Conversational artificial intelligence may do more than produce false information—it can also help users construct and strengthen distorted beliefs, memories and personal narratives, according to a recently-published research paper. Lucy Osler, a philosopher at the University of Exeter, argues that people can begin to “hallucinate with AI” when chatbots become integrated into how they think, remember and interpret reality.

Rather than simply transmitting an error, an AI system may accept a user’s premise, elaborate on it and repeatedly provide apparent confirmation. The danger is tied partly to the social character of chatbots.

Because they respond in a friendly, personalized and conversational manner, users may experience their replies as validation from another mind—even though the system is generating language rather than exercising human judgment. That dynamic could make unsupported beliefs feel shared and therefore more credible.

Osler points to extreme cases in which chatbot interactions allegedly reinforced paranoia, delusional thinking or violent fantasies. This has even resulted in children committing suicide after consulting with chat bots. The argument also extends beyond clinically diagnosed psychosis. AI can subtly distort ordinary memories, self-perceptions and political or personal narratives through repeated, affirming conversations.

The paper does not claim that AI is conscious or capable of experiencing hallucinations. Instead, it describes a “distributed” process in which human thinking becomes intertwined with an unreliable digital tool.

Possible safeguards include programming AI with less flattering or agreeable responses, giving clearer reminders to users that chatbots are not people, and using systems designed to challenge dangerous assumptions rather than automatically build upon them. AI should be treated as a fallible tool—not a trusted companion, therapist or unquestionable authority.

President Donald J. Trump, live from the East Room of the White House, delivered his primetime address on Thursday evening focusing on election security vulnerabilities and foreign interference, particularly by China.

Trump stated that during the 2020 election cycle China executed the largest compromise of U.S. election data in history, acquiring voter registration information for approximately 220 million Americans.

“Over a period of years, starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files.”

This data reportedly included names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences, and other details useful for voter registration and potential manipulation. The President revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies detected this breach, involving tens of millions of records across at least 18 states, but elements within the intelligence community and “Deep State” officials suppressed the information, deliberately massaging the President’s Daily Brief in 2020 to avoid sharing key analysis and information with President Trump. They withheld it from him, Congress, and the public while publicly insisting it was “the most secure election in history.”

Trump exposed a coordinated cover-up and broader Chinese efforts to undermine his 2020 campaign. He tied this to a specific raw August 2020 intelligence report alleging a Chinese scheme to produce and export “fraudulent U.S. driver’s licenses to Chinese sympathizers in the United States in order to create tens of thousands of fraudulent mail-in votes for U.S. Presidential candidate Joe Biden.”

He further asserted that “We have irrefutable evidence from CIA reporting and other intelligence that China used business connections to influence U.S. leaders against me. They paid journalists to produce negative coverage. They wanted to stop my reelection because of my tariffs and strong military policies. This was part of a coordinated effort to undermine my campaign and the 2020 election.”

China Daily’s “China Watch” supplements provide a clear example of this influence and propaganda strategy. The CCP-linked outlet paid millions to major U.S. newspapers (e.g., nearly $5.93 million to the Wall Street Journal and $4.6 million to the Washington Post) for advertorials that were often critical of Trump tariffs (per DOJ FARA filings). He also referenced buried FBI and NSA reports, deliberate manipulation of presidential daily briefings, a “shadow government” within the FBI, and improperly handled or destroyed documents from the Obama era found in “burn bags.” Trump added that these elements compounded an unprecedented threat to democratic integrity.

The President noted that Chinese plans “were focused on undermining domestic” cohesion by exploiting societal fissures, including through themes of economic recession, violent demonstrations and looting to increase the appearance of social unrest, intensifying Americans’ disapproval of the President of the United States, and questioning his ability to govern amid the COVID-19 response.

Trump mentioned intelligence assessments showing that electronic voting machines, ballot systems, and centralized voter databases are highly vulnerable to hacking by state actors like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as non-state groups.

“Intelligence assessments show that our electronic voting machines, ballot systems, and centralized voter databases are highly vulnerable to hacking by state actors like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as non-state groups. These systems are a disaster waiting to happen.”

He pointed to specific reporting on Venezuelan tactics for digitally altering vote totals in ways that could evade audits.

Evidence of fraud, such as a Michigan voter registration operation involving fake forms and gift cards, was also presented as having been slow-walked by the Biden-era DOJ. According to investigation records, this occurred at a meeting with over 100 employees present. One company official allegedly demonstrated how to submit fraudulent applications by filling out a blank form with made-up information, stating, “This is what I mean.” One former employee estimated she personally submitted around 100 fake voter registration applications. Despite the scale of the alleged operation, the FBI ultimately closed the case, as reported by The Federalist.

On non-citizen voting, Trump cited a Department of Homeland Security review identifying about 278,000 non-citizens registered in federal elections, with the true figure likely higher due to resistance from some Democratic-led states sharing voter data.

President Trump mentioned the slow pace of election result reporting, noting that it can sometimes take more than a month to finalize outcomes. He pointed to the recent Los Angeles mayoral race in June as an example, where results took over 30 days to be certified, arguing that such delays fuel public distrust and create opportunities for manipulation in the system.

In response, the administration is notifying states, directing removal of ineligible voters, and planning technical patches before the 2026 midterms.

A key demand was for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would mandate an ID, proof of citizenship for registration, and severe limits on mail-in ballots (with exceptions for illness, disability, military, or travel).

Trump called for bipartisan unity on election security. He emphasized that free and fair elections should transcend party lines and positioned the revelations as essential for restoring public trust ahead of upcoming votes. The speech aligns with ongoing administration efforts involving declassifications, DOJ actions, and DHS briefings on these issues.

Trump also proudly highlighted America’s military dominance, noting the massive billions in defense investments that have produced the strongest armed forces in the world, forces capable of deterring the very foreign adversaries he accused of targeting U.S. elections.

During the address, President Trump stated that the White House would promptly provide public access to a large document drop of supporting materials on the official White House website. That release is now active with declassified intelligence reports, raw assessments, and related evidence available for public review.

These materials, compiled by the Government Transparency Task Force and the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, substantiate the claims regarding Chinese data breaches, foreign interference, and election system vulnerabilities.

Trump urged Americans to contact their local lawmakers and representatives to support these reforms. He called for urgent action, including state notifications, voter roll cleanups, and passage of the SAVE America Act, which would require photo ID to vote and proof of citizenship for federal registration. He also called for bipartisan unity on election integrity ahead of the 2026 midterms.

CNN, ABC, and NBC — the very networks that broadcast Joe Biden’s fiery 2022 “Red Speech” live for hours, during which he labeled MAGA Republicans as threats to democracy and domestic terrorists — largely refused to carry President Trump’s primetime address in real time. CBS aired only a brief portion before abruptly pulling away.

A Peter Thiel-backed project that proposed using artificial intelligence to adjudicate disputes against journalists is changing direction, shifting from an online “tribunal” toward a scoreboard-style system for rating news coverage.

The startup, originally called Objection, allowed customers to pay $2,000 to challenge claims in published articles. Investigators would assemble evidence, invite the journalist to respond and submit the dispute to several large language models for a verdict. This caused scrutiny as people believed the process could pressure reporters, disadvantage investigations relying on confidential sources and give wealthy subjects a new tool for attacking unfavorable coverage.

In other words, it could make the fake news even worse. But Thiel, a very smart man without a doubt, has pivoted. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the venture has morphed into a project called The Primary. Rather than holding individual AI-powered trials, the new model reportedly aims to evaluate stories and maintain public scores measuring journalistic performance. Think of it as a Yelp for journalists.

The approach resembles earlier efforts to create consumer-style credibility ratings for news, including NewsTrust, The Factual and Credder—none of which remain operational. Objection was founded by Aron D’Souza, who helped organize the Thiel-funded litigation that ultimately bankrupted Gawker—doing a great service to mankind. Investors in the project have included Thiel and cryptocurrency entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan.

The pivot does not eliminate the central controversy. These public ratings are a way to promote accuracy and accountability through access to better information. They should be transparent to show the public that its scores are credible, impartial and more trustworthy than the journalists it evaluates. But Thiel’s idea is an interesting idea that could be a game changer to put the fake news in its place.

Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego is once again making headlines amid fresh questions about his personal conduct and a pattern of allegations that continues to haunt Democratic lawmakers.

Just last month, the bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), dismissed a complaint against him. The panel found insufficient evidence that Gallego’s actions violated federal law, Senate rules, or standards of conduct, praising his full cooperation.

Gallego denied the accusations outright, branding them baseless “right-wing conspiracies” pushed by far-right operatives, and demanded a public apology from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who had referred the matter.

The senator, a longtime close friend of disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, has been described by multiple sources as having a reputation for being “very flirtatious.”

On July 16, 2026, the New York Post reported that Gallego engaged in consensual sexual relationships with at least two House staffers working for Texas Democratic lawmakers during his time in the House—when he was unmarried and the women were not on his own staff.

Sources said he admitted the relationships to one contact; a second person recently learned of the entanglements, and a third confirmed one of the dalliances. When asked for comment, Gallego brushed it off: “I don’t engage in gossip,” describing the matter as private.

Luna’s April 2026 referral came in the wake of Swalwell’s resignation over multiple sexual misconduct accusations. She cited reports from as many as four women describing repeated uncomfortable or inappropriate advances, comments, and touching by Gallego.

She also referenced one woman preparing to come forward—with legal representation, about a specific alleged sexual incident, along with potential campaign finance concerns.

Luna has stood by her actions post-dismissal, posting on X: “These are not conspiracy theories” and warning that “everyone talks, and eventually the reporters come forward with your texts.”

This adds to a troubling claim that fits into a broader pattern of congressional personal misconduct within the Democratic Party, where an emerging wave of sexual misconduct complaints involving Democratic lawmakers has become hard to ignore.

These allegations represent an apparent departure from the “Me Too” “believe women” standard, reverting instead to a more familiar pattern on the left: initial vehement denials, followed by mounting evidence or explosive new claims that become difficult to ignore.

Just this April, Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned amid multiple accusations. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), part of the same circle, is facing a House Ethics Committee investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct. This includes a reported 2023 encounter with a staffer at a Swalwell-hosted party.

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner suspended his campaign after a woman accused him of rape, an allegation he denies. This came amid earlier reports of unsettling and physically aggressive behavior toward multiple women, and only after mounting public pressure and multiple claims.

And now, the latest revelations about Sen. Ruben Gallego. Gallego also faces a separate DOJ investigation into his campaign finances, adding another layer of scrutiny.

The dream of Islamic socialist Zoran Mamdani to sell the American electorate the supposed miracles of socialism has come to an end.

Tax revenues are collapsing in New York. With that, the dream of Islamic socialist Zoran Mamdani to sell the American electorate the supposed miracles of socialism has come to an end. Only fools refuse to learn: Those who bite the hand that feeds them will eventually starve.

Socialism always ends in the same misery. Quite apart from the fact that it represents a vulgar and contempt for human dignity ideology, its fiscal parasitism is impossible to overlook. Put simply: socialism functions only as long as it can feed on the economic substance of the middle class and the wealthy. Only by disregarding civilizational principles such as private property and individual autonomy can the advocates of this doctrine temporarily conceal growing economic inefficiencies through a continuous raid on productive wealth.

The inherent contradiction of socialism can be perfectly observed in New York’s current mayor. Like every socialist, Zoran Mamdani requires a productive, wealth-generating society as his source of financing. Yet through an ever-expanding network of state-directed structures, such as municipal supermarkets, free public transportation, or city-owned enterprises, he undermines the very substance and potential of the citizenry to work toward a prosperous future. Mamdani received the first bill for his aggressive socialist campaign in the world capital of capitalism after only six months.

According to calculations by the Citizens Budget Commission, New York is now losing around $11 billion in annual income tax revenue. The reason: In recent years, the share of millionaires residing in the state of New York compared with America’s entire millionaire population has already fallen from 12.7 percent to 8.7 percent.

It is a first, substantial warning shot: Through aggressive rhetoric, additional taxes, higher top tax rates, and a planned increase in wealth taxation, Mamdani is accelerating a trend that had already begun to erode New York’s tax base.

The principle is simple: As long as alternatives exist — such as moving to sunny Florida or business-friendly Texas — mobile wealth and high performers will choose places that do not portray them as enemies of society and that do not wage a fiscal campaign against their life achievements or those of their families.

Mamdani’s tax policies are strikingly similar to the ambitions of Germany’s disastrous governing coalition. New York City’s corporate tax rate is supposed to rise from 7.25 to 11.5 percent. At the same time, millionaire income earners would face a special tax of 5.88 percent instead of the current 3.88 percent. A special tax on unused luxury apartments is also being considered.

Much like the populist left-wing policies pursued by Friedrich Merz in Germany, Mamdani is attempting to solve economic stagnation through central planning and state-backed credit programs. What they all share is the attempt to blame business leaders for the paralysis within companies. The real estate sector provides a particularly clear example: Economic decline is never attributed to excessive regulation, high taxes, or — in the case of construction — rent controls that destroy investors’ expected returns. The blame always lies elsewhere.

This is how childish minds behave — individuals socialized in insulated urban environments who have rarely come into prolonged contact with the realities of everyday life for ordinary citizens or with the mechanisms of the real economy.

The Mamdani example demonstrates what could await the United States if socialists gain the upper hand within the Democratic Party and emerge victorious in the upcoming elections: the re-Europeanization of American politics, a renewed synchronization with Brussels and London, where efforts to build a socialist system are being accelerated.

On the old continent, this system design is already taking concrete shape: a state-directed economy built around green industry and an oversized military apparatus, financed through higher taxes, wealth levies, and climate-related charges. In order to prevent the already mentioned flight of wealth and capital, barriers to capital mobility around the eurozone are being created through digital identity systems and the digital euro. The fear of capital flight is real.

In Europe, they know one thing: The transformation toward statism can only succeed with American backing.

Germany’s planned massive tax increases create the impression that both Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the European Commission in Brussels are firmly counting on a Democratic Party victory in the midterm elections this year and in two years. They are playing for time, attempting to simply wait out the “troublemaker” in the White House, and ignoring the fact that Donald Trump has initiated an economic policy shift that will outlast his time in office.

Neither Berlin nor Brussels appears remotely interested in making the European economy fit for global competition. They stay the course, regulate wherever bureaucracy allows, and provide one opportunity after another for their competitors, who are attracting European capital without having to make any major effort.

Above all, it was the deregulation of the energy sector and the abandonment of Europe’s climate fetishism that initiated a capital inflow helping to drive America’s reindustrialization. Europe — more precisely, EU-Europe — is mutating into the antagonist of freedom, a handbook demonstrating exactly how politics should not be conducted.

European policy has been reduced to a repair operation for the grand social experiment of the green transformation.

The massive tax increases awaiting Germans must also be understood as a response to the renewed competition for investment location with the United States. Germans should therefore prepare themselves for the possibility that value-added taxes will soon be raised, that the top income tax rate will continue to increase, and that it will capture an ever-larger share of incomes. Inheritance taxes will rise just as social security contributions will. The state is attempting to salvage what remains of its system of favoritism: because investment is no longer taking place in Germany, capital is flowing to wherever it can achieve higher returns. And that place, whether one likes it or not, is the United States.

This remains true at least until the day when figures such as Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or Bernie Sanders determine the direction of what is still the freest society in the Western Hemisphere.

By American Thinker – https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/07/taxing-your-way-to-socialism/#google_vignette

Promising, inexpensive generic drugs may never receive large-scale testing as anti-aging treatments—not because the science is weak, but because the pharmaceutical regulatory system rewards patentable products over affordable public-health solutions. Metformin and rapamycin have shown potential in animal research to influence aging-related biological processes.

Yet definitive human trials remain limited. The central obstacle is financial: rigorous Phase 3 trials can cost hundreds of millions of dollars, while manufacturers have little incentive to fund studies of off-patent drugs that competitors could immediately sell at low prices.

That market failure becomes a regulatory failure when government agencies rely primarily on industry-sponsored trials to determine which treatments receive approved indications. Rather than independently testing promising generics, the system waits for companies to finance the evidence regulators demand. The relationship is further complicated by the FDA’s dependence on manufacturer-paid user fees.

A Government Accountability Office report found that industry fees had grown to cover 61.5% of FDA drug-review costs by fiscal year 2010. Current law continues to authorize these payments in exchange for agency performance commitments.

This does not prove regulators are taking direct orders from pharmaceutical companies. It does reveal structural capture as public rules, research priorities and approval pathways are aligned with the business models of the industry being regulated. In other words, Big Pharma is running the show.

Independent projects such as the proposed TAME metformin trial and a federally funded rapamycin study are attempting to fill the gap. Our health system should investigate treatments according to potential benefit—not patent profitability. RFK Jr. is trying to return our country back to a system where the vulnerable are not harmed for Big Pharma’s profit models.