Ex-FBI agent charged in Capitol riot gets key role in Trump task force
When Trump returned to the White House in January, he picked Martin to serve as interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia. But the president pulled his nomination to keep the job on a more permanent basis two days after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defence of Capitol rioters.Martin was a leading figure in Trump's 'Stop the Steal' movement. He spoke at a rally in Washington on the eve of the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. He represented three January 6 defendants and served on the board of the nonprofit Patriot Freedom Project, which reports raising over USD 2.5 million to support riot defendants.advertisementMartin was a leading figure in Trump's 'Stop the Steal' movement. He spoke at a rally in Washington on the eve of the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. He represented three January 6 defendants and served on the board of the nonprofit Patriot Freedom Project, which reports raising over USD 2.5 million to support riot defendants.Attorney General Pam Bondi called for creating the 'weaponization' group in February to investigate claims by Trump and Republican allies that the Justice Department unfairly targeted conservatives during President Joe Biden's administration. The group's review includes the work of former special counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal prosecutions of Trump that were ultimately abandoned after Trump was elected to a second term.Fox News host Jeanine Pirro replaced Martin as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, but Martin immediately moved over to his current Justice Department position.Wise, who worked as a special agent or supervisory special agent for the FBI from 2004 through 2017, was arrested in Oregon on Capitol riot-related misdemeanour charges in May 2023.Wise repeatedly shouted, 'Kill 'em!' as he watched rioters assaulting officers outside the Capitol, according to an FBI agent's affidavit. Wise clapped his hands and raised his arms 'in triumph' after he entered the building through the Senate wing door, the affidavit says. He left the building about nine minutes after entering.advertisementPolice body camera footage showed Wise berating police officers outside the Capitol and repeatedly shouting, 'Shame on you!''I'm former law enforcement,' he told them. "You're disgusting. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo. You can't see it.'Wise was on trial in Washington when Trump returned to the White House in January and immediately pardoned, commuted prison sentences or ordered the dismissal of cases for all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in the attack. The case against Wise was dismissed before the jury reached a verdict.- Ends
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Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Why MAGA is losing its mind over Zohran Mamdani eating biryani with his hand
Image: It's 2025 and eating rice by hand is the new political weapon! It was just a man eating rice. With his hands. The way millions of people do every single day, across continents, cultures, and kitchens. But in 2025 America, that simple act turned into a political battlefield. Enter New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a progressive politician and proud South Asian who casually posted a video of himself eating rice and curry with his fingers. No flashy graphics. No soundbites. Just rice, lentils, and quiet dignity. But then came the backlash—loud, swift, and, frankly, ridiculous. Texas Republican Congressman Brandon Gill responded with what can only be described as textbook cultural xenophobia: 'Go back to the Third World.' Just like that, eating with your hands was no longer about dinner. It was about identity, dignity, and who gets to belong in America. So, let's talk about why eating rice—yes, rice—became a political weapon in 2025 in MAGA vs Zohran Mamdani. A plate full of prejudice First, let's get one thing straight: eating with your hands isn't dirty, weird, or backward. It's normal. In India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, parts of the Middle East, and even in some parts of Europe, using your hands to eat is a sign of connection—to the food, to your senses, to tradition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo But in the video of Mamdani eating with his fingers, Gill and his supporters saw something else. They didn't see heritage. They saw a threat. Because in their worldview, anything outside the 'white, Western' norm becomes fair game for mockery or suspicion. It wasn't about rice. It was about power. 'Go back' is never just a phrase The phrase 'go back to the Third World' isn't just a casual insult—it's a political dog whistle. It's the same energy as 'go back to where you came from,' just dressed up in geopolitical vocabulary. It's meant to delegitimize, to humiliate, and to draw a cultural boundary line: You're not one of us. Never mind that Mamdani is a New York-born elected official. Or that the "Third World" terminology is outdated, inaccurate, and soaked in Cold War-era snobbery. Or that Americans eat burgers, fried chicken, and ribs—with their hands—without being called uncivilized. In this case, eating with your fingers wasn't seen as personal—it was seen as political. The double standard is deliciously obvious Let's play a game: list five foods Americans love eating with their hands. Go ahead. We'll wait. Pizza. Burgers. Fried chicken. Fries. Tacos. All messy. All finger food. All accepted without question. No one tells someone chowing down on a dripping cheeseburger to 'go back to the Third World.' But when a brown man eats rice with his hands? Suddenly, it's a threat to civilization. The hypocrisy is wild—but not surprising. When authenticity makes people uneasy The fallout wasn't just political—it also caused some rumbles within the South Asian diaspora. Some folks felt secondhand embarrassment. Others applauded Mamdani for showing up as his full, unapologetic self. This tension isn't new. Many second- or third-generation immigrants grow up navigating two worlds: the world of their parents and the world of their peers. That often means editing how they eat, speak, or show up. Whitewashed lunch boxes. Switched-off accents. Curry smells hidden in sealed containers. Mamdani's hand-eating wasn't just a cultural moment—it was a reminder that authenticity still makes people uncomfortable. Even within our own communities. From curry to campaign trail To understand why Mamdani's rice moment landed so hard, you have to zoom out. He's not just some guy eating lunch—he's a progressive elected official in a country where identity politics and culture wars have taken center stage. Mamdani, who once ran on a campaign called Roti and Roses, has always tied his politics to food, culture, and justice. His support for food justice programs, housing rights, and labor protections connects with the everyday experiences of working-class communities—including immigrants. So when he posts a video eating with his hands, it's not just aesthetic. It's a deliberate choice to show solidarity, connection, and pride in his roots. But for critics on the far right, that pride is interpreted as defiance. And defiance must be punished. Food isn't just food. It's identity Here's the thing: food is never just food. It's memory, heritage, comfort, protest, and politics—all rolled into one. What we eat, how we eat, and who we eat with sends signals about who we are and where we belong. Mamdani's video did all of that. It was subtle but powerful. A quiet act of defiance that said, This is who I am—and I'm not hiding it for anyone. And that's what truly scared his critics. What this moment really says about 2025 America and MAGA This entire episode—one man, one plate of rice, one racist response—says a lot more about the country than about Mamdani. It says that cultural insecurity still runs deep. That people will use something as universal as eating to divide and exclude. That even in a so-called melting pot, some flavors are still considered 'too foreign.' But it also shows something else: people are tired of hiding. Tired of apologizing. Tired of editing themselves to fit into someone else's idea of 'American.' Because if America is truly a place where everyone belongs, then eating rice with your hands shouldn't be controversial—it should be celebrated. So, the next time someone mocks a cultural practice as 'uncivilized,' hand them a mirror—and maybe a biryani. Because food is power. And in 2025, eating rice with your hands isn't just a meal. It's a message. Hands, not hate. Always.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Vietnam to pay 20 pc tariff on all goods exported to US after trade deal
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a trade deal with Vietnam. Products from the South-Asian country in the US will attract a tariff of 20 per cent, while US products in Vietnam will be sold at zero tariff. Further Vietnam will pay 40 per cent tariff on transshipping. Trump said that the deal was made after speaking with To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, the Highly Respected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It will be a Great Deal of Cooperation between our two Countries. The Terms are that Vietnam will pay the United States a 20% Tariff on any and all goods sent into our Territory, and a 40% Tariff on any Transshipping. In return, Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade. In other words, they will 'OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,' meaning that, we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff." Trump said that SUVs, which do not sell in America, will do well in Vietnam. Live Events " It is my opinion that the SUV or, as it is sometimes referred to, Large Engine Vehicle, which does so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam. Dealing with General Secretary To Lam, which I did personally, was an absolute pleasure. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Zero tariffs for US: Donald Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam; latter subjected to 20% duty
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has struck a trade deal with Vietnam. Under the terms of the deal, Vietnam will impose a 20% tariff on all goods exported to the United States which the US will have to pay zero tariffs. 'I just made a Trade Deal with Vietnam. Details to follow!' he said. Trump made the announcement through his social media platform Truth Social, declaring what he described as a major new trade agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The deal, according to Trump, was finalised following direct talks with Vietnam's general secretary of the Communist Party, To Lam. 'It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, the Highly Respected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam,' Trump wrote. Outlining the terms, Trump said Vietnam has agreed to pay a 20% tariff on all goods exported to the United States and a 40% tariff on any transshipped goods. The US president also claimed that Vietnam will offer the United States "TOTAL ACCESS" to its domestic markets, allowing its products to be sold there without any import tariffs. 'Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo In other words, they will 'OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,' meaning that, we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff,' Trump said. He further highlighted the potential of American made SUVs in the Vietnamese market, saying that the SUV or the 'Large Engine Vehicle' that are doing well in the US, would be 'wonderful addition to the various product lines.' He ended the post with a note of appreciation, thanking To Lam. 'Dealing with General Secretary To Lam, which I did personally, was an absolute pleasure. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' The deal comes just a week ahead of the July 9 deadline, when the 90-day window for tariff negotiations was set to expire. With this agreement, Vietnam joins the UK and China as the countries to have reportedly secured a trade deal with the United States so far. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
