1 in 4 Americans back Trump’s Iran strikes, most say he’s too quick to use force: poll
About one in four Americans, but a majority of Republicans, say they approve of the U.S. military strikes on Iran ordered by President Donald Trump, according to a new poll. The national survey, conducted Saturday and Sunday by Reuters/Ipsos in the hours after the start of “Operation Epic Fury” by American and Israeli forces on Iran that resulted in the killing of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also indicates about half believe Trump is too willing to use military force. Twenty-seven percent of those surveyed said they approved of the strikes, with 43% disapproving and nearly three in 10 not sure. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS UPDATES ON THE ATTACKS ON IRAN But there’s a partisan divide, with Republicans by a 55%-32% margin supportive of the military action. The vast majority of Democrats, 73%, disapproved of the strikes, with only seven percent saying they approved. A plurality of independents, 44%, disapproved of the military attack, with 19% supportive and nearly four in 10 unsure. IRAN’S NEAR HALF CENTURY WAR ON AMERICANS The poll was conducted before the U.S. military announced on Sunday the first U.S. casualties in the operation — three service members killed and five more seriously wounded. “I think that the polling is very good, but I don’t care about polling. I have to do the right thing. I have to do the right thing. This should have been done a long time ago,” Trump said in an interview Monday with the New York Post when asked about the new survey. The joint U.S.-Israeli operation is expected to carry on for days, with officials telling Fox News that Israel is targeting Iranian leadership, while the U.S. is attacking military targets and ballistic missile sites that pose an “imminent threat.” The attack has plunged the volatile Middle East into a new and unpredictable conflict. Iran has retaliated against Israel and other nations in the region. Trump on Sunday warned against Iranian retaliation, saying that if Iran were to “hit very hard,” they would be met with “a force that has never been seen before.” OIL PRICES SURGE AFTER TANKERS STRUCK NEAR STRAIGHT OF HORMUZ The attack on Iran follows strikes Trump has ordered in recent months against Venezuela, Syria, and Nigeria. According to the poll, 56% of Americans think the president is too willing to use military force to advance U.S. interests. Nearly nine in 10 Democrats, six in 10 independents, and nearly a quarter of Republicans said Trump was too willing to use military force. Trump, in his interview with the New York Post, emphasized that “it’s not a question of polling. You cannot let Iran, who’s a nation that has been run by crazy people, have a nuclear weapon.” “I think people are very impressed with what is happening, actually,” Trump insisted. “I think it’s a silent — if you did a real poll, the silent poll — and it’s like a silent majority,” the president added. Trump’s overall approval in the new survey stands at 39%, down a point from the previous Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in mid-February.
Gas prices could jump as Middle East tensions threaten global oil supply
Americans could soon see higher gas prices as escalating tensions in the Middle East threaten a critical global oil choke point, raising fears of supply disruptions that could quickly reverberate across U.S. energy markets. After joint U.S.–Israeli strikes, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, targeted Iranian sites over the weekend and killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, concerns quickly shifted to how Tehran might respond and whether oil infrastructure or tanker traffic could become collateral damage. Any disruption to global crude supplies could translate into higher costs for American drivers at the pump. “Every time we’ve had flare-ups in the Middle East like we’re seeing right now — and we’ve seen this kind of situation periodically over the last 50 years — it has caused significant disruption to energy markets,” economist Stephen Moore told Fox News Digital. “I would expect we could see anywhere from 25 to 50 cents a gallon increase in gas prices in the short term,” he said. TOMAHAWKS SPEARHEADED US STRIKE ON IRAN — WHY PRESIDENTS REACH FOR THIS MISSILE FIRST Market data already shows prices moving higher. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said oil prices were up $5 per barrel, while wholesale gasoline prices had risen 11 cents per gallon. He expects retail gas prices to begin climbing immediately, especially in areas where stations tend to adjust prices in sharp, periodic jumps. The national average could hit $3 per gallon as soon as Monday, De Haan said, with some stations increasing prices by 10 to 30 cents this week and potentially more in markets that see larger price swings. Moore warned that prices could climb further and remain elevated if vital transit routes or oil facilities are disrupted. TRUMP PLEDGES TO ‘AVENGE’ FALLEN US SERVICE MEMBERS AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN INTENSIFY “Huge amounts of global oil travel through the Strait of Hormuz, so this could be incredibly disruptive, delaying delivery of oil and gas,” he said. “The Iranians have already knocked out some oil facilities in the Middle East, and who knows what they’re up to next. When you have less supply, prices go up. The big question is whether this will be a temporary bump or something more prolonged.” The ongoing conflict sits near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors. “This shipping route represents around 25% of global oil trade and 23% of liquefied natural gas trade,” explained Jaime Brito, executive director of refining and oil products at OPIS. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between Iran and Oman that has long been a flash point during regional crises, serves as a vital artery for global energy markets. Roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products — about one-fifth of global oil supply — transit the strait each day, underscoring how disruption there can quickly send shock waves through international energy markets. HORMUZ ERUPTS: ATTACKS, GPS JAMMING, HOUTHI THREATS ROCK STRAIT AMID US-ISRAELI STRIKES Highlighting the growing concern, Maersk, widely regarded as a bellwether for global ocean freight, said it will suspend all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and cautioned that services to Arabian Gulf ports may be delayed. Still, not all price movements are immediate. “Developments over the weekend in the Middle East should hypothetically take time to ripple into the global supply chain. An initial assessment would suggest no specific price impacts should be seen in the gasoline market across the world, including the U.S.,” Brito told Fox News Digital. However, Brito said prices could climb quickly if markets expect trouble ahead, even before supplies are actually affected. As a result, Brito said, developments in Iran may have already translated into higher gasoline, diesel and other fuel prices in parts of the U.S., depending on regional supply dynamics and individual company pricing strategies. From a domestic standpoint, Brito added that gasoline prices follow a seasonal pattern, typically climbing during the summer travel months. “March prices are not expected to be significantly high,” he said, noting that spring break travel could support demand in certain areas — but not at the level seen during peak summer driving season. Ultimately, the direction of gasoline prices will depend less on seasonal demand and more on how the geopolitical situation unfolds in the days ahead.
Prediction markets point to Talarico-Paxton showdown in Texas Senate race
Traders on prediction market platform Kalshi are signaling growing confidence that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico are on track to secure their parties’ Senate nominations. The Texas primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, with voting opening in the morning and results expected later that night or early Wednesday. Kalshi’s market data shows traders assigning Talarico a 75% probability of securing the Democratic Senate nomination, a 49-point advantage over fellow Texas Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Talarico, 36, is a Texas state representative first elected in 2018, has positioned himself as a progressive voice within the party and has emerged as a rising Democratic figure in the Lone Star State. PREDICTION MARKETS FAVOR DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, VIRGINIA IN 2025 ELECTION RACES Trading volume, or the total dollar amount wagered on this market, stands at just over $5.2 million. While odds on these markets don’t serve as formal forecasts, they do provide a real-time snapshot of trader expectations. While Democrats appear to be consolidating behind Talarico, the Republican primary has taken a sharper turn, with traders overwhelmingly backing Paxton over longtime Sen. John Cornyn. Traders assign Paxton an 81% probability of securing the GOP nomination, a 63-point lead over Cornyn. About $2.2 million has been wagered on this market. CORPORATE AMERICA IS ON THE MOVE, AND THESE RED STATES ARE CASHING IN Paxton, a conservative firebrand and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, has served as the state’s attorney general for nearly a decade. Cornyn has represented Texas in the Senate since 2002. When it comes to the general election in November, prediction markets give the Republican Party an edge. Even with Talarico leading the Democratic field, traders appear to believe the GOP remains better positioned statewide. Kalshi traders see a Talarico and Paxton contest with Paxton winning the Senate seat. Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than three decades. Whether those odds hold will depend on how voters respond in the months ahead, but for now, prediction markets suggest Texas remains in Republican hands.
US surges forces to Middle East as Pentagon warns Iran fight ‘will take some time’
More U.S. forces are headed to the Middle East, according to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff Gen. Dan Caine, as the U.S. escalates its campaign against Iran. “The flow of forces continues today. In fact, Admiral Cooper will receive additional forces even today,” Caine said during a Pentagon briefing Monday morning, referring to Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper. Caine declined to provide troop numbers, saying, “I don’t want to talk specifics, because that would tip the enemy off. We have more tactical aviation flowing into theater just based on the time it took to get it out there.” “I think we’re just about where we want to be in terms of total combat capacity and total combat power for Admiral Cooper.” IRAN’S TERROR PROXIES FROM IRAQ-TO-LEBANON SAY READY TO RESPOND TO US-ISRAEL ATTACKS Caine said the additional forces build on a monthlong repositioning of U.S. assets across the region, including carrier strike groups, advanced fighter aircraft and air defense systems, as the U.S. prosecutes what officials described as “major combat operations” that have already resulted in the death of 555 Iranians, according to an Associated Press count, as of Monday morning. Caine said the U.S. mission in Iran is to “prevent Iran from (the) ability to project power outside its borders.” “This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it today,” added War Secretary Pete Hegseth. AMERICA STRIKES IRAN AGAIN — HAS WASHINGTON PLANNED FOR WHAT COMES NEXT? Hegseth said the mission was to destroy Iranian missiles and missile production, destroy its navy and ensure it has no capability to pursue a nuclear weapon. The general warned the operation “will take some time” and acknowledged, “We expect to take additional losses.” Four U.S. service members have been killed in the operation that began in the early hours of Saturday Eastern Time. Hegseth said the service members were struck by an Iranian missile that penetrated air defenses at a tactical command center. Asked whether there are American boots on the ground in Iran, Hegseth replied, “no,” but said the administration would not telegraph future options. It’s “one of the fallacies” that “this department or presidents or others should tell the American people — and our enemies, by the way — ‘here’s exactly what we’ll do,’” Hegseth said. “It’s foolishness.” At the start of the operation known as Epic Fury, Caine said more than 100 aircraft launched from land and sea in a synchronized wave, including fighters, tankers, electronic attack aircraft, bombers and unmanned platforms. U.S. cyber and space forces first conducted non-kinetic operations designed to disrupt and degrade Iran’s ability to communicate and respond, he said. Tomahawk missiles fired from U.S. Navy vessels struck Iranian naval forces along the southern flank, while coordinated precision strikes targeted command and control infrastructure, ballistic missile sites and intelligence facilities. Caine said the opening phase struck more than 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours. American B-2 bombers flew 37-hour round-trip missions from the continental United States to hit underground facilities with penetrating munitions, he added. “We are now roughly 57 hours into the operation,” Caine said Monday, adding that U.S. forces have launched hundreds of missions and delivered tens of thousands of pieces of ordnance as the campaign continues to scale.
Retired general who once led Air Force Research Laboratory goes missing
A retired U.S. Air Force general was reported missing in New Mexico, with authorities warning that medical concerns have heightened fears for his safety. Retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, 68, was last seen around 11 a.m. Friday near Quail Run Court NE in Albuquerque, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said. Officials said they do not know what McCasland was wearing or in which direction he may have traveled. The sheriff’s office has issued a Silver Alert. “Due to his medical issues, law enforcement is concerned for his safety,” the sheriff’s office said. NANCY GUTHRIE NEIGHBORS’ RING CAMERA CAPTURES VEHICLES ON POSSIBLE ROUTE FROM CRIME SCENE McCasland was a longtime leader at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico and previously commanded Kirtland’s Phillips Research Site and Air Force Research Laboratory. NANCY GUTHRIE SUSPECT’S DIGITAL ‘BLACKOUT’ MAY BE KEY TO CASE, SAYS EXPERT WHO PROBED KOHBERGER PHONE Col. Justin Secrest, commander of the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland, told the Albuquerque Journal that the base is coordinating with local authorities. “Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time,” Secrest said. McCasland was commissioned in 1979 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in astronautical engineering and held multiple leadership roles in space research, acquisition and operations, including work with the National Reconnaissance Office. Authorities asked anyone with information about McCasland to text BCSO to 847411 or call the sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit at +1 (505) 468-7070.
Hegseth lays out ‘clear’ 3-part mission against Iran, says war ‘is not endless’
War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday outlined what he described as a “clear” three-part mission against Iran, insisting the conflict “is not endless” and sharply rejecting comparisons to past U.S. wars in the Middle East. Speaking during the first Pentagon briefing since U.S.-Israeli strikes began over the weekend, Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury has a narrowly defined objective: destroy Iran’s offensive missile capabilities, cripple its navy and prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “We set the terms of this war from start to finish. Our ambitions are not utopian. They are realistic, scoped to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies,” he told reporters. Hegseth said the campaign is being carried out “surgically” but with overwhelming force, arguing the United States is steadily degrading Iran’s capabilities while strengthening its own posture in the region. IRAN’S MISSILE REACH: WHAT’S IN RANGE NOW – AND HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO THE US He also acknowledged the risk of additional casualties, saying four Americans have been killed so far, and vowed to press ahead until the operation’s objectives are met. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the operation began Saturday under U.S. Central Command and cautioned that it would not be a one-night effort. This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
Wife of GOP congressman dead after being injured in January hit-and-run crash
The wife of U.S. Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., has died after suffering serious injuries in a January hit-and-run accident, the congressman’s office announced Sunday. Danise Baird died following complications from her injuries in the Jan. 5 car crash, Baird’s office wrote in a post on X. “Congressman Baird and Danise were married for 59 years, building a life centered on faith, family, and service,” the post read. “A devoted wife and loving mother of three, she was the foundation of their family and will be deeply missed. We ask that you keep the Congressman and his family in your prayers during this difficult time.” The congressman was also injured in the crash as the couple drove back to the nation’s capital. He was discharged after less than 24 hours in the hospital, though missed some time on Capitol Hill. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER CAR ACCIDENT, SOURCES SAY Baird, 80, and his wife were both originally expected “to be okay,” President Donald Trump said a day after the crash while making remarks at the recently renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The couple’s son, Beau Baird, wrote in a Jan. 15 update on Facebook that his mother had “a long recovery ahead of her after suffering nearly 15 breaks and fractures” in the “serious hit-and-run accident.” On Feb. 1, he wrote that his mother “has taken her first assisted steps,” adding that “while we’re hopeful, we know there’s still a road ahead, and family is at the center of all we do.” Baird and his wife were high school sweethearts and shared three children together, according to the congressman’s House biography. GOP REP MAST SAYS US MILITARY OBJECTIVE IN IRAN IS TO ‘ELIMINATE’ THREAT TO AMERICANS Lawmakers took to social media to share their condolences with the Baird family following the devastating loss of their matriarch. “This is incredibly sad news from our dedicated colleague Jim Baird,” Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., wrote. “Jim’s wife Danise was often by his side as he worked so hard in Congress on behalf of his constituents. They are salt of the earth people and Jim and his family have sacrificed so much for our country.” Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., asked the public to “join me in lifting up my colleague Rep. Jim Baird and his family in prayer,” adding, “May God wrap them in His comfort through the difficult days ahead.” Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., wrote that she and her husband Mike were praying for the Baird family to “find comfort, strength, and peace in the days ahead.” Baird, a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War and is known on Capitol Hill for veterans and farming issues, has represented Indiana’s 4th Congressional District since 2019. The district is a largely rural, agriculture-heavy area in western and north-central Indiana. Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, Alex Nitzberg and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Chasing the apocalypse: Radical Shiite clerics on American soil preach prophetic showdown with US
FIRST ON FOX: For many, the war with Iran — and the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — might seem like the climactic end to a long, brutal reign of terror by the theological clerics who have run the country since 1979. But a Fox News Digital investigation reveals that, for certain hardline Shiite ideologues, including in the U.S., this is not an ending but a prophetic showdown that will usher in the arrival of the “Mahdi,” a messiah, according to Islamic eschatology, or the theology of end times. In this prophecy, Mahdi will emerge to battle Dajjal, the Islamic equivalent of the Antichrist, in a final battle of Armageddon. For many of these ideologues, President Donald Trump is Dajjal. At a recent Friday sermon at a local Shiite mosque in northern Virginia, an imam closed prayer with an earnest plea, before war broke out in Iran: “May Allah destroy all the nonbelievers – or kafiroon or munafiqoon,” he said, using Arabic words that refer to “nonbelievers” and “hypocrites.” He asked for this victory “before the arrival of Imam Mahdi.” ANTI-US PROTESTERS FUNDED BY PRO-CHINA TYCOON MOBILIZE AS FIRST BOMBS FALL ON IRAN Fox News Digital observed the sermon and also witnessed a special table of honor in the middle of the mosque’s main prayer hall, featuring framed photos of Khamenei embracing Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah, also killed by Israel for orchestrating terrorist attacks. The Friday service at the Manassas Mosque reveals a theological dynamic that Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned about in early February, noting that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s leaders are guided not merely by geopolitics and national security considerations, but by “pure theology.” “We have to understand that Iran ultimately is governed, and its decisions are governed by Shiite clerics — radical Shiite clerics — who make policy decisions on the basis of pure theology,” Rubio said. In its investigation, Fox News Digital conducted a digital analysis of hours of sermons and scores of pages of pro-regime protest slogans, messaging and social media posts, using large-language models, and found clerics, community leaders and media platforms in the U.S. framing tensions with Iran in explicitly apocalyptic terms rooted in eschatology, or Islamist end-times theology. The investigation found that precepts shaping Tehran’s worldview, from its clerics to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, are also being preached on American soil by proxies for Iran’s propaganda. From the mosque in northern Virginia to religious institutions in Michigan and Texas, clerics aligned with the Islamic Republic are advancing a doomsday interpretation of faith that casts geopolitical and military confrontation with the U.S. as part of a prophetic destiny tied to the return of the Mahdi. After war broke out Friday night, Fox News Digital witnessed pro-regime chats on messaging platforms, like Telegram, filled with prayers, awaiting “the arrival” of Mahdi. “We need Al Mahdi…His return with Jesus will be the final win permanently,” one read. “The saviour the warrior the dominator ‘ imam mahdi ’ [sic] will arrive,” read another. Last summer, the Manassas Mosque co-organized a White House protest with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the ANSWER Coalition, CodePink and other far-left groups to support the Iranian regime. The groups are now again protesting Trump’s military action against Iran. One demonstrator, wearing a black-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh scarf over her face, carried a flag last summer that read “Labayk ya Mahdi” in Arabic, meaning, “At your service, oh, Mahdi.” In Farsi, Arabic and English, the flag also had the message, “I dedicate every single of my steps to your reappearance.” DEADLY AUSTIN SHOOTING THAT KILLED 3 MAY BE ‘ACT OF TERRORISM,’ FBI SAYS Pro-regime mosques, K-12 schools and local community organizations in the U.S. are “producing messaging that mirrors Tehran’s talking points almost word for word,” warned Andrew Ghalili, policy director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, an advocacy group led by Iranian Americans who oppose the theocratic regime running Iran. In an upcoming report, “The Ayatollahs’ Influence Network in the United States,” reviewed by Fox News Digital, the group’s researchers conclude the Islamic Republic of Iran spreads “Tehran’s messaging” in a network of institutions it supports in the U.S., for example, pitting Trump as the Dajjal fighting defenders of the Mahdi, like Khamenei and now his successors. “What we’re seeing is years of deliberate investment by the Islamic Republic inside the United States,” Ghalili told Fox News Digital. “This is happening on American soil, and it’s just another way in which the regime poses a direct threat to the United States, this time not with missiles but through infiltration,” he said. A gunman just killed three in Austin, Texas, wearing a sweater that said, “PROPERTY OF ALLAH.” According to media reports, law enforcement officials found the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran and photos of its leaders in his home. ENEMY WITHIN: COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERTS FEAR SLEEPER CELLS COULD BE POISED INSIDE US After the recent Friday service, two community leaders at the Manassas mosque declined to speak for attribution but told Fox News Digital that the rhetoric of destroying “nonbelievers” and the photos of Khamenei and the terrorist group leaders are meant to challenge “injustice” before the Mahdi appears. A Harvard University report on “The Hidden Imam and the End of Time” recognizes the world’s two billion Muslims hold a range of beliefs regarding eschatology and many reject strict or literal interpretations. In the majority Sunni sect and the minority Shiite sect of Islam, clerics describe the Mahdi’s army traveling from modern-day Iran to Damascus, Syria, where Jesus would appear at the Umayyad Mosque and pray behind the Mahdi. The Mahdi’s forces would battle Dajjal in Syria and kill him in Lod, Israel, conquering the world. Days ago, Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency repeated the end-times narrative, quoting Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem, claiming the regime is the “government of Imam Mahdi” and its anti-U.S. “resistance is the path to hastening his reappearance.” IRAN OPERATING SECRET ‘BLACK BOX’ SITES HOLDING THOUSANDS IN DETENTION: REPORTS For
3 US warplanes shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses, pilots bail out in friendly fire incident, CENTCOM says
Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait late Sunday during active combat operations tied to Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The aircraft were mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defenses amid a complex battle environment that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones. All six aircrew members safely ejected, were quickly recovered, and are reported to be in stable condition. Kuwaiti officials have acknowledged the incident, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause. KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES CENTCOM said additional details are expected as the review progresses. Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense said earlier on Monday that several U.S. military aircraft had crashed, according to a statement carried by the state-run Kuwait News Agency. Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Saud Al-Atwan said Kuwaiti authorities immediately launched search and rescue operations, evacuated the aircrews from the crash sites and transferred them to hospitals to assess their conditions and provide any necessary medical care. Al-Atwan added that Kuwaiti and U.S. forces were coordinating on the circumstances of the incident and implementing joint technical procedures as part of the response. 3 US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED, 5 SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN IRAN OPERATION Video from the crash appeared to show one of the jets descending rapidly in a steep dive before disappearing from view. In separate footage, pilots could be seen parachuting toward the ground surrounded by smoke. The Kuwait Army’s official X account said its Air Defense Force confronted a number of “hostile aerial targets” at dawn, intercepting and tracking them as part of operations in the central part of the country. TRUMP OVERSEES US STRIKES ON IRAN FROM MAR-A-LAGO, SPEAKS WITH NETANYAHU: WH The post did not specify how many targets were engaged or detail their nature, but described the response as efficient and conducted under full combat readiness to protect Kuwait’s airspace.
Former President Bill Clinton deposed in Epstein probe in potential first for Congress
Most congressional precedents emanate from Capitol Hill. Most presidential precedents emerge from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But a precedent which may echo around the halls of Congress and the White House for years materialized in recent days in the snow-covered, wooded village of Chappaqua, New York. That’s where former President Bill Clinton testified under subpoena to the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Lawmakers said the panel’s ability to compel testimony from a former president could establish a new precedent going forward — including in matters involving President Trump and the Epstein files. According to congressional historians, never before has a congressional committee deposed a former president. It was rare enough to have former First Lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testify the day before. Republicans noted that former President Clinton had previously acknowledged knowing Epstein and traveling on trips that included him. “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices,” said Hillary Clinton after nearly six hours of closed-door testimony before the panel. WHY KEEPING LAWMAKERS IN DC DURING SHUTDOWN MAY HAVE CAUSED MORE HARM THAN GOOD House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said Hillary Clinton declared “‘You’ll have to ask my husband,’” more than “a dozen” times during her deposition ahead of Bill Clinton’s the following day. There are no accusations of wrongdoing against either of the Clintons in connection with Epstein. But the former president’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein have spurred questions from lawmakers. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: BONDI’S BINDER STRATEGY TURNS HOUSE HEARING INTO POLITICAL FIRESTORM “It’s very difficult to get people in for these depositions of great power and great wealth,” said Comer. “It took seven months, seven months to get the Clintons in here. But we’ve got them in here.” “Here” was Chappaqua, about an hour north of New York City. The Clintons have resided in Chappaqua since President Clinton left office in 2001 and when Hillary Clinton ran for Senate from New York in 2000. Hillary Clinton served as a senator from New York from 2001 until 2009, when she became President Obama’s first Secretary of State. More specifically, the “here” for the Clintons’ testimony was not a bland office in the Rayburn House Office Building. House members questioned the Clintons at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, known locally as “ChappPAC,” a white structure with simple arcades and Greek columns atop a hillside above the Saw Mill River. The Epstein inquiry is serious, and the unusual venue underscored the extraordinary nature of the proceeding. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., appeared to snap a photo of Hillary Clinton during the deposition, then shared it with conservative media outlets. “I admire (Hillary Clinton’s) blue suit. So I wanted to capture that for everyone,” said Boebert outside the venue. “Why did you send the picture?” asked a reporter. “Why not?” retorted Boebert. “We are sitting through an incredibly unserious, clown show of a deposition, where Members of Congress and the Republican Party are more concerned about getting their photo op of Secretary Clinton than actually getting to the truth and actually holding anyone accountable,” charged Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz. BILL CLINTON SAYS HE DIDN’T KNOW WOMAN IN INFAMOUS JACUZZI PHOTO DURING CLOSED-DOOR EPSTEIN TESTIMONY After concluding her testimony, Hillary Clinton told reporters she found the “end” of the deposition to be “quite unusual because I started being asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate, one of the most vile, bogus conspiracy theories that was propagated on the internet.” That is a reference to a conspiracy theory that emerged during the 2016 presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton and President Trump. Proponents falsely claimed Democrats operated a child sex trafficking ring out of the Comet Ping Pong pizza shop in Washington. A North Carolina man later drove to Washington, D.C., and fired shots inside the restaurant, telling authorities he was there to rescue children. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-N.C., asserted that Hillary Clinton was “screaming” at lawmakers during the deposition. “She was unhinged,” said Mace. “And I hope that President Clinton is less unhinged today than his wife was yesterday.” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., emerged from the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center about 90 minutes into former President Clinton’s deposition to speculate about what may have been behind Epstein and his sex trafficking operation. Luna noted she was speaking only for herself and not other members of the committee. “It has become very evident even in the last 24 hours in lines of questioning that Jeffrey Epstein was running an intelligence gathering operation,” said Luna. “I do believe it was a honey pot operation.” Luna added that it was possible a U.S. intelligence ally was involved, though she provided no evidence for the claim. One of the five agreed-upon areas of questioning for the Clintons was how Epstein used his connections with powerful figures to hide his crimes. That is why individuals such as former President Clinton and President Trump have surfaced in previously released Epstein-related documents. The presidency is a unique office, and even President Trump expressed some sympathy for Bill Clinton’s appearance before the Oversight Committee. “I don’t like seeing him deposed. But they certainly went after me a lot more than that,” said the president. When pressed on Friday, President Trump said he was unfamiliar with the Epstein files. “I don’t know anything about the Epstein files. I’ve been totally exonerated,” said President Trump. Oversight Committee Republicans were asked whether they agreed with that claim. “From all the evidence I’ve seen he’s been exonerated for a long time,” replied Comer. “The Epstein victims have exonerated President Trump. This is a trope that you guys are — a rabbit hole you guys are going down. But he’s been exonerated over and over again by Epstein victims,” said Mace. But Democrats questioned why the committee sought testimony from former President Clinton and not President Trump. “There is a lot of email correspondence that included President Clinton,”