the Chancellorship.

“Even before he had been sworn in, the chancellor steered through a change in the German constitution to enable a huge rise in defense spending, saying the rule now for German defense was to do whatever it takes.

‘We are not strong enough, our army is not strong enough, so that’s the reason why we are spending a lot of money,” he said in his BBC interview’.”

Read more:

‘THINK TWICE, NAZI!’ – Russia’s Medvedev Torches Germany’s Merz After Incoming Chancellor Vows To Send Long-Distance Taurus Missiles to Ukraine

The post Germany’s Friedrich Merz Admits that Europe Was ‘Free-Riding’ on US Defense and Security appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Air India Crash Exposes Deadly Risk of Pilots on Psychiatric Drugs

Republished with permission from AbleChild

While Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, reassures the flying public that air travel is now so safe that there is no longer a need to remove shoes prior to boarding aircraft, the tragic June 12, 2025, Air India crash raises larger concerns for the flying public that have nothing to do with the size of liquid containers but certainly something Secretary Noem and her colleagues at the FAA and the NTSB may want to address.

According to news reports about the Air India crash, investigators are focusing attention on the data being reveal through the aircraft’s black box recordings and, specifically, what the pilot had to say prior to the deadly crash.

Apparently, investigators are concerned that the pilot, Sumeet Sabharwal, seconds into the flight, turned off the fuel supply to the engines, causing the Boeing Dreamliner to slam into the ground killing all but one of the 230 passengers and all 12 of the crew. Investigators now are interested in the pilot’s medical records, trying to come up with a motive. What would have caused pilot, Sabharwal, to purposefully crash the aircraft?

Well, as it turns out, Sabharwal, reportedly had depression and some mental health issues, despite both flight pilots having, within the past two years, passed the Class 1 medical exam, which takes into consideration the pilot’s psychological capabilities. Nevertheless, it is certain that both fuel switches had to have been pulled upward to unlock them. This action was not by accident…it had to be deliberate.

So, understanding that the fatal action was deliberate one now must consider the bigger question…how many commercial pilots, transporting millions of travelers around world, have been diagnosed with a mental disorder and are being treated with mind-altering drugs?

Remember it has been ten years since the deadly 2015 Germanwings flight that was deliberately crashed into the French Alps by pilot Andrea Lubitz. Lubitz killed all 150 on board by diving the aircraft into a mountain. Investigators reportedly found a “number of medications for the treatment of psychological illness” during a search of the pilot’s home. It also was reported that Lubitz had been treated by several neurologists and psychiatrists.

That was ten years ago. Fast forward to the January 29, 2025, midair collision between American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River. While investigators have not released the complete investigation or autopsy information, it has been reported that “there is no indication that Capt. Rebecca Lobach was suffering from health issues at the time or that a medical event affected her during those final moments…”  That’s important information, but it does not explain whether the military captain had been diagnosed with any mental disorder or was being medicated with any mind-altering drugs.

It should be of interest to the flying public that pilots, and commercial airlines, do not have to disclose which of its pilots are being medicated for a mental disorder. Nope. In fact, just trying to find specific data about how many pilots are currently taking mind-alerting drugs as treatment for a mental disorder is nearly impossible.

The fact that the public is unaware of whether the pilot (or all the flight’s crew) is being treated for a mental disorder does not bode well for flight safety nor informed consent for that matter. Here’s the point. Shouldn’t a paying passenger have the right to know if the people flying the aircraft have their minds chemically altered in order to function appropriately?

AbleChild recently learned that not only are commercial aircraft pilots and Air Traffic Control personnel allowed to take serious psychiatric drugs as treatment for mental disorders, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has expanded the number of psychiatric drugs that pilots and controllers may take and still fly the friendly skies.

In a May 29, 2025, update to the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners (AME’s), acceptable anxiety diagnoses include generalized anxiety disorder, situational anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, unspecified anxiety, postpartum depression, situational depression, situational anxiety and depression, unspecified depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and PTSD.

The FAA also explains that “a pilot can have up to two listed conditions treated with any combination of psychotherapy; medication; a single metal health medication last taken, prescribed or recommended two or more years ago.”

The chemical treatments the FAA allows pilots to take while flying include Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Effexor and Pristiq. Of course, AbleChild would be remis without reminding the public that neither the pharmaceutical companies that produce the drugs nor the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that approves the drugs for use, know how any of these drugs “work” in the brain to “treat” any mental disorder.

And, not to belabor the point, let’s just consider for a moment the possible adverse events associated with just one of the FAA approved psychiatric drugs, Zoloft. Possible side effects associated with Zoloft (Sertraline) include aggressive reaction, confusion, drowsiness, inability to sit still, mood or behavior changes, seizures, agitation, anxiety, aggravated depression, depersonalization, mania, paranoia, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, abnormal thinking, hallucination, psychotic disorder and psychosis. If even one of these adverse events occurs during flight, this does not bode well for the safety of the flying public. It’s also of interest – even weird – that pilots are not allowed to use psychiatric drugs that “treat” ADHD. Antidepressants are fine, but don’t use ADHD drugs!

Clearly, the possible adverse events associated with just one of the drugs allowed by the FAA would lead one to wonder if the federal agency is appropriately tracking drug use among pilots and drug use associated with airline accidents. The last publicly available toxicology report only covered data up to 2017. With increased use of mind-altering drugs among pilots, air traffic controllers and aircraft crew, it seems imperative that the Secretary of Homeland Security may want to work with her colleagues at the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to not only collect yearly data but make it publicly available.

AbleChild recently introduced legislation that became law in Tennessee that requires toxicology tests be conducted on all perpetrators of shootings involving four or more victims and results of those data be made public. The FAA may want to consider a similar approach involving the number of pilots and air traffic controllers using psychiatric drugs to function.

Afterall, there are ample data revealing air accidents that have occurred at the hands of pilots being “treated” for mental illness. If the FAA is comfortable with pilots suffering from mental disorders flying, then there should be no problem allowing the public to know how many pilots are being treated and how many air accidents are occurring at the hands of those pilots being treated.

The mission of the FAA is “to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.” One might argue that allowing pilots to fly commercial aircraft while being medicated with serious psychiatric mind-altering drugs is not in the public’s best interest. However, providing the necessary crash data on a yearly basis would go a long way to reassuring the public that air travel is safe, despite the pilot’s altered mind .

AbleChild is a 501(3) C nonprofit organization has recently co-written landmark legislation in Tennessee, setting a national precedent for transparency and accountability in the intersection of mental health, pharmaceutical practices, and public safety.

What you can do.  Sign the Petition calling for federal hearings!

Donate! Every dollar you give is a powerful statement, a resounding declaration that the struggles of these families will no longer be ignored. Your generosity today will echo through generations, ensuring that the rights and well-being of children are fiercely guarded. Don’t let another family navigate this journey alone. Donate now and join us in creating a world where every child’s mind is nurtured, respected, and given the opportunity to thrive.  As a 501(c)3 organization, your donation to AbleChild is not only an investment in the well-being of vulnerable children but also a tax-deductible contribution to a cause that transcends individual lives.

The post ABLECHILD: 30,000 Feet Mental Health Meltdown? Air India Crash Exposes Deadly Risk of Pilots on Psychiatric Drugs first appeared on Joe Hoft.

The post ABLECHILD: 30,000 Feet Mental Health Meltdown? Air India Crash Exposes Deadly Risk of Pilots on Psychiatric Drugs appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A recent podcast by Shawn Ryan caught the attention of service members and veterans seeking accountability over the COVID-19 shot mandate.

Earlier this week, Fox News reported that, on July 14, “California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was pressed to defend his COVID-19 record by podcast giant Joe Rogan.”

Newsom was a guest to former U.S. Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan’s podcast, but was quickly surprised to be fielding a question from Rogan. After dropping an expletive, the California governor confessed he was a fan of Rogan despite any criticism the podcaster might have of him.

The question: “Who will be held accountable for mandating COVID-19 vaccines for children, which were unnecessary and ineffective, and who will take responsibility for the unprecedented increases in myocarditis and cancer cases among them?”

“Second to that, do you feel any remorse for that draconian decision that was obviously heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical companies’ desire for maximum profit?” Newsom addressed the questions (minute mark 16:47), touting California’s response, and pointing to a coming “objective review” of what went right and what went wrong for the progressive policy-driven state during the pandemic.

Interestingly, the Fox News coverage of the exchange has caught the eye of several former service members and veterans affected by the shot mandate. The Gateway Pundit reached out to retired U.S. Army public affairs officer, writer, and host of the Finding Your Spine podcast, Dr. Chase Spears, for analysis through a military lens. Spears expressed satisfaction that Rogan and Ryan offered a venue in which Governor Newsom faced “tough” questions about his decisions.

“Newsom isn’t going to get a tough question on CNN, so it’s good to see the governor in a place where his staff cannot control the narrative,” Spears noted. “When someone presides over tremendous abuses of authority, they need to answer for their actions. The traditional press lauds itself for doing this, but in reality, that baton already passed to the realm of podcasters.”

Having retired from “an increasingly hostile” U.S. Army in 2023 after two decades of service, Spears desires to see senior military leaders “held to the same fire” for forcing transgenderism across the ranks, enforcing the unlawful COVID-19 mandate, emphasizing social engineering over combat training, and more. “Who helped preside over the transgendering in the military? Who helped preside over the COVID tyranny in the ranks since 2020?” In his opinion, “Senior military officials should face tough questions on their actions, just as some civilian policymakers now are.”

“Why has Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth given guidance to make things right with soldiers who were forced out over COVID, but there are still so-called leaders who are slow walking it and putting all the burden on the troops, still kicking people like Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brandon Budge out? Where is the disconnect, and why is it being allowed now a full six months after the inauguration?”

“I’d love to see leaders like Gen. Randy George asked the tough questions, but they’re not going to show up,” said Spears. To his point, J.M. Phelps sent a letter to Gen. George on June 5 to inquire about CW3 Budge’s predicament but has “been met with silence.”

On June 5, I sent this letter via email directly to Gen. Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army. Sadly, I’ve been met with silence. On the one hand, the general can’t deny the BCMR process has failed CW3 Brandon Budge. And on the other, he has to recognize just how critical a… pic.twitter.com/KFs1yDVBhi

— J.M. Phelps (@JMPhelpsLC) June 14, 2025

“He’s not going to answer, nor would he ever join Ryan or Rogan on a podcast,” Spears expressed. “He and other senior military leaders won’t go near a microphone they don’t have control over because they’re far more terrified of a negative headline or a quote that doesn’t reflect well on them than they are of all out nuclear war.”

Nonetheless, he said, “I would love to see guys like Ryan and Rogan extend invitations to our military’s senior leaders to talk about issues like this. At least they could say they didn’t want to talk, or they could acknowledge the pithy public affairs statement their headquarters usually release on these topics fail the truth test and commit to do better going forward.”

For Spears, “Podcasters like Sean Ryan and Joe Rogan can be part of stopping the military from hiding behind this bogus apolitical narrative.” He asserted, “We have seen in recent years a very clear display that too many among the current corps of generals don’t even try to pretend they’re apolitical in their actions.”

“They bristle at such a charge, yet refuse to defend their actions to anyone not hand-selected to carry their narrative, like The Atlantic’s propagandized apologetic for Mark Milley. Let’s see how the generals fair in front of an interviewer who isn’t overwhelmed by the ribbons and stars,” challenged Spears. “For men who are expected to lead the military into war against China or Russia, a simple interview shouldn’t be intimidating.”

Spears encourages the “podcast giants” and legacy news media to invite other people in the military community who are willing to talk about ongoing harms imposed upon the military that still need to be addressed. He recommended some of his own guests like Navy Commander Rob Green, Army physical therapist Dr. Grant Smith, former Green Beret John Frankman, attorney Davis Younts, Air Force Colonel Brandi King, Air Force Major Brennan Schilperoort, and even himself.

“We’re all willing to speak openly about how the military got it so wrong and are, in many cases, still getting it wrong,” Spears offered. “These stories need to be told and we need honest influencers to not only ask tough questions at the state level but also do the same within the military.”

The post Senior Military Leaders Need to Show the Courage to Take on the ‘Tough’ Questions, Says Retired Army Public Affairs Officer appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

There was a deadly explosion at a Sheriff training facility in East Los Angeles on Friday morning.

At least three Sheriff’s Deputies were killed, according to Fox News.

No other details about the explosion were immediately available.

BREAKING: Our LA @FoxNews producer @AlexandriaHrndz is told by multiple law enforcement sources that three people are dead after an explosion at a LA County Sheriff Department’s training facility in East LA this morning. Happened at the Biscailuz training center.

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 18, 2025

The FBI is on scene. The explosion appears to be an accident.

The three deaths are confirmed to be LA County Sheriff’s Deputies. The FBI Los Angeles office tells us they are now responding to the scene. Initial indications we are being told is this appears to be a terrible accident.

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 18, 2025

Federal law enforcement officers are at the scene working to learn more, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said.

I just spoke to @USAttyEssayli about what appears to be a horrific incident that killed at least three at a law enforcement training facility in Los Angeles.

Our federal agents are at the scene and we are working to learn more. Please pray for the families of the sheriff’s…

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) July 18, 2025

KABC reported:

Authorities are investigating an apparent explosion at an LASD facility in Monterey Park where at least three people were killed.

The incident was reported just before 7:30 a.m. Friday at what looked to be LASD’s SEB compound, which houses the sheriff’s department’s special enforcement units and bomb squad.

It appears something may have exploded near a law enforcement vehicle, according to AIR7 footage.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene. It’s unclear if there were any other injuries.

DEVELOPING…

The post DEVELOPING: Explosion at Sheriff Training Facility in Los Angeles Leaves Three Dead appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

By Wayne Allyn Root

No, I’m not telling you to not be upset or disappointed about the Epstein decision. I am too.

No, I’m not telling you not to complain, not to vent your anger.

I disagree with the decision, too. I urged President Trump to reconsider and either release the Epstein file, or name a Special Counselor.

And the good news is, he has responded. He just ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all grand jury testimony. That’s a smart decision.

Because this Epstein List controversy was obscuring the list that matters most- the long, superhuman list of achievements that Trump has accomplished to start his second term.

This Epstein controversy has been obscuring the fact that this has been the greatest start to any Presidency in history. And a remarkable past two weeks. And even a remarkable past 24 hours. Trump is hitting home runs.

Except for Epstein.

For once, the New York Times quoted me correctly and accurately. The New York Times just featured a story on how Trump’s base and biggest MAGA media backers feel about the Epstein story.

They quoted Charlie Kirk, Steve Bannon, Laura Loomer, General Mike Flynn, Alex Jones, Roseann Barr and yours truly.

The Times basically reported that TV and radio host Wayne Allyn Root wants Trump to release the Epstein files…but Root remains Trump’s biggest backer and recognizes all his remarkable success.

True and true.

I’m not alone. According to the latest CNN and Quinnipiac polls, Trump’s approval has gone up with Republican voters since the Epstein controversy. Trump’s approval in one poll rose from 86% to a remarkable 88%, and in the other from 87% to a stunning 90% approval.

So, it turns out while many in the MAGA movement want Trump, and expect Trump to release the Epstein files, it turns out the vast majority also acknowledge and recognize his remarkable one-in-a-billion achievements.

So, I’d like everyone who is still angry at President Trump over the Epstein decision, to just think about what America would look like right now, and what your lives would look like right now, if Kamala Harris had been elected.

Think long and hard about this one. And then thank God for President Trump- with or without the response you want with the Epstein files.

If Trump had lost, and Kamala had won, here is what America would look like…

*Our nation might very well be in “climate change lockdown right now.

*You might be stuck in a “15-minute city.” Where you’d need permission from government to drive more than 15 minutes from your home.

*There’d be no “Drill, baby, drill,” so your electric bill, gas bill and fuel for your car would all be at record levels. Inflation would be surging right now, destroying the great American middle class.

*There would be no “Big Beautiful Bill,” so we’d all be hit with the biggest tax increase in history. More money for Big Brother and less for you.

*Forget “no tax on tips” and “no tax on OT” and the new $6,000 extra tax deduction for seniors. Without Trump, they’d all be gone.

*Instead of 2 million new job gains for American-born citizens and a loss of 500,000 jobs for foreign-born citizens since Trump took over, we’d have the opposite. Corporations would have signs up saying, “We Don’t Hire Americans.”

*You know the $15 trillion of investment President Trump just got for America from foreign governments? It would be gone. Who’d be dumb enough to invest in Kamala’s America? No one.

*Instead of most companies in America eliminating DEI, the entire economy would be based on DEI. White people- no jobs for you. But if you’re black or brown and lesbian with no qualifications, you’re the new CEO!

*Our country would look more like Stalin’s Soviet Union than America. We’d be experiencing massive censorship and banning of conservatives and critics of government. Free speech would be a thing of the past. Social media posts would result in SWAT teams invading your home to arrest you in front of your children for a tweet.

*Conservatives and MAGA patriots would be declared “domestic terrorists.”

*I’m guessing conservative talk radio and TV would be declared “hate speech” and “racist” and taken off the airwaves.

*Boys winning championships and scholarships in girls’ sports would be celebrated and encouraged.

*So would transgender brainwashing in school, and transgender hiring, and transgenders in the military.

*Remember Rachel Levine and Sam Britton- two butt-ugly guys wearing wigs, dresses, and high heels? They’d be in control of your life.

*The untested, deadly experimental Covid vaccine would be mandatory. The unvaccinated would be branded as pariahs, unable to live normal lives in America.

*Our border would be in ruins- we’d be witnessing a massive foreign invasion like no one has ever seen in world history, with tens of millions of illegal aliens waiting at the border, to cross into America, and bankrupt our country.

*We’d already be in WW3.

*And few young Americans would be willing to join a U.S. military infested with woke ideology, and transgenders in your foxhole. So, we’d already have a military draft in place, so Kamala could send your sons and daughters to the Russian front.

*America would be a one- party state with rigged elections for the rest of all-time.

*And “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would still be a hit.

Thank God for President Trump.

So, disagree with him on releasing the Epstein files all you want. I want them released, too.

But he’s still the G.O.A.T. The best we’ve ever had in my lifetime, and my educated guess says he’s also the best we’re ever going to get in the future.

And the alternative would have been the end of America, the end of freedom and free speech, the end of capitalism, the end of free and fair elections, and the end of YOU and me.

Are you still mad at Trump? Maybe a little, but you’ll get over it. Think about the alternative.

Now thank God for Trump.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wayne Allyn Root is a CEO, businessman, best-selling author, and national conservative TV and radio host, who has interviewed President Trump 16 times. Watch Wayne’s TV show “America’s Top Ten Countdown” on Real America’s Voice TV Saturdays at Noon ET and his video podcast “WAR Zone presented by The Gateway Pundit” daily from 6 PM to 8 PM ET at TheGatewayPundit.com. His website is ROOTforAmerica.com. Read Wayne’s latest fun book, “How Democrats Have Made America Great.” It’s 140 blank pages. The joke is on Democrats!

The post WAYNE ROOT: If You’re Still Mad at President Trump Over Epstein Files, Stop to Think About What America Would Look Like If Kamala Had Been Elected Instead. That’s Your Alternative. Now Thank God for Trump. appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.