Drones, Maverick & Man of the Year

And a Duke Lacrosse Mea Culpa

Quick note of congrats to President Trump for being named Time’s ‘Man of the Year’.

Just as the lefties were beginning to shake off the dark cloud of despair, Time tears off the proverbial bandage and rubs salt in the wound. The decision is obvious—no single individual has had a more profound impact on the nation or shaped the conversation about its future. From Mugshot to a trajectory that feels destined for Rushmore, this recognition isn’t just fitting—it’s a well-deserved acknowledgment of a moment and a movement that have reshaped the American landscape.

And congrats to Mark Cuban for medaling in a side category!

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ProPublica’s Hit Job and the Wild NJ Drone Mystery

This week, two stories from Pre-Trump inauguration aka Limbo World caught my attention. First, Pete Hegseth, a Bronze Star recipient and all-around patriot, found himself the target of a vicious smear campaign following his nomination as Defense Secretary. Then, we have the utterly baffling story of unidentified drones over New Jersey—a case that raises serious questions about government transparency, competence, and what exactly we’re paying trillions in taxes to achieve. Let’s dive in.

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Pete Hegseth vs. ProPublica’s Smear Machine

Pete Hegseth's nomination as Secretary of Defense was always going to draw fire. A staunch conservative with a military background and a deep disdain for the swamp, Hegseth represents everything the establishment hates. The idea of someone like him—someone who’s actually served and bled for this country—running the Pentagon was too much for the UniParty to stomach. But what we didn’t expect was how low they would stoop to try to take him down.

Enter ProPublica. The so-called investigative journalism outlet decided that Hegseth’s nomination was the perfect opportunity to “fact-check” his past. Their bombshell? That Pete Hegseth, who has proudly mentioned applying to and being accepted at West Point, was supposedly lying about ever being admitted. They claimed he had fabricated the story, a charge that would have been career-ending for someone whose credibility and integrity are central to his public persona.

In a revealing exchange about how these muckrakers operate, ProPublica did not contact Pete Hegseth to get the full story. They contacted him to claim he was a liar while demanding a response within one hour not to offer his side, but to ask why he "lied" and what else he "lied" about.

This isn't "journalism." It's unethical garbage.

But here’s where the story takes a turn for the absurd. ProPublica’s claims were bolstered by a baffling and apparently mistaken statement from West Point itself, which initially said they had no record of Hegseth ever being accepted. For a brief, surreal moment, it looked like the entire narrative of Hegseth’s life—his story of perseverance, military service, and leadership—was about to be wiped out by a single headline.

Except it wasn’t. Because Pete Hegseth, being the meticulous operator he is, saved his original acceptance letter from West Point, dated over 20 years ago. Let that sink in for a moment. A government institution, one of the most prestigious in the country, couldn’t get its own records straight, leaving Hegseth to defend himself with a piece of paper he saved as a teenager. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the rot in our institutions, nothing will.

What’s more, the backlash against ProPublica was immediate and fierce. Their smear attempt not only failed but also highlighted just how desperate and craven the media has become. Rather than investigating real corruption or incompetence—say, at the Pentagon itself—they go after a man whose greatest sin is wanting to reform a broken system.

But this wasn’t just about Pete Hegseth. This was about sending a message: if you dare to challenge the status quo, they will come for you. And yet, despite the best efforts of the swamp and its media lackeys, Hegseth stands tall, his nomination stronger than ever. If anything, this entire debacle only proved why he’s exactly the man we need running the Defense Department.

And the above applies not just to Pete. Whether it’s Kash Patel or RFK Jr, my simple litmus test these days is the louder The System screams in protest about the candidate, the more assurance I have that Trump’s selection is the right choice.

The Swamp and it’s denizens won’t go quietly. Use the decibel volume of their shrieks as a geiger counter that we’re on the right track.

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The New Jersey Drone Mystery

Meanwhile, as the political circus continued in Washington, New Jersey became ground zero for one of the strangest and most unsettling stories of the year. Over the past week, residents in multiple counties reported seeing swarms of huge and bizarre, unidentified drones flying in tight formations at night. These weren’t your average consumer drones buzzing around for fun. Witnesses described them as large, fast-moving, and eerily coordinated—clearly the work of a highly advanced operator and technology.

EVERYONE IN NJ RIGHT NOW

Naturally, people started asking questions. Were these military exercises? Foreign surveillance? Something even stranger? You’d think with a $1 trillion annual defense budget, the U.S. government would have answers. But instead, what we got was… nothing. Crickets.

No official explanation, no acknowledgment, no reassurance—just silence.

Here’s the thing: silence breeds suspicion. And in a country where trust in government is already scraping the bottom of the barrel, incidents like this only make things worse. If our leaders can’t—or won’t—explain what’s happening in our own skies, then what exactly are we paying them for? What’s the point of paying taxes and funding the most expensive military in history if it can’t even identify drones flying over New Jersey? That’s the primary directive of any government - to defend it’s citizens.

This isn’t just a national security issue; it’s a transparency issue. The government has lied to us so many times—about everything from WMDs to COVID origins—that it’s hard to believe anything they say anymore. And when they choose to say nothing at all, it only confirms our worst fears.

The implications of this drone mystery are enormous. If these drones are foreign, it means our adversaries are testing our defenses right under our noses (highly unlikely IMHO). If they’re domestic, it raises serious questions about oversight and accountability. And if they’re something else entirely—well, that opens up a whole other can of worms.

My best guess is this is testing of new technologies and could potentially be something much more sinister (remember, The Swamp won’t go quiet into that good nite).

If you really want to let your imagination run wild, here’s a couple of 4Chan/X threads that keep popping up. I’m a skeptic, but wouldn’t put anything past our desperate and deranged Deep State.

And this doozy from the now deleted X account @jerseyfutures.

And finally, here’s a stark reminder my friend

John Robb

wrote about earlier this year called Zero Day Wars.

The rapid acceleration of technologically advanced asymmetric warfare, fueled by hostile states and rogue actors, has left the United States in a semi-vulnerable position for the first time in its history, chipping away at the fortress-like unassailability we’ve enjoyed for centuries.

For much of its existence, America’s geographic isolation provided unparalleled security. Two vast oceans, a formidable mountain range, and a decentralized network of armed citizen militias created a natural Fortress US, insulating us from the chaos of the Old World. This physical buffer allowed the nation to focus on building industry, wealth, and influence without constantly worrying about invasions or attacks on the homeland. Even during global conflicts like World War II, America’s unique geography offered time and distance to mobilize and project power abroad while avoiding devastation at home.

But the era of technological dependence and highly networked "just-in-time" systems has transformed the battlefield. The same interconnected systems that underpin our daily lives—energy grids, communication networks, supply chains—are now attack surfaces for adversaries armed with cyberweapons, AI-driven sabotage, and electronic warfare capabilities. A “zero day” exploit in these systems could cripple the nation without a single bullet being fired. Whether it’s cyberattacks on our power grids or the weaponization of supply chains, the tools of modern asymmetric warfare bypass the oceans and mountains, striking at the very infrastructure that keeps our society functioning.

This shift makes the US vulnerable in ways it has never experienced before, forcing a re-evaluation of the Fortress US mindset that has long shaped our military and political strategies. The battlefields of the future aren’t bound by geography but by networks, code, and dependencies, and our historical advantages no longer guarantee security. The lesson here is sobering: the fight for resilience, redundancy, and self-reliance has never been more urgent.

Here’s John’s essay on Zero Day Wars:

Zero-Day Wars

Either way, the government’s failure to address the situation is unacceptable. The American people deserve answers, and they deserve them now. Because if we’ve learned anything from the past few years, it’s that secrecy and incompetence are a dangerous combination.

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A Nation at a Crossroads

These two stories—Hegseth’s nomination and the New Jersey drones—may seem unrelated at first glance, but they share a common thread: the failure of our institutions. Whether it’s a media establishment more interested in character assassination than truth, a military academy that can’t keep its own records straight, or a government that refuses to explain what’s happening in its own airspace, the message is clear: the system is broken.

But here’s the good news: people are waking up. The ProPublica hit job backfired because Americans are no longer blindly trusting the media. The drone mystery has sparked outrage because people are no longer willing to accept government silence as an answer. The tide is turning, and the establishment knows it.

As we move into the final weeks of 2024, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With leaders like Pete Hegseth stepping up and the American people demanding accountability, there’s reason to believe that change is possible. But it won’t be easy. The Regime won’t go down without a fight, and the forces of secrecy and corruption will do everything in their power to maintain control.

So stay vigilant. Stay informed. And most importantly, stay involved. Because the fight for our country’s future is just beginning.

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Top Gun 2: Maverick

I came across an essay several months ago—though I can’t seem to track it down now—that made a brilliant observation: the resounding success of Top Gun 2: Maverick wasn’t just a box office phenomenon; it was the cultural bell-ringing that signaled a Trump comeback and the broader pushback against the Wokus Mentis Virus¹ infecting so many of our institutions.

Top Gun 2 tapped into something primal and deeply resonant in the American psyche. It was a celebration of classic, modernist heroism, embodied by a white, male protagonist (Tom Cruise as Maverick) who exemplifies traditional virtues like honor, duty, and meritocracy. Maverick is the quintessential rule-breaking figure, not as an act of rebellion but as a testament to his commitment to doing what’s right over what’s easy or politically correct. He stood as a counterpoint to the cultural revolution that has sought to impose an inverted aristocracy where pedigree and victimhood are valued over competence and results.

The film’s staggering success was a gut-level reminder to millions of Americans that heroism, patriotism, and traditional values are not relics of the past but enduring ideals worth preserving. It hearkened back to a time that many Gen Xers and older Millennials hold dear—a time when pride in America, and the people who built and defended it, wasn’t something to apologize for. In doing so, Top Gun 2: Maverick not only reinvigorated the spirit of unapologetic Americana but also highlighted a growing exhaustion with the Marxist undertones saturating academia, media, and Hollywood.

Culturally, the film arrived like a thunderclap, offering a stark contrast to the identity-driven narratives dominating contemporary Disney/Netflix cinema. It proved there’s still a hunger for stories about individual excellence and collective purpose rather than grievance and division. The movie wasn’t just escapism; it was a rallying cry. It demonstrated that traditional Americana still holds a magnetic appeal and that people are yearning for myths that celebrate honor, courage, and achievement.

The movie’s triumph also served as an early harbinger of the political shift we’re now witnessing. It highlighted a burgeoning rebellion against the increasingly authoritarian imposition of woke ideology and the way it erodes individual freedom, merit, and reason. Like Trump’s unexpected rise in 2016, Top Gun 2: Maverick was a cultural moment that showed there’s still a silent majority in America that values traditional heroism, common sense, and pride in country—ideals that, despite the efforts of academia and Hollywood to bury them, refuse to die quietly.

Here’s

Paul Anleitner’s Substack

noting the same and cataloguing some of the other signals we saw over the prior year that indicated a Trump landslide was incoming.

Shocked by the Election?

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Duke Lacrosse Mea Culpa

There’s no satisfaction in reporting this, but like George Floyd, “Very Fine People,” and countless other fabricated narratives the Left has used to build its fragile house of cards, this week brought another glaring admission. The woman who accused three Duke Lacrosse players of rape back in the early 2000s has now confessed that she made the entire story up. Yet another pillar of the Left’s outrage machine crumbles under the weight of its own deceit.

More than 18 years after the Duke lacrosse allegations, Crystal Mangum admits that she made it all up. "I testified falsely against [the lacrosse players] by saying that they raped me when they didn't...I made up a story that wasn't true...I hope that they can forgive me."

Mangum, recently released from prison for the second-degree murder of her boyfriend in 2013, has asked former Duke Lacrosse players David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann for forgiveness. While her apology and repentance are commendable, forgiveness from those she wronged doesn’t erase the profound consequences of her actions.

Falsely accusing someone of rape is not a victimless act—it’s a crime that shatters lives. The appropriate penalty for such a malicious lie should mirror the severity of the crime falsely alleged. Those young men had their reputations, futures, and peace of mind irreparably destroyed. No apology, however heartfelt, can undo that damage or restore what was taken from them. Accountability must go hand in hand with contrition.

And here’s an insightful take from my friend

Alexander Cortes

on the 3rd order consequences we are still seeing today from incidents like the above.

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Alex Berenson with a Nice Ode to the Constitution

From

Alex Berenson

Unreported Truths:

The older I get, the more I like our Constitution.

That’s not really true. “Like” is a way to avoid saying what I mean, because I worry it sounds over-the-top.

What I mean is this: the older I get, the more I revere and want to defend our Constitution.

I felt this reverence again this week, as I read the preliminary injunction by federal Judge Amos Mazzant III demolishing efforts to create a national registry that would essentially end corporate anonymity. Mazzant, who serves in Texas, was appointed by President Obama. He was previously a magistrate judge, essentially an assistant judge who handles duties like setting bail.

In other words, Mazzant hardly has a super-conservative pedigree. Nor is he a famous legal scholar. His is just one of 667 federal district judgeships across the 50 states.

Yet that didn’t stop Mazzant from standing up to the entire executive and legislative branches of government. In the second paragraph of his 79-page-opinion, Mazzant laid out the stakes of his decision:

Ours is a written Constitution. The promises it makes to the People and the States alike are not hidden. The Court must enforce them.

Mazzant found the “Corporate Transparency Act” unconstitutional, mainly because it is a federal effort to take powers the Constitution reserves for states. He wrote:

Modern problems may well warrant modern solutions, but modernity does not grant Congress a roving license to legislate outside the boundaries of our timeless, written Constitution.

And so on his own authority - as a federal judge appointed under Article III of the Constitution - Mazzant prevented the law from taking effect nationally.

A law to make companies to disclose their owners might at first seem to have little in common with the White House conspiracy to censor me in 2021.

But they both show the power - and necessity - of the Constitution’s boundaries.

The leviathan that is government always has an excuse to extend its power. For the good of the people it serves, you see? And once it takes control of some sphere of economic or private life, it rarely relinquishes it without a fight.

The Constitution is an astonishing document, both in the individual rights it enumerates and in how carefully and thoughtfully it works to check the leviathan. Even now, over 236 years after the several states ratified it, it it makes America different than other wealthy democracies.

It makes us freer, freer in speech and attitude, freer to bear arms and stand up to tyrants. That difference was visible during Covid, when the United States stood nearly alone in robustly debating and in many places quickly discarding lockdowns.¹

But if we don’t keep fighting for it, we’ll lose it.

I’ve realized lately that I am not a conservative or a liberal, I am a constitutionalist - a constitutionalist as only someone whose rights were violated by the White House can be.

That’s what Berenson v Biden is about. The First Amendment issues it raises are real and serious. Win or lost, I will always know James Lawrence and I fought for speech and the Constitution.

With your help, I’ll never stop.

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What I’m Watching and Reading….

‘The Clock Strikes Thirteen’ - Great article by Glenn Reynolds on the ‘preference cascade’ that led to Trump winning and the death rattle of Wokeism.

“What happened? It’s like a spell broke. Since November’s election (re-election?) of President Donald Trump, the woke is going away, and all sorts of problems are resolving themselves. But why?

There are several reasons, but basically, it’s a preference cascade.

In law we talk about the proverbial thirteenth chime of the clock, which is not only wrong in itself, but which calls into question everything that has come before. Most of our institutions have been chiming thirteen for quite a while, and people have noticed.

But it’s not enough to notice. Soviet citizens knew their system was founded on lies, too, but the system kept them isolated, unaware that so many of their fellow citizens felt the same way, and unable to come together to act.

This technique, used by totalitarians of all sorts, is called “preference falsification,” in which people are forced to profess belief in things that they know not to be true. If the powers that be are good at it, virtually every citizen can hate them and want them out, but no one will do anything because every citizen who feels that way thinks they’re the only one, or one of a tiny number…

Here’s the full article.

The Clock Strikes Thirteen

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On November 13th 2023, The Free Press Society had invited American historian, author and columnist Raymond Ibrahim - who has an Egyptian/Coptic Christian family background - to tell about his ongoing studies of the persecution of Christians, especially in Muslim countries. This is the first part of the event with Raymond Ibrahim presenting his findings. Here’s a brief excerpt. The entire clip is here.

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Sam Altman on How to Excel

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Best of Twitter

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Memetic Warfare

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Parting Words…

That’s it for this week. If you enjoyed, please share it with a friend or two and spread the word! Keep winning and see ya next week. -MK

1. Latin for Woke Mind, the Wokus Mentis virus is a cultural pathogen that preys on the mind’s natural immune system against ideological excess. Much like its biological counterparts, this virus spreads rapidly through echo chambers and social media algorithms, turning hosts into vectors of quasi-Marxist outrage and moral certainty.