Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman found himself at the center of an online firestorm this week after photos surfaced showing him scrolling through images of scantily clad women on his tablet during a commercial flight. The images were posted by the anonymous social-media account “Dear White Staffers,” quickly going viral and prompting widespread speculation about what the congressman was viewing. Sherman, who is 71, denied intentionally accessing pornographic material and instead blamed the appearance of the images on the X algorithm, saying he was scrolling casually through his feed. He acknowledged the optics were poor, telling reporters the content was “not appropriate” to be looking at on a plane, but insisted he had no intention of accessing explicit content.
The moment adds an embarrassing wrinkle to Sherman’s long congressional career and raises questions about how elected officials manage their digital presence in public spaces. Though he attempted to diffuse the controversy by pointing to social-media algorithms, the images have fueled criticism about judgment and professionalism. As of now there is no indication of any formal inquiry, though the situation has undoubtedly become an unwelcome distraction for the California Democrat.
A lengthy investigation by Rolling Stone this week details the widening rift between former President Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a relationship once defined by unwavering loyalty. The report traces how the once-close allies have publicly diverged on strategy, messaging, and the direction of the broader MAGA movement. Tensions intensified after Greene criticized Trump’s handling of actions against Iran, prompting speculation that the two were drifting apart. Greene has insisted that no rift exists, but those close to both figures told reporters that the relationship has become strained as each jockeys for influence within the conservative base.
The clash reflects deeper ideological and strategic fractures within the populist right. As Trump seeks to solidify control over the movement he created, Greene has carved out her own following, often embracing positions even more combative than Trump’s. The emerging distance between them suggests an evolving internal battle over who will define the next phase of the movement as new factions attempt to shape its trajectory ahead of the coming election cycles.
The Biden administration, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced that the Cartel de los Soles—a Venezuelan criminal network allegedly embedded within Nicolás Maduro’s military and intelligence apparatus—will be formally designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization beginning November 24. U.S. officials allege the cartel operates as a state-sanctioned narco-trafficking enterprise, moving cocaine into the United States and Europe while working in coordination with other violent groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel and Tren de Aragua. Rubio described the group as a “paramilitary arm of Maduro’s regime,” accusing the Venezuelan president of overseeing “corruption, terror, and drug networks” that destabilize the Western Hemisphere.
The designation marks a significant escalation in U.S. pressure on Venezuela, enabling a broader range of sanctions, law-enforcement actions, and international cooperation. It also underscores a growing willingness by American officials to treat transnational criminal organizations as terrorist entities, blurring traditional categories of crime and national-security threats. The move will likely worsen already strained U.S.–Venezuela relations and could reshape regional dynamics as governments respond to the new classification.
South Carolina carried out the execution of 44-year-old Stephen Bryant on Thursday, marking one of the rare instances in the United States where a firing squad was used as the method of execution. Bryant, who confessed to murdering three people in Sumter County in October 2004, elected the firing squad over lethal injection and the electric chair. Witnesses said he offered no final statement and gave only a brief glance toward the viewing room before the execution proceeded at the Broad River Correctional Institution.
Bryant’s execution is the state’s third by firing squad this year and highlights the evolving landscape of capital punishment as states grapple with shortages of lethal-injection drugs and legal challenges to execution methods. The case has renewed debate about the ethics, effectiveness, and public perception of alternative execution procedures. While supporters argue the firing squad is efficient and transparent, critics contend it is a grim reminder of a justice system struggling to reconcile modern standards with longstanding punitive practices.
