Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton suggested Sunday that the Trump administration might soon begin to “murder” Americans.
Moulton, who is running for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, made the radical claim during an appearance on CNN in which he suggested that the administration’s actions against narcoterrorists in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean may be replicated against Americans.
“The President of the United States and his secretary of Defense are conducting murder on the high seas. They&#8217;re committing murder and Americans should care,” <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/1997768199379505464">said</a> Moulton. “None of us like drug traffickers, but we have laws that say that drug traffickers don&#8217;t get summarily executed, and if it&#8217;s happening off the coast of America with people that we don&#8217;t know, just give it time before Donald Trump starts doing the same kind of thing to people we do know right here at home.”
The administration has declared major drug cartels in South America as terror groups, and positioned roughly 15,000 troops in the Caribbean Sea to combat narcoterrorists trafficking fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States. The U.S. military has destroyed roughly two dozen boats and submarines in international waters that the administration said were trafficking illicit drugs.
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Democrats ramped up criticisms of the Trump administration’s war on drugs after a report from The Washington Post last month claimed that War Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a “kill them all” order carried out against survivors of a destroyed drug-running vessel.
Top military officials have contested the report. Adm. Mitch Bradley said in a closed-door hearing in Congress last week that Hegseth never gave such an order. In one September incident that has become the basis for Democratic claims of war crimes, Bradley made the call to send a follow-up strike against a vessel that he deemed was still a threat.
Democrats have pushed to have the classified video of the follow-up strike made public. Sen. Tom Cotton, who has seen the video, appeared on NBC News on Sunday and said he had “no problem” with releasing it as long as doing so does not risk national security.
“I will say that the [Department of War] may have valid concerns about revealing what we know about tactics and techniques that these cartels are using or about our sources or methods,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-cotton-has-no-problem-with-releasing-video-of-drug-boat-double-tap">said</a> Cotton. “I would trust Secretary Hegseth and his team to make the decision about whether they can declassify and release the video. But again, there’s nothing remarkable on that video in my opinion.”

Seth Moulton

Dem Congressman Suggests Trump Will ‘Murder’ Americans Like Narcoterrorists

Congress

Department of Defense

Department of War

Donald Trump

Drug Cartels

Drugs

Fentanyl

Massachusetts

Pete Hegseth

Politics

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said a second military strike on a damaged drug boat in September constituted a “war crime” before checking what video evidence or after-action reports show.
Duckworth appeared on CNN on Sunday and accused the Trump administration, particularly War Secretary Pete Hegseth, of committing a war crime in the Caribbean over a report in The Washington Post last month. The senator made the strong accusation before admitting that she has not seen the classified video or military reports on the controversial strike.
Top military officials have denied the Post’s report, and additional reporting from The New York Times undercuts the Post report&#8217;s claim that Hegseth issued a “kill everybody” order.
The Illinois senator suggested that U.S. service members who participate in the “illegal” strikes may be subject to legal accountability in the U.S. or through the International Criminal Court, which the United States is not a party to.
“Everything that they&#8217;ve done has been illegal. It&#8217;s illegal under international law, it&#8217;s illegal under the Geneva Convention, and it certainly is even illegal under domestic law. It was essentially murder with that double-tap strike,” <a href="https://x.com/rcpvideo/status/1997749858468560898">said</a> Duckworth. “It is a war crime. It&#8217;s illegal. However you put it, it&#8217;s all illegal.”
Duckworth said she made her assessment without watching classified video of the strike that has been shown to some lawmakers. Duckworth said that all of her knowledge on the strike has come from “just what’s been available in the media.”
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“I&#8217;ve not seen the actual video. I&#8217;ve requested to be able to see the actual video. I&#8217;ve also actually asked to see the after-action reports from the pilots and the drone operators, as well as the intelligence debrief that all pilots and drone operators conduct after they have completed a mission,” she said.
The Washington Post reported on November 28 that Hegseth ordered the U.S. military to “kill them all” in relation to narcoterrorists who ferry drugs through international waters in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Adm. Frank Bradley, who oversaw the September operation in question, testified to lawmakers last week that the Post’s account of the strike is inaccurate. Top military officials have denied that Hegseth ever gave such an order, and that Bradley’s official orders, which have been reviewed by some lawmakers, did not include that wording.
Bradley reportedly told lawmakers during his testimony, not delivered publicly because of the sensitivity of the subject, that each of the 11 people on board the vessel had been <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/admiral-told-lawmakers-everyone-alleged-drug-boat-was-list-military-ta-rcna247767">confirmed</a> by intelligence as narcoterrorists. Bradley also said that he authorized the second strike on the vessel and that Hegseth had left soon after the first strike was delivered.

Tammy Duckworth

Tammy Duckworth Calls Double-Tap Strike A ‘War Crime,’ Then Admits She Hasn’t Seen The Video

Tammy Duckworth Calls Double-Tap Strike A ‘War Crime,’ Then Admits She Hasn't Seen The Video

World

GOP Sen. Tom Cotton has no objections to releasing the full video of the U.S. military strike on a drug boat that has become central to Democratic claims of war crimes committed by the Trump administration.
The Arkansas senator appeared on NBC News’ “Meet The Press” on Sunday and defended the actions taken by the U.S. military to curb the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States, specifically striking vehicles used to ferry drugs in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
One incident in September has sparked accusations from Democrats that War Secretary Pete Hegseth committed a war crime after a second military strike was ordered on a drug boat that was not destroyed by an initial missile.
The accusations against Hegseth began after The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/">reported</a> that the War secretary gave an order to “kill them all.” Top military officials have since testified to Congress that no such order was given, and Republican lawmakers who have seen the mission order have said that no such language exists in the order that would direct military personnel to commit war crimes.
Senate Republicans, including Cotton, have also reviewed the footage of the second strike on the drug boat and said that the strike did not constitute a war crime because the vessel, though damaged and capsized, still represented a valid military target and could have been used to call in additional narcoterrorists. Cotton said Sunday that he would have “no problem” releasing the video to the public, though the military may have national security reasons for not wanting the footage public.
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“I personally don&#8217;t have any problem with” releasing the footage, Cotton <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-december-7-2025-n1313135">said</a>. “It&#8217;s not gruesome. I didn&#8217;t find it distressing or disturbing. It looks like any number of dozens of strikes we&#8217;ve seen on Jeeps and pickup trucks in the Middle East over the years.”
“I will say that the department may have valid concerns about revealing what we know about tactics and techniques that these cartels are using or about our sources or methods,” he added. “I would trust Secretary Hegseth and his team to make the decision about whether they can declassify and release the video. But again, there&#8217;s nothing remarkable on that video in my opinion.”
Adm. Mitch Bradley testified to Congress last week, denying that Hegseth gave a “kill them all” order. Bradley said that while Hegseth was present to watch the first strike delivered against the drug boat in September, the War secretary left to attend to other matters. Bradley gave authorization for the second strike after assessing that the vessel was still a threat.
Hegseth’s orders at that point had not <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/even-the-new-york-times-isnt-sold-on-washington-post-hegseth-hit">specified</a> what to do if a drug boat was not completely destroyed in an initial strike, according to reporting from The New York Times.
Democrats have continued to push the story, alleging that Hegseth authorized a war crime and should be held accountable. Lawmakers have also <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/07/second-strike-democratic-lawmakers-demand-transparency-00679899">pushed</a> for release of the video depicting the second strike on the boat and suggested that service members who take part in illegal orders could be formally punished.

Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton Has ‘No Problem’ With Releasing Video Of Drug Boat Double-Tap

Crime

U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s plan to take government equity stakes in strategic industries doesn&#8217;t apply to major defense firms, the head of Boeing&#8217;s defense unit said on Saturday, in contrast to previous comments by a senior government official.
The government wants industry to make investments in facilities, and large contractors are expected be able to do this without government assistance, Steve Parker, Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Defense, Space &amp; Security, said on a panel at the Reagan National Defense Forum, an annual industry event in Simi Valley, California.
Speaking about the prospect of the U.S. government investing in exchange for ownership rights, &#8220;it really only applies on the supply chain, particularly for the smaller companies coming through where that might be a way forward for them,&#8221; Parker said.
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&#8220;I don&#8217;t think it really applies to the Primes,&#8221; Parker added, referring to big legacy defense contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, RTX and Northrop Grumman.
Parker pointed to Boeing&#8217;s recent billions invested in St. Louis, Missouri where the company makes fighter jets.
In August, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Trump administration was weighing equity stakes in major defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, a move that sent shares of Lockheed, Boeing and other defense firms higher.
This year, the Trump administration has taken equity stakes in chipmaker Intel and rare earths company MP Materials, in an effort to prioritize national security in critical sectors where China has become increasingly dominant. Trump has said the government will take stakes in more companies.
(Reporting by Mike Stone and Joe Brock; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Deepa Babington)

Boeing

Boeing Says Trump’s Equity Stake Plan Doesn’t Apply To Them

Economy

National Security

U.S.

President Trump stands by War Secretary Pete Hegseth and the drug boat strikes as the Cabinet convenes once again, the administration threatens to withhold tax dollars over illegal commercial driver&#8217;s licenses, and a New Jersey probe into a pro-life pregnancy center winds up in the Supreme Court.
It’s Wednesday, December 3, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251203-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">video version</a> can be seen on The Daily Wire:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Backs Hegseth In Cabinet Meeting</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1008973 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Cabinet-Meeting-No.-9.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: President Trump gathered his cabinet Tuesday and defended Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, vowing to continue his strikes against narco-terrorists.
All eyes on Hegseth: The War secretary has come under fire for allegedly ordering airstrikes targeting survivors of a drug smuggling boat that had been destroyed by an initial strike. The White House has rallied around Hegseth, reiterating that these suspected cartel members have been designated as terrorists, and are essentially enemy combatants of the United States. On Tuesday, Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/1995921305728942204?s=20">struck</a> a defiant tone, vowing to continue the strikes.
The original reporting on the alleged illegal strike story is now facing a flood of scrutiny. The New York Times published a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/us/hegseth-drug-boat-strike-order-venezuela.html">story</a> this week refuting the main allegation against Hegseth — that he specifically ordered a second strike to kill survivors.
The Times cited five anonymous U.S. officials who each said separately that Hegseth did order a strike to kill the drug smugglers, but “his order was not a response to surveillance footage showing that at least two people on the boat survived the first blast,” and he did not address what should be done if there were survivors.
Latest on National Guard Shooting: In one of the cabinet meeting’s more somber moments, Attorney General Pam Bondi honored the life of slain National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and offered an update on Andrew Wolfe, the guardsmen fighting for his life in the hospital.
&#8220;I was there where when the surgeons came in and [his parents] wanted you to know this — he&#8217;s a miracle, and if everyone in this country can continue to pray for that family. He&#8217;s got a long road ahead of him, but he is a miracle,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1995918866606698520?s=20">said</a> Bondi.
The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, appeared virtually in court on Tuesday from a hospital bed, where he was formally charged with murder and a slew of other crimes. Lakanwal pleaded not guilty to all charges. He’ll be held without bond throughout the trial. Bondi said the Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Minnesota’s Illegal License Loophole</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1008975 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Minnesotas-CDL-Ultimatum.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: Minnesota is facing federal pressure after an audit found widespread improper licensing of foreign drivers, underscoring broader immigration-oversight issues.
The Trump administration has presented some pretty jaw-dropping findings and is now taking action. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the federal government will withhold more than $30 million in highway funding from Minnesota.
The state can avoid the penalty if Democratic Governor Tim Walz revokes a large number of commercial driver’s licenses that were issued illegally to drivers whose immigration or residency status did not comply with federal law. Duffy gave Walz 30 days to fix it, or the funding would be withheld.
What Walz thinks: Officials in the Walz administration say they are reviewing this letter from the Department of Transportation, and claim that they take “safety” on their roads “seriously.” 
Step back: Commercial drivers licenses for illegals or people with improper status have been a focus for months now, due to some devastating crashes that have killed Americans. The Daily Wire’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-california-license-accused-of-killing-newlyweds-in-tragic-collision?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Trucker+With+California+License+Accused+Of+Killing+Newlyweds+In+Tragic+Collision">Jennie Taer</a> reported that a newlywed couple was tragically killed in a collision allegedly caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver with a California license. The Indian national involved in the crash has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. 
The Department of Transportation has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-california-license-accused-of-killing-newlyweds-in-tragic-collision?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Trucker+With+California+License+Accused+Of+Killing+Newlyweds+In+Tragic+Collision">found</a> that California authorities have issued some 17,000 non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses to foreign drivers. The Trump administration is similarly threatening to withhold tens of millions of federal dollars from California. A number of other states, including red states, are being scrutinized over this issue, too.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">SCOTUS Case On Pro-Life Targeting</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1008977 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/SCOTUS-Presses-Platkin.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Topline: The Supreme Court heard <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JysOCj6Dq0g">arguments</a> Tuesday on a case involving a state allegedly “intimidating” and “harassing” a pregnancy center for not conducting abortions. The case, First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Platkin, could set precedent on states&#8217; ability to similarly target pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations.
Erin Hawley, general counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom and one of the attorneys representing First Choice, spoke to Morning Wire about the case. (The following interview has been edited for clarity.)
Morning Wire: This case stems from New Jersey’s Democrat Attorney General Matt Platkin creating a “strike force” that targeted pregnancy resource centers. He issued a statewide “consumer alert” against them — and then specifically issued a subpoena to First Choice that was extremely intrusive, including asking for donor information. We’ve just heard oral arguments before the Supreme Court. By the line of questioning from the justices, do you have a sense how they appear to be leaning? 
Hawley: I&#8217;ll have to paraphrase an old boss of mine. After arguing, he would say, I would rather be on our side than their side. And I think that&#8217;s definitely true after this oral argument. If you think about some of the questions the justices were asking, Justice Barrett, for example, pointed out the hostility that New Jersey has shown toward pregnancy care centers.
Justice Kagan took a really practical view of the case. She&#8217;s not one that you would maybe expect to be ideologically aligned with First Choice, and yet she made the common sense point, if I receive a subpoena that demands donor names, I don&#8217;t want my name and address and phone number out there. And so she was saying that this is going to chill the First Amendment rights of recipients in sort of a common sense way. It seemed like a majority or certainly several members of the court were really understanding the effect that subpoena had both on First Choice Women&#8217;s Resource Center, as well as its donors.
Morning Wire: That seems pretty promising for First Choice. Were there any particularly surprising moments to you in the arguments — anything you weren’t anticipating? 
Hawley: One kind of highlight of the oral argument was the fact that we had hoped to sort of highlight, but that&#8217;s the fact that the New Jersey attorney general has never said that he received a single complaint against First Choice by anyone. Justice Thomas really leaned into that and asked the New Jersey attorney, why did you investigate First Choice? Did you receive a complaint? Like, did anyone tell you that they didn&#8217;t like them? And the New Jersey attorney general had to answer no. They had received no complaints about First Choice.

MRN_251203_V2

Morning Brief: Trump Backs Hegseth, Minnesota Issues Illegal Licenses, & SCOTUS Takes On Pro-Life Targeting

Morning Brief: Trump Backs Hegseth, MN Illegal License Loophole, And SCOTUS On Pro-Life Targeting

Immigration

Minnesota

Morning Wire

SCOTUS

White House

President Donald Trump pivots from the Middle East to peace in Ukraine, Trump intervenes to protect military paychecks amid the Democrat shutdown, and drug cartels declare “open season” on federal agents.
It’s Thursday, October 16, 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 style="text-align: center;">After Middle East Peace, Trump Turns Toward Russia</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-986667" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trump-Eyes-Ukraine-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trump-Eyes-Ukraine-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trump-Eyes-Ukraine-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trump-Eyes-Ukraine-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trump-Eyes-Ukraine-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trump-Eyes-Ukraine.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: After securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Trump has shifted his focus to the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make his third trip to the White House on Friday since Trump began his second term. The two are expected to discuss supplying Ukraine with more powerful weapons, such as Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as additional air defenses to counter Russian bombardments.
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The United States has reportedly started to share intelligence on Russian energy infrastructure with Ukraine, increasing Ukraine’s ability to strike deep inside Russian territory.
Trump pushes Putin: The U.S. president has made clear in recent months that he sees Russian President Vladimir Putin as the main obstacle to peace in the Ukraine war. The president is reportedly considering additional sanctions on Russia to increase pressure on Putin to negotiate.
“I’m very disappointed because Vladimir and I had a good relationship,” <a href="https://youtu.be/hfwxTnKt6iA?t=2418">said</a> Trump on Tuesday. “He just doesn’t want to end that war.”
View from Moscow: Moscow has said that even if Tomahawks were provided to Ukraine, that would not “change the dynamic” of the war. A Kremlin spokesman later added that the missiles would be an “extreme concern.” Putin said that he would increase Russia’s air defense, but he did not mention escalation on his end.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Shuffles Funds In Dem Shutdown To Pay Military</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-986669" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Funding-The-Frontlines-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Funding-The-Frontlines-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Funding-The-Frontlines-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Funding-The-Frontlines-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Funding-The-Frontlines-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Funding-The-Frontlines.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Two weeks into a Democrat shutdown, and now federal employees are starting to feel the effects. On Wednesday, military personnel were set to miss their first paychecks, but President Trump ordered War Secretary Pete Hegseth to find a way to keep the troops paid.
Morning Wire spoke with Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), chairman of the Republican Study Committee. (The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.)
Morning Wire: Now we&#8217;ve crossed one of the first thresholds for missed pay of this shutdown. There were fears that the military would miss a paycheck this week, but then Trump intervened. How did that go down? 
Pfluger: As a veteran and as somebody who served for over 20 years, this is personal to me because I saw it firsthand during previous shutdowns, where you had especially the junior enlisted personnel, those with families and young kids, some of them on food stamps. This puts them in a terrible position, and commanders, instead of focusing on the mission and the threat, readiness and lethality now have to focus on how are their men and women in uniform going to put food on the table? Thankfully, Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth came up with a plan to pay the troops and that is happening mid-month. But it doesn&#8217;t last forever, so if Democrats keep up their shenanigans and keep up the shameful approach that they&#8217;re using and showing why they don&#8217;t really like the military, then I&#8217;m not sure that they&#8217;re going to get a paycheck on the next pay period.
Morning Wire: To be clear – they managed to pay everyone this time, but this isn&#8217;t something that can continue for weeks. 
Pfluger: Yeah, they&#8217;re pulling money out of other areas. I mean, the money that they&#8217;re using to pay the troops was probably intended to go to operations or readiness or things like that. It was not the bucket that Congress appropriated for military pay, personnel pay, so this isn&#8217;t going to last forever.
Morning Wire: Is there any way that Congress could ensure going forward that this doesn&#8217;t happen again, particularly with the military? Can we put in place emergency measures for how government shutdowns affect military members?
Pfluger: I sure hope so. I think there&#8217;s an appetite for that. And I&#8217;d go a step further. I would include Border Patrol. I would include law enforcement, federal law enforcement, all the agencies that are charged with keeping us safe, national security level agencies. I&#8217;d go a step further on that. But let me just say this. Where are my Democrat colleagues on the other side of the aisle who served in uniform? Where are they right now? Why are they not standing up and taking the stand and saying enough is enough? … I&#8217;d like to see a country where we come back together and we unite and do the right thing. I thought that was going to happen after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and, obviously, it hasn’t.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">DHS Says Cartels Threaten Federal Immigration Agents</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-986671" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Cartels-Target-ICE-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Cartels-Target-ICE-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Cartels-Target-ICE-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Cartels-Target-ICE-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Cartels-Target-ICE-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Cartels-Target-ICE.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Federal immigration agents carrying out President Trump&#8217;s immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago are facing mounting threats stemming from drug cartels in Mexico, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 
Intelligence on threats is coming into federal immigration agencies daily, an agent on the ground in Chicago told The Daily Wire. Mexican drug cartels are recruiting and operating within the city of Chicago to go after ICE and Border Patrol agents. 
DHS says cartels are offering up to $50,000 in bounties for the heads of federal officers. On top of that, they are recruiting leftist, anti-ICE agitators who have already been out in the streets, and they’re asking them to help.
According to DHS, cartels are placing armed spotters on top of rooftops in areas where ICE agents are making arrests, and the spotters mark the coordinates of ICE officers and Border Patrol agents and relay their whereabouts.
The threats: The latest allegedly involved a Latin Kings gang member. A leader of that gang was nabbed by the federal authorities in Chicago. He is accused of placing a bounty on the head of Operation Midway Blitz, Chief Gregory Bovino.
On Tuesday, Border Patrol agents were rammed by an illegal alien driver who also had an illegal alien passenger in his car. That brought an anti-ICE riot mob to one of the quiet neighborhoods in Chicago.
The riot forced federal authorities to deploy tear gas. Federal officials were targeted with rocks and other objects.
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Morning Brief: Trump’s Peace Plan Pivot, Troops Paid In Dem Shutdown, & Cartel Targets ICE Agents

Border Patrol

Cartels

Government Shutdown

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Media

Military

Russia

Ukraine

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

QUANTICO — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth looked into the eyes of hundreds of his top military leaders on Tuesday as he shared his new directives for the War Department — including the news that every military branch will ensure that requirements for combat positions return to &#8220;the highest male standard.&#8221;
&#8220;This job is life or death,&#8221; he emphasized. &#8220;Standards must be met &#8230; it&#8217;s common sense and core to who we are and what we do.&#8221;
The Secretary of War addressed a room filled with United States military leaders from around the world, while legacy media outlets fretted over the &#8220;unprecedented&#8221; gathering.
Hegseth&#8217;s remarks came shortly before the President of the United States arrived at the heavily guarded Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia. Trump&#8217;s arrival and remarks stood out as a strong show of support for the War Department&#8217;s changes, and both men conveyed a similar message to the assembled military brass: the Department of War&#8217;s mission is combat — &#8220;preparing for war and preparing to win.&#8221;
&#8220;We must be so strong that no nation will dare challenge us, so powerful that no enemy will dare threaten us, and so capable that no adversary can even think about beating us,&#8221; the president said Tuesday.
The Secretary of War was very clear as he spoke to the assembled military brass, striding up and down the stage in front of a massive American flag rather than standing behind the podium. The Daily Wire observed many of these U.S. military leaders taking notes during both Trump&#8217;s and Hegseth&#8217;s remarks.
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No longer will the War Department tolerate ideological standards or quotas or punish leaders for supposed &#8220;toxic&#8221; attitudes, Hegseth said. No more &#8220;identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses,&#8221; nor will it tolerate leadership that is not aligned with the War Department&#8217;s mission, he noted, pointing out to those present that he had fired some military leaders.
The ideology and lowered standards implemented during President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration are over, both Trump and Hegseth said.
&#8220;We&#8217;re done with that shit,&#8221; Hegseth said.
&#8220;Now we’re back,&#8221; promised Trump. &#8220;That’s it. We’re not gonna have any of that crap happen, I can tell you.”
<div id="attachment_978615" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-are-done-with-that-sht-trump-hegseth-demand-excellence-from-military-brass/president-trump-and-pete-hegseth-address-u-s-senior-military-leaders-at-quantico-2" rel="attachment wp-att-978615"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978615" class="wp-image-978615 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238296560-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238296560-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238296560-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238296560-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238296560.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025, in Quantico, Virginia. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)</div>
Hegseth repeatedly mentioned his concerns about lowered standards in the United States military, particularly when it comes to fitness and grooming, sharing that at his direction on Tuesday, every member of the Joint Force at every rank will be required to take a biannual PT test and to meet height and weight requirements for &#8220;every year of service.&#8221;
He even went so far as to call out leadership themselves on this issue: &#8220;It&#8217;s unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon, and leading all around the world. It&#8217;s a bad look, and it&#8217;s not who we are!&#8221;
&#8220;The best way to take care of troops is to give them good leaders committed to the war-fighting culture of the department,&#8221; he argued. &#8220;Not perfect leaders, but good leaders. Competent, qualified, professional, agile, aggressive, innovative, risk-taking, apolitical, faithful to their oath and the Constitution.&#8221;
He specifically noted that the fitness changes are not being made in order to weed women out of the armed forces.
“If women can make it, excellent,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If not, it is what it is&#8230;It will also mean that weak men won&#8217;t qualify, because we&#8217;re not playing games. This is combat. This is life or death.”
<div id="attachment_978631" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-are-done-with-that-sht-trump-hegseth-demand-excellence-from-military-brass/president-trump-and-pete-hegseth-address-u-s-senior-military-leaders-at-quantico-4" rel="attachment wp-att-978631"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978631" class="wp-image-978631 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238302943-865x576.jpg" alt="" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238302943-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238302943-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238302943-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238302943.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" /></a>U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025, in Quantico, Virginia.  (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)</div>
The War Secretary told the military brass: “If the words I’m saying today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.&#8221; But he suggested that many of them might be very enthused, very excited about the changes, eager to steer the Department of War back towards its original mission.
Both Trump and Hegseth were emphatic in their praise of the United States military and their hopes for the future. Trump told the gathered U.S. military leaders that the United States has &#8220;the greatest and most elite fighting force in the history of the world,&#8221; and he repeatedly touted the prowess and prestige of the military brass before him.
&#8220;In this effort, we&#8217;re a team and so my message to you today is simple: I am with you, I support you and, as president, I have your backs 100%,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;You&#8217;ll never see me waver a little bit&#8230; We are going to make our military stronger, tougher, faster, fiercer, and more powerful than it has ever been before.&#8221;
&#8220;There could be no higher honor than to serve as your Commander-in-Chief,&#8221; Trump promised. &#8220;To each and every one of you, I thank you for your unwavering devotion to the Armed Forces and the country we&#8217;ve all sworn a sacred oath to defend.&#8221;

President Trump And Pete Hegseth Address U.S. Senior Military Leaders At Quantico

‘We Are Done With That Sh*t’: Trump, Hegseth Demand Excellence From Military Brass

KNOB NOSTER, MISSOURI — President Donald Trump shocked the world with his announcement on the evening of Saturday, June 21: the United States had successfully attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, and the B-2 bombers who had completed this incredibly secretive mission were on their way home.
&#8220;Congratulations to our great American Warriors,&#8221; the president shared in a triumphant Truth Social post. &#8220;There is not another military in the World that could have done this.&#8221;
It was an incredible victory for Trump 2.0 in more ways than one: Operation Midnight Hammer had been executed without a single leak to the ever-eager White House or Pentagon press. But how, exactly, had this Hollywood-esque mission been accomplished? And who were the people who made it run so smoothly?
The Daily Wire ventured out to a small Missouri town called Knob Noster, which houses Whiteman Air Force Base, to learn about America&#8217;s most elusive bomber program: the 509th Bomb Wing, one of only two Air Force units to operate the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. This unit has the unique ability to launch their bombers straight from Missouri to any spot on the globe.
With rare access to pilots and commanders, The Daily Wire learned how a single mission—planned in silence and executed with breathtaking speed—reshaped the conversation about modern warfare through the largest B-2 strike in United States history.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IKa3RGP7-w4?si=zjhVUwaMvhJpnxKI" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Only 21 of these B-2 planes were ever made: one crashed and one was damaged, but the rest are housed at Whiteman Air Force Base, the only home of the B-2 stealth bomber. The concept of the plane was conceived back in 1979, at the height of the Cold War, when the United States military had planes that could drop bombs, planes that were stealth, and planes with long ranges, but none that could do all three of these things.
The Pentagon green-lighted a new program to create such planes in 1979, and by 1989, the B-2 Spirit was taking its first flight.
Thirty-six years later, the planes were an integral part of Operation Midnight Hammer. On June 21, 2025, a squadron of B-2 stealth bombers took off from Whiteman, loaded with 420,000 pounds of advanced bunker-busting bombs, headed for Iran. Some went west over the Pacific as part of a deception mission, but seven bombers headed east, flying 7,000 miles towards Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities.
The trip involved mid-air refueling — one of the most difficult aspects, explained Colonel Jared Kennish, a B-2 pilot closely involved in the mission and commander of the 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri National Guard at Whiteman. And though the B-2&#8217;s flying wings are actually giant fuel tanks capable of holding tens of thousands of gallons of jet fuel, Operation Midnight Hammer involved six refuels. The wings hold roughly 160,000 pounds of fuel, which is enough to keep a B-2 airborne for about 6,000 miles without having to stop for a refuel.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very easy to fly,&#8221; Kennish explained. &#8220;Probably the most difficult part is air refueling.&#8221;
Asked if it was easy for things to go wrong during refueling, Kennish responded: &#8220;It&#8217;s always easy for things to go wrong, but I mean, we train for that. That&#8217;s what we do. Over and over, repetitions, simulators, [flight] training hours, and everything else.&#8221;
&#8220;What&#8217;s unique about the B-2 is the fact that really the only aircraft in the world that provides stealth payload and precision anywhere in the world,&#8221; he shared. &#8220;We can be anywhere in the world, strike precision weapons within minutes, with the time and place of our choosing.&#8221;
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The Daily Wire learned that during Operation Midnight Hammer, each B-2 was burning roughly 100 pounds of jet fuel every 10 seconds. To put that in the context of the five-gallon gas cans used for a lawn mower, every 10 seconds, a single B-2 loaded with bombs burned through three gas cans. And since the planes were in the air for 37 hours, each of the B-2s in Operation Midnight Hammer burned about 200,000 gallons. So the mission used at least 1.4 million gallons for the seven B-2s alone.
That&#8217;s enough gas for a Toyota Camry to go around the world 2,193 times.
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The B-2s entered Iranian airspace at around 6 pm Eastern time, and forty minutes later, six of them had hit their first target as they dropped six bombs (the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP) into the two main ventilation shafts at the Fordo Mountain uranium enrichment facility. The seventh B-2 dropped two more bombs on the Natanz nuclear facility, protected by a 25-foot-thick concrete shield.
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Chief Master Sergeant Frank Espinoza, whose team loaded the bombs onto the planes before the mission, showed The Daily Wire an example of the &#8220;MOP&#8221; at Whiteman, sharing that the bombs produce an overpressure phenomenon that sends shock waves deep into the ground. The MOP is designed to detonate only after it pierces through rock and reaches its underground target.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a 30,000-pound munition,&#8221; Espinoza shared. &#8220;It&#8217;s meant to penetrate hardened targets and it&#8217;s pretty accurate&#8230;If we want to hit any place anywhere on the planet, we&#8217;re going to do it.&#8221;
&#8220;No other country has this type of bomber or this type of munition,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;It was specifically designed for that target, 15 years to develop this specifically. This is the first time that the MOP was used in combat and we used 14 of them and they all worked as advertised.&#8221;
Colonel Joshua Wiitala, commander of the 509th bomb wing, oversees the B-2 program at Whiteman, and oversaw Operation Midnight Hammer. He described watching the pilots return from Operation Midnight Hammer, flying over the heads of their breathless families, who had gathered at the base once news broke of the daring mission. These families didn&#8217;t know that their pilot family member was going when he or she left the day before, Wiitala shared, but they were used to these types of procedures.
&#8220;When it was announced that the mission had happened, the family started to find out that that was the case. A lot of them gathered here on base. We brought them out to the flight line, and when the jets recovered, there were families cheering for them. They pitched out over the base, right over top of their families.&#8221;
&#8220;I would say the biggest moment for me ever as a commander, and really the biggest moment of my career, was when I knew they were safe,&#8221; he said. &#8220;When I knew they were in safe airspace and they had accomplished the mission, that&#8217;s when the emotions really started to flow, to be honest.&#8221;
His pilots didn&#8217;t seem nervous when they took off, Wiitala said. They were &#8220;very excited.&#8221;
&#8220;They understood that this was going to be one of the most consequential raids of our lifetime.&#8221;
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How To Win A War In 37 Hours: Daily Wire Goes Inside Whiteman Air Force Base

Air Force

Iran

WASHINGTON — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will address his senior military leaders next week, The Daily Wire has learned, amid buzz from legacy media outlets suggesting a &#8220;rare, urgent meeting of hundreds of generals&#8221; and admirals.
The news came after The Washington Post reported that Hegseth had ordered hundreds of United States military leaders to gather quickly and without explanation — claiming that the move is &#8220;sowing confusion and alarm after the Trump administration’s firing of numerous senior leaders this year.&#8221;
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell shared in a statement to The Daily Wire on Thursday that the Secretary of War will be &#8220;addressing his senior military leaders early next week.”
The Washington Post, which frequently reports critically on Hegseth&#8217;s Pentagon, claimed that Hegseth&#8217;s &#8220;overly political moves have deepened a sense of distress among his opponents,&#8221; critics who are reportedly alarmed that Hegseth is &#8220;erasing the Defense Department’s status as a nonpartisan institution.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_976971" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-to-convene-military-brass-at-virginia-summit/president-trump-attends-pentagon-ceremony-on-24th-anniversary-of-9-11-3" rel="attachment wp-att-976971"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-976971" class="wp-image-976971 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2234860930-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2234860930-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2234860930-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2234860930-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2234860930.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during a September 11th observance event in the courtyard of the Pentagon September 11, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
On Thursday afternoon, asked about the Washington Post report, President Donald Trump told a reporter: &#8220;Why is that such a big deal? The fact that we are getting along with the generals and admirals?&#8221;
The president pushed back on the framing of the reporter&#8217;s question, suggesting that the meeting only portended good things.
&#8220;Remember, I&#8217;m the president of peace,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s good to get along. You act like this is a bad thing. Isn&#8217;t it nice that people are coming from all over the world to be with us?&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance chimed in: &#8220;It&#8217;s not particularly unusual that generals who report to the Secretary of War and then to the President of the United States, are coming to speak with the Secretary of War. It&#8217;s actually not unusual at all, and I think it&#8217;s odd that you guys have made it into such a big story.&#8221;
&#8220;Is it a big story?&#8221; asked the president, to laughs from his vice president and other officials in the room. &#8220;Isn&#8217;t it a good story?&#8221;

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Hosts Canada’s Defense Minister David McGuinty At The Pentagon

Secretary Of War Pete Hegseth To Convene Military Brass At Virginia Summit

Executive

U.S. Military

WASHINGTON—The Department of War is implementing new guidelines for what parts of the Pentagon are accessible to the press.
In a memo first obtained by The Daily Wire, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell shared “updated physical control measures for press/media access within the Pentagon.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had initially shared this information in May, but the Thursday memo implements those directives, requiring credentialed media to sign new documents essentially renewing the guidelines for access to the building.
Previously, Pentagon press had very easy access to the premises, an official close to the situation told The Daily Wire. Reporters could traverse the building much like the press can access the United States Capitol, and easily observe generals or high-ranking officials visiting with the Secretary of War or entering classified meeting rooms, allowing reporters to easily publicize the inner workings of the Pentagon.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We’re announcing additional credentialing procedures for press at the Pentagon in the interest of national security. <a href="https://t.co/2fQA4z7AsO">pic.twitter.com/2fQA4z7AsO</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1926020350191567308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“All members of the press issued a Pentagon Facility Alternate Credential (PFAC), will be required to read and sign a new in&#8211;brief form outlining information security requirements, the new physical control measures, and Department of War expectations of their compliance with safety and security requirements,” the memo states. It notes that in addition to the “Additional Press Identifier Badge,” the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) will start issuing new PFACS to the press in the coming weeks, giving priority to resident members of the media through September 30, and non-resident members of the media beginning October 1, 2025.
“These new PFACS will have ‘PRESS’ clearly imprinted on them in red letters both vertically and horizontally to assist in identifying members of the press,” the memo states. 
The Department of War requests the assistance of the media in making sure that all their staff are “aware of the physical control measures, including the requirement to provide escorts for any media coming into your spaces for approved interviews.” The memo also notes that  if any DOW personnel “see any news media outside of the areas depicted in Appendix D that do not have an escort, they should direct them back to the designated no&#8211;escort required areas and alert the Pentagon Press Operations office.” 
“Up until now, the press could wander all around the Pentagon with no oversight,” Parnell explained in May. “Even outside of sensitive/classified areas. So moving forward, they’ll need an escort to access those areas. They still have access to the entire defense press office, the press secretary &amp; my office, as well as much of the rest of the building. These are pragmatic changes to protect operational security &amp; ultimately brings the Pentagon in line with other government buildings.”
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Up until now, the press could wander all around the Pentagon with no oversight. Even outside of sensitive/classified areas. 
So moving forward, they’ll need an escort to access those areas. 
They still have access to the entire defense press office, the press secretary &amp; my office,… <a href="https://t.co/usJjF6HBSs">https://t.co/usJjF6HBSs</a>
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanParnellASW/status/1926030906520674413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
The move is likely to spark outrage from some corners of the media. Reporters from the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Aviation Week protested back in May, and a CBS News <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/1932566203274350866">reporter suggested</a> that the measure was “aimed at making the Pentagon as difficult to cover as possible.”
“The next step is to ban reporters entirely from the Pentagon,” suggested CBS’s Dan Martin at the time.
“Such a stupid narrative,” Parnell fired back at the time. “Here’s the policy in a nutshell: Wear a media credential. Have an escort for sensitive areas. Just like every other U.S. military base on planet Earth. That’s it.”

President Trump Attends Pentagon Ceremony On 24th Anniversary Of 9/11

Department Of War Implements New Guidelines For Media Access At The Pentagon

The Pentagon is tracking the social media accounts of service members and War Department employees for messages celebrating or mocking the death of GOP activist Charlie Kirk.
War Chief Pete Hegseth said in a post on social media Thursday that his department would hold accountable those under its pay who have posted offensive messages about Kirk’s assassination earlier this week.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Thursday: “It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American. The Department of War has zero tolerance for it.”
Hegseth responded to the post: “We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable. <a href="https://t.co/9weALT5Pb7">https://t.co/9weALT5Pb7</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1966274615975739604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
After Kirk was murdered by an assassin on Wednesday, some parts of social media were flooded with messages mocking the Turning Point USA founder and celebrating the 31-year-old’s death.
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is one of the most notable figures to bash Kirk after his murder. The congresswoman from Minnesota <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/social-media-erupts-squad-dems-interview-after-charlie-kirk-assassination-needs-resign">claimed</a> during an interview with Mehdi Hasan this week that Kirk “was willing to debate and downplay the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police … downplay slavery and what black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth should never exist.”
Omar said she has “empathy” for Kirk’s widow and children, but not for the conservative activist.
Others have faced consequences for making similar statements, such as former Middle Tennessee State University Associate Dean of Students Laura Sosh-Lightsy, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-university-dean-fired-after-saying-she-had-no-sympathy-for-charlie-kirk">wrote</a> on social media: “Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy.”
Sosh-Lightsy was fired on Wednesday.
Hegseth’s promise to hold those under the Department of War to a standard of civility over Kirk’s death comes after the DeSantis administration in Florida threatened similar action against educators who openly celebrate Kirk’s death on social media.
Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-pledges-to-hold-teachers-accountable-who-celebrate-charlie-kirks-death">sent</a> a memo to educators across the state warning that he “will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”

Hegseth ‘Closely’ Tracking Posts Celebrating Charlie Kirk Murder From Military

Charlie Kirk

Murder

President Donald Trump signed an order on Friday, changing the name of the Department of Defense back to the Department of War, arguing that the rebrand marks an important change in America&#8217;s view of foreign conflict.
Trump and renamed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in the Oval Office that the rebrand points back to an era in American history when U.S. forces focused on decisive victory. The War Department was established in 1789 after America won the War for Independence, but the name changed to the Department of Defense in 1949, following decades of victories, including in World War I and World War II.
Trump said that the change to Defense Department was evidence of the United States going &#8220;woke.&#8221;
&#8220;So we won the first World War, we won the second World War, we won everything before that and in between. And then we decided to go woke and we changed the name to Department of Defense. So, we&#8217;re going Department of War,&#8221; Trump said.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;We won the first World War. We won the second World War. We won everything before that and in between — and then we decided to go woke and we changed the name to Department of Defense. So, we&#8217;re going Department of War.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Vct6X3L9JU">pic.twitter.com/Vct6X3L9JU</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1964063136643678641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I think it sends a message of victory,&#8221; Trump added of the name change. &#8220;I think it sends really a message of strength. We&#8217;re very strong. We&#8217;re much stronger than anyone would really understand.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the message sent by bringing back the Department of War: &#8220;I think it sends a message of victory&#8230; really a message of strength — we&#8217;re very strong. We&#8217;re much stronger than anyone would really understand.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/v8q3Rzmbg3">pic.twitter.com/v8q3Rzmbg3</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1964065397050679584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Secretary of War Hegseth said that the United States has &#8220;not won a major war since&#8221; the Department of War changed to the Department of Defense.
&#8220;And that&#8217;s not to disparage our war fighters who, whether it&#8217;s the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or our generation of Iraq and Afghanistan,&#8221; Hegseth added. &#8220;That&#8217;s to recognize that this name change is not just about renaming — it&#8217;s about restoring. Words matter. It&#8217;s restoring, as you&#8217;ve guided us to, Mr. President, restoring the warrior ethos, restoring victory and clarity as an end state.&#8221;
Trump said that the U.S. military has always remained &#8220;very strong,&#8221; but added that in modern times, &#8220;We just never fought to win.&#8221;
&#8220;We didn&#8217;t lose anything, but we didn&#8217;t fight to win,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We could&#8217;ve won every one of those wars quickly, but they went a route that I think was probably politically correct, but not correct for our nation, so I think the Department of War sends a signal.&#8221;
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine, who was also by Trump&#8217;s side in the Oval Office, told the president, &#8220;The mission you and the secretary have given us is clear and unambiguous — to deliver peace through overwhelming strength. And I remind everyone that the U.S. military can reach any adversary at the time and place of our choosing.&#8221;
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine: &#8220;Mr. President&#8230; America&#8217;s military is the single most powerful fighting force in the world. The mission you and <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a> have given us is clear and unambiguous — to deliver peace, through overwhelming STRENGTH.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/WQHeMNjghn">pic.twitter.com/WQHeMNjghn</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1964063441594773557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump Makes Department Of War Rebrand Official, Explains Why He’s Reverting To Old Name

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