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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Tuesday, December 30, 2025

" We are the free world now." Those words from Raphael Glucksmann, a French socialist member of the European Parliament, captured the pearl-clutching outrage of Europeans after the Trump administration did what no prior administration has ever done " stand up to Europe to defend the freedom of speech. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio barred five figures closely associated with European censorship efforts from traveling to the U.S. This includes Thierry Breton, the former European Union commissioner responsible for digital policy.

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I don't think travel bans is the right way to approach this bit this is definitely a fight that needs to happen.

#1 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 04:20 PM | Reply

"stand up to Europe to defend the freedom of speech."

By denying Europeans entry into a country with a First Amendment.

Can I see the math on that one?

#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-30 04:34 PM | Reply | Funny: 1 | Newsworthy 2

#1 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Europe is freer than we are and has been for almost a year.

Because we are hag-ridden by an evil man and the evil people who enable him.

This what you people always do, cast about for some sort of distracting fight.

Bombing Venezuela appears to be failing already

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2025-12-30 04:39 PM | Reply

#1 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

You notice that I used the word "evil" twice in one sentence?

That's because you won't use the word at all.

#4 | Posted by Zed at 2025-12-30 04:43 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

" Europe is freer than we are"

Not as it pertains to speech.

#5 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 04:49 PM | Reply

Not as it pertains to speech.

#5 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Does Donald Trump go after others with the full force of the US government for saying things he does not like?

You think that people are stupid.

#6 | Posted by Zed at 2025-12-30 04:54 PM | Reply

Jonathon Turley, lmao... what Alan Dershowitz wasn't available to comment on, 'European censorship'?

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-30 04:54 PM | Reply

" Does Donald Trump go after others with the full force of the US government for saying things he does not like?"

Do you have any examples?

#8 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 05:12 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

No, I'm making it all up.

Disingenuous idiot.

#9 | Posted by Zed at 2025-12-30 06:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

#8 Impotence and incompetence on one, single post.

Behold the Christmas miracle!

#10 | Posted by A_Friend at 2025-12-30 06:34 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Do you have any examples?
#8 | Posted by BellRinger

Here you go:

US takes on European industrial censorship complex

" We are the free world now." Those words from Raphael Glucksmann, a French socialist member of the European Parliament, captured the pearl-clutching outrage of Europeans after the Trump administration did what no prior administration has ever done " stand up to Europe to defend the freedom of speech. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio barred five figures closely associated with European censorship efforts from traveling to the U.S. This includes Thierry Breton, the former European Union commissioner responsible for digital policy.

Posted by BellRinger

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-30 06:36 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#8 Impotence and incompetence on one, single post.
Behold the Christmas Festivus miracle!

#10 | Posted by A_Friend at 2025-12-30 06:34 PM | Reply | Flag: "Gotta go make the bagels now."

#12 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-12-30 06:41 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

No, I'm making it all up.

Disingenuous idiot.

#9 | POSTED BY ZED AT 2025-12-30 06:32 PM | FLAG: "

Then provide an example or two.

#13 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 08:20 PM | Reply

I'm not even necessarily saying you are wrong. I just not aware of what you are claiming.

#14 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 08:21 PM | Reply

BS

#15 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-12-30 08:23 PM | Reply

www.npr.org

#16 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-12-30 08:28 PM | Reply

INSKEEP: Who exactly is Trump targeting?

DREISBACH: Yeah. It's a really wide spectrum of people and institutions that Trump has gone after. It includes lawyers and law firms often with ties to Democrats, political opponents, people who worked on investigations into Trump or the January 6 rioters, media companies, universities and then also people who actually worked in the first Trump administration but who Trump considers disloyal.

INSKEEP: And when we say targeted, what kind of actions are involved here?

DREISBACH: So at maybe the harshest end are these criminal investigations. And Trump has actually ordered multiple Justice Department investigations right from the Oval Office. One of those investigations targets Christopher Krebs. He was a top cybersecurity official in the first Trump administration. Trump fired him back then for saying the 2020 election was safe and secure. And here is what Trump said about Krebs earlier this month.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He's the fraud. He's a disgrace. So we'll find out whether or not it was a safe election, and if it wasn't, he's got a big price to pay.

DREISBACH: Then there's Miles Taylor, who also served in the first Trump administration. Back then, Taylor wrote this anonymous op-ed that said Trump was erratic and dangerous. Here is what Trump said about him.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TRUMP: I think he's guilty of treason, if you want to know the truth, but we'll find out. And I assume we're recommending this to the Department of Justice?

#17 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-12-30 08:30 PM | Reply

#14 Been using the word efficacy lately, bell boi? ? ? ?

#18 | Posted by A_Friend at 2025-12-30 08:34 PM | Reply

#16. That does validate Zed's comment. Thank you for sharing.

#19 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 08:44 PM | Reply

#17 | POSTED BY ALEXANDRITE

That reads like NPR crap, whats the context? You need more than just his statements, where was stating this, whom was it about, what was the question.

You're like a rightwinger with a phone going around recording Somali childcare FFS.

#20 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-12-30 09:35 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

hey oneiro ...

no one cares what you think. google it for yourself -------.

#21 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-12-30 09:41 PM | Reply

"You need more than just his statements"

No you don't.

#22 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-30 09:47 PM | Reply

" I just not aware of what you are claiming."

Did y'all catch that?

It happened over 100 times, and Bellringer wasn't aware of ANY of them.

Isn't he the guy who promoted varying one's news sources?

His posts read like his "varied" sources are NRO, Redstate, and the Daily Stormer.

#23 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:01 PM | Reply

" You need more than just his statements"

ANOTHER poster with "varied" news sources, all of whom have NEVER aired anything but pro-Trump fluff.

#24 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:05 PM | Reply

" Europe is freer than we are"
Not as it pertains to speech.
#5 | Posted by BellRinger

Yes as it pertains to speech.

We're denying foreigners entry for speech that is legal here.

We're deporting foreigners entry for speech that is legal here.

#25 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-30 10:08 PM | Reply

" His posts read like his "varied" sources are NRO, Redstate, and the Daily Stormer.

#23 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2025-12-30 10:01 PM | FLAG: "

I don't go to Redstate or Daily Stormer. I certainly read a lot of what gets posted here. NRO is very critical of Trump. I also read what gets posted at NRO.

#26 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:16 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

I meant to say I also read what gets posted at Realclearpolitics.

#27 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:17 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

" I meant to say I also read what gets posted at Realclearpolitics."

Yet none of your sources covered any of Trump's 100+ instances.

What does that say about your varied sources?

#28 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:22 PM | Reply

" NRO is very critical of Trump"

Yet they didn't touch any of the 100+ instances ... so ... not really.

#29 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:25 PM | Reply

According to Danforth, this is a pro Trump puff piece:

" President Donald Trump played fast and loose with the presidential pardon power in 2025 " granting clemency to convicted fraudsters, drug traffickers, supporters convicted of assaulting police officers, and other individuals convicted of serious crimes."

www.nationalreview.com

As is this:

" IN JULY . . . The president of the United States settles a $10 billion nuisance lawsuit against CBS News; his claim was "60 Minutes edits its interviews and doesn't like me," which was probably not going to hold up in court as a cause of action, but was absolutely going to hold up the corporate merger of CBS's parent company Paramount so long as Trump was president".
" IN AUGUST . . . President Trump, tired of seeing unpleasant numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fires its commissioner for reporting statistics that make him look like a chump"

" www.nationalreview.com

And here is some more pro Trump fluff, according to Danforth.

" Trump Has No Authority to Categorize Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction"

www.nationalreview.com

#30 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:32 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

" Yet they didn't touch any of the 100+ instances ... so ... not really.

#29 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2025-12-30 10:25 PM | FLAG: "

I followed the parents protesting sexualized books for students, Covid school closures and I know some of them got loud. I also know Biden' handlers took what was a local LE issue and put the FBI on it with an obvious attempt to intimidate any and all parents who were speaking out.

#31 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:36 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

#30
Those articles are stating obvious facts.

But wow ... one non-fluff a month!

And still: no mentions of the 100+ instances. Were they unaware as well, or were they aware and just hiding it from you?

#32 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:38 PM | Reply

" Biden' handlers took what was a local LE issue and put the FBI on it"

Terrorism is within the purview of the FBI, dumfuq.

Should we discuss what made those folks terrorists? How about we start with the definition of terrorism?

Mine is when someone makes violent or mortal threats toward elected officials, in an attempt to change policies or actions by intimidation or fear.

Every time a parent or guardian threatened a school board with violence or death if they didn't reverse course, by definition, that is terrorism.

Please post your definition. I need to see where we differ.

#33 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:43 PM | Reply

" But wow ... one non-fluff a month!"

Now you're being obtuse.

#34 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:51 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

"I know some of them got loud. "

Oh, ffs. Loud?!?

You wouldn't think it was just "loud" if it was your family getting death threats.

Try using a little humanity for once. There's a REASON it's called terrorism.

#35 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:54 PM | Reply


no one cares what you think. google it for yourself -------.
#21 | POSTED BY ALEXANDRITE

Nah. You can't defend your statements and sources or be the loser everyone knows you are.

#36 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-12-30 10:55 PM | Reply

" Now you're being obtuse."

Now you're pretending you weren't posting outliers.

#37 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:55 PM | Reply

What's your definition of terrorism, bellringer? I've already asked once.

#38 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 10:56 PM | Reply

This is a 3 page document breaking down how domestic terrorism is defined and categorized:

www.fbi.gov

#39 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:57 PM | Reply

" Now you're pretending you weren't posting outliers.

#37 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2025-12-30 10:55 PM | FLAG: "

They cover a wide range of issues. It's not 100% about Trump. Not even close.

#40 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 10:59 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

I cant be a loser? thanks!

#41 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-12-30 11:01 PM | Reply

" This is a 3 page document breaking down how domestic terrorism is defined and categorized"

Did you read the part where it almost used my same wording?

Turns out those parents weren't being loud. They were being terrorists. BY DEFINITION.

Time to call it what it is.

#42 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 11:07 PM | Reply

" They cover a wide range of issues. It's not 100% about Trump.

We'll add "outlier" to the list of words you don't understand.

#43 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 11:10 PM | Reply

An article about the Minnesota fraud scandal is not a Trump puff piece.

We'll add Trump puff piece to the list of terms you don't understand.

#44 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-30 11:37 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

" An article about the Minnesota fraud scandal is not a Trump puff piece."

You're right. It has nothing at all to do with Trump.

"We'll add Trump puff piece to the list"

Your list, since Trump has nothing to do with the story, until now, when he's withholding money for hungry children.

But the article didn't cover that part, did it?

#45 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-30 11:52 PM | Reply

First, you said this:

" with "varied" news sources, all of whom have NEVER aired anything but pro-Trump fluff.

#24 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2025-12-30 10:05 PM | FLAG: "

Then I provided evidence to the contrary. So you moved the goalposts to "outlier" and then said this:

" one non-fluff a month!"

The first two links I provided were published at NRO today. The other was on December 20. 3 in 10 days is far different than 1 per month. They've also posted other pieces critical of Trump this month.

" Your list, since Trump has nothing to do with the story, until now, when he's withholding money for hungry children.

But the article didn't cover that part, did it?"

It's because the story about Trump freezing funds broke after that piece was published at NRO. That piece was published this morning. The freezing funds story broke this evening.

Seriously, ditch the shovel.
"

#46 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 12:08 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

" Did you read the part where it almost used my same wording?"

Yes, it was toward the end of page 2.

#47 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 12:11 AM | Reply

It was also smack in the middle of page one.

So, is that YOUR definition?

#48 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 12:21 AM | Reply

" Seriously, ditch the shovel."

Hand it up to me, if it'll reach.

#49 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 12:23 AM | Reply

#48 yes

#50 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 12:36 AM | Reply

So those " loud parents" were terrorists, agreed?

#51 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 12:54 AM | Reply

Anyone who made a threat of physical violence, yes. Plenty of parents got loud but did not issue threats. Getting loud without issuing threats is not domestic terrorism.

#52 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 01:04 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

" Plenty of parents got loud but did not issue threats. "

And if you can find one of those that the FBI labeled a terrorist, I'll agree with you. But you can't. And you won't.

So now you're deflecting to VOLUME. Nobody got labeled a terrorist for volume. You saw the requirements: threatening injury, violence, or death. All of the folks labeled terrorists did so.

Basically, at this point, your only defense is pretending that the FBI violated their own rules and were designating people terrorists willy-nilly.

It's patently untrue. How is that not a lie?

#53 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 01:19 AM | Reply

Well first off it was a local law enforcement issue unless your argument is that each and every death threat issued anywhere in the country is investigated by the FBI.

#54 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 01:27 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

I don't accuse the FBI of violating its own rules.

Because it was a local LE issue and the Biden administration loudly announced it was bringing in the FBI, IMO that was an attempt at intimidation particularly it was at the behest of the NEA.

#55 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 01:30 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

" Well first off it was a local law enforcement issue"

Not once the terroristic threats started.

" ... unless your argument is that each and every death threat issued anywhere in the country is investigated by the FBI."

That's stupid; of course not. It would have to be against a public official, and meant to have them reverse course or policy due to fear.

You know: terrorism, by definition.

#56 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 01:34 AM | Reply

" Biden administration loudly announced it was bringing in the FBI, IMO that was an attempt at intimidation"

You're joking, right?!?

You just defended the folks you admit were terrorists, and are pearl-clutching because Biden was too rough on them.

Careful you don't drown carrying all that fetid water.

#57 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 01:40 AM | Reply

" I don't accuse the FBI of violating its own rules."

In that case, the only people the FBI were calling terrorists, were terrorists.

Why do you have such a problem with that?

#58 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 01:46 AM | Reply

From the FBI's website:

The FBI is also responsible for specific terrorism-related offenses, such as violence at airports, money laundering, attacks on U.S. officials, and others.

(emphasis mine)

#59 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 01:51 AM | Reply

On the terrorism issue I cede the argument. Your points are all fair.

#60 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 02:15 AM | Reply

Now find my question: who told you there were no subsidies? And answer it.

#61 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 02:24 AM | Reply

When it was being sold to the public before it passed is what I recall, although that was almost 16 years ago.

#62 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-12-31 02:36 AM | Reply

" When it was being sold to the public before it passed is what I recall, although that was almost 16 years ago."

Well, nobody ever said it. It was never true. Subsidies were subsidies from day one. THAT WAS PART OF THE POINT, literally the first "A".

Clearly, your recall sucks.

Again, did you make this up? Or did you hear this from someone else? If someone else, who?

#63 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-12-31 02:46 AM | Reply

Troll posts a troll thread

News at 11

#64 | Posted by truthhurts at 2025-12-31 09:42 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

LMAO

This isn't exactly the place we should be arguing about censorship.

#65 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2025-12-31 12:53 PM | Reply

"Plenty of parents got loud but did not issue threats."

Oh I see.

It's like you defending rapist pedophile men with the comment "Not All Men."

"Not All Parents."

#66 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-31 03:23 PM | Reply

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