For decades, Christians in Africa have faced intense persecution at the hands of Islamic extremists. That persecution has especially focused on Christians in Nigeria and Sudan, two war-torn nations that President Donald Trump now wants to address.
Last month, Trump designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, saying that &#8220;Christianity is facing an existential threat.&#8221; Then, last week, the president vowed to take more action to end the civil war in Sudan. Both countries are in the midst of upheaval and have large Christian populations, whose faith puts a target on their backs.
Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.state.gov/frequently-asked-questions-irf-report-and-countries-of-particular-concern">designation</a> of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern means that the United States will seek to actively address Nigeria&#8217;s violations of religious freedom and opens the door to potential economic penalties.
“When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!&#8221; Trump said.
For Nigerian Christians, the Country of Particular Concern designation could be a useful tool to push the Nigerian government to take more action to protect Christians from Islamic extremists, according to Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors U.S., an organization that helps raise awareness and get aid to persecuted Christians.
The situation in Nigeria has gained attention thanks to the Trump administration, along with some unlikely cultural figures who have called out the persecution against Christians in the country, including left-wing political commentator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-maher-exposes-nigerias-christian-genocide-in-47-seconds">Bill Maher</a> and pop star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nicki-minaj-teams-up-with-trump-will-highlight-christian-persecution-in-address-to-united-nations">Nicki Minaj</a>. Minaj even met with Trump administration officials about the issue earlier this month and raised awareness about Christian persecution in Nigeria in front of the United Nations.
The slaughter of Christians in Nigeria has become a full-blown genocide, according to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-can-the-world-still-deny-nigerias-christian-genocide">on-the-ground accounts and data from recent years</a>. Just this year, more than 7,000 Christians have reportedly been killed for their faith in Nigeria, including 250 Christians who were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/morning-brief-nigerian-christians-slaughtered-russia-standoff-illegal-alien-tiktoker-nabbed">killed</a> by Islamic extremists in the Yelwata village massacre in June. Research on worldwide Christian persecution suggests that Nigeria accounts for around 80% of the Christian deaths worldwide that come from persecution, according to Open Doors.
Nigeria&#8217;s government has denied that Christians in the country are being systematically targeted, saying, &#8220;There is no Christian genocide in Nigeria,&#8221; but it has agreed to discuss the issue with the United States. Last week, the Trump administration took more steps to address persecution in Nigeria, with War Secretary Pete Hegseth meeting with the country&#8217;s national security adviser.
&#8220;Under [President Trump&#8217;s] leadership, [the Department of War] is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists,&#8221; Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1991908064912617733">said</a>.
Brown told The Daily Wire that Nigerian Christians &#8220;would certainly say that the Nigerian government has not done enough to protect the freedoms and provide safety for the men and women on the ground there.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1006245" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006245" class="wp-image-1006245 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2244444115-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2244444115-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2244444115-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2244444115-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2244444115.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />A general view of a catholic Church in Maiduguri on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Audu MARTE / AFP) (Photo by AUDU MARTE/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Some media <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/10/2/no-bill-maher-there-is-no-christian-genocide-in-nigeria">outlets</a> have also <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqlzkdeeqjo">scrutinized</a> claims of targeted violence toward Christians in Nigeria, writing that the violence in the African nation is too complicated to say that Christians are being systemically wiped out. But Brown told The Daily Wire that the reports of violence against Christians in Nigeria are not exaggerating the extent of the situation.
&#8220;These are realities on the ground that Christians are facing. In Nigeria, this has really been a multiple-year trend,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;I was with a pastor from Nigeria a couple weeks ago, and he said for the better part of 15 years, he&#8217;s been trying to tell this story to the world, and he&#8217;s been just so thankful that the collective attention finally is seeming to be raised.&#8221;
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Nigeria received more attention earlier this month when more than 300 students and 12 staff members were <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/21/africa/students-kidnapped-nigerian-catholic-school-intl">kidnapped</a> from a Catholic boarding school by armed men. That mass kidnapping came shortly after 25 girls were abducted from a government boarding school in Nigeria and after an <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/gunmen-attack-church-nigeria-killing-two-kidnapping-others-2025-11-19/">attack</a> on a church, where at least two people were killed, and the pastor was abducted.
<div id="attachment_1006343" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006343" class="wp-image-1006343 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247525679-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247525679-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247525679-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247525679-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247525679.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />A pair of shoes is seen inside a student dormitory at St. Mary&#8217;s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwarra local government, Niger state, on November 23, 2025. Gunmen raided the school early on November 21, taking 303 children and 12 teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria. (Photo by Ifeanyi Immanuel Bakwenye / AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Each year, Open Doors releases a &#8220;World Watch List&#8221; which shows where Christians face the most persecution. In its 2025 list, released in January, Nigeria was near the top at 7th. Open Doors uses research teams to follow news updates in countries around the world and on-the-ground relationships with Christians in numerous countries, according to Brown.
Islamic extremists with terror groups, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, are targeting Christians mainly in the country&#8217;s northern regions, but the violence isn&#8217;t completely centered on Christians. Muslims with different ethnicities from the terrorists are also killed for political and religious reasons.
&#8220;There are so many different contributing factors that are at play here. It&#8217;s a complicated situation,&#8221; said Brown. But he added that the nuance doesn&#8217;t mean the world should look past the violence targeting Christians.
&#8220;Some have said because it&#8217;s nuanced and complicated, the conclusion we should draw is Christian persecution is not happening. We would look at those same nuances and complexities and say no, it&#8217;s an oversimplification to say that Christian persecution is not part of the fabric of what&#8217;s being woven here,&#8221; Brown said.
Nigerian Christians continue to hold their faith as they face threats and violence from radical Islamic terrorists, and they are hopeful that President Trump&#8217;s focus on their plight will result in positive steps being taken toward religious freedom. When Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, Brown said that Nigerian Christian leaders had &#8220;an incredible sense of gratitude and thankfulness,&#8221; but added that they also recognized there was a lot of work to be done to address Christian persecution in the African nation.
The Trump administration is not just seeking to end the persecution of Christians in Nigeria — it also has its sights set on ending the war in Sudan, a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of numerous Christians and Muslims. Like in Nigeria, the violence against Christians in Sudan spans decades and is perpetrated by radical Islamic extremists.
Gasim Domkog, a pastor who grew up in Sudan before coming to America, told The Daily Wire that the violence against Christians has been nonstop as the country has gone through regime changes and civil war.
&#8220;We went through a lot. I personally went through a lot,&#8221; Domkog said, adding that many members of his own family have been killed by the Islamic extremist violence.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very rare to find anybody from Sudan that has not had people from their family that has been killed,&#8221; added Domkog, who now leads an Arabic-speaking church in Nashville and ministers to Christians who came out of Islam.
Along with facing intense persecution for their faith, Sudanese Christians are also affected by the civil war that has torn the country apart. Sudan&#8217;s current civil war, which started in 2023, is fought between the government and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful Islamic militant group seeking to gain control of the country. More than 150,000 people have been killed in the war, and over 12 million have been forced to flee their homes.
<div id="attachment_1006235" style="width: 850px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006235" class="wp-image-1006235 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245123877-840x576.jpg" alt="" width="840" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245123877-840x576.jpg 840w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245123877-300x206.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245123877-768x527.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245123877.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px" />AL DABBAH, SUDAN &#8211; NOVEMBER 8: Sudan&#8217;s Sovereignty Council Chairman and Army Commander Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visits the newly established Al-Afadh camp in Al Dabbah, Northern State, where tens of thousands of Sudanese have taken refuge after being displaced by clashes following the Rapid Support Forces&#8217; takeover of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
Sudan ranks 5th on the Open Doors &#8220;World Watch&#8221; list of countries where Christians face the most persecution. Violence against Christians in Sudan is perpetrated by the radical Islamic extremist groups that vie for control of the country. Often, these groups are controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood.
The country has been unstable since the early 1980s, when civil war broke out and continued until 2005. Following more than 20 years of conflict, South Sudan, which is made up mostly of Christians, broke away from Sudan and formed its own country in 2011.
Similar to the Muslim extremists in Nigeria, terrorists in Sudan also target Muslims who have ethnic differences. In the war-torn region of Darfur, militants have gone door-to-door killing thousands of people. Evidence of the mass killings could be seen from <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/blood-visible-space-sudan-shows-evidence-darfur-genocide/story?id=126985544">satellite images</a>, which showed blood-soaked neighborhoods in Darfur. The killings took place immediately after the Rapid Response Forces took control of the city. Most of the people killed in Darfur are Muslims and are targeted because they have darker skin, Domkog told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;At first, the jihadists were using religious war as holy war, but now they&#8217;re focusing on ethnicity,&#8221; Domkog said. &#8220;They say that if you&#8217;re not of Arab descent, you need to be killed. Now, they&#8217;re killing their own people.&#8221;
&#8220;The agenda was either to become Muslim and obey their rules and to be under Sharia Law or they will get rid of you, and that&#8217;s what they&#8217;re doing,&#8221; he added.
<div id="attachment_1006239" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006239" class="wp-image-1006239 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247191335-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247191335-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247191335-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247191335-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2247191335.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />A Sudanese woman who fled El-Fasher in Darfur carries jerrycans of water at the Al-Afad camp for displaced people in the town of Al-Dabba, northern Sudan, on November 21, 2025. (Photo by Ebrahim Hamid / AFP) (Photo by EBRAHIM HAMID/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
President Trump <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-announces-us-making-new-effort-end-war/story?id=127683382">said</a> last week that after meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he has agreed that the United States will &#8220;do something very powerful having to do with Sudan.&#8221;
The war will be a complicated web for the Trump administration to address. Evidence presented by human rights groups <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-congress-can-help-curb-the-uaes-role-in-sudans-crisis/#:~:text=The%20UAE%27s%20role%20in%20perpetuating,and%20supplies%20as%20humanitarian%20aid." target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> that the United Arab Emirates is the main backer of the Rapid Response Forces, while other nations, including China, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and Russia, send weapons and ammunition to both sides of the war. Trump acknowledged that the war in Sudan will not be an easy fix, but added that he believes it&#8217;s important to seek peace in the country.
&#8220;I thought it was just something that was crazy and out of control,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;But I just see how important that is &#8230; and we&#8217;re going to start working in Sudan.&#8221;

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Trump’s Next Peace Push Focuses On Nigeria And Sudan, Where Christians Are Killed By The Thousands

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The 2026 midterm elections are still a year away, but Republicans and Democrats are already in full election mode as an important U.S. House seat is up for grabs on Tuesday.
Democrats are optimistic their candidate will make some noise on December 2, when votes are counted for the special U.S. House election that will determine who represents Tennessee&#8217;s 7th Congressional District. The seat became empty after Republican Rep. Mark Green retired on July 20, shortly after voting to pass President Donald Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221;
It&#8217;s a district that Democrats have no business winning and one that Republicans are counting on to help maintain their House majority come the 2026 midterm elections. For an off-year election in a deep red state, the stakes can&#8217;t get any higher, so here&#8217;s everything you need to know ahead of the December 2 election.
<h3>The Candidates</h3>
Republican candidate Matt Van Epps, 39, easily won the crowded GOP primary in October after an endorsement from President Trump. Van Epps is an Army helicopter pilot and combat veteran with years of experience in the Tennessee state government. He <a href="https://www.mattfortn.com/meet-matt">served</a> as the deputy chief operating officer for the Tennessee Governor&#8217;s Office. He was then tapped by Republican Governor Bill Lee to run the Tennessee Department of General Services, where he &#8220;oversaw statewide procurement, facilities management, and essential services that touch every department in Tennessee government.&#8221;
During the Republican primary, Van Epps was criticized by his opponents for working to implement strict COVID lockdown measures in the early days of the pandemic and was nicknamed &#8220;Tennessee Fauci.&#8221; That line of attack on Van Epps was ineffective, and he won the GOP primary by more than 25 points.
<div id="attachment_1005705" style="width: 586px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1005705" class="wp-image-1005705 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094309.502-576x576.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094309.502-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094309.502-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094309.502-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094309.502-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094309.502.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" />Matt Van Epps for Congress</div>
Van Epps <a href="https://www.mattfortn.com/issues">describes</a> himself as a &#8220;conservative warrior&#8221; who is focused on &#8220;advancing President Trump&#8217;s America First agenda.&#8221; Along with snagging Trump&#8217;s endorsement, the Republican candidate also boasts <a href="https://www.mattfortn.com/endorsements">endorsements</a> from Governor Lee, former Rep. Green, and Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan.
Democrats picked Tennessee state Rep. Aftyn Behn as their nominee for the 7th district special election. Behn, 36, has served in the Tennessee state House since 2023. The Tennessee Democrat was <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kamala-harris-returns-campaign-trail-trump-country-back-aoc-tennessee">dubbed</a> the &#8220;AOC of Tennessee&#8221; by Democratic activist David Hogg, referring to leftist New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. After socialist Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s stunning victory in the New York City mayor&#8217;s race, Democrats are hoping that the party&#8217;s younger and more radical candidates can win, even in deep-red states.
<div id="attachment_1005697" style="width: 586px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1005697" class="wp-image-1005697 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094027.635-576x576.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094027.635-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094027.635-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094027.635-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094027.635-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094027.635.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" />Aftyn Behn, Tennessee General Assembly</div>
Other prominent Democrats have come alongside Behn, campaigning for her in Nashville. Last week, former Vice President Kamala Harris made a <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/18/kamala-harris-nashville-aftyn-behn-7th-district-election/87324707007/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=false&amp;gca-epti=z114035p005050c005050u116535d00----v114035&amp;gca-ft=51&amp;gca-ds=sophi">surprise appearance</a> with Behn, returning to the Democratic campaign trail for the first time since her 2024 election loss.
Behn is not hiding from her leftist views. Earlier this year, she followed and filmed ICE agents and Tennessee Highway Patrol officers as they made immigration arrests around Nashville. She has <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJPrwJbpkoO/">called</a> Trump&#8217;s immigration operations &#8220;state-sponsored fear and violence.&#8221; Behn also voiced <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-democrat-aftyn-behn-wont-take-back-support-for-burning-down-police-stations">support</a> for burning down police stations during the 2020 George Floyd riots. She recently refused to address the controversial social media post where she stated, “Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified.”
After three Christian schoolchildren and three staff members were killed by a trans-identifying shooter in Nashville in 2023, Behn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-aftyn-behn-said-covenant-shooting-made-her-fearful-for-trans-communities">said</a> she was &#8220;fearful&#8221; for &#8220;trans communities.&#8221; Behn has also been slammed for saying in the past that she hates Nashville, parts of which she&#8217;s now running to represent.
<h3>The Location</h3>
The 7th district sits in the western part of what is considered Middle Tennessee. It spans from the state&#8217;s border with Kentucky, through north and west Nashville, and all the way to the Alabama state line. Voters in the 7th district went for President Donald Trump by 22 points in 2024, and the district has been safely in the hands of Republicans and Rep. Mark Green, who represented the 7th from 2019 until his surprise retirement earlier this year.
<div id="attachment_1005707" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1005707" class="wp-image-1005707 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094502.570-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094502.570-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094502.570-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094502.570-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-25T094502.570.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />TN 7th Congressional District, TN Secretary of State</div>
The various demographics inside the 7th district will be a key aspect to watch when results come in on Tuesday night. Much of District 7 covers rural areas, where Van Epps is expected to perform well, but it also covers north and west Nashville, which is far more liberal than the surrounding area. Behn will have to perform exceptionally well in those areas of Nashville and will need a high Democratic turnout for a chance to pull off an upset.
Last month&#8217;s primary election showed that turnout could be an issue for Democrats. Behn pulled off a narrow primary victory, receiving just over <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/07/us/elections/results-tennessee-us-house-7-special.html">8,600 votes</a>. Van Epps, meanwhile, pulled in over 19,000 votes in the primary as Republican turnout far outpaced that of the Democrats.
If Republicans show up in the counties surrounding Nashville and the more rural areas of the state as they have in recent House elections, Van Epps will likely cruise to victory. Tennessee&#8217;s 7th district includes areas such as part of wealthy Williamson County, which Trump <a href="https://www.politico.com/2024-election/results/tennessee/">won</a> by more than 30 points in 2024, and rural Robertson County, which Trump won by 40 points.
The House Majority PAC, which is connected to House Democratic leadership, believes that Democratic wins in New Jersey and Virginia earlier this month show that &#8220;no Republican-held seat is safe.&#8221; Democrats are also hoping that Behn can reach independents and moderate Republicans with her focus on affordability and the economy.
<h3>The Spending</h3>
Republicans and Democrats have poured millions of dollars into the special House race, with Behn&#8217;s campaign raising over $1 million between October 1 and November 12, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/millions-pour-tennessee-special-election-ahead-december-vote-rcna244846">reported</a>. In that same timeframe, Van Epps raised $591,000. Outside groups have also dumped millions of dollars on the race, mostly in support of Van Epps and in opposition to Behn. The Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. has reportedly spent over $1 million on the race. The conservative group Club for Growth has also waded into the special House race to boost Van Epps.
Behn&#8217;s campaign has spent more than half a million dollars on advertisements, while the Democrat-aligned House Majority PAC and Your Community PAC have spent a combined $950,000 on additional ads, according to the <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2025/11/24/tennessee-7th-congressional-district-election-spending/">Nashville Banner</a>.
<h3>The Expectations</h3>
Earlier this month, Cook Political Report <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/485206">moved</a> Tennessee&#8217;s 7th district from &#8220;solid&#8221; Republican to &#8220;lean&#8221; Republican. Under its summary of the race, Cook Political Report states, &#8220;Sources roundly agree that Nashville Democrats are ravenous at the prospect of an upset, while many Republican voters are unaware an election is even taking place.&#8221;
Tennessee Republican Party Chair Scott Golden <a href="https://wpln.org/post/how-competitive-is-tennessees-special-congressional-race/">told</a> WPLN News last week that the race will come down to how many Republican voters show up to the polls. Golden stressed that the special election date and early voting running up against the Thanksgiving holiday make the GOP campaign&#8217;s job even tougher.
“Anytime you have a special election that is bracketed by the Thanksgiving holiday, you can’t afford to take a day off,” he said. “I think if there’s concern, it’s just that people aren’t aware that they have the opportunity to vote right now.”

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Everything You Need To Know For The Crucial Tennessee Special House Election

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Two National Guard troops were shot near the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
Both of the troops targeted in the attack are from West Virginia and were in uniform when they were shot. A senior U.S. official told NBC News that both of the National Guardsmen were shot in the head, and the suspect reportedly used a handgun.
The suspected gunman was identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who came to the United States during the Biden administration&#8217;s disastrous withdrawal from the country in 2021. The male suspect was critically wounded and taken into custody. The FBI will reportedly investigate the shooting as an act of terrorism.
Lakanwal was allowed to enter the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, and he settled in Bellingham, Washington.
A little over an hour after the shooting, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said that both of the National Guard troops had died, but he later walked back his statement and said that there were &#8220;conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members,&#8221; adding that he &#8220;will provide additional updates once we receive more complete information.&#8221;
President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115617866419112089">said</a> that both of the troops were &#8220;critically wounded&#8221; and were being treated &#8220;in two separate hospitals.&#8221;
&#8220;The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!&#8221; Trump said.
The president was not at the White House at the time of the shooting as he traveled to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida earlier on Wednesday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/DOWResponse/status/1993791269580259545">said</a> that the shooting was &#8220;a cowardly, dastardly act targeting the best of America, heroes willing to serve in Washington, D.C.&#8221; He added that President Trump has requested that 500 additional National Guardsmen be deployed to the capital following the shooting.
&#8220;This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful,&#8221; Hegseth said.
The suspected shooter acted alone, according to a D.C. police official who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11/26/us/national-guard-shooting-dc/85decc03-f7f2-595f-a32d-6426f61ee8a7?smid=url-share">spoke</a> to The New York Times. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser called the attack on National Guardsmen a &#8220;targeted shooting.&#8221;
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that National Guardsmen had been shot, <a href="https://x.com/Sec_Noem/status/1993771280898916498">saying</a>, &#8220;Please join me in praying for the two National Guardsmen who were just shot moments ago in Washington D.C. @DHSgov is working with local law enforcement to gather more information.&#8221;
Video taken near the Farragut West metro station showed a massive police presence following the shooting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING — massive police and National Guard presence at Farragut West metro station. A block from White House. <a href="https://t.co/Hz2wjjWa6d">pic.twitter.com/Hz2wjjWa6d</a>
— Jay O&#8217;Brien (@jayobtv) <a href="https://twitter.com/jayobtv/status/1993766783271174498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Over 2,300 National Guard troops have been deployed to D.C. by Trump as he seeks to address violent crime in the nation&#8217;s capital. Trump&#8217;s National Guard deployment in D.C. and other cities around the country has been met with backlash from the Left.
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

US-CRIME-NATIONAL GUARD

Two National Guard Troops Shot Near White House, Afghan National In Custody

National Guard

Shooting

Washington D.C.

California Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday, arguing that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-faces-doj-criminal-probe-over-mortgage-fraud-accusations?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Eric+Swalwell+Faces+DOJ+Criminal+Probe+Over+Mortgage+Fraud+Accusations">accusations of mortgage fraud</a> against him are &#8220;patently false,&#8221; and claiming that the Washington, D.C., home at the center of the allegations is his wife&#8217;s primary residence, not his.
Swalwell argues in the lawsuit that the mortgage and tax fraud accusations are motivated by President Donald Trump&#8217;s desire to &#8220;seek retribution against his political enemies.&#8221; The lawsuit names Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as a defendant along with the Federal Housing Agency, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and Federal National Mortgage Association. Earlier this month, Pulte referred Swalwell to Attorney General Pam Bondi over alleged mortgage and tax fraud related to his home in Washington, D.C.
Swalwell accuses Pulte of abusing his position &#8220;by scouring databases at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—two government-sponsored enterprises—for the private mortgage records of several prominent Democrats.&#8221;
&#8220;He then used those records to concoct fanciful allegations of mortgage fraud, which he referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution. The target of his most recent criminal referral is Plaintiff Eric Swalwell—one of the President’s most vocal and visible critics in Congress,&#8221; the lawsuit adds.
Swalwell was the fourth Democrat in recent months to face mortgage fraud allegations, after Pulte also sent criminal referrals to the DOJ for Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Biden-appointed Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. The Justice Department is reportedly looking into the handling of the mortgage fraud investigation into Sen. Schiff, and whether the probe was pushed at the behest of Trump administration officials, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-mortgage-fraud-ed-martin-8b29a802d74b90576e0332d610ea99ce">reported</a>.
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Swalwell is accused of claiming his $1.2 million home in the nation&#8217;s capital as his primary residence despite living in California. Claiming the D.C. home as his primary residence would have qualified him for millions of dollars’ worth of loans and refinancing, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/13/us-news/eric-swalwells-1-2-million-dc-home-target-of-doj-mortgage-fraud-criminal-referral/">reported</a>. Swalwell pushes back against those accusations in the lawsuit, which states that the Democratic congressman &#8220;disclaimed any intent to occupy the District of Columbia home as his primary residence in a sworn affidavit attached to his mortgage agreement.&#8221;
According to the lawsuit, the D.C. home is the primary residence of Swalwell&#8217;s wife, while the congressman remains a permanent resident of California.
&#8220;Pulte’s referral to the Justice Department was not only a gross mischaracterization of reality. It also represented a gross abuse of power that violated the law,&#8221; the suit argues.
Swalwell&#8217;s lawsuit also accuses the Federal Housing Finance Agency of engaging in &#8220;what appeared to be a coordinated leak&#8221; to news outlets and conservatives on social media after details about the allegations against Swalwell &#8220;appeared simultaneously&#8221; as Pulte referred Swalwell to the Justice Department.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency has not responded to a request to comment.
As Swalwell faces a potential federal investigation over mortgage fraud accusations, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-wants-to-get-out-of-d-c-as-mortgage-fraud-scrutiny-intensifies?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Eric+Swalwell+Wants+To+Get+Out+Of+D.C.+As+Mortgage+Fraud+Scrutiny+Intensifies">announced</a> last week that he is running for governor of California. Swalwell announced his run during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel&#8217;s late-night show, saying he would focus on addressing economic issues and pushing back against the Trump administration&#8217;s policies.

Eric Swalwell

Swalwell Sues Trump Official Over Mortgage Fraud Claims, Insists D.C. Home Is His Wife’s

California

Congress

Politics

The Ohio state House of Representatives passed a bill along party lines last week that would allow public schools to teach on the &#8220;positive influence of religion,&#8221; particularly Christianity, in history courses.
House Bill 486, titled the &#8220;<a href="https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb486">Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act</a>,&#8221; would codify teachers&#8217; rights under the state constitution to instruct their students on how Christianity positively shaped U.S. history, according to one of the bill&#8217;s sponsors, state Rep. Gary Click, NBC Columbus affiliate WCMH <a href="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/politics/charlie-kirk-bill-to-teach-positively-about-christianity-passes-ohio-house/">reported</a>.
&#8220;The teaching of the historical, positive impact of religion on American history is consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. An accurate and historical account of the influence of Judeo-Christian values on the freedom and liberties ingrained in our culture is imperative to reducing ignorance of American history, hate, and violence within our society,&#8221; the bill states. &#8220;Accurate historical instruction regarding verifiable, historical impacts of religion on American history is factual and is not proselytization or a violation of the First Amendment.&#8221;
The text of House Bill 486 provides examples of how public school teachers can teach on the positive influence of Christianity, such as the faith of the pilgrims, the clear presence of Christianity in the Mayflower Compact, the appeal to divine power in the Declaration of Independence, and Christianity&#8217;s influence on the U.S. Constitution. The bill is named after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a devout and outspoken Christian, who was assassinated while speaking on the Utah Valley University campus on September 10.
“Charlie was a committed Christian, whose life and work will serve as a testament to the power of conservative ideals combined with a legacy of faith for generations to come,” Click said.
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All 62 Republicans in the Ohio House voted in favor of the legislation, while all 27 Democrats opposed it. It now heads to the state Senate, where Republicans hold a 24-9 majority.
“It’s essential that we highlight the positive influence religion has had throughout our history – uniting communities, enriching our shared values, and safeguarding our First Amendment rights as Americans to speak and worship freely,” said Republican state Rep. Michael Dovilla.
The bill was criticized by education and civil liberties groups and advocates for the separation of church and state. The Ohio American Civil Liberties Union <a href="https://www.acluohio.org/news/house-bill-486-opponent-testimony/">argued</a> that the bill &#8220;is obviously designed to paint Christianity in the most positive light while deliberately avoiding the negative.&#8221;
&#8220;The ACLU of Ohio submits HB 486 is, at a minimum, unneeded,&#8221; the organization added. &#8220;Politicians leaning on schools and universities to teach their version of Christianity and religion is an idea rejected centuries ago, and for good reasons.&#8221;
Gabe Guidarini, chairman of the Ohio College Republican Federation, pushed back on the criticism, arguing, “This bill does not impose a belief system, it simply allows teachers and professors to include historical truths that have too often been neglected — how faith shaped the resolve of the pilgrims, guided our Founders’ convictions, inspired movements that provided us the liberties we enjoy today and informed the moral fabric that has bound our republic together since its birth.&#8221;

Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk-Inspired Bill Allowing Schools To Teach Christianity’s ‘Positive Influence’ Nears Law

Education

History

Ohio

U.S.

President Donald Trump was busy on Sunday night sharing numerous social media posts — many from anonymous accounts — that accused six Democratic lawmakers of sedition over their calls for military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221;
After two Democratic senators and four representatives appeared in a video <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-urge-military-to-disobey-orders-from-trump-admin-trigger-accusations-of-insurrection">urging</a> military members to refuse unlawful orders, Trump suggested that their action could be viewed as &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!&#8221; Trump later clarified that he was not calling for the Democrats to face the death penalty, saying, “In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death.”
Trump, however, appears to believe that the Democrats should be punished in some form. On Sunday night, he shared an AI-generated video depicting the six Democrats in <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601863709910309">prison</a>. In another <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601898049338376">post</a> shared by Trump, an anonymous social media user argues that the Democrats&#8217; plea is the &#8220;literal definition of sedition and they literally put it on video!!!!&#8221;
The president also <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601867440120506">shared</a> multiple posts that argued that the Democrats are guilty of violating <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2387&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim">18 USC 2387</a>, which makes it a crime to &#8220;interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States.&#8221; Those who violate the U.S. code face up to ten years in prison. Trump shared yet another post that <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601883571083274">called</a> for bypassing the &#8220;corrupted&#8221; justice system by holding military tribunals.
The video that caused an uproar and resulted in accusations of treason was made by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO). In the video, the Democrats accuse the Trump administration of &#8220;pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
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“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” they said in the video, adding, “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
Another <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601862810818001">post</a> shared by Trump on Sunday night suggests that Slotkin is using her training and knowledge from working at the CIA to &#8220;invoke a rebellion.&#8221; Slotkin, who worked for the CIA and the then-Defense Department in the early 2000s, defended the Democrats&#8217; video, arguing that it is lawful to disobey illegal orders and that the Founding Fathers wanted &#8220;to ensure our military upholds its oath to the Constitution — not a king.&#8221;
On Sunday, Slotkin was asked by &#8220;This Week&#8221; host Martha Raddatz on ABC whether any of Trump&#8217;s orders have been unlawful.
&#8220;To my knowledge, I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly, there are some legal gymnastics going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela,&#8221; Slotkin <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-11-23-25-sen-elissa-slotkin/story?id=127763059">said</a>.
She added that she is also concerned about &#8220;the use of U.S. military on American shores &#8230; in our cities and in our streets.&#8221;
Another post <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115600871102876776">shared</a> by Trump came from one social media user, who stated, &#8220;Get all of those traitorous sons of b*tches for sedition at the very least. Those pompous traitorous communities should be impeached and prosecuted.&#8221;

Trump Amplifies Claims That Dem Lawmakers Committed Sedition Against America

Executive

Social Media

U.S. Military

The Department of War <a href="https://x.com/DeptofWar/status/1992999267967905905">initiated</a> a review of &#8220;serious allegations&#8221; against Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly on Monday after he joined five other Democrats in urging U.S. military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221;
The War Department said the review will determine whether Kelly, a U.S. Navy combat veteran and retired astronaut, should be recalled to active duty for &#8220;court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.&#8221; Kelly, along with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) — all former military members — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-urge-military-to-disobey-orders-from-trump-admin-trigger-accusations-of-insurrection">released a video</a> last week where they encouraged military members to ignore what they perceived as unlawful orders.
&#8220;The Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice] for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels,&#8221; the War Department said.
The <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2387&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim">U.S. code</a> cited by the department makes it a crime &#8220;to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States&#8221; and &#8220;to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States.&#8221; Those who violate 18 U.S.C. 2387 face up to 10 years in prison.
In the video, the six Democrats argued that the Trump administration &#8220;is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,&#8221; the Democratic leaders told U.S. service members. &#8220;Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren&#8217;t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.&#8221;
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&#8220;Our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
President Donald Trump responded to the video last week, suggesting that it constituted &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.&#8221; He later clarified that he was not calling for the senators to receive the death penalty, but he has continued to share claims that the Democrats are guilty of sedition.
Kelly <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/1992710684984082803">said</a> on Sunday that Trump is &#8220;calling for the execution of members of Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;His words carry tremendous weight, more so than anybody else in the country, and he should be aware of that,&#8221; the senator added. &#8220;And because of what he says, there [are] now increased threats against us.&#8221;
In their video, the Democratic lawmakers did not give a single example of an illegal order the president has issued to the U.S. military. Senator Slotkin was asked on Sunday whether Trump has given any illegal orders, and she could not name any.
&#8220;I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly there are some legal gymnastics that are going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela,&#8221; Slotkin said.

Mark Kelly

War Department Reviewing ‘Serious Allegations’ Against Sen. Mark Kelly After Dem Military Message

Department of War

The Trump administration unveiled a new plan last week to ramp up offshore drilling off the coasts of Alaska, California, and Florida as the president seeks to usher in a U.S. energy boom. But some members of President Donald Trump&#8217;s party, including the Florida governor, aren&#8217;t thrilled about the administration&#8217;s goal to drill for oil near the Sunshine State&#8217;s beaches and military bases.
The U.S. Department of the Interior <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-launches-expansive-11th-national-offshore-leasing-program-advance-us-energy">directed</a> the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management last Thursday to open up seven additional lease areas in the Eastern Gulf for offshore drilling, an area in the Gulf of America around 100 miles off of Florida&#8217;s coast. The Trump administration also plans to open up 21 areas for lease off the coast of Alaska and six areas off the Pacific coast.
Florida Republicans, including Governor Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, and Sen. Ashley Moody, are urging the administration to pump the brakes on the new plan. The Florida leaders want the federal government to reconsider the policy President Trump enacted during his first term, which banned offshore oil leasing off the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina through 2032.
&#8220;President Trump’s 2020 memorandum protecting Florida’s eastern Gulf waters represents a thoughtful approach to the issue. The Interior Department should not depart from the 2020 policy,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1991648106254069903">said</a>. The governor&#8217;s office added that the Gulf coast of Florida does &#8220;not have the same oil and gas reserves as other states in the region&#8221; and that the state &#8220;has active sites where drilling occurs on land.&#8221;
Florida politicians argue that the new oil leases threaten Florida&#8217;s pristine beaches, which attract millions of tourists each year, while also interfering with &#8220;critical&#8221; U.S. military bases on the state&#8217;s coast.
Scott, Florida&#8217;s senior senator and former governor, echoed DeSantis, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RickScottSenOffice/posts/floridas-beautiful-beaches-and-coastal-waters-are-so-important-to-our-states-eco/1386895662794430/">arguing</a>, &#8220;Florida’s beautiful beaches and coastal waters are so important to our state’s economy, environment, and military community, which is why I have fought for years to keep drilling off Florida’s coasts and worked closely with President Trump during his first term to extend the moratorium banning oil drilling off Florida’s coasts through 2032.&#8221;
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&#8220;I have been speaking to Secretary Burgum and made my expectations clear that this moratorium must remain in place, and that in any plan, Florida’s coasts must remain off the table for oil drilling to protect Florida’s tourism, environment, and military training opportunities,&#8221; Scott added.
Senator Moody said the Trump administration&#8217;s move was &#8220;HIGHLY concerning,&#8221; adding that she &#8220;will be engaging directly with the [Interior Department] on this issue.&#8221;
The Interior Department&#8217;s move to free up more areas for offshore drilling is a response to former President Joe Biden&#8217;s &#8220;restrictive&#8221; oil and gas policies, according to the Trump administration.
“Offshore oil and gas production does not happen overnight. It takes years of planning, investment, and hard work before barrels reach the market,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “The Biden administration slammed the brakes on offshore oil and gas leasing and crippled the long-term pipeline of America’s offshore production. By moving forward with the development of a robust, forward-thinking leasing plan, we are ensuring that America’s offshore industry stays strong, our workers stay employed, and our nation remains energy dominant for decades to come.”
Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/w-027-8408?originationContext=knowHow&amp;transitionType=KnowHowItem&amp;contextData=(sc.Default)&amp;firstPage=true">2020 memorandum</a> prevented areas off the Florida coast from being considered for &#8220;leasing for purposes of exploration, development, or production&#8221; until 2032. After signing the memorandum in 2020, Trump was criticized by some people who believed the president was seeking to gain political favor among Floridians ahead of the 2020 election.
During his 2024 presidential campaign and after returning to the White House in early 2025, Trump vowed to ramp up American energy production and bring down energy costs for Americans. To accomplish this, Trump said it was time for the United States to &#8220;drill, baby, drill,&#8221; and on his first day back in the White House in January, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-energy-emergency/">declared</a> a national energy emergency.
&#8220;A major focus of our fight to reduce inflation is rapidly reducing the cost of energy. The previous administration cut the number of new oil and gas leases by 95%, slowed pipeline construction to a halt, and closed more than 100 power plants,&#8221; Trump said during his address to Congress in early March.
A group of Florida GOP representatives, including some of Trump&#8217;s most loyal supporters in Congress, also <a href="https://x.com/FBSaunders/status/1991623831610618051/photo/1">signed</a> a letter urging the president to reconsider the Interior Department&#8217;s latest directive.
&#8220;While we wholeheartedly support your push for American energy independence and expanded oil and gas production, the [Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range] is critical to advanced weapons development, flight testing, and joint exercises essential to maintaining America&#8217;s military superiority,&#8221; the letter states.

Florida Oil Drilling

Florida Republicans Aren’t Happy With Trump’s Offshore Drilling Plan

Florida Republicans Aren't Happy With Trump's Offshore Drilling Plan

Florida

Oil and Gas

Rick Scott

Ron DeSantis

Air traffic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-floats-plan-to-reward-air-traffic-controllers-who-didnt-take-time-off-due-to-shutdown">controllers</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/noem-hands-out-10000-checks-to-tsa-agents-who-worked-through-shutdown">TSA agents</a> are getting paid again, and the Federal Aviation Administration is confident that it &#8220;is ready to get more than 360,000 flights to their destinations&#8221; for the Thanksgiving travel period. But Americans should be prepared for long lines and crowded terminals as the FAA expects the busiest Thanksgiving travel week since 2010.
Tuesday, November 25, will be the busiest travel day before Thanksgiving, with 52,185 forecasted flights, the FAA <a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-expects-busiest-thanksgiving-travel-period-15-years">said</a> on Friday. Sunday, November 30, will be the busiest travel day after the holiday, with 51,268 forecasted flights. Some storm systems could also affect air travel. Forecasts call for rain in the Northeast, while wind and rain could move into the Great Lakes region and Seattle around Thanksgiving Day, according to the FAA.
A total of 82 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from their homes for the Thanksgiving holiday, which is an increase of 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, according to <a href="https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/11/aaa-thanksgiving-travel-forecast-2025/">AAA</a>. Seventy-three million Americans are expected to travel by car for the holiday, while six million Americans are expected to travel by air.
The busy travel week comes as the airline industry seeks to get back into a normal rhythm after the record-breaking 43-day government shutdown caused numerous disruptions. On Monday, the FAA lifted its temporary flight restrictions that affected 40 of the busiest airports in the country, and normal operations resumed.
“Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush and take pride in helping travelers reach their friends and families during this important time of year,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “I am deeply grateful to our entire FAA team. Even through a period of record-high traffic, their unwavering commitment keeps the system running safely.”
<div id="attachment_1004229" style="width: 930px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1004229" class="wp-image-1004229 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-21T134817.108-920x576.jpg" alt="" width="920" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-21T134817.108-920x576.jpg 920w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-21T134817.108-300x188.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-21T134817.108-768x481.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Untitled-design-2025-11-21T134817.108.jpg 1078w" sizes=" (max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px" />FAA</div>
The government shutdown resulted in an air traffic controller shortage as many controllers called in sick to either stay home or look for other work as they missed paychecks. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Thursday that 776 air traffic controllers and technicians who remained on the job and showed up to work every day during the government shutdown received $10,000 bonus checks.
&#8220;President Trump wanted to give air traffic controllers and technicians BONUSES for showing up to work EVERY DAY during the government shutdown… and TODAY IS THE DAY!&#8221; Duffy wrote. &#8220;776 patriotic men and women will get $10K checks, just in time for Christmas. God bless the patriots of our skies!&#8221;
The FAA also kicked off a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-more-pajamas-folks-is-it-time-to-dress-to-impress-on-planes-again">new campaign</a> on airport civility this week ahead of the holiday travel season.
“People dress up like they’re going to bed when they fly,” Duffy said. “We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up.”

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Vice President JD Vance talked with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for around an hour on Friday as the two leaders discussed President Donald Trump&#8217;s newly crafted <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-crafts-28-point-plan-to-end-war-in-ukraine">28-point plan</a> to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The call, which also included U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, marked the first time that Zelensky spoke directly with the White House since Trump unveiled his new peace plan. While he did not address any specifics of the plan, Zelensky suggested that his country is ready to get to work on negotiations.
&#8220;We managed to cover a lot of details of the American side’s proposals for ending the war, and we’re working to make the path forward dignified and truly effective for achieving a lasting peace,&#8221; Zelensky said. &#8220;I’m grateful for the attention and willingness to work together with us and our partners. We agreed to work together with the U.S. and Europe at the level of national security advisors to make the path to peace truly doable.&#8221;
&#8220;Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to put an end to the bloodshed, and we view every realistic proposal positively,&#8221; Zelensky added. &#8220;We agreed to maintain constant contact, and our teams are ready to work 24/7. Thank you!&#8221;
Under the reported details of Trump&#8217;s plan, Ukraine would be forced to give up Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk, and parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/21/zelensky-vance-trump-peace-plan">reported</a>. Ukraine would also commit to never joining NATO and limiting its standing military in exchange for security guarantees from the United States. Both Russia and Ukraine would receive amnesty for crimes they committed during the war, and all military and civilian prisoners would be returned to their respective sides.
After details of the plan were reported, multiple European leaders committed to pursuing a peace plan that guarantees Ukraine&#8217;s sovereignty.
&#8220;Ukraine can count on us,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/bundeskanzler/status/1991874364674035882">said</a> German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. &#8220;Together with [French President Emmanuel Macron] and [British Prime Minister Keir Starmer], I reaffirmed our full support to [Zelensky]. We will coordinate closely with Europe and the US, whose commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty we welcome. The contact line must remain the basis for any talks.&#8221;
The Russia-Ukraine plan mirrors President Trump&#8217;s ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that is monitored by Trump&#8217;s Peace Council. A senior U.S. official <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-quietly-working-on-a-russia-ukraine-peace-plan-that-mirrors-gaza-deal?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+%E2%80%98Quietly+Working%E2%80%99+On+A+Russia-Ukraine+Peace+Plan+That+Mirrors+Gaza+Deal">told</a> The Daily Wire on Thursday that Trump&#8217;s special envoy Steve Witkoff has been &#8220;quietly working&#8221; on the Russia-Ukraine plan for a month, &#8220;receiving input from both the Ukrainians and the Russians on what terms are acceptable to them to end the war.&#8221;
The call between Vance and Zelensky comes following months of talks between the Trump administration, Russia, and Ukraine, with little progress being made. In February, Trump, Vance, and Zelensky got into a heated back-and-forth in the Oval Office, part of which included the vice president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting">scolding</a> Zelensky for attacking &#8220;the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country.&#8221;
The war is nearing the four-year mark, and President Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who has ramped up his aggression in recent months. Earlier this week, a Russian missile and drone <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0yere4k0zo">attack</a> in Ternopil, Ukraine, killed 26 people, including three children, according to Ukrainian officials.

JD Vance/Volodymyr Zelensky

Zelensky Suggests Ukraine Is Ready To Move On Trump’s 28-Point Plan After Talks With Vance

JD Vance

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were ordered to appear before Congress for depositions on the Jeffrey Epstein probe next month after the two powerful Democrats attempted to avoid the House Oversight Committee&#8217;s grilling.
The Clintons&#8217; lawyer wrote a letter to the House Oversight Committee on November 3 in an attempt to get the former president and former Secretary of State out of testifying in person. The Clintons&#8217; attorney asked if they could simply submit “a written proffer of what little information” they have on Epstein. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesComer/status/1991877484208595253">denied</a> that request on Friday and ordered the Clintons to appear for their depositions on December 17 and 18.
&#8220;As your letter indicates, both President Clinton and Secretary Clinton possess information relevant to the Committee&#8217;s investigation,&#8221; Comer wrote to the Clintons&#8217; attorney, David Kendall.
&#8220;Additionally, your suggestion that your clients’ testimony would not be relevant to the stated purposes of the Committee’s investigation because the events in question took place outside of the Clintons’ respective official duties, misses the Committee’s point,&#8221; Comer added. &#8220;It is precisely the fact President Clinton and Secretary Clinton each maintained relationships with Mr. Epstein and Ms. [Ghislaine] Maxwell in their personal capacities as private citizens that is of interest to the Committee.&#8221;
Former President Clinton is scheduled to appear before the committee at 10:00 a.m. on December 17, while the former first lady is set to appear at 10:00 a.m. on December 18.
A House Oversight panel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-panel-votes-to-subpoena-epstein-files-clintons-ex-law-enforcement-leaders">voted</a> in July to subpoena the Clintons, along with former law enforcement leaders and more files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Three Republicans joined with five Democrats in the vote to approve the subpoenas. Comer then issued the subpoenas for the Clintons on August 5.
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The Clintons were ordered to appear for their depositions after President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unleashes-doj-to-investigate-epsteins-democrat-friends">directed</a> the Justice Department to investigate former President Clinton over his ties to Epstein. Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bondi-says-new-info-warrants-more-epstein-investigations-as-doj-sets-sights-on-his-dem-pals?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Bondi+Says+%E2%80%98New+Info%E2%80%99+Warrants+More+Epstein+Investigations+As+DOJ+Sets+Sights+On+His+Dem+Pals">said</a> on Wednesday that &#8220;new information&#8221; warrants further investigations into Epstein and those connected to him after the Justice Department closed its investigation into Epstein earlier this year.
Trump also signed legislation earlier this week to release the remaining Epstein files after arguing that Democrats have focused on what he has called the Epstein &#8220;hoax&#8221; to deflect from other issues.
Bill Clinton traveled with Epstein and Maxwell multiple times, with flight records indicating that the former president was with Epstein on his infamous “Lolita Express,” the airplane Epstein is accused of using to sex traffic underage girls. The former president <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bill-clinton-jeffrey-epstein/story?id=127629827">traveled</a> with the financier and his associate to numerous countries, including Bangkok, Brunei, Rwanda, Russia, and China.
Trump has suggested that Bill Clinton visited Epstein&#8217;s island in the Virgin Islands, but the former president has denied that he ever set foot on the island. In an email released by the House Oversight Committee earlier this month, Epstein wrote that Bill Clinton &#8220;was NEVER EVER there, never.&#8221;
There is no evidence that Hillary traveled with Epstein, and neither Bill nor Hillary has been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s sex crimes.
The Clintons&#8217; attorney stated in his November 3 letter that both Bill and Hillary &#8220;welcome legitimate oversight,&#8221; seeking to uncover the truth behind Epstein&#8217;s and Maxwell&#8217;s crimes. The attorney added that the Clintons &#8220;have little to contribute to that legitimate goal, all of which can be readily submitted on paper.&#8221;
Comer argued that the committee is &#8220;entitled to a fulsome examination&#8221; of the information that the Clintons possess on Epstein and &#8220;the ability to elicit the information in person and to ask relevant follow-up questions.&#8221;

Bill and Hillary Clinton

Congress Just Ordered The Clintons To Face Epstein Depositions. Here’s When They’ll Be Grilled.

Bill Clinton

Hillary Clinton

James Comer

Jeffrey Epstein

After years of getting caught up in controversies and pushing election conspiracy theories in Washington, D.C., California Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell wants to go back home full-time.
Swalwell appeared on Jimmy Kimmel&#8217;s late-night show on Thursday to announce that he&#8217;s running for California governor next year, joining a crowded field of Democrats gunning for the position. He announced the move as he faces a potential Justice Department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-faces-doj-criminal-probe-over-mortgage-fraud-accusations">investigation</a> into allegations that he made false statements on loan documents for his $1.2 million house in Washington, D.C.
Kimmel set up Swalwell&#8217;s <a href="https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/1991824644022874171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">big announcement</a> by asking the congressman what could be done to push back against President Donald Trump&#8217;s agenda.
&#8220;I&#8217;ll tell you what I&#8217;m going to do. I love California. It&#8217;s the greatest country in the world, greatest country in the world,&#8221; Swalwell said. &#8220;That&#8217;s why it pisses me off to see Californians running through the fields where they work from ICE agents or troops in our streets.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s horrifying,&#8221; Kimmel said.
Swalwell agreed, adding, &#8220;It&#8217;s awful to look at, and our state, this great state, needs a fighter and a protector — someone who will bring prices down, lift wages up.&#8221;
&#8220;We can say that we&#8217;re the fourth-largest economy in the world, and we are. I love to brag about that, but what does that mean if we can&#8217;t afford to live here?&#8221; Swalwell continued. &#8220;So I&#8217;ve been in these fights as a city councilmember &#8230; as a prosecutor in Oakland, and taking on the most corrupt president ever in the U.S. Congress, but I&#8217;m ready to bring this fight home. So, I came here tonight to tell you and your audience that I&#8217;m running to be the next governor of California.&#8221;
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His announcement was met with a standing ovation from Kimmel&#8217;s audience. Swalwell also posted a <a href="https://x.com/ericswalwell/status/1991760527966851476">video</a> on social media announcing his gubernatorial bid. In the video, Swalwell focused on just two issues: fighting President Trump and making California a more affordable place to live.
Last week, Swalwell claimed that he is a target of political retribution from Trump after the president&#8217;s top housing official referred him to Attorney General Pam Bondi over alleged mortgage and tax fraud. The accusations stem from the Democrats&#8217; purchase of a $1.2 million home in the nation’s capital that he reportedly claimed as his primary residence, which would qualify him for millions of dollars’ worth of loans and refinancing, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/13/us-news/eric-swalwells-1-2-million-dc-home-target-of-doj-mortgage-fraud-criminal-referral/">reported</a>.
The Daily Wire reached out to Swalwell&#8217;s office for comment on his decision to run for governor.
Swalwell has been at the center of multiple controversies since first getting elected to Congress in 2012. The California congressman was a key figure in the Democratic Party who pushed the Trump-Russia collusion hoax during the president&#8217;s first term. Swalwell was later slammed for his relationship with a Chinese woman who is suspected of spying for the Chinese Communist Party.
Swalwell enters what is promising to be a competitive race for governor, as numerous Democrats hope to take over for Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited. He joins former Congresswoman Katie Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and billionaire Tom Steyer in the Democratic primary. Former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are running on the Republican side.

Eric Swalwell Wants To Get Out Of D.C. As Mortgage Fraud Scrutiny Intensifies

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