Good morning, Wake Up Right fam! Every so often, a poll drops that really takes the temperature of the American electorate — and this one’s a 103° fever.

This week, YouGov released a poll that asked voters if they think MS-13 gang banger Kilmar Abrego Garcia should be returned to the United States.

• 87% of Democrats said yes

• 17% of Republicans said yes

To be honest, 17% is too many Republicans. But nearly the entire Democrat base saying yes? That tells you everything you need to know about where the party stands in 2025.

• 👍️ 70% of small biz owners support Trump tariffs

• ✅ Sen. Dick Durbin (D) will not seek re-election

• 🚙 65% of Americans say they'd buy a hybrid car

• 💰️ FBI offers $5M for info to capture MS-13 leader

^{Sources: Freedom Economy Index, The National Pulse, Gallup, State Department}

Military recruitment surges under Hegseth’s warrior ethos

U.S. military recruitment is surging under the Trump administration and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — in spite of relentless attacks from the mainstream media and Democrats.

The details: According to data released by the Department of Defense, recruitment is up big in every branch of the military. In February 2025 alone:

• Army: +23,586 (115% of goal)

• Navy: +16,201 (105% of goal)

• Air Force: +5,847 (106% of goal)

• Marines: +13,329 (100% of goal)

• Space Force: +299 (100.1% of goal)

Hegseth weighs in: Speaking to Fox News, the Defense Secretary said:

• “These recruiting numbers don’t surprise me… one bit. They’re a reflection of a yearning from the American public, of young people to be proud of their country.”

Zoom out: Hegseth embodies the ‘warrior ethos’ and brings a breath of fresh air to the position as a former Army infantry officer with deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since taking the reins, he's reshaped the Defense Department away from woke DEI standards and towards "lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness."

• But if you ask him, he says: "There is no better recruiter in my mind for our military than President Donald Trump."

Back up: Recruitment officially reached crisis levels under Joe Biden:

• 🚨 Army missed its recruitment goal in 2022 by 25%

• 🚨 Navy missed its recruitment goal in 2023 by 20%

• 🚨 Air Force missed its recruitment goal in 2023 by 10%, the first time in over 20 years.

In spite of attacks: While young Americans flock to serve under this administration, the mainstream media has been relentless in its attempt to scandalize Hegseth — most recently overhyping the report that a journalist was accidentally added to a Signal chat where a successful bombing of Houthi terrorists was discussed.

Trump touts success: Since November 5th, it’s all happened. Enrollment in the military is at a record. We’re setting records and six months ago we couldn’t get anybody.”

Fight for healthcare price transparency

Meritocracy is back

President Trump signed a sweeping set of executive orders aimed at overhauling American education — signalling a sharp pivot back to merit-based admissions and discipline policies.

The details: Trump signed a total of seven orders focused on education yesterday, flanked by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. A few of the highlights include:

• Merit over DEI: Revokes the woke “disparate impact theory” guidance and prohibits accreditors from enforcing DEI-based standards.

• Discipline reset: Reverses Obama and Biden-era rules that weakened school discipline policies in the name of “equity.”

• HBCU support: Launches a new White House initiative focused on improving efficiency and funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

• AI in schools: Establishes a task force to build AI education into K-12 curricula.

• Apprenticeships: Commits to adding 1 million apprenticeships nationwide.

In three words: McMahon summarized the orders, saying: "Meritocracy is back."

Big picture: Trump is successfully redefining education in America — putting merit over ideology.

[Source: Fox News]

🇺🇦 President Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for sabotaging ongoing peace talks with Russia. Read more.

🇺🇸 President Donald Trump announced he will personally fund the installation of two nearly 100-foot-tall American flags at the White House. Read more.

🤡 Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal alien deported to El Salvador, has been linked to a convicted human trafficker, embarrassing Democrats lobbying for his return to the U.S. Read more.

🚙 The FBI says the Venezuelan government may be using Tren de Aragua gang members to "destabilize" the United States. Read more.

💉 HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly considering removing the COVID-19 vaccine from the recommended vaccine schedule for children. Read more.

💬 President Trump says he has “no intention” of firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Read more.

🎁 President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to enforce laws that require universities to disclose large foreign gifts. Read more.

🥣 Chobani, known for Greek-style yogurt, will build a $1.2 billion production facility in New York, creating more than 1,000 jobs. Read more.

🆘 Two illegal aliens have been charged in connection with the murder of a mother of two in Maryland. Read more.

🎥 Trump addresses Musk stepping back from DOGE. Watch.

🎥 Natalie Winters rips CNN journalist's face off. Watch.

🎥 Defense Sec. Hegseth has a great Trump impression. Watch.

🎥 The hags on The View say Trump's $5,000 baby tax credit is racist. Watch.

🎥 Sheriff MOCKS crying illegal gang banger. Watch.

🎥 Trump notices a familiar face on a veteran's prosthetic leg. Watch.

🎥 Massive NJ wildfire prompted evacuations. Watch.

🎥 Two of my favorite people (Theo Vonn and Mike Rowe) talk Trump tariffs and Made in America. Watch. Full podcast here.

🎥 Megyn Kelly goes nuclear on washed-up actor George Clooney. Watch.

🎥 Border Czar: MS-13 gang banger got more due process than Laken Riley. Watch.

🎥 Comedian's joke about anti-vaxxers is pretty funny. Watch.

Shop the Wake Up Right store!

About two months ago, I was at a butcher in my neighborhood and saw a diagram of a cow, with all the cuts of meat labeled. And that gave me an idea for a t-shirt:

DOGE Butcher Shop — but instead of the cow, we use a pig. And the cuts of meat in the diagram represent all the waste, fraud, and abuse being butchered by the Trump admin.

Over the last few weeks, I worked with a really talented graphic designer who brought it to life. And on Friday I got a sample in the mail and I’m happy to say, it came out better than I’d hoped.

Also, my wife told me I had to mention that the t-shirt it’s printed on is Comfort Colors. Apparently, they’re well-known for high-quality materials. I just chose them because they are printed in the U.S. and made with 100 U.S. cotton.

If you love this newsletter and want to rep the Wake Up Right fam, you can do so with the link below!

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