First Lady Melania Trump sent what is being called a &#8220;peace letter&#8221; to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his meeting in Alaska with President Donald Trump, where they discussed what steps needed to be taken to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The president, according to a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/first-lady-melania-trumps-peace-letter-putin-it-time">report</a> published Saturday by Fox News Digital, hand-delivered the missive — and the Russian leader read it prior to the much-touted summit on Friday.
In the letter, the First Lady called on Putin to be the one to take the first steps toward lasting peace with Ukraine, saying that children — regardless of where they happened to have been born — deserve better than countries and families torn apart by war.
<blockquote>Dear President Putin,
Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.
As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation’s hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few. Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all—so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded. 
A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity—an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.</blockquote>
Trump went on to tell Putin that, should he finally put an end to the bloodshed, he would be able to restore the laughter of many children. &#8220;In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone—you serve humanity itself,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today,&#8221; she concluded. &#8220;It is time.&#8221;
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Following the summit, President Trump said that he felt confident the pair had made progress — although he cautioned that the negotiations were certainly not yet over.
&#8220;There were many, many points that we agreed on, most of them, I would say. A couple of big ones that we haven&#8217;t quite gotten there, but we&#8217;ve made some headway. So, there&#8217;s no deal until there&#8217;s a deal,&#8221; he said.
Trump announced via Truth Social on Saturday morning that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would travel to Washington on Monday, and if their meeting went well, he would broker another meeting that also included Putin.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/RtC9wBBtim">pic.twitter.com/RtC9wBBtim</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956718970951635391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-WOMEN

Melania Trump Sent ‘Peace Letter’ To Putin Ahead Of Alaska Summit

Melania Trump Sent 'Peace Letter' To Putin Ahead Of Alaska Summit

Alaska

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Melania Trump

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

The day before Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with President Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, supporters of Ukraine showed up to protest the meeting, while Trump supporters are planning a rally in support of the president.
On Thursday evening, hundreds of people showed up at an intersection in Anchorage to protest the meeting, holding Ukrainian flags, with a marching band in attendance, the Anchorage Daily News <a href="https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2025/08/14/pro-ukraine-rally-draws-hundreds-of-alaskans-ahead-of-trump-putin-meeting/">reported</a>.
“I can see fascists from my house,” one protester’s sign read, referring to Saturday Night Live’s 2008 parody of former Alaskan governor Sarah Putin in which they had cast member Tina Fey say, “I can see Russia from my house.”
“Putin won’t stop at Ukraine,” was emblazoned on another sign.
More than a dozen protests are planned all over the 49th state as well.
“At least 16 protest events are scheduled to take place across Alaska from Thursday through Saturday, protesting the meeting and demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine, from Fairbanks to Kodiak to Ketchikan,” the Alaska Beacon <a href="https://alaskabeacon.com/2025/08/14/protests-planned-across-alaska-in-solidarity-with-ukraine-ahead-of-trump-putin-summit/">reported</a> on Thursday.
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A Friday rally to support Trump’s efforts is being led by Alaska Republicans. State Party Chairman Carmela Warfield <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/s/alaskans-for-trump-sign-waving/3691397374494918/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote </a>on Facebook, “This Friday marks a truly historic moment for Alaska, President Donald J. Trump is visiting our great state &amp; all eyes will be on Anchorage! Let’s show the President and the world that we stand with President Donald J. Trump! I am inviting you to gather your friends and come together for a Sign Waving Rally to welcome the President! This is our time to show him the warmth, energy, and unity of our movement.”
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian priest who serves at St. Nicholas of Myra church was praying for Trump to succeed; Father Vasyl Mutka <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/b2c26041-d1b4-44d3-96fe-cb1f17cd39fa?utm_source=chatgpt.com">stated</a>, “May God give the right words to President Trump. And Putin be open to accept this message.”
Zori Opanasevych, executive director of a non-profit helping refugees, who emigrated from Ukraine in the 1990, said of the local Ukrainian community, which she said saw over 1,000 refugees from the Russia-Ukraine war flee to Alaska, “Even though they might not like it, they are still also hopeful that, ‘What if this time it works?’ We are hoping for the best. We have to.”

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Rallies And Protests Set To Erupt In Alaska As Historic Trump-Putin Meeting Occurs

Pro-Trump, Anti-Trump Rallies In Alaska As Historic Trump-Putin Meeting Occurs

Russia

Ukraine

President Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska today for a high-stakes summit aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The Trump administration orders a sweeping review of Smithsonian museums to remove &#8220;woke&#8221; and &#8220;divisive&#8221; narratives from exhibits. A 16-year-old girl wins a federal court case in New York, forcing her school to accept a medical vaccine exemption in a state that bans religious exemptions.
It’s Friday, August 15, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2>Trump and Putin Face Off in Alaska Summit</h2>
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Topline: President Trump is set to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska today for a high-stakes, one-on-one meeting that could set the stage for ending the war in Ukraine. 
The two leaders will meet at an Air Force Base in Anchorage for what President Trump has called a &#8220;feel out&#8221; meeting. &#8220;This meeting sets up the second meeting,&#8221; Trump said Thursday. &#8220;The second meeting is going to be very, very important because that&#8217;s going to be a meeting where they make a deal.&#8221; 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the initial summit, warned that Putin is not preparing for a ceasefire and will use the meeting as a &#8220;personal victory.&#8221; Trump has offered assurances that if the talks go well, Zelensky will be included in a future meeting. 
Putin enters the negotiations with more leverage than he had earlier in the war, with Russia now controlling about 18% of Ukrainian territory. His likely demands include formally retaining seized land, a guarantee that Ukraine will never join NATO, and the normalization of economic ties with the U.S. 
<h2>Trump Orders Review of ‘Woke’ Smithsonian Museums</h2>
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Topline: The Trump administration has ordered a sweeping review of eight Smithsonian museums to remove what the White House calls &#8220;divisive, race-centered ideology&#8221; and restore an &#8220;America First&#8221; vision to the nation&#8217;s cultural institutions. 
In a letter released this week, the administration announced a comprehensive review to remove &#8220;divisive or partisan narratives&#8221; and ensure exhibits are &#8220;historically accurate.&#8221; The move has drawn fierce criticism, with one museum educator comparing it to the actions of the Taliban.
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Supporters of the review argue that a rewriting of history has already taken place through the embrace of woke ideology. In an appearance on CNN, TV personality Jillian Michaels pointed to a Smithsonian exhibit on gender in sports that calls gender testing &#8220;complex.&#8221; &#8220;It&#8217;s not complex. It&#8217;s basic science,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s XX chromosome, XY chromosome.&#8221; 
President Trump defended the review, saying, &#8220;We want the museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner.&#8221; The Smithsonian’s board of regents, which includes Vice President JD Vance, has agreed to cooperate with the review. The move is part of a broader cultural push by the president, who recently vetoed several &#8220;woke&#8221; honorees for the Kennedy Center awards, selecting Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and the rock band KISS instead. 
<h2>New York Teen Wins Vaccine Exemption Case</h2>
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Topline: A 16-year-old girl has won a federal court case against her New York public school, which must now honor her medical exemption for a vaccine in a state that has banned religious exemptions. 
On Tuesday, a federal court granted a medical exemption to the teen, identified as &#8220;Sarah Doe,&#8221; ordering her school to allow her to attend classes this fall. The case is significant because New York is one of four states that do not allow religious exemptions, and families have reported that schools are increasingly denying valid medical exemptions as well. 
After New York ended religious exemptions in 2019, Sarah received 18 vaccine doses in two months to comply with school mandates. She subsequently developed severe autoimmune conditions and a bleeding disorder. Six different doctors advised her to skip her final Hepatitis B vaccine dose, but the school repeatedly denied the exemption. 
The family&#8217;s attorney, Sujata Gibson, argued that New York&#8217;s regulations have led to hundreds of children with longstanding medical exemptions having them revoked, forcing some to get vaccinated against medical advice. She believes the school&#8217;s actions are a &#8220;square violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.&#8221; With vocal vaccine exemption supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now leading HHS, federal guidance on the issue may be forthcoming.

MRN 8.15.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Trump & Putin Alaska Summit, Anti-Woke Review Of Federal Museums, NY Vaxx Case

New York

Politics

Smithsonian Museum

Vaccines

Volodymyr Zelensky

Tsunami waves caused by a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia hit Hawaii, California, and Washington late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Maui reported waves as high as 5.7 feet, while Crescent City, California, saw waves up to 3.6 feet, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/live-updates-hawaii-tsunami-warning-hours-russia-earthquake-rcna221881">reported</a>. While the strongest tsunami surges appear to be over for Hawaii, Alaska, and much of the West Coast, <a href="https://www.tsunami.gov/">warnings</a> remain in effect for parts of Northern California, including Eureka and Crescent City.
The National Weather Service office in Eureka, California, said early Wednesday morning that &#8220;Tsunami activity is continuing to build this morning as we approach the 4 AM minor high tide.&#8221;
&#8220;Continue to avoid beaches and harbors as tsunami activity will persist,&#8221; the NWS added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tsunami activity is continuing to build this morning as we approach the 4 AM minor high tide. Maximum confirmed heights for our coast so far:
Crescent City: 3.6 Ft Humboldt Bay: 1.2 Ft Arena Cover: 3.0 Ft
Continue to avoid beaches and harbors as tsunami activity will persist. <a href="https://t.co/ellGAUW9C7">pic.twitter.com/ellGAUW9C7</a>
&mdash; NWS Eureka (@NWSEureka) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSEureka/status/1950493912381919733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The NWS issued a strong warning for Crescent City and Humboldt Bay just after midnight local time, saying, &#8220;The first Tsunami waves are beginning to impact the coast with clear waves being recorded at the Crescent City and Humboldt Bay tide gauges. Waves will continue to build in through the night and will become more dangerous as we approach high tide. Stay away from beaches!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The first Tsunami waves are beginning to impact the coast with clear waves being recorded at the Crescent City and Humboldt Bay tide gauges. 
Waves will continue to build in through the night and will become more dangerous as we approach high tide. Stay away from beaches! <a href="https://t.co/EKR5gZukCH">pic.twitter.com/EKR5gZukCH</a>
&mdash; NWS Eureka (@NWSEureka) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSEureka/status/1950463263902204270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Northern California is especially prone to damage from tsunamis, as waves are often stronger in the area and reach higher in harbors than in other parts of the West Coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/07/29/magnitude-8-7-earthquake-russia-tsunami-alert/85432493007/">reported</a>.
No deaths or severe structural damage have been reported in Alaska, Hawaii, or the West Coast as of Wednesday morning. Evacuation orders for Hawaii were <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/07/29/magnitude-8-7-earthquake-russia-tsunami-alert/85432493007/">lifted</a> hours after they were issued as the surge calmed. Emergency officials in the state said that they did not expect any widespread flooding, giving residents the all-clear to return to their homes, but adding that people should &#8220;remain cautious in or near the water. &#8230; Stay away from beaches, shorelines, and out of the ocean.&#8221;
Tsunami waves hit Washington state shortly after midnight local time, but officials said that though &#8220;strong and unusual&#8221; currents were likely, they did not expect any coastal inundation. For Oregon, officials downgraded a tsunami watch to an advisory, but still warned people to stay away from the shore.
While Alaska&#8217;s warning was also downgraded to an advisory, forecasters said that currents at beaches, inlets, and harbors could remain dangerous for days. The coast of British Columbia, Canada, also remains under a tsunami advisory.
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake off of Russia&#8217;s remote east coast was in the top 10 strongest earthquakes in recorded history, and the biggest since 2011. Japan and some Pacific islands also issued tsunami warnings and advisories after the quake. Waves reached the U.S. territory of Guam in the early morning hours, with waves reaching up to a foot high and bringing the potential of minor flooding and strong currents. As tsunami alerts went out, nearly two million people in Japan were told to evacuate. The country later <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c3r4x9yrrg4t">downgraded</a> its warnings to advisories.

Tsunami

Tsunami Waves Crash Into West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii

California

flooding

Hawaii

National Weather Service

Oregon

Severe Weather

Washington State

A magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia&#8217;s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, generating a tsunami of up to 4 metres (13 feet), damaging buildings and prompting evacuation warnings in the area and across most of Japan&#8217;s east coast, officials said.
&#8220;Today&#8217;s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,&#8221; Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app, adding that a kindergarten was damaged.
A tsunami with a height of 3-4 metres (10-13 feet) was recorded in parts of Kamchatka, Sergei Lebedev, regional minister for emergency situations said, urging people to move away from the shoreline of the peninsula.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred 126 km (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 along the coast of Avacha Bay. It revised the magnitude up from 8.0 earlier.
The Japan Weather Agency upgraded its warning, saying it expected tsunami waves of up to 3 metres (10 feet) to reach large coastal areas starting around 0100 GMT. Broadcast NHK said evacuation orders had been issued by the government for some areas.
Factory workers and residents in Japan&#8217;s northern Hokkaido evacuated to a hill overlooking the ocean, footage from broadcaster TBS showed.
&#8220;Please evacuate quickly. If you can move quickly to higher ground and away from the coast,&#8221; a newscaster on Japanese public broadcaster NHK said.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also issued a warning of &#8220;hazardous tsunami waves&#8221; within the next three hours along some coasts of Russia, Japan, Alaska and Hawaii. A tsunami watch was also in effect for the U.S. island territory of Guam and other islands of Micronesia.
Hawaii ordered evacuations from some coastal areas. &#8220;Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,&#8221; the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said on X.
An evacuation order for the small town of Severo-Kurilsk, south of the Kamchatka peninsula, was declared due to the tsunami threat, Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko said on Telegram.
Several people sought medical assistance following the quake, Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister told Russia’s TASS state news agency.
&#8220;Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,” Melnikov said.
“All patients are currently in satisfactory condition, and no serious injuries have been reported so far.”
The Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences said it was a very powerful earthquake.
&#8220;However, due to certain characteristics of the epicentre, the shaking intensity was not as high &#8230; as one might expect from such a magnitude,&#8221; it said in a video on Telegram.
“Aftershocks are currently ongoing &#8230; Their intensity will remain fairly high. However, stronger tremors are not expected in the near future. The situation is under control.”
Kamchatka and Russia&#8217;s Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
(Reporting by Anusha Shah Nilutpal Timsina and Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru, Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Satoshi Sugiyama in Tokyo; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Stephen Coates)

Hawaii tsunami evacuation area sign

Powerful Quake Causes Tsunami, Endangering U.S., Russia, And Japan

earthquake

Japan

Natural Disaster

U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Pentagon has successfully tested a long-range radar in Alaska that can detect missile threats from Russia or China, and could someday serve as a sensor in the Golden Dome missile defense shield.
The Long Range Discrimination Radar successfully acquired, tracked, and reported missile target data, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. These are key tasks for Golden Dome, a $175 billion program aimed at protecting the U.S. and possibly allies from ballistic missiles.
The U.S. Defense Department&#8217;s long-range radar in Central Alaska was built by Lockheed Martin as part of the existing Ground-Based Midcourse Defense missile defense system. The system is designed to increase the effectiveness of interceptors based in Alaska and California that are currently on standby to knock down incoming missiles launched by Iran or North Korea.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, alongside the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Northern Command, conducted the flight test at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, on Monday.
During this test, a target developed by MDA was air-launched over the Northern Pacific Ocean and flew over 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) off the southern coast of Alaska where it was tracked by LRDR.
The Golden Dome missile defense shield aims to create a network of satellites to detect, track, and intercept incoming missiles.
Inspired by Israel&#8217;s Iron Dome, the Golden Dome program faces political scrutiny and funding uncertainty due to its projected cost. The shield is expected to be operational by January 2029, though experts question the timeline and budget feasibility.
The Golden Dome project was announced by President Donald Trump in May and is included in the &#8220;One, Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221; Trump said the Golden Dome is a continuation of former President Ronald Reagan&#8217;s &#8220;Strategic Defense Initiative&#8221; that was launched in 1983 and sought to build a space-based missile defense system.
&#8220;Our enemies, our adversaries are going to pay a lot of attention to this,&#8221; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last month.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Golden Dome Missile Defense Shield" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-xWxN_qObfI?start=56&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks about Golden Dome in the White House

U.S. Successfully Tests Radar That Could Link To Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ To Detect Missile Threats

Baliistic Missiles

China

Iran

Iron Dome

Israel

Pete Hegseth

Prominent community members of Alaska’s North Slope warmly welcomed top Trump administration officials last week while ripping into the prior administration led by former President Joe Biden.
A trio of Trump cabinet officials – Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright – traveled to northern Alaska last week to announce that Biden-era restrictions on oil development in the region would be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-moves-to-unlock-millions-of-oil-rich-acres-in-alaska-from-biden-environmental-rules?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Moves+To+Unlock+Millions+Of+Oil-Rich+Acres+In+Alaska+From+Biden+Environmental+Rules">rescinded</a>. The cabinet officials met with North Slope residents in Utqiagvik, Alaska.
Inupiat tribal leaders and officials greeted the news enthusiastically, according to video of the meeting obtained by The Daily Wire.
“When we had a similar meeting with the former Secretary of the Interior, that rule was announced after everybody got on the plane and flew out,” said Josiah Patkotak, mayor of North Slope Borough. He added that the prior administration’s rule “was contrary to what the public comment was.”
“Here we are, full transparency from our own secretary, and I think that deserves another round of applause,” Patkotak said after Burgum announced the administration’s intent to scrap the Biden-era restrictions.
Last year, the Biden administration banned oil and gas exploration and drilling across 10.6 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska (NPRA), a reserve set aside decades ago by Congress for future oil development. The administration put tight restrictions on development on another roughly three million acres of the reserve. In total, over half of the roughly 23-million acre reserve was locked to development.
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“Our ask is the same as always: that the North Slope Inupiat be central to discussions and decisions about land use in our region,” said Rex Rock, Sr., the president and CEO of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.
“Under the previous administration, as you heard, there were many actions that undermined our people’s self-determination, ignored our voices, and negatively impacted our communities. Their 2024 rule, Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska, was not supported by a single entity in our region – and they still chose to implement it,” he said.
“Our region opposed the 2022 NPRA integrated activity plan because it took 50% of the NPRA off the table for development, which impacts the ability of our region to provide services to our people and communities,” Rock added.
Charles Lampe, the current president of the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation, said that under the Biden administration, the North Slope and its residents “were under attack” by environmental groups. Groups such as <a href="https://www.wilderness.org/wild-places/alaska/oil-drilling-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge">The Wilderness Society</a> have long pushed for federal restrictions on Alaska’s North Slope that would ban development and industry, even in the petroleum reserve.
“On Day 1, President Trump told the Fish and Wildlife Department to deny that request. And that was such an amazing thing for us to be able to see. And we were so proud of our president then because he made sure that our ancestral homelands weren’t going to be stolen, [but] protected,” Lampe said. “So, I really need to bring back this just immense gratitude to President Trump for that action.”
“If the other guy would have won,” said Lampe, refering to former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, “there&#8217;s no doubt in my mind that our homeland would have been stolen, and there&#8217;s nothing we could have done about it.”

North Slope Borough, Alaska

Alaskan Tribal Leaders Offer ‘Immense Gratitude’ To Trump For Killing Biden Oil Development Bans

Chris Wright

Doug Burgum

Energy

Lee Zeldin

Oil and Gas

The Trump administration is rolling back Biden-era regulations that blocked energy development in Alaska’s national petroleum reserve.
The Biden administration restricted oil exploration and drilling across 13.3 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska (APR-A) last year in a move that angered industry, state, and tribal leaders. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced Monday that the Trump administration would reverse those rules.
“Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” said Burgum in a <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-moves-rescind-2024-rule-alaskas-petroleum-reserve">statement</a>. “The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical. We&#8217;re restoring the balance and putting our energy future back on track.”
Alaska’s sole representative in the U.S. House, Nick Begich, celebrated the news.
“Alaska’s right to self-determination is being restored. Thank you @SecretaryBurgum and @POTUS for your leadership and recognizing Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential,” he wrote in a post on <a href="https://x.com/RepNickBegich/status/1929595733591969997">X</a>.
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Last year, the Biden administration issued final rules banning oil and gas drilling across 10.6 million acres in the oil reserve. Over another roughly three million acres, the administration put added protections in place. The rules locked up more than half of the state&#8217;s roughly 23 million-acre petroleum reserve.
The Biden administration also denied the state a permit to build a 211-mile industrial road through the Alaskan wilderness to reach a large copper deposit.
Biden&#8217;s Interior Department cracked down on development in the preserve after the administration approved the Willow Project, an $8 billion oil development project in Alaska. The approval ignited protest against the Biden administration from environmental groups. The administration then cracked down on oil and gas development in Alaska while fuel prices in the United States <a href="https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&amp;s=emm_epm0_pte_nus_dpg&amp;f=m">remained</a> high.
The entire preserve “contains a mean estimate of 895 million barrels of oil and a mean estimate of 52.8 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas,” according to an Institute for Energy Research <a href="https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/National-Petroleum-Reserve-Fact-Sheet-DRS-1-2.pdf">fact sheet</a>.
The Department of the Interior on Monday said that former President Joe Biden’s action “exceeds the agency’s statutory authority under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976.”
“The 2024 rule significantly expanded procedural requirements and created a presumption against oil and gas activity in approximately 13 million acres designated as ‘Special Areas’ unless operators could prove minimal or no adverse effects on surface resources. These provisions not only lack a basis in the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act but undermine the BLM’s obligation to carry out an effective and timely leasing program,” the Interior Department said.
President Donald Trump has prioritized developing the United States’ domestic oil and gas resources. He has also marked out Alaska’s resources for development, in particular.
One of Trump’s first moves as president was to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-alaskas-extraordinary-resource-potential/">direct</a> a streamlined regulatory process for development in Alaska, covering not just oil and gas, but mining, forestry, fishing, and other industries.

Trump Moves To Unlock Millions Of Oil-Rich Acres In Alaska From Biden Environmental Rules

Department of the Interior

Authorities said on Friday that there are no survivors after finding a Bering Air Cessna Caravan with 10 people on board that crashed on sea ice after going missing over the Norton Sound in Alaska on Thursday.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, rescuers looking for the missing aircraft spotted the wreckage from a helicopter, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-aircraft-alaska-search-10-people-eb496188285ed54c9a527f658d4ff70a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The Cessna Caravan, which is a single-engine propeller plane, left Unalakleet, Alaska, at 2:37 p.m. local time and was supposed to land in Nome, Alaska, which is a short flight across the Norton Sound. At around 4:00 p.m., Alaska State troopers received word around 4:00 p.m. that the plane was overdue, and authorities began search operations.
The Coast Guard said that at 3:18, the airplane had “some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed.&#8221; Visibility was poor at the time of the crash as the area experienced light snow and fog.
All 10 people onboard the flight, which included nine passengers and one pilot, were adults, Lt. Ben Endres of the Alaska State Troopers said, according to the AP. Bering Air is based in Nome and operates passenger and charter airline services. Since the sea ice is unstable, authorities are trying to move fast to recover the bodies and any parts of the plane that will aid officials in their investigation into the crash.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> (1/2) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USCG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USCG</a> has ended its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was located approx. 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased. <a href="https://t.co/XndzBYHdCE">pic.twitter.com/XndzBYHdCE</a>
&mdash; USCGAlaska (@USCGAlaska) <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGAlaska/status/1888023010877260283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“They are on the ice as we speak,” said Nome Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim West. “The conditions out there are dynamic, and so we’ve got to do it safely and the fastest way we can.”
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski addressed the crash during a press conference, saying, “It’s hard to accept the reality of our loss.” Nome Mayor John Handeland added, “Nome is a strong community, and in challenging times we come together and support each other. I expect the outpouring of support to continue in the coming days as we all work to recover from this tragic incident.&#8221;
The crash is the third on U.S. soil in 2025. Last month, an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three service members collided with an American Eagle flight that had 64 people on board. The crash sent both aircraft into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people involved. Days later, a medical jet carrying a pediatric patient crashed in north Philadelphia, killing all six people on board and one person on the ground and injuring more than 20 others.

USCG Alaska

Missing Alaska Plane Found; Authorities Say There Are No Survivors

Airplane

Airplane crash

Coast Guard

A plane with 10 people aboard went missing while flying from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska, on Thursday, sparking a search and rescue operation from state and federal authorities.
The Bering Air Caravan airplane with one pilot and nine passengers left Unalakleet at 2:37 p.m. local time, and Alaska State troopers received word around 4:00 p.m. that the plane was overdue in Nome, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/plane-missing-alaska-10-on-board-nome/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=740695350" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The plane appeared to be traveling over the Norton Sound when it potentially encountered near-whiteout fog. FlightRadar <a href="https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n321ba#39086384" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> showed a Bering Air Caravan plane last reporting data at 3:16 p.m.
&#8220;U.S. Coast Guard District 17 responded to an aircraft emergency notification from Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at 4:30 p.m. today for a Cessna Caravan that reported to have 10 people aboard,&#8221; U.S. Coast Guard Alaska <a href="https://x.com/USCGAlaska/status/1887733606472388886" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Kodiak to search their last known position. The aircraft was 12 miles offshore transiting from Unalakleet to Nome when its position was lost. More information to follow as it becomes available.&#8221;
The Bering Air Cessna Caravan is a single-engine propeller plane. Bering Air is based in Nome and operates passenger and charter airline services.
Due to low visibility, the search plane flew over the water and along the shoreline with equipment that could help locate the missing aircraft. Authorities told people not to form their own search parties due to the weather. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department said, &#8220;We continue to expand search efforts to as many avenues as possible until the plane is located.&#8221;
In an update at 12:30 a.m. local time on Friday, the fire department said the plane was still missing.
&#8220;We do not have any updated information on the location of the missing aircraft. Crews are still searching on the ground, canvassing as much area as possible,&#8221; the fire department <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NVFDAlaska" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> added. &#8220;The National Guard C-130 reported they found nothing found so far. The Airforce also sent a C-130 resumed the search and also have reported no visuals, and have one hour of flight search time remaining. If nothing further is reported, the next update will be at 9am.&#8221;
The incident comes after an Army Black Hawk helicopter with three service members collided with an American Eagle flight that had 64 people on board. The crash sent both aircraft into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people involved. Days later, a medical jet carrying a pediatric patient crashed in north Philadelphia, killing all six people on board and one person on the ground and injuring more than 20 others.

U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter

Authorities Begin Search And Rescue Operation After Plane Goes Missing In Alaska

Air and Space

President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> announced Monday that he would ban offshore drilling for more than 625 million acres of U.S. waters before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. 
Biden&#8217;s prohibition through two presidential memoranda on new oil and natural gas leases will cover the entire East Coast and West Coast of the continental U.S., the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the Alaska coastline. The White House said the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act gave Biden the authority to make such a sweeping ban on energy production.
“In protecting more than 625 million acres of the U.S. ocean from offshore drilling, President Biden has determined that the environmental and economic risks and harms that would result from drilling in these areas outweigh their limited fossil fuel resource potential,” the White House said in a statement. “With these withdrawals, President Biden is protecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and local economies – including fishing, recreation, and tourism – from oil spills and other impacts of offshore drilling.”
He previously used the same 1953 law to ban drilling for portions of the North Bering Sea and 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea. 
“The withdrawals have no expiration date, and prohibit all future oil and natural gas leasing in the areas withdrawn,” the White House said. 
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The move from Biden comes just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has promised to increase American oil production and make it easier for oil and gas companies to drill in U.S. waters.
Trump told Hugh Hewitt on Monday that he would take immediate action to reverse Biden&#8217;s executive actions.
&#8220;I see it just came over that Biden has banned all oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal territory. It&#8217;s ridiculous. I&#8217;ll unban it immediately,&#8221; he said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PRESIDENT TRUMP: &#8220;I see it just came over that Biden has banned all oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal territory. It&#8217;s ridiculous. I&#8217;ll unban it immediately.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/mGijm5N6v7">pic.twitter.com/mGijm5N6v7</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1876272349542252936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/karolineleavitt/status/1876228351028858932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Monday that the ban was motivated by revenge. 
“This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices,” she said. “Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill.”
While campaigning for president, Trump vowed to make the U.S. “energy dominant&#8221; and dramatically increase energy production. 
“We’re going to supply it all over Europe, all over the world,” he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-vows-to-unleash-u-s-energy-production-we-have-more-liquid-gold-than-saudi-arabia-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We’re going to be double and triple what they’re doing. We’re going to have tremendous energy, and we’re going to lower our prices of energy.”
During his first term in office, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disgraceful-decision-trump-press-secretary-blasts-bidens-move-to-block-more-offshore-drilling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> an executive order to rescind former President Barack Obama’s orders to withdraw hundreds of millions of acres of submerged land on the outer continental shelf, leading to a court battle. Obama also pointed to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act for his actions.

US President Joe Biden signs the Social Security Fairness Act

Biden Bans Offshore Drilling For Most Of U.S. Coastline Before Trump Takes Over

Atlantic Ocean

Executive

Gulf of Mexico

Joe Biden

Karoline Leavitt

Pacific Ocean

While most Americans focus on the presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the undercard fights on every ballot in the country will determine which party will control the House of Representatives in 2025.
Unlike the U.S. Senate, where winning the election puts you in office for six years, every single House seat is up for grabs each election cycle. Republicans currently <a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">control</a> the House by a slim eight-seat majority — 220 to 212 — and there are three vacancies. That means Democrats need to pick up at least five seats to tilt the scales.
There are dozens of competitive races that will determine who holds the all-powerful gavel going into 2025 — and whichever party wins the presidency will be hamstrung without control of the lower chamber of Congress.
Here are 10 toss-up House races to watch on Election Day, and potentially in the days following:
<h4>Alaska — Lone District</h4>
The only House district in Alaska is held by Democrat Mary Peltola who beat out Republicans Sarah Palin and Nicholas Begich in 2022. With her 2022 win, Peltola became the first Democrat from Alaska to serve in the House since 1972. Peltola&#8217;s victory two years ago was due, in part, to Alaska&#8217;s ranked-choice voting system, which split the Republican vote between Palin and Begich. This year, Peltola is running against Begich, Democrat Eric Hafner, and John Howe of the Independence Party.
Following a September <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alaska-democrat-flips-on-men-in-womens-sports-following-daily-wire-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Wire report</a> on Peltola&#8217;s transgender stances, the Democrat flipped her position on men competing in women&#8217;s sports, saying during a debate in October, &#8220;I don’t think that we should have men competing in women’s sports.&#8221;
In the most recent polls of the race, Begich <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/house/2024/alaska/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leads</a> Peltola by around 4 points. In Alaska&#8217;s ranked-choice voting system, a candidate must reach over 50% before being declared the winner. The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/alaska-at-large/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> currently gives Begich a 62% chance of winning the race.
<h4>Arizona — 1st District</h4>
Republican David Schweikert has held the 1st District seat in Arizona since 2023 after serving as the 6th District&#8217;s congressman for 10 years. Schweikert has focused on fiscal conservatism and addressing the national debt. Schweikert squeaked out a victory by just over 3,000 votes in 2022 over Democrat Jevin Hodge. His opponent this year is Democrat Amish Shah, a current state representative and emergency room doctor, who has <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/08/amish-shah-gets-primetime-interview-as-david-schweikert-avoids-debate/75210240007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">focused</a> on abortion.
Parts of Arizona&#8217;s 1st District fall in Maricopa County, where election officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-in-arizonas-maricopa-county-say-counting-ballots-could-take-up-to-13-days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last month that it could take up to 13 days to “complete tabulation of all the ballots that come in.” Maricopa County, which is the largest county in Arizona, was also at the center of controversy in the aftermath of the 2020 and 2022 elections.
The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/arizona-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> currently gives Schweikert a 68% chance of winning re-election.
<h4>Arizona — 6th District</h4>
First-term Republican Juan Ciscomani is running for re-election in Arizona&#8217;s 6th District and is in a tight race with the Democrat he barely beat in 2022, Kirsten Engel. Ciscomani has centered his campaign on pushing for more border security amid the record border encounters during the Biden-Harris administration. Engel, meanwhile, is focused on pro-abortion policies.
The 6th Congressional District is located in Arizona&#8217;s southeast corner. The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/arizona-6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> currently gives Ciscomani an 83% chance of winning.
<h4>California — 13th District</h4>
First-term Republican John Duarte faces off against Democrat Adam Gray in California&#8217;s 13th District. Duarte narrowly defeated Gray in the 2022 election. The freshman congressman is a moderate Republican who officially <a href="https://www.turlockjournal.com/news/government/rep-duarte-backs-trump-calls-conviction-miscarriage-justice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> Trump earlier this year after the former president was convicted on 34 felony counts in a Manhattan court. Gray, who served in California&#8217;s State Assembly, lost to Duarte in 2022 by just over 500 votes in what was one of the closest House races that year.
The Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/california-13/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a> gives Duarte a 55% chance of defeating Gray again.
<h4>Colorado — 8th District</h4>
Another freshman congressman, Democrat Yadira Caraveo, is being challenged by Republican Gabe Evans, a state representative and former police officer and Army captain. The race in Colorado&#8217;s 8th District has grown closer in recent weeks. Caraveo currently has a 71% chance of winning, according to <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/colorado-8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decision Desk HQ</a>.
<h4>Iowa — 3rd District</h4>
Republican Zach Nunn, a first-term congressman, faces Democrat Lanon Baccam in Iowa&#8217;s 3rd District. Baccam, a veteran and federal Agriculture Department official, has hammered Nunn over the issue of abortion. Nunn, meanwhile, has focused his campaign on the economy and has hit the trail with Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Nunn pulled off an upset over Democrat Rep. Cindy Axne in 2022, helping the GOP secure control of the House. Decision Desk HQ gives Nunn a <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/iowa-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">55% chance</a> of winning.
<h4>Michigan — 7th District</h4>
After Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin entered the race for retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow&#8217;s seat, Michigan&#8217;s 7th District was thrown wide open with Republican Tom Barrett seeking to flip the seat for the GOP. Curtis Hertel is challenging Barrett in hopes of keeping the district in the hands of the Democrats. Barrett lost to Slotkin by around 5 points in the 2022 election.
Hertel was recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-running-in-michigan-swing-district-says-americans-owe-a-debt-to-illegal-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> for saying on video that Americans &#8220;owe a debt&#8221; to illegal immigrants, adding that he has no &#8220;interest in deporting anybody.&#8221;
Current polling shows Barrett with a slight edge over Hertel. Barrett has a <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/michigan-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">63% chance</a> of winning, according to Decision Desk HQ.
<h4>Michigan — 8th District</h4>
Another district in the battleground state of Michigan could be a pick-up for Republicans. Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee, who represented Michigan&#8217;s 8th District, announced last year that he would not seek re-election, creating another open House seat. Republican Paul Junge has focused on securing the border while Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet has focused on abortion.
According to <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/michigan-8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decision Desk HQ</a>, Junge currently holds a 55% chance of winning the race.
<h4>New York — 19th District</h4>
Republicans could lose a seat in New York&#8217;s 19th District where incumbent Republican Marc Molinaro faces a tough challenge from Democrat Josh Riley. Molinaro has voted across the party line while in Congress, but during the campaign, he has focused on immigration, a top issue for Republicans. Riley served as general counsel to U.S. Senator Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee and has &#8220;<a href="https://joshrileyforcongress.com/meet-josh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">championed</a> an effort in federal court to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment, which would make abortion access a constitutional right.&#8221;
The 2024 race is a rematch of 2022 when Molinaro won by nearly 4 points. Molinaro was favored to win the race for most of the 2024 campaign, according to forecasts by <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/new-york-19/">Decision Desk HQ</a>, but now Riley currently has a 58% chance of winning.
<h4>Oregon — 5th District</h4>
In Oregon&#8217;s 5th District, Republicans are hoping to hold onto another seat as incumbent Lori Chavez-Deremer faces Democrat challenger Janelle Bynum. Chavez-Deremer won in a tight race in 2022 over Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner, giving the Republicans another important seat in its slim majority.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swing-state-dem-voted-to-fund-down-payment-assistance-for-illegal-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in September that Bynum sponsored legislation that sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to a program that discriminates against U.S. citizens and offers down payment assistance to illegal immigrants.
Chavez-Deremer is narrowly favored to win the race, standing at 58% in Decision Desk HQ&#8217;s <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/oregon-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forecast</a>.
<h4>Many other close races to watch</h4>
Of course, this isn&#8217;t an all-encompassing list of House races to keep an eye on come Election Night. But each one will play a pivotal role in determining which party will be in power in January. Decision Desk HQ gives Republicans a 53% chance of maintaining a majority in the House, with the overall seat <a href="https://elections2024.thehill.com/forecast/2024/house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projections</a> showing the GOP at 218 and Democrats at 217.

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