At a time when the Pentagon is finally waking up to the physical collapse of our armed forces, Texas has a unique opportunity to lead.
In March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sounded the alarm with <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4118161/rapid-force-wide-review-of-military-standards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a directive</a>: Military standards have dangerously eroded. “Our adversaries are not growing weaker,” he wrote. “Our tasks are not growing less challenging.”
He ordered a department-wide review of physical fitness, grooming, and readiness standards and <a href="https://x.com/SecDef/status/1907509325804798454" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently stated</a>, “For too long, we’ve allowed standards to slip within the ranks for men and women serving in combat MOSs. This is unacceptable and over.”
He also welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the Pentagon, pledging to ensure our warfighters are “healthy and fit to fight.” These moves reflect a growing recognition of the military’s readiness crisis — and that rebuilding a warrior culture requires action, not speeches.
Texas is answering that call.
The Texas Military Forces Health and Readiness Act (House Bill 4993) is a no-compromise legislative initiative to restore physical readiness, health, and resilience in the Texas Military Forces. It aligns with the Department of Defense’s renewed focus on standards and provides a battle-ready model that other states — and even the federal government — can adopt.
<h3>The Current Readiness Crisis And Systemic Failures</h3>
<div id="attachment_908487" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908487" class="size-large wp-image-908487" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-866x576.jpg" alt="EL PASO, TEXAS - APRIL 02: Texas National Guard soldiers transport border fencing layered with concertina wire near the Rio Grande river on April 02, 2024 in El Paso, Texas. Last week, hundreds of migrants seeking asylum clashed with Texas national guardsmen while waiting to turn themselves in to border patrol agents for processing. Texas continues awaiting a verdict on Senate Bill 4. Attorneys representing the state of Texas are scheduled to return to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on April 3 to continue arguing for the constitutional basis of the bill. Senate Bill 4 allows state law enforcement officials to detain and arrest undocumented immigrants suspected of illegally crossing into the United States. Thus far, all prior attempts to put the Bill into effect have been blocked by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />Brandon Bell/Getty Images</div>
The National Guard plays an increasingly vital dual role: it must respond to domestic crises and be ready to “fight tonight” in peer-level combat operations. Hegseth has emphasized the need to “match threats to capabilities.” But for states like Texas — where the Guard is expected to conduct disaster operations, support border security, and remain deployable worldwide — this mission cannot be met under current conditions.
This isn’t just about pushups. America’s military readiness crisis is real, and it’s gutting our combat capability across the force. Military readiness isn’t a slogan — it’s the bedrock of deterrence and victory. Yet today, 68% of U.S. service members are overweight or obese, according to a 2023 report by the American Security Project. Fitness-related health costs and lost duty time exceed $1.35 billion annually, directly sabotaging operational effectiveness. That’s bad enough for active-duty forces — but for the National Guard, the situation is catastrophic.
If active-duty service members with full access to resources are struggling, the situation for part-time National Guard forces is even more dire. In Texas, part-time Guardsmen train a fraction of the time compared to Active Duty. They are spread across vast distances, often without access to adequate training facilities, wellness programs, or basic fitness infrastructure. Unlike the Active Duty, the Guard operates with persistent disparities in funding, support services, and oversight. Wellness programs go underutilized, accountability is virtually nonexistent, and time for physical training is painfully limited. The result? A force on the edge of collapse — unfit, underprepared, and unable to meet the demands of today’s missions. This isn’t just a training problem. It’s a strategic liability.
<h3>The Army’s Food Scandal: A Symptom Of The Larger Collapse</h3>
Adding insult to injury is the military’s broken nutrition system. A January 2025 Military.com <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/investigations-and-features/2025/02/14/over-151-million-taken-soldiers-paychecks-food-costs-spent-elsewhere-army.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> found that the Army diverted over $151 million in food allowance payments from junior enlisted soldiers, with only 30% of those funds actually going toward meals. At Fort Cavazos in Texas, only $11.7 million of $42.5 million collected went to feed troops. Other bases relied on vending machines stocked with sugary snacks, or served meals of toast and lima beans — or no meals at all.
This isn’t just a logistical failure. It’s a betrayal of the trust and conditions necessary for building a capable, professional fighting force. For the National Guard, already starved of resources and time, this neglect is lethal. This is not a military prepared to win wars — it’s a hollow shell.
<div id="attachment_908491" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908491" class="size-large wp-image-908491" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-864x576.jpg" alt="EAGLE PASS, TEXAS - JANUARY 12: National Guard soldiers stand guard on the banks of the Rio Grande river at Shelby Park on January 12, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Texas National Guard continues its blockade and surveillance of Shelby Park in an effort to deter illegal immigration. The Department of Justice has accused the Texas National Guard of blocking Border Patrol agents from carrying out their duties along the river. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Brandon Bell/Getty Images</div>
<h3>HB 4993: A Texas-Size Fix</h3>
HB <a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB04993I.htm">4993</a> is a Texas-sized solution to this national crisis. It creates a comprehensive, accountable system to rebuild readiness:
<ul>
<li>Statewide Fitness Access: State-funded gym memberships and access to certified civilian trainers ensure Guardsmen across Texas can train consistently, regardless of location.</li>
<li>Integrated Digital Platform: Service members get real-time fitness tracking, customized plans, injury prevention, and mental health tools in a secure app.</li>
<li>Comprehensive Wellness Services: The bill funds rehabilitation, nutrition counseling, mental health support, and family-based fitness programs, because force readiness starts at home.</li>
<li>Performance-Based Culture: Structured incentives, advancement pathways, and public recognition will restore the warrior ethos and reward excellence.</li>
<li>Transparency and Accountability: Quarterly reports to the Legislature, corrective action plans, and unit-level oversight. If readiness falters, the system adapts — now, not later.</li>
<li>Minimal Cost, Maximum Return: This initiative delivers a high-impact return at a fraction of the $1.35 billion national fitness-related losses. This is a high-impact, low-cost readiness reform that delivers immediate and lasting results — saving lives, taxpayer dollars, and national security. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Reinforcing National Readiness Priorities</h3>
For too long, the physical and mental health of our service members has been allowed to rot — not because of funding shortages, but because of cowardice, complacency, and a lack of standards. HB 4993 rejects that failure. It embodies the resolve to act decisively and reforge a professional force worthy of the missions it’s expected to carry out.
This is the moment for Texas to lead. HB 4993 supports the national call to “Make America Healthy Again” and hands other states a clear, scalable playbook. The health, fitness, and discipline of our military are not internal HR concerns — they are national security imperatives.
Readiness isn’t negotiable. It’s the prerequisite for effective deterrence, mission success, and survival in a world of growing threats. Texas is doing its part. Now the Texas Legislature must rise to the occasion — and show the nation what readiness, resolve, and responsibility really look like.
* * *
Ammon Blair is a Senior Fellow for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s ‘Secure &amp; Sovereign Texas’ Initiative.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Texas National Guard Works To Secure Southern Border In El Paso

Rebuilding The Warrior Class: Texas Can Lead With Military Fitness Reform

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Marines Attacking on Okinawa

OKINAWA, THE FINAL BATTLE, Part Four: Conquering ‘Hell’s Cesspool’

OKINAWA, THE FINAL BATTLE, Part Four: Conquering 'Hell's Cesspool'

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USS Bunker Hill hit by two kamikaze pilots.

OKINAWA, THE FINAL BATTLE, Part Three: ‘Floating Chrysanthemums’

OKINAWA, THE FINAL BATTLE, Part Three: 'Floating Chrysanthemums'

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American Assault On Okinawa

OKINAWA, THE LAST BATTLE, Part Two: Facing The Shuri Line 

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Marine Charging During Battle of Okinawa

OKINAWA, THE LAST BATTLE, Part One: Operation Iceberg

American History

Vice President JD Vance arrived in Greenland on Friday, where he spoke to members of the United States military and discussed the strategic importance of the territory for America&#8217;s national security.
The vice president joined his wife, Usha, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) in Greenland for a tour of Pituffik Space Base. The American visitors were also set to attend a dogsled race and visit some of Greenland&#8217;s historical sites, but the territory&#8217;s prime minister claimed earlier this week that the visit is proof of American aggression. President Donald Trump has suggested making Greenland a part of the United States, arguing that the move would be good for both Greenlanders and Americans.
&#8220;I think a lot of Americans wonder, &#8216;Well, why does Greenland matter so much? Why does the mission of this base matter so much to the American people?'&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;And I learned a lot about that today myself. Of course, you can read about it in a book, but I saw it up close and personal. And if, God forbid &#8230; if a missile was from an enemy country or an enemy submarine into the United States, it is the people here before us who would give notice to our brave men and women farther south in the United States to let people know what was coming, and God willing, to try to shoot it down and prepare for it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;Why does Greenland matter so much? &#8212; We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, Arctic naval routes, and in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure America is leading in the Arctic.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/KVZeVxTbtW">pic.twitter.com/KVZeVxTbtW</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905686449602916696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, Arctic naval routes, and, indeed, in the minerals of the Arctic territories,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We need to ensure America is leading in the Arctic.&#8221;
The vice president credited President Trump for focusing on Greenland, saying that it has opened Americans&#8217; eyes to the important role the Arctic plays in global security. Vance said that Greenlanders will maintain their &#8220;self-determination,&#8221; adding, &#8220;We hope that they choose to partner with the United States because we&#8217;re the only nation on Earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security because their security is very much our security.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;Yes, the people of Greenland are going to have self-determination. We hope that they choose to partner with the United States because we&#39;re the only nation on Earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security because their security is very much our… <a href="https://t.co/PREoVdiGIy">pic.twitter.com/PREoVdiGIy</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1905688776191393827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Greenland Prime Minister Mute B. Egede said earlier this week that the &#8220;only purpose&#8221; of the United States delegation to Greenland &#8220;is to show a demonstration of power to us.&#8221; Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also expressed concern about the visit, saying that it “cannot be seen in isolation from the public statements that have been made.”

JD Vance

Vance Arrives In Greenland, Speaks On Territory’s Importance To U.S. Military

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Global Politics

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The United States military is continuing its efforts to recover a vehicle that became submerged in a swamp in Lithuania this week that is believed to contain the bodies of four U.S. Army soldiers who went missing during the incident.
The soldiers from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing during scheduled tactical training this week at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, just a few miles away from the country&#8217;s border with Belarus.
&#8220;We are leveraging every available U.S. and Lithuanian asset to coordinate for and provide the required resources for this effort,&#8221; said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division.
The U.S. military said that the soldiers were riding in an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle, which is a giant armored tow truck designed to pull damaged tanks off the battlefield, when they went missing.
The vehicle was located on Wednesday, just one day after the soldiers went missing, after an extensive search from United States and Lithuanian military forces.
The thick forests and swampy terrain present unique challenges in trying to recover the vehicle as &#8220;thick mud and soft ground&#8221; have &#8220;required specialized equipment to drain water from the side and stabilize the ground,&#8221; the military said in a statement.
&#8220;Engineers on site are working to create berms,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;These berms—barriers built of dirt and sand from the nearby terrain—are designed to create a contained area from which water can be pumped and mud dredged, providing emergency personnel on site access to the vehicle.&#8221;
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a statement on Wednesday that everyone&#8217;s &#8220;prayers are with their families, teammates, the entire unit—and everyone conducting search operations.&#8221;
&#8220;Nothing our troops do — whether in combat or in training — is ever routine,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We will not rest until our troops are found.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Four of our brave soldiers from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division are currently missing in Lithuania. They were conducting scheduled tactical training. Our prayers are with their families, teammates, the entire unit—and everyone conducting search operations. Nothing our troops… <a href="https://t.co/mIVklSD2BK">https://t.co/mIVklSD2BK</a>
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1905016533539328171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote>

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U.S. Military Recovery Efforts Still Ongoing To Recover Vehicle Trapped In Swamp

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers who went missing during training exercises in Lithuania this week have died.
&#8220;This is still early news so we do not know the details,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones.&#8221;
The U.S. military said that the soldiers were riding in a M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle, which is a giant armored tow truck designed to pull damaged tanks off the battlefield, when they went missing.
The vehicle was &#8220;discovered submerged in a body of water in a training area after a search by U.S. Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces and other Lithuanian authorities,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Recovery efforts are underway by U.S. Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies.&#8221;
The U.S. military said earlier in the day that the four U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing during scheduled tactical training this week at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, just a few miles away from the country&#8217;s border with Belarus.
“I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, the V Corps commanding general. “It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders.”

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Four U.S. Soldiers Found Dead After Training Exercise Near Belarusian Border

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The Left-wing resistance continues to extend to the courts.
Judges all over the United States are now acting outside of their jurisdiction in striking down nationwide action by the White House on the basis of temporary restraining orders. This was never a part of the American legal landscape until about 1960. There is still no clear Supreme Court precedent as to whether a district court judge can enjoin entire national policies based on a local case that&#8217;s being brought in some far-flung federal jurisdiction.
Now, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes of Washington, D.C., has barred the Trump administration from ousting transgendered people from the military.
I was unaware there is a federal right to serve in the military. In fact, there is no federal right to serve in the military. There&#8217;s a whole range of conditions that bar people from serving in the military, ranging from depression to obesity.
The judge <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/reyes-blocks-trans-military-ban-opinion.pdf">said</a> in her opinion, “The Court’s opinion is long, but its premise is simple. In the self-evident truth that ‘all people are created equal,’ all means all. Nothing more. And certainly nothing less.”
Hold up just a second. “All people are created equal” means that people have equal rights. It does not mean they&#8217;re equal in all of their capabilities. 
And whether you serve in the military is a question of capability.
The judge’s perspective can be likened to saying that if you are a legless person, rejection from service as a police officer is some form of discrimination.
It just might make it hard for you to chase criminals.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2162-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
One of the things that makes you less militarily ready is thinking you&#8217;re a member of the opposite sex and then requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars of hormone treatments, facial surgeries, and reconstructive genital surgeries be performed to make you feel better about yourself. I would argue that&#8217;s not a great contributor to military readiness. 
Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, <a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1902338216130179147" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> this statement: “Currently, district court judges have assumed the mantle of Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security and Commander-in-Chief. Each day, they change the foreign policy, economic, staffing and national security policies of the Administration. Each day the nation arises to see what the craziest unelected local federal judge has decided the policies of the government of the United States shall be. It is madness. It is lunacy. It is pure lawlessness. It is the gravest assault on democracy. It must and will end.”
This is exactly why the Supreme Court needs to take up these cases immediately. Just elevate the issue to the Supreme Court already. What are they doing?
This is the fault of Chief Justice John Roberts. There was a case that was elevated in which the Supreme Court asked whether district court judges had the ability to issue nationwide injunctions, temporary restraining orders. The case was turned down by a majority of the Court.
That&#8217;s why this sort of chaos is emerging in the courts.
If Roberts wants to reestablish some form of actual credibility in the courts, the Supreme Court needs to rule on this matter.
This is precisely what President Trump is actually planning — to get this to the Supreme Court for the purpose of clarity. In a piece titled “Inside Trump’s Supreme Plot on Immigration,” <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/19/trump-plot-supreme-court-immigration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a> writes, “President Trump has accelerated a multipronged, methodically planned strategy to push the Supreme Court to bless his power to deport vastly more people with vastly fewer judicial restraints, top officials tell Axios. Trump officials see at least five questions that they hope the Supreme Court will answer.”
According to Axios, those questions include: 
<ol>
<li>Does a peacetime president have the right to deport noncitizens under the war-time Alien Enemies Act — even if there&#8217;s no declared war against a foreign adversary?</li>
<li>Should a single federal judge in a district court have the power to block a president&#8217;s deportation program nationwide?</li>
<li>Can that federal judge&#8217;s order extend to international waters and demand that a plane full of deportees turn around mid-flight?</li>
<li>Does a green card holder like Khalil have speech rights that protect him from deportation? Or can the secretary of state unilaterally declare his speech &#8220;adverse&#8221; to U.S. foreign policy interests because the government alleges it aligns with the terror group Hamas?</li>
<li>Can the secretary of state&#8217;s power to deport immigrants based on foreign-policy concerns extend to so many student visa holders that some colleges won&#8217;t be able to admit foreign-exchange students?</li>
</ol>
Trump seeking clarity from the Supreme Court is just how the system is supposed to work.
Getting the Supreme Court to rule on issues is part of their job.
And they should do it.

Stephen Miller Speaks To Media At White House

The Left Uses Courts To Stop Trump. Supreme Court Has Yet To Intervene.

Ben Shapiro

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Federal Government

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Leftists

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The big news from the weekend is that President Trump announced attacks by the United States military on the Houthis, a group of America-hating, Jew-hating, anti-Israel, anti-American, near-Satanic terrorists in Yemen, who have been at war with the Saudi government for a very long time.
The Biden administration pushed the Saudis to give up their war with the Houthis on “humanitarian grounds.”
After October 7, 2023, the result was that the Houthis decided to target Israel with missile strikes and to target shipping in the Red Sea, a major artery for international shipping and trade. The Houthis are almost entirely funded and staffed by the Iranian military, which has propped up the Houthis for years.
How much has international shipping been affected by the Houthi attacks? Global consumer goods inflation increased by approximately 0.6% to 0.7% in 2024 alone, due to higher shipping rates caused by Houthi attacks.
That is a significant amount. The current inflation rate in the United States is hovering around 2.8% to 3%. Imagine subtracting 0.6% or 0.7% from that. That amount would be much closer to normalcy.
A huge chunk of the hike in inflation could theoretically be attributed to the attacks that the Houthis are launching on international shipping.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2159-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
The average cost for shipping a 40-foot container has risen to around $3,000, up from less than $1,500 before the attacks. Why? Because shipments that used to take the shortcut through the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea are now forced to go all the way around the Horn of Africa, which takes much longer and is much more costly.
Additional fuel costs for rerouting ships around Africa are roughly $1 million more per voyage. About 90% of ships are now avoiding the Red Sea route due to those Houthi attacks. Container shipping through the Red Sea has declined by approximately 90%. The number of merchant ships passing through the Red Sea annually has dropped from 25,000 to 10,000. Such rerouting adds an average of 10 to 14 days to voyage time.
For those wondering why receiving packages takes longer than it did just a few years ago, that would be one reason. Seventy-five percent of all United-States- and United-Kingdom-affiliated vessels and 60% of European-Union-affiliated vessels are now rerouting around Africa instead of transiting the Red Sea. At least 30 ships have been damaged by Houthi attacks. Normally, the Suez Canal handles about 12% of all global trade. That&#8217;s $1 trillion of goods per year, and that number is shrinking to close to zero because of the Houthi attacks.
Yes, it&#8217;s about time we went after them.
So, President Trump announced over the weekend that the United States military was targeting the Houthis. He <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114167864888304754" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>: 
<blockquote>The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends. 
Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.
To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!</blockquote>
This is what I signed up for — because it turns out that freedom of the seas is unbelievably important. And the United States, as the global hegemon, is the guarantor of the freedom of the seas.
Launching attacks on pirates is a United States tradition that dates back to Thomas Jefferson fighting the Barbary pirates who were attacking American shipping.
What President Trump is doing is an excellent use of the United States military.
This is the “peace through strength” model that President Trump has always applied. Guaranteeing freedom of the seas is also a very good international signal. The Chinese government has been exploring farther away from land masses it controls into waterways in the South China Sea, which is a massive shipping artery as well, holding up boating and shipping from places like the Philippines.
Thus, this attack on the Houthis is a very powerful signal (to countries such as China) that the United States is not going to allow the shutdown of international waterways.
The White House shared some pictures of President Trump overseeing the strikes on the Houthis. I love it. President Trump came in from his game of golf wearing his MAGA hat with headphones on.
I love the casual nature of President Trump coming off the golf course so he could watch what was happening. I think that&#8217;s wonderful, because it&#8217;s with that level of casualness that we should treat America&#8217;s enemies.
If you screw with us, we will stomp you into the ground. We should smash you like a giant boot on a worm.

President Trump Participates In A Kennedy Center Board Meeting And Tour

Trump Stomps On Houthis. No More Screwing With America.

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President Donald Trump announced Friday night that the United States had killed the fugitive leader of ISIS after he was &#8220;relentlessly&#8221; pursued.
“Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”
Shortly after Trump’s post, U.S. Central Command shared video of the airstrike that took out Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, and a second ISIS operative. Abu Khadijah was the chief of global operations and the delegated committee emir for ISIS and officially the second-in-command for the Islamic terrorist organization.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief of Global Operations Who Also Served as ISIS #2
On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader,… <a href="https://t.co/rWeEoUY7Lw">pic.twitter.com/rWeEoUY7Lw</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1900737395915440260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
According to CENTCOM, the precision airstrike was conducted in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in conjunction with Iraqi intelligence and security forces. CENTCOM added that Abu Khadijah “maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization.”
Both American and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and discovered two ISIS terrorists dead with undetonated suicide vests and weapons, U.S. officials said. CENTCOM noted that they confirmed Abu Khadijah was dead after matching DNA from the site to DNA they obtained after he “narrowly escaped” an earlier raid.
“Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond,” said United States Central Command General Michael Erik Kurilla.
Trump administration officials celebrated the airstrike, calling it a win for safety.
“Big news. The world is a safer place with Donald Trump as America’s Commander in Chief,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Big news.
The world is a safer place with Donald Trump as America’s Commander in Chief. <a href="https://t.co/zyfX2s3LmX">pic.twitter.com/zyfX2s3LmX</a>
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1900734529855230067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Well done<a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM"> @CENTCOM</a>. Always on target,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Well done <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CENTCOM</a>. Always on target. <a href="https://t.co/6IsJigajSw">https://t.co/6IsJigajSw</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1900748865092936117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

‘His Miserable Life Was Terminated’: Trump Announces Top ISIS Leader Dead After U.S. Strike

Iraq

ISIS

Radical Islamic Terror

Terrorism

The captain of a Portuguese-registered cargo ship was arrested this week after his ship rammed into a United States-flagged tanker in the North Sea that was under contract by the United States military to transport jet fuel.
The 59-year-old Russian national, who has not yet been identified, was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter by British authorities shortly after the incident occurred.
Officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-flagged-ship-contracted-by-u-s-military-hit-in-north-sea">have not</a> ruled out foul play after the United States-flagged MV Stena Immaculate was struck by the Portuguese-flagged MV Solong container ship on Monday while at anchor off the coast of the U.K.
USNI News reported that the ship was under a 70-day contract by Military Sealift Command to support the Defense Logistics Agency, which is responsible for managing fuel for the United States military.
“The collision and ensuing explosions will not impact operations or combat readiness,” a United States official told Reuters. “We do not have a single point of failure.”
While there is no official indication that Russia was behind the incident, officials have been on heightened alert amid Russia&#8217;s ongoing war in Ukraine as it is believed that they were behind sabotage efforts that have destroyed undersea cables and various <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/western-intel-officials-russia-behind-arson-attack-at-german-factory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">manufacturing sites</a> throughout Europe of components critical to Ukraine&#8217;s war effort. They are also believed to have been behind a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia-plot-us-planes-incendiary-devices-de3b8c0a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foiled plot</a> to place bombs on cargo planes destined for the United States.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the nearby Port of Grimsby East, told CNN that he was shocked by the accident given that it should have been easily avoided.
“It seems a mystery, really, because all the vessels now have very highly sophisticated technical equipment to plot courses and to look at any obstacles or anything they’ve got to avoid,” he said.
He said that there had to have been &#8220;warning signs&#8221; on the Solong.
&#8220;They must have been able to detect it on the radar,” he said.
The moment that the incident occurred was captured on video by Orca AI’s SeaPod unit. The video includes standard video, which shows that there was fog involved, and thermal imaging.
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="STENA IMMACULATE COLLISION CAUGHT ON CAMERA" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1K4JQ0VxLIQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-ACCIDENT-ENVIRONMENT

Russian National Arrested After Ship Crashes Into Refueling Tanker Under U.S. Military Contract

Crime

Russia

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