WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump alerted Congress to changes in the U.S. approach to Operation Epic Fury in a war powers letter sent Friday afternoon, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Daily Wire.
The letter informs Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Chuck Grassley, president pro tempore of the United States Senate, of &#8220;changes in the posture of the United States Forces&#8221; in the Central Command Area of Responsibility, as part of the president&#8217;s efforts to &#8220;keep Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution.&#8221;
Trump reminded Congress that he reported to them on March 2 that the U.S. had begun Operation Epic Fury by conducting precision strikes against Iran on February 28.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: President Donald Trump&#8217;s war powers letter alerting Congress to changes in the United States approach to Operation Epic Fury.
“Accordingly, the Department of War continues to update its force posture in the AoR in select countries, as necessary and appropriate, to address… <a href="https://t.co/ch6bdl3VHd">pic.twitter.com/ch6bdl3VHd</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2050285769906929695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I ordered that operation consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests,&#8221; the letter states.
&#8220;On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire,&#8221; Trump notes. &#8220;The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.&#8221;
Though the United States has been successful in its operations against Iran, the letter notes, &#8220;the threat posed by Iran to the United States and our Armed Forces remains significant.&#8221;
The letter, by declaring that hostilities with Iran have been &#8220;terminated,&#8221; effectively sidestepped a May 1 deadline to seek congressional approval for the war Trump launched two months ago — preserving his ability to resume strikes without returning to Congress.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-war-powers-letter-to-congress-trump-shares-changes-coming-to-iran-war/screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12-47-06-pm" rel="attachment wp-att-1088185"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1088185 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM.png" alt="" width="920" height="1200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM.png 920w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM-230x300.png 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM-442x576.png 442w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-12.47.06-PM-768x1002.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 920px) 100vw, 920px" /></a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-war-powers-letter-to-congress-trump-shares-changes-coming-to-iran-war/war-powers" rel="attachment wp-att-1088189"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1088189 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers.png" alt="" width="928" height="1212" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers.png 928w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers-230x300.png 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers-441x576.png 441w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/war-powers-768x1003.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 928px) 100vw, 928px" /></a>
&#8220;Accordingly, the Department of War continues to update its force posture in the AoR in select countries, as necessary and appropriate, to address Iranian and Iranian proxy forces&#8217; threats and to protect the United States and its allies and partners,&#8221; the letter continues. &#8220;These changes are more fully outlined in the classified attachment to this letter. I have and will continue to direct United States Armed Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.&#8221;
Trump concludes the letter by promising to update Congress on any &#8220;noteworthy changes,&#8221; consistent with the War Powers Resolution.
The letter was made public amid murmurs that the president may resume strikes against Iran, which has submitted a new proposal for negotiations with the United States through Pakistani mediators, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
The move comes after President Trump rejected a previous offer and extended the ceasefire indefinitely, citing internal divisions within the Iranian government that have delayed consensus on a deal.
Iran is using the current ceasefire with the United States to recover weapons and rebuild its capabilities, according to NBC News, citing U.S. officials. The report says Iranian forces have intensified efforts to dig out missiles, drones, and other munitions that were hidden underground or buried beneath debris following U.S. and Israeli strikes.
U.S. officials reportedly believe Tehran is trying to quickly restore its missile and drone capabilities in case fighting resumes, allowing it to launch attacks across the Middle East if necessary.
Trump shared Friday afternoon that Iran has offered a new proposal to the United States to end the war. But the president is not satisfied with the terms that Iran offered.
&#8220;We just had a conversation with Iran,&#8221; the president told reporters Friday as he prepared to depart the White House on Marine One, headed to Florida. &#8220;Let&#8217;s see what happens, but I would say that I&#8217;m not happy.&#8221;
&#8220;They&#8217;ve got to come up with the right deal,&#8221; he added. &#8220;At this moment, I&#8217;m not satisfied with what they&#8217;re offering.&#8221;

Donald Trump Delivers Joint Address To Congress

EXCLUSIVE: Trump Signals Legal Path To Restart Iran Fight In Letter To Congress

Congress

Pentagon

Pete Hegseth

Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Seth Moulton suggested that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth could be executed for war crimes.
CNN host Erin Burnett played an exchange Moulton had with Hegseth in which Moulton attacked the War Secretary for saying the U.S. military should &#8220;keep pushing, keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies” regarding the war with Iran, prompting Moulton to accuse Hegseth of inciting soldiers to commit war crimes.
Burnett then turned to Moulton and asked, “Do you believe that the Secretary of Defense is guilty of war crimes?”
“Absolutely,” Moulton answered. “I mean, he&#8217;s clearly behind the operation to shoot all these boats in the Caribbean when it&#8217;s very unclear that we actually have any confirmation that these so-called narco-terrorists — a term the administration invented to justify this action, are even on the boats. I mean, in fact, there&#8217;s a lot of evidence that these are just fishermen, you know, getting jobs, piloting these boats, trying to feed their families. There&#8217;s been press reporting on some of these individuals who&#8217;ve been killed who are clearly not criminals. And on top of that, we then have the strike where they came back and hit it again, a double tap, just purely to kill these survivors who were clinging to wreckage.”
Then Moulton went beyond the pale: “It’s interesting, Erin, back in World War II, the Allies tried Nazi submarine captains for doing this exact same thing. And guess what the conclusion was? They got executed.”
“Listen to that, Mr. Secretary,” he taunted.
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INSANE
Democrat Rep. Seth Moulton FLAT OUT LIES to defend narcoterrorists and compares our military to “Nazis.”
MOULTON: “Back in WWII the allies tried Nazi submarine captains for doing this exact same thing…they got executed. Listen to that Mr. Secretary [Hegseth].” <a href="https://t.co/gAMSaDJ6Gg">pic.twitter.com/gAMSaDJ6Gg</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2049634784884723721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In late March, Moulton appeared on CNN with host Anderson Cooper, where he huffed and puffed about the U.S. losing the war with Iran, saying:
<blockquote>
There is absolutely no plan. The administration clearly can&#8217;t even understand why they&#8217;re in this war, what their strategy is to get out of it. If you look every step of the way, they&#8217;re doing things, they&#8217;re changing their goals. They&#8217;re doing things that don&#8217;t even necessarily contribute to their goals. Apparently now, their primary goal is reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which, let&#8217;s be clear, was open before Trump started this war of choice.
So, the reality is, at this moment, we are losing this war. If Trump were to stop the war tonight, he would have to negotiate with the Iranians to reopen the strait that they have closed. That&#8217;s why he&#8217;s begging, he&#8217;s begging our greatest adversary, the People&#8217;s Republic of China. The Chinese Communist Party. He&#8217;s asking to come and bail him out to reopen this Strait. It&#8217;s an unmitigated disaster. It&#8217;s very clear they don&#8217;t have a plan going forward.</blockquote>

MixCollage-01-May-2026-10-26-AM-450

UNHINGED: Dem Rep Compares Hegseth To Nazi War Criminals, Invokes Death Penalty

Iran

narcoterrorists

Politics

seth moulton

War crimes

Former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) ended his brief return to the campaign trail on Wednesday, suspending his congressional comeback bid just weeks after launching it.
Instead, Sanford said he will start a nonprofit group focused on the national debt and government spending, which has been a top issue for the former lawmaker.
“After a lot of thought, I’ve concluded that the most effective way I can contribute right now is not by seeking office, but by helping build a broader movement focused on the country’s financial future,” Sanford said in a <a href="https://x.com/MarkSanford/status/2049849181515223086?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Thursday.
Sanford represented South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District from 2013 until 2019, and previously served in the seat from 1995 to 2001. He also served as governor of South Carolina, gaining national attention in 2009 after he falsely claimed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail while he was in Argentina having an affair.
“I want to make a difference here, and as I began to get back into the world of politics it really began to hit me how all of Washington&#8217;s major changes have come as a result of outside pressure. Technical changes come from within Washington, but to do more of that on the debt issue is to rearrange chairs on the Titanic. It will take public pressure to bring lasting change,” he added.
“I’m grateful to everyone who offered their support,” Sanford continued. “While this isn’t the race I initially set out to run, I believe this effort has the potential to make a broader and more lasting impact.”
Sanford previously mounted a primary challenge against President Donald Trump in 2020.
He was seeking a return to South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, which is ranked “Solid Republican” by the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cook Political Report</a>. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) currently holds the seat, but she is running in a competitive primary for governor.
Sanford&#8217;s campaign launch earlier this month garnered some scrutiny, in part because it came on the same day as then-Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) resigned from Congress amid sexual misconduct allegations.
“Launching today of all days?” CBS News political correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns wrote on X.
Others had a more positive outlook for Sanford&#8217;s return, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-well-known-republican-is-making-a-comeback-and-his-past-is-part-of-the-story?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=A+Well-Known+Republican+Is+Making+A+Comeback+And+His+Past+Is+Part+Of+The+Story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.

Republican Presidential Candidate Mark Sanford Campaigns At The South Carolina Statehouse

Former GOP Congressman Ends His Comeback Bid, Shifts Focus To Advocacy

Mark Sanford

Nancy Mace

South Carolina

Tennessee appears poised to redraw its congressional map in a move that could eliminate the state&#8217;s lone deep-blue district in the Memphis area, currently represented by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), following Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling narrowing the scope of the Voting Rights Act.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday afternoon that he had communicated with Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee about the possibility of a redraw.
“I had a very good conversation with Governor Bill Lee, of Tennessee, this morning, wherein he stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116494706928688681">posted</a> to Truth Social.
“Likewise, all of the other Political Representatives of Tennessee have promised to do so. This should give us one extra seat, and help Save our Country from the Radical Left Democrats, and their Country destroying Policies of High Tax, Open Borders, Transgender Mutilization, Defunding the Police, ICE, and Border Patrol, No Voter ID, Soft on Crime, and so much more. Thank you Governor Lee — PUSH HARD!” Trump added.
The comments come after Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called for a redrawing of the Volunteer State’s map. Blackburn is running for governor as Lee is termed out, encouraging lawmakers to act.
“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It&#8217;s essential to cement [Trump’s] agenda and the Golden Age of America,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/2049515547910381782">wrote</a> in an X post.
“I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I&#8217;ll do everything I can to make this map a reality,” she added.
In response to the president’s Truth Social comments, Blackburn posted, “Fantastic news. Thank you, [Trump] and [Lee]!”
The Supreme Court&#8217;s decision in Louisiana v. Callais hinged primarily on a majority-minority district in Louisiana, which Justice Samuel Alito wrote was “an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.”
The ruling&#8217;s broader implications are likely to be tested beyond Louisiana. Tennessee and other states, including Mississippi, have majority-minority districts created under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. In her dissent, liberal Justice Elena Kagan warned that the decision could effectively gut those protections.
“After today, those districts exist only on sufferance, and probably not for long,&#8221; Kagan wrote. &#8220;If other States follow Louisiana’s lead, the minority citizens residing there will no longer have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. And minority representation in government institutions will sharply decline.”
Louisiana has already moved to suspend its May congressional primaries as its maps are redrawn in accordance with the ruling, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-louisiana-suspends-primaries-after-major-supreme-court-ruling?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Louisiana%E2%80%99s+Election+Calendar+Just+Got+Blown+Up+After+Supreme+Court+Ruling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported Thursday morning.
Potential redistricting changes could shape the battle for control of the House of Representatives in November.

US-GERMANY-POLITICS-TRUMP-MERZ

Red State Could Wipe Out Deep-Blue House Seat After Trump’s Big Move

Bill Lee

House of Representatives

Marsha Blackburn

Tennessee

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown is now set to be largely over, after the House of Representatives approved the Senate-backed plan to fund every element of the department except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A reconciliation bill is anticipated to fund the other two critical law enforcement agencies.
The move in the House was conducted with a voice vote, according to <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2049899389435449379?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
President Donald Trump will now have to sign off on the funding, as there were concerns once again about being able to pay employees of the department starting on Friday.
The shutdown began in mid-February, as Democrats wanted sweeping federal immigration enforcement reforms in opposition to the Trump administration, particularly Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
On April 1, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) came to an agreement with the president on how to best tackle the shutdown, as the Senate passed the deal that left out ICE and CBP in late March, whereas House Republicans passed a 60-day continuing resolution that funded everything.
“In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the President’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process,” the Republican leaders <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/2039413952220631443?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> at the time.
“While we hoped they would accept the 60-day CR to fund the Department entirely so that bipartisan negotiations could continue, it is now abundantly clear that Democrats place allegiance to their radical left-wing base above all else — including their own power of the purse — which means open borders and protecting criminal illegal aliens,” the statement continued.
While Democrats wanted a long list of changes made to immigration enforcement, including the end of masking and the use of judicial warrants, it’s highly unlikely they will get the reforms they sought given the workaround nature of a reconciliation deal. A reconciliation bill allows the Senate to bypass its 60-vote procedural threshold, but it follows strict rules about what’s allowed and not allowed in the legislation.
The DHS shutdown most clearly played out before Americans due to long TSA lines, as agents were going without pay for weeks until executive action was taken.

Mullin To Face Senate Scrutiny Over Ability To Lead Behemoth DHS

DHS Shutdown Ends For TSA And Secret Service, But Border Security Left Hanging

Department of Homeland Security

Government Shutdown

Illegal Immigration

A visa program created to support victims of crimes has become a breeding ground for &#8220;fraud,&#8221; a new Republican-sponsored bill seeking to end the immigration program argues.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced the &#8220;End U Visa Abuse Act&#8221; Thursday, saying that the U visa program has become &#8220;a magnet for fraud, allowing illegal aliens to game the system, avoid deportation, and secure work permits they were never meant to have in the first place.&#8221;
“This broken program undermines the rule of law and encourages further illegal immigration by allowing immigration lawbreakers to claim they are crime victims to potentially qualify for the visa,&#8221; Roy told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Alleged victimization should not be a basis for securing a green card — it’s time we end the fraud-ridden U visa program once and for all.”
The United States began handing out U visas in 2000 &#8220;for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity,&#8221; according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Roughly 400,000 petitions for U visas are pending approval, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. The United States caps yearly approvals at 10,000, which doesn&#8217;t include the spouses, children, or parents who the primary applicant can sponsor.
One major issue with the program is that the applicant&#8217;s reported crime doesn&#8217;t need to have yielded any arrests, charges, formal investigation, prosecution, or conviction, as USCIS states on its website in its instructions to law enforcement signing off on an alleged victim&#8217;s petition.
While awaiting the outcome of their application, immigrants can avoid deportation, which is put on hold while a decision is pending. That&#8217;s a massive incentive, leaving the program vulnerable to abuse, Roy&#8217;s bill argues.
Between 2012 and 2018, roughly 22% of U visa applicants were previously in removal proceedings, while about 13% said they were in deportation proceedings when they applied, <a href="https://www.law.georgetown.edu/immigration-law-journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/06/GT-GILJ220021.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a 2022 Georgetown Immigration Law Journal article. In 2018 alone, 33% of applicants were in removal proceedings before and 15% had ongoing deportation cases when they applied.
Managing Attorney of Codias Law Cody Brown, who represents American citizens who are victims of immigration fraud, called the U visa &#8220;the most absurd immigration program ever conceived.&#8221;
&#8220;The federal government hands illegal aliens — and their entire extended families — a path to U.S. citizenship simply for accusing an American of a crime,&#8221; Brown told The Daily Wire. &#8220;No investigation, no prosecution, no conviction required.&#8221;
&#8220;The accused citizen gets no notice, no hearing, and no right to defend themselves. Worse: federal law actually forbids USCIS from denying the visa based solely on the accused citizen&#8217;s evidence,&#8221; he said.
Several recent cases shed light on how foreigners have attempted to fraudulently obtain U visas.
Federal authorities charged a group of ten Indian nationals in March for allegedly staging armed robberies of convenience stores so the clerks could falsely claim to be crime victims in order to apply for U visas, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/ten-indian-nationals-indicted-visa-fraud-conspiracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to USCIS.
In a separate case, five current and former law enforcement officials in Louisiana allegedly produced police reports for illegal immigrants to pose as victims of robberies in order to apply for U visas, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/media/1408116/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a July indictment.
Meanwhile, Roy&#8217;s bill argues that if an immigrant &#8220;is a crime victim and is actively cooperating with law enforcement as a witness&#8221; that they should pursue obtaining an S visa.&#8221; The proposed legislation also states that the Homeland Security secretary &#8220;can grant humanitarian immigration parole to purported alien crime victims or witnesses on a case-by-case basis if they are needed by law enforcement or are required to testify.&#8221;
S visa applications are submitted by a law enforcement agency for a witness or informant. U visas are submitted by the foreigner and are signed by a law enforcement official who &#8220;must confirm that you were helpful, and currently being helpful, or will likely be helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the case,&#8221; according to USCIS.

Children Receive U.S. Citizenship Certificates In New York

EXCLUSIVE: How An Immigration Path For Crime Victims Became A Breeding Ground For Fraud

Immigration

Republican

In a blow to national security and maritime safety, the U.S. Coast Guard is facing an internal crisis as the partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown reaches its 75th day.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday revealed that the funding lapse has become so severe that utility companies are beginning to shut off power, water, and gas at active military installations across the country.
During a CBS News interview, Lunday confirmed that &#8220;the lights are shutting off&#8221; at stations tasked with life-saving missions. In the last several days, Station Channel Islands in California and Station Port Huron in Michigan had their power cut off, while Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii saw its natural gas service interrupted.
While the Coast Guard was able to restore these specific services, Lunday warned that the number of shutoffs is expected to rise. These stations operate 24/7, 365 days a year, standing ready to respond to mariners in distress or national security threats.
&#8220;I think a lot of Americans would be pissed to hear this is happening,&#8221; the CBS interviewer posited to the Admiral.
&#8220;Furious,&#8221; Lunday responded. &#8220;That’s exactly right.&#8221;
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EXCLUSIVE: Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday tells CBS News’ <a href="https://twitter.com/NicoleSganga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NicoleSganga</a> that several Coast Guard stations across the country recently lost power, water or gas. Service has been restored, but he warns more outages could happen as the DHS shutdown continues. More tomorrow… <a href="https://t.co/G0k6qtz80h">pic.twitter.com/G0k6qtz80h</a>
&mdash; CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/2049637221385506868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Coast Guard acts as the nation&#8217;s maritime police force. Because they have Title 14 authority, they can board vessels at sea without a warrant to ensure compliance with U.S. laws.
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Drug Interdiction: They are the lead agency for stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. via the sea, often seizing billions of dollars worth of cocaine and marijuana annually.</li>
<li>Migrant Interdiction: They patrol the Caribbean and the Pacific to intercept human trafficking and illegal migration, often rescuing people from unseaworthy vessels.</li>
<li>Ports &amp; Waterways Security: They protect 361 U.S. ports from terrorism and ensure that &#8220;high interest&#8221; vessels (like tankers or cruise ships) are screened before entering.</li>
</ul>
The Coast Guard currently holds the distinction of being the only military branch impacted by the funding stalemate. Because the service falls under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense, its personnel are caught in a legislative &#8220;procedural loop&#8221; over immigration enforcement and the SAVE Act.
The human cost of the 75-day impasse is <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/04/28/utility-shutoffs-mounting-debt-coast-guard-endures-hardships-in-ongoing-shutdown/">mounting</a>:
<ul data-path-to-node="9">
<li>
Personnel Hardship: While active-duty members have received intermittent pay through discretionary funding shifts, there is no guarantee of future checks. Families are reportedly relying on interest-free loans from Coast Guard Mutual Assistance to buy groceries.
</li>
<li>
Civilian Crisis: Nearly 10,000 civilian employees went unpaid for nearly two months. One civil servant in Alaska reportedly sold his car to pay rent before emergency funding was briefly released.
</li>
<li>
Operational Decay: Over $200 million in unpaid bills has caused private contractors to cease maintenance on ships and aircraft.
</li>
</ul>
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has staunchly refused to bring the bill funding DHS to a vote, as House Republicans are insisting on a funding package that includes strict immigration reforms and the SAVE Act, using the DHS budget as legislative leverage.
“We have to move DHA funding because it’s urgent … we are out of money,” Johnson stated.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Phil Waldron told a House subcommittee that the workforce&#8217;s focus is being &#8220;dangerously fractured&#8221; by financial anxiety. &#8220;Their focus is required for dangerous missions,&#8221; Waldron said. &#8220;That focus is fractured when they’re worried about paying their rent.&#8221;
As of April 30, 2026, the shutdown remains the longest in DHS history. While the Coast Guard continues to answer distress calls under its &#8220;Always Ready&#8221; motto, leadership warns that every day of the shutdown creates a 2.5-day recovery backlog, hollowing out the readiness of the nation’s primary maritime shield.

U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter

‘The Lights Go Out’: Coast Guard Faces Shutoffs, Financial Crisis As DHS Shutdown Hits Day 75

Coast Guard

Louisiana has suspended its May 16 primary elections for congressional races following the Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday on its congressional map, as districts need to be redrawn in order to be legally compliant.
The Supreme Court ruled that one of the state’s majority-minority districts was illegally racially gerrymandered.
“Yesterday’s historic Supreme Court victory for Louisiana has an immediate consequence for the State. The Supreme Court previously stayed an injunction against the State’s enforcement of the current Congressional map,” Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) and Attorney General Liz Murrill (R-LA) said in a statement on Thursday. “By the Court’s order, however, that stay automatically terminated with yesterday’s decision. Accordingly, the State is currently enjoined from carrying out congressional elections under the current map. We are working together with the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office to develop a path forward.”
Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his majority opinion of the court that “the State’s attempt to satisfy the Middle District’s ruling, although understandable, was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.”
Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA), the only Democrat in the state&#8217;s congressional delegation, blasted the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision as a &#8220;devastating blow.&#8221;
&#8220;The consequences of this decision are immediate and severe: the hard-fought progress that led to the creation of two majority-Black congressional districts in Louisiana is now in jeopardy,&#8221; Carter said in a statement.
“Let’s be clear: this is not about so-called ‘colorblind’ principles. History has shown us time and again that policies claiming neutrality, from literacy tests to poll taxes, have been used to silence Black voices. Louisiana knows this history all too well. Without the protections of the Voting Rights Act, there is no evidence to suggest that Black voters in our state will be able to elect candidates of their choice,&#8221; Carter continued.
It&#8217;s unclear if and how the move will impact other races in the state, as other contests are set to occur that day as well, including the hotly-competitive Republican Senate primary between Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
In multiple other states, including Tennessee and Mississippi, map redraws are being weighed that could get rid of deep blue districts that were created under the previous legal scope.
&#8220;I&#8217;ll keep saying it: the Tennessee legislature should reconvene immediately and REDRAW THE LINES!&#8221; Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who&#8217;s running for governor, posted to X on Thursday. The Volunteer State has a deep blue district in the Memphis area.
Meanwhile, Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves came out ahead of the decision to call for a special session three weeks after the ruling, and it could lead to a redraw of the state&#8217;s Second Congressional District, which is represented by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS).
In Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey said her state will not have a special session to change its maps, citing current federal litigation.
“Litigation surrounding Alabama’s congressional districts is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, and Alabama is currently under a court order prohibiting the use of new congressional districts until after the 2030 census. While we are not in position to have a special session at this time, I hope in light of this new decision, the court is favorable to Alabama,&#8221; she stated, according to <a href="https://1819news.com/news/item/ivey-alabama-not-in-position-to-have-a-special-session-at-this-time-on-redistricting?fbclid=IwY2xjawRgYPtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF4eHBBZUJ4cml1S21pZzZ4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlCocmN3Zhv-9pRJqL55hgHeyVzlORJ8bmR56akqoP_3QlqgKLRTaFAIf0d3_aem_BKbJw3WmmWStqNC5Kd5ZoA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1819 News</a>.
Before the court&#8217;s decision, states were already taking major mid-decade redistricting actions, including five Democrat-favored seats in California and five Republican-favored seats in Texas. Virginia voted earlier this month to switch to a 10-1 map favoring Democrats with a net gain of four seats, but it is facing a dicey state Supreme Court battle.
In Florida, the legislature rapidly approved a map for four more Republican-favored seats in the Sunshine State following a push from Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Supreme Court

Louisiana’s Election Calendar Just Got Blown Up After Supreme Court Ruling

Louisiana

TOPSHOT-US-BRITAIN-ROYALS-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY

Ilhan Omar Hits Rock Bottom With Her Dumbest Remarks Yet As Trump Delivers His Best Speech Ever

Donald Trump

Founding Fathers

Great Britain

Ilhan Omar

King Charles III

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Revolutionary War

A Democratic congresswoman highlighted criticism of President Donald Trump from podcasters Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Candace Owens while questioning War Secretary Pete Hegseth during a fiery committee hearing on Wednesday.
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) asked Hegseth if he believes Trump &#8220;is mentally stable enough to be the commander-in-chief&#8221; and brought up a number of former Trump-supporting podcasters who are now questioning the president&#8217;s mental acuity.
&#8220;In fact, many, many Republicans have had the same questions,&#8221; Jacobs said. &#8220;Marjorie Taylor Greene said he&#8217;s out of control and he&#8217;s gone insane. Candace Owens said the 25th Amendment needs to be invoked — Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, who you used to work with, Alex Jones, Stephanie Grisham, the list could go on.&#8221;
Hegseth dismissed Jacobs&#8217; question and ripped Democrats for raising questions on Trump&#8217;s ability to lead after the party turned a blind eye to issues around former President Joe Biden.
&#8220;Did you ask the same question of Joe Biden for four years?&#8221; Hegseth shot back. &#8220;You did not, and I won&#8217;t even engage with the level of disparagement that you&#8217;re putting on the commander-in-chief &#8230; he&#8217;s the sharpest and most insightful commander-in-chief we&#8217;ve had in generations. And you want to ask that question after you and your fellow Democrats defended Joe Biden, who could barely speak and didn&#8217;t know what day of the week it was. He governed with an autopen. You had a secretary of defense who went AWOL for a week.&#8221;
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/wk00Wi7eYHJt3xm7TsGYPoUKIbc201MWXv?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=991c8a03-a2fb-4ee7-b6a4-641bbb0ba42d&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Democrat%20Invokes%20Tucker%20Carlson%2C%20Megyn%20Kelly%2C%20Candace%20Owens%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fde2bee5a-a85a-44e4-867a-f20892c8e0a1.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
The heated exchange took place during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, where Hegseth and Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, faced questions about the ongoing war in Iran.
The war has enraged Democrats and podcasters who used to support Trump — like Carlson, Kelly, and Owens — who have ramped up their criticism of Trump in recent weeks. Carlson, who recently apologized for endorsing Trump in 2024, has repeatedly accused Trump of conducting the military operation in Iran at Israel&#8217;s bidding. He also claimed earlier this month that Trump was considering using a weapon of mass destruction “on the population of Iran.” Kelly has also claimed that Trump is being played by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said the president is “too weak” and “too gullible” to push back on Israel&#8217;s demands.
Owens, meanwhile, has called the Trump administration &#8220;satanic&#8221; and referred to Trump as a &#8220;Mad King,&#8221; while urging the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove the president from office.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-goes-nuclear-on-tucker-megyn-and-candace?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Goes+Nuclear+On+Tucker%2C+Megyn%2C+And+Candace">blasted</a> the podcasters earlier this month, calling them &#8220;nut jobs,&#8221; &#8220;troublemakers,&#8221; and &#8220;stupid people.&#8221; The president also pointed out that the podcasters are being hailed by the Left for their opposition to his administration.
“These so-called ‘pundits’ are LOSERS, and they always will be! Now Fake News CNN, The Failing New York Times, and all of the other Radical Left ‘News’ Organizations, are ‘hailing’ them, and giving them ‘positive’ press for the first time in their lives,” Trump said. “They’re not ‘MAGA,’ they’re losers, just trying to latch on to MAGA.”

Woke Right

Democrat Invokes Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens In Heated Hearing

Candace Owens

Democrats

Megyn Kelly

Tucker Carlson

The Supreme Court’s ruling narrowing the scope of the Voting Rights Act is already prompting calls from Republicans to redraw congressional maps, a move that could create more GOP-friendly seats, particularly across the South.
In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday encouraged state lawmakers to reconvene and redraw district lines in a way that could flip a Democratic-held seat.
“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It&#8217;s essential to cement [Donald Trump’s] agenda and the Golden Age of America,” Blackburn, who’s running to succeed Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee, posted to X following the decision.
“I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I&#8217;ll do everything I can to make this map a reality,” she added.
Memphis is currently represented by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) in a heavily Democratic district.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It&#8217;s essential to cement <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>’s agenda and the Golden Age of America.
I&#8217;ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I&#8217;ll do everything I can to make this map a… <a href="https://t.co/qljW0mxiqG">pic.twitter.com/qljW0mxiqG</a>
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/VoteMarsha/status/2049515547910381782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
The court’s 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais found that the state violated constitutional limits by drawing a majority-minority district predominantly on the basis of race. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito said Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act “was designed to enforce the Constitution — not collide with it,” adding that “lower courts have sometimes applied this Court’s […] precedents in a way that forces States to engage in the very race-based discrimination that the Constitution forbids.”
“The State’s attempt to satisfy the Middle District’s ruling, although understandable, was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander,” Alito wrote.
The full implications of the ruling remain unclear, but it could open the door for challenges to similar race-based districts in other states.
In Alabama, Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-marshall-applauds-momentous-supreme-court-redistricting-decision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the state would move quickly to ensure its maps &#8220;reflect the will of the people, not a racial quota system the Constitution forbids.&#8221;
&#8220;The Court rightly acknowledged that the South has made extraordinary progress, and that laws designed for a different era do not reflect the present reality,&#8221; Marshall stated.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signaled even before the ruling that he was prepared to call a special session to redraw maps, particularly affecting the state’s deep blue 2nd Congressional District.
“It is a decision that could (and in my view should) forever change the way we draw electoral maps,” Reeves wrote last week.
In Georgia, Republican state Sen. <a href="https://x.com/DolezalForGA/status/2049508266175062141?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greg Dolezal</a> called on lawmakers to revisit district lines, arguing that the current maps should be redrawn to benefit Republicans.
“The last thing that Republicans need to do is be weak-kneed in this moment. This is a time to be bold. This is a time to be aggressive,” Dolezal, who’s running for lieutenant governor, said in a video.
Democrats, meanwhile, blasted the decision. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the court “just turned its back on one of the most sacred promises in American democracy—the promise that every voice counts.”
The ruling lands amid an already intensifying redistricting battle ahead of the 2026 midterms, with both parties seeking an edge in the fight for control of the House during the final stretch of President Donald Trump&#8217;s term.

Sen. Lankford Speaks To The Press On “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act”

Republicans Ramp Up Redistricting Push After Supreme Court Ruling

Georgia

Mississippi

Republicans

The only thing thicker than Hakeem Jeffries’ hypocrisy is the smog of self-delusion that follows him into every room, choking the life out of the very truths he claims to uphold.
Last week, Jeffries, the House minority leader, was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkJG--0ScE0">practically doing a victory lap</a> in the end zone after Virginia Democrats pulled off the ultimate &#8220;Democracy™&#8221; maneuver: convincing 51.5% of voters to scrap an independent commission so the General Assembly could gerrymander a 10-1 split. To Jeffries, this wasn&#8217;t a power grab; it was a &#8220;big victory for America&#8221; and a &#8220;march toward a more perfect union.&#8221; Apparently, a &#8220;more perfect union&#8221; looks exactly like a map where half the voters get 90% of the representation.
Jeffries and the &#8220;Dollar-Store Obama&#8221; brigade framed this as a noble &#8220;firewall&#8221; against the orange man in the White House. Even Barack Obama emerged from his latest Netflix production to explain that gerrymandering is actually fine, as long as Democrats do it to &#8220;level the playing field.&#8221; It’s a bold strategy: saving democracy by destroying it first.
But fast forward to Monday, April 27, and Jeffries has suddenly rediscovered the sanctity of &#8220;Fair Districts.&#8221; The moment Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suggested that the Sunshine State—which has seen a decade of growth in just three years—might need its own mid-decade tune-up, Jeffries’s halo reappeared.
Jeffries took to X to huff and puff about &#8220;blatant partisan gerrymandering&#8221; and &#8220;nakedly targeting communities of color.&#8221; He actually wrote, &#8220;See you in Court,&#8221; without a hint of a blush, despite the fact that a Virginia judge just tossed his own party’s referendum into the trash for being unconstitutional.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The DeSantis Dummymander blatantly violates Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment banning partisan gerrymandering.
It also violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by nakedly targeting communities of color. 
See you in Court. <a href="https://t.co/DeDqW84s7M">pic.twitter.com/DeDqW84s7M</a>
&mdash; Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) <a href="https://twitter.com/hakeemjeffries/status/2048812217915642288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The hypocrisy is so thick you could carve it. When Virginia Democrats attempt a 10-1 sweep, it’s a &#8220;march toward justice.&#8221; When DeSantis looks at a map, it’s a &#8220;Dummymander&#8221; and a violation of the 14th Amendment. Jeffries has <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/2046984191716340211">told</a> Florida Republicans to &#8220;F around and find out,&#8221; which sounds a lot like a threat from a guy whose own &#8220;victory&#8221; is currently stuck in judicial purgatory.
DeSantis, ever the happy warrior, has <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2047020226785493096">responded</a> by offering to pay for Jeffries’ plane ticket to Florida. He even offered to take him fishing.
It’s a generous offer: Jeffries could use the time on the water to practice his latest trick—complaining about the &#8220;rigged system&#8221; in Florida while the ink is still wet on his own attempt to rig Virginia.
If Jeffries wants a war, he’s found a battlefield, but he might want to check his own backyard before he starts crying about the neighbors&#8217; fences.

Hakeem Jeffries

High Priest Of Hypocrisy: Hakeem Jeffries Demands Fairness In Florida Only After Rigging Virginia

Florida

Redistricting

Ron DeSantis

Virginia

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