Welcome back, Wake Up Right fam! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and escaped serious injury fighting for Black Friday deals. We’re coming back from break a day late, which means we have a lot to catch up on!

• 💸 Black Friday online spending hit record $11.8B

• 🧾 36% of Black Friday sales aren't really discounts

• 📜 25% of the unemployed have college degrees

• 📈 US businesses ramped up spending in September

• 👎️ Lowest city satisfaction: Baltimore, Philly, Portland [OR]

^{Sources: Fox Business, CNBC, Bloomberg, Breitbart, Axios}

Tragedy ignites Trump’s all-in immigration policy

An Islamic Terrorist shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C. late last week – prompting President Donald Trump to strongly respond by doubling down on his immigration and deportation efforts.

The attack: Last week, on Wednesday afternoon, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal opened fire near the White House in what authorities call a “targeted ambush" on National Guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom (20) and Andrew Wolfe (24). Sarah was fatally shot, and Wolfe is in critical condition.

• Islamic terror: Lakanwal was allegedly shouting “ALLAHU AKBAR" when he used a .357-Magnum revolver to shoot at point-blank range. He only had four bullets, but picked up Beckstrom's weapon and began shooting at Wolfe.

• Cross-country: Lakanwal reportedly drove nearly 3,000 miles across the country from Washington state to carry out the attack.

• Heroes step in: A third, unarmed National Guardsman heard the gunshots and ran towards the chaos, taking down the terrorist with only a pocket knife, stabbing him multiple times in the head. A fourth Guardsman also ran towards the frat and shot Lakanwal in the buttocks and leg.

• Lakanwal was taken into custody alive and will be charged with first-degree murder, among other crimes.

We’ll get into who this trashbag was later, but first…

Trump’s based responds: In a scathing post on Thanksgiving, President Trump laid out the most aggressive immigration policy of his presidency and called out specific populations and the politicians who enable them:

• “The official United States Foreign population stands at 53 million people (Census), most of which are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels. They and their children are supported through massive payments from Patriotic American Citizens who, because of their beautiful hearts, do not want to openly complain...”

• “As an example, hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota. Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for “prey” as our wonderful people stay locked in their apartments and houses hoping against hope that they will be left alone. The seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both, while the worst “Congressman/woman” in our Country, Ilhan Omar, always wrapped in her swaddling hijab, and who probably came into the U.S.A. illegally in that you are not allowed to marry your brother, does nothing but hatefully complain about our Country…”

• “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

• “Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation. Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!"

…I know that was a lot, but the full post was longer. These were just essential reading in my opinion…

More about the Afghan: Lakanwal previously served in the CIA-backed "Zero Unit" - an elite paramilitary team that conducted counterterrorism missions alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan.

• He entered the U.S. under the Biden regime on September 8, 2021, shortly after the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

• He was resettled in Washington state with his wife and five children.

• According to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, he was radicalized through connections already in the U.S.

Zoom out: While officials have not released a specific motive yet [I guess “allahu akbar” isn’t specific enough], it’s worth noting that in recent weeks Democrats have repeatedly demonized the National Guard deployments in D.C. with rhetoric that could inspire this exact type of attack.

Good news: Yesterday, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey updated us on Andrew Wolfe's condition:

• "We were told that Andrew was asked if he could hear the nurse who asked the question to give a thumbs up, and he did respond. And we were told that he also wiggled his toes. So we take that as a positive sign."

The last word goes to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who told the press:

• "The tragedy that we just witnessed the day before Thanksgiving is a reminder that untold thousands of terrorists, gang members, and criminals were invited into our country and remain here to this very day... The threat in our interior remains real and urgent."

[Source: NY Post, Daily Wire]

Start investing right from your phone

Jumping into the stock market might seem intimidating with all its ups and downs, but it’s actually easier than you think. Today’s online brokerages make it simple to buy and trade stocks, ETFs, and options right from your phone or laptop. Many even connect you with experts who can guide you along the way, so you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Get started by opening an account from Money’s list of the Best Online Stock Brokers and start investing with confidence today.

Start investing

Trump tightens the screws on Venezuela

The U.S. is surging more than 10 warships and 15,000 troops into the Caribbean – including the Navy’s largest aircraft carrier – as President Trump escalates pressure on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and expands his war on cartel-linked drug flows to the U.S.

The details: The USS Gerald R. Ford, carrying more than 70 aircraft, is leading the deployment under Operation Southern Spear, aimed at stopping fentanyl and cocaine routes originating in Venezuela. The build-up includes:

• Two guided-missile destroyers (USS Gravely, USS Stockdale)

• Two cruisers (USS Lake Erie, USS Gettysburg)

• The USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship

• A Marine Expeditionary Unit with 2,200 Marines, part of a broader footprint of 15,000 U.S. personnel in the region.

• The Pentagon has also reopened Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico to support operations.

Zoom out: Navy Secretary John Phelan framed the mission as homeland defense: “Drugs kill more Americans than we’ve ever lost in wars.”

What’s the beef with Venezuela? U.S. intelligence says Venezuela’s military and the Cartel de los Soles have turned the country’s state oil infrastructure into a drug-laundering and trafficking hub.

Tense talks: The Trump administration privately delivered an ultimatum to Maduro: resign and evacuate, or face escalating military pressure. Talks stalled after Maduro reportedly demanded “global amnesty.”

Closing Venezuela’s airspace: Shortly after talks failed, Trump declared Venezuelan airspace closed, a step former Venezuelan diplomat Vanessa Neumann says signals pre-strike positioning: “The targets are well-mapped. This is a capture-or-kill scenario.”

Real talk from G: This is very much about stopping drug trafficking. But it’s also about stiff-arming China, which is trying to gain a foothold in the West through Venezuela. Unlike previous weak Presidents, Trump is not allowing the enemy into our neighborhood.

[Source: NY Post, Fox News, The Post Millennial]

✒️ President Trump announced he will "terminate" all executive orders signed under Joe Biden using the autopen. Read more.

🇸🇴 The U.S. Treasury is investigating allegations of tax dollars being diverted to al-Shabaab and other Somali Islamist terrorist groups due to mismanagement of public funds by Governor Tim Walz and the former Biden regime. Read more.

💀 The U.S. will put 47 death row killers to death this year, twice as many as in 2024. Read more.

📦️ Leaked internal Amazon documents reveal the company hopes robots and automation will help it avoid hiring 600,000 humans it would have otherwise needed by 2033. Read more.

🆘 Three illegal alien teenagers have been charged in the fatal stabbing of a 49-year-old homeless man in Chicago. Read more.

🏞️ Foreigners will be charged $250 for an annual national parks pass while the price for U.S. citizens remains at $80. Read more.

💣️ U.S. airstrikes on jihadi targets in Somalia have surged over tenfold under Trump this year compared to Biden’s 2024 pace. Read more

🇺🇦 Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff resigned after a raid on his home amid a corruption probe that threatens to undermine Zelenskyy’s wartime authority. Read more.

🇮🇱 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the country's president for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, arguing that criminal proceedings were hindering his ability to govern. Read more.

✝️ “That’s okay.” Pope Leo XIV declined an invitation to pray while visiting the Blue Mosque in Turkey. Read more.

🍎 Apple is expected to overtake Samsung as the top smartphone seller in 2025 for the first time in over a decade. Read more.

🫀 An MRI of President Trump's heart and abdomen performed last month as part of his annual executive physical reveals no abnormalities and confirms excellent health. Read more.

🇮🇳 Democrat Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced a bill to DOUBLE the H-1B visas issued annually by the U.S. from 65,000 to 130,000. Read more. This is why you should not be allowed to serve in Congress if you weren't born here. Dude was born in India. He's clearly representing his home country with this bill – not the people of Illinois.

🎥 The moment a National Guardsman takes out the Islamic terrorist in DC. Watch.

🎥 Honor escort for National Guard member killed by DC terrorist. Watch.

🎥 Trump asks reporter, "Are you stupid?" after she asks a STUPID question. Watch.

🎥 Ukraine explodes a massive Russian oil tanker. Watch.

🎥 You might want to grab a tissue before watching Chevy's new Christmas commercial. Watch.

🎥 Trump has a badass line for illegals who "think we're stuck with them." Watch.

✅ The Trump White House launched a website to fact-check the FAKE NEWS. See it.

🎥 STREET JUSTICE: Racist criminal repeatedly busted for spitting on White women gets the snot kicked out of him by fed-up citizens. Watch. [Warning: Violent]

🎥 Imagine your daughter coming home from college for Thanksgiving a raving, left-wing lunatic? Watch.

* indicates this is a sponsored partnership