After almost five years of grappling with the consequences of his objection to the military’s 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate, a former Space Force officer had his career reinstated on Friday.

The Gateway Pundit spoke to Joshua Zermeno, a military officer who dedicated a significant portion of his 13-year career to the field of space superiority within the U.S. Space Force (USSF). On June 26, 2026, Captain Zermeno was the first officer reinstated into the Department of the Air Force and USSF, once again taking the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

This great commitment remained in effect for him even while not in uniform for the past five years.

“Returning to service under President Trump’s Executive Order 14184 is profoundly meaningful to me,” he expresses.

“This opportunity has surprisingly turned into the pinnacle and defining moment of my career. It allows me to fully commit myself once more to serving our nation, complete the work I began over a decade ago, and teach my children the importance of resilience and dedication to principles.”

Zermeno is set to report for duty on July 26 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. As this date nears, he shares, “I am profoundly grateful and honored to once again wear the uniform and uphold my oath.”

For Zermeno, the journey to reach this point was long and challenging. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2010. After serving as a mechanic for B-52 strategic bombers for several years, he was able to leverage his mechanical engineering degree to apply for Officer Training School (OTS).

Upon completing OTS, Zermeno was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force and started Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). He graduated second in his class in 2015 and was subsequently assigned to RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft operations.

In 2018, he was presented with another career shift opportunity and assigned to the 1^st Air and Space Test Squadron at Vandenberg SFB. He began working with rockets, collaborating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), SpaceX, and various other organizations focused on space exploration. In 2021, he was among the first officers to be commissioned into the United States Space Force. However, 2021 also marked the year when all his hard-earned achievements were stripped away.

Zermeno raised concerns about the military’s August 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate issued by then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, challenging its “efficacy and legality.” As a result, he received three Letter of Reprimands (LORs), an Article 15, and multiple “Do Not Promote,” recommendations which hindered his advancement to the rank of major.

In October 2021, he sought to leave the military voluntarily, but he was informed that his separation was “not in the best interest of the Air Force and Space Force.” Following this communication, base leadership barred him from entering government buildings and took action against him under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Although the COVID-19 shot mandate was lifted in January 2023, he was overlooked for promotion for the second time solely for shot refusal—a career killer.

He was forced to involuntarily separate from the USSF on August 31, 2023. However, President Donald Trump’s January 2025 Executive Order aimed at reinstating service members discharged due to the shot mandate compelled him to take action and make and attempt to return to service. After an 18-month struggle with the Department of the Air Force’s Reinstatement process and the Board for the Correction of Military Records (BCMR)—an administrative authority many consider largely ineffective and a bureaucracy that sidelines Trump’s intent—he succeeded in making his return.

In spite of Trump’s Executive Order that would “allow those service members reinstated…to return to their previous rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation,” this has not been the case for Zermeno and many others who have been reinstated. The reinstatement process entails detailed stipulations that diminish any back pay by deducting all civilian earnings accrued during the period of separation. In reality, only individuals who had no income after their service ended qualify for the full back pay.

The Board’s determination declares: “He is entitled to all related back pay, benefits, and entitlements, less any necessary offsets resulting from the aforementioned corrections to his record.”

“Although receiving backpay would have alleviated some of the considerable personal and financial hardships my family faced due to two years of military punishment and the difficulties of adjusting to civilian life, being reinstated holds far greater importance for me than any monetary compensation. I was determined to return to duty no matter what, even if the backpay amounted to nothing,” Zermeno remarked.

This determination is echoed in Zermeno’s reflection on the situation, as he admitted, “The COVID-19 mandate stands as one of the most significant mistakes in military history and should not be forgotten.” He further emphasized, “The repercussions of this mandate are still being felt by service members,” noting that, “it adversely affected tens of thousands of service members.” Many, like him, have been left pursuing reinstatement over an order that was deemed “unlawful as implemented.”

Fortunately, he has successfully endured the fight after a very prolonged struggle and is eager to finish his career, hoping that many others will have the opportunity to do the same.

To preserve the history of the military’s COVID-19 shot mandate, Zermeno authored the book titled, DISOBEYING AN UNLAWFUL ORDER: A SPACE FORCE OFFICER’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, in 2025.

The post Five Years After the COVID-19 Shot Mandate Destroyed His Career, Former U.S. Space Force Officer Returns to Duty appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) suggested this week that the Democratic Party may need a new generation of leadership, indicating it could be time for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to step aside as Democrats continue to grapple with internal divisions and setbacks following recent elections.

In a stunning admission on SiriusXM’s “Straight Shooter with Stephen A” on Thursday, Slotkin made it clear the Democrat Party is in total disarray more than a year and a half after President Trump’s crushing 2024 victory.

“That’s why I believe we need significant new leadership. The old models are no longer working, and that includes the Democratic Party,” Slotkin declared.

She didn’t stop there.

Slotkin described her party as a “circular firing squad” where everyone is reacting to crisis but few are offering any real vision. “To me, that’s a fundamental failure of leadership,” she said.

When pressed on whether Schumer and Jeffries should step aside, she didn’t mince words: “If people can’t understand that the game has fundamentally changed, and they can’t adapt, then they need to let others lead.”

Slotkin even admitted the obvious truth that President Trump won because he kept his message simple and focused on what Americans actually care about, making life more affordable and putting more money in their pockets, while Democrats tried to be everything to everyone and stood for nothing.

WATCH:

Y’ALL I THOUGHT THIS WAS FAKE SHE ACTUALLY SAID IT. You know things are fucked up when Elissa Slotkin is saying this shit. She did not want to drop names but when Stephen A. Smith asked if she was talking about Schumer and Jeffries, she did not deny it. https://t.co/w7Pov4g6rp pic.twitter.com/jYkomkzpZg

— adri ♡ (@socialistadri) June 26, 2026

When confronted with Slotkin’s comments, Jeffries appeared to brush them aside.

Hakeem Jeffries is confronted with Elissa Slotkin calling for new leadership in the Democrat party:

SLOTKIN: If people can’t understand that the game has changed then they need to let others lead.

JEFFRIES: “I have no idea what Elissa Slotkin was talking about.” pic.twitter.com/Izp48sRsPf

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 26, 2026

The socialist left is devouring the party from within, and the old guard is getting crushed.

This bombshell comes just one day after radical socialist candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (a proud Democratic Socialists of America member) completely steamrolled establishment Democrats in New York congressional primaries.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, Mamdani’s slate crushed multiple Jeffries-backed candidates — including two incumbents — in a humiliating night for the Democrat establishment. The NRCC even sent flowers and a condolence card to Jeffries with the message: “Three losses in one night is tough.”

The socialist surge is real, and it’s accelerating.

The post Democrat Sen. Slotkin Calls to Replace Schumer and Jeffries as Democrats Sink Deeper into Socialist Politics appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul did not receive the welcome she expected at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the New Buffalo Bills stadium. 

The new $2.1 Billion Highmark Stadium officially opened on Wednesday with a humiliating flop from the Governor.

Immediately after being welcomed to the stage in her team-colored blue suit and a Bills cap, Hochul unsuccessfully tried to rile up the crowd.

“All right, let’s get this party started,” she said, pointing to the crowd and shouting, “Let’s go.” But nobody responded with the “Buffalo” chant she was hoping for.

She then tried again, shouting, “Let’s go,” throwing her left hand out, and “Buffalo,” throwing her right. But nobody joined.

“All right, seriously? You’re going to win a championship season with that kind of energy,” she said before trying again!

Men and women of labor, you know what I’m talking about. Let’s go! Buffalo!” she said, falling flat.

“All right, we gotta give this place some good karma, right? We gotta send our boys off to a great, great sense of accomplishment and victory in the wings,” she continued awkwardly.

WATCH:

Others in attendance at the event were Bills Owner and CEO Terry Pegula, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and Mary Wilson, the widow of Bills founder Ralph Wilson Jr.

Per Fox:

The Bills will open the 60,000-seat facility with a “Return of the Blue & Red” training camp practice on Aug. 8. The stadium is 99.75% complete, according to Bills Senior Vice President of Design and Stadium Operations Frank Cravotta.

Stadium architects Populous designed the building with underground heating coils to allow the natural grass to avoid freezing, along with lights specifically designed for growing grass. There’s also a snow-melt system, and a canopy that blocks wind to keep fans more comfortable during the brutal Buffalo winters.

The post “Alright, Seriously?” – Kathy Hochul Left Humiliated TWICE After Trying to lead Buffalo Bills Chant And Nobody Joins! (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Although Democrat strategist James Carville tried to downplay the socialist takeover in New York following Tuesday’s elections, he admits it may be time for the party to split from its radical elements.

He shared,  “Miss Chevalier, The New York Times reported, and I have the quote right here, I’ll get to it, she is against… (unintelligible) she has attacked interracial relationships and the American flag.”

“Lady, I ain’t in the same party as you. I’m sorry. I just not.”

“And I actually do think it’s time for Democrats to talk the S-word, schism. I really do.”

“And everybody’s always said, ‘no, no, we’re coalition, we’re big tent,’ and there’s some, there’s just some sh** that I can’t be in the same camp with. And we talked about what Madami was 3 for 3 last night in Manhattan, or they call it the ‘commie corridor.’ Fine.”

“Jason Crowe’s service PAC, VoteVets, 10 for 11. You wouldn’t know Jason Crowe exists. Okay, you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t know it.”

“You wouldn’t know Abigail Spanberger exists. You wouldn’t know. And I want to be very specific. I understand the free press for being here because if they nominated David Duke or something like that, we’d be the same way. Understand all that.”

“To an extent, I understand The Times because they are The New York Times, so they have to cover… They are the hometown newspaper.”

“But the idea, the idea that we must neglect everything else that’s going on, all of these other primaries, all the recruits Jason has, all the huge phenomenal successes we’ve had, and declare that the party is now under the control of a Democratic Socialist of New York City, is insane.”

“But understand, these people do not like Democrats. Not only are they not Democrats, they wish Democrats poorly.”

“So I just cannot— maybe there’s a way that you can say to— I guess Mamdami is the leader of it— is you try to insist that the people that run under your banner run as a Democratic Socialist and don’t use the Democratic Party as your guideline, and let’s negotiate the terms of a schism here.”

“Maybe we can part under some kind of advantageous terms for both of us. But I’m done. I’m not in that fu**ing political party.”

“I am totally comfortable in a political party that spends time questioning the policies of the government of Israel. In fact, I’m enthusiastic about that.”

“I don’t want to be in a political party that denies the right of the state of Israel to exist.”

“That’s just not— I just can’t do that. I’m sorry. It’s just not doable.”

Watch:

NEW: James Carville: “I actually do think it’s time for Democrats to talk the S word: ‘Schism’ … there’s just some sh*t that I can’t be in the same tent with … I’m done … I don’t want to be in a political party that denies the right of the state of Israel to exist.” pic.twitter.com/O5ATLyvXwV

— Jason Cohen (@JasonJournoDC) June 25, 2026

The post James Carville Says it May Be Time for the Democrat Party to Split After Wins by Radical Socialists in ‘Commie Corridor’ (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, has issued a temporary statewide restriction on personal fireworks for the Fourth of July due to wildfire conditions and severe drought across the state.

The move comes as Americans prepare to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

On Thursday, Cox signed Executive Order 2026-04, declaring a state of emergency and granting the Utah State Forester expanded authority to prohibit the discharge of fireworks.

The restrictions are in effect from July 2 through July 5, through the holiday weekend.

Municipal leaders, working with local fire chiefs and officials, can still choose to designate specific “safe areas” where personal fireworks may still be allowed.

If no safe areas are designated in a community, the full state-level restriction applies.

The executive order temporarily suspends a portion of state law that previously limited the state forester’s ability to restrict fireworks inside city limits.

Officials have stated that increased patrols will be conducted in high-risk areas, and violations can result in criminal and civil penalties.

Cox explained his decision in a post on X.

When the people who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting Utah tell us that this year is different, we need to listen.

Our firefighters are risking their lives to protect Utah. Right now, they need our help.

Today, I signed an executive order to temporarily restrict fireworks… pic.twitter.com/svrWGGcMZz

— Governor Cox (@GovCox) June 25, 2026

The governor wrote in full:

When the people who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting Utah tell us that this year is different, we need to listen.

Our firefighters are risking their lives to protect Utah. Right now, they need our help.

Today, I signed an executive order to temporarily restrict fireworks statewide through July 5.

More than 75% of Utah’s wildfires have been human-caused, and the danger to lives, homes, and our firefighters is simply too high.

This order gives local leaders, working with their fire chiefs, the flexibility to identify where fireworks can still be used safely.

I love celebrating the Fourth with fireworks, but this year is different. Our goal is to make sure our neighborhoods and communities are still standing on July 5.

Conditions will continue to be monitored closely in the days leading up to the holiday.

The post Utah Governor Spencer Cox Bans Fireworks Statewide for America’s 250th Anniversary appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

An eighth White House terror plot suspect, 20-year-old Alexander Iniguez Mercado of Chicago, has been arrested for his involvement in planning a drone and sniper attack on the UFC Freedom 250 event earlier this month. 

Two more arrests were made this week. The plot reportedly involved 23 people as part of the network.

“The conspirators allegedly planned to deploy drones armed with explosives in and around the UFC Freedom 250 event in order to force an evacuation of the event and then planned to deploy snipers to fire upon ‘high value targets’ within the fleeing crowd,” the DOJ said in a press release earlier this month.

Mercado was arrested on Thursday for his role in plotting the attack as an administrator in a group chat on the encrypted messaging app, Signal. He has also been charged with obstruction of justice after allegedly deleting his Signal app and destroying the evidence.

He now faces up to 20 years in prison.

According to the Department of Justice:

Alexander Iniguez Mercado, 20, of Chicago, was allegedly an administrator and member of Signal messaging groups that included members who appeared to communicate with others regarding the planning of a violent attack targeting the UFC event at the White House on June 14, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Seven other individuals from multiple states have been charged in connection with the planning of the violent attack. More information about the other defendants charged as part of this investigation is here and here.

According to the indictment against Mercado, the day before the UFC event, a special agent from the FBI spoke with Mercado by telephone. The agent informed Mercado that he was calling to discuss online threats regarding the UFC event, and he asked whether Mercado planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to help with the attack, the indictment states. Mercado allegedly denied those plans and advised the agent that he did not want to meet with the agent. Mercado then uninstalled the Signal application on his phone, which caused the data on his phone relating to those messages to become unavailable, the indictment states.

Mercado is charged with obstruction of justice. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison. Mercado was arrested on Thursday. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Chicago today at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes for the Northern District of Illinois.

The FBI disrupted the plot days before the historic White House UFC fights after learning of the threat around June 10. A concerned parent reportedly alerted authorities, helping thwart what could have been a devastating attack on a patriotic gathering celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and President Trump’s milestone birthday.

According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, the group “expressed ultra-religious and antigovernment sentiments, specifically citing grievances about government corruption, the handling of the Epstein files, data centers taking up all the water in communities, and other government actions.”

As The Gateway Pundit reported, it was discovered that the plot was orchestrated by a Mexican illegal alien who remained in the country under Obama’s controversial Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

MORE:

CONFIRMED: White House Terror Plot Ringleader is an Illegal Alien Who Was Granted DACA by Obama, DHS Says

The post JUST IN: Chicago Man Charged in Connection to White House UFC Terror Plot appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.