Field Notes - Cybersecurity: On November 13th, Anthropic and U.S. officials confirmed that suspected Chinese state-sponsored cyber criminals seized Anthropic’s Claude Code tool and used it to run an AI-driven cyber-espionage campaign in which the AI completed most operational steps with minimal human input. The attackers gained access by posing as a legitimate cybersecurity auditing firm, causing the system to accept malicious instructions as authorized tasks. 25+ targets across the U.S. and allied nations were affected including tech companies, financial institutions, chemical manufacturers, and government agencies. The AI exploited common Chinese APT weaknesses such as unpatched VPN devices, misconfigured cloud setups, an...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - Major Crime: The FBI provided an update on the Butler, PA assassination attempt on President Trump advising that "the investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone." The FBI Director stated that the agency conducted over 1,000 interviews, processed more than 2,000 public tips, extracted data from 13 seized digital devices, reviewed nearly 500,000 digital files, synchronized hundreds of hours of video, analyzed 10 financial accounts, and examined data tied to approximately 25 social media or forum accounts. The inve...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA - Major Crime: In Palm Beach Gardens, FL on November 8th, 2025, a 32-year-old white male targeting Christian churches, Michael Iaboni, was arrested and charged with making written threats to kill or do bodily harm after investigators identified a series of online posts in which he threatened mass violence toward Christ Fellowship Church (24,000 members), located about 1.5 miles from his home. Police say he posted a videos on November 4th and 7th in which he mimicked firing a rifle, made “pew” sounds, and stated “It’s all kill shot,” before adding that he was “going after mega churches” and that “Christ Fellowship is on my list to hit also.” A later post allegedly declared, “It’s gonna look like a genocide" and referenced Christian congregations saying, "My end game is taking you out. According to the affidavit, Iaboni had attended a church program on November 2nd and was seen frequenting the campus, prompting church staff to contact police. The investigation began after Crime Stoppers received an anonymous tip, and while authorities believed Iaboni had access to firearms based on a previous 2023 incident involving the discharge of a firearm, there is no publicly confirmed evidence that he entered the church with a gun or was on-site attempting an attack at the time of his arrest. No weapon recovery or active approach to the church has been documented, and the arrest occurred before a large volunteer event expected to draw more than 1,000 attendees. Debrief: The available reporting suggests law enforcement intervened during a potential pre-attack window, not during an imminent assault. The combination of explicit threats, video demonstrations mimicking rifle fire, and recent presence at the church elevated concerns that he was preparing for an act of targeted violence. Investigators linked his pr...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
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FYSA - Censorship / Law & Order: In Granbury, TX on November 5th, a white male, Kolton Krottinger (Navy veteran) was arrested and charged under Texas Penal Code 33.07 for alleged online impersonation after posting a Facebook graphic that appeared to come from local Democrat activist Tina Brown. The post used a screenshot from Tina Brown's real Facebook account with a photoshopped image reading "Speak Up, Monica Brown" which gave the illusion that Tina was supporting Monica's run for office (candidate for Granbury ISD Board of Trustees). Investigators stated the post used her name, photo, and messaging style without consent and appeared to endorse candidate Monica Brown (Republican). The graphic was posted on the “Hood County Sheepdogs” page, and Tina told deputies she did not create or authorize it. Krottinger was charged with a Third Degree Felony for sharing the "meme", booked into Hood County Jail and released on bond, and his attorney said the post was intended as a joke connected to ongoing political disputes in the area and that the post was made on a "clearly marked satire" Facebook page. His attorn...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - Civil Unrest: In Charlotte, NC, November 14–17th, federal immigration agents from ICE and CBP carried out a large enforcement action known as “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” arresting 81 people (felons, gang members, and illegal immigrants) across multiple neighborhoods. The arrests triggered major protests throughout the weekend, with 1,000+ gathering in First Ward Park and other Uptown locations chanting against the operation and demanding that federal agents leave the city. News outlets reported that some businesses in immigrant communities temporarily closed out of concern for safety. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and several local officials publicly criticized the operation, saying it created fear and destabilized the community despite MS-13 and Sureño gang members and armed felons being arrested. Federal agents were assaulted by a transgender extremist during the protests in a vehicle-ramming incident that led to a pursuit. Of note, 1 in 6 resid...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - Civil Unrest: In Dearborn, MI on November 18–19th, alt-right anti-Islam activists led by Jake Lang and other unaffiliated citizens held a protest downtown where Lang attempted to burn a Qur’an and placed a slab of bacon on it, triggering a rapid response from local Muslim community counter-protesters. The two groups clashed near City Hall and along Michigan Avenue, with police forming a perimeter as shoving and object-throwing broke out. Multple physical altercations and assaults occurred but arrests were minimal (we tracked only 2). The event was fueled by claims that Dearborn is influenced by “Sharia law,” assertions that local officials, who are Muslim, have publicly rejected. Debrief: The confrontation was driven by a provocation involving the Qur’an and amplified by online promotion from alt-right networks targeting Dearborn’s Muslim-majority community that hold largely anti-American and anti-Christian views. Police adopted a containment posture and failed to intervene when Christian or alt-right protesterswere assaulted. The situation approached riot conditions as tensions escalated but ultimately stabilized once police created distance between groups. Further demonstrations remain possible if similar provocations occur or online organizing continues to focus on Dearborn. The protests also involved Anthony Hudson, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, who originally planned a protest in Dearborn that he described as an “American Crusade” against “Muslim infiltration” and “Sharia Law,” according to a news release from the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Following public backlash, CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid stated, “We welcome Mr. Hudson’s remorse for his admitted fearmongering against the Dearborn community and American Muslims in general.” Videos appear t...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA: Summary of Recent Developments (SORD)
》Disney removed all references to “diversity” and “DEI” from its annual business report for the first time since 2019. Analysts noted this was the first public signal that the company is scaling back DEI language after years of political and sharehol…
》Former Harvard president Larry Summers resigned from the OpenAI board. His resignation followed the release of emails showing past communication with Jeffrey Epstein, which raised governance concer…
》In Dearborn, MI on November 18th, a masked member of the group BAMN (By Any Means Necessary) told a city council meeting that residents must “counter those who blaspheme against Islam.” BAMN operates under the UEAA nonprofit and is known for far-left direct-action activ…
Here are separate summaries, each plaintext, each its own event, with the Crooks update expanded into 5 sentences as requested:
》House investigators revealed that the FBI withheld a large set of Thomas Matthew Crooks’ online posts, including writings on DeviantArt, fringe forums, and niche social platforms. The files show Crooks identified with they/them pronouns, admired armed political force, repeated slogans like “power comes from the barrel of a gun,” and consumed Norwegian alt-right accelerationist content, though investigators say this does not prove membe…
The recovered material depicts Crooks as isolated, posting violent imagery, paramilitary aesthetics, and artwork involving weapons, armored figures, and revenge scenar…
His timeline shows a steady ideological hardening between 2021 and 2023, moving from symbolic violence to explicit posts about overthrow, coercion, and the illegitimacy of electoral poli…
By early 2023 he was conducting field tests for improvised devices and scouting wooded vantage points near his home, indicating planning and escalation beyond online rheto…
》In San Antonio, TX; ICE carried out a coordinated enforcement raid at a nightclub in San Antonio, detaining more than 140 individuals identified as criminal illegal aliens. Authorities reported that among those detained were members of the Tren de Aragua transnational g…
》U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal enforcement actions targeting the international criminal organization led by Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic athlete accused of coordinating large-scale cocaine trafficking linked to cartel suppliers. The announcement involved cooperation between U.S. agencies and Canadian law enfor…
》House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan referred Jack Smith’s former deputy to the DOJ for prosecution. The referral centers on alleged misconduct connected to earlier special-counsel investigative acti…
》A Democratic lawmaker faced backlash for defending a colleague who exchanged text messages with Jeffrey Epstein. Critics said the defense minimized the seriousness of Epstein-related miscondu…
》The House voted to censure Rep. Cory Mills. The censure resolution cited actions lawmakers said violated House standards, prompting a formal repr…
》The President signed a bill requiring federal agencies to release Epstein-related files. The measure mandates the disclosure of sealed, classified, and investigatory documents tied to Epstein’s network and previous federal handli...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
》Disney removed all references to “diversity” and “DEI” from its annual business report for the first time since 2019. Analysts noted this was the first public signal that the company is scaling back DEI language after years of political and sharehol…
》Former Harvard president Larry Summers resigned from the OpenAI board. His resignation followed the release of emails showing past communication with Jeffrey Epstein, which raised governance concer…
》In Dearborn, MI on November 18th, a masked member of the group BAMN (By Any Means Necessary) told a city council meeting that residents must “counter those who blaspheme against Islam.” BAMN operates under the UEAA nonprofit and is known for far-left direct-action activ…
Here are separate summaries, each plaintext, each its own event, with the Crooks update expanded into 5 sentences as requested:
》House investigators revealed that the FBI withheld a large set of Thomas Matthew Crooks’ online posts, including writings on DeviantArt, fringe forums, and niche social platforms. The files show Crooks identified with they/them pronouns, admired armed political force, repeated slogans like “power comes from the barrel of a gun,” and consumed Norwegian alt-right accelerationist content, though investigators say this does not prove membe…
The recovered material depicts Crooks as isolated, posting violent imagery, paramilitary aesthetics, and artwork involving weapons, armored figures, and revenge scenar…
His timeline shows a steady ideological hardening between 2021 and 2023, moving from symbolic violence to explicit posts about overthrow, coercion, and the illegitimacy of electoral poli…
By early 2023 he was conducting field tests for improvised devices and scouting wooded vantage points near his home, indicating planning and escalation beyond online rheto…
》In San Antonio, TX; ICE carried out a coordinated enforcement raid at a nightclub in San Antonio, detaining more than 140 individuals identified as criminal illegal aliens. Authorities reported that among those detained were members of the Tren de Aragua transnational g…
》U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal enforcement actions targeting the international criminal organization led by Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic athlete accused of coordinating large-scale cocaine trafficking linked to cartel suppliers. The announcement involved cooperation between U.S. agencies and Canadian law enfor…
》House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan referred Jack Smith’s former deputy to the DOJ for prosecution. The referral centers on alleged misconduct connected to earlier special-counsel investigative acti…
》A Democratic lawmaker faced backlash for defending a colleague who exchanged text messages with Jeffrey Epstein. Critics said the defense minimized the seriousness of Epstein-related miscondu…
》The House voted to censure Rep. Cory Mills. The censure resolution cited actions lawmakers said violated House standards, prompting a formal repr…
》The President signed a bill requiring federal agencies to release Epstein-related files. The measure mandates the disclosure of sealed, classified, and investigatory documents tied to Epstein’s network and previous federal handli...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA: Summary of Recent Developments (SORD)
》New reporting on declassified and leaked documents confirms previous findings that U.S. intelligence officials downplayed or suppressed early briefings tying COVID-19’s origin to resear…
》In Houston, TX; ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations announced that more than 3,500 noncitizens with criminal records were arrested during workplace and community operations conducted while much of the federal government was shut down, with ICE officials saying many of those detained had prior convictions for violent, drug, or property offen…
》European and U.S. media reported that the U.S. State Department designated four Europe-based far-left/Antifa-aligned groups as foreign terrorist organizations, citing their alleged involvement in organized street violence, attacks on police, and plots targeting political opponents and public infrastructu…
》Court filings and Irish media coverage show that Irish teacher Enoch Burke has repeatedly been jailed for contempt of court and now faces fines exceeding €225,000 after continuing to appear at his former school in defiance of orders linked to his refusal to use a transgender student’s preferred pronou…
》Advocacy groups and legal commentators highlighted changes and subsequent edits to the CDC’s “Autism and Vaccines” webpage, noting that the agency acknowledged scientific studies cannot fully rule out every possible as…
》Gun Owners of America and the Gun Owners Foundation filed an amicus brief in the NRA v. Vullo case, arguing that government officials who pressure private financial institutions to cut ties with lawful advocacy groups should not be shielded by qualified immunity, as police unions simultaneously lobbied Congress against federal concealed-carry reciprocity legislation (H.R. 38) over concerns about their own liability expos…
》A group of six Democratic lawmakers with prior military and intelligence backgrounds released a video telling U.S. service members that their oath is to the Constitution and that they can refuse “illegal orders.” The message referenced threats “from right here at home” without identifying any specific order that had been issued or disputed. The video drew immediate criticism in conservative circles, with opponents arguing that the message was intended to encourage the military to defy SCOTUS, implying orders from Trump are unlawful. Trump responded by calling the video “seditious behavior” and saying the lawmakers should face prosecution for urging troops to reject his authority. House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement conde…
》U.S. and Minnesota outlets reported that state and federal investigators are examining a surge in Medicaid-funded autism-therapy billing tied to networks of Somali-run providers in Minnesota, with some investigative pieces alleging that a portion of the proceeds may have been funneled to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab throu…
》A recent map circulated by advocacy groups and commentators tallied self-identified Muslim elected officials across the United States, listing 39 in Michigan and smaller numbers in numerous other states, and was shared in debates about demographic change, representation, and local political power in places such as Dearborn and the broader Detroit ar…
》Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under state law, triggering a ban on the groups buying or holding land or other real-estate interests in Texas and authorizing the attorney general to force divestiture and initiate civil or criminal action against affiliated enti…
》In Virginia Beach, VA; assistant principal John Bennett and his brother Mark Bennett were arrested after federal investigators alleged they discussed plans to target ICE agents using firearms and ammunition capable of penetrating protective vests.
》New reporting on declassified and leaked documents confirms previous findings that U.S. intelligence officials downplayed or suppressed early briefings tying COVID-19’s origin to resear…
》In Houston, TX; ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations announced that more than 3,500 noncitizens with criminal records were arrested during workplace and community operations conducted while much of the federal government was shut down, with ICE officials saying many of those detained had prior convictions for violent, drug, or property offen…
》European and U.S. media reported that the U.S. State Department designated four Europe-based far-left/Antifa-aligned groups as foreign terrorist organizations, citing their alleged involvement in organized street violence, attacks on police, and plots targeting political opponents and public infrastructu…
》Court filings and Irish media coverage show that Irish teacher Enoch Burke has repeatedly been jailed for contempt of court and now faces fines exceeding €225,000 after continuing to appear at his former school in defiance of orders linked to his refusal to use a transgender student’s preferred pronou…
》Advocacy groups and legal commentators highlighted changes and subsequent edits to the CDC’s “Autism and Vaccines” webpage, noting that the agency acknowledged scientific studies cannot fully rule out every possible as…
》Gun Owners of America and the Gun Owners Foundation filed an amicus brief in the NRA v. Vullo case, arguing that government officials who pressure private financial institutions to cut ties with lawful advocacy groups should not be shielded by qualified immunity, as police unions simultaneously lobbied Congress against federal concealed-carry reciprocity legislation (H.R. 38) over concerns about their own liability expos…
》A group of six Democratic lawmakers with prior military and intelligence backgrounds released a video telling U.S. service members that their oath is to the Constitution and that they can refuse “illegal orders.” The message referenced threats “from right here at home” without identifying any specific order that had been issued or disputed. The video drew immediate criticism in conservative circles, with opponents arguing that the message was intended to encourage the military to defy SCOTUS, implying orders from Trump are unlawful. Trump responded by calling the video “seditious behavior” and saying the lawmakers should face prosecution for urging troops to reject his authority. House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement conde…
》U.S. and Minnesota outlets reported that state and federal investigators are examining a surge in Medicaid-funded autism-therapy billing tied to networks of Somali-run providers in Minnesota, with some investigative pieces alleging that a portion of the proceeds may have been funneled to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab throu…
》A recent map circulated by advocacy groups and commentators tallied self-identified Muslim elected officials across the United States, listing 39 in Michigan and smaller numbers in numerous other states, and was shared in debates about demographic change, representation, and local political power in places such as Dearborn and the broader Detroit ar…
》Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under state law, triggering a ban on the groups buying or holding land or other real-estate interests in Texas and authorizing the attorney general to force divestiture and initiate civil or criminal action against affiliated enti…
》In Virginia Beach, VA; assistant principal John Bennett and his brother Mark Bennett were arrested after federal investigators alleged they discussed plans to target ICE agents using firearms and ammunition capable of penetrating protective vests.
Court documents say Mark Bennett purchased a rifle “because it utilizes the explosive rounds needed to penetrate the vests ICE agents wear,” and both men were recorded discussing retaliati…
》In the economy; more than $1 trillion in market value was wiped out in a single session as tech stocks (ncluding Nvidia) fell sharply following earnings and fears of slowing AI-driven growth. Analysts described it as a “sell the news” event as profit-taking, rat…
》In Washington, DC; reporting revealed that the Justice Department subpoenaed the phone records of at least one senior House Republican (Jordan) in 2022 during a leak investigation, targeting call and text metadata from telecom providers. Lawmakers have criticized the move as politically motivated with no legitimate investigation being cited for the Biden Administration's surveillance of Congr…
》In Lansing, MI; the Michigan State Board of Education voted 6–2 to adopt updated statewide health and sex-education standards for the first time in nearly two decades. The revisions include LGBT propaganda centric instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation, mental health, digital behavior, and substance use, drawing support from left-leaning public-health advocates and objections from parental-rights groups and some legisla…
》In the United Kingdom; British activist Ryan Williams was detained and questioned under terrorism legislation upon re-entering the country, with authorities reportedly seizing his devices (or at least ordering he provide login credentials) and restricting access to his financial accounts. Public reporting remains limited, and UK police have not publicly detailed the specific basis of the investigation. Williams is a anti-illegal-immigration activist who frequently posts on social media warning of the growth of Isl…
》In Washington County, UT; 2News reported that its public-records request for jail surveillance video showing Tyler Robinson entering the Washington County Jail was denied after the sheriff’s office stated “no such video exists.” The lack of footage has fueled questions regarding Robinson’s processing and supervision before the assassination of Charlie Ki…
》In Austin, TX; Governor Greg Abbott announced enforcement of updated state laws restricting foreign terrorist organizations, cartels, and associated entities from acquiring o…
》In Washington, DC; a federal district court issued a memorandum opinion in District of Columbia v. Donald J. Trump (Case No. 1:25-cv-03005), reviewing the legality of deploying more than 2,000 National Guard troops in the District beginning August 11, 2025. The District argued the deployment violated the Administrative Procedure Act, home-rule statutes, EMAC requirements, and Posse Comitatus limitations; the opinion evaluates presidential authority over the DC Guard and the limits of local control in such emergenci…(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
》In the economy; more than $1 trillion in market value was wiped out in a single session as tech stocks (ncluding Nvidia) fell sharply following earnings and fears of slowing AI-driven growth. Analysts described it as a “sell the news” event as profit-taking, rat…
》In Washington, DC; reporting revealed that the Justice Department subpoenaed the phone records of at least one senior House Republican (Jordan) in 2022 during a leak investigation, targeting call and text metadata from telecom providers. Lawmakers have criticized the move as politically motivated with no legitimate investigation being cited for the Biden Administration's surveillance of Congr…
》In Lansing, MI; the Michigan State Board of Education voted 6–2 to adopt updated statewide health and sex-education standards for the first time in nearly two decades. The revisions include LGBT propaganda centric instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation, mental health, digital behavior, and substance use, drawing support from left-leaning public-health advocates and objections from parental-rights groups and some legisla…
》In the United Kingdom; British activist Ryan Williams was detained and questioned under terrorism legislation upon re-entering the country, with authorities reportedly seizing his devices (or at least ordering he provide login credentials) and restricting access to his financial accounts. Public reporting remains limited, and UK police have not publicly detailed the specific basis of the investigation. Williams is a anti-illegal-immigration activist who frequently posts on social media warning of the growth of Isl…
》In Washington County, UT; 2News reported that its public-records request for jail surveillance video showing Tyler Robinson entering the Washington County Jail was denied after the sheriff’s office stated “no such video exists.” The lack of footage has fueled questions regarding Robinson’s processing and supervision before the assassination of Charlie Ki…
》In Austin, TX; Governor Greg Abbott announced enforcement of updated state laws restricting foreign terrorist organizations, cartels, and associated entities from acquiring o…
》In Washington, DC; a federal district court issued a memorandum opinion in District of Columbia v. Donald J. Trump (Case No. 1:25-cv-03005), reviewing the legality of deploying more than 2,000 National Guard troops in the District beginning August 11, 2025. The District argued the deployment violated the Administrative Procedure Act, home-rule statutes, EMAC requirements, and Posse Comitatus limitations; the opinion evaluates presidential authority over the DC Guard and the limits of local control in such emergenci…(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA - 2nd Amendment: In Washington, DC on November 19th, President Trump formally nominated Robert Cekada to serve as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Cekada is a 20-year ATF veteran who previously led the Miami and Baltimore Field Divisions and earlier served in the NYPD and the Plantation, FL Police Department. He was appointed ATF Deputy Director in April 2025 and currently oversees national firearms, explosives, arson, alcohol, and tobacco enforcement operations. Pro-2A groups have labeled him supportive of 2nd Amendment rights with the American Suppressor Association (ASA) responding to the news saying, "In his role as deputy director, we have worked closely with Robert Cekada to ensure law-abiding gun owners have a seat at the table in shaping policy. If confirmed, he would be the first ever truly pro- Second Amendment nominee to head the agency." Debrief: The nomination was submitted to the Senate "quietly", without a major public announcement, and comes after years of political deadlock in which multiple ATF nominees were withdrawn or blocked. Gun-rights groups have expressed early support for Cekada, framing him as a career law-enforcement pick rather than an activist-leaning appointment. Cekada’s nomination signals a potential shift toward a more enforcement-centric and less politically ideological ATF. His long agency tenure and field-division leadership suggest he is viewed internally as stabilizing at a time when ATF has faced scrutiny over firearms-rule controversies. Senate opposition is possible given the historic difficulty of co...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - Cybersecurity / Privacy: Over the weekend (November 22nd), X (formerly Twitter) released a new “About this account” transparency tool that, when users tapped the profile join date, showed where an account was created and what country or region it is currently “based” in, using signup IP addresses, app store region, and login history. Users began mining the feature to check political and news accounts, and screenshots circulated showing a wave of self-described “America First,” “patriot,” and MAGA-aligned accounts apparently operating from abroad: Fox News’ main account showed as based in Germany despite being a long-running U.S. outlet; MAGA NATION was listed in non-EU Eastern Europe; an “America First” account with pro-Trump religious messaging appeared in Bangladesh; and lists compiled by users using the feature mapped CB Doge to India, Jvnior Live and Alex Cole to Canada, Antunes to Portugal, Kaladin Free to East Asia, Israel Exposed to Saudi Arabia, Adame Media to the United Kingdom, Your Anon Central to North America but not the U.S., Mario Nawfal to West Asia, and Ian Miles Cheong to the United Arab Emirates. Other examples flagged by outlets included @1776General_ (branding itself as a U.S. “constitutionalist” but shown as based in Turkey) and @AmericanVoice__ (over 200,000 followers, reportedly in South Asia before being deleted), while Gaza-focused news accounts like @AbujomaaGaza, @QudsNen, and @Timesofgaza were listed as based in Poland, Egypt, and “East Asia and the Pacific” respectively, despite branding that suggested they were operating from Gaza or “Palestine.” As backlash and accusations of foreign troll farms escalated—mainly against pro-MAGA accounts but also against some left-leaning or anti-Trump pages—X’s head of product Nikita Bier acknowledged inaccuracies, especially for older accounts and VPN users, removed the “account created in” field, and said the feature would be temporarily pulled back and restored after fixes, while Elon Musk characterized the change as part of a broader push for authenticity on the platform. Of note, it is difficult to verify each claim as few reliable news sources captured location reports before account were updated/removed and many users who did share screenshots of accounts, who's location reports indicate propaganda, ar unreliable as sich images could be doctored. Many users shared video and pictures of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security X account showing it was based in Israel but we were unable to confirm that claim. Debrief: The short-lived rollout shows how a single metadata field can rapidly reshape trust in online personas by linking “patriot,” “independent Trump-supporting woman,” or “on-the-ground journalist” branding to account activity in countries such as Turkey, Bangladesh, Thailand, India, Eastern Europe, and Gulf states, reinforcing long-standing concerns about foreign troll farms and monetized rage-bait targeting U.S. politics. At the same time, reporting and user complaints highlight that the feature’s signals are imperfect: corporate accounts may be managed by global teams, heavy tra...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA: Summary of Recent Developments (SORD)
》In Chicago, IL, police said two separate shootings in the downtown Loop on the night of the city’s Christmas tree lighting left one 14-year-old boy dead and eight other teenagers wounded; officials reported crowds of roughly 300 juveniles i…
》In Chicago, IL, 26-year-old Bethany MaGee (white female) was doused with what investigators say was gasoline and set on fire aboard a CTA Blue Line train; suspect 50-year-old Lawrence Reed (black male) who has decades of criminal hist…
》In Washington, DC, the State Department issued new guidance for its annual human-rights reports instructing U.S. embassies to scrutinize and flag foreign policies that permit gender-transition procedures for minors or expand dive…
》Nationally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of about 70 “Anna Queen” P700 model children’s play yards sold on Amazon since March 2025, warning that design defects can let infants become trappe…
》In Niger State, Nigeria, Christian leaders said gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic school, later reporting that 50 of the kidnapped children escaped and were reunited with their famil…
》In Minnesota, attorneys for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, already serving a state murder sentence for the death of George Floyd, filed a new petition for post-conviction relief in state court arguing that prosecutors withheld evide…
》The United States prepared to launch another phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, with U.S. officials saying covert activities against President Nicolas Maduro would likely begin firs…
》In Niger state, Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria said that 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by gunmen from St. Mary’s School, later reporting that 50 of the abducted children escap…
》The Internal Revenue Service is deploying Salesforce’s Agentforce AI system across multiple divisions, including the Office of Chief Counsel, the Taxpayer Advocate Service, and the Office of App…
》President Trump announced via social media that he was immediately terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her department would examine whether to end TPS protect…
》Chicago’s mayoral office said the city will not apply for Justice Department community violence intervention grants after the Trump administration refocused the program on law enforcement a…
》Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced that she will resign from Congress effective January 5, and reports indicated that she did not provide advance not…
》At a White House meeting, President Trump and New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani discussed New York’s affordability problems and other city issues; Trump later said he could still send National Guard troops…
》The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs requested that several university research centers studying political extremism turn over years of records on federal watch list prog…
》Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he personally directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remove language on its website stating that vaccines do not cause auti…
》The Department of Government Efficiency was dissolved about eight months before its scheduled July 2026 end date, with Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor saying the depar…
》A federal judge blocked the Internal Revenue Service from sharing confidential taxpayer information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ruling that previous disclosures violated taxpayer confidentia…
》The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, in a 2–1 decision, refused to allow the Trump administration to expand its fast-track deportation policy nationwide, leaving in place most of a lower court orde…(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
》In Chicago, IL, police said two separate shootings in the downtown Loop on the night of the city’s Christmas tree lighting left one 14-year-old boy dead and eight other teenagers wounded; officials reported crowds of roughly 300 juveniles i…
》In Chicago, IL, 26-year-old Bethany MaGee (white female) was doused with what investigators say was gasoline and set on fire aboard a CTA Blue Line train; suspect 50-year-old Lawrence Reed (black male) who has decades of criminal hist…
》In Washington, DC, the State Department issued new guidance for its annual human-rights reports instructing U.S. embassies to scrutinize and flag foreign policies that permit gender-transition procedures for minors or expand dive…
》Nationally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of about 70 “Anna Queen” P700 model children’s play yards sold on Amazon since March 2025, warning that design defects can let infants become trappe…
》In Niger State, Nigeria, Christian leaders said gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic school, later reporting that 50 of the kidnapped children escaped and were reunited with their famil…
》In Minnesota, attorneys for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, already serving a state murder sentence for the death of George Floyd, filed a new petition for post-conviction relief in state court arguing that prosecutors withheld evide…
》The United States prepared to launch another phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, with U.S. officials saying covert activities against President Nicolas Maduro would likely begin firs…
》In Niger state, Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria said that 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by gunmen from St. Mary’s School, later reporting that 50 of the abducted children escap…
》The Internal Revenue Service is deploying Salesforce’s Agentforce AI system across multiple divisions, including the Office of Chief Counsel, the Taxpayer Advocate Service, and the Office of App…
》President Trump announced via social media that he was immediately terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her department would examine whether to end TPS protect…
》Chicago’s mayoral office said the city will not apply for Justice Department community violence intervention grants after the Trump administration refocused the program on law enforcement a…
》Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced that she will resign from Congress effective January 5, and reports indicated that she did not provide advance not…
》At a White House meeting, President Trump and New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani discussed New York’s affordability problems and other city issues; Trump later said he could still send National Guard troops…
》The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs requested that several university research centers studying political extremism turn over years of records on federal watch list prog…
》Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he personally directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remove language on its website stating that vaccines do not cause auti…
》The Department of Government Efficiency was dissolved about eight months before its scheduled July 2026 end date, with Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor saying the depar…
》A federal judge blocked the Internal Revenue Service from sharing confidential taxpayer information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ruling that previous disclosures violated taxpayer confidentia…
》The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, in a 2–1 decision, refused to allow the Trump administration to expand its fast-track deportation policy nationwide, leaving in place most of a lower court orde…(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - Terrorism: President Trump signed an executive order on November 24th directing the State Department and Treasury Department to assess whether specific foreign chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood (including in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan) should be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a move framed by the administration as targeting branches that provide support or encouragement for violence against Israel and U.S. partners. Debrief: The Muslim Brotherhood has had a presence in the U.S. since the 1950s through ideological networks, student groups, fundraising channels, and U.S.-based NGOs that educational and government reports have noted as historically connected to Brotherhood figures, though the organization has no officially acknowledged U.S. “chapter” and has never been federally designated as a terrorist organization. U.S. court filings, congressional testimony, and think-tank research describe MB-linked networks as involved in advocacy, community organizing, and at times fundraising that intersected with overseas entities such as Hamas; a federal designation of foreign chapters would allow asset freezes, financial restrictions, visa bans, and expanded investigative authority for any U.S.-connected entities found to materially support those designated foreign branches. During President Obama's ter...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA - Major Crime / Terrorism: Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, an Afghan national who arrived through Operation Allies Welcome and gained residency in 2022, was arrested after the Department of Homeland Security observed online posts indicating he was planning an attack on Forth Worth, TX using explosive devices. The "terroristic threats" arrest came one day pr...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - National Security / Terrorism: In Syria, ISIS weapons caches were destroyed by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Syria’s Interior Ministry reported that, between November 24–27th, U.S. and Syrian partner forces located and destroyed more than 15 sites containing ISIS weapons caches in the Rif Dimashq Governorate of southern Syria. The statement said multiple airstrikes and ground detonations destroyed over 130 mortars and rockets, assault rifles, machine guns, anti-tank mines, and bomb-making materials, and that forces also seized illicit drugs. CENTCOM’s commander sa...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Privacy, Bias, Censorship, Cybersecurity Brief: National Summary
BLUF: WhatsApp GPS data allegedly hidden in messages; the UK surpassed 9,000 online-speech arrests; the White House launched a “media bias tracker”; claims circulated of mass YouTube channel bans; Missouri begins digital ID requirements.
》A digital forensics investigator claimed routine WhatsApp messages contain embedded GPS coordinates showing the sender’s exact location despite no live-location sharing. WhatsApp has not confirmed the behavior, leaving it an unresolved priva...
》In the United Kingdom, Media Research Center’s Free Speech America project reported that more than 9,000 residents were arrested in 2024 for online “speech crimes” under communications-offence and hate-speech statutes. Many cases involved social-media posts, and...
》The Trump White House launched a “media bias tracker” webpage cataloging stories and outlets it claims misrepresented the President, narratives surrounding the administration, or other developments. The tracker tags entries with labels including “Bias,” “Omission of context,” and “Lie,” and features a “Media Offender of the Week.” The Washington Post des...
》A Parler-linked claim asserted that YouTube banned 5 million channels in six months (27,000+ per day), with 81.8% of bans occurring through automated AI enforcement and automated appeals. YouTube publicly confirms “millions” of automated removals, but the specific figur...
》In MO, beginning November 30th, residents are required to prove they are 18 or older before accessing websites where over one-third of the content is harmful to minors, using digital IDs, government IDs, or other verified data. Platforms that do not comply can be fined up to $10,000 per day, and major mobile operating systems must provide built-in age-verification tools. Although the law instructs companies to limit data retention, past breaches—such as the leak of 70,000 government ID photos through a Discord-linked serv...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
BLUF: WhatsApp GPS data allegedly hidden in messages; the UK surpassed 9,000 online-speech arrests; the White House launched a “media bias tracker”; claims circulated of mass YouTube channel bans; Missouri begins digital ID requirements.
》A digital forensics investigator claimed routine WhatsApp messages contain embedded GPS coordinates showing the sender’s exact location despite no live-location sharing. WhatsApp has not confirmed the behavior, leaving it an unresolved priva...
》In the United Kingdom, Media Research Center’s Free Speech America project reported that more than 9,000 residents were arrested in 2024 for online “speech crimes” under communications-offence and hate-speech statutes. Many cases involved social-media posts, and...
》The Trump White House launched a “media bias tracker” webpage cataloging stories and outlets it claims misrepresented the President, narratives surrounding the administration, or other developments. The tracker tags entries with labels including “Bias,” “Omission of context,” and “Lie,” and features a “Media Offender of the Week.” The Washington Post des...
》A Parler-linked claim asserted that YouTube banned 5 million channels in six months (27,000+ per day), with 81.8% of bans occurring through automated AI enforcement and automated appeals. YouTube publicly confirms “millions” of automated removals, but the specific figur...
》In MO, beginning November 30th, residents are required to prove they are 18 or older before accessing websites where over one-third of the content is harmful to minors, using digital IDs, government IDs, or other verified data. Platforms that do not comply can be fined up to $10,000 per day, and major mobile operating systems must provide built-in age-verification tools. Although the law instructs companies to limit data retention, past breaches—such as the leak of 70,000 government ID photos through a Discord-linked serv...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA - 2nd Amendment & Government Oversight: Firearms examiners were deemed “essential” during the recent government shutdown in which 30 Republican members of Congress lobbied acting ATF director Daniel Driscoll to classify firearms examiners as “essential” workers so they could continue processing gun-related evidence while many other federal employees were furloughed. The article says gun-rights group Gun Owners of America (GOA) celebrated the move as a “historic win” that allowed firearms work to continue even as other public servic...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
Field Notes - Infrastructure / Cybersecurity: A ransomware attack disabled Crisis24’s OnSolve CodeRED emergency-alert system used by municipalities nationwide, with confirmed impacts in CO, MA, and other states that relied on the platform. Officials shut down the legacy servers, confirmed data theft, and migrated agencies to alternate systems, while local governments in CO and MA warned residents that personal data may have been stolen and instructed them to change passwords and enroll in backup alert methods. Debrief: The shutdown removed a primary emergency-notification channel for many jurisdic...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA - Major Event: Army veteran and political commentator Matt Murphy has asserted the D.C. attack was a false flag. His posts, which circulated alongside reporting on the attack that killed one National Guard member and wounded another in downtown Washington, DC, described the Afghan suspect as a Muslim former CIA contractor and claimed the incident was the first in a series of coming “false flag” attacks to justify expanded surveillance and militarization. Murphy’s post links the shooting rhetorically to federal investments in AI-enabled surveillance, biometric ch...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)
FYSA - Major Crime: In Stockton, CA, a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in a banquet hall on the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue left three children ages 8, 9, and 14 and a 21-year-old adult dead, with at least 11 others wounded among the 100–150 people attending. Witnesses reported "bursts" of "automatic-sounding" gunfire mixed with handgun shots, suggesting multiple shooters, and officials—including the mayor—publicly labeled the attack gang-related while noting the possibility of drug-related ties, though investigators have not confirmed a final motive. Early reports indicate no one at the party shot back, and victims and attendees were primarily Latino and Black families according to local coverage. Speculative reports suggest involved gangs could have been the Norteños, Conway Gangsters, Flyboys/MOB, or Loc Town Crips, but this is based solely on MO, location, and recent active gangs in the region. Deputies recovered at least one firearm and impounded several vehicles, but no arrests have beel...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)