A conservative social media personality known for his outspoken support of President Donald Trump has landed a new role in the administration.
Nick Adams, an Australian-American commentator who frequently describes himself online as Trump’s “favorite author,” announced Tuesday that he has been appointed as “special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism, and values.”
The role comes after Adams’ reported nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to Malaysia fell apart in recent months. “President Trump has appointed Nick Adams to the position of Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values,” Adams wrote on <a href="https://x.com/NickAdamsinUSA/status/2036397725785178306">X</a>. “In this role, Mr. Adams will play a vital role in revitalizing America’s diplomatic position as a beacon of free speech, the freedom to worship, and a land of unlimited opportunity.”
Adams said he is “beyond honored” to serve, adding that he looks forward to acting as “America’s brand Ambassador” on the global stage.
“With America 250, the FIFA World Cup, and the Olympics coming up, the world needs to be reminded of all we have to offer,” he wrote. “I will be a tireless spokesman for American greatness, at home and abroad.”
In a video posted to social media, Adams expanded on that message, calling the appointment “the honor of a lifetime” and pledging to “reignite a love for America at home and relight the sacred beacon atop the shining city on a hill for the entire world to see.”
“The United States is a nation that, since its inception, was destined for greatness,” Adams said, adding that his role would be to ensure “the story of American greatness” is told around the world. He concluded, “Mr. President, I look forward to serving you in this vital role &#8230; I am now a deputy whose job it is to spread the message of American greatness and all it represents. Thank you, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.”
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It will be my honor to serve this country as Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values.
I am deeply grateful for President Trump’s continued friendship and confidence in me to serve in this critical role.
I will thrust forward into this role… <a href="https://t.co/OYVwZjTxwv">pic.twitter.com/OYVwZjTxwv</a>
— Nick Adams (@NickAdamsinUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickAdamsinUSA/status/2036405164081553442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In a statement to The Daily Wire, Adams emphasized the administration’s focus on upcoming international events. “The President wants me to let the world know we are ready to welcome them to celebrate with us,” Adams said. “No one can put on a better show than this President. As the world knows, America does everything bigger and better.”
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Adams is “an America First patriot who will represent our country well as we celebrate our Nation’s 250th anniversary of independence,” adding that the administration looks forward to working with him to “showcase and advance America’s excellence across the world stage.”
Adams rose to national prominence in conservative circles through his prolific social media presence, where he has built a following with a loudly pro-Trump persona and frequent commentary on American culture and politics.
His appointment to a newly-created envoy role highlights the administration’s continued focus on promoting American identity and influence abroad ahead of a series of major international events, including the country’s 250th anniversary, the FIFA World Cup, and the Olympic Games, where the United States is expected to take center stage.

Nick Adams

Trump Picks ‘Alpha Male’ Nick Adams To Be America’s New Brand Ambassador

Australia

Executive

Politics

Social Media

Trump Administration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents have mixed reactions to President Donald Trump&#8217;s plan to deploy them to airports to assist TSA during the partial government shutdown.
Trump announced the plan Saturday to begin the effort Monday in the hopes of reducing airport security wait times as TSA officers report massive staff shortages as they continue to go unpaid.
Multiple Department of Homeland Security sources told The Daily Wire that there&#8217;s word that the deployment will consist of agents from Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of ICE whose mission goes beyond just investigating immigration-related crimes. HSI special agents are tasked with child exploitation cases, cybercrimes, and the smuggling of antiquities.
They also maintain offices at several major airports across the United States, sources said.
One ICE source said they &#8220;wouldn&#8217;t mind&#8221; helping TSA, adding, &#8220;However, a lot of us have reached our overtime caps.&#8221;
&#8220;They would need to provide waivers &#8230; I don&#8217;t think it would jeopardize field arrests if that happens,&#8221; the source added.
A second ICE source emphatically said, &#8220;I&#8217;ll go.&#8221;
In response to a postal worker strike in 1970, President Richard Nixon deployed hundreds of soldiers with the Army, National Guard, Army Reserve, Air National Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Reserve to deliver Americans&#8217; mail.
An ICE source said Trump should do the same.
&#8220;I think the National Guard or military reserves are better suited,&#8221; the source said.
Two recently-retired ICE officials also expressed their opposition.
&#8220;This is the problem. ICE are the tool that gets thrown around to do everything other than their job,&#8221; one of the retired officials said.
Another called Trump&#8217;s plan &#8220;profoundly misguided and reckless.&#8221;
&#8220;TSA officers receive specialized, intensive training in passenger screening, threat detection, and the use of advanced equipment training that ICE personnel, despite their excellence in interior enforcement, do not possess,&#8221; the retired officer said.
&#8220;Redirecting ICE agents from their current, highly effective operations where they maintain a proven rhythm in arresting and detaining those unlawfully present would undermine both airport security standards and nationwide immigration priorities,&#8221; the former fed added.
Another officer expressed concern with the optics as they&#8217;re increasingly perceived as “the gestapo” who are &#8220;harassing U.S. citizens.&#8221;
Trump tasked his border czar, Tom Homan, with leading the airport deployment.
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Tom Homan says he’s working on the plan to deploy ICE agents to assist TSA at airports starting tomorrow. One area he said they’ll be able to help is monitoring airport exits, saying “I don‘t see an ICE agent looking at an x-ray machine because they‘re not trained in that.” <a href="https://t.co/fEgdBs8XAv">pic.twitter.com/fEgdBs8XAv</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2035718654591914214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On Sunday, the former ICE director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-homan-lays-out-what-americans-can-expect-as-ice-moves-into-airports-monday?author=Frank+Camp&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Tom+Homan+Lays+Out+What+Americans+Can+Expect+As+ICE+Moves+Into+Airports+Monday">told CNN</a> he&#8217;s working with the TSA administrator and ICE director to get a plan in place &#8220;by the end of today.&#8221;
&#8220;The ICE agents are assigned at many airports across the country already and they do a lot of criminal investigations on smuggling at airports. You&#8217;ve got TSA agents covering exits, people that enter through the exits, you know, surely a highly trained ICE law enforcement officer can cover an exit &#8230; that would leave that TSA officer to go to screening and to reduce those lines,&#8221; Homan said.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine because they&#8217;re not trained in that. There&#8217;s certain parts of security that TSA&#8217;s doing that we can move them off those jobs and put them in the specialized jobs to help move those lines,&#8221; he added.

US-POLITICS-SHUTDOWN-TSA

What Do ICE Officers Really Think Of Trump’s Plan To Deploy Agents For Airport Security?

Airports

Donald Trump

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S.

President Donald Trump took no time taking shots at Robert Mueller, who died at the age of 81, his family announced on Saturday.
“With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away last night. His family asks that their privacy be respected,” the family said in a statement. Mueller had reportedly been suffering from Parkinson’s disease, though an official cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
But within minutes of the announcement, attention shifted from Mueller to President Trump’s reaction.
In a blunt post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
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The post immediately ignited outrage across media and political circles, with critics seizing on the tone and substance of the statement.
MSNBC commentator David Corn framed Mueller as a principled figure undermined by Trump-era politics, “Robert Mueller was an honorable public servant,” Corn said. “He just never understood what he was up against with the Russia investigation: Trump&#8217;s virulent, unprincipled, and unrelenting disinformation campaign. RIP.”
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Robert Mueller was an honorable public servant. He just never understood what he was up against with the Russia investigation: Trump&#8217;s virulent, unprincipled, and unrelenting disinformation campaign. RIP
— David Corn (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:mtr3pwmbnirvyp3robuicd57?ref_src=embed">@davidcorn.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:mtr3pwmbnirvyp3robuicd57/post/3mhlkgxenuk2r?ref_src=embed">March 21, 2026 at 1:26 PM</a></blockquote>
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Former cable host Keith Olbermann responded even more aggressively. “Predictable really. Trump is the worst person in the history of the United States of America. Period,” Olbermann <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/olbermann.bsky.social/post/3mhll7rwpns2v">wrote</a>, before adding in a <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/olbermann.bsky.social/post/3mhllgqnm7c2v">follow-up post</a> that Trump’s reaction suggested “even Trump knows Mueller DID NOT clear him.”
“Trump is always classy,” <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/timobrien.bsky.social/post/3mhllsjlqic2p">said</a> Tim O&#8217;Brien, senior editor of opinion for Bloomberg, adding, “Mueller was right and I still have a bromance with Putin.”
Before rising through the ranks of federal law enforcement, Mueller served as a Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War, where he was awarded both a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat.
He later built a reputation as a steady institutional figure, ultimately being tapped by George W. Bush to lead the FBI just days before the September 11 attacks. Over a 12-year tenure, Mueller reshaped the bureau’s priorities toward counterterrorism and intelligence gathering in the wake of 9/11, serving under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Mueller returned to public life as special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election—an inquiry that would define his public legacy and fuel years of political division.
His 448-page report, released in April 2019, detailed numerous contacts between individuals tied to the Trump campaign and Russian actors, but did not allege a criminal conspiracy.
At the same time, the report outlined episodes in which Trump sought to influence or curtail the investigation, including efforts to assert control over it. Mueller ultimately declined to make a prosecutorial judgment on obstruction of justice, citing longstanding Department of Justice guidance against indicting a sitting president. Trump has maintained that the investigation fully exonerated him, a claim that remained a point of contention long after the report’s release.
Mueller’s death, and the immediate reaction to it, underscored the extent to which his legacy remains deeply polarizing. For many Trump allies, he remains tied to an investigation they view as politically motivated and unfairly damaging. Trump’s response ensured that, even in death, Mueller’s name remains at the center of one of the most contentious chapters in modern American politics.

US-politics-investigation-Russia

Trump Reacts To Death Of Robert Mueller, Sparks Media Firestorm

Robert Mueller

PALM BEACH — President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to move Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents &#8220;to the airports&#8221; unless Democrats quickly come to an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
The president spoke up in a Truth Social post Saturday in Palm Beach, where he spent the morning golfing. His threat comes as more than 300 TSA officers have quit their jobs, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsa-absences-double-shutdown-300-quit-airport-security-lines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>, and while TSA officers have begun calling out at increasing rates, causing long security lines across the nation.
&#8220;The Radical Left Democrats have hurt so many people with their vicious and uncaring ways. What they have done to the Department of Homeland Security, our fantastic TSA Officers, and, most importantly, the great people of our Country, is an absolute disgrace. If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!&#8221; the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116268396341038197">began</a>, later adding, &#8220;I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, &#8216;GET READY.'&#8221;
&#8220;If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before,&#8221; vowed Trump in an earlier Truth Social post.
ICE&#8217;s work would include, according to the president, &#8220;the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1063659" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-deploy-ice-to-airports-if-democrats-wont-fund-dhs/unpaid-tsa-officers-cause-lengthy-security-lines-at-newark-airport" rel="attachment wp-att-1063659"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1063659" class="wp-image-1063659 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267244797.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267244797.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267244797-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267244797-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267244797-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>Travelers wait in long security lines at Newark Liberty International Airport as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers work without pay during a busy travel weekend on March 21, 2026. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;I look forward to seeing ICE in action at our Airports,&#8221; the president concluded.
Early Saturday morning, billionaire Elon Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-offers-to-pay-tsa-salaries-as-dhs-shutdown-drags-on?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Elon+Musk+Offers+To+Pay+TSA+Salaries+As+DHS+Shutdown+Drags+On">offered</a> to personally cover the salaries of the TSA agents who are working without pay due to the shutdown.
“I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country,” Musk said Saturday.
The White House didn&#8217;t immediately respond to a request for comment on the topic.
As the shutdown continues, officers are reporting that they are struggling to cover basic expenses, including rent and childcare, according to the Department of Homeland Security. One TSA officer faces eviction after missing his first full paycheck, and another, who is a cancer patient, is unable to keep up with insurance copays.
Some TSA officers are even sleeping in their cars at the airport, The Daily Wire has learned, in order to save on gas money and other costs while they continue to work without pay.
The surge in unscheduled absences is due in part to TSA officers taking second jobs to make ends meet, DHS shared. Many workers had not yet recovered from the last two shutdowns, since this is the third shutdown they have faced during the past 15 months.

President Trump Spends Weekend At Mar-a-Lago In Palm Beach

Trump Threatens To Deploy ICE To Airports If Democrats Won’t Fund DHS

Department of Homeland Security

Elon Musk

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signaled a potential seismic shift in American foreign policy, questioning why the United States continues to shoulder the burden of policing the Strait of Hormuz for nations that refuse to support its strategic objectives.
&#8220;I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Strait?’&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!&#8221;
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The president’s comments highlight a glaring disparity: while the U.S. Navy has historically secured the waterway, the primary beneficiaries are Asian and European powers. China leads the pack, importing 38% of the oil transiting the strait, followed by India (15%), Japan (90% of its total crude), and South Korea. Meanwhile, Middle Eastern exporters like Kuwait and Qatar remain entirely or heavily dependent on the passage.
Despite this reliance, several European allies have refused to assist the United States in the current regional conflict. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/16/europe-donald-trump-strait-hormuz-iran"> stated</a> definitively, &#8220;We will not do so,&#8221; while Spain has gone as far as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/spain-denies-united-states-permission-military-bases-iran-pedro-sanchez">blocking</a> American forces from using its bases for operations against Tehran. <a href="https://www.military.com/feature/2026/03/15/italy-says-it-will-not-join-iran-war-and-begins-pulling-back-troops.html">Italy</a> and Greece have similarly declined military participation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been particularly defiant. After the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iranian targets in late February, Macron labeled the actions &#8220;outside the framework of international law.&#8221; On Tuesday, he <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/03/france-will-never-take-part-operations-unblock-hormuz-strait-amid-hostilities">doubled down</a>, declaring France is &#8220;not a party to the conflict&#8230; will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the  current context.&#8221; While Macron deployed the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the region, he insists it is for a &#8220;European-led&#8221; mission independent of Washington&#8217;s command.
Even the United Kingdom has hesitated, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/03/18/pbcq-m18.html">stating</a> the UK will not be drawn into &#8220;the wider war.&#8221; Only Poland and the Baltic states have offered firm political backing, citing Iran’s military ties to Russia.
This lack of cooperation has forced regional exporters to scramble for alternatives. Saudi Arabia has <a href="https://energynewsbeat.co/saudi-arabias-pipeline-investment-pays-off/">boosted</a> its East-West Pipeline capacity to 7 million barrels per day (bpd), though effective export capacity at the Red Sea port of Yanbu remains capped at 3–4 million bpd. The UAE’s ADCOP pipeline to Fujairah is running at a maximum of 1.8 million bpd but has faced drone threats. Iraq, which recently signed a deal to resume exports through Turkey at a modest 250,000 bpd, remains largely paralyzed.
With 20 million barrels per day typically transiting the strait, the current bypasses are woefully insufficient. Trump’s message is clear: if the nations most dependent on this oil — and the &#8220;allies&#8221; who benefit from U.S. protection — refuse to stand with America against the &#8220;Iranian Terror State,&#8221; they may soon find themselves responsible for their own security in the world’s most dangerous chokepoint.

President Donald Trump Meets With German Chancellor Friedrich Merz At The White House

Trump Warns Allies: Help Fight Iran Or Secure The Strait of Hormuz Yourself

France

Germany

Global Politics

Iran

Strait of Hormuz

United Kingdom

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday establishing a new federal task force aimed at combating fraud in government benefit programs, with Vice President JD Vance set to lead the initiative.
The new body, formally titled the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, will coordinate a government-wide effort to investigate and prevent fraud affecting programs administered jointly by federal, state, and local governments, including housing, food assistance, and health care benefits.
According to administration officials, the task force will develop a national strategy to identify vulnerabilities in government benefit systems and implement stronger safeguards such as identity verification requirements, documentation standards, and audits designed to prevent abuse.
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&#8220;This is a very big thing that we’re doing&#8230; having to do with all of the fraud that’s taking place in our country.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> prepares to sign an Executive Order establishing a <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>-led task force to root out fraud, as outlined in his State of the Union address. <a href="https://t.co/5tSg93E1Io">pic.twitter.com/5tSg93E1Io</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2033638488864587776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, will serve as vice chair of the task force, while White House adviser Stephen Miller will act as senior adviser. Cabinet-level officials will participate as needed depending on the programs under review.
The effort is part of a broader “war on fraud” designed to root out large-scale scams that divert taxpayer money away from programs intended to assist vulnerable Americans. “In states across the country, fraudsters are depriving vulnerable citizens of basic social services, stealing billions of your tax dollars, and eroding America’s social fabric,” a spokesperson for Vance told the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/16/us-news/trump-to-formally-name-vance-chair-of-fraud-task-force-with-these-states-in-crosshairs/">New York Post</a>. “This fraud has happened on such a massive scale that it’s endangering the future viability of America’s entire social safety net.”
The order comes amid heightened scrutiny of fraud in government-funded programs, including a major scandal in Minnesota involving fraudulent claims tied to nutrition and autism care services that has resulted in dozens of criminal indictments. Officials say the administration believes similar vulnerabilities may exist in states including California, Illinois, New York, Maine, and Colorado.
The task force is also being launched as the administration moves to strengthen federal enforcement efforts. Trump recently nominated Colin Macdonald to serve as the Justice Department’s first assistant attorney general focused specifically on fraud enforcement.
Earlier this year, Vance and Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, announced that $259.5 million in Medicaid reimbursements for Minnesota would be withheld amid fraud concerns, giving Gov. Tim Walz 60 days to submit a corrective action plan.
Vance also announced a nationwide pause on certain companies seeking Medicare subsidies for durable medical equipment such as canes and walkers, while federal officials review the program for potential abuse.
Outside watchdog groups praised the move as a necessary step to address waste and fraud in government programs. “The State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF) salutes President Trump for ordering the creation of this task force and stands ready to support him and the Vice President as key allies already on the battlefield,” said OJ Oleka, CEO of SFOF.
Oleka pointed to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-report-contrasts-minnesota-fraud-with-big-wins-for-red-state-taxpayers">recent report</a> from the group showing that 40 conservative state treasurers, auditors, and comptrollers recovered roughly $28 billion in taxpayer funds from waste, fraud, and abuse in 2025 alone. “Our fiscal watchdogs are on the frontlines of this fight in the states,” Oleka said. “Their successful oversight should serve as a model for this task force as it works to expose and eradicate fraud nationwide.”
The administration says the new task force will coordinate closely with state financial officials and federal agencies as it develops its national anti-fraud strategy, which Trump officials argue is critical to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring public benefit programs remain sustainable for future generations.

US President Donald Trump, alongside Vice President JD Vance

Trump Launches ‘War On Fraud,’ Taps Vance To Lead Fed Crackdown On Benefits Scams

Fraud

JD Vance

President Donald Trump warned Sunday that NATO&#8217;s future could be at risk if the alliance does not help the United States secure the Strait of Hormuz. 
The comment came as Trump said that he had started reaching out to other countries for help keeping the strait safe from Iranian attacks. Iran has vowed to keep the strait, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes, closed while the war continues. 
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1ca6d121-760b-4ec5-b6ad-514fdaa94873">told</a> the Financial Times. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
Trump echoed those sentiments while flying back to Washington, D.C., on Sunday evening. 
“We are talking to other countries about working with us on the policing of the strait and I think we&#8217;re getting a good response. If we do, that&#8217;s great. And if we don&#8217;t, that&#8217;s great, too,” Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLKD2ulnBF4">told</a> reporters. 
He added that he would like to see NATO step in because of the funding the United States has provided for Ukraine. 
“We&#8217;re always there for NATO. We&#8217;re helping them win Ukraine,” Trump said. “Doesn’t affect us, but we&#8217;ve helped them. It’ll be interesting to see what country wouldn&#8217;t help us with a very small endeavor, which is just keeping the strait open.”
Trump said asking NATO to step in was “small” by comparison because Iran &#8220;has very little firepower left.”
“Really I&#8217;m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory. It&#8217;s the place from which they get their energy and they should come and they should help us protect it,” Trump said. 
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas <a href="https://abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/eu-weighs-action-strait-hormuz-open-131109449">said</a> Monday the bloc was “discussing” what it could do regarding the strait because it was in Europe&#8217;s interest to keep it open. 
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that he was looking to assist “a viable collective plan” to reopen the strait. He said that the United Kingdom would “not be drawn into the wider war.”
Iran again vowed Monday to keep the strait closed. 
“The Strait of Hormuz will not be open to any country intending to harm Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said. “The armed forces are controlling the transit, and no country will be able to use the Strait of Hormuz to strike against Iran.”
Trump also said he would like to see China get involved and take a role in securing the strait. He noted that China gets roughly 90% of its oil through the strait. Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. 
Global benchmark Brent crude oil rose above $100 per barrel on Monday morning, climbing as high as $106.27. Gas prices across the United States have also risen, with the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com">national average</a> increasing to $3.71 per gallon from $2.92 a month ago.

President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump Host Women’s History Month Event At The White House

Trump Warns NATO’s Future Could Be ‘Very Bad’ If Allies Refuse To Help Secure Strait Of Hormuz

China

Gas Prices

NATO

Operation Epic Fury

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Friday aimed at slashing regulations that have slowed home-building and complicated the lending process as the president zeroes in on his house affordability agenda.
One <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/removing-regulatory-barriers-to-affordable-home-construction/">order</a> seeks to take federal regulatory burdens off of homebuilders, streamline federal permitting for housing developments, and develop regulatory best practices for state and local governments to follow. The other <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/promoting-access-to-mortgage-credit/">order</a> would &#8220;improve the availability and affordability of mortgage credit&#8221; and ease regulations that have especially affected local lenders, such as community banks, according to the White House.
&#8220;It is the policy of my Administration to reduce regulatory barriers to building homes and to steward taxpayer dollars in a manner that promotes housing affordability,&#8221; one of the orders states.
Trump&#8217;s move to address housing affordability comes as the White House focuses on tackling economic issues ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Housing costs remain on the forefront of many Americans&#8217; minds after prices jumped in the years after the COVID pandemic, when construction significantly slowed.
&#8220;The American dream of homeownership depends on a dynamic housing market in which a varied inventory of new homes is built and renovated each year,&#8221; Trump&#8217;s executive order added. &#8220;Layers of unnecessary regulatory barriers, slow permitting processes, and onerous mandates at all levels of government have delayed construction, restricted development, and driven up the costs of new housing. These constraints have made housing less affordable for many Americans.&#8221;
On Thursday, the Senate easily <a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-housing-congress-bipartisan-8c15c9600bf0bd40e2420785aa5af20c">passed</a> legislation that would ease regulations and prevent corporations from buying single-family homes. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who sponsored the bill alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), called the bill &#8220;consequential legislation that makes it easier to become a homeowner.&#8221; The Senate bill would also streamline environmental reviews and inspections, which would likely speed up the homebuilding process.
The bill, which passed 89-10 in the Senate, now heads to the House, where it faces an unknown future. Leaders in the House, which passed similar legislation earlier this year, have expressed opposition to some parts of the Senate bill. Even if the House passes the housing bill, it&#8217;s unclear how soon President Trump would sign it. Trump said last week that he would not sign any piece of legislation until the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.
On mortgage rates, the Trump administration believes slashing regulations will allow more lenders to compete in the game and thereby drive down borrowing costs.
The White House said that its action on mortgage aims to &#8220;reduce the regulatory burden on community banks and otherwise facilitate community bank engagement in mortgage activity; foster innovation, growth, and consumer choice in the mortgage market; modernize origination and closing standards to reduce lending costs; remove regulatory distortions to the structure of the mortgage market and to ensure capital and liquidity frameworks subject similar credit and liquidity risks to similar regulation across the system; promote competition among mortgage lenders of all charter types to drive down mortgage rates; and strengthen housing-finance liquidity.&#8221;
Trump also continues to pressure Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to further lower the interest rate, which has dropped to the 3.50%-3.75% range. The Federal Reserve is set to meet next week to decide whether to move the interest rate or keep it steady.
&#8220;Where is the Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome &#8216;Too Late&#8217; Powell, today? He should be dropping Interest Rates, IMMEDIATELY, not waiting for the next meeting,&#8221; Trump said on Thursday.

Trump Takes Step To Make It Easier For Americans To Buy A Home

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Oil prices jumped above $100 per barrel Monday as President Donald Trump promised prices would drop after the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation targeting Iran&#8217;s &#8220;nuclear threat&#8221; concludes. 
Global benchmark Brent crude <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqe4k1-WtbbEc0_rDe9RmjIzBeQ_NbvsmIuohb4DQSo55Be0bfuc1Ez2yJhY6Pc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69a5b024&amp;gaa_sig=kegHiaf_xsPW94kPXb2xUx2YgsMT9F6cMvHsnXelmzUTlyMm_8GalBG_mAiBT6m4gV0Q7YYn6j8miOFnbJ_EGA%3D%3D">rose</a> as high as $118 per barrel Monday morning before retreating to around $104, more than $10 above Friday&#8217;s close. It marked the first time Brent has surpassed $100 per barrel since the fall of 2022. 
The operation against Iran and the regime&#8217;s response have disrupted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said on Sunday night that the oil prices would drop as soon as Iran’s nuclear capabilities were completely destroyed. 
“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 
According to AAA, the national average for gasoline <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">rose</a> from $2.99 per gallon one week ago to $3.47 on Monday. 
Iran has launched attacks on regional oil facilities, including the Ras Tanura refinery run by Aramco in Saudi Arabia which produces around 550,000 barrels of oil per day. Aramco shut down the facility as a precautionary measure after an Iranian drone attack. 
An Iranian drone attack on Monday appeared to target Bahrain’s Bapco oil refinery, the country’s top oil facility, Reuters reported. 
Over the weekend, Israel carried out strikes targeting Iran’s oil facilities outside of Tehran saying they were used to fuel its military. 
Last week, Trump said he would direct the United States Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance to oil tankers operating near Iran and suggested the U.S. Navy could protect tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. 
“If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116166926920657651">said</a> on Truth Social. 
Iran threatened Trump on Friday over the potential Navy escorts. 
&#8220;Iran strongly welcomes the escort ​of oil tankers and that U.S. ​forces will be there for the crossing of the ‌Strait ⁠of Hormuz. And we are, by the way, awaiting their presence,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-guards-challenges-trump-have-us-navy-escort-oil-tankers-strait-hormuz-2026-03-06/">said</a> Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Alimohammad Naini. &#8220;We recommend that, before making any ​decision, the Americans ​remember ⁠the fire on the American supertanker Bridgeton in 1987 and the ​oil tankers that were recently ​targeted.”
American and Israeli strikes on Iran have continued over the weekend ⁠with no clear timeline for when the operation will conclude. Military officials have said that the campaign will end once Iran&#8217;s nuclear and missile production capabilities are destroyed.

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Trump Reminder To Americans As Oil Prices Open Higher While U.S. Crushes Iran’s Evil Regime

Economy

Defense officials were pushing for unrestricted lawful use of Anthropic’s AI models. Anthropic agreed—with two caveats. The leading AI company did not want its technology deployed for autonomous weapons systems or for mass domestic surveillance. The Biden administration previously agreed to these terms under a contract in 2024, but Trump administration Undersecretary of War Emil Michael is pushing back.
“I looked at the contracts and was like, holy cow. You can’t use them to plan a kinetic strike. You can’t use their AI model to move a satellite,” Michael said, arguing that the terms are incompatible with the Pentagon’s mission.
“I need to have terms of service be rational relative to our mission set,” he added.
Negotiations reached a climax when the Department of War designated Anthropic as a &#8220;supply-chain risk.&#8221; Historically, that label has only been used for foreign companies. 
During talks, Anthropic agreed to make exceptions to their rules for certain scenarios, such as planning for a drone swarm or responding to a Chinese hypersonic missile—but those carve-outs were not enough for the Pentagon.
“The exceptions [don&#8217;t] work,” said the undersecretary of War. “I cannot predict for the next twenty years all the things we might use AI for, so all lawful use seems like a good thing. If Congress wants to act, great. We have our own internal policies; we’ll follow them. It’s our province to decide how we fight and win wars.”
Michael also raised concerns about operational risk.
&#8220;If they&#8217;re willing to impose red lines that limit lawful military use, what&#8217;s to stop them from enforcing a shutdown if they disagree with how we&#8217;re applying it?” He added, “If in the middle of an operation they decide it violates something and shut it down, that&#8217;s not just unreliable—it&#8217;s dangerous to the troops depending on it.&#8221;
Senior employees at Anthropic have <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=cd133ae2d49e3551&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1183US1185&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n6QiThSAILMq57dIAMIniqyHLAwXw:1772902370049&amp;udm=7&amp;fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKpaEWjvZ2Py1XXV8d8KvlI3ppPEReeCOS7s1VbbZz2TLt2sOibMbYx2XAHg-v8xM5VswWDsYo9WtqkvCRRg9-K9YK9-rwJY6otdILLcL1llHf6wa6fD9SWKWQ3hafveoFnDlzP7RXdVXDjm5FT8bTXZrAumtXaqFa-mzfvg6g4QfqAeDxEdIS5054TbMKRJVNt4dwQNA&amp;q=tarun+chhabra&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjh0_P_n46TAxXiMlkFHZPEDdEQtKgLegQIFRAB&amp;biw=706&amp;bih=775&amp;dpr=2#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:ee0a1859,vid:09BzmFm6lDU,st:0">publicly acknowledged</a> the company restricts model access when it believes usage violates its policies.
“We know what Russia and China and North Korea and others are trying to do with these models right now. We catch them. We turn it off,” said Tarun Chhabra, a senior member of Anthropic’s national security team, a team involved in negotiations with the Pentagon. Chhabra previously served as a member of Biden’s National Security Council.
Trump administration AI Czar David Sacks has stated that Biden-era policies would cause America to lose the global artificial intelligence race and <a href="https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2028160240974188590">highlighted</a> that many Biden AI staffers have joined Anthropic. &#8220;Guess where those Biden AI staffers went to work as soon as the admin was over? Anthropic.&#8221;
Biden alum Elizabeth Kelly currently leads Anthropic&#8217;s Beneficial Deployments team and Biden&#8217;s special assistant Benjamin Merkel serves as a legislative analyst.
Anthropic told The Daily Wire that while the company has employed staff from the Biden administration, they recently appointed Trump alum Chris Liddell to the company&#8217;s board of directors.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei added that despite the Trump administration&#8217;s unprecedented decision to deem his company a supply-chain risk, the company will allow the Pentagon to continue using its technology. 
“We have offered continuity. We&#8217;re actually deeply concerned about this. We&#8217;re deeply concerned about the kind of interruption of service, which is exactly what&#8217;s happening when we&#8217;re designated a supply chain risk,” Amodei <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-full-transcript/">said</a>.
Secretary of War Pete Hegeseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070">confirmed</a> the continued usage, saying, “Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”
​​Michael explained the unprecedented designation is needed because he didn’t want the risk of Anthropic’s policy bias to enter into any part of the defense enterprise. “If their model has this policy bias based on their constitution, their culture, their people, I don’t want Lockheed Martin using their model to design weapons for me.”
Dean Ball, a former Trump administration official who left his AI advisory position six months ago, said he sympathizes with Anthropic’s stance.
“I’m very sympathetic to—if I built something that was powerful and dangerous and uncertain, and the government was excitedly buying it for uses that could be very profound in how they affect people’s lives—wanting to be very careful that I didn’t sell them something that went horribly [expletive] wrong. And then I am blamed for it by the public and by the government,&#8221; said Ball.
Anthropic’s position differs from other AI companies. Elon Musk’s Grok and Google’s Gemini agreed the Pentagon could use their software for all lawful use cases.
Anthropic CEO Amodei <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-full-transcript/">told</a> CBS his hesitation to give the Pentagon full lawful use of Anthropic’s technology is because the &#8220;technology is not ready.&#8221; He added, “We don&#8217;t want to sell something that we don&#8217;t think is reliable, and we don&#8217;t want to sell something that could get our own people killed or that could get innocent people killed.”
Secretary of War Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070">argues</a> that unelected tech executives such as Amodei should not make that call and should leave operational risk decisions to the United States military, and ultimately, President Trump.
“The Commander-in-Chief and the American people alone will determine the destiny of our armed forces, not unelected tech executives,&#8221; he stated.

Anthropic AI – Photo Illustration

Are Biden-Era AI Ties Behind Pentagon Showdown In Trump’s War Department?

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President Donald Trump, as well as some of the biggest names in sports, are at the White House Friday for a roundtable discussion on college sports.
&#8220;The president wants to save college sports,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Friday, &#8220;It&#8217;s very important to him and to so many athletes across the country to fix the broken system.&#8221;
According to Fox News, the president is fed up with the overspending on players and the constant transfer of players between schools. A big focus of the meeting will be how to rein in NIL, which stands for name, image, and likeness. NIL is how the players make their millions. Another area of focus will be collective bargaining.
&#8220;The president is saying enough is enough,&#8221; Darren Botelho said.
Trump is not against players being paid, but instead he is focusing on keeping college sports as amateur as it can be in the new NIL era.
Trump will be the chair of the Saving College Sports Roundtable, alongside vice chairs Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and New York Yankees President Randy Levine.
Notable sports figures attending Friday&#8217;s gathering include Nick Saban, Tiger Woods, Urban Meyer, and Tony Dungy.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is set to attend alongside several NCAA conference commissioners and media execs. In total, more than 30 people will be in attendance. As of now, there are no current players or coaches participating in the roundtable.
In response to the lack of current athletes attending the roundtable, Temple University football player Kahlil Poteat said: &#8220;We deserve a seat at the table. We as athletes are the reason the stands are filled, logos are worn, and the game thrives the way it does. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed about making it to the Division I level to play the sport I love. It is unfair and unfaithful to hold a discussion without the main attraction in mind. We deserve a say, just like the executives and leaders, in sports and in our futures. I believe that we, as athletes at every level, deserve to be at the table and fight for our best interest. We want college sports to thrive just like everyone else in the room. So let’s bond together to generate the best outcome for all.&#8221;
Trump hasn&#8217;t shied away from sports during his second term; the president signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-saves-college-sports/">executive order</a> to ban third-party pay-for-play payments, while allowing legitimate NIL endorsement deals. He also <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-saves-college-sports/">called on schools</a> to expand &#8220;opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports.&#8221;
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has long supported Trump getting involved with the landscape of college sports. Last May, Tuberville said he is confident the Trump administration can find a solution to the current chaos at the college level.
&#8220;While I’m all for players making money, we need to create national standards to protect the integrity of college sports,&#8221; Tuberville said.

Credit: Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images

Trump Convenes Star-Studded Roundtable To ‘Save College Sports’

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President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would be “involved” in selecting the next leader of Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli strike. 
In an interview with Axios, Trump said Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader and widely seen as a likely successor, would be &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221;  
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei&#8217;s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/05/iran-leader-trump-khamenei">told</a> Axios on Thursday. &#8220;Khamenei&#8217;s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.&#8221;
Trump said that if Iran selects a hardliner like Mojtaba Khamenei, the United States could be back at war with Iran &#8220;in five years.&#8221;
On Friday, Trump demanded &#8220;unconditional surrender&#8221; from the Iranian regime, saying that the United States and its allies would work to rebuild Iran economically after the selection of an &#8220;acceptable&#8221; and &#8220;great&#8221; leader.
&#8220;There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT &amp; ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!),&#8221; Trump said.
Trump&#8217;s post comes after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that &#8220;some countries have begun mediation efforts&#8221; over the conflict. &#8220;Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict,&#8221; he said on Friday.
Asked by the New York Times about Trump’s comments about being involved in the process to find a new leader, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/us/politics/trump-iran-leader.html">said</a> the president wants U.S. input to help avoid repeated conflict.  
“The president stated: ‘We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future, so we don’t have to go back every five years and do this again and again,” she said. “Somebody that’s going to be great for the people, great for the country.’”
In a separate <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/wants-iran-leadership-structure-gone-preference-good-leader-rcna262039">interview</a> with NBC, Trump said he has a few names in mind for possible leaders and insisted the U.S. military was being careful to ensure those individuals were not killed during the strikes. 
&#8220;We want to go in and clean out everything,&#8221; Trump said. “We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job.” 
Trump acknowledged he had joked about Iranian officials asking him who should be their next leader, a remark he said was “only being a little sarcastic.”
Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, have repeatedly said the United States military operation is not intended as a nation-building or &#8220;regime change war&#8221; and is focused on taking out Iranian military capabilities rather than governing the country.
Trump also referenced American involvement in Venezuela&#8217;s leadership transition, saying he played a role in supporting Delcy Rodriguez after U.S. forces captured dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Former President Donald Trump Holds Rally In Florence, Arizona

Trump Vows U.S. Role In Iran’s Next Leader — Then Drops A MAGA-Style Line

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