Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Articles by Ian Hanchett

6 articles found

Maher: Trump 'Does Make Good Deals Overseas' and Not Just Gaza, But Threatens Democracy Here
Technology

Maher: Trump 'Does Make Good Deals Overseas' and Not Just Gaza, But Threatens Democracy Here

On Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s “Real Time,” host Bill Maher said that we have “President Trump, the overseas hero, who does make good deals overseas, it looks like.” And not just in the Middle East, but in a couple of other places, and, then, domestically, he’s “the threatener of democracy.” Maher said, “Let’s talk about the Middle East first. We are confronted here with a dilemma, I feel like. There is President Trump, the overseas hero, who does make good deals overseas, it looks like. Not just this place, but in a couple other ones, and then, domestically, the threatener of democracy.” He continued, “My first question is just, can we separate these two? Because they are two different things, and some people do not want to. I’m a separator, usually.” Later, Maher stated, “From my memory in history, the only thing that compares to this is when Reagan solved the Cold War, ended the Cold War, which I always said was, Reagan did play his part in ending the Cold War, but I think the Soviet Union was going to collapse, anyway, of its own weight, right? This, I’m not so sure, isn’t an actually greater achievement, if it lasts, and if we have — but it looks like they’re transforming the whole Middle East.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

Ernst: Tomahawks Would 'Put Russia Back Into a Box'
Technology

Ernst: Tomahawks Would 'Put Russia Back Into a Box'

On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Co.,” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) said that giving Tomahawk missiles “would give the Ukrainians that definite edge to win this war and put Russia back into a box. That is necessary.” And this can be done with controlled usage to deal with concerns about America’s weapons stockpile. Host Stuart Varney asked, “Would Tomahawks be a game-changer for Ukraine?” Ernst answered, “Absolutely, Stuart. This would be a game-changer for Ukraine. And I understand the president’s concerns about our own stockpile, and we need to maintain that. But with controlled usage in Ukraine, I think they could have an incredible effect for the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians will not win this war just simply being on defense. So, yes, Stuart, I think it’s a game-changer.” Varney then asked, “Have we any idea, though, what the Russians would do if we sent them the Tomahawk missiles and they fired off a couple of them?” Ernst answered, “Well, I think the Russians would be quick to back down, just as Gen. Keane had outlined in a previous commentary. Russia is really under a lot of pressure within their own country, and I do think providing those weapons to Ukraine would give the Ukrainians that definite edge to win this war and put Russia back into a box. That is necessary.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

Mast: 'Putin Did Nothing But Undertake Offenses' After Alaska Summit
Technology

Mast: 'Putin Did Nothing But Undertake Offenses' After Alaska Summit

On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) stated that Vladimir Putin engages in BS by saying that it’s an act of war every time NATO or the United States proposes something and stated that “Putin did nothing but undertake offenses immediately after that Alaska summit, I think President Trump has no more tolerance for this.” Mast said, “President Trump has said he thinks that Ukraine can do this without having to give anything up, without — with being able to take back the lands that Russia had gone out there and secured. And I think that’s the point that President Trump is at, because doesn’t have any more tolerance for Putin’s BS.” He continued, “And what is the BS that comes out of Putin? It’s every time there’s something put forward by NATO or the United States, he [says] he considers that an act of war or his invasion into Estonia and Poland with jets and drones. President Trump told them to shoot them out of the sky if they do that again. The purchase, again, of oil, gas, coal by other countries like India and China and others his lack of tolerance for that. And I think, coming off of the Alaska summit, the fact that Putin did nothing but undertake offenses immediately after that Alaska summit, I think President Trump has no more tolerance for this.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

NewsNation: Portland ICE Trying to Nab Man Who Got Felony Charges After Order of Removal
Technology

NewsNation: Portland ICE Trying to Nab Man Who Got Felony Charges After Order of Removal

On Friday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “On Balance,” NewsNation West Coast Bureau Correspondent Nancy Loo talked about her ride-along with ICE agents in Portland, where ICE pursued an illegal immigrant who had managed to accrue multiple felony charges after receiving an order for removal back in 2023, and talked about other arrests by ICE in Portland. Loo said, “Because of sanctuary policies here in Oregon, DHS says immigration detainers are usually ignored by local law enforcement. So, as a result, in many cases, violent felons are just released, prompting complex and often dangerous ICE operations to track and apprehend felons who are in the U.S. illegally.” She then played footage of the ride-along and stated that ICE was “going after an illegal from Mexico with an order for removal in 2023. Since then, that target has racked up multiple felony charges, including assault.” After reporting that while she was with ICE, they stopped an individual, but he turned out not to be who ICE was looking for, Loo added, “Last month alone, ten arrests by ICE Portland made the DHS worst of the worst list, including murderers, rapists, and pedophiles. The operations to catch them are clearly hit and miss.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

Kaine: Firing Government Employees Makes Dems Less Likely to Move on Shutdown, 'Have to Stand Up to the Bully'
Technology

Kaine: Firing Government Employees Makes Dems Less Likely to Move on Shutdown, 'Have to Stand Up to the Bully'

On Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Ana Cabrera Reports,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) stated that by threatening to fire government employees, President Donald Trump is strengthening the resolve of Democrats and stated that “He started punishing the federal workforce and punishing my commonwealth and hurting economic development projects his first day in office. … If he wanted to pressure folks to find a path forward, he would say, all of that will stop,” and federal workers in Virginia “are telling me, over and over again, the bullying has got to stop, and to stop it, you have to stand up to the bully.” Host Erielle Reshef asked, “[E]ssentially, the President is threatening deeper cuts, threatening to make some of these furloughs permanent. You’ve said Republicans are scared to do anything without the President’s blessing. But it appears that his blessing is for this to continue, for the cuts to continue, he doesn’t want this to stop. So, is there a point at which your party feels pressure to come to the table to stop the bleeding?” Kaine responded, “[T]he President’s going about it the wrong way. He’s stiffening our spine. Here would be the way he should pressure us: When government re-opens, there will be no more firing, there will be no more cancellation of economic development projects, there will be no more clawback of public health monies to Virginia. He started punishing the federal workforce and punishing my commonwealth and hurting economic development projects his first day in office. He said that there’s going to be more pain. It’s not an empty threat, we believe him. But he’s going to do it anyway. If he wanted to pressure folks to find a path forward, he would say, all of that will stop, and we will, instead, find a solution on this healthcare debacle that they’ve created with the reconciliation bill.” He continued, “So, he is applying pressure that is stiffening the spines of Democrats. And I live in the state with the second-most federal workers, next, after California. Per capita, we have the most. I’ve been traveling around every weekend. The Senate is in session while the House has been home for four weeks now. But on weekends, I travel around Virginia, and my workers are telling me, over and over again, the bullying has got to stop, and to stop it, you have to stand up to the bully.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

Khanna: People Don't Blame Schumer for Shutdown, They Think 'He's Too Ineffective'
Technology

Khanna: People Don't Blame Schumer for Shutdown, They Think 'He's Too Ineffective'

During a town hall on NewsNation on Wednesday, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) stated that nobody believes that Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is responsible for the government shutdown because “The country thinks he’s too ineffective to actually be shutting things down.” During a segment where he was on the stage with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Khanna said, “Jim, you know why no one believes that — Jim’s a great debater, by the way, and he’s — I always get concerned when he comes into the committees. But you know why no one believes this Chuck Schumer thing? The country thinks he’s too ineffective to actually be shutting things down.” He continued, “Does anyone believe that the Democrats actually are, like, running things? You’ve got Donald Trump, you’ve got the Republicans in charge, the Republicans in the Senate. And so, this argument that the Democrats are blocking things is just not believable.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett