New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said she will not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office.

Hochul made the announcement at a press conference in her office in Midtown.

“After careful consideration, I have determined that I will not commence removal proceedings at this time,” she told reporters.

“ My strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of democratic elections preclude me from any other action,” Hochul said.

“I cannot deny the people of this great city the power to make this decision for themselves.”

Governor Kathy Hochul has chosen not to remove Mayor Eric Adams, instead leaving the decision to New York City voters. pic.twitter.com/xvHCflsOXR

— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) February 20, 2025

Nevertheless, Hochul said she would be implementing a range of measures intended to limit his executive authority.

He responded to her announcement by declaring there is “no legal basis” for limiting his authority.

“I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong,” Adams said.

“I look forward to continuing those conversations.”

The post Gov. Kathy Hochul Won’t Remove New York Mayor Eric Adams ‘At This Time’ — Will Instead Try and Limit His Authority appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

President Donald Trump has endorsed Representative Byron Donalds for the state’s 2026 gubernatorial race.

The announcement, made Thursday on Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, signals a significant boost for Donalds’ prospective campaign.

Trump wrote:

I am hearing that Highly Respected Congressman Byron Donalds is considering running for Governor of Florida, a State that I love, and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER! Byron has a great wife, Erika, and three beautiful sons. They are very proud of him! As Governor, Byron would have a BIG Voice, and would work closely with me to advance our America First Agenda. He will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Protect our Vets, Restore our Economic Power, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.

Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!

Donalds responded to Trump’s endorsement on X, hinting that he plans to enter the race very soon.

“President Trump is Making America Great Again. I’m committed to working with him to Keep Florida Great. Announcement coming soon!” he wrote.

President Trump is Making America Great Again.

I’m committed to working with him to Keep Florida Great.

Announcement coming soon! pic.twitter.com/Bimj712vIL

— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) February 21, 2025

The endorsement arrives amidst speculation about other potential candidates for the Republican nomination. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis has been mentioned as a possible contender.

However, Governor Ron DeSantis recently stated during a Tuesday interview on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle, “It’s not something that she’s seeking out.”

He added, “I think a lot of people are just concerned about the future of the state. But this is not anything new. People have been asking her to do this for a long time. But she’s not seeking to do anything. But it’s flattering that people are asking her to do it.

“She’s obviously a great wife and mother to three kids. And she has an inspirational story of overcoming cancer diagnosis, fighting through that and coming out stronger on the other end. And, you know, she’s one of the rare political spouses, even though I’m probably the most conservative governor in the country, she may even be more conservative than me.”

Political analysts anticipate that President Trump’s backing will significantly influence the race, potentially deterring other candidates from entering the fray. This mirrored the 2018 scenario when Trump’s endorsement propelled Ron DeSantis to the governorship.

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Hold on, patriots! Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dropped the bombshell today: the Trump administration plans

The post Trump Blows Up the IRS: Goodbye Bloodsucking Taxes Collectors appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Initiative (BRI), once seen as Beijing’s ticket to global dominance, is now faltering under mounting debt, unfinished projects, and growing international skepticism. As countries like Brazil, India, and Sri Lanka withdraw or renegotiate their involvement, the BRI’s failures expose its role in economic entrapment and geopolitical leverage rather than genuine development.

With Trump back in the White House, China’s economy is likely to face even greater strain, further limiting its ability to invest in the BRI and expand its global influence.

A decade after its launch, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is faltering. Once hailed as a transformative infrastructure project that would reshape global trade, the BRI has instead been marred by financial instability, unfinished projects, and accusations of debt-trap diplomacy. Countries that once embraced Beijing’s ambitious promises are now stepping back, with Brazil being the latest major economy to reject formal participation, joining India and Italy in distancing themselves from the initiative. As nations struggle with mounting debt and projects that fail to deliver meaningful economic benefits, the BRI’s grand vision is unraveling.

Despite Beijing’s assurances of prosperity, many BRI projects have turned into financial and logistical nightmares. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) exemplifies these failures—Gwadar Port remains largely non-functional due to corruption, insurgency, and mismanagement.

Key infrastructure, like the Karachi-Lahore Motorway and the ML-1 railway modernization project, has either stalled or become financially unsustainable. Similarly, in Indonesia, the high-speed rail project connecting Jakarta and Bandung has faced repeated delays and ballooning costs.

In Africa, Kenya’s Nairobi-Mombasa Standard Gauge Railway initially celebrated as a game-changer, has proven financially unsustainable, burdening the government with excessive debt. In Sri Lanka, the infamous Hambantota Port, financed with Chinese loans, was handed over to Beijing on a 99-year lease after Colombo defaulted on its debt.

Even in Europe, concerns over quality and accountability have surfaced. The collapse of a railway station canopy in Serbia, killing 15 people, ignited mass protests against government corruption and opaque contracts with Chinese firms, reinforcing global skepticism about the reliability of BRI projects.

For many nations, the BRI has delivered dependency rather than development. Laos, for example, pursued the $6 billion Boten-Vientiane railway project, only to find itself in a debt crisis that forced it to cede 90% control over its national electricity grid to a Chinese state-owned company in 2020.

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has become a hotbed of Chinese influence, where Beijing has strategically placed itself in control of key maritime assets. Sri Lanka’s Hambantota and Pakistan’s Gwadar blur the line between commercial infrastructure and military expansion. In Bangladesh, mounting debt from China-financed infrastructure projects has placed economic sovereignty at risk.

Malaysia provides a rare example of a country successfully renegotiating BRI agreements. The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), originally valued at $16.5 billion, was renegotiated to $11 billion after a change in government exposed inflated costs and corruption. This demonstrates that while BRI projects pose risks, proactive governance can mitigate them.

Beyond economic concerns, the BRI serves as a vehicle for China’s strategic dominance. Ports like Gwadar and Hambantota, framed as commercial projects, hold military potential, enabling China to expand its naval reach in the Indo-Pacific. This has raised alarms among regional powers, particularly India and the United States.

Additionally, China’s economic strategy fosters long-term dependence by dumping cheap goods into BRI partner markets. This undercuts local industries, stifles domestic innovation, and forces governments to prioritize debt repayment over national development. The economic entrapment further consolidates Beijing’s influence over domestic policies.

The failures of the BRI are now impossible to ignore.

Once seen as an opportunity for economic growth, the initiative is increasingly viewed as a tool for Beijing’s political and strategic ambitions. As Brazil, India, and Italy reconsider their involvement, the narrative around the BRI is shifting from one of opportunity to one of caution.

While China still seeks to expand its reach, resistance is growing. Countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Laos serve as cautionary tales, illustrating the dangers of unchecked Chinese investment. Moving forward, nations must carefully evaluate infrastructure deals to avoid falling into economic and geopolitical dependency.

The global skepticism toward the BRI is a clear message: development must not come at the cost of sovereignty and economic stability. As more countries step back, China’s ambitious vision for global influence through infrastructure is steadily unraveling.

Furthermore, Trump’s trade restrictions and tariffs on China will accelerate economic decoupling, depriving Beijing of crucial manufacturing income. With less money to spend, China will struggle to buy influence, allowing the U.S. to maintain its dominant global position without having to outspend its rival.

The post China’s Belt and Road Initiative: A Failing Global Ambition appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A generation ago, singer Bob Dylan could have been commenting upon what would happen to one little-known federal worker when he wrote, “For the loser now / Will be later to win / For the times they are a-changin’.”

Are they ever. As noted by The Washington Post, Leland Dudek, who had been in charge of the Social Security Administration’s anti-fraud office, was recently named acting commissioner after the previous acting commissioner Michelle King departed.

But the story was deeper than just one manager moved into a vacancy, according to The Daily Wire.

The tale of Leland Dudek is one that offers a peek into a world of vendettas and vengeance taking place across the federal bureaucracy as the Department of Government Efficiency trains its big guns on where taxpayer money actually goes.

Dudek explained what took place in a since-deleted LinkedIn post.

“At 4:30pm EST, my boss called me to tell me I had been placed on administrative leave pending an Investigation,” Dudek wrote. “They want to fire me for cooperating with DOGE.”

“I confess. I helped DOGE understand SSA. I mailed myself publicly accessible documents and explained them to DOGE. I confess. I moved contractor money around to add data science resources to my anti-fraud team. I confess. I asked where the fat was and is in our contracts so we can make the right tough choices.”

“I confess. I bullied agency executives, shared executive contact information, and circumvented the chain of command to connect DOGE with the people who get stuff done,” the post continued.

Dudek then offered his explanation for cooperating with what has become the enemy of entrenched power: “Everything I have ever done is in service to our country, our beneficiaries, and our agency.”

The Daily Wire reported that, based on a source it did not name, Deputy Commissioner for Analytics, Review, and Oversight Gina Clemons wanted Dudek booted and was still in her post.

Billy Gribbin, a representative for Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, noted that putting fiscally responsible people in charge should happen more often.

“I hope we see more of this. There are many good civil servants who have been quietly frustrated for years with politically-motivated mismanagement who possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the problems with their agencies. Put them in charge, hand them scalpels and flamethrowers,” he posted on X.

The White House said that Social Security is in good hands, according to USA Today.

“President Trump has nominated the highly qualified and talented Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed in the coming weeks,” White House representative Harrison Fields said in a statement.

“In the meantime, the agency will be led by a career Social Security anti-fraud expert as the acting commissioner. President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease the bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long,” he said.

President Donald Trump said King quit to avoid the axe.

“Resigned or got fired?” Trump said of King. “I think got fired. You know when you fire someone, they always resign, and then they say, ‘We resigned.’ But when you have numbers like that, I think really it’s got fired.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said news media accounts are “trying to fearmonger the American people” into thinking benefits are in danger.

DOGE has been called in to “identify fraud in the Social Security Administration,” she said, by finding payments that should not have been made.

“Rest assured, if you paid into the system honestly, you will continue to receive your Social Security checks,” she said.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

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