Badlands Brief
The Boons & Blessings of Discombobulation
The Badlands Brief is your daily drop of Badlands’ takes on the narratives dominating the info war. Read on, and join the conversation in the comments section.
SAVE Act Clears House, Faces Significant Opposition
The US House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) Act Wednesday, requiring documentary proof of US citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote in federal elections.
House Republicans supported the bill as an election-integrity measure aimed at preventing noncitizen voting. House Democrats opposed the bill, arguing it could create barriers for eligible voters who lack ready access to documentation.
The bill faces significant opposition in the US Senate, where it would require bipartisan support to overcome a filibuster.
Related: Attacks on Kurt Olsen continue, with the New York Times opining, “Trump’s Director of Election Security is an Election Denier.”
Ashe in America: The SAVE Act is a good piece of legislation — proving that you’re a citizen before you’re allowed to vote is basic, and anyone opposing that is stupid or evil.
That being said, a good piece of legislation passed by illegitimate “lawmakers” that refuse to acknowledge their own legitimacy problem will not save the nation. That’s a rug.
We expect to fight the uniparty left on voter ID. They worship the state and have terrible ideas. Like this guy:
That account’s introduction of itself is that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Okay. Also, Jon Herold never mentioned Democrats. The uniparty left loves to make everything about themselves.
Still, I’m partial to the attacks that come from the uniparty right:
That exchange was fun. The reaction buttons are greyed out in that screengrab because he blocked me a little while after he made this post. Also note the date.
Now look at the date on this one:
Republicans in Congress have been promising to save elections with the SAVE Act for years. They’ve had full control of the government for over a year.
We cannot have real elections until we have accountability for the fake ones.
Do you think the primary beneficiaries of the fake ones are likely to help us get accountability for that thing that legitimized them and made them feel super important?
Me either.
Get on the Path. Stay on the Path.
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Trump Comments on Bondi Hearing & Epstein Distractions
Following a fiery hearing before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this week, President Trump gave his take on Truth Social Thursday:
“AG Pam Bondi, under intense fire from the Trump Deranged Radical Left Lunatics, was fantastic at yesterday’s Hearing on the never ending saga of Jeffrey Epstein, where the one thing that has been proven conclusively, much to their chagrin, was that President Donald J. Trump has been 100% exonerated of their ridiculous Russia, Russia, Russia type charges. Actually, it is the SLIMEBALL Democrats, many of them big Donors and Politicians, that have been proven GUILTY! “Republican” Loser, Sanctimonious RINO Congressman, Thomas Massie, made a total fool of himself yesterday, fighting aimlessly against a hopeless agenda of Hate and Stupidity, as most clearly stated by his crashing Job Approval Numbers in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, where a Military Hero Opponent, Ed Gallrein, is crushing him in the Polls. He is now in “Wacky” Liz Cheney territory! Nobody cared about Epstein when he was alive, they only cared about him when they thought he could create Political Harm to a very popular President who has brought our Country back from the brink of extinction, and very quickly, at that! In fact, this attempt by the Democrats to take away attention from tremendous Republican SUCCESS is backfiring badly. Maybe they should focus on their quest to Open our Borders to the World’s Greatest Criminals, have Transgender for Everybody or, get Men, no matter their size or strength, to play in Women’s Sports. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP”
Both Bondi and the legislators have faced criticism for their conduct during the hearing.
Burning Bright: Once again, Donald Trump has stepped into the chaos of the Mindscape to elucidate Signal, cutting through the Epsteinian noise to highlight the net effects of the coordinated deployment.
Namely: distraction and division.
So, whatever the truth is, the Epstein Story HAS undoubtedly and inarguably been weaponized.
Take care that you’re not lending your energy to the very Op being forwarded to undermine Trump at what should be the apex of his power, which is to say, OUR power as we fight to bring the Golden Age to fruition.
Clearly, these people are ‘sick.’
Clearly, these names are key nodes in the nation’s—perhaps the world, at times—most insidious modern cabal, heirs of the dark forces that would seek to inherit this earth.
And yet, do the tormentors of the most innocent among us—whose crimes, though infamous, are as yet unproven, at least in THAT particular realm—walking free, to say nothing of various clone and mask and GITMO execution theories that have flooded this particular corner of the battlespace for a decade with no resolution, no catharsis, help or hurt the cause of awakening?
Furthermore, what sort of 2026 narratives and actuals have been, at least temporarily washed from the news cycle in the wake of the latest Epstein drop?
A cascade of corruption being unveiled in the highest seats of power on a state level.
A raid and highly-publicized investigation into one of the core pillars of the 2020 Election Theft.
A long-promised pivot by the MAGA leadership against the Globalist Superstate, delivered to them through smiles that may as well have been bared fangs in their own walled garden of Davos.
The continued revelation (for some) and confirmation (for others) of the Sovereign Alliance and its continued emergence as the Multipolar Mesh both breaks and replaces the Globalist chains.
All threatened in the chaos, which seeks to obfuscate, to confuse and to reduce trust, even in one’s own discernment.
Which might be a revelation nesting at the heart of Donald Trump’s strange, incongruent and yet, consistent assertions that we are witnessing a hoax, and yet, one seeking to obfuscate rather than translate the true depths of the enemy’s depravity.
The War of Stories is about mandate cultivation, by any and all sides on the game board.
For our side, it’s about awakening to the light.
And that only happens by confronting the dark.
And while many in this community feel they have done so by following pathways prompted by names, and ruminating on the implied sins of solitary figures, or perhaps bunches of them at once, the actuals being translated throughout the Trump tenure, throughout the story demonstrate that we weren’t thinking big enough.
The real war is being fought on broader fronts, with quieter weapons, toward more enduring victories: sovereignty restored, children returned to safety, systems dismantled brick by brick, mandate cultivated for the sovereign age to come.
Rubio: “We Live in a New Era in Geopolitics
Secretary Rubio told reporters Wednesday that “the old world is gone.” The Department of State quoted the Secretary on X, posting video of the remarks:
“The world is changing very fast right in front of us. The old world is gone ... We live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to sort of re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be.”
GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: It almost feels as if we wrote that statement for Rubio. It’s almost too perfect of a quote.
“…A new era of geopolitics.”
As true as this statement reads, and as overdue as it has been to make, formally, perhaps even I have underestimated how profound the impact would be on the status quo. How difficult it must be to willingly tear down that status quo that has long served your every interest. How late in that process the Old Guard likely wait before admitting defeat.
But here we stand, at the threshold of cataclysmic transformation, uncertain precisely what change will bring. We have been conditioned to believe that any change—especially that in which a foreign ally or competitor raises their station—would precipitate the fall of the American Dream.
And yet, it seems that the American Dream died long ago for large swaths of the country.
We don’t know what the next epoch will bring, whether or not it will be fortuitous for the American People. There is an excitement that is fueled by that uncertainty, but also burdens us with the anxiety that shrouds every future unknown. We end up choosing the devil that we know rather than charging into the darkness of that unknown.
For too long, we were convinced that this anxiety was reason enough to never seek an end to this status quo, even as that status quo was quietly subverted and secretly altered in order to exploit the American People.
One day, after years of healing, perhaps the American People will have the courage, strength, and fortitude to stop these machinations dead in their tracks. Sometimes I wonder whether we were too broken psychologically to have actually saved ourselves, or whether we were lucky enough to be blessed by angels weaving divine providence.
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Trump & Wright: America is Bullish on Relations with Venezuela
As Energy Secretary Chris Wright toured infrastructure in Venezuela Thursday, President Trump took to Truth Social to talk progress in the embattled nation:
“Relations between Venezuela and the United States have been, to put it mildly, extraordinary! We are dealing very well with President Delcy Rodriguez, and her Representatives. Oil is starting to flow, and large amounts of money, unseen for many years, will soon be greatly helping the people of Venezuela. Marco Rubio, and all of our Representatives, are doing a fantastic job, but we speak only for ourselves, and don’t want there to be any confusion or misrepresentation. There is a story about a man named Harry Sargeant III in The Wall Street Journal. He has no authority, in any way, shape, or form, to act on behalf of the United States of America, nor does anyone else that is not approved by the State Department. Without this approval, no one is authorized to represent our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP”
The Energy Secretary echoed the President on X:
“Visiting Venezuelan oil fields today to explore ways to boost oil production, update infrastructure, and unlock the country’s enormous economic potential. Stronger commerce will benefit Americans AND Venezuelans, while delivering peace and prosperity across the Hemisphere!”
Ashe in America: “Extraordinary!”
“Oil is starting to flow!”
“Large amounts of money!”
“Enormous economic potential!”
“Peace and Prosperity!”
All that sounds amazing from Trump and the admin. Oil is starting to flow? That was quick. Turns out, all Venezuela needed was to get discombobulated to be set straight.
As I write this, the War with Venezuela maxis are silent on the administration’s rhetoric about the country.
No shout outs for Machado. No shade on Rodriguez.
I’m sure by morning, we’ll learn why it’s Todd Blanche’s fault. (It’s always Todd Blanche’s fault.)
Who should we discombobulate next?
Bibi Leaves Washington Without Iran Breakthrough
Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel after a closed-door meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington. The meeting was reportedly focused on Iran’s nuclear program.
“I have just concluded a short but important visit to Washington, during which I spoke with our great friend, President Trump,” Netanyahu said to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews on his way back to Israel. “We have a close, genuine, and open relationship.”
The Israeli Prime Minister continued, “The president believes the Iranians already understand who they are dealing with…the conditions he is setting, combined with their understanding that they made a mistake last time by not reaching an agreement, could lead them to accept terms that would make it possible to achieve a good deal.”
No new agreement, joint framework, or public policy shift was announced following the meeting.
In separate remarks, Trump said Isaac Herzog “should be ashamed” for not pardoning Netanyahu. “You have a president that refuses to give him a pardon. I think that man should be ashamed of himself ... he’s disgraceful.”
Related: On Thursday, news broke that the US is repositioning the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group from Venezuela to the Middle East.
GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: Over 24 hours after I attempted to cover this White House visit—there was nothing to cover—I’ve had some time to process what it means that nothing ostensibly came of it.
There is always the possibility that a kinetic attack is imminent. If that’s what is in the cards, then President Trump certainly wouldn’t telegraph such plans or intent to the world beforehand.
But I have long asserted, and continue to maintain, that such calculus does not lead us to the Golden Age. The cycle of violence has to be broken, and Iran represents one of the longest-running pledges for large scale violence of my lifetime.
It has never been a question of ‘if’ we will have a war with Iran; it has always been a question of ‘when.’
Our beloved elites, of course, could never fully explain why such an idea would be in any way appealing to the American People. Why should we go give more of our families’ blood and treasure to fight an enemy on the other side of the world that poses no clear and present danger to America? (Spare me all of Mark Levin’s talking points. That’s all a bunch of NeoCon bullshit.)
Netanyahu leaving the US without any sort of formal announcement, negotiated deal, or even a memorable photo op feels like a massive failure for Bibi. The only spiritual “victory” would be that Bibi made it out of the White House without Trump publicly humiliating him for any one of the countless transgressions he’s made against the President.
But this is also where things get extremely dangerous.
Netanyahu’s Israel has become a cornered animal that is now poised to square off against the entire world. As the world moves to quickly remake the security architecture of the New World, the Old Guard digs in and prepares for the final proverbial assault.
How do you capture a dangerous animal?
How did our ancestors capture and kill woolly mammoths thousands of years ago?
Working together as a team, the cave men would corral the beast into a choke point where the group could then destroy it through choreographed strikes.
All of this is achieved through deception. And optics are important in order to pull it all off.
Everybody believes that President Trump is Netanyahu’s lap top. The narrative of him pressuring President Herzog to pardon Netanyahu ostensibly supports this thesis.
But it actually doesn’t.
Think about it:
Trump demands from Herzog that he pardon Netanyahu. If he ends up pardoning Bibi, then the optics are that Trump saved Netanyahu and Bibi owes him everything.
If Herzog refuses to pardon, then Netanyahu is looking at at least two likely convictions and at least 10 (if not 15) years in prison. The divisions in Israel have grown so bad that a judge could be inclined to impose such a sentence in order to try to bury the Netanyahu era from view and memory.
No matter what happens, Trump gains additional leverage over Netanyahu— which Bibi will inevitably betray as he must pursue conflict in order to satisfy his coalition’s bloodlust.
All of this corrals the animal into a choke point that the group can anticipate.
The question becomes what they will do with the cornered beast?
BONUS ITEM
Minnesota Immigration Crackdown Ends
Federal authorities announced that the controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota is coming to an end. The operation — known as Operation Metro Surge — had led to thousands of arrests and violent protests.
Border Czar Tom Homan posted on X:
"Since I have been on the ground here in Minnesota, I have had the opportunity to assess progress of the surge operation, as well as conduct extensive federal, state, local, and community stakeholder outreach to hear their perspectives, obtain better cooperation, and deescalate the intense, unlawful, and dangerous situation that had unfolded here.
Today, I was pleased to announce that,
—ICE’s target list has been significantly reduced, and many public safety threats have been removed from local communities,
—We have obtained an unprecedented level of coordination with counties to notify us before releasing a criminal alien from jail and allowing ICE to assume custody in the safety and security of a jail setting,
—Unlawful agitator activity has notably decreased, and
—State and local law enforcement has stepped up to shut down unlawful actions committed by agitators.
The far left and extreme, organized agitator groups can try to spin this however they want, but these are the facts.
Given the success we have achieved here, I announced earlier that I had proposed—and the President concurred with—concluding this surge operation.
Our officers/agents deployed here will continue immigration enforcement actions in other locations across the country to deliver on the President’s goals to maintain border security and conduct mass deportations.
I want to thank the dedicated, talented men and women of ICE and CBP who have worked tirelessly during this surge operation to enforce federal immigration laws and remove public safety threats from the streets of Minnesota. Minnesota communities are safer as a result.
Thank you, President Trump, for your ongoing leadership and commitment to ensuring law and order, public safety, and prosperity for American communities. As I have said before, when it comes to border security and immigration enforcement, no President has delivered more, or has done it better, than President Trump.”
The operation began in December 2025, with more than 4,000 arrests in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and statewide deployments of federal immigration agents.
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🇫🇷🙏🏻🫂💕🕊️♀️🇺🇲
To all the 🇺🇲 America First 🇺🇲 and MAGA Ladies we know and interact with regularly here, yesterday I wrote a comment that is perfectly in tune with tomorrow's celebration of Valentine's Day 🤗:
https://badlands.substack.com/p/badlands-brief-405/comment/213712078
There is so much BS misinformation and rhetoric surrounding the SAVE Act specifics regarding voter registration. The debate has gone completely off the rails with the Democrat major talking point about disenfranchising married women from voting because their married name is not reflected on their birth certificate. Such BS.
Let's clarify the fact the name on your birth certificate NEVER changes!!! The married name, if the woman chooses to change with marriage is reported on a marriage certificate. If they don't have a copy of that it's a very easy document to obtain, in many jurisdictions its available online.
Take this a bit further. If the married woman who already holds a REAL ID compliant driver’s license has gone through a federally standardized identity verification process. In most cases, the documentation required to obtain that license overlaps substantially with what is required to register to vote. They keep repeating, "Not everyone has a passport." Of course not and you don't need one.
Residency verification has always been required. Voting has always been tied to a physical precinct. To determine where someone votes they must present anything like a utility bill, a lease agreement, a bank statement, or other government correspondence showing their place of residence. Nothing new here.
Debate over voting policy should be grounded in how identification systems actually work, rather than implying that large numbers of citizens lack any viable way to document their identity or legal name.
Examples of what are needed in large states to obtain a Real ID compliant driver's license, now required to fly anywhere, in most states for example you need certified birth certificate or valid passport or certificate of citizenship or naturalization, plus two separate original documents including utility bill, bank statement, lease agreement, mortgage, pay stub, and other sources. For a name change a person in most states must present a marriage certificate, or divorce decree, or court order for legal name change. In all cases the person must go to the DMV to obtain the license.
The SAVE Act would effectively restrict registration methods that do not allow for in-person verification of citizenship documentation (for example, mail-in or online registration) unless the citizenship documents are physically presented according to the bill’s terms. This gets to the core of why Dems oppose. Dems oppose it even in the face of overwhelming public approval.