Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) announced his retirement an hour after the re-election filing deadline on Wednesday, and a new candidate quickly earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump, Daines, and other key leaders.
Daines pulled his re-election bid shortly before the 5 p.m. filing deadline through the Montana Secretary of State’s office, just moments after United States Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme filed to run, according to the <a href="https://x.com/JSAmbarian/status/2029348091531542936?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana Television Network</a>. Alme is now the presumptive favorite for the Republican nomination, with the primary slated for June 2.
“Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career. I’m grateful to God for allowing me to serve. But after much careful thought, I’ve decided not to seek re-election,” Daines said in a video posted Wednesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An announcement👇 <a href="https://t.co/7HCofBTUMA">pic.twitter.com/7HCofBTUMA</a>
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDaines/status/2029361794179908086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On Wednesday evening, Trump announced his support for Alme, who also served in the U.S. attorney role in the prior Trump administration, calling him an “exceptional person.”
“In fact, if Kurt didn’t have the highest level of aptitude and talent, Steve would have remained exactly where he is but, Kurt is exceptional, and I will be giving him, based on Steve’s strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement,” the president wrote on Truth Social, highlighting Daines’ decision to “pass the torch.”
“A Highly Respected Criminal Prosecutor in my Administration, and distinguished Harvard Law School Graduate, Kurt knows the Wisdom and Courage it takes to ensure LAW AND ORDER, advocate for our Heroes in Law Enforcement, and strongly support our Military and Veterans,” he continued.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee also backed Alme, with Sen. Tim Scott, who chairs the group, stating that “the NRSC looks forward to keeping Montana red this November, and welcoming Kurt as the state’s next U.S. Senator.” Daines was the NRSC chairman during the 2024 election cycle.
Alme and Charles Walking Child are now the only two Republicans in the primary, with a handful of Democrats also seeking the seat. Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar recently entered the race as an independent, according to the <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2026/03/04/bodnar-announces-independent-campaign-for-u-s-senate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Montanan</a>.
Democratic candidate Reilly Neill, a former state representative, said in a video posted to X after Daines’ announcement that it shows disorganization within the Montana Republican Party.
“Daines dropping out of this race is another example of the Montana Republican Party being in complete disarray,” she said. “The Montana Republican Party, they’ve done nothing but bend the knee to an administration that’s hurt our farmers, our ranchers, and this is unacceptable.”
“His stepping down opens the field for the United States Senate, and this is a good development for Montana,” she continued.
On a national level, Rep. Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-WA) called the timing of Daines&#8217;s exit and subsequent filing for Alme &#8220;bullshit.&#8221;
&#8220;A Montana Senator is rigging an election and it’s miles beneath the dignity of our democracy,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/RepMGP/status/2029391818073264360?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to X.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told <a href="https://x.com/LauraEWeiss16/status/2029596587375169981?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punchbowl News</a> that Daines may have chosen to retire &#8220;recently.&#8221;
“You&#8217;ve got filing deadlines in your states and you&#8217;re going to take into consideration that in terms of your timing. You know, how he handled it is his business and will be up to the people of Montana to decide who the next senator is,&#8221; he added.
In 2024, Montana was the subject of a battleground Senate race between Republican Tim Sheehy and Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, and Sheehy won with over 52% of the vote.
Currently, the Cook Political Report ranks this year’s contest as “Solid Republican.”

Screen Shot 2022-04-28 at 2.36.01 PM

Longtime Senator Steve Daines Abruptly Retires, Paving Way For Trump-Backed Successor

2026 election

Congress

Kurt Alme

Montana

Senate

Steve Daines

On Thursday, 9 GOP senators who serve in the Senate Finance Committee issued an open letter to President Trump to express their support for his desire to block the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and their determination not to “support a tax package that only provides temporary relief from tax hikes.”
If the <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47846" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provisions are allowed to expire</a>, marginal rates will return to their permanent TCJA levels of 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 35%, and 39.6%. The TCJA reduced those to 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Under the TCJA, basic standard deduction amounts were nearly doubled. They were adjusted annually for inflation after 2018. The TCJA essentially suspended the personal exemption.
“You were elected with a mandate to do big things,” the letter <a href="https://www.daines.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Senate-Finance-Letter-to-President-Trump_Tax-Permanency.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">began</a>. “One of those big things is to provide lasting tax relief for small businesses and families across the country. As members of the Senate Finance Committee, we write to express our support for your position that the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act must be permanent and not sunset. After passage of your tax cuts in 2017, we had a booming economy with soaring investment, higher wages, increased productivity, and zero corporate inversions. Without action, at the end of this year, taxes will increase for Americans in every income group and nearly six million jobs are at risk.”
“A temporary extension of these pro-growth and pro-families policies is a missed opportunity,&#8221; they declared. “Businesses need certainty while investing in their companies and taxpayers should not fear tax hikes due to Congressional inaction. Congressional Republicans have an historic opportunity to enact this lasting tax relief. Failing to act boldly does a disservice to the American people who entrusted us to deliver in November. Thus, we will not support a tax package that only provides temporary relief from tax hikes.”
“If lawmakers fail to extend these provisions, 62% of filers would see a tax increase,” Faith Jablokow of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance <a href="applewebdata://01E53A68-893C-48FE-939A-5607C37FB243/v">stated</a>. “Additionally, the TCJA fostered a 4.7% increase in corporate investment, a significant achievement. This is due to the TCJA lowering the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. This had the dual effect of making American corporations more competitive globally and allowing them more liquid assets to invest back into the economy.”
GOP Senators Steve Daines (MT), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD), Mike Crapo (ID), John Barrasso (WY), James Lankford (OK), Ron Johnson (WI), Roger Marshall (KS), Marsha Blackburn (TN), and Thom Tillis (N.C.) signed the letter.

MixCollage-13-Feb-2025-03-29-PM-4912

‘You Were Elected To Do Big Things’: GOP Senators Urge Trump To Make Tax Cuts Permanent

Donald Trump

Economy

John Thune

Politics

Tax Cuts

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/steve-daines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Daines</a> (R-MT), the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), came out strongly against a newly proposed Senate bill that pairs aid for Israel and Ukraine with funding measures to address the crisis at the U.S. southern border.
Daines said that the bill doesn’t secure the border as its proponents say and criticized components that he said would fund lawyers for illegal immigrants who crossed unlawfully into the United States. The Montana Republican said that President Joe Biden should instead adopt the policies of former President Donald Trump, like the Remain in Mexico policy, Title 42, and resume border wall construction. 
“I can’t support a bill that doesn’t secure the border, provides taxpayer funded lawyers to illegal immigrants and gives billions to radical open borders groups. I’m a no,” Daines said. 
Daines has headed up the NRSC, the group responsible for backing Republican Senate candidates through fundraising, messaging, and election strategy, since 2023. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I can’t support a bill that doesn’t secure the border, provides taxpayer funded lawyers to illegal immigrants and gives billions to radical open borders groups. I’m a no.
&mdash; Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDaines/status/1754503777048998364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The bill provides $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for global humanitarian aid, and $20 billion for measures related to the southern border. 
Backed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY), it faces an uphill battle in the Senate, with an increasing number of senators announcing opposition and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announcing that the bill would be &#8220;dead on arrival&#8221; if it reaches the House. 
Sen. Eric Schmidt (R-MO) urged his Republican colleagues to vote against the measure and said it was “worse than advertised.”
“The Democrats are celebrating. Big wins for the Open Borders crowd. Lots more analysis to come. Need 41 Senators to STAND FIRM to prevent this bill from being jammed through,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1754321790606639388" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
“This is worse than bad negotiation. It’s betrayal. The Senate GOP can still stop it if 41 will stand together,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1754331411354464638">said</a>. 
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Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), the lawmaker who negotiated with Democrats on the legislation, said the bill would deter illegal immigration and reform the asylum process. 
“People come in mass numbers because they’re getting released into the country,” Lankford <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/04/senate-border-bill-israel-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Washington Post. “If the word gets out immediately that it’s not true anymore, people will come in a more orderly fashion.”
&nbsp;

U.S. Senators Hold Weekly Policy Luncheons At The Capitol

‘Doesn’t Secure The Border’: Top Republican Senator Comes Out Against Border Bill

Border Crisis

James Lankford

Joe Biden

Mike Johnson

Southern Border

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/steve-daines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Daines</a> (R-Montana) praised the federal investigation into the University of Pittsburgh after the school was accused of illegally harvesting fetal tissue from aborted babies for experimentation. 
It was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-investigation-opened-into-pitt-over-fetal-tissue-experiments-emails-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed last month</a> through emails obtained by a public records request from the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) and Judicial Watch that the Department of Health and Human Services inspector general had been looking into Pitt over fetal tissue experiments funded in part by the National Institute of Health, first reported on by CMP in 2019. These experiments included scalping 5-month-old fetuses in order to stitch their scalps and back skin onto lab rats and transporting fetal kidneys to other researchers.
“After years of calling for an investigation into the barbaric research practices happening at the University of Pittsburgh, I’m glad to see the inspector general finally take this seriously. Exploiting the body parts of aborted children is not only repulsive but it has been proven ineffective in producing clinical treatments. It must be stopped,” Daines, founder of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, told The Daily Wire. 
Daines has previously pushed for an investigation into Pitt and government funding of the fetal tissue experiments, signing onto a September 2021 <a href="https://www.daines.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/imo/media/doc/University%20of%20Pittsburgh%20Letter1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> urging HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and then-NIH Director Francis Collins to look into the program. 
“Exploiting the body parts of aborted children for research purposes is repulsive and should stop, regardless of the outcome hoped for by researchers. Research using abortive fetal tissue is unethical, wrong, and has also been proven ineffective. Despite being used in clinical research since the 1920s, fetal tissue has not produced a single clinical treatment,” the letter from congressional Republicans said. 
The emails released last month show confirmation of an HHS investigation into Pitt over the issue since at least October 2021, one month after the letter from congressional Republicans. The status of the investigation is unclear, but the HHS Office of Inspector General previously told The Daily Wire that it could “neither confirm nor deny the existence of any investigation, should there be any.”
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Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), one of the signers of the September 2021 letter to Becerra, has said that he has been given no answers on the issue either, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=343088547705269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> that HHS pointed him to an investigation done by a law firm hired by Pitt to look at the fetal tissue program. 
Pitt has denied any wrong doing, saying that it did not break any federal laws with its programs.
“As we have stated in the past: Fetal tissue research plays a critical role in advancing life-saving discoveries. We remain committed to maintaining robust internal controls and to extending our record of compliance at the state and federal levels, and we take these responsibilities seriously,” a Pitt spokesman <a href="https://www.utimes.pitt.edu/news/report-fetal-tissue">said</a> in January 2022. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-investigation-opened-into-pitt-over-fetal-tissue-experiments-emails-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: Federal Investigation Opened Into Pitt Over Fetal Tissue Experiments, Emails Show</a>

Senators Meet For Their Weekly Policy Luncheons

Senator Praises Federal Investigation Into ‘Barbaric’ Experiments At University Of Pittsburgh

Abortion

Center for Medical Progress

Francis Collins

Inspector general

University of Pittsburgh

Xavier Becerra

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> CEO <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elon Musk</a> said that the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a> company would amend the policy which caused Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/steve-daines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Daines</a> (R-MT) to lose account access to his account after he changed his profile photo to an image from a hunting trip.
The picture violated Twitter rules against “graphic violence or adult content in profile images,” according to a <a href="https://twitter.com/RachelDumke9/status/1622940946076672006" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notice</a> from the social media company shared by Daines spokeswoman Rachel Dumke. The notice added that the company considers “graphic violence to be any form of gory media related to death, serious injury, violence, or surgical procedures.” Daines was told that he must delete the profile photo in order to unlock his account.
Backlash from social media users, including fellow lawmakers Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT), prompted Musk to <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1623007428571979777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vow</a> that the issue would be resolved.
“This is being fixed,” the billionaire entrepreneur commented. “Policy against showing blood in profile pic is being amended to ‘clearly showing blood without clicking on the profile pic.’ The intent is to avoid people being forced to see gruesome profile pics.”
The picture of the antelope killed by Cindy Daines, the wife of Steve Daines, nevertheless appeared to show little blood apart from several drops on the animal’s front leg. There were no firearms or other weapons shown in the picture.
“Going forward, Twitter will be broadly accepting of different values, rather than trying to impose its own specific values on the world,” Musk added in a separate <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1623014136258117633" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a>.
Musk acquired Twitter at the end of last year for $44 billion, saying he wanted to restore freedom of expression to the platform. The world’s second-richest man <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1585619322239561728" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> advertisers that he purchased the company to “have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence.” At the same time, he has expressed a desire to refrain from promoting what he deems to be radical left-wing and right-wing content on the site; he vowed that the social media platform would not become a “free-for-all hellscape” where users could breach the law with impunity or splinter into “echo chambers.”
Though a number of conservative accounts have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/babylon-bee-ceo-we-now-have-more-twitter-followers-than-ever-because-we-stubbornly-refused-to-bend-the-knee-for-tyrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restored</a> to the platform since Musk assumed control, including those belonging to DailyWire+ host Jordan Peterson and Christian satire site The Babylon Bee, various censorship actions appear to have continued. Project Veritas temporarily <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facebook-and-instagram-threaten-to-permanently-ban-project-veritas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> account access after sharing footage of a Pfizer official admitting that the company does not know why their vaccines are impacting women’s menstrual cycles. The move was induced by the nonprofit sharing video from one of their reporters confronting YouTube Vice President of Global Trust and Safety Matt Halprin on why the platform censored the sting.
Musk also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sees-no-reason-to-return-to-twitter-as-musk-allows-him-back-on-platform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restored</a> the Twitter account belonging to former President Donald Trump after previous executives removed him over his alleged role in the January 6 riots at the United States Capitol. “I think that was a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country, and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice,” Musk explained, adding that the decision was “morally bad” and clarifying that he would “reverse the permanent ban.” Trump, who is mounting a third bid for the White House, has not yet reassumed control of the account.

Elon Musk

‘This Is Being Fixed’: Musk Responds After GOP Senator Was Locked Out Of Twitter Over Hunting Picture

Musk Responds After Senator Locked Out Of Twitter Over Hunting Picture

Big Tech

Social Media Censorship

Twitter

U.S.

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/steve-daines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Daines</a> (R-MT) was locked out of his <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> account after he changed his profile photo to an image of a hunting trip with his wife.
The post violated Twitter rules against “graphic violence or adult content in profile images,” according to a <a href="https://twitter.com/RachelDumke9/status/1622940946076672006" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notice</a> from the social media company shared by Daines spokeswoman Rachel Dumke. “We consider graphic violence to be any form of gory media related to death, serious injury, violence, or surgical procedures,” the notice continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDaines?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SteveDaines</a>’ twitter account was locked last night for displaying “graphic violence” in his profile picture.
Because going hunting with your wife is apparently against <a href="https://twitter.com/Twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Twitter</a> rules now.
What a joke. <a href="https://t.co/gy4XIu3cv0">pic.twitter.com/gy4XIu3cv0</a>
— Rachel Dumke (@RachelDumke9) <a href="https://twitter.com/RachelDumke9/status/1622940946076672006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Daines was told that he must delete the profile photo in order to unlock his account.
“This is insane. Twitter should immediately reverse this suspension,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Philip Letsou said in a statement provided to The Daily Wire.
Other lawmakers blasted the social media company for the decision. “If you don’t like hunting, fine, don’t go. But don’t censor others who disagree. And I’m pretty sure this is a formal job responsibility for a senator from Montana!” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1622957424004194306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reacted</a>. “Stop censoring our Montana way of life! Great shot, Cindy!” Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanZinke/status/1622954937864036353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>.
Elon Musk purchased Twitter last year for $44 billion in a move he said was intended to restore free speech to the platform. The world’s second-richest man initially <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1585619322239561728" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> advertisers that he acquired the company to “have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence.” He vowed that the social media platform would not become a “free-for-all hellscape” where users could breach the law with impunity.
Though a number of conservative accounts have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/babylon-bee-ceo-we-now-have-more-twitter-followers-than-ever-because-we-stubbornly-refused-to-bend-the-knee-for-tyrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">welcomed</a> back to the platform since Musk took over, including those belonging to DailyWire+ host Jordan Peterson and Christian satire site The Babylon Bee, various censorship actions appear to have persisted.
Journalism nonprofit Project Veritas was “wrongfully locked out” of Twitter for nearly two hours after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facebook-and-instagram-threaten-to-permanently-ban-project-veritas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting</a> a sting video showing a Pfizer official admitting that the company is not entirely sure why their vaccines are impacting women’s menstrual cycles. The ban was induced by the organization sharing footage from one of their reporters confronting YouTube Vice President of Global Trust and Safety Matt Halprin on why the company censored the sting.
The suspension of Daines comes before lawmakers plan to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/accountability-is-coming-ousted-twitter-executives-set-to-testify-before-republican-led-house-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">question</a> Twitter executives dismissed by Musk, including former Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde, former Deputy General Counsel James Baker, and former Global Head of Trust and Safety Yoel Roth, about their moves to suppress information that may have impacted the outcome of the 2020 election. Lawmakers were especially concerned by the censorship of The New York Post story released shortly before the election which showed that Hunter Biden, the son of soon-to-be President Joe Biden, introduced his father to a Ukrainian businessman.
“Big Tech and the Swamp colluded to censor reporting about the Biden family’s shady business schemes,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said in a <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/comer-to-hold-hearing-on-twitters-censorship-of-reporting-on-the-biden-familys-business-schemes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “We also know members of Twitter’s top censorship team debated how they could justify limiting the spread of the story. They landed on a policy that even some among them doubted.”

GOP Senator Locked Out Of Twitter Account For Posting ‘Graphic’ Hunting Photo

Steve Daines Locked Out Of Twitter Account For Posting Hunting Photo

After a Chinese balloon — which the Defense Department called a surveillance balloon — flew over Montana, where intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fields are located, Montana GOP Senator Steve Daines wrote an urgent letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanding a full security briefing.
After the balloon was detected, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and vice chair Joint Chief Gen. Christopher Grady recommended that no “kinetic action” be taken because of possible falling debris, defense officials stated.
“The fact that this balloon was occupying Montana airspace creates significant concern that Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) and the United States’ intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fields are the target of this intelligence gathering mission,” Daines <a href="https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/more-background-given-on-intelligence-gathering-balloon-seen-over-montana/article_08071296-b1d8-516e-95f7-179aefb93c62.html">wrote</a>. “Given the serious nature of the event, I am requesting a full security briefing from the administration on this situation. It is vital to establish the flight path of this balloon, any compromised U.S. national security assets, and all telecom or IT infrastructure on the ground within the U.S. that this spy-balloon was utilizing.”
Daines continued by noting that Montana housed the nuclear missile silos at Malmstrom Air Force Base, then stated bluntly, “I am alarmed by the fact that this spy balloon was able to infiltrate the airspace of our country and Montana.”
“There is no higher priority for your administration than the safety and security of the American people and it is imperative that your administration reassure them of that fact at this time,” he concluded.
The balloon was reported by several people in Billings, Montana on Tuesday. <a href="https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/pentagon-says-object-spotted-over-billings-was-chinese-spy-balloon">According</a> to a senior defense official, the balloon had flown over the Aleutian Islands, then Canada, before reaching Montana, and was still flying over the U.S. on Thursday.
On Wednesday, all flights at Billings Logan International Airport were grounded for roughly two hours.
&#8220;You did see reports yesterday of a ground stop at Billings airport, and the mobilization of a number of assets including F 22s&#8230;in the event that a decision was made to bring this down while it was over Montana,” the senior defense official acknowledged. “So we wanted to make sure we were coordinating with civil authorities to empty out the airspace around that potential area&#8230;It was the judgment of our military commanders that we didn&#8217;t drive the risk down low enough that we didn&#8217;t take the shot.”
Montana GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte issued a statement saying, “I received an informational briefing yesterday on the situation involving a suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over Montana. From the spy balloon to the Chinese Communist Party spying on Americans through TikTok to CCP-linked companies buying American farmland, I’m deeply troubled by the constant stream of alarming developments for our national security.”

Key Speakers At America First Agenda Summit

‘I Am Alarmed’: Montana GOP Sen. Steve Daines Wants Briefing From SecDef About Chinese Spy Balloon

Montana GOP Sen. Steve Daines Wants Briefing From SecDef About Chinese Spy Balloon

Balloon

Communist China

Lloyd Austin

nuclear missiles

WASHINGTON — Republican Montana Sen. Steve Daines is leading Republicans in calling on the United States Senate to terminate its contract with Citibank over the company&#8217;s promise to pay for employees to obtain out of state abortions.
&#8220;Citi’s decision to finance abortion tourism for its employees in brazen circumvention of State law, shows a reckless disregard for the lives of preborn children and disdain for the will of the people of the States in which Citi acts as an employer,” Daines wrote in a letter to the Senate Sergeant at Arms, <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/572057965/GOP-Demands-Senate-Terminate-Contracts-With-Citibank-For-Promising-To-Finance-Abortion-Tourism?secret_password=Dy8YawQVXZal6kGR6oHQ">first obtained by The Daily Wire,</a> signed by senators Roger Marshall of Kansas, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Ted Cruz of Texas, Marco Rubio of Florida, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Mike Braun of Indiana, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Rick Scott of Florida, and James Lankford of Oklahoma.
The Sergeant at Arms distributes Citibank credit cards to all members of the United States Senate, including the leadership and committee offices, to pay for &#8220;flights, office supplies, and other goods using taxpayer funds,&#8221; Daines said in the letter.
The lawmaker references Citibank&#8217;s <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000831001/000120677422000697/citi3969751-def14a.htm">promise</a> that &#8220;in response to changes in reproductive healthcare laws in certain states in the U.S., beginning in 2022&#8221; it would &#8220;provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate resources,&#8221; after the passage of Texas&#8217;s  <a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB8/2021">SB 8</a> which banned abortions after the unborn baby has a heartbeat.
The law, which has become entangled in leading battles all the way to the Supreme Court, has particularly fired up pro-abortion advocates since it allows private citizens to sue anyone who “knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion.”
Daines said to the Senate Sergeant at Arms that &#8220;Citi is now paying for its employees to travel to obtain abortions out-of-State that are illegal in the employees’ State.&#8221;
“Consistent with nearly five decades of Federal policy against using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions,&#8221; the senator wrote, &#8220;taxpayer dollars used by the U.S. Senate should not be administered through a company that facilitates abortion on demand and promotes a woke, pro-abortion agenda.&#8221;
&#8220;Accordingly,&#8221; he continued, &#8220;we ask that you immediately terminate the U.S. Senate’s existing contracts with Citi and refrain from entering into any new contractual agreements with Citi.&#8221;
House Republicans led by Republican Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson sent a similar letter to House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor in early April, warning that &#8220;by offering to pay its employees in their efforts to terminate the lives of the unborn, Citi has forfeited its privilege of doing business with the House of Representatives.&#8221;
Citibank did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire.

GOP Demands Senate Terminate Contracts With Citibank For Promising To Finance ‘Abortion Tourism’

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans Call On United States Senate To Terminate Citibank Contracts Over Promise To Help Employees Obtain Out Of State Abortions

Citigroup

Republicans

Two Republican senators have called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reopen the U.S. Embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv as Russia shifts its military focus to other areas of the nation.
Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran and Montana Sen. Steve Daines shared the request in a <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000180-448c-d31b-a580-dc9fbe7d0000&amp;nname=huddle&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b4be0000&amp;nrid=0000014e-f115-dd93-ad7f-f91513e50001&amp;nlid=630309" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> on Tuesday that was obtained by Politico. They reasoned that Ukraine appears to have staved off Russia&#8217;s attempt to seize the capital.
“With Ukraine’s successful defense of Kyiv and Russia’s subsequent withdrawal of forces from the areas surrounding the capital, we encourage you to fully open the United States embassy without delay,” the senators wrote.
Restoring America&#8217;s diplomatic presence in Kyiv is critical, the said, because the besieged country faces widespread challenges even as it defends itself.
“Ukraine faces enormous military, economic, and humanitarian challenges as a result of this war,&#8221; they said.
In addition to Moran and Daines, at least one additional Republican senator has expressed support for the nation&#8217;s embassy to restore operations to Ukraine.
“It’s time,” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), an Army veteran, <a href="https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2022-04-14/american-embassy-kyiv-ukraine-russia-war-5687189.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Stars and Stripes last week. “We have numerous American [non-governmental organizations] operating in Ukraine, thousands of Americans who never left, and American news operations in the country. It’s time to return – and show Ukraine, and the world, our enduring commitment to their freedom.”
The U.S. announced it was relocating its embassy operations from the capital of Kyiv to the city of Lviv shortly before Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine began in February.
On Feb. 24, the day Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, a State Department spokesperson announced the team would be working from Poland.
“They remain there and are not currently traveling over the border to Ukraine,” the spokesperson told <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/595685-us-officially-moves-ukraine-embassy-operations-to-poland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
“We will continually assess the security situation to determine when it may be safe for U.S. government personnel to return to Ukraine to conduct diplomacy on the ground and provide in-person consular services,” the spokesperson added.
Kyiv endured multiple attacks by Russia, which have shifted recently toward the eastern region of Ukraine. On April 9, European Union High Representative Josep Borrell met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to announce plans to restart its operations in Ukraine&#8217;s capital.
“With this visit, the European Union is returning back to Kyiv. I mean this literally: our Head of our Delegation is back here, so that we can work even more directly and more closely with the Ukrainian authorities,” Borrell said in a <a href="https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/ukraine-eu-resumes-its-diplomatic-presence-kyiv_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
Italy has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-09-22/h_b26b81aebd6875fc842155d7072e67e4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also returned</a> from a move to Lviv to operate in Kyiv once again, according to a CNN report.
As of Tuesday, at least 17 nations have returned diplomats to Kyiv.
&#8220;Among the countries sending their diplomats back to Kyiv to reopen their embassies are: France, Italy, Turkey, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Belgium, and Austria,&#8221; Foreign Policy <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/19/diplomatic-life-returns-kyiv-embassies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;The European Union also reopened its diplomatic mission in Kyiv this month. Several major countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have kept their diplomatic missions out of the capital for now,&#8221; the report added.

Kyiv embassy

Republican Senators Urge Blinken To Reopen Kyiv Embassy In Ukraine

Antony Blinken

Kyiv

Russia

Ukraine

On Thursday, eleven Republican senators <a href="https://www.daines.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/9.16.2021%20Google%20Abortion%20Pill%20Reversal%20Ad%20Letter.pdf">fired off a letter</a> to Google CEO Sundar Pichai demanding that Google reverse its decision to ban the pro-life organization Live Action’s ads promoting Heartbeat International’s Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) hotline.
Led by Montana Senator Steve Daines, the group of senators included Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Braun of Indiana, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi. They wrote,
<blockquote>We are deeply concerned by Google’s decision to ban Live Action’s pro-life ads promoting Heartbeat International’s Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) hotline. Google’s pro-life censorship is out of step with the science and reflects an unacceptable bias against pro-life views. We insist that you immediately reverse this decision.</blockquote>
They delineated the history of Google’s actions:
<blockquote>Google initially approved Live Action’s APR ads and they ran for over four months, spending over $170,000 and directing thousands of people to the APR hotline. On September 13, Google unexpectedly shut down these ads without warning or evidence, citing its “unreliable claims” policy. Google has subsequently indicated that it took this action after reviewing a one-sided pro-abortion “report” provided by a left-leaning news agency.
Google has also since stated that it censored APR ads because they made “unproven medical claims,” citing “serious concerns” from the pro-abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). It is shameful that Google has acted to appease pro-abortion activists by silencing pro-life voices, rather than considering all the evidence and following the science.</blockquote>
They offered evidence to counter Google&#8217;s claims:
<blockquote>Progesterone treatment has been safely used in pregnancy for decades to prevent miscarriage. In APR, this treatment is used to halt a chemical abortion, giving a mother (and her baby) who changes her mind after only taking the first abortion pill a second chance. APR treatments, moreover, have reportedly saved the lives of over 2,500 children and have a 64-68% success rate.</blockquote>
The senators pointed out Google’s penchant for supporting abortion pills while simultaneously attacking pro-life efforts:
<blockquote>While banning pro-life APR ads, Google continues to allow ads for purveyors of the deadly abortion pill mifepristone by mail, despite the fact this drug has resulted in at least 24 mothers’ tragic deaths and at least 1,042 mothers being sent to the hospital.Google’s double standard on abortion is disingenuous and an egregious abuse of its enormous market power to protect the billion-dollar abortion industry. The practical consequence of Google’s abortion distortion is that pregnant mothers in crisis will only have the option to be marketed abortion drugs through Google’s ad platforms, while life-affirming alternatives are suppressed.</blockquote>
They concluded with a series of questions:
<blockquote>Did any Google employees communicate with, or receive communications from, any representatives of pro-abortion organizations or news agencies, requesting Live Action’s APR ads be banned? If so, please provide the names of these organizations and news agencies.
Were scientists or medical doctors with a diversity of views on abortion consulted in the decision to ban the APR ads? Or only those who promote abortion (like ACOG)?
Will Google also remove ads for the deadly abortion pill mifepristone?</blockquote>

Mass Shootings Give Democrats New Urgency On Gun Control

‘Egregious Abuse’: 11 GOP Senators Demand Google Stop Censoring Ads For Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline

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