WASHINGTON—War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday laid down the law for members of President Donald Trump&#8217;s base who want more clarity on the war in Iran.
“I don’t understand why the base … wouldn’t have faith in his ability to execute on this,” Hegseth told Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan, pointing to President Trump’s record of pursuing “peace through strength” and “America First outcomes.”
In a Pentagon press briefing, Olohan asked Hegseth if he had a message &#8220;to Americans who love the president and strongly believe in him but are very worried about this notion of boots on the ground?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This morning I asked Secretary Pete Hegseth what his message is to Americans who love the president and support him, but are very anxious about this notion of &#8220;boots on the ground&#8221;: <a href="https://t.co/yvWJctIUt7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/yvWJctIUt7</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2039001865505968287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Hegseth made it clear that while the president was keeping every option on the table, he would not aid the Iranian enemy forces by making known publicly what the next move would be.
“We’re not going to foreclose any option. You can’t fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do, to include boots on the ground.”
While he nodded to the possibility of diplomacy (&#8220;maybe negotiations work, or maybe there’s a different approach”), Hegseth&#8217;s answer reinforced that escalation remains a live option. He also sought to reassure skeptics indirectly, arguing that Trump has “internalized the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan” and would not repeat past mistakes, even while keeping all military tools available.
While support for the war itself remains strong, as does <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-pollster-admits-it-reports-of-magas-death-have-been-grossly-exaggerated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support among MAGA</a> for Trump, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-voters-oppose-action-iran-give-u-s-military-positive-marks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling</a> shows broad backing among Trump voters for strikes targeting Iran’s military infrastructure; support <a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/most-say-the-united-states-recent-military-actions-against-iran-have-gone-too-far/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drops off sharply</a> when it comes to sending ground troops. Recent surveys show a majority of Republicans, and an even larger share of the broader electorate, oppose deploying U.S. troops, with roughly half of Republicans and nearly three-quarters of all voters against “boots on the ground.”
That divide has already begun to show up publicly, with cracks emerging inside the MAGA movement over the direction of the war and fears that it could become another prolonged Middle East conflict. Loud voices have increasingly warned against <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/19/pete-hegseth-iran-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mission creep</a>, invoking Iraq and Afghanistan as cautionary examples of conflicts that began with limited objectives but expanded over time.
Hegseth, while engaging at length, offered little in the way of direct reassurance. Instead, he leaned into strategic ambiguity and the need to keep adversaries guessing.
“Our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we could come at them with boots on the ground,” he said. “And guess what? There are.”

Pete Hegseth And Dan Caine Hold Pentagon Press Briefing On Operation Epic Fury

Hegseth Gets Real With MAGA Voters Worried About Iran War

Donald Trump

Iran

MAGA

Pete Hegseth

Republican

Voters

Republican Senator Rick Scott is set to introduce legislation that would spell major financial losses for sanctuary cities and states, The Daily Wire has learned.
The Florida senator introduced the bill — dubbed the Unifying American Security Interests Act — to explicitly tie eligibility for federal grants to cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In order to secure the federal funds, cities would need to honor ICE detainers, conduct joint training with immigration officers, and commit to openly sharing information with federal authorities.
Along with the aforementioned bill, Scott introduced the Sanctuary Jurisdiction Event Security Enhancement Act, which bars sanctuary cities and states from receiving federal funding for event security through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Special Event Assessment Rating.
“Democrat politicians are putting illegal aliens first and the American people last, harboring criminals in sanctuary cities where they refuse to enforce our laws,&#8221; Scott said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire.
&#8220;President Trump is doing his part by securing the border, now Congress must pass my bills to hold sanctuary cities and states accountable by withholding federal tax dollars until they cooperate with federal law enforcement,&#8221; Scott said.
President Donald Trump has previously threatened to cut federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions amid his mass deportation crackdown.
Trump accused sanctuary cities and states of doing &#8220;everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens,&#8221; adding that &#8220;it breeds fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-immigration-funds-sanctuary-cities-states-february-rcna253986" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to NBC News.
The state of Virginia and its new Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger have drawn the ire of the Trump administration over recent crimes carried out by illegal immigrant offenders.
In the latest example, the Department of Homeland Security is begging local authorities in Fairfax County not to release an illegal immigrant accused of groping at least a dozen female students while he attended a local high school with them as an adult.
“This 19-year-old criminal illegal alien should NOT have been attending a Virginia high school and allowed to prey on innocent teenage girls. He now faces nine counts of assault and battery. This is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s failed open border policies,” Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement Monday regarding the case.
“We are calling on Fairfax County sanctuary politicians to NOT release this predator from jail back into our communities to assault more teenage women. Unfortunately, Governor Abigail Spanberger ended cooperation with ICE and is siding with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.”
The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office told The Daily Wire that they don’t “obstruct or prevent ICE from acting on their civil detainers,” but didn’t say whether they’d notify federal immigration officers ahead of the suspect&#8217;s eventual release.
“While it is still too early in the process to know the outcome of his case, ICE has been notified of Ortiz’s location at the ADC [Adult Detention Center], and they are able to execute their detainer by responding to the ADC and taking Ortiz into custody if and when he is ordered released,” the sheriff’s office said.

Zohran Mamdani holds a press conference outside the Federal Plaza in NYC

New GOP Bills Would Withhold Federal Funds From Sanctuary Cities

Congress

Politics

Rick Scott

Sanctuary Cities

California Republican gubernatorial candidate and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has said he supports creating a &#8220;path to citizenship&#8221; for illegal immigrants living currently in the United States, a stance that has drawn scrutiny from conservative voters in a crowded GOP primary.
During a November interview with Pastura California that recently resurfaced, Bianco laid out his plan for allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the country.
&#8220;My family immigrated here from Italy and they came here for jobs, that&#8217;s what things were here for. You came here [for] a job, you said that America is the greatest country in the world and I wanna be an American and you bust your behind to make sure that you provide for your family. That&#8217;s what it was then,&#8221; Bianco <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/02/19/republican-chad-bianco-vows-support-path-citizenship-illegal-aliens-california-governor/">said</a> during the interview.
&#8220;The people that are coming here now, especially illegally, are coming here for free stuff, and then we are the ones that are paying for that. So the immigration system has to be fixed. We have to have a secure border.&#8221;
Bianco also said he believes the border &#8220;is secure right now,&#8221; though he argued the country faces a major problem with visa overstays and illegal immigrants already in the United States.
&#8220;But we have to address it, we have to make it right, whether they came across illegally into the country, legally or not, is irrelevant because we allowed it to happen. So now we just have to fix it. Secure our borders, don&#8217;t let that happen again, and now we have to give a path to citizenship to the ones that are here. We have to create a way for them to become U.S. citizens and &#8230; make their families great. If they truly did come here to make their lives and their families&#8217; lives better, we have to get to a position where we allow that to happen.&#8221;
Bianco added that if illegal immigrants are caught breaking laws &#8220;and committing crimes, they gotta go back.&#8221;
&#8220;As the governor of California, we will fight for a path to citizenship,&#8221; he said, adding, &#8220;We have to start working for the people that are here trying to make California great and we have to make their lives easier.&#8221;
When asked about his resurfaced remarks, Bianco told Breitbart on Thursday that he&#8217;s “been very clear” on immigration and that “both sides of the political aisle” have used his comments “to benefit them.”
“Immigration is being made into a political tool, and California residents are the pawns,” Bianco said.
But it&#8217;s not the first time Bianco has appeared to favor illegal immigrants.
Last April, Bianco told podcast host Britt Mayer that he did not want his deputies cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing that doing so could deter illegal immigrant crime victims from reporting offenses.
“I don’t want my line deputies, my patrol deputies, absolutely cannot be cooperating with the federal government in immigration reform because the people that we go to help are calling for our help,” Bianco said. “They are being victimized. And if they are afraid to report crime because they’re afraid to be deported themselves for being a victim.”
“If a woman is raped and she will not report that to law enforcement because she believes she is going to be deported, then we are failing as an absolute country because we should be only caring about who victimized that poor girl or woman or man, and how can we make sure we get that criminal off the streets and behind bars, and if they’re illegal, they need to be deported immediately,” Bianco said.
Bianco also reiterated that the United States &#8220;absolutely must have a path to citizenship for people that are here.&#8221;
In a statement to Breitbart, Bianco said he believes “every person who is in jail for victimizing Californians should be deported” and that &#8220;sheriffs operating jails should be cooperating with the federal government.”
“The sanctuary policies prevent that from happening and force the release of criminals back into our neighborhoods,” Bianco said. “Sanctuary policies place sheriffs at risk of criminal prosecution and removal from office because of ridiculous sanctuary state laws. The vast majority of residents, including immigrants, want that to end.”
The gubernatorial hopeful also said that “the threat of deportation cannot be used by criminals to prevent the reporting of crime.”
“A child being molested under threat of deportation should not be afraid of turning toward a deputy for protection,” Bianco said. “With all that said, sanctuary state policies need to be repealed. They harm our communities. As California governor, I will gladly work with other governors to pressure Congress to fix a broken immigration system.&#8221;

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, A California Gubernatorial Candidate, Tours Skid Row

GOP Gubernatorial Candidate’s Immigration Stance Raises Eyebrows In Deep Blue State

California

Elections

gubernatorial race

illegal immigrants

Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) has been hospitalized, but is responsive and in stable condition after a &#8220;pretty bad&#8221; car accident. His wife was also injured in the accident.
Baird&#8217;s office provided a <a href="https://baird.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2519">statement</a> on Tuesday declaring that the Indiana Congressman was recovering in the hospital after his &#8220;vehicle was struck&#8221; in an accident:
<blockquote>Congressman Baird is in the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, and he is extraordinarily grateful for everyone’s prayers during this time. Congressman Baird looks forward to continuing his work on behalf of Hoosiers. The Office of Congressman Baird will continue to provide services and support for those who need it. Congressman Baird and his office remain steadfast in their commitment to serving constituents and focused on advocating for Hoosiers at the highest levels of government.</blockquote>
Baird, 80, is a Vietnam veteran (U.S. Army) and a veterinarian who has represented Indiana&#8217;s 4th Congressional District since 2019. He voiced his support for President Donald Trump&#8217;s weekend move to capture and extradite Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
&#8220;We are fortunate to have a president willing to follow through on protecting American lives. Decisive leadership as commander in chief matters, and it gives our men and women in uniform the confidence they need to carry out difficult missions against those who threaten our country,&#8221; he said in an <a href="https://x.com/RepJimBaird/status/2007539553083478313">X post</a> on Saturday.
Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) responded to the accident in a post on X, saying, &#8220;Maureen and I are grateful to hear that Congressman Jim Baird and his wife are safe and in good spirits following last night’s accident. We continue to pray for their family and wish the Bairds a smooth and speedy recovery.&#8221;
President Donald Trump addressed the news during remarks to Republican members of Congress at the newly-renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, saying, &#8220;I also want to send our best wishes to Congressman Jim Baird and his wife, who were recovering from a car accident. They’re going to be okay, but they had a pretty bad accident and we’re praying that they get out of that hospital very quickly.&#8221;
During the same remarks, the president also offered his thoughts on the passing of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), who died on Monday at the age of 65.
With LaMalfa&#8217;s passing and Baird&#8217;s hospitalization — along with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8217;s resignation — the already-slim Republican majority in the U.S. House has dwindled to 218-213.

Agriculture Secretary Rollins Holds Make America Healthy Again Event With HHS Secretary Kennedy

GOP Rep. Jim Baird Hospitalized But ‘Responsive’ After Car Accident

GOP Rep. Jim Baird Hospitalized But 'Responsive' After Car Accident

House Republicans

Indiana

Republican strategist Brad Todd laid out in detail the errors made during the 2020 census that disproportionately hurt Republicans — and helped Democrats.
Todd joined CNN anchor Kate Bolduan on &#8220;CNN News Central&#8221; to discuss the issue on Thursday, and he argued that a number of the U.S. Census Bureau population miscounts had dramatically skewed in favor of Democrats in multiple states across the country.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: GOP Strategist Brad Todd *SCHOOLS* CNN Host Kate Bolduan on how 2020 census &#8220;errors&#8221; hurt red states &#8220;DISPROPORTIONATELY&#8221;🚨
TODD: “In fact, we know the 2020 census — the errors were almost always to the detriment of red states.”
BOLDUAN: “Do we know that?”
TODD: &#8220;We do… <a href="https://t.co/8RxPTy7Fzm">pic.twitter.com/8RxPTy7Fzm</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1953485745848508573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;In fact, we know the 2020 census — the errors were almost always to the detriment of red states,” Todd began, prompting an almost immediate interruption from Bolduan.
&#8220;Do we know that?&#8221; she asked.
&#8220;We do know that. The Census Bureau’s own audit of its work has proven that,&#8221; Todd shot back. &#8220;Blue states like Rhode Island were overcounted. Rhode Island then didn’t lose a seat. Red states like Alabama were undercounted. This is just a fact. It wasn’t all red-blue, but it was disproportionately red-blue.&#8221;
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Post-Enumeration Survey found that of the 14 states that were miscounted, five out of the six undercounted states were red states, and five of the eight over-counted states were blue states, per <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/05/19/census-bureau-2020-undercount-overcount-miscount-electoral-college/">The Daily Caller</a> in 2022. Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Utah were reportedly among those that were overcounted. The undercounted states included Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
Todd&#8217;s comments come on the heels of President Donald Trump&#8217;s call for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-illegal-immigrants-will-not-be-counted-in-the-next-census">new census</a> that will not include illegal immigrants in the final counts. Trump faced a number of legal challenges when he attempted to take similar changes to the census process during his first term as president, but has signaled he plans to try again in the near future.

USA States Election

GOP Strategist Lays Out How 2020 Census Disproportionately Hurt Republicans

2020

Census Bureau

Democrat

Media

WASHINGTON—The White House rescissions package is full of billions in woke, wasteful spending that should have been dealt with long ago, Congressman Brian Mast told The Daily Wire. 
The Florida Republican weighed in after the White House announced it had sent its first rescissions package to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, a package that the White House says targets billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as foreign aid and federal funding for both NPR and PBS. 
Passing the rescissions package would codify the cuts the Department of Government Efficiency had proposed. A vote is expected next week. 
“We’re talking about roughly $10 billion, and let&#8217;s say $8.5 billion of that largely comes from the State Department, USAID,” Mast explained to The Daily Wire. “In that, if you really wanted to break it down, you would need an encyclopedia to do it because there&#8217;s so many little different things that are going to so many international organizations.” 
Under President Joe Biden’s administration, the congressman said, much of this waste was hidden. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Today, we sent the first rescissions package to Capitol Hill.
This package contains BILLIONS in wasteful foreign aid and federal funding for NPR and PBS.
Here’s just some of the waste, fraud, and abuse identified: 🧵
— Office of Management and Budget (@WHOMB) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHOMB/status/1929991228449312979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
“So where the State Department, under the previous administration, was really nickel and diming the American people under a host of different programs, whether they called it global health or whether they called it international organizations or whether they called it USAID, or whether they called it migration in refugee assistance,  they nickeled and dimed in all of these different places to do these very much social engineering programs,” he explained. 
He pointed to some of these expenditures: $33,000 for “Being LGBTI in the Caribbean,” $643,000 for LGBTQ+ programs in the Western Balkans,&#8221; and &#8220;$567,000 for LGBTQI+ programs in Uganda.” 
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
“These countries were upset that we were doing them to begin with,” Mast added in reference to the woke initiatives. He said he has spoken to many of the ambassadors to these countries over the last six months. “They&#8217;re so glad to see these programs go away.” 
Other woke items that would be cut include $67,000 for testing insect powder nutrition on children in Madagascar, $5 million for the &#8220;Minority Serving Institute Fellowship Cooperative Agreement,” $595,400 for training women in gender equity, $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda, $6 million for “net zero cities” in Mexico,  $2.1 million for climate resilience in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and East Africa $5 million for “green transportation and logistics” in Eurasia,  $4 million for “legume systems research,” $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street, and more. 
Mast went through a number of these items, ripping into the massive amounts of money spent on such niche and ideological interests. 
“Why are we doing that for Mexico, and not putting money into the cities in the United States of America?” he asked of the funds going to Mexico’s “net zero cities.” 
“Most people would have no idea” about the items that have been paid for with taxpayer dollars right under their noses, he pointed out. “They’re just hidden in there until you actually get in there and start digging.” 
Asked about pushback from Democrats to the White House rescissions package, Mast suggested that resistance to the cuts is “largely an uneducated pushback.” 
“Democrats will look at this and they&#8217;ll say, ‘Oh my God, you&#8217;re cutting something for migration and refugee assistance.'&#8221;
They’ll also focus on things that are lifestyle choices, rather than life-saving choices, he added. 
“We’re  just blowing money on it year after year after year, decade after decade after decade.” 
Mast believes that Republicans can get the cuts through, and “truthfully,” he thinks they should go much further. For now, it will do.

Thune Aims Vote On Tax Bill In Last Week Of June

White House Rescissions Package Would End Billions In Woke, Wasteful Spending, Congressman Says

Brian Mast

President Donald Trump named Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio when asked who could become his successor.
Their names came up during an interview airing Sunday on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet The Press.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 BREAKING: When asked about President Trump&#8217;s successor&#8230; he first and foremost names VP JD VANCE for 2028.
&#8220;It&#8217;s far too early to say that, but I do have a vice president and typically would be &#8211; and JD&#8217;s doing a fantastic job.&#8221;
&#8220;It could very well be. I don&#8217;t want to get… <a href="https://t.co/6nD1dZPbLK">pic.twitter.com/6nD1dZPbLK</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1919029142512611740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Moderator Kristen Welker asked Trump who he sees as his successor after the first 100 days of his second term.
&#8220;Well, I — it&#8217;s far too early to say that. But you know, I do have a vice president, and typically — and JD&#8217;s doing a fantastic job,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;He would be at the top of the list?&#8221; Welker pressed.
&#8220;It could very well be,&#8221; Trump replied. &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to get involved in that. I think he&#8217;s a fantastic, brilliant guy. Marco is great. There&#8217;s a lot of them that are great.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;I also see tremendous unity. But certainly you would say that somebody&#8217;s the VP, if that person is outstanding, I guess that person would have an advantage. But I think the other people would all stay in unbelievably high positions. But you know, it could be that he&#8217;d be challenged by somebody. We have a lot of good people in this party.&#8221;
Trump also indicated that he has no intention of seeking a third term in the White House.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;I&#8217;m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody — ideally a great Republican, a great Republican — to carry it forward,&#8221; says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>.
&#8220;Four years is plenty of time to do something really spectacular.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/pK6t6X3AiA">pic.twitter.com/pK6t6X3AiA</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1919026233943187660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Are you seriously considering a third term, Mr. President, even though it&#8217;s prohibited by the Constitution? Or is this about staying politically viable?&#8221; Welker asked.
&#8220;I will say this. So many people want me to do it. I have never had requests so strong as that. But it&#8217;s something that, to the best of my knowledge, you&#8217;re not allowed to do. I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s constitutional that they&#8217;re not allowing you to do it or anything else,&#8221; Trump said.
Trump noted there are &#8220;many people selling&#8221; 2028 hats.
&#8220;But this is not something I&#8217;m looking to do,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;I&#8217;m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody, ideally a great Republican, a great Republican to carry it forward. But I think we&#8217;re going to have four years, and I think four years is plenty of time to do something really spectacular.&#8221;
Welker again said the Constitution prohibits a third term.
&#8220;Have you – some of your allies are pretty serious about this, though, Mr. President. And I&#8217;ve spoken to them. They say they are coming up with potential ways, obviously the biggest one would be a constitutional amendment,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;That&#8217;s because they like the job I&#8217;m doing, and it&#8217;s a compliment. It&#8217;s really a great compliment,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;Has anyone in an official capacity presented you with, &#8216;Sir, here are some ideas by which you could actually get a constitutional amendment?'&#8221; Welker asked.
&#8220;Well, in a capacity of being a big supporter, many people have said different things, but, I&#8217;m not looking at that,&#8221; Trump said.

President Donald Trump

Trump Drops Two Names When Asked About A Successor

Election

JD Vance

Marco Rubio

U.S.

Mel Gibson is reportedly “flattered” by the news that he&#8217;s the leading Republican candidate to run for California Governor in a new straw poll, but will not be throwing his hat in the ring.
A source close to the 69-year-old actor told <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/03/18/mel-gibson-flattered-california-governor-poll-favorability/">TMZ</a> that the “Braveheart” star is “flattered” by getting 12% in the poll amid a recall effort to remove Democrat CA Governor Gavin Newsom following the massive wildfires in southern California, rising crime, and more. But the source also made it clear that Gibson has no interest in the job.
In the Wednesday straw poll from The Lost Coast Outpost, Gibson leads Republicans, beating out Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco who received 11% of the vote, after becoming the only notable Republican candidate to enter the race. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and former congresswoman Katie Porter received 20% and 25% percent of the vote in the same poll that was taken among 2,640 respondents.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mel Gibson &#8216;Flattered&#8217; by Governor Poll Favorability, but Has Zero Interest | Click to read more 👇 <a href="https://t.co/sCL7fRyuwY">https://t.co/sCL7fRyuwY</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1902039951039926627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;He&#8217;s sticking with his day job for now,&#8221; Gibson&#8217;s publicist, Alan Nierob, told the <a href="https://californiaglobe.com/fr/exclusive-mel-gibson-confirms-to-globe-he-isnt-running-for-governor/">California Globe</a> following weeks of speculation.
Gibson recently spoke out at a Newsom recall event and blasted the governor over his &#8220;gross mismanagement&#8221; of the state following the devastating wildfires.
During a <a href="https://x.com/TONYxTWO/status/1894948199934079110">press conference</a> in Los Angeles, Gibson told the crowd that both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had let them down after the actor became one of the numerous people who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire.
“Governor Newsom and Karen Bass let us all down,” Gibson said, pointing out how much California residents pay in taxes. “Now for that kind of money, we deserve much more and much better, and there is absolutely no adequate excuse the governor or mayor can make for this gross mismanagement and failure to preemptively deal with what they knew was coming.”
“Was it incompetence? Was it indifference, complacency, carelessness? Was it negligence? Absolutely,” he added, asking the crowd if the mayor or governor “give a damn about you,” to which the crowd replied, “no.” “Newsom … has brought us nothing but rampant crime, acute homelessness, horrendous inflation.”
“I mean, the industry I work in, the film industry, this used to be the Mecca of filmdom. It is no more. All of my fellow citizens who have lost their homes, they have no recourse, no insurance payouts because the carriers dropped them,” Gibson continued, per The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mel-gibson-slams-mayor-bass-governor-newsom-altadena-press-conference-1236148644/">Hollywood Reporter</a>. 
“Even the carriers realized that California was ill-prepared and had scant resources to deal with the inevitable fires. They knew that. So are we supposed to believe that our elected officials didn’t know that? Of course they knew that. Of course.”
The event, which was organized by <a href="https://savingcalifornia.vote/">Saving California</a>, is focused on recalling Newsom and fixing the state’s economy, per its website.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mel-gibson-blasts-newsom-at-recall-event-for-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mel Gibson Blasts Newsom At Recall Event For Governor</a>

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson ‘Flattered’ By Report He’s Leading Republican In California Governor’s Race

Celebrities

Entertainment

Gavin Newsom

governor

Hollywood

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> House Republicans unanimously called on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to reverse its controversial decision to allow trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports.
The new letter signed by all 75 House Republicans was sent on the first day of the NCAA&#8217;s annual convention, which takes place in Nashville.
&#8220;The hard work of female athletes is now in serious jeopardy. The NCAA’s 2010 rule change allowing men who decide to be women and displace real women in competitive sports has had devastating consequences,&#8221; read the letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker.
The NCAA oversees more than 500,000 college athletes at about 1,100 schools.
The letter outlines several concerns with trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports, including the physical safety of female athletes, lost victories, and lack of privacy in women&#8217;s locker rooms.
&#8220;Forcing women to compete against males in noncontact sports is unfair at best, but allowing them to compete in contact sports approaches abuse and creates opportunities for serious injury,&#8221; the Republicans wrote. &#8220;And when a man is given access to female locker rooms and bathrooms, it infringes on every woman’s reasonable expectation to the right of privacy and robs their dignity.&#8221;
The lawmakers called the idea &#8220;absurd&#8221; that men competing against women is &#8220;inclusive and safe.&#8221;
&#8220;The actions by the NCAA are humiliating and destructive to young women and the NCAA’s leaders should know and act better,&#8221; they said.
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The Republicans called on the collegiate sports governing body to &#8220;take bold action to protect women’s sports&#8221; during their convention this month.
The letter was spearheaded by House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, who also on Tuesday filed a measure honoring Tennessee native and former college athlete Riley Gaines for her advocacy against men in women&#8217;s sports.
“Americans have spoken loud and clear on this issue, and they do not want men entering their daughters’ locker rooms or bathrooms, stealing their scholarship opportunities and robbing them of their records and hard-fought victories. We are hopeful the NCAA will do the right thing; Men have no place in women’s sports,” Garrett said in a statement.
Over the last few years, the country has seen fierce backlash to trans-identifying men competing with and against women.
Female athletes have spoken out about losing competitions to male competitors, their uncomfortable experiences being in a locker room with a male, and several have suffered devastating <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/female-student-athlete-seriously-injured-in-field-hockey-game-involving-male-player-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">injuries</a> due to a male player.
Tennessee has passed several laws aimed at keeping males out of women&#8217;s sports at both the <a href="https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/112/pub/pc0040.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">K-12</a> and <a href="https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/112/pub/pc1005.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">college</a> level.

Woman running outdoor.

Tennessee House Republicans Call On NCAA To Reverse Decision Allowing Men In Women’s Sports

NCAA

Social Issues

Sports

Tennessee

Transgender

Transgender Athletes

Women

Republican Tim Burchett was targeted with a bomb threat at his Tennessee home, The Daily Wire has learned.
A source familiar with the matter said that the congressman&#8217;s Tennessee home was threatened on Monday, and that law enforcement visited the congressman. A spokesman for the Knox County Sheriff&#8217;s Office confirmed to The Daily Wire that the sheriff&#8217;s office received a threat to Burchett&#8217;s home but that the threat is considered &#8220;unfounded at this time.&#8221;
&#8220;However, there is an ongoing investigation,&#8221; she added, &#8220;therefore, I am not at liberty to discuss the nature of the threat.&#8221;
The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement to The Daily Wire: “Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a &#8216;swatting&#8217; incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.&#8221;
News of the threat comes after several of Donald Trump&#8217;s cabinet nominees and administration appointees <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-picks-targeted-in-violent-unamerican-threats">were targeted with dangerous threats</a> in swatting incidents during Thanksgiving week, including Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York, Agriculture Department nominee Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Labor nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee Scott Turner, and former Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz.
<div id="attachment_841117" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-congressman-tim-burchett-targeted-by-bomb-threat-at-tennessee-home/congressional-lawmakers-continue-work-on-capitol-hill-3" rel="attachment wp-att-841117"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-841117" class="wp-image-841117 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2162796012-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) walks down the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building following a vote on July 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)</div>
“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them,&#8221; Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement in late November. &#8220;These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting.’ In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.&#8221;
The FBI similarly said at the time that it was aware of &#8221; numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners.&#8221;
“We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement,&#8221; the FBI statement added.
And Trump&#8217;s son, Donald Trump Jr. <a href="https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1861815126413779427">said in a post on X at the time</a>: &#8220;The violent left has been calling in bomb threats and swatting incoming members of the Trump Administration. Enough is enough with this type of deranged crap!&#8221;

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Republican Congressman Tim Burchett Targeted By Bomb Threat At Tennessee Home

Tim Burchett

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey repeatedly supported efforts to allow men in women&#8217;s spaces and called Republicans &#8220;extreme&#8221; for focusing on transgender issues.
When the NCAA announced it was pulling its 2016-17 neutral-site games from North Carolina over <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bathroom-battles-erupt-over-transgender-issue-1458862031?mod=article_inline">legislation</a> banning trans-identifying males from women&#8217;s bathrooms and locker rooms, Casey invited them to Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvania is proud of its diversity across the Commonwealth,” the Democrat wrote in a September 2016 letter to the president of the NCAA. “We strive to achieve equality for the people who both reside and visit the Commonwealth regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identification.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sen. Bob Casey is now lobbying the NCAA to bring games once scheduled for North Carolina to Pennsylvania. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Palestra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Palestra</a> <a href="https://t.co/VuyVnrv280">pic.twitter.com/VuyVnrv280</a>
— Dan McQuade (@dhm) <a href="https://twitter.com/dhm/status/776494261185355776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
“I certainly wish it was a letter nobody had to write,” Casey <a href="https://epgn.com/2016/09/16/casey-urges-ncaa-to-move-championships-to-pennsylvania/">told Philadelphia Gay News at the time</a>. “If the state government in North Carolina had done the right thing, nobody would have to write a letter suggesting alternate locations.”
“On most days,&#8221; Casey told the LGBTQ publication, the state of Pennsylvania &#8220;is both more tolerant and more accepting than what the state government in North Carolina displayed.&#8221;
Several years later, in August 2020, Casey called Republicans &#8220;extreme&#8221; for focusing on males in women&#8217;s spaces.
&#8220;No one should fear for their safety because of the gender with which they identify,&#8221; he tweeted, referring to an article on the beating of a trans-identifying man. &#8220;Yet some extreme Republican politicians care more about what bathrooms transgender people use, or what sports team they play on, than they do about violence against transgender women of color.&#8221;
In 2021, Casey cosponsored the radical Equality Act, which would have <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2021/02/25/the-equality-act-lgbtq-transgender-democrats/">amended the 1964 Civil Rights Act</a> to prevent “discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation,” meaning that men who identify as women could not be denied access to female locker rooms, prisons, shelters, and more.
Democrats like Casey downplayed fears about men in women&#8217;s spaces, arguing that the Equality Act is about protecting people who identify as LGBTQ from discrimination. “I believe LGBTQ+ individuals, like all individuals, should be able to live and flourish in a safe and welcoming environment without fear of harassment or discrimination,” Casey said at the time.
In May, the Daily Caller News Foundation <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/05/23/bob-casey-males-female-sports/">exposed a June 2023 letter from Casey</a> in which he expressed support for &#8220;young adult&#8221; transgender transition attempts. He also said that the multiplying concerns about males in women&#8217;s sports were based on “overgeneralized” and “unfounded assumptions.&#8221;
“The decision to transition is a profoundly significant and challenging one that young adults make after careful consideration,&#8221; Casey wrote. &#8220;This is a conclusion that young adults reach after extensive consultation with their medical providers and loved ones, and with the knowledge of the tremendous social obstacles that unfortunately lie ahead.&#8221;
Casey, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire, is supported by the far-left <a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/human-rights-campaign-endorses-pennsylvania-sen-bob-casey-for-reelection">Human Rights Campaign</a> and <a href="https://glaad.org/election-2024-pa-senate-candidates-on-the-record/">GLAAD</a>, two major LGBTQ organizations that support transgender surgeries and procedures for children.
Though Casey&#8217;s Republican opponent, Dave McCormick, does not specifically mention transgender issues in his platform, he <a href="https://www.mcall.com/2024/05/29/moms-for-liberty-hosts-senate-candidate-dave-mccormick-former-ed-secretary-betsy-devos-for-nazareth-fireside-chat/">has pushed back</a> against males in women&#8217;s sports and criticized his opponent for voting in support of such efforts.
“Bob Casey actually voted for biological males to compete in women’s sports,&#8221; he <a href="https://glaad.org/pa-senate-debate-transphobia/">said in their debate</a> earlier this month.
&#8220;The very idea of allowing biological males to compete with biological females is fundamentally unfair,&#8221; McCormick <a href="https://www.davemccormickpa.com/2024/06/04/mccormick-defends-girls-sports-confronts-woke-education-at-moms-for-liberty-event/">said in a fireside chat</a> in June, where he also pushed back against ideological education in schools.
“Our schools are introducing transgender ideology to young children before they are old enough to form their own views as adults,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And so I think it’s deeply troubling. It’s something that I would be completely opposed to as a senator…We need to get commonsense back.”
A new poll <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/mccormick-casey-lead-pennsylvania-polls-1972120">released this week</a> by Atlas Intel found that McCormick had taken the lead in the Pennsylvania senate race: 48.3% of respondents said they would vote for McCormick, while 47.1% said they would work for Casey.

2024 Democratic National Convention: Day 4

Bob Casey’s Long History Of Fighting To Allow Men In Women’s Spaces

Bob Casey

LGBTQ

Pennsylvania

Republican lawmakers are demanding that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra rescind guidance requiring agency employees to use preferred pronouns and names and allowing men to use women&#8217;s spaces, including locker rooms and lactation rooms.
&#8220;This Guidance denies science, compels speech, jeopardizes the ability of federal employees to practice their faith without fear of retaliation, endangers women, and further erodes the American people’s trust in public institutions,&#8221; the lawmakers said in a Thursday letter, first obtained by The Daily Wire. &#8220;We urge you to reverse course and rescind this Guidance.&#8221;
The letter is led by Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford and signed by Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Marco Rubio of Florida, Steve Daines of Montana, and James Risch of Idaho.
The HHS guidance <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-gender-identity-non-discrimination-inclusion-policy.pdf">states</a> that failure to use preferred names and pronouns “contribute[s] to an unlawful hostile work environment,&#8221; the lawmakers point out in the letter to Becerra. It also states that HHS cannot “require a legal change of name or gender marker, medical certification, or other documentation,&#8221; allowing anyone to change their name or pronouns and compel their colleagues to use that name or pronoun — or face disciplinary action.
&#8220;There is no mention anywhere in the Guidance about accommodations for those with religious or conscience objections to the compelled use of incorrect pronouns,&#8221; the letter says. &#8220;In addition to violating extremely clear, long-standing Supreme Court precedents on compelled speech, reaffirmed as recently as 303 Creative v Elenis, this also violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_814305" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-814305" class="wp-image-814305 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1481748388-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></a>(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;In forcing employees to choose between deeply held religious beliefs or losing their job, HHS is creating a hostile work environment for employees,&#8221; the Republicans said.
Additionally, the HHS guidance promises that the agency will “ensure there are no barriers to equally accessing restrooms, locker rooms, lactation rooms, or other personal care spaces,&#8221; stating: “HHS will not condition this access on an employee having undergone or providing proof of gender-affirming surgeries or other medical procedures.”
If any HHS female employees are uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a bathroom, locker room, or lactation room with a biological man who identifies as a woman, they would be told to use other facilities, since “employees will not be barred from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity.”
&#8220;Given the Guidance’s stipulation on not requiring any evidence of gender dysphoria or gender transition procedures, women could be forced to be exposed to fully male anatomy in the bathroom or in the locker room,&#8221; the lawmakers told Becerra. &#8220;This creates a hostile work environment for women who may have no other option than using the facilities at work.&#8221;
&#8220;A female employee who has used a women’s restroom for more than a decade will be told that she has to find a new option for a restroom if she is uncomfortable with a biological male in her restroom,&#8221; they added. &#8220;Women deserve better. Including lactation rooms in this same Guidance is blatantly offensive – males cannot breastfeed their children, and claiming to be female does not change that reality. The only reason for including this in the Guidance is to continue to push a radical agenda in every facet of the federal workplace.&#8221;
The lawmakers also note that HHS, in their promotion of such ideology, reveals a &#8220;denial of science&#8221; and &#8220;incorporation of that denial into the hiring, firing, and promotion process&#8221; that raises questions about the &#8220;work and research being done through HHS.&#8221;
&#8220;Gender is not, as the Guidance erroneously asserts, &#8216;a social construct of identities, norms, behaviors, and roles that vary between societies over time,'&#8221; they wrote. &#8220;There are only two sexes: male and female. Research by the HHS at taxpayer expense should not be done in contravention of that scientific and self-evident fact.&#8221;
Becerra and HHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Read the full letter <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/10.16.24-Letter-to-HHS-re-transgender-guidance.pdf">here</a>.

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EXCLUSIVE: HHS Gender Guidance ‘Denies Science, Compels Speech,’ GOP Lawmakers Allege

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