Decent Newsroom

February 23 2026

Team USA's amazing gold-medal gesture you may have missed

Before a call from President Donald Trump and a few drinks with FBI Director Kash Patel, Team USA men's hockey made a heartfelt tribute to one of their compatriots.After the players received their gold medals for a stunning 2-1 win over Team Canada on Sunday, viewers may have noticed a couple of youngsters on the ice posing for the team picture, along with a loose hockey jersey.'When we got the call to come out, it felt like maybe he did make the team.'No, those were not captain Auston Matthews' children. Nor were they superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck's children. They were Noa and Johnny Jr., children of the late Johnny Gaudreau.In 2023, Gaudreau, 31, and his younger brother Matthew, 29, were tragically killed by a drunk driver while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Gaudreau was one of the star players for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, while Matthew was a former professional hockey player who last played in the ECHL.In yet another wonderful gesture, Team USA invited Johnny Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, to join the team in Italy on Saturday, along with the Gaudreau brothers' parents, Guy and Jane. The whole family was in the audience for the gold-medal game."To be able to get it done like that, to win, to have his jersey out there in the team photo, have his kids come out and be with us, we're obviously thinking of him," Auston Matthews said, per ESPN. "Just felt like the impact that he's had on so many guys in this room is special. He was with us in spirit the whole tournament," Matthews added.RELATED: 'LOTS OF WINNING!!!' Trump praises America's historic hockey victory at Winter Olympics "It's fun to be a part of this," Meredith said before the game. "When we got the call to come out, it felt like maybe he did make the team. So it's fun. Here to represent him and support everyone that's honoring him, as well."Meredith revealed to a reporter that she only had two days' notice before making the trip overseas to join the squad, but she said it was something she simply could not pass up."Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the kids. So that was the main reason that drove me out here," the mother continued, before delivering some truly heartbreaking remarks. "I feel like I have two roles in life now: It's honor John, my husband, and make sure these kids know how special their dad is and give them some special opportunities."RELATED: NHL superstar Johnny Gaudreau and brother killed by suspected drunk driver on eve of sister's wedding: 'Unimaginable tragedy' Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images USA forward Dylan Larkin firmly stated that "Johnny and Matty should be here.""That is the biggest loss that all of us at USA Hockey, their family, our family, has gone through," Larkin continued. "And to have Johnny Jr. and Noa out there, it just felt right."Larkin added that he thought the Gaudreau brothers may have had a hand in stopping some pucks from going into the USA net."And I think part of those, the puck not going in our net, was somehow him standing there doing something, laughing with Matty. Just somehow they put a spell around our net where that puck didn't go in."Larkin then joked around, reportedly smiling while saying, "Ironic, on the defensive side; he would've never been back there," he said about Johnny.These comments nearly mirrored what was said about the late brothers by their sister, Katie. Katie jokingly told Fox News that while her brothers were "never quite defensive," she thought a couple of saves had some assistance from above."Up there, they were definitely helping out."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media

February 23 2026

14-year-old car thieves slam stolen vehicle into Baltimore cop who opens fire as he's hit — and the crooks get away

A trio of 14-year-old car thieves slammed a stolen vehicle into a Baltimore police officer who opened fire as he was hit — and while the teens managed to get away from the scene, police said they arrested them days later.Officer William Cole responded around 12:05 a.m. Sunday to an attempted break-in call, WBAL-TV reported.'I need a medic!'Police released Cole's body-worn camera video, which showed the officer arriving at the location on West Lombard Street; he soon encountered multiple people in a Kia sedan that backed up and struck a parked vehicle, the station said.When Cole ordered the driver to stop, the driver backed up again and struck the officer, WBAL said, citing the video.Police said Cole fired his gun once at the car as he fell, the station said, adding that the driver fled the scene and hit another vehicle as well as the officer's patrol car in the process.Video then shows an injured man approaching the officer from across the street and collapsing.The officer is heard saying on the bodycam video, "I need a medic! You good, bro? I got you. What's wrong, bro, you OK?" RELATED: 3 males — ages 8, 11, 12 — steal car, crash into house; driver, 11, says he learned how to steal cars from YouTube: Cops Police said the officer rendered aid to the 21-year-old injured man who was assaulted by multiple people before the officer's arrival at the scene, WBAL reported; the victim wasn't taken to a hospital.However, the officer at the scene injured his ankle and was treated and released from a hospital, the station said.Police told WBAL that officers found the Kia in question abandoned on South Arlington Avenue and that the vehicle was reported stolen Saturday from East Chase Street.More from WBAL:Police said detectives were able to identify two of the Kia's occupants as two 14-year-old boys who have prior charges of robbery and auto theft and were on electronic monitoring as a result. Detectives arrested the boys Monday on aggravated assault and auto theft charges. They remain detained at Juvenile Booking.Police said detectives later identified the driver of the Kia as a 14-year-old girl. During her arrest on Tuesday, police said officers learned the girl had been treated at a hospital on Sunday for a wound to her right wrist. The girl's mother told detectives that the injury may be a gunshot graze wound; police said further investigation is needed to determine the cause of the injury. The girl was taken to Juvenile Booking, where she was charged with aggravated assault and stolen auto. She was later released on electronic monitoring.Teen crime in Baltimore despite electronic monitoring is not a new phenomenon. Last summer, a 13-year-old with a GPS ankle monitor who had been arrested 18 times for felonies was charged in connection with a violent city crime spree.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media

February 23 2026

Mamdani goes full ‘Batman villain’ and holds New York City hostage

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled his new budget — and it’s every bit as ridiculous as BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales anticipated.“On another episode of ‘I told you so,’ it took less than two months for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to turn, I think, into a Batman villain,” Gonzales jokes.“You guys are going to be shocked to hear this. You’re going to be shocked to hear all of these promises of free everything, free child schools, free child care, free schools, free buses, all the free s**t, doesn’t have enough money to pay for all of the free,” she explains.“So he’s announced that he’s basically taking the entire city hostage, and if the state government doesn’t give into his demands and implement his billionaire tax, he’s going to make you pay,” she continues.“For those who have watched budget after budget, it is tempting to assume that we are engaging in the same dance as our predecessors. Let me assure you, nothing about this is typical. That’s why our solutions won’t be either. There are two paths to bridge this gap. The first is the most sustainable and the fairest path,” Mamdani explained at New York City Hall.“This is the path of ending the drain on our city and raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations. The onus for resolving this crisis should not be placed on the backs of working and middle-class New Yorkers. If we do not fix this structural imbalance and do not heed the calls of New Yorkers to raise taxes on the wealthy, this crisis will not disappear,” he continued.“It will simply return year after year, forcing harder and harsher choices each time. And if we do not go down the first path, the city will be forced down a second, more harmful path. Faced with no other choice, the city would have to exercise the only revenue lever fully within our own control. We would have to raise property taxes,” he added.“Oh, wow. I for one am super shocked,” Gonzales says. “Like, who could have ever predicted that a Muslim commie would go on TV and lay out a list of terroristic demands?”“Where’s the money going to come from?” she asks, before answering herself, “I know. We’re just going to tax hardworking Americans more.”Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

by Blaze Media

February 22 2026

Adults are using American Girl dolls for anti-ICE activism and ‘misplaced mothering’

There’s a strange new infantilizing phenomenon taking over social media, and BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey is disturbed to say the least. “There are these conferences where these women who treat their dolls as toddlers feed them, change their diaper, take them out,” Stuckey says on “Relatable.” “It’s true,” she continues, explaining that they put them “in strollers, and they take videos of them going on vacation with them.” “There is this whole influencer who shows her day-in-the-life where she’s turning on the lights, and she’s like waking up her children, and they’re dolls. It’s very, very, very sad. Very sad. Like, we need better hobbies. We need better ways to spend our time,” she continues. However, that’s not even the worst of it. “Now we also have adults using dolls to be progressive activists. And there’s a lot of crossover here between Disney adults, adult doll people, and these left-wing activists. And I think that the through line is actually what we call ‘misplaced mothering,’” Stuckey explains. Misplaced mothering, Stuckey says, is “when your motherhood instinct is not channeled in the right healthy direction toward a child, whether it’s your child or a child that you’re volunteering to take care of, it manifests itself in really ugly and bitter and weird ways.” One Instagram user who goes by “backintimeag” has been posing her American Girl dolls in the world, taking photos, and posting them with political messages. “Kirsten will be happy when ICE gets the f**k out of Minnesota,” one American Girl doll photo says. “Kirsten is churning butter. OK? She doesn’t care about ICE. I guarantee you, Kirsten and her parents would have supported deporting illegal immigrants,” Stuckey says. The user posted another photo of the American Girl doll Josephine, who is supposed to be from Mexico, with the text, “ICE needs to get the f**k out of my country.” “ICE is not in your country,” Stuckey says. Another influencer who goes by “AGTV4LIFE” on Instagram posted a video of American Girl dolls all dressed up, complete with signs, to protest Trump and “fascism.” “She’s got one in a wheelchair that says, ‘Resist fascism’ ... she’s creating these little protest signs. They’re at a No Kings protest. You’ve got way too much time on your hands. OK, we need a job, girly. We need a hobby. We need to go to church,” Stuckey comments. “We also have doll ICE agents. Oh my goodness. It’s too much. ... We’re laughing, but think about what has to be going on spiritually for a person to spend their time doing this,” she says. “So there’s something simultaneously happening here. On the one hand, you’ve got the infantilizing of adults who use dolls and do a bunch of kids' stuff ... I’m not saying going to Disney as an adult is always bad, but the obsession is weird,” she continues. “There’s this infantilization of adults going on. This extended adolescence that I think arrests the development that you need to actually be a productive and well-developed healthy mentally person,” she adds. However, something even more insidious is going on than just the infantilization of adults. “At the same time, there’s an adultification of children stuff. We see that here,” Stuckey says. “It’s the conflation and the confusion of adolescence and childhood and adulthood that is making this very disturbing combination. OK? And I’m not really sure exactly what the answer is except, I mean, definitely find God,” she adds. Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?Subscribe to Allie Beth Stuckey's channel on YouTube for FREE access to more of her upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture and politics from a Christian, millennial perspective.

by Blaze Media

February 22 2026

Secret Service fatally shoots man seen carrying apparent shotgun outside Mar-a-Lago

The United States Secret Service fatally shot a man outside of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort early Sunday morning. The USSS shot and killed the man, who was in his early 20s, after he unlawfully entered the secure perimeter at the president's Florida resort around 1:30 a.m., according to the Secret Service. The man, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was seen carrying what appeared to a shotgun and a fuel can by the north gate of the property, the Secret Service said. The Secret Service said its agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office confronted the man, and shots were fired by law enforcement; neither the agents nor the deputy were injured. Notably, Trump was not at his resort in West Palm Beach at the time of the incident; he's in Washington, D.C.

by Blaze Media

February 22 2026

Florida HS staffer, 49, initially fights female student in self-defense — but soon crosses way over the line, cops say

Police said a 49-year-old staff member at a Florida high school initially acted in self-defense amid a physical fight with a female student on a bus earlier this week — but cops added that the staffer soon took things well over the line.According to a report from the Palm Beach School District Police, the incident occurred Tuesday at William T. Dwyer High School around 2:50 p.m., which is around dismissal time, WPBF-TV reported.'Ms. Smith has been removed from our campus and will not return, pending the outcome of an investigation.'A school bus driver requested the removal of an unruly student on the bus, the station said.Shaundra Smith, a school district employee, responded and boarded the bus to speak with the student, the station said.A short time later, WPBF said Smith asked for additional staff support and two police officers to board the bus to remove the student.An officer observed Smith and the student throwing punches at each other, the station said, adding that officers and school administrators grabbed the student to separate her from Smith.WPBF, citing the police report, said Smith got on a bus seat and punched the student in the face as police were restraining the student’s arms.The station said an officer told Smith to stop, but Smith allegedly punched the student two more times.WPBF said the officer eventually pulled Smith away from the student.The police report notes the female student suffered cuts to the inside of her lip and a scrape on her left collarbone, the station said.RELATED: Viral video: High schooler physically attacks teacher in front of other students — then cop gives kid brutal wake-up call More from WPBF: The police report acknowledged that Smith’s initial actions were in self-defense, but devolved into intentional and unnecessary infliction of physical injury to the student once the student was restrained.Smith was arrested Tuesday and charged with child abuse without great bodily harm, the station said.The Palm Beach County School District provided WPBF with a message that school Principal Corey Brooks sent to concerned parties about the incident:William T. Dwyer High School families and staff,This message is to inform you that Shaundra Smith, a non-instructional staff member, was recently arrested for an incident that occurred on a school bus on campus yesterday during dismissal. Ms. Smith was charged with cruelty toward a child (abuse without great bodily harm).Ms. Smith has been removed from our campus and will not return, pending the outcome of an investigation.The safety and well-being of our students is our absolute highest priority. Any conduct that threatens the safety and well-being of our students is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The School District holds all employees to the highest standards of conduct and is committed to a safe learning environment for all students. We always expect every staff member to meet the professional and ethical standards necessary to provide the best possible educational experience.Please understand that, as this is an ongoing investigation, I cannot share additional details at this time. If you have any information relevant to this case, please contact School Police at 561-434-8700, attention Lt. Wagner.Thank you for your continued support of William T. Dwyer High School."Smith during a court hearing Wednesday was ordered to have no contact with the student, the student's family, or Palm Beach County School District property, the station said.Smith was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on $10,000 bond, WPBF added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media

February 21 2026

Trans shooter epidemic unmasked? Poll uncovers potential link to ongoing attacks

In less than two weeks, two deadly shootings — both allegedly by transgender-identifying biological males. One was a school rampage in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, that killed eight people, and the other a targeted family attack during a youth hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where two of the alleged shooter’s family members were left dead.BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere wonders if we’re dealing with a “trans shooter epidemic.”“We’ve done this story ... over and over and over and over and over and over and over again,” he says.It’s usually one of two scenarios, he says: “You have some person who's a crazy sort of leftist that winds up getting into the trans ideology world” and becomes “very defensive of it to a violent extent, like we saw with the Charlie Kirk situation," or “you have a situation where the person is just a crazy leftist and starts going out and killing people because of their mass confusion in their life.”But what’s the root cause of this kind of violence?On this episode of “Stu Does America,” Stu dives into a study that might provide some insight into that question. “Obviously, all [transgender-identifying] people are not murdering others. We do, though, see a disproportionate amount of people who are involved in this ideology … that are involved in violent acts,” he says, citing trans-identifying biological female Audrey Hale, who killed six children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville in March 2023, and Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, who was romantically involved with a transgender-identifying male.Stu wonders why of all the “fancy letters” in the LGBTQIA2+ alphabet, it is transgender-identifying individuals who seem more prone to violence.The answer may lie, at least partially, in how different sexual identities answer the question: “Is disagreement violence?” Stu cites a study from PsychFORM, which examined how transgender-identifying respondents answered that question compared to gay-identifying respondents.“About 15% to 18% of gay people say, ‘Yeah, you know, any disagreement, I see as violence.’ ... The number for trans people is 100%. 100% of trans people in this poll said that disagreement equals violence,” Stu exclaims.The study also tested another question: “Is reasoned disagreement permissible?”According to the chart, roughly 18% of gay-identifying respondents answered no, compared to over 90% of trans-identifying respondents.“If you're looking for an explanation to understand what's going on in that realm when it comes to violence and trans people, look no farther than that chart,” says Stu.Want more from Stu?To enjoy more of Stu's lethal wit, wisdom, and mockery, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

by Blaze Media

February 21 2026

The war to SAVE Western civilization is here — and THIS is what needs to happen

The United States and its allies are facing a defining moment in history — one Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck believes most people don’t yet fully recognize.However, one man who does recognize this moment is Marco Rubio, who laid out Glenn’s feelings precisely in a recent speech at the Munich Security Conference.What Rubio was talking about this weekend was this system has failed, and Donald Trump is going a completely different direction, and we will lead the way … but you have to restore common sense, Glenn explains.You cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again. This system doesn’t work, and we all know it. Just we’re the first ones to admit it, he adds.And in order to make a change going forward, Glenn believes we need to look at the real history of Western civilization instead of the “woke” version.I like history. I know what history means. And when it comes to Western civilization, how could you make the case that it’s worth letting go? You could only make a case if you’ve been carefully taught that Western civilization means nothing except bad things, he says. And you’re misinformed on that.This is why Glenn says that “we’re already in World War III.”We’re fighting World War III. You just don’t know it yet. Islam is on the move. And what is their target? Western civilization. … And they occupy those countries, which they’ve been trying to do for a thousand-plus years. They occupy those countries. They now have nuclear weapons. And if they occupy those countries, you no longer have what built us, Glenn explains.May I suggest that we understand that times have changed, and we want our country to survive, and we want the Western civilization to survive. … We see the world is changing and has changed, and we adapt so we don’t lose who we are. We do it in a different way. We do it in a better way, he continues.And that better way, Glenn says, is to “hold our values and what made us a country in the first place.”Let’s remember those things. Let’s restore those things, and then let’s adapt those to today’s issues and problems. I think that’s what Rubio was saying. And he was challenging Europe, and at the same time, he was reminding America: This is what Donald Trump is challenging America to do as well, he explains.We’re going to do it. Join us, he adds.Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

by Blaze Media

February 21 2026

Legendary director Steven Spielberg abandons California as debate over billionaire tax heats up

Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, have left California and moved to Central Park West in Manhattan as politicians argue whether a billionaire tax will hurt the Golden State.The legendary director became a resident of the Empire State as of Jan. 1, according to a Los Angeles Times report.'The billionaire class cannot have it all. This nation belongs to all of us.'Spielberg's relocation is sparking more fears about a tax proposal that has already driven out other billionaires, including Peter Thiel and others. "Steven’s move to the East Coast is both long planned and driven purely by his and Kate Capshaw’s desire to be closer to their New York-based children and grandchildren," said spokeswoman Terry Press to the Times.The one-time tax has not yet qualified for the ballot, but if it passes, it would go into effect in 2027. It would apply to residents worth $1 billion or more.The debate over the union-backed tax has led even some Democrats to back off from the proposal. Opponents say it will drive billionaires out of the state and potentially cripple tax revenues.Although Spielberg denied that the billionaire tax has anything to do with his exit, he left the state just in time to avoid the tax, which would apply to those who were residents of California on Jan. 1, 2026.Spielberg is estimated to be worth about $7.1 billion, which means he'd have to pay the state of California about $355 million if the tax passed.His move was first reported by the New York Times.Among those pushing the bill is independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who visited Los Angeles to advocate for it."Enough is enough," said Sanders. "The billionaire class cannot have it all. This nation belongs to all of us."RELATED: LA Times gets obliterated online for scolding people wanting to leave high-tax California Spielberg's spokeswoman also refused to indicate whether he had any opinion on the possible tax.Spielberg is known for numerous popular movies including "Schindler’s List," "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," "Saving Private Ryan," "Catch Me if You Can," and the "Indiana Jones" franchise.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

by Blaze Media

February 20 2026

Stu Burguiere Exposes the Democrats' Hatred for... the Democrats

Growing infighting among prominent Democrats signals deeper instability within the party — and BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere has the receipts to back it up. “It seems like there is a little bit of trouble in paradise these days over on the Democratic side. You’ve seen some of these divides before,” Stu says, reading a Fox News headline: “John Fetterman slams anti-Israel ‘rot’ in Democratic Party, rejects AOC’s claims of Gaza ‘genocide.’” Another recent headline from The Hill reads, “House Democrat: Mamdani’s proposed wealth taxes ‘not going to work.’” “That is [Rep. Jared] Moskowitz. He’s fighting with Mamdani because Mamdani wants a wealth tax and Moskowitz says that’s not going to work. By the way, one reason it’s not going to work as a federal situation is because it’s completely unconstitutional,” Stu comments. “Now, of course, Mamdani does not care whatsoever about those sorts of things,” he adds. Even Bernie Sanders and Gavin Newsom have now become “adversaries” over the push to tax California billionaires. “Of course, you know, Bernie Sanders, number one, is a socialist. Number two, doesn’t have to worry about actually funding the state and, you know, building new magical railroads across it. So he doesn’t care about whether all the billionaires leave or not. He’s going to get their money either way, right?” Stu explains. “There’s a big divide inside that party. Now, that’s not to say, I will point out, that there’s none of this going on on the right. It is existing on the right as well. But on the left it’s really interesting,” he says, pointing out that when one party holds more power, the other party tends to put aside internal differences and unite. “You saw some of that, I think, during 2024, where people looked at the Biden situation and were like, ‘Gosh, we don’t want any more of this.’ They united around Trump even though there was a lot of people who liked him and a lot of people who didn’t like him on the Republican side,” Stu says. But the Democrats are not showing the same strength, and a new AP-NORC poll only solidifies Stu’s point. The poll reflects that “many Democrats are still down on their party after 2024." “You see, there was some uniting going on — a little bit, maybe, you could argue — in the early days of the Trump administration, where approval of the Democratic Party among Democrats rose north of 83%. Now it’s dropped to 70%. Interesting. Not a massive drop-off, but significant,” Stu says. And positive views of the Democratic Party are down among Democrats, from 92% at the turn of the century to 80% today. “We’ve never seen one as low as it is now, though,” Stu comments. “That’s not good. That’s bad,” he adds. Want more from Stu? To enjoy more of Stu's lethal wit, wisdom, and mockery, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.