Trump appoints Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika to Air Force Academy Board of Visitors
President Donald Trump appointed Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to serve on the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors. Kirk, who serves as CEO and board chair of Turning Point USA, is listed among those appointed by the president on the academy’s website. “The Board inquires into the morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods and other matters relating to the Academy which the Board decides to consider,” the site explains. ARIZONA GOVERNOR VETOES CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL LICENSE PLATE, SPARKING GOP OUTRAGE: ‘THIS BILL FALLS SHORT’ Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September, had been tapped by Trump to serve on the board last year. “President Trump made the perfect choice in appointing Erika Kirk to the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors,” White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “Charlie Kirk served proudly on the Board, inspiring not only the next generation of servicemembers, but millions around the world with his bold Christian faith, defense of the truth, and deep love of country. Erika Kirk will continue his legacy, and will be a fearless advocate for the most elite airpower force in the history of the world whose warriors keep our Nation safe, strong, and free,” Wales added. ‘WE ARE NOT AFRAID’: ERIKA KIRK VOWS TPUSA WILL CONTINUE CAMPUS DEBATES NATIONWIDE “I applaud President Trump for appointing Erika Kirk to the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors,” Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “I encouraged this appointment as Erika is the right person to fill Charlie’s place on the Board and continue his work of inspiring the next generation of service members and advancing the Academy. I look forward to working alongside her to carry on Charlie’s legacy,” Pfluger added. Pfluger, a graduate of the academy, is the board’s chair. ERIKA KIRK OPENS UP ABOUT ‘GUT-WRENCHING’ GRIEF AFTER HER HUSBAND’S KILLING AND HOW FAITH SUSTAINED HER Fox News Digital reached out to Turning Point USA on Tuesday.
Iran war, 11 days in: US controls skies, oil surges and the region braces for what’s next
One week into the war with Iran, U.S. officials say American and Israeli forces are moving toward “complete control” of Iranian airspace — clearing the way for deeper strikes, a broader target list and a conflict that appears to be expanding rather than winding down. In briefings this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine described what they called near-uncontested airspace over key corridors, a shift that allows sustained bombing operations deep inside Iran. “We are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives,” Hegseth said in a press briefing Tuesday morning. AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM? Caine said U.S. forces have now struck more than 5,000 targets in the first 10 days of operations, including dozens of deeply buried missile launchers hit with 2,000-pound penetrating bombs. The message from Washington is one of overwhelming military advantage. But the broader picture, rising oil prices, expanding drone warfare, strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure, and regional spillover touching NATO territory, suggests a conflict that is growing in scope even as U.S. officials project confidence in its trajectory. Amid the intensifying conflict, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the recently deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as the country’s new supreme leader, consolidating authority within the clerical establishment and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at a pivotal moment. The succession, only the second since the 1979 revolution, signals continuity rather than recalibration in Iran’s posture. Mojtaba Khamenei had long been viewed as a potential successor and is closely aligned with hard-line factions inside Iran’s security apparatus. President Donald Trump criticized the selection, saying the leadership change would not alter U.S. objectives and suggesting it reflects the same entrenched power structure Washington has sought to weaken. The administration has made clear that military operations will continue regardless of who occupies the supreme leader’s office. Rather than opening a diplomatic off-ramp, the transition appears to reinforce the likelihood of a prolonged confrontation. Hegseth said Tuesday that the U.S. and Israel had achieved “total air dominance” over Iran and were “winning decisively with brutal efficiency.” “That doesn’t mean they won’t be able to project,” Hegseth said. “It doesn’t mean our air defenders still don’t have to defend. They do. But that is strong evidence of degradation.” “Most of their higher-end surface-to-air missile systems are not factors at this point in time,” Caine said. “Fighters are moving deeper with relative impunity,” he added, noting there is “always some risk.” Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, also reported that Iranian ballistic missile launches had dropped by roughly 90% from the opening days of the conflict, while drone attacks had fallen by more than 80%, attributing the decline to sustained strikes on launchers and infrastructure. Still, officials have cautioned that air superiority does not mean every threat can be stopped. Iranian missiles and drones continue to be launched, and some have required interception across the region. Hegseth said the campaign is transitioning from expensive standoff weapons like Tomahawk cruise missiles to 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound precision gravity bombs — a shift he said reflects confidence that Iranian surface-to-air missile systems have been suppressed in key areas. He described the U.S. stockpile of such bombs as “nearly unlimited” and warned that Washington’s timeline “is ours and ours alone to control.” The emphasis on gravity bombs is more than rhetorical. It signals a move toward sustained, high-tempo operations designed not only to hit active threats, but to degrade Iran’s ability to regenerate its missile force. US SIGNALS READINESS TO ESCORT TANKERS THROUGH HORMUZ AS TRAFFIC THINS, BUT NO MISSION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED Even as missile launches decline, unmanned systems remain central to the war. Iran has leaned heavily on drones — including Shahed-style loitering munitions — to strike energy facilities, pressure U.S. bases and disrupt shipping near the Strait of Hormuz. Compared to ballistic missiles, drones are cheaper and easier to deploy in volume, allowing Tehran to sustain pressure despite losses elsewhere. In response, the United States has deployed a Ukraine-tested counter-drone interceptor system to the region. Ukrainian specialists, drawing on experience defending against Iranian-designed drones used in the Russia-Ukraine war, are assisting in strengthening base protection. The drone fight underscores a key dynamic: while U.S. forces may dominate the skies, lower-cost unmanned systems can still impose risk and strain air defenses. The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and major liquefied natural gas shipments transit — has become one of the most consequential flash points of the war. Drone attacks and Iranian threats have sharply reduced commercial traffic, driving up insurance costs and forcing some vessels to reroute. Oil prices have climbed above $100 per barrel amid fears that disruptions could persist. Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities, and Iran’s retaliatory targeting of regional energy infrastructure, signal that energy assets are now active targets. Reports of strikes affecting water and desalination plants further suggest the war is expanding beyond strictly military sites. If instability on Hormuz stretches for weeks, analysts warn global energy markets could tighten quickly, translating into higher gasoline prices and renewed inflation pressure in the United States. Trump warned Monday that Iran will be hit “20 times harder” than it already has if it threatens ships in the Strait. The war has edged closer to NATO territory. Two Iranian ballistic missiles were intercepted near Turkish airspace, raising the risk of broader alliance involvement. Iran has also struck Azerbaijan, drawing sharp condemnation from Baku and angering Turkey, Azerbaijan’s closest ally. Notably, Iran has not seen a unified regional bloc mobilize in its defense, highlighting its relative diplomatic isolation even as it escalates militarily. Despite Hegseth’s assertion that certain offensive munitions are plentiful, sustaining air and missile defense operations is resource-intensive, and inventories of high-end interceptors were already under strain before the conflict began. Iran has attempted to degrade radar systems tied to platforms such as THAAD and Patriot
Longtime House Dem swats down attack ad from millennial challenger: ‘I trust the voters’
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., pushed back against accusations of having been in office too long ahead of a primary race against challenger Evan Turnage and amid broader conversations in the Democratic Party on age and leadership. Turnage, 33, needled Thompson’s extensive tenure in Congress, noting in a campaign ad that the incumbent had served in office for the vast majority of his life. “We live in the poorest district in the poorest state in the country. That was true when I was one when our congressman was first elected. It’s true today,” Turnage said. “If our congressman’s 33 years in office had helped build up this district, built health and wealth in this district, there would be no need for change.” GABBARD BLASTS DEMOCRAT BENNIE THOMPSON FOR CALLING NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING AN ‘UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT’ Thompson, 78, fired back on Monday. “Elections are about giving people a choice, and I respect that process,” Thompson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I have always run my campaigns by focusing on the needs of the people of Mississippi’s Second Congressional District and the work we’ve done together.” FIVE SLEEPER RACES THAT COULD UPEND 2026 – FROM PENNSYLVANIA’S ALLEGHENIES TO NEW MEXICO Turnage’s focus on Thompson’s tenure comes as several senior Democrats have announced that 2026 will be their last year in office. Among them, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her second in command, Steny Hoyer, D-Md., have both announced they will not pursue another term come the November midterm elections. Other notable departures include Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. ‘PEOPLE ARE SICK OF THE SAME OLD THING’: MAXINE WATERS FACES PRIMARY FROM DEMOCRAT 34 YEARS HER JUNIOR Among that group, their average age is 81 years old. Although the crowd of resignations also includes members who have given up their seats to pursue a higher office, Capitol Hill has seen a historic number of departures in the 119th Congress — the highest rate since 2018. But Thompson, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, doesn’t intend to join them. If Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in the midterms, Thompson would likely find himself the chairman of Homeland Security. “There is always more to be done, and I remain committed to continuing that progress. Ultimately, I trust the voters of the district to look at the record and make the choice they believe is best for their communities,” Thompson said.
‘Serious concerns’: GOP sounds alarm on taxpayer funds going to ‘high risk’ universities vulnerable to CCP
FIRST ON FOX: The House Select Committee on China is calling on the National Science Foundation (NSF) to pause a $67 million research security initiative, citing concerns that the universities leading the effort have engaged in problematic collaborations with Chinese military-linked institutions. In a Tuesday letter to NSF Interim Director Brian Stone obtained by Fox News Digital, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan, urged the agency to suspend funding for the “Safeguarding the Entire Community of the U.S. Research Ecosystem” (SECURE) initiative and conduct a comprehensive review of the participating institutions. Moolenaar’s concern, expressed in the letter, is that several of those participating institutions, including Texas A&M University and the University of Washington, receive tens of millions from the grant despite ties to the CCP that the committee finds concerning. “The program is intended to develop tools, data infrastructure, and analytic capabilities for assessing research-security risks,” Moolenaar wrote. “Faculty from UW and TAMU – the same institutions now charged with designing systems and processes to protect taxpayer-funded research – have been collaborating with People’s Republic of China (PRC) defense research and industrial base entities, many of which are on various U.S. government national security entity lists, as detailed in this letter.” NEW REPORT SOUNDS ALARM ON ‘STAGGERING’ AMOUNT OF FOREIGN MONEY POURING INTO US UNIVERSITIES The committee alleges the University of Washington collaborated on research with Chinese institutions tied to the CCP’s military and defense sector, including entities on U.S. government watchlists. The committee cited joint publications with PLA-linked organizations, China’s Academy of Military Medical Sciences and universities known as the “Seven Sons of National Defense,” involving work in AI, advanced materials and other dual-use technologies. The letter describes the university’s ties as “high-risk research relationships with PRC military- and defense-linked institutions.” The University of Washington is designated to be awarded $50 million from the grant. Additionally, the note claims that Texas A&M partnered with Chinese defense-affiliated institutions, including the PLA’s National University of Defense Technology and Harbin Institute of Technology. They argue these collaborations, some involving federally funded research, raise national security concerns and could conflict with U.S. research security and export control laws. Texas A&M is designated to be awarded $17 million from the grant. HOUSE REPUBLICANS SOUND ALARM OVER CCP-LINKED FAKE RESEARCH THREATENING US TAXPAYER-FUNDED SCIENCE “Institutions entrusted with U.S. taxpayer dollars to safeguard the nation’s research enterprise should not simultaneously enable foreign adversaries to access and exploit sensitive research and taxpayer-funded scientific advances,” Moolenaar wrote. “These joint research projects detailed above raise serious concerns about allocating taxpayer dollars for research security initiatives to institutions like TAMU and UW—institutions with documented and ongoing failures in safeguarding U.S. research from PRC defense entities,” Moolenaar said, adding that it is “troubling that U.S. institutions that collaborate with China’s defense research and industrial base, its nuclear weapons programs, its mass surveillance infrastructure, and institutions on U.S. government national security lists are being entrusted to co-lead the development of national research security frameworks.” Moolenaar’s letter urges NSF to assess whether the institutions are complying with a range of federal requirements, including National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, and U.S. export control laws. Moolenaar also raised concerns about potential violations of the Wolf Amendment, an appropriations restriction in effect since 2012 that prohibits NASA from engaging in bilateral cooperation with the Chinese government or Chinese government-affiliated organizations in NASA-funded research without specific certification. Moolenaar’s letter concludes with four requests for NSF to respond to by March 31. First, the congressman asks if NSF will pause its SECURE contract funding to conduct a “full review” and also requests that NSF provide the committee with the results of that review. The letter also requests that NSF “provide the award and contract details for the SECURE Initiative” and asks whether NSF believes that “it is appropriate for universities to use U.S. taxpayer funds to conduct research in collaboration with known Chinese defense research and industrial base entities or entities implicated in human rights violations?” “Will NSF update its terms and conditions to expressly prohibit the use of award funds to conduct research with, or for the benefit of, any entity that appears on a publicly available U.S. government entity list?” the last question in the letter asks. “If not, please explain why.” Fox News Digital reached out to Texas A&M University for comment, as well as Stanford University, who is mentioned in the letter as being a participant in the program. “NSF will respond directly to the Committee’s letter,” an NSF spokesperson told Fox News Digital. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a University of Washington spokesperson said, “SECURE is a dynamic program that is not prescriptive but can assist universities of all sizes and other research entities to address research security concerns. The University of Washington takes research security and integrity very seriously. The UW directs significant effort and resources toward being leaders in research security and integrity, and goes above and beyond SECURE’s guidance and recommendations. Given the evolving landscape, we are regularly reviewing our guidelines and protocols.” Fox News Digital has extensively reported on rising concerns about the CCP’s attempts to infiltrate the education system in the United States, including a sweeping report last year warning that America’s top universities have been quietly partnering with Chinese artificial intelligence labs deeply embedded in Beijing’s surveillance and security state and in some cases co-authoring thousands of papers with entities tied to oppressive efforts against Uyghur Muslims.
Trump says he’s ‘not happy’ with Iran’s choice of new supreme leader
President Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with Iran’s choice of a new supreme leader but that early results from Operation Epic Fury have been “way beyond expectation.” Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been installed as the next supreme leader. “I don’t believe he can live in peace,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. TRUMP SAYS HE’S ‘NOT HAPPY’ WITH IRAN’S CHOICE OF NEW SUPREME LEADER The president touted what he described as the success of the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation. “Way beyond expectation in terms of result this early,” Trump told Fox News. More than 5,000 targets have been hit by the U.S. military since the operation was launched on Feb. 28, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Monday. “When we attacked them first, we knocked out 50% of their missiles and if we didn’t, it would have been a much harder fight,” Trump said. HEGSETH BLASTS BRITS, SAYS IRAN’S CHAOTIC RETALIATION HAS DRIVEN ITS OWN ALLIES ‘INTO THE AMERICAN ORBIT’ He framed the opening strike as decisive and necessary. “No other President had the guts to do it… I don’t want some president who hasn’t got the courage in five years or in ten years to go in. It’s like a gun slinger, where he draws his gun first,” Trump told Yingst. “If we waited three days, I believe we would have been attacked,” he added. Trump described what he called a surprise element in the timing of the operation. “Breakfast attacks are unusual, and they were misled because they thought we weren’t going at that time and all that… And they just met. It was very, very surprising. And they all met together, and it was open,” he said. “If they would’ve had a bomb, they’d have used it on Israel and other parts of the Middle East, Trump said. “I think, and probably us, if they could get it there, but it would have been tough.” Trump said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told him Iran claimed it had enough enriched uranium to build 11 nuclear bombs. “I said, you know, they’re not playing this smart. Because they’re basically saying that I have to attack them. They should have just said, ‘We’re not going to build a nuclear missile’,” Trump said. LIZ PEEK: IRAN WAR COULD BECOME THE ACHIEVEMENT THAT ENSURES TRUMP’S LEGACY Asked whether he would be willing to speak with Iranian leaders, Trump said: “I’m hearing they want to talk badly.” “It’s possible, depends on what terms, possible, only possible… You know, we sort of don’t have to speak anymore, you know, if you really think about it, but it’s possible,” he told Fox News. Trump also said he was taken aback by Iran targeting Gulf countries in response to the American and Israeli attacks. “One of the things that surprised me most was when they attacked countries that were not attacking them,” he said. The president also weighed in on reports of a strike hitting a girls’ school. Iranian state media and UNICEF estimates put the death toll at roughly 165 to 180 people, most of them young schoolgirls, with dozens more injured. The figures have not been independently verified. “It’s only under investigation, but we are not the only ones with that particular rocket,” Trump said.
Republican says ‘Muslims don’t belong in American society,’ draws fierce Democratic backlash
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee declared in a post on X that “Muslims don’t belong in American society,” and later defended his remarks as Democrats condemned them. “Pluralism is a lie,” Ogles also wrote in his controversial post. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., slammed the GOP lawmaker. MAGA HARDLINER PUSHES BAN ON IMMIGRATION FROM ISLAMIC COUNTRIES, US ADVERSARIES IN WAKE OF TEXAS SHOOTING “Andy Ogles is a malignant clown and pathological liar who has fabricated his whole life story. Disgusting Islamophobes like you do not belong in Congress or in civilized society. And that’s why House Democrats will defeat you in November,” Jeffries wrote on X. ‘UNDER SIEGE’: INSIDE THE GROWING RADICAL ISLAM THREAT CRITICS SAY IS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT IN DEEP RED TEXAS House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., also condemned Ogles’ comments. “This disgusting s— doesn’t belong in American society. And Republicans who support it don’t belong in Congress,” Clark wrote. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office also decried Ogles’ post, writing: “Disgusting comments. America was founded on the idea of religious freedom. Republicans must denounce this now!” Ogles was unmoved by the barrage of Democratic criticism. EXPERT WARNS RADICAL ISLAMIST NETWORKS COULD SHIFT WEST AFTER IRAN REGIME SHAKEUP “To Hakeem Jeffries, Gavin Newsom, and the high-ranking Democrats flooding X to condemn me: A Muslim shot and killed three Americans in Texas. Two Muslims tried to blow up New York City…again. Meanwhile, all DHS counterterrorism programs are unfunded because you shut them down,” he wrote in a post.
Trump reveals top issues GOP should focus on to secure midterms victory: ‘I’ve never been more confident’
President Donald Trump outlined five key items he believes will tip the upcoming midterm elections in the GOP’s favor — if Republicans can muscle them through Congress. “No transgender mutilation surgery for our children,” Trump told an audience at the Republican Members’ Issues Conference. “Voter ID, citizenship [verification], mail-in ballots, we don’t want men playing in women’s sports.” “It’s the best of Trump. Those are the best of Trump. This is the number one priority, it should be, for the House,” Trump said. Trump’s exhortations to Republican lawmakers come as the GOP wages an uphill campaign to hang on to a controlling majority in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He framed his legislative priorities as a way for Republicans to capitalize on popular demands within the GOP base that would increase their chances of preserving a Republican governing trifecta. HOUSE REPUBLICANS PUSH ELECTION OVERHAUL WITH VOTER ID, MAIL-IN BALLOT CHANGES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS Currently, Republicans hold just four more seats than Democrats in the House of Representatives. The GOP holds six more than Democrats in the Senate. To keep the numbers in their favor, Republicans will need to beat historical trends. In the vast majority of past cases, parties that capture the White House in presidential elections face blowback in the midterms. Notably, the last time a majority party gained seats in both chambers of Congress in the midterms came under the Bush administration in 2002, following devastating attacks on the World Trade Center. REPUBLICANS, TRUMP RUN INTO SENATE ROADBLOCK ON VOTER ID BILL Trump said he believes Republicans have a shot at bucking the trend come November if they focus on his list. “It’ll guarantee the midterms,” Trump said of his legislative priorities. Republicans have already taken strikes towards two of them through the SAVE America Act, a piece of legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and cast a ballot. That bill cleared the House last month for a second time in the 119th Congress. Its future is uncertain in the Senate, where Republicans would need the assistance of seven Democrats to overcome the 60-vote threshold to defeat a filibuster. Democrats, for their part, believe the legislation would disenfranchise voters who cannot readily provide documented proof of citizenship through a passport, REAL ID, or birth certificate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. has promised a vote on the package despite its long odds. Several members have introduced bills on transgender issues, although none of them have cleared either chamber. “I’ve never been more confident that if we keep these promises and deliver on this popular agenda, the American people will stand with us in overwhelming numbers, just as they did in 2024,” Trump said.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the ‘talking filibuster’ and the SAVE Act
Passage of the SAVE Act is of paramount importance to President Trump and many congressional Republicans. In his State of the Union speech, the president implored lawmakers “to approve the SAVE America Act to stop illegal aliens and other unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections.” The House approved the plan to require proof of citizenship to vote last month, 218-213. But, as is often the case, the hurdle is the Senate. Specifically the Senate filibuster. So some Republicans are trying to save the SAVE Act. TRUMP PUSHES CONGRESS TO PASS SAVE ACT DURING STATE OF THE UNION; NO MEDDLING WITH TARIFFS It’s important to note that President Trump never called for the Senate to alter the filibuster in his State of the Union address. But in a post last week on Truth Social, President Trump declared that “The Republicans MUST DO, with PASSION, and at the expense of everything else, THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.” Again, the president didn’t wade into questions about overcoming a filibuster. But “MUST DO” and “at the expense of everything else” is a pretty clear directive from the Commander in Chief. That’s why there’s a big push by House Republicans and some GOP senators to alter the filibuster – or handle the filibuster differently in the Senate. TRUMP VOWS BLOCK ON SIGNING NEW LAWS UNTIL SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSES SENATE It’s rare for members of one body of Congress to tell the other how to execute their rules and procedures. But the strongest conservative advocates of the SAVE Act are now condemning Senate Republicans if they don’t do something drastic to change the filibuster to pass the SAVE Act. Some Senate Republicans are ready to push for changes. Or, at the very least, advocate that Senate Republicans insist that Democrats conduct what they’re referring to as a “talking filibuster” and not hold up the legislation from the sidelines. It takes 60 votes to terminate a filibuster. The Senate does that by “invoking cloture.” The Senate first used the cloture provision to halt a filibuster on March 8, 1917. Prior to that vote, the only method to end a filibuster was exhaustion – meaning that senators finally just run out of gas and quit debating. So let’s explore what a filibuster is and isn’t – and dive into what Republicans are talking about when they’re talking about a talking filibuster. The Senate’s leading feature is unlimited debate. But ironically the “debate” which holds up most bills is not debate. It’s simply a group of 60 lawmakers signaling to their leaders offstage that they’ll stymie things. No one has to go to the floor to do anything. Opponents of a bill will require the majority tee up a cloture vote even if legislation has 60 yeas. Each cloture vote takes parts of three to four days to process. So that inherently slows down the process – and is a de facto filibuster. But what about talking filibusters? Yes, senators sometimes take the floor and talk for a really long time. Hence, the “unlimited debate” provision in the Senate. Senators can generally speak as long as they want, unless there’s a time agreement, greenlit by all 100 members. That’s why a “filibuster” is hard to define. You won’t find the word “filibuster” anywhere in the Senate’s rules. And since senators can just talk as long as they want, they might argue that suggesting they are “filibustering” is pejorative. They’re just exercising their Senate rights to speak on the floor. However, a true filibuster is a delay. For instance, the record-breaking 25 hour and 8 minute speech last year by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., against the Trump administration was technically not a filibuster. Booker began his oratory on the evening of March 31, ending on the night of April 1. Once Booker concluded, the Senate voted to confirm Matt Whittaker as NATO Ambassador. The Senate was supposed to vote on the Whitaker nomination on April 1 anyway. So all Booker’s speech did was delay that confirmation vote by a few hours. But not much. FETTERMAN EXPECTS DHS SHUTDOWN AMID PARTISAN FUNDING FEUD, BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS ON VOTER ID In 2013, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, held the floor for more than 21 hours, in his quest to defund Obamacare. But despite Cruz’s verbosity (and a recitation of “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Suess), the Senate was already locked in to take a procedural vote around 1 pm the next day. That automatically ended Cruz’s speech. Thus, that truly wasn’t a filibuster either. So, this brings us to the “talking” filibuster which actually gums up the Senate gearboxes. A talking filibuster is what most Americans think of, thanks to the iconic scenes with Jimmy Stewart in the Frank Capra classic, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” Most senators “filibuster” by forcing the Senate to take two cloture votes – spread out by days – to handle even the simplest of matters. That elongates the process by close to a week. But if advocates of a given bill have the votes to break the filibuster via cloture, the gig is up. But what happens if a senator – or a group of senators – delays things with long speeches? That can only last for so long. And it could potentially truncate the Senate’s need to take ANY cloture vote, needing 60 yeas. Republicans who advocate for passage of the SAVE Act believe they can get around cloture – and thus the need for 60 votes – by making opponents of the SAVE Act talk. And talk. And talk. And once they’re done talking, the Senate can vote – up or down – on the SAVE Act. Passage requires a simple majority. Senate Rule XIX (19) states that “no senator shall speak more than twice upon any one question in debate on the same legislative day.” TRUMP, THUNE CLASH ON VOTER ID ULTIMATUM AS GOP REMAINS DIVIDED ON PATH FORWARD Easy enough, right? Two speeches per day. You speak twice
40+ House Republicans rally behind Markwayne Mullin for DHS, call it a ‘critical moment’ for border security
FIRST ON FOX: Nearly 50 House Republicans are writing to President Donald Trump backing Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after Kristi Noem’s ouster. The pragmatist GOP Main Street Caucus is taking a formal stance, endorsing Mullin on Monday, as well as backing a targeted crackdown on illegal immigrant criminals in the U.S. It’s a rare formal statement by the House Republican group, led by both Chairman Mike Flood, R-Neb., and Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., and signed by 47 other GOP lawmakers. “Senator Mullin has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to border security. His familiarity with the legislative process and his longstanding support for pro-America policies make him well-suited to lead DHS at this critical moment,” the letter said. “We are confident he will bring the focus and discipline necessary to further our shared priorities.” FETTERMAN BACKS TRUMP’S DHS PICK MULLIN AS ‘NICE UPGRADE’ IN BREAK WITH DEMOCRATS Trump tapped Mullin to lead the department last week while announcing that Noem would no longer serve in his Cabinet. He instead established a new role for her as special envoy at a new Trump-created initiative called Shield of the Americas. The vast majority of Republican lawmakers immediately hailed Mullin’s nomination, particularly as criticism was steadily growing of Noem’s handling of DHS. Among the most volatile chapters in her tenure occurred during Trump’s immigration operation in Minneapolis, which inspired bipartisan calls for restraint amid city-wide protests over the federal agent-involved killing of two U.S. citizens. MULLIN PROMISES TO EARN DEM VOTES AS GOP COLLEAGUES POUNCE ON HIS SEAT Trump responded to the uproar by upending federal leadership there, replacing Noem-empowered Greg Bovino of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) with border czar Tom Homan. The Main Street Caucus letter revealed that more than two dozen lawmakers in the group met with Trump’s Homan last week while praising his handling of immigration enforcement across the country. “As members of the Republican Main Street Caucus, a group of more than 85 House conservatives focused on governing and producing legislative results, we write to express our strong support for the work of Tom Homan and his efforts to strengthen our nation’s immigration enforcement in his role as White House Border Czar,” the letter said. “Last week, approximately two dozen members of our caucus met with Mr. Homan to discuss the current state of immigration enforcement and the steps necessary to strengthen public safety while restoring confidence in federal immigration law.” Among the agreed-upon initiatives, the letter said, was keeping Trump’s immigration crackdown focused on people who commit crimes within the U.S. “First, enforcement efforts should remain focused on the worst criminal offenders. Prioritizing the removal of individuals who pose the greatest threats to public safety ensures that federal resources are used effectively while protecting American families and communities,” they wrote. TEAMSTERS BOSS PRAISES MULLIN DHS NOMINATION DESPITE PAST HEATED HEARINGS It’s a notable point given past criticism of DHS, from both sides of the aisle, about indiscriminate targeting of undocumented people in places like federal courthouses during routine immigration appointments. They also called for the repeal of policies in sanctuary jurisdictions that “undermine public safety and hinder lawful immigration enforcement” and giving federal authorities “access to local jails before criminal aliens are released.” “Finally, we agreed there should be clear communication from ICE to the American people and to Congress regarding its success in deporting the worst criminal offenders—individuals with records of assault, battery, rape, DUI, and other serious crimes,” the letter said. The lawmakers added that “Homan’s approach reflects those principles, and we believe his leadership will continue to strengthen the federal government’s ability to enforce immigration laws in a targeted and effective manner.”
Biden-appointed judge in the hot seat after DHS fires back at ‘false’ claims about ICE facility
The Department of Homeland Security on Monday blasted a federal judge’s order requiring it to immediately improve conditions at its ICE processing facility in Baltimore — including reducing the number of detainees held there at one time, and improving access to food, hygiene, and medical care — telling Fox News Digital that the court’s determination of any “subprime” conditions or overcrowding are “false.” “Illegal aliens in custody are provided food, water, blankets, and hygiene products,” a spokesperson for DHS said Monday, alleging that ICE “has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens,” including access to “comprehensive” medical care. The characterization comes hours after a federal judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction Monday ordering ICE to either drastically improve conditions at its Baltimore processing center or find a new facility to “humanely” and legally hold the migrants before transferring them to a longer-term detention center. BIDEN-APPOINTED FEDERAL JUDGE RULES TRUMP’S ‘THIRD COUNTRY’ DEPORTATION POLICY IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin, a Biden appointee, sided with plaintiffs Monday in ruling that Baltimore’s holding center conditions are “unhygienic, unsanitary,” and ultimately, unconstitutional. Rubin used a 67-page preliminary injunction to carefully tick through a long list of egregious conditions alleged by lawyers for plaintiffs over the last 10 months, including allegations of squalid, unsanitary holding, severe overcrowding, and a lack of medical screening, access to medical care, and necessary treatment — which the judge noted could lead to liability issues, or “in the worst-case scenario, fatalities.” “The debated issue here is not defendants’ legitimate governmental interest; it is that defendants apparently dispense with even rudimentary decent, humane treatment of civil detainees, and so too their constitutional rights as a result,” Rubin said in the preliminary injunction, which applies to all current and future detainees at the holding facility operated by Baltimore’s ICE Field Office. She sided with plaintiffs in ruling that the conditions in Baltimore are “unlawfully punitive” and reflect a “deliberate indifference to the health, safety, and medical needs” on behalf of the government, in violation of the Fifth Amendment and due process protections granted under the U.S. Constitution. Rubin also rejected the notion that ICE detainees and illegal immigrants are not entitled to due process, citing the Supreme Court precedent under Zadvydas v. Davis, which holds that such protections apply to “all ‘persons’” within the U.S. “including [noncitizens], whether their presence here is lawful, unlawful, temporary, or permanent.” A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that migrants detained at the ICE holding center in Baltimore are granted “comprehensive” health care, including “medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,” and rejected claims made by plaintiffs and the judge. “This is the best healthcare tha[t] many aliens have received in their entire lives,” the spokesperson added. Rubin, in the court order, does not appear to back that contention. ‘BLANKIES,’ ICE TACTICS AND LUXURY JETS: TOP MOMENTS FROM NOEM’S HOUSE TESTIMONY “This is not a case of a prisoner lacking access to a clean toilet for a period of days, nor is it a case where a pretrial detainee cannot shower and is not provided with hygiene items …” Rubin said in the preliminary injunction, which comes after one year of status hearings, amended complaints, and declarations provided to the court from Trump administration officials and others. “Rather, the conditions here are compounded: civilly detained people are stuffed into unclean cells by the dozens, without basic hygiene essentials, while exposed to a virtually open unclean toilet (and those detained making use of same),” Rubin said. “These conditions woefully fail to comport with ‘contemporary standards of decency,” she continued. DHS also rejected claims of inadequate medical care, including complaints from plaintiffs’ lawyers and cited by the court in which individuals with serious medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV, leukemia, and broken bones were denied medications or medical attention. Government records cited by the judge show that between February and September 2025, just eight out of 3,250 detainees held at the Baltimore ICE facility had been transported to a hospital for medical needs. Rubin is not the first federal judge to order U.S. immigration officials to immediately improve conditions at ICE processing centers or “holding” centers across the country during Trump’s second presidential term. FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING In August, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan issued an emergency order requiring ICE to swiftly address allegations of filthy, overcrowded cells and prolonged stays at an ICE processing facility in New York City. The following month, he slapped ICE with a more lasting preliminary injunction seeking to codify those changes. And in Minnesota, a federal judge last month issued a temporary restraining order requiring ICE to grant detainees at its Whipple Federal Building holding center access to counsel, attorney-client visits, and a 72-hour notice period before transferring detainees out of the state. The administration has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the judge’s ruling. Still, DHS officials sharply rejected the allegations of improper treatment, telling Fox News Digital that being in detention “is a choice.” “We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App,” they said, noting that the U.S. “is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport,” as former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem noted during congressional testimony last week. “If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return,” they added.