A drone strike sparked a fire near the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, in the latest sign of continued regional hostilities linked to the Iran conflict.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi said the drone struck an electrical generator outside the nuclear facility’s inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region.

According to UAE officials, no injuries were reported, radiation levels remained normal, and the plant’s core systems were unaffected.

The UAE Defense Ministry said three drones were launched from the country’s western border.

Two were intercepted, but a third struck the site, causing the fire.

UAE’s MoD says a drone struck an electrical generator outside the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in UAE.

Two others were intercepted.

The UAE adds the UAVs came from the western border — no source identified yet. pic.twitter.com/VwZHmNHIwf

— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 17, 2026

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said the plant continued operating normally, while the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Emirati authorities had informed it that radiation levels remained stable.

“The IAEA is following the situation closely and is in constant contact with the UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed,” the UN nuclear watchdog said.

Footage of such incidents is notoriously scarce because of the UAE’s aggressive crackdown on posting photos or videos that could damage the country’s image as a “safe haven.”

The UAE says a drone attack hit near the Barakah nuclear plant, causing a generator fire but no injuries or safety impact.

Journalist Natasha Turak tells Al Jazeera that the “deliberate” attack fits a pattern of Iranian drone and missile strikes on UAE power infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/pHxtYL2CXx

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 17, 2026

The UAE has faced repeated missile and drone threats during the broader Israel-U.S.-Iran confrontation.

On Friday, the UAE Foreign Ministry rejected what it described as Iranian attempts to justify attacks against the Gulf state, warning that Abu Dhabi reserves its “sovereign, legal, diplomatic, and military rights” to respond to threats or hostile acts.

Officials have not publicly assigned blame for Sunday’s strike, and the UAE said the investigation into the drones’ source remains ongoing.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the UAE was an active combatant in the conflict, having secretly carried out strikes against Iranian targets.

The attacks included a strike on an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in early April, triggering a major fire and knocking much of the facility offline for months.

The post Iranian Hostilities Flare Up Again as Drone Strike Sparks Fire Near Abu Dhabi Nuclear Plant appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Finally, after years of gaslighting, lawfare, and corrupt media cover-ups, a top Trump DOJ official has stepped up and dropped the hammer on the biggest political crime in American history.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche joined Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures and delivered a NUCLEAR truth bomb that Democrats, the fake news media, and the deep state have been desperately trying to bury for six long years.

When Bartiromo pressed him on President Trump’s repeated claims that the 2020 election was rigged, Blanche didn’t mince words.

Blanche confirmed that the DOJ is now running multiple criminal investigations into the stolen 2020 election.

Maria Bartiromo:
“She just said that we’re going to find out that President Trump actually did win certain states in the 2020 election. Now, the president says all the time that the election was rigged. What have you done about that? Do you have any evidence that the election was rigged? What can you tell us?”

Acting AG Todd Blanche:
“Well, there’s a ton of evidence that the election was rigged. That’s not something the DOJ needs to tell you about. There’s been evidence about that for many, many years. What I can tell you is that we have multiple investigations going on in Arizona, in Georgia, in Fulton County, Georgia. And that’s exactly what we’re looking at.

By the way, this is very difficult because they’re very good. They’re very good at hiding misconduct and hiding what they’re doing. That’s why we’re very focused on finding out whether the right people voted, whether people who were supposed to vote actually voted, and whether there was one vote cast per voter.

And that’s what we’re doing in multiple states. I expect—and again, people will say to me, ‘How long is it taking? Why is it taking so long?’ The reality, the answer to that, is because it takes a lot of work to uncover what happened in 2020. It takes a lot of good old-fashioned law enforcement police work, which is what we’re doing.

We have great prosecutors working on it as well, and I assure the American people that as soon as we have something to say—whether it’s charges, whether it’s a report, or whether it’s the results of an investigation—the American people will learn about what we uncovered.”

WATCH:

HOLY CRAP! The DOJ has just obtained evidence that the 2020 election was “rigged” against Trump, and investigations are ongoing

AG BLANCHE: “There’s a ton of evidence that the 2020 election was rigged. We have multiple investigations.”

EXPOSE IT! pic.twitter.com/J7leLjfgVg

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 17, 2026

As The Gateway Pundit has reported for months, the Trump DOJ, first under Pam Bondi and now under Acting AG Todd Blanche, has been quietly building the case.

FBI Director Kash Patel has already signaled that arrests are coming soon related to 2020 election crimes.

Recent raids on election warehouses and the exposure of rigged systems in Maricopa County and Fulton County were just the beginning.

The post HUGE: Acting AG Todd Blanche Drops NUCLEAR Truth Bomb – “There’s a Ton of Evidence That the 2020 Election Was RIGGED” – CONFIRMS Multiple Criminal Investigations Underway appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

China said Saturday it had reached a preliminary trade agreement with the U.S. that includes proposed tariff reductions, following President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing.

In a statement, China’s commerce ministry said the two sides had agreed in principle to lower tariffs on certain products on an equivalent basis.

However, Beijing failed to identify which goods would be affected or how deep the cuts would be.

BREAKING:

CHINA AND THE U.S. JUST AGREED TO ESTABLISH NEW TRADE AND INVESTMENT COUNCILS

THIS IS A MAJOR STEP TOWARD A FORMAL DEAL
AGRICULTURAL, AIRCRAFT, AND ENERGY SECTORS ARE SET TO EXPLODE

THE $1 TRILLION CHINA INVESTMENT IS NOW OFFICIALLY IN PLAY pic.twitter.com/Ze5HMDVDUp

— Leshka.eth (@leshka_eth) May 16, 2026

“The two sides will discuss issues such as tariff reductions on specific products, and they have agreed in principle to lower tariffs on products of respective concern on an equivalent scale,” the ministry said.

They continued:

… the two countries will resolve or make substantive progress toward resolving non-tariff barriers and market access issues involving some agricultural products.

The United States will actively work to address long-standing Chinese concerns including automatic detention measures targeting Chinese dairy and aquatic products, exports of media-grown bonsai to the United States, and recognition of avian influenza-free zones in east China’s Shandong Province.

China, for its part, will actively advance solutions to U.S. concerns regarding beef facility registration and poultry exports from certain U.S. states to China.

Moreover, the two sides agreed to promote two-way trade, including in agricultural products, through arrangements such as mutual tariff reductions on a range of products.

The announcement came despite Trump saying tariffs were not directly discussed during his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“We didn’t discuss tariffs,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday.

China also confirmed aviation agreements involving aircraft purchases and U.S. guarantees for the supply of aircraft engines and related parts.

Trump previously said China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft and General Electric engines.

JUST IN: President Trump touts a “historic” visit to China, announcing a massive deal for Boeing and General Electric that includes hundreds of aircraft and engines.

The President praised President Xi as an “incredible guy,” noting that the trade agreements could ultimately… pic.twitter.com/7hvvYB4mA5

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 15, 2026

The Chinese statement offered few concrete details, but it appears aimed at signaling progress after years of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.

WATCH: Trump Shakes Xi Jinping’s Hand on Red Carpet in Beijing – Leaders Hold Bilateral Talks

Tariffs were widely expected to be a key issue heading into the summit, given the economic standoff between the two great superpowers.

The proposed agreement suggests the Trump administration is pursuing targeted economic concessions from Beijing while attempting to stabilize relations with its major strategic rival.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this year that Trump and Xi could meet as many as four times in 2026.

Xi is expected to visit Washington for a state visit in September.

The post China Claims Preliminary Trade Deal With U.S. Following Trump’s Beijing Visit appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared on Fox News to discuss the Russiagate probe and the investigation into the 2020 election.

Blanche told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo that there are some “troubling” things that will come out in the Russiagate probe.

John Brennan is the “target” of the grand jury Russiagate probe in South Florida.

Last July, it was reported that former FBI Director James Comey and John Brennan were under FBI investigation over their involvement in Russiagate.

US Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones in the Southern District of Florida is in charge of the investigation.

Former US Attorney Joe DiGenova was recently chosen to oversee the Russiagate probe in Florida.

Hundreds of subpoenas have been issued in this investigation, and still no indictments have been handed down several months into the grand jury probe.

“We’re finding out some incredibly troubling things, and at some point at the right time, that will be made public, and the American people will see exactly what happened to this administration and President Trump over the past decade,” Blanche said.

“The country was ripped apart…you’re saying when the timing is right so when should be

“The Southern district of Florida has an open criminal investigation,” Blanche said.

That involves hundreds of subpoenas, it involves hundreds of witnesses, and so, as far as time and one we can expect it, we are working hard and we are working efficiently, but we are going to do it right,” Blanche said.

Blanche insisted that the prosecutors are not going to rush into a slapdash indictment.

WATCH:

The post Blanche Says Everything is About to be Made Public as DOJ Probes Russiagate Conspiracy (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Trump DOJ is suppressing free speech.

Michael Castillero ran a pre-IPO investment fund. He was charged with allegedly charging extra fees that he did not disclose to his investors. The evidence showed and the judge acknowledged that the investors made money and “sustained no out-of-pocket losses.” But he’s going to prison because they would have made even more money had Castillero disclosed the fees.

This is the case that the Biden-era Southern District of New York (SDNY) chose to bring criminal charges over. Not a civil suit. A federal criminal prosecution — with guns drawn, assets seized, and a man’s family left in financial ruin. For a fee dispute, Michael Castillero will go to prison.

But it gets even worse. The DOJ is asking the judge for additional prison time because Castille suggested that he is a victim of politically motivated weaponization.

The Prosecution That Trump’s DOJ Inherited and Chose to Continue

Castillero was indicted in 2023 under the Biden administration. He is a Trump donor. He posted memes about the stolen election. He dined at Mar-a-Lago. He frequented Trump properties and was at the announcement when Trump said he was running again. He believed — as tens of millions of Americans believed — that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. The prosecution continued past President Trump’s inauguration. Castillero was convicted by a New York jury – like President Trump – and is now awaiting sentencing.

After his conviction but before his sentencing, Castillero went on podcasts and tried to tell his side of the story. He suggested that his prosecution was motivated by political weaponization. The SDNY says that is a lie. But they don’t simply deny it in a press release. SDNY went to the judge and demanded that he be punished for even suggesting that the SDNY engages in weaponization.

SDNY is equally appalled that Castillero would suggest that the judges associated with the case were biased. The case was assigned to Obama appointee Judge Jesse Furman and Clinton appointee Judge Lewis Kaplan. Judge Furman is the judge who blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the census. Judge Kaplan is the judge who presided over the ridiculous E. Jean Carroll case where she sued President Trump for defamation for denying her obviously false claim that he raped her in a department store changing room at some unspecified year decades earlier. President Trump called the judges in his cases “abusive,” “rude,” “hostile,” and “totally biased.” He attacked them on Truth Social repeatedly.

“Now, because I want to be at this Witch Hunt 100% of the time and watch what is going on, my attorneys asked the Judge for a one day delay so that I can attend the funeral of my beloved mother-in-law, with my wife and entire family, tomorrow in Palm Beach, Florida, The Judge, angrily, and somewhat surprisingly, said NO, you can go to the trial, or you can go to the funeral, but not both. He is abusive, rude, and obviously not impartial but, that’s the way this crooked system works!”

When Castillero suggests that the same judges were biased against him, the DOJ clutches its pearls.

The May 13th Letter: Criticizing the Government is not Allowed

On May 13, 2026, SDNY filed a letter with Judge Furman cataloguing every media appearance Michael Castillero made since his conviction and asking the judge to punish Castillero for appearing on podcasts and telling his side of the story.

The DOJ is arguing that the following statements are lies that should cost him years in prison:

• That he was politically targeted because of his support for Donald Trump.
• That the investigators built a case out of nothing.
• That his investors were not actually harmed.
• That he spent millions of dollars on lawyers.
• That the judges showed bias against him.

All of these are opinions or at worst disputable factual claims protected by the First Amendment. But according to the SDNY, these statements are criminal. Or more precisely, it is an aggravating factor that DOJ believes warrants additional prison time.

The Irony Is Staggering

During his own prosecutions, Donald Trump was subjected to gag orders. He called them unconstitutional. He argued that as a political figure facing politically motivated charges, he had an absolute right to defend himself publicly. He defied gag orders. He paid fines. He said he was willing to go to jail over it because the Constitution was more important.

Now his own DOJ is filing letters to federal judges asking for more prison time because a convicted defendant went on Diamond and Silk.

Diamond and Silk. Two of President Trump’s most loyal, most enthusiastic, most visible supporters. Women who campaigned for him tirelessly for years. And apparently, going on their show is now an aggravating factor in federal sentencing.

Does the President know this is going on?

It Is a Lie to Say You Were Politically Targeted

Here is perhaps the most chilling part of the government’s May 13th letter. Under the heading of “False Statements,” the government argues the following:

“Castillero has stated that he was targeted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and by this Office because of his political beliefs and affinity for President Trump. These statements are all false.”

The SDNY is telling a federal judge that it is a lie, not an opinion, but a lie, to suggest that a federal prosecution may be politically motivated. They want him punished for saying it.

Under this standard, every American who believes the justice system was weaponized against political opponents must remain silent — or risk additional prison time for stating that belief publicly. This is not a slippery slope. We are already at the bottom.

President Trump signed Executive Order 14147 specifically to address the weaponization of the federal government against American citizens for political purposes. He ran on it. The American people elected him on it. They elected him despite 91 felony charges across four indictments precisely because they believed the system had been corrupted and weaponized. But according to Trump’s own DOJ, this is illegal speech.

The American people have witnessed the previous administration engage in a systematic campaign against its perceived political opponents, weaponizing the legal force of numerous Federal law enforcement agencies and the Intelligence Community against those perceived political opponents in the form of investigations, prosecutions, civil enforcement actions, and other related actions.  These actions appear oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives.  Many of these activities appear to be inconsistent with the Constitution and/or the laws of the United States, including those activities directed at parents protesting at school board meetings, Americans who spoke out against the previous administration’s actions, and other Americans who were simply exercising constitutionally protected rights.

The prior administration and allies throughout the country engaged in an unprecedented, third-world weaponization of prosecutorial power to upend the democratic process.  It targeted individuals who voiced opposition to the prior administration’s policies with numerous Federal investigations and politically motivated funding revocations, which cost Americans access to needed services.  The Department of Justice even jailed an individual for posting a political meme.  And while the Department of Justice has ruthlessly prosecuted more than 1,500 individuals associated with January 6, and simultaneously dropped nearly all cases against BLM rioters.

Therefore, this order sets forth a process to ensure accountability for the previous administration’s weaponization of the Federal Government against the American people.

Michael Castillero believes exactly what President Trump believes. He believes what tens of millions of voters believe. And under Trump’s own DOJ, he will go to prison longer for saying so. Under Trump’s own DOJ, President Trump’s Executive Order is a lie – worthy of criminal punishment.

Is Todd Blanche Hiding Cases from President Trump

We already know that Pam Bondi was shielded from learning about weaponization cases. The case of Dr. Kirk Moore is the perfect example. In July 2025, seven months into the Trump presidency, the DOJ was still prosecuting Dr. Moore in Utah. Dr. Moore helped patients avoid COVID vaccines. He was facing 35 years in prison.

Leading up to and during his trial there was outrage among the base. People were posting about it every day on social media and holding rallies outside the courthouse. But the DOJ prosecution continued.

Finally, it was brought to the attention of Attorney General Pam Bondi. She admitted that she had no idea the case existed. She only learned about it from a tweet by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. As soon as she learned about it, she ended the prosecution immediately mid-trial.

At my direction  @TheJusticeDept has dismissed charges against Dr. Kirk Moore. Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so. He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today. This would not have been possible without @RepMTG who brought this case to my attention. She has been a warrior for Dr. Moore and for ending the weaponization of government.

Todd Blanche was her deputy at the time. Did he know about the weaponization case against Kirk Moore and hide it from Pam Bondi? Or else, was he just completely out of touch with the base?

That begs the question, does he know about Castillero and other ongoing cases that appear to be weaponization? Does he know that the DOJ is suppressing free speech?

Whether Blanche is covering for SDNY or just oblivious, the career prosecutors at SDNY do not want President Trump to know about their ongoing weaponization cases. President Trump is a victim of weaponization and has expressly ordered it to cease and desist.

The Attorney General, in consultation with the heads of all departments and agencies of the United States, shall take appropriate action to review the activities of all departments and agencies exercising civil or criminal enforcement authority of the United States, including, but not limited to, the Department of Justice,

Blanche is an SDNY alumi not MAGA

Todd Blanche is a lifelong democrat until 2024, and an SDNY alumni. He was a prosecutor there during the Obama years. He was at SDNY when it prosecuted Dinesh D’Souza — a prosecution D’Souza has argued to this day was politically motivated because he made a film critical of Barack Obama. President Trump pardoned D’Souza.

After SDNY, he became a partner at the leftist activist law firm Wilmer Hale. President Trump put out an Executive Order about Blanche’s former firm describing it as follows:

yet another law firm that has abandoned the profession’s highest ideals and abused its pro bono practice to engage in activities that undermine justice and the interests of the United States.  For example, WilmerHale engages in obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends, supports efforts to discriminate on the basis of race, backs the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes and trafficking deadly drugs within our borders, and furthers the degradation of the quality of American elections, including by supporting efforts designed to enable noncitizens to vote.  Moreover, WilmerHale itself discriminates against its employees based on race and other categories prohibited by civil rights laws, including through the use of race-based “targets.”
WilmerHale is also bent on employing lawyers who weaponize the prosecutorial power to upend the democratic process and distort justice.  For example, WilmerHale rewarded Robert Mueller and his colleagues — Aaron Zebley, Mueller’s “top aide” and “closest associate,” and James Quarles — by welcoming them to the firm after they wielded the power of the Federal Government to lead one of the most partisan investigations in American history.  Mueller’s investigation epitomizes the weaponization of government, yet WilmerHale claimed he “embodies the highest value of our firm and profession.”  Mueller’s “investigation” upended the lives of public servants in my Administration who were summoned before “prosecutors” with the effect of interfering in their ability to fulfill the mandates of my first term agenda.  This weaponization of the justice system must not be rewarded, let alone condoned.

This is the law firm where Todd Blanche was a partner during Trump’s first term. After Wilmer Hale, Blanche went to Cadwalader, Wall Street’s oldest law firm. They also engaged in similar lawfare to Wilmer Hale. Cadwalader was engaged in the same types of lawfare but avoided the Executive Order by engaging in a settlement with the White House.

Blanche is a typical product of this revolving door between DOJ and White Shoe Law firms. He left to become Trump’s personal criminal defense attorney for his New York case, and probably earned millions leading Trump’s defense team to a spectacular shutout, Government 34, Trump zero, losing on every count. (In fairness, it’s not easy to win a political weaponization case.)

Now he runs the DOJ as the Attorney General. But based on his background, is it any surprise that he is not taking any steps to reform or even investigate possible weaponization cases at DOJ?

He is a product of the system. The elite class that populates the DOJ are his friends and former colleagues. He shares their beliefs and values, not the beliefs and values of President Trump’s supporters. If he did not personally engage in the abusive DOJ prosecutorial weaponization tactics, he is friends with people who have.

This Is Not What We Voted For

The election of Donald Trump in 2024 was a rejection of the DOJ. They branded President Trump a felon, yet the American People overwhelming elected him. The “Justice system” has lost all credibility. People know that it is weaponized against political enemies. The People dismissed the charges against President Trump because they they were a farse. They elected President Trump to fix it.

Nobody voted for more weaponized prosecutions. Nobody voted for more suppression of free speech. We voted for the exact opposite.

Michael Castillero believes he was targeted for his politics. He believes his judges were not impartial. He believes the government fabricated a case against him. He said so publicly on Diamond and Silk. Now he’s going to pay for it.

But President Trump said the same thing in his executive orders. Are those orders illegal too?

President Trump has expressly ordered the end of weaponization. Todd Blanche is not following those orders. As a result, American citizens are still suffering under partisan DOJ prosecutors.

Weaponization is ongoing and free speech is being suppressed while President Trump is in office. Imagine what will happen if he leaves office and Democrats regain power. Websites and podcasts that dare to suggest weaponization exists may become illegal.

President Trump, if you are reading this, please demand an investigation into the case of Michael Castillero and other cases. You can save innocent Americans from the same weaponization that you and your family had to endure. It’s why we elected you. There is still time. Please act before its too late.

The post We Voted for Trump. We Got a Kamala Harris DOJ. The Michael Castillero Case Exposes That Little Has Changed at the SDNY — and Todd Blanche Either Doesn’t Know or Doesn’t Care appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.