White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Americans on Tuesday that oil and gas prices would soon come back down, and President Donald Trump&#8217;s massive military operation in Iran would result in lower gas prices in the &#8220;long-term.&#8221;
During a White House press briefing, Leavitt urged Americans to stay patient after gas prices rose to their highest national average in four years. Leavitt said oil and gas prices could drop &#8220;rapidly&#8221; after the U.S. military achieves its objectives in &#8220;Operation Epic Fury.&#8221;
&#8220;The recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long-term.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &#8220;Rest assured to the American people: the recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/KeF8ele6HE">pic.twitter.com/KeF8ele6HE</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2031437515320598782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Brent crude, the international benchmark price point for oil, skyrocketed to nearly $120 per barrel earlier this week, but then plummeted to under $90 after President Trump said on Monday that the war in Iran was &#8220;very far ahead of schedule.&#8221; As of Tuesday afternoon, Brent crude remained just below $90 per barrel, which is still much higher than before the United States and Israel began their joint operation targeting Iran on February 28.
The ongoing war in Iran has squeezed oil flow coming through the Strait of Hormuz, which sits between Iran and the United Arab Emirates and is the only passage for tankers leaving the Persian Gulf. Around 20% of the world&#8217;s oil is transported through the Strait of Hormuz, but that oil flow came to a near complete halt last week. As of Monday, oil tankers again began traversing the strait, with oil tanker traffic ticking up to 20% of its normal level, according to analysis from Goldman Sachs.
Trump has floated taking control of the strait. The White House is also considering using U.S. ships to escort oil tankers.
&#8220;That’s an option the president has said he will absolutely utilize if and when necessary at the appropriate time,” Leavitt said on Tuesday.
The president warned Iran on Monday, saying, &#8220;If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.&#8221;
U.S. intelligence suggests that Iran could be preparing to drop mines in the Strait of Hormuz, CBS News <a href="https://x.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/2031433322555937181">reported</a>. Such a move could further threaten oil tanker traffic and stall oil flow to the world. If tankers are prevented from passing through the Strait of Hormuz for more than two weeks, oil could reach $150 per barrel, some experts warned, according to the Associated Press. Saudi Arabia&#8217;s state-run oil company also warned of &#8220;catastrophic consequences&#8221; for global oil markets if the important shipping lane does not reopen soon.

Gas Prices

White House Reassures Americans About Oil Prices, Hints At ‘Long-Term’ Relief At The Pump

Crude Oil

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Iran

Israel

Karoline Leavitt

Trump Administration

U.S. Military

White House

World

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on Tuesday that there is not enough support for the talking filibuster pushed by President Donald Trump and some Republican senators, placing the SAVE America Act&#8217;s Senate chances further in doubt.
The talking filibuster, first suggested by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, would potentially clear a path for the GOP-controlled Senate to pass the legislation by forcing Democrats who oppose the SAVE America Act to speak non-stop on the Senate floor if they want to block a vote. Thune said the Republican-controlled Senate, however, doesn&#8217;t have enough support from his party to use the talking filibuster.
“The votes aren’t there, one, to nuke the filibuster, and the votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster,&#8221; Thune <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5776860-thune-blocks-talking-filibuster/">told</a> reporters. &#8220;It’s just a reality. I’m the person who has to deliver sometimes the not-so-good news that the math doesn’t add up, but those are the facts and there’s no getting around it.”
Trump has ramped up the pressure on Senate Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act before the 2026 midterms, arguing that a law imposing strict voter ID requirements is vital for Republicans to perform well in the upcoming elections. The legislation would require voters to provide proof of citizenship before registration and would prohibit states from sending mail-in ballots to voters, with the only exceptions being illness, disability, military service, or travel.
Sen. Lee, who sponsored the legislation, told The Daily Wire that Senate Republicans need &#8220;to push even harder&#8221; to get the SAVE America Act across the finish line.
&#8220;Voters across the nation are demanding the SAVE America Act. If we need a few more Senators to get on board to beat a Democrat standing filibuster, that’s not a reason to give up — it’s a reason to push even harder,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If Republicans don’t fight hard to deliver this wildly popular legislation that President Trump has specifically requested, how can we ask Americans to entrust us with both chambers of Congress in the future?&#8221;
Recent polling has shown that despite harsh Democratic opposition to the SAVE America Act, a majority of Americans support strict voter ID requirements.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the SAVE America Act &#8220;one of the most critical pieces of legislation in our nation&#8217;s history.&#8221;
&#8220;Passing the SAVE America Act is the most important thing that Republicans and frankly, Democrats, can do to strengthen election integrity and protect democracy,&#8221; Leavitt added. &#8220;It&#8217;s what the American people elected Republicans to do, and they must deliver on it as soon as possible.&#8221;
The press secretary also slammed Democrats for promoting the &#8220;myth&#8221; that the legislation would make it more difficult for women to vote.
&#8220;As far as married women who have changed their name, if they&#8217;re already registered to vote, they&#8217;re entirely unaffected by the SAVE Act, and for the some fraction of individuals who have changed their name or their address, they can still register to vote, of course. They just have to go through their state processes to update that documentation,&#8221; Leavitt continued.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/front-of-the-line-trump-says-he-wont-sign-a-thing-until-save-act-hits-his-desk">said</a> on Sunday that he would not sign any other legislation until the SAVE America Act is sent to his desk. The White House kept the pressure up on Tuesday, urging Americans to &#8220;DEMAND&#8221; that their senators get on board with the Save America Act.
&#8220;We either fix the integrity of America&#8217;s elections, or we won&#8217;t have a country left to fight for,&#8221; the White House <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2031396991238869117">posted</a> on X. The post also included a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/">link</a> to a White House webpage that provided contact information for each U.S. senator&#8217;s office.
Thune <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-paid-influencer-ecosystem-it-just-entered-the-election-integrity-fight?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+%E2%80%98Paid+Influencer+Ecosystem%E2%80%99%3F+It+Just+Entered+The+Election+Integrity+Fight">said</a> on Monday that much of the pressure campaign on the SAVE America Act is coming from conservative activists on X, which he called a &#8220;paid influencer ecosystem,&#8221; not from within the Senate itself.
&#8220;We want to get to the SAVE Act,&#8221; Thune added, but he warned that a talking filibuster would make other priorities much &#8220;harder&#8221; to address.
The Senate effectively ended the talking filibuster in the 1970s and moved to the silent filibuster, which has allowed the opposition to stall votes only by stating their intent to filibuster, and thereby require 60 votes to invoke cloture. Trump, who also pushed for the Senate to abolish the filibuster, has suggested that he would take executive action to impose voter ID and citizenship requirements if Congress doesn&#8217;t pass the SAVE America Act.

John Thune

One Senator’s Final Plea To Save The SAVE America Act

2026 Midterms

Congress

Mike Lee

Politics

SAVE America Act

Senate

Oil tankers are again passing through the Strait of Hormuz this week as President Donald Trump ratchets up the pressure on Iran to stay away from the ships that transport around 20% of the world&#8217;s oil every day.
The number of tankers passing through the strait ticked up to 20% of its normal level on Monday, according to an analysis from Goldman Sachs. Some tankers have braved the strait by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-09/greek-oil-tanker-exits-hormuz-shipping-strait-with-signal-off">turning off</a> their transponders. The increase in tanker traffic in the strait comes after nearly a week of oil flow had been effectively shut down due to the ongoing war in Iran.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Goldman Sachs: some oil is moving through the Strait of Hormuz <a href="https://t.co/G396UEgdSj">pic.twitter.com/G396UEgdSj</a>
— Brian Sozzi (@BrianSozzi) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianSozzi/status/2031291116939567442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In an interview with CBS News on Monday afternoon, President Trump said he is considering taking control of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that the Iranian regime would be completely obliterated if it continued to threaten maritime traffic. Trump also suggested that the U.S. military is close to achieving its goals in &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; and added that the United States is &#8220;very far ahead of schedule&#8221; after initially predicting a four-to-five-week operation.
After Trump gave his optimistic update, the price of Brent crude <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oil-prices-plummet-stocks-climb-after-trump-update-on-iran-war?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Reassurance+On+Iran+War+Lifts+Mood+Across+Oil%2C+Stocks">plummeted</a>, and stock prices ticked up. Later on Monday, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116202054617775180">warned</a>, &#8220;If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.&#8221;
&#8220;Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!&#8221; Trump added.
Ali Larijani, a top Iranian official, <a href="https://x.com/alilarijani_ir/status/2031323351952568569">shot back</a> at Trump with a direct threat of his own aimed at the U.S. president.
&#8220;The Ashura-loving nation of Iran does not fear your paper threats,&#8221; Larijani said. &#8220;Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation. Watch out for yourself—lest you be eliminated!&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+Hegseth+Scorches+Any+Doubt+About+U.S.+Military+Protecting+Civilians+In+War">FOLLOW THE DAILY WIRE&#8217;S LIVE UPDATES ON IRAN WAR</a>
U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegsesth said during a press briefing that Tuesday would mark the most intense day of U.S. strikes yet, while Iran&#8217;s military capabilities continue to dwindle. Since the beginning of &#8220;Operation Epic Fury,&#8221; U.S. forces have hit over 5,000 targets in Iran, according to Adm. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Americans are beginning to feel the effects of the ongoing war in Iran as gas prices jumped to their highest national average since 2022, with the conflict disrupting global oil flow. Brent crude reached nearly $120 per barrel on Monday — its highest price in nearly four years — before dropping late in the afternoon. President Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116196014942465383">promised</a> on Sunday that oil prices &#8220;will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over.&#8221; He argued that the &#8220;short term&#8221; increase in prices &#8220;is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace.&#8221;
&#8220;ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!&#8221; he added.

TrumpIran

Trump’s Stark Warning To Iran Triggers Increase In Oil Flow

Middle East

Brent crude, which is considered the international benchmark price point for oil, reached nearly $120 per barrel on Monday morning before plummeting to below $90 in the afternoon as President Donald Trump gave another positive update on the war in Iran.
The rapid drop in U.S. crude late in the day came as President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?contentProgram=LIVE%20UPDATES%3A%20Iran%20Threatens%20To%20Seize%20Property%20Of%20Anti-Regime%20Citizens%20Living%20Abroad&amp;contentType=Post&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">said</a> the war, which has lasted for over one week, is &#8220;very far ahead of schedule&#8221; after initially predicting a four-to-five-week operation. Following Trump&#8217;s latest comments on the Iran conflict, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&amp;P 500 also climbed. The Dow initially <a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-stock-markets-iran-war-458890210407eb0cba85c7e1a684c890">fell</a> around 900 points early on Monday before closing the day up 261 points, while the S&amp;P 500 turned a 1.5% fall in the morning into a gain of nearly 1% by the closing bell.
&#8220;I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump told CBS News in a phone interview. &#8220;They have no navy, no communications, they&#8217;ve got no air force,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones.&#8221;
&#8220;If you look, they have nothing left. There&#8217;s nothing left in a military sense,&#8221; he added.
Snippets of Trump&#8217;s interview were <a href="https://x.com/weijia/status/2031086856679412042">posted</a> by CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang just after 3:15 p.m. ET, which was roughly the same time that the steep drop in Brent crude and the rise in the markets began.
Trump also <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-iran-cbs-news-the-war-is-very-complete-strait-hormuz/">told</a> CBS News that he is considering taking control of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, where around 20% of the world&#8217;s oil typically traverses each day. Since the conflict in Iran began, tankers have been mostly halted from passing through the strait and into the open ocean. Trump said on Monday afternoon, however, that ships are once again moving through the strait and added that the Iranian regime would be completely obliterated if it threatens ships.
&#8220;If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran, and you&#8217;d never hear the name again,&#8221; Trump said.
If tankers are prevented from passing through the Strait of Hormuz for more than two weeks, oil could reach $150 per barrel, some experts warned, according to the Associated Press. Gas prices in the United States have surged since Trump&#8217;s Iran operation began. The national average for gas has climbed to $3.47 per gallon since last week, according to AAA. Before the recent rise, gas prices in the United States had mostly fallen since Trump took office last year.
Trump has not said when exactly &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; would end, but during <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9bkyOTCrEg">remarks</a> to Republican lawmakers in Doral, Florida, later Monday afternoon, he said that the U.S. military &#8220;will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated.&#8221; U.S. forces have decimated the Iranian navy and military capabilities, and the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iran&#8217;s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Seven U.S. troops have been killed since the United States launched its major military operation on February 28.

Trump Reassurance On Iran War Lifts Mood Across Oil, Stocks

Oil Prices Plummet, Stocks Climb As Trump Says Iran War 'Very Complete'

Stock Market

A protest outside of Gracie Mansion in Manhattan on Saturday turned violent when two men lit two improvised explosive devices near a crowd that had gathered outside of Mayor Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s residence. Neither of the explosives detonated, and no one was injured in the attack, which authorities are investigating as &#8220;ISIS-inspired terrorism.&#8221;
The story in New York could have been much different, however.
The devices used by the suspects during the weekend attack contained triacetone triperoxide, or TATP, an explosive nicknamed the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; that terrorists have used to kill hundreds of people since 2005. TATP is especially dangerous because its materials are inexpensive and easy to access.
The U.S. government <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/NCTC/documents/jcat/firstresponderstoolbox/78--NCTC-DHS-FBI---Triacetone-Triperoxide-(TATP)-.pdf">warns</a> that even small amounts of TATP can cause major damage if detonated, and the explosive can also be packed with shrapnel — such as nuts, bolts, and screws — to increase its lethality. The devices used by two suspects in New York City over the weekend were packed with such shrapnel.
One of the suspects threw an explosive near the crowd of protesters and the other suspect dropped another device near police officers. The suspects, 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi and 18-year-old Emir Balat, were quickly apprehended by authorities. The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/09/us-news/shackled-terrorist-defiantly-flashes-isis-salute-after-hes-busted-for-tossing-explosive-device-near-gracie-mansion/">reported</a> that one of the suspects said &#8220;Allahu Akbar&#8221; after he was questioned by investigators.
While the attack in Manhattan on Saturday has not yet been confirmed to be an ISIS attempt to kill Americans, TATP has been a primary weapon for the terrorist group for years. Since 2005, nearly 500 people throughout the world have been killed by terrorists who used the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; in their attacks. Most of the terrorists who have used TATP to carry out mass killings in the past were either inspired by or part of ISIS.
<h3>2019: Sri Lanka Easter Bombings</h3>
On Easter Sunday in April 2019, ISIS terrorists used the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; in bombings that targeted Christians who were worshipping in churches and at hotels throughout the small country. More than 250 people were killed in the coordinated attacks. The TATP bombs were worn by suicide bombers who pulled a strap to detonate their vests.
<h3>2017: Ariana Grande Concert Bombing</h3>
A lone suicide bomber detonated either a vest or a backpack with TATP and shrapnel at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, on May 22, 2017, killing 22, including 10 people under the age of 20. The terrorist reportedly made the bomb by himself. Authorities <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/09/manchester-arena-bomb-designed-kill-largest-number-innocents">determined</a> that the blast was able to kill people more than 60 feet away and was &#8220;designed to kill and maim indiscriminately the largest number of innocent people.&#8221;
<h3>2016: Brussels Airport and Train Bombings</h3>
Three ISIS suicide bombers detonated &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; bombs at the Brussels airport and on board a train leaving a metro station in a coordinated attack on March 22, 2016. The terrorists killed 32 people and wounded nearly 350 more. Two more attackers had planned to detonate another bomb at the airport and another at the metro station, but they fled the scenes of the bombings before carrying out their part of the attack.
<h3>2015: Paris Terrorist Attack</h3>
TATP explosives were part of the arsenal for ISIS fighters who carried out the deadliest terror attack in France&#8217;s history on November 13, 2015. Terrorists killed 130 people in six different locations throughout Paris in their attack, using semi-automatic rifles and suicide belts loaded with the &#8220;Mother of Satan.&#8221;
<h3>2005: London Bombings</h3>
Radical Muslim terrorists inspired by al-Qaeda killed more than 50 people and wounded nearly 800 in one of England&#8217;s deadliest terror attacks. Investigators believe the terrorists primarily used TATP bombs for their attack on London underground trains and a double decker bus.
As investigators continue to look into the two New York City attackers who attempted to detonate explosives over the weekend, more information about the suspects is coming to light. The two men reportedly have connections to the Middle East, but as of Monday afternoon, authorities have not tied them to any terror group. Kayumi and Balat recently spent time in Turkey, and Kayumi also flew to Saudi Arabia in 2024, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/08/us-news/self-radicalized-isis-supporters-used-explosive-called-mother-of-satan-inside-bombs-thrown-at-gracie-mansion-protest-sources/">reported</a>.
It remains unclear if the two suspects were taught how to make the &#8220;Mother of Satan&#8221; bombs or if anyone else knew about their attack. Kayumi and Balat reportedly told investigators that they had watched ISIS videos and targeted right-wingers who were protesting outside of Gracie Mansion because they believed the protesters disrespected their religion. The protest, which was organized by far-right activist Jake Lang, focused on denouncing the so-called Muslim takeover of New York City.
In a social media post on Sunday, Mamdani condemned the protest, which he said was &#8220;rooted in bigotry and racism&#8221; before he added, &#8220;What followed was even more disturbing. Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.&#8221;

Terror Incident

Terrorists Have Killed Hundreds With ‘Mother Of Satan’ Bomb Used In NYC Attack

Bombings

ISIS

New York City

Terrorism

U.S.

The FBI seized election data from Maricopa County, Arizona, as the bureau expands its investigation into suspected election tampering, Just The News <a href="https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/monfbi-secretly-seizes-election-records-arizonas-largest-county-voting">reported</a> on Sunday night.
The FBI has kept the Maricopa County record seizure under wraps, but Just The News cited &#8220;multiple people familiar&#8221; with the probe who said that FBI agents are receiving gigabytes worth of data through a grand jury subpoena. The investigation into Maricopa County election records comes just a month after the FBI <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-raids-fulton-county-office-as-part-of-2020-election-interference-probe">raided</a> an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, as part of a 2020 election interference probe.
President Donald Trump celebrated the report of the FBI election data seizure, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116199384958218035">writing</a> on Truth Social Monday morning, &#8220;Great!!!&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the FBI for comment.
Trump continues to push for stronger election laws, including voter ID requirements and more restrictions on mail-in ballots, across the country as the 2026 midterms near. Maricopa County was scrutinized following Trump&#8217;s 2020 election loss to former President Joe Biden over allegations that hundreds of thousands of ballots were illegally counted.
After the 2020 election, the Republican-controlled Arizona Senate investigated Maricopa County&#8217;s ballot-counting process and found that more than 200,000 ballots were counted without being reviewed, despite containing mismatched signatures. Then, in 2024, election observers filed a report after noticing blank and filled-out absentee ballots in the same warehouse on election night, Just The News reported.
A Republican and a Democrat observer also included photos in their report, which showed heavily guarded absentee ballots. While that report has not been released to the public, Just The News&#8217; sources said it was one of the reasons for the subpoena, which authorized the FBI to obtain Maricopa County election data.
Maricopa County, which surrounds Phoenix, has played a pivotal role in determining the state&#8217;s outcome and its 11 electoral votes in recent elections. Trump won the county in his first presidential race in 2016 and then again in 2024, but Trump lost Maricopa County and Arizona to Biden in the contentious 2020 election.
Trump maintains that the 2020 election was &#8220;stolen&#8221; from him as states counted an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots, and Biden won the election with a record number of votes. A Republican-led <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/arizona-republicans-release-findings-widely-panned-election-audit-2021-09-24/">audit</a> of the 2020 election results from Maricopa County found that the initial results were &#8220;within a few hundred&#8221; votes of the recount and did not change the overall result.
As Trump continues to claim that he was cheated out of the White House in 2020, he is pushing for the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act before the vital 2026 midterm elections. The legislation would require states to check voter IDs to ensure that only U.S. citizens cast ballots.
The SAVE America Act passed the House last month, but it has stalled in the Republican-led Senate. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/front-of-the-line-trump-says-he-wont-sign-a-thing-until-save-act-hits-his-desk">said</a> on Sunday that he would not sign any other legislation until it is sent to his desk.

Maricopa County Begins Counting Ballots On Election Day In Arizona

FBI Makes New Move In Arizona County At Center Of 2020 Election Controversy

2020 Election

Arizona

Election

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he won&#8217;t require Iran&#8217;s next leader to be committed to democratic rule, adding that he&#8217;s more concerned about the future ruler committing to peace and stability in the region.
Trump, who said on Thursday that he wants to be involved in the process of choosing Iran&#8217;s next leader, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/06/politics/trump-interview-iran-cuba-dana-bash">told</a> CNN host Dana Bash that he&#8217;s optimistic about the country&#8217;s future leadership. The president said he believes the leader should be &#8220;fair and just,&#8221; adding that he&#8217;s open to the Middle East country putting a &#8220;religious&#8221; leader in power.
&#8220;I mean, it depends on who the person is. I don’t mind religious leaders. I deal with a lot of religious leaders and they are fantastic,” Trump told Bash.
He then laid out what he would expect of Iran&#8217;s next leader.
&#8220;I’m saying there has to be a leader that’s going to be fair and just, do a great job, treat the United States and Israel well, and treat the other countries in the Middle East — they’re all our partners,&#8221; he added.
Trump touted his relationship with countries in the Middle East, saying that his relationship with most of them has flourished.
&#8220;And I became very friendly with all those countries. That’s why they’re all fighting for us,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Before I got involved, we didn’t even speak to UAE and Saudi Arabia. You know, (President Joe) Biden shut [them] out. Biden and (President Barack) Obama shut Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, he shut them all out. They were all going to go to China, and I got involved in a very short period of time that became my friends.&#8221;
The joint U.S.-Israeli military operation launched last weekend has taken out most of Iran&#8217;s top leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. U.S. forces have also decimated the regime&#8217;s navy, military assets, and nuclear infrastructure. The Trump administration has been careful about how much information it releases on its plans for &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; and whether U.S. forces would be used to push for regime change.
Trump&#8217;s comments on Thursday were the clearest hint yet that the United States could have a major role in setting up Iran&#8217;s next government. After the remaining Iranian leaders reportedly selected Khamenei&#8217;s son, Mojtaba, to take over, Trump <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/05/iran-leader-trump-khamenei">told</a> Axios that the appointment was &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221;
&#8220;We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said. &#8220;They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight.&#8221;
Trump added that any Iranian leader who would just continue the policies of the now crumbling regime would force the United States back into a war in &#8220;five years.&#8221; Radical Muslim leaders, including Iran&#8217;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reportedly lobbied for Mojtaba to get the appointment.
Trump has expressed support for the Iranians who took to the streets in recent months to protest the regime. After announcing &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; last Saturday, Trump urged Iranians to take control of their authoritarian government once the dust settles after America&#8217;s major military operation.
&#8220;To the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Stay sheltered. Don&#8217;t leave your home. It&#8217;s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.&#8221;

Trump Lays Out Conditions For Next Iranian Leader

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

President Donald Trump told CNN host Dana Bash on Friday that Cuba&#8217;s communist government is on the brink of collapse, adding that he would soon send Secretary of State Marco Rubio to handle the situation in the Caribbean island nation.
Bash <a href="https://x.com/DanaBashCNN/status/2029926445431079095">reported</a> that she spoke with Trump on multiple issues across the globe, including the war with Iran and the situation bubbling over in Cuba. Trump told Bash, &#8220;Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon,&#8221; adding that the United States has &#8220;plenty of time, but Cuba is ready.&#8221; Bash also said that Trump told her he would soon &#8220;put Marco over there.&#8221;
Rubio, whom Trump has called the &#8220;greatest secretary of State in U.S. history,&#8221; is the son of Cuban parents who immigrated to the United States just before Fidel Castro seized power. Throughout his political career, Rubio has hoped for the Cuban people to free themselves from communist rule. Now, Rubio has a chance to help turn that hope into reality as he will likely play the most important role in U.S. efforts to stabilize Cuba.
The communist Cuban regime is in the middle of a major economic collapse, with inflation rising out of control and the country&#8217;s infrastructure continuing to fall apart. The economic situation in Cuba deteriorated further after the United States successfully captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and took control of Venezuela&#8217;s oil exports. After Trump&#8217;s action, the Venezuelan government stopped shipping oil to Cuba, and the U.S. military has been intercepting ships from other nations attempting to offload fuel in Cuba, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/americas/cuba-oil-blockade-trump.html">reported</a>. The Cuban government is believed to have just a few weeks of fuel supply left before the country goes into a blackout.
A United Nations official in Cuba <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167046">said</a> last week that the situation in the country is &#8220;becoming fragile,&#8221; with food security also &#8220;deteriorating.&#8221;
As Trump rewrites the rules of America&#8217;s foreign policy strategy, he has set his sights on Cuba, but a major military operation targeting the country appears unlikely at the moment. Instead, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-suggests-friendly-takeover-of-cuba-after-boat-incident?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Suggests+%E2%80%98Friendly+Takeover+Of+Cuba%E2%80%99+After+Boat+Incident">suggested</a> a &#8220;friendly takeover&#8221; of the country last week.
&#8220;The Cuban government is talking with us. They’re in a big deal of trouble, as you know. They have no money, no anything right now,” Trump said. “Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.”
As the crisis in Cuba worsens, the Cuban government <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deadly-gun-battle-off-cubas-coast-florida-registered-boat-at-center-of-clash?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Deadly+Gun+Battle+Off+Cuba%E2%80%99s+Coast+%E2%80%94+Florida-Registered+Boat+At+Center+Of+Clash">said</a> that its troops shot and killed multiple people on a speedboat from Florida that it accused of opening fire on Cuban soldiers just off the country&#8217;s coast. At least five people aboard the speedboat were killed, and Cuba charged the five surviving crew members with terrorism. Rubio said that the incident was not a U.S.-backed operation.
For decades, Cuba remained a thorn in America&#8217;s side as the island nation, just 100 miles off the Florida coast, was closely allied with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The 13-day Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 is still considered the closest the world has ever come to full-scale nuclear war, and the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion on the southwestern coast of Cuba remains one of the biggest U.S. military failures in history.

Donald Trump/Marco Rubio

Trump Predicts Another Dictatorship Could Fall Soon — Suggests Sending Marco Rubio

Cuba

Marco Rubio

American adversary Russia is reportedly providing intelligence to Iran on the location of U.S. forces, including warships and aircraft.
The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/06/russia-iran-intelligence-us-targets/">cited</a> three officials Friday morning who spoke on the condition of anonymity and said that Moscow has indirectly joined the conflict between the United States and Iran. One of the Post&#8217;s sources said that Russia&#8217;s involvement &#8220;does seem like it’s a pretty comprehensive effort.&#8221;
The Trump administration has not yet confirmed publicly whether Russia has stepped into the conflict to help Iran. The War Department declined to comment on the issue when asked by The Daily Wire. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly did not address the Washington Post report but said, &#8220;The Iranian regime is being absolutely crushed.&#8221;
&#8220;Their ballistic missile retaliation is decreasing every day, their navy is being wiped out, their production capacity is being demolished, and proxies are hardly putting up a fight. Operation Epic Fury is meeting or surpassing all of its goals, and the United States will continue to dominate,&#8221; Kelly added.
After President Donald Trump launched &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; last weekend, Russia condemned the joint U.S.-Israeli military action targeting Iranian leadership, military assets, and nuclear infrastructure. Russia and Iran have long partnered on military efforts. Their ties were further strengthened last year when they signed a 20-year political and economic treaty partially focused on helping each nation fend off outside threats.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin condemned the United States and Israel after they took out Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Putin <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/putin-says-killing-khamenei-is-cynical-murder-2026-03-01/">called</a> the strike that killed Khamenei and members of his family and inner circle a &#8220;cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.&#8221; The Russian dictator, however, stopped short of committing to defend his ally as the United States continues to pummel Iranian forces and defense systems.
Even if Putin committed to back Iran against the United States and Israel, Russia&#8217;s ability to come to Iran&#8217;s aid would be severely limited as Moscow remains in the middle of a war with Ukraine that has entered its fifth year, with no sign of the conflict ending anytime soon. Iran also has close ties with China, but it appears that the communist regime in Beijing has yet to intervene.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth was recently asked about any potential role Russia and China could play in the conflict, and he replied by saying the countries are &#8220;not really a factor here.&#8221;
Iran has launched precision strikes this week that have hit their targets, including U.S. military bases and embassies. Six American troops were killed in one Iranian strike in Kuwait.
The United States, meanwhile, has decimated Iran&#8217;s navy and continues to hunt down the regime&#8217;s ballistic missile launchers. In an update at Central Command headquarters in Florida on Thursday, Admiral Brad Cooper said that U.S. forces have sunk more than 30 Iranian ships and recently struck an Iranian drone carrier roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier. The Israeli Air Force also hit a military bunker on Thursday night that has been used by senior Iranian political and military leaders.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+Overnight+Win+Blows+Apart+Iran+Regime%E2%80%99s+Secret+War+Bunker">LIVE UPDATES: Overnight Win Blows Apart Iran Regime’s Secret War Bunker</a>

Russia/Iran

A U.S. Adversary Quietly Helping Iran In War With America? Here’s What We Know

China

Russia

Vladimir Putin

The vast majority of Americans support a federal law requiring age verification for app downloads or access to pornographic content online, according to a <a href="https://act.americanprinciplesproject.org/p/protect-kids-online/results?access=press">poll</a> released on Thursday and shared with The Daily Wire.
The poll, conducted by Cygnal last month, shows that 83% of likely voters support an age verification law for mobile app downloads, and 81% of likely voters support age verification for pornographic sites.
House lawmakers met on Thursday to debate legislation aimed at protecting children from inappropriate online content by requiring Big Tech companies to verify that children cannot gain access to adult apps, websites, or social media platforms without their parents&#8217; consent.
Cygnal&#8217;s poll, which surveyed 1,048 likely 2026 election voters, showed broad approval for the law that also cut across party lines. Nearly 40% of those who responded to the poll described themselves as Republicans, while 35% of the respondents said they are Democrats, and 24% identified themselves as independents.
Terry Schilling, the president of the conservative advocacy group American Principles Project, said the poll shows that parents are united in pushing back against Big Tech&#8217;s reluctance to set up age verification policies for their platforms.
&#8220;Parents are fighting to protect their children, and their enemy isn’t just Big Porn but the Silicon Valley titans that profit from it. They have one advantage in an uphill fight: the American voter,&#8221; said Schilling. &#8220;A supermajority of Americans — from conservatives to independents and even many liberals — are united in their call to rein in Big Tech. For too long, parents have been alone in the fight against exploitive algorithms and apps. It&#8217;s time for Congress to step up and pass commonsense legislation that puts families first.&#8221;
On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee debated the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1748">Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act</a> and the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1586/text">APP Store Accountability Act</a>. The Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act would require platforms to help prevent children from accessing potentially harmful content, while the APP Store Accountability Act would force app stores to set up parental consent requirements before a child downloads an app.
&#8220;My App Store Accountability Act is simple: kids cannot consent and power belongs to parents, not Big Tech,&#8221; Republican Rep. John James of Michigan <a href="https://x.com/RepJames/status/2029024929127997786">said</a> earlier this week. &#8220;Just as how corner stores are held responsible for keeping adult &amp; addictive materials from minors, my bill holds digital app stores to the same standard.&#8221;
Half of the U.S. states already require age verification for pornography sites. The age verification laws have been enacted by mostly Republican-led states, while deep blue states have taken little to no action to ensure that users who enter pornographic websites are at least 18 years of age. After Louisiana became the first state to enact an age verification law, Pornhub&#8217;s traffic in the state dropped by around 80%, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/08/08/age-law-online-porn-00110148">reported</a>. After other states, such as Missouri, Virginia, and Utah, followed Louisiana&#8217;s lead, Pornhub decided to completely stop operating its website in states that passed age verification laws.
But protecting children from porn sites isn&#8217;t the only concern for  Americans.
Social media giants — including Meta, YouTube, and Snapchat — have also faced recent scrutiny over how their platforms affect children. Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are currently on trial in a bellwether social media addiction case before the California Superior Court in Los Angeles County.
The case stems from a 20-year-old woman, referred to as K.G.M., who argues that social media platforms have knowingly designed their platforms to get children and young users addicted and that her mental health struggles began after she became addicted to social media. TikTok and Snapchat were also sued in the case, but settled with the plaintiff before the trial began.
Last month, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in the addiction case and argued that his company has &#8220;navigated this in a reasonable way.&#8221;
In recent years, Meta has rolled out online safety features for children using Instagram. The platform’s “Teen Accounts” keep children’s accounts private, meaning other Instagram users cannot see posts from or contact a Teen Account unless the teenager accepts their follow requests. Instagram also censors content on Teen Accounts, so that children are not shown content that features fighting or cosmetic procedures.
Other countries have recently pursued more severe restrictions on children&#8217;s access to social media. In December, Australia became the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/australias-novel-social-media-ban-for-kids-sparks-debate-as-some-platforms-get-a-free-pass">first country to ban</a> children under 16 from creating accounts on many social media platforms. Malaysia has introduced a similar ban.

Social Media

Where Americans Stand On Forcing Age Checks For Porn Sites

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Online Age Verification Law, Poll Finds

Children

Poll

Pornography

U.S. House of Representatives

Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told reporters on Thursday that he called his wife and his dad after President Donald Trump asked him to take over at the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump announced on Truth Social that Mullin would take over for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem beginning on March 31, pending Mullin&#8217;s Senate confirmation. The Oklahoma senator told reporters on Capitol Hill that he received the call from Trump just minutes before Trump released his statement.
Mullin described the opportunity as exciting and humbling, adding, &#8220;I had to call my dad because, I mean, it happened quick, so I had to call my wife and call my dad both. It&#8217;s just really humbling when you stop and think about it. A little kid from Westville, Oklahoma, gets to serve in the president&#8217;s Cabinet. That&#8217;s pretty neat.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s major Cabinet shakeup comes after Noem has faced criticism over the Homeland Security Department&#8217;s response to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Noem was also grilled by lawmakers in a Senate hearing earlier this week and said that Trump approved <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=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">questionable contracts</a> for advertisements starring the DHS secretary worth over $200 million. The president said on Thursday that Noem will be reassigned to help lead a new security initiative that is set to be announced on Saturday.
In his announcement, Trump said that Noem had served the administration &#8220;well and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!).&#8221; The president added, &#8220;I thank Kristi for her service at &#8216;Homeland.'&#8221;
Mullin, a close friend of Noem&#8217;s, told reporters that he hadn&#8217;t yet spoken to the ousted DHS secretary, but would soon.
&#8220;Our families are very close, and this happened very quick, so we&#8217;re going to go have a conversation with her in just a second,&#8221; he said.
Trump called Mullin a &#8220;warrior&#8221; and said the Oklahoman &#8220;will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.&#8221;
Mullin has served in the Senate since 2023 and was a member of the House for 10 years before that. He currently serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Appropriations Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and the Indian Affairs Committee. Mullin is also a former wrestler and professional mixed martial arts fighter who posted a 5-0 career record in MMA.

Markwayne Mullin

A ‘Humbled’ Markwayne Mullin Reveals Who He Called First After He Was Tapped For DHS Secretary

Department of Homeland Security

Executive

Kristi Noem

Republican Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales admitted to the public for the first time on Wednesday that he had an affair with his former staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who committed suicide last year.
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/salacious-texts-ignite-capitol-hill-scandal-after-staffers-death">more revelations</a> about the affair surfaced, Gonzales faced calls to either resign or drop out of the 2026 election from a growing number of colleagues. Now, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other Republican House leaders are also calling on him to end his re-election bid.
&#8220;I made a mistake,&#8221; Gonzales <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP9nYoGFx4w">told</a> conservative radio host Joe Pags. &#8220;And I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I have asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever.&#8221;
Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) released a statement on Thursday urging Gonzales drop out of the 2026 race. Gonzales also faces a House Ethics Committee investigation.
&#8220;We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues,&#8221; the GOP leaders said. &#8220;In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for reelection.&#8221;
Gonzales advanced to a run-off election in the GOP primary for Texas&#8217; 23rd congressional district on Tuesday. He now faces YouTuber and firearms manufacturer Brandon Herrera in the May run-off election. Herrera received 43.3% of the vote to Gonzales&#8217; 41.7% on Tuesday night.
Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old married mother, committed suicide last September by dousing herself in accelerant and setting herself on fire at her Uvalde, Texas, home. In the Uvalde Police Department report on the incident, one officer stated that after first responders arrived on the scene and began aiding Santos-Aviles, she told them that she set herself on fire because her husband was having an affair with her best friend.
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">posted</a> by the San Antonio Express-News last month show Gonzales allegedly making sexual requests to Santos-Aviles, including asking her to send him a “sexy” photo of herself and asking what her “favorite position” is.
One message shows the congressman allegedly telling Santos-Aviles about his sexual fantasy before the staffer replies, “This is too far, Tony.” In another message, she wrote, “This is going too far boss. So how long have you thought I was this hot?”
After reports of the text scandal spread, Gonzales told CNN, “I am not going to resign. I work every day for the people of Texas … and there will be an opportunity for all the details and all the facts to come out. What you’ve seen is not all the facts.”
Gonzales reiterated on Wednesday that there was &#8220;a lot more&#8221; information that would come out soon, and he declined to address whether the sexual text messages that he allegedly sent to Santos-Aviles were genuine.
&#8220;I will say there is a whole lot more to the story, a lot more that isn&#8217;t out there,&#8221; he told Pags.
The Texas congressman also suggested that immediately following Santos-Aviles&#8217; death, he was blackmailed by the staffer&#8217;s husband.
&#8220;Within hours [of Santos-Aviles&#8217; death], her estranged husband reached out to our office and asked about her death benefits and how he could gain access to her retirement fund,&#8221; Gonzales said. &#8220;This woman had just had a horrific tragedy. &#8230; It was eerie, it was creepy.&#8221;
&#8220;A few months later, his criminal defense attorney &#8230; reaches out and essentially asks me for money, or else,&#8221; Gonzales added. &#8220;They asked for $300,000.&#8221;
Santos-Aviles&#8217; husband, Adrian Aviles, has pushed back against Gonzales&#8217; accusations of blackmail and said that he shared his deceased wife&#8217;s text messages &#8220;because I don’t want to be called a liar and don’t want her to be called a liar.&#8221;
“I also want to show proof to everybody the type of person that he is. He’s a predator. He took advantage of a very vulnerable woman,&#8221; Adrian Aviles added.

Tony Gonzales

After Admitting Affair With Staffer, Texas Rep Faces GOP Calls To End Re-Election Bid

Texas Rep Admits To Affair With Staffer. GOP Leaders Urge Him To End Re-Election Bid.

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Zach Jewell