President Donald Trump was busy on Sunday night sharing numerous social media posts — many from anonymous accounts — that accused six Democratic lawmakers of sedition over their calls for military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221;
After two Democratic senators and four representatives appeared in a video <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-urge-military-to-disobey-orders-from-trump-admin-trigger-accusations-of-insurrection">urging</a> military members to refuse unlawful orders, Trump suggested that their action could be viewed as &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!&#8221; Trump later clarified that he was not calling for the Democrats to face the death penalty, saying, “In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death.”
Trump, however, appears to believe that the Democrats should be punished in some form. On Sunday night, he shared an AI-generated video depicting the six Democrats in <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601863709910309">prison</a>. In another <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601898049338376">post</a> shared by Trump, an anonymous social media user argues that the Democrats&#8217; plea is the &#8220;literal definition of sedition and they literally put it on video!!!!&#8221;
The president also <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601867440120506">shared</a> multiple posts that argued that the Democrats are guilty of violating <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2387&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim">18 USC 2387</a>, which makes it a crime to &#8220;interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States.&#8221; Those who violate the U.S. code face up to ten years in prison. Trump shared yet another post that <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601883571083274">called</a> for bypassing the &#8220;corrupted&#8221; justice system by holding military tribunals.
The video that caused an uproar and resulted in accusations of treason was made by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO). In the video, the Democrats accuse the Trump administration of &#8220;pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
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“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” they said in the video, adding, “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
Another <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115601862810818001">post</a> shared by Trump on Sunday night suggests that Slotkin is using her training and knowledge from working at the CIA to &#8220;invoke a rebellion.&#8221; Slotkin, who worked for the CIA and the then-Defense Department in the early 2000s, defended the Democrats&#8217; video, arguing that it is lawful to disobey illegal orders and that the Founding Fathers wanted &#8220;to ensure our military upholds its oath to the Constitution — not a king.&#8221;
On Sunday, Slotkin was asked by &#8220;This Week&#8221; host Martha Raddatz on ABC whether any of Trump&#8217;s orders have been unlawful.
&#8220;To my knowledge, I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly, there are some legal gymnastics going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela,&#8221; Slotkin <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-11-23-25-sen-elissa-slotkin/story?id=127763059">said</a>.
She added that she is also concerned about &#8220;the use of U.S. military on American shores &#8230; in our cities and in our streets.&#8221;
Another post <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115600871102876776">shared</a> by Trump came from one social media user, who stated, &#8220;Get all of those traitorous sons of b*tches for sedition at the very least. Those pompous traitorous communities should be impeached and prosecuted.&#8221;

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Trump Amplifies Claims That Dem Lawmakers Committed Sedition Against America

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The Department of War <a href="https://x.com/DeptofWar/status/1992999267967905905">initiated</a> a review of &#8220;serious allegations&#8221; against Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly on Monday after he joined five other Democrats in urging U.S. military members to disobey &#8220;illegal orders.&#8221;
The War Department said the review will determine whether Kelly, a U.S. Navy combat veteran and retired astronaut, should be recalled to active duty for &#8220;court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.&#8221; Kelly, along with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) — all former military members — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-urge-military-to-disobey-orders-from-trump-admin-trigger-accusations-of-insurrection">released a video</a> last week where they encouraged military members to ignore what they perceived as unlawful orders.
&#8220;The Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice] for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels,&#8221; the War Department said.
The <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2387&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim">U.S. code</a> cited by the department makes it a crime &#8220;to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States&#8221; and &#8220;to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States.&#8221; Those who violate 18 U.S.C. 2387 face up to 10 years in prison.
In the video, the six Democrats argued that 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,&#8221; the Democratic leaders told U.S. service members. &#8220;Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren&#8217;t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.&#8221;
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&#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;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
President Donald Trump responded to the video last week, suggesting that it constituted &#8220;SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH.&#8221; He later clarified that he was not calling for the senators to receive the death penalty, but he has continued to share claims that the Democrats are guilty of sedition.
Kelly <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/1992710684984082803">said</a> on Sunday that Trump is &#8220;calling for the execution of members of Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;His words carry tremendous weight, more so than anybody else in the country, and he should be aware of that,&#8221; the senator added. &#8220;And because of what he says, there [are] now increased threats against us.&#8221;
In their video, the Democratic lawmakers did not give a single example of an illegal order the president has issued to the U.S. military. Senator Slotkin was asked on Sunday whether Trump has given any illegal orders, and she could not name any.
&#8220;I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly there are some legal gymnastics that are going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela,&#8221; Slotkin said.

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War Department Reviewing ‘Serious Allegations’ Against Sen. Mark Kelly After Dem Military Message

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A group of six Democrats, comprised of two senators and four members of the House, released an incendiary video in which they called for members of the military and intelligence community to disobey orders they receive from the Trump administration.
Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), along with Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO), all former members of the military, encouraged military members to “refuse illegal orders.”
“The administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” they claimed. “Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, right now.”
The Democrats accused the Trump administration of violating the Constitution, continuing, “The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”
“Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” they pronounced, reiterating, “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”
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“We know this is hard and that it’s a difficult time to be a public servant,” they insisted. &#8220;But whether you’re serving in the CIA, the Army, our Navy, the Air Force, your vigilance is critical. And know that we have your back, because now, more than ever, the American people need you. We need you to stand up for our laws, our Constitution, and who we are as Americans. Don’t give up. Don’t give up the ship.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>
&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller immediately responded, “Democrat lawmakers are now openly calling for insurrection.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrat lawmakers are now openly calling for insurrection. <a href="https://t.co/HwJB9nGFXA">https://t.co/HwJB9nGFXA</a>
&mdash; Stephen Miller (@StephenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/1990872986967326840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“There’s nothing graver than you can possibly say as a United States senator than encouraging, urging, directing members of the armed forces of the United States or the clandestine services of the United States to defy their president, to defy their chain of command, defy their superiors,” he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BOOM!!! Stephen Miller just exposed the entire Democrat operation LIVE. They weren’t “criticizing” Trump… they were actively PRESSURING the military &amp; intelligence community to IGNORE a sitting President. That’s not politics. That’s INSURRECTION. Miller lays it out perfectly:… <a href="https://t.co/yQR3SJvsJj">pic.twitter.com/yQR3SJvsJj</a>
&mdash; QThestorm (@17QStorm) <a href="https://twitter.com/17QStorm/status/1991256507992649996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
President Trump, as per usual, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582451169685243">bluntly addressed the situation</a>, writing, “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” He <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582703277798715">added</a>, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
The irony, of course, is that previous Democratic administrations have routinely violated the Constitution with not a peep heard from their party.
As The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/09/08/5th-circuit-ruling-covid-content-moderation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">noted</a> in September 2023, “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit on Friday ruled that the Biden White House, top government health officials and the FBI likely violated the First Amendment by improperly influencing tech companies’ decisions to remove or suppress posts on the coronavirus and elections.&#8221;
In 2021, <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/paxton-sues-biden-administration-unconstitutional-vaccine-mandate?utm_source=chatgpt.com">various</a> entities, including <a href="https://adflegal.org/case/daily-wire-v-occupational-safety-and-health-administration/">The Daily Wire</a>, sued the Biden administration for its illegal and unconstitutional vaccine mandate imposed on private businesses.

President Trump Meets With The Crown Prince And Prime Minister Of Saudi Arabia At The White House

Democrats Urge Military To Disobey Orders From Trump Admin, Trigger Accusations Of Insurrection

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On Independence Day, we celebrate.
On Memorial Day, we remember.
On Veterans Day, we honor. We honor all who, at one point in time, signed a blank check to the United States of America and said, “I’m in.”
But in for what? And for how long?
What I signed up for was to be part of the solution, to be a defender for my country. To be part of something bigger than myself and to sacrifice my “right now” for the future of my nation.
That oath wasn’t about a uniform. It was about a calling. Service doesn’t end when the deployment does; it simply takes new form.
When I first took my oath, I thought it was a promise limited by time, a contract that ended when my active duty did. But years later, I’ve realized that my oath was never meant to expire. It was a declaration of lifelong responsibility, a commitment to something far greater than myself: to stand ready, in whatever way the moment demands.
<div id="attachment_998785" style="width: 812px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-998785" class="size-full wp-image-998785" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham.jpg" alt="" width="802" height="564" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham.jpg 802w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Jimmy-graham-768x540.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px" />Credit: Jimmy Graham</div>
I may no longer be on active duty status, defending freedom on distant shores, but I’ve never been more active. Everything I do is a continuation of service — to this nation that I dearly love and to the people in it. The war today is against apathy, division, and moral decay. It’s the fight for our children’s minds in classrooms that have forgotten the truth. It’s the struggle for integrity in leadership, for unity in our communities, and for courage in a culture that rewards comfort. It’s a war for meaning in a generation that’s been told purpose is optional.
My battleground has shifted from standing on the frontlines of combat to standing in the frontlines of my home and community.
True service evolves. It becomes mentorship, leadership, and example-setting. It means preparing others to stand firm when life demands strength. It means showing young men and women that service isn’t just about defending borders; it’s about defending principles.
Many veterans understand this instinctively. We can’t turn it off, nor should we. The discipline, humility, and vigilance we learned in uniform are needed now more than ever right in our own city. Our duty didn’t end when we hung up our gear; it was simply reassigned.
But, we can’t expect our military or our first responders to shoulder all of the responsibility for keeping our nation safe and strong. If the last few years have shown us anything, it’s that danger doesn’t always knock first, it shows up unexpectedly in our schools, our churches, and our neighborhoods. We can’t outsource courage, so we must all be ready to fight and defend.
That relentless commitment to excellence and readiness is what our nation needs. It’s what we can all learn from the men and women who’ve worn the uniform and adopted a service mindset that transcends battlefields.
<div id="attachment_998787" style="width: 730px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-998787" class="size-large wp-image-998787" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-720x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Jimmy Graham" width="720" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-720x576.jpg 720w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-300x240.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham-768x614.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/J-Graham.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />Credit: Jimmy Graham</div>
So how do we honor veterans this Veterans Day? By doing more than saying, &#8220;thank you.&#8221; By showing our unyielding appreciation for those who fought for this country, but also by recognizing those wearing a new uniform and continuing the fight here at home. The ones leading in their churches, mentoring the next generation, and protecting their communities.
To those who’ve never served, I hope you turn your gratitude into movement. Put on that metaphorical uniform and join the new mission alongside the Vets now serving at home.
To my fellow veterans, thank you for your courageous service. I invite you back into “active duty.” This nation needs your leadership, professionalism, and courage now more than ever. Find a way to better serve your family, your community, and your country once again.
More than a once-a-year &#8220;thank you,&#8221; we need active appreciation. We need proof that the generations to come will carry on our fight for freedom. That the men and women of this great nation will continually defend our land and sacred institutions through service that comes in all shapes and sizes. That is how we can truly honor our veterans.
* * *
Jimmy Graham, CEO of<a href="https://ableshepherd.com/"> Able Shepherd</a>, is a veteran Navy SEAL and former CIA Global Response Staff Protective Officer with over two decades of experience in high-risk environments worldwide. He and his team train civilians, law enforcement, and first responders across the U.S. in armed and unarmed response to active threats to improve community safety and preparedness.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Military Family Reuniting at Miramar in San Diego

Honoring A Veteran Means Doing More Than Saying ‘Thank You’

Honoring A Veteran Means Doing More Than Saying 'Thank You'

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The recent attempted shooting of Border Patrol agents in Chicago and the public warning to ICE by New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani are not isolated events. They signal something far more dangerous: the erosion of operational legitimacy for federal immigration enforcement inside the very cities where the rule of law should be most secure.
As an Army veteran and former Border Patrol agent, I have seen the indicators of insurgency and state destabilization around the world. I never expected to see them unfold here, in our own communities, under our own flag.
What’s happening now is not a series of policy disagreements. It is a systemic breakdown of enforcement authority, political clarity, and institutional courage. And at its core lies the question every Republic must eventually answer: are we still a sovereign people — capable not only of defending our borders, but of defending the meaning of citizenship itself?
<h3>The Question Every Veteran Is Asking</h3>
This Veterans Day, many of us are reflecting on what we fought for, and increasingly, we are asking the question: What was it all for?
Across the West, veterans from Normandy to Fallujah are feeling the same pain. One British WWII veteran, Alec Penstone, <a href="https://x.com/GMB/status/1986715254869332096?s=20">broke down on camera</a> when asked what Remembrance Sunday meant to him.
<blockquote>I can see in my mind’s eye rows and rows of white stones — hundreds of my friends and everybody else who gave their lives. For what? A country of today? No, I’m sorry. Their sacrifice wasn’t worth the result of what it is now. What we fought for was our freedom, and it’s a darn-sight worse now than when I fought for it.</blockquote>
That grief is not confined to Britain. It’s the recognition of a veteran’s intuition that something deeper is unraveling, not just the loss of order, but a whole-of-society assault aimed at eroding the very freedoms we fought for: life, liberty, and property. 
Because at the heart of every service member is one thing above all: home. Even when deployed abroad, our thoughts drift back to the people and principles we left behind. When we hang up the uniform, we hope the fight was worth it. We hope the home we return to still resembles the one we fought for.
<div id="attachment_998559" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-998559" class="size-large wp-image-998559" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2243382338-864x576.jpg" alt="CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 28: Masked federal agents walk alongside the Dirksen Federal Building on October 28, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. The agents circled the courthouse ahead of U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino's departure following a court appearance, where he faces accusations that he and other federal agents have defied court limits on tear gas and other crowd control tactics during President Donald Trump's Operation Midway Blitz enforcement surge across the Chicago area. (Photo by Jamie Kelter Davis/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2243382338-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2243382338-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2243382338-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2243382338.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jamie Kelter Davis/Getty Images</div>
<h3>The War Has Come Home</h3>
Today, we see familiar signs of foreign wars on our own streets: the normalization of political violence, the collapse of enforcement authority, the ideological capture of civil institutions, and the strategic demoralization of those still willing to stand post. These are no longer foreign indicators, but domestic realities. 
What we are seeing in the streets of Chicago and New York is not random violence; it is the very thing we swore an oath to protect against. It is insurgent in nature, symbolic in purpose, and deeply strategic in effect. 
When Border Patrol agents are ambushed in an American city, it is not merely a crime; it is an assault on the institution charged with upholding the boundary of American citizenship.
Citizenship is more than paperwork. It is the covenant that binds a people; the shared rights, duties, and the consent to govern ourselves together. Without it, sovereignty is an empty word. 
And yet, in Chicago, ICE and Border Patrol, the frontline forces tasked with enforcing the lawful boundaries of citizenship, came under literal fire. When those who defend the meaning of citizenship are attacked, political independence itself lies wounded. Sovereignty survives only if citizenship is defined and defended. That is the first duty of a free government.
Every threat the Republic faces today — cartel proxies like the Latin Kings, lawfare against enforcement, the erosion of border integrity, and the politicization of compassion — tests whether we still understand what it means to be a self-governing people. When the institutions meant to uphold the rule of law are politically dismantled or physically overwhelmed, the promise of citizenship becomes a dead letter, and the Republic begins to die from within.
<h3>Federal Immigration Enforcement Now Operates in Contested Space</h3>
Border Patrol agents were once primarily deployed to defined border zones with clear mission parameters. But over the last few months, enforcement responsibilities have expanded into the urban interior.
In these environments, agents no longer operate under presumed legitimacy or unified command. Instead, they enter contested space where local political actors, extreme left advocacy networks, and even elements of civil governance view their presence as unlawful or illegitimate. The Chicago shooting confirmed what many of us already knew: federal agents are being sent into environments that are not only tactically exposed but politically opposed to their mission.
This is no longer conventional law enforcement. It increasingly mirrors the asymmetry we once confronted abroad: constrained by policy, vulnerable to political interference, and dependent on interagency cooperation that may no longer exist.
<div id="attachment_998565" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-998565" class="size-large wp-image-998565" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245411718-865x576.jpg" alt="CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 06: Federal agents stand guard as they are confronted by residents after making a stop while driving in a caravan through the Brighton Park neighborhood on November 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Federal agents participating in Operation Midway Blitz, engage in daily patrols through Chicago neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs searching for undocumented immigrants. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245411718-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245411718-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245411718-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2245411718.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Scott Olson/Getty Images</div>
<h3>Narrative Inversion Is Undermining Enforcement Legitimacy</h3>
We’ve reached a point where the narrative surrounding immigration enforcement has been fully inverted. Those upholding the law are portrayed as tyrants, aggressors, and racists, while those obstructing it are framed as defenders of freedom and justice.
This inversion did not happen by accident. It is the product of deliberate political messaging, selective prosecution, legal interference, and media framing that blurred the line between lawful enforcement and oppression.
The operational consequence is uncertainty and paralysis. In cities like New York and Chicago, agents now operate under the assumption that any use of force, no matter how lawful or proportionate, may trigger political condemnation or legal retaliation. That has a chilling effect on enforcement and a corrosive effect on morale.
Meanwhile, the message to the Mexican cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and domestic terrorists is clear: the political environment is ripe for disruption. They don’t need to defeat enforcement with bullets; they can do it with narrative manipulation and lawfare. The front line has shifted from the Rio Grande to the American metropolis.
Chicago is a warning. If our leaders allow political clarity to erode or fail to defend the institutional legitimacy of immigration enforcement, then these same dynamics will spread, just as cartel and trafficking patterns have migrated elsewhere in response to enforcement pressure.
We must restore political clarity, invest in interoperable command and legal infrastructure, and defend the moral legitimacy of enforcement itself. Immigration enforcement is not cruel, and it is not optional. It is a sovereign function of a free state.
If the federal government cannot enforce its own laws or protect those who do, then the border is no longer the boundary. The boundary becomes wherever authority collapses.
<h3>Veterans Know What This Is — And We Know What Must Be Done</h3>
This Veterans Day, we must say the quiet part out loud: the war we fought abroad has come home. The difference is that we no longer call it war. We call it politics. We call it protest. We call it compassion. But we know the truth.
We were trained to recognize insurgency, subversion, and the collapse of legitimate authority. We were trained to defend boundaries, not just lines on a map, but the moral and legal foundations of a free nation. That fight is now ours again.
The most important function of government is to secure the rights, responsibilities, and freedoms of its citizens. Because if we cannot define who a citizen is, then we are no longer a Republic. We are something else: fragile, and far more dangerous.
This Veterans Day, we do not mourn what we lost. We rally to defend what remains.
* * *
Ammon Blair is a Senior Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He is a 22-year U.S. Army veteran and former U.S. Border Patrol Agent.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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A Veterans Day Warning: The War We Fought Abroad Has Come Home

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Opinion

The U.S. military took out another drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean with a kinetic strike on Thursday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced. 
The strike was the 17th publicly reported action the Trump administration has taken against a suspected drug-running boat. Most strikes have occurred in international waters of the Caribbean Sea, but some have targeted boats in the Eastern Pacific. 
“Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization,” Hegseth said. “The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters. No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and three male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed.”
Hegseth posted a 20-second video of the strike, showing a boat sailing before it was blown up. He did not identify which Designated Terrorist Organization was targeted in the strike. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
As we’ve said before, vessel strikes on narco-terrorists will continue until their the poisoning of the American people stops.
Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist… <a href="https://t.co/gQF9LpSjqD">pic.twitter.com/gQF9LpSjqD</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1986631797547921741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth said the strikes will continue until &#8220;narco-terrorists&#8221; stop &#8220;poisoning&#8221; Americans.
“To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs—we will kill you,” Hegseth said. 
At least 69 suspected drug traffickers <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-drug-cartels-hegseth-boat-strikes-fb83b0f02efd32d595a12aa4f6dc1864#">have</a> been killed in the Trump-authorized strikes. Three people across two targeted boats have survived. Two were repatriated to their home countries, where the Trump administration asked them to be prosecuted for drug trafficking. 
Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/5592319-us-military-drug-trafficking-strikes/">briefed</a> top congressional leaders on Wednesday about the strikes. Democratic leaders criticized the action, arguing that President Trump lacks the legal authority to authorize such military operations.
“The notion of kinetic strikes without actually interdicting and demonstrating to the American public that these are carrying drugs and [are] full of bad guys, I think, is a huge mistake and undermines the confidence in the administration’s actions,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA).
Republicans have generally supported the strikes.
“They’ve got good legal justification for what they’re doing,” said Idaho GOP Senator Jim Risch, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The president really ought to be congratulated for saving the lives of young American people. He should be thanked by the many parents who won’t even know that they won’t have to bury kids prematurely. They’re doing good work. They’re doing it lawfully, and I encourage them to keep it up.”
The Trump administration says it plans to keep up the strikes and has given at least 13 bipartisan briefings on the action.

MixCollage-07-Nov-2025-06-41-AM-421

More ‘Narco-Terrorists’ Taken Out In Deadly Strike As Hegseth Threatens Drug Smugglers

drug trafficking

Marco Rubio

Pete Hegseth

President Donald Trump has set the stage for precision strikes inside Venezuela on military facilities the United States says protect and empower one of the globe’s most dangerous criminal syndicates, Cartel de los Soles.
The strikes reportedly could begin within hours.
The White House has intimated that Nicolás Maduro isn’t just Venezuela’s dictatorial ruler — he’s the head of the Soles cartel. &#8220;Cartel de los Soles is a Venezuela-based criminal group headed by Nicolas Maduro Moros and other high-ranking Venezuelan individuals in the Maduro regime that provides material support to foreign terrorist organizations threatening the peace and security of the United States, namely Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel,&#8221; the Treasury Department <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0207">reported</a> in July.
According to a source who spoke to <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article312722642.html">the Miami Herald</a>, “Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to. What’s worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming.”
The strategic focus of the attacks is decapitating the cartel hierarchy that, Washington says, moves half a thousand tons of cocaine to American and European markets each year. Though officials haven’t confirmed if Maduro himself is a target, one source put it bluntly — “his time is running out,” the Miami Herald reported.
This escalation follows months of buildup ordered directly by President Trump upon returning to the Oval Office in January 2025. He executed a multipronged campaign to dismantle the crime-terror pipelines running from Caracas to Central America. Trump’s first move was to designate the Cartel de los Soles and its enforcer gang, Tren de Aragua, as terrorist organizations.
That classification signaled that the U.S. now treats Venezuela’s military-backed cartel as a global threat on par with al-Qaeda. Backing that declaration is a Joint Task Force of U.S. destroyers, Marines, and advanced aircraft patrols the Caribbean with pinpoint reconnaissance and reconnaissance drones tracking smuggling routes.
The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, along with her full strike group, marked the largest U.S. naval concentration in the region in decades. Former Venezuelan officers call it the “final phase” — a buildup designed for precision strikes, not occupation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greenlit the deployment of F-35B fighters and MQ-9 Reapers to Puerto Rico, capable of destroying clandestine drug labs and airstrips in Venezuelan territory. Meanwhile, President Trump doubled the bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million — the largest such reward in U.S. history — and offered $25 million apiece for his cartel lieutenants, including Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, both indicted in U.S. courts on narcotics charges.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi, announcing the reward increase, accused Maduro of running the Cartel de los Soles “as a military drug empire” allied with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and transnational gangs.  Administration officials make no effort to hide their intent: destroy the cartel’s infrastructure and cripple Maduro’s power base. Trump, who has long pledged to stop the flow of deadly narcotics into the United States, views the Venezuelan campaign as the next front in his war on drugs — a continuation of his promise to use every element of American power to defend the nation from foreign narco-terror.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/u-s-eyes-striking-venezuelan-military-targets-used-for-drug-trafficking-cafcfe47">put it bluntly</a>: “The President is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our homeland.”  Behind the naval armada, U.S. intelligence operations have intensified. Trump recently confirmed that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert actions inside Venezuela — a rare presidential admission that signals just how personal this mission has become.
Pentagon sources reveal that B-1 and B-52 bombers have made repeated flights along Venezuela’s coast, probing its Russian-built S-300 missile systems and mapping air-defense weak points.  Maduro bragged last week that his forces possessed 5,000 Russian-made surface-to-air missiles. But analysts note that the overwhelming American presence — from electronic-warfare Growlers to missile-equipped destroyers — gives Trump unmatched tactical options. Former Commander of U.S. Southern Command Admiral James Stavridis called the buildup “a hammer poised over Caracas.”
Trump insiders echo the same strategic philosophy that guided earlier operations against Iranian General Qasem Soleimani: swift, targeted, devastating action. Elliott Abrams, Trump’s former Venezuela envoy, noted, “What he favors are high-impact strikes, not long occupations.” The force assembled in the Caribbean — roughly 10,000 personnel and over 100 combat aircraft — is optimized for surgical strikes, not invasion.
The administration’s goal, officials say, is not to occupy Venezuela but to break the nexus between Maduro’s regime and the international drug trade — through relentless, decisive pressure. Should Maduro’s own generals turn against him, the end could come swiftly. As one source told the Herald, “There’s more than one general willing to hand him over. Talking about death is one thing. Seeing it coming is another.”

US Warship Docked In Panama After Trump Said Military Hit Third Drug Boat From Venezuela

U.S. Precision Strikes On Venezuela Military Could Begin Within Hours

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the United States military took out four more narco-trafficking boats through kinetic strikes in the Eastern Pacific, leaving 14 suspected drug traffickers dead. 
Hegseth said that the strikes took place in international waters on Monday and were authorized by President Donald Trump. The boats were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTOs), Hegseth said. 
“The four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics,” Hegseth wrote on X. “A total of 14 narco-terrorists were killed during the three strikes, with one survivor. All strikes were in international waters with no U.S. forces harmed.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific.
The four vessels were known by our intelligence… <a href="https://t.co/UhoFlZ3jPG">pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1983164355999883548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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There were eight male “narco-terrorists” on board the first boat, four on the second, and three on the third, according to Hegseth. He added that Mexican search-and-rescue authorities had assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue of the survivor from the third boat. It was not specified which DTOs were targeted. 
“The Department has spent over TWO DECADES defending other homelands. Now, we’re defending our own,” Hegseth said. “These narco-terrorists have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them.”
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At Trump’s direction, the military has taken out dozens of suspected drug-runners throughout the Caribbean Sea and expanded strikes into the Pacific. Two survivors of previous strikes were repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador, where American authorities recommended they face prosecution for drug trafficking. 
On Friday, Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-deploys-largest-aircraft-carrier-to-south-america-as-trump-hints-at-land-strikes-against-cartels?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+Deploys+Largest+Aircraft+Carrier+To+South+America+As+Trump+Hints+At+Land+Strikes+Against+Cartels">dispatched</a> the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group toward South America to aid in efforts to fight drug trafficking in the region. 
“The enhanced U.S. force presence … will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs [Transnational Criminal Organizations].”
Some lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have expressed concern about Trump’s strikes on suspected drug runners, arguing that Congress must grant approval before the administration uses the military to target suspected narco-terrorists in international waters. Trump has said that he doesn’t need a declaration of war to target those he says are bringing drugs into the country.

Screenshot 2025-10-28 at 10.04.48 AM

U.S. Takes Out 14 ‘Narco-Terrorists’ In Pacific Drug Boat Strikes

Military

World

A U.S. Navy fighter jet and helicopter crashed in the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other on Sunday in two separate incidents that President Donald Trump called &#8220;very unusual.&#8221;
The five crew members aboard both aircraft were rescued and are in &#8220;safe and stable condition,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/USPacificFleet/status/1982583083519140329">according</a> to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Both Navy aircraft were conducting routine flights from the USS Nimitz when the crashes occurred, while President Trump was in the region.
The first aircraft that went down was a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, which crashed at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time. The helicopter was assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 and had three crew members on board. After the MH-60R Sea Hawk went down, search and rescue teams were deployed from Carrier Strike Group 11, and all three crew members were rescued.
Just 30 minutes later, at around 3:15 p.m. local time, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet crashed during &#8220;routine operations.&#8221; The two crew members ejected before the crash and were also rescued by Carrier Strike Group 11 search-and-rescue personnel. The F/A-18F Super Hornet was assigned to the &#8220;Fighting Redcocks&#8221; of Strike Fighter Squadron 22.
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On Sunday, Trump was in Malaysia, where he attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit before he departed for Japan, where he is scheduled to meet with the country&#8217;s newly elected prime minister. Trump was asked about the crashes while speaking to reporters on Air Force One en route to Japan, and said they were &#8220;very unusual.&#8221;
“They think it might be bad fuel,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/two-u-s-navy-aircraft-from-same-carrier-crash-into-south-china-sea-efc10fad">added</a>, according to The Wall Street Journal. &#8220;We’re gonna find out. Nothing to hide, sir.&#8221;
The U.S. Pacific Fleet said on Sunday evening that it is investigating the back-to-back crashes.
The USS Nimitz was on its way back to port in Washington after being deployed to the Middle East over the summer. After the crashes, China said it would &#8220;provide necessary assistance in a humanitarian spirit if requested by the U.S. side,&#8221; but the communist nation&#8217;s Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun also criticized the United States for conducting military operations in the region.
&#8220;I need to stress that the U.S. aircraft crashed while conducting military drills in the South China Sea. The U.S. has been flexing muscles by frequently sending military vessels and aircraft to the South China Sea,&#8221; Guo added. &#8220;This is the root cause of security issues at sea and disruption to regional peace and stability.&#8221;
Trump is expected to meet with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday, as the United States threatens to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese goods. Trump <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-china-trade-deal-asia-tour-continues-japan-sanae-takaichi/">said</a> that he is hopeful that the United States will reach a trade deal with China in the coming days.
&#8220;I have a lot of respect for President Xi. I think we&#8217;re going to come away with a deal,&#8221; Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

USS Nimitz

‘Very Unusual’: Two U.S. Navy Aircraft Crash During ‘Routine’ Flights Over South China Sea

China

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dispatched the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group toward South America on Friday, as the United States continues to take out suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and President Donald Trump hints at striking targets on land.
The aircraft carrier strike group will assist in disrupting &#8220;narcotics trafficking&#8221; and countering &#8220;narco-terrorism&#8221; in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a <a href="https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/1981759934539985132">post</a> on X. The SOUTHCOM region encompasses all of Central and South America, along with the Caribbean.
&#8220;The enhanced U.S. force presence &#8230; will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs [Transnational Criminal Organizations].
The USS Gerald Ford, America&#8217;s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 12. The Strike Group also <a href="https://www.c2f.usff.navy.mil/csg12/">includes</a> a Carrier Air Wing, a Cruiser, and Destroyers. The carrier group is set to join eight other American ships in the region, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-aircraft-carrier-latin-america-uss-gerald-ford/">reported</a>. The growing U.S. military presence near South America is part of Trump&#8217;s effort to take out drug cartels and prevent deadly drugs from reaching American shores.
Trump has ordered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/narco-terrorists-u-s-destroys-tren-de-aragua-drug-boat-in-caribbean-hegseth-says">10 strikes</a> against suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea, killing at least 43 people, while two other suspected cartel members have been captured. The president said on Wednesday that he would continue taking out suspected drug boats, adding that land strikes are &#8220;going to be next.&#8221;
Trump said that the United States is &#8220;totally prepared&#8221; to hit targets seeking to traffic drugs into the United States by land.
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&#8220;They&#8217;ll be coming in by land a little bit more because they&#8217;re not coming in by boat anymore. There are no boats in the water. There are no more boats,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1981115684051702183">said</a>, adding, &#8220;And we will hit them very hard when they come in by land.&#8221;
The president&#8217;s boat strikes have focused on suspected cartel members coming out of Venezuela, enraging Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, who claims that the United States is seeking to force him out of power. Maduro has called the strikes “a military attack on civilians who were not at war and were not militarily threatening any country.”
Some lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have expressed concern about Trump&#8217;s strikes on suspected drug runners, arguing that Congress must grant approval before the administration uses the military to target suspected narco-terrorists in international waters. Most Democrats and some Republicans have called for more oversight of the Trump administration&#8217;s military actions in the Caribbean.
Republican Senators Mike Rounds (SD), Thom Tillis (NC), Todd Young (IN), and Susan Collins (ME), have all made public calls for more Congressional oversight on the strikes.
“This is a legitimate discussion between the two branches of government that we should always be having,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/us/politics/republicans-trump-drug-war.html">said</a> Tillis. “I think we’ve got to be very careful when you’re talking about ordering a kinetic strike.”
Senators Rand Paul (KY) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) have taken their opposition to Trump&#8217;s strikes a step further, joining with most Democrats earlier this month in an effort to pass a measure stopping the military action. Paul introduced the measure alongside Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), but it ultimately failed. Rounds, Young, Tillis, and Collins all voted against the measure, as did Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
Trump said on Thursday that he doesn&#8217;t need to ask for a declaration of war to carry out the strikes.
“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them, you know? They are going to be, like, dead,&#8221; he said.
He <a href="https://x.com/amconmag/status/1981462145112879262">added</a> that he might &#8220;go to Congress&#8221; to inform them about the land strikes, saying, &#8220;I can&#8217;t imagine they would have any problem.&#8221;
The Trump administration has told the American people that the strikes are conducted based on credible intelligence that marks the targets as cartel members.

USS Gerald Ford

U.S. Deploys Largest Aircraft Carrier To South America As Trump Hints At Land Strikes Against Cartels

U.S. Sends Largest Aircraft Carrier Toward South America As Trump Hints At Land Strikes Against Cart

Drug Cartels

The U.S. Central Command on Wednesday “strongly” urged Hamas to end its violence in Gaza after President Donald Trump vowed that the terror group would be disarmed.
Admiral Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, issued a <a href="https://x.com/centcom/status/1978456188976042321?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">statement</a> calling on Hamas to take advantage of “an historic opportunity for peace … by fully standing down, strictly adhering to Trump’s 20-point peace plan, and disarming without delay.” This week, Hamas terrorists have ramped up their efforts to reassert control in the Gaza Strip after Israeli forces pulled out of most areas in Gaza in accordance with the ceasefire and hostage agreement.
At least seven men, whom Hamas accused of conspiring with Israel, were publicly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/terror-reigns-hamas-publicly-executes-gazans-after-israeli-troop-pullback">executed</a> in Gaza on Monday. Hamas has also been fighting with rival groups in Gaza in recent days.
“We strongly urge Hamas to immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza — in both Hamas-held parts of Gaza and those secured by the IDF behind the Yellow Line,” Admiral Cooper said.
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“We have conveyed our concerns to the mediators who agreed to work with us to enforce the peace and protect innocent Gaza civilians,” Cooper added. “We remain highly optimistic for the future of peace in the region.”
President Trump said on Tuesday that Hamas has already promised to disarm, a major demand in his 20-point peace plan.
“They’re going to disarm because they said they were going to disarm,” Trump said. “And if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them.”
“They know I’m not playing games,” the president added.
Media reports published last week claimed that the United States was deploying 200 troops to Israel to watch over the ceasefire, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1976423398164332631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1976423398164332631%7Ctwgr%5E996a5875757fb3dbf5844d44607057c57034a84e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.livenowfox.com%2Fnews%2Fus-sending-200-troops-israel-gaza-ceasefire-deal">said</a> those reports were “NOT true and taken out of context.” Leavitt added, “To be clear: up to 200 U.S. personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground.” CENTCOM’s area of responsibility spans across 21 nations in the Middle East.
<div id="attachment_986277" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-986277" class="wp-image-986277 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2204816687.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="558" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2204816687.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2204816687-300x163.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2204816687-768x419.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />March 15, 2025: U.S. aircrafts taking off from aircraft carrier as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces carry out precision airstrikes kicking against Iranian-backed Houthi targets across Yemen, according to CENTCOM. (Photo by CENTCOM/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jd-vance-there-will-be-no-u-s-boots-on-the-ground-in-israel-gaza">said</a> earlier this week that the administration had no plans to put American troops on the ground in Gaza or Israel.
“We’re not planning to put boots on the ground. What we already have is a U.S. Central Command, we already have people in that region of the world,” Vance told NBC News on Sunday. “They’re going to monitor the terms of the ceasefire. They’re going to monitor, ensure the humanitarian aid is flowing.”
The first phase of Trump’s peace plan, which went into effect on Monday, did not include Hamas laying down its weapons, nor have the terrorists agreed to give up control of the Gaza Strip, another major point of the president’s plan. Trump, however, remains optimistic that the terror group will agree to those stipulations in the future.
Israel has already accused Hamas of failing to follow through on its promise to hand over all of the remaining hostages. While the 20 remaining living hostages were handed over earlier this week, Israel is still waiting to receive the remains of dozens of hostages who died in Hamas captivity.
The Israel Defense Forces <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-hamas-undermines-ceasefire-deal-after-handing-over-wrong-body?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=IDF%3A+Hamas+Undermines+Ceasefire+Deal+After+Handing+Over+Wrong+Body">said</a> on Wednesday that one of the four bodies it has received so far “does not match any of the hostages.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called on Hamas to uphold its end of the agreement and return all 28 deceased hostages. Netanyahu’s office said that Israel “will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen hostages, every last one of them.”

Hamas

U.S. Military Warns Hamas To End Gaza Violence After Trump Vows To ‘Disarm’ Terrorist Group

Gaza

Israel

A &#8220;small group&#8221; of the 200 Texas National Guard troops deployed to Illinois was reportedly sent home after a photo of several heavyset guardsmen arriving in the state sparked viral criticism over fitness standards.
The Texas Military Department said that an unspecified number were not &#8220;in compliance&#8221; with its &#8220;validation process,&#8221; Task &amp; Purpose <a href="https://taskandpurpose.com/news/texas-national-guard-chicago-standards/">reported</a>. A photo taken by an Associated Press photographer and published by ABC News last week showed the larger-bodied National Guard members.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Members of the Texas National Guard have arrived in Illinois, according to sources familiar with their whereabouts and video taken of them at an Army Reserve training facility in a Chicago suburb.
Read more: <a href="https://t.co/AkmU3diD97">https://t.co/AkmU3diD97</a> <a href="https://t.co/chTjQ1TrFY">pic.twitter.com/chTjQ1TrFY</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1975648844693074010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“In less than 24 hours, Texas National Guardsmen mobilized for the Federal Protection Mission,” a spokesperson told Task &amp; Purpose by email this weekend. “The speed of the response necessitated a concurrent validation process, during which we identified a small group of service members who were not in compliance and have been replaced.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth responded to the Task &amp; Purpose article on social media, writing, &#8220;Standards are back at The [Department of War].&#8221; Since taking over at what was previously known as the Defense Department, Hegseth has gone on a fitness blitz, urging military leaders and troops to uphold strict standards, telling military leaders last month that it&#8217;s &#8220;tiring&#8221; to &#8220;see fat troops&#8221; and &#8220;it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals.&#8221;
The National Guard Bureau, which operates within the War Department, released a <a href="https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Press-Releases/Article/4322684/ngb-statement-on-fitness-standards-for-mobilization/#:~:text=When%20mobilizing%20for%20active%20duty,standards%20will%20take%20their%20places.">statement</a> after the photo went viral, emphasizing that troops “are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical fitness standards at all times.”
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&#8220;When mobilizing for active duty, members go through a validation process to ensure they meet those requirements,” the bureau added. “On the rare occasions when members are found not in compliance, they will not go on mission. They will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places.”
Social media users poked fun at the troops shown in the AP photo. One X user <a href="https://x.com/sportsdummie/status/1975653450810859930">wrote</a>, &#8220;Meal Team 6 reporting for duty,&#8221; while another person <a href="https://x.com/homemade_jorts/status/1975670929314529690">said</a>, &#8220;Guess they missed @PeteHegseth memo about weight.&#8221;
The <a href="https://nationalguard.com/basic-combat-training/army-combat-fitness-test">Army Fitness Test</a>, which National Guard troops are required to pass, &#8220;consists of six events that assess strength and endurance, improving readiness and preventing injuries.&#8221; Troops are required to take the test at least once a year.
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-deploys-national-guard-to-chicago-as-pritzker-melts-down-over-invasion">deployed</a> around 300 National Guard troops to Illinois as the president seeks to crack down on illegal immigration and violent crime in the Chicago area. The Trump administration, however, has been <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/appeals-court-blocks-trump-deploy-national-guard-illinois-rcna237065">blocked</a> by an appeals court from deploying those troops to the streets.

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Texas National Guard Trims The Fat – Literally – After Viral Photo Sparks Fitness Concerns

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