President Donald Trump raged Thursday morning that America&#8217;s allies fail to understand &#8220;anything unless they have pressure placed upon them,&#8221; once again taking aim at NATO after his meeting with the alliance&#8217;s secretary-general.
Trump targeted NATO in two social media posts shortly after his Wednesday meeting at the White House with NATO chief Mark Rutte, who traveled to Washington, D.C., following Trump&#8217;s renewed threats to pull the United States from the alliance.
&#8220;NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,&#8221; Trump wrote in a social media <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116371693008302124">post</a> on Wednesday evening. &#8220;REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116374792489555954">ripped</a> NATO again Thursday morning, posting, &#8220;None of these people, including our own, very disappointing, NATO, understood anything unless they have pressure placed upon them!!!&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s frustration with NATO has been building for months, particularly after several alliance members pushed back on his idea to acquire Greenland. Tensions have intensified more recently as some allies have rejected the president&#8217;s calls to back U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Rutte met with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday to discuss the alliance and Europe&#8217;s stance on the Iran war.
“He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point,” Rutte told CNN after the meeting.
Some NATO members — including the United Kingdom, France, and Spain — initially blocked U.S. aircraft from using their military bases for offensive strikes during &#8220;Operation Epic Fury.&#8221; The U.K. and France later allowed the United States limited use of bases for defensive purposes only, while Spain has remained a vocal opponent of the U.S. military operation.
&#8220;The large majority, including France, of European nations, has been doing what they committed they would do in a case like this,&#8221; Rutte said. &#8220;So Europe as a platform of power projection for the United States was in full play over the last six weeks. And yes, it is true that not all European nations lived up to those commitments, and I totally understand that [Trump] is disappointed about it.&#8221;
Rutte has been one of Trump&#8217;s biggest cheerleaders on the world stage in recent months and has repeatedly praised the U.S. president for forcing European nations to increase defense spending. The NATO secretary-general told CNN, &#8220;This was a meeting between friends because we like each other. I really admire his leadership &#8230; and NATO allies are with him when it comes to taking out, degrading the ballistic missile capacity of the Iranians.&#8221;
&#8220;The whole world is safer by this president degrading those capabilities,&#8221; Rutte added.
The United States is, by far, the largest financial supporter of NATO, covering more than 60% of the alliance&#8217;s defense spending, <a href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/commentary/trackers-and-data-visualizations/nato-defense-spending-tracker/#:~:text=United%20States%20$980%2C000%2C000%2C000%20NATO%20Europe,Kingdom%20France%20Italy%20Poland%20Spain">according</a> to the Atlantic Council. Last year, the United States spent roughly $980 billion on NATO&#8217;s defense.
Amid Trump&#8217;s pressure and repeated threats to withdraw from NATO, member states have ramped up their defense spending commitments. At last year&#8217;s NATO summit, allies agreed to increase their military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.

Donald Trump/Mark Rutte

Trump Signals A Continued Pressure Campaign On Allies After Meeting With NATO Chief

Donald Trump

Europe

Iran

Military

NATO

President Donald Trump gave the Iranian regime a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">deadline</a> of 8 p.m. on Tuesday to reach a deal with the United States and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and a number of Democrats have spent the hours leading up to that deadline warning American service members to be wary of — or disregard — any potentially &#8220;illegal&#8221; orders.
Responding to Trump&#8217;s deadline — and his warning that &#8220;a whole civilization will die tonight&#8221; — Democrats quickly lined up to claim that the president was either not in full possession of his mental faculties or about to issue illegal orders to the United States military, if not both.
&#8220;This is a threat of genocide and merits removal from office. The President’s mental faculties are collapsing and cannot be trusted,&#8221; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez <a href="https://x.com/AOC/status/2041563794787193194">declared</a>. &#8220;To every individual in the President’s chain of command: You have a duty to refuse illegal orders. That includes carrying out this threat.&#8221;
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) addressed his <a href="https://x.com/tedlieu/status/2041277990903091695">warning</a> to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying, &#8220;The UCMJ and federal law prohibit war crimes. Striking civilian infrastructure that causes disproportionate civilian harm constitutes war crimes. You will disobey those illegal orders. If you commit war crimes, the next Administration will prosecute you.&#8221;
&#8220;These are not the words of a sane person,&#8221; Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) <a href="https://x.com/RepJasonCrow/status/2041516423906824681">added</a>. &#8220;Calling for the elimination of a civilization is a war crime. As I’ve repeatedly said, our military must only follow lawful orders. Every American of good conscience must repudiate this.&#8221;
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) ignored the possibility that a bridge or power plant might be considered a military target if it was part of the necessary infrastructure sustaining and supplying the Iranian forces, and instead suggested that any attack on such infrastructure would necessarily be an attack on civilian populations.
&#8220;Threatening to target power plants and other non-military targets is not strength. If those words become orders to destroy civilian infrastructure with no valid military purpose, it’s hard to see how they would not violate the laws of armed conflict. America leads best with strength, discipline, and professionalism. Illegal orders to make civilians suffer would be a black mark on our military and our country,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2041333810269151246">Kelly said</a>.
Democrats began warning American troops that &#8220;illegal&#8221; orders were a possibility — and were perhaps even to be expected — from President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration months earlier, when &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseths-war-department-escalates-review-of-mark-kelly-over-seditious-six-video">The Seditious Six</a>&#8221; published a <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948">video</a> in response to a number of precision strikes on narco-terrorists. Led by Senators Kelly and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), the group called on members of the military to refuse &#8220;illegal&#8221; or &#8220;unlawful&#8221; orders while heavily insinuating that if Trump or War Secretary Pete Hegseth had not already given such orders, they were likely to do so.
Slotkin doubled down on Tuesday, <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/2041559132755653104">posting</a>, &#8220;I know that our service members up and down the chain of command know their duty and the law to refuse illegal orders. Even as the Commander-in-Chief tells the world otherwise. It’s moments like these that are why we made the video to service members last year. And I hope and believe our troops — especially those in command — will have the moral clarity to push back if they are given clearly illegal orders.&#8221;

Celebrity Sightings In New York City – June 22, 2024

Trump’s Iran Clock Is Ticking As Democrats Try To Make Moves Behind His Back

Dems Prep For Trump's Iran Deadline By Warning Military Against 'Illegal Orders'

Global Politics

Pete Hegseth

U.S.

Eissa Hashemi has never denounced his mother — a spokesperson for the Iranian regime&#8217;s propaganda machine — but still he&#8217;s living large in Los Angeles, lecturing American students in his field: psychology.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/06/us-news/son-of-irans-twisted-pr-chief-found-living-life-of-luxury-in-la-and-hes-teaching-superrich-california-kids/?utm_campaign=capost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">Hashemi</a>, 43, has been living in the United States since 2010 and is an adjunct associate professor at The Chicago School in Los Angeles, the New York Post reported — but has recently faced criticism and calls for deportation as critics say that he has never publicly condemned his mother&#8217;s role in the oppressive Iranian revolutionary government.
Hashemi is the son of former Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs <a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/ex-spokeswoman-hostage-takers-says-us-misreads-iran">Masoumeh Ebtekar</a> — better known as &#8220;Screaming Mary&#8221; to Americans who were alive when militants attacked the United States Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
Ebtekar was a 19-year-old college student when she joined the revolutionaries in storming the embassy — and because she herself had been raised in Philadelphia, she quickly became their spokesperson when their embassy raid escalated to a hostage crisis that went on for more than a year.
She was the voice heard around the world after violent revolutionaries took 52 American hostages — and proceeded to hold them for 444 days — giving interviews in English and spinning the regime&#8217;s propaganda throughout. She often toured the embassy where the hostages were being held, pushing them to give more positive comments about their time in captivity.
She has, in the time since, claimed that the United States is to blame for diplomatic rifts between Washington and Tehran — and has defended her own role in the revolution.
Hashemi, for his part, is just one of a number of Iranians who were born into political prominence in the regime, but who have since chosen to live in the United States. He is also one of several children of the regime who have risen to prominent positions in academia, and have gone on to educate American children.
Several of those who have been connected to regime officials have already had their <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/family-members-of-slain-iranian-general-arrested-u-s-legal-status-revoked">legal status</a> in the United States revoked — and a number have already begun petitioning for Hashemi to receive similar treatment. Several protests calling for just that took place in January outside The Chicago School and other facilities with which he has been associated.

Iranian Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar

His Mother Raised Him On Iran’s Regime Propaganda. Now He’s Teaching Your Kids.

His Mother Raised Him On Iran's Regime Propaganda. Now He's Teaching Your Kids.

Education

Politics

CNN anchor Jake Tapper and former director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent traded barbs over media coverage of Operation Epic Fury and Iranian state-promoted propaganda.
Kent, who abruptly left his position in the United States intelligence community over President Donald Trump&#8217;s military operation in Iran, spurred the back-and-forth when he commented on the ongoing rescue mission to retrieve an airman from behind enemy lines in Iran.
&#8220;Praying for the rescue of our downed pilot &amp; the safe return of our Special Operators going in to get him back. USAF PJs &amp; CSAR Air crews are top notch,&#8221; Kent <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/2040578006230462496">posted</a>, but also shared a report from Drop Site News that parroted Iranian propaganda that suggested the United States was actively attempting to kill the downed airman rather than rescue him.
<blockquote>Iranian state-linked Tasnim News, citing a military source, claims U.S. forces are bombing areas in southwest Iran where a missing pilot may be located, alleging Washington has “lost hope” of recovery and is attempting to kill him.</blockquote>
Tapper <a href="https://x.com/jaketapper/status/2041125801051967769">pushed back</a> early on Monday, one day after an elaborate rescue mission had succeeded in safely extracting the weapon systems specialist, saying, &#8220;Former National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent sharing Iranian state-linked outlet nonsense claiming, falsely, that the U.S. was trying to kill the then-lost U.S. pilot. Aged rather poorly, I think it&#8217;s fair to say.&#8221;
Kent responded by claiming that Tapper was promoting the war and that Iranian media was &#8220;independent,&#8221; and said that anyone &#8220;cheering on wars&#8221; should be questioned.
&#8220;Tapper’s purpose, like the entire corporate media, is to promote this foolish war &amp; attack anyone who points out how this war isn’t in our nation’s interest. Read independent media, Iranian media &amp; US media &#8211; always question those cheering on wars &amp; always pray for our troops,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/joekent16jan19/status/2041140400304337063">posted</a>.
The CNN anchor disputed Kent&#8217;s characterization, saying that neither he nor CNN were in the business of promoting any war. &#8220;We cover it, critically.&#8221;
&#8220;Moreover, I wasn’t attacking Mr. Kent. I pointed out that he had promoted false information suggesting the U.S. was seeking to *kill* the missing U.S. pilot. Wild stuff,&#8221; Tapper concluded.
Kent had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-kent-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-iran">previously</a> called for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-kent-circa-2020-i-personally-think-trump-should-have-crushed-their-ballistic-nuke-capes">far more aggressive treatment</a> of Iran, but pivoted and quickly announced his departure from the Trump administration after the president took action.

GettyImages-2251397231-2

Even The Left Calls Out Joe Kent After He Pushes Iranian Narrative

Jake Tapper

Joe Kent

Media

Propaganda

World

CNN guest Nayyera Haq attempted to spin the war as a win for Iran, claiming that the United States was behind when it came to internet memes and propaganda, and arguing that in order to &#8220;win,&#8221; all Iran had to do was &#8220;survive.&#8221;
Haq — who previously served as a senior State Department adviser under former President Barack Obama — joined a panel discussion on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; where she said that the war thus far had been a showcase displaying two areas in which Iran was prevailing over the United States.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottjenningsKY</a> clowns Obama WH official Nayyera Haq for suggesting Iran&#8217;s memes are a capability on par with the Shahed drone.
NAYYERA HAQ: I think the irony in all of this is that Iran has shown its capabilities in two ways, where the United States is unfortunately… <a href="https://t.co/ob7XuCtbVa">pic.twitter.com/ob7XuCtbVa</a>
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/2040902780999667831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I think the irony in all of this is that Iran has shown its capabilities in two ways, where the United States is unfortunately catching up,&#8221; Haq began, saying that the first capability was the use of cheap drone technology to carry out attacks — a capability that Iran had honed while providing that technology to Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine.
&#8220;And the second is the meme war and internet propaganda, which is something actually the Iranians have been known for and influencing. And so they had — for all of our talk on our side of all the people killed in the regime, they have been pushing out through multiple channels around the world, images of the American army generals and military people who have also lost their jobs at this time,&#8221; Haq continued. &#8220;So, again, the way this looks out in the public is not a United States that is locked and loaded and working in one direction.&#8221;
Conservative commentator Scott Jennings pushed back then, asking Haq, &#8220;Do you think that the Iranians would rather have their entire navy back or their memes?&#8221;
&#8220;Oh, I think the — I think that, no, when we&#8217;re talking —&#8221; Haq protested.
&#8220;I mean, come on. We have destroyed 13,000 military targets. And they have memes,&#8221; Jennings said.
&#8220;This is a — the big distinction, is that we&#8217;re fighting the war on their land,&#8221; Haq pivoted. &#8220;So they have a say. If they survive, that&#8217;s a win for them. That&#8217;s it. So their stakes are so much higher, but they have to do so much less to be able to maintain some kind of credibility.&#8221;

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Politicon

CNN Analyst Says Iran Is Winning War Because Memes

CNN Guest Tries To Spin War In Iran's Favor, Cites ‘Memes’

Former CENTCOM Commander and retired Marine Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie praised the efficiency of the American military&#8217;s rescue operation to retrieve a downed weapon systems operator (WSO) after his plane went down in Iran.
McKenzie spoke with CBS News anchor Ed O&#8217;Keefe on &#8220;Face the Nation,&#8221; where he said it was important to note that U.S. military forces had been able to get to him first — even though the Iranian regime had offered a reward to anyone who could help them locate him before the United States was able to pull off a rescue mission.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The mission to rescue the missing U.S. airman In Iran was “executed pretty effectively,” former CENTCOM commander Ret. Gen. Frank McKenzie says.
“It takes a year to build an aircraft and it takes 200 years to build a military tradition where you don&#8217;t leave anybody behind.”… <a href="https://t.co/rZZy9OA0Us">pic.twitter.com/rZZy9OA0Us</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2040806763054645554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;So, it took just under 48 hours to find the missing weapon systems officer,&#8221; O&#8217;Keefe began, noting that the area where the plane had gone down was very remote and the terrain was uneven. &#8220;What&#8217;s your assessment of how the search and rescue operation went?&#8221;
McKenzie said that there were &#8220;two lessons&#8221; that he would take from the way the rescue operations had played out: &#8220;First of all, the excellence of the joint force, our ability to rapidly pivot to look for a downed air crewman. We train for this endlessly, it&#8217;s a part of every time we send air crew over enemy territory, we have detailed, elaborate plans to go get them.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s a very basic part of who we are as American fighting men and women,&#8221; he added, saying that the plan had been &#8220;executed pretty effectively&#8221; as far as he could see.
Acknowledging the planes that were lost in pursuit of the rescue mission, McKenzie argued that the man on the ground would always take precedence: &#8220;It takes a year to build an aircraft and it takes 200 years to build a military tradition where you don&#8217;t leave anybody behind. You take the aircraft trade any day in a situation like this.&#8221;
The second lesson, according to McKenzie, was one for Iran – that the people might not be as eager to help the regime as they had hoped. Even after a reward was offered for help in locating the missing American airman, the Iranian regime was unable to prevent the rescue mission from ending in success.
&#8220;You can&#8217;t be happy with that if you&#8217;re a senior leader in Tehran this morning,&#8221; he said.

US-POLITICS-AFGHANISTAN-HEARING

Former CENTCOM Chief Drops A Line That Hits At The Heart Of Military Honor

Department of War

The New York Times got hit with a wave of backlash — and ultimately was forced to issue a correction — after Friday&#8217;s print edition included a headline replacing the word &#8220;Atlantic&#8221; in North Atlantic Treaty Organization with &#8220;American.&#8221;
POLITICO editor Sasha Issenburg drew attention to the flub, sharing a photo of the newspaper showing both the date and the erroneous headline, which read, &#8220;A North American Treaty Organization Without America?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Does the <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> know what NATO stands for? <a href="https://t.co/wvD1WxPOnN">pic.twitter.com/wvD1WxPOnN</a>
— Sasha Issenberg (@sissenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/sissenberg/status/2040078016576204989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer weighed in on the paper&#8217;s mistake, noting that every headline published by The New York Times had to make it past multiple editors before going to print.
&#8220;The NYT should release the names of every editor who read this and did not correct it. They have multiple layers of editors, especially for the print publication. That’s what the NYT would demand when the government makes a bad mistake. They should live up to the same standard,&#8221; he said.
Former Trump administration official Richard Grenell pointed out that the piece&#8217;s author, Steven Erlanger, as the paper&#8217;s Chief Diplomatic Correspondent for Europe: &#8220;Yikes.&#8221;
President Trump even commented on the flub on Saturday morning, saying in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116346654846871260">Truth Social post</a>, &#8220;The Failing New York Times, whose lack of credibility, and their constant Fake News attacks on your favorite President, ME, has caused its circulation to absolutely PLUMMET, referred to our severely weakened and extremely unreliable “partner,”NATO, as the North American Treaty Organization. The correct name is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization &#8211; A very interesting mistake! The hiring and educational standards have gone way down at the NYT. Bring back, “ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT” and, Make America Great Again!&#8221;
The article itself referenced President Donald Trump&#8217;s repeated threats to leave the organization over other nations — primarily in Europe — not providing monetary or military support when the United States is the one asking. Those threats have only accelerated as European allies have failed to answer calls for assistance with Operation Epic Fury in Iran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/rubio-says-us-need-reexamine-nato-membership-allies-blocked-basing-airspace-help">equally critical</a> of NATO, saying in recent remarks that if the United States could not rely on NATO allies when help was needed.
&#8220;If now we have reached a point where the NATO alliance means that we can&#8217;t use those bases, that, in fact, that we can no longer use those bases to defend America&#8217;s interests, then NATO is a one-way street. Then NATO is simply about us having troops in Europe to defend Europe,&#8221; Rubio told Fox News host Sean Hannity, adding that it did not make strategic sense for the United States to remain in the organization if it was going to be so one-sided.
By Friday afternoon, the outlet <a href="https://x.com/NYTimesPR/status/2040142477215056082">issued a statement</a> promising a correction in Saturday&#8217;s print edition: &#8220;A correction will appear in tomorrow&#8217;s print edition: &#8216;A headline with an article on Friday about President Trump’s threats to leave NATO misstated the full name of the body. It is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, not the North American Treaty Organization.'&#8221;

New York Times

New York Times Forced To Issue Correction After Wild Whiff On NATO

Marco Rubio

The New York Times

War Secretary Pete Hegseth shook things up at the Pentagon during Holy Week when he fired several top generals — including Major General William Green Jr. the U.S. Army chief of chaplains.
Green&#8217;s job as the Army chief of chaplains is to advise the Army Chief of Staff on issues of religion and morality, as well as to oversee the Army Chaplain Corps — and he was three years into what would normally be a four-year term when Hegseth removed him from the role.
Green served as an enlisted soldier prior to becoming an ordained minister, and has served as a chaplain in the Army since the 1990s. His promotion to Major General was recent, according to <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/headlines/2026/04/02/army-chief-forced-out-iran-war-hits-new-phase.html">Military.com</a>, and he had become the Army chief of chaplains in 2023.
While no official reason has been given for Green&#8217;s termination — marking the first time that an Army chief of chaplains has been fired since the position was created under the National Defense Act of 1920 — Hegseth had previously voiced his displeasure with Green&#8217;s Army Spiritual Fitness Guide, published in 2025.
The <a href="https://www.militaryatheists.org/regs/ArmyFM7-22_subv202507-SF-Guide.pdf">112-page guide</a> — and accompanying Battle Book — featured &#8220;secular-inclusive&#8221; principles aimed at encouraging resilience and strength. It was written to be a part of the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program (H2F), for which development began in 2024 during former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&#8217;s tenure.
The guide was published in August of 2025, and Hegseth disliked it so much that he ordered the War Department to scrap it entirely by December, less than six months after it was implemented.
&#8220;It mentions God one time. That’s it. It mentions feelings 11 times. It even mentions playfulness, whatever that is, nine times,&#8221; Hegseth said at the time, complaining that in the military, &#8220;chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers.&#8221;
The guide was summarily <a href="https://www.army.mil/article/287513/spiritual_fitness_battlebook_equips_soldiers_with_tools_for_inner_resilience">scrubbed</a> from the Army&#8217;s website.
Two other top generals were removed the same week: Gen. David Hodne, a former Army Ranger in charge of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-removes-armys-top-general-asks-him-to-retire-immediately">Randy A. George</a>.

US-POLITICS-SECURITY-HEGSETH

Hegseth Fires Army Chief Of Chaplains During Holy Week

Easter

Holy Week

Religion

U.S. Army

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that he was ending the policy that turned U.S. military installations into &#8220;gun-free zones,&#8221; declaring in a brief video statement, &#8220;That ends today.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4450527/hegseth-authorizes-off-duty-service-members-to-carry-private-firearms-on-instal/">Hegseth</a> signed a memorandum stating that base commanders should allow service members to request permission to carry their privately-owned firearms while off duty — regardless of any firearm regulations imposed by the states in which the bases were located — and shared video explaining the move.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones—leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed.
That ends today. <a href="https://t.co/IQ204YepZ0">pic.twitter.com/IQ204YepZ0</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2039803944965185634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Our great republic is founded on a simple, yet bold idea,&#8221; Hegseth began, saying that the nation was built the idea that rights were given to the people by God rather than by the government. &#8220;250 years ago, the Revolutionary War was fought to secure our God-given rights. The Second Amendment to our Constitution enshrines the right of all citizens to carry weapons to protect themselves, their families, and their fellow countrymen.&#8221;
Hegseth went on to point out that America&#8217;s men and women in uniform were already well-trained in the use of firearms and should not be barred from exercising their rights simply because they were on a military installation.
&#8220;Our warfighters defend the right of others to carry; they should be able to carry themselves,&#8221; he added.
Hegseth went on to cite recent attacks on military installations, arguing that if trained service members were allowed to arm themselves, such threats could potentially be neutralized in shorter order.
&#8220;In these instances, minutes are a lifetime,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;And our service members have the courage and training to make those precious, short minutes count. Before today, it was virtually impossible … for War Department personnel to get permission to carry and store their own personal weapons aligned with the state laws where we operate our installations. … Well, that&#8217;s no longer.&#8221;
&#8220;The memo I&#8217;m signing today directs installation commanders to allow requests for personal protection — to carry a privately owned firearm — with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection,&#8221; he added.
The policy effectively turning military bases into <a href="https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/content/trump-speaks-out-against-gun-free-zones-on-military-bases/">gun-free zones</a> — Department of Defense Directive 5210.56 — went into effect in February of 1992, and restricted on-base carrying to &#8220;DoD personnel regularly engaged in law-enforcement and security duties.&#8221;
President Donald Trump, during his first presidential campaign in 2015, spoke out against the policy and said that he would ensure that &#8220;America’s armed forces will be armed.&#8221;
Trump said at the time that the United States &#8220;never should have passed a ban on soldiers being able to protect themselves on bases &#8230; Our brave soldiers should not be at risk because of policy created by civilian leadership.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-HEGSETH

Hegseth Tears Up Controversial Military Base Rule After 34 Years

firearms

George H.W. Bush

Gun-Free Zones

Military Bases

With all of the seriousness that envelopes most of the day-to-day operations within the government, sometimes it&#8217;s good to let down the hair, loosen the neckties, and think up a good prank for the social media team to run with for April Fools&#8217; Day.
The Department of Health and Human Services led the charge with a post showing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — notorious for his strict diet and opposition to fake dyes and additives in food — at a grocery store buying items that would definitely be considered contraband.
&#8220;BREAKING NEWS: SECRETARY KENNEDY CAUGHT PURCHASING ARTIFICIALLY-DYED CANDIES IN BULK,&#8221; the headline read.
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<a href="https://t.co/oOBv1uuT0g">pic.twitter.com/oOBv1uuT0g</a>
— HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSResponse/status/2039330926191165716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Kennedy followed with a post of his own admitting that it was a joke.
The Department of Homeland Security shared a poster advertising free flights to the moon for illegal aliens. &#8220;FLY TO THE MOON FOR FREE!&#8221; the poster read, along with a caption that said, &#8220;This April 1st, we kindly ask all aliens to GO HOME.&#8221;
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This April 1st, we kindly ask all aliens to GO HOME. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArtemisII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArtemisII</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheyAreGoingBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheyAreGoingBack</a> <a href="https://t.co/RJ2Z5yH33E">pic.twitter.com/RJ2Z5yH33E</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2039409788908371996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The National Archives got in on the joke with screenshots of a &#8220;group chat&#8221; between the Founding Fathers as they prepared to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson kicked off the conversation: &#8220;Ok, patriots, the final draft is ready.&#8221;
&#8220;Wait, do I sign with my real signature or my cool one?&#8221; John Hancock wanted to know.
&#8220;Make it BIG, John,&#8221; Benjamin Franklin advised. &#8220;Go viral or go home.&#8221;
Another frame showed the men arguing about how long the process was taking and who had brought the snacks.
&#8220;Can someone please proofread before I sign?&#8221; George Washington asked — and Jefferson replied, &#8220;Too late. I already tweeted it.&#8221;
The last line showed King George III of England being added to the chat, and he responded with just an emoji: wide eyes.
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Breaking news: The National Archives has released the Founding Fathers group chat for the signing of the Declaration of Independence.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AprilFoolsDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AprilFoolsDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/2YHku5K4VI">pic.twitter.com/2YHku5K4VI</a>
— U.S. National Archives (@USNatArchives) <a href="https://twitter.com/USNatArchives/status/2039352671392485401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The U.S. Department of the Interior went for the two-fer in a post outlining proposed changes to the national animal ahead of the United States celebrating its 250th birthday in 2026.
&#8220;As part of preparations for America’s 250th anniversary, Interior is reviewing wildlife nomenclature to better reflect the nation’s history and character. Following this review, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) will be renamed the Liberty Bandit, effective April 1, 2026,&#8221; the first post read.
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Known for its resourcefulness and ability to operate under cover of night, the Liberty Bandit reflects a distinctly American spirit of independence.
Additional updates will be announced in phases, including renaming the skunk (Mephitis mephitis) the Freedom Fogger. 😉 <a href="https://t.co/TzKJIAQ5Dj">pic.twitter.com/TzKJIAQ5Dj</a>
— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) <a href="https://twitter.com/Interior/status/2039334053334200641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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An immediate follow up added that in addition to giving the raccoon a place of prominence as the &#8220;Liberty Bandit,&#8221; they also planned to rename the skunk the &#8220;Freedom Fogger.&#8221;
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service promised immediate compliance with the new nomenclature, saying, &#8220;We&#8217;ll get this updated on our website ASAP.&#8221;
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We&#8217;ll get this updated on our website ASAP. <a href="https://t.co/FoHyeLuS3n">https://t.co/FoHyeLuS3n</a>
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (@USFWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFWS/status/2039391809579692339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC) stole the show with new guidance detailing the proper headgear for soldiers with Top Secret security clearances.
&#8220;The new Frequency Obstructing Interception Layer (FOIL) covers are designed to mitigate unauthorized SIGINT collection and ensure your thoughts remain on a &#8216;need to know&#8217; basis,&#8221; the description read — and the accompanying illustration showed eight different types of military headgear redone as tinfoil hats.
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ACIC releases headwear guidance for Soldiers with Top Secret clearances.
The new Frequency Obstructing Interception Layer (FOIL) covers are designed to mitigate unauthorized SIGINT collection and ensure your thoughts remain on a &#8220;need to know&#8221; basis.
(Graphic made with AI) <a href="https://t.co/KJFdVLIlu1">pic.twitter.com/KJFdVLIlu1</a>
— Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC) (@Real_ArmyCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/Real_ArmyCI/status/2039315175677849932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Screenshot/HHS

Even The Government Is Getting In On The Joke Today

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Social Media

ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl referenced Sun Tzu and &#8216;The Art of War&#8217; as he struggled on Sunday to piece together a cohesive strategy from President Donald Trump&#8217;s statements regarding his potential next moves in Iran.
Karl, on Sunday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;This Week,&#8221; presented a number of seemingly-conflicting statements and movements, saying that at times it was impossible to tell whether the Trump administration was planning to bring Operation Epic Fury to an end or further escalate the military action against the Iranian regime.
WATCH:
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“Listening to President Trump’s words at any given moment, it sounds like the war is about to end — or it’s about to intensify.”
One month into the war with Iran, <a href="https://twitter.com/jonkarl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonKarl</a> breaks down Trump’s often conflicting statements about the war&#8217;s developments.<a href="https://t.co/LMawxMOHLc">https://t.co/LMawxMOHLc</a> <a href="https://t.co/XuToAZZKLy">pic.twitter.com/XuToAZZKLy</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2038242688458269151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;In &#8216;The Art of War,&#8217; Sun Tzu wrote that a leader&#8217;s plans must be as dark and impenetrable as night,&#8221; Karl began, saying that Trump might not be basing his strategy on Sun Tzu but his plans were certainly difficult to pin down.
Karl highlighted the conflicting statements about developments in Iran, saying that Trump spent half the time talking about how many objectives had already been achieved — some, as he&#8217;s said on several occasions, ahead of schedule — while quietly moving to build up troops in the area, and perhaps signaling a coming escalation.
&#8220;Just consider his words over the past ten days,&#8221; Karl said. &#8220;On March 20th, he declared that he was &#8216;close to meeting his military objective and considering winding down our military efforts in the Middle East.&#8217; The very next day he announced a major escalation, threatening to &#8216;hit and obliterate&#8217; Iranian power infrastructure if the regime did not fully open the Strait of Hormuz.&#8221;
Just days later, Karl noted, Trump had announced that he&#8217;d been having &#8220;productive&#8221; conversations with officials regarding bringing hostilities to a close – but then extended the deadline more than once.
&#8220;Listening to President Trump&#8217;s words at any given moment, it sounds like the war is about to end — or it’s about to intensify,&#8221; Karl remarked.
Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, Trump and a number of his surrogates — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly made it clear that they would not, at least publicly, remove any military or diplomatic options from the table. That in conjunction with Trump&#8217;s apparently-conflicting statements and actions suggest that he has, in fact, taken &#8220;The Art of War&#8221; to heart.

ABC News: Election Night 2020

Jon Karl Digs Into Sun Tzu To Wrap His Brain Around Trump’s Iran Strategy

ABC News

Jonathan Karl

Bill Maher put Senator Elissa Slotkin on the spot Friday, challenging the Michigan Democrat to defend her party&#8217;s opposition to President Donald Trump&#8217;s military actions against the Iranian regime.
Speaking to Slotkin on the latest episode of his show &#8220;Real Time,&#8221; Maher marveled that Slotkin and the majority of Democrats &#8220;miraculously&#8221; reached the exact conclusion on Operation Epic Fury. The one exception to that, Maher pointed out, was Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman.
WATCH:
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Bill Maher: “There’s one guy [Sen.] John Fetterman (D-PA)… who has dissented from the Democratic Party line. Is that really the case? Really, there’s only one person in the whole party who thinks differently? You all miraculously came to the same conclusion on Iran?
Sen.… <a href="https://t.co/1VkGBVHDfE">pic.twitter.com/1VkGBVHDfE</a>
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedWavePress/status/2037863626460082338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;There’s one guy, John Fetterman, who I can think of who has dissented from the Democratic Party line,&#8221; Maher explained. &#8220;Is that really the case? Really, there’s only one person in the whole party who thinks differently? You all miraculously came to the exact same conclusion about Iran?&#8221;
Slotkin attempted to push back, citing her own experience with the CIA and saying that she agreed that the Iranian regime was comprised of bad actors.
Adding that there was &#8220;no love lost&#8221; between her and the Iranian regime, she said, &#8220;The Iranian regime killed friends of mine with rockets and mortars and IEDs. But that’s different from just running headlong into a war without being able to articulate your goals and how you’re going to get out of it.&#8221;
“See, that’s the Democrat talking point I hear all the time and I don’t know if it’s true,&#8221; Maher objected. &#8220;I think they were planning to say that whether he did it or not, and then he did it, and they just kept saying it even though they did say many times, &#8216;Okay, we found out that they were very close to the bomb.&#8217; I mean, that&#8217;s what came out in the negotiations.&#8221;
Slotkin immediately pivoted, abandoning her claim that the Trump administration had not properly articulated its goals and objecting instead that the war was ongoing despite the fact that the goals had been met.
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WOW: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) ADMITS the Trump administration has completely degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities, ballistic missiles, and other important things in the Iranian government.
“I can say very openly… we have for sure degraded their nuclear capabilities. For sure… <a href="https://t.co/oKtx8eKb56">pic.twitter.com/oKtx8eKb56</a>
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedWavePress/status/2037864089091756289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I can say very openly as a national security person, we have for sure degraded their nuclear capabilities. For sure degraded their ballistic missile capabilities,&#8221; Slotkin said, adding that those were certainly &#8220;important things in terms of the Iranian government.&#8221;

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