I’ve been fortunate to build a career as a working musician in the music industry for more than thirty years now.
Over the course of my career, I’ve experienced the music business from the inside on every level. I&#8217;ve written, produced, and performed chart-topping songs not only for myself, but many other platinum artists.
What I’ve seen is simple: the system isn’t working the way it should for the people who actually perform the music.
Because of a loophole in the law, terrestrial radio has managed to avoid paying artists for the use of their music for more than a century. Today, American performers are being asked to give their work away under outdated rules, while everyone else in the chain gets paid. That imbalance doesn’t just hurt artists — it devalues the very creativity that sustains our culture. When music plays on the radio, songwriters and publishers are paid, but performers receive absolutely nothing.
Meanwhile, Big Radio corporations like iHeart, Cumulus, and others pull in nearly $14 billion each year, selling advertising wrapped around the performer&#8217;s talent and work. They’ve built their entire business on the backs of American artists, yet still tell us we should be grateful for the “exposure” that comes from being played on the radio. &#8220;Shut up and be happy that we&#8217;re playing your music! You have no right to the income stream.&#8221; This is their mantra.
Don’t get me wrong: radio has played an important role in my career as a country artist, and I appreciate the foundational place it holds in American music. There’s no better feeling than hearing your song on the radio for the first time. But gratitude for the radio’s role doesn’t mean we should accept a system that only lets one side of the table participate in the success.
As of today, the United States is the only major democracy that does not pay artists when their music is played on terrestrial radio — putting us in league with countries like Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. So would it be fair to say we have a &#8220;Communist business model when it comes to terrestrial radio in America?&#8221;
This question answers itself.
What’s more, many nations that do pay artists are now withholding hundreds of millions of dollars owed to American performers because our own system refuses to recognize their rights. Money that should be coming home to American artists is instead being held overseas.
To me, this issue is just common sense: If you use the music and leverage it to make money for your company, you should pay the artist. That’s how things work in this country. If you work hard, your work deserves to be honored with fair pay. That’s a core American value — AM/FM radio knows this, but they have the benefit of antiquated rules allowing them to take a free ride. 
So they do.
They’ve protected that free ride for decades with armies of lobbyists and political contributions designed to keep the system just the way it has always been. But now, we have a President who understands this fight.
President Trump knows the entertainment business because he’s worked in it, and he has been a true friend to American artists. In 2018, he signed the Music Modernization Act to improve compensation and copyright laws for the digital era. Now, he’s supporting the next step: a bill that will finally ensure artists are paid fairly when their music is played on terrestrial radio.
The American Music Fairness Act, introduced by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the Senate and Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) in the House, would require AM/FM radio corporations to start paying performers, just as digital radio already does. Royalties would go directly to artists.
What about the mom and pop stations? Well, small, independent broadcasters would pay only a few hundred dollars a year for unlimited access to music, and Big Radio would finally pay its fair share.
It’s no surprise this bill is already supported by conservative policy groups, more than 300 major recording artists, and community broadcasters alike. In December, Gene Simmons of Kiss testified before the Senate on behalf of the American Music Fairness Act, telling lawmakers, “If you are against this bill, you are un-American.” I believe he’s right.
All of us deserve an America where hard work still matters, and fair pay still means something. Passing the American Music Fairness Act would send that message clearly. It would tell the world that we stand with artists — not with the Big Radio companies that continue to profit by exploiting them.
It’s time for Congress to take action and finally right this ship. No more delays. Send the American Music Fairness Act to President Trump’s desk and deliver a victory for every American who believes that hard work and fair pay go hand in hand.
* * *
John Rich is an American country music songwriter, artist, and producer, best known as one half of the duo Big &amp; Rich.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Volunteer Jam: A Musical Salute To Charlie Daniels

Save A Horse? Pay The Cowboy! The Billion-Dollar Radio Free Ride Faces A Reckoning

Congress

Economics

Entertainment

John Rich

Marsha Blackburn

Money

Radio

U.S. Senate

Tennessee&#8217;s Republican congressman John Rose was originally a “no” vote on a move to get the spending package up for a final vote before going to the president to end the government shutdown. In the room with leadership, he switched his vote to “yes.”
It wasn&#8217;t due to a change in heart on the spending proposal, according to Republican congressman with knowledge of the conversation. Rose, according to the Republican colleague, planned to vote &#8220;no&#8221; in protest of positive comments that Trump made about his gubernatorial primary opponent, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn.
The congressman, who provided details of the situation on background, said Rose &#8220;was just mad because the president had not endorsed him.”
The congressman said that Rose was able to leverage his stance into a meeting with Republican leadership, which CNN also confirmed with Rose directly. Rose said the meeting centered on his frustrations that the SAVE Act not be tacked onto the package, but also said that the gubernatorial race was discussed.
“John is engaged in a tight race for the governorship of Tennessee,&#8221; House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
&#8220;He’s thoughtful about that and he wants a fair fight there and so that&#8217;s what we discussed, but no promises,” Johnson continued when reporters asked about Rose’s flip on Tuesday, according to a CNN clip.
&#8220;You can imagine what that means,” Rose told <a href="https://x.com/elliskkim/status/2018773546835546410?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> in response to Johnson’s “fair fight” comments.
A White House official confirmed to The Daily Wire on background that the president and Rose “did not speak” on Tuesday.
The president has yet to make an official endorsement in the race, but the recent positive comments about Blackburn fueled endorsement speculation, including in the <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/29/trump-praises-blackburn-for-governor-raising-speculation-of-endorsement/88398974007/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=true&amp;gca-epti=z11xx65p118950c118950v11xx65d--39--b--39--&amp;gca-ft=203&amp;gca-ds=sophi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Knoxville News Sentinel</a>.
“Marsha Blackburn is an incredible person. Unfortunately, she is running for governor. She is running for governor of Tennessee,” the president said at the Trump Accounts summit last week.
“I’d love her not to, I begged her, I said Marsha, &#8216;Don&#8217;t, we don&#8217;t want to lose you in the Senate,’ but I have to say, they&#8217;re lucky. They&#8217;re lucky to get you. Because you&#8217;re a talent and a great person, and you&#8217;ve been with me all the way, and I appreciate it, and you&#8217;re a very special person. Marsha, stand up, please,” he continued.
The Republican congressman said Rose “took that as an endorsement.”
The procedural vote ended up squeaking by with just 217 votes, as Republicans hold a narrow 218 majority. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) voted against the rule, along with all Democrats. The actual spending package vote passed with 217, but with bipartisan support and opposition. Rose voted to reopen the government.
The Daily Wire reached out to Rose’s office and his campaign for comment.
A January poll of 559 Republican primary voters shows Blackburn leading Rose with 56% compared with his 9%, according to The Beacon Center of Tennessee. The Cook Political Report ranked the general election race as “Solid Republican.”
Rose was part of the group of GOP lawmakers that wanted the act included in the spending package as a way to get it up for a Senate vote. The legislation, which would require nationwide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, has already passed the House but has yet to be voted on in the Senate.
On X, Rose wrote that Senate Majority Leader John Thune “is already backtracking on what he reportedly told some House Republicans: that if we reopened the government, he’d keep his word and bring the SAVE Act to the floor.”
“House Republicans MUST hold the line and refuse to fold on something as fundamental as election integrity. The SAVE Act belongs on must-pass legislation,” he added.
The House voted to end the shutdown on Tuesday afternoon, as Congress gears up for a battle over Department of Homeland Security funding, which was only approved through Feb. 13.

TrumpJohn Rose Split (getty)

Tennessee Republican Threw Wrench Into Shutdown Vote Because He Was ‘Mad’ At Trump, Congressman Says

john rose

Mike Johnson

Tennessee

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is gunning for the Nashville Electric Service (NES) as thousands of Nashville residents remain without power — more than a week after Winter Storm Fern wreaked havoc on the area — and some may not see their power restored for another ten days.
Blackburn argued that NES had spent more time focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives than on the kind of preparation that could have helped them manage a massive winter storm more efficiently.
&#8220;The Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI-related training sessions by the end of 2024. They should’ve been using those resources to trim trees and bury utilities. This is what happens when companies put woke politics over the needs of the people they serve,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/2018009739926605839">posted</a> on Sunday.
Blackburn also sent a letter directly to NES demanding answers regarding the still unfolding situation in her home state — as well as a detailed plan explaining how the company planned to prevent anything similar from happening again.
&#8220;The failure to adequately prepare for Winter Storm Fern is precisely the reason line crews are working overtime and citizens are clearing limbs and debris at great risk to their own safety to help friends and neighbors,&#8221; Blackburn wrote in the letter. &#8220;This disruption (crew members in the field) are working to correct reflects a failure of leadership and planning, one that could have been mitigated with thoughtful preparation ahead of the storm. You owe your customers transparency, accountability, and a clear explanation of how this breakdown occurred and how you will prevent this from happening in the future.&#8221;
Blackburn gave NES a deadline of February 2 and laid out six key questions she wanted addressed. She posted the letter itself on X, adding, &#8220;By failing to properly prepare for Winter Storm Fern, @NESpower put Tennesseans in harm’s way. NES owes its customers transparency, accountability, and a clear explanation for why thousands of people remain without power. I’m demanding answers to ensure this can’t happen again.&#8221;
<ol>
<li>&#8220;According to reporting by The Tennessean, experienced linemen offered to aid with storm recovery, but Nashville Electric Service declined the offer, stating it already had sufficient resources. Why did NES turn down that offer for additional personnel during a widespread outage of this magnitude?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Given the lessons learned from past devastating storms, such as Nashville’s 1994 ice storm, why was NES not adequately prepared for Winter Storm Fern, despite ample warning and clear historical precedent?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Forecasts warned days in advance that this would be a generational severe weather event. Why were recovery operations and service restoration plans not fully prepared and mobilized ahead of time?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Why has there been such inconsistency in power restoration updates, with many customers being told their power has been restored when it has not, particularly given NES’s acknowledgment that it recently implemented a new outage notification and tracking system?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Residents in some areas have been told they may be without power for up to two weeks. How does NES consider that timeline acceptable, especially for residents who rely on electricity for life-sustaining medical equipment and other critical needs?&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Due to extended outages, many residents had no choice but to seek temporary lodging. Will NES be reimbursing customers for expenses incurred during this period?&#8221;</li>
</ol>
NES responded to Blackburn&#8217;s letter on Saturday, and the Tennessee Senator posted that letter as well — and said that their answers were not good enough.
&#8220;@NESPower&#8217;s response to my letter is entirely insufficient. The company refused to take any accountability and is forcing Tennesseans to wait another week for full restoration of power. This is unacceptable. Whoever is responsible for this breakdown should be fired,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/NESpower?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NESpower</a>’s response to my letter is entirely insufficient. The company refused to take any accountability and is forcing Tennesseans to wait another week for full restoration of power.
This is unacceptable. Whoever is responsible for this breakdown should be fired. <a href="https://t.co/ptaDtZC9mi">pic.twitter.com/ptaDtZC9mi</a>
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarshaBlackburn/status/2017996925975609468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In the letter, NES explained that half of the people in their entire service area (about 230,000) had lost power when the storm first hit, and that power had been restored to all but 44,000 of them. The remaining homes without power, NES assured Blackburn, would be back online within another week.
But some individual cases may prove to be more difficult, as one local investigative reporter described a situation currently affecting a viewer who had written him: &#8220;Wow! From viewer regarding Nashville Electric Service issue: &#8216;We can’t report an outage at a single residence after others around us have been restored. We report it, and the system immediately responds that it has been restored. Neighbors have power, but we have not due to a line down in the back yard. If it doesn’t stay on the NES list as needing repair, we may never get power restored. We have been in our house for 6+ days without power, like the rest of Nashville. It’s 38-40 degrees in the house. We run a generator intermittently, and we are doing better than most. But to not be able to reliably report an outage is absurd.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Wow! From viewer regarding Nashville Electric Service issue: “We can’t report an outage at a single residence after others around us have been restored. We report it, and the system immediately responds that it has been restored. Neighbors have power, but we have not due to a… <a href="https://t.co/bH9E6k7JLm">pic.twitter.com/bH9E6k7JLm</a>
— Phil Williams (@PhilNvestigates) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilNvestigates/status/2017399479444365402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Blackburn made it clear on Sunday that she was frustrated with the leadership at NES, not the rank and file employees.
&#8220;The linemen who are on the ground making repairs and working in the frigid temperatures to restore power are the unsung heroes of the response to this horrible winter storm. So grateful for these men and women,&#8221; she said.

Tennessee Senator Declares War On ‘Woke’ Nashville Power Company After Week-Long Outage

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Electricity

Nashville

Politics

Power

Wokeness

Country rock singer Kid Rock headed to Capitol Hill yesterday to testify on the topic of skyrocketing concert ticket prices and the role corporations and scammers play in it. As he <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/01/28/blackburn-live-nation-ticket-bots-hearing">put it</a>, “music fans and artists have been getting screwed by the ticketing system.&#8221;
Wednesday’s subcommittee hearing led by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was titled: “Fees Rolled on All Summer Long: Examining the Live Entertainment Industry.”
“I’m in a unique position to testify, because unlike most of my peers, I am beholden to no one, no record companies, no managers, no corporate endorsements or deals,” Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, told the committee. “To put it plainly, I ain’t scared, like many artists, managers and agents are, for fear of biting the hand that feeds them.”
He brought up how Live Nation and Ticketmaster merging was pitched as a benefit for artists and fans, but claimed the opposite has proven true.
“Let’s be clear—this is far from a new problem,” Ritchie said. “Thirty years ago, members of the rock band Pearl Jam sat in these same seats, warning Congress about ticketing abuse. In 2009, Congress was told—under oath—that merging Live Nation and Ticketmaster would benefit artists and fans.”
“The economic foundation that supported artists in the past is crumbling. Piracy is threatening their livelihood. Secondary ticketing is driving up prices for the fans with absolutely no benefit to the artist,” the singer continued, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/kid-rock-congress-ticketing-live-nation-ticketmaster-1236487577/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “Needless to say, that experiment has failed miserably. Independent venues have been crushed. Artists have lost leverage. Fans are paying more than ever and getting blamed for it.”
Kid Rock said there are “mountains of fraud” waiting to be discovered and suggested solutions including allowing performers to set their own prices and capping resale prices, to name a few. He also drew attention to bots that buy up large amounts of concert tickets to resell. Ritchie mentioned that the proposed reforms so far haven’t gone far enough.
“The problem is the ticketing lobbyists push these reforms as cover while fighting to keep tickets in an open market and let them exploit fans under the guise of capitalism,” Ritchie said.
Last year, the Senate Commerce Committee introduced the TICKET Act, a bipartisan bill which would require the total fees for an event ticket to be displayed clearly in advance. The bill passed the House in April, but has not yet passed the Senate.

Kid Rock

Kid Rock Tells Congress That Concert Ticket Prices Are Out Of Control

concert

Music

Ticketmaster

U.S.

Since Inauguration Day, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been working nonstop to make America safe again. Thanks to their operations, the Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/12/10/thanks-president-trump-and-secretary-noem-more-25-million-illegal-aliens-left-us">deported more</a> than 600,000 illegal aliens, including predators, gang members, drug traffickers, and violent criminals. Another 1.9 million have chosen to self-deport rather than face arrest.
In Tennessee, we are seeing how these efforts are transforming communities for the better. ICE officers have played a vital role in President Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force, helping restore law and order in a city that last year recorded the highest crime rate in the country. Since the task force launched in September, overall crime has dropped 44%, including a 70% reduction in car thefts and a 44% decline in murders.
In total, the task force has <a href="https://memphistn.gov/safedata/">conducted</a> more than 5,800 arrests, including hundreds of warrant arrests for domestic violence and aggravated assault and dozens more for narcotics, weapons, robbery, homicide, and sexual assault. Nearly 800 have been immigration arrests conducted by ICE officers, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/20/dhs-law-enforcement-arrests-gang-members-pedophiles-drug-traffickers-part-president">apprehending</a> aliens charged with some of the worst crimes imaginable: child abuse, human trafficking, assaulting police officers, domestic violence, aggravated assault, drug dealing, and more.
A big part of this success: local, state, and federal law enforcement are working closely together to identify and detain criminals, including illegal aliens. In November, the Shelby County Sheriff <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/local/2025/11/05/shelby-county-memphis-tennessee-sheriff-signs-agreement-with-ice/87093263007/">signed a 287(g) agreement</a> that allows law enforcement to detain and transport illegal aliens wanted by ICE, serving as a model of what can be accomplished when authorities at all levels of government cooperate to enforce our immigration laws.
Beyond Memphis, ICE has detained dangerous criminals across Tennessee. Just last weekend, agents arrested a criminal meth dealer in Monroe County. In Nashville, agents have rounded up violent criminal illegal aliens, <a href="https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/8-venezuelan-illegal-aliens-ties-tren-da-aragua-are-charged-transnational-commercial">including Tren de Aragua gang members</a> who operated a transnational sex trafficking ring.
Operations like these are making communities safer for Tennesseans and Americans nationwide. Yet for months, Democrats have smeared these officers for doing their job and enforcing the law.
California Governor Gavin Newsom <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/newsom-justifies-no-secret-police-bill-prohibiting-ice-agents-from-wearing-masks/?ipid=promo-link-block1">compared</a> them to “secret police.” Minnesota’s Tim Walz <a href="https://x.com/AlphaNews/status/1923906506472243685?s=20">likened</a> them to “modern-day Gestapo.” Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vile-lie-trump-official-drills-squad-member-anti-ice-post-attacks-increase">called</a> ICE’s operations “vile and beyond cruel,” while Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) <a href="https://x.com/RepRashida/status/1963246794638340238">claimed</a> agents are “turning our country into a fascist police state.”
This reckless rhetoric has put a target on the back of the brave men and women of ICE, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/08/radical-rhetoric-sanctuary-politicians-leads-unprecedented-1300-increase-assaults">who are facing</a> a 1,300% increase in assaults over the last year. In response, far-Left activists have mobilized to disrupt lawful ICE operations, endangering both agents and the public. We saw this in Minneapolis, where 37-year-old Renee Good attempted to impede federal officers and hit an ICE agent — forcing the officer, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-agent-struck-by-renee-goods-vehicle-suffered-internal-bleeding-from-incident-dhs-says">who suffered internal bleeding</a>, to use lethal force to stop her.
This tragedy should have never happened. But instead of dialing back their incendiary language, Democrats have doubled down. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instructed ICE agents to “get the f— out” of the city, and Minnesota is suing the Trump administration to block their law enforcement operations. In Congress, Democrats <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5685388-shutdown-threat-dhs-ice-funding/">are threatening</a> a partial government shutdown to block funding for the agency.
Some media outlets have only made matters worse by amplifying false narratives. Just this week in Tennessee, a local news outlet <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/13/us-news/new-police-dashcam-video-refutes-claims-that-cops-ran-over-man-at-rowdy-anti-ice-protest/">claimed</a> that state troopers ran over a man protesting ICE. Dashcam footage later showed that the protester flagged down the vehicle, bent down in front of it, and walked off unharmed.
The lies, slander, and mischaracterizations can’t hide the truth: ICE agents are putting their lives on the line every single day to protect the American people — from Memphis to Minneapolis and everywhere in between. And they deserve our full support as they uphold the rule of law.
* * *
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn represents the state of Tennessee and serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

National Guard Troops Patrol In Memphis, Tennessee

Marsha Blackburn: How ICE Makes It Safer In Tennessee

How ICE Is Making Us Safer In Tennessee

Donald Trump

illegal immigrants

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Memphis

Opinion

Violent Crime

A fraud conviction could trigger denaturalization under the Immigration and Nationality Act, amid growing concerns over the misuse of taxpayer dollars in Minnesota.
The “Fraud Accountability Act” would specifically designate fraud under the INA as a crime that could result in deportation and loss of U.S. citizenship. The bill is sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Ted Budd (R-NC), with Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) introducing a companion measure in the House.
“Anyone who comes to the United States and steals from American taxpayers by committing fraud should be deported,” Blackburn stated. “The fraud schemes we have seen in Minnesota and across the country are a betrayal of hardworking American taxpayers, and individuals like the Somali scammers in Minnesota should be subject to both deportation and denaturalization for these crimes. The Fraud Accountability Act would hold these criminals accountable for robbing American taxpayers.”
“The rampant and unprecedented fraud uncovered in Minnesota involving Somali-run childcare centers and nonprofits is unconscionable, and Governor Walz’s complete deflection of any responsibility for this massive theft of U.S. taxpayer dollars under his watch is cowardly but unsurprising,” Cornyn stated.
Earlier this week, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, announced he would not seek a third term as governor amid mounting scrutiny over fraud allegations and convictions tied to the state’s social programs, such as Medicaid.
The Justice Department has brought fraud charges against 98 individuals in Minnesota, 60 of whom have pleaded guilty, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who said 85 of the defendants were of Somali descent.
“We have more prosecutions coming…BUCKLE UP, LAWMAKERS!” she posted to X following a viral video from independent journalist Nick Shirley alleging widespread fraud at daycare centers.
While it’s unclear at this time what the results of legal investigations into daycares specifically will be, the video accelerated federal attention to the issue. In total, federal prosecutors estimate the fraud could be as high as $9 billion, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/billions-paid-out-by-medicaid-in-minnesota-may-be-fraudulent-us-attorney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, said there would be an audit to assess how federal taxpayer dollars are being used for 14 Medicaid programs in Minnesota, along with a pause in payments.
“We will begin auditing Medicaid receipts and defer paying on claims based on fraud, waste, and abuse,” he said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dr-oz-blasts-minnesotas-deeply-insufficient-plan-as-feds-audit-medicaid-payments?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dr.+Oz+Blasts+Minnesota%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Deeply+Insufficient%E2%80%99+Plan+As+Feds+Audit+Medicaid+Payments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Announces He’s Ending His Reelection Bid

Republicans Push To Denaturalize Fraudsters Who Scammed Taxpayers

Fraud

Healthcare

Minnesota

Tim Walz

NASHVILLE—Nearly 100 students, bright-eyed and hungry for change, gathered at the Tennessee State Capitol Building Friday morning, some having driven all night to make it to the event.
There, in a room full of young conservatives, a group of Tennessee officials, including Senator Marsha Blackburn (R), announced a partnership with Turning Point USA. Soon, every high school in the state will have a chapter of Club America, TPUSA&#8217;s high school affiliate.
Club America, like all of TPUSA, aims to advance the mission of the group&#8217;s late founder, Charlie Kirk: make being a conservative cool.
&#8220;The founding of the country, the Constitution, capitalism,&#8221; TPUSA Senior Director Josh Thifault told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The branding is meant to feel like it&#8217;s something that everybody wants to be part of because I mean, who doesn&#8217;t want to be part of Club America? We wanted to create a presentation to high schools that would be very tough to say no to.&#8221;
Blackburn was joined by women&#8217;s sports activist Riley Gaines and Tennessee Senator Jack Johnson for the announcement. The Volunteer State joins Texas and Florida, which have also taken steps to launch Club America chapters throughout their states.
One of the last in-depth conversations Thifault had with Kirk before the latter was assassinated in September was about expanding Club America. Thifault said with Republican states fully backing the mission, TPUSA can get to Kirk&#8217;s goal of 20,000 chapters.
&#8220;I&#8217;m very thankful for all the commitments that Tennessee made,&#8221; he said Friday. &#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of wonderful people who worked a lot to make this happen. Also, I have to give special credit to Riley Gaines because she&#8217;s the one who, as soon as it became pretty clear we were working something out, shouted it from the rooftops.&#8221;
Gaines spent nearly an hour after the partnership was announced taking pictures with the students who traveled to Nashville for the event. The former Kentucky swimmer and new mom challenged the students to bring five friends to a Club America event and keep the movement growing.
&#8220;I think we&#8217;ve now understood that Tennessee, especially with the recent congressional race here in this district, is not immune,&#8221; Gaines said. &#8220;I think so many of us almost develop a sense of complacency because we think it can&#8217;t happen to me. Nobody is immune to the cultural chaos that is plaguing this nation and even plaguing this state.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1014301" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1014301" class="size-large wp-image-1014301" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Anna Katherine White</div>
One of the students who drove hours to be at the State Capitol on Friday was Riley Belt. The junior out of Providence Christian in Johnson City said Tennessee&#8217;s partnership with TPUSA makes her excited for her peers.
&#8220;Our generation is definitely a turning point,&#8221; Belt said. &#8220;We just want to be able to help teach kids like us how to help change our nation and lead us back to conservative values and back to Christ. That&#8217;s what it&#8217;s all about.&#8221;
Since Kirk&#8217;s assassination, Club America chapters in Tennessee have grown from 30 to 104. Belt helped start her school&#8217;s chapter in November. Because of the pact formed Friday, that number is only expected to grow.
&#8220;One person can&#8217;t do it on their own, but we&#8217;re surrounded by people who also share these values and want to make America what Charlie wanted it to be,&#8221; Belt said. &#8220;That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re fighting for.&#8221;

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

Tennessee And Turning Point USA Team Up To Start Chapters At Every High School

News

Riley Gaines

Social Issues

Turning Point USA

The majority of Tennesseans approve of President Donald Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to crime-ridden Memphis, a poll found. 
The Beacon Center of Tennessee released a new poll on Wednesday that found 63% of Tennessee voters approved of Trump’s announcement to deploy the National Guard to Memphis. Thirty-three percent of those surveyed said that they disapproved of Trump’s deployment decision. The majority of Republicans supported the deployment, while most Democrats opposed it. 
The Beacon Center is a nonpartisan organization that provides research on free market solutions to public policy questions. 
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has sent federal law enforcement personnel to Memphis, where they have <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1983613889410728127">made </a>over 1,700 arrests, including over 126 gang members. They have made arrests for individuals wanted on charges related to murder, drugs, gun charges, and sex offenses.
A judge on Monday heard arguments challenging Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s authority to send the National Guard into Memphis, which has historically had one of the worst murder rates in the country. The troops have been patrolling neighborhoods in a manner similar to their deployment in crime-plagued Washington, D.C. 
The Beacon Center of Tennessee Poll also found that a majority of Tennessee Democrats have a favorable view of socialism. The polling was conducted before Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City. 
Surveying 336 Democrat voters, 54% have a positive view, while another 31% had a negative view. Altogether, 56% of Tennessee voters had a negative view of socialism, while 32% had a favorable view. 
<div id="attachment_996097" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-996097" class="size-full wp-image-996097" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism.png" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism-300x225.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/13-Socialism-768x576.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Beacon Center poll.</div>
“The favorability of socialism among Democrats is notable, and it will likely influence how Democratic candidates run to the Left in contested primaries, but also could spell doom for the party in general elections if the public’s view on socialism stays the same,” said Mark Cunningham, the Beacon&#8217;s senior fellow for public opinion.
Other key findings from the poll included Senator Marsha Blackburn having a strong lead in the race to be the Republican gubernatorial nominee ahead of Rep. John Rose (R-TN) and state Rep. Monty Fritts. In a hypothetical matchup voted on by 545 Republican voters, Blackburn garnered 58% of the vote, Rose 9%, and Fritts 5%. 
The poll also found that most voters support Tennessee’s deal with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk to build a tunnel from the airport to downtown Nashville. 
In all, the poll sampled some 1,200 registered voters from October 26 to 29.

Trump Increases Federal Law Enforcement Presence, Deploys National Guard In Nation’s Capital

Most Tennesseans Support Trump’s National Guard Deployment To Memphis

National Guard

A Tennessee university on Thursday approved the creation of a Turning Point USA chapter on campus after the conservative group faced opposition from the school’s student government.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC)’s Student Government Association on Wednesday voted against approving the Charlie Kirk-inspired club, sparking backlash from conservative lawmakers. Less than 24 hours after that vote, the university announced that it had approved the application in accordance with school guidelines. 
“The Dean of Students Office has determined that Turning Point USA is approved as a Registered Student Organization,” the university <a href="https://x.com/UTChattanooga/status/1976295599986122883">announced</a> Thursday morning. “While the Student Government Association may voice opinions, recognition of student organizations is determined by the UTC Dean of Students and Chancellor. Turning Point USA has been authorized in accordance with university policy and the law.”  
Calls to approve the club poured in after Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said that UTC’s student government had denied the request to approve the formation of the club. 
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“This decision effectively blocks our students from gaining official recognition on campus. As a result, the students will be forced to restart the process, reapplying and once again facing the same SGA that has already demonstrated clear bias against them. Tennessee, are these the values of your state? Your tax dollars are propping this garbage up,” Kolvet <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKolvet/status/1976125274065690716">posted</a> on X.
After the vote, the university stated that final approval for the club went through school officials, not the student government. 
Shortly before the university announced its decision to approve the club, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) urged school officials to “do the right thing.” 
“The Student Government Association at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga just voted to recommend that a [TPUSA] chapter not be approved,” Blackburn <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/1976284203068293217">wrote</a> on X. “Do the right thing and approve the Turning Point chapter immediately.”
Several state Republican representatives also commented on the student government’s vote, saying that the university would approve the application. 
Rep. Jason Zachary, a Republican who represents part of Knoxville, <a href="https://x.com/JasonZacharyTN/status/1976255673911427512">said</a> Thursday that he had spoken with Randy Boyd, the president of the University of Tennessee system, about the student government association’s vote. Zachary urged Turning Point USA to reach out to him if they had any other problems. 
After UTC announced the approval of the club, Tennessee House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Republican, praised the school. 
“Glad to see [TPUSA] approved at [UTC]. Looks like some of these young conservatives need to run against the liberal SGA who didn&#8217;t even want their voices heard on campus,” he <a href="https://x.com/WilliamLamberth/status/1976297054151315518">said</a>. “Appreciate the Dean standing for free speech.”
Following the assassination of Kirk last month in Utah, Turning Point USA has reported a massive surge in requests to form new chapters on both high school and college campuses. The organization said last week that it has launched 1,500 new high school chapters nationwide, up from roughly 1,200 total before Kirk’s death.

Former President Trump Addresses The Turning Points Action Conference In West Palm Beach, California

After Student Government Clash, Tennessee Turning Point USA Chapter Gets Green Light

Academia

Charlie Kirk

Free Speech

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said former special counsel Jack Smith should face potential prosecution after the FBI obtained the phone records of several Republican Congress members, saying it is out of the ordinary for the federal law enforcement agency to “spy on U.S. senators.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, revealed on Monday that the FBI had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyond-watergate-bidens-fbi-snooped-on-phone-records-from-gop-lawmakers-in-trump-investigation?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Beyond+Watergate%E2%80%99%3A+Biden%E2%80%99s+FBI+Snooped+On+Phone+Records+From+GOP+Lawmakers+In+Trump+Investigation">pulled</a> cell phone “tolling data” for eight GOP senators and one House member. The lawmakers were targeted as part of “Arctic Frost,” an FBI investigation into the 2020 election.
“There will be some indictments, and there will be some prosecutions, and holding people … accountable to the full extent of the law, that is going to be a priority,” said Blackburn in an interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qLKds6jgGY">Morning Wire</a>.
“We&#8217;re already doing a letter of complaint to the D.C. bar about Jack Smith because this was his shop. He should be disbarred at the very least, and should face the full extent of accountability under the law,” she added.
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Former FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault launched the Arctic Frost probe in April 2022. Thibault, with a history of online anti-Trump statements, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/09/04/fbi-agent-timothy-thibault-hid-intel-from-whistleblower-on-hunter-the-big-guy-joe-biden/">resigned</a> from the bureau in August 2022 under accusations of hiding evidence of Biden family malfeasance. The Arctic Frost investigation was turned over to Smith’s special counsel’s office in November 2022.
The steps that the FBI took are “absolutely” unusual and possibly unprecedented, according to Blackburn.
“For them to actually subpoena our phone records and for the wireless companies to give them that information, that is something that is highly unusual. It is illegal,” the senator said. “It is a violation of our civil rights. It’s a violation of our privacy rights. No one can find a time when … the FBI has done this.”
The records obtained by the FBI included the date and time of phone calls made by each lawmaker, the duration of the calls, the identity of the other party on the phone call, and tracking data indicating the location from which each call was made.
Other than Blackburn, the targeted lawmakers named in an FBI document released on Monday are Sens. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.

Blackburn Calls Out Jack Smith, Says Biden’s FBI Was Told To ‘Spy’ On Republicans

Blackburn Calls Out Jack Smith, Says Biden's FBI Was Told To ‘Spy’ On Republicans

Jack Smith

Explosive documents reveal that President Biden’s FBI snooped on GOP senators, The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh uncovers shocking new details about the early prison release of a Kentucky killer, and America’s leading evangelical magazine takes seven-figure donations from one of the nation&#8217;s biggest abortion funders.
It’s Wednesday, October 8, 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;">Revealed: Biden FBI Snooped On GOP Lawmakers</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-982711" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/DOJ-Spies-On-Senators-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/DOJ-Spies-On-Senators-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/DOJ-Spies-On-Senators-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/DOJ-Spies-On-Senators-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/DOJ-Spies-On-Senators-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/DOJ-Spies-On-Senators.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: As the government shutdown continues, Washington has been rocked by new revelations that the Biden DOJ snooped on several Republican Congress members as part of its January 6 probe.
This week, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released a document showing that President Joe Biden’s FBI obtained and analyzed phone metadata of eight sitting Republican senators and one Republican House member.
The move came as part of the DOJ’s previously undisclosed Arctic Frost investigation, which went after Republicans for alleged election meddling following the 2020 election. Grassley released a statement along with that document, where he said, “Based on the evidence to date, Arctic Frost and related weaponization by federal law enforcement under Biden was arguably worse than Watergate.”
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The Republican lawmakers targeted by the FBI were Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.
Democrats’ response: Democrats have sought to downplay the story, saying the FBI was simply doing its job to investigate election meddling — and reminding folks that agents were not listening in on phone calls, and were only looking at who they called, and when. 
That has done little to alleviate Republican outrage. Blackburn excoriated the FBI in an interview with Morning Wire: “It is a violation of our civil rights. It’s a violation of our privacy rights. No one can find a time when … the FBI has done this.”
What Republicans want: Republicans have demanded an investigation to determine the extent of the scheme and who was responsible for it.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland would have had to approve the operation. Republicans want to know if President Biden was also involved. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Most Violent ‘Nonviolent’ Convict Secures Parole</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-982713" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Kentucky-Killer-Outrage-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Kentucky-Killer-Outrage-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Kentucky-Killer-Outrage-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Kentucky-Killer-Outrage-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Kentucky-Killer-Outrage-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Kentucky-Killer-Outrage.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: More details are coming out about the early prison release of a Kentucky man convicted in the brutal slaying of a young boy. He has shockingly been deemed a nonviolent offender.
What happened: Ronald Exantus broke into a family’s home and stabbed multiple people with a kitchen knife, including a 6-year-old boy who later died from those injuries. These crimes occurred in Woodford County, Kentucky, located just west of Lexington.
Exantus was tried in 2018 and found not guilty of that murder by reason of insanity. He was convicted for the lesser charge of assault and sentenced to 20 years in prison, but he was released in early October – 13 years early – and placed on just eight months of supervised probation.
Hmmm: According to the parole board, Exantus qualifies as nonviolent under Kentucky state law. The board has faced major criticism over the release, but it says that its members repeatedly voted for Exantus to remain in prison. 
In a statement to The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, the board said, “Every time it had the opportunity, the Parole Board recommended Ronald Exantus stay in prison.”
After a review for parole on September 30, the board announced that it had issued a decision to keep the criminal in prison for the remainder of his sentence. The board added, “Despite this decision, Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision.”
In short, state law required Exantus to be released because he wasn’t convicted of a capital offense related to the killing of Logan Tipton. He was only convicted on lesser charges of second-degree assault for attacking Logan’s sibling and father.
What happens now: Exantus is not quite a free man. He enters a state of parole, which means that he must abide by conditions. Those exact terms are still unknown, but in most cases, if the conditions are broken, the parolee could be sent back to prison.
The case could also come under federal scrutiny, as the White House has weighed in on the issue. On Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted one of Walsh’s social media posts and said that the administration is looking into the situation. The White House said it is “wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison.” 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Christianity Today Funded By Abortion Backer</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-982715" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Christian-Funding-Scandal-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Christian-Funding-Scandal-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Christian-Funding-Scandal-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Christian-Funding-Scandal-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Christian-Funding-Scandal-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Christian-Funding-Scandal.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: America’s most prominent evangelical magazine, Christianity Today, is under fire for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/evangelical-magazine-christianity-today-takes-over-1-million-from-abortion-funder">accepting</a> financial support from a major abortion funder. Readers also accuse the publication of softening its pro-life stance in recent years.
Since 2022, Christianity Today has received more than one million dollars from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. That includes $600,000 for election coverage.
What makes this controversial is Hewlett’s history. The foundation is the second-largest private funder of Planned Parenthood in the United States. It gave the abortion provider more than $100 million between 2000 and 2023. 
After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Hewlett announced it was increasing its “reproductive equity” budget by 30% – essentially doubling down on supporting abortion access and securing Hewlett’s spot as one of the country’s largest abortion funders.
Influence on CT? Christianity Today has always maintained that it upholds a pro-life ethic. However, since Hewlett’s donations began, the magazine has started publishing articles that advocate for a broader definition of “pro-life.”
Instead of focusing solely on protecting unborn babies, these pieces have argued that the term should also include fighting racial injustice, supporting new federal entitlements like paid family leave, and supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Many pro-life leaders say that redefining the term in this way waters down its meaning. Seth Gruber, founder of the pro-life organization White Rose Resistance, told The Daily Wire that he believes leftists are deliberately working to redefine the term “pro-life” in an effort to advance progressive political priorities under its banner.
Also, in the run-up to the 2024 election, Christianity Today published articles arguing that the issue of abortion was not necessarily a good enough reason to vote and that Christians should consider sitting out. And their board chair took on the role of spokesperson for Evangelicals for Biden.
Step back: Christianity Today has become more reliant on grants and donations over the past five years. In 2020, only about 20 percent of its revenue came from grants. Today, it’s more than half. Over the past few years, it has also received $8 million from the Lilly Endowment, the foundation established by the Eli Lilly family, known for its pharmaceuticals.
Experts warn that when an outlet grows dependent on foundations with their own ideological agendas, it risks aligning with those priorities — even if that means softening its historic Christian commitments.
Part of why the controversy stings is that evangelist Billy Graham founded Christianity Today in 1956 to be a theologically conservative alternative to The Christian Century, which was considered liberal.
Critics have long contended that the outlet has drifted to the left in both tone and substance. The Hewlett Foundation’s funding, particularly the grants marked for “covering elections,” has struck many observers as confirmation of that gradual ideological shift.

MRN_251008-Thumbnail-V1

Morning Brief: Biden’s GOP Spy Games, A Child Killer Set Free, & Christianity Today’s Abortion-Tied Donor

Abortion

Christianity Today

Chuck Grassley

Joe Biden

Kentucky

Media

Morning Wire

In coordination with the Department of Justice, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Congressman Bob Onder (R-MO) <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2025/9/health%20care/blackburn-colleagues-introduce-the-chloe-cole-act-to-ban-chemical-and-surgical-mutilation-of-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have introduced</a> the Chloe Cole Act, which not only protects children from gender transition procedures but also establishes a private right of action for victims of these mutilating practices.
Congress must send this bill to President Donald Trump so he can sign it into law as soon as possible. It will save the lives of an untold number of American children.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of detransitioners like Chloe Cole in the movement to protect children. Cole, and others like her, bear witness to the irreversible harm of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries — and they will carry the scars and physical effects of these interventions all their lives.
Cole and her fellow detransitioners have bravely shared the stories of their suffering, the social and cultural forces that led them to hate their bodies, and their exploitation by doctors who didn’t think twice about harming healthy teenagers. In doing so, they have forced Americans to move beyond progressive euphemisms about “gender-affirming care” and reckon with the bloody reality of these procedures.
The Chloe Cole Act is a long-overdue intervention that restores integrity to the medical profession. Medicine should be a field of healing, not harm or manipulation, but even the American Medical Association <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/ama-press-releases/ama-reinforces-opposition-restrictions-transgender-medical-care" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supports</a> this gruesome practice. It should go without saying that doctors should not chemically or surgically mutilate children. But the doctors who engage in what they have named “pediatric gender care” routinely violate the rights of patients and the trust of parents — not to mention medicine’s ancient dictum to “do no harm.”
Detransitioners who underwent gender transition procedures as minors identify common elements across their experiences. Despite the irreversible impacts of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries, doctors did not fully explain the long-term effects or risks, ignored comorbidities, and often lied about the patient’s mental health history when recommending irreversible surgeries.
Doctors routinely manipulate parents by framing their child’s transition as a matter of life or death. These parents are told that their reluctance to affirm a child’s self-proclaimed “trans” identity or their hesitance about medical intervention could be the reason for their child’s suicide. Doctors emotionally blackmail parents, asking, “Would you rather have a dead son or a living daughter?” Presented with such dire options by a medical professional, it’s no surprise that parents choose to go along with their child’s transition despite initial resistance.
The physicians who prescribe puberty blockers and hormones or perform “sex reassignment” surgeries purposely damage a healthy body in service of gender ideology. In many cases, they cause infertility by chemically castrating or surgically mutilating children who haven’t even had their first kiss or gone to prom — let alone considered whether they would like to have biological children in the future. Children who are given hormones or undergo surgeries become patients for life, constantly relying on cross-sex hormones to maintain a desired appearance and requiring medical care for complications caused by “top” or “bottom” surgeries.
In fact, this reliance on continued medical treatment is a significant obstacle that detransitioners face. It’s quite easy to access gender transition procedures — they’re federally funded through Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare, and private insurers also provide coverage. But it’s incredibly difficult to find care throughout a person’s detransition, even as they seek healing for the wounds caused by surgeries.
Chloe Cole has courageously <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/11/opinion/im-a-detransitioner-congress-must-protect-kids-like-me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> that, more than four years after she began to detransition, the wounds from her double mastectomy still bleed.
“If I ever have kids — and I’m not sure I can — I’ll never be able to breastfeed. The doctors made sure of that. And those same doctors refused to see me once I said I regretted it.”
President Trump didn’t <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/read-the-full-text-of-trumps-speech-to-a-joint-session-of-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mince</a> words in his address to Congress earlier this year when he said, “I want Congress to pass a bill permanently banning and criminalizing sex changes on children and forever ending the lie that any child is trapped in the wrong body. This is a big lie. And our message to every child in America is that you are perfect exactly the way God made you.”
It’s time to respond to the president’s request. Congress must pass the Chloe Cole Act. Thousands of children have been lied to and irreparably harmed in the name of transgender ideology, and it’s time to deliver justice to the victims and the perpetrators alike.
Terry Schilling is a parental rights advocate and president of the American Principles Project.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Speaks To The Media On The Protect Children’s Innocence Act

Protect America’s Children, Pass The Chloe Cole Act Now

American Medical Association

Transgender

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