The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that it would start reviewing every visa holder in the United States to determine if they have committed any offenses that could trigger deportation.
An immigrant with a U.S. visa who is deemed ineligible due to violations, such as “indicators of overstays, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity, or providing support to a terrorist organization,” will be deported, the State Department stated.
“We review all available information as part of our vetting, including law enforcement or immigration records or any other information that comes to light after visa issuance indicating a potential ineligibility,” the department added.
“Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States,” the State Department official account posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/statedept/posts/every-single-student-visa-revoked-under-the-trump-administration-has-happened-be/1199430242216239/">Facebook.</a>
“The State Department issued close to 11 million temporary visas, which do not include permanent residency or ‘green cards,’ during the 2024 fiscal year,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/21/us-visa-vetting-foreigners-immigration-tourism/">The Washington Post</a> reported. “ICE is on track to deport over <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/18/us-news/illegal-migrant-truck-driver-suspect-in-deadly-florida-crash-was-given-work-permit-under-biden-after-being-denied-by-trump-dhs/">400,000 illegal immigrants</a> by the end of President Trump’s first year in office,” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/21/us-news/deportations-surge-amid-trumps-historic-crackdown-on-illegal-immigration/">added</a>.
Commenting on the amount of time it will take to perform the necessary investigations, a senior State Department official declared, “Time is not my concern, the security of Americans is.”
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On Thursday, a federal judge nominated to her position by former President Joe Biden <a href="applewebdata://3C0C3141-3A13-4058-ADF9-8B8EAE563F3A/v">ruled</a> in favor of immigrants from Afghanistan, Burma, Iran, Somalia, and Togo, saying that the State Department could not use President Donald Trump’s travel ban to deny visas to foreigners. However, the ruling still permitted immigration authorities to reject them at a port of entry and airline officials to refuse to allow them on a plane.
One major impact of the current Trump administration’s policies on illegal immigration has been a startling plunge in the foreign-born population in the U.S., and it’s the most significant six-month decline ever in the same year, according to a report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS).
The foreign-born population declined an astonishing 2.2 million from January to July, CIS <a href="https://cis.org/Report/Overall-ForeignBorn-Population-Down-22-Million-January-July?&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social-media&amp;utm_campaign=addtoany">reported</a>, estimating the number of illegal immigrants fell by 1.6 million in the same period. CIS based its estimates on an analysis of raw data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Current Population Survey (CPS). CIS also estimated the total illegal immigrant population at 14.2 million in July based on the January 2025 CPS. CIS defined illegal immigrants as people with “pending defensive asylum applications, those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and parolees.”

Two American passports on a U.S. flag

Trump Admin Launches Review Of 55 Million Visa Holders For Possible Deportation

illegal immigrant

Immigration

Politics

State Department

Trump Administration

Visa

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced late Thursday that the State Department was not going to issue any additional work visas for commercial truck drivers, at least for the time being.
&#8220;Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers,&#8221; he said in a post on X. &#8220;The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.
The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1958644528253948015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rubio&#8217;s announcement comes after an accident involving an immigrant from India — who received a work permit under former President Joe Biden and a commercial driver&#8217;s license from the state of California — resulted in the deaths of three American citizens in Florida.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-given-commercial-drivers-license-by-californias-newsom-charged-in-fatal-semi-truck-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harjinder Singh</a>, who entered the United States illegally in 2018, was granted a commercial driver’s license in California. He made an illegal turn from the outside lane at a spot marked “Official Use Only,” and his truck crushed a minivan that had been driving in the inside lane. Singh has since been arrested for vehicular homicide and was slapped with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
The tragedy that unfolded in Florida also sparked a battle between Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin and the X account run by Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gavin-newsom-tangles-with-dhs-over-illegal-accused-of-killing-three-americans-with-semi-truck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin Newsom&#8217;s</a> (D-CA) Press Office when McLaughlin argued that three American citizens would still be alive if not for the license granted to Singh in California.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
3 innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License—this state of governance is asinine.
How many more innocent people have to die before <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GavinNewsom</a> stops playing games with the safety of the… <a href="https://t.co/chT7ln1TTZ">pic.twitter.com/chT7ln1TTZ</a>
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) <a href="https://twitter.com/TriciaOhio/status/1957433382230507868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Newsom’s press office responded to McLaughlin with a graphic, saying that California does not issue commercial licenses to immigrants who do not have legal status and blaming Trump for that because Singh entered the country illegally in 2018.
“Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements — YOU issued him a work permit (EAD). As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless. p.s. @grok, who was President in 2018?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements &#8212; YOU issued him a work permit (EAD).
As usual, the Trump Administration is either lying or clueless.
p.s. <a href="https://twitter.com/grok?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@grok</a>, who was President in 2018? <a href="https://t.co/OHVnC3zS20">https://t.co/OHVnC3zS20</a> <a href="https://t.co/raF7hFWGkb">pic.twitter.com/raF7hFWGkb</a>
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPressOffice/status/1957460210110300656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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McLaughlin pushed back, however, noting that the Trump administration had denied Singh&#8217;s request for a work visa and that he was not able to get one until former President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration took over.
&#8220;False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021. The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL,&#8221; McLaughlin wrote, concluding her post, &#8220;Sincerely, Genius.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021.
The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses.… <a href="https://t.co/4YSs3qIj2B">https://t.co/4YSs3qIj2B</a>
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) <a href="https://twitter.com/TriciaOhio/status/1957503043710181746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Marco Rubio

‘Effective Immediately’: State Department Halts Worker Visas For Commercial Truck Drivers

'Effective Immediately': State Department Halts Worker Visas For Commercial Truck Drivers

Executive

Florida

Traffic

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that &#8220;not enough attention&#8221; is being focused on the hostages still being held by Hamas.
During an interview on Fox Business, host Larry Kudlow noted the Israeli government might engage in a complete military takeover of Gaza and pressed Rubio on whether he has spoken to the prime minister — and whether he thinks Israel is making a wise decision.
&#8220;Well, ultimately the president has said that it’s up to Israel to decide what they need to do for their own security. I’ve spoken often — almost daily — to somebody in the Israeli government, often to the prime minister but many times to many members of his team,&#8221; the top diplomat said.
Rubio then explained how there are three &#8220;interrelated&#8221; problems when it comes to the situation in Gaza.
&#8220;The first is there is a humanitarian problem that needs to be addressed. We’re working very hard to figure out ways to address it in ways that doesn’t benefit Hamas but that allows people to be fed and prevents a further humanitarian problem there that we’re seeing now,&#8221; Rubio said.
He added, &#8220;The second is that there are 20 innocent human beings that are being held hostage in horrifying conditions. And the third is that as long as Hamas exists, there will not be peace. There cannot be a permanent peace. It’ll restart again if Hamas remains.&#8221;
President Donald Trump recently <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1828298958101812" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> there was &#8220;real starvation&#8221; going on in Gaza, in a rare break with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who contends Hamas is hoarding supplies and no famine is taking place.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Friday that he and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with Israeli officials to assess the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where the fight against Hamas continues.
&#8220;The purpose of the visit was to give [President Trump] a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza,&#8221; Witkoff <a href="https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/1951281182286500025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X.
Rubio said there is &#8220;a lot of attention&#8221; being placed on the humanitarian issue and noted &#8220;we want to do everything we can to be helpful on the humanitarian problem.&#8221;
The secretary went on to say, &#8220;But not enough attention is being paid to the fact that 20 people that had nothing to do with this are being held hostage in tunnels on the verge of death, and no real talk about how Hamas needs to be disarmed and disbanded. We have to focus more on those two things.&#8221;
He concluded: &#8220;You have to do all three, and all the talk is about humanitarian — which is important; we are willing to do a lot to be helpful there — but we have to focus on the other two. Those other two cannot be forgotten. And it’s all — the president has said he wants all the hostages out — not five, not seven, all of them, including the deceased hostages. And ultimately, Hamas cannot continue to exist. Even the Arab League says it. As long as Hamas exists as an armed group in Gaza, there will not be a &#8230; peaceful future, because it’s going to happen again. And that can’t — this can never happen again.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump official says admin has &#039;CONCRETE EXAMPLES&#039; of what Russia would ask for to end Ukraine war" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8FIRt7mASM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

‘Not Enough Attention’ Given To Hostages Held By Hamas, Rubio Declares

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

U.S.

The State Department is rolling out a new pilot program that will require some foreign visitors to the United States to pay bonds up to $15,000 for entry. 
The trial program, announced on Monday, is intended to crack down on the hundreds of thousands of visa overstays that occur every year. 
The notice from the State Department said that the 12-month pilot program will primarily impact those “who are nationals of countries identified by the Department as having high visa overstay rates&#8221; and &#8220;where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient.” 
The purpose was to address the “clear national security threat posed by visa overstays and deficient screening and vetting,” according to the State Department. 
Consular officers will be authorized to require nonimmigrant visa applicants from countries with high visa overstay rates to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 during their time in the United States. The amount would depend on individual circumstances and official discretion. 
“The Department believes these three levels will provide consular officers discretion to require a bond in an amount that is sufficient enough to ensure the alien does not overstay, while taking into account the visa applicant’s circumstances,” the notice said. 
The Trump administration previously tried to implement a similar program in 2020, but that never took effect because of travel shutdowns triggered by the COVID pandemic. 
The new <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/05/2025-14826/visas-visa-bond-pilot-program">pilot program</a> is another means to curb illegal immigration and encourage cooperation from foreign governments. 
“By its design and intention, the Pilot Program is a tool of diplomacy, intended to encourage foreign governments to take immediate action to reduce the overstay rates of their nationals when traveling to the United States for temporary visits, and to encourage countries to improve screening and vetting and the security of travel and civil documents, including in the granting of citizenship,” the notice said. 
Since 2015, the number of visa overstays has averaged in the hundreds of thousands every year, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security. The department found in 2023 that there were around 500,000 visa overstays. Countries with high levels of visa overstays <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-10/24_1011_CBP-Entry-Exit-Overstay-Report-FY23-Data.pdf">included</a> Afghanistan, Angola, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Sudan, and Yemen.

President Trump Meets With Visiting Crown Prince Of Bahrain

High-Risk Foreign Visitors Must Pay Up To $15K To Enter U.S. Under Trump Admin Visa Crackdown

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigation

The State Department on Thursday unveiled sanctions on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization as major American allies announced plans to recognize a state of &#8220;Palestine&#8221; in the coming months.
&#8220;It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/07/sanctioning-officials-of-the-palestinian-authority-and-members-of-the-palestine-liberation-organization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> read.
The announcement cited the two groups&#8217; noncompliance with legislation aimed at developing a concrete plan towards peace and away from terrorism.
The State Department also said the groups violated agreements through attempts to &#8220;internationalize its conflict with Israel&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/international-criminal-court-did-not-rule-israel-committed-genocide-judge-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by petitioning</a> the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
Most notably, the State Department found that the two groups continued to support terrorism by the &#8220;incitement and glorification of violence,&#8221; as well as providing money to terrorists and their families.
This move may complicate further votes in the UN General Assembly by restricting the ability of officials with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization from obtaining visas to travel to New York to attend the assembly, where many Western powers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-kingdom-threatens-to-recognize-state-of-palestine-if-israel-doesnt-agree-to-ceasefire">announced</a> they plan on recognizing Palestinian sovereignty in September.
French President Emmanuel Macron <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/macron-announces-plans-to-recognize-palestine-as-hamas-upends-ceasefire-talks?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Macron+Announces+Plans+To+Recognize+%E2%80%98Palestine%E2%80%99+As+Hamas+Upends+Ceasefire+Talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a> his rationale behind recognizing a state of Palestine, saying it was &#8220;essential to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East.&#8221;
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-administration-boycotts-un-publicity-stunt-conference-on-palestinian-statehood?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Administration+Boycotts+UN+%E2%80%98Publicity+Stunt%E2%80%99+Conference+On+Palestinian+Statehood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to Macron, saying, &#8220;As Secretary Rubio has made clear, this effort is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th and a reward for terrorism. It keeps hostages trapped in tunnels.&#8221;
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney put out a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-warns-canada-backing-palestinian-state-could-damage-u-s-trade-deal?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Warns+Canada%3A+Backing+Palestinian+State+Could+Damage+U.S.+Trade+Deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> Thursday concurring with the other countries that plan to recognize an independent Palestinian state in September. So far, a majority of the G20 countries have announced recognition or plan to come in September.
&#8220;We reiterate that Hamas must immediately release all hostages taken in the horrific terrorist attack of October 7,&#8221; Carney said in the statement. &#8220;That that Hamas must disarm; and that Hamas must play no role in the future governance of Palestine.&#8221;
&#8220;Canada will always steadfastly support Israel&#8217;s existence as an independent state in the Middle East living in peace and security,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Any path to lasting peace for Israel also requires a viable and stable Palestinian state, and one that recognizes Israel&#8217;s inalienable right to security and peace.&#8221;
President Donald Trump has continued to denounce calls for recognition of a Palestinian state, pointing out that doing so.
&#8220;Well, you could make the case that you&#8217;re rewarding people, that you&#8217;re rewarding Hamas if you do that,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And I don&#8217;t think they should be rewarded. So I&#8217;m not in that camp, to be honest. We&#8217;ll let you know where we are, but I am not in that camp, because if you do that, you really are rewarding Hamas, and I&#8217;m not about to do that.&#8221;
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff &#8220;will be traveling into Gaza to inspect the current distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a Thursday media briefing.

State Department Sanctions Palestinian Authority As European Countries Push For ‘Palestinian’ State

Global Politics

Palestinian Authority

Sanctions

A senior State Department official is firing back at a group of Senate Democrats who sent a letter earlier this week urging the Trump administration to halt its support for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The group, led by Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD), accuses GHF of being a “scheme” that endangers the lives of civilians and requested that support instead be given to United Nations-led aid efforts.
“We urge you to immediately cease all U.S. funding for GHF and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need,” the senators wrote.
But the official told The Daily Wire that senators are failing to look at the successful track record of the foundation — which is on track to deliver its 100 millionth meal this week— and instead “offering nothing of value.”
“While these members waste time complaining in a letter offering nothing of value, President Trump and Secretary Rubio are actually putting in the work to help find innovative solutions to help get aid into Gaza,” the official said. “To date, GHF is the only pipeline that denies Hamas resources and control.”
The State Department pledged $30 million to fund Gaza Humanitarian Foundation operations last month.
The foundation is responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-humanitarian-aid-delivered-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Sends+Aid+To+Gaza.+Israel+Will+Not+Distribute+It." target="_blank" rel="noopener">aid initiative</a>, which aims to deliver humanitarian aid directly to Gazan civilians while preventing Hamas from intercepting supplies — a challenge that has persisted since the war began.
“The United States supports the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation because it offers a direct delivery model in a setting where alternatives frequently have abetted diversion to terrorist networks,” the official continued. “Hamas has systematically looted humanitarian aid, turning relief into a tool of control. Aid is part of their strategy to stay in power, leaving civilians to navigate chaos and lawlessness.”
As of July 30, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has delivered over 98.5 million meals directly to civilians since starting operations on May 26.
“No other aid channel has come close,” the official said. “Gaza is a collapsed operating environment.”
<a href="https://app.un2720.org/tracking/intercepted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to United Nations</a> data, between May and July of this year, 1,753 trucks meant to distribute aid were &#8220;intercepted either peacefully by hungry civilians or forcefully by armed actors,” leaving a limited number of trucks to successfully arrive at UN warehouses.
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-footage-shows-un-convoy-driving-into-mob-of-gazans-casualties-reported?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Footage+Shows+UN+Convoy+Driving+Into+Mob+Of+Gazans%2C+Casualties+Reported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video obtained</a> by The Daily Wire shows a chaotic scene in southern Gaza last Thursday, as more than a dozen UN aid trucks enter a dense crowd along the Morag route. As the convoy attempts to pass through, a mob swarms the vehicles, climbing aboard and looting the supplies.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
EXCLUSIVE: A new video obtained by The Daily Wire shows a chaotic scene in southern Gaza last Thursday, where Gazans swarm and loot a U.N. aid convoy.
The IDF says it received reports of casualties in the same area and on the same day involving aid trucks. <a href="https://t.co/TP0hhl0bms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/TP0hhl0bms</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1950605086058598840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
Due to the constant looting of UN trucks, GHF has repeatedly offered to help the UN distribute aid, but the offer has gone unanswered. Instead, the UN has continued <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/well-break-your-legs-un-accused-of-mafia-type-response-to-u-s-led-gaza-relief-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to vilify</a> the group.
The GHF has pushed back on accusations that its distribution sites are dangerous, noting that aid supplies are emptied daily by Gazan civilians, many of whom express thanks for the free assistance.
“The media says our sites are a death trap, but our workers are interacting with these people every day,” Johnnie Moore, the GHF executive chairman, said. “We see at our distribution sites something people haven’t seen in a long time in the Gaza Strip: we see smiles every single day on the faces of women, on the faces of children.”
According to GHF, security issues at its sites have been limited and are typically instigated by individuals the GHF believes are affiliated with Hamas. Incidents include <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-veterans-injured-in-grenade-attack-while-distributing-aid-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a grenade attack</a> by terrorists that injured two American contractors, and a stampede earlier this month triggered by armed men inciting chaos in the crowd that resulted in the deaths of 20 Gazan civilians.
The <a href="https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/van_hollen_ghf_letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democrats’ letter</a> also accuses GHF security contractors of “having no combat experience or proper training on offensive weapons.”
Moore pushed back hard on the accusation, claiming that GHF’s security contractors are among some of the most decorated and experienced special forces veterans.
“For over a dozen senators to make an accusation like that with information that is so readily available makes me wonder if it was a 17-year-old intern who wrote the letter,” Moore said.
He noted that the contractors showed incredible restraint, experience, and professionalism when the grenades were thrown at them as the perpetrators ran into the crowd to hide and blend in.
“Hamas’s intention was to get the contractors to fire into the crowd of civilians during the incident,” Moore said. “But the level of experience of the people on the ground helped them in that 0.0001 seconds to make the correct decision to lose the assailants in order to not injure any civilians.&#8221;

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies on the 2026 Budget In House Hearing

State Department Slams Senate Democrats Over Calls To Defund Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

Chris Van Hollen

Donald Trump

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “How Leftist Nonprofit Networks Exploit Federal Tax Dollars to Advance a Radical Agenda,” a look into how USAID, which was partially defunded by Congress this week, has been abused for radical causes abroad.
Nearly 20 years ago, one such scandal inspired an online database to try to weed out the worst offenders. American contractors funded by the State Department and local police staged a daring raid on a brothel in India, rescuing a number of young girls from sexual slavery. But within days, a prostitute union funded by USAID pressured the girls to stop cooperating with investigators and return to the brothel, where they were once again subjected to rape for profit.
The ensuing scandal so outraged Congress that USAID was forced to cancel the prostitute union’s funding — but unfortunately, nothing was done to curb USAID’s grotesque culture of corruption, globalist meddling, and left-wing activism.
Finally, two decades later, President Donald Trump has taken decisive action to cut off USAID’s funding. But with liberal federal judges interceding on behalf of the Washington swamp, the battle is far from over. The only permanent solution is for Congress to shut down this rogue agency for good.
USAID was created in 1961 as part of President John F. Kennedy’s effort to win developing countries to America’s cause in the Cold War against the Soviet menace. Despite such lofty intentions, USAID was quickly captured by left-wing ideologues. The agency has spent decades funneling billions of dollars into dubious projects that advance a radical agenda under the guise of “development” aid.
Recent examples of USAID’s depravity include financing a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/at-usaid-waste-and-abuse-runs-deep/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“transgender opera” in Colombia, producing a “DEI musical” in Ireland</a>, and providing <a href="https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/chairman-mast-exposes-outrageous-usaid-and-state-department-grants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$15 million for condoms to the Taliban</a>. These are not anomalies — they are the logical outcome of an irredeemable agency that has long prioritized social engineering over economic development and national security.
Perhaps the most egregious example remains the sex trafficking scandal in India uncovered in 2005. Despite clear evidence that USAID-funded organizations were facilitating child prostitution, agency officials not only denied involvement but actively obstructed congressional investigators. It was only through relentless congressional oversight that investigators exposed the truth.
And yet, even after the revelations, USAID faced no meaningful consequence — no bureaucrats were prosecuted or fired, no structural reforms were enacted, and the agency continued to operate as usual right up to the present day.
The Trump administration has correctly recognized that USAID is beyond reform. By cutting funding, the White House has struck a major blow against this globalist slush fund. But unless Congress acts, USAID will remain an open wound festering in the federal budget, waiting to be revived by activist judges or the next Democratic administration.
USAID has proven, time and again, that it is unaccountable, wasteful, hostile to American ideals, and antithetical to American interests. It is a weapon of ideological warfare masquerading as a humanitarian agency, using taxpayer money to fund left-wing activism abroad while ignoring real global crises that threaten national security.
The solution is simple: Congress must dismantle and permanently abolish USAID. Foreign aid should be administered through highly targeted programs closely monitored by the State Department, ensuring that assistance truly aligns with strategic interests rather than ideological whims.
President Trump has led the way by shining a light on USAID’s corruption and attempting to turn off the spigot of taxpayer dollars. Now, it’s time for Congress to finish the job and eliminate this agency once and for all.
J. Marc Wheat is the general counsel of Advancing American Freedom.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-USAID-TRUMP

Why Congress Needs To Permanently Dismantle USAID

Congress

USAID

The Biden State Department accused a high-ranking Vatican official of denying the “full humanity” of people who identify as LGBT, internal communications first viewed by The Daily Wire reveal.
Jessica Stern, the Biden State Department’s Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons, made the remarks in advance of a trip to the Vatican, heavily redacted emails obtained by The Daily Wire through the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) indicate.
Stern, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/state-department-lgbt-racial-equity-envoy-profiles-scrubbed-after-trump-takes-office">vacated her position</a> after President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-the-biden-official-making-six-figures-to-travel-the-globe-pushing-transgenderism">traveled to all six habitable continents</a> to attend pride parades, march alongside a self-proclaimed “transvestite sl*t,” and collaborate with leftist activists as she attempted to influence the policies of foreign governments.
One of those trips took the LGBT activist-turned-State Department official to the seat of the Catholic Church.
Biden State Department officials admonished the Catholic official for his stance on LGBT-related issues in an August 1, 2023, email, the subject line of which read “Special Envoy Stern at the Vatican.”
The email came after Stern was connected with Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Vatican, Laura Hochla, to discuss her future engagements with Catholic officials.
“Great news! We had a very productive conversation with [REDACTED] … and we wanted to keep you abreast of the latest,” an unnamed senior advisor to Stern wrote in a heavily redacted email to Stern, Hochla, and two other officials.
The email from Stern’s senior advisor went on to detail the Biden State Department’s posture towards the Vatican, particularly as it concerned LGBT ideology.
“Something to be mindful of though: [REDACTED] made it clear that he has not seen eye-to-eye with Cardinal Parolin and believes that the Cardinal has yet to see the ‘full humanity’ of LGBTQI+ persons,” the email goes on to say, referencing <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_parolin_p.html">Cardinal Pietro Parolin</a>, the Vatican’s Secretary of State.
&#8220;CASA has uncovered documents shedding light on far left activist Jessica Stern&#8217;s history of attacking the Catholic Church and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-lgbt-emissary-berated-staff-about-vegetarian-meals-while-globetrotting-on-the-taxpayers-dime">improper use</a> of taxpayer resources during her time as the Biden State Department LGBT Special Envoy,&#8221; CASA Director James Fitzpatrick told The Daily Wire. &#8220;This is just another attempt by Biden administration officials advocating to impose their radical LGBT ideology on the teachings of the Catholic Church.”
The internal Biden State Department email went on to highlight comments made by Cardinal Parolin in an apparent attempt to bolster the case that the Catholic official does not recognize the “full humanity” of those who identify as LGBT.
“(See the Cardinal&#8217;s comments on the 2015 marriage referendum in Ireland … and a 2023 vote by German bishops to bless same-sex unions),” the email’s author adds.
<div id="attachment_948447" style="width: 741px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-948447" class=" wp-image-948447" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-17-at-10.54.29-AM-298x300.png" alt="" width="731" height="735" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-17-at-10.54.29-AM-298x300.png 298w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-17-at-10.54.29-AM-573x576.png 573w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-17-at-10.54.29-AM-150x150.png 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-17-at-10.54.29-AM-768x772.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screen-Shot-2025-07-17-at-10.54.29-AM.png 1044w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 731px) 100vw, 731px" />Obtained by CASA/Daily Wire</div>
Parolin expressed his disapproval of Ireland’s 2015 referendum, in which 62% of voters cast a ballot in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.
“I was deeply saddened by the result,” Parolin <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/26/vatican-ireland-gay-marriage-referendum-vote-defeat-for-humanity#:~:text=The%20referendum%20that%20overwhelmingly%20backed,in%20Rome%20on%20Tuesday%20night.">said in comments</a> reflecting Catholic teaching on the issue. “The church must take account of this reality, but in the sense that it must strengthen its commitment to evangelisation. I think that you cannot just talk of a defeat for Christian principles, but of a defeat for humanity.”
He also <a href="https://www.ewtnvatican.com/articles/vatican-responds-to-the-decision-of-the-german-church-to-bless-homosexual-unions-675">spoke out against</a> a decision by the Catholic Church in Germany to bless same-sex couples in a statement that Biden State Department officials similarly appeared to cite in the redacted email.
“We are working around the birthday party to ensure government interlocuters in Vatican City and Rome know that the USG is of &#8216;one mind on LGBTQI+ human rights,'&#8221; the senior advisor went on to note.

Stern, Catholic Cardinal

EXCLUSIVE: Biden State Dept. Accused Vatican Official Of Denying ‘Full Humanity’ Of LGBT People

Biden

Catholic

LGBT

Transgender

Vatican

WASHINGTON—The State Department is rolling out a &#8220;pro-family&#8221; exemption to the federal hiring freeze for the families of diplomats working abroad, according to an internal memo obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire.
The exemption will allow diplomats to staff key embassy posts with eligible family members, known as EFMs. Eligible family members are often the spouse of the State Department employee assigned to the overseas station, and have traditionally been used to temporarily staff certain positions. 
“This is a commonsense, pro-family policy to keep the family members of our diplomats together as they work toward implementing the America First agenda at our overseas posts,” a senior State Department official told The Daily Wire. 
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating a freeze on hiring new federal employees. At the same time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been overhauling the State Department. As part of this reorganization, the State Department has begun mass layoffs for bureaucratic positions, largely based in Washington, D.C.
The State Department said in the unclassified memo that the exemption would help support families and “support the operational readiness of U.S. Missions&#8221; and that it would be &#8220;a critical step forward in supporting our overseas staffing needs and family member employment opportunities.&#8221;
The memo, which will be sent out later today, authorizes overseas posts to start hiring eligible family members into empty positions that were previously occupied by someone with similar status. The freeze exemption will not allow for new positions to be created and cannot be used to fill vacancies previously filled by non-family member employees. 
“This exemption to the hiring freeze for EFMs makes available a pool of highly qualified candidates who can quickly fill both temporary and long-term positions that support operational readiness,” the memo says. “These will include positions in human resources, finance, security, political/economic, community liaison, medical, and consular services, ensuring that overseas posts function smoothly.”
The memo says that the policy reflects “the Department’s commitment to operational readiness, workforce morale, and the well-being of [Foreign Service] families” and that employees are encouraged to &#8220;prioritize&#8221; the hiring of eligible family members. 
The exemption will also allow eligible family members to join the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps, meaning that they will have an active security clearance allowing them to fill “domestic and overseas positions quickly when needed.”

MALAYSIA-US-ASEAN-DIPLOMACY

EXCLUSIVE: State Department Rolls Out ‘Pro-Family’ Exemption To Hiring Freeze

federal workforce

WASHINGTON— The State Department will inform employees on Thursday evening that it will soon begin mass layoffs, a document obtained by The Daily Wire shows.
Over 1500 employees will receive &#8220;Reduction in Force&#8221; (RIF) notices, a State Department official shared with The Daily Wire on Thursday.
The move comes after the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1174_h3ci.pdf">lifted a lower court order</a> on Tuesday blocking President Donald Trump from laying off federal workers at almost two dozen agencies, clearing the way for the president to move forward with his plans for reorganizing and downsizing federal agencies.
The State Department email, sent Thursday evening from Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael Rigas to State Department staff, says that once employees have received their RIF notices, State will enter its final stage of reorganization and focus its attention on delivering &#8220;results-driven diplomacy.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_945573" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/?attachment_id=945573" rel="attachment wp-att-945573"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-945573" class="wp-image-945573 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223713664-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223713664-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223713664-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223713664-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223713664.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio deplanes upon arrival at Subang Air Base, outside of Kuala Lumpur, on July 10, 2025.  (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
“Secretary Rubio, at the direction of President Trump, has undertaken a historic reorganization of the State Department, which was thoughtfully and deliberately executed by department leadership,&#8221; a senior State Department official told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The America First State Department will better serve the American people.”
More communications and guidance will be distributed in the coming weeks, Rigas told the State Department employees.
&#8220;On behalf of Department leadership, we extend our gratitude for your hard work and commitment to executing this reorganization and for your ongoing dedication to advancing U.S. national interests across the world,&#8221; he concluded.
The move is part of Secretary Marco Rubio&#8217;s effort to conduct the largest reorganization of the State Department in decades, focusing resources on policy priorities and eliminating &#8220;redundant functions,&#8221; as Rigas noted. Rubio had reviewed and approved plans to target reduction in the department&#8217;s domestic workforce in May.
Rubio said at the time that State&#8217;s domestic operations had grown exponentially, &#8220;resulting in more bureaucracy, higher costs, and fewer results for the American people.&#8221; He elaborated on the plan submitted to Congress, saying it was the result of thoughtful and deliberative work by senior State Department leadership.
&#8220;Since my first day as Secretary, I have said that this Department must move at the speed of relevancy and, in April, announced a broad reorganization of the Department to better achieve that goal,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;Today, we took the next step in that process by notifying Congress of how we plan to do that.&#8221;
&#8220;The reorganization plan will result in a more agile Department, better equipped to promote America’s interests and keep Americans safe across the world,&#8221; he promised.

President Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting At White House

Following SCOTUS Win, State Department Informs Employees That Mass Layoffs Will Begin Soon

DOGE

An impostor is using an artificial intelligence voice changer to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contact foreign and domestic officials, according to a July 3 State Department cable obtained by the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/07/08/marco-rubio-ai-imposter-signal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Post</a>.
Authorities have not identified the individual behind the attempts, but claim that he was probably trying to gain access to information or accounts.
So far he has contacted at least five officials, “including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress.” It is unknown if they responded to the AI generated messages.
The impersonator first used a fake email address to create a Signal account. Signal is a secure encrypted messaging app that is <a href="https://apnews.com/article/encryption-apps-government-transparency-sunshine-week-ad26ecdee91c8f99f15228bbe7989ede" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widely used</a> by government officials. Then, he used the phone numbers associated with the officials’ accounts to contact them.
“The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal,” according to the cable. He also impersonated other State Department personnel using email.
The FBI had <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250515" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> government officials in May about an “ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign” targeting them and their contacts with voice generated messages in an attempt to gain funds or information.
“If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior U.S. official, do not assume it is authentic,” they said.
That month, someone breached the phone of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and impersonated her in numerous calls to high ranking officials.
The State Department says they will “carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future.”
Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in analyzing deepfakes, told the Washington Post that phishing schemes targeting government officials do not require sophisticated knowledge and are often successful because officials can be careless about data security.
The rise of AI has made classic phishing schemes much easier. Using an AI voice generator, all you need is 15-20 seconds of audio to “clone” someone’s voice and record them saying whatever text you specify.
New AI-assisted cybersecurity schemes are popping up all over. In June <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/scammers-now-impersonating-senior-government-officials-and-ceos-to-swindle-canadians/ar-AA1HrYCS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canadian</a> agencies warned citizens of similar AI phishing schemes targeting government officials and CEOs. Ukraine also issued a warning that Russian intelligence agents were impersonating its Security Service to recruit civilians for sabotage missions.
Over 50% of phishing emails are now generated by AI, according to a recent <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2025/06/20/ai-is-behind-50-of-spam---and-now-its-hacking-your-accounts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> by Barracuda and researchers from Columbia University and the University of Chicago.

Marco Rubio Impostor Uses AI To Deceive High-Ranking Officials

Artificial Intelligence

Crime

Washington Post

The Trump administration has officially shuttered the United States Agency for International Development after rolling its operations into the State Department.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the end of the independent agency on Tuesday. Rubio said USAID funds would be better managed and more effective under State Department oversight than they have been in decades.
“USAID had decades and a near-infinite taxpayer budget to advance American influence, promote economic development worldwide, and allow billions to stand on their own two feet,” Rubio wrote in a <a href="https://statedept.substack.com/p/making-foreign-aid-great-again">statement</a>. “Beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War.”
For months, the Trump administration has audited USAID, shrinking its operations and moving it underneath Rubio’s effective control. The Department of Government Efficiency has led the probe into USAID funding, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/22/us/politics/usaid-foreign-aid-trump.html">cutting</a> thousands of spending programs worth tens of billions of taxpayer dollars.
What spending is left will be reallocated and closely watched for measurable returns toward the United States’ national interest, according to Rubio. Of the regions and communities that have received funding from USAID in recent decades, American objectives have “rarely been met.” At the same time, “instability has often worsened, and anti-American sentiment has only grown,” Rubio said.
“[I]n 2023, sub-Saharan African nations voted with the United States only 29 percent of the time on essential resolutions at the UN despite receiving $165 billion in outlays since 1991. That’s the lowest rate in the world,” Rubio wrote. “Over the same period, more than $89 billion invested in the Middle East and North Africa left the U.S. with lower favorability ratings than China in every nation but Morocco.”
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“[USAID’s] expenditure of $9.3 billion in Gaza and the West Bank since 1991, whose beneficiaries included allies of Hamas, has produced grievances rather than gratitude towards the United States,” he continued. “The only ones living well were the executives of the countless NGOs, who often enjoyed five-star lifestyles funded by American taxpayers, while those they purported to help fell further behind.”
USAID funding has elicited complaints from some allies to the United States. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in February that non-governmental organizations in his country that have been partly funded by USAID have pushed leftist priorities and sought to “topple” his government.
“Now is the moment when these international networks have to be taken down, they have to be swept away,” Orban <a href="https://apnews.com/article/orban-hungary-eliminate-ngos-usaid-aff22b9f9003f4c6c3115a9798c18af6">said</a>. “It is necessary to make their existence legally impossible.”
Under the State Department, international aid will be directed toward “prioritizing trade over aid, opportunity over dependency, and investment over assistance,” said Rubio.
“USAID viewed its constituency as the United Nations, multinational NGOs, and the broader global community — not the U.S. taxpayers who funded its budget or the President they elected to represent their interests on the world stage,” he wrote.
“That ends today, and where there was once a rainbow of unidentifiable logos on life-saving aid, there will now be one recognizable symbol: the American flag. Recipients deserve to know the assistance provided to them is not a handout from an unknown NGO, but an investment from the American people,” he added.

Rubio: USAID Closed After Decades Of Funding Posh Lifestyles Of ‘Countless’ NGO Execs

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