Senator Marsha Blackburn warned Memphis District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Tuesday not to impede the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on crime after data suggest his office released dozens of violent criminals in December 2025. 
“President Trump and his administration are working around the clock to make Memphis the safest city in America,&#8221; the Tennessee Republican wrote in a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/3.10.26-Follow-up-Letter-to-DA-Mulroy2.pdf">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire, cosigned by Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor. &#8220;It is your obligation as Shelby County’s District Attorney to enforce Tennessee’s criminal code and hold violent criminals accountable — not to allow them to be released back onto the streets to reoffend.&#8221;
Data from the <a href="https://memphiscrimebeat.org/">Memphis Crime Beat</a>, a citizen-run website that tracks crime in the city, showed that only 84 defendants received prison time for the 514 “resolved” cases in December 2025. At the same time, Mulroy admitted to Blackburn in a March 6 <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/2026-03-06-SM-Response-to-Senate-Letter1.pdf">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire that 166 of the cases resolved in December were classified as violent offenses.
The rebuke comes amid a back-and-forth between Blackburn and Mulroy over the Democrats&#8217; “soft-on-crime” policies. Mulroy has long faced pressure from state and local Republican officials over his handling of crime. In recent years, Memphis has been ranked as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country, with consistently high murder rates. The Trump administration has surged law enforcement to the city to assist in a federal operation to reduce crime in Memphis.  
The data team from Memphis Crime Beat found that in December 2025, there were 514 total cases resolved, including 144 cases where there was no prosecution. Of the other 370, 178 received a combination of suspended sentence and probation or probation, 84 received prison time, 63 received diversion, and 45 were released with time served, Memphis Crime Beat Executive Director Leslie Taylor noted in an analysis of the data.
“It would logically follow that, if there were only 84 defendants who received prison time in December 2025, but there were 166 violent cases in that same month, there appear to be dozens of violent criminal defendants — based on your own admission — that received no jail time in December 2025,” Blackburn and Sen. Taylor wrote.
Mulroy told Blackburn on March 6 that 166 of the 514 cases were “designated as ‘violent’ in our system.” He added that there were a total of 187 “serious” cases closed counting Class A, B, and C felonies. In Tennessee, a Class A felony has a prison range of 15 to 60 years, while a Class C felony has a range of three to 15 years. 
&#8220;Most of the cases the letter lists as receiving probation or diversion are either nonviolent cases, cases involving defendants without significant criminal histories, cases where defendants have already spent time (often significant time) in jail, or cases in which judges granted such relief without our agreement,&#8221; Mulroy added.
Blackburn’s letter asked for more information on how many of the 166 violent defendants were released onto the streets and how many of the violent or serious felony cases got diversion or probation. 
“We have made significant progress in making Memphis the safest city in the United States, and we will not allow you to stall the tremendous progress that the city of Memphis has made,” Blackburn said.
Mulroy has denied Blackburn&#8217;s claims that he is a George Soros-backed DA, despite the evidence that Soros <a href="https://www.actionnews5.com/2024/02/08/billionaire-behind-curtain-da-steve-mulroy-denies-funding-claims-after-billionaire-george-soros-revealed-possible-campaign-donor/">contributed</a> to a political action committee that backed his campaign. Senator Taylor, a Republican from Memphis, has attempted to remove Mulroy from office through the legislature.
Leslie Taylor, who said that crime data is often difficult to obtain, told The Daily Wire that what happens after someone is arrested is at least as important as the initial detainment 
“The most recent data from the Shelby County Jail shows that 80% of those booked into jail have been there before, and 49% have been in jail 6 or more times,” she said. “We are concerned that if criminals aren&#8217;t effectively prosecuted, we will be back to square one when federal resources are withdrawn.”

Examining the Live Entertainment Industry

Marsha Blackburn Warns Dem DA: Stop Releasing Dangerous Criminals

Crime

Marsha Blackburn

Memphis

Tennessee

Violent Crime

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would mark the “most intense” day of strikes against Iran since the launch of the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation. 
“Today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran: the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes, intelligence, more refined, and better than ever,” Hegseth said during a press briefing Tuesday morning. “On the other hand, the last 24 hours have seen Iran fire the lowest number of missiles they&#8217;ve been capable of firing yet.”
During the same briefing, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more than 5,000 Iranian targets have been struck since the operation began. He also said that Air Force bombers had dropped dozens of 2,000-pound GPS-guided penetrating weapons on deeply buried missile launchers in recent days. 
“On day 10 of Operation Epic Fury, we are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives,” Hegseth said. “No hesitation, no half measures. As President Trump declared yesterday, we&#8217;re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force. We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated.”
Hegseth also defended the U.S. military&#8217;s record on minimizing civilian casualties. 
“No nation takes more precautions to ensure there is never targeting of civilians than the U.S.,” he said. “From the boat strikes in the Caribbean to this campaign here, no nation in the history of warfare has ever attempted in every way possible to avoid civilian casualties.”
Hegseth added that the U.S. military investigates any incidents where questions arise.
“It’s a point that isn’t appreciated enough,” he said. “Where things happen that need to be investigated, we’ll investigate.”
Those comments came after the Pentagon said it was investigating reports that an Iranian girls&#8217; school had been struck during the operation. 
During the briefing, Caine and Hegseth outlined the three primary objectives of the campaign. First, Caine said the goal was to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities to prevent attacks on U.S. forces and regional partners.
“That means attacking launch sites, command and control nodes, and stockpiles before they can threaten our personnel, our facilities, and our partners,” he said.
Second, Caine said the U.S. military is targeting Iran’s naval forces while protecting shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. 
The third goal, Caine said, is targeting Iran’s military and industrial base, including weapons production facilities, research sites, and related infrastructure.

Secretary Pete Hegseth Hosts Americas Counter Cartel Conference In Florida

Pentagon: Most Punishing U.S. Strikes Yet On Iran Happening Now

Dan Caine

Iran

Pentagon

Pete Hegseth

U.S. Military

The Justice Department moved Friday to block a lawsuit from Missouri challenging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for allowing the abortion drug mifepristone to be shipped through the mail. 
A <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.224112/gov.uscourts.moed.224112.293.1.pdf">filing</a> from the DOJ argued that allowing the suit to move forward would inhibit a safety study on the abortion pill being conducted by the Trump administration. Missouri and several other Republican-led states have asked a judge to block a COVID-era policy that relaxed regulations for dispensing the abortion pill. 
“Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho are not the only plaintiffs to have challenged the current conditions of use for mifepristone,” the Justice Department wrote. “Given this widespread debate over the safety of mifepristone, FDA has concluded that the best path forward is for the agency to undertake its review based on all the evidence before the agency.”
The filing asked the judge to put the lawsuit on hold while the FDA reviews the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifepristone or dismiss the case altogether. It comes as pro-life <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-voters-want-action-on-mail-order-abortion-pill-as-midterms-loom?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Republican+Voters+Want+Action+On+Mail-Order+Abortion+Pill+As+Midterms+Loom">advocates</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/serious-crisis-hawley-says-congress-must-act-to-combat-rising-abortion-rates?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Serious+Crisis%E2%80%99%3A+Hawley+Says+Congress+Must+Act+To+Combat+Rising+Abortion+Rates">lawmakers</a> have called for the Trump administration to crack down on mail-order abortion pills. 
Last year, FDA Administrator Marty Makary and Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that they initiated the REMS review. The study has yet to be released, and pro-life lawmakers and advocates have grown impatient as abortions continue to increase in states where medication abortion is banned due to an influx of outside pills. 
A spokesman for the Justice Department told The Daily Wire that the intent of the filing was to allow the FDA to oversee drug policy, not the federal court system. 
“In this filing, the Department of Justice requested more time from the court for the FDA to complete its review of mifepristone REMS,” the spokesman said. “As the Supreme Court recognized in a unanimous ruling less than two years ago, it is the role of the FDA – not the federal courts – to evaluate drug safety data and impose appropriate precautions.”
The filing from the DOJ dismisses concerns from pro-life states that FDA policies allow abortionists to ship pills into their states. The department said that states “remain free to make and enforce their pro-life policies” and that the federal government is not “standing in the way of Intervenor Plaintiffs enforcing their abortion laws against out-of-state prescribers of mifepristone.”
The filing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fda-claims-mail-order-abortion-policies-are-not-preventing-states-from-protecting-the-unborn">mirrors another</a> one from January, where the DOJ asked a judge not to grant a request from Louisiana also seeking to block the FDA&#8217;s abortion pill mailing policy.
Data <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/despite-dobbs-more-babies-are-still-being-aborted-in-the-united-states">indicate</a> that tens of thousands of abortions are still happening in states like Texas, where medication abortion is banned. While Attorney General Ken Paxton has attempted to penalize abortionists accused of shipping pills into the state, New York has so far refused to cooperate due to shield laws put in place for abortionists. 
The Friday filing was condemned by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s handling of medication abortion. 
“The pro-life movement has very simple demands,” she said. “There should be no place on the market for drugs meant to poison and kill innocent human beings – but at the very least, this administration can and should take them out of the mail. This is no more or less than the policy of the first Trump administration.”
The Justice Department spokesman told The Daily Wire the department remains “committed to advancing President Trump’s pro-life agenda, including through dismissing criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits against peaceful pro-life advocates targeted by the previous administration, and using the FACE Act to protect pro-life pregnancy centers.”

President Trump Signs Order Establishing White House Great American Recovery Initiative

DOJ Makes New Move In Court Fight Over Abortion Pill

Justice Department Moves To Block Red State Lawsuit Over Abortion Pill

Abortion

Abortion Drug

Department of Justice

Pro-Life Movement

Trump Administration

The FBI on Sunday raided the homes of two men who have since been charged in an ISIS-inspired attack outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence. 
The Pennsylvania homes of 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi were searched Sunday after they allegedly attempted to light an improvised explosive device (IED) outside of Mamdani’s mayoral mansion during a protest on Saturday. The device did not detonate, but officials said it could have been deadly.
“Earlier this evening, federal and local law enforcement conducted investigative activity in Middletown Township and Newtown related to an incident that occurred yesterday near the New York City Mayor’s official residence,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RepBrianFitz/posts/pfbid032gNxSC8hcxCSeWb9AX95b3KbLiLX5Y3CaptNK3o3iHdmc1P5X5dUiwHwdKv5Vjd4l">said</a> Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on Sunday. “Authorities have indicated that there is no known threat to the surrounding community, and the situation remains under the control of law enforcement. The activity was not related to immigration enforcement.”
On Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media: &#8220;We have charged the two alleged ISIS-inspired terrorists who attempted to bomb a protest in New York City. We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation. Our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant.&#8221;
Both suspects reportedly made pro-ISIS statements while in custody, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/warrants-served-new-jersey-pennsylvania-feds-look-possible-nyc-terrorism">reported</a>. On Monday, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attempted bombing was an “act of inspired ISIS terrorism.”
Police in Newtown Township, where Kayumi resides, <a href="https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/bucks/newtown-twp-pd/34824/post/police-activity-active-investigation">said</a> Sunday that they were working with the FBI on an investigation. His family&#8217;s 5,800-square-foot home is worth $2.25 million, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/09/us-news/parents-of-alleged-nyc-bomb-thrower-own-2-5m-home-are-naturalized-citizens-from-afghanistan/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter">reported</a>. His parents are <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2030771962973188114">repo</a><a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2030771962973188114">rtedly</a> from Afghanistan and were naturalized between 2004 and 2009. 
The home of Balat in Middletown Township was also searched on Sunday. That 3,200-square-foot home is worth $653,000, the New York Post reported. 
“The FBI, along with specialized federal teams, is conducting a court-authorized search warrant as part of a federal investigation related to an incident that occurred yesterday in New York City,” Middletown Township said. “There is no known threat to the public at this time, and this activity is not related to immigration enforcement.”
Balat is a high school senior in the Neshaminy School District, <a href="https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/crime/2026/03/09/emir-balat-ibrahim-kayumi-bucks-county-terrorism-nyc-isis-iran-protest-lang-mamdani/89064102007/">according</a> to school officials. His parents are <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2030771962973188114">reportedly</a> from Turkey and were naturalized in 2017. 
<div id="attachment_1055941" style="width: 1557px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1055941" class="size-full wp-image-1055941" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-09-at-11.01.53-AM.png" alt="" width="1547" height="975" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-09-at-11.01.53-AM.png 1547w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-09-at-11.01.53-AM-300x189.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-09-at-11.01.53-AM-914x576.png 914w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-09-at-11.01.53-AM-768x484.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-09-at-11.01.53-AM-1536x968.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1547px) 100vw, 1547px" />Middletown Township Police Department.</div>
An additional residence in New Jersey was raided as part of the investigation, Fox News reported. 
“FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the matter with our partners at NYPD as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York,” the FBI said on Sunday. “Preliminary analysis confirms one of the devices ignited and deployed by the subjects was an IED explosive. Tests remain ongoing for other devices.”

US-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION

FBI Raids Homes Of 2 Teens Charged In Attempted ISIS-Inspired NYC Bombing

FBI Raids Homes Of 2 Teens Suspected Of Attempted ISIS-Inspired NYC Bombing

ISIS

New York City

Terrorism

Oil prices jumped above $100 per barrel Monday as President Donald Trump promised prices would drop after the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation targeting Iran&#8217;s &#8220;nuclear threat&#8221; concludes. 
Global benchmark Brent crude <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqe4k1-WtbbEc0_rDe9RmjIzBeQ_NbvsmIuohb4DQSo55Be0bfuc1Ez2yJhY6Pc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69a5b024&amp;gaa_sig=kegHiaf_xsPW94kPXb2xUx2YgsMT9F6cMvHsnXelmzUTlyMm_8GalBG_mAiBT6m4gV0Q7YYn6j8miOFnbJ_EGA%3D%3D">rose</a> as high as $118 per barrel Monday morning before retreating to around $104, more than $10 above Friday&#8217;s close. It marked the first time Brent has surpassed $100 per barrel since the fall of 2022. 
The operation against Iran and the regime&#8217;s response have disrupted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said on Sunday night that the oil prices would drop as soon as Iran’s nuclear capabilities were completely destroyed. 
“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 
According to AAA, the national average for gasoline <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">rose</a> from $2.99 per gallon one week ago to $3.47 on Monday. 
Iran has launched attacks on regional oil facilities, including the Ras Tanura refinery run by Aramco in Saudi Arabia which produces around 550,000 barrels of oil per day. Aramco shut down the facility as a precautionary measure after an Iranian drone attack. 
An Iranian drone attack on Monday appeared to target Bahrain’s Bapco oil refinery, the country’s top oil facility, Reuters reported. 
Over the weekend, Israel carried out strikes targeting Iran’s oil facilities outside of Tehran saying they were used to fuel its military. 
Last week, Trump said he would direct the United States Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance to oil tankers operating near Iran and suggested the U.S. Navy could protect tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. 
“If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116166926920657651">said</a> on Truth Social. 
Iran threatened Trump on Friday over the potential Navy escorts. 
&#8220;Iran strongly welcomes the escort ​of oil tankers and that U.S. ​forces will be there for the crossing of the ‌Strait ⁠of Hormuz. And we are, by the way, awaiting their presence,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-guards-challenges-trump-have-us-navy-escort-oil-tankers-strait-hormuz-2026-03-06/">said</a> Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Alimohammad Naini. &#8220;We recommend that, before making any ​decision, the Americans ​remember ⁠the fire on the American supertanker Bridgeton in 1987 and the ​oil tankers that were recently ​targeted.”
American and Israeli strikes on Iran have continued over the weekend ⁠with no clear timeline for when the operation will conclude. Military officials have said that the campaign will end once Iran&#8217;s nuclear and missile production capabilities are destroyed.

trump_oil_photo_illustration

Trump Reminder To Americans As Oil Prices Open Higher While U.S. Crushes Iran’s Evil Regime

Donald Trump

Economy

Executive

Politics

When asked to name something he loved other than his family or friends, the Democrat hoping to turn a Texas Senate seat blue said “trans children.”
James Talarico, a state lawmaker who won the Democrat primary in Texas last week, listed &#8220;trans children&#8221; as the “something that&#8221; he loved &#8220;that’s not family or friends” during an August 2023 podcast <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CligU7twvE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appearance.</a> The clip, unearthed by The Daily Wire, highlights the radical record Talarico has attempted to downplay as he fights to win a Senate seat in a state President Donald Trump won by almost 14 points in 2024.
“I love, I&#8217;m just saying this because it&#8217;s all on my mind, the trans children who showed up yesterday at the state capitol to advocate for their humanity. They shouldn&#8217;t have to, but it was an inspiration to watch,” he said on the “A Superbloom” podcast.
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<iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/rOVpWXMjgf00cW3h6J9Nqik3VEkZdY5Z3?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=c3acc7b0-1ac3-47ae-9c51-285501068557&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-03-09%3A%20James%20Talarico%20Transgenderism&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fefeb6469-f2a2-44e3-8579-8059a1fe647a.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Credit: Superbloom Podcast
</div>
Talarico, who defeated Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett in a contentious Democrat primary last week, has a history of pushing transgender ideology in the Texas state legislature and opposing legislation that would protect kids from transgender procedures. He <a href="https://journals.house.texas.gov/HJRNL/88R/PDF/88RDAY63FINAL.PDF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted against</a> a 2023 law that protected kids from transgender surgeries and cross-sex hormone procedures.
Talarico will face either incumbent Senator John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are headed to a runoff election after a contentious Republican primary in May. Both have opposed transgender procedures on kids.
Talarico once claimed during a committee hearing that there are more than two sexes.
“The one thing I want us to all be aware of is that modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes,” he <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/04/26/texas-lawmaker-sparks-backlash-for-arguing-there-are-six-sexes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, pointing to genetic abnormalities. “In fact, there are six.”
The Republican party says the video demonstrates that Talarico is a &#8220;sick freak.&#8221;
&#8220;James Talarico is a sick freak obsessed with talking to kids about sex changes,&#8221; GOP spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. &#8220;I am not sure which one of his six genders he &#8216;identifies&#8217; as, but he needs to keep that to himself and stay away from children.&#8221;
The Democrat lawmaker, who has attempted to center his persona around his Christian faith, has claimed that parents who don’t “affirm” their children’s gender confusion are abusive. During an April 2019 hearing, he spoke out against a bill that would clarify the definition of abuse to make sure it would punish parents who didn’t accept their child’s so-called gender identity.
Talarico <a href="https://house.texas.gov/videos/5129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he considered “unwillingness” to “acknowledge a child&#8217;s gender identity” as “abusive” or “destructive” to the child.
“I say that because if that&#8217;s our belief, a foundational belief, then the idea of being neutral on any kind of abuse seems worrisome to us, at the very least,” he said. “ And any idea about keeping it private also seems worrisome, because abuse is not something to be kept private or to be neutral on.”
“There&#8217;s only one person who can determine a child&#8217;s gender identity, and that&#8217;s the child,” Talarico said, <a href="https://house.texas.gov/videos/5129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claiming</a> that accepting a child’s perception of his or her gender was a “life and death issue” and that parents could be pushing their kids to commit suicide if they don’t affirm their confusion.
Talarico also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVD-Gi-FbWh/?hl=en&amp;img_index=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacked</a> Republicans for passing a bill in October 2021 keeping males out of female sports.
“Texas Republicans have passed their anti-trans bill. Over and over, Christians used scripture to justify bullying trans kids,&#8221; he said at the time. &#8220;I told them in my faith, God is non-binary.&#8221;

MixCollage-09-Mar-2026-01-04-PM-2287

WATCH: James Talarico Says He Loves ‘Trans Children’ In Unearthed Clip

2026 Midterms

Senate

Texas

Transgender

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said Thursday that he will end his re-election campaign just one day after admitting to having an affair with a former staffer who died by suicide last year. 
Gonzales said in a statement that “after deep reflection,” he has decided not to seek re-election in Texas’s 23rd Congressional District. His announcement comes after he was forced into a GOP primary runoff by challenger Brandon Herrera and calls from fellow Republicans to drop out of the race. 
“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district. Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful,” he <a href="https://x.com/RepTonyGonzales/status/2029772094481842245">said</a>. 
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) all called on Thursday for Gonzales to end his campaign. 
“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously,” the Republicans said. “In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election.”
That call came after Gonzales <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/after-admitting-affair-with-staffer-texas-rep-faces-gop-calls-to-end-re-election-bid?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=After+Admitting+Affair+With+Staffer%2C+Texas+Rep+Faces+GOP+Calls+To+End+Re-Election+Bid">admitted</a> to an affair with former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old married mother who died in September 2025 after dousing herself in an accelerant and setting herself on fire at her home in Uvalde, Texas. 
Gonzales said on Wednesday that his affair with Santos-Aviles ended in the summer of 2024, more than a year before Santos-Aviles committed suicide. Text messages <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/tony-gonzales-santos-aviles-affair-husband-21360950.php">published</a> last month by the San Antonio Express-News appear to show Gonzales making sexual requests to Santos-Aviles.
On Tuesday, Gonzales was forced into a GOP runoff after Herrera took 43.3% of the primary vote to Gonzales&#8217;s 41.7%. Herrera, a YouTuber and gun manufacturer, thanked Gonzales for dropping out. 
“I appreciate Tony Gonzales for making the appropriate decision,” he said. “I look forward to being the voice of TX23 that our district deserves. From the border, to oil theft, water rights, data centers, and many other issues. It’s an honor to be chosen and together we will make Texas proud.”

House Republicans Hold News Conference On Border Security

Texas Republican’s Affair With Staffer Derails Re-Election Campaign

Congress

Mike Johnson

A Democrat Senate candidate, looking to court the votes of working and middle-class families in Iowa, held a campaign event at a Leftist bookstore that once promoted a 14-year-old “drag queen” and routinely stocks sexually explicit books parents don’t want their kids to access at school. 
Zach Wahls, running for the seat currently held by Senator Joni Ernst, hosted an event at the Ames-based Dog-Eared Books, a bookstore that remains a haven for leftist ideology. The bookstore has promoted &#8220;Drag Queen Story Hour&#8221; for children and called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 
At the event, Wahls and his wife, romance novelist Chloe Angyal, <a href="https://www.mobilize.us/zachwahls/event/900039/">discussed</a> “the art of storytelling, the demands of public service, and the intersection of writing and advocacy.” They also discussed how their “parallel careers as authors have shaped their approach to politics, family, and the urgent work of building a better Iowa.” 
While Wahls has portrayed himself as a moderate seeking to work across partisan lines, Dog-Eared Books was a fitting venue for the Senate hopeful. Wahls has a documented history of advocating for leftist politics, though he <a href="https://zachwahls.com/meet-zach-wahls/">pledges</a> to &#8220;always put Iowa families first, no matter what.&#8221;
In September 2021, Dog-Eared Books <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSLAH9D2No/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D">promoted</a> a teenage boy “drag performer” who goes by the stage name Lonika LaBelle Knight.
“Lonika is a 14 years old drag queen with almost three years of experience under her belt. She nabbed the title of Miss Mason City Youth Pride and performs regularly at Lefty’s Live Music and The Garden Nightclub,” the bookstore posted on Instagram. “She can dance, twirl and capture the attention of everyone in a room with sass and class!”
That same performer returned in June 2023 for “a drag storytime” aimed at children. The bookstore <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtutfoTOBKa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">posted</a> on Instagram that the event would “feature movement activities alongside a picture book reading so kids can engage both their minds and bodies.”
<div id="attachment_1054155" style="width: 1005px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1054155" class="size-full wp-image-1054155" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM.png" alt="" width="995" height="999" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM.png 995w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-300x300.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-574x576.png 574w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-150x150.png 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-768x771.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px" />Dog-Eared Books/Instagram.</div>
Dog-Eared Books has <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dogearedbooksames/posts/pfbid02BxtSgY7jjQf3xq9kxo8q3KXhW4FtBvdBSeUSyz6AnxJfhcxuJJYZitqkKwVtrcrbl?rdid=zAKdxXXuBuAuZWKp">hosted</a> a “Tattoos for Palestine” fundraiser, <a href="https://shop.dogearedbooksames.com/lists/LFoOMjVaW1e0">maintains</a> a “Books for Fighting Fascism” list that includes a book by leftist Senator Bernie Sanders, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dogearedbooksames/posts/pfbid02WFRj6eM98T5tm8Y4768j5HYFWWSoSFMHY1ZxGdRbQ3CnGPrufAEN5sgrVv5TrjWHl?rdid=bBddJGdRmSsMAYxS">called</a> for ICE to be abolished, and has a “You Can’t Read That At School” book <a href="https://dogearedbooksames.com/lists/LJuzFSmrJNY0">selection</a>. That section includes books like “Let’s Talk About It,” a graphic novel that contains explicit depictions of sex. 
The bookstore also released a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqI36acNBXW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">statement</a> slamming Iowa Republicans when they <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iowa-bans-transgender-procedures-on-minors-trans-identifying-students-from-using-public-facilities-opposite-of-biological-sex">voted</a> to pass a law shielding kids from transgender procedures. It also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq_nWwqNk1-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">raised</a> over $3,000 for the Iowa Trans Mutual Fund, a <a href="https://www.iowatransmutualaidfund.org/aboutus">group</a> that provides grants to Iowans seeking &#8220;gender-affirming care.&#8221; 
As a state senator, Wahls has vehemently opposed laws aimed at protecting kids from transgender surgeries and cross-sex hormonal procedures. He <a href="https://x.com/ZachWahls/status/1633580068696907778">claimed</a> that there was “blood on the hands” of Iowa Republicans who supported the law. His opposition was based on questionable evidence that claimed children would be more likely to commit suicide if they weren’t given transgender procedures. 
Wahls, who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzzDOzKagHA">rose</a> to prominence after discussing his experience of being raised by a lesbian couple, has close connections to <a href="https://oneiowa.org/">One Iowa</a>, an activist group &#8220;rooted in intersectional advocacy for LGBTQ Iowans.&#8221; Wahls toured with the group to promote gay marriage back in 2012 and even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPV-fDydoKI&amp;t=417s">presented</a> an award to them.
One Iowa <a href="https://oneiowa.org/resources/medicalcareban/">offers</a> to help gender-confused kids access cross-sex hormones from out-of-state providers and schedule surgeries outside of Iowa. The group pushes girls to find breast binders to compress their chest so that it looks more masculine and other gender-confused kids to pursue “voice therapy.” The radical organization <a href="https://x.com/OneIowaAction/status/1493686950959714309?s=20">praised</a> Wahls for supporting male participation in female sports. 
Despite his links to the far-Left, Wahls’ <a href="https://zachwahls.com/issues/">campaign website</a> portrays him as a moderate focused on cutting costs and combatting political corruption. Wahls <a href="https://zachwahls.com/issues/">claims</a> to support securing the border by hiring thousands more Border Patrol agents and immigration judges, and wants to ensure “secure” elections. He also says he wants to “restore abortion access,” pass paid family and medical leave, and a path to “legal status” for illegal aliens “who’ve been here for years, are working, and haven’t committed crimes.”

MixCollage-06-Mar-2026-01-44-PM-2267

‘Family First’ Democrat Senate Hopeful Campaigns At Bookstore That Promoted Teen ‘Drag Queen’

Democrat Senate Hopeful Campaigns At Bookstore That Pushed Teen 'Drag Queen'

Iowa

LGBT

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would be “involved” in selecting the next leader of Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli strike. 
In an interview with Axios, Trump said Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader and widely seen as a likely successor, would be &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221;  
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei&#8217;s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/05/iran-leader-trump-khamenei">told</a> Axios on Thursday. &#8220;Khamenei&#8217;s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.&#8221;
Trump said that if Iran selects a hardliner like Mojtaba Khamenei, the United States could be back at war with Iran &#8220;in five years.&#8221;
On Friday, Trump demanded &#8220;unconditional surrender&#8221; from the Iranian regime, saying that the United States and its allies would work to rebuild Iran economically after the selection of an &#8220;acceptable&#8221; and &#8220;great&#8221; leader.
&#8220;There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT &amp; ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!),&#8221; Trump said.
Trump&#8217;s post comes after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that &#8220;some countries have begun mediation efforts&#8221; over the conflict. &#8220;Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict,&#8221; he said on Friday.
Asked by the New York Times about Trump’s comments about being involved in the process to find a new leader, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/us/politics/trump-iran-leader.html">said</a> the president wants U.S. input to help avoid repeated conflict.  
“The president stated: ‘We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future, so we don’t have to go back every five years and do this again and again,” she said. “Somebody that’s going to be great for the people, great for the country.’”
In a separate <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/wants-iran-leadership-structure-gone-preference-good-leader-rcna262039">interview</a> with NBC, Trump said he has a few names in mind for possible leaders and insisted the U.S. military was being careful to ensure those individuals were not killed during the strikes. 
&#8220;We want to go in and clean out everything,&#8221; Trump said. “We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job.” 
Trump acknowledged he had joked about Iranian officials asking him who should be their next leader, a remark he said was “only being a little sarcastic.”
Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, have repeatedly said the United States military operation is not intended as a nation-building or &#8220;regime change war&#8221; and is focused on taking out Iranian military capabilities rather than governing the country.
Trump also referenced American involvement in Venezuela&#8217;s leadership transition, saying he played a role in supporting Delcy Rodriguez after U.S. forces captured dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Former President Donald Trump Holds Rally In Florence, Arizona

Trump Vows U.S. Role In Iran’s Next Leader — Then Drops A MAGA-Style Line

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Global Politics

Venezuela

NASHVILLE—“You go into these positions understanding that your shelf life can be limited and you&#8217;re also always walking on eggs. We all work by the grace of somebody.” 
That was the response from Errol, a law enforcement officer from New York, minutes after listening to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem address law enforcement from around the country shortly after she was reassigned by President Donald Trump.
At 1:41 p.m., Trump announced on Truth Social that he was moving Noem from head of the Department of Homeland Security to a special envoy for a new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere. He said Noem would be replaced by Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin. 
Roughly 25 minutes later, Noem walked onto the stage in a conference room of the Grand Hyatt Hotel off Broadway to talk to law enforcement gathered for the Major Cities Conference organized by the Sergeants Benevolent Association. 
During her speech to law enforcement gathered for the Major Cities Conference, Noem spoke for roughly 35 minutes about the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, efforts to work with local law enforcement, and support for the families of law enforcement officers. She did not discuss her new role or take questions about her replacement at DHS. 
&#8220;Thank you for all that you do to keep people safe and to hold your oath, to be out in our communities, protecting people from public safety threats, but also being an example to our next generation of Americans,&#8221; Noem said.
Noem touted the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to crack down on crime in cities like Memphis and its partnership with local law enforcement agencies on immigration enforcement throughout her speech.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Noem just left. No questions about Trump reassigning her from being DHS secretary <a href="https://t.co/tDEDp7fZlt">pic.twitter.com/tDEDp7fZlt</a>
— Leif Le Mahieu (@leif_lemahieu) <a href="https://twitter.com/leif_lemahieu/status/2029643369920774339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Noem took a few questions after her speech from several attendees in front of the crowd of attendees and a few who were lined up by the staff. None of those who asked questions mentioned her replacement at DHS.
In the minutes leading up to the speech, attendees started buzzing as the news broke. One man walked by the section where the press was delegated to in the back and excitedly asked if reporters had seen Trump’s post. 
After the speech, The Daily Wire spoke with multiple attendees from coast to coast. They all praised the Trump administration’s strong support for law enforcement and said they appreciated Noem’s speech. 
Joel, a police officer from Milwaukee, said he thought the speech was “very good” and said he thought Noem did a “great job” as head of DHS. 
“He’s [Trump] done this with other people. I don’t necessarily think that it means that she didn’t do a good job. I just think Trump likes to shake things up,” he said. “Maybe with everything that’s going on, he just wants someone to get a different voice. I saw that he’s going to move her to another position, so it’s not like he’s firing her like people want to put out there and say, because they want to make her look bad.” 
He added that he had a “lot of respect” for Noem and that she still gave the speech despite the news breaking minutes before. 
Stephen, from Central California, said he saw the news break and was wondering if Noem would show up for the speech. 
“I thought she was doing a good job. You get politics at that highest level, which is kind of the nature of it,” adding that it was “pretty rare” for a cabinet secretary to make it the entire presidency. 
Errol from New York said he thought Noem’s speech was “excellent” and said it was nice to hear her speak. 
Noem’s tenure as head of DHS comes to an end after a heated Senate hearing, in which Noem blamed Trump for approving questionable contracts worth over $200 million for deportation ads, which raised <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">concerns</a> about potential conflicts of interest.

MixCollage-05-Mar-2026-03-35-PM-3998

Minutes After Trump Replaced Her, Noem Highlights Key Point About Her Work

Department of Homeland Security

Kristi Noem

Law Enforcement

Nashville

An Iranian ayatollah on Thursday called for the “shedding of Trump’s blood&#8221; in a message broadcast on Iranian state television. 
“We are now on the verge of a great test and we must be careful to fully preserve this unity, to fully preserve this alliance,” said Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli in the message, <a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-lebanon-march-05-2026#0000019c-bcd4-d21d-a1dc-fefd3c7e0000">going on</a> to call for “the shedding of Zionist blood, the shedding of Trump’s blood.”
Invoking the &#8220;Imam of the time,&#8221; Amoli said, &#8220;Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders.” 
The remarks came a day after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said a commander of an Iranian unit that had allegedly plotted to assassinate Trump was killed in a U.S. strike. 
&#8220;While that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination, in fact never raised by the president or anybody else, I ensured and others ensured that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list,&#8221; Hegseth said during a press briefing on the war. 
In a separate development on Thursday, another Iranian official <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2029435610922996100?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> the United States following the sinking of an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka by a U.S. naval torpedo strike.
&#8220;The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran&#8217;s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India&#8217;s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,&#8221; said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
The Sri Lankan navy <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/sri-lanka-rescues-30-people-board-distressed-iranian-ship-foreign-minister-says-2026-03-04/">rescued</a> 32 Iranians after the ship was sunk and transported them to a hospital, while recovering another 87 bodies from the water.
&#8220;We found people floating on the water,” Sri Lankan navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said, adding that there were only oil patches and life rafts left of the ship. 
The Department of War shared footage of the strike on social media on Wednesday. 
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<a href="https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu">https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wc1e0B0um7">pic.twitter.com/Wc1e0B0um7</a>
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2029193757162139762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo — quiet death — the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war — back when we were still the War Department — we are fighting to win.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine added that the torpedo attack was an “incredible demonstration of America’s global reach” and only the kind of thing that the United States could do.

US-IRAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-TRUMP

Iranian Ayatollah Calls For ‘The Shedding Trump’s Blood’

Republican lawmakers repeatedly pushed Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz on Wednesday over his handling of the Feeding Our Future scandal, which federal prosecutors have described as the nation’s largest COVID scam, involving $250 million for meals supposedly going to the hungry. 
Appearing before the House Oversight Committee, Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison faced questions about <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Cost-of-Doing-Nothing_How-Tim-Walz-and-Keith-Ellison-Fueled-Minnesotas-Fraud-Explosion_3.4.26_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">findings</a> cited by Republicans that more than $9 billion in social service fraud has occurred under their watch. Both Democrats have claimed they took appropriate actions to combat and root out fraud. 
“For years, Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison presided over one of the most extensive breakdowns of oversight this committee has ever examined. Billions of taxpayer dollars were stolen from social service programs while warnings piled up, whistleblowers spoke out, and state officials chose delay and denial over action,” Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) said. “Federal prosecutors estimate that as much as $9 billion may have been stolen from just 14 Medicaid programs administered by the state of Minnesota.”
The suspected fraud made up about half of the $18 billion distributed through the programs since 2018, Comer said. One notable example of fraud was the Feeding Our Future scam, in which fraudsters, some of whom were Somali nationals, billed the government for $250 million in meals that were never distributed. 
During the hearing, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) pressed Walz on why payments to Feeding Our Future resumed just one month after the Minnesota Department of Education suspended them over suspected irregularities. 
Walz said they restarted because the agency said that the “court had required them to make those payments.”
Jordan then pointed to a <a href="https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/newsandannouncements/feeding-our-future-v-minnesota-department-of-education-correcting-media-reports-and-statements-by-governor-tim-walz-concerning-orders-issued-by-the-court">statement</a> from the Minnesota Judicial Branch saying Walz had made inaccurate statements about the payments and that the court “never ordered” them to restart. 
“The attorneys at the Department of Education interpreted that differently. Both of those judges are no longer on the bench,” Walz said. 
Walz was also asked about allegations that his office retaliated against whistleblowers who raised concerns about the state&#8217;s handling of fraud. Some have claimed they were told to stay silent over fears of being perceived as “racist” or “Islamophobic.” 
“I can&#8217;t speak to what they said. I can tell you it didn&#8217;t happen,” Walz told Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) when asked about claims his office retaliated against whistleblowers. 
The Trump administration has paused hundreds of millions in federal funding to Minnesota social service programs, citing widespread fraud concerns. 
Vice President JD Vance, who has been tasked by President Trump with leading efforts to combat federal fraud, announced last week that $260 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota had been paused pending further review.

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Leif Le Mahieu