Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced Thursday that she is investigating YouTube superstar MrBeast over his company’s recent move into cryptocurrency and financial services.

In a 12-page letter sent to Beast Industries, the company run by Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, Warren raised concerns about the firm’s February acquisition of the teen-focused banking app Step and its plans to offer crypto-related products.

Warren specifically questioned whether the company is marketing cryptocurrency investments to children, who make up a huge chunk of MrBeast’s audience.

Despite Step’s statements that any crypto activity by minors would require parent or guardian approval, Warren claimed the app had previously published materials encouraging kids to pressure their parents into crypto investments.

“I have questions for MrBeast,” Warren wrote in a post on X announcing the letter.

I have questions for MrBeast. pic.twitter.com/GvFT2B8kPe

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 27, 2026

The Massachusetts senator, a longtime critic of the cryptocurrency industry, also pressed for details on Beast Industries’ banking partner, Evolve Bank & Trust. The bank has faced past enforcement actions from the Federal Reserve over deficiencies in its anti-money laundering programs.

“Beast Industries is primarily an entertainment and consumer product company — and any foray into financial services, particularly services aimed at children — must be done with great care and in compliance with the law,” Warren wrote in the letter.

Beast Industries responded to the inquiry in a statement to Mediaite, saying the acquisition was intended to help young people build better financial futures.

“Our primary motivation behind this deal is to improve the financial future of the next generation,” a company spokesman said. “Now that we’ve completed the transaction and have ownership control, we’re examining all existing offerings and marketing approaches to ensure that Step’s future is developed thoughtfully and deliberately, meets our very high quality standards, and is in compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.”

The company added that it “appreciates Senator Warren’s outreach” and plans to engage with her office on the project going forward.

MrBeast is one of the largest YouTubers among younger viewers due to his high-production giveaways, challenges, and philanthropy videos.

The post Elizabeth Warren Targets MrBeast: Sends 12-Page Letter Demanding Answers on Crypto Push to Children appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Department of Justice has confirmed that Iran-linked hackers breached the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel and leaked personal photos along with other documents online.

The hacking group known as the “Handala Hack Team” claimed responsibility, posting the materials to its website and Telegram channel.

“Soon you’ll realize the FBI’s security was nothing more than a joke,” the group wrote on Telegram, along with photos from Patel’s account.

JUST IN – FBI director Kash Patel’s personal email address hacked, says DOJ. This comes only a day after Iran-linked Handala hacking group claims it breached the FBI: “Soon you will realize that the FBI’s security was nothing more than a joke.” pic.twitter.com/XeuogL8I0Y

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 27, 2026

The group stated that Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims.”

A DOJ official told Reuters that the materials posted online “appeared to be authentic.” The leaked files reportedly include a purported resume and a mix of personal and work-related correspondence dating from 2010 to 2019.

Reuters reports:

A Justice Department ​official confirmed that Patel’s email had been breached and said the material published online appeared authentic. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for ​comment. The hackers did not immediately respond to messages.

Handala, which ​calls itself a group of pro-Palestinian vigilante hackers, is considered by Western researchers to ‌be ⁠one of several personas used by Iranian government cyberintelligence units. Handala recently claimed the hack of Michigan-based medical devices and services provider Strykeron March 11, claiming to have deleted a massive trove of ​company data.

Reuters was ​not able to ⁠independently authenticate the Patel emails, but the personal Gmail address that Handala claims to have broken into ​matches the address linked to Patel in previous ​data breaches ⁠preserved by the dark web intelligence firm District 4 Labs. Alphabet-owned Google, which runs Gmail, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Gmail address targeted by the hackers matches one previously linked to Patel in older data breaches, according to reports.

The Handala Hack Team is believed to be connected to Iran’s cyberintelligence operations.

FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email has reportedly been hacked, just a day after the Iran-linked Handala group claimed it breached the FBI, warning: “Soon you’ll realize the FBI’s security was nothing more than a joke.” pic.twitter.com/QUzrhJflig

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 27, 2026

The breach was reported just days after the Justice Department and FBI disrupted several Iranian-linked cyber operations and seized multiple domains used by the group.

Newsweek reports, “Handala posted on its website that after the FBI had seized its domain names and announced $10 million rewards for its members, the group decided to fight back with the hack.”

“The so-called ‘impenetrable’ systems of the FBI were brought to their knees within hours by our team,” Handala’s website states. “All personal and confidential information of Kash Patel, including emails, conversations, documents, and even classified files, is now available for public download.”

The FBI has not issued a public comment on the incident as of the time of publishing.

The post BREAKING: DOJ Confirms Iran-Backed Hackers Have Breached FBI Director Kash Patel’s Personal Email, Are Publishing His Private Photos and Documents appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Israel’s military leadership has issued one of its starkest warnings in years, raising serious questions about the sustainability of the country’s defense posture amid growing internal strain and mounting operational demands.

At the center of the alarm is Eyal Zamir—the highest-ranking military officer in Israel and the commander of the entire IDF—who told ministers behind closed doors that the army is approaching a breaking point.

According to reports from multiple Israeli outlets, Zamir warned the cabinet that the Israel Defense Forces could “collapse in on itself” if urgent reforms are not implemented. His remarks, delivered during a high-level security meeting, were described as a direct and unusually blunt appeal to political leadership.

“I am raising 10 red flags in front of you,” Zamir reportedly told ministers. He stressed that without immediate legislative action on conscription, reserve duty, and service length, the military’s ability to function will deteriorate rapidly.

The warning comes as Israel faces a complex security environment, with operations spanning multiple fronts. From Gaza to Lebanon, Syria to the West Bank, the demands placed on the military have expanded significantly in recent years.

Military officials say the strain is no longer theoretical. Reserve units are being stretched thin, with repeated deployments placing growing pressure on soldiers and their families.

“The reserves will not hold,” Zamir warned, emphasizing that the current system is reaching its limits. Without reinforcement, he suggested, even routine missions could soon become difficult to sustain. At the heart of the crisis is a manpower shortage that has been building for years. Estimates suggest the IDF is short tens of thousands of troops, particularly in combat roles.

Even in peacetime, officials argue, the current force structure would be insufficient. In a multi-front environment, the gap becomes even more pronounced.

A key factor in this shortage is the ongoing controversy over conscription. Large segments of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox population have long been exempt from military service, a policy that critics say is no longer viable under current conditions.

Zamir has called for new laws to address the issue directly. These include measures to increase enlistment, extend mandatory service, and reform reserve duty obligations. Yet political hesitation has slowed progress. Governments reliant on coalition partners have struggled to push through reforms that would likely provoke public backlash.

This tension highlights a broader challenge facing many Western-aligned societies: how to balance internal political considerations with hard security realities. In an time of seemingly ever-increasing global instability, such trade-offs are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

During the same cabinet meeting, Avi Bluth reportedly warned that government policies in the West Bank are adding further strain. The expansion of settlements, he said, requires additional security resources that the army does not currently have.

“This is your policy,” Bluth told ministers, “but it requires security and a full protection package.” His comments underscored the gap between political decisions and military capacity. The situation on the ground has also become more volatile. Reports indicate a rise in violence in the West Bank, forcing the military to divert units originally assigned to other fronts.

In one recent case, an infantry battalion intended for deployment elsewhere was reassigned to the West Bank to manage escalating tensions. Commanders have warned that further reinforcements may soon be necessary.

Opposition figures have seized on Zamir’s warning as evidence of deeper systemic failures. Yair Lapid accused the government of pushing the army into a “multi-front war without a strategy, without sufficient resources, and with too few soldiers.”

Lapid added that the government would no longer be able to claim ignorance. “This time, they will not be able to say, ‘I didn’t know,’” he said, pointing directly to the chief of staff’s warnings.

Other political leaders echoed similar concerns. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett argued that the solution lies in expanding the pool of eligible recruits. “The IDF is 20,000 soldiers short,” Bennett said. “There are 100,000 young Haredim of military age… if they recruited even a fifth, there would be no problem.”

Former military leaders entering politics have also weighed in. Gadi Eisenkot described universal service as a “moral imperative,” warning that continued exemptions undermine both readiness and fairness.

At the same time, some members of the governing coalition have pushed back against the criticism. Allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argue that legislative delays are due to legal obstacles rather than political inaction.

The Prime Minister’s Office has stated that efforts are underway to pass the necessary laws. Officials have also accused opponents of distorting the military’s warnings for political gain.

Within the ruling party itself, however, divisions are emerging. Some lawmakers have acknowledged the seriousness of the manpower crisis and called for immediate action.

“Being right-wing means, first and foremost, security,” said Likud lawmaker Dan Illouz. “You can’t demand victory and expansion, and then let the army collapse due to lack of soldiers.”

Others have taken a different tone, criticizing Zamir’s remarks as overly alarmist. Some coalition figures have described his warnings as “irresponsible” and potentially damaging to national morale.

From a strategic perspective, the situation underscores the risks of overextension. Expanding commitments—whether territorial, political, or military—require corresponding resources to sustain them.

Without those resources, even the most well-intentioned policies can create vulnerabilities. Zamir’s warning, in that sense, is not just about manpower, but about the limits of capacity.

The episode serves as a reminder that national security cannot be separated from internal cohesion. A strong state requires both external readiness and internal alignment. As the government weighs its next steps, the stakes are clear. Failure to address the manpower shortage could have long-term consequences for Israel’s ability to defend itself in an increasingly unstable region.

Whether Israel’s leadership can translate warnings into action remains to be seen. What is certain is that the current trajectory, as described by its own military chief, is not sustainable.

In that sense, the crisis is not just a military issue—it is a test of political will. And as the pressure builds, the decisions made now will shape the country’s security for years to come.

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