Rabbi Kessin: Trump assisting Messiah by arresting Maduro, eliminating evil

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz

Biblical News

January 5, 2026 5 min read

Rabbi Mendel Kessin is an internationally renowned lecturer and educator who has delivered numerous lectures worldwide. He began teaching about the end-of-days implications of current events and politics more than a decade ago. Rabbi Kessin recently released a lecture framing the recent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the Trump administration as part of the process of redemption.

Rabbi Kessin did not present his lecture as commentary on politics. He presented it as an explanation of function. Speaking with characteristic bluntness, Rabbi Kessin argued that current geopolitical events—Venezuela, Iran, the strengthening of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, and the broader reordering of global power—are not random developments or policy choices. They are stages in a Biblically defined process of redemption. In that process, President Trump plays a specific role, even if he does not understand it himself.

“I was describing Trump—what his job is, which he himself does not know,” Rabbi Kessin said at the outset of the lecture. “I want to bring everybody up to date.”

Rabbi Kessin framed Trump’s actions in the Western Hemisphere as deliberate steps toward restoring order, not as ideological crusades. “Why did he take over Venezuela?” he asked. “He seems to be adopting a certain position, and that position is to clean up the hemisphere.” What stood out to Rabbi Kessin was not only the action itself, but Trump’s indifference to elite opinion. “What’s interesting is that he’s doing it and he doesn’t care what people say.”

To Rabbi Kessin, this posture reflects something more profound than strategy. “What is important to understand is what has come over him,” he said. He connected Trump’s actions to a revival of the Monroe Doctrine, explaining, “He’s trying to reinforce what’s called the Monroe Doctrine, which James Monroe laid out—that foreign powers cannot simply enter the hemisphere and do whatever they want.”

But Rabbi Kessin made clear that this was only the surface layer. “What Trump’s job really is,” he said, “is to assist the Mashiach. That is a critical job.”

At the center of Rabbi Kessin’s teaching was the distinction between the two messianic roles described in Jewish tradition. “The main idea of Mashiach ben Yosef is to remove evil—to transform the world,” he explained. Redemption, he said, does not begin with holiness or spirituality. It begins with removal. “There are different levels of the transformation. The first level is to remove evil. Get rid of it.”

Rabbi Kessin then laid out a moral hierarchy that he described as foundational to understanding current events. “After you remove evil, you remove what’s called bad,” he said. “Bad is not evil in an intensified way, but it is destructive. It borders on destruction.” He gave a concrete example. “I would imagine that’s something like the fraud that took place in Minneapolis—$18 billion. It’s not the evil of selling drugs, which kills people directly, but it harms people from afar. The scale of the scandal is astounding.”

Only after evil and destructive corruption are removed, Rabbi Kessin said, can a society move upward. “After bad, the next level is that good reigns. People think more in terms of good than just getting along.” Above that is tzedek, righteousness. “Righteousness is much greater than good because it has an element of holiness to it. It’s much more in line with Judaism.”

Rabbi Kessin anchored this in Scripture, quoting directly from the Bible. “What does God want? God wants righteousness,” he said, citing the verse, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof—Righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). He emphasized that righteousness is not ethical minimalism. It is in alignment with Divine will.

Beyond righteousness lies kedushah. “Holiness means to think in terms of a different universe—a spiritual universe—where your behavior is in accordance with a higher dimension,” he said. Above even holiness, Rabbi Kessin taught, is the ultimate level: the Divine itself.

Within this structure, Trump’s role is sharply defined and limited. “Trump is an assistant to the Messianic King,” Rabbi Kessin said. “His role is to transform the world from the side of evil, corruption, and decay, and to help Mashiach ben Yosef change the world into a place of goodness.” He repeated that Trump is unaware of this role. “He doesn’t know that,” Rabbi Kessin said, “but he’s doing it.”

This framework shaped Rabbi Kessin’s interpretation of Trump’s actions in Latin America. “That’s why he’s invading Venezuela,” he said flatly. “He will invade Cuba next. In many ways, he’s cleaning up the Western Hemisphere. That is exactly what cleaning up evil looks like.”

Rabbi Kessin showed little patience for moral outrage over these actions. “Do not accuse Trump of doing something illegal,” he warned. “He is ridding the world of evil.” He challenged critics directly. “Would you rather have evil continue and kill people?” He framed the question in human terms. “If the one who died was your child, would you then be so merciful to these dictators?”

He pointed specifically to Venezuela’s dictator. “How many parents have buried their kids because of Maduro?” he asked. “Where is your mercy for the evil that Maduro has done?” To Rabbi Kessin, condemning action against tyrants is not compassion but moral blindness. “Those who criticize Trump for attacking and taking over Venezuela,” he said, “have no idea that this stamps them as being unmerciful and as supporting evil.”

Rabbi Kessin extended this analysis to Israel, arguing that Trump’s role includes strengthening Israeli sovereignty. He said Trump would enable Israel “to have Judea and Samaria,” calling this “a key to the descent of the Beit HaMikdash.”

He rejected the notion that the Third Temple is a political or architectural project. “The Third Temple is not something we build from scratch,” he said. “There is a corresponding Temple in Heaven that contains the Divine Presence at an incredible level of intensity.” That Temple, he explained, descends. “It’s not new. It’s new for us, but it already exists above.”

For that descent to occur, Rabbi Kessin stressed, the world must be purified. “In order for this to happen, the world has to be cleaned up. That is Trump’s job, which he’s doing.” He said Trump would also play a role in stabilizing the Middle East. “You’re going to have Arab nations, the Abraham Accords—but first, the main project is Iran.”

Rabbi Kessin described Iran as a spiritual as well as geopolitical enemy. “The fall of Iran is a major destruction of the kelipah—the husk of evil,” he said. He tied Iran’s decline to the Jewish calendar, noting that events began on the 10th of Tevet, the day the decree to destroy the Temple was issued. “Now we’re seeing the reverse,” he said. “The beginning of the fall of Iran happened on Asarah b’Tevet. That’s amazing.”

He traced the progression through the months of redemption. “After Tevet comes Shevat. After Shevat comes Adar. Adar is the month of Mashiach. That’s when Purim eradicated the evil of Haman. After Adar comes Nisan, the month of redemption.”

Rabbi Kessin concluded with a warning and a declaration. “Do not fret that Trump is the agent,” he said. “That’s his role.” Quoting the Sages, he added, “The elder will serve the younger. That is prophecy unfolding.”

In Rabbi Kessin’s view, history is no longer concealed. Evil is being removed openly, forcefully, and without apology. Those who oppose that process, he warned, will be judged accordingly. “In the end,” he said, “you’re accusing someone of removing evil—which is a tremendous mitzvah.”

Trump, knowingly or not, is clearing the ground. The next stage, Rabbi Kessin made clear, belongs to Mashiach ben David, who will establish a kingdom of righteousness and holiness. The cleanup comes first. The redemption follows.

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https://israel365news.com/415151/rabbi-kessin-trump-assisting-messiah-by-arresting-maduro-eliminating-evil/ 

[ :: 8-17-14 pm service (third word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::  ::]

etc. you see all the things that are going on in the world, you see the darkness, you see the troubles, etc.

[ :: 10-15-14 pm service (first word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc. For truly these are the end days and the end hours and darkness is all across the face of the earth and the enemy is fighting like mad because he knows that he has little time left. etc..

:: 1-5-26 Breitbart :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Radical Leftists Claim Responsibility for Arson Attack That Left Tens of Thousands Without Power in Berlin

By Kurt Zindulka   5 Jan 2026

Far-left climate extremists have claimed responsibility for an arson attack on electrical infrastructure over the weekend that left tens of thousands of people in Berlin without power.

Early Saturday morning, a fire was started with incendiary devices at an electrical cable bridge over Berlin’s Teltow Canal, leading to the Lichterfelde power plant. The fire damaged vital power lines and left approximately 45,000 private residences and 2,200 businesses without power, German broadcaster NTV reported.

The Stromnetz Berlin grid operator said Sunday evening that it has since restored power to 7,000 households and 150 businesses. However, due to the complex nature of the lines affected, it may be some time before power is fully restored, raising concerns that some residents may need to seek other shelter, particularly when temperatures drop in the evening.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegener, has called on the German Armed Forces to be deployed for their “expertise” in helping restore power as quickly as possible. Others, including Berlin Senator Iris Spranger, have suggested that the military be used to hand out hot meals during the outage.

On Sunday, Spranger revealed to the German Press Agency that the far-left anarchist Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) claimed responsibility for the attack. “This is a despicable attack on the people of Berlin that willfully endangers human lives,” the Social Democrat politician said, according to Die Welt.

In the letter admitting responsibility, reported by Berlin’s Tagesspiegel newspaper, the leftist ludites cited the supposed climate crisis as their motivation, saying: “Last night we successfully sabotaged the gas-fired power plant in Berlin-Lichterfelde… The attack on the gas-fired power plant is an act of self-defence and international solidarity with all those who protect the Earth and life.”

“There were power outages in the wealthier districts of Wannsee, Zehlendorf, and Nikolassee,” the Vulkangruppe continued. “Power outages were not the goal of the action, but rather the fossil fuel industry. We apologise to the less affluent people in southwest Berlin. Our sympathy for the many villa owners in these districts is limited.”

The leftists also cited the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and its high energy requirements as a motivation for their attack on Berlin infrastructure, writing: “We are operating our own surveillance, and it is total… The tech companies are in the hands of the men of power that we give them… One day, we will simply die of thirst and hunger sitting in front of glowing screens or inert devices.”

The Vulkangruppe, believed to have been founded in 2011, has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on the Tesla gigafactory in the Berlin suburb of Grünheide, sabotaging a high-voltage power pylon that supplied energy to the Elon Musk-owned factory.

It comes amid a broader trend of far-left climate-inspired anarchist attacks on critical infrastructure across Europe in recent years, often targeting power and data cables, factories, and railways.

The latest attack has been compared to a similar sabotage in September, which left upwards of 50,000 people without power for several days. It remains unclear, however, if the arson attack on two power pylons in southeast Berlin was the work of the Vulkangruppe or another radical group.

Commenting on the latest attack, Berlin Mayor Wegner said: “We will place a high priority on the pressure on the perpetrators. We want to catch them.”

“It was a left-wing extremist group that once again attacked our infrastructure and thereby threatened the lives of people, of elderly people who may need ventilators, of families with small children… And we have to catch these perpetrators now… this is no joke, this is a terrorist attack.”

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/01/05/leftists-claim-responsibility-for-arson-attack

-that-left-tens-of-thousands-without-power-in-berlin/ 

[ :: 1-17-18 pm service  :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::  ::]

For as I have said unto you and as you have noticed the weather, the weather, the weather, the troubles that are going on here, the troubles that are going on there, the preparation for war, not just North Korea but Russia and other countries that hate America, they are preparing and getting ready.  For the hour is much later than most people think,  etc

:: 12-4-25 End Time Headlines :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

North Korea test-fires hypersonic missiles

Jan 4, 2026

The dawn of the new year in East Asia broke not with calm, but with thunder. On January 4, 2026, North Korea surged back into global focus after test-firing hypersonic missiles in a forceful display of military ambition and strategic defiance, according to reporting by Reuters based on state media KCNA.

The launches were personally overseen by leader Kim Jong Un and were framed by the regime as an urgent exercise to reinforce what it called its war-deterrence capabilities.

In the words carried by state media, Kim said the missile tests were necessary amid “the recent geopolitical crisis and various international circumstances.”

This was not portrayed as a routine weapons drill, but as a calculated response to what Pyongyang views as an increasingly hostile world. The missiles reportedly struck targets roughly 1,000 kilometers away in waters east of the Korean Peninsula, underscoring North Korea’s determination to project power far beyond its borders.

The timing of the launches was striking. The tests occurred on the same day South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in China for a state visit, highlighting the fragile diplomatic balancing act unfolding in the region.

At the same time, Pyongyang had just issued sharp condemnation of U.S. military actions in Venezuela, denouncing them as a “serious encroachment on sovereignty.” Within that narrative, North Korea framed its own missile activity not as provocation, but as justified preparation in response to what it sees as Western aggression.

Military analysts cited in the report noted that the missiles tested appear to align with hypersonic systems displayed during North Korea’s October 2025 military parade.

These weapons are designed to travel at extreme speeds while maneuvering unpredictably, making them far more difficult to detect and intercept than traditional ballistic missiles.

One expert observed that such systems are intended to enable “surprise launches,” a capability that could severely complicate missile-defense planning for the United States and its allies.

While questions remain about how advanced and reliable North Korea’s hypersonic technology truly is, the political message was unmistakable.

KCNA described the tests as “a very important strategy to maintain or expand the strong and reliable nuclear deterrent of the country.” In Pyongyang’s worldview, speed, surprise, and spectacle are inseparable from survival.

About the Author

End Time Headlines is a ministry founded, owned, and operated by Ricky Scaparo, established in 2010 to equip believers and inform discerning individuals about the “Signs and Seasons” of the times in which we live. Ricky authors original articles and curates news from mainstream sources, carefully selecting topics, verifying information, and utilizing artificial intelligence tools to ensure content is both timely and accurate. Every piece is personally reviewed and edited by Ricky to align with the ministry’s mission of providing a prophetic perspective on current events.

https://endtimeheadlines.org/2026/01/north-korea-test-fires-hypersonic-missiles/ 

[ :: 10-17-10 am service  (first word)  :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc. truly darkness, darkness is growing darker and darker and darker, war is being prepared, war is being made ready. Watch Russia, watch Turkey, watch China, watch Iran, watch Pakistan, watch Saudi Arabia, for they are not your friends nor have they ever been your friends.  They are not my friends, saith your Father God, for they shall wage war against me in the last days, these are the last days. etc.. 

:: 1-5-26 The Jerusalem Post :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Iran plotting to assassinate Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa, IDF sources warn

The warning was issued recently against the backdrop of the opening of contacts between Israel and Syria.

ByAMIR BOHBOT

Iran is working together with additional hostile elements to assassinate Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, IDF sources warn.

The warning was issued recently against the backdrop of the opening of contacts between Israel and Syria. It also comes amid rising regional tensions and is based on security intelligence indicating that Sharaa faces real threats and has been forced to invest significant efforts in protecting himself and stabilizing his regime.

It also comes as the defense establishment emphasizes that the lessons of October 7 require insistence on an IDF presence on Syrian territory. According to the security establishment’s position, this presence is defined as a “primary shield” for communities along the Israeli-Syrian border.

Walla has learned that in recent months, several discussions have taken place under the leadership of Defense Minister Israel Katz with the participation of senior defense establishment officials. At the end of the discussions, it was decided that the establishment’s position is that there should be no withdrawal from Syrian territory and the Mount Hermon region.

A senior IDF security source said that the army's senior officials endorsed the defense minister's position on the matter.

The IDF's three operational zones in Syria

According to IDF sources, government policy divides Israeli activity in Syria into three main areas. The first is the security zone on the line of contact, where IDF troops operate in the area of ​​the international Israeli-Syrian border, with the aim of directly protecting the nearby communities, as well as deeper into the State of Israel.

The second area is the security zone, which includes Syrian territory within approximately 15 km of the Israeli border. This area contains villages, towns, and traffic routes, and the IDF is working to prevent the entry and establishment of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure.

The third area is the area of ​​influence, which extends from southern Sweida to the outskirts of Damascus. This area is defined as a demilitarized zone where Israel monitors what is happening, with the aim of preventing the entry of hostile elements, the introduction of advanced weapons systems, or the establishment of military bases.

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-882403 

[ :: 12-31-12/1-1-13 New Years Eve Service (first word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::  ::]

etc.. the cost of things, because they have gone over the cliff, shall skyrocket and taxes, taxes, it shall be like in the days of old when everyone will have to bring their taxes in and they will be condemned and judged if they do not. Oh the things that are going to take place now, the things that you haven’t even thought of, the things that you haven’t been aware of, but I have told you, I have warned you. I have tried to prepare you that you would be totally ready, that you wouldn’t have to run real fast to make up time, but that you would be walking right by my side. etc..

:: 1-1-26 New York Post :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

US dollar posts worst year since 2017 as Fed turmoil, tariffs bite hammered currency

By Ariel Zilber

Published Jan. 1, 2026, 11:25 a.m. ET

The US dollar ended the year with its worst performance since 2017 as Federal Reserve turmoil, trade shocks and economic uncertainty hammered the greenback.

The dollar finished the year down about 8% compared to a basket of foreign currencies, according to the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index.

That was sharpest annual retreat for US currency in eight years.

The US dollar was hit hard in 2025 due to tariffs and turmoil at the Federal Reserve.

Some measures show losses closer to 9% to 10% after a historic first-half slide that erased a decade’s worth of gains from the dollar’s long bull run.

The dollar selloff accelerated after President Trump’s April “Liberation Day” tariffs rattled global markets and raised fears of lasting damage to US growth.

The currency never fully recovered as its decline coincided with stubbornly high inflation that limited the Fed’s flexibility — even as growth slowed.

Core inflation hovered near 3%, while tariffs added fresh price pressure and pushed consumer inflation expectations sharply higher through the summer.

Foreign investors also began pulling back.

China cut its holdings of US Treasuries to the lowest level since 2008, while global asset managers increased hedges against dollar weakness — a move that effectively reduced demand for the currency.

Investors now warn the pain may not be over, with the Fed expected to cut rates further in 2026 and Trump openly pushing for a more dovish central bank chief.

“The biggest factor for the dollar in first quarter will be the Fed,” Yusuke Miyairi, a foreign-exchange strategist at Nomura, told Bloomberg News.

“And it’s not just the meetings in January and March, but who will be the Fed Chair after Jerome Powell ends his term.”

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council in the White House, is considered the frontrunner to succeed Powell in May.

While he’s widely viewed as being in accord with the president’s economic worldview, he has insisted Trump would “have no weight” in the Federal Reserve’s decisions if he becomes chair.

At least two US rate cuts are already priced in for next year, undercutting the dollar’s yield advantage just as Treasury yields slid from above 4.5% early in the year to near 4.1% by December.

The damage was most dramatic in the first half of 2025, when the dollar suffered its steepest six-month decline in more than half a century. A brief July bounce faded quickly as worries about growth, politics and trade returned.

Trump’s April 2 tariff blitz proved a turning point.

The president invoked emergency powers to impose a 10% baseline tariff on nearly all imports, with higher “reciprocal” duties aimed at countries running trade surpluses with the US.

Global markets plunged. The S&P 500 sank more than 13% in less than a week, while the dollar tumbled as investors rushed for safety.

Although the White House paused the harshest tariffs days later, the baseline levy stayed in place — and so did the uncertainty. Economists warned the policy would raise prices, hit demand and invite retaliation.

Those fears lingered throughout the year, weighing on the currency even as stocks recovered.

By late summer, the focus shifted squarely to the Federal Reserve.

After holding rates steady for months, policymakers began cutting as signs of labor-market weakness mounted.

The Fed delivered a quarter-point cut in September and another in December, responding to rising unemployment and slowing payroll growth — a sharp reversal from the aggressive tightening that propped up the dollar in prior years.

Traders quickly positioned for more. Futures markets now anticipate additional cuts in 2026, with expectations ranging from one to four reductions.

The Post has sought comment from the White House and the Fed.

https://nypost.com/2026/01/01/business/us-dollar-posts-worst-year-since-2017-as-fed-turmoil-tariffs-bite/ 

[:: 2-3-14 am service (first word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::  :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc. Keep your eyes; keep your eyes upon what is going on in the Mid-East, that is your tree, that is your tree, I have told you to watch Israel, that is your tree. etc.

:: 1-2-26 CBN :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Iran Protests Spread to 21 Provinces Amid Reports of IRGC Chemical, Biological Weapons Production

Julie Stahl 01-02-2026

JERUSALEM, Israel – Iranian protests over the flailing economy are spreading even as Iran is reportedly developing chemical and biological missile warheads.

Violent protests throughout Iran forced a government shutdown in 21 provinces as unrest spread over skyrocketing prices and economic collapse.

Businesses, universities, and government offices closed in response to the regime's shutdown.

The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) showed footage online of violent confrontations between security forces and protesters. in various provinces. Shouts of "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei" rang out, as at least seven people were killed.

The protests are the largest in Iran since 2022, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody, detained over not wearing her hijab correctly.

Israeli-Iranian actress and commentator Sarah Fakheri says these protests are different from those in the past.

She said, "If the past protests were just 'Death to the dictator' or 'Get this regime down' without any definition of who is going to rule Iran after this one has a leader – [this time] they call for [Crown Prince Reza] Pahlavi back."

Fakheri added that Iran has gone from being an "amazing country" with abilities and natural resources to a state where people don't have money for bread. She contends that Iranians have been crying out for help for a long time.

She noted, "I've been receiving messages all the time from Iranians who are asking [for] Israel's support to eliminate this regime. Do I think that it should be someone else's job? No. Do I think that we can support and be the voice of support to those people? Yes."

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to receive the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the current economic crisis on an ongoing war with Iran's enemies.

"We are engaged in a full-scale war," he said. "Right now, the enemy has placed most of its hopes on knocking us down through economic pressure. You cannot conquer a nation with bombs, fighter jets, or missiles. To defeat us, they would have to come and face us on the ground."

The protests come amid reports that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is developing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of a second strike on Iran this year in a meeting with President Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Trump's response was positive.

"I hope they're not trying to build up again because if they are, we're going to have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup," Trump declared.

Netanyahu returned to Israel on Friday after spending several days in Florida, including as a guest at the president's and his wife, Melania's, New Year's Eve celebration.

https://cbn.com/news/israel/iran-protests-spread-21-provinces-amid-reports-irgc-chemical-biological-weapons 

:: 1-3-26 New York Post :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Trump says US ‘not afraid of boots on the ground’ in Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro capture

By Geoff Earle

Published Jan. 3, 2026  Updated Jan. 3, 2026, 1:40 p.m. ET

President Trump told the nation the US would now take over running Venezuela, after strongman Nicolas Maduro was captured “in the dead of night.”

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago resort as he provided new details on the stunning military operation.

“We’re going to run it, essentially” through the transition, he said.

The logistics of a US-run Venezuela were still being worked out, but Trump said it might involve military “boots on the ground.”

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” the president said. “We had boots on the ground last night, at a very high level, actually.”

Later, Trump added, “We’re going to have [a] presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil.”

In a strong assertion of US national prerogative in the hemisphere, Trump said he had one-upped the Monroe Doctrine of the nation’s early history.

“They now call it the Don-roe doctrine,” Trump quipped, while flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

He brushed off questions about the US’s record of running countries in Latin America over the last century and even whether it was consistent with his “America First” mantra.

“We’re going to run the country right, it’s going to be run very judiciously, very fairly,” Trump said.

The president indicated the military had been “prepared to do a second wave” if needed.

He said his advisors assumed such a wave would be necessary — only one was needed.

He also described an effort to bring back US oil companies who had their infrastructure confiscated by the regime, and use the stolen funds to help compensate Venezuelans who fled to the US.

“We’re going to reimburse people that were taken advantage of,” Trump said.

“We have to rebuild their whole infrastructure.”

Trump also indicated Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wasn’t up to the task of governing.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country,” he opined. “She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect in Venezuela.”

Rubio, meanwhile, had spoken to Maduro’s VP, Delcy Rodriguez, Trump said.

“She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” said Trump.

“We’re designating people. We’re talking to people. We’re designating various people. We’ll let you know who those people are.”

Trump also addressed Venezuela’s substantial oil resources, saying its oil production has been a “total bust for a long period of time.”

“They were pumping almost nothing,” Trump said.

He said what the US would accomplish “will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent and safe” – after millions fled under years of dictatorship.

Trump said Maduro oversaw a “vicious cartel” and was responsible for the deaths of “countless Americans” and called him an “illegitimate dictator.”

He called Maduro the “kingpin of a vast criminal network,” and indicated prosecutors would decide if Maduro would be tried in New York or in Miami, which is where Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was tried decades ago.

The president called the operation that took down Maduro “one of the most stunning effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.”

“Not a single American service member was killed” and no US equipment was lost in the operation, Trump said, describing the mission.

“It was dark. The lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have. It was dark. And it was deadly” he said.

Trump addressed the nation hours after US special forces snatched the Venezuelan dictator and his wife Cilia Flores. The couple is currently headed to New York City.

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted that the pair had been indicted in the Southern District of New York, referencing a 2020 indictment on drug conspiracy and other charges.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she said on X. The attack came overnight, with at least seven blasts heard over Caracas. Targets included military bases and airports.

Trump in an earlier interview with Fox & Friends said Maduro was en route to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship.

“They’ll be heading to New York – you know they were indicted in New York,” Trump said. “The helicopters took them out … They killed a lot of people, remember,” Trump said.

The political future of Venezuela remains murky. Strongman Hugo Chavez took power in 1999 and was succeeded by Maduro.

Trump said his team was “making the decision” for who would govern Venezuela now that Maduro is en route to New York to face charges.

“We’ll be involved in it very much. And we want to do liberty for the people. We want to have a great relationship,” he added.

https://nypost.com/2026/01/03/world-news/trump-says-us-will-now-take-over-running-venezuela

-after-nicolas-maduro-was-captured-in-the-dead-of-night/ 

:: 12-27-25 Gateway Pundit :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Cleveland Clinic Flu Shots Study Shows Vaccine INCREASED Risk of Getting the Flu

by Jim Hᴏft Dec. 27, 2025 10:30 am

For decades, Americans have been lectured, pressured, and in many cases coerced into getting annual flu shots under the promise that “the science is settled” and that vaccination is an unquestionable public good.

But a growing body of research is blowing that narrative apart, and the latest data are nothing short of explosive.

A new study from the prestigious Cleveland Clinic has found that the 2024-2025 flu shot not only failed to protect people but also increased their risk of contracting the flu.

The study, published as a preprint on medRxiv and led by Dr. Nabin K. Shrestha and colleagues from the Departments of Infectious Diseases, Infection Prevention, and Quantitative Health Sciences, tracked 53,402 Cleveland Clinic employees across Ohio during the 2024–2025 respiratory viral season, which began on October 1, 2024.

By the end of the 25-week observation period (ending March 26, 2025), 82.1% of the cohort (43,857 individuals) had been vaccinated, primarily with the trivalent inactivated vaccine.

A total of 1,079 employees (2.02%) tested positive for influenza, with 98.8% being influenza A cases.

Using a time-dependent analysis (treating vaccination as a variable that changes over time), the researchers calculated a vaccine effectiveness of -26.9% (95% CI: -51.0% to -6.6%). This means vaccinated individuals had a 27% higher hazard ratio (HR 1.27) for contracting influenza compared to unvaccinated ones, after adjusting for factors like age, sex, job type (e.g., clinical nursing), and work location.

The study addressed potential biases by examining testing rates. Vaccinated employees were more likely to get tested, but the proportion of positive tests was similar between groups, suggesting the higher infection rate wasn’t due to testing differences but actual increased susceptibility.

A Simon-Makuch plot showed that early in the season, infection rates were similar, but they rose more rapidly among the vaccinated over time.

Graph comparing cumulative incidence of influenza in vaccinated versus unvaccinated individuals during the 2024-2025 respiratory viral season, highlighting vaccination effectiveness.

The study population was relatively young (mean age 42) and healthy, with 75% female and about 20% in clinical nursing roles.

The authors concluded: “Among 53402 working-aged Cleveland Clinic employees, we were unable to find a protective influence of influenza vaccination during the 2024-2025 respiratory viral season and found a significantly higher risk of influenza with vaccination when influenza activity was high.“

For the full study, check out the medRxiv preprint here: Effectiveness of the Influenza Vaccine During the 2024-2025 Respiratory Viral Season.

Jim Hᴏft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/cleveland-clinic-flu-shots-study-shows-vaccine-increased/ 

[ :: 6-28-09 am service ( first word ) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc.. All these things are end-time signs, the economy, the loss of jobs, the government control. You are in a time that the world has never seen before and that time does not get better, etc..

:: 12-31-25 Daily Mail :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Chilling omen of house price crash as America's No 2 homebuilder forced to slash prices by 10%

READ MORE: Another bourbon distiller files for bankruptcy as sector collapses

By MARTHA WILLIAMS, US REAL ESTATE & CONSUMER REPORTER

Published: 00:22 EST, 31 December 2025 | Updated: 05:53 EST, 31 December 2025

America’s housing market is flashing a fresh warning sign that prices are falling — and it’s coming from one of its biggest players.

Lennar, the second-largest US homebuilder, was forced to slash the cost of its houses by 10 percent in the final three months of 2025 as buyers disappeared.

It is a chilling signal of what may be coming next — not just for other new-builds, but for the roughly 130 million existing houses, apartments and condos across America.

Big builders like Lennar act as a canary in the coal mine for the wider housing market because they have no escape hatch.

Unlike most ordinary homeowners, who can pull a listing and wait if they don’t get their price, builders are stuck with new-builds that generate costs every day they sit unsold.

When buyers disappear, cutting prices becomes the only option. The typical Lennar home cost $386,000 in late-2025, compared to $430,000 during the same period in 2024.

The average existing home in the US is worth $360,000. If it's value dropped by the same percentage, the typical American homeowner would see their biggest asset drop by in value by $36,000.

Lennar’s price cuts, revealed in its latest quarterly earnings, show how quickly pressure is building across the housing market.

Despite selling more homes, the company’s revenue from home sales fell seven percent year-on-year to $8.9 billion in the final quarter, as lower prices more than offset higher volumes.

Lennar’s average selling price is now down 21 percent from its pandemic-era peak.

Stuart Miller, Lennar’s chairman and co-CEO, said it had also been forced to offer incentives, which typically mean things like free carpets or money towards deposits, on top of price cuts.

He said that because the market is still unpredictable, the company cannot be sure what will happen in 2026 but hopes to sell around 85,000 homes.

The stress is not confined to one builder.

For as far back as records go, new homes have almost always cost more to buy than existing properties.

This isn't surprising — new-builds have all the latest features and appliances, and they come without the wear and tear of previously-owned properties.

However, over the summer that trend turned completely upside down.

In June, the median sales price of a new home was $407,200 — around $28,000 cheaper than that of existing homes, and a 6.5 percent discount, according to Realtor.com.

Experts have chalked up the reversal to classic supply and demand.

Construction companies became giddy during the pandemic — when demand for housing was through the roof, especially in sunny Southern boomtowns — and built slews of homes to satisfy buyers' needs.

However, as the Covid boom slowed, it became clear that builders had added far more homes than there were people to buy them.

Building companies were forced to cut costs, which left brand new homes to be sold at far cheaper prices than older homes, foreshadowing a potential market crash.

De-listings also surged this year, indicating that if homeowners cannot sell their house for the price they desire, they are willing to take the property off the market and wait for a better time to sell.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/real-estate/article-15422547/lennar-homebuilder-housing-market-prices.html 

[ :: 12-31-12/1-1-13 New Years Eve Service (first word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::  ::]

etc.. the cost of things, because they have gone over the cliff, shall skyrocket and taxes, taxes, it shall be like in the days of old when everyone will have to bring their taxes in and they will be condemned and judged if they do not. Oh the things that are going to take place now, the things that you haven’t even thought of, the things that you haven’t been aware of, but I have told you, I have warned you. I have tried to prepare you that you would be totally ready, that you wouldn’t have to run real fast to make up time, but that you would be walking right by my side. etc..

:: 1-1-26 New York Post :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

US dollar posts worst year since 2017 as Fed turmoil, tariffs bite hammered currency

By Ariel Zilber

Published Jan. 1, 2026, 11:25 a.m. ET

The US dollar ended the year with its worst performance since 2017 as Federal Reserve turmoil, trade shocks and economic uncertainty hammered the greenback.

The dollar finished the year down about 8% compared to a basket of foreign currencies, according to the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index.

That was sharpest annual retreat for US currency in eight years.

The US dollar was hit hard in 2025 due to tariffs and turmoil at the Federal Reserve.

Some measures show losses closer to 9% to 10% after a historic first-half slide that erased a decade’s worth of gains from the dollar’s long bull run.

The dollar selloff accelerated after President Trump’s April “Liberation Day” tariffs rattled global markets and raised fears of lasting damage to US growth.

The currency never fully recovered as its decline coincided with stubbornly high inflation that limited the Fed’s flexibility — even as growth slowed.

Core inflation hovered near 3%, while tariffs added fresh price pressure and pushed consumer inflation expectations sharply higher through the summer.

Foreign investors also began pulling back.

China cut its holdings of US Treasuries to the lowest level since 2008, while global asset managers increased hedges against dollar weakness — a move that effectively reduced demand for the currency.

Investors now warn the pain may not be over, with the Fed expected to cut rates further in 2026 and Trump openly pushing for a more dovish central bank chief.

“The biggest factor for the dollar in first quarter will be the Fed,” Yusuke Miyairi, a foreign-exchange strategist at Nomura, told Bloomberg News.

“And it’s not just the meetings in January and March, but who will be the Fed Chair after Jerome Powell ends his term.”

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council in the White House, is considered the frontrunner to succeed Powell in May.

While he’s widely viewed as being in accord with the president’s economic worldview, he has insisted Trump would “have no weight” in the Federal Reserve’s decisions if he becomes chair.

At least two US rate cuts are already priced in for next year, undercutting the dollar’s yield advantage just as Treasury yields slid from above 4.5% early in the year to near 4.1% by December.

The damage was most dramatic in the first half of 2025, when the dollar suffered its steepest six-month decline in more than half a century. A brief July bounce faded quickly as worries about growth, politics and trade returned.

Trump’s April 2 tariff blitz proved a turning point.

The president invoked emergency powers to impose a 10% baseline tariff on nearly all imports, with higher “reciprocal” duties aimed at countries running trade surpluses with the US.

Global markets plunged. The S&P 500 sank more than 13% in less than a week, while the dollar tumbled as investors rushed for safety.

Although the White House paused the harshest tariffs days later, the baseline levy stayed in place — and so did the uncertainty. Economists warned the policy would raise prices, hit demand and invite retaliation.

Those fears lingered throughout the year, weighing on the currency even as stocks recovered.

By late summer, the focus shifted squarely to the Federal Reserve.

After holding rates steady for months, policymakers began cutting as signs of labor-market weakness mounted.

The Fed delivered a quarter-point cut in September and another in December, responding to rising unemployment and slowing payroll growth — a sharp reversal from the aggressive tightening that propped up the dollar in prior years.

Traders quickly positioned for more. Futures markets now anticipate additional cuts in 2026, with expectations ranging from one to four reductions.

The Post has sought comment from the White House and the Fed.

https://nypost.com/2026/01/01/business/us-dollar-posts-worst-year-since-2017-as-fed-turmoil-tariffs-bite/ 

[:: 2-3-14 am service (first word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::  :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc. Keep your eyes; keep your eyes upon what is going on in the Mid-East, that is your tree, that is your tree, I have told you to watch Israel, that is your tree. etc.

:: 1-2-26 CBN :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Iran Protests Spread to 21 Provinces Amid Reports of IRGC Chemical, Biological Weapons Production

Julie Stahl 01-02-2026

JERUSALEM, Israel – Iranian protests over the flailing economy are spreading even as Iran is reportedly developing chemical and biological missile warheads.

Violent protests throughout Iran forced a government shutdown in 21 provinces as unrest spread over skyrocketing prices and economic collapse.

Businesses, universities, and government offices closed in response to the regime's shutdown.

The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) showed footage online of violent confrontations between security forces and protesters. in various provinces. Shouts of "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei" rang out, as at least seven people were killed.

The protests are the largest in Iran since 2022, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody, detained over not wearing her hijab correctly.

Israeli-Iranian actress and commentator Sarah Fakheri says these protests are different from those in the past.

She said, "If the past protests were just 'Death to the dictator' or 'Get this regime down' without any definition of who is going to rule Iran after this one has a leader – [this time] they call for [Crown Prince Reza] Pahlavi back."

Fakheri added that Iran has gone from being an "amazing country" with abilities and natural resources to a state where people don't have money for bread. She contends that Iranians have been crying out for help for a long time.

She noted, "I've been receiving messages all the time from Iranians who are asking [for] Israel's support to eliminate this regime. Do I think that it should be someone else's job? No. Do I think that we can support and be the voice of support to those people? Yes."

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to receive the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the current economic crisis on an ongoing war with Iran's enemies.

"We are engaged in a full-scale war," he said. "Right now, the enemy has placed most of its hopes on knocking us down through economic pressure. You cannot conquer a nation with bombs, fighter jets, or missiles. To defeat us, they would have to come and face us on the ground."

The protests come amid reports that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is developing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of a second strike on Iran this year in a meeting with President Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Trump's response was positive.

"I hope they're not trying to build up again because if they are, we're going to have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup," Trump declared.

Netanyahu returned to Israel on Friday after spending several days in Florida, including as a guest at the president's and his wife, Melania's, New Year's Eve celebration.

https://cbn.com/news/israel/iran-protests-spread-21-provinces-amid-reports-irgc-chemical-biological-weapons 

:: 1-3-26 New York Post :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Trump says US ‘not afraid of boots on the ground’ in Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro capture

By Geoff Earle

Published Jan. 3, 2026  Updated Jan. 3, 2026, 1:40 p.m. ET

President Trump told the nation the US would now take over running Venezuela, after strongman Nicolas Maduro was captured “in the dead of night.”

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago resort as he provided new details on the stunning military operation.

“We’re going to run it, essentially” through the transition, he said.

The logistics of a US-run Venezuela were still being worked out, but Trump said it might involve military “boots on the ground.”

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” the president said. “We had boots on the ground last night, at a very high level, actually.”

Later, Trump added, “We’re going to have [a] presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil.”

In a strong assertion of US national prerogative in the hemisphere, Trump said he had one-upped the Monroe Doctrine of the nation’s early history.

“They now call it the Don-roe doctrine,” Trump quipped, while flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

He brushed off questions about the US’s record of running countries in Latin America over the last century and even whether it was consistent with his “America First” mantra.

“We’re going to run the country right, it’s going to be run very judiciously, very fairly,” Trump said.

The president indicated the military had been “prepared to do a second wave” if needed.

He said his advisors assumed such a wave would be necessary — only one was needed.

He also described an effort to bring back US oil companies who had their infrastructure confiscated by the regime, and use the stolen funds to help compensate Venezuelans who fled to the US.

“We’re going to reimburse people that were taken advantage of,” Trump said.

“We have to rebuild their whole infrastructure.”

Trump also indicated Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wasn’t up to the task of governing.

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country,” he opined. “She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect in Venezuela.”

Rubio, meanwhile, had spoken to Maduro’s VP, Delcy Rodriguez, Trump said.

“She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” said Trump.

“We’re designating people. We’re talking to people. We’re designating various people. We’ll let you know who those people are.”

Trump also addressed Venezuela’s substantial oil resources, saying its oil production has been a “total bust for a long period of time.”

“They were pumping almost nothing,” Trump said.

He said what the US would accomplish “will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent and safe” – after millions fled under years of dictatorship.

Trump said Maduro oversaw a “vicious cartel” and was responsible for the deaths of “countless Americans” and called him an “illegitimate dictator.”

He called Maduro the “kingpin of a vast criminal network,” and indicated prosecutors would decide if Maduro would be tried in New York or in Miami, which is where Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was tried decades ago.

The president called the operation that took down Maduro “one of the most stunning effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.”

“Not a single American service member was killed” and no US equipment was lost in the operation, Trump said, describing the mission.

“It was dark. The lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have. It was dark. And it was deadly” he said.

Trump addressed the nation hours after US special forces snatched the Venezuelan dictator and his wife Cilia Flores. The couple is currently headed to New York City.

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted that the pair had been indicted in the Southern District of New York, referencing a 2020 indictment on drug conspiracy and other charges.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she said on X. The attack came overnight, with at least seven blasts heard over Caracas. Targets included military bases and airports.

Trump in an earlier interview with Fox & Friends said Maduro was en route to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship.

“They’ll be heading to New York – you know they were indicted in New York,” Trump said. “The helicopters took them out … They killed a lot of people, remember,” Trump said.

The political future of Venezuela remains murky. Strongman Hugo Chavez took power in 1999 and was succeeded by Maduro.

Trump said his team was “making the decision” for who would govern Venezuela now that Maduro is en route to New York to face charges.

“We’ll be involved in it very much. And we want to do liberty for the people. We want to have a great relationship,” he added.

https://nypost.com/2026/01/03/world-news/trump-says-us-will-now-take-over-running-venezuela

-after-nicolas-maduro-was-captured-in-the-dead-of-night/ 

:: 12-27-25 Gateway Pundit :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Cleveland Clinic Flu Shots Study Shows Vaccine INCREASED Risk of Getting the Flu

by Jim Hᴏft Dec. 27, 2025 10:30 am

For decades, Americans have been lectured, pressured, and in many cases coerced into getting annual flu shots under the promise that “the science is settled” and that vaccination is an unquestionable public good.

But a growing body of research is blowing that narrative apart, and the latest data are nothing short of explosive.

A new study from the prestigious Cleveland Clinic has found that the 2024-2025 flu shot not only failed to protect people but also increased their risk of contracting the flu.

The study, published as a preprint on medRxiv and led by Dr. Nabin K. Shrestha and colleagues from the Departments of Infectious Diseases, Infection Prevention, and Quantitative Health Sciences, tracked 53,402 Cleveland Clinic employees across Ohio during the 2024–2025 respiratory viral season, which began on October 1, 2024.

By the end of the 25-week observation period (ending March 26, 2025), 82.1% of the cohort (43,857 individuals) had been vaccinated, primarily with the trivalent inactivated vaccine.

A total of 1,079 employees (2.02%) tested positive for influenza, with 98.8% being influenza A cases.

Using a time-dependent analysis (treating vaccination as a variable that changes over time), the researchers calculated a vaccine effectiveness of -26.9% (95% CI: -51.0% to -6.6%). This means vaccinated individuals had a 27% higher hazard ratio (HR 1.27) for contracting influenza compared to unvaccinated ones, after adjusting for factors like age, sex, job type (e.g., clinical nursing), and work location.

The study addressed potential biases by examining testing rates. Vaccinated employees were more likely to get tested, but the proportion of positive tests was similar between groups, suggesting the higher infection rate wasn’t due to testing differences but actual increased susceptibility.

A Simon-Makuch plot showed that early in the season, infection rates were similar, but they rose more rapidly among the vaccinated over time.

Graph comparing cumulative incidence of influenza in vaccinated versus unvaccinated individuals during the 2024-2025 respiratory viral season, highlighting vaccination effectiveness.

The study population was relatively young (mean age 42) and healthy, with 75% female and about 20% in clinical nursing roles.

The authors concluded: “Among 53402 working-aged Cleveland Clinic employees, we were unable to find a protective influence of influenza vaccination during the 2024-2025 respiratory viral season and found a significantly higher risk of influenza with vaccination when influenza activity was high.“

For the full study, check out the medRxiv preprint here: Effectiveness of the Influenza Vaccine During the 2024-2025 Respiratory Viral Season.

Jim Hᴏft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/cleveland-clinic-flu-shots-study-shows-vaccine-increased/ 

[ :: 6-28-09 am service ( first word ) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc.. All these things are end-time signs, the economy, the loss of jobs, the government control. You are in a time that the world has never seen before and that time does not get better, etc..

:: 12-31-25 Daily Mail :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Chilling omen of house price crash as America's No 2 homebuilder forced to slash prices by 10%

READ MORE: Another bourbon distiller files for bankruptcy as sector collapses

By MARTHA WILLIAMS, US REAL ESTATE & CONSUMER REPORTER

Published: 00:22 EST, 31 December 2025 | Updated: 05:53 EST, 31 December 2025

America’s housing market is flashing a fresh warning sign that prices are falling — and it’s coming from one of its biggest players.

Lennar, the second-largest US homebuilder, was forced to slash the cost of its houses by 10 percent in the final three months of 2025 as buyers disappeared.

It is a chilling signal of what may be coming next — not just for other new-builds, but for the roughly 130 million existing houses, apartments and condos across America.

Big builders like Lennar act as a canary in the coal mine for the wider housing market because they have no escape hatch.

Unlike most ordinary homeowners, who can pull a listing and wait if they don’t get their price, builders are stuck with new-builds that generate costs every day they sit unsold.

When buyers disappear, cutting prices becomes the only option. The typical Lennar home cost $386,000 in late-2025, compared to $430,000 during the same period in 2024.

The average existing home in the US is worth $360,000. If it's value dropped by the same percentage, the typical American homeowner would see their biggest asset drop by in value by $36,000.

Lennar’s price cuts, revealed in its latest quarterly earnings, show how quickly pressure is building across the housing market.

Despite selling more homes, the company’s revenue from home sales fell seven percent year-on-year to $8.9 billion in the final quarter, as lower prices more than offset higher volumes.

Lennar’s average selling price is now down 21 percent from its pandemic-era peak.

Stuart Miller, Lennar’s chairman and co-CEO, said it had also been forced to offer incentives, which typically mean things like free carpets or money towards deposits, on top of price cuts.

He said that because the market is still unpredictable, the company cannot be sure what will happen in 2026 but hopes to sell around 85,000 homes.

The stress is not confined to one builder.

For as far back as records go, new homes have almost always cost more to buy than existing properties.

This isn't surprising — new-builds have all the latest features and appliances, and they come without the wear and tear of previously-owned properties.

However, over the summer that trend turned completely upside down.

In June, the median sales price of a new home was $407,200 — around $28,000 cheaper than that of existing homes, and a 6.5 percent discount, according to Realtor.com.

Experts have chalked up the reversal to classic supply and demand.

Construction companies became giddy during the pandemic — when demand for housing was through the roof, especially in sunny Southern boomtowns — and built slews of homes to satisfy buyers' needs.

However, as the Covid boom slowed, it became clear that builders had added far more homes than there were people to buy them.

Building companies were forced to cut costs, which left brand new homes to be sold at far cheaper prices than older homes, foreshadowing a potential market crash.

De-listings also surged this year, indicating that if homeowners cannot sell their house for the price they desire, they are willing to take the property off the market and wait for a better time to sell.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/real-estate/article-15422547/lennar-homebuilder-housing-market-prices.html 

[ :: 6-28-09 am service ( first word ) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc.. All these things are end-time signs, the economy, the loss of jobs, the government control. You are in a time that the world has never seen before and that time does not get better, etc..

:: 12-27-25 New York Post :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Seattle schools quizzing kids as young as 11 on sexual orientation, drug use — and sharing data with 3rd parties

By David Spector

Published Dec. 27, 2025, 7:52 a.m. ET

More than 20 Seattle public middle and high schools surveyed kids about gender identity and sexual orientation without telling their parents — and allegedly shared the data with third parties.

The state’s Check Yourself Survey, which is administered in every Seattle middle school and high school, prompts students as young as 11 to answer questions and fill in the blanks about their personal lives, the National Review reported.

“I am most likely to have a crush on,” one question asks before providing a list of answers which includes “all genders” and “males and females.”

Another prompt reads “About Me: I identify as,” with the options listed including “questioning my gender identity” and “non-binary.”

Students, some as young as sixth-graders, were also asked what their “top goals” are for the coming year, with “be in a romantic relationship” listed as an option, the outlet reported.

The kids didn’t all appreciate the questions.

“No I’m also twelve,” one answered, according to the outlet, while another responded, “why do you want to know my sexual orientation,” and another replied: “I never want to do this again.”

The survey, which has been taken by 67,000 students since its inception nearly a decade ago, also asks students about smoking, drinking, drug use, suicidal ideation and problems at home including “fighting or physically hurting others.”

The data was allegedly shared with numerous third parties, including Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute and King County, which encompasses Seattle, according to National Review.

The US Department of Education’s Student Private Policy office is investigating the Seattle-area schools.

Parents said they were never informed of the sexual nature of some of the survey questions, or that the information would be shared outside the schools, the National Review reported.

Nearly two dozen parents signed a letter insisting schools get written permission before administering the survey.

“If parents want to sign their kids up for a program that releases their health information and their personally identifiable information, that is their decision, but every parent deserves to make this decision under informed written consent,” Seattle mom Stephanie Hager told the National Review.

“These records are super valuable because this is very difficult information to get from students or from adolescents, kids, minors,” Hager claimed.

The King County Ombudsman’s Office found “no evidence indicates wrongful disclosure of private student information by King County,” according to a 2024 report — which also acknowledged that one school district released “sensitive student identifying information . . . several years ago.”

Seattle Public Schools reportedly used a $1.5 million federal grant for the survey in 2025 by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

A spokesperson for SAMHSA told The Post that the funds can not be used for services that violate federal law and that the agency is reviewing the matter internally. The county denied responsibility for the disclosure.

The Department of Education, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Seattle Public Schools did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment.

https://nypost.com/2025/12/27/us-news/seattle-schools-quizzing-kids-on-sexual-orientation

-drug-use-and-sharing-with-third-parties/ 

[ :: 4-22-12 am service (first word) :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::]

etc.. The clock is ticking, the midnight hour is already striking, the horses have been riding and yet many see not the things I have told them. They understand not what my word has said, etc..

Rev 6:4
4 And another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to remove peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere. (NLT)

:: 12-28-25 End of the American Dream :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Will 2026 Be A Year Of War With Iran, Russia And China?

December 28, 2025

I think that nearly the entire population of the world would like to see peace in 2026, but global events just continue to drag us toward war. I honestly do not understand why more people are not upset about this. The drumbeats of war seem to get louder with each passing day, and we are getting dangerously close to a point of no return. Nobody wanted World War I to happen, but once it started nobody could stop it and more than 20 million people died. Nobody wanted World War II to happen, but once it started nobody could stop it and more than 50 million people died. Now we have reached a stage where a war between major powers should be unthinkable because of the immense power of the weapons that we now possess. If we are not very careful, billions of people could die before World War III is finally over.

I am extremely concerned that war with Iran could erupt again very soon.

On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ominously declared that his nation is “at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe”…

Iran’s president declared they were in a “total war” with the US, Israel and Europe, just as Tehran looks to rebuild its nuclear capabilities and strengthen ties with Hamas.

Masoud Pezeshkian made the bold statement in an interview published in state media Saturday, Barron’s reported.

“In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees,” Pezeshkian said.

I don’t like the sound of that at all.

How does a “total war” end?

Pezeshkian seems to believe that the U.S., Israel and Europe are “besieging” Iran from every direction…

“This war is worse than Iraq’s war against us; if one understands it well, this war is far more complex and difficult than that war,” Pezeshkian said. Iran fought a prolonged war with its neighbor throughout the 1980s.

“In the war with Iraq, the situation was clear: they fired missiles,” the Iranian president said. But the U.S., Israel and European countries politically, economically, culturally “besieging” Iran, as well as impacting the nation’s security, he added.

“On one side, they block our sales, our exchanges, our trade, and on the other side, expectations in society have risen,” Pezeshkian said.

A predator that has been backed into a corner is extremely dangerous.

The Iranians have rebuilt their strategic missile arsenal, and it is now even stronger than it was during the 12 Day War.

And Pezeshkian is warning that if Iran is attacked again, those that do so will “face a more decisive response”…

Pezeshkian brushed off the impact of Trump’s strikes in June in his latest remarks, and said Iran’s military has rebuilt to a stronger position than it was in before the conflict.

‘Our beloved military forces are doing their jobs with strength and now, in terms of equipment and manpower, despite all the problems we have, they are stronger than when they attacked,’ he said.

‘So if they want to attack, they will naturally face a more decisive response.’

Needless to say, Pezeshkian is not being paranoid in this particular case, because it is being widely reported that the Israelis are considering an attack on Iran’s ballistic missile program.

In fact, it appears that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be discussing this with President Trump when he travels to Florida on Monday…

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to travel to Mar-a-Lago Monday where he is expected to pitch President Trump on a plan to launch new strikes against Tehran.

Israeli sources claim that the Islamic Republic is repairing its air defense systems and rebuilding its ballistic missile program, both of which were destroyed by airstrikes during the war, according to an NBC report.

The Florida powwow also is believed to be crucial to the Gaza deal, with top White House aides believing Netanyahu is sabotaging the peace framework, Axios reported.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is alleging that our European allies are “getting ready to fight it out with Russia on the battlefield”…

“After a new administration came to power in the United States, Europe and the European Union emerged as the main obstacles to peace,” Russia’s veteran Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russia’s Tass state news agency in an interview published on Sunday. “They are making no secret of the fact that they are getting ready to fight it out with Russia on the battlefield.”

Lavrov is not wrong about this.

In fact, earlier this month I listed a whole bunch of signs that the Europeans are feverishly preparing for war.

But the mainstream media keeps telling us that the Ukrainians and the Europeans want peace.

Of course I don’t believe that is true at all.

The Ukrainians and the Europeans fully understand that the “peace plan” that they are working on does not have a prayer of actually being accepted by the Russians…

On Christmas Eve, Zelensky said the US and Ukraine had reached a consensus on a number of critical issues, and indicated he was open to creating a demilitarised zone on his country’s eastern border with Russia.

But he has continued to resist Russian demands that Ukraine gives up two of its eastern regions, Luhansk and Donetsk.

Russia is also likely to object to a role for Nato forces in monitoring a ceasefire, which European leaders including Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron have said must form part of any deal.

Once the Russians inevitably reject this “deal”, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham says that it will be time to start seizing tankers that are carrying Russian oil…

If Putin says “no” this time, I hope the president will sign our bill and impose tariffs on China and other countries purchasing cheap oil from Russia, a state sponsor of terrorism. Therefore, it is equally important to seize and arrest ships carrying sanctioned Russian oil, following the Venezuelan scenario.

And the Europeans may use it as an excuse to start sending troops into Ukraine, even though they know that the Russians have warned over and over again that they will shoot at any European troops that enter the country…

It comes as Moscow warned that any European troop contingents deployed to Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russia’s armed forces in comments published by Russia’s state news agency TASS on Sunday.

Mr Putin warned that Moscow would accomplish all its goals by force if Ukraine didn’t want to resolve the conflict peacefully.

The Russians have made it very clear what it will take to make a deal.

Since they are winning the war, they feel like they have the right to set the terms.

Of course the Ukrainians and the Europeans will never give the Russians what they want.

And so Russian forces will just continue to march forward.

In recent weeks, the pace at which the Russians have been taking territory has increased…

In the Zaporozhie southern region, Gulyaipole and Stepnogorsk were conquered.

Gulyaipole, the second biggest Zaporozhie city, is an important stronghold and a key logistics hub and it fell after a short siege.

In the Donetsk region, Mirnograd (Dimitrov), Rodinskoye, Artemovka and Volnoye were also conquered.

Mirnograd/Dimitrov is an important part of the Pokrovsk/Krasnoarmeysk agglomeration, one of the last major fortified areas under Ukraine’s control in the Donbass.

Within the past few days, there has apparently been a significant breakthrough in the Zaporizhia region.

According to one report, it is “eight kilometers deep in places and 20 kilometers wide”…

Russian troops from the Dnipro Group of Forces have broken through the Kyiv regime’s front west of Orekhovo in the Zaporizhia region. According to military analysts, the breach is up to eight kilometers deep in places and 20 kilometers wide.

According to reports from the field, Russian units are currently advancing toward the settlements of Magdalinovka, Pavlovka, and Lukyanovskoye. Concurrently, the clearing of Stepnogorsk, where a significant Ukrainian Armed Forces force was recently encircled, continues.

The more Russian units advance, the more pressure European leaders will feel to intervene militarily.

And if NATO forces move into Ukraine, we will be just one step away from nuclear war.

Sadly, we are also getting closer to war with China.

The largest arms sale to Taiwan in history was recently approved, and in response the Chinese slapped sanctions on 20 U.S. defense companies…

China has imposed sanctions against 20 US defence-related companies and 10 executives, a week after Washington announced large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the sanctions entail freezing the companies’ assets in China and banning individuals and organisations from dealing with them.

“We stress once again that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China－US relations,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“Any company or individual who engages in arms sales to Taiwan will pay the price for the wrongdoing.”

We just can’t seem to stop provoking the Chinese.

Needless to say, the Chinese are also very upset that we have been seizing Venezuelan oil tankers…

“The U.S. practice of arbitrarily seizing other countries’ vessels grossly violates international law,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters, according to Bloomberg, adding that Beijing opposes anything that “infringes upon other countries’ sovereignty and security, and all acts of unilateralism or bullying.”

Lin added that Venezuela “has the right to independently develop mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries,” and Beijing supports Caracas in “defending its own legitimate rights and interests.”

Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written nine other books that are available on Amazon.com including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing. You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter. Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.