The GOP-led Senate rejected on Friday a measure that sought to stop President Donald Trump from launching further attacks on Iran without the consent of Congress.
Sen. Tim Kaine&#8217;s (D-VA) war powers <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/iran_war_powers_resolution.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> was defeated in a <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00328.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">53-47 vote</a>, mostly along party lines. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the sole Republican to vote &#8220;yea&#8221; while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) joined the rest of the GOP in opposing it.
&#8220;The Framers of our Constitution gave Congress the power to declare war because they believed that the decision to send our nation’s men and women in uniform into harm’s way was too big for any one person. The Trump Administration’s chaotic strategy on Iran confused the American people and created significant risks for servicemembers and their families,&#8221; Kaine said in a <a href="https://x.com/SenTimKaine/status/1938740715607011514" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
&#8220;I am disappointed that many of my colleagues are not willing to stand up and say Congress needs to be part of a decision as important as whether or not the U.S. should send our nation’s sons and daughters to fight against Iran,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I will continue to do all I can to keep presidents of any party from starting wars without robust public debate by Congress.&#8221;
Trump ordered military strikes on three sites in Iran last weekend as part of an effort to prevent Tehran from achieving nuclear weapons. Although the president deemed the operation a success and called for peace following a counterattack on a U.S. military base in Qatar with no American casualties, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-will-absolutely-start-bombing-iran-again-if-they-enrich-uranium-to-high-levels?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+He+Will+%E2%80%98Absolutely%E2%80%99+Start+Bombing+Iran+Again+If+They+Enrich+Uranium+To+High+Levels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> on Friday that the United States would bomb Iran again if it resumed enriching uranium to high levels.
In a <a href="https://x.com/SenatorCollins/status/1938715871255367960" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> released after the vote, Sen. Susan Collins (R-MA) argued that Congress did not need to give Trump authorization at this time.
&#8220;Since the despicable attacks on October 7, 2023, Iran has continued to use proxies and empowered terrorist groups to attack American servicemembers and our ally Israel. This week, Iran threatened to attack Americans on our own soil and around the world,&#8221; Collins said. &#8220;I supported the President’s targeted strike on Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities because a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an unacceptable threat to America and our allies. I also applaud the current ceasefire. Given this backdrop, it is the wrong time to consider this resolution and to risk inadvertently sending a message to Iran that the President cannot swiftly defend Americans at home and abroad.&#8221;
&#8220;There has always been a Constitutional tension between Article I vesting in Congress the power to declare war and Article II designating the President as Commander-in-Chief,&#8221; she added. &#8220;I continue to believe that Congress has an important responsibility to authorize the sustained use of military force. That is not the situation we are facing now. The President has the authority to defend our nation and our troops around the world against the threat of attack.&#8221;
Some lawmakers in the Republican-controlled House are pushing for another war powers vote, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-exposes-dem-hypocrisy-on-iran-strikes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> that he did not think it was necessary.
&#8220;I don’t think this is an appropriate time for a war powers resolution, and I don’t think it’s necessary. Listen, for 80 years, presidents of both parties have acted with the same commander in chief authority under Article 2&#8221; of the Constitution, Johnson said.
Johnson went on to mention how Democrats who are complaining now did not seem to mind when former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama conducted military operations in the region without seeking explicit approval from Congress for those campaigns.
&#8220;You had President Biden use it three times in Middle East operations. President Obama went on an eight-month campaign bombing Libya to take down the regime there. I never heard a Democrat balk about any of that,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;And suddenly now they’re just up in arms. It’s all politics. This is not a time for politics.&#8221;

Sen. Tim Kaine

Senate Rebuffs Dem Bid To Limit Trump’s Iran War Powers

Congress

Iran

Mike Johnson

Nuclear Weapons

Politics

Susan Collins

Tim Kaine

U.S. Senate

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who is <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-announces-the-filing-of-a-war-powers-resolution-to-prevent-war-with-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushing</a> the Senate toward a war powers vote, said on Sunday that President Donald Trump acted &#8220;prematurely&#8221; to strike Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities this weekend without the consent of Congress.
On &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; Kaine <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgygJPvN3YY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a> to CBS News journalist Margaret Brennan that he filed a War Powers Resolution that will &#8220;ripen&#8221; and be brought to a vote on the floor of the upper chamber this coming week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is working with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to make the vote happen, he noted.
&#8220;The United States should not be in an offensive war against Iran without a vote of Congress,&#8221; Kaine said. &#8220;The Constitution is completely clear on it.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;And I am so disappointed that the president has acted so prematurely. The foreign minister of Israel said Friday night that its own bombing campaign had set the Iranian nuclear program back, &#8216;at least two or three years.&#8217; There was no urgency that suggested, while diplomatic talks were underway, that the U.S. should take this unilateral action by President Trump&#8217;s orders yesterday.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-answer-the-big-question-were-not-at-war-with-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week&#8221; that Trump ordered the strikes on three of Iran&#8217;s facilities to prevent the country from being able to produce nuclear weapons.
“No, we’re not at war with Iran, Jon,” Vance told anchor Jonathan Karl. “We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.”
Brennan pressed Kaine for a response to Vance.
&#8220;There seems to be a lot of legal parsing on the definition of the word &#8216;war&#8217; here. What do you make of that description?&#8221; Brennan asked.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s, it&#8217;s BS, and I think anybody hearing it would conclude the same thing. When you&#8217;re bombing another nation, ask them if they think it&#8217;s war,&#8221; Kaine said. &#8220;They do, would we think it was war if Iran bombed a U.S. nuclear facility? Of course we would. And the U.S., you know, we&#8217;ve invaded two neighbors of Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq, to topple their regimes since 2000. Those were wars. This is the U.S. jumping into a war of choice at Donald Trump&#8217;s urging, without any compelling national security interests for the United States to act in this way, particularly without a debate and vote in Congress. We should not be sending troops, and risking troops&#8217; lives in an offensive war without a debate in Congress.&#8221;
Brennan pointed out that Trump has not authorized a ground invasion.
&#8220;In fact, he said he really doesn&#8217;t want to send in ground forces,&#8221; she said. &#8220;When it came to what was just described to the public by the Pentagon, it was really characterized as limited in scope. It sounds like you believe those early hour descriptions are going to turn out to be false.&#8221;
Kaine replied: &#8220;I do. The War Powers resolution says that a member of Congress can challenge the President, if the President initiates hostilities against a foreign nation. Doesn&#8217;t use the — even though the title is War Powers resolution, the statute says if you initiate hostilities without congressional authorization, even a single member of the House or Senate can force a vote on the Senate floor. There is no doubt that the U.S. sending this massive set of Tomahawk missiles and B-2 bombers and bunker busters on three Iranian nuclear sites is hostilities. Now, again, some in the Senate may say this is great and we want to vote for it. I happen to think that getting into a third offensive war in the Middle East in the last 25 years is absolutely reckless and foolish, and I&#8217;m going to be doing everything I can to convince my colleagues of that. I may or may not succeed, but Congress should have the debate and vote on this before we escalate the risk to American troops, which this action has done.&#8221;

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

Tim Kaine Claims Trump Acted ‘Prematurely’ In Striking Iran, Presses Ahead With War Powers Vote

U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed Democrat Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) over his reaction to America’s acceptance of white South African refugees, with the Trump administration official charging that the Democrat doesn’t like the refugees because they’re white.
The heated exchange came during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting, which came just a week after less than 60 Afrikaner refugees <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crljn5046epo">arrived</a> in Virginia, prompting outrage from many on the Left.
“Can you have a different standard based upon the color of somebody&#8217;s skin? Would that be acceptable?” Kaine asked Rubio during the committee meeting. “I&#8217;m not the one arguing that, apparently you are because you don&#8217;t like the fact that they’re white and that’s why they’re coming,” Rubio shot back in response.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;You just don&#8217;t like that they&#8217;re white&#8221;
Secretary Of State Rubio smokes Tim Kaine for melting down over the legal admittance for 59 White refugees
<a href="https://t.co/8WMDoaBNY4">pic.twitter.com/8WMDoaBNY4</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1924871155669717152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
“You&#8217;re the one that&#8217;s talking about the color of their skin, not me. These are people whose farms were burned down and they were killed because of the color of their skin,” the Secretary of State went on to add.
He also explained during the hearing that the Afrikaners qualify for refugee status because they “live in a country where farms are taken and land is taken on a racial basis.”
Kaine <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rubio-clashes-kaine-south-african-refugees-you-dont-like-theyre-white">claimed</a> that the notion that Afrikaners are being persecuted because of their race is “completely specious,” but South African political leaders have openly called for the killing of white South Africans at large political rallies.
Julius Malema, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa, chanted “shoot to kill” and “kill the boer” at a political rally in reference to the white Afrikaner population. At another event, he said that his political movement is “cutting the throat of whiteness.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
South Africa&#8217;s Julius Malema, the party leader of the EFF calls for killing white people:
&#8220;Shoot to kiII. KiII the Boer, the farmer&#8221;<a href="https://t.co/vFjqJ9l8GR">pic.twitter.com/vFjqJ9l8GR</a> <a href="https://t.co/sxzS0d0Dn4">https://t.co/sxzS0d0Dn4</a>
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1903420572391907834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Episcopal Church’s refugee resettlement wing, which has resettled migrants in the United States for decades, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/episcopal-church-refuses-to-resettle-white-south-african-refugees-citing-racial-justice-commitment?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Episcopal+Church+Refuses+To+Resettle+White+South+African+Refugees%2C+Citing+%E2%80%98Racial+Justice%E2%80%99+Commitment">announced</a> that it would refuse to help settle the Afrikaners for explicitly racial reasons. Episcopal Migration Ministries cited its “steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation” as it announced its refusal of support for the Afrikaners.
The organization even said it would terminate its existing resettlement contract with the federal government over the controversy. “We have determined that, by the end of the federal fiscal year, we will conclude our refugee resettlement grant agreements with the U.S. federal government,” Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said.

Marco Rubio

Rubio Says Dem Senator Only Opposes Afrikaner Refugees Because Of Their Race

Global Politics

Immigration

Refugees

South Africa

On Wednesday evening, a handful of Republicans in the Senate joined forces with Democrats and independents on Wednesday to pass a measure subverting the Trump administration&#8217;s 25% tariffs on Canadian goods.
The Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ros25392.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) that, if enacted, would terminate the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national emergency declaration</a> employed by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canada earlier this year.
Despite the Senate&#8217;s rebuke, Kaine&#8217;s resolution faces significant challenges, as it needs approval from the GOP-led House to take effect — an unlikely prospect. Additionally, Trump indicated he would veto the resolution if it reached his desk.
Senate Republicans who <a href="https://x.com/SenatePress/status/1907578012867940509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke ranks</a> to support Kaine&#8217;s resolution included Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Rand Paul (R-KY). Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) did not vote.
&#8220;The Maine economy is integrated with Canada, our most important trading partner,&#8221; Collins <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KvDcrFi0PY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on the Senate floor, adding later, &#8220;The tariffs on Canada would be detrimental to many Maine families and our local economies.&#8221;
Collins acknowledged sharing Trump&#8217;s goal of &#8220;stemming the tide of dangerous fentanyl that flows into the United States,&#8221; but insisted that, &#8220;unlike Mexico and China&#8221; — two other countries targeted for tariffs — &#8220;Canada is not complicit in this crisis.&#8221;
In an <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114266599439835683" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Truth Social before the vote, Trump called out the GOP defectors by name, urging them to reject a &#8220;ploy of the Dems to show and expose the weakness of certain Republicans&#8221; and encouraging people in their states to contact their senators.
Trump contended that Canada was facilitating the flow of fentanyl into the United States and emphasized that Kaine&#8217;s resolution is &#8220;not going anywhere because the House will never approve it and I, as your President, will never sign it.&#8221;
Earlier this year, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on some imports from Canada, arguing that the U.S. neighbor was not doing enough to curb the trafficking of drugs such as fentanyl. Canada <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/12/canada-tariffs-steel-aluminum-trump-computers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> by announcing 25% retaliatory tariffs.
The penalties against Canada preceded Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; announcement of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unleashes-liberation-day-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reciprocal tariffs</a> on dozens of other countries around the world during an event in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday afternoon.
When Kaine <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-klobuchar-and-warner-formally-file-legislation-to-undo-president-trumps-senseless-taxes-on-canadian-goods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> the resolution on Canada tariffs with Sens. Amy Klobucher (D-MN) and Mark Warner (D-VA), he said the measure was privileged, meaning the Republican-controlled Senate was required to vote on it in the coming weeks.
They <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-klobuchar-and-warner-announce-expected-vote-timing-on-their-bill-to-undo-canada-tariffs-that-will-raise-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> that tariffs against Canada have disrupted the United States economy in a way that raises costs for American consumers, harms workers and businesses, strains a key trade partnership, and ignites a destructive trade war.
On the GOP side, McConnell <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/02/12/trump-tariffs-damage-kentucky-economy-bourbon-mcconnell/78393549007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> of higher prices and harm to Kentucky industries, Paul <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx2MD3iOAiY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">objected</a> to the use of emergency authority for tariffs, and Murkowski pondered why the U.S. was <a href="https://x.com/highbrow_nobrow/status/1902855339902390661" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;fighting&#8221;</a> Canada while &#8220;making nice&#8221; with Russia.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) said in a statement after the vote on Wednesday that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had already declared Kaine’s resolution dead on arrival in the House, and it will never reach Trump’s desk.
Kaine’s &#8220;goal&#8221; was &#8220;to undermine President Trump’s successful work to secure the Northern Border,&#8221; he said, adding, &#8220;This meaningless messaging resolution will not stop Senate Republicans from making America’s communities safer.&#8221;

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

Four Senate Republicans Vote With Dems To Upend Trump’s Canada Tariffs

Canada

Donald Trump

Mitch McConnell

Tariffs

Trade War

A former U.S. attorney nominated by former President Joe Biden was found dead over the weekend in Virginia, according to authorities.
&#8220;This morning, at approximately 9:18 a.m., Alexandria Police responded to the 900 block of Beverley Drive for the report of an unresponsive woman. Officers located a deceased woman,&#8221; the Alexandria Police Department said in a <a href="https://x.com/MarinaMedvin/status/1903561751683125400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Saturday.
&#8220;Following notification of family members, the Alexandria Police Department can confirm the identity of the woman as Ms. Jessica Aber, age 43, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,&#8221; police added.
&#8220;As a matter of protocol, an investigation is underway surrounding the circumstances of her death,&#8221; the department said. &#8220;The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia will determine the cause and manner of death.&#8221;
Aber <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/us-attorney-jessica-d-aber-announces-resignation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">served</a> more than three years as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. She had been nominated for the role by Biden in August of 2021 and was confirmed by the Senate in October of that year. She resigned on January 20, just as President Donald Trump began his second term.
&#8220;I’ve had the privilege of spending my career as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia working alongside talented, hard-working public servants who manage matters affecting citizens here and across the world,&#8221; Aber said upon announcing her plans to resign.
&#8220;Concluding my service to the District as its U.S. Attorney has been an honor beyond measure,&#8221; she added. &#8220;I am deeply grateful to Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and to President Biden for the opportunity to lead this office, and to Attorney General [Merrick] Garland for his steadfast leadership. I am proud of the work we have done with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to enforce the law and build community trust.&#8221;
A number of officials released statements in response to Aber&#8217;s death.
&#8220;The loss of Jessica Aber, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is deeply tragic. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this profoundly difficult time,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1903628602010198035" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Kaine <a href="https://x.com/timkaine/status/1903601607809343702" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X, &#8220;My prayers are with Jessica Aber’s loved ones. Jessica was an exceptional public servant who dedicated her life to serving her fellow Virginians. She will be deeply missed.&#8221;

Jessica Aber

Biden-Nominated Former U.S. Attorney Found Dead At 43

Department of Justice

General

Joe Biden

Pam Bondi

Police

U.S. attorneys

Virginia

Senate Republicans are rallying against a Democrat effort to undo the national emergency designed to unlock American energy that President Donald Trump declared on the first day of his second term.
Earlier this month, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced a &#8220;privileged&#8221; joint resolution that seeks to <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-and-heinrich-unveil-legislation-to-terminate-president-trumps-sham-energy-emergency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;terminate&#8221;</a> Trump&#8217;s national emergency declaration that ordered agencies to boost energy domestic production and infrastructure, claiming it would &#8220;benefit big Oil&#8221; while killing jobs, raising costs on families, and weaken economic competitiveness.
The measure is expected to get a vote this week. Republicans, who have a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber, can defeat it with a simple majority — if they stay largely united. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Mike Lee (R-UT) has been working to make that happen.
&#8220;Senate Democrats are yet again attempting to block President Trump&#8217;s efforts to secure cheaper, more reliable energy — just when America needs it most. Their message to families is clear: pay more, expect less,&#8221; Lee said in a statement. &#8220;Luckily, President Trump is committed to unleashing American energy and rescuing the country from the energy crisis that they have perpetuated. Senate Republicans won&#8217;t let Democrats delay and obstruct any longer and will ensure the President has the tools necessary to deliver the results the American people expect.&#8221;
The vote comes on the heels of the Senate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-passes-late-night-budget-bill-focused-on-border-defense-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing</a> a $340 billion budget resolution last week that, according to Chairman Lindsey Graham&#8217;s (R-SC) office, aims to <a href="https://www.budget.senate.gov/chairman/newsroom/press/chairman-graham-statement-after-senate-agrees-to-budget-resolution-to-secure-the-border-revitalize-our-military-and-unleash-american-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;unleash&#8221;</a> American energy by facilitating production through on- and offshore lease sales and stopping the national gas tax implemented during former President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration. All Democrats and one Republican — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) — opposed the measure.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) delivered <a href="https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=16CE64C2-25A8-410C-9190-D124E6E5BADD#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThanks%20in%20substantial%20part%20to,face%20huge%20new%20power%20demands." target="_blank" rel="noopener">remarks</a> on the Senate floor on Tuesday in which he cited news articles that discussed how the United States is careening toward a situation in which it cannot meet growing power needs. He questioned why his Democrat colleagues do not see an emergency when the electric grid is on the edge.
&#8220;Thanks in substantial part to a movement to shut down fossil-fuel-fired power plants before reliable sources of clean energy are available to replace them, America is running out of power even as we face huge new power demands,&#8221; Thune said.
He added: &#8220;I realize this is an inconvenient truth to my Democrat colleagues. Why? Because it interferes with their plans to force the United States off conventional energy. If Democrats acknowledge that we are rapidly approaching an energy crisis, they might have to actually consider the consequences of their energy plans. &#8230; If we don’t take action, we are going to be facing some very serious problems in the very near future.&#8221;

U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)

Senate GOP Fights Dems To Preserve Trump’s Day-One Energy Emergency Declaration

Energy

John Thune

Mike Lee

The White House is calling out what it says is &#8220;another hoax&#8221; after the media and at least one Democrat in Congress perpetuated allegations that the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was releasing classified information.
It started on Friday with the left-leaning HuffPost <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-doge-posts-classified-data_n_67ae646de4b0513a8d767112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reporting</a> that DOGE, which is led by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, was posting to its new website classified information about the size and staff at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
An unnamed Defense Intelligence Agency employee claimed DOGE posted &#8220;secret&#8221; data, resulting in people &#8220;scrambling to check if their info has been accessed.&#8221; Anonymous Senate aides claimed NRO&#8217;s headcount and budget were classified over concerns about foreign adversaries taking advantage of it.
Upon initial publication, HuffPo&#8217;s report quoted an NRO spokesperson deferring questions about the data to DOGE. HuffPo&#8217;s story also said the White House did not immediately return a request for comment. It was updated later, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250214193329/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-doge-posts-classified-data_n_67ae646de4b0513a8d767112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">after publication</a>, with a White House denial.
Other news outlets picked up on the report. <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/elon-musks-doge-website-worries-intelligence-officials-by-posting-classified-information/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Beast</a> re-aggregated it. ABC News also pursued the story, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/agency-data-shared-doge-online-sparks-concern-intelligence/story?id=118858837" target="_blank" rel="noopener">citing</a> its own intelligence community sources who asserted that what DOGE did likely represented a significant breach. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) also pushed the notion.
&#8220;Yesterday, the DOGE guys post classified information on their website, and they had to realize, oh, we didn&#8217;t realize that agency was a classified agency. You shouldn&#8217;t let people run rampage through offices that have classified information,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1891156990568640556" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on &#8220;Fox News Sunday.&#8221;
But, as former House investigator and journalist Jerry Dunleavy <a href="https://x.com/JerryDunleavy/status/1890803265643639277" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointed</a> out in a series of posts on X, the NRO headcount information is publicly available on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) <a href="https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp?b_action=powerPlayService&amp;m_encoding=UTF-8&amp;BZ=1AAABnsT72MN42oVOsW6DQAz9mTNph0Y_wyVhYIDjUBiANLBXlFzSqsBFcB3y9xUwpFWGvidL9vN7lp2yWJdVcVRpHIzWDDqNn4DocyNI4jZU6PncQ0%7EtfIHRZiO5UKREtAWiZ2fKqvAo94ew2gdASWN6q3sLlJxNe9IDiAg87OtOgxuvDnXzVV%7E0_Ka6a2tune7tCkQMlFyXzV%7E73QWEL0Aov4dhmTLT248p68SlXMsiz5Ws0iLPw0wF%7E_Wc6DU4IzKOiJwjYwyZQEbIJjIWXnTf3IAQ6ASEYdsC_pkZ7eMpQJ8B7YBcBNIc6B3IXwR_F9gMIHey%7EwKfOXfLO3MtTyz4AbZLbJc%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> and DOGE says on its site that workforce data comes from OPM.
&#8220;DOGE even says under “Sources” that it’s pulling its data from OPM’s publicly available data set as of March 2024,&#8221; he said. &#8220;OPM posted then NRO has 1,097 employees. DOGE posts now NRO has 1,097 employees. So… is the claim here that OPM has been publicly posting classified info for years?&#8221;
An email from White House Principal Deputy Communications Director Alex Pfeiffer said the &#8220;controversy&#8221; is really just DOGE reformatting data that is already publicly available and denying that there was a &#8220;breach&#8221; of sensitive information.
“DOGE is sharing OPM data from under the Biden administration,&#8221; Pfeiffer said in a statement. &#8220;The headcount for this agency is publicly available on OPM’s website. These attacks are just another hoax meant to undermine the great work the Trump Administration is doing.&#8221;

Elon Musk

‘Another Hoax’: White House Refutes Claims DOGE Released Classified Data

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Hoax

Huffington Post

Media

White House

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tim-kaine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim Kaine</a> (D-VA) was asked over the weekend why the Democrat Party has become so deeply unpopular among voters.
Kaine was asked the question during a Sunday interview with CNN&#8217;s Jake Tapper on &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; after new polling from last week showed that Democrats are more unpopular now than they have ever been.
&#8220;You see there this is Quinnipiac poll; 57 percent of the American people have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party, only 31 percent favorable,&#8221; Tapper said. &#8220;This is the worst number for the Democratic Party since Quinnipiac University began asking the question. And it&#8217;s not an outlier. A recent CNN poll found a 33-year low favorable rating with the Democratic Party.&#8221;
&#8220;Why is your party so staggeringly unpopular with the public?&#8221; he asked.
Kaine claimed he did not know what happens in the other 49 states, just Virginia.
&#8220;We focus on the economy,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is what we do in Virginia. And I think, sometimes, national Democrats don&#8217;t.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s just that so often, Democratic candidates don&#8217;t emphasize that,&#8221; he later added.
&#8220;And so, yes, the American public looks at standard campaigns,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;They don&#8217;t see Democrats advertising on the economy, which is their principal concern, and so they have wonders about us. Let&#8217;s return to the bread-and-butter basics that people want to really focus on.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: Jake Tapper asks Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine why Democrats are so unpopular.
“57 percent of the American people have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party, only 31 percent favorable. This is the worst number for the Democratic Party since Quinnipiac University began… <a href="https://t.co/aUkY60bEkX">pic.twitter.com/aUkY60bEkX</a>
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1886108408639602875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote>

WATCH: Tim Kaine Is Asked Why Democrats Are So Unpopular

Democratic Party

Jake Tapper

NewsNation host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chris-cuomo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Cuomo</a> unloaded on Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) during a Tuesday segment addressing the confirmation hearing for decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s pick to lead the Pentagon.
Cuomo recapped parts of Hegseth&#8217;s televised hearing before the Senate Armed Forces Committee, and he argued that Kaine&#8217;s single-minded focus on Hegseth&#8217;s prior marital troubles had swung wide of the mark.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Chris Cuomo torches Democratic senators for their behavior during <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a>&#39;s SECDEF confirmation hearing: 
&quot;Bipartisan national security commission found we are not ready for war with China or Russia…and Sen. Tim Kaine wants to talk to exhaustion about his marriage.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4TmR0F5Np7">pic.twitter.com/4TmR0F5Np7</a>
&mdash; The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1879358983003328729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Although Cuomo was harshest on Kaine, he was critical of several of the senators who had questioned Hegseth during the sometimes-contentious hearing that had taken place earlier that day.
&#8220;My opinion is we saw the enemy today at Pete Hegseth’s Armed Services Committee hearing, and it’s us. Not you, but the toxic game of division played by the people who we put in power,&#8221; he began.
&#8220;What questions would you have for a potential secretary of defense?&#8221; Cuomo asked then, offering his own suggestions: &#8220;What are you going to do about China, Russia, terror, Pentagon size, drones?&#8221;
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But then he pivoted to what the Democrats on the committee had actually asked Hegseth about, adding, &#8220;Or would your top concern be his marriage? Is your biggest fear that an army of trans folk are going to take over? Because those were the concerns that the most deliberative body in the world focused on today.&#8221;
Cuomo then directly referenced Kaine&#8217;s line of questioning — a series of queries all related to Hegseth&#8217;s marital infidelities and whether or not he was fit to serve if he&#8217;d broken his marriage vows: &#8220;Here is the moment that Democrats are choosing to send around the internet as their big win: Senator Tim Kaine giving Hegseth the Bill Clinton.&#8221;
&#8220;Two points of disgust: How many people on that committee, how many in Congress, could pass the Kaine test that you can’t honor an oath to serve if you’ve ever been unfaithful?&#8221; Cuomo asked, taking much the same position as Senator Markwayne Mullin had during the hearing. &#8220;Kaine may be sitting in that room alone.&#8221;
“Who cares when we are talking about being the top warrior, not our pastor?&#8221; Cuomo took the argument a step further. &#8220;I’ll tell you who agreed with me once about this: Tim Kaine. He supported Bill Clinton for president. He didn’t say he couldn’t serve despite all he knew about his peccadilloes. He still backed him. Why? Is president not as important an oath? So, what changed?&#8221;

2017 Turner Upfront

Chris Cuomo Flames Tim Kaine For Ridiculous Line Of Questions In Hegseth Hearing

Chris Cuomo

Department of Defense

Pete Hegseth

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> Senate Candidate Hung Cao (R), a retired Navy captain, dominated in a debate against incumbent Senator Tim Kaine (D), who was selected as Hillary Clinton&#8217;s VP nominee back in 2016.
Cao had numerous standout moments during the lively debate, including his personal comments about illegal immigration and the direction of the U.S. Military.
&#8220;When Vietnam fell, we had nowhere to go, and America had brought us in and my parents waited in line for seven years &#8212; we all did, for seven years to get out citizenship,&#8221; Cao said in one viral exchange about illegal immigration. &#8220;The last thing that my dad had over his bed when he passed away two years ago was his naturalization certificate. I love this country so much that I wrote a blank check &#8212; up to and including my life &#8212; to defend it for 25 years in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and other parts of the world.&#8221;
&#8220;Here&#8217;s my thing to anybody who wants to come here &#8212; don&#8217;t ask for an American dream if you&#8217;re not willing to follow American laws and embrace American culture,&#8221; he added. &#8220;If you come here illegally, then you need to leave, especially if you&#8217;re a violent [criminal].&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CAPT Cao: “Don&#8217;t ask for the American dream if you&#8217;re not willing to obey American laws and embrace the American culture.” <a href="https://t.co/YAa4VuQpqI">pic.twitter.com/YAa4VuQpqI</a>
— Hung Cao (@HungCao_VA) <a href="https://twitter.com/HungCao_VA/status/1841623376370032661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
In another exchange, Cao <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6326704943112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> the U.S. Navy controversially using a drag queen for a recruitment pitch.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
&#8220;When you’re using a drag queen to recruit for the Navy, that’s not the people we want,&#8221; the Republican said. &#8220;What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them, and ask for seconds. Those are the young men and women who are going to win wars.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CAPT Cao: “When you&#8217;re using a drag queen&#8230;to recruit for the Navy, that&#8217;s not the people we need. What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them and ask for seconds.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/1sCSZ8AZVh">pic.twitter.com/1sCSZ8AZVh</a>
— Hung Cao (@HungCao_VA) <a href="https://twitter.com/HungCao_VA/status/1841625826430734733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
Cao, who was commissioned as a United States Naval Academy EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), also hit Kaine for failing to get legislation passed.
&#8220;[Kaine] says what he&#8217;s going to do,&#8221; Cao said. &#8220;Honestly, of the 227 bills that Senator Kaine has proposed, only three of them made it through. … That&#8217;s a 99% failure rate.&#8221;
Kaine said Cao was &#8220;completely wrong&#8221; about the criticism. Earning some laughs, Cao shot back: &#8220;There&#8217;s two truths in the world, okay? Never walk into a target store wearing a red shirt and never go against an Asian when it comes to math. Trust me.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CAPT Cao: “There&#8217;s two truths in the world….Never walk into Target store wearing a red shirt and never go against an Asian when it comes to math.” <a href="https://t.co/JCYXUCDRmc">pic.twitter.com/JCYXUCDRmc</a>
— Hung Cao (@HungCao_VA) <a href="https://twitter.com/HungCao_VA/status/1841630611305295938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote>

Former President Donald Trump Holds Campaign Rally In Chesapeake, Virginia

Senate Candidate Hung Cao Shines In Debate, Rips Illegal Immigration, ‘Drag Queen’ Navy Recruitment

Senate Candidate Hung Cao Shines In Debate , Rips Illegal Immigration, ‘Drag Queen’ Navy Recruitment

Elections

Hung Cao

President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> has asked the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-national-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democratic National Committee</a> to give $1.2 million to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> Democrats ahead of state elections in the commonwealth and in the face of record fundraising from Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/glenn-youngkin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glenn Youngkin</a>.
The request from Biden comes as a Youngkin political action committee raised $5.9 million by the end of June, a new record for a Virginia governor, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/02/biden-fundraising-virginia-democrats/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Washington Post. The November elections could prove pivotal as Republicans currently control the state House of Delegates and Democrats control the state Senate.
Dave Rexrode, the head of Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC, responded to the news, saying that it showed the “far left in Virginia is in full panic mode.”
“They are desperate, with no vision for the Commonwealth; only far left Virginia Democrats would look to D.C. and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for help,” he told the Post. “Virginians are with Gov. Youngkin, they support his commonsense agenda that’s providing tax relief, empowering parents, and strengthening public safety.”
Republican pickups in the Senate and House could allow Youngkin to pass more conservative-backed initiatives in a state that had trended blue until Youngkin’s surprise win in 2021.
DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison said the money was just part of Biden’s policy to support Democrats throughout the U.S.
“Time and time again, President Biden has made it abundantly clear that he is committed to not just electing Democrats at the top of the ticket, but down the entire ballot, and this investment is further proof,” Harrison said. “We are proud to make these unprecedented investments in Virginia and across the country that will not only help Democrats win in 2023, but will build on and expand the infrastructure we need to reelect President Biden and Vice President Harris next year.”
The money was in part allocated after Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine asked Biden for help in the commonwealth as Youngkin’s popularity remains high.
“The Democratic National Committee’s significant investment in Virginia underscores that the stakes could not be higher this November,” Kaine told the Post. “If Republicans win control of the General Assembly, they’ve pledged to restrict voting rights, pass an abortion ban, and roll back gun safety measures.”
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Youngkin’s second quarter fundraising <a href="https://www.wric.com/news/politics/youngkin-raised-more-in-three-months-than-previous-virginia-governors-did-in-a-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised eyebrows</a> with Republicans hoping to flip the Senate. Without the Senate, Youngkin’s administration has moved forward with a number of conservative moves at the executive level, including promoting education reforms and increased parental knowledge of what is happening in Virginia schools.
“When Governor Youngkin says he’s focused on Virginia, he means it. The Governor has built and scaled an unprecedented campaign to hold the House and flip the Senate,” Rexrode said.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Speaks At The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

‘Full Panic Mode’: Biden Asks DNC To Help Out Virginia Dems Amid Record Fundraising From Youngkin

'Full Panic Mode': Biden Asks DNC To Help Out Virginia Dems Amid Record Fundraising From Youngkin

Democratic National Committee

Glenn Youngkin

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) ended speculation about his political future by announcing he will run for a third Senate term in 2024.
The 64-year-old lawmaker made his plans known while standing next to his wife, former Virginia Education Secretary Anne Holton, during an appearance Friday in Richmond.
“I’m very happy to announce that I’m going to run for a third term in the Senate,&#8221; <a href="https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/kaine-to-run-for-senate-reelection/article_fe7b8e72-98d4-11ed-a766-07c735ed128e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kaine told reporters</a>.
“I’m a servant. I love Virginia. I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’ve got a whole lot more to do,” he added.
Prior to his announcement, reports said there was <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/19/tim-kaine-democrats-term-00078684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing anxiety in the Democratic Party</a> about the prospect of an open seat, should Kaine decide not to seek re-election for another six-year term. The Democrats lost control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections, and they maintain a tenuous hold on the Senate with the help of <a href="https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three independents</a>.
Kaine boasts a long resume with roles including Virginia governor, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and mayor of Richmond. He also served as Hillary Clinton&#8217;s running mate in her failed 2016 presidential campaign.
Virginia trended more liberal across several elections, but Republicans showed in 2021 they still have staying power with statewide victories that included the election of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R).
“Look, the success of Governor Youngkin and the statewide ticket in ’21 shows you that, hey, Virginians will vote for Republicans in statewide elections,” Kaine said, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-tim-kaine-hillary-clinton-bd7a4e8cf7dd77123089c63205e5e694" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Associated Press</a>. “Nobody can take that for granted.”
Republicans argued Kaine&#8217;s Senate seat is in play next year.
&#8220;Virginians have shown they’re willing to vote Republican with the right candidate and the right political environment,&#8221; National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Maggie Abboud <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-democratic-sen-tim-kaine-run-re-election-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Fox News</a>. &#8220;We’re going to keep a close eye on Virginia and focus on recruiting a strong candidate who can raise the resources necessary to compete.&#8221;

Tim Kaine Puts An End To Retirement Rumors

2024 Election

Senate

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