A major Catholic health system taught staff members how to be legally uncooperative with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in one of the hospital’s most prestigious lecture settings.
<a href="https://www.providence.org/locations/or/provider-resources-and-referrals/womens-health-provider-resources/professional-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Providence Health</a> hosted a virtual version of grand rounds — a weekly occurrence where leading doctors train other physicians and staff in crucial methodologies — aimed at providing better understanding of the “intense fear in which their immigrant patients are living” and taught staff how to be effective advocates during ICE encounters “within the boundaries of internal policy,” according to a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ORacXqH8Jc9XuEcyZFzaZaqrsQ3Hpxuo/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">document</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA_zOzGQgyc&amp;list=PL5EjetDHODdNsYNrClwtvsJPyKCnke2BB&amp;index=13">recording</a> reviewed by The Daily Wire. After publication of this story, Providence removed the video from YouTube, where it was posted.
Erin McKee, co-founder of the <a href="https://www.ojrc.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oregon Justice Resource Center</a>, presented during the one-hour webinar titled “Providence Women and Children&#8217;s Virtual Grand Rounds: Know Your Rights with ICE,” on January 29, 2026.
“When ICE is after you or your friends or family and you don&#8217;t want to help them, right? You&#8217;re not obligated to do that,” McKee said during the presentation. “If you think ICE is after you or your friends and family and you don’t want to help, your mindset should be don’t trust. They might not be telling you the truth. And ICE, ICE will often lie in order to get someone to move from maybe a private protected space to a public space where they can lawfully arrest them.&#8221;
Providence is a major health system with a Catholic heritage that spans six states and includes more than 125,000 employees, 51 hospitals, and 1,014 health clinics, according to its <a href="https://www.providence.org/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>. It is unclear how many employees tuned in to grand rounds, but the session was open to the entire staff nationwide.
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The Oregon Justice Resource Center suggests individuals follow a “Don’t Trust, Don’t Talk, Don’t Consent” model when approached by law enforcement, as stated on its <a href="https://www.ojrc.info/kyr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.
McKee mocked <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/02/04/dhs-sets-record-straight-administrative-warrants-and-american-public-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">administrative warrants</a> used by ICE agents when arresting illegal migrants, calling them, “A paper that says, ‘Dear me, you can do whatever you want. Signed me.’ And then they’re like, ‘See, this paper says I can do whatever I want.’”
McKee encouraged hospital staff to call the <a href="https://pircoregon.org/about/what-to-do-if-you-see-ice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition</a> (PIRC) hotline, an activist group that tracks ICE activity and provides a rapid response, if they came across ICE agents.
“And what happens is if you witness or observe ICE enforcement activity or suspected ICE enforcement activity, you call the hotline. PIRC will send a volunteer to that location to verify whether it is, in fact, ICE activity,” said McKee.
Dr. Kurt Miceli, medical director at Do No Harm, disagrees with the insertion of political activism into grand rounds.
“Grand Rounds have long been dedicated to clinical, medical, and scientific topics that directly advance patient care and research, not to political activism. The profession’s core responsibility is to care for patients, and presenting politically oriented content as Grand Rounds risks weakening professional focus, compromising institutional neutrality, and diminishing trust in the educational mission,” Miceli told The Daily Wire.
At the start of the presentation, a Providence Health staff member noted federal immigration enforcement was causing the community “deep pain.”
“I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the deep pain, fear and grief being felt across our communities in light of the recent escalation and federal immigration enforcement activity and the tragic fatal shootings of Renee [Good] and Alex [Pretti] in Minnesota,” said Kara Johnson, the senior director of women and children’s services at Providence, at the beginning of the session. After publication of this story, Johnson removed her LinkedIn profile.
Johnson’s remarks refer to Good and Pretti, two anti-ICE <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alex-pretti-attacked-immigration-enforcement-days-before-fatal-shooting-video-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protesters</a> killed by federal immigration officials in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge. The deaths of Pretti and Good have led to massive protests in the Twin Cities and caused the Trump administration to <a href="http://dailywire.com/news/ice-agents-ordered-to-meet-this-democrat-demand?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Some+ICE+Agents+Ordered+To+Cut+Back+On+Deportation+Tactic+Targeted+By+Dems%2C+Sources+Say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rethink</a> its approach to deportations.
“These events have sent shock waves through immigrant communities and all who care about justice and safety. Many of our patients, our colleagues, and our neighbors are carrying heavy trauma right now,” said Johnson.
“Obviously federal agents are violating rights. We are watching it on TV. We are seeing them completely disregard the Constitution, any type of norms that have applied in law enforcement situations,” McGee stated.
After publication of this article, Providence defended the training session in a lengthy statement provided to The Daily Wire.
&#8220;As a not-for-profit, Catholic health system, Providence sees health care as a fundamental human right, not a privilege. We serve members of our communities without regard to legal or socioeconomic status and believe that everyone deserves quality health care,&#8221; the organization said. &#8220;As a mission-driven organization, we have a special focus on those who are most vulnerable and know that immigrants, undocumented or not, face unique challenges. Our medical facilities are a place of healing where everyone can expect to be treated with compassion and respect.&#8221;
&#8220;Patients are never asked about their citizenship or legal status in order to receive medically necessary care, and we follow federal and state privacy laws, including HIPAA, that protect the confidentiality, dignity and safety of every patient we serve. While law enforcement officials are permitted in public spaces including entrances, lobbies and waiting areas, pursuant to our longstanding practice they are not allowed to access private areas of our facilities unless we have the patient’s explicit consent or the requesting party presents the appropriate legal authority — such as continuing legal custody, valid subpoena, court order or judicial warrant. Caregivers have clear procedures to follow if law enforcement agents request access to patients or their information, consistent with federal and state patient privacy requirements, which prohibit disclosure of protected health information without proper authorization.&#8221;
Update, 6:40 p.m. CT: This piece was updated with a statement from the Providence health system.

Screenshot

‘Don’t Trust Police!’: Video Shows Leading Catholic Health System Training Doctors To Resist ICE

Catholic Church

Hospitals

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A major nurses union is holding secretive training sessions for union members to learn how to &#8220;fight&#8221; federal immigration enforcement in their hospitals.
An email reviewed by The Daily Wire reveals that the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is promoting training sessions for nurses to resist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in hospitals.
ONA, which represents around 15,000 nurses, is the largest nurses union in Oregon. As an affiliate of National Nurses United—the largest nurses union in the United States—ONA also wields influence at the national level.
Notably, the email says that the sessions will not be recorded or posted publicly, adding a secretive element to the training sessions.
The email addresses &#8220;ONA members&#8221; with the subject line, &#8220;Trainings: Accountability for ICE&#8221; and reads as follows:
&#8220;As frontline healthcare workers, we are entrusted with a fundamental responsibility: to preserve life, reduce harm, and provide care with dignity to everyone who comes through our doors,&#8221; the email continues. &#8220;As ICE and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) activity increases across Oregon, that responsibility is in jeopardy. Intimidation and the use of force create fear that keeps immigrant communities from seeking care and until conditions become life-threatening. This fear directly interferes with our ethical, professional, and legal duties and endangers lives rather than protecting public safety.&#8221;
The training sessions were promoted as being run by ONA’s &#8220;Legal and Government Relations teams,&#8221; advancing &#8220;critical training and opportunity to join the fight against ICE and CBP in our hospitals.&#8221;
ONA offered two sessions, one early Wednesday, and one Thursday morning.
&#8220;The trainings will provide essential context on our role in this fight, practical guidance for frontline staff, and updates on our collective advocacy efforts,&#8221; nurses are told.
<div id="attachment_1035131" style="width: 958px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1035131" class="wp-image-1035131 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-7.29.24-PM-948x576.png" alt="" width="948" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-7.29.24-PM-948x576.png 948w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-7.29.24-PM-300x182.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-7.29.24-PM-768x466.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-7.29.24-PM.png 1248w" sizes=" (max-width: 948px) 100vw, 948px" />Credit: The Daily Wire</div>
Specifically, the training promised to cover nurses&#8217; &#8220;legal rights and obligations as a healthcare worker if ICE or CBP enter your facility,&#8221; &#8220;ONA’s efforts to hold ICE accountable,&#8221; and &#8220;Opportunities to engage in ONA’s upcoming legislative fight to ensure hospitals remain places of healing.&#8221;
&#8220;Please note: Trainings will not be recorded or posted online. All attendees must register in advance. Anyone represented by ONA may attend,&#8221; the email added.
A registered nurse who received the email and attended one of the training sessions told The Daily Wire they found it odd that the sessions would not be posted publicly. &#8220;My question is WHY? Are they afraid that what they are &#8216;training&#8217; is possibly against the law?&#8221; the nurse posed.
The RN said the training session, in part, talked about legislation restricting ICE near hospitals, churches, and community centers.
<div>
<div>&#8220;They tried to remain vague when talking about how to directly address ICE in facilities,&#8221; the source told The Daily Wire, &#8220;And I did appreciate that their lawyers who spoke said that you &#8216;can’t physically obstruct ICE.'&#8221;</div>
Recently, an ICU nurse named Alex Pretti was killed during a scuffle with Border Patrol agents. Pretti was armed—though it remains unclear whether he ever brandished his weapon—and inserted himself into an encounter as agents were dealing with an agitator during an operation. Video from weeks before the incident shows Pretti <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alex-pretti-attacked-immigration-enforcement-days-before-fatal-shooting-video-shows">spitting</a> at federal immigration officers and kicking out a vehicle’s taillight. The circumstances surrounding Pretti’s death remain under investigation.
Separately, as reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-nurse-urges-medical-professionals-to-inject-ice-agents-with-paralyzing-drug?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Virginia+Nurse+Urges+Medical+Professionals+To+Inject+ICE+Agents+With+Paralyzing+Drug">The Daily Wire</a>, a Virginia hospital fired a nurse after she encouraged other medical professionals to inject ICE officers with succinylcholine—a drug that temporarily paralyzes muscles—in order to “sabotage” them.
The nurse, who used the TikTok handle Redheadredemption, urged doctors and nurses to “grab some syringes with needles on the end” and “have them full of saline or succinylcholine, you know, whatever. Whatever.” She added, “That will probably be a deterrent. Be safe.”
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The Daily Wire reached out to ONA about the training sessions and asked why they are explicitly being kept from the public.
An email from ONA Director of Communications Peter Starzynski defended the training sessions, accusing &#8220;unaccountable immigration enforcement&#8221; of &#8220;increasingly overstepping its authority and treading on the rights of local communities in Oregon—including patients, hospitals, and healthcare providers.&#8221;
&#8220;This places nurses in an extraordinarily difficult position of providing care to patients in a manner that is consistent with their professional obligations,&#8221; Starzynski said.
The communications director said the training sessions focus on the following:
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>
<div role="presentation">Supporting nurses and frontline healthcare professionals in providing the highest quality care to all patients—even when federal agents are present in the hospital.  </div>
</li>
<li>
<div role="presentation">Educating members on Federal and State law and how to comply with their licensing obligations while treating patients in this context. </div>
</li>
<li>
<div role="presentation">Affirming the shared ethical and legal responsibilities of hospitals, nurses, and other frontline care providers to ensure every patient receives respectful, appropriate, and high-quality care, regardless of immigration status.  </div>
</li>
<li>
<div role="presentation">Providing guidance on how to comply with professional license obligations to protect patient confidentiality and a patient’s medical autonomy in this environment.  </div>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
It remains unclear why the training sessions are not made public.
</div>
</div>
ONA also posted to its Facebook page on January 25 about its participation in a vigil for Pretti.
&#8220;We must not standby [sic]. We must stand up against injustice and human rights violations. That is exactly what Alex Pretti was doing,&#8221; the post said. &#8220;He deserves justice. We honor his legacy and call on all major healthcare systems in Oregon to stand up for nurses, publicly denounce this killing and hold ICE and similar federal agencies accountable.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1035147" style="width: 539px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1035147" class="wp-image-1035147 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-8.05.37-PM-529x576.png" alt="" width="529" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-8.05.37-PM-529x576.png 529w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-8.05.37-PM-276x300.png 276w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-8.05.37-PM-768x836.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-8.05.37-PM.png 1354w" sizes=" (max-width: 529px) 100vw, 529px" />Facebook: ONA</div>
In a lengthy statement on Pretti, ONA said, &#8220;A nurse&#8217;s job is to care for their patients — but they are also ethically bound to speak out in the face of injustice and human rights violations. Provision 8.2 of the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses is clear: &#8216;Where there are human rights violations, nurses ought to and must stand up for those rights and demand accountability.&#8217; That is exactly what Alex was doing.&#8221;
Starzynski also told The Daily Wire that &#8220;hospitals can only function when everyone who enters follows the same rules&#8221; and &#8220;no federal agency should be above protocols designed to protect patients, healthcare workers, and the integrity of medical care.&#8221;
&#8220;Taxpayer dollars should not be used to undermine public health, violate basic rights, or erode trust in institutions meant to keep our communities safe,&#8221; he said. &#8220;For months, ONA has urged hospitals to support frontline caregivers by complying with state and federal patient protections. Throughout it all, ONA members have remained steadfast in their commitment to ensuring our hospitals are places of care, dignity, and healing for everyone.&#8221;

Major Nurses Union Holds Secretive Training Sessions To ‘Fight Against ICE’

Major Nurses Union Holds Secretive Training Sessions To ‘Fight Against ICE And CBP In Our Hospitals’

Healthcare

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Nurses

Oregon

Unions

A Virginia nurse was seen in a series of now-deleted TikTok videos sharing ways for medical professionals to &#8220;sabotage&#8221; ICE agents with syringes full of succinylcholine, which temporarily paralyzes muscles.
The nurse, who went by Redheadredemption on TikTok, encouraged doctors and nurses to &#8220;grab some syringes with needles on the end&#8221; and &#8220;have them full of saline or succinylcholine, you know, whatever. Whatever,&#8221; adding &#8220;that will probably be a deterrent. Be safe.&#8221;
In another video, she was seen dressed in scrubs while calling on others to soak poison ivy in water and to put the solution into water guns to shoot at ICE agents&#8217; faces.
She also shared in a separate post a call for single women to find ICE agents on dating apps and then put laxatives in their drinks on dates.
&#8220;All the single ladies where these ICE guys are going have a chance to do something, not without risk, but could help the cause for sure. Get on Tinder, get on Hinge, find these guys, they&#8217;re around,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;If they&#8217;re an ICE agent, bring some ex-lax and put it in their drinks, get &#8217;em sick. Nobody&#8217;s gonna die, it&#8217;s just enough to incapacitate them and get them off the street for the next day.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Meet Melinda, a healthcare worker at <a href="https://twitter.com/VCUHealth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VCUHealth</a>. She posted a series of videos encouraging people to inject ICE agents with succinylocholine, a temporary paralysis drug, and spray poison on them. She also encourages woman to go on dates with agents and drug their food.
Any… <a href="https://t.co/CMJN12GhOc">pic.twitter.com/CMJN12GhOc</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2015941489516245223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Highly easily deniable, you could get sick, too. Won&#8217;t eat there again. I&#8217;m just sayin&#8217;, let&#8217;s get &#8217;em where they eat, somebody&#8217;s not gonna be supporting these guys, where&#8217;s the hotel where they eat? Who makes their breakfast? Let&#8217;s find them.&#8221;
&#8220;Let&#8217;s make their lives f*cking miserable.&#8221;
At one point, she also urged hotel employees to hide &#8220;dead fish&#8221; in ICE agents&#8217; hotel rooms.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health, the woman&#8217;s employer, and the VCU Police have opened an investigation into the posts, Fox News reported Tuesday.
&#8220;We prioritize the health and safety of anyone who comes to us for care. We are aware of a series of videos that appear to have been posted by an individual confirmed to be an employee of our health system,&#8221; VCU told Fox News Digital in a statement. &#8220;The content of the videos is highly inappropriate and does not reflect the integrity or values of our health system.&#8221;
&#8220;VCU Police are assisting with this investigation,&#8221; the university continued. &#8220;Per policy, while the investigation is underway, the individual is on administrative leave and will not be in our facilities or interacting with patients.&#8221;

Screenshot 2026-01-27 at 4.02.32 PM

Virginia Nurse Urges Medical Professionals To Inject ICE Agents With Paralyzing Drug

Crime

Minneapolis

TikTok

U.S.

A Colorado woman bled on the emergency room floor while <a href="https://www.walb.com/video/2023/08/25/anybody-could-have-died-patients-recall-waiting-12-hours-mercy-south-hospital-er/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">waiting 12 hours</a> for care. A New York man who feared he had appendicitis waited eight hours while repeatedly vomiting and passing out. A cancer survivor in <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/10/ucsf-emergency-wait-times/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco</a> waited 28 hours for a doctor to examine her injured leg. By the time she saw a doctor, she was paralyzed.
ER wait times have been steadily increasing since 2012, spiking during the coronavirus pandemic. Today, they&#8217;re higher than ever.
What is happening in America&#8217;s emergency rooms?
A <a href="https://ihpi.umich.edu/news-events/news/wait-times-emergency-hospitalization-keep-getting-higher?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new study</a> published in the journal Health Affairs looked at data from 46 million emergency visits across all 50 states since 2017. Researchers found a national increase in wait times, with the average wait time exceeding four hours. Additionally, 5% of patients waited more than 24 hours to get assistance.
Notably, the study did not factor people leaving the ER before they received care, which is typically referred to as ER &#8220;abandonment.&#8221;
Staffing shortages are certainly a factor, but they alone can&#8217;t explain increased wait times.
According to <a href="https://paragoninstitute.org/author/niklas_kleinworth/?mab_v3=9924" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Niklas Kleinworth</a>, a policy analyst at the Paragon Health Institute, the problem is largely due to the lack of financial incentives in the American healthcare system.
“I think that the increased ER wait times are actually one of the big <a href="https://paragoninstitute.org/newsletter/the-falsehoods-of-obamacare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broken promises of Obamacare</a>,&#8221; Kleinworth told The Daily Wire on Thursday. &#8220;When that law was passed, we were promised that if you gave people more healthcare coverage, they would see their primary care physician instead of going to the ER. They would have more access. But we&#8217;ve actually seen the opposite.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve seen that a lot of the financial incentives for people to take care of themselves and go see their regular physician haven&#8217;t come to fruition,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;And so now people are going to the emergency room to get routine care instead.”
Kleinworth said expanding telehealth services could help solve this problem. In Montana, for example, after Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed a bill in 2021 to increase telehealth access and eliminate certain restrictions, emergency department visits <a href="https://mthf.org/news/2024-medicaid-in-mt-press-release/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decreased </a>with Medicaid enrollees. Mental health services were also more accessible and cost-effective for residents in rural communities and the Native population.
Another problem is the increased rate of rural hospital closures. With fewer rural hospitals, Americans from these areas are forced to travel longer distances to city hospitals, adding to already congested ERs.
Kleinworth explained that federal programs like the 340B Drug Pricing Program actually “encourage consolidation.&#8221; As a result, we’re seeing large urban hospitals buy up small rural hospitals to capitalize incentives meant for rural areas.
Larger city hospitals &#8220;benefit from a lot of the programs that were designed for those [rural] hospitals, like 340B Drug Pricing Program,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And then they&#8217;ll reduce access to services in those areas and redirect them to more wealthy areas where the margins are higher.”
He also highlighted some other &#8220;pretty basic solutions,&#8221; like making sure government programs designed to help rural facilities actually help rural facilities.
Kleinworth also noted that a little deregulation could go a long way to increase health care access.
&#8220;For example, in the state of Idaho, they allow non-physicians like pharmacists to be able to practice at the top of their license. And a lot of people receive their primary care through their pharmacists now,&#8221; Kleinworth said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said this month that <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/10/02/opinion/democrats-are-spending-money-on-healthcare-for-illegal-migrants-in-california-its-6-4-billion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illegal immigrants</a> are driving up ER wait times and healthcare costs alike. Democrats say that giving illegals full access to the American healthcare marketplace will help alleviate stress on emergency rooms.
Kleinworth isn&#8217;t so sure.
“Unfortunately, no, that&#8217;s not the solution,&#8221; Kleinworth told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Take California, for example. California is one of those states where they&#8217;ve offered healthcare benefits to illegals for years now. The promise was that it was going to allow them to access their primary care and they won&#8217;t have to go to the emergency rooms anymore. But we find that California actually has some of the highest ER wait times in the country. They also have some of the highest abandonment rates in the country.”
Ultimately, Kleinworth says, we need to seriously overhaul Medicaid.
&#8220;The problem here is that the way the system is designed, it prioritizes able-bodied working-age adults over pregnant women, the disabled, elderly, and children,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And what we saw with Medicaid expansion, a lot of those people were less likely to be able to access their specialists, their primary care physician, so it also increased the ER wait times.&#8221;
&#8220;Refocusing the program on the truly needy, instead of able-bodied working-age adults would help,&#8221; Kleinworth said, noting that President Donald Trump&#8217;s big, beautiful bill &#8220;made a lot of progress toward that.&#8221;

Hospital closure in Madera, CA

Why ER Wait Times Are So Out Of Control — And How To Fix Them

Why ER Wait Times Are So Out OF Control, And How To Fix It

Health Care

Illegal Immigation

Medicaid

President Donald Trump assembles his Cabinet as the government shutdown continues and a peace deal in Gaza takes shape, candidates in the New Jersey governor’s race clash, and wait times for emergency rooms have exploded nationwide.
It’s Friday, October 10, 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;">Trump Assembles Cabinet </h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-984045" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trumps-Cabinet-Convenes-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trumps-Cabinet-Convenes-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trumps-Cabinet-Convenes-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trumps-Cabinet-Convenes-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trumps-Cabinet-Convenes-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Trumps-Cabinet-Convenes.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump assembled his Cabinet on Thursday as the government shutdown entered its ninth day, and as his Middle East peace proposal passed a major hurdle.
Columbus Day returns: At the top of Thursday’s meeting, Trump <a href="https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1976319459523690719">signed</a> an executive order to bring back Columbus Day on October 13. “Columbus Day, we’re back. We’re back, Italians,” the president said.
Middle East peace: According to the president, the rest of the hostages still alive in Gaza, 20 in all, should be returned to Israel on either Monday or Tuesday.
The hostage crisis has been a major focus of the administration, and of Israel, which has been plastered with posters of the hostages emblazoned with the call to “Bring Them Home Now” since the war began. Yellow ribbons to represent the hostages, dead and alive, are more common in Israel than kippahs.
That shows why Trump has been invited to speak in front of the Knesset. It’s a rare privilege. The last U.S. president to receive the honor was George Bush in 2008.
Shutdown: President Trump seems intent on hammering Democrats over the shutdown, not just rhetorically but with cuts to what the president calls “Democrat programs.”
“We&#8217;ll be making cuts that will be permanent, and we&#8217;re only gonna cut Democrat programs,” the president <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1976340087588913227">said</a> at Thursday’s meeting. “They wanted to do this, so they’ll get a little taste of their own medicine.”
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">NJ Governor’s Race A Toss-Up</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-984047" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Gov-Candidate-Clash-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Gov-Candidate-Clash-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Gov-Candidate-Clash-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Gov-Candidate-Clash-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Gov-Candidate-Clash-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Gov-Candidate-Clash.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Less than four weeks from Election Day, the New Jersey gubernatorial election is a toss-up, with Republican Jack Ciattarelli surging in the polls. Ciattarelli spoke to Morning Wire about his efforts to turn deep-blue New Jersey red this November. (The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.)
Morning Wire: A lot of folks who maybe don&#8217;t follow state politics as closely hear that there is an exceedingly close race in New Jersey. And they might be surprised by that, thinking of the history of New Jersey as a more blue state. Four months ago, polls were showing you trailing by more than 20 points. This week, you are essentially tied in every poll that is coming out. What changed over the course of this election?
Ciattarelli: People want change across the state. They&#8217;re very frustrated with Phil Murphy&#8217;s failed policies – and they have failed us. The taxes, they&#8217;ve increased every single year he&#8217;s been in office. The exorbitant spending in our state government, I mean, our state budget&#8217;s gone from $36 billion to almost $60 billion, a 64% increase. Housing, we&#8217;ve got an overdevelopment crisis in our suburban communities, but yet an acute housing shortage in our urban areas. Public safety has gone, you know, we don&#8217;t have public safety in Jersey. Nonviolent crime has spiked because we don&#8217;t let our local police do their job. The break-ins, the car thefts, the flash mobs, public education – people aren&#8217;t happy with what&#8217;s going on there, and we&#8217;ve slipped from two to 12 on an actual report card. Your electricity bill is going through the roof. These are all things that people are really pissed off about, and when they&#8217;re pissed, they want change. 
Morning Wire: A lot of Republicans who have success at the state level in blue states take a more moderate approach. I’m thinking of the, you know, Charlie Bakers or Larry Hogans of the world, considered more moderate, keeping their distance from Donald Trump. You have not shied away from the president, it seems. He&#8217;s endorsed you. He said that you&#8217;re “all in on the MAGA movement.” And that is unique in a blue state. Walk us through that relationship with the president.
Ciattarelli: All my opponent wants to talk about is Trump because of her disdain for Trump. I mean, her whole campaign is based on a stack of lies about me, disdain for Trump, and she can fly a helicopter. Is that going to fix New Jersey? And by the way, what does Donald Trump have to do with our property taxes? What does he have to do with public safety in this state, public education, your monthly electric bill, overdevelopment in our suburban communities? He&#8217;s got nothing to do with that. The party that&#8217;s controlled Trenton for the last 25 years has everything to do with that. So listen, I think that you can be friends with the president and support his policies while making it clear that you&#8217;re all about fixing New Jersey. 
Morning Wire: If elected, what sort of approach would you take when it comes to working with federal agencies like ICE, DEA, ATF operating within your state? We&#8217;ve seen a number of attempts to handicap them. How would you approach those agencies?
Ciattarelli: Number one, there will be no sanctuary cities in New Jersey. When I&#8217;m governor, we will not be a sanctuary state. I&#8217;m reversing that policy on day one. I can do that by executive order. And I&#8217;m never going to tell a local mayor or police chief they can&#8217;t work in partnership with a federal agency to keep their community safe. If that&#8217;s what they want to do, that’s a local decision. And I would support it 100% whatever it is that the mayor and police chief decide to do to keep their community safe. But the other thing I have to do is get rid of cashless bail. Cashless bail in New Jersey has created a professional criminal who’s learned how to game the system. And you talk to your local cops, arrest, release, repeat is real. And it’s demoralizing to our local cops to have to arrest the same person over and over again. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">ER Wait Times Explode</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-984049" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ER-Delays-Spike-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ER-Delays-Spike-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ER-Delays-Spike-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ER-Delays-Spike-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ER-Delays-Spike-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ER-Delays-Spike.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: For the last decade, emergency room wait times have continued to rise, threatening Americans’ overall health. ER wait times started to increase around 2012, spiked during the pandemic, and are now higher than ever.
A <a href="https://ihpi.umich.edu/news-events/news/wait-times-emergency-hospitalization-keep-getting-higher?utm_source=chatgpt.com">new study</a> published in the journal Health Affairs looked at data from 46 million emergency visits across all 50 states since 2017. It found a national increase in wait times, with the average being over four hours, and 5% of patients waiting more than 24 hours to get assistance. Notably, this doesn&#8217;t even factor in people leaving the ER before they get care, commonly referred to as the “abandonment” rate.
Why? The nursing shortage is certainly a factor. But according to <a href="https://paragoninstitute.org/author/niklas_kleinworth/?mab_v3=9924">Niklas Kleinworth from the Paragon Health Institute</a>, one of the major factors is that, since expansion under Obamacare, there is no financial incentive for many people to wait to see their physician when they can go to the ER and receive same-day care: 
“We&#8217;ve seen that a lot of the financial incentives for people to take care of themselves and go see their regular physician haven&#8217;t come to fruition,&#8221;  Kleinworth told Morning Wire. &#8220;And so now, people are going to the emergency room to get routine care instead.”
Another issue is the increased rate of rural hospital closings. Kleinworth said programs coming out of Washington actually “encourage consolidation” – and we’re seeing large urban hospitals buy up small rural hospitals to eat up incentives meant for rural areas.
The White House has also blamed long ER wait times on illegal aliens. 
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MRN_251010_V2

Morning Brief: Trump Summons Cabinet, NJ Governor’s Race Heats Up, & ER Wait Times Soar

Morning Brief: Trump Summons Cabinet, NJ Governor's Race Heats Up, & ER Wait Times Soar

Donald Trump

Government Shutdown

Israel

Morning Wire

New Jersey

Washington D.C.

If Democrats in the Senate continue to block a short-term government funding plan, a program that allows low-income and Medicare patients to be treated at home rather than in a hospital will expire, the White House warns. 
The Acute Hospital Care at Home Initiative enables hospitals to obtain approval to treat Medicare patients with conditions such as respiratory diseases or bacterial infections at home. The program, which was rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to expire on September 30 unless reauthorized by Congress.
Around 1,200 Medicare patients per month currently benefit from the program, according to information provided to The Daily Wire by the Office of Management and Budget. The program has been well-received by both patients and healthcare providers, <a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/fact-sheet-report-study-acute-hospital-care-home-initiative">according</a> to evaluations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 
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“Democrats are trying to shut down the government to pacify their base, and they don’t care who they hurt in the process — including beneficiaries receiving hospital care at home,” a Trump administration official told The Daily Wire. “This program has been a success and is popular with patients and providers.” 
“While Republicans voted to extend it, Democrats are more than happy to harm these patients and force them out of their homes so that they can shut the government down,” the administration official added. 
The program was included in the short-term spending package passed by the House last week, which continues federal spending as is for seven weeks. However, Democrats are blocking the same bill from passing in the Senate. 
As of Friday, 48,955 patients have benefited from the program, and 419 hospitals across 39 states have approved participation in the program, according to the Office of Management and Budget. 
Commonly treated conditions under the program include heart failure, blood poisoning, respiratory disease, pneumonia, bacterial infection, urinary tract infection, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Early evaluation of the program indicates generally lower mortality and readmission rates for patients treated at home. 
If a shutdown occurs, the Office of Management and Budget has directed federal agencies to prepare for permanent reduction-in-force plans, indicating that widespread firings could be forthcoming across the federal government. President Donald Trump has said that the Democrats are holding the funding hostage by trying to force taxpayer funding for illegal alien healthcare and transgender surgeries on children.

Democrats Call On FCC Chair To Resign Over ABC’s Kimmel Decision

Popular Health Program Will Expire If Senate Dems Force Government Shutdown, White House Warns

Medicare

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Trump Administration

An opinion piece in Canada’s <a href="https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/dur-surely-it-cannot-be-that-babies-born-alive-after-an-abortion-are-left-to-die/64535">Western Standard</a> sheds light on a deeply troubling reality: one in four late-term abortions in Alberta, Canada, resulted in a baby being born alive — and many were left to die without medical care.
According to the Western Standard, the federal agency responsible for compiling and reporting health data across Canada, <a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/f67685af801/45d9acaf-ab1c-4bdd-9ba6-2378fb034aa0.pdf">Canadian Institute for Health Information</a> (CIHI), reported a total of 133 late-term abortions in Alberta in the 2023-2024 year. Based on data analyzed by pro-life researchers and originally raised in the Alberta Legislative Assembly, this should spark serious concern — and immediate action — not only in Canada, but also in the United States.
According to the Canadian data, out of 133 late-term abortion procedures, 28 babies survived the abortion. These weren’t “non-viable tissue,” as the abortion industry so often claims. They were living, breathing infants, whose humanity became undeniable in their cries and movements.
Instead of receiving medical attention, however, they were abandoned and left to die. These aren’t abstract numbers — these are living, breathing children.
I know this reality all too well because I am one of those statistics. I survived an abortion in 1977.
When my birth mom was 31 weeks pregnant, her mother, a prominent nurse at a local hospital, forced her to have an abortion to end my life. For days they injected a saline infusion into the amniotic fluid, a solution designed to poison and scald me until I was delivered dead. On the fifth day, I was born, leading my birth mom to think the abortion was successful. I was then rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) — and, unbeknownst to her, I lived and was placed up for adoption.
At <a href="https://abortionsurvivors.org/">The Abortion Survivors Network,</a> we know firsthand the weight of such statistics — because we are living proof that survival is possible. It isn’t easy being an abortion survivor. What many don’t know is that while we fought to survive physically as babies, that mental fight continues well into adulthood. We shouldn’t have to continue to fight something we defeated as babies.
There are roughly over 10,000 late-term abortions performed annually in the U.S. and that is a conservative estimate. If even 25% resulted in a live birth, as the Alberta data suggests, that would amount to 2,500 infants born alive every year.
Yet in the U.S., each state has different reporting requirements and laws. For example, in Minnesota there is no ban for abortion regardless of what trimester a woman is in, she could be at 35 weeks and decide she no longer wants the child, and she can legally seek an abortion. Aside from states differing on abortion law, there is no nationwide federal requirement to report when a child is born alive during an attempted abortion. And because there are no federal “born alive” reporting standards, there is a lot we don’t know. The pro-abortion crowd may say it &#8220;doesn&#8217;t happen” but how would they know if there is no tracking, reporting and they refuse to listen to survivors and mothers?
This lack of adequate data stems from several factors, including variations in state reporting requirements or perhaps some states choosing not to report abortion data at all.
Opponents of <a href="https://abortionsurvivors.org/fetal-survival-in-second-trimester/">Born Alive protections</a> often argue that surviving infants who are born-alive are often too premature or sick to survive. But that misses the point entirely. Our data show that infants refute the opponent’s arguments about viability — these babies who were diagnosed with fetal anomalies survived being aborted in the second trimester.
Our medical system cares for premature babies, critically ill newborns, and children with disabilities every day — why should it be any different for a baby born alive after an abortion?
The measure of a humane society is not whether every life can be saved, but whether every life is treated with dignity and given a chance.
What we need is strong federal Born Alive legislation that does the following:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Requires mandatory reporting of all instances where infants survive abortion attempts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Mandates medical care for every baby born alive, no matter the circumstances of their birth.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ensures long-term physical and mental health support for both the child and the mother when the abortion procedure fails.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Establishes medical training and legal accountability, so that no infant is left to die without intervention.</li>
</ul>
It’s time to ask: How many babies survive abortions in the U.S., but do not survive the system’s silence?
These children deserve our voice, our laws, and our care.
Every child who survives an abortion deserves to be more than a statistic.
* * *
Melissa Ohden, is the founder and CEO of <a href="https://abortionsurvivors.org/">The Abortion Survivors Network</a> and is a pro-life speaker, leader, and advocate who often appears on television and radio shows. She has spoken on Fox News, The 700 Club, Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), One America News (OAN), Hannity, Focus on the Family, and more. Having earned her Master’s in Social Work, Melissa is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Carried-Me-Daughters-Memoir/dp/0874867886/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15IEJ3OBI06GO&amp;keywords=you+carried+me&amp;qid=1694023247&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=you+carried+me%2Cstripbooks%2C95&amp;sr=1-1">You Carried Me: A Daughter’s Memoir</a>.
If you or someone you know is an abortion survivor, please reach out to Melissa Ohden at <a href="mailto:melissa@abortionsurvivors.org">melissa@abortionsurvivors.org.</a>
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Asian newborn lying down crying on crib in the incubator during the first day of life

Born Alive After Abortion: Canada Reports Data — Why Not America?

Abortion

babies

Canada

Infants

Pregnancy

Pro-Life Movement

Boston Children’s Hospital

The Broken Chain of Trust in Pediatric Gender Medicine

Ben Shapiro

Gender Identity

Transgender

Caucasian nurses rushing organs and patient on rooftop

The Dark Truth About Becoming An Organ Donor

Death

Matt Walsh

Medical

Opinion

Organ Donation

On December 4, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the case for Tennessee Senate Bill 1. Today, the highest court in the land has spoken — and it got it right.
In a decision that will now set precedent throughout the entire country, the Supreme Court has upheld Tennessee’s right to protect our children from irreversible and unproven medical procedures under the guise of “gender-affirming care.” This is not just a victory for Tennessee, but for every state in the country seeking to preserve its duty to protect minors.
In today’s political climate, it’s more clear than ever that the Left has resisted so much that they now champion the mutilation of children. In their America, biology and truth are optional and children are subject to permanent, life-changing procedures.
Back in 2023 after Matt Walsh and the team at the Daily Wire uncovered disturbing details about so-called “gender affirming” care in our state, we said enough is enough. Now, two years later, that law was just affirmed by the United States Supreme Court.
To allow children – who cannot vote, get a tattoo, or enlist in the military – to permanently alter their bodies in the name of &#8220;affirming them” is not compassion, it’s exploitation.
As a State Senator, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and protect Tennesseans – that’s why my colleagues and I passed this legislation. With this historic ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States – with Tennessee right by their side – took a stand and made a bold statement: our country will not stand by while children are preyed upon for profit.
Tennessee has become a haven for families fleeing the Left-wing chaos in blue states. Families are moving here seeking common sense and stability that frankly does not exist anymore in areas of our country. With this Supreme Court ruling, Tennessee continues leading the nation and solidifying itself as a state with a backbone and the interest of children in mind.
This ruling is more than a legal win; it’s the start of a cultural shift in our country. The Supreme Court has decided that states can make decisions for the people through their duly elected representatives – especially on matters as serious as the health of our children.
A day like today wouldn’t be possible without the remarkable dedication and fight from our outstanding Attorney General, Jonathan Skrmetti. His conviction and commitment to the rule of law are why we are celebrating this milestone. While some Attorneys General chase headlines, General Skrmetti chases justice.
President Trump’s recent executive orders — protecting women’s sports and restoring a biologically based definition of sex across federal agencies — are major victories for conservatives and for common sense. Today’s Supreme Court decision is another powerful affirmation of truth and actual leadership. I’m deeply encouraged by President Trump’s bold stand on this issue and pray his administration continues to lead with courage and conviction.
This historic decision gives new found hope and strength to every state bold enough to push back on these policies that prioritize money over children’s safety. The Supreme Court has only affirmed what we know all along: Senate Bill 1 is lawful, necessary, and is now the law of the land. This is only the beginning, Tennessee.
***
Jack Johnson represents Senate District 27 which consists of Williamson County. Jack Johnson serves as the Tennessee Senate Majority Leader.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Supreme Court

SCOTUS Says Tennessee Can Protect Kids From Trans Procedures. Other States Should Follow Our Lead.

Children

gender-affirming care

minors

Puberty blockers

SCOTUS

Skrmetti

Tennessee

transgender surgery

A top executive at a major healthcare provider whose duties involve placing graduate students at hospitals across the country has said that “diversity” is essential for healthcare and advocated for medical schools to accept students in racially proportional ways. 
Dr. Monique Butler, the president of Graduate Medical Education for Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Healthcare, has aggressively pushed DEI and racial quotas. HCA, headquartered in Tennessee, also has a history of championing DEI, though many references to such efforts have been scrubbed from its website in recent months. 
Butler was <a href="https://investor.hcahealthcare.com/news/news-details/2024/HCA-Healthcare-Names-Dr.-Monique-Butler-as-President-of-Graduate-Medical-Education/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named</a> president of HCA’s graduate medical education program in March 2024. One of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs, it <a href="https://hcahealthcaregme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offers</a> over 300 residency and fellowship programs across 16 states and 79 hospitals with more than 5000 residents and 300 fellows. 
According to HCA, it is <a href="https://hcahealthcaregme.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the</a> “largest sponsor of residency and fellowship programs across the nation” and its facilities handle “five percent of all U.S. hospital services.”
Prior to her work at HCA, Butler pushed for DEI in presentations and speeches and even advocated for medical schools to adopt a sort of racial quota system to ensure their student body was directly proportional to the general population.  
“Diversity in health care cannot be a want, it is a must-have,” Butler <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/discussion-to-examine-health-care-disparities-racial-empowerment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a 2020 speech. 
In 2021, she delivered the University of Michigan MLK Health Sciences keynote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Y5s3JlP6I" target="_blank" rel="noopener">address</a>, in which she claimed: “race — as well as sex, gender, sexuality, age, social class and ability —  can adversely affect opportunities, access, care, treatment and the overall lived experiences of people of color, particularly black people.”
During that speech, Butler also called for medical schools across the United States to admit a directly proportional number of minority students into their programs. 
Butler said she was issuing a “call to action” to medical school leaders to “ensure that their student population reflects the population of the United States population,” noting that only 5% of medical school graduates were black despite making up 13% of the population. 
“We have some work to do,” she said. 
<div id="attachment_894851" style="width: 1610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-894851" class="size-full wp-image-894851" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-19-at-1.42.06-PM.png" alt="" width="1600" height="965" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-19-at-1.42.06-PM.png 1600w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-19-at-1.42.06-PM-300x181.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-19-at-1.42.06-PM-955x576.png 955w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-19-at-1.42.06-PM-768x463.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-19-at-1.42.06-PM-1536x926.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" />Butler presentation.</div>
She said that the lower number of black and minority medical school graduates was contributing to “health disparities” in the United States. 
In that same lecture, she pushed a now-<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/study-saying-black-babies-more-likely-to-die-under-white-doctors-didnt-control-for-1-key-factor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debunked</a> study that claims that black babies are more likely to die under white doctors’ care. 
Butler also made numerous references to George Floyd, claiming that police brutality was a contributor to health &#8220;inequality.&#8221; She said that curriculum at medical schools across the country should be infused with implicit bias training. 
<div id="attachment_894857" style="width: 1539px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-894857" class="size-full wp-image-894857" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-17-at-12.11.36-PM.png" alt="" width="1529" height="830" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-17-at-12.11.36-PM.png 1529w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-17-at-12.11.36-PM-300x163.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-17-at-12.11.36-PM-1024x556.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/Screen-Shot-2025-03-17-at-12.11.36-PM-768x417.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1529px) 100vw, 1529px" />Butler presentation.</div>
In October 2020, Butler moderated a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c4zs13Esoo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">panel discussion</a> on what she called the “health equity crisis” in the United States. Butler said that governments should be held “responsible” for “neutralizing” the amount of money spent per school district. 
Later, in a 2023 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8as63qBruY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lecture</a>, she urged people to be “allies” and urged providers to “challenge” human resources departments to “ensure that there are metrics they are looking” at to ensure “at least” diverse candidates. 
Butler&#8217;s push for DEI in medicine was criticized by Do No Harm, a group devoted to getting politics out of medicine.
&#8220;Medical education, whether in the classroom or in hospital, must be focused on merit. Dr. Butler is advocating for the return of racial segregation in medicine, promoting the disproved hypothesis of racial concordance, eroding patient-physician trust and degrading the rigor of medical education,&#8221; Senior Do No Harm fellow Dr. Jared Ross told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The best physician for you is the most qualified, regardless of melanin content or sexual orientation.&#8221;
Butler has worked for a number of high-profile medical corporations throughout her career and has received numerous glowing profiles. Some of these profiles include DEI-related accomplishments.  
For example, an October 2022 University of Michigan School Of Kinesiology alumni <a href="https://www.kines.umich.edu/news-events/profiles/dr-monique-butler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profile</a> of Butler reveals that she created something called the Grant Foundation in order to “improve health equity.” One of the purported programs offered by the Grant Foundation is the Pathfinders Scholarship Award, which is given to first-generation and “underrepresented” University of Michigan kinesiology students to “pursue a career in health care.”
The foundation has a small online footprint and is not advertised by the University of Michigan aside from the alumni profile. It is unclear how many students have received the award or how students may apply for the opportunity. 
Another program with a scant track record that Butler is said to have created is the “Women Physicians Network,” which is mentioned in a number of Butler’s <a href="https://yourhub.denverpost.com/blog/2018/08/hcahealthones-swedish-medical-center-welcomes-new-chief-medical-officer/223519/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profiles</a> and again in the congressional <a href="https://www.congress.gov/116/crec/2020/09/29/CREC-2020-09-29-pt1-PgE893.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">record</a>. This network appears to have no online presence and is not registered as a non-profit in Michigan or Florida. 
Another profile of Butler <a href="https://umichpicsannouncements.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017-global-health-symposium-brochure.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reveals</a> that she has “research experience” in health care “disparities” while there appears to be limited evidence of any scholarly articles widely available that Butler has contributed to on disparities. 
Her employer, HCA, has also publicly pushed adherence to DEI ideology until relatively recently. 
“Our Executive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council informs critical strategic decision making, monitors progress against goals and objectives, and serves as visible and vocal sponsors of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the organization,” HCA posted on its website as of at least October 2024, according to an <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241008171042/https://hcahealthcare.com/about/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">archived</a> webpage. 
“Across HCA Healthcare, our Division Diversity, Equity and Inclusion councils support deployment of key DEI strategies and programs at a local level. These councils are comprised of division leaders and facility representatives who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve,” HCA added. 
That page now redirects to a general “mission” statement that doesn’t mention diversity or equity. 
When reached for comment about some of its deleted DEI pages, a spokeswoman gave a general comment on the mission of HCA. 
“Our focus has always been to foster a culture that exemplifies our company’s mission and values by promoting care and respect for all patients and colleagues, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age or other characteristics, and we will continue to do so,” the spokeswoman said. “Our Culture and Values team continues to lead and facilitate cross-department partnerships that seek to support the delivery of high-quality care for our patients, foster opportunities for colleagues and improve the health of our communities.”
The spokeswoman added that HCA was “continuously looking for ways to build on our longstanding commitment to promoting an environment where everyone feels valued, while also supporting a broader vision of teamwork, respect and shared purpose across all areas of our organization.”
In the past, HCA released reports highlighting its DEI initiatives. 
Its 2023 DEI “<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240918105926/https:/hcahealthcare.com/util/documents/2023/2023-HCAH-DEI-Year-in-Review-a.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snapshot</a>” boasted  that the group adopted “Joint Commission equity standards to reduce health disparities&#8221; and investments in “health equity partnerships.” These investments included $7.42 million to historically black colleges and Hispanic “serving institutions” between 2021 and 2023.
In February 2024, HCA released a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240816160832/https:/hcahealthcare.com/util/documents/2023/508_DEI-EEO-1-Report-2023-a.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on all the ways the company has incorporated different layers of DEI councils throughout the company. 
“HCA Healthcare is focused on fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging for our colleagues through workplace programs, education, diverse talent acquisition, engagement and development,” the company reported. 
These efforts include the creation of a black leadership organization, implicit bias training, and “advancing equity for our LGBTQ+ communities.”
HCA also announced that it was working to develop more relationships with “diverse suppliers.”
“We are committed to expanding partnerships with a diverse range of businesses, including those owned and operated by people of color, women, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community and members of socially and economically disadvantaged groups,” the report said. 
However, many of the DEI-related materials appear to have been removed from the HCA’s website. 
Ross, of Do No Harm, said that HCA should completely abandon any DEI-related projects.
&#8220;Hospital Corporation of America should stop any DEI efforts and instead put resources into providing the best education for doctors,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire.
The apparent retreat comes amid increasing cultural pressure for companies and universities to abandon DEI principles and focus on merit. This shift comes after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in June 2023, and the executive orders from President Donald Trump cracking down on the federal government’s promotion of DEI.

In this photo illustration, the American healthcare business

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Following President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive order protecting children from irreversible gender procedures, hospitals across the country have started canceling appointments or ceasing their transgender programs for children.
&#8220;It’s already having its intended effect — preventing children from being maimed and sterilized by adults perpetuating a radical, false claim that they can somehow change a child’s sex,&#8221; the White House said in a Monday release. &#8220;Hospitals around the country are taking action to downsize or eliminate their so-called &#8216;gender-affirming care&#8217; programs.&#8221;
&#8220;President Trump will always protect American children,&#8221; the White House added. &#8220;Promises made, promises kept – again.&#8221;
In New York, NYU Langone Health began canceling transgender appointments for children, including two 12-year-olds who were supposed to start puberty blockers — medication that can have irreversible impacts on a child&#8217;s development.
In Colorado, a spokesperson for Denver Health <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/hospitals-pause-gender-affirming-care-trump-transgender-order-rcna190164">told NBC that it had stopped</a> performing transgender surgeries on children and young people under the age of 19.
In Virginia, both VCU Health and the Children&#8217;s Hospital of Richmond confirmed to NBC that they have halted their transgender medication and surgeries on children and people under 19. UVA Health in Charlottesville <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/01/31/trans-children-trump-hormones-healthcare/">has suspended</a> all so-called &#8220;gender-affirming care&#8221; while it reviews the guidance.
&#8220;Like many health systems across the country, the University of Virginia and UVA Health are working to analyze and interpret the federal order and related state guidance, as well as monitoring other potential policy changes and impacts to ensure we are always delivering care in accordance with the law,&#8221; the hospital wrote.
In the nation&#8217;s capital, Washington, D.C., Children’s National Hospital “paused prescriptions of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to comply with the directives while we assess the situation further,&#8221; according to NBC. The hospital has previously said it doesn&#8217;t perform transgender surgeries on children.
In Illinois, Lurie Children&#8217;s Hospital of Chicago said it is reviewing Trump&#8217;s order and “assessing any potential impact to the clinical services we offer to our patient families,&#8221; <a href="https://fox59.com/news/health/ap-health/ap-some-hospitals-pause-gender-affirming-care-to-evaluate-trumps-executive-order/">according to the local outlet Fox59</a>. The hospital statement added: “Our team will continue to advocate for access to medically necessary care, grounded in science and compassion for the patient-families we are so privileged to serve.&#8221;
In Pennsylvania, Children&#8217;s Hospital of Philadelphia <a href="https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/hospitals-halt-gender-care-for-minors-following-executive-order.html">also said it is</a> &#8220;closely reviewing recent government actions, including the executive order on Jan. 28, to understand how they might impact care for the children who rely on [it].&#8221;
Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-children-from-chemical-and-surgical-mutilation/">executive order</a> during his second week in office protecting children from irreversible gender transition procedures, calling them a “stain on our Nation’s history.”
The order describes the transgender procedures that doctors and activists have pushed upon children in recent years, and states that the United States will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the attempted gender transition of a child, promising that it will “rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”
“Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions,” the order states. “This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation’s history, and it must end.”
“Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding,” the order continues. “Moreover, these vulnerable youths’ medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilization.”
On Friday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-answers-questions-on-trump-actions-protecting-children-from-trans-procedures">told The Daily Wire</a> that Trump would &#8220;certainly&#8221; support congressional efforts to protect children from transgender procedures.
&#8220;The president has already taken a very strong stance on this issue this week with the signing of his executive order, a few executive orders in this space,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire during Friday&#8217;s press briefing.
“First, he made it the official policy of the federal government that there are only two sexes, male and female, and we have directed all federal agencies to comply with that policy,” Leavitt explained. “As for congressional legislation to support the president’s agenda in this space, and certainly ending the mutilation of young children, the chemical castration of young children, which is a barbaric practice that the vast majority of Americans do not support, for young, minor children, certainly, the president would support Congress’ efforts, as he has already made that very clear this week.”

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