The head of the FBI’s New York field office, who was reported to have resisted Justice Department efforts to scrutinize agents who participated in politically sensitive investigations, has told coworkers that he has retired from the bureau after being directed to do so. James Dennehy said in a message to colleagues obtained by The Associated Press that he was told late Friday to put in his retirement papers but was not given a reason. The move comes in a period of upheaval at the bureau after new FBI Director Kash Patel took office last month and as conservative podcaster and Trump loyalist Dan Bongino has been named to serve as deputy director.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Monday that the United States “remains 100% committed to Israel’s security” during a phone call with his Israeli counterpart, Israeli Minister of Defense Yisroel Katz, stated Pentagon spokesman John Ullyo.
The secretary also reaffirmed the “unbreakable bond” between Washington and Israel.
The two leaders discussed regional developments, bilateral interests and security assistance between the two nations.
They also said that the two countries will work together to combat Iran, which they emphasized remains a threat to regional security in the Middle East. JNS
{Matzav.com}

Dozens of leading rabbanim from across Lakewood gathered on Monday afternoon to address the ongoing shidduch crisis that has left thousands of bnos yisroel waiting in pain for their zivugim. The atmosphere was heavy with emotion, as the gathered gedolim and roshei yeshiva wrestled with the plight of so many young women whose futures remain uncertain. The meeting, part of a nationwide initiative spearheaded by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, was hosted by Rav Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoha. He, along with Rav Dovid Schustal, Rav Yisroel Neuman, and Rav Yaakov Forchheimer, all of BMG, made it clear: the status quo is untenable, and immediate action must be taken.

A former Jewish production assistant for Joy Reid, who up until last week was the host of the MSNBC nightly news program “The ReidOut,” said her former boss went on “a vile antisemitic rant” in 2020, blaming Orthodox Jews for the spread of coronavirus in New York City, according to the New York Post.
“They’re the reason why COVID is spreading across New York,” the former staffer claimed that Reid said during a morning conference call. “They don’t care about COVID or spreading it to others.”
Political commentator Reid, 56, also allegedly said that Orthodox Jews “only care about themselves” and are “in their own bubble.” The Post reported that this claim was unchallenged.

Whoopi Goldberg expressed her dismay on Monday during ABC’s The View, describing last week’s Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “one of the most embarrassing things” she had ever witnessed.
Goldberg remarked, “You know, that has to be one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever seen. This is a leader of a sovereign nation, and you are doing theater with him because you’re trying to show that you’re the hard guy, but I don’t think anybody wanted you to be the hard guy. I don’t think you asked anybody how they felt, how people who voted for you, you didn’t ask them how they feel about what you’re doing.”

As his White House meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart devolved into a stunning blowup, President Donald Trump leaned on a familiar refrain to explain his unique kinship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,” Trump said Friday, raising his voice and gesturing with his hands as he recounted the long-since-concluded saga of a federal investigation in which both he and the Russian president played starring roles. “He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia. Russia, Russia, Russia, ever hear of that deal?” Trump said.

Family getting up:

Nine months have passed since Thomas Matthew Crooks, a seemingly ordinary 20-year-old, fired eight shots at then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. And yet, despite federal investigations, private probes, and endless speculation, one glaring question remains unanswered: Why? Those searching for clarity have been met with silence—or worse, obstruction. The FBI, according to sources, has blocked efforts to uncover the shooter’s motives, leaving local authorities, former classmates, and the broader public frustrated. Crooks left no manifesto, no clear warning signs, no explanation for why he climbed onto a rooftop and attempted to assassinate a former—and now current—president. Even Crooks’ family has sealed itself off from the world.