Another red state is kicking Pride Month to the curb. In Arkansas, Republican Governor Sarah Sanders is instead declaring June as Fidelity Month. 
“Here in Arkansas, June is Fidelity Month: fidelity to family, fidelity to country, fidelity to God,” Sanders told The Daily Wire.
In a declaration reviewed exclusively by The Daily Wire, President Donald Trump’s former press secretary says that Fidelity Month will be a time for Arkansans to celebrate the “values of faith, liberty, and patriotism.” 
The resolution highlights the state’s goal of creating a healthy society by sowing faithfulness to “God, family, community, and country.” Arkansas aims to provide an opportunity to return to and reflect on its commitments to the values and virtues found in the nation’s founding documents. June is declared as a time to renew dedication to these core principles. 
The nod to traditional values mirrors actions in Tennessee, where Republican <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gods-design-red-state-swaps-pride-month-for-nuclear-family-month">Governor Bill Lee</a> declared June “Nuclear Family Month.” The resolution celebrates the traditional family with “one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children.”
Pride Month celebrations were notably less prevalent in 2025 after the election of President Donald Trump, who made clear in the first year of his presidency that there would be no <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-there-will-be-no-pride-proclamation?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House%3A+There+Will+Be+No+%E2%80%98Pride%E2%80%99+Proclamation">national pride designation</a> from the White House. Pride parades across the country folded up due to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyc-pride-parade-loses-corporate-sponsors-begs-for-individual-donations?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=NYC+Pride+Parade+Loses+Corporate+Sponsors%2C+Begs+For+Individual+Donations">lack of financial support from large corporations</a>, which pulled away from the LGBTQ movement that they overtly supported during the Biden administration. 
While certain cities in Arkansas hold pride events, the state has never formally recognized pride month. The declaration by Arkansas this year, however, is a clear statement in opposition to pride month that had not been done in past years.
Instead, Sanders says, she’s choosing to use the month to nod to the nation’s founding principles.
“The United States of America was founded on the values of faith, liberty, and patriotism as acknowledged in its founding documents and in the statements of its Founding Fathers,” her declaration states. “The commitment of Arkansas to spiritual and civic institutions is at the core of the State&#8217;s collective identity. Cultivating fidelity to God, family, community, and country contributes to human flourishing and supports a healthy, stable, well-ordered society.”
Under Sanders, Arkansas has been a leader in countering radical gender ideology that has become synonymous with the LGBTQ movement.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Another Red State Is Counter-Programming Pride Month, Focusing On Family Instead

Arkansas

Donald Trump

LGBTQ

Pride Month

The Arkansas restaurant that kicked the state&#8217;s governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, out, citing concerns that employees were threatened by her presence, has responded to the firestorm, with employees digging in even as ownership says politics had nothing to do with it.
Hours after The Daily Wire revealed the details of the incident at The Croissanterie in Little Rock, in which Sanders was asked to leave after having lunch with two mom friends, and was both shouted at and flipped off as she departed, the restaurant told local press that it had nothing to do with her conservative politics.
&#8220;After the party completed their meal, a member of the security detail was quietly asked to help conclude the visit in line with our standard 90-minute table policy,&#8221; the restaurant told KARK. &#8220;The request was not immediately received, and the party remained for an additional period before departing without incident once communication was established.&#8221;
Restaurant employees didn&#8217;t seem to get the memo. In a widely circulated Facebook post that was taken as a statement from restaurant staff, an employee called the governor &#8220;evil&#8221; and made it very clear that Sanders&#8217; politics made the governor&#8217;s visit controversial.
&#8220;I’m proud af to work here! I’m proud af to be gay and I’m proud af to be an Arkansan,&#8221; the employee wrote. &#8220;My voice matters. Try again.&#8221;
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The restaurant also denies there was any commotion, contrary to the account from the Sanders camp.
&#8220;We want to be clear: there was no disruption in the restaurant,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Claims that an employee made an inappropriate gesture are incorrect—it was a customer, and the situation has been addressed.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-hen-deja-vu-sarah-sanders-kicked-out-of-arkansas-restaurant-flipped-off-by-staff">Red Hen Déjà Vu: Sarah Sanders Kicked Out Of Arkansas Restaurant, Flipped Off By Staff</a>
There was never any claim by the governor that an employee gave her the middle finger as she left. The Daily Wire reported on Thursday that as Sanders was leaving without making a scene, a group started shouting, “It’s time to leave,” and they flipped her the middle finger in front of other guests. It was not reported that an employee made the gesture.
This is the second time Sanders has found herself in the situation of being kicked out of a restaurant by liberal owners. Back in 2018, when she was White House press secretary, it made national news when a small Virginia restaurant called the Red Hen told her and her family to leave because she worked for Donald Trump. The incident earned the restaurant owner praise from liberal media outlets like the Washington Post, which <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE3JwfWm2EI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hailed the owner</a> for “taking a stand” against Sanders.
The Virginia restaurant <a href="https://www.thenews-gazette.com/article/4303,red-hen-to-close" target="_blank" rel="noopener">permanently closed in 2023</a>.
Though the Croissanterie appears to have received support from liberal members of the community, the social media backlash has been harsh.
&#8220;Absolutely VILE ppl,&#8221; wrote one self-proclaimed Arkansas user. &#8220;I hope this restaurant goes under just like the Red Hen.&#8221;
&#8220;What a classy establishment,&#8221; wrote conservative commentator Guy Benson. &#8220;They took her business &amp; money before performatively throwing her out for &#8216;safety&#8217; reasons, while giving her the finger.&#8221;

Arkansas_Restaurant_response

Restaurant That Booted Sarah Sanders Responds As Staff Contradict Their Own Story

A father accused of killing the man who allegedly sexually abused his teenage daughter has won the sheriff&#8217;s race in Arkansas.
Aaron Spencer, 37, earned close to 54% of the vote on Tuesday in the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/us/elections/arkansas-primary-county-sheriff.html">per</a> The New York Times. He will go on to face Democratic primary winner Brian Mitchell Sr. in the fall general election.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the people of Lonoke County for placing their trust in me. Thank you to everyone who supported this campaign, worked hard, and showed up to vote,” Spencer <a href="https://katv.com/news/local/aaron-spencer-wins-primary-for-lonoke-county-sheriff-in-high-profile-contest">told</a> local ABC affiliate KATV on Wednesday. “This is an important step forward, but we still have one more election ahead. I look forward to continuing this conversation with the people of Lonoke County as we work toward building a safer, strong Lonoke County.”
In October 2024, Spencer allegedly shot and killed Michael Fosler, 67, after claiming to find him with his then 14-year-old daughter. Fosler was out on bond and facing 43 criminal charges in connection with the teen, including sexual assault, at the time of his murder.
“I believe that I did what any good father would do in that situation that I was put in,” Spencer said, per KATV. He touted his actions as being his reason for running in the GOP primary.
“I&#8217;m the father who acted to protect his daughter when the system failed,” Spencer said in an October Facebook video. “And through my own fight for justice, I have seen firsthand the failures in law enforcement and in our circuit court. I refuse to stand by while others face these same failures.”
Spencer was charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty, per <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/04/us/lonoke-county-arkansas-sheriff-election">CNN</a>. The trial was postponed from January and will be rescheduled following a hearing later this month. If found guilty, he will not be able to serve as sheriff, per Arkansas law.
When the public heard about Spencer’s arrest, more than $100,000 reportedly poured into a GoFundMe account for legal expenses. However, the platform reportedly pulled the fundraiser without explanation, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donations-explode-for-dad-accused-of-killing-alleged-sex-predator-found-with-daughter">reported</a>.
“Lonoke County sent a clear message last night, and we’re just getting started,” Spencer said in a statement on social media. “I’m running to restore accountability and integrity to the Sheriff’s Office, and the people of this county just showed they want the same thing.”

GOP Voters Deliver Verdict For Dad Charged With Killing Daughter’s Accused Abuser

Father Charged With Killing Daughter's Alleged Abuser Wins GOP Primary In Arkansas

Crime

Republican Primary

Sexual Abuse

At least 14 states have declared a state of emergency as they brace for snow, record cold, and potentially crippling ice from a winter storm that will stretch from New Mexico to Maine.
Around 172 million people are in the storm&#8217;s path this weekend, with the ice being the biggest threat. Up to an inch of ice is possible in some spots in the Southeast, which is enough to down trees and power lines, potentially knocking out power for days. Some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., could see up to a foot or more of snow, while Minneapolis and Chicago face extreme cold. A polar vortex is expected to bring in frigid Arctic air to around 35 states following the major storm.
States that have declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also preparing to respond to the storm, setting up staging areas in multiple locations, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/winter-storm-live-updates-tracking-dangerous-ice-snow/?id=129469173">reported</a>. In Louisiana, FEMA is preparing 250,000 meals, 400,000 liters of water, and 30 generators at Camp Minden near Shreveport.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders <a href="https://x.com/arkansasguard/status/2014734071088206232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2014734071088206232%7Ctwgr%5E8379399732f31524804ffc98aa29501a8f40a1f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FvDYMbArB%3F_showcaption%3Dfalseapp%3D1">ordered</a> 168 National Guard troops to active duty on Friday to support state police &#8220;until weather conditions improve.&#8221;
&#8220;Winter weather is headed our way as early as this evening. Stock up on essentials now, stay inside, and follow local and state guidance,&#8221; Sanders said on Friday morning.
In the South, where ice remains the biggest risk, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency <a href="https://x.com/TennesseeEMA/status/2014660446154821724">urged</a> residents to finalize their plans &#8220;and get home or to a safe place&#8221; by Friday night. In Texas, officials have warned residents to prepare for a &#8220;long-duration freeze&#8221; that will likely affect the state Saturday night through Monday night. Public buses and light rail trains will be completely shut down on Saturday afternoon in Austin, where the city&#8217;s mayor urged residents to stay indoors.
&#8220;Travel will become difficult, especially on bridges, overpasses, and untreated roadways,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/winter-storm-snow-ice-weather-cold-live-updates-rcna255524/rcrd97174?canonicalCard=true">said</a> National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Runyon.
The storm will <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/winter-storm-snow-ice-weather-cold-live-updates-rcna255524/rcrd97153?canonicalCard=true">move</a> across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on Friday night before ice and snow are expected to reach the Carolinas and Virginia by Saturday and into Sunday. The National Weather Service warned that heavy snow can also &#8220;bring multi-day Power Outages, block emergency routes, and cause Communication Loss from downed lines.&#8221; Cold temperatures are expected to persist throughout the first half of next week, potentially prolonging power outages and travel difficulties in many states that are ill-equipped to clear roads.

Winter Storm

Over A Dozen States Declare Emergencies As Americans Brace For Massive Winter Storm

Over A Dozen States Declare Emergencies As Americans Brace For Massive Winter Storm, Frigid Temps

New York

North Carolina

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Winter storm

A new bill from Republican Senator Tom Cotton would protect National Guard troops from “deranged individuals” who attack or spit on them while they are on duty.
Cotton’s bill would create a 15-foot buffer zone around any National Guard member performing official duties, his office told The Daily Wire. The intent would be to shield troops from people trying to intimidate, harass, touch, or spit on them.
“The brave Arkansans who serve in our National Guard should be protected from deranged individuals. My bill ensures that anyone who attempts to intimidate or harass a Guardsmen will face the full force of the law,” Cotton told The Daily Wire.
Cotton’s legislation comes as President Donald Trump has deployed National Guard troops to cities across the country from Memphis to Los Angeles to assist in federal operations.
The bill, known as the ‘‘National Guard Protective Zone Act,” would create a federal misdemeanor for those who enter the protective zone to intimidate, harass, or impede a troop. It would also create a felony for anyone who spits on or throws an object at a National Guard member while on duty. That would be punishable by up to five years in prison.
“Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit activity protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that is conducted outside a posted protective zone,” the legislation reads.
Since being deployed to Washington, D.C., National Guard troops have faced protests and violence. Just before Thanksgiving, two National Guard troops were shot, with one dying while another was critically injured. The man suspected of shooting the troops was an Afghan refugee who entered the country under former President Joe Biden.
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In another high-profile incident, a man threw a subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Patrol officer during part of the Trump administration’s law enforcement surge to the nation’s capital.
On Wednesday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals said the Trump administration could keep the National Guard deployed to the district while litigation plays out.
“Another important court victory for President Trump’s agenda: today, the D.C. Circuit unanimously issued a stay in favor of our National Guard deployment to Washington, DC,” Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/2001375227465322966">said</a>. “Our federal surge in DC has saved countless lives, removed hundreds of illegal guns off the streets, and led to a dramatic drop in crime in our nation’s capital city.”

Senate Confirmation Held To Consider John Ratcliffe To Be CIA Director

National Guard Under Attack From ‘Deranged Individuals’ In U.S. Cities, Senator Says

Congress

National Guard

Politics

Tom Cotton

Washington D.C.

As she prepared to launch a statewide campaign as a Democrat in deep red Arkansas, the woman hoping to unseat Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton appears to have scrubbed from the internet her work for a nonprofit dedicated to helping people &#8220;make decisions about their sexuality&#8221; in Peru, where she literally led a pro-transgender parade through the streets of the capital city.
&#8220;The only thing Hallie ever wanted to do was farm,&#8221; Democrat Hallie Shoffner&#8217;s campaign <a href="https://www.hallieshoffner.com/about-1">website</a> states. &#8220;But if she can’t farm, she’s going to fight.&#8221;
The tunnel-vision desire to farm somehow brought her to work in South America at Peru&#8217;s Center for the Promotion and Defense of Sexual and Reproductive Rights, &#8220;a feminist non-governmental organization that, through political advocacy, knowledge generation and alliances, helps people to make decisions about their sexuality and reproduction with autonomy, dignity, justice and equality,&#8221; according to an English translation of its <a href="https://promsex.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.
The group, generally referred to by the acronym PROMSEX, was founded in 2005 to advocate for &#8220;a more just society for all people, free from gender stereotypes and prejudices.&#8221; During her time with the group, Shoffner appears to have run a blog for the group, called <a href="https://perusinglima.blogspot.com/2010/07/pride-in-peru.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PERUsing Lima</a>. The blog was taken down at some point between November 2023 and August 2025, before Shoffner announced her Senate bid. Her work at the nonprofit is not listed on her LinkedIn page or on her campaign website.
But a Daily Wire review of Shoffner&#8217;s social media accounts and an archived version of the blog appear to confirm her involvement. In one LinkedIn post, she touted how she led a &#8220;Gay Pride Parade&#8221; in Peru in July 2010.
“I marched in Lima&#8217;s 9th Annual Gay Pride Parade yesterday (Saturday, July 10, 2010). Now, when I say I marched in Lima&#8217;s 9th Annual Gay Pride Parade, I marched in the FRONT of Lima&#8217;s 9th Annual Gay Pride Parade. I mean in the very front. Leading the charge. My org, Promsex, funded the parade so our staff carried the opening banner,” she wrote at the time, according to an internet <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231122025443/https:/perusinglima.blogspot.com/2010/07/pride-in-peru.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">archive</a> of the blog available on the Wayback Machine.
Shoffner&#8217;s behavior poses a sharp contrast to her state&#8217;s views on transgender issues. Arkansas has been a leader in socially conservative legislation related to transgender surgery for minors. The state&#8217;s Republican governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, has aggressively pursued policies to protect women&#8217;s spaces from transgender-identifying men. She won her office by nearly thirty percentage points.
Shoffner said her experience &#8220;celebrating being gay, lesbian, transexual, [and] bisexual&#8221; was &#8220;incredible!&#8221;
“On occasion, while we were marching, I would stop to take a photo of the very colorful line behind us. When I did, I saw that the front truck would stop too. So when I say I was leading the parade, I&#8217;m not kidding. It was incredible!&#8221;
“The celebration of who you are and what you believe (a celebration of self-love and pride with pure happiness) also defies the nay-sayers. And what were we celebrating? Yes, we were celebrating being gay, lesbian, transexual, bisexual&#8230;we were even celebrating being straight. But, primarily, we were celebrating love and humanity&#8217;s ability to love. That is what we should be most proud of. Some of Promsex&#8217;s staff&#8230;I&#8217;m so happy to be a part of the family!” she continued.
The blog also featured numerous photos of the parade, including shots of Shoffner herself.
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Shoffner did not respond to a request for comment.
Republicans have criticized Shoffner, saying that her values make her a poor representative for Arkansas.
“Hallie Shoffner’s organization funded a trans-pride parade in Peru, she led the parade, and then she tried to hide it from Arkansans — what else is Hallie Shoffner hiding?&#8221; Bart Hester, President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, told The Daily Wire in a statement. &#8220;Arkansas has led the way in protecting our kids from trans surgeries, even when far-left activists attacked us. We were the first state to ban these harmful surgeries.&#8221;
“We also passed a law offering recourse to children who are victims of trans surgeries,” he continued. “It&#8217;s one thing for Hallie Shoffner to lead a trans pride parade in Peru, but for her to cover it up and try to hide the evidence shows she should be running for Senate in California, not in Arkansas.”
Cotton has introduced legislation to allows minors who have received “gender-transition procedures” to pursue damages if they choose to do so afterward.
“Gender-transition procedures aren’t safe or appropriate for children. Unfortunately, radical doctors in the United States perform dangerous, experimental, and even sterilizing gender-transition procedures on young kids, who cannot even provide informed consent,” Cotton said in a 2023 statement on the proposal.
Shoffner appears to have worked at PROMSEX while obtaining her Master&#8217;s of Public Service at the University of Arkansas&#8217; Clinton School of Public Service, which said that Shoffner &#8220;developed a fundraising strategy and donor database&#8221; for the organization, according to the school&#8217;s <a href="https://clintonschool.uasys.edu/news/panel-on-international-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">webpage</a>.
Currently, PROMSEX&#8217;s main initiative is NosoTrans, &#8220;a project that seeks to help trans women in vulnerable situations exercise their right to health, especially for hormone therapy processes, by accessing safe, reliable and transphobia-free health services in six areas of southern Lima.&#8221;

Arkansas Dem Hallie Shoffner Led Pro-Trans Parade In Peru, Derailing Moderate ‘Farmer’ Image

LGBT

Senate

Transgender

Arkansas Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is rolling out workplace reforms for state employees, including implementing a new Infant at Work policy and ceasing future remote work, The Daily Wire has exclusively learned.
The new policy for parents of newborn babies is part of her Arkansas Forward initiative and will allow parents to bring their infants, from four weeks to six months old, into the workplace with supervisor approval. The program was initially piloted in the Governor’s Office and the Department of Human Services, but will now be expanded statewide. Sanders says it gives working families greater flexibility during a child’s earliest months of life.
“As a working mom, I know how important a child’s earliest months are for bonding and education,” Sanders said in a letter that was sent to state employees. “Working moms and dads are a critical component of our workforce, and I want to make sure we provide additional options for families to have flexibility and not have to choose between staying home with their infant or returning to work.”
In addition to the expanded Infant at Work program, Sanders announced another policy change. Starting October 1, Arkansas will end the regular use of remote work in state agencies plus will extend office hours to 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., encourage in-person meetings over virtual ones, and implement standardized flexible and alternative schedules.
“State employees serve our citizens best when they collaborate in person,” the governor wrote in the letter.
Sanders described these changes as part of a broader effort to leave behind “inefficient policies” that had become standard during the pandemic. 
“Five years ago, COVID-19 changed workplaces in Arkansas and around the world. But the pandemic is in the rearview mirror,” she wrote in the letter. “It’s time to leave the inefficient policies implemented five years ago in the past, too.”
The Arkansas Forward program has identified at least $300 million in cost savings while raising salaries for two-thirds of state employees to bring them closer in line with the private sector, Sanders shared. With these new reforms, the governor wrote, the state is attempting to create a more efficient government that doesn’t force families to choose between work and parenthood.
“We all entered public service because we care about the people of this state. I know all of you work hard to deliver for our citizens – but that doesn’t mean we can’t look for ways to improve our best practices. With these new policies, we’ll be able to build the responsive, efficient government our people want and deserve,” the letter from Sanders concluded.

Arkansas Governor Implements Infant At Work Policy, Ends Remote Work For State Employees

Parenting

Work environment

An Arkansas law shielding kids from transgender medical procedures passed four years ago can now be enforced after a federal appeals court overturned a block on the legislation. 
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled Tuesday in an 8-2 decision to allow the Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act (SAFE) to go into effect. The law prohibits doctors from performing transgender procedures on kids and blocks them from referring kids for such procedures. 
“The question is whether this Nation’s history and tradition, as well as its historical understanding of ordered liberty, support the right of a parent to obtain for his or her child a medical treatment that, although the child desires it and a doctor approves, the state legislature deems inappropriate for minors. This court finds no such right in this Nation’s history and tradition,” the majority <a href="https://ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/25/08/232681P.pdf">wrote</a> in their opinion. 
The ruling comes just weeks after the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in June upholding Tennessee’s ban on transgender procedures for kids. The justices pointed to the Tennessee case multiple times throughout their opinion. 
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The law blocks procedures like removing the breasts of girls who identify as boys, genital procedures, and prescribing kids puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. These procedures have been shown to cause irreversible consequences for bone density, fertility, and development. Arkansas was the first state to pass such a law, and now over two dozen states have enacted similar legislation. 
The law was first blocked by a district judge in July 2021 by a lawsuit from four minors living in Arkansas and two medical professionals. The suit claimed that the law violated the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection and Due Process clauses. 
“To the contrary, the Act does not classify based on transgender status. Like the Tennessee law upheld by the Supreme Court, the Act effectively divides minors into two groups,” the judges wrote. “In one group are minors seeking drugs or surgeries for the purposes that the Act prohibits. In the other group are minors seeking drugs or surgeries for purposes the Act does not prohibit.”
The ruling was celebrated by Arkansas Republican officials who defended the law. 
“I applaud the court’s decision and am pleased that children in Arkansas will be protected from experimental procedures,” Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said. 
“This is a win for common sense — and for our kids,” Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders <a href="https://x.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1955351793916928062">posted</a> on X. “Arkansas’ first-in-the nation law to protect kids from life-altering gender experiments is back in effect!”

Congressional Leaders Unveil Johnny Cash Statue At US Capitol

Red State Can Now Protect Kids From Trans Procedures After Court Victory

Red State Can Protect Kids From Trans Procedures After Court Victory

Courts

transgender surgery

Senator Tom Cotton introduced a bill on Wednesday that would amend federal law to allow for parental leave in the case of an unborn child’s death.
The Arkansas Republican&#8217;s <a href="https://www.cotton.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/healing_act_2025.pdf">bill</a> would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow for a mother and her husband to take 12 workweeks of unpaid leave over the course of a year in the event that they lose an unborn child. The bill would also create a refundable tax credit for any mother, or couple, who experiences a stillbirth. 
“This bill will make sure families receive the resources they need to help recover from the unexpected loss of a child,” Cotton told The Daily Wire. “No amount of money can replace such a loss, but the legislation will make sure parents have time to begin the recovery process.”
The legislation is called the ‘‘Helping with Equal Access to Leave and Investing in Needs for Grieving Mothers and Fathers Act.” Cotton introduced similar legislation in 2023. 
Republican Senators Kevin Cramer (ND) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS) also sponsored the legislation. 
 
“It has taken policymakers too long to recognize that parents should be allowed time to heal following a miscarriage or stillbirth,” Hyde-Smith said. “The loss of a child is devastating and heartbreaking for families, and this legislation formally acknowledges their need for time following such a loss.”
The bill would “provide leave for the spontaneous loss of an unborn child” with spontaneous loss defined as “the loss of a child in the womb that does not result from a purposeful act and is unplanned.” It would be consistent with current standards for certification, notice, flexibility and leave substitution for federal family leave law. 
Women who end the lives of their unborn children through abortion would not qualify for the benefits under the legislation.
The bill is similar to a law in Arkansas passed in 2021 that provides a tax credit for unborn children who are stillborn. Republican State Representative Les Eaves <a href="https://www.kark.com/news/politics/arkansas-paisleys-law-inspires-federal-bill-for-stillborn-reform/">introduced</a> the bill after his granddaughter, Paisley Havranek, was stillborn on February 6, 2019.
“One day before she died, she was a perfect, fully formed, beautiful little girl, but she’s not recognized as a dependent at that point,” he said at the time. 
In recent years, Republicans have pushed for more legislation to support family formation. Earlier this year, West Virginia Republican Rep. Riley Moore <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-republican-bill-would-save-thousands-for-parents-who-stay-home-with-kids?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Republican+Bill+Would+Save+Thousands+For+Parents+Who+Stay+Home+With+Kids">introduced</a> a bill alongside Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) that would ensure that new moms would not be “penalized” under federal law for deciding to leave the workforce and stay home with their child.

Sen. Tom Cotton

EXCLUSIVE: Tom Cotton Pushes To Give Key Benefit To Mothers Who Lose Unborn Children

family

Arkansas has moved forward with banning the purchases of candy and soda with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps.
Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was one of the first governors in the nation to submit a waiver to the federal government, asking for approval to limit SNAP. This week, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins approved the waiver.
“This approval sends a clear message: President Trump and his administration are tackling America’s chronic disease epidemic, and Arkansas stands with him in that fight,” Sanders said of the approval, as first <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/06/10/exclusive-arkansas-bans-junk-food-food-stamps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Daily Signal.
“I am incredibly grateful for Secretary Rollins’ quick approval of our waiver. Arkansas leads the nation in getting unhealthy, ultra-processed foods off food stamps and helping our most vulnerable citizens lead healthier lives,” she added.
Rollins has previously said she&#8217;s working closely with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to advance the &#8220;Make America Healthy Again&#8221; movement. Kennedy, the figurehead of the MAHA movement, has called sugar &#8220;poison,&#8221; led the phasing out of petroleum-based food dyes, and encouraged states to limit SNAP.
Nebraska, another red state, has also been approved by the federal government to limit SNAP purchases to healthier options.
The Daily Wire spoke to Sanders earlier this month about Arkansas becoming a leading state in the MAHA movement. On SNAP limitations, Sanders said it only makes sense.
“It&#8217;s crazy to think that you can use food stamps to purchase soft drinks and candy, but not a hot rotisserie chicken,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire in a video interview. &#8220;The very definition of SNAP, if you look at the second word, it&#8217;s &#8216;nutrition.'&#8221; 
&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing nutritional about candy bars and Cokes,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;So making sure that we are actually helping the people who really need it, and help incentivize healthier choices is something we have to do.&#8221;
&#8220;The food stamp program is a $119 billion federally run program, but about $27 billion of that are spent on candy, soft drinks, and unhealthy desserts and snacks,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;So we are literally helping fund the epidemic crisis that we have going on of unhealthy lifestyles in our country, when we&#8217;re supposed to be helping these recipients of the food SNAP program.&#8221; 
&#8220;We can and we have to do a better job,&#8221; the Republican added. &#8220;I&#8217;m proud of the fact that Arkansas is again leading the way.&#8221; 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sarah-sanders-wont-back-down-after-cvs-threatens-to-leave-arkansas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sarah Sanders Won’t Back Down After CVS Threatens To Leave Arkansas</a>

Texas Bill Would Mandate Warning Label “Not Recommended For Human Consumption” On Some Foods

MAHA: Another Republican State Bans Candy, Soda Purchases With Food Stamps

brooke rollins

Food Stamps

Health

More than 81 years after D-Day, Private Rodger Dean Andrews, an American soldier killed in the historic battle, was laid to rest at Bethel Cemetery in Gravette, Arkansas, <a href="https://www.kark.com/news/state-news/burial-service-to-be-held-june-9-for-gravette-wwii-soldier-killed-in-d-day-invasion/">NBC News</a> reported. He received full military honors.
In June of 1944, Private Andrews was assigned to the 37th Engineer Combat Battalion in the European Theater. That same month, Operation Overlord commenced, in which American, Canadian, and British soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.
Andrews was killed during the battle, but his specific cause of death is unknown. After D-Day, his remains were recovered, but went unidentified until his family requested a renewed effort in 2014. In 2019, Andrews’ remains were exhumed, and his identity was confirmed through dental and anthropological analysis. They arrived in Arkansas on Sunday evening, where Bentonville’s Epting Funeral Home took them into their care.
His name at the Normandy American Cemetery will now be marked with a rosette.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
The United States commemorated the anniversary of the historic D-Day battle on Friday, June 6, when President Donald Trump delivered honorary remarks about the brave men who fought and died in the battle.
“To the men who sit behind me, and to the boys who rest in the field before me, your example will never, ever grow old,” he said. “Your legend will never tire. Your spirit — brave, unyielding, and true — will never die.”
The White House also released a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/06/presidential-message-on-the-81st-anniversary-of-d-day-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, which read in part: &#8220;We are grateful for those young men who answered their nations’ calls and faced the carnage of war in order to defeat tyranny—and we are eternally indebted to the souls who gave their lives in this noble struggle. It is our solemn obligation to remember their heroic stories, honor their sacrifices, and ensure that the freedom for which they died for may never again be in peril.&#8221;
On Monday, Private Andrews’ funeral procession departed from Epting Funeral Home, and the BCSO Motor Division escorted him to his final resting place. In a Facebook post, BSCO said that community members were &#8220;encouraged to line the route and pay their respects to honor the life and service of Private Rodger Dean Andrews, a true American hero.&#8221;

D-Day 80th Anniversary Ceremony At Normandy American Ceremony

D-Day Soldier Identified After 80 Years Laid To Rest In Arkansas

Global Politics

Soldiers

U.S.

World War II

Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is not backing down after pharmacy giant CVS has threatened to leave the state over a new state law targeting drug middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs.
In an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqAe_rGGNek">interview with The Daily Wire</a>, Sanders said she would not allow CVS, which owns one of the &#8220;Big Three&#8221; PBMs called Caremark, to &#8220;manipulate and control the market simply so that they keep a few stores in our state open.&#8221; 
“It shows where their priorities are,&#8221; the governor said over CVS&#8217;s response to the law. &#8220;They would rather own the PBM than keep their pharmacy open and provide care to the patients they claim to care about. I think it tells us everything that we need to know, that they care more about their bottom line.&#8221;
&#8220;Look, I&#8217;m all for private industry making money, but not on the backs of the people who really need access to care, really need access to some of these specialty drugs that they&#8217;re inflating the market on,&#8221; Sanders continued. 
The Republican told The Daily Wire that other pharmacies are willing to take CVS&#8217;s place if need be.
&#8220;We have a number of other pharmacies that I know will be happy to step up and take CVS’s place if they decide to take their ball and go home,&#8221; Sanders blasted. 
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/every-cvs-pharmacy-in-red-state-might-close-after-crackdown-on-drug-middlemen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> last month, CVS said it might have to close all 23 of its pharmacies in Arkansas over the new policy. The company issued similar threats before Sanders signed the bill into law in April.
The law in question is a first-in-the-nation targeting of PBMs, and is set to go into effect in January 2026. It bans PBMs from holding permits for prescription drug sales in Arkansas.
PBMs are supposed to lower drug prices for Americans. They act as middlemen between drug manufacturers, insurance companies, and pharmacies, and negotiate prices. 
However, over the last decade, PBMs have consolidated, and now there are just three companies overseeing prescriptions for more than <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/21/business/prescription-drug-costs-pbm.html">270 million Americans</a>. They’ve been accused by both Republicans and Democrats of inflating prices for their own benefit and driving small pharmacies out of business. 
“What was happening is you have these pharmaceutical companies, they’re supposed to use PBMs to negotiate better drug prices between the insurance companies and the pharmacies,&#8221; Sanders explained. &#8220;But what was actually happening is the pharmacies were buying the PBMs and completely controlling and monopolizing the market. We call &#8217;em drug middlemen, because that’s exactly what they are.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re over-inflating prices and passing that inflation down to the consumer,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;You had three of the largest PBMs in the country controlling 80% of the pharmaceutical market – complete control allows them to charge more.” 
Sanders also stressed that this law in Arkansas is intended to help small pharmacies keep their doors open. PMBs reportedly pay lowball prices to small independent pharmacies, forcing many to close their doors. 
“We&#8217;re optimistic that prices will come down not only in our state, but also that our local pharmacies will be able to keep their doors open, which was another big priority for us, so that people in rural communities don&#8217;t lose that access to care,&#8221; Sanders said. 
In a statement sent to The Daily Wire on Wednesday, CVS called the law in question &#8220;harmful&#8221; and &#8220;unconstitutional.&#8221;
&#8220;We’ve filed a lawsuit to block Act 624, a harmful law that will shut down 23 CVS Pharmacy locations, eliminate hundreds of jobs, and drive-up costs for Arkansans,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;This unconstitutional law puts local politics ahead of patients, restricting their access to life-saving medications and undermining fair competition.&#8221;
The company notes its PBM reimbursing small independent pharmacies in the state more than it does CVS pharmacies.
About a month after Sanders signed the Arkansas bill, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting PBMs. The EO encourages direct consumer purchases, cutting out PBMs, and mandates more pricing transparency. 
Sanders said momentum is building across the country to tackle this issue. 
&#8220;I think the big thing here is that this isn&#8217;t just going to be something that takes place in Arkansas,&#8221; she said. &#8220;You&#8217;re seeing Louisiana look at passing similar legislation, New York, Texas, other states all over the country. It&#8217;s not even a Republican or Democrat issue. This is something that I think a lot of governors, as well as this president, are recognizing and actually taking action on something that&#8217;s been needed for a long time.” 
Sanders said she&#8217;s optimistic that consumers will have more access to prescription drugs and lower prices soon after this law goes into effect in 2026. 
WATCH the Morning Wire interview with Governor Sanders:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Illegal Immigrant Terror &amp; Lowering Drug Prices" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tqAe_rGGNek?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>
This post has been updated to include comment from CVS. 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/every-cvs-pharmacy-in-red-state-might-close-after-crackdown-on-drug-middlemen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Every CVS Pharmacy In Red State Might Close After Crackdown On Drug Middlemen</a>

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