Leftist and perennial Trump-critic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy got hammered online after he appeared to cheer for the failure of the U.S. against Iran.
On Monday, following reports that at least 26 vessels from Iran’s &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; successfully bypassed a U.S. blockade, the Connecticut senator offered a succinct, one-word response on social media: “Awesome.”
The backlash was swift and deservedly brutal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Year of our Lord 2026: Democrat US Senator openly rooting for Iran to defeat the US in battle. Every Dem on the Hill ought to be hounded today by every reporter to answer for this lunatic. <a href="https://t.co/8ixSVsGFRo">pic.twitter.com/8ixSVsGFRo</a>
&mdash; Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/2046545767913951311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democratic politicians continue to condemn the U.S. campaign against Iran in the midst of critical talks. Yet, few have come close to the extremes of Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), who just responded to a report of 26 Iranian vessels evading the U.S. blockade with &quot;awesome&quot;&#8230;
&mdash; Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanTurley/status/2046563825839718445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrats are openly cheering for the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/Mk787lUOpa">pic.twitter.com/Mk787lUOpa</a>
&mdash; Ryan Saavedra (@RyanSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanSaavedra/status/2046443906120999240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;Go Iran!&quot; exclaimed the United States Senator.
&mdash; Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) <a href="https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/2046467330927190162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Senator Chris Murphy….. RESIGN, TRAITOR!! <a href="https://t.co/THSNOFHap0">https://t.co/THSNOFHap0</a>
&mdash; Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) <a href="https://twitter.com/atensnut/status/2046575350381998274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This douche bag should be censored and never allowed on a US military installation ever again. Our troops deserve better than seditious rhetoric from a sitting “representative.”
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuzzPatterson/status/2046455113620029740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<div>
Murphy later clarified that his comment was &#8220;sarcasm.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not “awesome”. As I have said a million times here, it’s a disaster and he should end the war immediately. My tweet was something called “sarcasm”. <a href="https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1">https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1</a>
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/2046590235643896291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But to further humiliate Murphy, reports later surfaced that the claim of the 26 ships was a fiction:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“So that was just Iranian propaganda?”
“Yes, absolutely.”<a href="https://twitter.com/TreyYingst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreyYingst</a> reports there’s no evidence any vessels left Iranian ports or moved through the Strait of Hormuz — undercutting the false narrative about 26 Iranian ships slipping past a U.S. blockade. | <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> <a href="https://t.co/jnUB9yoSFK">pic.twitter.com/jnUB9yoSFK</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2046568720781156395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
For those who have watched Murphy’s trajectory, this wasn&#8217;t an isolated gaffe; it was the culmination of a long-standing pattern of freelance diplomacy and radical rhetoric.
</div>
<div>
Back in 2020, Murphy was caught in a &#8220;secret meeting&#8221; in Munich with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif—a meeting first exposed by The Federalist. At the time, Murphy <a href="https://halifax.citynews.ca/2020/02/18/us-lawmaker-defends-meeting-with-iran-fm-in-munich/">defended</a> his back-channeling, claiming it was &#8220;dangerous not to talk to one’s enemies.&#8221; Critics, however, were quick to point out the staggering hypocrisy: Murphy had spent years shrieking about &#8220;collusion&#8221; regarding Trump officials’ contacts with foreign leaders, yet saw no issue with undermining sitting U.S. policy while meeting with a regime responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.
</div>
<div>
As the U.S. recently ramped up military pressure to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, Murphy’s rhetoric shifted from &#8220;diplomat&#8221; to &#8220;defeatist.&#8221; He has repeatedly characterized U.S. actions as &#8220;dangerously illegal,&#8221; &#8220;unnecessary,&#8221; and a &#8220;<a href="https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-trumps-illegal-war-with-iran">mistake of staggering scale</a>.&#8221; He has gone so far as to accuse the administration of &#8220;terrorizing innocent Iranians&#8221; and <a href="https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-substack-pay-attention-when-your-president-promises-to-commit-war-crimes">committing “war crimes</a>,&#8221; all while bizarrely suggesting that the 25th Amendment be used against a president he describes as &#8220;unglued&#8221; and a &#8220;would-be dictator.&#8221;
</div>
<div>
Murphy’s obsession with &#8220;collectivism&#8221; and his disdain for American &#8220;individualism&#8221; often mirror the talking points of the very radicals he empowers. While he bloviates about the &#8220;trillions wasted&#8221; in overseas conflicts, he remains curiously silent on the billions in oil revenue his preferred policies allow to flow back into Tehran’s coffers.
</div>
<div>
To Murphy, a U.S. blockade being outmaneuvered by a rogue regime isn&#8217;t a security failure—it’s &#8220;awesome.&#8221;
</div>
<div>
It is a chilling reminder that for some in the Senate, the goal isn&#8217;t American victory; it’s the managed decline of the West in favor of the &#8220;warmth&#8221; of globalist submission.
</div>

Brexit

‘Resign, Traitor’: Chris Murphy Torched After Shocking Post Celebrating False Iranian Ship Success

Chris Murphy

Global Politics

Iran

Politics

U.S. Senate

A national grassroots organization is pressing Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to prioritize health care price transparency in upcoming legislative negotiations, arguing that a key pillar of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda now hinges on congressional action.
In a letter delivered Thursday, Save Our States (SOS) urged Thune to make price transparency “a top policy priority” as Senate committees prepare to take up health care legislation in the coming weeks. The push comes as lawmakers return to Washington and begin shaping what could become the GOP’s next major domestic policy package.
“Price transparency is the essential first step to healthcare affordability and returning accountability to American health systems,” Trent England, the group’s executive director, wrote in the letter, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire. “Patients without access to clear prices lack the power to act as consumers … often leaving them with devastating surprise medical bills after it’s too late.”
The appeal highlights the Trump administration’s health care agenda, which has elevated upfront pricing as a central reform. Under the administration’s “Great Healthcare Plan,” officials have called for requiring providers and insurers that accept Medicare or Medicaid to publicly post prices in an effort to curb hidden costs and billing surprises.
SOS is now pushing the Senate to translate that framework into statute, warning that without enforcement mechanisms, existing transparency rules risk remaining uneven or ineffective.
As part of its recommendations, the group is calling for stricter compliance requirements on hospitals and insurers, expanded transparency rules covering “shoppable” services like imaging and lab work, and standardized disclosure of real out-of-pocket costs rather than estimates.
“Giving Americans power to act as informed consumers … addresses concerns about the cost of living, wage growth, and our overall economy,” England wrote. “Making healthcare prices transparent and fostering competition will allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money and face less financial uncertainty.”
The renewed push comes as polling continues to show overwhelming support for transparency reforms across the political spectrum. A poll released ahead of the 2024 presidential election by <a href="https://www.patientrightsadvocate.org/blog/new-poll-an-overwhelming-92-of-americans-support-healthcare-price-transparency">PatientRightsAdvocate.org</a> found that 92 percent of likely voters support requiring hospitals and insurers to provide real prices upfront, including 94 percent of Democrats, 92 percent of independents, and 91 percent of Republicans.
The same poll found that 98 percent of voters support transparent pricing in health care, higher than support for transparency in industries like airlines, while 91 percent said upfront pricing would protect workers from hidden fees. Another 88 percent said transparency would increase competition and lower costs, and 77 percent indicated they would prefer a president who prioritizes such reforms.
The Trump administration capitalized on that favorability, reviving and expanding federal transparency efforts early in the president’s second term. In February 2025, Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/making-america-healthy-again-by-empowering-patients-with-clear-accurate-and-actionable-healthcare-pricing-information/">executive order</a> directing federal agencies to strengthen enforcement of existing price transparency rules and require disclosure of actual, upfront healthcare prices, not estimates.
The order used transparency as a corrective measure to what it described as a system where “prices were hidden from patients and employers,” allowing hospitals and insurers to operate with “insufficient accountability” while driving up costs. It also called for standardized pricing data and more aggressive enforcement against noncompliant providers.
But more than a year later, many of those reforms remain in the implementation phase, with Congress still needed to codify the policy into law and ensure it survives beyond executive action. The letter lands as health care costs continue to rank among voters’ top domestic concerns heading into the midterm cycle, adding pressure on lawmakers to produce tangible reforms.
In the Senate, legislation such as the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, led by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), has drawn bipartisan support in the upper chamber, signaling that transparency measures may be one of the few areas of health care policy capable of advancing across party lines. The bill would codify and expand existing federal requirements, though its fate remains tied to broader negotiations over a GOP health care package. With committee markups expected in the near future, SOS is escalating its push directly to Senate leadership as a broadly popular, commonsense policy with implications far beyond the health care system.
The moment represents both an opportunity and a test for Senate Republicans, who have rallied around the concept of transparency, but have yet to coalesce around a finalized legislative vehicle. Whether that urgency translates into legislative action, however, remains an open question. While the administration continues to advance its agenda and outside groups intensify their lobbying efforts, the Senate has yet to signal when, or whether, it will move a comprehensive health care package to the floor.
For now, the gap between policy alignment and legislative execution persists, leaving one of the administration’s most politically durable domestic priorities awaiting action on Capitol Hill.

John Thune 3/03/26

Hospitals Posting Real Prices Before Care Could Soon Be The New Reality

Healthcare

John Thune

Trump Administration

The SAVE America Act may be stalled in the Senate, but Congress is still debating it, and every American, regardless of political affiliation, should demand its passage. Requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections is overwhelmingly popular and long overdue. Yet even if the bill becomes law — and especially if it dies under Democrat obstruction — states should not be sitting idle. State legislatures should be passing strong measures to ensure that only citizens can vote in all American elections.
Evidence of the problem is not hard to find. Over four years, a single county in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thefederalist.com/2026/03/19/thousands-of-noncitizens-on-voter-rolls-in-one-county-underscore-need-for-save-act/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmdmPnkvY$">removed</a> nearly 2,000 noncitizens from its voter rolls. States like <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2025/10/29/ohio-noncitizens-voting__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmRpCs_8Q$">Ohio</a>, Texas, and Virginia have identified thousands more, many of whom had cast illegal ballots that canceled out the legal votes of Americans. The system is fundamentally broken, and far-left Democrats only seem interested in adamantly opposing commonsense reforms.
The lion’s share of the problem stems from the National Voter Registration Act and the <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmSOkY8Mo$">National Mail Voter Registration Form</a> it created. A 2013 Supreme Court ruling misinterpreted the law, forcing states to “accept and use” this federal form as-is. So long as someone checks a box claiming citizenship, officials must register him to vote and can’t require actual proof of citizenship. Only later can those officials attempt to verify that claim through less reliable means. Thanks to the federal form, a noncitizen is one lie away from voting.
States have repeatedly petitioned the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to modify the form to honor their own proof-of-citizenship laws, but the Democrat commissioners have frustrated those efforts, including ignoring an executive order from President Trump. The SAVE America Act would solve this by requiring up-front proof of citizenship, but Senate Democrats are stonewalling. That fight must continue, and it is time for states to step up.
First, every state should require proof of citizenship to register: a birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, or other documents already required to get REAL IDs. If the voter has already given this to the DMV, a simple driver’s license number will do. Officials verify citizenship and add the voter to the rolls. No proof, no registration.
The federal form will remain a problem unless it is fixed or the Supreme Court reverses its erroneous ruling. Until then, the focus should be on damage control, that is, limiting the risk of noncitizens using the federal form to register. The Constitution offers a solution. Congress may “make or alter” the rules of congressional elections, but states retain control over state and presidential elections.
Using this framework, states should create a category of “federal-only” voters. If states cannot verify the citizenship of a federal-form applicant, he only gets to vote in congressional elections. Arizona pioneered this system in 2021, and the radical Left sued, but the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the federal-only system to remain in effect. Utah adopted a similar model this year. More states should follow — and go further.
States should use every available state and federal database to vet new and existing registrations. The Trump administration transformed the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database into a free and easy tool to scan voter rolls for potential noncitizens. Legislatures should make its use mandatory.
DMVs should be collecting citizenship data and automatically sharing it with election officials. States should tap state and federal jury records, too; anyone unable to serve on a jury due to non-citizenship should be flagged for election officials and referred for investigation if they registered or voted. Photo IDs issued to noncitizens should be made visually distinct, and state agencies should be barred from offering to register anyone who is not a citizen.
Critics howl that citizenship laws will disenfranchise millions. But that is the charge they level against every election safeguard, and it never comes true. Americans easily comply with proof-of-citizenship requirements in other contexts. The same Senate that is now deadlocked on the SAVE America Act voted unanimously in 2005 to require Americans to prove citizenship to get a REAL ID.
Federal law requires individuals to prove identity and citizenship to get a job or apply for most welfare benefits. These laws haven’t barred millions from roads, airports, or welfare offices. The same will be true for voting. Americans understand this, which is why more than <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.gallup.com/poll/652523/americans-endorse-early-voting-voter-verification.aspx__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmXjPzwZJ$">80% of the public</a> wants everyone to prove citizenship to vote.
The SAVE America Act may yet pass, but the next election won’t wait. Republican-controlled state legislatures should be moving now — even convening in special sessions — to strengthen their laws before the midterms. Many states have made progress, but few have gone as far as they should to ensure that elections are reserved for American citizens. It’s time to change that.
* * *
Jason Snead is Executive Director of the Honest Elections Project Action.
Hans von Spakovsky is a Senior Legal Fellow at Advancing American Freedom.

Senator Mike Lee Holds Capitol Hill News Conference On The SAVE America Act

The SAVE America Act May Stall. States Shouldn’t.

States Should Pass Their Own SAVE Acts

Congress

Democrats

DW Opinion

Election Fraud

Republicans

SAVE America Act

Vote Fraud

Voter ID

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a measure that would have blocked President Donald Trump from future military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Senate Republicans defeated Sen. Tammy Duckworth&#8217;s (D-IL) war powers resolution in a 52-47 vote, mostly along party lines. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the sole Republican to cross the aisle with Democrats, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted no. Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) did not vote. 
<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/123/text">The resolution</a> would have directed the withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities involving the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite a fragile ceasefire still in effect.
“It’s just exhausting,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/14/gop-trump-iran-war-powers-00871766"> told reporters Tuesday</a>. “Doing a war powers resolution just undermines the president. I don’t believe [the Democrats] would do that if the president had a ‘D’ behind his name.”
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine slammed the conflict as a “foolish war of choice.”
“We haven’t yet been able to get more than one Republican to join us, but we’re going to offer them the opportunity to listen to their constituents and do the right thing every week until this war is over,” Kaine said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
It’s been 47 days since Trump attacked Iran. Since then, servicemembers have died, thousands of civilians have died, and Americans are struggling with rising gas prices. My colleagues and I are forcing a vote to bring an end to the chaos. <a href="https://t.co/yOD85V3EGz">pic.twitter.com/yOD85V3EGz</a>
— Senator Tim Kaine (@SenTimKaine) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTimKaine/status/2044414270503301147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
Wednesday&#8217;s vote marks the fourth Democratic-led effort to stop the military campaign since the war started on February 28. Democrats hoped to peel off a handful of Republicans after Trump&#8217;s threat last week that a &#8220;whole civilization will die&#8221; without an agreement. 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-war-powers-vote-iran-tammy-duckworth/">vowed Wednesday to force votes</a> on war power resolutions every week until the war ends or enough Republicans cross over.
On April 1, Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) fired a warning shot at the White House and Congressional Republicans, indicating that his support would expire if the war dragged on too long.
&#8220;I support the president’s actions taken in defense of American lives and interests,&#8221; <a href="http://I support the president’s actions taken in defense of American lives and interests. However, I will not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval. I take this position for two reasons — one is historical, and one is constitutional.">Curtis wrote in an op-ed.</a> &#8220;However, I will not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval. I take this position for two reasons — one is historical, and one is constitutional.&#8221;
Even if the Senate were to pass a war powers resolution, its path forward in the House remains uncertain, and the president would likely veto it.

Senate Rejects GOP Health Plan As Insurance Premium Spike Looms

Senate Move To Halt Trump’s Iran War Comes Down To Just Five Votes

President Donald Trump reiterated his support on Friday afternoon for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in his race to win re-election, as one of Graham&#8217;s main primary opponents, Paul Dans, appears to have exited the race.
<a href="https://www.fitsnews.com/2026/04/10/exclusive-paul-dans-withdraws-from-u-s-senate-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITSNews</a> wrote on Friday that Dans was dropping out of the race, and Trump appeared to confirm the report. The Daily Wire reached out to the Dans campaign, but did not immediately hear back.
“Paul Dans has just dropped out of the South Carolina Senatorial Race against the Great Lindsey Graham,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116382196783520781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump</a> wrote.
“It all started to fall apart for Paul when a very Low IQ individual named Tucker Carlson ENDORSED him — THE KISS OF DEATH! Lindsey has a BIG lead, and is on his way to a spectacular VICTORY because he just, GETS THINGS DONE!” the president added.
In another post moments prior, Trump slammed Graham’s other primary opponent, Mark Lynch, in a Truth Social post, as the Republican senator has fended off critics who have said that he has been too hawkish on military action in the Middle East, particularly in Iran.
“Senator Lindsey Graham is doing a fantastic job. He is running against a LUNATIC named Mark Lynch, who supports perhaps the Worst Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie, of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Trump said.
“I don’t have to go into great detail, but needless to say, Mark Lynch would be a DISASTER for the Republican Party, and Lindsey Graham just, GETS THE JOB DONE. VOTE FOR LINDSEY ALL THE WAY,” the <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116382183704204825" target="_blank" rel="noopener">president</a> added.
Lynch has not held back in his criticism of Graham on matters of foreign policy.
“Lindsey Graham represents a grave National Security threat to Americans, American soldiers, and to every man, woman, and child in the Middle East &#8212; whether Iranian or Israeli,” Lynch <a href="https://x.com/MarkLynchSC/status/2042678395482395085?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> Friday. “On June 9, we Dump Lindsey!”
Trump&#8217;s posts backing Graham were not a surprise, given the president and the senator have been close allies for some time.
However, the posts underscore how the president is firing back against those who have been critical of Operation Epic Fury in Iran, including with a post made on Thursday saying that a handful of podcasters slamming the war are “Low IQ.”
Graham chairs the Senate Budget Committee, which means he will play a critical role in securing congressional funding for the president’s military goals. Last week, the senator praised the Trump administration’s budget request for fiscal year 2027.
“President Trump’s budget is truly historic when it comes to defense spending. It is the most robust increase in defense spending in many years, and it is more than justified by the threats we face throughout the world,” Graham said in a <a href="https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/4/chairman-graham-statement-on-president-trump-s-fy27-budget-request" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “When it comes to our national security, President Trump and his team are second to none.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the Lynch campaign for comment.

President Trump Returns To The  White House After Spending Holidays In Florida

Major Shakeup In Lindsey Graham Primary Race After Trump Blasts War Critics

2026 election

Elections

Lindsey Graham

Senate

South Carolina

A legislative package that promises to be the largest overhaul of kids&#8217; online safety regulation in decades was advanced last month by the House Energy &amp; Commerce Committee. A good sign of a bill&#8217;s efficacy, however, is how strongly the industry it aims to regulate opposes it.
So far, most of the package — including the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7757/text">Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act</a> and the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/836/text">Children’s Online Privacy Protection</a> (COPPA 2.0) Act — has not drawn serious opposition from Big Tech. What gives?
On balance, Silicon Valley has much to gain if these laws pass as drafted.
For starters, the Senate version of COPPA 2.0 doubles down on the existing age of internet adulthood being 13, thus maintaining the industry-preferred status quo. This ignores the harms social media can cause teens well after 13, such as fueling depression, social isolation, or worse. David Molak, to offer just one heartbreaking example, was <a href="https://www.today.com/parents/cliff-molak-petitions-against-cyberbullies-after-teen-brother-s-suicide-t66591">driven by online cyberbullying</a> to commit suicide at 16 years old. That’s why eminent figures like <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/06/well/family/jean-twenge-social-media-screens-teens.html">Jean Twenge</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2025/jun/07/jonathan-haidt-anxious-generation-smartphones">Jonathan Haidt</a> call for raising the age of social media eligibility to 16, and others <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/01/sen-bernie-moreno-says-social-media-worse-than-cigarettes-for-youths-urges-complete-ban.html">call for 18</a>.
This is bad, but perhaps the legislation’s biggest gift to Big Tech is its numerous provisions to preempt or block a growing crop of state laws designed to hold these companies accountable. A look at the finer details of the legislation reveal that Congress would replace robust state regulation with a far lighter “federal standard,” setting a very low ceiling for kids&#8217; online safety at the state level.
Republican sponsors, of course, frame things differently.
In the Washington Post, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/03/09/congress-tech-online-safefy-social-media/">Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), E&amp;C Committee Chair</a> and lead sponsor of the KIDS Act, described the package in adversarial terms, as Congress moving to correct Big Tech’s egregious failure to “self-regulate.” Guthrie is doubtless correct about Big Tech’s shortcomings. But this only makes it more noteworthy that the tech industry does not oppose this legislation.
Big Tech hasn’t been silent about every bill in the package. The App Store Accountability Act, which has been enacted in four states (thus far), has received significant pushback. The Apple-backed App Association <a href="https://actonline.org/2026/03/03/the-fly-in-the-ai-package-ointment-why-asaa-doesnt-belong/">decried</a> the bill as a “poison pill” that would stifle “innovation,” explicitly calling it a “fly in the AI package ointment.”
By openly referring to the child safety package as “the AI package,” the App Association gives away the game. Insiders in Washington regularly admit that they are using the child safety package to mollify the concerns of parents and child safety advocates to pave the way for Congress to pass — <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy/">what the White House calls</a> — a “minimally burdensome” federal AI standard. In an unguarded interview, Amy Bos, vice president of governmental affairs for industry group NetChoice, <a href="https://rollcall.com/2026/03/03/what-to-watch-from-trumps-national-ai-standard/">speaks of</a> “leveraging, or using, possibly, a kid’s package … to get AI across the finish line.”
Big Tech is only interested in kids’ safety if it comes with a much bigger payoff: a federal law that would stop states from enforcing tougher AI regulations. In fact, with help from Republican leadership, Big Tech has already tried twice — and failed twice — to get Congress to do exactly that.
According to a recent <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/03/12/congress/cruz-seeks-to-advance-senate-kids-privacy-proposals-in-next-six-weeks-00825098">announcement</a> by Senator Ted Cruz, one of Big Tech’s key Congressional allies, it looks like Silicon Valley is gearing up for a third attempt. And it seems they’ll have the buy-in to try again. As <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/inside-congress/2026/03/12/house-revolt-ahead-for-housing-bill-00824588">Politico recently reported</a>, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that a federal AI standard is “a ‘big priority’ for the Trump administration, and [he] said a potential bill could be folded into a larger package with other proposals like a kids’ online safety bill.”
But the American people see things differently. Weakening kids&#8217; online safety legislation by tying it to a sweeping “AI package” is a non-starter for American families. Parents nationwide have heard the terrifying story of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/technology/chatgpt-openai-suicide.html">Adam Raine</a>, a 16-year-old boy who was goaded into taking his own life by ChatGPT. They fear that their child might be next. It’s no surprise, then, why, according to a <a href="https://ifstudies.org/blog/americans-want-ai-safeguards-by-a-9-to-1-margin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national poll</a> by the Institute for Family Studies, American voters want Congress to prioritize kids&#8217; online safety over industry carveouts by a margin of nine to one.
Robust online safety for kids is a winning electoral strategy, but tying it to deregulation of AI is a political loser. As a second <a href="https://ifstudies.org/report-brief/the-artificial-politics-of-artificial-intelligence">national Institute for Family Studies poll found</a>, Republican voters in red states support Congressional candidates who protect children from AI harms and oppose those who push preemption. For a party expected to face serious challenges during midterms, it would seem that Republican leadership would be eager to champion the desires of its voters.
Congress should, like countless state legislatures, side with voters and not protect Big Tech companies from responsibility. We have had enough of that.
Ultimately, Rep. Guthrie is right: American families “deserve more than gestures and idle promises. They deserve laws that work.” That includes his.
* * *
Jared Hayden is a policy analyst at the Institute for Family Studies’ Family First Technology Initiative. 
Michael Toscano is the director of the Family First Technology Initiative at the Institute for Family Studies.

teen capitol hill

Big Tech Is Making Its Play And Your Kids Could Be Caught In The Middle

Artificial Intelligence

Big Tech

Capitol Hill

Children

Safety

Silicon Valley

Social Media

Teenagers

U.S. House of Representatives

In his State of the Union address, President Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7whtgZ2MQI">highlighted</a> the need to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks. He pointed to stopping members like Nancy Pelosi, whose stock portfolio has performed extremely well — imagine that.
To the American citizen working hard, paying the bills, and trying to do the right thing, this is not only suspicious but also extremely frustrating. Trust is already at an all-time low. A recent Pew Research study found that just <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/12/04/public-trust-in-government-1958-2025/">17% of Americans</a> say they trust the government. That is partly because members of Congress, like Nancy Pelosi, are trading stocks.
To show you how big a deal this is, Nancy Pelosi earned an estimated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-josephs-knows-pelosis-stock-trades-better-than-anyone-he-says-they-should-be-banned">$130 million</a> while in Congress, often purchasing or selling stocks just before legislative announcements affecting the industries in which she had investments. In 2024 alone, her portfolio grew by 70%. Unfortunately, this isn’t just Nancy Pelosi — it’s a problem across Congress.
What happens when Americans believe the system is rigged? They disengage. They stop believing their votes make a difference and that their government is working on their behalf. We need to restore confidence in elected leaders. That will not happen until the line is clearly drawn. Rebuilding trust requires accountability — and that starts with ending practices that put private profit ahead of the public interest. It also requires transparency and rules that apply equally, without exception or delay.
So, to join President Trump’s call to end this loophole that is eroding the trust of the American people, I introduced the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7008">Stop Insider Trading Act.</a> It says that if you are a member of Congress, or you’re married to one, or you’re the child of one, you cannot purchase individual, publicly traded stocks. To do so is wrong. This legislation is clear, enforceable, and leaves no room for loopholes. The bill also requires a seven-day public notice before sales of stocks that members and those closest to them already own can take place.
There have been previous attempts to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, but no final ban has passed. Every day, lawmakers are attending committee hearings and briefings, meeting with stakeholders, and writing and voting on legislation that could change the course of an industry. Clearly, there is a conflict of interest. How can the American people be sure their elected officials are making decisions for the public good, and not for private gain? The answer is, they can’t.
That is why there is such strong public support for the Stop Insider Trading Act. In fact, one <a href="https://publicconsultation.org/united-states/stock-trading-by-members-of-congress/#:~:text=A%20survey%20by%20the%20Program%20for%20Public,in%20individual%20companies%20by%20Members%20of%20Congress">poll</a> by the Program for Public Consultation shows that 86% of people support banning stock-trading in individual companies by members of Congress. That includes 87% of Republicans, 88% of Democrats, and 81% of Independents. Clearly, most Americans are on the same page when it comes to this issue. Yet, Congress has done nothing, further fueling public skepticism.
The American people deserve more out of their elected officials, and rightfully so. Considering the overwhelming support for banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, every single member of Congress should support my Stop Insider Trading Act. If they don’t, it says exactly where their priorities lie.
Elected leadership is about public office, not private profit. We don’t let referees bet on games. Congress should not be any different. My bill makes sure that public service is actually about serving the public, not getting ahead of it.
If you are a lawmaker, you should not be a day trader. That’s a good principle that most people agree on. Now, let’s make it a law.
* * *
Sen. <a href="https://thehill.com/people/bill-cassidy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Cassidy,</a> M.D., has represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate since 2015.

White House Officials Hold All-Members Briefings On Iran Strikes For House And Senate

We Don’t Let Referees Bet On Games. So Why Does Congress Get To?

Insider Trading

Money

Nancy Pelosi

Stock Market

wealth

We have, in this recess of the United States Senate, been gifted an extraordinary vision of perfection, the apex example of a social phenomenon long observed but rarely embodied with such an apotheosis of type: The Sad Childless Disney Adult, as <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/30/lindsey-graham-enjoys-disney-ride-during-government-shutdown/">embodied</a> in the person of one Lindsey Graham.
The longtime strongman ruler of South Carolina politics — peace be upon him — decided upon dismissal from the swamps of D.C. and the uncomfortable couches of many a green room to take respite from long days of agitating for wars and causing international kerfuffles to indulge in the joys of what is, for his money, the best kingdom of them all, the Magic one, where birds sing, princesses flit, and bubble wands can be purchased on every corner. Make sure you get the ones that let you replace the batteries — you don&#8217;t want them to run out when you take them home.
(They have not yet committed to sending arms to battle the Houthis, but he has a co-del meeting with Buzz Lightyear later to run that down.)
The things you must know about navigating Disney as a childless adult is that you are their ideal customer: trapped by nostalgia, burdened with a crippling lack of childhood maturation, and desperate for figures who can fill the obvious and manifold emotional gaps in your life. So, in the absence of the figures who contribute to a healthy life, one turns to that old comfortable friend, the fellow with an ear to lend and a &#8220;ha HA!&#8221; to give: M-I-C, K-E-Y — he&#8217;s always there for you with a hug and a waffle shaped like his head. No judgment here, just a land where wishes come true.
<div id="attachment_1069163" style="width: 777px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1069163" class="size-large wp-image-1069163" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Disney-tmz-767x576.jpg" alt="Credit: TMZ" width="767" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Disney-tmz-767x576.jpg 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Disney-tmz-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Disney-tmz-768x577.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Disney-tmz.jpg 977w" sizes=" (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" />Credit: TMZ</div>
The other thing you must know is that you have to download the app to skip the lines, because damn if those &#8220;affordability&#8221; people don&#8217;t have a point about how much it costs to be a dedicated Disney adult in the land of lines and upsells. Though, in fairness, the filet mignon at <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/cinderella-royal-table/menus/dinner/">Cinderella&#8217;s Royal Table</a> is the best steak you&#8217;ll ever have. And don&#8217;t sleep on the Floating Island, it has strawberry meringue. Delectable!
You&#8217;re in cycle? There&#8217;s a co-del? There&#8217;s a primary? Who cares, that&#8217;s not important. This is a personal wellness journey, holding space for the future we are manifesting. The problems of tomorrow disappear when you&#8217;re in this special place. Oh look, it&#8217;s Space Mountain! We went to space, we&#8217;ll do it again — we&#8217;re America, dammit.
People complain too much. Iran is fine. TSA will get paid. Gas prices are a distraction. The important thing is there is a live performance coming up soon, and picking between which character you want a selfie with is always the hardest part. Wish Lindsey luck!

LG_Disney

Meet Senator Lindsey Graham, The Saddest Disney Adult

Disney World

Humor

Opinion

Satire

When I arrived in the United States Senate in 2011, the Republican Leader would often paraphrase George Washington who referred to the Senate as the saucer beneath a cup of tea. Just like a saucer cools the tea, the “World’s Greatest Deliberative Body” was uniquely designed to cool the political passions of the time.
From the viewpoint of a limited government conservative, slowing down the passage of legislation that generally tends to grow government and reduce our freedom, the saucer analogy seemed very appealing. But now that I’ve served within this highly partisan and dysfunctional body for 15 years, I would say a better analogy is the Senate is more like the plaque clogging an artery leading to a heart attack.
There are two basic forms of debate in the Senate: speechmaking and the offering of legislation, motions and amendments for a vote. Senators love engaging in the former, but only the latter results in law. Once debate on a particular bill ends, passage requires only a simple majority, currently 51 votes. That has never changed. What has changed is the method for ending debate and “calling the question” or voting on final passage.
Prior to 1917, when Senate Rule 22 was passed establishing the cloture vote, there was no formal way of ending debate — a filibuster — in the Senate. Because unlimited debate was the tradition of the Senate, cloture was invoked only five times in the first approximately 50 years of its existence. That’s because the cloture vote was intended to end a debate that two-thirds (now three-fifths) of senators believed had gone on too long. For example, a cloture vote succeeded in ending debate on the Civil Rights Act but only after a 57-day filibuster — 57 days of debate. It was never intended to prevent all debate, however, that is exactly how it is now being used.
Rather than requiring a simple majority to get on a bill and start debate, now a supermajority of 60 votes is routinely required. This is a huge difference. Ideally, a bill addressing an important issue would be put on the floor and then further honed through a process of discussion and the adoption of amendments. Prior to 1917, as long as any Senator wanted to keep talking or offering motions and amendments (engaged in a filibuster), the question was not called.
Eventually, exhaustion set in and the Senate moved to vote on final passage — with a simple majority required for passage. This was how a deliberative body actually lived up to its name.
Now, instead of reserving the cloture vote for the very end of an extended filibuster as a last resort measure to end debate and vote on passage, the minority uses it at the very start of the process to prevent even getting on a bill, thereby blocking all debate. The resulting record of failure speaks for itself.
Total federal government debt is approaching $39 trillion. Since I entered Congress in 2011, we should have passed 180 appropriations bills prior to the start of the fiscal year they were funding. We have passed a whopping total of six on time. That’s a 96.7% failure rate. Because of that dysfunction, we have had five shutdowns, had to rely on 57 continuing resolutions to fund government on an interim basis, and increased or suspended the debt ceiling 12 times to allow the government to incur an additional $24 trillion in debt. We had a record 42-day shutdown at the start of this fiscal year, and now Democrats are holding TSA and other DHS employees hostage over their quest to defund ICE and CBP.
Both sides want to maintain the 60-vote cloture threshold to block each other’s legislative agenda when they are in the minority. But after Democrats fell only two votes short of ending the filibuster in 2022, the odds are extremely high that they will end it as soon as they regain the majority and it’s advantageous for them to do so. The Republican conference is divided between those of us who believe Democrats will end the filibuster and are therefore willing to beat them to the punch, and those who think we should risk waiting, hoping Democrats will preserve the filibuster. There are good faith arguments supporting both positions.
In light of the profound dysfunction described above, I’m not sure how things could get much worse by ending the filibuster. The status quo certainly isn’t working. I think it’s obvious things must change — we need a paradigm shift.
If the filibuster does end, we all might be surprised to find senators attempting to find common ground on more issues to help ensure bills pass with bipartisan support, thereby reducing the chance of being overturned when the other side regains power. At this point, I’m willing to make that change.
* * *
Sen. Ron Johnson represents Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate and is serving his third term. He serves as Chair of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and is a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Finance, and Aging committees.

Trump Funding Deal Passes Senate As Short US Shutdown Looms

I’ve Seen Enough: The Senate Is Broken, And It’s Time To Change The Rules

Filibuster

Ron Johnson

President Donald Trump rejected a pitch to fund other agencies under the Department of Homeland Security except for ICE, multiple sources confirmed to The Daily Wire on Monday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated to the president that Senate Republicans and some Democrats would back the pitch in hopes of ending the shutdown that started in mid-February, according to <a href="https://punchbowl.news/article/senate/trump-thune-dhs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punchbowl News</a>. In exchange, funding for ICE would be handled through a future reconciliation bill that would only need Republican votes to pass, the report noted.
“I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday.
A source familiar with the talks said that there is a “bipartisan negotiation train that is still working” that met with White House border czar Tom Homan last week.
In addition, one GOP Senate staffer indicated to The Daily Wire that Democrats are &#8220;letting go potentially of judicial warrants and face masks&#8221; in exchange for not allowing further ICE funding through the appropriations process, with some exceptions like Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The staffer noted that it could be a &#8220;true compromise&#8221; because Republicans already have much of what they want for ICE funding with the &#8220;One Big Beautiful Bill Act&#8221; signed by Trump last year.
According to the source, the Democrats in the conversation include Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and some of the “moderate Dems who voted to reopen the government during the last shutdown.”
“They’ve been dragging their feet the whole time. They’ve been slow walking it, and they keep moving the goalposts of what they actually want, while TSA continues to be held hostage,” the source said, noting that it took 18 days for Senate Democrats to send an update counteroffer to the White House.
Democrats backed out of a meeting with White House staff on Saturday, according to a GOP Senate staffer on background, and the White House did not end up meeting with Senate Democrats on Monday.
As for the Monday meeting, the White House said that it has to do with Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) likely confirmation to become DHS secretary on Monday night.
“Given that Democrats turned down a previous meeting and that Mullin is likely to be confirmed tonight, it seemed appropriate to wait until after his confirmation to allow him to be a full participant in ongoing conversations,” a White House official told The Daily Wire on background Monday.
Some of the most contentious parts of the negotiations have been on the proposed use of judicial warrants and the end of masking for agents, two of the most notable items that Democrats have requested for federal immigration enforcement reforms, according to <a href="https://x.com/bresreports/status/2036106510888063322?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punchbowl News</a>.
The White House sent its counteroffer to the Senate last week, which included proposals such as “[expanding] the use of body-worn cameras and to &#8216;limit civil immigration enforcement activities at certain sensitive locations,'&#8221; along with heightened oversight of ICE detention facilities.
While the talks continue, the president sent ICE to numerous airports in hopes of speeding up wait times in security lines, as hundreds of TSA agents have walked off the job with no paycheck in sight.
Senate Democrats have argued that Republicans have been unwilling to fund TSA by itself, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) forced an ultimately unsuccessful vote to just pay employees from that specific agency on Saturday, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5794925-tsa-funding-senate-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a> reported.
“Instead of sending ICE agents to harass travelers at airports, why don’t Republicans get their act together and agree to pay TSA workers like we’ve asked them to SEVEN TIMES now?” Schumer posted to X on Sunday.

Long lines form outside Atlanta International Airport

Here’s How Senate Republicans Can End The Democrat Shutdown — And Still Fund ICE

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration

A Democrat’s vote to move forward with the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security was considered a surprise, and it garnered some backlash on the Left.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) voted to allow Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to advance to the final step in the confirmation process to become the next DHS secretary, succeeding Secretary Kristi Noem. Heinrich and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) are the only two Democrats who voted in favor of Mullin, who’s expected to be confirmed later on Monday.
“This is going to surprise some people, but I consider Markwayne Mullin a friend. We have a very honest and constructive working relationship. We have authored legislation together, such as the Tribal Buffalo Management Act, and we crafted the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill together this year. We often disagree and when we do, we work to find whatever common ground we share,” Heinrich said in a statement on Sunday.
“I have also seen first-hand that Markwayne is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views, and I look forward to having a Secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” he said.
The senator said that even though New Mexico is a border state, he has not had “any constructive relationship” with the DHS secretaries during the current and previous Trump administration.
“I want someone who recognizes the necessity of judicial warrants, as he has. I would like a Secretary who I can call and have a constructive conversation with about my state and the unique terrain that exists in the southwest and the proper mix of structure, technology and personnel necessary to effectively secure our border,” the Democrat continued.
In a press release, his office noted that he’s previously called for Noem to be fired, did not vote for her confirmation, and that he wants to see changes made to federal immigration enforcement.
On social media, Heinrich garnered some controversy over his decision to support the Oklahoma Republican.
“Who gives a frog’s fat ass if Sen Heinrich likes Mullin personally? His job is to ensure the nominees in Trump’s administration are qualified. Mullin lacks experience, is combative and impulsive, and will push DHS in a more aggressive, politicized direction,” Shannon Watts, founder emerita of Moms Demand Action, posted to X.
Heinrich has also weighed into multiple Senate races, including endorsing Texas State Rep. James Talarico, Maine veteran Graham Platner, and Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow – and The Daily Wire reached out to each campaign on whether they would also support Mullin&#8217;s nomination.
A spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who’s backed by Heinrich in her competitive Senate primary, stated that “no, she would not vote to confirm Mullin.&#8221;
As for Fetterman, he had clearly stated his support for Mullin prior to the procedural vote.
“In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did. I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind,” he posted to X last week. “We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS.”
“My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security,” he added.
The Department of Homeland Security remains largely unfunded, as Democrats and Republicans are attempting to work out a deal to fund DHS while possibly making federal immigration enforcement changes. However, other agencies within the DHS umbrella, like TSA, have been caught in the crosshairs, leading to hundreds of TSA agents quitting and long lines at major airports nationwide.

Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For DHS Secretary Nominee Markwayne Mullin

Democrat Makes ‘Surprise’ Break From Party On Major Homeland Security Vote

Markwayne Mullin

The White House sent its Department of Homeland Security counteroffer to the United States Senate on Tuesday afternoon, after Democrats sent their own late Monday night – 18 days since the White House made its previous offer.
The letter sent to Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) on Tuesday said that the Trump administration “will expand the use of body-worn cameras,” “limit civil immigration enforcement activities at certain sensitive locations” with a handful of exceptions, increase oversight of detention facilities, “enforce the use of visible officer identification” and other practices for officers who are not “undercover,” and “adhere to existing law and practice of not deporting any U.S. citizen and will convey current practice of not knowingly detaining a U.S. citizen, except when the person violates a state or federal law that makes the citizen subject to arrest.”
During an on-background call with reporters on Tuesday, a senior White House official said that “this offer is reasonable, it is serious, it is the product of work that has gone on since the shutdown began.” The Democrats are asking for major changes to be made, including the end of masking for agents and the use of judicial warrants.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
READ: Letter sent by WH to Senate on DHS shutdown.<a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a>
Trump admin offers to 
-expand body cameras 
-limit civil enforcement at “sensitive locations” 
-increase detention facility oversight 
-“officer identification worn by officers will be clearly displayed.”
And… <a href="https://t.co/6ZUlypxco5">pic.twitter.com/6ZUlypxco5</a>
— Cameron Arcand (@cameron_arcand) <a href="https://twitter.com/cameron_arcand/status/2033992494426534366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
The shutdown started in mid-February over federal immigration enforcement tactics, especially in the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, including the shooting death of Alex Pretti.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dems-send-11th-hour-dhs-counteroffer-in-shutdown-standoff-how-americans-could-pay-price?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dems+Send+11th-Hour+DHS+Counteroffer+In+Shutdown+Standoff+%E2%80%94+How+Americans+Could+Pay+Price" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported that Britt’s office said that Democrats have been uncooperative in the process to get the department fully opened, even though most of the funding for Trump’s immigration priorities was already signed into law in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year. Britt is considered the lead negotiator for Senate Republicans on the topic.
However, impacts of the shutdown have been rippling through the country, most notably with long lines at the airport due to TSA agents calling out or leaving the job, as they are required to work without pay. There have also been mounting national security concerns related to the shutdown amid Operation Epic Fury in Iran.
Democrats have argued that Senate Republicans have blocked legislative proposals to fund agencies like TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard without completely reopening DHS until a deal is hashed out.
“Right now, Republicans are holding TSA agents’ paychecks hostage because they want to provide more money to ICE, without basic reforms to protect Americans’ rights and safety,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement last week. “Democrats will keep fighting to get TSA workers paid and fund FEMA and the Coast Guard, and we’ll keep pushing to enact common-sense steps to prevent more Americans from being hurt, or even killed, by masked federal agents.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is the only Democrat in the chamber against the shutdown effort, pointing to the OBBA funding for ICE and CBP as rendering the closure pointless, but he’s noted that he still backs immigration enforcement reforms.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

White House Puts New DHS Offer On The Table — Will Democrats Finally Budge?

White House

Menu