The United States military, under the command of President Donald Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, took out three boats suspected of trafficking drugs on Monday, killing 11 &#8220;male narco-terrorists,&#8221; according to U.S. Southern Command.
The kinetic strikes targeted two boats in the Eastern Pacific and one boat in the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command said that the suspected drug-runners were &#8220;transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations.&#8221; On Tuesday, the U.S. military shared unclassified <a href="https://x.com/Southcom/status/2023791027383890240">video footage</a> of all three strikes.
&#8220;Turns out President’s Day — under President Trump — is not a good day to run drugs,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/2023810666004668441">said</a> War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
With the latest strikes, at least 145 suspected drug runners have been killed in 42 strikes targeting &#8220;narcoterrorist&#8221; boats in the Pacific and Caribbean since last September. Monday&#8217;s operations followed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-military-says-it-obliterated-another-narcoterrorist-drug-boat-in-caribbean">strike</a> on Friday that destroyed a boat and killed three suspected drug smugglers.
President Donald Trump has defended his authority to carry out the strikes as Democrats argue that Congress must be given a say in the military operations being conducted without a declaration of war. Some Democrats have even claimed that Trump&#8217;s boat strikes in international waters amount to murder. Trump, however, has not backed down on his vow to obliterate suspected drug boats and argues that the United States is in an &#8220;armed conflict&#8221; with drug cartels that seek to transport deadly substances into the United States.
Shortly after the United States began conducting strikes against suspected drug traffickers, Trump <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-warns-drug-traffickers-we-will-blow-you-out-existence-2025-09-23/">said</a> in a speech at the United Nations, &#8220;To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence.&#8221;
Responding to criticism from lawmakers over the strikes in October, Trump told reporters, “I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them.&#8221;
Trump has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whatever-we-have-to-do-trump-says-hes-ok-with-striking-inside-mexico-to-stop-drugs">suggested</a> that the United States could target suspected narco-terrorists on land, which he said could include strikes inside Mexico and Colombia.
The U.S. strikes were further scrutinized by some lawmakers late last year after it was revealed that the U.S. military conducted a second strike on one boat in early September after some of the suspected narco-terrorists survived the first attack. The War Department has not publicly released the footage of the second strike and has only shown a select few lawmakers footage of the &#8220;double tap&#8221; strike.
Trump&#8217;s military campaign against drug traffickers led to the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro last month.
Maduro, who was accused of conspiring to traffic drugs to the United States, raged against the U.S. strikes in the Caribbean and vowed to fight U.S. forces if the United States made a move on Venezuela.
Following his capture, Maduro was charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy, and he now awaits trial in New York.

U.S. Southern Command

U.S. Destroys Three Suspected Narco-Terrorist Boats On Presidents’ Day

Donald Trump

Drug Cartels

Pete Hegseth

U.S. Military

About 100 U.S. military personnel have arrived in Nigeria as Washington scales up an operation to target Islamist insurgents, a Nigerian defence spokesperson said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in the northwest.
Nigeria denies discriminating against any religion, saying its security forces target armed groups that attack both Christians and Muslims.
The U.S. carried out strikes targeting Islamic State-linked militants in December, and a small U.S. military team has been operating on the ground to boost Nigeria&#8217;s intelligence capabilities.
In recent days, several planes carrying U.S. troops and equipment have headed to Nigeria&#8217;s northern states, according to flight tracking data reviewed by Reuters.
Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria&#8217;s Defense Headquarters, said the troops would train and advise local forces, but not take part in combat.
Earlier this month, Nigeria&#8217;s military said it expected around 200 more U.S. troops.
Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare said Nigeria needed &#8220;massive support from the U.S. government&#8221; in terms of fighter jets and munitions, but declined to give numbers or a timeframe.
Nigeria&#8217;s 240 million people are evenly split between Christians mainly in the south and Muslims mainly in the north.
It acknowledges serious security problems, including from Islamist fighters, but denies that Christians face widespread or systematic persecution.
(Reporting by Jessica Donati, and MacDonald Dzirutwe in Lagos; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Kevin Liffey)

U.S. Troops

Nigeria Says 100 More U.S. Military Personnel Have Arrived To Tackle Islamists

Christians

Global Politics

Islamists

Nigeria

World

U.S. military forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel from the Caribbean in what the Pentagon described as a coordinated effort to disrupt illicit Venezuelan oil shipments tied to the regime of former dictator Nicolás Maduro.
According to the Department of War, U.S. forces conducted a “right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding” of the tanker Veronica III overnight Saturday into Sunday, after the vessel attempted to evade a U.S.-imposed quarantine on sanctioned ships.
“The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine — hoping to slip away,” the Pentagon said in a post on X. “We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down.”
Video released by the Pentagon showed U.S. troops boarding the tanker without resistance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We defend the Homeland forward. Distance does not protect you.
Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the Veronica III without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.
The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s… <a href="https://t.co/Tran3cLR9g">pic.twitter.com/Tran3cLR9g</a>
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2022997870061011067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Veronica III is a crude oil tanker that has previously been linked to Venezuela’s oil exports and is listed under U.S. sanctions related to Iran by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. The boarding is the latest move in the Trump administration’s broader effort to dismantle what U.S. officials have described as Venezuela’s “shadow fleet,&#8221; a network of falsely flagged or covertly operated tankers used to move sanctioned crude into global markets.
​​The boarding came as the Department of War confirmed Monday that U.S. forces had intercepted another sanctioned tanker, the Aquila II, which like the Veronica III, had fled the Venezuelan coast following the January operation that removed Maduro from power.
Both tankers falsely flew Panamanian flags and are under U.S. sanctions tied to illicit oil shipments. Both had spent much of the past year “running dark,” a common smuggling tactic in which ships disable their tracking transponders to evade detection.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XF2bSRak-U">Speaking</a> Monday during a stop at Maine Bath Iron Works as part of his “Arsenal of Freedom Tour,” War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the administration intends to pursue every tanker that attempted to escape U.S. enforcement.
“The only guidance I gave to my military commanders is none of those are getting away,” Hegseth told shipyard workers. “I don’t care if we’ve got to go around the globe to get them — we’re going to get them.”
U.S. officials say at least 16 tankers fled Venezuelan waters in the aftermath of the January raid, prompting a global tracking effort that has now stretched from the Caribbean into the Indian Ocean. The Trump administration has now seized seven tankers since the January 3 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-states-carries-out-military-strikes-on-venezuela-captures-president-nicolas-maduro">operation</a>. This is part of a broader push to dismantle Venezuela’s shadow oil fleet and reassert control over the country’s petroleum exports.
Anonymous Naval officials <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/us-military-strike-pacific?utm_source=chatgpt.com">confirmed</a> to The Guardian that multiple U.S. vessels, including guided-missile destroyers and a mobile sea base, were operating in the Indian Ocean, underscoring the administration’s willingness to enforce sanctions far beyond the Western Hemisphere.
Venezuela’s oil sector has been under heavy U.S. sanctions for years, forcing the Maduro regime to rely on clandestine shipping routes and foreign intermediaries to sustain revenue. In December, President Trump ordered a quarantine of sanctioned Venezuelan tankers as part of an escalating pressure campaign, weeks before Maduro was apprehended during a U.S. military operation in January.
The Pentagon did not clarify whether the Veronica III has been formally seized or placed under U.S. control, stating only that the boarding was conducted successfully and without incident. 
“International waters are not sanctuary,” the Department of War said in its statement. “By land, air, or sea, we will find you and deliver justice.”
While the administration has offered limited public detail on the legal mechanisms governing the seizures, officials have framed the campaign as a necessary extension of sanctions enforcement against hostile regimes and their economic lifelines.
The interception of the Veronica III signals that, even as Maduro waits to stand trial, U.S. forces will continue to pursue the remnants of Venezuela’s illicit oil trade, and that geography alone will not shield sanctioned actors from American reach.

Venezuela Oil Tanker

U.S. Forces Intercept Another Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tanker, Seventh Since Fall Of Maduro

Department of War

Nicolas Maduro

Trump Administration

Venezuela

The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.
The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will hold negotiations with Iran on Tuesday in Geneva, with representatives from Oman acting as mediators. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned on Saturday that while Trump&#8217;s preference was to reach a deal with Tehran, &#8220;that’s very hard to do.&#8221;
Meanwhile, Trump has amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action. U.S. officials said on Friday the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops along with fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers and other firepower capable of waging attacks and defending against them.
Trump, speaking on Friday after a military event at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, openly floated the possibility of changing the government in Iran, saying it &#8220;seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.&#8221; He declined to share who he wanted to take over Iran, but said, &#8220;there are people.&#8221;
&#8220;For 47 years, they&#8217;ve been talking and talking and talking,&#8221; Trump said.
Trump has long voiced skepticism about sending ground troops into Iran, saying last year, &#8220;the last thing you want to do is ground forces,&#8221; and the kinds of U.S. firepower arrayed in the Middle East so far suggest options for strikes primarily by air and naval forces. In Venezuela, Trump demonstrated a willingness to rely also on special operations forces to seize that country&#8217;s president, Nicolas Maduro, in a raid last month.
Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: &#8220;President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.&#8221;
&#8220;He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security,&#8221; Kelly said.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
The United States sent two aircraft carriers to the region last year, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
However, June&#8217;s &#8220;Midnight Hammer&#8221; operation was essentially a one-off U.S. attack, with stealth bombers flying from the United States to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran staged a very limited retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
The planning under way this time is more complex, the officials said.
In a sustained campaign, the U.S. military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure, one of the officials said. The official declined to provide specific details.
Experts say the risks to U.S. forces would be far greater in such an operation against Iran, which boasts a formidable arsenal of missiles. Retaliatory Iranian strikes also increase the risk of a regional conflict.
The same official said the United States fully expected Iran to retaliate, leading to back-and-forth strikes and reprisals over time.
The White House and Pentagon did not respond to questions about the risks of retaliation or regional conflict.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and crushing of internal dissent. On Thursday, he warned the alternative to a diplomatic solution would &#8220;be very traumatic, very traumatic.&#8221;
Iran&#8217;s Revolutionary Guard has warned that in case of strikes on Iranian territory, it could retaliate against any U.S. military base.
The U.S. maintains bases throughout the Middle East, including in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump for talks in Washington on Wednesday, saying that if an agreement with Iran were reached, &#8220;it must include the elements that are vital to Israel.&#8221;
Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions, but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.
On Saturday, Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi said U.S. military intervention in Iran could save lives and urged Washington not to spend too long negotiating with Tehran&#8217;s clerical rulers on a nuclear deal.
The exiled son of Iran&#8217;s toppled shah told Reuters in an interview there were signs that the Iranian government was on the brink of collapse and that an attack could weaken it or accelerate its fall.
&#8220;We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime&#8217;s downfall,&#8221; said Pahlavi, who is based in the United States and has lived outside Iran since before his father was toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Don Durfee, Rosalba O&#8217;Brien, Rod Nickel)

F/A18 Tested In Carrier Landing

U.S. Military Preparing For Potentially Weeks-Long Iran Operations

Iran

Military

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked War Secretary Pete Hegseth from stripping Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of his rank and military pay.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, appointed by former President George W. Bush, comes after Hegseth censured Kelly over the video he helped produce with five other Democrats urging military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221; In response, Kelly sued Hegseth, arguing that his First Amendment rights were violated.
In the 29-page <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.288365/gov.uscourts.dcd.288365.37.0_2.pdf">ruling</a>, Judge Leon wrote that Kelly&#8217;s First Amendment defense &#8220;is likely to succeed on merits,&#8221; adding, &#8220;This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly&#8217;s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees.&#8221;
Leon said Hegseth&#8217;s argument &#8220;that military servicemembers enjoy less vigorous First Amendment protections&#8221; due to their obligations to the country has never been applied to &#8220;retired servicemembers&#8221; by a court.
&#8220;This Court will not be the first to do so!&#8221; Leon added.
Leon&#8217;s ruling means that the War Department cannot proceed with its actions against Kelly as the court continues to consider the case. Kelly, a retired Navy officer and astronaut, ripped Hegseth and President Donald Trump after Leon&#8217;s ruling was released.
&#8220;Today a federal court made clear Pete Hegseth violated the Constitution when he tried to punish me for something I said. This is a critical moment to show this administration they can&#8217;t keep undermining Americans&#8217; rights,&#8221; Kelly <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUqtAMFj5Ul/">said</a>. &#8220;I also know this might not be over yet, because Trump and Hegseth can&#8217;t admit when they are wrong.&#8221;
Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/2022035474337214836">vowed</a> to appeal the judge&#8217;s ruling &#8220;immediately,&#8221; writing, &#8220;Sedition is sedition, &#8216;Captain.'&#8221;
In the video, the Democrats said the Trump administration &#8220;is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,” the Democratic lawmakers told U.S. service members. “Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.&#8221;
The Trump administration labeled the video as &#8220;seditious,&#8221; with President Trump suggesting the Democrats&#8217; behavior was &#8220;punishable by DEATH.&#8221; Trump later clarified that he was not calling for the Democrats to be executed, but added, &#8220;I think they’re in serious trouble.&#8221;
When the War Department launched its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/war-department-reviewing-serious-allegations-against-sen-mark-kelly-after-dem-military-message?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=War+Department+Reviewing+%E2%80%98Serious+Allegations%E2%80%99+Against+Sen.+Mark+Kelly+After+Dem+Military+Message">review</a> of Kelly&#8217;s participation in the video last November, it cited a military code that makes it a crime “to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States” and “to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States.”
The Justice Department also sought to bring charges against all six Democrats involved, but earlier this week, a federal grand jury <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/grand-jury-refuses-to-indict-dem-lawmakers-over-video-urging-military-to-disobey-illegal-orders">declined</a> to sign off on an indictment. The other Democrats involved in the controversial video include Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Reps. Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania. All of the Democrats who helped make the video are military veterans or former members of the intelligence community.
The video was released as Democrats — and some Republicans — condemned President Trump&#8217;s authorization of strikes against suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea.
This article has been updated with additional information.

Mark Kelly/Pete Hegseth

Federal Judge Deals Another Blow To Trump Admin’s Effort To Punish Dems Over ‘Illegal Orders’ Video

Federal Judge Deals Another Blow To Trump Admin's Effort To Punish Dems Over 'Illegal Orders' Video

Democrats

Mark Kelly

A Washington, D.C., grand jury refused to indict six Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday over a video they produced in November urging military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders&#8221; given by President Donald Trump.
The video — which featured Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and four Democratic House members — was labeled by the Trump administration as a &#8220;seditious&#8221; act. Members of the grand jury, however, did not sign off on the charges brought by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro against the lawmakers, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-orders-democrats-video-e1435655587ad9715c4d1cc776edd545">reported</a>. It remains unclear what specific charges prosecutors were seeking to bring against the members of Congress.
The federal government could attempt to bring charges against the Democrats before a grand jury again. The Daily Wire reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
Slotkin, who organized the video message, <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/2021401432235155834">said</a> on Tuesday night that the grand jury&#8217;s refusal to indict was &#8220;embarrassing&#8221; for the Trump administration. Last week, the Michigan Democrat <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-thumbs-her-nose-at-doj-rejects-call-to-answer-for-illegal-orders-video">rejected</a> the Justice Department&#8217;s request to sit down for a voluntary interview and answer questions about the video.
&#8220;Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attempted to persuade a Grand Jury to indict me. This was in response to me organizing a 90-second video that simply quoted the law. Pirro did this at the direction of President Trump, who said repeatedly that I should be investigated, arrested, and hanged for sedition,&#8221; Slotkin posted on X. &#8220;Today, it was a grand jury of anonymous American citizens who upheld the rule of law and determined this case should not proceed. Hopefully, this ends this politicized investigation for good.&#8221;
The other lawmakers featured in the short clip were Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania.
In the video, the Democrats — who are all military veterans or former members of the intelligence community — told U.S. service members that &#8220;threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home&#8221; and that the Trump administration “is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Our laws are clear, you can refuse illegal orders,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
The video was released as Democrats — and a few Republicans — criticized the Trump administration&#8217;s military strikes on suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea. Just weeks after the Democrats made the video, President Trump authorized a military operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
President Trump suggested that the video represented &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.&#8221; Trump later clarified that he was not calling for the Democrats to be executed.
&#8220;I would say they’re in serious trouble. I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;In the old days, it was death. That was seditious behavior.&#8221;
The War Department, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth, moved to strip Senator Kelly, a retired astronaut and naval officer, of his rank and retirement pay over his participation in the video. Last month, Kelly sued Hegseth, along with Navy Secretary John Phelan, the Department of the Navy, and the War Department, arguing that their action against him violates the First Amendment.

Mark Kelly/Elissa Slotkin

Grand Jury Refuses To Indict Dem Lawmakers Over Video Urging Military To Disobey ‘Illegal Orders’

Department of Justice

Elissa Slotkin

Washington D.C.

While Super Bowl LX will feature a sweeping display of U.S. airpower over Levi’s Stadium, Air Force officials confirmed Friday that F-22 Raptor fighters originally slated to participate were reassigned to operational missions as military demands intensified. The Raptors’ removal underscores the reality that the military aircraft showcased during major national events remain on active standby, even during the most-watched sporting event of the year.
The flyover will now include Air Force B-1 Lancer bombers and F-15C Eagle fighters alongside Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-35C Lightning II jets. But careful observers noticed something unusual on the commemorative flight suit patch released ahead of the event: a silhouette of the F-22 still appears.
According to the Department of the Air Force, that inclusion reflects earlier planning, not a last-minute error. Katie Spencer, the Air Force’s Sports Outreach Program manager, said planners initially sought to showcase fifth-generation fighters from both the Air Force and Navy, pairing the F-22 with the Navy’s F-35C. That plan changed as real-world requirements intervened.
“Operational tempo has increased,” Spencer said, explaining that the Raptors were reassigned to active missions before final approval of the flyover.
While officials declined to provide specifics, the decision comes amid heightened U.S. military activity across multiple theaters. American aircraft have conducted recent strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, and F-22s played a critical role last year in Operation Midnight Hammer, the B-2 bomber-led campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities. The F-22 also participated in Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela, establishing U.S. dominance in the airspace over Caracas.
Even without the Raptors, Sunday’s flyover is designed to project both scale and symbolism. The B-1 Lancer, a long-range bomber capable of delivering massive conventional firepower, will lead the formation, flanked by fighters representing multiple generations of U.S. air dominance.
F-15C Eagles from California’s Fresno Air National Guard Base were added late in the planning process to complete the formation, filling the gap left by the F-22s. Planners said the choice reflects the broader theme of the event: marking the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary with a display that blends heritage, readiness, and modern capability.
Officials also emphasized that Super Bowl flyovers do not require additional taxpayer funding. The flights are conducted as part of scheduled training, allowing aircrews to practice precise timing, coordination, and maintenance recovery under real-world conditions.
“These flyovers serve as time-over-target training,” Spencer said, noting that the same proficiency displayed during major combat operations is built through exercises like Sunday’s formation flight.
On the field, a joint color guard from the Military District of Washington, drawing members from every branch of the armed forces, will render ceremonial honors before kickoff. With Levi’s Stadium’s open-air design allowing for a larger-than-normal formation, officials said fans can expect a visceral experience, despite the omission of the fifth-generation fighter.
 “They’re going to hear something special,” Spencer said. “They’re going to feel it.”
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots face off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

F-22

F-22s Pulled From Super Bowl Flyover, Rerouted At the Last Moment For ‘Operational Assignments’

Air Force

General

Super Bowl

U.S.

The Justice Department announced Wednesday that multiple Chinese nationals and American citizens had been charged with carrying out a marriage fraud scheme targeting members of the U.S. military. 
The scheme involved recruiters paying Americans tens of thousands of dollars to enter into “sham” marriages with Chinese nationals for immigration purposes, according to the Justice Department. In one instance, investigators said that a female member of the Navy married and met a Chinese national on the same day at a wedding service in Las Vegas. 
The charged individuals were Anny Chen, Sha Xie (China), Linlin Wang (China), Jiawei Chen (China), Yafeng Deng, Hailing Feng, Kiah Holly, Xionghu Fang (China), Tao Fan (China), Jaden Bullion, and Kin Man Cheok (China). None of the defendants, except Bullion, had lawyers listed to represent them. They could not immediately be reached for comment. 
The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday and said that conspirators “preferred to recruit U.S. citizens who were members of the U.S. armed forces to join the conspiracy and marry Chinese nationals.” 
The entire conspiracy stretched from March 2024 to February 2025 and took place in Florida, New York, and Nevada, according to the indictment. In general, a recruiter would promise to pay an American $10,000 to marry a Chinese national, $20,000 after a valid ID was issued to the Chinese national, and another $5,000 after they divorced. 
The eleven named in the indictment are alleged to have worked with Raymond Zumba (former Navy reservist), Brinio Urena (former Navy recruiter), Jacinth Bailey (Navy), and Morgan Chambers (Navy). Lawyers for Bailey and Chambers declined to comment. 
In July, Zumba <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/naval-reservist-pleads-guilty-paying-bribe-obtain-department-defense-identification">pleaded guilty</a> to attempting to bribe the spouse of an individual working in the personnel office of the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. Zumba hoped to obtain ID cards in exchange for cash. 
In March 2024, investigators said that Anny Chen and another conspirator recruited Zumba to marry Sha Xie, a Chinese national. The marriage took place in Brooklyn in April of that year, and wedding photos were taken to perpetuate the scheme, according to the indictment. Zumba allegedly received $10,000 from Chen for the marriage. 
Zumba was then accused of recruiting Urena in May 2024 to “enter into a sham marriage with a Chinese national in exchange for a cash payment.” 
In another example of the conspiracy, the Justice Department said that Chambers met and married Jiawei Chen in Las Vegas on October 4, 2024, according to the indictment. She was allegedly paid $10,000 in a restaurant restroom by Chen for the marriage.
The others were alleged to have engaged in similar activities and messaged about plans to participate in the scheme.

U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken Visits Shanghai

Marriage Scam Exposed: DOJ Busts Chinese Scheme Targeting U.S. Military

China

Fraud

As tensions rise with China, Russia, and other global rivals, the Department of War has unveiled its 2026 National Defense Strategy, mapping a path for the United States to remain the world’s most formidable fighting force.
The <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2026/Jan/23/2003864773/-1/-1/0/2026-NATIONAL-DEFENSE-STRATEGY.PDF">strategy</a> emphasizes strengthened deterrence, homeland protection, and long-term competitive advantage, noting that “President Trump in his first term and since reentering office in January 2025 has rebuilt the American military to be the world’s absolute best—its most formidable fighting force.”
The strategy frames a world of heightened competition and risk, with major state actors driving instability. China is identified as the primary strategic competitor, pursuing military modernization and regional dominance in the Indo-Pacific. 
“Our goal is simple: To prevent anyone, including China, from being able to dominate us or our allies,” the document states. Russia remains an acute threat through aggression in Europe, while Iran and North Korea are advancing missile and nuclear capabilities, and violent extremist organizations continue to pose global risks.
The strategy highlights three integrated priorities: defend the homeland, deter strategic attacks — particularly nuclear — and deter aggression while preparing to win if conflict occurs. It underscores the recent strikes on Venezuela as a return to the historical foreign policy of the U.S. under the &#8220;Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine,&#8221; which is to “actively and fearlessly defend America’s interests throughout the Western Hemisphere… guarantee U.S. military and commercial access to key terrain, especially the Panama Canal, Gulf of America, and Greenland.”
Implementation is guided by four lines of effort, &#8220;prioritizing the missions that matter most for Americans’ security, freedom, and prosperity.&#8221; 
First, strengthening homeland defenses. Protecting the U.S. from multi-domain threats, including drones, cyber intrusions, and attacks on critical infrastructure, is central. The strategy stresses defending “America’s borders and maritime approaches” and countering unmanned aerial threats through initiatives like Golden Dome for America.
Second, deterring China in the Indo-Pacific. The strategy frames deterrence through capability and posture rather than confrontation. “Our goal in doing so is not to dominate China; nor is it to strangle or humiliate them,” it notes.
Third, reinforcing alliances and partnerships. Burden-sharing is emphasized, with allies expected to take the lead against threats less severe to the United States, while the U.S. provides “critical but more limited support” and makes clear the urgent need for allies to do their part.
Fourth, supercharging the defense industrial base. Domestic production and innovation are a priority, and the strategy stresses the need to “return to being the world’s premier arsenal, one that can produce not only for ourselves but also for our allies and partners at scale, rapidly, and at the highest levels of quality.” The document specifies domestic production of semiconductors, rare-earth elements, and munitions.
Over the next 12 months, the U.S. plans to expand its Pacific deterrence efforts, including investments in naval assets in the region, missile systems, and enhanced coordination with allies to counter China&#8217;s activities. 
The strategy also highlights emerging technologies used by our rivals: hypersonics, drones, cyber operations, and space systems. As such, in 2026, homeland security measures will focus on counter-drone technologies, cyber resilience, and border-related defense capabilities.
Allied engagement will push for increased defense spending, particularly contributions from NATO and Indo-Pacific partnerships. Defense industrial initiatives aim to onshore production and streamline acquisition, supporting U.S. manufacturing and job growth. This is paired with a drive for accelerated research and development in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and unmanned systems on American soil. 
Nuclear modernization programs will advance, ensuring that deterrence remains robust. 
The strategy concludes that the U.S. must “defend the homeland, deter aggression abroad, and maintain enduring advantages in the technologies, industries, and forces that make victory certain.” 
Overall, the new National Strategy positions the military for a leaner, more focused posture, prioritizing core warfighting readiness over expansive overseas commitments for the coming years.

Hegseth

‘Most Formidable Fighting Force’: 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy Eyes China, Emerging Threats

U.S. Sets 2026 Military Priorities, Eyes China And Emerging Threats

Defense Spending

Russia

War Department Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson says a lot has changed in the United States military over the last year — and that at the end of the day, it all comes down to a shift in the culture.
Wilson sat down with The Daily Wire&#8217;s Mary Margaret Olohan to discuss some of the changes made at the Pentagon and within the ranks since President Donald Trump began his second term and put decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth in charge of his War Department.
&#8220;The biggest changes have really been the culture,&#8221; she said, adding, &#8220;We&#8217;ve gotten away from the ideology in the military, the politics. No more climate change, no more dudes in dresses, as the Secretary likes to say. We&#8217;re getting back to actual war fighting and the Warrior Ethos — standards, fitness, eating right, merit-based programs.&#8221;
Wilson said that the cultural shift also included a move toward promoting those who earned it through merit rather than those who simply checked the right boxes in pursuit of an ideological agenda.
&#8220;That has refocused the Department on our core mission,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And what that&#8217;s allowed us to do is be more lethal.&#8221;
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Wilson touted several major operations, from the surgical strikes on narcoterrorists in the Caribbean to the more recent arrest and extraction of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, and said that effective leadership and a shift toward lethality were behind those successes and many others.
A shift in priorities, Wilson said, was also underway, from &#8220;nation-building&#8221; and toward &#8220;war-fighting.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re making sure that our missions aren&#8217;t just drawn out with no clear end state,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;We&#8217;re going in with what success looks like, we&#8217;re making sure we attain that, and then we&#8217;re getting out and protecting the homeland and always putting America first.&#8221;
Wilson also addressed the extreme number of attacks directed at War Secretary Pete Hegseth — attacks that began as soon as he was nominated to head the Pentagon.
&#8220;That&#8217;s because, in many ways, he&#8217;s over the target,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;And he&#8217;s somebody who&#8217;s going to be a true change agent at the Department of War, and he, from day one, has gotten to work implementing all of those changes. And I think he gets so much hate, especially from the mainstream media and from the leftwing politicians in D.C. because he is that change agent. He&#8217;s not your typical Secretary of Defense who has maybe contracted for the big defense companies &#8230; he&#8217;s a true soldier&#8217;s soldier.&#8221;
Wilson rounded out the interview with a few details about the recent mission to capture Maduro and the plan to revamp the long-standing military publication Stars and Stripes, along with a promise that the War Department would always continue to put the warfighters first.

Screenshot/The Daily Wire

How The Pentagon Went From ‘Dudes In Dresses’ To ‘Actual War Fighting’

The Culture Has Changed: War Dept. Spox Describes New Direction For U.S. Military

In a stunning revelation that underscores the malevolent depths of the Iranian regime, a new investigation by Catherine Herridge suggests that the 2020 Iranian ballistic missile attack on Al Asad Air Base was far more than a conventional strike. While the public was told at the time that no Americans died, the reality is a nightmare of traumatic brain injuries and the alleged use of &#8220;dirty&#8221; warheads laced with toxic agents and radioactive materials.
According to military records obtained by Herridge’s team, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) didn&#8217;t just want to create craters in a runway; they were conducting a live-fire test of their most heinous capabilities. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alan Johnson, who survived the attack, believes Iran intentionally deployed contaminated warheads to inflict long-term damage on American troops in retaliation for the death of Qasem Soleimani. Johnson said one specific missile had a &#8220;heat signature&#8221; entirely different from the others.
The evidence is hard to ignore. Military testing records reportedly identified radioactive isotopes like actinium-228, bismuth-214, and cesium-137 at the site — substances that experts say have no business being near a conventional missile. Retired JAG lawyer Robert Broadbent was blunt: before the attack, there was no radiation at Al Asad. After the missiles landed? The environment was toxic. The military’s own quiet admission of this reality is perhaps the most damning: every service member now deployed to the base is issued a dosimeter to monitor radiation exposure.
For the soldiers on the ground, surviving the initial blast has turned into a slow-motion catastrophe. Service members in their 20s and 30s are now facing thyroid cancer, homelessness, and mental health issues. Johnson himself is being screened for cancer, while at least six others in his group have already been diagnosed.
The investigation suggests that the IRGC bypassed the runways and specifically targeted living quarters and dining facilities to maximize the toxic exposure of U.S. personnel.
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IRAN-DEFENCE

Investigation: Iran Accused Of Using ‘Dirty’ Radioactive Warheads On U.S. Troops In 2020

Investigation: Iran Accused Of Using 'Dirty' Radioactive Warheads On U.S. Troops In 2020

Catherine Herridge

Dirty Warheads

radioactive

Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin said that she is under federal investigation following her role in a video made by Democratic lawmakers in November, urging military members to &#8220;refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
Slotkin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/politics/slotkin-pirro-trump-justice-dept-video.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">told</a> The New York Times on Monday that the office of Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, reached out to the Senate sergeant-at-arms to request an interview with the first-term senator or her private counsel. Pirro&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire that it neither confirms nor denies &#8220;the existence of an investigation.&#8221;
Slotkin, a former CIA officer, organized the <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948">video message</a> to military members, which included five other Democratic lawmakers who are also veterans. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO) all appeared in Slotkin&#8217;s video and told military members, &#8220;This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren&#8217;t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders &#8230; you must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
The Trump administration has referred to the group of Democrats in the video as the &#8220;Seditious Six,&#8221; arguing that their message is an attempt to undermine the commander-in-chief&#8217;s authority over the military. After the video was released, President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582703277798715">suggested</a> that it constituted &#8220;seditious behavior, punishable by death.&#8221; Trump later said that he was not threatening the Democrats with the death penalty, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-democrats-sedition-death-threat-military-rcna245156">adding</a>, “I think they’re in serious trouble. I would say they’re in serious trouble. I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death. That was seditious behavior.”
Sen. Kelly, a retired astronaut and naval officer, is currently under investigation by the War Department for his role in the &#8220;seditious video,&#8221; and War Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-moves-to-strip-mark-kelly-of-rank-and-pay-over-seditious-military-video">moved</a> earlier this month to strip Kelly of his rank and retirement pay. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Hegseth on Monday, arguing that Hegseth&#8217;s action violates the First Amendment.
&#8220;Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable,&#8221; Kelly <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2010787235549876286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2011151451381498107%7Ctwgr%5E51310249b3c4ab3a335554f0d8d33fc75ab47b7d%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fpete-hegseth-hits-back-at-captain-mark-kelly-he-knows-exactly-what-he-did">said</a>. &#8220;His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.&#8221;
Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-hegseth-hits-back-at-captain-mark-kelly-he-knows-exactly-what-he-did?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Pete+Hegseth+Hits+Back+At+%E2%80%98Captain%E2%80%99+Mark+Kelly%3A+He+%E2%80%98Knows+Exactly+What+He+Did%E2%80%99">fired back</a>, saying that Kelly is &#8220;worried and cranky.&#8221;
“&#8217;Captain&#8217; Kelly knows exactly what he did, and that he will be held to account,&#8221; he added.

Dem Senator Says Feds Are Investigating Her After Urging Military To ‘Refuse Illegal Orders’

Jeanine Pirro

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