Take a minute to [un]wind with our Sunday morning newsletter. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week – plus, all the anti-fringe news that’s fit to print.
Shinzo Abe assassination:
This week, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed during a campaign event. News of his death brought condolences from across the political spectrum in America.
“Few people know what a great man and leader Shinzo Abe was, but history will teach them and be kind,” said former President Donald Trump. “He was a unifier like no other, but above all, he was a man who loved and cherished his magnificent country, Japan.”
President Biden called Abe “a champion of the Alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people,” adding, “his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure.”
The assassination of any world leader is horrifying, but, as Japan-based journalists pointed out, Abe’s murder is particularly shocking given that the country has some of the tightest gun restrictions in the world. In fact, as seen in images from the scene, the weapon used by the gunman appeared to be homemade.
Abe’s assassination also revealed a horrible pattern in the press of vilifying certain leaders after death, while celebrating others. Many shared a side-by-side of how NPR reported on Abe’s death versus the death of Fidel Castro.
Elon Musk wants out of Twitter deal:
Say it ain't so. Elon Musk no longer wants to buy Twitter – a blow to any of us who thought (perhaps wrongly) that he would help ensure equal treatment of users across the ideological divide.
Musk notified Twitter on Friday that he intends to walk away from the deal, valued at $44 billion dollars, claiming the number of fake "bot" accounts far exceeds the platform's claim of 5%.
But can Musk really just call the whole thing off? Maybe not.
Bret Taylor, Chairman of Twitter's board, wrote (in a tweet of course) that the company is "committed to closing the transaction."
The whipping that wasn't:
No, border patrol agents on horseback did not whip Haitian migrants trying to cross the Rio Grande last year, an official investigation into the incident concluded.
While photos certainly made it look otherwise, the agents were swinging split reins used to control their horses.
While the agents have been cleared of criminal wrongdoing, they may still face disciplinary action over use of force and, in the case of at least one agent, using derogatory language.
[un]Divided contributor Ali Bradley, who is reporting from the border, says the investigation also found that the agents were not trained in crowd control and didn't receive backup despite asking for it.
Meanwhile, some Republican leaders are urging President Joe Biden to apologize to the agents, after he vowed last year that they would "pay" for their treatment of migrants.
"Their reputation was smeared by President Biden, Vice President Harris, and their allies in the media - and they should all apologize to these Border Patrol agents," said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
If you want to read the investigative findings for yourself, you can do so here: https://www.docdroid.net/WVVPGAy/202112280-cbp-closing-report-public-redacted-final-pdf
Brittney Griner pleads guilty:
WNBA start Brittney Griner plead guilty this week in a Russian court, where she was accused of bringing drugs into the country. Griner said she inadvertently left marijuana vape cartridges in her luggage.
It is unclear how much more time (she's already been held since February) Griner could face behind bars in Russia, or whether the rival nation will seek to use her in a prisoner swap.
There were mixed reviews to my commentary on Griner's situation Friday on the podcast. If you missed it, you can watch it here at the 1:30 mark: https://brandikruse.locals.com/post/2401094/parent-vilified-for-raising-red-flag-about-a-washington-law
I also spoke with former NFL player Dave Wyman about what American athletes are and are not told before traveling overseas. Watch our conversation from "Fridays with Friends" here around the 24:50 mark: https://brandikruse.locals.com/post/2401094/parent-vilified-for-raising-red-flag-about-a-washington-law
Anti-ICE activists are now attacking a group of elderly women who serve soup. Republican state lawmakers say two bills would have stopped self-dealing described in whistleblower report. Major job cuts ahead for Amazon. Another disturbing report of the Mercer Island School District covering for teachers accused of abusing students.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8797200-save-the-soup-ladies-10-28-25
A whistleblower exposes rampant self-dealing within a state equity program. Portland ramps up efforts to control Antifa, but is it too little too late? Governor Bob Ferguson’s insane blind spot on girls’ sports. New lawsuit in parental rights battle. Illegal driver in fatal Florida turnpike cash failed CDL test 10 times in Washington state – got a license anyway.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8796587-enrichment-over-equity-10-27-25
The eyes of the nation will be on Portland once again this weekend, but don’t overlook the real tragedy. Voters report double ballots, other concerns ahead of the November election. Socialist state lawmaker fined for blocking conservatives on X. Florida sues Washington state.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8795310-the-real-tragedy-in-portland-10-23-25
These remarks were delivered to the Snohomish County Lincoln Day Dinner on May 17, 2024.
The following remarks were delivered to the Whatcom County Lincoln Day Dinner on March 23, 2024, in Ferndale, Washington.
I struggled with what to talk to you about tonight.
Well, that’s not true. I didn't struggle with what to talk to you about – I struggled with whether I was brave enough to say what I wanted to say.
When I'm invited to speak to groups, I don't want to offend anyone or be too controversial. So, I reached out to a few of your fellow party members to ask whether any topics were off limits or wouldn't go over well with the crowd.
I got some good advice.
Then I decided to ignore that good advice entirely.
Too much is at stake to be polite.
As we sit here tonight, we are in the final battle of a war.
A war that has pit sanity against insanity.
Pragmatism against idealism.
A war that has sacrificed the public good, in favor of a twisted idea of progress.
It's a war that began long before I moved here 15 years ago. It started silently and it was mostly waged in the shadows.
Most of us didn't even realize that a war was being fought. We were too caught up in our own lives and our own problems. ...
Do you work in the tech sector, or have a job that directly depends on the strength of the tech sector in Washington state?
Halloween Edition! Seattle mayoral candidates are resorting to desperate tactics in the final days. National Guard deployment on hold in Portland. I guess climate change isn’t going to kill us after all? Congressional hearing on political violence. Socialist mayoral candidate gets schooled on Cuba in Miami.
Anti-ICE activists are now attacking a group of elderly women who serve soup. Republican state lawmakers say two bills would have stopped self-dealing described in whistleblower report. Major job cuts ahead for Amazon. Another disturbing report of the Mercer Island School District covering for teachers accused of abusing students.
I was honored this week to join President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and other independent content creators for a roundtable on Antifa.
While a certain joke about TDS is getting a lot of attention, the underlying mission of the meeting was serious – deadly serious.
For years, organized left-wing radicals have sought to influence public policy through coercion: using harassment, threats, vandalism, and violence as their tools. From the Occupy movement, to the May Day riots, to the "Summer of Love" and up to the most recent anti-ICE actions, I've followed these activities closely – and been the target of their tactics far too many times.
Whether you call them Antifa, terrorists, radicals, or just criminals – understanding, investigating, and disrupting violent extremism in all forms should be a nonpartisan pursuit.
Here are my full remarks to President Donald Trump:
Mr. President, you’re going to hear us be very fired up today, as you can tell. It’s because some of us have been covering Antifa for 15 years and have never had anyone in a position of authority even acknowledge their existence.
The single most powerful thing you’ve done to deal with this scourge has been acknowledging that Antifa is a real thing. I genuinely believe there would be people at these tables who would be dead today and would have been killed in Portland had you not called them a terror organization and said you're going to bring the full weight of the federal government to bear.
I talked to Katie Daviscourt in Portland the other day. She’d been assaulted all summer. And she said the same thing. They didn’t seem as quick to violence as soon as you made that designation. They’re worried. There’s been two dozen or so arrested in Portland. They don’t want to go to federal prison.
There’s this video of one of them who was in the face of an ICE agent and then he’s in custody shaking. Once you take the mask off, they’re nothing.
I was told by probably a dozen people not to tell you this. I’m going to tell you anyway because it’s relevant to what we’re talking about. I’m living proof that you can recover from TDS. I had strong Trump Derangement Syndrome for probably eight years. This is one of the reasons I recovered from it.
By the way, it’s much better to not have TDS. I’m happier. I’m healthier. I'm more successful. I even think I got a little more attractive after I got rid of my TDS.
I’m a reporter in Seattle and frankly, I could not care any less what any of you have to say about this meeting (looks to Press Corps). I could not care any less. We’re not here for you. I’m not here to convince any of you that Antifa is a real thing. Because if you have not come to that conclusion by now, you are never going to come to that conclusion because you don’t want to see it. And you’re going to say it’s a bunch of right-wing conservative influencers who are here spinning a tale.
I was one of you. I was a mainstream reporter in Seattle for 10 years. I was a TV reporter, on the streets, doing my job and I was still assaulted by Antifa. So, it’s not about being conservative. It’s about people who go out there and show what they’re doing.
When I saw after all those years that the media wouldn’t be honest about what was happening, that Democratic politicians wouldn’t be honest about what was happening, I thought, well, if they’re not being honest about that, maybe they’re not being honest about President Trump either. It opened my mind to just looking at things for what they were. And now I find you quite funny, actually (looks to President Trump).
Again, I could not care any less the stories that go to print. This is what I care about: We have three and a half years. Nothing is guaranteed. Although, I think if Democrats keep it up, we’ll probably have Republican presidents for the next three decades. But nothing is guaranteed. So, what I want to see over the next three and a half years is a fullcourt press to dismantle Antifa once and for all in a meaningful way. I know Andy Ngo, we talked before this about some ideas. We want the federal government to take as many of these cases as possible and look at the interstate travel between Portland and Seattle when it comes to these people who are committing violent acts.
Hopefully, in three and a half years, they will be a shell of their former selves.
President Trump:
Well I think we're very close, and it’s Antifa and many others. Unfortunately, there are many others, bad ones. Most have been named terrorist organizations. There a couple that we’re going to focus on, but I think we’ve got it pretty well covered, but there are many others. Specifically today is Antifa and it’s really bad and we’re going to get it cleaned up.
Thank you very much. I’m glad you no longer have TDS. I feel very good about that. Thank you.
There will be no live show today, September 29.
Why?
I'm on the ground in Portland, doing my best to sort through competing narratives about what's happening outside the ICE facility here.
President Donald Trump declared the city a "war zone," mobilized the National Guard, and authorized Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to use "full force" to finally bring months of unrest outside the facility to an end.
Democratic leadership, including Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, have called the city "safe and calm," suggesting there is no need for federal intervention.
As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. But after just one night on the ground, it is clear that Portland has failed to address the unrest in any meaningful way for more than 100 days. The federal government has a right to protect federal assets and agents, especially considering the abdication of responsibility from local leaders, but what level of intervention is appropriate?
We will be back on air tomorrow, September 30, at our regular time with a special report. In the meantime, the best way to follow breaking updates is on any one of my social media platforms:
X: @BrandiKruse
FB: @BrandiKruseNews
