Welcome to the RedState Weekly Briefing — where we take a quick look at the week’s most viewed stories in case you missed any of them. What do you suppose caught people’s attention in this latest whirlwind week? Grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger if you’re so inclined), and sit down with this 21st Century Weekend Edition of your favorite (online) publication — here we go!
#1 – Pete Hegseth Stamps Out One USAF DEI Mutiny but Others Await — by streiff
While this crushes this rebellion, there is more work to do. The people behind it are open about their intentions. This is a clip from a closed Facebook group called “Service Academy Women.” The author is apparently a former Army intelligence officer.
Hey Lisa Yates, you do realize that you left your name up there at the top, right? pic.twitter.com/iwBiplUxLb
— TimOnPoint (@TimOnPoint) January 26, 2025
What we are seeing is coordinated resistance. Pete Hegseth has stomped out this fire, but unless he starts making an example of people, this will become a sport among leftists in the Pentagon.
#2 – Trump Suspends As Many As 60 Senior Bureaucrats for Trying to Evade His Executive Orders — by streiff
Last week, President Trump issued an order, and the State Department issued further orders requiring USAID to stop designating new foreign aid funding or accepting funding applications. They were also told to issue “stop-work” orders to grantees. There were some exceptions, but for the most part, USAID activities were frozen in amber until they could be fully understood. If I had to guess, I would say that the people placed on leave decided the orders didn’t mean what they said or that they just weren’t going to comply.
This review will be painful in some places, but that is a small price to pay for stamping out the “I know better” ethos so present in the senior executive and foreign service.
#3 – John Fetterman Delivers Some Hard Reality to the Never-Trumpers on ‘The View,’ and It’s Glorious — by Bob Hoge
As if he hadn’t humiliated them enough, Fetterman had some more truths to tell:
“I think that degrades our collective trust in this very important institution, whether that’s a Democrat going after a Republican, or a Republican going after a Democrat,” he said. “I like to call it strikes and balls, but the judicial system has to remain impartial. I mean, that’s really the cornerstone of our society.”
Listen, I’m not suddenly going to say that Fetterman is a hero to our side—he’s not. What I will say, though, is he’s one of the most unusual politicians I’ve ever seen, and while I used to think he was just another progressive nutcase hell-bent on destroying America, he’s shown to be more nuanced than that. When you compare him to the likes of NY Rep. AOC, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, even New York’s odious Senator Chuck Schumer, or the detestable CA Sen. Adam Schiff, he comes across as extremely close to reasonable.
#4 – Joe Biden Scandal Deepens Post-Term After ‘Accidental’ Commutation Is Revealed, Dem Hypocrisy Exposed — by Bonchie
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), infamous for lying about serving in Vietnam, responded, “Someone dropped the ball.” Well, I’ve got a pretty good idea of who did, Senator. Who signed those pardons? That would be Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. That makes him responsible.
Yet, I’m noticing a distinct lack of outrage from various Democrats and their press allies. Keep in mind, these are the same people who are still obsessing over the January 6th pardons. Here’s Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) doing that song and dance just a few days ago.
#5 – JD Vance Has Appropriate Reply After ‘Journalist’ Equates Milley’s Portrait Removal to ‘Erasing’ History — by Sister Toldjah
Trump, of course, has many reasons to despise Milley, as outlined by my colleague Rusty Weiss here, including committing what some have alleged was treason in the last months of Trump’s first term in office.
Milley, as RedState readers will recall, reportedly assured “his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng of the People’s Liberation Army, that the United States would not strike,” according to a Washington Post recounting of claims made in a 2021 book written by their associate editor, Bob Woodward, and one of their reporters, Robert Costa.
Per that same report, Milley took it to a disturbing new level on one phone call by informing the Chinese general, “If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise.”
