The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted Thursday to advance the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Mullin&#8217;s nomination will now head to a full Senate vote after clearing the committee in an 8-7 vote. The vote largely followed party lines, though Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) broke with Democrats to support the nomination.
<div id="attachment_1062285" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1062285" class="wp-image-1062285 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267258753-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who chairs the committee, voted against Mullin after a contentious exchange during Wednesday&#8217;s confirmation hearing, where Paul raised concerns about what he described as Mullin&#8217;s “pattern” of aggressive behavior.
Paul confronted Mullin with a compilation of video clips, including remarks about settling disputes physically, statements about “not afraid to bite” in a fight, and Mullin&#8217;s previous challenge to the Teamsters president during a congressional hearing.
The Kentucky senator also referenced a 2017 assault in which he was seriously injured by a neighbor, accusing Mullin of previously appearing to justify the attack.
“You told the media that I was a freakin’ snake and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted. I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain, and my family so much pain.&#8221;
Paul questioned whether Mullin&#8217;s past remarks made him fit to lead an agency responsible for enforcing federal law.
&#8220;I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force,” Paul said.
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<div id="attachment_1062289" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1062289" class="wp-image-1062289 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2267253588-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
Mullin, however, didn&#8217;t apologize or walk back any of his past statements.
“Everybody in this room knows that I’m very blunt and direct to the point. And if I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face,” Mullin said.
Mullin denied endorsing violence and accused Paul of misrepresenting his record.
“As far as me saying that I invoke violence, I don’t think anybody should be hit by surprise,&#8221; Mullin said.  &#8220;If I do have something to say, everybody in this room knows I’ll come straight to you, I’ll say it publicly and I’ll say it privately, but I’ll never say it behind your back.”
Mullin also attempted to strike a conciliatory tone, asking Paul to move past their dispute.
“Let me earn your respect, let me earn the job,&#8221; he said. “I’m not perfect, I don’t claim to be perfect. I make mistakes just like anybody else. But mistakes, if you own them, you can learn from, and you can move ahead. And I’ll make that commitment to you,” he added.
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If confirmed, Mullin would take over an agency facing scrutiny over its handling of immigration enforcement policies.
During an interview Wednesday, President Donald Trump&#8217;s border czar, Tom Homan, said Mullin “doesn’t know the immigration game very well,” but is relying on “people with 30, 40 years of experience to guide him,” adding: “That’s the way it should be.”
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Mullin To Face Senate Scrutiny Over Ability To Lead Behemoth DHS

Mullin DHS Nomination Clears Committee After Democrat Breaks Ranks

John Fetterman

Kristi Noem

Markwayne Mullin

Rand Paul

The impact of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown is continuing to intensify, leading to frustration from Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who is the only Democrat to support funding the department as it currently stands, as well as hundreds of TSA workers quitting.
“We all have to acknowledge that this shutdown had no impact, zero impact on ICE, all of the funding was already in place there from the Big Beautiful Bill that I did not vote for,” the Democrat told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” on NewsNation this week, and the comments were later shared by the Republican National Committee Research account.
“Why punish all those TSA agents and all the other people under the DHS umbrella just because the base demands that we just shut it down, knowing, absolutely knowing it will have no impact on ICE,” he added, acknowledging in a <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2031849814279725197?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a> interview that he does support reforms to the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration policies.
Negotiations on federal immigration enforcement tactics have stalled, as Democrats want to see drastic changes to policies, including the end of masking for agents and the use of judicial warrants to make many immigration-related arrests.
“Democrats are ready to fund TSA. Republicans are blocking it. Democrats are ready to fund CISA. Republicans are blocking it. Democrats are ready to fund FEMA. And Coast Guard. Republicans are blocking it,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X on Thursday evening.
A Senate “test vote” failed 51-46 on Thursday to potentially fully fund the department, which covers agencies like TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA in addition to ICE and Customs and Border Protection, according to <a href="https://x.com/ChadPergram/status/2032162082943094950?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
Meanwhile, TSA agents are working without paychecks as of Friday, which is leading to more callouts and longer lines at airports throughout the country, like Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Friday morning.
“They’re not getting rich doing these jobs. They live paycheck to paycheck,” Ken Cuccinelli, a former top Homeland Security official in President Donald Trump’s first term, told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-dhs-shutdown-poses-grave-risk-as-terror-incidents-rock-american-communities-experts-warn?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Top+National+Security+Experts+Warn+Dems+%E2%80%98Playing+Chicken+With+Terrorists%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> earlier this week.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told reporters this week that the “impacts of not funding DHS are real, and they&#8217;re in an unsustainable position,” noting that it’s been over two weeks since the White House sent Senate Democrats a counteroffer. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) is considered the lead negotiator for the Republicans on the shutdown, but she’s noted that Democrats have not been cooperative.
“Four different times this afternoon, Republicans offered a 2-week funding stopgap for DHS to reopen and ensure hardworking Americans get paychecks,” Britt posted to X on Thursday.
“Each time, Democrats responded with bills that not only defund law enforcement, but defund TSA, Secret Service, Coast Guard, FEMA and more,” she added.
In a statement to The Daily Wire on Friday afternoon, the White House said that they are “interested in continuing conversations with Democrats about ways to end this shutdown.”
“Democrats, regrettably, have chosen to punish the American people with long TSA lines and withholding paychecks from workers who help protect our country,” they added, noting 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown started.

Sen. John Fetterman

Hundreds Of TSA Workers Quit As Dems Dig In On Shutdown

Congress

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration

Politics

Senate

U.S. Senate

Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who has broken with Democrats on multiple issues, is toeing the party line on the SAVE America Act, criticizing President Donald Trump over concerns about mail-in ballots and gender procedures for children on Wednesday night.
During an appearance on CBS News&#8217;s &#8220;The Takeout with Major Garrett,&#8221; Fetterman <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2031851997729632432">said</a> he doesn&#8217;t support the SAVE America Act &#8220;in its current state.&#8221; The legislation, which would establish strict voter ID requirements and limit the use of mail-in ballots, is Trump&#8217;s top priority for the Senate.
&#8220;The president is constantly critical on mail-in voting, and that&#8217;s ridiculous. It&#8217;s safe,&#8221; Fetterman said. &#8220;Some of the best examples in the country are from red states like Ohio and Florida, of course.&#8221;
&#8220;I can&#8217;t ever vote for that,&#8221; the Democrat added. &#8220;Because I could never agree [with] something that&#8217;s just not true.&#8221;
Fetterman highlighted how Republicans and Democrats passed legislation in Pennsylvania in 2019 to legalize mail-in voting. Two years later, following Trump&#8217;s 2020 loss, many Pennsylvania Republicans filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the 2019 voting law.
Along with imposing strict voter ID requirements and mail-in ballot rules, the SAVE America Act would also keep men from competing in women’s sports and protect children from gender procedures. Fetterman said he also opposes the effort from Trump and Republicans to pass legislation that would outlaw life-altering gender procedures on minors.
&#8220;That entire community, I refuse to target that or pick on that. It&#8217;s difficult enough for transgender kids, so I think this is the wrong venue to discuss it nationally,&#8221; Fetterman added.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a very personal choice for parents and their children,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And I think it&#8217;s increasingly going to become a more local or maybe state kind of decisions.&#8221;
Fetterman acknowledged that the &#8220;vast majority&#8221; of Americans support requiring people to show ID to register to vote, and he signaled that he would support legislation that focuses solely on enacting stricter voter ID requirements. Recent polls show that more than 80% of Americans back such restrictions.
&#8220;Hey, I&#8217;m not going to tell 83% of Americans that they&#8217;re wrong, or that they&#8217;re Jim Crow,&#8221; he said, referring to a talking point from many Democrats who have claimed that the SAVE America Act would disenfranchise more than 20 million voters and act as &#8220;Jim Crow 2.0.&#8221; Fetterman blasted Democrats&#8217; characterization of the SAVE America Act as &#8220;Jim Crow 2.0.&#8221;
&#8220;I would never refer to the SAVE Act as like Jim Crow 2.0 or some kind of mass conspiracy,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fetterman-slams-democrats-jim-crow-2-0-voter-id-rhetoric-party-unity-fractures">told</a> Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany during an appearance on &#8220;Saturday in America.&#8221;
Fetterman told CBS News that the SAVE America Act doesn&#8217;t stand a chance in the Senate &#8220;because of the filibuster.&#8221; The Democrat admitted that part of the reason he ran for Senate in 2022 was to help his party abolish the filibuster, adding, &#8220;But now we find ourselves as Democrats, we love the filibuster. We cling to that.&#8221;
President Trump has called on Republican leaders to change Senate rules and use the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, legislation that he has called &#8220;the most popular bill put before Congress.&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), however, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/one-senators-final-plea-to-save-the-save-america-act?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=One+Senator%E2%80%99s+Final+Plea+To+Save+The+SAVE+America+Act">said</a> there isn&#8217;t enough Republican support to use the talking filibuster. Thune is expected to bring the SAVE America Act to the floor for a vote in the near future, but it&#8217;s likely to fall short of the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster.

‘Can’t Ever Vote For That’: Fetterman Swipes At Trump’s SAVE America Act

Democrats

Donald Trump

Republicans

SAVE America Act

Voter ID

While many in his party continue to criticize President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration over the execution of Operation Epic Fury — joint strikes with Israel against the Iranian regime — Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has thrown his full support behind the president in this case, and is &#8220;baffled&#8221; by those who haven&#8217;t.
Fetterman, who has carved out a very pro-Israel position since his election to the U.S. Senate, voiced his support for Trump&#8217;s actions — at least as far as Iran was concerned — in a series of posts on X.
&#8220;Love it,&#8221; he said in response to a Monday New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/02/us-news/trump-wont-rule-out-sending-us-troops-into-iran-if-necessary-tells-the-post-i-dont-care-about-polling/">interview</a> in which Trump had claimed that the operation was already &#8220;right on schedule, way ahead of schedule in terms of leadership — 49 killed — and that was, you know, going to take, we figured, at least four weeks, and we did it in one day.&#8221;
&#8220;Not sure why it’s controversial to anyone to appreciate and celebrate wiping out 49 leaders of one of the most evil regimes in recorded history,&#8221; Fetterman <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/2028516757887979981">added</a>.
Just a few hours earlier, he&#8217;d called out others in the Senate — all of whom agreed that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon and some of whom had long called for someone to bring an end to the tyrannical and oppressive regime in Iran — and asked why some, primarily in his own party, still steadfastly refused to support an administration that was serious about doing just that.
&#8220;Every member in the U.S. Senate agrees we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. I’m baffled why so many are unwilling to support the only action to achieve that,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/2028482183065653587">he said</a>. &#8220;Empty sloganeering vs. commitment to global security — which is it?&#8221;
Even as the joint operation began on Saturday, the Pennsylvania Senator was quick to voice his unequivocal support for the Trump administration&#8217;s actions.
&#8220;Operation Epic Fury. President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region. God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/2027674658091204808">posted</a>.
And when it was confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei was among the 49 leaders killed during the initial strikes, Fetterman&#8217;s response was clear: &#8220;Let’s see who grieves for that garbage.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Let’s see who grieves for that garbage. <a href="https://t.co/uhHpyXL7bR">https://t.co/uhHpyXL7bR</a>
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA/status/2027837565278048491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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‘Baffled’ By His Party’s Response, Fetterman Cheers Trump, Israel As They Pummel Iran: ‘Love It!’

'Baffled' By His Party's Response, Fetterman Cheers Trump, Israel As They Pummel Iran: 'Love It!'

Global Politics

Iran

Iran Airstrike

Israel

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) voiced his frustration on Wednesday after most of his party effectively sat on their hands during President Donald Trump&#8217;s State of the Union address, refusing to stand or even applaud issues he believes stretch across party lines.
Fetterman defended his own decision to applaud a number of key moments during Trump&#8217;s speech, saying he was always going to clap for the things he believed were worth applauding, regardless of the party of the person delivering the remarks.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 BREAKING: Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) says he was one of the Democrats to stand up for Iryna Zarutska and Erika Kirk at Trump&#8217;s State of the Union
&#8220;Even Erika Kirk. Can&#8217;t we just be more kind to a WIDOW? How can&#8217;t we acknowledge that?&#8221; 💯
&#8220;I clapped for the family that lost… <a href="https://t.co/VMCMIBY8VC">pic.twitter.com/VMCMIBY8VC</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2026670101206814804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Fetterman noted that most of the Democrats in the chamber on Tuesday evening — those who did not attend an alternate event or boycott the evening&#8217;s festivities altogether — had chosen not to stand or applaud during Trump&#8217;s remarks, even when he discussed issues both parties wanted addressed.
&#8220;I clapped for a lot of those things &#8230; like I stood up and I clapped to recognize the family that lost their daughter, the Ukrainian girl that was stabbed to death in North Carolina,&#8221; Fetterman explained. &#8220;And I stood up, and I clapped for that political prisoner from Venezuela, you know, how you can&#8217;t celebrate those kinds of things. I also celebrated all the veterans that were in the audience as well.&#8221;
Fetterman went on to say that even when things got political, he still stood and applauded when he felt it was appropriate to do so.
&#8220;Like Erika Kirk, I stood up, and then I clapped for her &#8230; can&#8217;t we just be more kind to a widow?&#8221; Fetterman asked, noting that Kirk had just lost her husband — murdered Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk — very recently, and still had young children to care for. &#8220;How we can&#8217;t just acknowledge that?&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m always going to stand up and clap for things I agree with, like striking the Iranian sites,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And if I don&#8217;t agree with it or whatever, I&#8217;m certainly not going to yell and scream and disrupt the whole thing.&#8221;

President Trump Delivers The State Of The Union Address

Once Again, Fetterman Breaks With Theatrics To Stand For American Values

WATCH: John Fetterman Baffled As His Party Refuses To Stand Up For American Values

Charlie Kirk

Media

State of the Union

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is calling on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be “immediately fired” as the federal government approaches a possible partial shutdown over DHS funding, but Trump outright said “no” on Tuesday when asked about whether she will leave the role.
The moderate Pennsylvania Democrat could be a key swing vote as a second shutdown in just three months looms, and his post on X on Tuesday was meant to be a “direct appeal” to President Donald Trump.
“Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy,” Fetterman posted. “DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.” Trump and Fetterman notably met at Mar-a-Lago early last year.
However, the departure of Noem does not seem likely based on public statements currently available, including from the president on Tuesday.
&#8220;I think she&#8217;s doing a very good job &#8230; the border is totally secure. You know, you forget, we had a border that I inherited where millions of people were coming through. Now, we have a border where no one is coming through,” Trump said on Tuesday before leaving to speak at an event in Iowa.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the secretary “still has the utmost confidence and trust.”
It’s unclear if it could become a point of leverage for Democrats in the government funding fight, but many Democrats have indicated they want to see changes beyond just leadership. Meanwhile, House Democratic leadership is asking for Noem to &#8220;be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives&#8221; – a move that could face difficulty with a Republican-majority Congress. The Republican-majority congress successfully impeached then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 as the southern border crisis raged on.
Most of the funding for major immigration goals of the Trump administration, such as increasing the number of ICE officers, was already signed by the president last year with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Over the weekend, DHS and the White House pointed out to The Daily Wire that other funding for emergency management and TSA would be impacted if DHS were not funded.
Democrats are calling for the DHS funding to be separated from other spending bills to minimize the impact of a shutdown, but top lawmakers like Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR) have said there will be “no mob veto.”
“If Senate Republicans refuse to strip out the DHS bill to put real constraints on ICE — and hold hostage the vast majority of government funding — then Republicans are complicit in the chaos and own the potential government shutdown,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) posted. “It’s time to stop ICE’s violence.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-trump-administrations-growing-divide-over-mass-deportation-raids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Inside+The+Trump+Administration%E2%80%99s+Growing+Divide+Over+Mass+Deportation+Raids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported on Monday that there has been some internal debate over the best approach moving forward regarding mass deportations, as Trump sends White House Border Czar Tom Homan to meet with Minnesota Democratic leaders. Tensions hit a breaking point following the Border Patrol-involved shooting of Alex Pretti.
On Tuesday evening, a DHS spokesperson responded to the comments made by Fetterman.
“DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don’t like those laws, changing them is literally their job. Secretary Noem oversees the Department of Homeland Security, and she is very happy that Tom Homan, who is a great asset to the President, and has a great depth of experience and insight, will be overseeing Minneapolis operations,&#8221; the spokesperson stated. &#8220;Secretary Noem also oversees FEMA where she has been living there for the last three days.  Her portfolio also includes the US Coast Guard, US Secret Service, TSA, CISA, CBP, ICE and 23 total components. Under her leadership, DHS law enforcement have arrested and deported over 700,000 criminal illegal aliens. Over 2 million self-deportations and we will continue with that work.”

Fetterman Calls On Trump To Fire Noem As Shutdown Fears Grow

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, breaking with his party once again, said he favors the United States intervening in Iran against the tyrannical regime that is reportedly brutally murdering its own citizens in order to retain power.
“The ruthless Iranian regime has been callously slaughtering civilians who aren’t even involved in the nationwide anti-government protests, horrified witnesses said — as the death toll surged on Tuesday to roughly 2,000,” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/13/world-news/iran-is-now-slaughtering-civilians-who-arent-involved-in-anti-regime-protests-witnesses-warn-as-death-toll-surges-into-the-thousands/">reported</a>. “Chilling eyewitness accounts of the bloodshed started emerging late Monday after Iranians were finally able to make international calls after authorities cut the country’s internet supply as part of its merciless crackdown.”
On Monday, speaking of possible strikes on Iran, Fetterman said on CNN, “Those strikes make sense, absolutely. I do support those things. &#8230; I&#8217;m saying I&#8217;m open to that. And I am actually inspired by the real kinds of courage that those protesters in Iran are demonstrating now. “
“So I don&#8217;t know why we can&#8217;t all want to support that to back them and now bring that awful regime to its knees,” he continued. “Now, that&#8217;s where it&#8217;s at right now. They&#8217;re so desperate. They killed the internet, and now they&#8217;re mowing down their own citizens. Now they&#8217;re even so desperate, offering six dollars a month as some kind of a payoff now, too. Now for me, I think we can all agree that the world would be better, safer and more just if you could break that regime.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 NEW: Senator John Fetterman BREAKS RANKS with Democrats to support President Trump taking military action in IRAN to protect the protestors <a href="https://t.co/ys33osDkHy">pic.twitter.com/ys33osDkHy</a>
&mdash; TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TVNewsNow/status/2010775940151030041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Fetterman’s rhetoric echoed the words of former Speaker of the House and eminent historian Newt Gingrich, who bluntly stated on X, “It is not enough to sympathize with the Iranian people in their struggle to get free from the dictatorship which is clearly killing dissidents and fighting for its very survival. It is not enough to have government leaders publicly talking about support for the Iranian people but failing to do anything real. It is also not enough to send token support but fail to take the steps necessary to replace the dictatorship. In a few weeks either the dictatorship will be gone or the Iranian people will have been defeated and suppressed and a campaign to find the ringleaders and kill them will have begun.”
“There is no middle ground,” he continued. “The goal of every western [sic] leader should be to destroy the Iranian dictatorship at this moment of its vulnerability. Nothing will do more to move the Middle East toward peace, safety, and prosperity than the destruction of the Ayatollah’s dictatorship. The time to act is NOW.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It is not enough to sympathize with the Iranian people in their struggle to get free from the dictatorship which is clearly killing dissidents and fighting for its very survival. It is not enough to have government leaders publicly talking about support for the Iranian people but…
&mdash; Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) <a href="https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/2010677659546648616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Challenges in Preserving the U.S. Housing Stock

Fetterman Breaks Party Lines To Back U.S. Intervention In Iran

Newt Gingrich

Pennsylvania Democrat Senator John Fetterman ripped the legacy media and strongly defended the Trump administration over its actions vis-à-vis Venezuela, including strikes on suspected narco-terrorist boats and seizing an oil tanker used by Nicolás Maduro&#8217;s regime.
Last week, the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, targeting Venezuela’s state-owned oil industry and primary source of funding. Since September, the U.S. military has also knocked out over 20 boats and submarines in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean in strikes targeting narco-terrorists.
NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?time_continue=218&amp;v=7jyKTMeZDQg&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.dailywire.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE">asked</a> Fetterman about a briefing he had attended about the situation, saying, “What did you learn, Senator, that gave you any comfort that we’re not heading into some kind of extended military exercise around Venezuela or in Venezuela?&#8221;
“I thought it was pretty comprehensive,” Fetterman replied. He then criticized the media for attacking the Trump administration on the issue.
&#8220;And this idea, some things out in the media, it’s kind of putting out this — that the military’s just picking off any boat that comes across. That’s just not true,&#8221; Fetterman said. &#8220;I mean, there’s extensive intelligence and they know exactly who’s on that boat and they know what’s actually on that boat right now. And it’s quite frequently they decline to take it into (a) move on those things. When they move on those kinetic kinds of strikes, you know, they have absolute confidence who’s on it and what’s on it, and that’s exactly what it’s about. They are not just going around randomly shooting boats and those things. That’s just not the fact.”
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Cuomo brought up President Donald Trump’s statement in which he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-complete-blockade-of-sanctioned-oil-tankers-moving-in-and-out-of-venezuela?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Orders+%E2%80%98Complete+Blockade%E2%80%99+Of+Sanctioned+Oil+Tankers+Moving+In+And+Out+Of+Venezuela">ordered</a> a &#8220;complete blockade&#8221; of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela and accused the Maduro regime of stealing oil and land.
“What did they steal?” Cuomo asked Fetterman.
“Iran is involved on that and Russia is involved on that and China as well, too,” the senator responded. “That’s sanctioned oil right now &#8230; and those are the kinds of funds that support regimes like Iran’s. It’s not a plan like a land war and invade Venezuela, but seizing those kinds of oil tankers &#8230; it’s undeniable that that’s gonna support Iran &#8230; those are the kinds of fund that are going to be used for illicit things like terrorism. So for me, it makes a lot of sense, at least what I’ve seen.”
Tim Pearce contributed to this article.

Sen. John Fetterman Visits “Jesse Watters Primetime”

Fetterman Blasts Media, Defends Trump’s Narco-Terror Strikes And Oil Tanker Seizure

Oil and Gas

Trump Administration

Venezuela

Left-wing activists in Pennsylvania have threatened to launch a primary campaign against Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) — but he&#8217;s just laughing it off, saying that they&#8217;ll make him look more like the reasonable person he&#8217;s always claimed to be.
Fetterman reacted to the news on Friday&#8217;s Fox News broadcast of &#8220;The Story&#8221; with host Martha MacCallum, saying he did not expect the group  — Working Families for Pennsylvania — to get much traction against him.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: John Fetterman *TAUNTS* left-wing party over primary threat🤣
&#8220;Ooh, ooh, oh, I hope, promise. I hope so — because I guarantee whoever they put up, they&#8217;re going to make me look the reasonable guy that&#8217;s going to work with both sides together and find a way for… <a href="https://t.co/McL2okE1RW">https://t.co/McL2okE1RW</a> <a href="https://t.co/jnufWD4QQ7">pic.twitter.com/jnufWD4QQ7</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1991971728906502295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The left-wing group had released a statement a few days earlier, promising action: &#8220;We&#8217;re primarying John Fetterman. Last week, Fetterman once again sold out working Pennsylvanians. He was the deciding vote for a Republican budget bill that will strip healthcare from over 400,000 Pennsylvanians. We deserve real working class leadership in the U.S. Senate.&#8221;
Fetterman struggled to contain his mirth.
&#8220;Ooh, ooh, oh, I hope, promise. I hope so — because I guarantee whoever they put up, they&#8217;re going to make me look the reasonable guy that&#8217;s going to work with both sides together and find a way for Pennsylvania,&#8221; he said, laughing at the idea.
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Fetterman went on to defend his vote to end the recent government shutdown — the longest in American history — saying that he would not apologize for voting to restore SNAP benefits (food stamps) to the more than 40 million families who relied on them, nor would he apologize for voting to restore pay for the United States military and the Capitol Police.
&#8220;If they want to primary me &#8230; I&#8217;ve been on the side of common sense and I&#8217;m always going to put our country over party, and I think most people now realize that shutting our government down was wrong,&#8221; he concluded.

Left-Wing Activists Threaten To Primary John Fetterman. He Just Laughs.

Pennsylvania

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) said on Saturday evening that he&#8217;s made a &#8220;full recovery&#8221; after taking a nasty fall at his home in Braddock, Pennsylvania, this past week.
&#8220;[Twenty] stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home with [Gisele Fetterman] and the kids,&#8221; the Democrat posted to X, captioning a photo of himself. &#8220;I’m overwhelmed + profoundly grateful for all the well-wishes. Truly.&#8221; 
&#8220;Grateful for the [University of Pittsburgh Medical Center] for the incredible medical care that put me back together,&#8221; he added. &#8220;THANK YOU SO MUCH. See you back in DC.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
20 stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home with <a href="https://twitter.com/giselefetterman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@giselefetterman</a> and the kids.
I’m overwhelmed + profoundly grateful for all the well-wishes.
Truly.
Grateful for <a href="https://twitter.com/UPMC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UPMC</a> for the incredible medical care that put me back together.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
See you back in DC. <a href="https://t.co/j81LXZGLBx">pic.twitter.com/j81LXZGLBx</a>
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1989784336170684880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Fetterman’s team announced Thursday that the senator suffered a “ventricular fibrillation flare-up&#8221; and subsequently fell as he was light-headed, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservatives-rally-around-fetterman-after-fall-lefties-cant-get-the-knives-out-fast-enough?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Conservatives+Rally+Around+Fetterman+After+Fall%2C+Lefties+Can’t+Get+The+Knives+Out+Fast+Enough">The Daily Wire</a> reported. He sustained minor injuries to his face, as Fetterman&#8217;s attached photo on Saturday showcased.
At the time, Fetterman quipped, “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!”
Conservatives rallied around Fetterman when they heard of his fall, but the tone from leftists on X-alternative Bluesky was far different. As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservatives-rally-around-fetterman-after-fall-lefties-cant-get-the-knives-out-fast-enough?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Conservatives+Rally+Around+Fetterman+After+Fall%2C+Lefties+Can%E2%80%99t+Get+The+Knives+Out+Fast+Enough">The Daily Wire</a>, leftists mocked Fetterman for falling and complained that he lived.
Just before his fall, Fetterman said on CNN airwaves that the most vicious attacks aimed at him have not come from conservatives, but rather those on the Left. The Democrat has strayed from his party on numerous occasions, like supporting the reopening of the government and giving nuanced takes on the Israel and Gaza conflict.
“I asked my digital team, I said, ‘We’re on all the platforms, you know, what’s kind of the harshest? What’s kind of the most personal?” Fetterman recalled. “And the answer was immediate. They said, ‘Oh, Bluesky. It’s Bluesky.'&#8221;
“And the difference is the Right would say really rough things and names, some names I won’t repeat on TV,” he continued. “But on the Left, it was like, they want me to die, or that, ‘We’re cheering for your next stroke’ or, that’s terrible that depression — ‘Why couldn’t the depression won?’ And, ‘I hope your kids find you.’&#8221;
“I remember one that they claimed, ‘Oh, the doctor let us down,’ and ‘Why did they have to save his life?&#8217;” Fetterman added. “I mean, just really — I just can’t imagine people are wishing, ‘I wish he dies,’ or ‘I want him to die,’ you know, literally cheering for a stroke. And I don’t know &#8230; the kind of a place where that comes from.”
“That’s much different from calling me a name,” he explained. “And that’s really been consistent in that community online.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: John Fetterman *STUNS* CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash by telling her how Left crueler than Right🚨
FETTERMAN: &#8220;The Right would say really rough things and names &#8230; but on the Left, it was like they want me to die or that &#8216;We&#8217;re cheering for your next stroke&#8217; &#8230; they even have a gif… <a href="https://t.co/iMRyVTssgs">pic.twitter.com/iMRyVTssgs</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1988670736924336374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
Virginia Kruta contributed to this report 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservatives-rally-around-fetterman-after-fall-lefties-cant-get-the-knives-out-fast-enough?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Conservatives+Rally+Around+Fetterman+After+Fall%2C+Lefties+Can’t+Get+The+Knives+Out+Fast+Enough">Conservatives Rally Around Fetterman After Fall, Lefties Can’t Get The Knives Out Fast Enough</a>

John Fetterman Shares Photo, Medical Update After Fall Lands Him In Hospital

Health

When the news broke on Thursday that Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) had suffered a fall in his home town of Braddock, Pennsylvania, the response on social media was immediate: conservatives flooded the platform with well wishes for the Democratic senator, and the lefties on BlueSky mocked him and complained that he&#8217;d lived.
Fetterman&#8217;s team announced that he&#8217;d simply suffered a &#8220;ventricular fibrillation flare-up,&#8221; and then fell because he&#8217;d felt light-headed. He sustained minor injuries to his face and is expected to recover. Fetterman himself seemed to be in good spirits, quipping, &#8220;If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!&#8221;
Conservative commentator Steve Guest shared a screenshot showing a few of the posts from BlueSky responding to the news — and they ranged from simply mocking him to wishing he&#8217;d been unable to get up again.
&#8220;Blue Sky is an absolute cesspool right now in the wake of the news about John Fetterman&#8217;s fall,&#8221; he posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Blue Sky is an absolute cesspool right now in the wake of the news about John Fetterman&#8217;s fall. <a href="https://t.co/fNKhvXEGuQ">pic.twitter.com/fNKhvXEGuQ</a>
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1989041566275760554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Tragically, he&#8217;s expected to live,&#8221; one post read, and another said, &#8220;Karma is a bitch, ain&#8217;t it, Fetterman? Looks like he&#8217;s not getting enough oxygen to his brain, I could have told you that &#8230;&#8221;
Commenting on a headline about the injuries to Fetterman&#8217;s face, another asked, &#8220;How the f*** could anyone tell?&#8221;
&#8220;Damn, I hope the pavement is ok,&#8221; another posted.
Meanwhile, Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham offered well wishes via X. &#8220;Wishing Sen. Fetterman a full and speedy recovery. Health scares are no joke. Glad he’s doing well and under care,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Wishing Sen. Fetterman a full and speedy recovery. Health scares are no joke. Glad he’s doing well and under care. <a href="https://t.co/E8ODdn7vUm">pic.twitter.com/E8ODdn7vUm</a>
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) <a href="https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1989055505390809113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I reached out to Senator Fetterman and Dina has spoken to Gisele. John is a tough Pittsburgher and is already on the mend. We are thinking of him, Gisele, and their entire family — looking forward to seeing my good friend in the coming days,&#8221; Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I reached out to Senator Fetterman and Dina has spoken to Gisele. John is a tough Pittsburgher and is already on the mend. We are thinking of him, Gisele, and their entire family — looking forward to seeing my good friend in the coming days.
— Senator Dave McCormick (@SenMcCormickPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcCormickPA/status/1989068482194076112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senator Lindsey Graham offered his thoughts as well, adding, &#8220;Like so many who know and appreciate Senator Fetterman, I’m wishing him a speedy and full recovery. Praying for John and his wonderful family.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Like so many who know and appreciate Senator Fetterman, I’m wishing him a speedy and full recovery.
Praying for John and his wonderful family. <a href="https://t.co/iuSsCwQakB">https://t.co/iuSsCwQakB</a>
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1989092534094819786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The decidedly meaner comments from the Left only served to back up what Fetterman said a day earlier during an interview with CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash, when he explained just how much more vicious the attacks from the Left had been compared to the attacks from the Right.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: John Fetterman *STUNS* CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash by telling her how Left crueler than Right🚨
FETTERMAN: &#8220;The Right would say really rough things and names &#8230; but on the Left, it was like they want me to die or that &#8216;We&#8217;re cheering for your next stroke&#8217; &#8230; they even have a gif… <a href="https://t.co/iMRyVTssgs">pic.twitter.com/iMRyVTssgs</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1988670736924336374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The Right would say really rough things and names,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;But on the Left, it was like they want me to die or that &#8216;We&#8217;re cheering for your next stroke.'&#8221;

Conservatives Rally Around Fetterman After Fall, Lefties Can’t Get The Knives Out Fast Enough

Conservatives Rally Around Fetterman After Fall, Lefties Can't Get The Knives Out Fast Enough

Social Media

Journalist Katie Couric tried her best to get Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) to say negative things about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but the Pennsylvania senator never took the bait and kept pushing back.
Couric began by asking Fetterman if he thought the various ways the Turning Point founder was honored were too much because of his beliefs. 
“Do you think that flags should have been flown at half-staff? Do you think his body should have been flown on Air Force Two? Do you think he should have posthumously been given the Presidential Medal of Freedom?” Couric asked during a podcast interview with the senator. “I think some people felt that that was perhaps over the top in terms of mourning someone like Charlie Kirk. How did you feel about that?”
“I’d say that that was his choice and his prerogative, and that was really entirely up to him,” Fetterman replied.
Couric tried again, asking the senator if he had any “issues” with Kirk’s “rhetoric.” Fetterman said that though he didn&#8217;t agree with Kirk on most issues, he also didn’t follow what he was saying very closely.
“I’m sure you learned about them after his death, though,” Couric said.
“No, I haven’t done a deep dive on it,” Fetterman responded, going on to say that political violence was always “unacceptable” and that the video of Kirk’s death was “appalling.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Senator John Fetterman on Government Shutdown, Meeting Trump, &amp; Surviving Depression" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bibqRvh4YuQ?start=2614&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“And engaging in a debate and views I strongly disagree on, that’s part of the American democracy. And for me, that would never justify what’s happened,” he went on. “And I just chose not to take the opportunity to argue his views after children lost [their] father in the most violent, public way.”
“We have to disagree in better ways … we have to turn the temperature down,” Fetterman added.
“I think some people might say Charlie Kirk’s rhetoric was extreme,” Couric insisted. “You know, I think that’s the conversation that happened. People condemned political violence, but they also felt a great deal of discomfort with his language, suggesting that these kinds of words lead to violence. I don’t know. I’m just kind of sharing my observations as I saw the conversations unfold.”
Fetterman pushed back, asserting that nothing Kirk said meant he deserved to be assassinated.
“Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think we agree that we probably didn’t agree with much of what he said. And I’m sure we both agree that you shouldn’t shoot people and you shouldn’t execute them in public,” Fetterman replied. “And I think two things must be true: that free speech … I’m an absolute free speech guy and you have the right to say these things. And you definitely also have the right not to get shot by sharing your views.”
This isn’t the first time Fetterman displayed more common sense than most mainstream Democrats. The senator said on “Jesse Watters Primetime” earlier this month that he doesn’t agree with extreme labels.
“I’m not gonna call you a fascist or a Nazi. I’m not gonna compare anyone to like, Hitler or anything,” he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6384479522112">said</a> at the time. “That’s wrong. And if you resort to that thing, you’ve lost the plot.”
During an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-daily-wire-sits-down-with-john-fetterman-who-doesnt-hear-from-democrats-anymore?author=Tim+Rice&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Daily+Wire+Sits+Down+With+John+Fetterman%2C+Who+Doesn%E2%80%99t+Hear+From+Democrats+Anymore">exclusive interview</a> with The Daily Wire last week, the senator said Democrats don’t even call him anymore because he refuses to blindly follow mainstream party positions on topics like Israel, border control, and the government shutdown.

Couric and Fetterman

Katie Couric Fails To Make John Fetterman Denounce Charlie Kirk

Katie Couric Tries, And Fails, To Make John Fetterman Denounce Charlie Kirk

Katie Couric

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